¶ Here beginneth a little treatise which is called the xii profits of tribulation.  
  

  

HEre beginneth a lityl short treatise that telleth how there were vii masters assembled together everycheone asked other what thing they might best speak of that might please god and were most profitable to the people And all they were accorded to speak of tribulation.  
THe first master said that if any thing had be better to man living in this world than tribulation god would have give it to his son but for he saw well there was nothing better than it therefore he gafe to him and made him to suffer most tribulation in this wretched world more than died ever oni man or ever shall. ¶ The second master laid that if there were/ any man in this world that might be with out spot of sin as our lord Ihu christ was. And might live thirty years and it were possible without meet or drink ¶ And also were so devout in prayers that he might speak wy●h Angels in the air as died Mary Mawdelyne yet might he not deserve in that life so great meed as a man deserveth in suffering a little tribulation.  
¶ The third master said that if it so were that the mother of god & all the hallows of heaven prayed all for one man yet should they not get him so much medene so great as he should get himself by meekness in suffering a little tribulation. ¶ The fourth master said we worship the cross for our lord Ihu christ hang there upon bodily but I say: were should rather and by more right and reason have in mind the tribulation that he suffered there upon for our giltis and our trespass/ ¶ The fifth master saide I had liefer be of might & strength & of power suffer the least pain of tribulation that our lord Ihu christ suffered here in earth with meekness in heart than the meed or the reward of all worldly goods For as saint Peter saith that none is worthy to have tribulation without error/ ¶ For tribulation quenchyth sin/ And it learneth a man to known the privities of god And tribulation maketh a man to know himself & his evencristen/ & multiplieth virtues in a man & bourgyth him and clensyth him right as fire doth gold/ And what man that meekly in heart sufferith tribulation god is within him & beareth that heavy charge with him of tribulation and tribulation buyeth again time that was lost & holdeth a man in that the way of right wysnes/ And of all yefts that god giveth unto man tribulation is the most wotrhy gift also it is treasure to the which no man may make comparison and tribulation joineth a man's soul unto god.  
¶ Now asketh the sixth Master why we suffer tribulation with so evil will And it is answered and said for three things. 

¶ The first is for we have lytylle love to our/ lord Ihesu christ  
¶ The second is for we think little of the great meed that god will give us therefore Ne of the great meed and profit that cometh thereof  
The iii is that we think full lytill or nought of the bitter pains and the great passion that our lord Ihesu christ suffered for us in redemption of our sins and to bring us to his bliss that never shall have end amen    
SI sciret homo quantum et infirmitas vtilius fuisset numquam sine infirmitate vivere voluisset/ Quare/ Quia infirmitas corporis est anime sanitas/ Quia appellaris considerans ait Cum infirmor tunc forcior sum et potens Quomodo Quia Infirmitas corporis extinccio est libidinis destruccio vanitatis effugacio curiositatis ad nichi lacio mundi et manis glory eua●uacio/ Superbie extermunacio Inuidie expulsio/ Adquisicio gracie virtutis divine Domino dicente ad appostolum paulum Suficit tibi paule gracia mea Nam vir us in Infirmitate perficitur Quod dictum bene inteligens ap●us ex maximo cordis sui gaudro dixit Libenter in Infirmitatibus meis gloriabor/ Valde ergo consideranda est Infirmitas que in nobis pecca orum flammas extinguit et Ihesu cristi adquirit Infirmitas in nobis culpam purgat and co●onam nobis preparat O infirmitas quam amabilises et nobis utilis Numquam sinete ambulem nunquam sinete sedeam numquam sine te in hac vita fugiente vivam Quare Infirmitas corporis est purgacio and anime sanctificacio Infirmitas corporis est nobis evidens divini amoris judicium/ et castigationis sue signum/ ipso domo testante/ qui ait/ Quos amo flagello et castigo. Certe si velimus ab eo amari debemus ab eo desiderare flagellari. ¶ Quia si ab eo non fuerimus flageliati non/ poterimus ab eo recipi/ ¶ Scriptura teste que ait/ Flagellat omnem filium quem recipit Constat ergo quod illum quem non flagellat non recipit unde de illis quos hic non flagellat/ dicit per prophetam. Dimi si eos secundam desideria cordis eorum Nescessarium est ergo nobis flagellum domini quia si ab eo flagellamur absque dubio ab eo recipiemur Pacienter est ergo tolleranda infirmitas corporis que est preparacio salutis Igitur cum graciarum/ accione est suscipienda cum cordis leticia est tolleranda Infirmitas enim corporis generat odium/ mundi et parith amorem dei. Cogit nos vitam presentem tanquam erumpuosam peregrinacionem et exilium odio habere & vitam habere eternam desiderant concupucere Sed homines miseri & mudo deditisi tam semper in hac vita vivere potuissent/ numquam vitam alteram habere voluissent Num valde est dolendum & flendo picendum quod nonnulli statum cum deo flagellantur eius salu●iferum flagellum ab eis auferre nituntur Mox vasa vitre a querunt urinam consulunt utrum mori an vivere debeant/ Heu heu tales & huiusmodi per illum pessimum regem Ocostam/ designantur qui in libro regum quarto cum egrotasset milit nuncios dicence. Ite consilite Bilzebub deum archaron utrum moriar an vivam quibus nuncus Helias propheta domino iubente occurrens ait Dicite domino deo vestro Nunquid deus non est in Israel quia misisti ad deum Aecharon ut consuleres eum Propterea hec dicit dominus/ Delecto tuo non consurges/ sed morieris & ita tactum est juxta verbum donum ¶ Siminmodo morte pessima morientur qui suum Accharon qui urinam interpretatur et flagellum domini se expellere conantur & ita dei ordinatione resistunt quando eius salubre flagellum sustinere renuunt Nescientes ceci & insipientes quod deus electos suos hic flagellat ut eos prubet et purget mundet et sanctificet ut postmodum eos coronet & glorificet qui est super omnia deus benedictus in secula. ¶ ave & gaude maria matter dei regina seli domina/ mudi Imperatrix inferni.  

¶ Prologus ¶ Here seweth a prologue upon the xii. prouftites or avauntages of tribulations.  
DA nobis domine auxilium de tribulatione etc. ¶ Lorne god grant us help of tribulation To the soul that art distroubled and tempted To the is purposed the thou shulde●● learn whereof tribulation serven & not only that thou shouldest suffer/ them patiently & gladly and comfort the Inwardly of that thou art discomforted/ For seneca saith ¶ Non ●stita magna consolacio sicut illa q ex desolatōne extrahitur Here is none so great comfortas is that that is drawn out of discomfort which comfort may noma have but he know first thou fruit of tribulation that is to say But he know how god sendeth tribulations and ordaineth 'em to the profit of the sufferers But if so be that rebellis of frowardness withstand the ordinance of god Therefore they that know herd fawtes on that oon party and the prouffites of tribulation on that other party asken to be holp in tribulation and not tribulation to be/ put away from 'em For if they askyn putting away thereof they askyn against himself As saint paul died which asked thrice the pricking of his flesh to be done away To whom god answered thus it add Corinthios xii Sufficit tibi gracia mea ¶ My grace suffycith to the Many prouffites there been of tribulation  
But of xii I purpoos to speak in special in which who so will with good diligence read or here hem may lightly by goods grace savour hem ¶ For right as meet evil chewed is evil to defy right so negligently teaching of holy writ read. or hard prouffiteth little or noghte.   

