CERTAIN SELECTED SPIRITVALL EPISTLES Written by that most Reverend holy man Doctor I de Auila a most renowned Preacher of Spain  
Most profitable for all sorts of People, who seek their salvation.  
Benedictus Deus qui talia dona dedit hominibus.  
Blessed be Almighty God, who hath given such gifts to men.  
At Roüen by the widow of Nicolas Courant.  
Permissu Superiorum. 1631.   

THE PREFACE.  
IT is an excellent saying, which we find in that divine book entitled THE FOLLOWING OF CHRIST: The felicity, which is to be obtained in this life, consists not, in the being able to prevent or avoid miseries, and crosses, which daily occur; but in the patiented and humble acceptation and sufferance thereof. For indeed, there is no such thing as th● not being encountered and crossed, some in one kind, and some in another; some, by desolations of mind; some by infirmities of body; some by want of temporal means, some by unkindness of friends; some by detraction against fame, some by suits in law; and some by persecution for Religion. For these things lie as so many snares, whereby to entrap our patience, in this great Hospital of the world; and some men are subject to more of them, and some to fewer; but there is no man, who at one time or other, is not subject to some. The business therefore must be, to support both such as Almighty God, shall either send for the punishment of our other sins, or for the greater purification and perfection of our own souls; or for the advancement of his own glory otherwise; and such others also, as for the greater punishment of wicked men, he shall permit them to inflict upon us; and to support them so, through the favour of God, as not only thereby not to forfeit heaven in the next life, but to enable us in the midst of all our miseries, to obtain a kind of heaven, even in this. For I account it to be a kind of heaven in the crowd of trouble, not to be overweighed with the burden, but to accept, & be content with the good will of God, and to aspire towards an imitation of the Passion of Christ our Lord, & to know and feel in our very hearts, the substantial & savoury truth of that divine saying of S. jean Chrisostome: It is a more glorious thing for a man to suffer for Christ, then to reign with him.  
But now, as this doctrine is divine, so the lesson, whereby we are to learn it, is hard; and therefore we shall do well to use the best means, we can, to take it out. And for my part I must confess, that I have never met in any Author, with so many, so weighty, so easy, and practicable considerations, and inducements towards not only the patiented, but even the joyful sufferance of all those crosses and afflictions, which can find the way to us in this world, as are delivered by FATHER AVILA in his Epistles; whereof I have selected the chief, and choice, and made them speak with our tongue; to the end, that we may be the better taught, to bear those burdens of affliction, which may otherwise prove too hard and heavy, for our soft shoulders of flesh and blood. And I am confidently persuaded, that besides the entertainment, which the reader will find therein otherwise, for his delight and gust; it will be impossible for him, to have had, or have a cross of any kind, for which he shall not here find store of remedies, and comforts brought to his hand. So that he will owe a diligent, and devout reading to this Collection; if not for the Author's or Translator's sake, yet at least, for his own.   


A LETTER OF THE Author to a dear friend of his.  
He shows how great blindness it is to lose eternal bliss for temporal delights.  
THE peace of our Lord jesus Christ, be ever with you. I received a letter of yours some days past, written in Seville; whereof though I were very glad, yet should I have rejoiced much more, to be there to enjoy your conversation, which I have so long desired. I beseech Christ, that we may see one another in heaven; where all our desires will be at an end; possessing him who is the true fulfilling of them all.  
Sir I would extremely desire, that the smo●ke of these temporal things, did not blind our hearts, and hinder us from the sight of such as are eternal. What an ill exchange doth he make, who Loses that which may be interiorly possessed, and which indeed is the true fruit; for that which is exterior, and which is no better than the shell, or crust. Woe be to that man, who hath more care of his goods, then of his conscience; and who puts the soul in hazard, to secure the life of his body. Not so, 
Gen. 39  o you men, not so, but rather as joseph did; who to secure his chastity, left his uper garment in the hands of her, who would have rob him of that treasure. It is the sentence of Christ our Lord, 
Matth. 5.  that if our right eye be an occasion to us of sin, we must pluck it out and cast it from us. The right eye, is the love which we carry towards goods, or honour, or life, or friends; which, if by the inordinate abundance thereof, it be an occasion to us of sin, we are to estrange ourselves from it, and to cut it of, lest otherwise we be estranged from God.  
We must love nothing so well, as that we may not tread it under foot, if it hinder us from being well with God. There is no such thing, as holding friendship with that sovereign king, but only such a man as will confess, that heaven is had very cheap, though it should chance to cost him his life. They who will think to comply both with their own proper affections, and with the love also of our Lord, are mightily deceived. For these men love not God, but so as they also love many other things, whereas God will be loved, above them all.  
O error of the sons of men; and who hath thus deceived them, and who shall be able to unbeguile them? who hath plucked out their eyes to lead them blindefould, in a ring like another Samson, 
judges. 16.  living according to the suggestion of vice, and in the displeasure of our Lord? Who shall be able to make them understand that they are strangely deceived in seeking riches in the first place, and virtue, in a second. Yea and if it so fall out, that both of them cannot be kept, men are content to be without virtue, so that they may not be without money. And thus put they light, into the place of darkness; and darkness into that of light. O that our Lord would open the eyes of these men! and how bitterly would they weep, seeing how bad exchangers they had been? Is not perhaps the friendship of God, which is obtained by the exercise of virtue, of more value, than all the rest of things, which can be wished? Are not perhaps the commandments of God more worthy to be desired then thousands of gold and silver? where shall we find a true pair of scales to weigh every thing out, for just as much as it is; that so we may not thus for ever live in lies.  
Men fly as fare as they cann from being deceived, in their temporal states. But why fly they not with greater diligence from being deceived in some what else, which imports them more? They complain if they be cozened in half the worth of any thing, which they are to buy; yea and there is no means to appease them, but they will needs be seeking a remedy against that abuse. And yet they are very ready, to lose their souls for a little gain, or for an act of murmuring, or some other sin. And we cannot so much as prevail with them, to the end that they may have some feeling of it, and say I am deceived, let so great a wrong as this, be removed.  
That soul, O men which you are losing, is more worth than all that which can be given you, in exchange thereof; what do you get by gaining it all, if you lose yourselves alone? what doth it profit you to see every body good, if withal yourselves be wicked? what doth it profit you, to gain and grow great in point of fortune, with prejudice to your souls? and to be mighty in the sight of men, but not to be acknowledged in the sight of God?  
The day will come, infallibly it will come, when God will destroy all them who work iniquity; and for what then will that serve, to which they have most pretended here? O day of giving account for all the days of our lives, how little art thou considered, and therefore how little art thou feared. And men, in the mean time run with the bridle lose, and in their teeth, for the gathering of this little miserable flower which so quickly Fades, and they see with their very eyes, that it is even slipping from between their fingers; and yet, there is never want of some body, who hath a mind to hold fast this world, whilst still it is flying speedily from them.  
Sir our true repose, and our kingdom, is not to be had in this world. What is this life, but a way from our own houses reaching to the place, where thiefs desire to cut our throats; since every day we walk on more and more, and it is no whether else, but towards death. Now who would be so absurdly inconsiderate, as that when he were to be conducted to execution, and that much haste were used to dispatch him, the delinquent should yet, fall into great affliction, because lie were not sumptuously clad; or who in such a case, would attend to busy himself about hearing some relation of the lives of others, or would delight himself, with looking upon some public entertainment and pastime? Or would put himself to study what the reason might be, why men put not of their hats to him, with a good graces And yet how many do we see (through our sins) deprived of all sense, who (going, as we all do, to that resting place of their graves; yea and running faster thither, than any arrow flies out of a bow,) do yet detain themselves foolishly, some upon fine ; others, upon a certain paltry smoke of honour, and others, who grow angry at the hart, because just that which they desire, is not done. And yet those very things which they desire, are neither such as help them to obtain true felicity, not hinder them from falling into eternal misery.  
What in the name of God, is this which hath so blinded us, as that we should make Time of Eternity, and Eternity of Time? For so have men despised that eternal bliss, which God hath prepared for them in heaven, as if it were but temporal; and so have they lodged all their love upon this transitory world, as if this were the thing which is eternal. How few are there on earth, who pass through it, like strangers, as S. Peter saith we must; 
1. Pete● 2.  and who fasten their hearts upon the Future, as upon their City, and true place of rest? Let the tongue say what it will, but our works proclaim us to be Citizens of this world, since we extremely desire, to be accommodated, and exalted here, and so take no care though we should be but as strangers in the next world. Perhaps we are grown to be of opinion, that the kingdom of heaven may be obtained without any great labour, or care. But the truth is, that even they who take most pains, will find that still they have enough to do, & that still they must continue in doubt, whether it will serve the turn, or no; and what then will become of the reckless person, but that he will be sure to lose it?  
Our life is a very match of wrestling, and he who wrestles as the Apostle saith, must wholly untie, and disentangle himself that he may gain his crown. 
1. Cor. 9  We are running for a wager, and the Prize, is no less than the kingdom of heaven. Yet not all they, who run, are to have this Prize, but they only, who run best. What a mad man were he, who should shackle his feet, and then think that he were to carry the Prize, which must be given to that man who runs a pace. And it is not a less absurd strange thing, that a man should ensnare his soul, with the heavy aflictions of flesh and blood, which permit him not to fly up, towards God.  
God commands that to him who should strike thee, upon one of thy cheeks, thou shouldest turn the other, 
Ma●● 5. ●  which is as much as to say; that not only thou must not revenge thyself, for the injury received, but that thou art to keep thy hart prepared, to endure an other, if it be given, and still if another blow be offered to turn the other cheek; that is, to prepare thyself for enduring injuries, more and more, in such sort, that the other may be sooner weary of doing ill, than thou of suffering it, for thy goodness is to be greater, than his malice. But how then shall he be able, to make a speedy course in this way, who is fettered in the chains of worldly Honour which requires that we revenge the injuries which are done us. For as S. Gregory saith, No man feels the weight of dishonour, but he who love's his own honour. And therefore if this love be not laid a side; how shall we be ever able to run.  
If God command that we must rather dye then commit a mortal sin, how shall we be able to comply with his will herein, if we cast not of the chains of that inordinate love which we carry to this life. Covetousness is a Chain, which permitts us not to live in good neighbourhood with others. Envy is a Chain, Anger is a Chain, and the love of ourselves is a Chain, and root of all the rest. What a sottish thing is it therefore, for a man to think that he, who affects those things which his own will suggests, is able to run that career, wherein the servants of God must run, and who because he contents himself, thinks that God will also be contented with it, and who living after his own fashion, will yet conceive, that he may live so with God.  
Away, away, let us awake at last, for the love of God let us awake, before hellfire awake us. And let us know, that the kingdom of God is a hidden treasure; and that he who finds it must bestow all that he hath, upon the purchase thereof, esteeming himself more happy and rich in this alone, then in all things else. A man who hath a mind to gain this kingdom, is not bound to become bankrupt, or to be a beggar, but that which he needs is, that for the love of this kingdom, he cut of all occasion of inordinate love which he may carry to riches, and to honour, and to a delicate and delightful life, and in fine to his own proper will. Christ our lord will have us all naked, that so we may run on apace to him, who died naked for us. That man is naked, who holds his life, and his honour, laid under, and in subjection to the will of Christ our Lord, doing what Christ will, and not that, which is suggested by pleasure, or honour; and who makes as light account of these things, as if he had them not; and is ready to cast them all into a light fire, rather than to go against the friendship of our Lord God, by committing so much as one sin. And though perhaps a man may attend to the improvement of his estate; it must not be for the love, which he carries to it; but because God commands it. If he live, it must not be because he love's life, as making that the end of his care; but he must keep it, for the service of God; and sooner throw it away, then offend him. If he be to aparell himself, he must not take counsel with vanity how he may be esteemed for his ; but with the word of our Lord which commands that we use them not with superfluity, but for the supply of just necessity. And so this kind of man, doth not hold himself to be his own, but as one who belongs wholly to God. He cares not, for what himself desires, but for that which God commands. He lays all things, and himself withal, to be trodden upon, under foot; for so he may hold God above his head. God commands and he obeys; God directs and he submitts; and as the shadow follows the body, so he follows the will of God.  
These are true sons of Obedience, to whom it is promised, that they shall sit at the table of God; And that, as the true son suffered by Obedience, and entered so into his kingdom, so the adopted sons must also enter in, by the same means. There is no colour of reason why a man, for having obeyed the orders of the great Turk, should go to ask a reward of the Christian Emperor; and yet if he should it would be easy to make him this answer, Let him pay you, whom you have served And so will God answer them, who lived here in obedience to their own appetites when they shall ask him that reward of glory.  
Great thankes do we owe to Christ our Lord, for having warned us of this so long before, that so if we will think thereon, we may not find ourselves deceived by him, who so dearly loved us. His advertissement is this. Not every one who saith to me Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he shall enter in who doth the will of my Father, who is in heaven. What need have we of any more, since the word of Christ our Lord can never fail? And who is that man, who will not awake with this. For the question is not now, concerning any earthly kingdom, but the kingdom of heaven; since no man enters thither but he who shall have done the will of God. Let this therefore, be our study, let this be our discourse, let us counsel men to this, and let us in fine observe vigilantly, if we do any thing which carries not true conformity, with the will of our Lord. And because our own watchfulness will not suffice, let us call upon our Lord, that he may assist us. Let us acknowledge our own misery, and let us cordyally implore his mercy. Our lord who must help us is no such person, as that he can deny himself to such as seek him, with their hearts. And if we did indeed knock & call upon him, infallibly he would anfweare & open to us. And he knocks indeed; who knocks both by prayer, & by the practice of virtue. And he shall be heard when he calls, who was content to hearken to his neighbour, when he was called upon by him; and who assisted him in his necessities, and who pardoned his errors, and who neither did ill to him, nor refused patiently to suffer ill from him.  
This is the generation of them who seek our Lord, 
Psal. 13.  and they shall find him. Let us therefore go, and run this career. For happy are those labours, which are endured for the obtaining of this Crown. And they shall soon pass away, but their reward is to last for ever. Let us lay up our treasure there. It will be highly enough for us, to possess God; and let us not lose our time, for it was not given us to be lost. But let us live, to the end that we may ever live; and so we shall pass on, from contumely to glory, from poverty to plenty, from banishment to our own country, which we shall possess through the eternities of all eternities. Amen.   

