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

¶Here beginneth the thyrde boke Of the inwarde spekyng of Christe to a faythfull soule. The fyrste Chapytre.☜

IS shall take hede saith a deuoute soule and I shal here what my Lorde Iesu shall speake in me. Blessed is that man whiche hereth Iesu spekyng in hys soule and that taketh of his mouth som worde of conforte / and blessed be tho eares that here the secrete rownynges of Iesu and hede nat the deceytefull rownynges of thys worlde. ☞: And blessed be the good playne eares that hede nat the outwarde speche / but rather take hede what god speketh and teacheth with inforth in the soule. Blessed be tho eyen also that be shet from sight of outwarde vanytes and that take hede to the inwarde mouynges of god. Blessed be they also that gette them vertues and prepayre them by god dayly & ghostly warkes to receyue dayly more and more the secrete inspiracions &

inwarde teachynges of god. Also blessed be they that set them selfe hooly to serue god and for hys seruyce set aparte all let¦tynges of the worlde. ♣ O thou my soule take hede to that is sayde before / and shut the dores of thy sensualytes that are thy v. wyttest that thou maist here in wardly what our lorde Iesu speketh in thy soule. Thus sayth thy beloued. ☞: I am thy helthe / I am thy peace / I am thy lyfe / kepe the with me / and thou shalte fynde peace in me / forsake the loue of trāsytory thynges: and seke thynges that be euer∣lastynge. What be all temporall thynges but deceyuable / and what may any crea∣ture helpe the: yf thy lorde Iesu forsake the. Therfore all creatures & all worldely thinges forsagen and lefte: do that in the is to make the pleasaunte in hys syght that thou mayste after hys lyfe come to the euerlastynge lyfe in the kyngdome of heuen. Amen.

❧Howe almyghty god speketh in¦wardely to mannes soule with∣out sounde of wordes.:☜ The seconde Cha¦pytre.

SPeke lorde / for I thy seruaunte am redy to here the. I am thy seruaunte / gyue me wysdomme and vnderstandyng to knowe thy cōmaū¦dementes. Bowe my herte to folowe the wordes of thy holy teachynges that they may distyll in to my soule / as dewe in to the grasse. ☞: The chyldren of Israell sayde to Moyses / speke thou to vs & we shall here the / but let nat our lorde speke to vs lest haply we dye for drede. ♣: Nat so lorde nat so I beseche the / but rather I aske mekely with Samuel the prophet that thou vouchesafe to speke to me thy selfe / and I shall gladly here the / let nat Moyses ne none other of the prophetes speake to me / but rather thou lorde that arte the inwarde inspirour and gyuer of lyght to all Prophetes / for thou onely without them mayste fully enforme me & instructe me. They without the may ly∣tell profyte me They speake thy wordes but they gyue nat the spiryte to vnder∣stande the wordes. They speke fayre / but if thou be styll they kyndle nat the herte. They shewe fayre letters / but thou decla¦rest the sentēce. They brynge forth great high mysteries / but thou openest therof

the true vnderstandynge they declare thy cōmaundement{is} / but thou helpest to per¦forme thē. They shewe the way but thou gyuest cōforte to walke therin. They do all outwardely / but thou illumynest & in¦formest y^e herte withī. They water one∣ly without forth / but thou gyuest the in∣warde growyng. They crye al in wordes but thou gyueste to the heres vnderstan∣dyng of the wordes that he harde. ♣: Let nat Moyses therfore speake to me but thou my lorde Iesu that arte the euerla∣styng trouth / leste haply I dye & be made as a man without frute warned without forth and nat enflamed within: and so to haue the harder iugemēt for that I haue herde thy worde & nat done it / knowē it & nat loued it / byleued it & nat fulfylled it. Speke therfore to me thy selfe for I thy seruaūte am redy to here the. Thou haste the word{is} of eternall lyfe speke thē to me to the full conforte of my soule & gyue me amendemēt of all my lyfe past to thy ioy honoure and glory euerlastyngly. Amen

¶That the word{is} of god are to be herde with great mekenes / and that there be but fewe that ponder them as they ought to do. The .iii. Chapytre.

MI sonne sayth our lorde heare my wordes and folowe theym for they be moste swete fare passing the wysdome and connyng of all philoso∣phers & of al the wyse men of the worlde. My wordes be spiritual and ghostly and can nat be fully cōprehended by mannes wytte ne they art nat to be tourned ne to be applyed to the vayne pleasure of the hearer / but are to be hearde in scylence with greate mekenes and reuerence and with greate inwarde affeccion of the hert and also in greate reste and quyetnes of body and of soule. O blessed is he lorde whome thou enformeste and teacheste so that thou mayste be meke and mercyfull lorde vnto hym in the euyll day / that is to saye in the daye of the mooste dredfull iugemente / that he be nat than lefte de∣solate and confortles in the lande of dāp¦nacyon. ❧: Than sayth our Lorde a∣gayne. ☞: I haue taught Prophetes frō the begynnyng: and yet I cesse nat to speke to euery creature / but many be defe and wyll nat heare / and many heare the worlde more gladly thā me / & more lyght¦ly folowe the appetyte of the fleshe / than the pleasure of god. The worlde {pro}miseth

temporall thing{is} of smale val••re and yet he is serued with great affeccion but god promyseth hys thynges / and thynges eternall and the hertes of the people be slowe and dull. O who serueth and obey∣eth god in all thing{is} with so great desyre as he doth the worlde & as worldly pryn∣ces be serued and obeyed I trowe none. For why? For a lytell prebende / greate iournayes be taken. But for the lyfe euer¦lastyng the people wyl skarsly lyfte their fete ones from the grounde. A thynge that is of small pryse many tymes is bu∣sely sought / and for a peny is somtyme greate stryfe / and for the promyse of a ly∣tell worldely profyte men eschewe nat to swynke and sweate both daye and nyght But alas for sorowe for the goodes euer¦lastynge and for the rewarde that maye nat be estemed by mannes herte / and for the hyghe honoure and glorye that neuer shall haue ende. Mē be slowe to take any maner of payne or laboure. Be thou ther¦fore ashamed thy slowe seruaunte of god that they be foundē more redy to warkes of deth than thou arte to warkes of lyfe / and that they ioye more in vanyte than thou in trouth: & yet they be ofte deceiued

that: that they haue moste truste in / but my promyse deceyueth no man ne leueth no mā that trusteth in me without some comforte / that I haue promysed I wyll performe / and that I haue sayde I wyll fulfyll to euery {per}sone / so that they abyde faythfully in my loue and drede vnto the ende / for I am the rewarde of all good men / and a stronge prouer of all deuoute soules: wryte my wordes therfore in thy herte dilygently & ofte thynke thou vpon them / and they shalbe in tyme of tempta∣cyon moche necessarye vnto the / that thou vnderstandest nat whan thou redest it: thou shalte vnderstande in the tyme of my visitacyon. I am wonte to vysyte my seruauntes two maner of wayes / that is to saye with temptacyon and with con∣solacyon / and two lessons dayly I reade vnto them / one wherby I rebuke theyr vyces / an other wherby I styre them to encrease ī vertues. And he that knoweth my wordes and dispiseth them / hath that that shall iuge hym in the laste daye.

❧A prayer to optayne the grace of deuocyon. The fourth Chapytre.

O Lorde Iesu thou arte all my ry∣ches / and all that I haue: I haue it of the / but what am I Lorde that I dare thus speke to the I am thy poreste seruaunte / and a worne moste ab∣iecte / more poore / and more dyspysable than I can or dare saye. Beholde Lorde that I am nought / that I haue nought / & of my selfe I am nought worthe. Thou arte onely god / ryghtwyse and holy / thou orderest all thynge / thou gyuest all thyng and thou fulfylleste all thynges with thy goodnes / leuyng onely the wretched syn∣ner bareyne and voyde of heuēly cōforte Remēber thy mercyes and fyll my herte with thy many folde graces / for thou wylt nat that thy wark{is} in me be made in vayne. How many I bere the miseries of thys lyfe: but thy grace and mercye do cōforte me therin. Tourne nat thy face fro me: differre nat thy vysityng of me / ne withdrawe nat thy cōfortes frō me / leste haply my soule be made as drye earthe: without the water of grace / & as it were a thynge vnprofytable to the. Teache me Lorde to fulfyll thy wyll / and to lyue mekely and worthely before the / for thou arte all my wysdome and connynge / and

thou arte he that knoweste me as I am / and that kneweste me before the worlde was made / and before that I was borne or brought in to thys lyfe.

❧:Howe we ought to be conuersaunte before god in trouth and mekenes. The .v. Chapitre.

MI sone sayth our lorde Iesu / walke before me in trouthe and mekenes / and seke me alwaye in symplenes / and playnnes of herte. He that walketh in trouthe shalbe defended from all perylles and daungers / and trouthe shall delyuer hym fro all deceyuours and from al euyl saynges of wycked people. If trouth de∣lyuer the / thou arte very fre: and thou shalte lytell care for the vayne sayinges of the people. ♣: Lorde it is true all that thou sayeste / be it done to me after thy sayng: I besech the that thy trouth may teache me and kepe me / and fynally leade me to a blessed endynge / and that it may delyuer me from all euyll affeccyons / and from all inordynate loue / that I maye walke with the in fredome of spyrite and in lybertye of herte.

Than trouth sayth agayne I shal teache the what is acceptable and likyng to me thinke on thy synnes past with great dis∣pleasure and sorowe of herte / and neuer thynke thy selfe worthy to be called holy or vertuous for no good dedes that thou haste done / but that thou thynke howe greate a synner thou arte belapped and boundē with many folde synnes and pas∣sions / and that of thy selfe thou droweste to nought sone falleste / sone arte ouer∣come / sone troubeled / and sone arte thou brokē with laboure and payne / and thou hast nothyng wherof thou mayst ryght∣wysely glorify thy selfe / but many thing{is} thou haste wherfore thou oughtest to dis∣pise thy selfe / for thou arte more vnstable and more weyke to ghostly werkes than thou knoweste or mayste thynke: Let no∣thynge therfore seme greate to the / no∣thyng precyous / nothyng worthy any re¦putacion / ne worthy to be praysed in thy syght / but that is euerlastynge. Let the euerlastynge trouth be moste lykyng and mooste pleasaunte in the aboue all other thynges / and thyne owne synne & vylete be moste myslykynge and moste dysplea∣saunte to the / dreade nothynge so muche

ne reproue nothynge so muche: ne let no∣thynge be to the so muche hated / ne fle thou nothynge so muche as thy synnes and wyckednes / for they shulde more dis∣please the: thā shulde the losse of al world¦ly thynges. ☞:★: Some there be that walke nat purelye before me: for they throughe pryde and curiosyte of thē selfe desyre to serch & to knowe hygh thynges of my godhede forgettyng them selfe and the helthe of theyr owne soules. Suche persones fall ofte tymes in greate temp∣tacyons & into greuous synnes for theyr pryde and curiosyte / for the whiche I am tourned agaynste them: and leue them to them selfe withoute helpe or counseyle of me. ☞: Drede therfore the iugemente of God and the wrathe of hym that is al∣mighty and discusse nat ne serche nat his secretes / but serche well thyne owne ini∣quities. Howe ofte and howe greuously thou haste offendyd hym / and howe ma∣ny good dedes thou haste neglygantly omytted and lefte vndone / whiche thou myghtest well haue done. Some persons bere theyr deuocion in bok{is} / some in yma¦ges / some in outwarde tokenes and figu∣res / some haue me in theyr mouthe: but

lytell in theyr harte / but some ther•• be that hath theyr reason clerely illumyned with the lyght of true vnderstandynge. wherby theyr affeccyon is so purged and purifyed frō loue of erthely thynges that they may alway coueyte and desyre heuē¦ly thyng{is}: in so muche that it is greuous to theym for to here of erthely thynges / and it is to thē also a ryght greate payne to serue the necessytes of the bodye / and they thynke al the time as loste that they go aboute it. Suche persones fele and knowe well what the spirite of trouth spe¦keth in theyr soules / for it teacheth them to dispyse erthly thynges / and to loue he∣uenly thynges: to forsake the worlde that is transitory / and to desyre both day and nyght to come thether where is ioye euer lastynge. To the whiche brynge vs our lorde Iesus amen.

❧Of the meruaylous effecte of the loue of God. The .vi. Chapytre.

BLessed be thou heuenly Father: The father of my Lorde Iesu Chryste / for thou haste vouched¦safe to remēbre me thy poorest seruaunte

and somtyme doste comforte me with thy gra••yous presence / that am vnworthye all comforte. I blesse the and glorifye the alwaye with the onely begotten sone and the holy ghoste without endyng. Amen. ♣O my lorde god moste faythfull louer / whan thou cōmest into my herte: all my inwarde partyes do ioye. Thou arte my glory: and the ioye of my herte / my hope and my hole refuge in all my troubles. But for asmuch as I am yet feble in loue and vnperfyte in vertue: therfore I haue nede to haue more conforte / and more helpe of the / voutchesafe therfore ofte ty∣mes to vysyte me / and to instructe me with thy holy teachynger / delyuer me fro all euyll passyons / and helpe my syke herte from al inordinate affeccyons / that I maye be inwardely healed and purged from all inordinate affeccions and vyces and be made apte and able to loue the / stronge for to suffre for the / and stable to perseuer in the. Loue is a greate thynge and a good / and onely maketh heuy bour¦den lyght / and bereth in lyke balaunce thing{is} pleasaunte & displeasaunte / it be∣reth a heuy bourdē & feleth it nat / & ma∣keth bytter thyng{is} to be sauoury & swete

Also the noble loue of Iesu perfytly pryn¦ted in mannes soule maketh a man to do great thynges and styreth hym alwaye to desyre perfeccyon / and to growe more and more in grace and goodnes. Loue wyll alway haue hys mynde vpwarde to god and wyll nat be occupyed with loue of the worlde. Loue well also be fre from all worldly affeccyons that the inwarde syght of the soule be nat darked ne let / ne that his affeccyon to heuenly thynges be nat put from his fre liberte by inordinate wynning or lesynge of worldly thynges. Nothynge therfore is more sweter than loue / nothynge hygher / nothynge stron∣ger / nothynge larger / nothynge ioyfuller nothynge fuller / ne nothynge better in heuen: ne in erthe / for loue discendeth frō god and may nat reste finally in nothing lower than god. ♣ Suche a louer fleethe hyghe / he renneth sweftely / he is mery in god / he is fre in soule / he gyueth all for all / and hath all in all / for he restethe in one hygh goodnes aboue all thynges / of whome all goodnes floweth & procedeth he beholdeth nat onely the gyfte / but the gyuer aboue all gyfte / loue knoweth no measure but is feruent without measure▪

It feleth no burden: it regardeth no la∣boure / it desyreth more than it may at∣tayne / it cōplaineth of none inpossibilyte for it thynketh all thynge that maye be done for his beloued possyble and lawful vnto hym. Loue therfore dothe many great thynges and bryngeth them to ef∣fecte wherin he that is no louer faynteth and fayleth. Koue waketh muche and fle yet lytell / and slepyng? slepeth nat / it faynteth: and is nat wery: is restrayned of lyberte? and is in greate fredome. He seeth causes of frre? and fereth nat / but as a quycke bronde or sparkle of fyre fla∣meth alway vpwarde by feruoure of loue in to god / and through the speciall helpe of grace is delyuered frō all perylles / and daungers. He that is thus a ghostely lo∣uer knoweth well what thys voyce mea∣neth whiche sayth thus. ☞: Thou lorde god art my hole loue and my desyre / thou arte all myne and I all thyne. Sprede thou my herte in to thy loue that I may taste & fele howe swete it is to serue the and howe ioyfull it is to laude the and to be as I were all molten in to thy loue. O am bounden in loue and go far aboue my selfe for the greate wonder feruoure

that I fele of thy vnspekable goodnes I shall synge to the: the songe of loue / and I shall folowe the my beloued: by hygh∣nes of thought: where so euer thou go. And my soule shal neuer be wery to praise the with the ioyfull song of ghostely loue that I shall synge to the. I shall loue the more than my selfe / and nat my selfe but for the and all other in the and for the / as the lawe of loue commaundeth whiche ••s giuē by the. Loue is swyfte / pure meke / ioyous and glad / stronge / pacyent / fayth¦full / wyse / forberynge / manly and neuer sekynge hym selfe ne hys owne wyll / for whan so euer a man seketh hym selfe / he falleth fro loue / also loue is circumspecte meke / ryghtwyse / nat tender / nat lyght / ne hedyng vayne thynges / sober / chaste / stable / quyet / and well stabled in hys out∣warde wyttes. And loue is subiecte and obedyent to hys prelate / vyle and dispisa∣ble in hys owne syght: deuout & thanke∣full to god / trustynge and alway hopyng in hym / and that whan he hath but ly∣tell deuocyō or lytell sauoure in hym / for withoute some sorowe or payne no man may lyue in loue / he that is nat alwaye redye to sussre / and to stande fully at the

wyll of hys beloued / is nat worthy to be called a louer / for it behoueth a louer to suffre gladly all harde and bytter thyng{is} for hys beloued / and nat to declyne from hys loue for no contrarious thynge that may befall vnto hym.

❧Of the proufe of a true louer of god. The .vii. Chapytre.

MI son sayth our sauyour Christe thou arte nat yet a stronge and a wyse louer: for why? For a ly∣tel aduersite thou leuest anone that thou haste begonne in my seruice & with great desyre thou sekest outwarde cōsolacyons But a stronge and a faythfull louer of god standeth stable in all aduersytes and gyueth lytell hed•• to the deceytfull per∣suacyons of the enemye. And as I please hym in prosperyte: so I dysplease hym nat in aduersyte. A wyse louer consyde∣reth nat so muche the gyfte of hys louer as he doth the loue of the gyuer / he regar¦dethe more the loue than the gyfte / and accompteth all gyftes lytell in compary∣son of his beloued that giueth thē to him A noble louer restethe nat in the gyfte /

but in me aboue all gyftes / ferthermore it is nat all loste thoughe thou somtyme fele lesse deuocyō to me and to my saintes than thou woldeste do / and on that other syde the swete ghostely desyre that thou felest somtyme to thy Lorde Iesu / is the feable gyfte of grace gyuen to thy con∣forte in this lyfe and a taste of the heuen¦ly glory in the lyfe to come / but it is nat good that thou leue ouermoche to suche confortes for they lyghtely come and go after the wyll of a gyuer / but to stryue alway without cessyng agaynste all euyl mocyons of syne / and to dyspyse all the suggestyons of the enemye is a token of perfyte loue and greate meryte and syne¦guler grace / let no vanitis ne no straunge fantysyes trouble the of what matter so euer they be▪ Kepe thyne intente and thy purpose alwaye hole and stronge to me / and thynke nat that it is an illusion that thou arte sodeynly rauysshed in to excesse of mynde / and that thou arte sone after tourned agayne in to thy fyrste lyghtnes of herte / for thou sufferest suche lyghtnes rather agaynste thy wyll than with thy wyll. And therfore if thou be dyspleased therwith / it shalbe to the greate meryte

and no perdicion. ☞ I knowe sayth ou•• lorde that the olde auncyente enemye the fynde wyll assaye to lette thy good wyll / and to extincte the good desyre that thou haste to me / and to all goodnes all that he can / and he wyll also hyndre the from all good warkes and deuoute exercises if he maye: that is to say from the honoure and worshype that thou arte bounden to gyue to me and to my sayntes / and from mynde of my passyon / & from the remem∣braunce of thyne owne synnes / frō a dili∣gente kepynge of thy herte in good medi¦tacyons: and from a stedfaste purpose to profyte in vertue / he wyll also put in to thy minde many ydell thought{is} to make ••he yrke and to be sone wery with prayer and with redynge & with all other good vertuous warkes. A meke cōfessyon dys∣pleaseth hym muche and if he can he wyl let a man that he shall nat be howsyled. But beleue hym nat ne care nat for hym thoughe he assayle the neuer so muche / make all his malice retourne to him selfe agayne and say to him thus. ❧ Go frō me thou wycked spiryte: and be thou a∣shamed / for thou arte foule and vggely that woldest brynge suche thynges in to

my mynde. Go fro me thou false decey∣uer of mākynde: thou shalt haue no parte in me / for my sauyoure Iesu standeth by me as a myghty warryour and a stronge champyō / and thou shalt fle away to thy confusyon. I had leuer suffre the moste cruell deth than to consente to thy maly∣cious styrrynges / be styll therfore thou cursed fynde and cesse thy malyce: for I shall neuer assente to the / thoughe thou vexe me neuer so muche. Our lorde is my lyght and my helth whome shall I drede and he is the defender of my lyfe / what shall I feare. Truely thoughe an hoste of men aryse agaynste me: my herte shall nat drede them: for why? God is my hel∣per & my redemer. Than sayth our lorde agayne to suche a soule. ☞: Stryue al∣waye as a true knyght agaynste all the styrryng{is} of the enemy: & yf thou be som∣tyme through thy fraylte ouercome ryse sone agayne and take more strength thā thou haddest fyrste & truste verely to haue more grace and more cōforte of god thā thou haddeste before / but beware alwaye of vayne glory and pryde / for therby ma∣ny persons haue fallē into great errours and into greate blyndnes of soule so far:

that it hath ben ryght nyghe incurable. Be it therfore to the a great example and a matter of perpetuall mekenes: the fall and ruyne of suche proude folkes / that fo¦lyshely haue presumed of them selfe. And haue in the ende finally peryshed by theyr presumpcyon.

❧Howe grace is to be kepte close through the vertue of mekenes. The .viii. Chapytre.