¶ De prima utilitate tribulacionis Ca: i.  
THe first profit of tribulaconnis understand that is a true succour or help sent fro god to deliver the soul fro the hand of his enemies which enemies been these Prive suggestions of the fiend that world that cruel enemy false joys & richesse of the world that deceivable enemy unclean lustis of the flesh that homely enemy These enemies slain the soul in so much the more perlyously that they deceyven it with false feigned friendship so privily. The which been figured by joab two. regum twenty ¶ That feigned him friend to Amaze holding him by the chin as he would have kissed him and so with his sword in that other hand privily slew him.  
¶ Upon this sayeth saint gregory if any fortune is to be dread much more is to be dread prosperity than adversity as showeth openly  
¶ And not well that god ordaineth all things in tribulation to the deliverance of his servant as he behotyth by the prophet david saying thus. ¶ Cum ipso sum in trybulatione eripiam eum et/ glorificabo eum  
¶ I am with him in tribulation I shall deliver him of tribulation and I shall glorify him for tribulation. ¶ For as moche then as god is with us in tribulation we should suffer it patiently and gladli for the more fhat tribulation grieveth the. the more nearer god nigheth to the as the prophet saith. ¶ juxta est dominus hus qui tribulatio sunt cord et humiles spiritu salitabit  
¶ Our lord god is fast by to them that been in tribulation of heart and he shall save them that been/ meek of spirit Therfofore if the pain of tribulation maketh the heavy & grieveth the. The might & the mercy of god thy saviour that is with the in tribulation should Inwardly comfort the.  
¶ But now peradventure thou mightst answer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 con I feel well But sweetness of his felishyp in tribulation feel I none For if he showed to the present sweetness of his mirth as he doth the bitterness of tribulation thou should suffer it. ¶ Also peradventure thou would say that afore tribulation thou feleste more sweetness in god than thou diddest when thou were in tribulation Hereto may be answered that the friendship of god in tribulation is understand in two manners. first right as tribulation encresyth so god multiplieth grace & virtue as the apostle saith. in conr.  
¶ Fidelis est enim deus qui non pacietur vos temptati supra in quod potestis sed faciet eliam cum temptacione proventum ut possitis sustinere ¶ God is full true that behotyth to defend his servants in tribulation which shall not suffer you to be tempted more than ye may suffer but also more over he shall make purveyance in tribulation that ye may suffer it that is to say he shall give grace & virtue for to suffer tribulation patiently and gladly Exaple as lords send succour and help to comfort/ their servants that been in castles besieged of their enemies.  
¶ Right so our lord god sendeth comfort of grace to souls that been besieged with temptations of tribulation. ¶ The second manner of fellowship of god in tribulation as the Apostle seyeh/ prima. cor ·ii.  
¶ Sicut habundant passiones Cristi in vobis Ita habundat consolatio utera As the passions of christ encreasen in us so encressyth our comfort christs passions encreasih in us when they been sent from him meekly and pacientli suffer 'em as gooddys' servants & not as: mensleers & thieves which have deserved that they suffer & understand well that comfort of grace in tribulacionis is not always yeven to be felt of him that is in trybulacon ¶ And that is for he should prove himself he should dread god & trust in him to be delivered/ And we read in the book of holy faders of saint anton How he after many spiritual temptations was troubled of fendis bodilyche betyn and wounded all his body So that when his servant came to visit him dying as deed ¶ And so he took him up and bore him in to the next town where he was watched till about mid night/ And thenne by the will of god he relieved & bade his servant privily all other sleeping bear him again and so he died And when he was brouȝte again thither so feeble that he might not stand but sitting up he saide thus/ where be ye evil spirities wicked fendies/ Loo I am here by the might of god ready to withstand all your malice And after these and many other wonderful temptations our lord appeared to him in a wonderful light and comfortable To whom holy saint Anton said. Aa lord Ihesu christ where haste thou been so/ long from me in tribulation  
And our Lord answered and said here with/ the beholding thy fighting ready to reward the thy victory as I am wont to do for my chosen children/ For wite thou well that comfort oweth not to come till that a place be arrayed thereto by tribulation/ Also we read of/ Sare the daughter of Raguel. Thobie iii  
¶ Hoc autem acertum habet omnis qui coltꝭ te quia vita eius si in temptaciove fuerit coro nabitur. Si autem in tribulacione fuerit liberabitur Et si correpcōne fuerit ad miserecordiam tuam pervenire licebit Non enim delectaris in ꝑdicionibus nostris quia post tempestatem tranquillum facis & post lacrimacionem & fletum exultacionem infundis ¶ Every man that worshippeth the god hath this forcerteyne that if his life be here in temtaconne he shall be crowned And if he be in tribulation he shall be delivered And if he be in chastising It shall be leeful to come to thy mercy/ Thou delights not in our perisshinge For after tempests thou makest tranquillytee And after teeris & weeping thou sendest gladness as the prophet seythe  
¶ Secundum multitudinem dolorum meorumcon solaciones tue letificaverunt animam meam. ¶ After the multitude of my sorrows in my heart thy comforts have glad my soul His comfort of one hour overpassyth the sorrows of tribulation of many years For god that cometh for to help and comfort after tribulation shall abide with the gladding thy soul And peradventure if thou plainest the that thoue taryeste overlong abiding his comfort as lovers be wont to playve Herto answereth a great clerk casiodorus.  
¶ Ipsa velocitas dei desideranti et amanti tarditas videtur ¶ The swiftness of god to a disiryng and a loving soul seemeth long tarrying Or thus a thing that is much coveted seemeth great tarrying to a loving soul then of these to foresaid may be concluded that a soul discomforted in tribulation oweth not to hold himself overcome of his enemies but rather delivered sith then that this is sooth that tribulations deliver us from our enemies though it so be that they be sometime heavy and chargeable yet nevertheless they should be suffird patiently and gladly without grudging For if we grudge again tribulations thenne we strive again our helpers and we help our enemies And for we be not strong of ourself to deliver us from our enemeys pray we to god meekly saying with the prophet  
¶ Da nobis domine axilium de tribulacione ¶ Lord god grant us help of tribulation   

¶ De secunda utilitate tribulacionis  
THe second profit of tribulation is that it stoppith the malice of the fiend For he is afeard to tempt the soul that is in tribulation for he dreadeth him to be overcome or else refused and that is figured by the friends of job/ where it saide job. iii.  
Nemo loquebatur ei verbum videbant enim dolorem eius uhementem No man spoke to him a vode they saw his sorrow was so great these feigned friends of job betokim wicked fiend's that vexenor travaylne souls which dare not come nyg he a soul that is in tribulation nepteme it being distroubled/ And not only tribulation stoppeth the malice of the fiend but also there through the comofret of angels and of saints as we read of holy faders many one of which one cometh to mind Abotte sysoy after monk suffering of certain tribulations and dissesis A little to fory ᵉ soul should part from the body He said brethren beglade loo holy anton cometh to us and soon after he said loo here comen the worshipful company of prophets And the third time he said Now comen that holy apostses and as it seemed 'em that stood about he spoke with hem and then they prayed him that he should tell 'em with whom he spoke and he answered and said with holy Angles that came to take my soul And I prayed 'em abide a while that I should suffer more penance And these words saide the spirit passed with great light All they feeling a wonderful sweet savour Noot well that there is no peril in tribulation of temptations so that thou answer not to hem by delectation or consenting as the speech of an openly cursed man noyeth not but if thou answer him That is figured in holy writ Where it is saide/ I say xxxvi ¶ Mandaverat enim rex Ezeehas ne populus responderet blasphemus rapsacis ¶ Kin Ezechie commanded that the people should not answer to the blasfemyes of that tyrant Rapsacis By Rapsacis is understand the fiend And by his blasphemies been understand temptations of wicked thoughts the which noyen not but if thou wilfully assent to him/ And if thou feel the feeble by freelte of thy flesh/ pray thou god busily in tribulation/ that he stoup the malicious temptation of the fiend/ as the prophet saith Lord god grant us help of tribulation.   