A letter to a certain person, wherein is treated of the Love of God towards man, and of that which he is wont to do towards the relief of our misery.  
THE Infant jesus who was borne for our good, make you partaker of the blessings, which he brings, since he took those miseries upon him to which we were subject; I beseech him to give you that lively fire of his love, wherein you may burn up with a quick flame; since to kindle this love in us, he came into the world; so poor, and so frozen with cold. How much more cold this Infant suffers, so much more warm doth he  our hearts towards the love of him. And by how much the more, we love him, so much the more do we desire to suffer for him. For love flies from taking ease; as from a thing which is very contrary to the intention and end thereof. For whilst others are seeking for liberty, and delight, he who loves abhors this, and desires to be eternally a slave, and to be ever labouring for whom he love's.  
I pray you tell me, who constrained Almighty God to become man? noe other thing but only Love: Who constrained him (since there was no remedy, but that he would become man) that he must needs be borne in so hard and so bitter a time of the year, and in a country where he was a stranger, and instead of a house, that it must needs be in a stable; and all this in so great poverty, and baseness, that he well deserves compassion at our hand. Certainly no other thing but Love could have brought him as it were, all bound from heaven, to the most pure womb of our Blessed Lady, and from that womb, it brought him to that hard manger, and from thence, to many other afflictions, and so at last to the Cross, where loving us with much truth of love, he procured that we might truly love him, as himself had said before. If I be exalted from the earth, I will draw all things up to myself. 
john. 3 ●um. 21.  Exalting from the earth, signifies to dye upon the Cross as he did. And then drew he all things to himself, by means of that mighty love, which he kindled in the hart of man. For, looking towards this true lover, some have been content to forget their countries, and to live in continual pilgrimage; others to forsake their estates, and to live in poverty; others have offered themselves to several afflictions, yea and to death itself, desiring rather to suffer for Christ our Lord then to be delighted any way but in him. And let his mercy be praised for ever, for that amongst them, who through the noble love of the Crucifix have forgotten all their fortunes and themselves withal, yourself is grown to be one, not of yourself, but by him who works his own glory in you. And therefore he will not leave you in the weak hands of yourself alone, since he, & not you, begin the work.  
You therefore my good lady, may well rejoice, you may rejoice in God, since you are well protected under a mantle which is both so soft, and so strong. Strong to defend you from your enemies, and from yourself, who are the greatest enemy you have; and soft or sweet to comfort you in your aflictions; and to feel them, as if they were his own, and to give you part of his hart, which is so greatly wounded with love for you. How could our Lord have expected & drawn, or guarded, or sustained you, if he had not loved you with great truth of love? How is it possible that your sins would not have provoked him to wrath, if there had not been as much love in him, as served to make him shut his eyes towards them, and to open them towards the doing you favour?  
But you will say, How come I to be so happy, as that the eternal king should love me, and for that reason should endure me, and do me so much good instead of ill. I will answer you, when you shall first have told me, why the fire burns; and why the sun shines; and why the water refreshes; and why every thing is endued with his own nature. And if you say the fire burns because it is fire, so do I also tell you, that because God is God, therefore doth he love us freely, and shows mercy to such as deserve it not.  
Our pride hath nothing, Noah it hath nothing, whereof to glory; but the shame, and dishonour, must be ours, and the honour his. The good we may enjoy; but the glory must be his. 
Luke 2  For so the angels sunge when the blessed Infant was borne; Glory be to God in the heavens, and peace to men of good will. Let us give the glory to the Lord of us all, for the mercies which we have received at his hand. Glory be to him, because he hath delivered us with so much power, from the hands of them, to whom we had delivered ourselves, with so miserable a resolution. Glory be to him, who drew us to grace we being out of his grace; and who sustains us, and crownes us with mercy, and with many mercies, and who gives us to understand, that he will finish that in us, which he hath begun. For he is wont to have the charge and care of any business, to whom the honour must result; and he who reaps the honour, must be content to take the care. And now since this Blessed Lord of ours, will be glorified in us, and will take the honour of our victory to himself, he will also take the care of our combat, and he will enable us to pass through it to him; and will tie us to himself, with so strong a knot of love, that neither life, nor death, shall divide us.  
He will enable us to look upon himself with open eyes; and to shut them towards all other things, and he will imprint himself so fast upon our hearts, that, for the love and memory of him, we shall forget not only all other things, but our very selves also. This will he do, who is so piteous, & so powerful, and his name is holy, and he it is, who love's us more than we can either say, or think. For his works exceed all created understanding. To him be glory for the eternity of all eternities. Amen.  
As for that which you ask me, concerning my health, it goes ill with me, since I am unworthy of sickness. For if I were not very unworthy, our Lord would not have taken my pain from me, so soon, as he hath taken it. And as for the rest of your letter, I answer that a great fire, by how much the more it is shut up and concealed, so much the hotter it burns. Christ our Lord make you his true and faithful disciple, that so you may, in some sort correspond to that unspeakable and divine love of his, as I cordially desire of him for you.   

A letter to a reverend and religious person, encouraging him towards the perfect love of God; and representing to him some means for the obtaining thereof.  
Reverend father, Pax Christi. Since our Lord jesus Christ is not pleased that, at this time, I should be where I might enjoy the communication of yourself, and of those my Masters the Collegialls, as I had wished, let his name be blessed for all, and in the mean time I must endure it with patience. Wherein yet, me thinks, I shall not be performing a small penance, for it is a hard thing for us to endure to be divided from the persons whom we love. And in very truth I did never so much desire to be assisted by you in some things as now, For I conceive, that it might have proved greatly to the service of our Lord. But yet since by one that love's, all things are well taken, I will speak a little to you in absence, till our Lord ordain that we may be present.  
Sir I much desire that we may seek God who is our total Good, and that, not after any ordinary manner, but like some one who seeks a great treasure, which is much esteemed, and for love whereof he sells all that he is worth; accounting himself rich in possessing that alone, instead of many other things, which he had before.  
O God, o Lord, o thou the true repose of the most interior part of our souls; and when shall we begin, I say not to love thee, but at least to desire to love thee? When I say shall we conceive a desire of thee, such a one as may be worthy of thee? When shall verity be able to prevail more with us, than vanity? beauty, than deformity? repose, then restless care? the Creator who is so richly full, and all-sufficient, before the creature, who is so very empty, and poor? Dear Lord, and whoe, at length, will open our eyes, that we may know that there is nothing out of thee, which either hath any countenance in itself, or is able to give any true contentment to us? who will make some little discovery of thee to us; that so being all enamoured of thee, we may go, may run, may fly, and may remain eternally with thee?  
Woe be to us, for we are extremely fare from God, and we are in so little pain for that distance, as that we can scarce be said to feel it. What is become of the profound, and tender sighs of those souls, which had tasted once of God, and were afterwards estranged a little from him? what is become of that holy affection, 
Psal. 31.  wherewith David said: If I shall give sleep to mine eyes, or slumbering to mine eyelids; till I have found a house. wherein our Lord may dwell. And this house we ourselves are, when we destroy not ourselves, by scattering our hearts upon variety of things, but recollect them to the unity of one desire, and of one love, and then it is, that we find ourselves, and are indeed the house of God.  
For my part, I believe, that he said true who affirmed the cause of our tepidity to be this, That he who hath not tasted yet of God, doth not know in very deed what it is, either to have hunger or satiety. And so we are neither hungry after God, nor are we entirely satisfied by creatures; but we remain as certain frozen things, being neither here, nor there;, full of dulness, and discouragement; & without all taste of spirit; and fit to cause a vomit in his stomach, who likes not servants who are Luke warm, but desires to have them inflamed with the fire of love. This fire himself brought into the world, 
Luke. 22  and desires nothing but that it may burn; and to the end that it may do so, himself did burn, and was consumed upon the Cross, 
num. 19  like that red Cow, which was carried out of the camp. And this he did of set purpose, to the end that we, taking of that wood of the Cross upon ourselves, might make a fire, and might warm ourselves, and keep correspondence with so great a lover, with some love of ours, considering how just a thing it is, that we should be wounded by the sweet dart of love, since we see him not only wounded, but killed by it.  
It is but reason that we be taken by the love of him, who was taken thereby for us; & delivered over for our sakes, into such fierce hands. Let us enter into that prison of his love, since he entered into the prison of ours, and thereby was made as tame, as any lamb, before them who treated him so ill. And this prison was that, which made him remain quiet upon the Cross. For more strange, and rude, were those ropes, and prisons of his lòue, than the nails and ropes which restrained his person. These later, laying hold but upon his body, but his love being that which seized his soul. And therefore let our hearts be tied by his love (that tie of salvation) and let us not desire such liberty, as may carry us out of his prison. For as he is very ill in health, who is not wounded, and made sick of his love: so is he very ill at liberty, who is not restrained in that prison. Let us now resist him no longer, let us yield ourselves conquered by his arms, which are his benefits, whereby he procures to kill us, that so we may ever live with him. He desires to burn us up, that so the old man who was conform to Adam being consumed, the new man who is conform to Christ our Lord may rise again by love. He desires to melt our hardness, to the end that as upon mettle which is made liquid by heat, that form is imprinted which is desired by the workman; so we (being softened by that love, which makes us melt by hearing our beloved speak to us) may be ready, without all resistance, that so Christ our Lord may imprint upon us, what figure shall be most pleasing to him. Now that figure, which he desires to imprint, is no other than that of Love. 
john. 15.  For Christ our Lord is very Love itself; & he commanded that we should love one another, as he loved us. 
Gal. 2  And S. Paul tells us, that we must so be in love with Christ our Lord, as he loved us; and delivered himself up for us. So that unless we love, we are unlike him; our countenance hath no resemblance to his, but we are poor, naked, blind, deaf, and dumb, and dead. For love alone, is that which quickens all things, and love is that, which is the spirituall-cure of our souls. For the soul without love is just such a thing as the body is, without the soul.  
Let us therefore love, and we shall live, let us love and we shall grow like God; nay we shall wound him, who is to be wounded by love alone. Let us love and all things shall be ours, since they are all to serve us, as it is written, They that love God shall prove well in all things. If we love this love, let us apply the axe of diligence, to the root of our own self-love, and so bring this enemy of ours to the ground. What have we of ourselves! let us hedge ourselves in God, and make no account at all of any thing else. Let not our own losses trouble us, but the losses of God, which are the souls who depart from him. And because it is a hard thing, for a man to leave to love himself, let us shed many tears, whereby it may be made easy for us, to dig up this earth. Let us groan out to God, from the very profoundest of our hearts, for our tears do even wound almighty God, though they be so weak, and soft, and though he be omnipotent.  
Let us entertain good thoughts, for as David saith; 
Psal. 38.  My thought is a very furnace. But above all let us place ourselves, and not come quickly out again, but make our habitation, in the wounds of Christ our Lord, and particularly in his sacred side. For there his hart being divided and pierced for us, will receive ours into it, and so it will grow warm, through the greatness of his love. For who can remain in fire, and not grow warm, at least to some proportion? O that we could dwell there, and how happy should we be therein? what is the reason that we depart thence so soon? Because we take not up those five lodgings, in that high mountain of the Cross, where Christ our Lord was transfigured indeed, though not towards beauty, but towards deformity, baseness and dishonour: which lodgings are granted to us; nay we are desired to take them, though those other three tabernacles which S. Peter desired, were denied to him.  
If some little spark of this fire be kindled in our hearts, let us take great care, that the wind blow it not out, since it is so little. Let us cover it with the ashes of humility, let us hold our peace and hide it, and so we shall find it still alive. 
Levit. 6  And we must, daily add some wood to it, as God commandeth his Priests to do. And that signifies to us the doing of good works: and the not losing of any time, and, above all things, we must approach to the true fire which may kindle and inflame us, and this is jesus Christ our Lord, in the Blessed Sacrament.  
Let us open the mouth of our soul, which is our desire, and let us go all gaping towards the fountain of living water, for so without doubt, if we take honey into our mouths, we shall have some taste thereof. And in fine if the fire be in our bosom, it will heat us. But both before and after we communicate, we must use some preparations, and reflections; and there cannot be any better, than a lively Faith, that we go then to receive jesus Christ our Lord; together with a consideration, and love of his passion, since that mystery was instituted, in memory thereof. Being thus refreshed, let us then provide ourselves for our communicating the next time after. For he who only prepares himself, for the present time, shall seldom find himself well prepared.  
Let us therefore run after God, for we may be sure enough, that he will not fly from us. He is nailed upon the Cross, and infallibly we shall find him there. Let us convey him into our hearts, and then shut the door, that he retire not thence. Let us dye to all visible things, since there will come a time, when we must leave them perforce.  
Let us renew ourselves in newness of spirit since we have lived so long according to the old man. 
Eph. 4  Let us be growing in knowledge and love of Christ our Lord, who is the sovereign good. And all this is to be obtained by humble prayer, and perseverant endeavour. More is received into the soul from without the soul, then doth proceed of the soul. It is more for it to be moved and disposed, then to work when that is done. And therefore let us remove all impediments, and compose our own hearts within ourselves, expecting Christ our Lord there; who enters when the gates are shut, to visit and comfort his Disciples; and so without doubt, he will come to us. For David saith of him, 
Psal. 144.  Our Lord heard the desire of the poor, and his ears hearkened to the preparation of his hart. And since Christ our Lord is principally he who must work this in us, 
Psal. 9  we have no reason to distrust, but taking courage and confidence in such a conductor as he is, let us begin to run that course with fervour, which ends not, but in the obtaining of God.  
And if we cannot so soon, make our hearts as subject to us as we would, let us yet endure it with patience, till God rise up and so our enemies may fall, and till he awake, and command this sea to calm itself. But then on the other side, his express pleasure is, that we have confidence in him, even in the greatest temptations, yea though our little barks should be upon the very point to sink.  
Let us not therefore be disturbed, or dismayed. Let us not put others to pain, for the trouble which this continual war gives us, in threatening that we shall be overcome. The day will arrive, when God will put this country of ours into peace when we shall sleep, without any body by to wake us. And now, since this peace cannot be obtained yet, it will be a better course for us, to go sweeting and striving to root out our passions, then to keep ourselves in ease, and to content ourselves with leading a tepid life, for the avoiding of that pain which the seeking of perfection would put us to. But first let us utterly distrust ourselves, and confide in God, and let us begin in the name, and power of the omnipotent. And this beginning of ours shall be humility, which is figured in the ashes that we take; and our end shallbe love, which is figured in the resurrection of our Lord; and so we shall enjoy both a good lent, and a good Easter.  
In the mean time I kiss the hands, of all my Masters your Collegialls, and I recommend myself to their prayers. And say you to them in my name, that I beseech them that we may love both God, and our neighbours, in great measure. That so at the day of judgement, we may know well how to answer; and that we may be made doctors, & be received into the College of the Angels, and Saints, where we shall ever, study the book of life, which is God himself, who will for ever stand open before our eyes, that we may know him, & love him, and for ever be in possession of him. Our Lord jesus remain, ever with you. Amen.   