MI sonne: it is muche more expedy∣ente: and moche more the suerer waye for the / that thou hyde the grace of deuocyon / and nat to speake moche of it / ne muche to regarde it / but rather to dys∣pise thy selfe the more for it: and to thinke thy selfe vnworthy any suche gracyous gyfte of god / than to speke of it. And it is nat good to cleaue muche to suche affec∣tions that may be sone tourned to the cō∣trary. Whā thou hast the grace of deuociō cōsider howe wretched & howe nedy thou wert wōt to be whā thou hadest no suche grace. The profyte & encrease of lyfe spy∣ritual is nat only whā thou hast deuociō but rather whan thou canste mekely and

pacyently bere the withdrawynge / and the absentinge therof / and yet nat to leue thy prayers ne thy other good dedes that thou arte accustomed to do: vndone but to thy power and as farre as in the is / thou doste thy beste therin and forgettest nat thy duety therfore nor thou arte nat negligente for any dulnes or vnquietnes of mynde that thou feleste. Neuertheles there be many persones that whan any aduersyte falleth to them they be anone vnpacyēt and be made therby very slowe and dull to do any good dede / and they hyndre them selfe greatly. For it is nat in the power of man the way that he shal take / but it is onely in the grace of god to dyspose that after his wyll and to sende cōforte whā he wyll and as muche as he wyll & to whome he wyll as it shal please hym and none otherwyse. Some vnware persones throughe an vndescrete desyre that they haue had to haue the grace of deuocyon haue distroyed themselfe / for they wolde doo more than theyr power was to do. And wolde nat knowe the me¦sure of their gyfte ne thy lytelnes of their owne strength: but rather wolde folowe the pryde of theyr herte thā the iugement that it

of reason. And bycause they presumed to do greater thynges than was pleasaunt to god / therfore they lost anone the grace that they had before / and were lefte nedy and without comforte / whiche thought to haue buylded theyr nestes in heuen / & so they were taught nat to presume of them selfe / but mekely to truste in god & in hys goodnes. Also suche persones as be begynners: & yet lacke experyence in ghostly trauayle: may lyghtely erre & be deceyued / but they wyll be ruled by coun¦sayle of other. And if they wyll nedely fo∣lowe theyr owne coūsayle and wyll in no wyse be remoued fro theyr owne wyll / it wyll be very perylous to them ī the ende And it is nat lyghtly sene that they that be wyse and cōnynge in theyr owne sight wyll be mekely ruled or ordered by other It is better to haue lytell conninge with mekenes than great cōnyng with vayne lykyng therin / and it is better to haue ly∣tell connyng with grace / than muche cō∣nynge wherof thou shuldeste be proude / also he doth nat discretly that in tyme of deuocion setteth him selfe all to spiritual myrth and as it were to a heuenly glad∣nes: and forgetteth his former desolacion

and the meke dreade of god. Ne he dothe nat well nor vertuously that in tyme of trouble or of any maner aduersyte or gra¦uite bereth him selfe ouermuch desperat∣ly and feleth nat ne thynketh nat so trust¦fully of me as he ought to do / he that in tyme of peace & of ghostly conforte wyll thynke hym selfe ouer muche syker / cōmō¦ly in tyme of batayle and of temptacyon shalbe founde ouermuhe deiecte and fe∣refull. But if thou couldest alwaye abyde meke and lytell in thyne owne syght and couldest order well the mocyons of thyne owne soule / thou shuldest nat so sone fall into presumpcyō or dyspayre / ne so lyght¦ly offende almyghtye god / wherfore thys is good and holsome coūsayle / that whan thou haste the spyryte of feruoure thou thynke howe thou shalt do whan that fer¦uoure is passed / and than whan it happe∣neth so with the: that thou thynke that it may sone come agayne / whiche to my honoure & to thy prouynge I haue with∣drawen for a time. And it is more profita¦ble to the that thou shuldeste be so proued than that thou shuldest alway haue pro∣sperous thynges after thy wyll / for why merytes are nat to be thought greate in

any persone bycause he hath many vysy∣ons or many ghostly cōfortes / or for that he hath clere vnderstandyng of scripture or that he is set in hyghe degre But if he be stably groūded in mekenes and be ful∣fylled with charyte / & seke hooly the wor∣shyppe of god and in nothinge regardeth hym selfe / but fully ī his herte can dispyse hym selfe / and also coueyteth to be dyspy∣sed of other / than may he haue good trust that he hath somwhat profyted in grace and that he shall in the ende haue greate rewarde of god for hys good trauayle. Amen.

❧Howe we shall thynke throughe me∣kenes our selfe vyle and abiecte in the syght of God. The .ix. Chapyter.

SHall I lorde Iesu dare speke to the: that am but duste and as∣shes: verely if I thynke my selfe any better than asshes & duste / thou stan∣deste agaynste me. And also myne owne synnes bere wytnes agaynste me that I maye nat with saye it / but yf I dyspyse my selfe and set my selfe at noughte / and thynke my selfe but asshes and duste as

I am / than thy grace shalbe nyghe vnto me: and the lyght of true vnderstandyng shall entre into my herte / so that all pre∣sumpcion and pryde in me shall be drow∣ned in the vale of mekenes throughe par¦fyte knowynge of my wretchednes. Through mekenes thou shalt shewe vn∣to me what I am / what I haue ben and fro whens I came / for I am nought and knewe it nat / yf I be lefte to my selfe thā am I naught and all is feblenes and in{per}¦feccion. But if thou vouchesafe a lytell to beholde me / anone I am made stronge / and fylled with a newe ioy and meruayle it is that I wretche / and so sone lyfte vp fro my vnstablenes in to the beholdynge of heuenly thynges / and that I am so lo∣uyngly enhalsed of the: that of my selfe fall downe alwaye to erthely lykynges. But thy loue lorde: causeth al this which preuenth me: and helpeth me in all my necessytyes / and kepeth me warely from all perylles and daūgers that I am day∣ly lyke to fall into. I haue loste the and also my selfe by inordynate loue that I haue had to my selfe / and in keping of the agayne. I haue founde bothe the and me & therfore wyll I more depely from hense¦forth

set my selfe at nought and more de∣lygently seke the thā I haue done ī tyme paste / for thou lorde Iesu thou doste to me aboue all my merytes / and aboue all that I can aske or desyre. But blessed be thou in all thy warkes for thoughe I be vnworthy good thynges / yet thy good∣nes neuer cesseth to do well to me and all so to many other / whiche be vnkynde to the & that are tourned ryght far fro the. Tourne vs Lorde therfore to the agayne that we may hensforwarde be louynge / thankeful / meke / & deuoute to y^e / for thou arte our helth / thou arte our vertue / and all our strength in body and in soule / and none but thou / to the therfore be ioye and glory euerlastyngly in the blesse of heuen Amen.

❧Howe all thynges are to be referred to god as ende of euery warke. The .x. Chapyter.

MI sone sayeth our sauyour Chryste I muste be the ende of all thy war∣••es if thou desyre to be happy and blessed And if thou referre all goodnes to me frō whome all goodnes commeth. Thā shall

be pourged and made cleane in the / thyne in warde affeccyons whiche els wolde be euyll enclyned to thy selfe & to other crea¦tures / if thou seke thy selfe in any thynge as ende of thy warke / anone thou faylest in thy doyng and waxest drye and bareyn from all moyster of grace / wherfore thou muste refarre al thyng{is} to me for I gyue all. Beholde therfore all thinges as they be flowynge and spryngynge oute of my souerayne goodnes: and reduce al thing{is} to me as to theyr original begīninge / for of me both smale and great / poore & ryche as of a quycke springyng well drawe wa¦ter of lyfe / he that serueth me freely / and with good wyll / shall receyue grace for grace. But he that wyll glorifye hym self in hym selfe / or wyll fully ioy ī any thyng besyde me / shall nat be stablesshed in par∣fyte ioy ne be dilated in soule / but he shall be letted & anguysshed many wayes from the trewe fredome of spiryte / thou shalte therfore ascrybe no goodnes to thy selfe ne thou shalte nat thynke that any per∣sone hath any goodnes of hym selfe / but that thou yelde alwaye the goodnes to me / without whome man hath nothyng. I haue gyuen all: and all wyll I haue a∣gayne

and with great straynes / wyll I loke to haue thankynges therfore. Thys is the trouthe wherby is dryuen away al maner of vayne glory and pryde of herte if heuēly grace and perfyte charyte enter into thy herte / than there shall no enuye ne vnquyetnes of mynde ne any pryuate loue haue true ruele in the. For the cha∣ryte of god shall ouercome all thynges / & shall dilate and enflame al the powers of thy soule. Wherfore if thou vnderstandest a ryght thou shalte neuer ioy but in me: and in me onely thou shalte haue truste / for no man is good but god alone / which is aboue all thynges to be honoured and in all thynges to be blessed. Amen.

❧That it is swete & delectable to serue god / and to forsake the worlde. The .xi. Chapyter.

HOwe shall I yet speake agayne to the my Lorde Iesu / and nat cease. And I shall saye in the ••a¦res of my Lorde: my god and kynge / that is in heuen. ★: O howe greate is the ha∣bundaūce of y^e swetnes whiche thou hast

hyde and kept for them that drede the. But what is it than to thē that loue the: and that with all theyr herte do serue the / verely it is the vnspekeable swetnes of cō¦templacyō that thou giuest to them that loue the. In thys Lorde thou haste moste shewed the swetnes of thy charyte to me / that whan I was nat thou madest me / & whan I erred far from the / thou brough∣teste me agayne to serue the / and thou cō∣maundest me also that I shal loue the.♣ O fountayne of loue euerlastynge what shall I say of the / howe may I forgette the: that haste vouchedsafe thus loungly to remēbre me. Whan I was like to haue perished thou shewedest thy mercy to me aboue all that I coulde haue thought and desyred / and haste sente me of thy grace & of thy loue aboue my merites. But what shall I gyue to the agayne for all thys goodnes. It is nat gyuen to all men to forsake the worlde and to take a solytary lyfe & onely to serue the. And yet it is no great thynge to serue the / whome euerye creature is boūden to serue. It ought nat therfore to seme any greate thynge to me to serue the / but rather it shulde seme mer¦uayle and wonder to me / that thou wylte

vouchesafe to receyue so poore / and so vn¦worthy a creature as I am into thy ser∣uyce / and that thou wylt ioyne me to thy welbeloued seruaūtes. Lo lorde al thing{is} that I haue: and al that I do the seruyce with be thyne. And yet thy goodnes is suche that thou rather seruest me than I the. For lo? heuen and erthe / planettes / & sterres with theyr cōtentes whiche thou haste created to serue man / be redy at thy byddyng & do dayly that thou haste com∣maunded. And thou haste also ordeyned Angels to the mynistery of man. But a∣boue all thys thou haste vouchedsafe to serue man thy selfe / and haste {pro}mysed to gyue thy selfe vnto hym / what shal I thā gyue to the againe for this thousāde folde goodnes / wolde to god that I myght ser¦ue the all the dayes of my lyfe / or at the leste / that I myght one day be able to do the faylthful seruice for thou arte worthy al honour seruyce and praysinge for euer Thou arte my lorde and my god / and I thy poorest seruaunt moste boundē before al other to loue the and prayse the / and I neuer ought to wax wery of the praising of the. And that is it that I aske: that I desyre / that is to say / that I may alwaye

laude the and prayse the / voutchsafe ther¦fore most mercyfull lorde to supplye that wanteth in me / for it is great honoure to serue the and al erthly thynges to dispyse for the loue of the. They shall haue great grace that frely submytteth them selfe to thy holy seruyce. And they shal fynde also the moste swete consolacyon of the holy ghooste / & shall haue great fredome of spi¦rite / that here forsake al worldly busynes and chose an harde and a strayte lyfe in this worlde for thy name. ♣. O fre & ioy∣full seruice of god / by the which a man is made fre and holy / and also blessed in the syght of god. ♣. O holy state of religyon whiche maketh a man lyke to Aungelles pleasaunt to god / dredfull to wycked spi∣rites / & to all faythful people ryght hygh¦ly cōmendable. O seruice muche to be en∣halsed and alway to be desired / by whom the hyghe goodnes is wonne & the euer∣lastyng ioy and gladnes is gotten with∣oute ende.

❧:That the desyres of the herte ought to be well examyned / and well to be modered. The .xii. Chapyter.

MI sone sayth our lorde it behoueth the to lerne many thynges / that thou haste nat yet well lerned. What be they Lorde that thou order thy desyres and thy affeccyons hooly after my plea∣sure / and that thou be nat a louer of thy selfe / but a desyrous folower of my wyll in all thynges / I knowe well that desy∣res ofte moue the to thys thynge or to that. But consyder well whether thou be moued principally for my honoure or for thyn owne. If I be ī the cause thou shalt be wel cōtēted what so euer I do with ••he but if any thynge remayne in thy hert of thyne owne wyll / that is it that letteth the and hyndereth the. Beware therfore that thou leue nat muche to thyne owne desyre without my counsayle / leste hape∣ly it for thynke the and displease the ī the ende that fyrste pleased the. Euery affec∣cyon and desyre of mannes herte that se∣meth good and holy / is nat forhwith to be folowed nor euery contrarious affecci∣on or desyre is nat hastely to be refused it is somtyme ryght expedyent that a man refrayne his affeccions & desyres though they be good / leste happely by his impor∣tunite he fall into vnquyetnes of mynde /

or be letted by other / & so fayle ī his doing and somtyme it behoueth vs to vse as it were a vyolence to our selfe and strongly to resyst and breke downe our sensual ap∣petyt and nat to regarde what the fleshe wyll / or wyll nat / but alway to take hede that it be made subiecte to the wyll of the spirite / and that it be so longe chastysed & cōpelled to serue tyll it be redy to al thing that the soule cōmaūdeth / and that it can lerne to be contente with a lytell and can delyght in symple thynges: & nat to mur∣mur ne to grudge for no cōtrarious thin∣ger that may befall vnto it.

❧:Howe we shulde kepe pacyence and contynually stryue agaynste al concupiscence. The .xiii Chapyter.

O My lorde god as I here say pa∣cyence is muche necessary vnto me / for many contraryous thin¦ges fall dayly in this lyfe. I se well that howe so euer I order my self to haue peas yet my lyfe can nat be without some ba∣tayle and sorowe. ☞: My sone it is true as thou sayest / wherfor I wyll nat that

thou seke to haue suche peace as wanteth temptacions or as feleth nat some contra¦diccyon. But that thou trowe and beleue that thou haste founde peace whan thou haste many troubles & arte proued with many cōtrarious thynges in this worlde and yf thou saye thou mayste nat suffre suche thynges / howe shalt thou than suf∣fre the fyre of purgatory. Of two euyl••es the lesse euyll is to be taken. Suffre ther∣fore pacyently the lytell paynes of thys worlde / that thou mayst here after escape the greater in the worlde to come. Tro∣west thou that worldly men suffre litel or nothynge? yes truely / thou shalte fynde none without some trouble thoughe thou seke the moste delycate persones that be. But percase thou sayest vnto me agayne they haue many delectacyons and folow theyr owne pleasures so muche that they pōder but lytell all theyr aduersite. I wyl well it be as thou sayest that they haue al that they can desyre / but howe longe tro¦west thou that it shall endure. Sothely it shall sodaynly vanysshe awaye as smoke in the ayre / so that there shall nat be left any remembraunce of theyr ioyes passed And yet whan they lyued they were nat

without great bytternes & grefe / for oftē¦times of the same thing wherin they had theyr greatest pleasure receyued they af∣ter greate trouble and payne: and ryghte¦wysely came that vnto them / that for as∣moche as they sought delectacyons and pleasures inordynately / that they shulde nat fulfyll theyr desyre therein but with great bytternes and sorowe. ❧: Howe shorte / howe false / and howe inordynate be all the pleasures of this worlde / sothly for dronkenshype and blyndnes of herte / the worldely people perceyue it nat / ne wyl nat perceyue it: but as a dombre bea∣stes· For a lyt••ll pleasure of thys corrup∣tyble lyfe they rēne hedlyng into euerla∣stynge deth. ♣: Therfore my sone go nat thou after thy concupycense / but tourne the lyghtly from thyne owne wyll: delyte the in god and fixe thy loue strongely in hym and he shall gyue the / the askyng of thy herte. And if thou wylt haue consola∣cyon abundantly and wylte receyue the sothfast comfort that cōmeth of god / dys∣pose thy selfe fully to dispise thys worlde and put from the hooly all inordynate de¦lectacyon / & thou shalte haue plentuously the comforte of god. And the more that

thou withdrawest the from the consolacy¦on of all creatures / the more swete and blessed consolaciōs shalte thou receyue of thy creatoure. But sothly thou canste nat at the fyrste come to suche consolacyons but with heuynes and laboure going be∣fore thy olde custome wyll somwhat with stande the / but with a better custome yf may be ouercome. The flesshe wyll mur∣mure agaynste the / but with feruoure of spirite it shalbe refrayned. The olde aūcy¦ent enemye the fende wyll let the yf he cā but with deuout prayer he shalbe dryuen alwaye / & with good bodely and ghostely labours hys way shalbe stopped so that he shall nat dare nyghe vnto the.

❧:Of the obedyence of a meke subiect after the example of our lorde Ie∣su Christe. The .xiiii. Chapyter

MI sone sayth our sauyour Christ he that laboureth to withdrawe hym from obedyence withdrawethe hym fro grace And he that seketh to haue pryua∣te thynges leseth the thynges that be in

cōmon / if a man can nat gladly submytte hym to hys superyoure / it is a token that his fleshe is nat yet fully obedyent to the spirite / but that it ofte rebelleth and mur¦mureth. Therfore if thou desyre to ouer∣come thy selfe & to make thy flesshe obeye mekely to the wyl of the spirite / lerne first to obey gladly to thy superiour. The out warde enemy is the soner ouercome if the inner man that is the soule be nat febled nor wastede. There is no worse ne none more greuous enemye to the soule: than thy selfe yf thy fleshe be nat well agreyng to the wyll of the spirite. It behoueth the therfore to haue a true dispising and con∣tempte of thy selfe / yf thou wylt preuayle agaynste thy fleshe and blode / but for as∣moche as thou yet louest thy selfe inordy¦natly / therfore thou fearest to resigne thy wyll holy to an other mannes wyll. But what greate thynge is it to the that arte but duste and nought / yf thou subdue thy selfe to man for my sake / whā I that am all myghty and mooste highe god / maker of all thynges subdued my selfe mekelye to manne for thy sake. I made my selfe mooste meke and moste lowe of all men / that thou shuldest lerne to ouercome thy

pryde throughe my mekenes / lerne ther∣fore thou ashes to be tractable / learne thou earthe and duste to be meke and to bowe thy selfe vnder euery mannes so••e for my sake / learne to breake thyne owne wyll / and to be subiecte to all mene as in thy herte. Ryse in greate wrath agaynst thy selfe / and suffre nat pryde to reygne in the / but shewe thy selfe so lytell and so obedyent and so noughty in thyne owne syght: that as the thynkes all men may ryghtwysely go ouer the and trede vpon the / as vpon erthe or clay. O vayne man what haste thou to complayne. O thou soule synner / what mayste thou ryght∣wysely say agaynste thē that reproue the syth thou haste so ofte offended god / and haste also so ofte deserued the paynes of hell. But neuertheles my eye of mercye hath spared the for thy soule is precyous in my syght / that thou shuldesse therby knowe the greate loue that I haue to the and be therfore the more thankfull to me agayne & gyue thy selfe to parfyte & true subieccion and mekenes / and to ••e redy in herte paciētly to suffre for my sake thyne owne cōtemptes & dispising{is} / whā so euer they shall happen to fall vnto the. Amen.

❧Of the secrete and hyd iugementes of god to be consydered: that we be nat proued of our good dedes. The .xv. Chapiter.

LOrde thou sowneste thy iugemen∣tes terryblye vppon me / and fyl∣leste my bodye and bones with greate feare and drede / my soule also trembleth very sore / for I am greatly astonyed for that I se that heuenes bene nat cleane in thy syght / for sythe thou foundeste de∣faut in angelles and sparedest them nat what shall become of me y^t am but vyle and stynkyng careyne. Sterres fell from heuen: and I duste & asshes what shulde I presume. Also some people that semed to haue great werkes of vertue / haue fal¦len full lowe. And suche as were fedde with meate of angels / I haue sene after delyte in swynes meate / that is to say in flesshly pleasures / wherfore it maye be wel sayde and verified that there is no ho¦lynes ne goodnes in vs: yf thou with∣drawe thy hande of mercye from vs / ne that no wysdome maye auayle vs. ★: If

thou lorde gouerne it nat: ne any strēgth helpe / yf thou ceise to preserue vs / ne no sure chastyte can be yf thou lorde defende it nat / ne any sure kepynge many profyte vs / yf thou lorde be nat wakery vpon vs for yf we be forsaken of the anone we be drowned and perysshe / but yf thou a ly∣tell vysyte vs with thy grace: we anone lyue and be lyfte vp agayne. We be vnsta¦ble: but by the we be confermed / we be colde and dull / but by the we be styrred to feruoure of spiryte. O howe mekely and howe abiectely ought I therfore to fele of my selfe / and howe muche ought I in my herte dyspyse my selfe / thoughe I be holdē neuer so good and holy in syght of the worlde / and howe profoundely ought I to submytte me to thy depe and profounde iugementes / syth I fynde in my selfe nothynge elles but naught and naught. O substaunce that maye nat be pondered. O see that may nat be sayled / in the / and by the I fynde that my sub∣staūce is nothynge and ouer all naught. Where is now the shadowe of this worlde¦ly glory / & where is the truste that I had in it. Truly it is vanyshed away through the depnes of thy secrete and hydde iuge∣mentes

vpon me. What is flesshe in thy syght / howe may clay glorifye hym selfe agaynst his maker / howe maye he be de∣ceyued with vayne prayses / whose herte in trouth is subiecte to god: all the worlde maye nat lyfte hym selfe in to the pryde / whome trouth that god is: hath perfyte∣ly made subiecte vnto hym / ne he maye nat be deceyued with any flateryng: that putteth all his hole truste in god. For he seeth wel that they that speake be vayne and nought / and that they shall shortely fayle with the sounde of wordes / but the trouth of god alwaye abydeth.

❧Howe a man shall ordre hym selfe in hys desyres. The .xvi. Chapiter.