¶ De tercia vtylytate trybulacionis  
THe third profit of tribulation is that it purgeth the soul But it is to wite that there is v manner of pourgynges one is pturgynges of man's body for corruption of wycoked humours and that is on two manners. One isby medicinable drinking/ Another is by craft/ blood letting/ The second purging is metally as gold by the fire and Iren by the file/ The third purging is of trees/ as of wines of unfruitful branches The fourth purging is of corn ad beating or threshing with a flail The fifth purging is of grapes and that is by a pressoure/ On/ thus many many manner god doth purge the soul by tribulation For as the body is purged by medicinable drinks of evil humures/ Right so the soul made clean by tribulation sent by our sovereign leche our lord god of vain affections and evil manners For saint Gregory saith.  
¶ Mali humores sunt mali mores  
¶ Evil humours been evil manners.  
Drink this medicine of tribulation sent to the fro god For he is a wise leech and knoweth all thy privy sickness/ and how moche thou mayst suffer and how much thou nedeste. Foche sendeth the nothing but that is profitable to thee/ And he that hath tasted and allayed and drank it afore the not for himself/ but for thy purging he suffered the passion of death/ Whereof he said to the apostles Iohn and James. M/ xx. ¶ Potestis bibere calicem quem ego bibiturus sum. ¶ May ye drink the passion that I shall drink/ ¶ then sithen this wise leech hath drunken this medicine for thy love/ Drink thou thereof wythonten dread for it is haul/ some. This drink thirsteth the prophet david when he said. ¶ Calicem salutaris accipiam et nomen domini invocado. ¶ I shall take the wholesome passion of tribulation/ And if thou think it better clepe thy lord god into thine help as he said ¶ Da nobis domine etc. Lord god grant us help of tribulation. And as a purgation should be received hastily without any more tasting or long tarrying so should tribulation be accedice wilfully without argumentis of disputing or rebellion of grudging But now be well aware For sometime as the profit of the medicine is letted and werkyth the contrary to corruption Not for the default of the medicine but for the evil disposition of him that receynyth it/ So in the same wise the profit of tribulatton is letted of purgation & doth the contrary For it is beginning of pain after which followeth everlasting damnation As we read of king Pharaoh King of egypt For the more that he was visited by tribulation the more his rebelling heart encresid in to his damnation The second purgation of manes body for evil humours is by crash blood letting & that is on two manners as by opening of the vein or else by boxing or ventusing Opening of the vain is approprid to confession & boxing or ventusing to tribulation And note well the ryȝte as foul blood corruptith the body so sin which is called in holy writ blood defouleth the soul The vain by that which this blood or sin is voided out is the mouth as it is said ꝓunx ¶ Vena vite os justi qr justus in principio accusator ensui ¶ The mouth of a riȝtfullman is a vain of life. Forth rightfulle man in the beginning blameth-hymselfe that is to say by confession and also note that as a man owe by this vain to void out wicked blood to purging of his body and keep/ the good blood to his norisshinge right so in/ confession he oweth by his mouth to show all his sins and withhold & keep privy all his good/ dedis for fere of losing For good dediss showed in/ confesson by vain glory or auauntyng turnen from virtue unto vice for default of wise keeping/ As we read of the pharisee that said Luke xviii. ¶ Gracias tibi ago dne quia non sum sicut & ceteri hoīm/ raptores adusteri velut eciam hic publicanus ieiuno nobis in sabato decimas de hominum que posidio ¶ Lord I thank the for I am not like as other/ men robbers and adulterers Also not like this publican I fast twice in the week I pay tithes of/ all that I have Loo here thou mayst understand/ by this pharisee a false feigned & a proud confession ¶ Sed publicanus a long stans noluit ad celum oculos levare fed percuciebat pectus suum dicens Deus propicius esto in peccatori. But the publican standing aferre behind holding himself unworthy would not life up his eyen to heaven but he smote his heart & saide God have mercy on me And so this publican yeede thence justified or made right by his very/ meek confession To this accordeth the veri prophet/ David where he saith thus ¶ Dixi confitebor adversum mei justiciam meam dnon & tu remisist● impietatem peccati mei ¶ I shall knowledge by meek confession against myself to my lord mine unrightwiseness & thou/ haste foryeven the wyckidnes of my sin Boxing or/ ventusing accordeth to tribulation For as many disesis as god sendeth to the in tribulation so many remedies he ordaineth for thy purgation But not well as it is needful afore ventusing the flesh to be/ heat & chafed for then the smytting of the blood Iren may be suffered more easily So it is speedful afore tribulation that the heart be heted with perfigh love & charity that rentaconn of tribulation may be suffered the more patiently & gladly in figure hereof the holy ghost came down to the apostles in likeness of fire By whom they were so strengthened comforted they were glad and yeden joying for they were● had worthy to suffer tribulation anger and repress for the name of Ihu The which afore that time were so dredefulle that they fled a way fro/ him And some forsook him as Peter that was prince of the apostles for fere of a woman swore that he knew him not ye which after the coming of/ the holy ghost drade not the cruel tourmentis of/ Nero the Emperor But patiently and gladly suffered to be crucified and deed The second manner of material purgation is of metals as gold by/ fire and Iren by file For right as the fire departith gold from other metals and prougyth him/ of rust and filth and maketh it fair and clean So tribulation departith the soul fro his adversaries And maketh him to god lovely and acceptable/ and therefore it is said Sapiensee quinto Tanquam aurum in furnace probavit electos dominus and quasi holocasta hostie accepit illos et in tempore erit respectus eorum Our lord hath proved his chosen by tribulation as gold is provid in the/ furnaces and he hath accepted 'em as sacrifice of offeering and in time of reward they shall be behold with this fire of tribulation As job was proved when he said job xxiii Probat me deus sicut aurum quod perignem transit God proveth me by/ tribulation as gold that passeth by the fire and/ note well that among all metallis gold is most precious and lead is lest of price And yet nevertheless gold is not pourgit wyhoute lead For lead/ draweth with him in the furnace the filths of the gold On the same manner chosen souls the which been lykned to gold been purged by evil men which been likened to lead Whereof Solomon saith Stultus seruit sapienti. ¶ The fool shall serve the wise man/ evil men shall serve to purge good men by tribulation/ ¶ Also as Iren is purged by the file of rust and made shining and bright so is the soul purged by tribulation from uncleanness and comforted with ghostly light and as a knife that is not used abiding in the sheathe draweth rust so the soul without exercise of tribulation desyryth unclean lust as we read of david two regum two When he was without tribulation of weringe with his/ enemies fell in to advoutre with the wife of urie that/ worthy knight and after into homicide or man/ ne slaughter ¶ Therefore seith the prophet jeremy Fertile fuit moab in diebus adolescency sue et/ requievit in fecibus suis Moab the which is understand the son of my people was plenteous by/ grace in time of his tribulation and he hath rested in filthes of sin Then grudge not ayens god/ when he fileth thy soul to make it fair and clean lovely and liȝt ¶ For else may it never come to have of him that blessed sight whereof it said M. quinto ¶ Beati mundo cord quoniam ipsi deum videbunt blessed bene they that be clean of heart for/ they shall see god The iii manner of purging that accordeth to tribulation is of trees as cutting of wines or voiding unfruitful branches Whereof christ saith I xx.  
¶ Omnium palmitem in me non ferentem fructum tollet eum Et omnem qui fert fructum purgavit eum ut fructum plus afferat. ¶ Every vine branch that bringeth forth no fruit in me that am a very vine my father that is a tylyer shall kit him of and cast him away and that branch that/ beareth fruit/ he shall purge him that he may bring forth more fruit By this vine may be understand man's heart by the humure is understand affection or love and by unfruitful branch been understand flessly lusts Inordinate love of creatures carnal affection of kindred and worldly richesse/ When the humures or a vine or of a tree is spread abou● lover many unfrutful branches it bringeth forth the less fruit or else none Thenne it longeth to a wise tylyer or to a good Gardener to kit of these unfruitful branches that the vine or the tree may bring forth the vetter fruit and the more ¶ Right so almighty god the which is a wise tylier and a sovereign gardener cuttyth away unclean lusts of the flesh with the knife of bodily sickness he cutyth away Inordinate love of creatures with the hook of adversity and tribulation He cuttyth away carnal affection of kindred with the sword of death ¶ And he cuttythe away worldly richesse with/ his iron rod/ As brenning of fire dreuching of water robbing of thieves and such other On all these manners doth god chastise and purge by tribulation For he would that the love thine heart should abide with him and bring forth plenty of spiritual fruit in him/ and not abide ne trust in such deceivable friendship/ For saint Gregory saith. Qui autem labet invititur Necesse est ut cum labente labatur ¶ He that lenyth to a falling thing/ nedis the falling he must fall. The fourth. manner of material purging that accordyth to trybulacionis of corn/ as by beating or threshing with a flail to depart the corn from the chaff Whereof saint Austyn sayeth. Quod flagello granum quod fornax auro quod luna ferro hec facit tribulatio viro justo. ¶ As the flail serveth to corn as the file serveth to iron/ so serveth tribulation to the rightful man. As we read that the angel raphael said to thoby hobye xii Et quia acceptus eras deo/ Necesse fuit ut temptacio probaret te ¶ And for thou were acceptable to god it was needful that tribulation should prove thee/ For as beting of a flail constraineth the corn to depart from the chaff so tribulation constraineth the hereto for sake the deceivable love of the world and the false friendship of sinners/ Which are understand by chaff. The profit of this flail knew the prophet when poe said. Ecce egorn flagella ꝑatus sum Lo I am ready to suffer the beating of tribulation and therefore saith saint Austyn/ Noly conquerere de flagello tribulacionis si vis hēre purum gratium & reponi cupis in celo ubi non nisi purum granum reponetetur Plain the not of the flail of tribulation if thou wilt have clean corn of conscience & if thou wilt covet to be put in the garner of the bliss of heaven in to the which thou mayst not come till thou be clean purge But be well aware for as corn that is grieve & moste & not ripe ne dried is not departed from the chaff with the beting of the flail but rather cleaveth there to So it is for to dread the hearts that which aren green in beginning of conversion & most in carnal affection that wihche have not assayed the profit of tribulation been not departed from the falsf friendship of her enemies But rather cleaven to hem as though they would be comforted by hem For when god sendeth us visitations for to purge the soul that he loveth be it by bodily sickness or loss of temporal gods or adversity of enemies or any other temptation of heaviness And one the heart runneth all about● to seek comfort to have mind on the Why shuldeste not be glad when he fendyth to the such tokens of love as he took here for the For he would that thou shouldest have mind of him & know him For he is thy friend & will not forget that For as many diverse tribulations as he sendeth to the so many sundry messengers thou haste cleping & warning that to have mind on him/ But now peradventure thou wouldest say that such tribulations are not most necessary to clepe that to have mind on him But rather his gracious benefayties of prosperity/ For as saint Austyn saith/ Dei bnficia nil aliud fuit nisi monicōes veniedi ad eum The bnfytes of god been no thing else but warnings or clepynges to come to him To this may be answered all though the/ gracious bnfaytes of god as gifts of prosperity riches beauty & bounty & such other clepe that to having to such gifts that he withdraweth thine heart to have mind rather on the gifts than on the yever wherefore he playeneth by the prophet saying Expandi manus meas et non erat qui aspiciret I have spread out mine hands that is giving benefices/ And there was no man that would behold Qr omnes diligunt munera et secuntur retribucionnes. For all men loven gifts and they pursuen after rewards from the most to the lest But ●ewe there been or else none that beholden meekly knowing the yever of him Also peradventure thou woldyst say all though it be according to god to clepe indurate and rebelling hearts to know him by tribulation Nevertetheles it needeth not to good and meek hearts the which desire to know him by benefits and gifts/ To this may be saide all though good and meek hearts known the yeverof hem by natural deliting in benefits yet nevertheless to to the profit of perfighte knowing if god may they not come without growing of tribulation Example hereof we readen that Solomon was cleped by benefits and gifts job was cleped by drawing or taking away of his temporal goods and sending him tribulations and adversities But these tribulations brought job to the perfect knowing of god Solomon by propirite●e fell in to folly losing the profit of perfghte knowing of god Whatsoever thou art trust not that thou mightest not long abide in this knowing in such prosperity and therefore suffer pacientli tribulations and adversities / And if thou be discomforted that they/ be many and great/ be thou comforted. For the moo and the greater that they been to thee/ the more profit of knowing of god they bringen to thee/ And if thou can not feel any comfort for frowardness or freelte of thyself/ pray to god that he comfort the in tribulation and grant the grace to come to the profit of perfect knowing of him and say. ¶ Da nobis domine auxilium de tribulacione/ ¶ Lord grant us help of tribulation.   