A Letter of the Author to a certain lady,  
He shows, how the hunger of our hart cannot be satisfied but by the spirit of our lord, who that he may lodge himself therein, requires that it be free from all affection to creatures. And how, tepid and negligent persons grieve that spirit, & how the Feast of the holy Ghost is a very good preparation for the Feast of Corpus Chisti which follows.  
MADAM, I desire to know how your hart stands affected at this tyme. For if we look to the week, wherein we are, it is belonging to the holy Ghost, whose property is to give light to the understanding, and to infuse love into the will; and even strength into the body also; by means of which three loaves of bread, we shall have some what to set before our friend, who comes hungry, and weary from the high way. For the hunger that our hart feels (which walks as it were out of itself whilst it employs itself upon creatures) this holy Ghost is wont to take away, and to give us the bread of fullness, and satisfaction. And woe be to us, if we feel not that great defect, which is in things created; and if we convert nor ourselves to god in our very hearts; at least now when they are weary, with finding imperfections, & wants, in those things, wherein we hoped that they might obtain repose.  
O my dear God, and when shall we maintain our souls in perfect faith and purity towards thee, and be sincerely loyal to jesus Christ our Lord, who is the spouse thereof, giving him our love, all entire, and wholly free, from mingling itself with the baseness of creatures? When shall we be able to understand this truth, that he who is to own our souls, is Christ our Lord, and that he created us for himself, and that he only is fit for us? Is it not enough, that we have tried so often by experience, how ill the world is wont to serve us; and that our soul could never find any true repose or peace, but only when coming to know her own misery, and poorness, it went to God, and was embraced by him. Is not one of those short fits of time more worth than their whole life, who sacrifice themselves to vanity, and to the confusion of this ignorant world, wherein they live? Or shall it not now at length be time to say to all things created, I know you not, that so I may provide a clean and ready place, for the reception of him, who created you all of nothing?  
I am extremely glad, that we have to do with a Holy ghost, which is so very holy, as that he would not come even to the disciples themselves of our Lord, till even his own precious body were taken out of their sight. That so we may know the condition of this holy spirit to be such, as that we must provide a temple for it where no other thing may dwell, or else it will not enter there. And I am highly glad, that you by the grace of this spirit, will have prepared yourself; and that you will have received him, and that you, and he, are well content with one another. Rejoice you with this Holy ghost, for he is joy it self. And remember, 
Eph. 4  that the Apostle S. Paul requires us, not to contristate the holy spirit of God, whereby we are marked out, for the day of redemption, which is of the judgement of the latter day.  
He contristates this Spirit, who with a dull and dejected hart, goes faintly and negligently about his service, & who doth things, which displease this most sovereign guest, who as himself is fire, so will he have his servant full of fervour, and requires that he go about his work, with great life. And that he ever be casting on the wood of good works, and blowing it with holy thoughts, that so this celestial fire, may not be quenched in us, since our very life consists in keeping it alive. And so if we maintain this fire in us, it will maintain us in him, though yet still it be true, that he first gives us that, which afterward we give to him. So that, in this respect, your ladyship will have been fed at a good table, this week; since you will have celebrated, the Feast of the holy ghost, not according to flesh and blood, as they do, who use to content themselves with the talk and tumult of great Festivities, but you will have celebrated it, in Spirit, according to the advice of our Lord, 
john. 4.  who requires to be Spiritually adored.  
Let us now consider how it stands with you, concerning the sent & odour of the Festivitie, of the Body of our Lord, which is now near at hand. For it will be an extreme shame, for a Christian hart, not to hunger and aspire, toward this holy bread, 
Matth. 2.  before the Festivitie itself arrive; since the three kings those wise men of the Gospel, had a sent of it so fare of; yea and the prophets, and Patriarcks had the like a long time, before his Incarnation. What more happy news can there be, then to see Christ our Lord, pass amongst us in our streets, and through our hands communicating, and conversing with men? And to have him set before our eyes; & to find him (whom neither the whole earth, nor all the heavens can comprehend) shut within the narrow curtain of the accidents of bread, and after all ●his, to make his entrance into our unworthy woeful breasts.  
Take heed you hear not this news with deaf ears; but awake your hart, and require it to be very attentive to so great a favour, and work of God; and that it instantly cast up, whatsoever other meat it may have swallowed; that so being full of hunger, it may grow all full, of this celestial bread, where upon the Angels feed. And bid it be sure, to watch now, that so it may not then fall a sleep. And since it is the work of the holy Ghost you must beg grace, whereby you may be able to find the effect of that Feast of the body of our Lord▪ which was conceived by the same holy Ghost. And so when that Feast of his most holy body shall be come, the Holy Ghost will also come with it; because the Holy Ghost descended into the world, through the merits of Christ our Lord. And when his Body shall be given us, we shall receive the holy Ghost, together with it; according to the rate of that good disposition, which we shall have. So that one Festivity must help and be a preparation for another; and must give us hunger to feed upon the fruit of the other. For it is not here as it happens in the banquets of this world; which are made by flesh and blood. Where they who have fed full, at noon have no mind at all to their meat at night. But the soul goes feeding with afresh appetite, from one Festivitie to another; and so that is accomplished, 
Levit. 26.  which God promised. The threashing of your corn shall last till you go to vintage; and till the new time of seed, and you shall eat your bread in abundance.  
The goodness of God be blessed, which so liberally provides for us; and that, not in any mean fashion, but by giving his very self to us. The son is given to us, and the Holy Ghost for his sake; and these two persons; giving themselves; the father cannot choose but be also given. In fine the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost are ours. We already begin, even here, that mutual contract, which we are to perfect in heaven. Let us give him humbly thankes, for his mercies. Let us prepare ourselves for the receiving of new favours and with hearts exalted above the earth, let us celebrate the Festivities of heaven, to the end that we may pass from these temporal joys; to those eternal, wherein I humbly beseech our Lord that you may one day see yourself. Amen.   