MI sonne (saythe our Sauyour Christe) Thus shalte thou saye in euery thynge that thou de∣syreste. Lorde yf it be thy wyll: be it done as I aske / and yf it be to thy praysinge / be it fulfylled in thy name. And yf thou se it good and profytable to me / gyue me grace to vse it to thy honoure. ♣: But yf thou knowe it hurtefull to me: and nat profytable to the helth of my soule / than

take from me suche desyre. Euery desyre cōmeth nat of the holy ghoste thoughe it seme ryght wyse and good / for it is som∣tyme full herde to iudge whether a good spiryte or an euell spirite / moueth to this thynge or to that / or whether thou be mo¦ued of thyne owne spiryte: Many be de∣ceyued in the ende / whiche fyrste semed to haue bene moued of the holy ghooste. Therfore with dreade of god / and with mekenes of herte it is to desyre and aske what so euer cōmeth to our mynde / to be desyred and asked / and with a hole forsa∣kynge of our selfe: to cōmyte all thynges to god and say thus. ★: Lorde thou kno∣west what thynge is to me mooste profy∣table: do this or that after thy wyll / gyue me what thou wylte / as muche as thou wylte / and whan thou wylte / do with me as thou knoweste best to be done / and as it shall please the / and as shalbe moste to thy honour / put me where thou wylte / and frely do with me in all thynges after thy wyll: thy creature I am and in thy handes lede me & tourne me where thou wylte. Lo. I am thy seruaunte redy to al thynges that thou cōmaundest: for I de∣syre nat to lyue to my selfe: but to the

wolde to god it myght be worthely and profytably and to thy honoure. Amen.

❧A prayer that the wyll of god he alwaye fulfylled. The .xvii. Chapytre.

MOoste benygne lorde Iesu graūt me thy grace / that it maye be al∣waye with me and warke with me and perseruer with me vnto the ende And that I may euer desyre & wyll that is moste pleasaūte and moste acceptable to the. ☞: Thy wyll be my wyll / and my wyll alway to folowe thy wyll / and beste accorde therwith. Be there alway in me one wyll: and one desyre with the / and that I haue no power to wyll: or to nat wyll: but as thou wylte: or wyll nat. And graūte me that I may dye to all thyng{is} that be in the worlde and for the / to loue to be dispised and to be as a man vnkno∣wen in thys worlde. Graunte me also aboue all thynges that can be desyred that I may reste me in the: and fully in the to pacyfye my herte / for thou lorde arte the very true peace of herte and the parfyte reste of body and of soule. And

without the all thynges be greuous and vnquyet / wh••••fore in that peace tha•• is in the one hygh one blessed and one end∣les goodnes shall I alwaye reste me / so mo•• it be. Amen.

❧:That the very true solace and conforte is in god. The .xviii. Chapytre.

WHat so euer I may desyre or thinke to my cōforte / I abyde it nat here / but I truste to haue it herafter / for if I alone myght haue all the solace and cōforte of this worlde and myght vse the delytes thereof after myne owne desyre without synne. It is certayne that they myght nat longe endure / wherfore my soule may not fully be cōforted ne perfy∣tely be refresshed but in god only that is the cōforter of the poore in spiryt and the embracer of the meke and lowe in herte. Abyde my soule: abyde the promyse of god / and thou shalte haue abundaūce of al goodnes in heuen. If thou inordinatly coueyte these good{is} p̄sent thou shalte lese the goodnes eternal / haue therfore good{is} present in ••se and eternal in desire. Thou

mayste in no maner be sacyate with tem∣porall goodes / far thou arte nat create to vse them and to restethe in them / for yf thou alone myghtest haue all the goodes that euer were create & made thou migh∣teste nat therfore be happy: and blessed / but thy blessed fulnes and thy full felicite standeth onely in god that hath made all thynges of nought / and that is nat suche felicite as is cōmended of the folysshe lo∣uers of the worlde: but suche as good cry¦sten men and women hope to haue in the bleshe of heuen / and as some ghostely persons clene and pure in herte somtyme do taste here in thys present lyfe / whose conuersacyon is in heuen. All worldly so¦lace and all mānes conforte is vaine and shorte: but that conforte is blessed & soth∣faste that is perceyued by trouth inwarde¦ly in the herte. A deuoute folower of god bereth alwaye aboute with hym hys cō∣forter that is Iesu / and sayth thus vnto hym. My lorde Iesu I beseche the that thou be with me in euery place and euery tyme and that it be to me a specyal solace gladely for thy loue to wante all mannes solace. And yf thy solace want also / that thy wyll and thy ryghtwyse prouynge

and assayinge of me / may be to me a syn∣guler conforte and a hyghe solace / thou shalte nat alwaye be angry with me: ne thou shalte nat alway threte me: so mo•• it be. Amen.

❧That all our study and busynes of mynde ought to be put in God. The .xix. Chapitre.

MI sonne (hathe our lorde to his seruaunt••) suffre me to do with the what I wyll for I knowe what is best & moste expediēt to the thou workest ī many thinges after thy kyndly reason & after as thy affeccyon and thy worldely pollycy styreth the / and so thou mayste lyghtly erre and be deceyued.☜ O lorde it is true all that thou sayest / thy prouidence is muche more better for me / than all that I can do saye for my selfe. Wherfore it may wel be sayde and verified that he standeth very casually that set¦teth nat all his trust in the / therfore lorde whyle my wyt abydeth stedfaste and sta∣ble: do with me in all thynges as it plea∣seth the / for it maye nat be but well all that thou doeste / yf thou wylte that I be

in lyght be thou blessed / and yf thou wylt I be in darkenes: be thou also blessed. If thou vouchesafe to cōfort me / be thou hyghly blessed. And if thou wylte I lyue in trouble & without all cōforte: be thou in lyke moche blessed. My sonne so it be∣houeth to be with the / if thou wylt walke with me / as redy muste thou be to suffre as to ioye / and as gladly be nedy & poore as welthy and ryche Lorde I wyll glad∣ly suffre for the what so euer thou wylte shall fall vppon me / indyfferently wyll I take of thy hande good and bad / bytter and swete / gladnes and sorowe / and for all thynges that shall befall to me / herte∣ly wyll I thanke the. Kepe me lorde frō synne and I shall neyther drede dethe ne hell / put nat my name out of the boke of lyfe / and it shall nat greue me what trou∣ble so euer befall vpon me.

❧That all temporall miseris are gladely to be borne through exāple of Christe. The xx. Chapitre.

MI sonne (sayth our Lorde) I des∣cended from heuen / and for thy helth haue taken thy myseryes nat com∣pelled

therto of necessyte / but of my cha∣ryte / that thou shuldeste learne to haue pacyence with me / and nat to dysdayne to beare the myseryes / and the wretched∣nes of thys lyfe: as I haue done for the for from the fyrste houre of my byrth vn∣to my death vppon the crosse / I was ne∣uer without some sorowe or paine / I had great lacke of tēporall thynges / I harde great cōplayntes made on me / I suffered benyngnely many shames and rebukes / for my benefaytes: I receyued vnkynd∣nes / for my myracles / blasphemes / and for my true doctryne many repre••es.:★ O lorde for asmuche as thou werte foūde pacyente in thy lyfe / fulfyllynge in that moste specyally the wyll of thy father / it is syttynge that I moste wretched syn∣ner bere me pacyently after thy wyll in all thynges / and as longe as thou wylte that I for myne owne helthe bere the bourden of thys corruptyble lyfe. ★: For though thys lyfe be tedyous / and as an heuy bourden to the soule / yet neuerthe∣lesse / it is nowe thoroughe thy grace made very merytoryous / and by ex∣ample of the and of thy holy Sayntes it is nowe made to weyke persones more

sufferable and more clerer and also much more confortable than it was in the olde lawe: whan the gates of heuen were shut and the way thetherwarde was darke & so fewe dyd couet to seke it And yet they that were thā ryght wise and were orday¦ned to be saued / before thy blessed passion and death: myght neuer haue come the∣ther. O what thankes am I bounde ther¦fore to yelde to the / that so louyngly hast vouchesaufe to shewe to me / and to all faythfull people that wyll folowe the / the very true & strayte way to thy kyngdom. Thy holy lyfe is our way and by thy pa∣cience we walke to the that arte our heed and gouernour. And but thou lorde had∣dest gone before and shewed vs the way / who wolde haue endeuoured him to haue folowed. O howe many shulde haue ta∣ried behynde yf they had nat sene thy bles¦sed examples goynge before: we be yet slowe and dull / nowe we haue sene and harde thy sygnes and doctrynes: what shulde we thā haue bene if we had sene no suche lyght goynge before vs: truely we shulde haue fired our mynde and our loue hooly in worldly thynges / frō the whiche kepe vs lorde of thy gret goodnes. Amē.

❧Of pacyente sufferyng / of iniuryes and wronges / and who is true∣ly pacyente. The .xxi.

MI sone what is it that thou spekest why dost thou thus cōplayne / cesse cesse cōplayne no more / cōsider my passyon / and the passyons of my sayntes and thou shalt well se that it is ryght ly∣tell that thou doeste suffre for me / thou haste nat yet suffered to the shedynge of thy blode / and truely thou haste lytell suf¦fered in cōparyson of thē that haue suffe∣red so many thing{is} for me in tyme paste / and that haue bene so strongly tempted / so greuously troubled / & so many wayes proued. It behoueth the therfore to re∣membre the great greuous thynges that other haue suffred for me / that thou maist the more lyghtly bere thy lytell grefes. And yf they seme nat lytell to the / loke thy inpacience cause nat that but neuer¦theles whether they be lytell or greate / study alway to bere them paciently with out gruogynge or cōplaynynge yf thou may / and the better that thou canste dys∣pose the to suffre them the more wyselyer thou doeste / and the more meryte shalte

thou haue and thy bourden by reason of thy good custome and of thy good wyll shalbe the lyghter / thou shalte neuer saye I can suffre thys thynge of suche a per¦sonne / nor it is nat for me to suffre it / he hath done me greate wronge / and leyith vnto my charge that I neuer thought / but of an other man I wyll suffer as I shall thynke / suche maner saynges ben of good / for they consyder nat the vertue of pacyēce nor of whome it shalbe crowned / but they rather cōsyder the persones and the offences done vnto them. Therfore he is nat truely pacyente that wyll nat suffre but asmuche as he wyl & of whome he wyll / for a true pacyente man forseth nat of whome he suffereth: wh••ther of hys prelate or of hys felowe that is egall vnto hym: or any other that is vnder hym / nor whether he be a good man and a hooly / or an euyll man and an vnwor∣thy / but whan so euer any aduersyte / or wronge fayleth vnto hym what so it be and of whome so euer it be / and howe oft so euer it be / he taketh all thankefully as of the hande of God / accompteth it is a ryche gyfte and a great benefayte of god for he knoweth well that there is nothīg

that a man may suffre for god that maye passe without great merite. Be thou ther¦fore redy to batayle / yf thou wylte haue victory / without batayle thou mayst nat come to the crowne of pacyence / and yf thou wylte nat suffre: thou refusest to be crowned / wherfore yf thou wylte nedely be crowned resyste strongly and suffre pa∣ciently / for without labour no man may come to reste / nor without batayle no mā may come to vyctory. ☞: O lorde Iesu: make it possyble to me by grace: that is impossyble to me by nature. Thou kno∣weste well that I maye lytell suffre and that I am anone caste downe with a ly∣tell aduersyte / wherfore I beseche the that trouble and aduersyte may herafter for thy name be beloued and defired of me for truely to suffre and to be vexed for the is very good and profytable to the helth of my soule.

❧Of the knowleginge of our owne in∣firmyties / and of the myseryes of thys lyfe. The .xxii. Chapytre

I Shal knowlege agaynst me al my vnryghtwysenes / and I shall con∣fesse

to the Lorde all the vnstablenes of myne herte. Oftymes it is but a lytell thynge that casteth me downe and ma∣keth me dull and slowe to al good wark{is} and somtyme I purpose to stande strong∣ly but whan a lytell temptacyon cōmeth it is to me greate anguysshes and grefe / and somtyme of a ryght lytell thynge / a greuous temptacyon ryseth: and whan I thynke my selfe to be somwhat syker / and that as it semeth I haue the hygher hande: sodenly I fele my selfe nere hande ouercome by a lyght tēptacyon. Beholde therfore good lorde / beholde my wekenes and my fraylnes beste knowen to the be∣fore all other. Haue mercy on me Lorde and delyuer me fro the fylthy dregges of synne that my fete be neuer fyxed in thē. But this is it that ofte grudgeth me sore and in maner confoundeth me before the that I am so vnstable: and so weyke and so frayle to resyste my passyons. ★: And though they drawe me nat alway to con¦sent: yet neuertheles theyr cruell assaut{is} be very greuous vnto me / so that it is in maner tedyous to me for to lyue in suche batayle: but yet suche batayle is nat all vnprofytable to me / for therby I knowe

the better myne owne infirmyt{is} / for I se well that suche wycked fantesye do ryse in me muche so••er than they go awaye. But wolde ••o god that thou moste stron∣gest god of Israell the louer of all fayth∣full soules woldeste vouchesafe to beholde the laboure and the sorowe of me thy po∣teste seruaunt / and that thou woldest as∣syste me in all thynges that I haue to do Strength me lorde with heuēly strength so that the olde enemye the ••ende / ne my wretched flesshe whiche is nat yet fully subiecte to the spirite / haue nat power ne lordeshype ouer me / agaynste whome I muste syghe continually / whyle I shall lyue ī this miserable lyfe. But alas what lyfe is this: where no trouble nor mysery wanteth / where also euery place is ful of snares: and of mortall enemyes / for one trouble or temptacyon goynge awaye: a nother cōmeth / & the fyrste conslycte ye•• durynge: many other sodenly ryse / mo than can be bought / howe may thys lyf•• therfore be loued that hath suche bytter∣nes and that is subiecte to so many myse¦ries / and howe may it be called a life that bryngeth forthe so many dethes & so ma∣ny ghostly infeccyons / and yet it is belo∣ued

and muche delyted in of many {per}sons The worlde is ofte reproued that it is de¦ceytfull & vayne and yet it is nat lyghtly forsaken (especially) whan the concupiscē¦ces of the flesshe be suffred to haue reuele somthynges styre a man to loue the worl¦de and some to dyspyse it / the concupys∣sence of the fleshe / the cōcupyscence of the eye / and the pryde of the herte: styrre man to loue the worlde. But the paynes & the myseres that folowe of it / causeth hatred and tediousnes of it againe. But alas for sorowe a lytell delectacyon ouercometh the mynde of theym that be muche set to loue the worlde / and dryueth out of theyr hertes all heuēly desyres / in somuche that many accompte it as a ioye of paradyse to lyue vnder suche sensyble pleasures / and that is bycause they neyther haue sene ne tasted the swetnes in God / in the inwarde gladnes that commeth of ver∣tues. ★: But they that perfytely dyspyse the worlde and that studye to lyue vnder holy dyscyplynes be nat ignoraunt of the heuenly swetnes that is promysed vnto ghostely lyuers / and they se also howe greuously the worlde erreth / & howe gre∣uously it is deceyued in dyuers maners.

❧:Howe a man shulde reste in god aboue all thynge. The .xxiii. Chapytre.

ABoue all thynges & in all thin¦ges reste thou my soule in thy lorde God / for he is eternall reste of all Angelles and sayntes. Gyue me Lorde Iesu this specyall grace for to reste me in the / aboue al creatures / aboue all helthe and fayrenes / aboue all glory & honoure aboue al dygnite and power / a∣boue all connynge and pollycy / aboue all ryches and craftes / aboue all gladnes of body and soule / aboue all fame and pray∣synge / aboue all swetnes and consolacion aboue all hope and repromyssyon / aboue all merytes and desyre / aboue all gyftes and rewardes that thou mayst gyue or sende besyde thy selfe. ★: And aboue all ioye and myrthe that mannes herte / or mynde maye take or fele. ☞ And also a∣boue all Angelles and Archaungelles / & aboue all the company of heuenly spyry∣tes / aboue all thynges vysyble and inuy∣syble / and aboue all thynges that is nat thy selfe. For thou Lorde god ar••e moste

beste / moste hygheste / moste myghtyeste / moste sufficyēt / and moste ful of goodnes moste swete / moste cōfortable / most faire moste louynge / moste noble / moste glory∣ous aboue all thynge / in whome all good¦nes is to gether perfytly and fully / hath ben & shall be. And therfore what so euer thou gyuest me besyde me selfe it is lytell and insufficient to me for my herte maye nat reste ne fully be pacifyed but in the so that is ascende aboue all gyftes and also aboue all maner of thynges that be crea∣ted. ★ O my lorde Iesu Christe moste lo∣uynge spouse / moste purest louer and go∣uernour of euery creature / who shal giue me wrong of perfite lyberty that I may fle hyghe and reste me in the. ★ O whan shall I fully tente to the / & se & fele howe swete thou arte / whan shall I hooly ga∣ther my selfe to gether in the so perfytely that I shall nat for thy loue fele me selfe / but the onely aboue my selfe / and abou•• all bodely thynges and that thou vysyte me in suche wyse as thou doste visyte thy faythfull louers. Nowe I ofte mourne & complayne the myseryes of this lyfe and with sorowe & wo bere them with ryght greate heuynes / for many euyll thynges

happen dayly in thys lyfe / whiche ofte ty¦mes trouble me and make me very heuy and greatly darken myn vnderstādyng. They hyndre me greatly & put my mynd from the and so encōbre me many wayes that I can nat haue fre mynde and clene desyre to the / ne haue thy swete enbrasyn¦ges that to thy blessed sayntes be alwaye presente. ♣ Wherfore I beseche the Lorde Christe Iesu that the syghinges and the inwarde desyres of my herte with my ma¦nyfolde desolacions may somwhat moue the and inclyne the to here me· ★ O Iesu the lyght and bryghtnes of euerlastynge glory / the ioye and conforte of all christen people that are walkynge & labourynge as pylgrimes in wyldernes of this world my herte cryeth to the by styll desyres without voyce & my scylēce speketh vnto the & sayth thus. ★ Howe longe taryeth my Lorde God to come to me / verely I truste that he wyll shortely come to me his poorest seruaunt and conforte me and make me ioyouse and glad in hym. And that he wyll delyuer me frō all anguyshe and sorowe. Come lorde come / for with∣out the I haue no glade daye / ne houre / for thou arte al my ioye and gladnes and

without the my soule is barayne & voyde I am a wretche and in maner in pryson / & bounde with fetters tyll thou throughe the light of my gracious presence vouche¦saufe to vysyte me and to refresshe me / & to brynge me agayne to lybertie of spirite and that thou vouchesaufe to shewe thy fauorable and louely countenaunce vnto me. Let other seke what they wyll / but truely there is nothyng that I wyll seke nor that shal please me / but thou my lorde god my hope and euerlastynge helthe. I shall nat cesse of prayer: tyll thy grace re∣tourne me agayne and that thou speake inwardely to my soule / and saye thus. Lo I am here / I am come to the for thou haste called me / thy teares & the desyres of thy herte: thy mekenes and thy contri∣cyō / haue bowed me downe and brought me to the. And I shall saye agayne / lorde I haue called the / and I haue desyred to haue the / redy to forsake all thynges for the / thou firste haste styred me to seke the wherfore be thou alway blessed that hast shewed such goodnes to me after the mul¦tytude of the mercy / what hath thy ser∣uaunt lorde more to do or say / but that he meken hym selfe before thy maieste / and

euer haue in mynde hys owne iniquyte. There is none lyke to the Lorde in heuen ne in erthe: thy warkes be good thy iuge∣mentes be ryghtwyse and by thy prouy∣dence all thynges be gouerned / wherfore to the that art the wysdome of the father be euerlastynge ioye and glory / & I hum∣bly beseche the that my bodye and soule / my herte and ••onge / and all thy creatu∣res may alwaye laude the and blesse the. Amen.

❧Of remembrynge of the greate and manyfolde benefaytes of God. The .xxiiii. Chapitre.

OPē myn herte lorde in to the be¦holdynge of thy lawes & in thy cōmaundementes teache me to walke / gyue me grace to knowe and to vnderstande thy wyll and with great re∣uerence and dilygent consyderacion to re¦membre the manyfolde benefaytes that I may fro hensforth yelde to the due thā kynges for them agayne. But I knowe and confesse it for trouthe that I am nat able to yelde to the condygne thankyn∣ges for the leste benefyte that thou haste

gyuen me / for I am lesse than the leste be ne fayte that thou haste gyuen. And whā I beholde thy noblenes and thy worthy¦nes my spirite dredeth and trēbleth very sore for the greatnes therof. ♣ O lorde all that we haue in body and in soule within forth and without forth naturally or su{per}∣naturall / they be they benefa••tes & shewe the openly to be a blessed and a good be∣nefactoure of whome we haue receyued suche gyftes and thoughe one hath recey¦ued more / and an other lesse: yet they all be thy gyftes and without the / the leste can nat be had / and he that hath more re¦ceyued may nat ryghtfully glorifye hym selfe therin as though he had goten it by his owne meryte / ne exalte hym selfe a∣boue other / nor dysdayne other / nor dys∣pyse his inferiours therfor / for he is grea¦test and moste acceptable to the / that leste ascrybeth to hym selfe & that is for suche gyftes the more weke & the more deuout in yeldynge thankynges to the for them agayne. And he that throughe mekenes can holde hym selfe moste vyle and moste vnworthy of al other: is the more apte to receyue of thy hande more larger gyftes. And he that hath receyued the fewer gyf∣tes

ought nat therfor to be heuy ne to dis¦dayne at it / ne to be enuyous agaynste them that haue receyued the greater / but rather he ought to lyfte hys mynde vp∣warde to the & hyghely to laude & prayse thy name that thou so lyberally / so lo∣uyngly / and so frely without acceptynge of persons: departeste thy giftes amonge thy people / all thinges come of the & ther¦fore thou arte in all thynges to be blessed Thou knowest what is expediēt to be gy¦uen to euery persone and why one hathe lesse and an other more / it is nat to vs to reason to dyscusse: but vnto the onely by whome the merytes of euery man shalbe dyscussed. wherfore Lorde I accompte it for a greate benefayte nat to haue many gyftes wherby outwardly and after man¦nes iugemente laude and praysyng shulde folowe. And ouer that as me semeth all though a man consyder and beholde hys owne pouertye & the vylenes of his owne persone he ought nat therfore take grefe or heuynes or deieccyon / but rather to cō¦ceyue therby great gladnes of soule / for thou haste chosen & daily doste chose pore meke persons and suche as be dispysed in the worlde / to be thy ••••mylyer and house vnder

holde seruauntes / wytnes thy Appostles whome thou madeste Prynces of all the worlde whiche neuertheles were conuer∣saunte amonge the people without com∣playnynge or myssayge so meke and sym¦ple without all malyce and dysceyte that ••hey ioyed to suffre reprofes for thy name so farforth that suche thyng{is} as y^e worlde abhorreth and fleeth they coueyted with great desyre / that it appereth that there ought nothynge so muche to conforte / & glad thy louer and hym that hath recey∣ued thy benefaytes as that thy wyll and pleasure in him be fulfylled after thy eter¦nall dysposicyon of hym from the begyn∣nynge / wherwith he ought to be so well contented and pleased that he wolde as gladely beholden leste: as other wolde be holden moste / and as pacefull wolde he be & as well pleased in the loweste place as in the hyghest / and as glad to be dispysed and abiec••e and of no name ne reputaciō in the worlde as other to be nobler: or greater / for thy wyll lorde & the honoure of thy name ought to excell all thynges / and more ought it to please and conforte thy louer than all other benefaytes gyuē or that myght be gyuen vnto hym.