¶ De quarta utilitate tribulacionis. Ca iiii  
THe four profit of tribulation is that it lighteneth the to have the knowing of god In which is perfection and the profit of man's knowing/ the which Saint Austyn desired saying in the book of answers to himself ¶ Libro soliloquiorum ¶ Thus would god I should know the. And also it is wretten in the book of wisdom. sapiency quinto. ¶ Nosce te justicia est consummata ¶ To know the lord god it is rightfulness end of cunning/ to this knowing helpeth tribulation/ For as the roddeconstreyneth a child to bow down his heed/ and taketh heed unto his book/ and record his lesson/ So tribulation meeketh the heart and maketh him to behold his own freelte/ and to know god. Whereof saint Bernerde/ ¶ Deus facit se congnosci verberando qui oblitus et incognitus erat percendo. God maketh himself to be known in beating with tribulation which was foryetyn and unknown in his meryfulle/ sparing/ Daniel iiii. Of this we have ensample/ of the king Nabugodonosor which for pride was cast out of his kingdom and lived with wild hestis and eat hay as an ox But when he lift up his eye to his maker of holy heart his wit was restored to him again and he knew god that castised- him in tribulation ¶ As the manner of children when they feelen strokes sharp of the rod They leften/ up her eyen to him that smitten him For they wolden that he should turn his face to hem by pity/ and by compassion. ¶ Now then thou lowly soul that art under the rod of tribulation consider and know well that the manner of lovers is for/ to send gifts tokens and privy letters each of/ hem to other for to keep love and mind and knowing each to other On the same manner our lord Ihu christ as a true lover sedinth to his true loved children such tokens as he took here for hem ¶ For here he took mankind in which he usffrid many tribulaconns' detracconns' blasphemies scorns repreves slanders hunger thirst and cold and many betyngiss sharp scourgyngys' many thou and is of great wounds and was naled upon the cross between two thieves and died the shamefolliste death/ that the jews could ordain for him and after/ that he was risen from death and stied up in to heaven he kept his wounds as for tokens that thou shouldst know that the would have mind of the and never forget the as he said by the prophet isaiah xlix.  
¶ Numquid oblivisci potest mulier infantem suum/ ut non misereatur filio uteri sui et si illa oblita fuerit ego tamen non obliviscar tui Ecce in manibus-meis descripsi te  
¶ Whether a woman may foryete her child that she have no mercy to the son of her own body ¶ And though she forget her child I shall never forgrete the Loo I have written the in mine hands that is in all my wounds which I suffered for love of the sythen it is so that he kept the showing of wounds as for a token of love/ And it hath great dread/ there as is no dread as the prophet say the I by ceciderunt timore ubi non erat timor They fellen down for dread there as no deed was It may be cleped a cursed comfort that is set rather in any creature than in god For the prophet jeremy saith/ ieremiex un Maledictus homo qui confidit in homine & ponit carnem brachi suum & a deo recedit cor eius ¶ Cursid be the man that tristyth in man & he that setteth any creature to be his strength & he that departeth his heart from god But it may be cleped a blessed comfort that is set in god as the same prophet said ¶ Benedictus vir qui confidit in domino & erit dns fiducia eius ¶ blessed be that man that trustith in our lord god and our lord shall be his trust/ ¶ And when that we shall fully trust only in god in all manner tribulation ¶ And dread false comfort and evil counsel of our enemies ¶ We/ have ensample. of Ochosyas king that sent mesengers to/ Belzebub the fiend of Acheron to have comfort and counsel whether he should escape the tribulation of sickness or none And god sent an angel to the prophet and bade him say chosie iiii regum i c Qr misisti nuncios ad consulendum belsabub deum accharon quasi non esset deus in israel a quo posses interogare sermonem Ideo non descendes de lecto super quem ascendisti sed morte morieris For thou hast/ sent mesengers to ask counsel of belsabub the/ fiend of accharon as though there were no god/ in Israel of whom thou mightest ask comfort therefore thou shalt not go out of the bed that thou yediste upon but thou shalt die Also that we should not love the world ne trust in worldly things synte John biddeth i Iohis two ¶ Nolite dilegere mundum neqmꝪ ea que in mundo sunt Will not ye/ love the world ne worldly things etc. ¶ The v./ manner of material purgation is of grap is and yt is by a pressure ¶ For as a pressure pressith thee/ grape's to part the preciose liquor of wine from/ draff and the draggys' So god pourgith the soul that he loveth in the presour of tribulation from/ corruption and wickedness of sin Some time/ by bodily sickness or privy ghostly heaviness and sometime loss of temporal goods: or persecution or slander of evil men and enemies: Sometime by lacking of noble kindred/ or by death of faith/ full friends. And therefore suffer patiently the: profit of this pressure if thou wilt be brought into christs blessed cellar of which it is seyte Cant two. ¶ Introduxit me dommus rex in cellam suam/ vinariam ¶ The lord the king hath brought me in to his wine cellar/ Herto accordeth seinte/ Austin and seithe That holy martyrs weren so pressed by tribulation in this present life that the bodily matter was left in the pressure of this earth/ But the precious soul's weren resceived into thee/ cellar of everlasting bliss ¶ grudge not ayens/ god if he hath put the in his prison of tribulation For he hath assayed it afore the ¶ As I say the prophet seithe in the person of Christ Isa. lxiii/ ¶ Torcular calcavi solus & degentibus non est ibimecum I alone have trodden the pressure of tribulation and no man was there with me And note it that he said no man but he said not no woman/ for that blessed woman mother and maid our lady saint Marie abode with him in faith full when/ all the apostles fled from him And was ready to suffer death for the compassion of her son as the. prophet Simeon seith Luke two ¶ Et tuam ipius animam pertransibit gladius ¶ The sword of death shall pass though rough thine own soul ¶ Now the ne sithen this is sooth that our lord Ihu christ hath assayed this pressure of tribulation and that blessed lady his mother maid marry What so ever thou be that feliste the in this pressure take it meekly and gladly prayen with the prophet ¶ Da nobis domine auxilium de tribula con Lord god grant us help of tribulation   