A letter of the Author to a virgin lady, who asked of him what Charity was.  
He answers to her demand; and shows her the Love, and Charity, which she is to have to God and her neighbours, here on earth, by that love and charity,  the saints have in heaven.  
DEVOUT spouse of Christ our Lord; you ask me in your letter, what Charity is; to the end that you may guide you whole life thereby. For the saying of the Apostle S. Paul is true, 
1. Cor 13.  and whatsoever we do without Charity, is nothing worth, though we should deliver our bodies into the fire. Your demand is very great, and I could wish, that the same Apostle S. Paul, whose sentence moved you to ask me the question, might enable me also to make the answer. For I know not what greater thing than this, you could have asked me, since the sublime part of all our christian religion, consists in it. 
1. Cor. 13.  And as the same Apostle saith, He who life's according to it, is a fulfiller of the whole law. So that you o devout spouse of Christ our Lord, must beseech the holy ghost, whose proper attribute is Love, that he will teach, and write that thing in your hart, whereof you ask, as he taught it upon the day of Pentecost, 
Act. 2.  when he infused it, into the hearts of his Apostles. For know; that this is the true teacher of this language, and so as there is none but he.  
For alas! what can my tongue which is made of earth, express of that which is only used with perfection in heaven. This is a celestial language, and they who speak it perfectly, are the blessed spirits, which attend to nothing else, but truly to love our Lord God, with all their strength; and all that which his pleasure is, that they shall love. How shall I be able to speak to you of that Love, which is subject to no interest, and is accompanied with no self-love; and looks towards no other mark, and aims at no other scope, but only God? How I say, shall I speak of it, whom my father Adam hath left all wrapped up in mine own interest, and who apply myself, to seek myself in all things. See how much. For even in those things, which concern the service of God, we do so hang towards ourselves, that many times we perform them for our own interest, or end. And though the works themselves be holy, yet the love wherewith we do them, is impure. And the difference doth only consist in this; that when we seek ourselves by evil works; our Love runs through a conduit of clay; & when we seek ourselves by good works, it runs indeed through a conduit of gold, but in fine it runs towards ourselves. 
john. 6  I beseech our true doctor jesus Christ our Lord, (who ever sought the honour of his Father; and whose love abased him to this world, not for the accomplishing of his own will, but his who sent him) that he will untie my tongue, to the end that I may tell you some part of that which you demand. For certainly, if your good desire did not oblige me to let you know what I have read, my poorness would oblige me to hold my peace.  
And now to the end that you might better understand, what Charity is; and how you may ever go, employed therein, I could wish you knew, some part of that Love, which the Blessed spirits have in heaven, to the end that you may know thereby, wherein true Charity doth consist. For how much nearer we shall come to that love, so much the more perfect, will our love be, you must know that the love which is in heaven, doth transform the Saints, into the same will with that of our lord God. For one of the effects of love, as S. Dionysius saith, is, to make the several wills of such as love, to be but one; I mean, that they should have the same will, and the same not will, which the other hath. And now since the will, and love, which our lord hath, is but only of his own glory, and of his essence which is supremely perfect, and glorious, from hence it follows that the love of the Saints, is a Love; and will, wherewith they love, and desire, with all their strength, that our lord God, may in himself be still as good, as glorious, and as worthy of honour as he is. And for as much as they see all that, to be already in him, which they can desire, there follows there upon; 
Gal. 5.  the fruit of the holy ghost, which is an unspeakable joy, to see him whom they love so much, to be so full of treasures, and felicity in himself, as they desire.  
If you will have a touch; or at least some little sent of this divine joy, do but consider how great that joy is, which a good Son receives; in seeing his father whom he love's much, full of honour, beloved by all, rich, powerful, honorable, and very much esteemed by the king. Certainly there be sons so grateful, and well disposed to their parents, as to esteem, that nothing can be compared to the joy, of seeing their fathers so esteemed; which reaches indeed so fare, as that to whatsoever necessity, or affliction themselves may be subject, it serves not to deprive them of that great joy, because they aspire to no other end but only the honour of their parents.  
Now if this joy be so great what do you conceive, that the joy of the Saints may be; when being transformed by love, into that true lord of theirs, the universal creator of all things; they shall see him, so full of goodness so holy and so rich in beauty; and that he is a Lord, and creator, so infinitely powerful, as that by one only act of his will, all that which is created hath his beauty, and his being, and no one leaf of any tree, can so much as wag, but by his will? Infallibly this is such a joy, as no eye hath seen, nor ear hath heard, nor can such an unspeakable knowledge as this, ever enter into the hart of any man, but such a one as enjoys and possesses it.  
You see here the love which the Saints have in heaven, speaking according to the poorness of our understanding. And from this abundant swelling River, which delights the City of God, doth flow that love which the souls in heaven bear to their neighbours. For as all the desire and joy of the Saints consisteth in their seeing God (who is their true love) full of honour, and glory; from hence they grow to love, with a most fervent love, and to desire with an excess of appetite, that all the Saints may be as full of glory, and beauty, as they also are. And they joy in this, to a strange proportion, because he is honoured, and glorified in them whose honour and glory, they only seek. And in regard that this is the cause why they love the Saints, from hence it grows, that they joy more, and do more desire the glory, and beauty, of the greatest Saints, then of their very selves, because they see that our Blessed Lord, is more glorified in those others, then in them. And by this time, you may perceive how fart this holy company is, from self-love, & from envy, which springs from that root.  
But you will tell me perhaps, that it follows from hence, that they will be subject to some disgust, because themselves are not so grown in sanctity as others are, since thereby the glory of God would also have increased in them. This doth not follow, considering that first effect of love, which is the union of two wills in one; for they are transformed into the will of God, and would have nothing done, but that which their lord will, and they see, that this will, is the cause why one hath more glory than another, and from hence they grow to be highly content, with that which he assigns to them, as also, because the diversity of the degrees of glory, in the blessed, doth more beautify the whole City of God, then if they were all, of one rank; as the music of a vial, is much the sweeter, because it hath diverse strings, and distinct sounds, then if they were all, but any one. And since it is so, that because there are different degrees of glory and diverse mansions in the triumphant Church, 
1. Cor 13.  it is of greater beauty, then if they all possessed but one, 
john 14.  and the same degree of glory, by this they see that our Lord is more honoured in them, then if they were all equal, and consequently they are not troubled for their own being less in glory, than those others are. For they in their colours, and others in other colours of a deeper die, do all concur, to manifest the infinite goodness, and beauty of him, who made them.  
Hear you see, 
Apoc. 22  that river which S. john discovered, in the Apocalypse to issue out of the throne of God, 
Apoc. 19  and of the lamb, whereof all the blessed spirits in heaven drink. And being inebriated by this love, they sing an everlasting Alleluia admiring, and glorifying our lord God. And you will have discerned a little of that enamel, wherewith those precious stones are accompanied, whereupon that temple of the celestial mountain is founded.  
And now after the resemblance of this temple, 
Apoc. 11.  which you have seen in that mountain you must build a dwelling place in your soul for our lord; 
Exod. 25.  just as they said to Moses, that he should provide to make the Tabernacle, after that form which he had seen in the mountain. You must my good sister, (if you mean to go through the way of this life, in perfect charity, and love of our lord) procure to carry about you a continual desire, (or at least the most continual that you can) whereby you may ever wish and like that our lord God (in whose presence you are still to walk) may be in himself, as good, as holy, and as full of glory, as indeed he is. And so with great joy, and complacence, in all the attributes of almighty God, you are to go rejoicing, and your soul is to feast itself, inseeing that your lord & your true love, possesses himself, who is infinitely good, & powerful, from whom all creatures receive their being, and their beauty, & who in himself is so full of glory, and goodness, that all creatures have need of him, & he none of them.  
This must be the whole scope, at which your love must aim. 
S. Tho. 1.  And herein S. Thomas saith that perfect charity doth consist. As for the love which new devotee's, call Charity, which is when they are kindled in devotion, & in loving our lord tenderly, though this be a holy thing, yet is it not of so high condition, as that other most holy love, which transforms souls into the beloved. To this love, the holy scripture invites us in many places saying; 
Ps. 96. Phil. 4  Rejoice you just persons in our lord. And S. Paul saith; Rejoice in our lord. And conceiving that this advice was worthy to be given more than once, he repeats it saying, yet again, I tell you that you must rejoice. The Prophet David expressed the same, when he said, 
Ps. 36  delight you in our lord, and he will give you whatsoever you shall ask. This is that joy, wherewith the most holy virgin rejoiced, when she said, My spirit rejoices in God my Saviour. 
Luk. 1.  And with this joy, did Christ our lord rejoice, when S. Luke said, that jesus rejoiced in the holy Ghost. 
Luk. 10.  And the royal Prophet saith, that his hart, 
Ps. 83.  & even his flesh rejoiced in the living God. This happens when the soul with the will, (for there the hart signifies the will) are actually loving, & desiring that our lord, may in himself be, what he is. And from the great redundance, which proceeds sometimes from this joy, of the soul the very flesh itself, is kindled in the love of our lord. And because this love, is so excellent & celestial a thing therefore doth the Church (which is directed by the holy ghost) invite us in the beginning of Matins, with a persuasion to love our Lord saying thus. Come let us rejoice in our Lord, and sing canticles of praise, to God our salvation  
If you will find the excellency of this love, put it in practice, & you shall see that the soul doth not satisfy itself, but in praising God. For when it sees all that to be accomplished in God, which it can wish, it breaks instantly out into thanksgiving to him; for having perfected the desire it hath to praise him, which is the same effect, which flows from the love they have in heaven, as the Prophet David saith, Blessed are they O Lord, 
Psal. 8.  who dwell in thy house; for they shall praise thee, for ever, and for ever. S. Augustine was inflamed with this love, when speaking to our Lord, he said, If thou O Lord wert Augustine and I God, I would make thee God, and myself Augustine.  
I think there is no need to bring testimonies, which may prove the excellency of this Love; for even plain reason tells us, that this is the love which draws a man out of himself, and transforms him unto God, who is his beloved. And out of this love, it must follow that all your works, and devotions, and prayers, must be made by you, to the honour and glory of this God, who deserves to be adored, and served, for his own pure goodness, by as many creatures as he hath made; without carrying any respect at all to the hope which might be had of a reward from him. For though it be good, and holy to serve our Lord, even for retribution, 
Psal. 118.  yet is not this an act of so perfect charity as that which seeks no kind of interest, but only the honour, and glory of our Lord God. If at any time you place before your soul, the reward, which they will give it, for the good it doth, to the end that it may be animated towards good works, let not this be your last end, but the will which you have, to serve our Lord. For the more glory you have, the more honour and glory shall our Lord God receive. So that the last aim of all, must be, to glorify our most blessed Lord. And in this manner, if you will, you may incline your hart to the commaundments with respect to the retribution, as the Prophet David said. 
Psal. 118.   
But perhaps you will ask. Who is he that can have his soul awake to go ever cheerful, and in delight, rejoicing still in her God; since many times she is so tepid, and so sad, that by no means, she is capable of any joy? what remedy may then be thought of, that we may not fail of this perfect, and supreme love? For this, it was, that I told you, that you were to carry with you a desire whereby you must wish, that our Lord might still be what he is in himself; because Charity consists in this desire. Which desire a soul may have, though it be never so tepid, dry, and sad; as a man may desire, that his father may live happily though himself feel no joy. And herein I only take for granted, that we must suppose man to have the grace of God which our Lord will never deny to one, who strives to walk by this way. I mean that although yourself be sad, you must desire that our Lord may be what he is. And as for the delight, and joy in our Lord, which uses to follow hereupon, this indeed is a fruit of the holy Ghost, 
Gal. 5.  which grows from this charity when our Lord is pleased to communicate himself more familiarly to a soul. When his Majesty bestows this favour let us bless him for it; and when he doth not, let us yet persever in that other exercise of ever blessing and adoring him, who is so worthy of infinite glory, and praise. For it is a very great error, into which they fall, who think that when there is no sensible joy; that act of the will is worth nothing; whereas Charity doth yet consist in that act. And for as much as the devil knows this well, he is ever procuring to give us great tepidity and dryness; that so we thinking that we lose our time, may give over this holy exercise.  
You must therefore persever in it, and grow deaf to those temptations of the devil. For if you persever not, you will not arrive to enjoy that crown, and heaven, which such as are proficient in this holy love grow to obtain, even here on earth. You must consider and look with a hundred thousand eyes, that the end and scope of your love be to glorify our Lord in whatsoever you do. For so great was the wrench which our nature took by the sin of our ●●st father in wholly procuring our own ●●terest and good that if you stand not well awake in the watchtower, you will find ●any times, that you do but seek your ●●lfe, even in this very devotion, hich prebends wholly to cast out self-love. And you ●hall take yourself in the manner, with re●oycing that you love our Lord, after this sort, because you shall acquire great rewards in ●eauen thereby, and because your soul ●eceiues much consolation, and for other ●easons, of proper interest, which though ●hey be not ill, yet are they acts of Charity which is imperfect.  
You see here in short, the Love of God, which you are to carry in your soul; a Copy of that Original which the Blessed Spirits, have in heaven. It now remains that I declare to you, the love of your neighbour, which grows out of this other profound Love.. The love, my good sister, which you must carry to your neighbour must be, by desiring and loving all that good, which you see in him: because thereby, our Lord God is glorified and adored. And the more that is, the greater must your joy be; as on the other side, any offence or sin which you shall discover in your neighbour must be abhorred by your soul, because he is offended, whose honour and glory you desire. And so as I told you that the love of God consisted in our applause, and will, that our Lord should be the very thing which he is; and that the joy which is taken thereby is a particular gift of our Lord; so also doth the love of your neighbour consist in the application of your will, to desire the good of your neighbour, which is to rejoice in his true good, and to feel much grief, for the sin which he commits.  
This is a very particular favour of our Lord, which he bestows upon whom he will. So that if you have observed the matter well, you will have seen, that the mark at which both the love of God, and of our neighbour shoots is, that God may be glorified and adored. And hereby you will also perceive how short he falls of true love, who grieves to see his neighbour grown up apace, in devotion, and virtue, considering that himself is not so grown up. For though it be true, that the true lover of our Lord, will not fail to carry a knife about him, which pierces him through at the very hart, because he serves not our Lord so well as he ought, and might; yet follows it not from hence, that, by seeing another servant of God thrive, faster in spirit then himself, he must therefore be sorry for it or dismayed by it. But rather, the ease, and comfort, which is to serve you for a remedy against that much grief, which your soul receives, because yourself do not serve our Lord, so well as you should, must be to consider, that though you (through your weakness) do not ●hat, to which you are obliged, yet there are others, who comply with that very thing, which you desire; which is, greatly to glorify, ●nd serve our Lord.  
But as for that other kind of dismay, to which some are subject; I conceive that it grows but from self-love, for it is certain, that if the end why a true lover of our Lord, desires much to serve him be, that his God may be honoured, and glorified, (who is glorified, as well by the sanctity, which is in the soul of another, as if it were in his own) it follows, that he is to have much joy, to see that others go increasing in the service of our lord, though it be true on the other side, that he may be in pain, because he serves him not so well.  
You see here my good sister, what that is to which you must attend, in this paradise of the militant Church, (where our Lord placed you, when he called you to his love, and to his grace) if you will also go on to enjoy the fruit which is gathered from his hand, in the triumphant Church of his glory. In which I beseech our Lord, that we all may glorify him, and praise him, and enjoy him for all eternity. Amen.   

A letter of the Author to a certain poor man, who was called john of God, He was of Granada; and begged alms for the poor,  
He animates him to the love and service of poor people; but yet so as that he must not forget his own particular devotions.  
I Have received your letter, and I will not have you say, that I acknowledge you not for my son. For if you say that because you are wicked, you deserve it not; for the same reason, I deserve not to be your father, and therefore I may ill despise you, who am myself more worthy to be despised. But since our lord holds us all for his, though we be so miserably weak, it is but reasonable that we learn to be merciful one towards another; & that we support one another with Charity, as he doth.  
I have my good brother a great desire that you should be able to give a good account, of that which our lord hath recommended to you. For the good and faithful servant must look to gain five other talents, to the five which were given him at the first. That so, he may hear from the mouth of our lord. Rejoice thou good and faithful servant thou hast been faithful in the few things which I have recommended to thee, 
Math. 25.  and I will place thee over many.  
You must take care of that which is recommended to you concerning others, in such sort, as that you forget not your own soul. But yet know that the man, who of all others is most recommended to you, is yourself. For it will profit you but little though you should draw all the world, out of the dirt; if, the while, yourself remain therein. And therefore, I once again encharge you, that still you seek out some fit oftyme, wherein you may dispatch your own devotions, and that daily you hear Mass, and upon every sunday, the sermon. And especially, take heed, that you converse not much, with women. For you cannot be ignorant, that they be that snare, which the devil sets, for the fall of such as serve God. You know how David sinned, 
2. kings 11.  by looking upon one of them; and Solomon, his Son, sinned with many, 
3. Kings 11.  and he walked so fare out of his wits, as to place Idols in the temple of our Lord. And since we are so much more weak than they, let us be afraid to fall, and take warning by the misfortunes of others. Deceive not yourself with saying, I desire to do them good. For under the mantle of these good desires, do those dangers lurk, when prudence accompanies not the same. And God is fare from desiring, that I should procure the good of another, with the Spiri●●●ll hurt of myself.  
Concerning those temporal necessities to which you are subject; I have already written to you, that there is every where such abundance of wants, as that when we ask any relief, they say that they have enough more near at hand, whom they are to remedy. And I thought that my Lord the Duke of Sessa had sent you that, which might serve the turn, because they told me, you had solicited him for some relief. If he have not done it, desire it of him a second time, for he will send it. He love's you much, for the care you have of the poor, and if he do not, our Lord will provide, though he make you stay a while.  
I have rejoiced much in the charity which you have found, in that other house, whereof you speak. Return my salutations to him, who sent them by you to me. And because I am now in my journey, I writ no more at this time; but only that you must remain all fixed in jesus Christ our Lord, who will protect and favour you. And that you look well to yourself, and that the devil may have no cause to rejoice by having induced you to sin, but that God may take delight in your penance for that which is past, & in your amendment for that which is to come; And so the holy ghost be with you. Amen.   

A letter to one who had some desires to serve God but not the courage to begin.  
He animates her greatly to confide in God. He teaches her how to love certain persons who had offended her, and he gives remedies both against scruples, and vain glory.  
I do much rejoice, at the holy desires which you have to please our lord, but I am in pain to consider your pusillanimity, in executing the same. For I hold it to be a strange ill thing, that one should presume to remain in the vanity of this life, and not presume to adventure upon the making of a new match with God, confiding in the same God. For what man was there ever, since there were such things in the world as men, who hoping in God, and procuring to live according to his comaundments, was forsaken by him? whoe ever invoked him, with an entire, and persevering hart, and was not heard by him? Nay he goes seeking us, and inciting us to serve him. What possibility therefore is there, but that since he is good, and true of his word, he must come forth to meet, and cast his arms a bout our necks, an do us favour, when we make towards him. He will, infallibly he will, and that incomparably more completely, 
Heb. 9  as S. Paul affirms, than we know how to think.  
Begin you servant of God, cast yourself upon him, and confide, that he who gave you the desire, will give you strength to work, & courage to make an end. For he calls not upon such as sleep to wake them, but to the end that he may do them many favours, when they are awake. Begin with diligence, and fervour, yea and with a kind of strife; for there is not a worse thing than a faint beginner, who still takes much care to regale himself, & to content the world. Shut your eyes, against both humane praises, & dispraises, for you shall quickly see both the praiser, and the praised, turned in to dust, and ashes, and him also who is honoured, and dishonoured. An we shall all be presented, before the tribunal of our lord, where the mouth of wickedness shall be stopped, and virtue shall be highly exalted. In the mean time lay you fast hold on the Cross, & follow him who was dishonoured, and lost his life upon it for you. And hide yourself in those wounds, that when our lord comes for you, he may find you there; and may beautify you with his graces, and may give himself to you as your reward, for having left all things, and yourself with them for his sake.  
But o how little doth he leave, who even leaves all! since he leaves but that which he must quickly leave whether he will or Noah, yea and even the enjoying it, is a great misery; since all that which is not God, is but weight, and sorrow to the soul. God only, is sufficient for you open therefore your hart, and enjoy him, you shall find him more sweet, & much more full of love, than you could have thought.  
Sometimes I wonder within myself, to think how one either doth or can wish ill to another, since Christ our lord is in the midst between them both. How can he be disgusted with the body, who love's or aught to love the head? do you not know that when our lord rose from death to life, & appeared to his disciples, he placed himself in the midst of them, 
Luke. 24.  and not at the head or else where. And this upon what reason, but to make us understand that he is in the midst of us, and that we cannot do, yea or even desire to hurt any body, but that first it must pass through him. He who love's not his neighbour, love's not Christ our lord, and as for him who love's not Christ our lord it were better for such a one not to have been borne, since he arrives not to know for what he was created, which was to love our lord.  
Conceive that your neighbours are a certain thing which merely concerns Christ our lord, that they are his Images, and the creatures for which he gave his blood. And therefore say, How shall I wish ill to him, whom my lord love's? How shall I be able to desire death to him, to whom my lord will give life. My lord died for those persons, and would yet again return to dye for them, if it were needful; and shall I then fail to love that man, who is so much b●loued by him? what doth it import me, if they do me ill offices, for I love them not for what they are, nor for any thing which they do to me; I love them for Christ's sake; and what then have their ill deeds to do, towards the making me take that love from them, which I carried to them, for Christ's sake. I beseech God they may be great in his presence & that they may enjoy him, and he them that so there may be more temples, wherein my lord may dwell, more souls which may praise and serve him, and more hearts which may love him, for he deserves them all. And whensoever you see them say. O lord do thou possess those souls, and let them be only thine. O lord let them enjoy thee, for thou hast a mind to communicate thyself to all. O lord they are so many Images of thee, make them like to thee more and more, & both to them & me, & to all give pardon, grace, & glory. If your tongue will not say this, yet let your spirit say it, and lift up your hart to our lord, demanding succour of him and saying. O lord for thy love and not for theirs, and by little and little, you shall find yourself in peace. And if there chance to be any war, be not overcome therein, and do not say, or do any thing which may be against their good, and consent not to any thing in your hart which be of disadvantage to them.  
The scruples concerning your confessions, are a temptation wherewith the devil torment's you, & deprives you of the sweetness of your soul, and leaves you without gust in the things of God. For the creature who is scrupulous, is not fit either to love God, or to confide in him, nor doth he like the way which God holds with him, and then he goes to look other ways, which may please himself better, because he finds not that, in God's ways, which gives him gust. And this scrupulous person hath the fault of all, for he raises the storm, where there was a calm, and he found it in his own way, and not in the way of God, which is very smooth and plain.  
Make you a jest of such things, & submit yourself to that which, your ghostly-father shall ordain; & be not carried a way with scruples, nor with your own conceit, but say, my lord God is not scrupulous, 
john. 4 Psal. 17.  I do that which they command me in his name, and I am to account to him for no more. Shall I be plain with you make haste, make haste to love, and these scruples will fall away, which rise but from a fearful hart. For perfect love casts fear out of doors. Pray to our lord & say Deus meus illumina tenebras meas. And confide you in his mercy, that serving him he will be good to you, and will daily be giving you to understand your faults, that you may mend them.  
I would also have you laugh at the temptation of vainglory, and say to it. Neither will I do it, nor leave to do it, for thee. O lord to thee it is, that I offer what sooner I can do, or say, or think. And when, vainglory comes again, say to it thus. Thou comest too late, for it is already given to God. It is a good advice, that beginners are to do nothing exteriorly which may seem to be of much sanctity, for being young and tender and all their business being but yet in flower, the wind will do them hurt; and it is better for them to hide their graces, then to show them. And so must you do for as much as possibly you can; and that which you cannot conceal, do freely and without fear. And straight cast up your hart to our Lord, and say, Non nobis Domine, non nobis, sed n●●n●ni tuo da gloriam. Or else you may say, Gloria Patri●, & Filio, & Spiritu● sancto.  
And for conclusion, I recommend to you, that you cast all that out of your hart, which is not God, and that in this world you love tears, solitude, humility, and penance; and let your eyes be ever turned to our Lord, that your feet may be delivered from the snare. Put the law of God in practice, and you shall see how he will sweeten your way, and how he will cast your enemies under your feet. And by working you shall grow to understand that, which you know not how to conceive, either by speaking or hearing. For in this way of God, these tepid and talking people learn little, and they who are diligent in putting the hand to work learne much. Our Lord lesus Christ goes before you, follow him here with your Cross; and one day you shall be with him in heaven.   