❧Of foure thynges that brynge peace in to thy soule. The .xxv. Chapytre.

MI sonne: nowe shall I teache the the very true waye of peace / and of perfyte lybertye. ☞: O Lorde Iesu do as thou sayste / for that is ryght ioy∣ous for me to here / study my sonne rather to fulfyll an other mannes wyll thā thyn owne chose alway to haue lytell worldly ryches rather thā muche / seke also the lo∣weste place & desyre to be vnder other ra∣ther than aboue / and coueyt alwaye and praye that the wyll of god be hooly done in the. Lo suche a persone enreth sothfast¦ly in to the very true way of peace and in warde quyetnes. ♣ O lorde this short les∣son that thou haste taught me cōteyneth in it selfe muche hyghe perfeccion. It is shorte in wordes but it is full of sentence and frutefull in vertue / for if it were well and faythfully kepte of me / vnrestfulnes shulde nat so lyghtly sprynge in me as it hathe done / for as ofte as I fele my selfe vnrestfull and nat contēted / I fynde that I haue gone from thys lesson and / from thys good and swete doctryne. ★: But thou Lorde Iesu that all thynges haste

vnder thy gouernaunce / & alway loueste the heleth of mannes soule encrease more grace in me that I maye from hensforth fully these teachynges and that I maye do alwaye that shalbe to thy honoure and to the helth of my soule. Amen.

❧:A prayer agaynste all euyll thoughtes. The .xxvi. Chapytre.

MI lorde Iesu: I beseche the be nat far frō me but come shortly & helpe me / for vayne thought{is} haue rysen in myne herte & worldly dred{is} haue troubled me very sore / howe shall I breke them downe / howe shall I passe vnhurte without thy helpe / I shall go be¦fore the sayeth our lorde: & I shall dryue awaye the pryde of thy herte / than shall I set opē to the / the yat{is} of ghostly know lege and shall shewe to the the priuites of my secretes. O lorde do as thou sayst and than shall fle from me all wycked fanta∣syes / and truely thys is my hope and my onely conforte / to fle to the in euery trou∣ble stedfastly to truste in the / inwardly to call the / & paciently to abyde thy cōmyng and thy heuenly consolacyons: whiche I

truste shall shortly come to me. Amen.

❧:A prayer for the clearynge of mannes mynde. The .xxvii. Chapytre.

CLaryfye me Lorde Iesu with the clerenes of the euerastynge lyght / and dryue oute of my herte all maner of darkenes / and all vayne imagynacyons and vyolente temptacyons / fyght strong¦ly for me / and dryue awaye the euyll bea∣stes / that is to saye all my euyll and wyc¦ked cōcupiscences that peace of consciēce may entre and haue full reuele in me and that habundaunce of laude and praising of thy name / may sounde contynually in the chambre of my soule: That is to say. In a pure and a cleane conscience in me. Cōmaunde the windes and tempestes of pryde to cesse / byd the see of worldly coue¦tyse to be in reste / & charge the northern wynde / that is to saye: the fendes tempta¦cion that it blowe nat / & thā shalbe great tranquylyte and peace in me. Sende out thy lyght & thy trouth of ghostly know∣lege: that it may shyne vpon the erth ba∣rayne and drye & sende downe thy grace from aboute & therwith anoynte my dry

herte. And gyue me the water of i••y de∣uocyon to moyste therwith the drynes of my soule that it may brynge for the some good fruyte that shalbe lykynge and plea¦saunt to the. Reyse vp my mynde that is sore oppressed with the heuye bourden of synne / and lyfte vp my desyre to the loue of heuenly thynges / that by a taste of the heuenly felycyte it may loth to thynke on any erthely thynges. Take me lorde and delyuer me from the vyle consolacyon of creatures / whiche muste of necessytye shortly peryshe and fayle. For ther is no¦thing create that may fully satisfie myne appetyte. Ioyne me therfore to the with a sure bonde of heuenly loue for thou one¦ly suffyseth to thy louer. ★ And withoute the all thynges be vayne and of no sub∣staunce.

❧:That it is nat good to serche cury∣ously an other mannes lyfe The .xxviii. Chapytre.

MI sonne saythe our Lorde: loke thou be nat curyous in serchyng of an other mannes lyfe / ne that thou busy nat thy selfe with thyng{is} that

belong nat to the / what is this or that to the / folowe thou me / what is this to the whether this mā be good or bad. or whe∣ther he saye or do thys or that. Thou ne∣dest nat to answere for an other mannes dedes / but for thyne owne ded{is} thou must nedely answere. Why dost thou thā me••ie where nedeth nat. I se and knowe eue∣ry man / and euery thynge vnder the sone I se and beholde / and howe it is with eue¦ry persone / what he thynketh: wha•• he wylleth and to what ende hys werke dra¦weth is open to me. ☞: And therfore all thynges are to be referred to me. ♣ Kepe thy selfe alwaye in good peace and suffre hym that wyll algates serche an other mannes lyfe be as busye as he wyll. And in the ende shall fal vpon hym as he hath done and sayde / for he can nat disceiue me what so euer be he yf thou admonysshe a∣ny persone for his soule helth. Loke thou do it nat to get the therby any name / or fame in the worlde / ne to haue the famy∣lyaryte or pryuate loue of any persone / for suche thynges cause muche vnquyet∣nes of mynde / and wyll make and ca••se the also to lose the rewarde that thou shul¦deste haue of god / and wyll brynge great

derkenes in to thy soule. I wolde gladly speke to the my wordes & open to th•• the secrete mysteres of fraternall correccyon: if thou woldest prepayre thy soule redy a∣gaynste hym cōmynge / & that thou wol∣deste open the mouthe of thy herte fayth∣fully to me. Be thou prouydent walke di∣lygētly in prayer / meken thy selfe in eue∣ry thynge / and thou shalt fynde great cō∣forte in god and lytell resystence in thyne euyn chrysten.

❧In what thynge peace of herte and greateste profyte of man standeth. The .xxix. Chapytre.

MI sone sayth our lorde Iesu / I sayde to my dyscyples thus.★ My peace I leue with you / my peare I gyue you / nat as the worlde gy∣ueth / but muche more than it may gyue. All mē desyre peace / but all mē wil nat do that belōgeth to peace / my peace is with the meke & mylde in herte And thy peace shalbe in more pacience if thou wyll here me & folowe my wordes thou shalte haue great plētie of peace. ♣ O lorde what shal I do to come to that peace Thou shalt in al thy warkes take good hede what thou

doeste and sayest / and thou shalte set all thy hole intent to please me / and nothyng shalt thou coueyt or seke without me / and of other mēnes dedes thou shalt nat iuge presumptuously / ne thou shalt nat medle with thynges that pertayne nat to the. If thou do thus it may be that thou shalt lytell or seldome be troubled / but neuer∣theles to fele no tyme / no maner of trou∣ble nor to suffre in heuynes in body ne in soule / is nat the state of thys lyfe but of the lyfe to come. ★: Thynke nat therfore that thou haste foundeth true peace / for thou fealeste no grefe / ne that all is well with the whan thou haste none aduersa∣ry / ne that all is perfyte / for that euery thynge cometh after thy mynde. Ne yet that thou art great in godes syght or spe¦cyally beloued of hym for thou hast great feruour in deuocyon and great swetnes in contemplacyon / for a true louer of ver∣tue is nat knowen by all these thynges / nor the true perfeccyon of man standeth nat in them (wherin than lorde) In offe∣rynge of a man with all hys herte dooly to god nat sekyng hym selfe ne hys owne wyl: neyther in great thynge nor in small in tyme nor in eternite / but that he abyde

alway one / and yelde alway lyke thankes to god for thynges plesaunt and dysplea¦saunte: weynge them all in one lyke ba∣launce as in his loue / and if he be also so strong in god that whan inwarde conso∣lacyon is withdrawen / he can yet styre hys herte to suffre more yf God so wyll / and yet he iustyfieth nat him selfe ne prai¦seth nat hym selfe therfore / as holy and ryght wyse / than he walketh in the verye true way of peace and than he may well haue a sure and a perfyte hope and truste that he shall se me face to face in euerlas∣tinge ioye and fruicyon in the kyngdome of heuen. And if he can come to a perfyte and a full contempt & dispysynge of hym selfe: than shall be haue full habundaūce of rest and peace in the ioye euerlastynge after the measure of hys gyfte. Amen.

❧Of the lybertye / excellencye / and worthynes of a fre mynde The .xxx. Chapitre.

LOrde it is the warke of a perfyte man / neuer to sequestre hys mynde from the beholdynge of heuenly thynges

and amonge many cures: to go as he were withoute cure / nat in the maner of an ydle: or of a dessolate persone / but by the specyall prerogatyue alwaye of a free mynde busye in goddes seruyce / nat cleuynge by inordynate affeccyon to any creature. ☞: I beseche the ther∣fore my Lorde Iesu mooste meke / and mercyfull that thou kepe me from the bu¦synes and cures of the worlde: and that I be nat ouermuche inquyted with the ne∣cessytes of the bodely kynde / ne that I be nat takē with the voluptuous pleasures of the worlde ne of the flesshe / and that in lyke wyse thou preserue me from all hyn∣deraunce of the soule / that I be nat bro∣ken with ouermuche heuynesse / sorowe / nor worldly drede. ♣ And by these petyci∣ons I aske nat only to be delyuered from suche vanytes as the worlde desyreth. But also frome suche myseryes as greue the soule of me thy seruaunte / with the common maled••ccyon of mankynde: that is with corrupcyon of the bodyly felynge wherwith I an so greued and letted that I may nat haue lybertye of spyryte to be holde the whā I wolde O lorde god y^t art swetnes vnspekable tourne ī to bitternes

to me all flesshly delytes / whiche wolde drawe me frō the loue of eternal thinges to the loue of a shorte and a vyle de••ecta∣ble pleasure / let nat the flesshe and blode ouercome me / ne yet the worlde with hys shorte glorie disceyue me / nor the fynde with hys thousand folde craftes supplāte me / but gyue me ghostly strengthe in re∣sistyng / pacyence in sufferynge / and con∣staunce in perseueryng. Gyue me also for all worldly consolacyons the moste swete consolacion of the holy ghoste. ♣ And for all flesshely loue sende in to my soule the loue of thy holy name. Lo meate / drynke clothynge / and all other necessaryes for the body be paynfull and troublous to a feruent spirite whiche yf it myght wolde alway rest in god and in ghostly thynges Graunte me therfore grace to vse suche bodely necessaries temporately / and that I be nat deceyued with ouermuche desyre to them. To forsake all thynges it is nat lawfull for the bodely kynde must be pre∣serued / and to seke superfluous thynges more for pleasure than for necessyte / thy holy lawe prohibitethe: for so the flesshe wolde rebell agaynste the spiryte / wher∣fore lorde I beseche the that thy hande o /

grace may so gouerne me and ••eache me that I excede nat by any maner of super∣fluyte. Amen.

❧:That pryuate loue moste let∣teth a man from god. The xxxi. Chapitre.

MI sonne (saythe our Lorde) it be∣houeth the: to gyue all for all / and nothyng to kepe vnto the of thyne owne lout. ☞: For the loue of thy selfe more hurteth the / than any other thynge in thys worlde / after thy loue / and after thyne affeccyon / euery thynge eleuethe to the more or lesse. If thy loue be pure / sym¦ple and wel ordered thou shalt be without inordinate affeccion to any creature. Co∣ueyte therfore nothynge that is nat leful for the to haue / and haue nothynge that may let the from ghostly trauayle or that may take frō the inwarde liberty of soule It is meruayle that thou comytteste nat thy selfe fully to me with all thy herte: with all thynges that thou mayste haue or desyre / why arte thou thus consumed with vayne sorowe / why arte thou wered with superfluous cures: stande at my wil and thou shalt fynde nothynge that shall

hurte the or hynder the / but yf thou seke this thynge or that / or woldest be in this place or in that for thyne owne profyte & for thyne owne pleasure / thou shalt neuer be in reste / ne thou shalte neuer be fre fro some trouble of mynde / for in euery place shalbe founde some thynge that wyll mys¦lyke the. Trāsitory thing{is} whan they be had and greatly multiplyed in the worlde do nat alway helpe mānes soule to peace but rather whan they be dispysed & fully cut out of the loue and desyre of the herte and that is nat to be vnderstand onely of golde & syluer and other worldly ryches / but also of desyre of honours & praysing{is} of the worlde: whiche shortly vanyssheth & passeth awaye as doth the smoke with the wynde / the place helpeth lytell yf the spirite of feruoure be awaye. ☞ Also the peace that a man getteth outwarde shall nat longe stande hole if it be voyde fro the true inwarde peace of herte / that is to say thoughe thou chaūge thy place yet it shal lytel amende the / but thou stande stable & stedfast in me: for by newe occasions that shal dayly ryse thou shalt fynde that thou haste fled & percase muche more perilous & muche more greuous thing{is} thā y^e first were)

❧:A prayer to the purgyng of mannes soule / and for heuenly wysdome and the grace of god to be op¦teyned and had. The .xxxiii. Chapitre.

COnferme me Lorde by the grace of the holy ghoste / and gyue me grace be stronge inwardely in soule: and auoyde oute therof all vnprofytable bu∣busynes of the worlde: and of the flesshe that it be nat led by the vnstable desy∣••es of earthly thynges. And that I may beholde all thinges in the worlde as they be / transitory and of shorte abydyng / and me also to go with theym / for nothynge vnder the sonne may longe abyde / but al is vanite and afflictyō of spiryte. O howe wyse is he that feleth and vnderstandeth this to be true that I haue sayde giue me Lorde therfore heuenly wysdome that I may lerne to seke the & to fynde the. And aboue al thinges to loue the and al other thinges to vnderstande & knowe as they be after the order of thy wysdome & none otherwise. And gyue me grace also wisely

to withdrawe me frō them that flater me and pacyently to suffre them that greue me. For it is great wysdome nat to be mo¦ued with euery blaste of wordes nor to gyue eare to hym that flatereth as doth the Mearmayde. The way that is thus be gon / shall brynge him that walketh in it to a good and a blessed endynge.

❧Agaynste the euyll sayenges of detractours. The .xxxiii. Chapytre

MI sone sayth our sauyour Christ Thou shalte nat take it to grefe: though some {per}sons thynke euyll or say euil of the y^t thou woldest nat glad¦ly here / for thou shalte yet thynke worse of thy selfe / & that no man is so euyll as thou arte. If thou be well ordered with inforth in thy soule thou shalt nat muche care for suche fleynge wordes. And it is no lytel wysdome a man to kepe him selfe in scylence and in good peace whan euyll wordes be spoken to hym / and to tourne hys herte to god / and nat to be troubled with mannes iugement / let nat thy peace be in the hertes of men / for what so euer they say of the good or bad thou arte nat

therfore an other man / for as thou arte: thou arte. ★ Where is the true peace / and the true glory / it is nat in me? Yes truely Therfore he that neyther desyrethe to please man: ne dredethe nat to dysplease hym shall haue greate plentye of peace. For of inordynate loue and vayne drede commeth all vnquyetnes of hert and vn∣restfulnes of the mynde.

❧Howe almyghty god is to be in wardly called vnto / in tyme of trybulacyon. The .xxxiiii. Chapytre.

LOrde thy name be blessed for euer / that thou woldeste thys temptacy¦on: and trybulacyon shulde fall vp∣pon me. ♣: I may nat escapeit: but of necessyte I am dryuen to fle to the / that thou vouchesafe to helpe me / and to tourne all in to my ghostely profyte.: ★ O lorde I am nowe in trouble / and it is nat well wfth me for I am greatly vexed with thys presente passyon / and nowe mooste beste beloued father what shall I saye: I am nowe taken with anguysshes and troubles on euery syde / saue me in thys houre / but I truste that I am come

in to this houre that thou shalt be lauded and praysed whan I am perfytely made meke before the: and that I am clerely de¦lyuered by the / be it therfor pleasaunte to y^e to deliuer me / for what may I most synfull wretche do or whether may I go without the. Gyue me pacyence nowe at this tyme in all my troubles: helpe me my lorde god / and I shal nat feer ne drede what troubles so euer fall vpon me. And nowe what shall I say: but that thy wyl be done in me. I haue deserued to be trou¦bled and greued / and therfore it behoueth that I suffre as long as it shall please the but wolde to god y^t I myght suffre glad¦ly tyll the furyous tēpestes were ouer pas¦sed / & that quietnes of herte myght come agayne. Thy myghty hande lord is strōg ynoughe to take this trouble fro me and to asswage the cruell assautes therof that I do nat vtterly fayle as thou hast oft ty¦mes done to me before this time / and the more herde that it to me the more lyght it is to the. And whā I am clerely delyue¦red by the / than shall I say. Thys is the chaūgyng of the ryght hande of him that is hyghest: that is the blessed Trinite / to whome be ioye / honoure and glorye euer∣lastyngly. Amen)

❧: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)

❧Howe we shulde forget all creatures that we myght fynde our crea∣ture. The .xxxvi. Chapitre.

LOrde I haue greate nede of thy grace / and that of thy greate syn∣guler grace / or that I maye come the∣ther where no creature shall set me / ne hynder me fro the peryfte beholdynge of the for as longe as any transitory thyng holdeth me: or hath rule in me / I maye nat fle frely to the / he ••oucy••e•• to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 with out let that sayde thus. ♣: Who shall gyue me wynges lyke to a Doue: that I maye fle in to the bosome of my sauyour •• and in to the holes of hys blessed woundes / and reste me there. I se well that no man is more restfull: nor more lykynge in thys worlde that is that man whiche alwaye hath his mynde and his hole intente vp∣warde to god / and nothynge desyreth of the worlde. ★ It behoueth hym therfore that wolde perfytely forsake hym selfe / and beholde the / to surmounte all creatu∣res and hym selfe also / and throughe ex∣cesse of mynde to se and beholde that thou maker of al thynges hast nothing amōg all creatures lyke vnto the / and but a mā

be clerely delyuered fro the loue of crea∣tures he may nat fully tende to hys crea∣toure / and that is the greatest cause why there be so fewe contemplatyues / that is to say / bycause there be so fewe that wyl∣fully wyll sequestre them selfe fro loue of creatures. To contemplacyon is greate grace requyred / for it lyfteth vp the soule and rauysshethe it vp in spiryte aboue it selfe. And but a man be lyfte vp in spirite aboue hym selfe and be clerely delyuered from all creatures as in hys loue: and be perfytely and fully oned to god / what so euer he can or what so euer he hauee it her in vertue or conning it is but litell worth afore god. Therfore he shall haue but ly∣tell vertue: and longr shall he lye styll in earthely thynges that accomptethe any thinge great or worthy to be prayesd but onely god for all other thynges besydes god are nought and for nought are to be accompted. It is great differēce betwene the wys••ome of a deuoute man lyghtned by grace / and the connynge of a subtyll and studyous clerke / and that lernynge is muche more noble & muche more wor∣thy that cometh by the influence and gra¦cyous gyft of god: thā that that is goten

by the labour and study of mā. Many de¦syre to haue the gyfte of contemplacyon / but they wyll nat vse suche thinges as be requyred to cōtemplacion / and one great let of contemplacion is / that we stande so longe in outwarde sygnes and insensyble thinges and take no hede of perfyte mor∣tifyeng of our body to the spirite. I wote nat howe it is / ne with what spirite we be led / ne what we pretende / we that cal∣led spirituall persones that we take gre∣ter laboure and study for transytory thyn¦ges / that we do to knowe the inwarde state of our owne soule but alas for sorow anone as we haue made a lytell recollec∣cyon to god we renne forth to outwarde thynges and do nat serche out owne con¦scyence with due examynacyon / as we shulde do ne we hede nat where our affec∣cion resteth / ne we folowe nat that our de¦des so euyll / and so vncleane as they be. The people corrupted thēselfe with fles∣shely vnclennes and therfore folowed the great flode / and verely whā our inwarde affeccion is corrupted / it is necessary that our dedes folouinge therupon be also cor¦rupted. For a cleane herte springeth the frute of good lyfe. It is ofte tymes asked

what dedes suche a man hath done / but of what zele or of what entent he dyd thē is lytell regarded / whether a man ryche stronge / fayre / able / a good writer / a good synger / or a good labourer is ofte enquy∣red but howe poore he is in spirite / howe pacyent & meke / howe deuoute / and howe inwardly tourned to god / is lytell regar∣ded. Nature beholdeth the outwarde dede but grace tourned her to the inwarde in∣tente of the dede. The fyrste ofte decey∣ued / but the secōde putteth her truste ho∣ly in god and is nat deceyued.