¶ De quinta utilitate tribulacionis Capitulum v.  
THe v. profit of tribulation is that it revoketh or bringeth the to knoving of thyself For that heart that hath not put away far from himself worldly and vain glory may not truly feel ne know himself For that heart hath more very knowing of light whereof the prophet Dauit saide ¶ Numen oculor ummeorum & ipm non est mecum ¶ Light of knowing there is of mine eyen but the light is not with me Woe to him that dispenden the light of her knowing in vain joy and vorldly things and no thing to desire the knowing of himself But how should they know himself that been not with himself For the more that the soul loveth and desireth vain joy/ and worldly prosperities the more ferther he draweth from the knowing of himself ¶ And therefore saith seinte Gregory As he that is besieged/ with enmnyes dare not go far out but he is constreinid to go again for dread. So tribulation constraineth the heart to torn in to himself. And the. mos adversities that been about him the fewer he hath of rennynges out from himself. Thene it is. a blessed adversity that bringeth the in to thyself and maketh the that thou hast misgoon to turn again. Whereof it is said. Exod. xii. ¶ Maneat unis qui sque apud seme● ipsum. ¶ dwell each man With himself that is know he himself ¶ Abide he with himself for as an house which no man dwelleth is washed and falleth to nought ¶ Right so the heart that dwelly●h or abydith not with himself/ Woe to that heart that runneth from himself all about like as doth a japer or a jogelar in to other men's houses more he singith japeth and/ joyeth in other men's places The more cause/ he findeth in his own place of sorrow and of weeping So the more that the heart delighteth him ouward in vain things and worldly joys the less he fyndith in himself whereof he should be comforted Therefore tribulation is full necessary to thee/ heart to make him turn into himself/ And it constreyneth him to say with the prophet.  
¶ Conuer●ete anima mea in requiem tuam. ¶ Turn again thou my soul in to thy rest/ And also our lord god having pity of the soul that hath for wrapped himself with worldly things saith thus. ¶ Revertere revertere sonamitis. revertere ut intueamur te. ¶ Turn again turn again thou wretch caitiff soul/ turn again/ turn again/ that we/ mow behold the that thou behold thyself with the eye of conscience/ and that I may behold the with the eye of mercy. ¶ O thou soul that distroubled in adversities/ suffer the to be revoked to knowing of thyself by tribulation/ And namely for that tribulation bindeth or knyttyth the to thy maker Whom wicked and large freedom of the world ha●h let run long lose from thyself Whereof speaketh the prophet thus.  
¶ Infuniculis adam traham eos et in binculisca ritatis. ¶ I shall draw them in the small cords of Adam & in the bondis of charity. these small cords of adam our first father which longen to us by the way of heritage are cleped all manner povertees sent fro god to reserve the heart from vain and worldly comforts. by the which god draweth many one/ as it seemeth by violence. Whereof saith saint bernard/ ¶ Trahimur/ cum tribulacionibus exercemur. ¶ We been drawn when we haunted with tribulation/ therefore thou that art strained with these cords and bonds of charity suppose not that that thou art defoiled or forsaken but the rather made fair and chosen of god all though thou haste not that thou askest/ Ne trow not them they been not strained with these bonds to be in very liberty/ though they have that they asken/ For like as the leech when he grauntyth to the sick all that he desyryth it is a certain sign of death/ Right so the false freedom of the world is certain sign of perishing/ For the more freely they desyren and fulfyllen their own desire without tribulation/ the rather they fallen down in/ in to their damnation. Therefore thou silly soul that/ art troubled If thou wilt have god to the merciable/ suffer the to be restrained with these bondis of tribulation/ Which comen fro god and drawn that toward god/ Wherefore our lord said to the prophet Ezechiel Eccededi viculanica s●●te Lo I have yeven my bonds upon thee/ by this is understood that bonds upon the By this is understand that bonds of/ tribulation been the yefts of god and the more tribulation the stronger bindeth the soul to god Also the profit of tribulation is that it spedith the way to god For as many tribulations as thou haste so many messenger's god hath sent to the that thou haste to him and not let by the way Whereof say the the prophet Multiplicate sunt infirmities eorum postea accelevauerunt Her sickness were multiplied and afterward they hastid 'em to/ god Hereof saint Gregory said Disesis that oppresson us to haste to god compel us Supposse thou not the benefits of tribulation to be disease for/ to deliver the from a grievous prison and to haste thy way to the kyndom of heaven As it is said/ Ecclesiastici vit De carcere cathenisque interdum/ quis introducitur ad regum From prison and from Iron bondis other while a man is brought into a kingdom This prison is called all that the heart loved inordinately in this world these iron/ bondies are such things that wicked affections/ be bounden to. But of this prison god delivereth many one by tribulation as when he putteth away/ from hem things that they loven inordinately ¶/ And that is figured by saint/ Peter that was kept in herodis prison when our lords angel stood beside him and Peter's said Ismyten He excited/ him and said arise up lightly And anon the/ iron bondis fell from his hands By the side of/ Peter is understand thy brother that came out of the same side that thou/ came of or else all thoo generally that aren allied/ to the by kindred or by affinity For when any of this or all which by law of nature ought to be/ thy friend is contraryous to the or else by any other manner understand thou art smitten in the side/ for that thou shuldist go out of the prison of inordinate love and set thine heart only in god that may not fail the But take good heed that as Peter plained not on the smiting on his side So thou owest not to plain ne to grieve the of tribulation which delivereth the fro the false and deceivable love and fleshly and worldli friends/ And if thee/ smiting of tribulation in the side be sharp and/ grievous to suffer be hold Christ thy maker and/ thy brother woundid in the side for thy love and thou/ shalt suffer it the more easily as a true knight/ when he seeth his lords woundis therefore refuse-not the messengers of thy lord god the comen to/ clepe the with him and constrain the to haste toward him For he that refusyth the messenger refusyth his lord/ When is the messenger refused/ when the heart with a vylement contrarieth and gru●chith ayens tribulation ¶ Note well that tribulation turmenyth in purging and pourgyth in/ turmentyngh/ But when the heart grutchyth against tribulation Then he parteth purging from turmenting For he keepeth the better torment/ of tribulation And he loseth the sweet profitable/ purging through his folly and contrarious grudging.   