A Letter of the Author to a friend whom he animates to serve God in good earnest.  
He shows the vanity and misery of the world, and the happiness which is obtained by serving God.  
AS he, who hoping for the good success of what he desires, rejoices when he sees some likelihood thereof; and although that likelihood be not very great yet it gives him no little joy, through the excess, of his desire: so my soul is filled with comfort by your Letter; for me thinks the words contained therein, give me a hope and taste of somewhat which hath reason to make me glad, and which if it might once take full effect, would breed a joy in me so very great, as would be equalled by few others.  
My good Sir, I desire to see that soul of yours unbeguiled and discharged from the many vanities, which are affected, and frequented in this world; and that you would believe with a faithful hart, that your true repose consists not in any other, then in him who created all things, & that you would go up and down full of care, in search after this good, and be so wounded, with the love of him, that all this world, with the beauty and flower thereof, might seem but a smoke to you, which vanishes, as a shadow which hath no bulk or body, and indeed a mere device, how to make men fools, working such as love it, to be the enemies of God, and to prefer the temporal before the eternal.  
Was there ever seen any mischief so great as this? was there ever seen, any exchange so pernicious as this? where are those eyes, which see not this? and that hart which hath no feeling of this? And yet so great is our frailty, that if Christ our Lord did not awake us, and make us understand this truth, it would be no more possible for us to be delivered from error, and deceit than it is possible, in nature for a blind man, to see, or a dead man, to live. O thou miserable man, who art worthy to be lamented with a flood of tears! who art so vehemently inclined to that which hurts thee most, and yet conceivest withal, that it is good for thee. Thou thinkest that all hath gone well, and that thou art grown happy, when thou art accommodated with the things of this life, and thou hast hardly any feeling, nor dost thou think it worth the lamenting, to be in enmity with almighty God. Thou knowest how to regard, and value the honour of this world, which passes away, at sea-full speed, yea and even whilst it lasts, it makes not the owner thereof, one hairs breadth the better, in the high presence of God; and thou hast no care at all whether thou be honoured or dishonoured, in the Court of that divine Majesty. Thou fearest some little affront, which here may threaten thee; but thou seekest for no remedy, against that huge affront, which is reserved and threatened at the latter day, to all such as shall not have done honour to our Lord, with a lively faith, and true obedience. Thou makest much account of thyself, and little of almighty God, for thou fulfilest thine own will, in despite of his. And any trifle which concerns thyself, offends thee much; and the while, thou hast no care at all, of that which highly concerns the honour of God. Thou livest after thine own fashion, that thou mayst be wholly miserable; and thou livest not as God would have thee, who is supreme felicity.  
One of these two things is infallibly true. Either that the light of the holy ghost, must be that which urges & enforces this blindness upon us, which cannot be, or else, that the great torment, which is provided for sin will, one day, open the eyes of such deceived persons, when there will be no remedy for their misery. For as S. Gregory saith, The eyes which sin shuts, pain opens. And therefore Sir, if you love your soul, if you fear almighty God, if your hart be not of flint, look carefully upon the shortness of this life, and how many you have known, who being well accommodated and supported here, God hath commanded to go hence, and that not with so much contentment and joy, as they would have wished, but complaining that the world had deceived them, & that for love thereof, they had neglected the service of our Lord. That which they were, we are, & where they be arrived, we shall arrive, and the same earth must receive us all, & convert us all into itself.  
For what therefore do we stay? By what are we detained? What is that, which deceives us, and makes us so profoundly careless, of a business which so highly imports? What makes us think that it concerns us little, notwithstanding that no other thing imports us at all, in comparison of this? And if we shall confess, that we hold it to be highly important, why then do we labour so little for it? why do we spend so few hours about it? Why do we try so few conclusions to obtain it? why do we ask so little advice, how we may contrive it: Is it reason that any little fit of time, which we employ about this business, should seem so great a matter, whereas yet we never think much, and be never weary, how much soever time we spend upon the business of this world? If any question be moved, about expense to be made upon some present occasion of vanity, how magnificent are we wont to show ourselves: but how miserly, on the other side, in any thing which it concerns us to do for the honour of God, and the good of our neighbours. In that former case no consideration is had, either of children, or provision otherwise for the house, but all that, is laid aside, for the respect which is had to some curiosity. But in the latter, such a heap of considerations, & reasons are brought into discourse, as serve to shut the purse, and to tie up the hands from that good work.  
But what shall I say of this other proof of our frailty? Our whole life proclaims with a loud voice, that we value the present world, more than the future; the exterior, than the interior; riches, than goodness. For that thing do we love best, which we desire most to obtain, when we want it, and which we labour to get with most anxiety; & wherein we joy most when we have it, and for which we sorrow most when we lose it. And if the case arrive, wherein we must lose the one or the other, we put our good conscience in hazard, for putting that in execution, which the honour, or profit or pleasure of this world suggests.  
The day will come, and that quickly, when those worldly persons will find themselves strangely disappointed, and having lost all their labours, and leaving the fruits hereof behind them they shall be presented all naked and poor, and in the extremity of confusion, before him, who sent them hither, not to the end that they should go fooling after vanities, but that they might pass through these temporal things, without staying or setting their hearts upon them, and that having their bodies here upon earth, their souls might be aspiring to heavenly things. And that though they live in flesh; yet they should not live according to the desires thereof, and though they dwell in the world, yet not to have the conditions of the world; but that like children who imitate their father, they might be pure and true, and pious, and humble, and meek, and that they might seek after the glory of God, & the good of their neighbours.  
What will he be able to do at that day, who shall not have performed the thing, for which he was sent, into this world? what will he be able to do, by whose thought it hath not so much as passed, that he must once begin to attend to it, but who forgetting the purity, and perfection of a christian life, whereby he was to imitate almighty God, hath defiled himself, in the mud of earth, and hath proceeded like some foolish boy, who, being sent about business, would needs stay to pass his time, and play with other boys; or else loiter for seeing of some vain show, and neither did that which he was commanded, nor so much as remembered where about, he went, till returning home at night, without any answer concerning his business, he is received with reprehensions, and stripes, by him who sent him.  
Let us awake, whilst we have time, and let us have an eye to that which imports us most, and which is to last for ever. And let us leave vanity to vain persons; for both it, and they shall perish. Let us raise our eyes to wards him, who gave us the life and being, which we have; and afterwards gave his own life, to the end that we might not lose ours. And with great labour he taught us the way, whereby we were to walk; and by a death which was full of torments, and reproaches, did he encourage and strengthen us towards the purchase of virtue; and he obtained grace, for us, whereby we might be able to serve, and please almighty God.  
Let us search into the most hidden corners of our hearts, and let us cure that in it, which is wounded. Let us untie the fetters of our sins. Let us procure to redress ourselves in that which gives us most cause of fear. And let us appease the clamorous remorse of our Conscience, with doing that which God commands by the Dictamen thereof, that so all things being once well ordered, and agreed, we may like true and watchful servants expect the coming of our Lord, and that we may be found with tapers lighted in our hands, and with our loins girt, and that we may hear that sweet word. Rejoice thou good and faithful servant, 
Luk. 12 Matth. 25.  who hast ben● faithful in lesser things; I will place thee over greater. Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord,  
That is the day for which good christians hope, and in contemplation whereof, they, who live here in pain, do in time pass through it, with much patience. And this expectation of that crown, gives them hart, to endure the combatts of this world, and of the flesh. Making election of abasement here, for that eternal advancement; and of this short lamentation, For that delight, which shall have no end; of losing their will here that they may have it everlastingly united to the will of God, in heaven. Where they shall have nothing which may disgust them, but all that shall be done, which may content them. For they shall possess almighty God, as their most rich treasure, in whom is contained all Good.  
If our Lord have yet begun to visit that soul of yours, you will understand what I say, and you will profit by it. If not (which God forbid) it will be but the hearing of a story, which is instantly forgotten. I desire that Christ our Lord, may be the Love of you, and of my lady your wife, whose desire to see me, I pray God reward. But think no more of your coming this way, till first God shall have so disposed, that I may go thither to you, the rather because I also desire, that it may be so.   