❧Howe we shulde forsake our selfe and thurste downe all couetyse out of our herte. The .xxxvii. Chapitre

MI sonne saythe oure Lorde / thou shalte nat haue perfyte lybertye of mynde / but hooly forsake thy selfe / all propryetayres / and all louers of theym selfe / all coueytous persones / curyous / vayne gloryous / and all renners about. And also suche as seke thinges softe & de∣lectable in this worlde / and nat of Iesu Christe / ofte faynynge & gredely sykynge thing{is} that shall nat longe endure / be as

men fetered and bounden with cheynes & haue no perfyte lyberty ne fredome of spi¦rite / for all thinges shall perysshe that be nat wroughte of God / holde well in thy mynde this shorte worde / forsake all thin¦ges and thou shalte fynde all thinges / for sake couetyse and thou shalte fynde great reste / prynte well ī thy minde that I haue sayde / for whā thou haste fulfylled it thou shalte well knowe that it is true. ♣ Lorde thys lesson is nat one dayes worke / ne a play for chyldren / for it is conteyned the full perfeccion of a religion. Also my sone thou oughteste nat to be tourned fro god ne to be any thinge dyscouraged frō hys seruyce whā thou hereste the strayte lyfe of perfyte men / but rather thou oughtest to be prouoked therby to hygher perfecci¦on and at leste to desyre ī herte that thou myghtest come therto. But wolde to god thou were fyrste come to this poynt that thou were nat a louer of thy self but that thou woldeste kepe my commaundemen∣tes and the cōmaundemētes of hym that I haue appoynted to be thy father spiri∣tuall / for than thou shuldeste please me greatly & than all thy lyfe shuldeste passe

forth in ioye & peace. Thou haste yet ma∣ny thynges to forsake / whiche but thou can hooly forsake (thou shalt nat get that thou desyreste. And therfore I counsayle the to bye of me bryght shyninge golde / that is to saye heuenly wysdome that dis¦pyseth all earthly thynges / and caste fro the all worldy wysdome and all mannes conforte and all thyne owne affeccyons / and that thou chose to haue vile thinges and abiecte / rather than precious & hygh in syght of the worde / but the true heuen¦ly wysdome semeth to many to be vyle & lytell & well nyghe forgotten. Many can saye with theyr mouthe that it is good / nat to desyre to be magnified in y^e worlde but theyr lyfe foloweth nat theyr saying / and therfore they desire it priuely in their herte / but yet that is the precyous Mar∣garete & the hyghe vertue that is hyd fro moche people for theyr presumpcion / get it who so may.

❧:Of the vnstablenes of mannes herte and that our fynall intent in all thynges shulde be to god. The .xxviiii. Cha∣pitre.

MI sonne / loke that thou byleue nat thyne owne affeccyon / for it changeth ofte from one to an other as lōge as thou lyuest thou shalt be subiecte to chaūge habilyte whether thou wylt or nat / as nowe glad / nowe sorowfull / nowe pleased / nowe dyspleased / nowe deuoute / nowe vndeuout / nowe lusty / nowe slouth¦ful nowe heuy / nowe lightsōe. But a wife man that is wel taughte in ghostely tra∣uayle standeth stable in all suche thinges & forseth lytell what he feleth / ne of what syde the wynde of vnstablenes bloweth / but all the intēte and study of hys mynde is howe he maye moste profyte in vertue and finally come to the moste fruyteful & moste blessed ende. By suche an hoole in∣tente fully directed to god / many a man a¦byde stedfaste & stable in him selfe amōge many aduersytes / and the more pure and the more clene that his entēt is / the more stable shall he be in euery storme. But a∣las for sorowe the eye of mannes soule is anone derked / for it beholdeth lyghtely de¦lectable thynges that come of the worlde and of the flesshe / in so muche that there is seldome founde any person that is free and clere fro the venymous desyre of he∣rynge

of some tales or of some other fan∣tasies / and that be theyr owne sekynge. In suche maner came the Iewes in to Bethany / to Martha / and to mary mag∣dalene / nat for the loue of our lorde Iesu but for to se Lazar whome he had reysed fro dethe to lyfe / wherfore the eye of the soule is to be kepte full bryght that it be alwaye pure and cleane / and that it be a∣boue all passynge thinges hooly dyrected to god the whiche graunte vs to. AMEN.

❧Howe our lorde God sauou∣reth to hys louer swetely aboue all thynges: & in al thynges The .xxxix. Chapi∣tre.

OVre Lorde is to me all in all / and sayth he is so / what wolde I more haue / or what can I more desyre. ☞:O thys is a sauoury worlde: and a swete to saye that our Lorde is to me all in all. But that is to hym that loueth the worde and nat the worlde. To hym that

vnderstādeth this worde / is sayde inough but yet to repete it ofte is lykynge to him that loueth / I maye therfore more playn¦ly speke of this mater and say / lorde whā thou arte present to me: all thinge is ple∣saunte and lykynge / but whan thou arte absente all thinge is greuous and greate¦ly myslykynge / whan thou cōmes••e thou makeste myne herte restfull and bryngest in to it a newe ioye / thou makeste thy lo∣uer to fele and vnderstande the trouthe & to haue a true iugemente in all thynges and in al thinges to laude the and prayse the. ★ O lorde without the nothing may be longe lykynge ne pleasaunt / for if any thynge shulde be lykynge and sauoury it muste be through helpe of thy grace and be tempered with the spicerie of thy wys∣dome. To hym to whome thou sauourest well: that shall nat sauoure well. And to hym that thou sauoureste nat well vnto what maye be ioyfull or lykynge. But worldly wyse men and they that sauoure flesshely delytes fayle of thys wysdome / for in worldly wysdome is founde greate vanyte / and in flesshely pleasures is euer lastynge deathe. Therfore they that fo∣lowe the lorde by dispisyng of the shorde

And by perfyte mortifyēge of theyr fleshe¦ly lustes / be knowen to be very wyse / for they be led fro vanyte to trouth / and fro flesshly lykynge to spiryuall clennes. To suche persones God sauoureth wonder swete. And what so euer they fynde crea∣tures / they referre it all to the laude and to the praysynge of theyr creatoure / for they se well that there is great difference betwyxt the creature and creatoure eter∣nyte and tyme: and betwyxte the lyghte made / and the lyght vnmade. O euerla∣stynge lyghte farre passynge all thynges that are made. ★ Sende downe the bea∣mes of thy lyghtenyngs / frome aboue and purifye gladde / and clarifie in me all the inwarde parties of my herte. Quyc∣ken my spirite with al the powers therof that it maye cleue faste and be ioyned to the in ioyfull gladnes of ghostely rauys∣shynges ☞: O whan shall that blessed houre come that thou shalte vysyte me & gladde me with thy blessed presence / so that thou be to me all in all. As longe as that gyfte is nat gyuen to me / that thou be to me all in all / there shall be no ful ioy in me. But alas for sorowe mine olde man that is my fleshely lykinge / yet lyueth in

me and is nat yet fully crucifyed nor par¦fitely deed in me / for yet striueth the fleshe strongely against the spirite and moueth great inwarde batayle agaynste me / and suffereth nat the kyngdome of my soule to lyue in peace / but thou good lorde that haste the lordeshype ouer all the power of the see / and doste asswage the stremes of his flouinges. Aryse and helpe me / breke downe the power of myn enemies which alwaye moue this batayle in me. Shewe the greatnes of thy goodnes / and let the power of thy ryght hande be glorified in me for there is to me none other hope nor refuge / but in the onely my lorde / my god to whome be ioye honoure / and glorye e∣uerlastyngly. Amen.

❧:That there is no full suretye fro temptacyon in this lyfe The .xl. Chapitre

OVr lorde sayth to hys seruaunte thus / thou shalte neuer be seker fro temtacyon and tribulacyon in this lyfe. And therfore armoure spiry∣tuall shall alway as longe as thou lyuest be necessary for the. Thou arte amonge

thyne enemyes and shalt be troubled and vexed with them on euery syde: & but thou vse in euery place the shelde of pacyence thou shalt nat longe kepe the vnwoūded And ouer that yf thou set nat thy herte strongly in me with a redy wyll to suffre all thinges pacyently for me / thou mayst nat longe bere this ardoure ne come vnto the rewarde of blessed sayntes. It beho∣ueth the therfore māly to passe ouer ma∣ny thynges and to vse a stronge hande a∣gaynste all the obieccyons of the enemye To the ouercomer is promysed Angelles fode and to hym that is ouercome is lefte moche mysery. If thou seke reste in thys lyfe? howe shalte thou than come to the rest euerlasting. Set nat thy selfe to haue reste here / but to haue pacyence / and seke the true southfaste reste / nat in erth but in heuen / nat in man ne in any creature but in god onely wher it is. For the loue of god thou oughtest to suffre gladly al thin¦ges / that is to say: all laboures / sorowes / tēptacions: vexacyons / anguyshes / nede∣nes / sykenes / iniuries / euyll saynges: re∣preuynges / oppressyons / confusions / cor∣reccions / and dispysynges. These helpe a man greatly to vertues: these proue the

true knyght of Chryste / & make redy for hym the heuenly crowne / & our lorde shal yelde hym agayne euerlastynge rewarde for his shorte laboure / and infynyte glory for his transytory confusyon. Troweste thou that thou shalt haue alway spiritu∣all confortes after thy wyll. Nay nay my saint{is} had thē nat / but many great grefs and dyuers temptacyons and great deso∣lacions / but they were all with pacyence & more trusted in me than in thē selfe / for they knewe wel that the passions of thys worlde be nat able of them selfe to get the glory that is ordeyned for thē ī the kyng¦dome of heuen. Wylte thou loke to haue anone that other before the myghte vn∣nethes gette: afore greate wepynges and laboures. Abyde pacyently the cōmynge of our lorde / do manfully hys bidding / be conforted in hym / mystruste hym nat / ne go nat backe fro his seruyce for payne ne for drede / but lay forthe thy body & soule constauntly to his honoure in all good bo¦dyly and ghostly laboures. And he shal re¦warde the agayne moste plentuously for the good trauayle / and shall be with the and helpe the in euery trouble that shall befall vnto the / so muste it be. Amen.

❧:Agaynste the vayne iugemen∣tes of man. The .xli. Chapitre

MI sonne / fyre thy herte stedfastly in god / and drede nat the iuge∣ment of man where thyne owne conscyence witnesseth the to be innocent & clere. It is ryght good and blessed / som¦tyme to suffre suche sayenges / and it shall nat be greuous to a meke herte whiche trusteth more in God than in hym selfe / many folke can saye many thynges / and yet lytell fayth is to be gyuen vnto theyr sayenges / and to please all men it is nat possyble. For though saynt Poule labou¦red all that he myght to haue pleased all people in god / and dyd to all men all that he coulde for theyr saluacyon / yet neuer∣theles he coulde nat let / but that he was somtyme iuged of other. He dyd for the edyfyenge and helthe of other as muche as in hym was: but that he shold nat som¦tyme be iuged of other or nat be dyspysed of other / he coulde nat let. Wherfore he cō¦mitted all to god that knoweth al thyng and armed hym selfe with pacyence and mekenes agaynste al thyng{is} that myght be vntruly spoken agaynste hym. And

neuertheles sōtyme he answered agayne leste that by hys scyence hurte or hynde∣raūce myght haue growē to other / what arte thou than that dredest so sore a mor∣tall man. This day he is / and to morowe he appereth nat drede god and thou shalt nat nede to drede man / what maye man do with the in wordes or iniuries / he hur¦teth hym selfe more than the / and in the ende he shall ne fle / the iugement of God what so euer he be / haue alwaye good be∣fore the eye of thy soule / and stryue nat a∣gayne by multiplyeng of wordes. And yf thou seme for a tyme to suffre confusyon / that thou haste nat deserued / dysdayne thou nat therfore / nor throughe inpacy¦ence / minyshe nat thy rewarde. But rather lyfte vp thy herte to God in heuen for he is able forto delyuer the from all con¦fucyon and wron∣ges / and to re¦warde e∣uery man after hys deserte and muche more than he can deserue.

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gette this fredome of spirite that I speke of praye for it / study for it / and alwaye de∣sire it in thy herte that is to say that thou mayste clerely be spoyled / and byratre of all propertye and of thyne owne wyll / and that thou being naked of al worldly thynges mayste folowe me that honge∣ked for the vpon the crosse / and that thou mayste dye to thy selfe and to al worldly thynges also / as in thy loue and blessedly to lyue to me. Thā if thou do thus all va¦nyues and all vayne fantasies / and all su¦perfluous cures of the worlde and of the fleshe shall fayle and fade / and goo awaye Than also immoderate drede and inordy¦nate loue shall dye in the / and thou shalte blessedly lyue in me and I in the. Amen.

❧:Howe a man shall rule hym selfe in outwarde thynges / and howe he ought to cal to god for helpe in al perylles and daun¦gers. The .xliiii. Chapitre.

OVr lorde Iesu sayth to his ser∣uaunt thus. Thou oughteste to take hede dilygētly that ī euery

place / in euery dede / and in euery out∣warde occupacyon that thou doste: thou be inwardly fre in thy soule and haue the rule ouer thy selfe / and that all thynges be vnder the as in thy sone / and thou nat vnder them / but that thou be the Lorde and gouernour ouer thy dedes: nat as a seruaunte or a bondman but rather ex∣empted as a true Hebrue / that is to say As a true chrysten man goynge in to the nombre and into the fredome of the chyl∣dren of god / whiche stande vpon thynges present / and loke towarde thynges euer∣lastynge / and beholde thinges transitory with theyr lyfe eye: and thynges euer∣lastynge with theyr ryght eye / whome worldly goodes can nat drawe downe to the loue of theym / but they rather drawe worldely goodes to serue: in suche wyse as they be ordeyned to of god / & as they be instytuted to do by the hygh maker of all thynges whiche leueth nothinge inor¦dinate in his creatures. Also if thou stāde in euery aduenture / and doute that shall happen to the nat to the iugemēt of thy outwarde apparaunce / but anone in eue∣ry suche do•••••• thou entreste in to thyne owne soule by deuout prayer as Moyses

dyd in to the tabernacle to aske coūsayle of god. Thou shalte here anone the aun∣swere of our Lorde whiche shall instructe the sufficiently in many thing{is} both pre∣sent & for to come. It is red that Moyses had alway recourse to the tabernacle of god for doutes and questyons to be assoy¦led and that he there asked the helpe of god throughe deuoute prayer for the pe∣rylles and daungers aswell of hym selfe as of the people. So shuldeste thou entre ī to the secrete tabernacle of thyne owne herte / and there aske īwardly with good deuocion the helpe of god in al suche dou¦tes and perylles. We rede that Iosue and the chyldren of Israell were deceyued of the Gabaonites bicause they gyue lyght credence to theyr sayenges and dyd nat firste aske coūsayle of god as they shulde haue done / and so by the fayre wordes of the Gabaonites and through a false pite Iosue and the chyldren of Israell were il¦luded and greatly deceyued.

❧That a man shulde nat be im¦portune in his busines. The .xliiii. Chapitre.

MI sonne sayth our lorde cōmytte al¦waye thy cause to me / and I shall well dyspose it for the / whan tyme shall come / abyde myne ordinaunce and direc∣tyon / and thou shalte fynde therby greate profyte and helpe. ★ O lorde gladly wyll I cōmytte all thinges to the: for it is ly∣tell that I can do for my selfe / wolde to God that I dyd nat cleue to desyres of worldely thynges / but that I myght al∣way offre my selfe hooly to thy wyll: and pleasure. ★: My sone so it is good for the to do: for somtyme a man that trustethe muche in hym selfe / and in his owne wyl setteth his mynde muche for to brynge a∣boute this thinge or that as he desyreth. But whan he hath attayned that he de∣syreth / than he begynneth to fele all o∣therwyse of it than he dyd before / for the affeccyons and desyres of man be nat al∣way one / but dryueth a man ofte fro one thynge to an other. ☞ Therfore it is no smale thynge a man fully to forsake hym selfe thoughe it be in ryght lytell & smale thinges. For truly the very perfeccyon of man is a perfyte denieng and a full forsa¦kynge of hym selfe. And suche a man is very fre and beloued of god. But the olde

auncyēt enemy the fende which resysteth goodnes all that he maye. Ceaseth nat longe fro temptacyon but day and night he maketh greuous assautes: to se yf ••e may catche any vnware {per}sone in to hys snare of deceyte. Therfore wake ye and pray yet that ye be nat deceyued by temp∣tacyon.

❧:That man hath no goodnes of hym selfe / and that he may nat ryght fully glorifie hym selfe in any thynge. The .xlv. Chapitre.

O Lorde what is man that thou vouchestsafe to haue mynde on hym: or what hathe he done for the: that thou wylte visyte hym with thy grace / and what may he complayne al∣thoughe thou somtyme forsake hym / or what may I ryght wysely saye thoughe thou graunte me nat that I aske / truely I may well thynke and say thus. I am nought / ne I haue no goodnes of my self but in all thynges I am of my selfe all in sufficient and go to nought / and but I be holpen of the and be inwardely informed and taught by the: I shalbe all hooly

slouthfull and to all thinge vnprofytable O lorde thou arte alwaye one / euer shalte be one / alwaye good: alwaye ryght wyse and holy / well ryhhtwysely and blessedly disposyng all thing{is} after thy wysdome / but I wretche that alway am more redy and more prone to euyll thā to good / and nat I alway abydynge in one / for .vii. ty¦mes be chaunged vpon me. Neuertheles it shall be better with me whan it shall please the to put to thy helpynge hande / for thou onely arte he that without man mayste helpe me: and so mayste thou con∣ferme me and stable me in the that myne herte shal nat so lyghtly be chaunged fro the / but that it may be hooly fixed in the and finally to rest in the. And verely yf I coulde cast away fro me al mānes cōfort eyther for gettynge of deuocyon / or for I am compelled therto of necessyte for that I fynde no conforte in man / than myght I well truste in thy grace to haue of the newe visitacions / and newe heuenly con¦solacyons / but I confesse it for trouthe / that I am vnworthy to haue any suche consolacyons / and I thanke the as ofte as any good thynge cōmeth to me for al that is good commeth of the. I am but of all

vanyte and nought bef••re the / a vncon∣staunte man & a feble / and therfore wher∣of many I ryghtwysly glorify my selfe or why shulde I loke to be magnified / truly vaynglory is a peryllous sekenes: a gre∣uous pestilence and a ryght great vanite for it draweth a mā fro the true ioy that he shulde haue in god and roubeth hym clerely of all heuenly grace. For whan a man pleaseth him selfe he displeaseth the and whan he delyteth in mannes pray∣sing{is} he is depreued fro the true vertues / for the true stedfast ioy and gladnes is to ioye in the and nat in hym selfe / in thy name / and nat in hys owne vertue / ne in any creature. Therfore thy name be pray¦sed and nat myne / thy warkes be magni∣fyed and nat myne / and thy goodnes be alway blessed: so that nothinge be gyuen to me of the laude and praysyng of man. Thou arte my glorye: and the ioy of my herte. In the shall I be glorifyed / and al∣way shall I ioye in the / and in my selfe nothynge / but in my infirmytes. Let the Iewes seke glorye amonge thē selfe / but I wyll none seke but that is onely of the for all mannes glorye / all temporall ho∣noure and worldely hyghnes to thy eter∣nall

glory cōpared is but as folysshenes / and a greate vanyte. ♣: O trouth / o mer∣cy / o blessed Trinyte / to the be laude ho∣noure and glorye euerlastyngly. Amen.

❧Howe all temporall honoure is to be dyspysed. The .xlvi. Chapitre.

MI sonne take it nat to no greue though thou se other men ho∣noured & exalted & thy selfe dis∣pysed & set at nought if thou reyse vp thy herte to me in heuen / the dispytes of man in erth shal lytel greue the. O lorde we be here in great derkenes / & sone are we de∣ceyued with vanyties / but verely if I be∣helde my selfe well I shulde opēly so that there was neuer wrōg done to me by any creature: ne that I haue nothing wherof I may rightwisely cōplayne. But for as∣muche as I haue ofte synned / and gre∣uously offended agaynste the. ♣ Therfore all creatures be armed agaynste me. To me therfore is due confusion and dispyte / to the laude / honoure / and glorye. And but I can brynge my selfe to thys poynte that I wolde gladly be dispised & forsakē

of all creatures / and vt••erly to seme as nought in the worlde / I maye nat be in∣wardly pacified ne stabled in the / ne spiri¦tually be illumined / nor yet fully be oned to the.

❧That our truste is nat to be put in wordely people. The .xlvii. Chapitre.

MI sonne yf thou set thy peace with any persone for thyne owne plea∣sure or worldly frendshype / thou shalte al∣way be vnstable / and neuer shalt thou be contented / but yf thou haue alwaye re∣course to the trouth euerlastynge that is god hym selfe: than the death or goynge away of thy derest frende what so euer he be shall lytell greue the. The loue of thy frende ought alway to be referred to me / and for me he is to be beloued howe good and howe profytable so euer he seme vn∣to the in this lyfe / without me frendshype is nought worth / ne may nat longe en∣dure / ne that loue is nat true and cleane that is nat knytte by me. Thou oughtest therfore to be so mortified to all suche af∣feciōs of worldely men / that in as muche

as in the is: thou woldeste coueyte to be without all mannes cōforte. So muche a man nygheth the more to God as he can withdrawe hym selfe fro the worlde and from all worldly conforte / & so muche the more he asscendeth the hygher to god as he can descende lower in hym selfe / and as he can were vyle and abiecte in hys owne syght / he that ascribeth any good∣nes to hym selfe ayenstandeth the gra••e of God and letteth it to lyue in hym / for the grace of the holy ghost seketh alwaye a meke & an hūble herte / if thou couldeste perfitly noughty thy selfe & hooly auoyde thy herte fro all create loue / than shulde I (sayth our lorde) come to y^e with great habundaunce of my grace. ★ But whan thou lokest to creatures / than is ryght∣wysely withdrawen fro the: the syght of thy creatoure. Learne therfore to ouer∣come thy selfe / for the loue of hym that made the lyke to him selfe / and thou shalt anone come to great ghostely knowlege: howe lytell so euer the thynge be that a man loueth yf he loue it inordynately / it hyndreth hym: and letteth hym greatly fro the true and {per}fyte loue that he shulde haue vnto God.

❧That we shulde eschewe vayne seculer connynge. The .xlviii. Chapitre.