De sexta utilitate tribulacionis. Capitulum. vi.  
THe sixth profit of tribulation is that it is against in paying of thy dettis in which thou art bound to god whom thou may/ not flee ne deceive ne hide no thing from him/ of thy dettis these dettis aren penance which/ thou owest for thy sins ¶ And though everlasting/ penance be debt for one deadly sin by thee/ rightwiseness of god in to temporal penaunse by contrition and confession And furthermore it is forgiven by satisfation and sometime it is all relesid and namely by tribulation Hereof understand well/ for what so ever thou sufferiste patiently in tribulation afore god it is accounted to him as for payment of thy debt ¶ For as a lords advitoure/ sometime in the end of acounties layeth a counter/ of brass or copper or another thing of little value to be worth or signify an hundred i pound of gold or silver/ So tribulation of little time with/ patience received in this present life deliverith the from everlasting tribulation of the payen of/ hell ¶ And bringeth the to the everlasting bliss of the rich king of heaven Whereof we have example of the thief that hinge on cristeryghte side that when he suffered the torment of the cross And/ was bound by dew debt of sin to the pain of hell ¶ He having contrition of his wicked wickedness in that same houte turned him to god and said ¶ Lord when thou comest in to thy kingdom think on me/ and anon he was unbounden and delivered of all det of pain. And heard the sweet voice of christ saying to him. ¶ Amen dico tibi hody mecum eris in paradiso. ¶ soothly I say to the thou shalt be with me to day in paradise/ woe to him that nothing payeth of his debt in this life/ but addyth sin/ upon sin. Woe to him that/ of large expenses that he maketh shall be constrained to come to a straight counts. soothly such that have lived ever without a count/ must pay for their debt everlasting pain in hell wythouten any release ¶ There shall vepe many merchants that in this life laughen and/ joyen Whereof it is said in the book of the apocalypse Mercatores terre flebunt Marchauntis of the erhte shall vepe merchants of the erhte are thoo that set all her thought and her love in erhtely things the which shall weep full bitterly For god/ shall show her Marhaundyse to all that world/ But merchants of heaven then shall laugh and/ joy For they shall see that for little short tribulacon they have get the bliss of paradise Whereof it/ is said in Eclesiastici Est qui multum redemtt de/ modico precio ¶ Some other been that buyen moche thing with litil price that is to be patient in tribulacon of this present life that god receiveth for/ the great For it is commonly said of an evil payer/ men resceyven ooties for wheat And though it so be that thou art not bound in any debt of deadly sin ve or venial For which tribulation should deliver the Nevertheless tribulation reserveth the from/ falling in to debt as saint Gregory said Multa sunt innocencia que cito innocenciam perderent nisi ea tribulaciones preseruarent ¶ Many been innocent the which should soon lose innocency but/ if tribulaconns' preseruen 'em ¶ Therefore thou soul that feliste bounden in debts or thou that drediste the payment suffer patiently tribulations As long as time endureth It payeth tofore thy dettis in the which thou art bounden as by an obligation For though all the tribulations of this world were together they might not be likened to the lest point of tribulation of hell  
Ne all the tribulations of the earth been not in comparison to the lest joy of paradise/ As saint paul saith. ¶ Non sunt condign passionis huius temporis ad futuram gloriam que revelabitur in vobis Ad romanos/ viii. ¶ There been none worthy passions of this time/ to the bliss that is to come. that/ shall be showed in us/ upon this saith saint bernard. ¶ Non sunte condign passiones ad preteritum peccatum quod nobis dimutitur ad presentem graciam. que nobis immittitur et ad futuram gloriam que nobis promittitur ¶ There been no worthy passions to the sin that is forgiven us to the present grace that is yeven us and to the bliss that is be hyghte us.   