A letter to an afflicted lady whose sickness hindered certain devotions which she had been wont to use.  
He teaches her how to find peace, and true repose which is no where but in God. And of the great care, wherewith she was to provide that the forbearance which she used of her exercises of spirit in her sickness, might not proceed from tepidity.  
THE best comfort in those afflictions which come upon us against our will, is, not to have committed any fault; which might occasion their coming. For a conscience which stands right, will easily bear any weight which you can lay upon it, but to a conscience which is impure, any little burden is intolerable. If men knew as well how to seek the means of true repose, as they know how to desire the thing, they should enjoy it, and not remain with the sole desire thereof. It is the express law of God, that they who have desires of any other thing then him, shall be subject to torment, whether the thing be obtained or not obtained. For supposing the thing be had which they desired, yet can they not completely enjoy it, through the remorse which their conscience brings, and if it can not be had, they are racked by the delay of the thing desired.  
The pure desire of God, is very contrary to this. 
Psal. 104.  For if David say, Let the hart rejoice, which goes but even in search of God, what kind of thing will it be to find him out? If the hunger of seeking give them joy, what will the being satisfied, at that table, do? He therefore who desires to find peace, and true repose, must resolve to forgo his own appetites, & must boldly and faithfully lodge himself in the will of our Lord; and so he shall neither be tumbled up and down in the dark, nor be afflicted otherwise, by the arrival of strange events.  
But who will now procure that the sons of men may attend to that, which God exacts at their hands? How long will you be heavy hearted, and love vanity, 
Psal. 4.  and seek after lies? who shall unbeguile such men, and free them from their blindness as go seeking peace and find war, yea and by the same way wherein they seek it, they lose it. Let the whole world understand once for all, that as there is no more than one God, so is there no more than one true repose. And as, without the true God, there is no God; so out of his repose, there is no repose. Certainly the mountains were liars, and so was the multitudes of the valleys, and only in our Lord God there is true salvation. This say they, who after they are well wearied upon the experience of their own vain desires, arrive to know at length, both what God is, and what he is to them who seek him.  
Madam, we have not in our house a bit of bread, which we may give our friend to eat, who is coming from abroad unless we go borrow it of our neighbour, who is God made man, and one who withal is so near us; as that he is our head, and both our father and our brother. He who will lift his eyes up to him, and depend upon his hand; he who will be a beggar at his gate; he who will be in desire of him and grow even faint through hunger after him, shall be refreshed by the abundance of him, which doth as fare exceed the satisfaction which creatures give, as God himself exceeds them. But out of God, let no man presume to have any hunger. For as S. Augustine saith where soever flesh and blood shall expect to finle a sulenes amongst the creatures, it will find itself deceived. So that a man may understand by experience what difference there is between the Creator and the creatures, and so being untied from them, (since in them he found not what he sought,) he may go at last with an entire hart to him; who alone is able to impart more to the soul, than it is able to receive. Your ladyship must not therefore be carried away, by that great error which yet is embraced by many great ones of this world, who are mightily affected to their own will, and who abound with particular appetites, and who think belike, that they are to abound as much more than others, in desire of things, as they are here of more eminent rank & state; but for my part I see not what they gather from hence, but greater torments. For after the rate of the desire, is the pain. And as S. Bernard saith, Let our proper will cease, and there will no more be any hell. And so we may say, let this proper will cease, and there will not be in the world, either any sin or any sorrow. For that which comes to us, is not, in itself, the thing which gives us pain, but the coming of it, when we would not have it come. And therefore doth God require our hearts of us, that so he may free them from many miseries, and may give us in exchange, his own, which is peaceable, reposed and joyful in tribulation. And a gross fool is he, who had rather live in his own straitness, then in the latitude of Almighty God; and who had rather dye in himself, then live, in life. And if at any time, or in any thing, we have committed this sin, and have enlarged the raynes to our own desires, let us humble ourselves before the father of mercies, acknowledging our sins, and hoping for pardon at his hands, and taking that pain which grew upon us, by the inordinateness of our appetite, towards the discounting and discharging of our fault. For by this means, God is wont to take away our sins like one who should take the boughs or branches of a tree, and setting them first on fire, should apply them afterwards, to the tree itself, and so burn it up, by the roots.  
Much better it is for a sinner, that he should grow into ●aine by occasion of his sin, then into peace and rest. For as S. Augustine faith, there is not a more woeful thing then the temporal felicity of a sinner. And as for us let us learn hereafter, to give all our desires to God. And as a stone falls downward, and as fire flies upward, and as every thing in sine, makes towards his proper place; so let our hearts fly at full speed, towards the centre thereof, which is God.  
Who would not be amazed, to behold a great rocky Mountain hanging lose in the air, without falling down to his proper place; and who will not wonder to see a hart which was created to repose, and rest in God, detain itself, in the air, and less than air? Therefore whether it be that we cannot take true rest in any other then in God, or because this Lord of ours, deserves, of himself, all our love, (since he is the loadstone to which all spirits look) let us not fall hereafter, into such a folly, as that whereof I spoke, let us not spot our honour, let us not commit such a treason against such a lord, as that hereafter, any other desire may enter into our hearts, but of him, or for the love of him. And so will the sad clouds of these unprositable hart-breaking melancholies, and these both vain hopes & vain fears fly from these hearts of ours, & in their place a new morning will rise, which will give us joy.. For to see the light of heaué, is the cause of joy, but the blind man cannot discern it. 
Tob 5.  For this did Tobias say, what joy cann I have in this life, since I cannot see the light of heaven. It is a great truth, that no man who is not indeed unbeguiled concerning this world, can have any true joy of hart, for though he thinks he sees, yet indeed it is but a sight of earth, and not a light of heaven. But after this other sight a man grows cured at the very root.  
It will be fit that your ladyship do not think, to make the like exercises of mind, in the way of spirit as before, now that you are subject to an unlike disposition of body. And many have ignorantly afflicted themselves, for not having been able to weigh, what their strength and state would permit. It is clear that with this condition of body wherein you are, you must not think of keeping the same method which you held before; nor doth our lord ask any such things at your hands, since his will is very wise, and tempered also with great mercy, and demands nothing of us, but that, for which he gives us means; And not only he will not reap where he doth not sow, but even when he sows, he is content to reap less, than he hath sowed. Your ladyship must not be discóforted for that which you are not able to perform, for you might as well put yourself to pain, because you have no wings where with to fly. Do not place the joy of your hart upon having consolation, or upon making Prayer, but upon the accomplishment of the will of our Lord. And since his pleasure is, that the time which before you spent in praying shall now be spent in vomiting, let it be so in the name of God; and let his contentment be ours, and let us more esteem that he be pleased, than we would to possess heaven and earth. And if we be troubled with any scruple, that such or such a punishment came to us for our having committed such, or such a sin, and that God chastises us now for the thing which we inordinately desired before; in that case, what have we more to do then to cast ourselves at his feet, desiring both correction and pardon. And our lord will either give them both, or else the pardon, without the correction, but never the correction, without the pardon, if the fault be not our own. We must therefore take any tribulation, as an earnest penny, or introduction to peace; and provided that there may be peace between God & us, let any thing come which he will send.  
One only thing we have to fear in this case, which is least we should slubber over our negligences, under this occasion and pretence, of, I can do no more. We must here look upon ourselves with many eyes; for this EVE, which life's within us, is so desirous to be cherished, and regaled, and to be walking up and down the garden, and to be eating of the forbidden fruit, that she wants not a thousand inventiòs to make reason believe, that she demands not any thing of superfluity, but of mere necessity, and she is in a mighty chafe if they believe her not. Madam there is need here of two things; The one that when we clearly see, that we are able in such cases, to perform our spiritual exercises, we must not omit them, by any means. Be not faint in labouring for the love of our lord, since true love knows not, what it is to be remiss, & as you are to be compassionate, & pious to wards your beloved, so are you to be severe, and nothing delicate towards yourself. Your ladyship shall do well to call to mind, what heroical acts the love of Christ our lord hath wrought in this world, in those hearts where it hath dwelled. It hath made them endure prisons, torments, dishonours, and that with much joy, whilst the great worth of the beloved hath been placed before the eyes of the lover. And since it hath wrought so great effects in others, let it not be so weak in your ladyship, as that it cannot enable you to pass through a little affliction, for the pleasing of so high a Lord; by whom you shall be so much the better accepted, as you shall come to him with more affliction. Yet so, as that our Lord is not desirous of our pain, but only of our love, but yet it is still true withal, that the truth of love is hardly known, but in somewhat which puts us to pain. 
Eccl. 6.  For the friend who stands fast in time of tribulation, he is the true friend indeed. And though God do well know, what we are, without making any particular experiment, yet he love's to try us, that we may know it too; that so we may have comfort in finding ourselves faithful to him, in point of love; and so may live in hope, that we shall go to enjoy our beloved for Patience breeds Hope, 
Rom.  as S. Paul saith.  
So that this must be your method, till you have perfect health, that when you are free from your vomitts & pains, you may exercise your mind in spiritual things; and at those times you must also beseech our Lord, to give you light to know, when it is the flattery of flesh and blood, and when it is Just necessity, which hinders you. For he who uses the knowledge well which he hath, shall obtain light, for that which he knows not. But as for others, with what face can they ask new light, since it may be answered them thus, why desirest thou to know further, what my will and pleasure is, since in that which thou knowest already, thou complyest not. And when you are in any ease, though it be not much, let your mind also be in some exercise of spiritual things though it be not much, nor with much attention, but only recording your desires, and presenting yourself before our Lord. And by this, and withal by not letting your hart sink (for even the very life of the soul consists in that) your ladyship shall pass on, until that God provide otherwise.  
The woman of Samaria asked where she was to pray, 
john. 4.  and our Lord answered her, that it was every where to be done, and that in spirit. And so is the christian to do, who in all his works, is to pray to our Lord, not in the mountain or in the temple alone, but in eating, drinking and sleeping, in health and in sickness, referring all to God, and joying in all things because he receives them from that holy hand.  
Your ladyship is to have great care, that you straighten not the goodness of God, since he is immense. Do not think that you are to seek him, and to find him but only in such an express place, or determinate work. He is every where, and you are with him, and if you seek him every where, 
Sap. 7.  you shall every where be sure to find him. I rejoiced (saith the wise man) in all things, because this wisdom went before me. And so doth he also rejoice, who in all things behoulds God, performing that which he commands, and ever keeping the hart in attention towards him, and from the contrary flows sadness, and disgust, and dejection of mind, which is a thing to be avoided, 
Eccl. 30.  with much diligence. For (as it is written), There is no profit in such sadness. Nay it brings much hurt both to our body & to our soul, and to our neighbour. Whereas joy, and comfort give strength, and perseverance makes our spiritual enemies grow sad, it cherishes the spirit of God, which dwells in such as are his servants, For his spirit in cheerful.  
Besides this, your ladyship shall do well, to receive the Body of our Lord, now and then, And since the lodging which he takes up, is in the hart, you are not to be in pain, for that your body is no better. And though there may be some impediment, why we cannot labour, yet there can be none, why we may not love. So much the more must we love our Lord, because he is both omnipotent, and very desirous to give strength to that hart which seeks to love him, for this tends to the accomplishment of that very thing, which he likes best of all others both in heaven and earth, and that is Love.. Wherewith I desire that your ladyship may so abound on earth, that you may deserve to be lodged neerè our Lord in heaven. Amen.   

A Letter of the Author to a Lady, whom he had greatly in charge, and who feared, herself to be troublesome to him.  
He takes all fear from her, and animates her to persever in the way of virtue, which she had begun; and adnises her to the service of her neighbours, as a good means, whereby she might obtain the gift of Contemplation.  
IF you knew how great joy I have felt in my soul, by your letters, I believe you would write often to me, how careful soever the devil might be, to discourage you. And if you knew how great favour you do me, in letting me see, that you are cofident of my truth to you, and if withal you would be pleased to make trial of me, I believe you would cast away a great number of those imaginations, which the devil brings to you, about the making you think, that you are troublesome to me. I, for my part, have not taken upon me so in jest, that charge of you, which our lord hath put into my hands, as that any difficulty could make me weary of it, how great soever it might be; and how much less can I be weary, when the thing itself is not painful to me, but delightful. I beseech you, for the love of our lord, that you will ask him, whether I love you or Noah. For I hope for so much favour at his hands, as that he will tell you I do, forasmuch as he is a friend of truth, and he knows that the thing, indeed, is so. Do you not already understád, that this is but a trick of the devil, understád, that this is but a trick of the devil, whereby he would pull down weak persons? Do you not know, how much hurt this conceit doth to some of your neighbours, when they believe it? you know well enough, how to chide them, who will not conceive, that they are beloved by their friends, and how to take the part of such as are absent. But now why take you not that counsel for your self, which you give to others? why will you needs tyre me out, with your incredulity, as others do? For the love of him, who was crucified for us, let not things pass in this manner; but be confident that our lord love's you, and imparts true love to me, for the doing of all that, which is necessary for you; & that this must last till you shall have gained the crown, to which our lord hath called you: which is not to be any little one, nor do I find in myself, any little joy, that I am helping you to gain the same.  
You must also forbear, both to say, and think, that the state wherein you are, is a state of condemnation. For that is a mere temptation of the devil, who desires nothing more, then that you may leave your manner of life, that so, he may carry you away with him. And if it seem to you, that you have not that recollection, which you ought, for my part I am glad that you desire it, and sigh for it. But yet you must not do it so, as withal to conceive, that you are not pleasing to God, in doing what you do. Many times men serve God more, whilst they have no recollectió, (so that yet withal, they procure it), then with having it. For sometimes, yea and many times, the pleasure of God is that, to the end we may use Charity to his children, we shall forsake the sweetness of attending to himself alone. And the Patriarch jacob was enamoured of Rachel, 
Gen. 29  who was fair, & he served seven years, that they might give her to him, for his wife; and at the end thereof, they gave him Lia, the sister of Rachel, against his liking. And when he complained thereof, they told him, that it was not the fashion of that country, to bestow their youngest daughters first, as he desired. But they wished him to marry this other at that time, and that if indeed he loved the younger as much as he said, he should labour seven years more for that, and then they would also give her to him, and this he did, and so he obtained her.  
He who hath a mind to give himself, as it were, in marriage to the beautiful life of recollection and devout prayer, desires that which is very good. But he must bestow himself in marriage, to the life of action, and labour. And first he must employ himself upon the good of his neighbours, and afterwards by perseverance, he shall obtain the other, when our Lord shall find it fit for him. But in the mean time he is contented with us, if we will sigh for this, and if we will attend to that. Neither is he in the right, who is glad of business, and employments; neither yet is that other in the right, whoe when he is in the midst thereof, goes still complaining. But he alone complyes with that which God commands, who bestows his hands, and works upon the service of his neighbours; and his desires upon the service of our Lord, with more desires upon the service of our Lord, with more recollection. Yet still I say, not so farr●, as that this desire must make him complain, or be disgusted. But he must have patience in his business; and in his desire and love, he must have quietness; his hands in one of them, and his eyes, upon the other. He obeys in the one, and he sues for the other. And as I have said else where, God serves himself of some, in the first life of labour, rather than in the second life of repose, because we use to disguise that desire, which indeed we have to be at liberty, and to follow our own will, & not to be put to endure the impertinences, and vexations of others. under the colour of giving ourselves to Contemplation.  
Our Lord therefore, who knows so much better, than ourselves, what is good for us, and sees that the desires of our hart some times are such; as I have said, hath care to conduct our life, according to that which he judges to import us most. And so, his servants must yield obedience to him and accept of that, with thanksgiving, which he imparts. And if any man confess, that the employment which he hath, is good, but that he, for his part, is weak, and that he serves not God therein so well as he ought, or as he would; I acknowledge that he saith true; and I desire, that he will believe and say so still. For woe be to that soul, which presumes to think, that he may contest with God, any other way, then by begging mercy.  
Know you, yourself, for wicked, and God will wrapp you up warm in the mantie of his goodness, and mercic. And every day, he will grow, in doing you greater favours. And conceive, that (such as you are even now,) our lord vouchsafes to like, and love you, but see that you must continue in the war without turning your back to his service, and then youst must esteem that both he and I are contented with you. And since both your father who is in heaven, and your spiritual father who is on earth, are contented, with you; you must also be contented with yourself. Not so, as that you may give over, to proceed, and profit in the service of our lord, but that you may not be discouraged, or dismayed, in the manner of life which now you hold. And dye you also confidently believe, that our Lord is served, by your abode where you are; and this I declare to you, in his name; and that he will comfort you much, and vouchsafe to do you very great favours. And remember this word well. Be faithful to God, and turn not your back towards him. Believe not the counsel of the devil, nor yet of flesh and blood. Be bold to trust, and to offer yourself to dye for God; rather then to forbear what you have begun. For you shall quickly see, how well God deals with them, who stand fast in fight for his honour. The holy ghost be your conserver, and comforter. Amen.   