MI sonne sayth our Lorde / let nat fayre and also subtyll wordes moue the / for the kyngdome of heuen standethe nat in wordes / but in good vertuous warkes. ☞: Take hede vnto my wordes / for they enflame the herte / and lyghten the vnderstandynge and brynge in also cōpunciō of herte / for synnes paste / and cause also ofte tymes great heuenly conforte sodeynly to come in to the soule / rede neuer in any scyente to the intente thou woldest be called wyse but study rather to mortify in the all styr¦rynges of synnes as muche as in the is / and that shalbe more profytable in the / than the knowledge of many harde / and subtyll questions / whā thou hast rest and vnderstande many doutes / yet neuerthe∣les it behoueth the to come to one that is begynnynge of all thynges that is god hym selfe / and els thy knowlege shall ly∣tyll auayle the. I am he that teacheth a man connynge / and gyue more vnder∣standynhe to meke persones / than can

be taught by mannes teachynge. ★ And he to whome I speake / shall sone be made wyse: and muche shall he profyte in spy∣rite / whan payne and wo shalbe to them that onely seke for curyous lernynge ta∣kynge lytell hede of the waye for to serue god. The tyme shall come whan Chryste lorde of Angels / and mayster of all mays∣ters shall appere to here the lesson of eue∣ry creature and to examyne the consciēce of euery persone / and than shall Ierusa∣lem that is mannes soule beserched with lanternes and lyghtnes of goddes hygh knowledge: and ryghtfull iugementes / and thā also shalbe made open / the dedes and thoughtes of euery man and all ex∣cuses and vayne argumentes shall cease and vtterly be set aparte. ★ I am he also that sodeynly at a poynte illumyne / and lyfte vp a meke soute / that it shalbe made able to take and to receyue in shorte tyme more perfitly the true reason of the wys∣dome of God / than an other that study∣eth .x. yeres in scoles and lacketh meke∣nes. I teache withoute sounde of wor∣des without desyre of oppynyons / with∣oute desyre of honoure / & withoute stryfe and argumentes. ☞:❧: And I am

he that teacheth all the people to dyspyse erthely thynges / to loth thynges that he presente / to seke and to sauoure eternall thinges / to fle honours / to bere pacyent∣ly al euyll wordes and spekynges / to put their truste hooly 〈◊〉〈◊〉 me / nothynge to co∣ueyte without me / and aboue all thynge brenningly to loue me. And some folkes through an inwarde loue that they haue had to me: haue lerned many great thīg{is} and haue spoken many hyghe mysteryes of my godheed. ★: They profyte more in forsakynge all thynge / than in studienge for hygh & subtyll lernynge. But to some men I speke comen thinges / to some spe∣cyall thynges / to some I appere swetely in sygnes & fygures / and to some I gyue great vnderstandynge of scripture & open to them hyghe secrete misteries. There is in bokes one voyce and one lettre that is red / but it enformeth nat all persones a∣lyke / for I am within secretly hyd in the lettre the teacher of trouth the sercher of mānes hert / y^e knower of thoughtes the promoter of good warkes and the rewar¦der of all men after as my wysdome and goodnes iugeth theym to haue deserued and none otherwyse.

❧:That we shulde nat regarde muche outwarde thynges / ne pondre but lytell the iugemente of man. The .xlix. Chapitre.

MI sone it is profi••able to the to be ignoraūt in many thynges / and to thinke thy selfe as deed to the worlde & to whome at the worlde is crucy¦fied. And thou must also as with a de••e care let many thynges passe as thou ney¦ther herde them ne sawe them & to thinke on suche thinges as shall cause in the an inwarde peace in soule. It is also more profitable to the that thou tourne the eye of thy soule fro thinges that displease the and to let euery man holde hys opinyon therin as hym semeth beste / rather than to stryue agayne with frowarde wordes. And truely yf thou were well stabled in God and beheldeste wel his iugementes thou shuldeste lyghtly be content to be iu¦ged of other and to be ouercome of other as our lorde Iesu was for the in tyme of his passyon. ★ O lorde sith it is true that thou sayste what shall become of vs that hede ••o muche wordly thynges & be wepe so greatly a lytell temporall losse / and we

laboure & renne for worldly profyte with all our myhht / but our spirytuall profyte and the helthe of our owne soules we ly∣tell regarde. Suche thinges as lytell or nothynge profyteth vs in muche set by / but that / that is moste necessary to vs is nyghe forgotten / for why all men renne gladly to outwarde thynges. And truely but they shortely tourne backe agayne / they shall gladly rest styll in them / which in the ende shalbe to them greate peryll: and daunger.

❧That men be nat alway to be be∣loued / for that they so lyghtely offende in wordes. The. .l. Chapitre.

LOrde sende helpe vnto me in all my troubles: and vexacyons / for man∣nes helpe is litel worth / howe ofte haue I nat founde frendshype where I thought I shulde haue founde it. And howe ofte haue I founde it where I leste presumed to haue founde it / where it is a vayne thynge to truste in man / for the true and sothfast truste and helth of ryghtwyse mē is onely in the. Blessed be thou lorde ther¦fore in all thynges that happeneth vnto

vs / for we be weyke and vnstable: sone de¦ceyued / and sone chaunged fro one thing to an other / who may so wately and so assuredly kepe hym selfe in euery thynge that he ne shall somtyme fall into some deceyte or in to some perplexyte / truely very fewe / but he that dothe truste in the and that seketh the with a true & cleane herte / slydeth nat so lyghtly fro the. And if it happen hym to fall in to any trouble or perple••ite what ••o euer i•• be / and howe greuous so euer it be / he shall anone ey∣ther be delyuered by the: or be conforted by the / for thou dydest neuer forfake hym that trusteth in the. It is ryght harde to fynde so true and so faythfull a frende that wyll perseuer with hys frende in all his troubles / but thou Lorde arte moste faythfull in all thynges and lyke to the none can be founde. ☞ O howe well sa∣uoured that holy soule in ghostely thyn∣ges that sayde thus. My mynde is sta∣blyshed in god / and is fully grounded in Chryste. Truely yf it were so with me the drede of man shulde nat so lyghtly en¦tre in to me / ne other mennes wordes shulde nat so sone moue me / who maye force all thynges / or who may preuēte all

euylls that are to come / and yf thing{is} for se••e do it ofte tymes greate hurte / what shall thā tho thynges do that be nat for∣sene. But why ha••e nat I wretche better sene to my selfe / and why haue I so lyght¦ly beleued other mēnes saynges truly for we be men & that ••ut frayle men though we be estemed and thought of many to be as Aungels in our conuersacion / whome may I beleue but onely the. Thou arte the trouth that deceyueste no man: nor mayste nat be deceyued. And on the other syde euery man is a lyer weyke and vnsta¦ble and slydynge moste especially in wor∣des / so that vnnethes it may be beleued that semeth openly to be true / howe pru∣dently therfore haste thou warned vs to beware of the lyghtnes of man / and that our familier seruauntes may be our ene∣mies so y•• it is nat to be beleued though•• one wyll say lo here is thy frēde / or there is thy frēde / for I am taught with myne owne herte: but wolde to god it myght be as a warnyng to me & nat to my more foly. ★ Some say to me beware / be ware / kepe close to thy selfe that I shall shewe to the. And whan I speake it close and be¦leued it to be secrete: he can nat be secrete

in that hym selfe desyred but anone he be¦trayeth both hym selfe and me / and goth his way fro suche tales and fro suche vn∣stable men / lorde defende me / that I fall nat in to theyr handes / ne that I neuer comyt any suche thynges. A true worde and a stable lorde gyue in to my mouthe / and a deceytfull tonge dryue farre away fro me / for that I wolde nat haue done to my selfe / I ought to be ware that I do it that to none other. O howe good and howe peacefull is it to kepe scylence of o∣ther mēnes wordes and dedes and nat to gyue full credence tyll the trouth be tried and nat to reporte lyghtely to other all that we here or se. Ne to open our herte fully but to very fewe / and to seke the all waye that are the beholder of mannes herte / and not for to be moued with euery flake of wordes / but for to desyre in herte that all thynge in vs inwardely and out∣wardely may be fulfylled after thy wyll / howe sure a thynge is it also for the ke∣pynge of heuenly grace / to fle the conuer∣sacyon of wordly people all that we may and nat to desyre thynges that seme out¦wardely to be pleasaunte: and lykynge. But with all the study of our hert to seke

suche thynges as brynge in feruoure of spiryte and amendement of lyfe. It hath ben truely a great hurte to many {per}sones a vertue knowen and ouer tymely pray∣sed / and on the contrarywyse it hath ben ryght profytable to some: a grace kepte in scylence / and nat lyghtely reported to other in this frayle lyfe that is ful of tēp¦tacyon and preuy enuye.

❧That we shall put all out confy∣dence in god whan euyll wor¦des be spoken vnto vs. The .li. Cha∣pitre.

MI sonne saythe our Lorde / stande strōgly and truste faythfully in me what be wordes but wynde / they fle in the heyre / but they hurte neuer astone on the grounde / and if thou knowe thy selfe nat gyltye / thynke that thou wylt suffre gladly suche wordes for god. It is but a hasty worde sith thou art yet stable to ••uf¦fre harde strokes. But why is it that so ly¦tell a thynge goeth so nygh the hert / but that thou art yet fleshely and carnall and hedest to please men more than thou shul∣dest.

And bycause thou dredest to be dispy¦sed / thou wylt nat gladly be reproued for thyne offenses / and thou serchest therfore busily & with great study how thou maist be excused. But beholde thy selfe wel and thou shalt se that the worlde yet lyueth in the & a vayne loue also to please mā. Whā thou refusest to be rebuked and punyshed for thy defautes / it appereth euydently that thou art nat yet sothfastly meke / ne that thou arte nat yet deed to the worlde nor the worlde to the net truely crucifyed But here my wordes and thou shalte nat nede to care for the word{is} of ten thousāde men. Lo if al thinges were sayde agaynst the that myght be most malicyously / and vntruly fayned agaynst the / what shulde they hurte yf thou suffred them to ouer∣passe and go awaye / truely no more than a strawe vnder thy fote / and one heare of thy hed they myght nat take fro the. But he that hath nat a mannes herte withinforth / ne setteth nat God before the eye of hys soule / is sone moued with a sharpe worde / whan he that trusteth in me / and wyl nat stande vnto his owne iugemente shalbe fre fro all mānes drede for I am the Iudge that knoweth all /

secretes. I knowe howe euery thynge is done and I knowe also both hym that doth the wronge and hym that it is done to. ☞: Of thys thynge is wrought and by my sufferaunce it is come aboute that the thoughtes of mennes hertes may be knowen / and whan the tyme commeth I shall iuge both the innocente & hym that is gylty. But fyrste throughe my ryght∣wyse examinacyon I wyl proue thē both The wytnes of mā ofte tymes deceyueth but my iugemēte is alway true and shall nat be subuerted / and howe be it: it is som¦tyme hyd and nat knowen but to fewe / yet it is true and erreth nat / ne yet maye nat erre / thoughe in the syght of some vn¦wyse persones it semeth nat so. ★: Ther∣fore in euery doute it behoueth for to rene to me / and nat to leaue muche vnto thyne owne reason / but with euery thing that I shall sende the to be contente / for a ryghtwyse man is neuer troubled with any thynge that I shall suffre to fall vn∣to hym. In so much that though a thing were vntruely spoken agaynste hym / he shulde nat muche care for it. Ne he shulde nat muche ioy thoughe he were somtyme reasonably excused / for he thynketh al∣way

that I am he that sercheth mannes herte / and that I iuge nat after the out∣warde apparaunce / for ofte tymes it shal be founde in my syght worthy to be bla∣med that in mānes syght semeth muche worthy to be praysed. O lorde god moste ryghtwyse Iuge stronge and pacyente / whiche knoweste the fraylte / and the ma¦lyce of man / be thou my strength and my hole conforte in all necessyties / for myne owne conscyence Lorde suffyseth me nat / for thou knoweste in me that I knowe nat. And therfor ī euery reprofe I ought alway to meken my selfe / and pacyently to suffre all thynges in charyte after thy pleasure / forgyue me lorde as ofte as I haue nat so done / and gyue me grace of greater sufferaūce in tyme to come. Thy mercy is more profytable and more sure waye for me vnto the gettinge of pardon and forgyuenes of my synnes thā a trust in myne owne warkes throughe defence of my derke conscyence. And thoughe I drede nat my conscyence / yet I may nat therfore iustyfy my selfe: for thy mercye remoued and taken away / no man maye be iustiyfyed: ne appere ryghtwyse in thy syght.

❧:Howe all greuous thynges in thys lyfe are gladely to be suffred for wynnynge of thys lyfe that is to come. The .lii. Chapitre.

MI sone (sayth our lorde) be nat bro∣ken by impacyēce with the laboure that thou hast taken for my sake / ne suf∣fre thou nat trybulacyons to caste the in dispayre nor in to vnresonable heuynes / ne anguyshe in no wyse / but be thou con∣forted and strengthed in euery chaūce by my promyses and behest{is} / for I am able and of power to rewarde the and other my seruaūtes haboundauntly more than yet an thynke or desyre / thou shalte nat laboure longe here ne alwaye be greued with heuynes / tary a whyle my promys∣ses and thou shalt shortly se an ende of all thy troubles / one howre shall come whan all thy laboures and troubles shall cease and truely that howre wyll shortly come for all is shorte that passeth with tyme. Do therfore as thou doste / laboure bu∣sely and faythfully in my vyneyarde / and I shall shortely be thy rewarde: wryte / rede / synge / mourne / be styll and praye

and suffre gladly aduersyte / for the kyng∣dome of heuen is more worth than is all these thynges / and muche more greater thynges than they are: peace shall come one day that it is knowē to me / and that shall nat be the day of this lyfe / but a day euerlastynge with infynite clerenes sted∣faste peace / & syker rest without endynge. And than thou shalt nat say / who shal de∣liuer me frō the body of this deth ne thou shalt nat nede to cry. Wo is to me that my cōmyng whiche is the kyngdōe of heuen is th{us} prolōged. For deth shal thā be dis∣troyed & helth shalbe without ende of ••o∣dy and of soule / in so muche that no ma∣ner of vnrestfulnes shalbe / but blessed ioy and most swetnes / & most fayrest cōpany. O if thou sawest the euerlasting crownes of my saintes in heuen / in howe gret ioy and glory they are that sōtyme semed to be vyle persons & as mēdispysable in the worlde / thou shuldeste anone meken thy selfe lowe to the groūde / and thou shuldest rather coueyt to be subiecte vnto al men / than to haue soueraynte ouer any one {per}∣sone / and thou shuldest nat desyre to haue myrth & solace in this worlde / but rather tribulacyon and payne / and thou shuldest

than accompte it as a great wynnynge / to be dispysed and to be taken as nought amonge the people. O yf these thynges sauoure well to the and depely perced in to thy herte / thou shuldest nat ones dare complayne for no maner of trouble that shulde befall vnto the. Are nat all payn∣full thynges and most greuous laboures gladly to be suffrered for the ioyes euerla¦styng? yes verely: for it is no lytell thyng to wynne or lese the kyngdome of heuen lyfte vp thy face therfore into the heuen & beholde howe I and all my sayntes that be with me in heuen: had in thys worlde greate batayle and conflycte / and nowe they ioye with me and be conforted in me and be sure to abyde with me / & to dwell with me in the kyngedome of my father without endynge. Amen.

❧Of the daye of eternyte / and of the myseryes of thys lyfe. The .liii. Cha∣pitre.

O Blessed mansyon of the heuēly citie. O moste clerest day of eter¦nite: whome the night may nat darken / but the hygh trouth that god is

illumineth and clereth: the daye alwaye mery / alway syker / & neuer chaungynge his state to the contrarye / wolde to god that this day myght ones appere & shyne vpon vs / and that these tēporall thynges were at an ende. This blessed day shineth to Sayntes in heuen with euerlastynge bryghtnes and clerely / but to vs pylgry∣mes in earth it shyneth nat but a farre of as throughe a myrroure or glasse. The heuenly citezēs knowe well howe ioyus this day is. But we outlawes: the chyl∣dren of Eue wepe and wayle the bytter∣nes and tedyousnes of this day that is of this presente lyfe shorte and euyll full of sorowes anguyshes: where a man is ofte tymes defouled with synne / encombred with passyons / inquyeted with dredes / bounden with charges / busyed with va∣nites / blinded with errours / ouercharged with laboures / vexed with temptacyons ouercome with delytes and pleasures of the worlde: and greuously tormēted som∣tyme with penury and nede. ♣: O whan shall the ende come of all these miseryes / and whan shall I be clerely delyuered fro the bondage of synne: whan shall I only lorde haue mynde on the & fully be made

glad and mery in the / whan shall I be fre without lettynge and be in parfyte ly¦berty without greue of body and of soule whā shall I haue sad peace without trou¦ble / peace within and without & on euery syde stedfast and syker. O lorde Iesu whā shall I stande and beholde the & haue ful syght & contemplacion of thy glorye / and whan shalte thou be to me all in all / and whā shall I be with the in thy kyngdom that thou hast ordeyned to thy electe peo∣ple fro the begynnynge. I am lefte here poore and as an outlawe in the lande of myne enemyes / where dayly be batayles and great misfortunes. Cōforte my exyle aswage my sorowe / for all my desyre cry∣eth to the / it is to me a greuous bourden what so euer the worlde offereth me here to my solace I desyre to haue īwarde fru••¦cion in the / but I can nat atteyne therto I coueyte to cleaue faste theuēly thinges but temporall thynges and passions vn∣mortified: pull me alway downwarde in mynde I wolde be aboue all tēporal thin¦ges / but whether I wyll or nat I am cō∣pelled through myne owne defaute to be subiecte vnto my fleshe / thus I mooste wretched man fyght in my selfe / and am

made greuous to my selfe / whyles my spi¦rite desyreth to the vpwarde & my fleshe downwarde. O what suffre I inwardely whan in my mynde I beholde heuenly thynges: and a greate multytude of car∣nall thoughtes entre into my soule. Ther¦fore lorde be nat longe fro me / ne departe nat in thy wrath fro me thy seruaunte▪ sende to me the lyghtnes of thy grace & breke downe in me all eternal thoughtes Sende forth the dartes of thy loue & breke therwith all fantasies of the enemy. Ga∣ther my wytnes: and powers of my soule to gether in the. Make me forgette all worldly thynges / and graunt me to caste awaye and hooly to dispyse all fantasies of synne / helpe me therfore thou euerla∣stynge truth that no worldly vanite here after haue power in me. Come also thou heuenly swetnes and let all bytternes of synne fle farre fro me / pardone me and mercyfully forgyue me whan I thynke in my prayer of any thynge but of the / for I cōfesse for trouth that in time paste I haue vsed my selfe very vnstably ther∣in / for many times I am nat there where I stande or sytte / but rather I am ther∣fore there where my thoughtes lede me /

for there I am where my thought is and there as my thought is accustomed to be there is that that I loue / and that ofte tymes commethe into my mynde that by custome pleaseth me beste / and that most delyteth me to thynke vppon. Wherfore thou that arte euerlastynge trouth sayste openly / there as thy treasure is: there is thy herte.★: Wherfore if I loue heuen: I speke gladly of heuenly thynges / and of suche thynges as be of god / and that per¦teyne moste vnto hys honoure and to the glorifyenge of and worshyppynge of his holy name. And yf I loue the worlde: I ioye anone at worldly felicite and sorowe anone at his aduersite / if I loue the fleshe I ymagyne ofte tymes that pleaseth the fleshe / and yf I loue my soule I delyte muche to speake and to here of thynges that be to my soule helthe. And so what so euer I loue: of them I gladly here and speake / and bere the ymages of them ofte in my mynde / blessed is that man that for the lorde forgetteth all creatures and lerneth truely to ouercome hym selfe / and with the feruoure of spirite crucifieth his fleshe / / so that in a cleane and in a p••re cō¦scyence he maye offre hys prayers to the

and he worthy to haue company of bles∣sed Angels. All erthely thynges excluded fro hym and fully set aparte. Amen.

❧:Of the desyre of euerlastynge lyfe / and of the greate rewarde that is promysed to theym that strongely fyght agaynste synne. The .liiii. Cha¦pitre.