¶ De septima utilitate tribulacionis. Cap seven  
THe vii profit of tribulation is that it/ spredith abroad/ or openeth thy heart to receive the grace of god/ For as a goldsmith with many strokes of the hamer spredyth a piece a broad of gold or of silver to make a vessel for to put in wine or precious liquor/ So almighty god maker of every creature ordaineth tribulation to spread or to open the soul to put therein yefts of his grace. Wherefore ●eyth the prophet in the psalm. ¶ In tribulacione delatasti michi.  
¶ In tribulation thou haste spread a broad or opened to me/ Therefore suffer gladly the strokes of tribulation. ¶ For the more they spread abroad the/ heart in suffering patiently/ the more ghostly yefts our lord god purtyth therein graciously/ And/ consider that as the more precious metal is more ductill and obeyeng to the strokes of the goldsmith So the more precious a meek heart is more/ patient in tribulation And all though the sharp/ strokys of tribulation grievously torment the yet comfort the that the goldsmith almighty god holdeth the hamer of tribulation in his hand and knoweth full well what thou mayst suffer and mesuryht his smiting after thy freel nature ¶ Ne will/ thou not be then as metal in a boystouse gobet/ with spreading of sharp as heard hearts been without teaching In which god findeth no place of worchyngen Ne will thou not be as an old frienge pan that for heat by a little stroke all to brestyth in many brekynges Right so faren fell & Impacyente hearts in tribulation by a little stroke in temptation of assaying they fallen in in to many great harms of peyring therefore suffer with good will tribulation to work his craft in thee/ For so biddeth Solomon Eclesiasticin ¶ Sustine sustentaciones dei coniungere deo et sustine ut crescat in novisimo vita tua Suffer the bearing up or the helpers of god to join the to god and suffer that thy life increase in the last end. ¶ As who saith suffer tribulation in this world for god and yield him some what the time of his service/ And what tribulation he putteth to the take it meekly and know well that he will not charge the over thy myghte· As saint Poule witnesseth Corinth x. ¶ Hidelis enim est deus qui non pacietur vos temp tari super id quod potestis. ¶ soothly god is full true that shall not suffer you to be tempted over that that ye may not suffer/ therefore suffer tribulation on such manner that thy life increase in the last end/ For thereby thou shalt live in the last end amen   

¶ De octava utilitate tribulacionis. ¶ Capitulum. viii  
THe viii profit of tribulation is whereby god shyttyth out of the soul all worldly comforts that been here beneath/ and constraineth to seek heavenly comforties that been above. As an earthly lord when he will sell his wine forbiddeth all other to open her taverns till that he hath sold his. Sod our lord god sometime forbiddeth earthly comforts that he may bring forth his comfortis and that is that be tokeneth by the prophet joel where it is said. ¶ Bestie agri quasi area faciens ymbrem suspexerunt ad te quoniam exsiccati sunt fontes aquarum ¶ The beasts of the field been as dry earth desiring rain they looken up to the see. for the well of waters been dry. The beasts of the field he clepyth affections and fleshly desires/ The wells of the water he clepyth worldly comforts therefore when that/ earthly comforts failen in adversity/ then is the heart constrained to look up. and to seek help of heavenly comforts. And so much the more benign is our lord god to the soul. In asmuch as the heart fyndyth greater bitterness in outward things But now by these things thou mayst say I am so sorry that the tavern of earthly comforts is not open to me But for the tavern of heavenly comforts is so long shit fro me For neither hire ne lover I find no comfort To this may be answered thus thou oweste not to have ghostly comforties but If thou busy the desiring and syking For there/ is more mirth in desiring and seeking god than in the delyting of him For why the more thou desireste and sekeste god the more comfort he shall/ bring that And that more sweetness find in him ¶ As the meet savoureth more to an hungry man than to an unhungry man. ¶ And wit thou well that heavenly comforts shall not long be dyfferyd if worldly comforts be shit out by tribulations if thou ask desyryngely and seek busily/ as Solomon said. ¶ Desiderium suum justis dabitur ¶ To ryghtwysmen shall be yeven here their desire   

¶ De nona utilitate tribulacionis. ¶ Capitulum ix.  
THe ix. profit of tribulation is that it putteth the in to the mind of god/ and the more tribulation be/ the more he impressith the in his mind/ ¶ Not for that god foryetyth thee/ or any creature the which seeth and knoweth all the brevities of thy heart But for scripture saith god foryetyth a man that tribulation is yeven to. For to him that he sendeth tribulation he hath in mind giving ghostly comfort/ and increasing of grace/ ¶ Therefore thou good soul/ if thou wilt be/ put in mind. In whose mind is thine help and thy salvation/ In whose foryeting is thine harm and thy damnation/ learn for to suffer patiently adversities and tribulations/ and in suffering think meekly in god/ and he eftsoons shall think meekly and merciably. ¶ For a true friend thinketh fervently on his friend that is dessese/ In figure hereof our lord said. Exodie. iiii. ¶ Vidi affliccionem populi mei: in egipto et clamo●em eius audivi etcꝭ. ¶ I have seen the dissesis of my people that is in Egipte/ and I have heard the crying For the duresse of 'em that been the overseers of the works And I knowing her sorrow have goon down to deliver 'em from the hands of the Egipcians Therefore all though the egipcians that is to say evil men or enemies tourmenten and disesen the be thou comforted For the merciable beholding of god in thy disease moche more availeth the as we read of David two regum xvi. ¶ fleeing from absolon his son that seemeth the which was David enemy coursid him and spoke evil to him and said. ¶ Egredere egredere vir sanguinum et vir belial. ¶ As/ who leyth go thy weigh thou man of sins and thou man of belial And abisay that was david friend seeing this said to king david This deed hound hath myssayede or cursed my lord the king I shall go and smite of his heed And david answered suffer him to missay or curse david upon the comaundment of god Paraveture god will behold my desese and yield me good for this myssayenge or the cursing this same day/ Considre in this that david would suffer the myssaing or the cursing of this adversary that he might goote the blessing of god then look how moche thou desirest/ the blessing of god and suffer so much the more patiently the myssayeng or cursing of time adversity.  
For patience of evil men's cursing deserveth/ to have God's blessing and that is tokened where it is saide danielis iii. ¶ That the angel yeede down with Azarie and his fellows into the furnace ¶ And he made the mids of the furnace/ as a blowing wind of a dew but the flame brent the kings ministers that heat the furnace But soothly the fire touchid ne grieved 'em in any manner Loo here thou mayst see that the fire not only brent their foemen but also it refreshed 'em the which is understand that christ is present with/ hem the been in tribulation and giveth hem fressyhnge in disease and blessed him that been myssayde or/ cursed for his name Therefore if thou desire refreshing tribulations and thine enemies to be brent suffer patiently tribulations For in tribulation/ god is with the & fro tribulation he shall deliver that and for tribulation great meed he he shall yield yt. ¶ Cum ipso sum in tribulacione eripiam eum & Glorificabo eum ¶ I am with him in tribulation. lo here a gracious fellowship comforting I shall deliver him Loo hear a fulfeyth of delivering and I shall glorify him/ loo here a certain hope of rewarding   