A Letter to a devout friend of his, wherein he shows how weak, man is without God, and how full of strength when he is placed in the hidden part of his face, and what this face is.  
THE peace of our Lord be ever with you. So great is our weakness, and so crafty and strong are they who wage war against us, that it is no marvel, if some times we be overcome, but it is rather strange if we overcome at any tyme. Or rather in very deed we never overcome, but Christ our lord overcomes in us, 
Apoc. 5.  who is the strong lion of luda, and who if he should leave us, we were instantly to be swallowed up, 
Psal. 17.  as Da●id saith. But he forsakes us not, because he love's us, and especially such as place men hope in him, as the same David saith, 
Ibidem.  Thou art the defender of all such as hope in thee. And if at any time he hide himself from us; 
Cant. 2.  it is not because he departs; but like a jealous spouse, he stands looking through the cranyes, to see what that soul is doing, when he hath absented his embracements from her. Especially he considers, if the soul have lost her confidence, which his desire is may remain so rooted in our hearts, that no wind of temptation may pluck it up, but may rather strengthen and settle it, believing that how much more we are tempted, so much more we are beloved by him and how much more we are persecuted by our enemies so much more are we cherished by almighty God, whose care and vigilancy is imcomparably more for our defence, than the subtlety of our enemies can be for our prejudice. The cause hereof is, for that he love's us more, than the devil abhors us and he is more powerful than our flesh is frail, and he hath a blessed place of retreat; wherein as in a most secure haven, and as in the bosom of a mother, he gives harbour, to such as being wearied with the tempest of tribulations endured for his sake, have recourse to him. 
Psal. 30.  Of this David said, Thou shall hid? us in the hidden part of thy face.  
Do you not think. O my beloved brother, that you shall be well hidden and secure, and joyful in the face of God? But you will ask, why it is called a hidden part. Cer●●nely with great reason. For as the face of God is not dark but bright according to his divinity, so yet the face of Christ our Lord, as God and man, is said to be dark and hidden, according to his humanity. But this not when his face shined like the Son, 
Matth. 7.  in Mount Tabor, and his garments like the light; 
Mark. 9  but when he was disfigured upon Mount Caluary; when his garments and flesh were died red with the blood which proceeded from him, as the price of our redemption. 
Luke. 9  If you well consider his face, grown yellow with his long fasting, and red with the buffets and swelling, which their blows had made; & full of tears descending from his eyes, & of blood distilling from his crown of thorns, you will be sure to say, that his face was hidden, he of whom David saith, 
Psal. 44.  that he was fair beyond the sons of men, and that grace was diffused through his lips, and that therefore our Lord did bless him for all eternity.  
Certainly, the most beautiful of men, was hidden, and more tormented than man ever was; and so fare disfigured, 
Esay. 53.  that Esay saith, He hath no beauty, nor grace; we saw him, and he had no figure of a man. And again, afterwards he saith, That his face was as if it had been hidden, and despised, and that therefore they esteemed him not: He indeed, did suffer our infirmities, and our sorrows, and we took him for some leprous person, who had been stroocken and abased by our Lord.  
Well then my dear brother, in this face, which seems to be so deformed, (but which indeed is rarely beautiful to such as behold it with the eyes of faith and love, considering that it was love which deformed it, to the end that he might beautify our deformity) doth God hide them, who labour that they may not departed from him. And he gives them light wherewith to look him in the face, and to receive such strength, and comfort thence, as to make them feel, that he said true, who said Show us thy face and we shall be safe. 
Psal. 79.   
This face is beheld by the eternal father, and out of that sight, do result to us, the beams of his bounty and light, for by means thereof do all those blessings come to us which God sends. 
Psal. 83.  And David knowing this, besought God saying. Look, upon the face, of thy Christ. For by looking upon that face, he lays down that wrath to which he had been moved by looking upon our impudent faces, and he will remove the deformity of them, by that other beauty. And to the end that this face of his, might ever stand before his father, 
Hebr. 9  Saint Paul saith, that jesus Christ entered into heaven, to appear before the face of God for us. And now since the eternal Father looks into this glass, that he may come to us, let us also look into it to the end that we may not departed from him.  
We have not any other remedy against our weakness, 
2. Cor. 13.  but the weakness of jesus Christ our Lord, of which S. Paul said that he dved with infirmity, but that be lives by the power of God Consider how great things he endured that so our souls might be taught to love that weakness of his, and that we might not give them away to strangers, they having been purchased by their proper Lord, at such a painful and precious rate. And do but weigh, what weak brains we have, in departing from that joy which recreates the angels, to obtain this base delight, which is possessed by beasts. And how inconsiderate that soul is, which exchanges honey, for gall, and the Creator, for a creature.  
Wretched creatures that we are, and whether shall we go, and what shall we seek, out of Christ our lord? Shall we peradventure be able to find out any other Lord like this; any other so dear companion, and so true friend, both in prosperity & adversity? Where is any other so mild in pardoning, so beautiful to behold, so wise to consult, and so good to love? where is there any other, who can find in his hart, to dye for me, with such tears and with such love? and who still remains with a disposition to dye yet again, if I could have need of his second death? O how sincere a truth was that, which Saint Peter delivered when he said, Whether shall we go O Lord, 
john 23.  for thou hast the words of eternal life.  
We are well, my dear brother, where Christ our Lord, hath by his mercy placed us. Let us take heed, that we try not what kind of woeful thing it is, to be without him. A very bitter thing it is, and it costs sound, the setting on. Let us look upon the afflictions which he suffered for us, and with them let us comfort ourselves in ours; and by them let us beg his grace, and favour; and he will give it to us, that we may thereby, overcome the world, the flesh, and the devil; and so we shall live in God, since he died to kill our death, and to give us life.   

A Letter of the Author, to the same Lady Whom formerly he had animated, to bear her afflictions with patience.  
MY soul love's yours because God love's it, and because I am to have no little part in your happiness. S. Paul saith, that they to whom he preached, were his joy, his honour, and his crown; in respect that receiving the word of God from his mouth, they had changed their life to the better, and had begun to walk in the way of God, and so gave much joy to S. Paul. For, beside that he rejoiced in their good, he also hoped to receive a reward at the last day, for having been that instrument, by means whereof, God had gained those souls, and therefore did he call them his crown. Because, as a crown doth beautify, and honour the head of such as put it on; so they who are saved by means of any man's preaching, will be a means of honouring and joying that man, as some beautiful crown of rich stones might do.  
Now this being so, I confess you own me not many thanks, for my wishing well to your soul; because the good thereof is mine, in regard that God hath done me the favour to bestow you upon me, for my spiritual child, and will impart you to me as one of the precious stones of that crown, which one day he will vouchsafe me, if I continue faithful in that vocation, by which he hath called me. And now because you are a stone, which he will set in a crown, it is the pleasure of our Lord to work, and polish you, very well. For, it is no way fit, to put such stones in a crown, as are either rough or of no worth; but such as these will be thrown into hell, since they received not their being wrought, and enameled by the spirit of our lord. But those living stones, whereof the celestial jerusalem is built, are wrought here, with so many blows, that 〈◊〉 seems as if our lord would break them, and that again he gives them new blows, without compassion, even before the pain of the former be gone. But yet, he hath no intention to break them, but to polish them, nor to destroy them, but to beautify them; & to make them such, as that by how much the more they seemed to be ill handled here, so much the more brightly they may shine, at the latter day, in the high presence of almighty God. Then will that appear to be mercy, which here seemed cruelty. And God will see those precious stones which he hath wrought, every one in his proper place, & that, so full of bliss, that the meanest of them is to be incomparably more esteemed than kingdoms, and empires, and whatsoever other earthly things, which can be conceived.  
O happy strokes, which are to end in such a high repose! O happy labour, which shall be paid, by the embracements of God himself! Wound us here, O Lord, as much as thou wilt, so that thou cherish us there. Hear make us weep, that there thou mayst wipe away our tears. Discomfort us here, in all things; so that we may enjoy thee, who art all things; and be rigorous to us here, so that there, thou have mercy for us, in store. In this world, we are as banished men, and crowded up into a corner; and we are as it were, upon an Easter eve. Heaven is our country, and our liberty, & our festivity. And therefore, howsoever things happen, we will make a shift to pass it here, to the end that when the glory of God shall appear, we also may appear in glory; & that we may celebrate that joyful Easter, with so many Citizens of heaven who first celebrated the vigil upon earth.  
Madam, you must give thankes to our lord; for he treats you, as he hath treated, and as he means to treat his best friends. And as for that only begotten son of his, who is the principal stone of all stones, do but see what blows they gave him. For they wrought, & bet upon him, from head to feet; & these very blows, did also work upon that other second stone of heaven, which is the most Blessed virgin, our Bl. Lady. And so according to the place, which every one is to have there, he must be wrought and polished here. Now if this be necessary, even for just persons, what shall become of us sinners, but only that we must bow down the head, and say, O Lord thou punishest me little in comparison of the much punishment which I deserve. All that which I can suffer is little, though I alone should suffer all the afflictions of the whole world. For to him who deserves hell, what temporal pain, can seem great?  
Let us know, that God is full of pity towards us, even then, when he seems most rigorous; without doubt he is full of pity, since whomesoever he punishes here, he will not punish, but comfort there. For it is written, That God doth not punish a man for the same thing, 
Nahum. 1.  twice. All that which we endure, we deserve, but yet God is so very full of pity that for the stripes which he sends us, he pardons our sins, and he accounts it so, as a piece of service from us, as that he gives us a crown for the sufferance. And since the afflictions of this world prevent Purgatory, and entitle us to heaven, who will not love them, when they come, yea and beg more of God, then yet he had, and even be sorry, when he hath them not. He who knows Christ and his kingdom, hath no compassion of himself, in this world, because he knows himself to be more fit for God, the more afflictions he endures for his sake. And so did that enamoured Ignatius say Fire, Cross, fury of beasts, cutting, quartering, breaking, and destroying of every part of my whole body, and the scourges of the devil himself; Let all these things come upon me, and let me only enjoy Christ our lord. There is nothing in this world, which can do me good; not so much as even a kingdom. It is more happiness for me to dye for Christ our Lord, then to exercise dominion over the earth, from one end thereof to the other. This saith that Saint, as one who knew well and did much love our lord jesus Christ; and who saw that all was well employed, which could be disbursed for the gaining of him.  
In this manner, I desire that you would encourage yourself to suffer the Purgatory of your sins; yea and though you should not have committed sin, you should yet apply yourself to endure affliction, for the pure love of jesus; who endured so great things for you, without having given the least shadow of cause in himself. And I would have you say to him, that howsoever you are bound to suffer what he will send, yet out of a free hart, you would gladly suffer, for the pure love of him, though you were not bound to it. And thus according to the intention of your hart, our Lord will accept it at your hands, as an Emblem which you carry for his love. In the loves of this world men use to make other Emblems; but in the love of God, the Emblem, is sufferance in affliction. And he who is not of a strong hart to suffer much, let him never stand telling me that he love's much. For in this world there is no love without grief. I hope in God, that as here he gives you grief, and trouble; so he hath provided a place of rest, and joy for you, in the other world. Though indeed, the very suffering for such a Lord, is reward enough. And so that as there is nothing so much to be desired, in the other world, as to enjoy that kingdom with Christ our Lord, so neither is there any thing in this, which may be compared to the excellency of suffering with him, and for him. Suffer therefore with a good will, since you are to be crowned, for the same. For the afflictions which you endure, come to you but as a fit means, whereby you may obtain that crown.   