MI sone whan thou felest y•• a desyre of euerlastyng blysse is gyuē to the & that thou couetist to go out of the taber¦nacle of thy mortall body / y•• thou myght clerely w^tout shadowe beholde my clere∣nes. Open thine herte & with y^e desyre of thy soule take that holy īspiraciō: & yelde most large thankes to the hygh goodnes of god that so worthely doth to the / so be¦nyngly vysyteth the / so brennyngly styr∣reth the / and so myghtely bereth the vp: that throughe thyne owne burden thou fall nat downe to erthely lykynges / and thynke nat that that desyre commeth of thy selfe or of thyne owne werkynge / but rather that it commeth of the gyfte of grace / and of a louely beholdynge of god

vpon the / that thou shuldeste profyte ther¦by in mekenes and vertue / and that thou shuldest also p̄pare the to be redy agaynst an other tyme for batayles that are for to come / and the more surely to cleue to god with all the desyre & affecyon of thy herte and to study with al thy power how thou mayste moste purely and moste deuoutly serue hym / and take hede of thys comon prouerbe· The fyre doth ofte brenne / but the flame doth nat assende without some smoke. So in lykewyse the desyre of some men draweth to heuenly thynges / & yet they be nat all free fro the smoke of car∣nall affecciōs / and therfore they do it nat alway purely for the honoure and loue of god that they aske so desyrously of hym. Suche ofte times is thy desyre that thou shewest to be so importune for that desire is nat clene & perfyte that is myxte with thyne owne cōmodyte. Aske therfore nat that is delectable & profytable to the / but that is acceptable & honoure to me / for if thou do well and iuge a ryght / thou shalt preferre my ordynaūce & my wyll before all thy desyres & before all thynges that may be desyred besyde me. I knowe well thy desyre. Thou woldest nowe be in the

lybertye of the glory of the sonnes of god nowe the euerlastynge house and the he∣uenly countrey full of ioye and glorye de∣lyteth the muche: but that tyme cōmeth nat yet / for there is yet an other tyme to come / that is to saye: a tyme of laboure and of proufe / thou desyrest to be fulfilled with the hyghe goodnes in heuen / but thou mayste nat yet come therto. I am the full rewarde of man / abyde me vntyll I shall come / and thou shalte haue me to thy rewarde. Thou arte yet to be proued here vpō earth / and more throughly to be assayled in many thinges / some comforte shalbe gyuen the / but the fulnes thereof shall nat yet be graunted. Be thou ther∣fore conforted in me / and be thou stronge as well in doynge as in sufferynge thyn∣ges contrary to thy wyll. It behoueth the to be clothed in my bloode / and to be chaunged in to a newe man / and thou must oft tymes do that thou woldest nat do / & that y^t thou woldest do thou muste forsake & leue vndone. That shall please other shall go well forwarde / & that shall please the shall haue no spede / that other mē say shalbe wel herde / & that thou shalt say shalbe set at nought. Other shall aske

and haue theyr askynge / thou shalte aske and be denyed. Other shalbe greate and haue greate laude and prayse of the peo∣ple / and of the no worde shalbe spoken. To other thys offyce or that shalbe com∣mytted and thou shalt be iuged vnprofy∣table in euery thynge / for these thynges and other lyke: nature wyll murmure & grudge / and thou shalte haue a greate ba∣tayle in thy selfe if thou bere them secrete in thy herte without complaynynge and myssaynge. Neuertheles in suche thing{is} and otherlyke my faythfull seruaunt{is} are wonte to be proued / howe they can deny them selfe and howe they can in all thyn∣ges breyke theyr owne wylles / and there is nothyng that thou shalt nede so much to ouercome thy selfe in / as to lerne to be contented / nat to be set any pryce by in the worlde / and to suffre suche thynges as be most cōtrary to thy wyll especyally whan suche thing{is} as in thy syghte seme vnprofytable be cōmaunded to be done. But my sonne consyder well the profyte fruyte of all these laboures the shorte ende and the greate rewarde / and than thou shalt fele no grefe ne payne in all thy la∣boures / but the moste swetest conforte of

the holy ghost throughe thy good wyll / and for that lytel wyl that thou forsakest here thou shalte alwaye haue thy wyll in heuē where thou shalt haue all that thou causte or mayste desyre. There shalt thou haue full possession of all goodnes with∣out drede to lese it. There thy wyll shalbe euer one with my wyll / & it shall coueyte no straunge nor priuate thynges. There no man shall resyste the / no man shall cō∣playne on the / no man shal let the / nor no man shall witstande the / but all thinges that thou cāste desire shalbe there presen•• and shall fulfyl al the powers of my soule vnto the full. There shall I yelde glorye for reproues / and a palle of laude for the heuynes / and for the loweste place here / a sete in heuen for euer. There shal appere the frute of obedyence▪ the laboure of pe∣naunce shall ioye / and the humble subiec∣cion shalbe crowned gloriously: bowe the therfore mekely nowe vnder euery man∣nes hande / and force lytel who sayth this or who commaundeth this to be done. But with all thy study take hede y^t whe¦ther thy p̄late or thy felowe or any other lower than thou aske any thynge of the or wyll any thyng to be done by the / that

thou take it awaye vnto the beste / & with a glad wyll study to fulfyll it / let this mā seke thys thynge and an other that / and let this man ioye in this thyng and an o∣ther in that what so it be and let them be landed and praysed a thousande tymes / but ioye thou neyther in thys thynge nor in that / but onely in thyne owne contēpt and dyspysinge / and in my wyll for to be fulfylled and whether it be by lyfe or deth that I maye alwaye be landed & honou∣red in the and by the. Amen.

❧:Howe a man that is desolate ought to suffre hym selfe hoo∣ly vnto god. The .lv. Chapiter

LOrde hooly fa••her / be thou bles∣sed nowe and euer / for euen as thou wylte so it is done / and what that thou doeste is alwaye well / let me thy pooreste seruaūte and moste vnworthy ioye in the and nat in my selfe ne in nothyng els be∣syde the / for thou lorde arte my gladnes / thou arte my hope / my crowne / my ioy / & all my honoure. What hath my seruaunt but that he hath of the and that without his deserte all thyng{is} be thyne that thou haste gyuen and made. And I am poore

and haue bene in trouble and in payne e∣uer fro my yoth. and my soule hath bene in great heuynes with wepynge & teares and somtyme it hath bene troubled in it selfe throughe many folde passyons that come of the worlde & of the flesshe. Where fore lorde I desyre that I maye haue of the ioye of thy inwarde peace: and I do aske the reste of thy chosen chyldren that he fedde and norysshed of the ī the lyghte of heuenly confortes / but without thyne helpe I can nat come therevnto. If thou lorde gyue peace or if thou gyue inwarde ioye / my soule shalbe anone full of heuēly melody and be deuoute and seruēt in thy laudes and praysynges / but yf thou with drawe thy selfe from me as thou haste sō∣tyme done / than maye nat thy seruaunte renne the waye of thy commaundemen∣tes as he dyd fyrste / but than he is com∣pelled to bowe hys knees / and to knocke his brest / for it is nat with hym as it was before whā the lāterne of thy ghostly pre¦sence shone vpon his hedde / & that he was defended vnder the shadowe of thy mercy from all perylles & daungers. ★ O ryght wyse father euer to be praysed / the tyme is come that thou wylt thy seruaunte be

proued. And ryghtwysely is it done that I shal nowe suffre somwhat for the / now is the houre come that thou haste knowē ••t•• the begynnynge that thy seruaūt for a tyme shulde outwardly be set at nought and inwardly to lyue to the: and that he shulde a lytell be dyspysed in the syght of the worlde and be broken with passyons & sykenes / that he myght after ryse with the in to a newe lyght & be claryfyed and made glorious in lyke kyngdome of heuē ★O holy father thou hast ordeyned it so to be / and it is done as thou haste cōmaū¦ded / this is thy grace to thy frende / to suf¦fre and to be troubled in thys worlde / for thy loue / how ofte so euer it be / & of what persone so euer it be / and in what maner so euer thou suffre it to fal vnto him with out thy coūsayle and prouydence ne with out cause no thynge is done vpon earthe. O it is good to me Lorde that thou haste mekened me that I may therby lerne to knowe the ryghtwyse iugementes / & put fro me all maner of presumpcyon & hygh¦nes of herte / and it is very profytable to me that confusyon hath couered my face that I may lerne therby to seke for helpe and socour to the rather than vnto man.

And I haue therby lerned to drede thy se¦crete & terrible iugementes which scour∣geste the ryghtwyse mā with the synner but nat w••thout equyte & iustice. I yelde thākes to the that thou haste nat spared my synnes / but haste punyshed me with scourges of loue / and haste sence me soro∣wes and anguysshes within & without / so that there is no creature vnder heuen that may confort me / but thou lorde god the heuenly leche of mannes soule which strykeste and helest and bryngeste a man nyghe vnto bodely dethe and after r••sto∣reste hym to helthe agayne that he maye therby lerne to knowe the lytelnes of his owne power and the more fully to truste in the. The dyscyplyne is fallen vpon me and thy rodde of correccyon hath taught me / and vnder that rode I hooly submyt me / stryke my backe and my bones as it shall please the and make me to bowe my croked wyll vnto thy wyll / make me a meke and a hūble dyscyple as thou haste somtime done with me that I may walk all after thy wyll. To the I cōmytte my selfe & all myne to be corrected / for better it is to be corrected by the here / than in ty¦mes to come. Thou knowest all thynges

and nothynge is hyd from the that is in mannes conscience. Thou knowest thyn¦ges to come before they fall / and it is nat nedeful that any mā reache the or warne the of any thynge that is done vpon the erth. Thou knoweste what is spedful for me and howe muche tribulacion helpeth to pourge the ruste of syn in me / do with me after thy pleasure / and dysdayne nat my synfull lyfe to none so well knowē as it is to the. Graūt me lorde that to know that is necessary to be knowen / that to loue that is to be loued that to prayse y^t hyghly pleaseth the: that to regarde that apereth precyous ī thy syght & that to re¦fuse that is vile before the Suffre me nat to iuge after my outwarde wyttes / ne to gyue sentence after the hearyng of vncō∣nynge men / but in a true iugemēt to des∣cerne thynges vysible and vnuisible / and aboue all thynges alwaye to serche and folowe theyr wyll & pleasure. The out∣warde wyttes of men be ofte deceyued in theyr ingementes. And in lyke wyse the louers of the worlde be deceyued through lyuynge onely of visible thing{is} / what is a man the better / for he is taken better / truely nothynge / for a deceytfull man de∣ceyueth

an other / a vayne man deceyueth an other / and a blynde / and a feble crea∣ture deceyueth an other whā he exalteth hym / & rather confoundeth hym thā pray¦seth hym for why / howe muche so euer a mā be in sight of god / so muche he is and no more (sayth the meke saynt Fraūces) howe holy and howe vertuous so euer he be taken in syght of the people.

❧That is good that a man gyue hym selfe vnto meke bodely laboures / whan he feleth nat hym selfe disposed to hygh warkes of deuocyon. The .lvi. Chapiter.

MI sonne / thou mayste nat alway stande in the hyghe feruente de∣syre of vertue / ne in the hygheste degre of contemplacyon / but thou muste of necessyte through the corrupcyō of the fyrst synne somtyme descende vnto lowe•• thinges / and agaynste thy wyll and with greate tedyousnes to beare the burden of this corruptible body / for as lōge as thou herest this body of deth / thou muste nedes fele some grefe of herte / and thou shalte ofte tymes bewype and mourne the bur∣den

of the fleshely felynges / and the con∣tradiccyon of thy body vnto thy soule / for thou maiste nat for the corrupcion therof perseuer in spirituall studyes and in heuē¦ly cōtemplacyon as thou woldest do / and thā it is good to the to fle to meke bodely labours and to exercyse thy selfe in good outwarde warkes / & in a stedfaste hope & truste to abyde my cōmyng and my newe heuenly vysitacyons / & to bere thy exile & the drynes of thy herte pacyētly / tyl thou shalt be visited by me agayne / and be dely¦uered fro all tediousnes and vnquyetnes of mynde / whā I shal come / I shall make the forgete all thy former laboures / and to haue inwarde reste & quietnes of soule. I shall also lay befor the y^e florishing me¦dowe of holy scrypture / & thou shalt with greate gladnes of herte in a newe blessed felinge / fele the very true vnderstandyng therof / and thou shalte than ren quyckely the waye of my commaundementes / and than shalte thou saye in greate spirytuall gladnes. The passions of thys worlde be nat worthy of them selfe to brynge vs to the ioy that shalbe shewed vs in the blesse of heuen. To the whiche blesse brynge vs our lorde Iesus. Amen.

❧That a man shall nat thynke hym selfe worthy to haue conforte / but rather to haue sorowe & payne and the profyte of the con¦tricion. The .lvii. Chapitre.

LOrde I am nat worthy for to haue thy consolacyon / ne any other spy∣tuall vysytacyon / and therfore thou doste ryght wysely vnto me / whan thou leuest me very nedy & desolate / for thoughe I myght wepe water of teares lyke to the see. Yet were I nat worthy to haue thy consolacyon / for I am nothinge worthy to haue but sorowe & payne / for I haue so greuously and so ofte offended the / and in so many thynges greatly trespased a∣gaynste the. Therfore I maye well saye & confesse for trouthe that I am nat wor¦thy to haue thy leste consolacyon. But thou lorde benyngne and mercyfull that wylt nat thy work{is} do peryshe / to shewe the gretnes of thy goodnes in the vessel∣les of thy mercy aboue all my merites or deserte / vouchesaufe somtyme to conforte thy seruaunt more than I can thynke or deuyse. The consolacyons be nat lyke to

mentes fables / for they be in them selfe sothfaste and true / but what haue I done lorde that thou wylt vouchesaufe to giue me any heuenly cōsolacyon. I know nat that I haue done any thynge well / as I shulde haue done: but that I haue alway bene prone and redy to synne: and slowe to amendement / thys is true & I can nat denye it / for if I wolde denye it thou shul¦dest stande agaynste me / & no mā myght defende me. What haue I than deserued but hell & euerlastynge fyre. I cōfesse for trouth that I am worthy in thys worlde all shame and dispyte / and that it becom∣meth nat me to be conuersaunte with de∣uoute people. And thoughe it be greuous to me for to say thus (yet for the trouthe is so) I wyll confesse the trouth as it is / and wyll openly reproue my selfe of my defaultes that I may the rather optaine of thy mercy and forgyuenes / but what maye I thā saye lorde that thus am gyl∣ty and full of confusion / truely I haue no mouth ne taught to speke but onely this worde / I haue synned lorde / I haue syn∣ned / haue mercy on me / forgyue me & vn∣knowen me trespas / suffre me a lytel that I maye wepe & wale my synnes / or that

I passe hence to the lande of darknes co∣uered with the shadowe of deathe. ♣ And what doste thou lorde aske muche of such wretched synner / but that he be contryte and meken hym selfe for hys synne / for in true contricyon and mekenes of herte / is faude the very hope of forgeuenes of syne and the troubled conscyence is therby cle¦red / and the grace before loste is recoue∣red agayne. Man also is therby defended fro the wrathe to come / & almighthy god and the penitente soule mete louyngly to¦gether in holy kyssynges of heuēly loue. A meke concricion of herte is to the lorde a ryght acceptable sacrifice / more swete∣ly sauouryng in thy syght thā brennyng enscence. It is also the precious oyntmēt that thou woldest shulde be shede vpō thy blessed fete / for a meke & a contryte herte thou neuer dyspysest. This contricyon is the place of refuge fro the drede & wrathe of the enemye / and therby is washen and clensed / what so euer is before misdone or that is defouled throughe synne in any maner.

❧That grace wyll nat be myxte with loue of worldy thynges. The .lviii. Chapiter.

MI sonne: grace is a very precyous thynge / and wyll nat be my••te w^t no pryuate loue / nor with worldely con∣fortes. It behoueth the therfore to caste awaye all lettynges of grace yf thou wilt haue the gracyous gyfte therof. Chose therfore a secrete place & loue to be alone and kepe the from ••eringe of vayne tales and fables / and offre to god deuoute pray¦ers and pray hertely that thou may••e haue a contryte herte and a pure conscy∣ence. Thynke all the worlde as nought & preferre my seruyce before al other thyn∣ges / for thou mayste nat haue mynde on me & therwith all delyte the•• transitory pleasures. It behoueth the therfore for to withdrawe the fro thy de••este frendes / & fro all thyne acquayntaunce / and to se∣questre thy minde holy fro the inordynat desyre of all worldely conforte as muche as thou mayste. Thus prayde saynt Pe∣ter that all chrysten people myght holde them selfe as straungers and as pylgry∣mes vpon erthe / for than they shulde nat set but lytell pryce by the conforte therof. O howe sure a truste shall it be to man at his departynge out of this worlde / to fele inwardly in hys soule / that no worldely

loue / ne yet the affeccyon of no passyng or transitory thynge hathe any rule in hym But a weyke feble persone newely tour∣ned to god may nat so lyghtely haue hys herte seuered from erthely lykynge / nor the beastly man knoweth nat y^e fredome of a man that is inwardly tourned to god And therfore yf a man wyll perfytely be spirituall and ghostely: he muste aswell re¦nounce straungers as kynsfolke / and spe∣cyally before all other / that he be mooste ware of hym selfe if he ouercōe hym selfe parfytly / he shall the soner ouercome all other enemyes. The moste noble and the moste perfyte victory is: a man to haue y^t victory of hym selfe / he therfore that hol∣deth hym selfe so muche subiect / that t••e sensualyte obeyeth to reason: and reason in all thynges obeyeth to me / he is the true ouercomer of hym selfe and the lorde of the worlde. But if thou coueyte to come to that poynte: thou muste begynne man fully / and set thy are to the rote of the tre / and fully to cut awaye and to dystroye in the al the inordinate inclinaciō that thou haste to thy selfe or to any pryua••e or ma¦teriall thynge / for of that vyce that a mā loueth hym selfe inordinately / wel nyghe

dependeth all that ought groundly to be dystroyed in man / and yf that be truely ouercome anone shall folowe great tran∣quylite & peace of conscyence. But for as muche as there be but fewe that laboure to dye to them selfe / ne to ouercome them selfe perfytely / therfore they lye styll in theyr fleshely folynge / and worldely con∣fortes / and may in no wyse ryse vp in spi∣rite aboue thē selfe / for it behoueth hym that wyl be fre in herte and haue contem¦placion of me / to mortifye all his euyll in¦clinacions that he hath to hym selfe / and to the worlde / and nat for to be bounde to any creature by any inordynate: or pry∣uate loue.

❧:Of the diuersytes / and dy¦uers mouynges betwene nature & grace. The .lix. Chapiter.

MI sonne take good hede of the mocyons of nature: & grace for they be very subtyll & much cō¦trary the one to the other / & hardely may they be knowen a sondre / but it be by a ghostely man that throughe spirytuall grace is inwardely lyghtened in soule. Euery man desyreth some goodnes & pre¦tendeth

somwhat of goodnes in all hys wordes and dedes / & therfore vnder pre∣tence of goodnes many be deceyued. Na¦ture is wy••e and full of decey••e / and dra∣weth many to her / whome she ofte tymes snareth and deceiueth and ••uer beholdeth her owne welthe as ende of he•• we••. But grace walketh simply without deceit she declyneth fro all euyll she pretendeth no gyle / but all thynges she doth purely for god in whome ••y••a••ly she ••esteth. Na¦ture wyll nat gladly dye / ne gladly be op∣pressed ne ouercome ne wyll nat be glad∣ly vnder other ne be kept in sub•• ••o but grace studieth howe she may be mortified to the worlde / and to the fleshe •• she resys∣teth sensualyte / she seketh to be subiec••e / she desyreth to be ouercome / she wyll nat vse her owne lyberty / she loueth to be hol∣dē vnder holy discyplyne / & coueteth nat to haue lordeshype ouer any one creature but to lyue and to stande alway vnder the drede of god / and for hit loue is alway re¦dy to bowe her selfe mekely vnder euery creature. Nature laboureth for her owne profy••e and auauntage / and muche behol¦deth what wynnynge cōmeth to her by other. ★: But grace beholdeth nat what

is profytable to her selfe / but what is pro¦fytable to many. Nature receyueth glad∣ly honoure and reuerence: but grace refer¦reth all honoure and reuerence vnto god. Nature dredeth reprouynges and dyspy∣synges / but grace ioyeth for the name of god to suffre them both and taketh them whan they come as specyal giftes of god Nature loueth ydelnes and flesshely reste but grace can nat be ydle without doing some good dede / and therfore seketh glad¦ly some profytable laboures. Nature de∣syreth fayre thynges and curious and ab¦horreth vyle thynges & groce / but grace delyteth in meke and symple thynges / she dispyseth nat harde thynges / ne refuseth nat to be glad in poore olde clothyng and symple garmētes / nature beholdeth glad¦ly thynges temporal: she ioyeth at worlde¦ly wynnynges / is heuy for worldly lesyn∣ges / and anone is moued with a sharpe worde / but grace beholdeth thinges euer¦lastynge and trusteth nat to thinges tem¦porall nor is nat troubeled with the losse of them / ne she is nat greued with a fro∣warde worde for she hath layde a treasure in god and in ghostely thynges whiche may nat peryshe. Nature is couetous / &

more gladly taketh than gyueth: and lo∣ueth muche to haue {pro}petie and pryuate thynges / but grace is pyteous and libe∣rall to the poore / she fleeth synguler pro∣fyte / she is contente with lytell & iudgeth it more blessed to gyue than to take. Na∣ture inclyneth vnto the loue of creatures to the loue of the fleshe / and vnto vanites and rēnyng{is} aboute and to se newe thin∣ges in the worlde: but grace draweth a man to the loue of god and to the loue of vertues / she renounceth all creatures / she flyeth from the worlde / she hateth desyres of the fleshe / restrayneth liberte and wan¦drynges aboute / and escheweth asmuche as she may to be sene amonge recourse of people. ★ Nature hath gladly some out∣warde solace wherin she may feleably de∣lyght in her outwarde wyttes / but grace seketh onely to be cōforted in god / and to delyght her in his goodnes aboue al thin¦ges. ★: Nature doth all thynges for her owne wynnynge: and synguler profyte / she may do nothynge fre / but hopeth all way to haue lyke {pro}fyte or better: or laude or fauoure of the people / and coueyteth muche that her dedes & warkes be gretly pondred and praysed / but grace seketh

no temporall thynge / ne none other re∣warde for her hyre but onely god she wyl no more of temporall goodnes than shall nede for the gettynge of the goodes euer∣lastynge / and ca••eth nat for the vayne praise of the worlde. Nature ioyeth great¦ly in many frendes and kynstolkes / and is gloryfyed muche of a noble place of byrth and of her noble blode and kynted / she ioyeth with myghty men / she fl••te∣reth ryche men and as mery with them that she thynketh lyke to her in noblenes of the worlde / but grace maketh a man to loue his enemyes she hath no pryde in worldely frēdes / she regardeth nat the no¦blenes of kynne / ne the house of her fa∣ther / but if the more vertue be there / she fauoureth more the poore than the ryche she hath more compassyon of an innocēte than of a myghty man / she ioyeth euer in trouth and nat in falsehed / and alwaye cōforteth good men more & more to {pro}fite and growe in vertue & goodnes & to seke dayly more hygher gyftes of grace that they may through good vertuous werk{is} be made lyke to the sone of god. Nature cōplayneth anone for wanting of a right lytell thynge that she wolde haue: or for a

lytell worldly heuynes / but grace beryth gladly all nedynes and wantinges of the worlde Nature inclyneth all thynges to her selfe & to her owne {pro}fite as muche as she may / she argueth for her selfe: and stry¦ueth & fyghteth for her selfe. But grace rendreth al thynges to god of whome all thynges floweth & springeth origynally / she ascrybeth no goodnes to her selfe / ne presumeth nat of her selfe / ne she stryueth nat. ne preferreth nat her opinyon before other mēnes / but in euery sentence she sub¦mytteth her mekely to the eternall wys∣dome & iugement of god. Nature couey∣teth to knowe & to here newe secrete thin¦ges / she wyll that her warkes be shewed outwardly & wyll haue experience of ma¦ny thinges in the worlde by her outwarde wyttes / she desyreth also to be knowē and to do great thynges in the worlde where of laude and p••aysinge may folowe / but grace ca••eth nat for any newe thinges ne for any curyous thynges: what so euer they be / for she knoweth well that all suche vanytes cōmeth of the corrupcyon of synne / and that no newe thynge maye longe endure vpō erth / she teached also ••o restrayne the outwarde witt{is} & to ••schew

all vayne pleasure and outwarde shewīg and mekely kepeth se re••e thynges that in the worlde were greatly to be meruay∣led and praysed. And in euery thinge and in euery scyence she seketh some spirituall profyte to her selfe / and laude & honoure to almyghty God / she wyll nat that her good de••es ne her inwarde deuociō be out¦wardly knowen: but moste desyreth that our lorde be blessed in al his werkes whi¦che gyueth all thynges frely of hys hygh excellente charite / thys grace is a lyght supernaturall & a spirituall gyfte of God and it is the proper marke and token of electe people: and an erneste peny of the euerlastynge lyfe / for it rauysheth a man fro loue of ear••hly thynges to the loue of heuenly thynges / and of flesshely lyuer maketh an heuēly persone / and the more that nature is oppressed and ouercome the more grace is gyuen / and the soule throughe newe gracyous visitacyons is dayly reformed more / and more vnto the ymage of god.