De decia utilitate tribulacionis Capitulum X  
THe x. profit of tribulation is that it maketh thy prayer to be hard of god/ For it is not the manner of god to put away the prayer of him that is in tribulation/ but the rather meekly to here his privy prayers/ Whereof Solomon said. ¶ Ecce depcationem lesi exau diet dns. ¶ Loo our lord shall here the prayer of him that is hurt/ soothly god smiteth and chastysyth many men & sendeth, them tribulation for to compel them/ to ask or to cry mercy and that they should open her mouths to god in tribulation for to ask help which had sue her mouths from him in prosperity whereof saith saint Austyn that god sendeth tribulation to some men to stir 'em to ask that he would grant In the person of such saith the prophet ¶ Ad dominum cum tribularer clamavi & exaudivit me When I Was in tribulation I cried to our lord and he hard me And though/ all it hap that in prosperity thou prayeste god/ that prosperity should not make the to slow ¶ Yet nevertheless it maketh the some time both insolent and slow so that thy prayer in prosperity is not/ speedful as it is inaduercitee occupy so moche thy heart that thou thynkeste that it hath none intent ne devotion like as it had in prosperity yet that/ same adversity maketh thy prayer more precious And soothly all though tribulation oppresset the so moche that thou mayest. not open thy mouth to cry to god certynly this tribulation crieth and prayeth to god for the so that thou have patience for as seith a great clerk. Peter of lazar that as many wounds as he had so many prayers or criers he had/ to god For when lazar stillid with his mouth his wounds cried to god for him whereof our lord/ said to cain that had killed his brother abelle Genesis/ ¶ Vox sanguinis fratris tui abel clamat ad me de terra The blood of thy brother abel crieth to me fro the earth Thus thenne it showeth that/ tribular 〈…〉 more precious & the more acceptable to god tribulations been as it were a payment for alettir sealed of delivering Whereof saith job. ¶ Quis michi det ut ueniar peticio mea & quod expecto tribuat michi deus qui cepit/ me ipse me convertat soluat manum suam et succidit me et michi sit consolacio ut astligens me dolotem meum non percat ¶ Who shall give me mine/ asking and who shall grant me that I abide/ god that began he convert me lose he his hand and kite me up and that it be to my comfort that he/ tormenting me spare not my sorrow Not well that that job that had lost his possessions his sons/ and his daughters and all his body was smitten with wounds or sepre from the fool of the soot unto the ouerest part of the heed/ And was reproved of his friends and scorned of his wife and of his false friends He desired in no other thing comfort but that god should not spare him It thou askest what pertaineth to his delivering it may be aunswerid thus the asking of his affections or torments/ ¶ For his torm were paymenties of his letters as it is used in some place that when a pour man drinketh in a tavern and hath not wherofe to pay his scot He asketh to be betyn and so to be desive If thou askist wherein was his comfort of this job· ¶ When he asked to be tormented. Saint Gregory answereth and sayeth/ ¶ That god sparyth some here in this world to tourmente they in afterward and some he tourmentyth here the which he/ will afterward spare. ¶ The comfort of job was that he wist well by present trybulacyhe should escape everlasting damnation For as it is said ¶ Non indicabit bis deus inidipmm God shall never punish or dame twice for one thing. And therefore this same job that asked that god should not spare him here in this world/ asked in another place and said. ¶ Parce michi domine. Lord spare me in time coming/ suffer patiently here in this world tribulation For tribulation saveth the soul/ as job said. ¶ Ipse vulnerat et medicinat ¶ He woundeth & he healeth/ For he woundeth the body and helyth the soul.   

De undecima utilitate tribulacionis. Caplm. xi.  
THe xi profit of tribulation is that it keepeth and nourysshyth the hearten/ soothly/ right as fire is kept in ashes right so the hearts of the friends of god aren kept in tribulation. Therefore our lord god commanded Exodi ¶ Quod tabernaculum faccis cilicinis cooperietur That the tabernacle of god should be hyled with heiren sacks the which should the fiend/ the presious curteynes of soft silk/ and god's rich vessels of gold or silver against winds and reins In token that virtues of God's servants named means been kept in adversity of tribulation. For tribulation constraineth the heart to think on the/ wretchedness of his own Infyrmytee/ And so it constraineth a man to be meek. ¶ Whom worldly ꝓsperytee had hanced by vaynglorye above himself Also tribulation nourysshyth the heart as a nories/ she her child. For as the mother with the child cheweth hard meet/ the which the child may not chew/ and draweth it in to her body where that meet/ is turned into milk to nourishing of the child So christ that in holy write is cleped our mother for the greatness of his tender love that he hath to us He chewed for us bitter pains/ hard words re/ preves/ and slanders with bitterness of his passion that suffered for us to nourish us/ and straineth/ us ghostly by ensample of him to suffer tribulations and adversities of this world. As wine that is cleansed thorough a bag full of spices/ changeth his own savour drawing to him the savour of the spice/ So a man suffering tribulations and adversities of this world oweth to cleansing by the blessed body of our lord Ihesu considering the passion that he suffered for him/ And so it shall wax swear and tolerable that to foresemyd full bitter and intolerable.   

¶ De duodecuna utilitate tribulationis. Capitulum xii  
THe xii profit of tribulation is that tribulation is a certain token of love that god hath toward him that it is sent to Whereof he said. ¶ Quos amo arguo et castigo. ¶ Him that I love I undernymme and chastyle/ And also Solomon said Ecclesiastici. ¶ Qui diligit fililium assidua et flagella· He that loveth his son he scourgyth him oft tyme. ¶ Whereof said saint Jerome. ¶ Summus pater Ihesus Christus filios suos semper sub aliquo flagello vel virga retinet ut/ quando eripiuntur ab uno sub alio capiuntur. ¶ Our sovereign lord Ihesu christ keepeth ever/ his children under a scourge or a rod And when they been delivered of one/ they been caught under/ another/ But our good meek father and lord sent not all his scourgiss at ones to geder/ but one after another knowing our freelte/ For he will that no man perish/ but he will all men be safe/ But evil men and unkind that believe him not ne loven him the which lyven here without scourge of of tribulation. Whom no correction of chastysing may withdraw from their errors god shall punish with all his arrows of vengeance/ For soothly all torm that now been departed about in all the world then shall be gathered together and abide as in her own place/ As our lord said Deutrononni xxxii ¶ Congregabo super eos mala. et sagitas meas complebo in eyes. ¶ I shall gather together evil things upon evyllmen. ¶ And I shall spend all mine arrows of vengeance among 'em. ¶ Therefore thou good soul if thou wilt be beloved of god will thou not put away tribulations. For they shown to the tokens and witness of the love of god. But peradventure if thou saist the God's children taken of him both good things & evil things. Why is the taking of evil things showing or token of the love of god more than the taking of good things. To this may be answered that god giveth many good things and great to his spiritual friends and bitter and greater to/ them that he loveth more/ But the blessed father of heaven loved without comparison more his blessed son our lord Ihesu Christ than all the world and yet he sent him here many anguesshes povertees tribulations adversities repreves and/ scornynges' betynges' bydynges scorgynges many wounds and cruel death but few temporal goods Then is the yefte of adversity more shewing token of love of god than the yefte of temporal prosperity/ Also furthermore our lord Ihesu Christ God's son that lived here in this world as a wise merchant chose good merchandise and refused the bad/ For when they would have made him king of Jude he refused it and chase rather/ to I'll in to desert And when they sought him to tourmente him and to slay him he fleddee not but/ he chase rather for to die and said. ¶ Ego sum I am he whom ye seek then if christ was wisest in choosing the which chase adversities they been: moche fools that dispisen tribulation and adversities/ and choosen worldly prosperites that may not deliver 'em in time coming from the hands of her enemies the cruel fendis Suffer then patiently with christ here tribulations that thou may take afterward the crown of life in the bliss of/ heaven For soothly otherwise thou mayst not come to the bliss For the apostle saith ¶ Per mulcas tribulaciones oportet nos intrare in regum celorum ¶ It behooveth us by many tribulations to enter in to the kingdom of heaven/ He bring all us that suffered death/ our lord Jesus'. AMEN.   
¶ Thus endeth this treatise showing the xii ꝓfytes of tribulation.   

imprinted at westminster in Caxtons' house. By me Wynkyn the word.  printer's device of Wynkyn de Worde