The imitation or following of Christ, and the contemning of worldly vanities wherevnto, as springing out of the same roote, we haue adioyned another pretie treatise, entituled, The perpetuall reioyce of the godly, euen in this lyfe.

Of the small number of the louers of Christ his Crosse. The .xi. Chapter.

IEsus hath nowe many louers of his heauenly kingdom: how∣beit, he hath few bearers of his Crosse: he hath many desirous of comfort, but fewe of calami∣tie: He findeth a great sort partakers of hys table, but fewe of his continencie. All men will reioyce with Christ, but fewe will suffer

affliction with him. Manye followe Iesus e∣uen to the breaking of breade, but fewe fol∣lowe him to drinke of the Cup of his passion. Manye men worship his miracles, but fewe doe followe the Ignominy of his Crosse. Ma∣ny doe loue Iesus so long as aduersitie doth not happen vnto them: Many doe prayse the same Iesus and giue him thankes, so long as they receyue some comfort at his handes. If the same Iesus doe hide himselfe from them, and forsake them a litle while, they fall either into complaynts and moanings, or else into ouermuch dispayre of soule. But they which loue Iesus for Iesus owne sake, and not for any comfort that they receyue of him, the same doe magnifie and prayse him, as wel in the calamities and anguishes of the mind, as in their greatest comfortes, readie to doe no lesse although he should denie and barre them of all comfort for euermore. So much is the méere loue of Iesus able to do, being blended with no priuate commoditie, or loue of hym∣selfe. Therefore, they are to be called hire∣lings, which doe euermore séeke after com∣forts. Plaine it is that they are rather louers of themselues than of Christ, which doe al∣wayes ponder theyr owne commodities and gaine. How many are there of a great num∣ber

that will serue God fréely and without al respectes, or which are so spirituall, that they are left bare and destytute of all worldelye thyngs? I say againe: who can fynde one poore in spirite & naked of all worldly things? and that precious fellow that must be fetched from the furthermost coastes of the worlde? Though a man doe bestowe all hys goodes, he hath yet done nothing: and though he chas∣tise himselfe with a streight and earnest re∣pentaunce of hys sinnes, yet is it but a small matter: and though he vnderstand all know∣ledge, he is yet a great way off: and though he be indued with singular vertue, and most earnest zeale of religion, he hath as yet a gret deale lacking: namely this one which is mar∣ueylous necessary for him. But what is that I praye you? Namely, that forsaking al other things, he forsake himselfe to, and departyng wholy out of himselfe, doe keepe still no pry∣uate or selfe loue. When hée hath done all things that he knoweth shoulde be done, let him thinke that he hath done nothing, and let him not estéeme it much that he may be coun∣ted great, but let him pronounce himselfe an vnprofitable seruaunt in déede, like as the truth saith: When you haue done all thinges which are commaunded you: yet say you thus,

we are vnprofitable seruaunts. Then shall he at the length be néedie and naked in soule, & shall be able to say with that Prophet. Solita∣rie and needie am I. And yet is no man richer then hée, no man more frée, no man more mightie, which both knoweth how to forsake himselfe and all other thinges, and to debase himselfe to the verie basest things.