❧:Of the corrupcyon of Nature and also of the worthynes of grace. The lx. Cha∣pitre.

O Lorde god whiche haste made me to thine ymage and lykenes graunt me this grace that thou hast shewed to me to be so great and so ne¦cessarye to the helth of my soule / that I may ouercome this wretched nature whi¦che draweth me alwaye to synne / and to thelesynge of myne owne soule. I fele in my flesshe the lawe of synne fyghtynge strongly agaynst the lawe of my spiryte: whiche ledeth me as a thrall or a bonde∣man to obey to sēsualyte in many thing{is} and I may nat resyst the passyons ther∣of / but thy grace do assyste me therin. I haue therfore great nede of thy grace and that of the greate habundaunce of thy grace: if I shulde ouercome this wretched nature whiche alway fro my youth hath bene redy and prone to synne / for after that nature was vis••ate and defouled by the synne of the fyrste man Adam / the payne therof descended in to all hys poste¦ryte so that: that nature whiche in the fyrste creacyon was good and ryghtwyse is nowe taken for synne and for corrup∣cion (so farforth) that the mouyng{is} that is nowe lef••e vnto nature draweth man alway to euyll. And that ••s for this reasō

for the lytell strength and mouinge vnto goodnes that yet remayneth in it is as a lytell sparkell of fyre that is hyd and ouer hylde with asshes / that is to saye the na∣turall reason of man whiche is all about bylapped and ouerhylled with darkenes of ignoraunce / whiche neuertheles hath yet power to iuge betwyxte good & badde and to shewe the dystaunce and the diuer∣syte betwyxte true and false: howe be it that through weyknes of it selfe it is nat able for to fulfyll all that it approueth / ne hath nat sythe the fyrste synne of Adam the full lyght of trouth / ne the swetnes of affeccyons to god as it had fyrste. Of this it commeth moste mercyfull lorde that in my inwarde man that is in the reason of my soule / I delyte me in thy lawes / and in thy teachynges knowynge that they are good / and ryghtwyse / and holy / and that all synne is euyll / and to be fled: and eschewed / and yet in my outwarde man: that is is to saye: in my fleshely felynge I serue the lawe of synne / whan I obeye rather to sensualyte than to reason. And of thys it folowethe also / that I wyll good / but to perfourme it withoute thy grace I may nat for weyknes of my selfe.

And sōtyme I purpose to do many good dedes / but for grace wanteth that shulde helpe me / I go backwarde and fayle in my doynge / I knowe the waye to perfec∣cyon / and howe I shulde do I se it euydēt¦ly / but for I am so oppressed with the he∣uy bourden of this corrupte bodye of syn I lye styll and ryse nat to perf••ccyon.★ O Lorde howe necessarye therfore is thy grace to me: to begynne well / to conty∣newe well / and to ende well: for without the I may nothynge do that good is.★ O heuenly grace: withoute whome oure merytes are nought worth / ne the gyf∣tes of nature no thynge to be poudred / ne craftes: or riches nothynge to be re∣garded / nebeaute / strengthe / wytte / ne eloquence / nothynge may auayle / come thou shortely and helpe me. The gyftes of nature be commen to good men and to bad / but grace and loue are the gyftes of the electe and chosen people / wherby they be marked and made able and worthy to haue the kyngdome of heuen. ☞ Thys grace is of suche worthynes that neither the gyfte of proph••ye / ne thy workynge of myracles ne yet the gyfte of cōnynge & knowlege may nothyng auayle without

it / ne yet fayth / hope / ne other vertues be nat acceptable to the without grace and charite. O blessed grace that maketh the poore in spirite / to be ryche in vertue and hym that is ryche in worldly goodes ma¦keste meke and lowe in herte / come and descende in to my soule & fulfyll me with thy ghostly confortes that it fayle nat ne faynt nat for wermes / and drynes of it selfe. I beseche the lorde that I may finde grace in thy sight / for thy grace shall suf∣fyse to me / thoughe I wante that nature desyreth / for although I be tempted and vexed with troubles on euery syde / yet I shal nat nede to drede whiles thy grace is with me / for she is my strength / she is my cōforte / and she is my counsayle & helpe she is stronger than all myne enemyes / and wyser: than all the wyseste of thys worlde / she is the maystres of trouth / the teacher ī discipline / the lyght of the herte the cōforte of trouble / the dryuer awaye of heuynes / the auoyder of drede / the nou∣risher of deuocyon / and the brynger in of swete teares and deuoute wepinges what am I than without grace / but as a drye stoke to caste awaye. Graunte me ther∣fore that thy grace may preuent me and

folowe me and that it may make me euer busy and dyligence in good warkes vnto my deathe / so more it be. Amen.

❧:That we ought to forsake our selfe / and for to folowe Christe by berynge of hys Crosse. The .lxi. Chapitre.

MI sonne asmuche as thou canste go out fro thy selfe and fro thyne owne wyll / so muche thou maist entre in to me / and as to desyre nothynge outwardly bryngeth peace inwardely in to mānes soule / so a man by an inwarde forsakyng of hym selfe ioyneth him vnto god. I wyll therfore that thou learne to haue a perfyte forsakynge / and a full re∣sygnyng of thy selfe in to my hand{is} with¦out withsaynge or cōplaynyng / and that thou folowe me for I am the way / I am the trouth / and I am the lyfe: withoute a waye no man maye goo / and withoute trouth no man may knowe / and without lyfe no man maye lyue ♣ I am the waye whiche thou oughtest to go / the trouthe whiche thou oughtest to beleue / and the lyfe whiche thou shalte hope to haue / I

am the way that can nat be defouled / the trouth whiche can nat be deceyued / and the lyfe that neuer shall haue ende / I am the way moste streyght / the trouth moste perfyte / and the lyfe moste sothfaste a bles¦sed lyfe / and a lyfe vnmade that made all thynges / yf thou dwell and abyde in my way / thou shalte knowe the trouth / and trouth shall delyuer the / and thou shalte come to euerlastynge lyfe / yf thou wylte come to that lyfe kepe my cōmaundemē∣tes / yf thou wylte knowe the trouthe be∣leue my teachynges / yf thou wylt be per∣fyte: sell all that thou hast / yf thou wylte be my dyscyple forsake thy selfe / yf thou wylte haue ••he blessed lyfe / dyspyse thys present lyfe / yf thou wylte be exalted in heuen meke the here in erth / and yf thou wylt reygne with me bere the crosse with me / for truely onely the seruaūtes of the crosse shall fynde the lyfe of blessedfulnes and of euerlastynge lyght. O lorde Iesu for asmuche as thy waye is narowe / and strayte / and is also muche dyspised in the worlde / gyue me grace to bere gladly the dispisinges of the worlde. ★: There is no seruaunte greater than his Lorde / ne no dyscyple aboue hys mayster / let thy ser∣uaunt

therfore be exercysed in thy waies for therin is the helth / and the very per∣feccion of lyfe / what so euer I rede or here besyde that waye / it refressheth me nat ne delyteth me nat fully. My sone for as muche as thou knoweste these thynges / and haste red them all / thou shalte be bles¦sed if thou fulfyll them / he that hathe my cōmaundementes and kepeth them / he it is that loueth me / and I shall loue hym / and I shall shewe my selfe vnto hym and shall make hym syt••e with me in y^e kyng¦dome of my father. Lorde as thou haste sayde and promysed so be it done to me: I haue taken the crosse of penaunce of thy hande: and I shal here it vnto my deth as thou haste put it to me to do. For the lyfe of euery good mā is the crosse / & it is also the way and leder to Paradyse / and now it is begon it is nat lawefull for me to go abacke fro it ne it is nat behoueful for me to leue it: haue done therfore my welbelo∣ued brethrene / go we forth to gether Iesu shalbe with vs for Iesu we haue takē this crosse / for Iesu let vs perseuer & he shall be our helpe that is our guyde & leder. Lo our kynge goth before vs that shal fyght for vs / folowe we hym strongly drede we

no perylles / but be we redy to dy strongly with hym in batayle / that we put no blot in to our glorye: ne mynyshe nat our re∣warde by fleynge cowardly awaye from the Crosse.

❧:That a man shall nat be ouer∣much caste into heuynes though he happen to fall in to some defautes. The .lxii. Chapitre.

MI sone pacience and mekenes in ad¦uersite please me more / thā muche consolacyon and deuocyon in prosperite / why arte thou so heuy for a lytell worde sayde or done agaynste the / if it had bene more thou shuldest nat haue bene moued therwith / but let it nowe ouerpasse: it is nat the fyrste / and it shall nat be the laste if thou lyue longe. ★ Thou arte manfull ynough as longe as no aduersyte falleth to the and thou canst well gyue coūsayle and wel canst thou cōforte and strengthē other with thy wordes. But whan aduer¦site knocketh at thy dore thou fayleste a∣none both of counsayle and strength / be∣holde well therfore thy great fraylte whi¦che thou hast dayly experyence of in lytel

obiect{is}. Neuertheles it is for thy ghostly helth that suche thynges and other lyke be suffred to come vnto the / purpose thy selfe in thy herte to do the beste that lyeth in the / and than whan suche tribulacyōs shall happen to fall vnto the / althoughe i•• greue y^• / yet let it nat holly ouerthrow the ne let i•• nat longe ••a••y with the. And at the leste suffre it pacyently / althoughe thou may nat suffre it gladly. Moreouer though thou be loth to here suche thing{is} and that thou fele great indignacyō ••her∣at in thy herte / yet thrust thy s••lfe downe lowe in thyne owne syght / and suffre no inordinate worde pa••••e out of thy mouth wherby any other myght be hurted / and than all suche indignacyon shalbe anone aswaged and soone appeased in the. And than also that wh••che before was taken to so great heuynes to the / shall anone be made swete and pleasaunte in thy syght. For yet lyue I sayth our lorde redy for to helpe the and to cōforte y^e more thā euer I dyd before / yf thou wylt hooly truste in me / and deuoutly call for helpe to me. Be quyet in herte / prepayre thy selfe yet to mo he sufferaunce. For it is nat all lost thoughe thou fele thy selfe ofte troubeled

or greuously tempted. Thynke thou arte a man and nat god / a flesshely man: and no angell / howe mayst thou alway stande in one state of vertue / whan that wanted to angels in heuen: and to the fyrste man in Paradyse the whiche stode nat longe / I am he that reyse vp theym that be so∣rowfull to helth and conforte / and those that knowe theyr owne vnstablenes: ♣ I lyfte them vp to be stabled in the syght of my godh••ed for euer. ★: Lorde blessed be thy holy worde: It is more sweter to my mouth than hony combe. What shulde I do in al my troubles & heuynes / yet thou dyddeste nat somtyme conforte me with thy holsome and swete wordes: therfore it shall nat force what trouble or aduer∣syte / I suffre here for the so that I may in the ende come to the porte of euerlastyng helth. Gyue me a good ende and a blessed passage out of thys worlde / haue mynde on me my lorde / my god / and dyrecte me by a streyght and a redy waye in to thy kyngdome: I beseche the. Amen.

❧:That a man shall nat serche the iugementes of God. The .lxiii. Cha∣pitre.

MI sone beware to dyspute of hyghe maters and of the secrete iugemen∣tes of god / why thys man is so lefte / and forsaken of God / and why thys man is taken to so greate grace / why also one man is so muche troubled: and an other so greatly auaunced. These thyng{is} ouer∣passe all mannes knowledge / ne to serche goddes iugement / no mānes reason may suffice ne yet hys dysputacyon. Therfore whan the ghostly enemye styret the vnto suche thynges: or yf any curyous men aske of the suche questyōs: answere with the prophete Dauyd: and say thus. Lorde thou arte ryghtwyse / and thy iugemētes are true and be iustified in them selfe / my iugemētes are to be dreded and nat to be discussed by mānes wyt / for they be to mā¦nes wytte inconprehensyble / beware also that thou serche nat / ne reason nat of the merites of saintes whiche of thē was ho∣lyer than other or which of thē is higher in heuē. Suche questions ofte tymes no∣rysshe great stryfes & vnprofitable reaso∣ninges and procede of pryde & vainglory wherby enuye spryngeth and discencyon / that is to say whan one laboureth to p̄fer this saynte & an other this. And truely a

desyre to knowe suche thinges rather dys¦pleseth sayntes than pleaseth them. For I (sayth our lorde) am nat god of discen∣cyon and stryfe: but of vnyte and peace / the whiche peace standeth rather in true mekenes than in exaltynge of them selfe. Some menne be more styred to loue thys saynte or y^t: & that with muche greater affeccyon / but truly that affeccyon is ofte tymes more rather a manly affeccion thā a godly: am nat I he that haue made all sayntes (yes truly) and ouer that I haue gyuen thē grace / and I haue gyuē them glory. I knowe all theyr merytes / I pre¦uented them with the swetnes of my bles¦synges. ★ I knewe my electe and chosen people before the worlde was made / ♣: I haue chosen them from the worlde: they haue nat chosen me / I called them by my grace / I drewe them by my mercy / I led them through temptacyons / I sente thē inwarde cōfortes / I gaue them perseue∣raunce / ★ I crowned theyr pacience / ♣ I knowe the fyrste man and the last: I loue thē all with an vnestymable loue. Thus I am to be praysed in al my sayntes / and aboue all thynges to be blessed & honou∣red in all and in euery of them whome I

haue so gloriously magnyfied and prede∣stinate without any merytes in them go¦yng before. Therfore he that disprayseth the lest of my sayntes / doth no honour to the greatest / for I haue made bothe the lesse and the more / and he that dyspray∣seth any of my Sayntes / he dysprayseth me and other of my sayntes in the kyng∣dome of heuen / for they be all one / faste o••ed and knyt to gether in one sure bōde of perfite charite. They fele all one thing and they wyll all one thynge / & they loue to gether all into one thynge / & they loue me muche more than them selfe / or theyr owne merytes / for they be rapte aboue them selfe and be drawen fro theyr owne loue / and hooly be tourned in to my loue in the whiche they reste by eternall fruy∣cion. There is nothyng that may tourne them from my loue / ne that maye thrust them downe out of theyr glorye / for they be full of eternall trouth / and brenne in∣wardly in soule with fyre of euerlastynge charyte that neuer shalbe quenched. Let all them cesse therfore that be carnal and bestly & that can nat loue but pryuate ioy to serche the state of my blessed sayntes in heuen / for they put awaye and adde to

theyr merytes as they fauour and nat af¦ter the pleasure of the eternall trouthe of god. In many folkes is great ignoraūce but moste specyally in them that haue so lytell lyght of ghostely vnderstandynge: that they can nat loue any persone with a cleane loue. Many also be moued by a natural affeccyon or by a worldly frende∣shype to loue this saynt or that / & as they imagine ī erthly thinges so they imagyn of heuēly thīg{is} / but there is a distāce incō¦perable betwyxte thinges whiche in{per}fite mē imagyne by naturall reason / & which men truely illumyned with grace beholde by heuenly cōtemplacion. Beware ther∣fore my sone to treate curyously of suche thīges for they passe thy knowledge / and endeuoure thy selfe / that thou mayste be worthy to be nōbred with the leste saynt that shall come to heuen. And if percase a man myght knowe who were holyer / or who shulde be taken greater in the kyng∣dome of heuen / what shulde that knowe∣lege auayle hym / but if he wolde therby the more meke hym selfe / & the more ryse therby into the laude & praysynge of my name / truely nothynge. Therfore he is muche more acceptable to god that thyn¦keth

on the greatnes of his synnes / & of the lytelnes of hys vertues / & howe farre he is fro the perfeccion of the leste saynte that is in heuen / than he that argueth of theyr greatnes or of theyr litelnes or bles¦sednes of lyfe forgettynge them selfe. It is better also with deuout prayers & with wepinges & teares mekely to pray to sain¦tes / & to call to thē for helpe / than vayn∣ly to serche for theyr perfeccion. They be very wel cōtented with the ioy that they haue if men wolde refraine them selfe fro suche vayne argumentes. They glorifye nat them selfe of theyr merytes ne they a scrybe no goodnes to thē selfe / but they re¦ferre all goodnes to me / for they knowe well that I of my infinite goodnes & cha¦rite haue gyuen al vnto thē. And they be so muche fulfylled with loue of the God∣hede & with our passinge ioy that no glo¦ry may want in them / ne no felicyte. And the hygher y^t they be in heuen the meker they be in them selfe / & the more nyghe / & the more louynge vnto me. Therfore it is writen in the Apocalips / that saint{is} in he¦uen layde theyr crownes before god & fell prostrate on theyr faces before the meke lambe that is Iesu and they worshypped

hym as theyr lorde god / that is and shall belyuynge euermore without endynge. Amen. Many serche who is hyghest in heuen that knowe nat whether they shal¦be worthy to be nombred with the leste / that shall come thyther / for it is a greate thynge to be the leste in heuen / where all be greate for all that shall come thyther / shalbe called the sones of god / and so shal they be in dede / the leste there shalbe coū∣ted for a .M. & a synner of a .C. yere shall be set at nought. Whan y^e apostles asked amonge them selfe who shulde be greatest in the kyngdome of heuen. They herde this answere of Christ. but ye sayde he be cōuerted fro your synne: & be made meke as lytell chyldren / ye may nat entre in to the kyngdome of heuen. He therfore that maketh hym selfe as this lytel chylde / he shalbe greatest in the kyngdome of heuen Wo than be to them y^t dysdayne to meke theym selfe with lytell Chyldren: for the meke yate of heuen wyll nat suffre them to entre in to it / wo also be vnto the ryche proude men that haue theyr consolacyon here. For whan the good poore men shal entre into the kyngdome of god / they shal stande wepynge and waylynge without.

ioye / ye than ye that be meke and poore in spirite / for youres is the kyngdome of god / so that ye walke and holde your iour¦ney assuredly in the way of trouthe.

❧:That all our hope and truste is to be put in God onely. The .lxiii. Chapitre.

O Lorde? what is the truste that I haue in thys lyfe / or what is my mooste solace of all thynges vn∣der heuen. Is it nat thou my lorde God whose mercy is withoute mesure / where hathe it bene well with me without the / or whan hathe it nat bene well with me thou beyng present / I had leuer be poore with ehe than ryche without the / I had leauer be with the as a pylgryme in thys worlde / than without the to be in heuen / for where thou arte there is heuen / and where thou arte nat / there is bothe dethe and hell. Thou arte to me all that I de∣syre / and therfore it behoueth me to fighe to the / to crye for the / and hertely to pray to the / I haue nothynge to truste in that may helpe me in my necessytes but onely the / for thou arte my hope / thou arte my

truste / thou arte my conforte / & thou arte my moste faythfull helper in euery nede / man seketh that is hys / but thou sekeste my helth and profyte / and tourneste all thynge into the beste for me / for yf thou sende temptacions and other aduersytes thou ordeynest all to my profyte / for thou arte wonte by a thousande wayes to pro∣ue thy chosen people. ★ In whiche profe thou arte no lesse to be lauded and pray∣sed / thā if thou haddest fulfylled thē with heuenly confortes. In the lorde therfore I put my truste: and in the I bere paciēt¦ly all my aduersites / for I fynde nothyng without the but vnstablenes and foly / for I se well that the multytude of worldely frendes profiteth nat / ne that stronge hel¦pers nothynge may auayle / ne wyse coū∣sayler gyue profytable counsayle: ne con∣nynge of doctours gyue cōsolacion / ne ry¦ches delyuer in time of nede ne secreee pla¦ce any thing defende / if thou lorde do nat assyste / helhe / conforte / coūsayle / informe / and defende / for all thynges that seme to be ordeined to mānes solace ī this worlde if thou be absent / be right nought worth ne may nat brynge to man any true fely∣cyte / thou arte the ende Lorde of all good

thynges / the hyghnes of lyfe and the pro¦founde wysdome of all thynge that is in heuen and in erthe / wherfore to truste in the aboue all thinges / is the gretest con∣forte to all thy seruauntes. To the ther∣fore I lyfte myne eyen / and in the only I put my trust / my lorde my god the father of mercy / blesse thou / & halowe thou my soule with thy heuenly blessynges / that it maye be thy dwellynge place / and the sete of thy eternall glory / so that nothing be founde in me at any time that may of∣fende the eye of the maieste / beholde me lorde after the greatnes of thy goodnes / and of thy manyfolde mercyes and gra∣ciously here the prayer of me thy poorest seruaunt / outlawed and farre exiled into the countre of shadowe of deth / defende: and kepe me amonge the manyfolde perilles: and daūgers of this corrup¦tyble lyfe / & dyrecte me throughe thy grace by the way of pea¦ce into the countre of e∣uerlastyng clerenes w^tout ending. Amen.

FINIS