A Letter of the Author to a Cavallero his friend.  
He shows how that person who feels himself grown could in the way of virtue, hath reason to apprehend it much, and to grieve much, for the present ill, and for the danger wherein he is of falling into greater mischief; and namely of a hardened hart which is the next door to hell. That usually this decay of spirit, grows either from ingratitude, or negligence. And lastly he speaks of the remedies.  
HE who in some former time, hath seen his soul, a proficient in virtue; and at the present finds it to be in decay, hath much cause to be in pain, and to procure remedy, by all the means he may. For, if a man be apt to feel the diminution which he may suffer, in his temporal goods; how much more ought we to apprehend the decay of the goods of our soul, which are goods indeed? job said with a deep sigh, 
job. 29  that he wished to be as he had been, in the time of his youth, when our Lord protected him, and when he made his candle shine over his head. These and other things, which he affirmed himself to have possessed before, and were wanting to him then, at the present, must rather be thought to have been certain choice, delightful, and devout communications, which formerly he had received from God, and then were missing; then that he was then in present want of his former virtues. For since he gave so good account of himself, in that time of trial, which is true time wherein indeed it may be seen, what strength one hath, he is found to have had no cause to complain, as if our Lord did not then protect him, or carry his light over him; and therefore he saith upon the former ground, who will grant that I may be as I was before etc.  
Now if he complain of this, what will that man have reason to do, who finds himself wasting in point of virtue itself; and who perceives that his soul goes estranging itself by little and little not only from those communications which he had enjoyed, and wherewith he comforted himself, in former time; but even from the very custody of God's law, and from conformity with his holy will. And although this mischief be great, even for the present, yet is it greater by much, for the future loss, which may be feared. For a little fall, in relation to a great one, lies as close as the eeve doth to the holy day; 
Apoc. 3.  and as near he is to be vomited out, who leads a life of tepidity.  
God, for his precious passion, keep every mortal man, from this misery which is so great as to make Saint Peter say, 
2. Peter. 2.  that such men as they, had been better, never to have known our Lord, then after they had known him, and walked in his way, to have forsaken him and to have betaken themselves to wicked courses. And that was not without great mystery, which our lord said. to the man who had been sick, eight and thirty years: Now thou art whole; but take heed thou sinne no more, lest a worse thing happen to thee. These words are to be weighed, & feared withal, for they contain a rigorous threat, and are delivered by the mouth of Truth itself, and are wont many times, to be executed, upon such as fear him not, nor take a course to prevent their falling into them.  
There happens a worse thing to them, because the sins into which they fall afterward are more highly qualifyed, and more deeply rooted, than the sins committed in former times. As there is a difference between a man when he falls with his eyes open, and when with his eyes shut; or between a man who hath wit, and yet doth the works of a fool, and another, who either hath no wit at all or very little; or between a man who ought his life to another in the way of gratitude, and service, for great favours received, and another who had received no such favours. One thing it is to meet the king in the street, & (seeing and knowing, who he is), not only to do him no reverence, but to proceed irreverently towards him; and another thing it is, not to know him at all, or not very well; or at least, not to consider who it was, that passed.  
A great favour it is which God doth to them, to whom he gives both the knowledge of their sins; and of his divine love, but yet withal he obliges them to much thereby sin●e according to the gift he saith t●a●●he account must be made. 
Luke. 12.  And if it be ill done, not to pay good with good; what will it be, to render evil for good received, and to answer with offences instead of services?  
There happens a worse thing to them, since they are wont to sin more, and with more faulty circumstances then before; and they come by little and little, towards a hardness of hart; and to dry themselves up, in such sort, that they are not in disposition, to do the good which they did before; I mean not, when they were so prosperous, and happy in our Lord, but even before that, when yet, he had not called them to his service. Then do they sigh, though it be with a hard & untoward hart, to obtain a little spiritual good again, and they find it not. But that which they find is, That heaven is to them made of brass, and the earth of iron; for there is not a drop of water to be found, which may soften their souls, or yield them any fruit, whereby they may be sustained. And they, who in former times, were visited & watered, with many good inspirations, to which they vouchsafed not to answer, do now desire some one, and cannot compass it.  
Thus are negligent & fastidious rich men punished, by being killed with hunger; as the rich covetous man was afflicted with thirst. 
Luc. 16  And it is not many miles, from this hardness of hart to hell itself, since the Scripture saith: It shall go ill with the hard hearted at the latter day. And the being cured of this evil, costs dear, and it is a thing which is of great privilege and grace when it is granted by our lord, as S. Bernard saith. No man of a hard hart did ever obtain salvation, unless God, did in his mercy cure him first, and did take his stony hart from him, and give him a hart of flesh, instead thereof.  
These are the journey's ends of those wicked sons, who after that they were received for sons, and treated after that rate, 
Deut. 32.  do forget their Lord who possessed them, who made them, and who created them. And he who trembles not at this, doth already give testimony enough, that he is hard hearted; and hath reason to fear so much the more, as he fears the less. And therefore Sir, let us consider these things, as sign●s of that, which is like to follow. When we see that the foundations of a wall fall away, it is time to apply some remedy, since we are advertised of the danger. Let us greatly fear the going backward in spirit, of one only day, & let us not suffer a defect, though it may seem small, to pass away, without punishment. And I say though it seem small, for in very deed, none at all is so, for the very lest of them doth us much hurt, though some of them be greater than other.  
Let us resolve that this mischief proceeds from one of these two causes; either not being thankful for the good received, or being negligent, in conserving it. Saint Bernard saith, That the cause why God imparting great benefits to many, without even so much as their ask, doth yet deny them other inferior benefits which they asked afterwards, is because they were ungrateful for those greater benefits; and thereby make themselves unworthy of the lesser. Nor is it any new thing, that he who uses ill the great blessing which he receives (as if there were no need of taking pains, to conserve that which is already gotten) should lose them. So that we must now thank God again, for the benefits which we have received; and let us employ them well, (forasmuch as now remains in our power), lest we utterly lose them all, and ourselves with them. Let us be the more remiss in other businesses, that so we may be attentive to this, with all our power. When a man divides his estate, into very many parts and payments, it grows to be in effect nothing. And he who hath received particular blessings from heaven may content himself with keeping them, and growing rich in them, though he be not so prosperous in the goods of this world. If he have a mind to comply very punctually with the desire of temporal riches, I fear that it will be upon the price of somewhat else which is more worth. For the world is so full of malignity, 
1. john. 5.  and our forces are so weak, that we are like some little poor candle, in the midst of many winds, and if we fail to be very diligent, to keep it in, they will blow it out. Such is the misery of us who live in this exile. And therefore they, who have any brains, are wont to fear, and sigh, and groan, with desire to be gone from hence.  
Make you account that this is your chief estate, your honour your safety, and your life; and place your right eye upon this and your left upon other things. And if somewhat must needs be lost, let it be that, which will one day be lost, whether we will or Noah, how carefully soever we may think to keep it. And let that remain in safety, which, if ourselves do not lose, we shall be saved for ever: jacob disposed of that wife and those children whom he least loved, 
Gen. ●  into the front or forward of his company, desiring, that if any ill accident should arrive it might rather fall first upon them, then upon that wife and children which he loved better. And every day we do the same, in marshalling the parts of our temporal estate. For we dispose ourselves to lose that which is less, and to save that which is more.  
Let us therefore resolve that it is better to have a good conscience, than much temporal riches; and to have credit with God, then with man, and so in the rest. And procuring to appease our Lord, by penance, and confession, for that which is past, let us begin to make new purposes; and lead a new life, with fresh courage, being very much offended with ourselves, for having been so ungrateful, to our great benefactor, and so negligent in that, which concerned us most. Give not over the exercises of penance, of prayer, of reading spiritual books, of frequentation of the Sacraments, though you perform them but dryly. But above all  there be no w●nt of humble prayer, and of a wounded hart. For our merciful Lord who stands expecting, that we should go towards him, to do us good, will come out upon the way, to meet us; and will cover us close with the mantle of his pity, & goodness. And will give us new strength, that now we may again, begin to serve him, and procure new merits for his kingdom. I beseech his divine Majesty, that he may so proceed with you, for the eternal glory of his goodness.  
The books about which you ask, and which I take to be convenient for you, are the Confessions, and Meditations of S. Augustine; the Morals of S. Gregory; the Sum of the mysteries of our faith by Tit●leman, and Dionifius Carthusianus. God almighty keep you ever.   

A Letter of the Author to a Canallier his friend, whom he persuades to do his dewry, which is to fight the battles of our Lord against the enemy of God, which is the self-will of man.  
I Have understood the reasons, whereby you would persuade me, that it is more securely fit for you, to dwell in the City, then in that town. And though indeed they be subtle, yet they do not move me much. For the most certain of all is that, which we do, after the example of Christ our Lord; and which we obtain at his hands by prayer; and which we see clearly by experience, and not that, which on the other side, we take to be convenient for us, through a mere humane and perhaps a perpetual kind of judgement. Who can doubt, but that you, as being an Inhabitant of that City, and withal a great favourer of my meanness, and desiring much, that I should continue to live there, are both judge and witness, in your own cause. And therefore the time which you spend in seeking reasons, were better employed, upon making devout prayers. And it will happen to you as Saint Bernard faith it doth between the preacher and his hearers, If thou wil● persuade, saith he, thou must do it more by sighing then by exclaiming. And though in that which I have said, me thinks you have committed some excess; yet in another thing, you have the better of it, and you edify me; Namely, in your having written three letters to me, without having received any one answer of mine. I esteem this favour, as much more than speaking by word of mouth, as there is difference, between doing, and saying. And it is a thing, which I desire much, at his hands who writes to me. For I find so many who are impatient with me●, upon this occasion; that I had rather ●hey wrote not at all, then that they should be offended with me so soon. And so much of this.  
What shall I now say to you, or what shall I beg of you, since you are so much my good Lord; but that (forasmuch as you are a Cavalier of honour,) you resolve to fight; and that you be not called by a wrong name, a thing from which a christian ought most to fly, for such a one must love sincerity, and be that very thing, which he appears to be. I know well, that the vigilancy of our mortal enemy the devil, is so great, that, for the drawing us to be of his party, and for fear lest we should gain that, which he hath lost, he will often make you feel, 
●ob. 7.  That the life of man here on earth, is a continual warfare; and now and then will make you groan under the affliction of his extreme importunity, and cry out to our Lord, from whom succour comes. D●●●●● 〈◊〉 patior, 
Esay. 38.  respond pro me. O Lord I suffer violence, do● thou answer for we. And now since you have one already, who makes you remember that you live in war, I will put you in mind in what sort you are to wage it, that so you may overcome. For we cannot expect, as a fruit of this war, but either great felicity, or great misery; since the triumph of this victory is to be, God possessed for all eternity; and the loss by being vanquished, is the loss, and that for ever, of almighty God.  
O that a man were able to thunder out so strong a voice, as that it might reach to the ears of all mankind; and might astonish them with the fear of hell, & encourage ch●●● with the hope of heaven! O you Sonn●● 〈◊〉 Adam, how long will you be so blind as 〈◊〉 to see this? how long will you be so deaf, as not to hear this? how long will you be so insensible, as that this truth will not be able to penetrate to the very lowest, and mo●t inward part of your hearts? Tell me; why have you rendered yourselves so basely, under the fee●e of your enemies; and why do you run after them, with your hands tied up, without either fear or shame? Do you not know that be who suffers himself to be overcome by sin, 
john, 〈◊〉.  us taken prisoner by the devil? Do you not know that the wages which sin giveth is death, both of body & soul in hell, and that for all eternity? why do you wish yourself so ill, as to go hunting after Your own mischief; giving stabs as it were to your own souls, by being so mightily enraged for every little offence which may be offered you? And why have you not a feeling of the loss of God, & of his freindshipp; since you have so quick a sense, when there is question of a little riches, or honour, which whether it be kept or lost, it makes you, in very deed, neither more nor less? what will you answer in the day of visitation, and anguish, which is coming towards you, when these shadows being past, and this sinoake being vanished, you shall be summoned to leave that flesh, which you loved so much, and to forgo this present world, which you so esteemed, and you shall be presented before that rigorous judge, whom you will find so much the more severe against you; as he hath found you less obedient to him?  
What would you have him do? would you have him know you for his Cavaliers, you who have gone fight in his enemy's camp, on their side? And whilst he maintained you with his blessings, and even with that very life, whereby you live, you would needs obey the laws of his mortal enemy, when, the while, you detested his? what would you have God do? would you have him pay you for the service which you have not done? Into what reasonable mind can it sink, that I should serve one man & demand my pay of another? with what colour can I, who have offended a man ask him a reward (when I have do●●●) as of a faithful servant? Let us not be deceived, O men, in this; No man shall reap, 
Gal. 1 2. Cor.  but according to that which he hath sown. He who soweth in flesh, shall reap corruption; and he who will reap life, must sow in spirit, for grapes grow not out of thernes, nor figs out of thistles.  
I had forgot myself for I was speaking to dead men, as if they were alive. What doth it profit to sound a trumpet to him who is in the profundity of deafness? what doth it profit me, to say Hear this, to men with whom it enters not, even by the very first gates, of their hart. What shall we do, O Lord? for now I se● that the threat which was made by the Prophet Esay is fulfilled. Hearing you shall bear, and 〈◊〉 understand, and seeing you shall see, 
Esay.  and yet not see. For neither words nor scourges, nor swee●●e usage cann suffice to waken those miserable creatures out of their deadly sleep; till their end arrive, when they must hear the sentence which sends them to Hell, and then must feel eternal torments, without any remedy thereof. A great misery is this, & he is happy, whom our Lord hath delivered from it; giving him notice of his wicked ways, and a will to walk afterward, in such as are good. Remember you therefore that day, wherein God called you, and know that then God opened your ears, and eyes, to the end that you might both see, and hear; severely and as truly, as if he had cured some pe●son, who had been blind, and dumb. And remembering it, give great ●hankes for the same; since a gift was then given you, if you disposed yourself well to receive it, which is more worth, than all things else; since freindshipp with our Lord, was given you, to which no other thing may be compared. And let the sign of your true gratitude, be a faithful care of persevering to keep your eyes, and cares open towards Almighty God. For he would be much more blame-worthy, who should fall when his eyes were open, and might see that he were falling; then another who had no eyes in his head. It is one thing for a soul to do absurd things; another thing, for a man, who is of judgement. And so the fall of one, whom our lord hath raised, and placed upon his feet, and given him light, wherewith to see; is more displeasing to his divine Majesty; then they which he took, before they knew or loved God. I beseech you therefore admonish those new Cavaliers of the king of heaven, that they undertake not this business in jest, since both the punishment of negligence, and the reward of due care which is taken in it, is no matter which indeed endureth jest. God is a great Lord, and he will be served with much diligence; and he inflicted no less punishment upon the slothful servant, then to cast him bound, hand, and foot, into exterior darkness; which signifies a being excluded, from all the blessings of God, and of his house.  
And since to the end that we may be favourites with an earthly king, and to acquire the possession of a little earth, there is a necessity of taking care, of watching, of troubles, yea and sometimes, even of shedding blood; let not them grow faint, in the combat; since God whose cause it is, will be their captain in the strength of whose arm, they shall infallibly go victorious out of the field.  
The enemy whom they are to overcome, and the City which they are to subdue, is their own proper will. Let them place that will, before themselves; and against that, let them level all their shot; and to that let them say. Thou art the enemy of God, since thou desirest that which is contrary to him, and therefore thou art my enemy. For I wholly belong to God. I am the fre●nd of his friends; and the enemy of his enemies. I will have no peace with thee, that so I may have no war with God. Let God reign in my hart, and not mine own disordered will. I will govern myself according to that, which he commands, and not according to that I list. I will beg of my God, that he will be pleased to show me his holy will, and that shall be my law, though mine own will would fain have it otherwise. Let it pain me or let it please me, I am resolved to ●●e myself fast to God, since besides that I own to him otherwise; he was fastened to the Cross for me. Nay I am undone if I go not to him, since all that which comes not to him here, with love; shall be divided from him, in the next life, by his hate. Let it cost me my blood, 
N●●b. 25.  so that I may not lose my God, but that I may hear this word from his blessed mouth. Rejoice thou good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. In fine, all that which passes is very short; and all this is temporal; and the rest eternal; all this is light, and that, is full of weight. And therefore let us say from the hart, with David. 
Ps. 26.  One thing have I desired of our Lord, and that will I seek, that I may dwell in the house of our Lord for ever. And let this be our conclusion, that heaven did never cost dear. Our Lord grant it to you, and to us all, even by his own de●re blood. Amen.   

A Letter to a great Lord wherein he treats of the knowledge of God, and of a man's self; and how he was to proceed towards his vassals.  
THE peace of our Lord jesus Christ be ever remaining with your lordship▪ The holy S. Augustine desired two things of our Lord, saying, Grant to me, O Lord, that I may know thee, & that I may know myself. These two are things, which we must all desire, and no man is to be found without them, unless withal he desire to be found without salvation. The Temple of Solomon consisted of two parts; Both of them were holy, but yet one of them, was more holy than the other. That part which was less holy, was the way, to the other, which was more holy. The first is the knowledge of a man's self; which certainly is a holy thing; & it is the way to that Sancta Sanctorum, which is the knowledge of God; where our Lord makes answer to our demands, and remedies our necessities; and where we find the fountain of life. For this, saith our Lord, is true life, that we know thee, and whom thou hast sent, jesus Christ.  
But now, this so high thing, namely the knowledge of God, is not to be obtained, without that other, which seems so low, namely the knowledge of ones self. It is most certain, that no man ever saw God, unless first he saw himself. Nor is it safety for any man, to fly high, unless he have the counterpoise of knowing himself, which makes us think basely of ourselves.  
Amongst all the other favours of our Blessed Saviour, there is no doubt, but that his disciples would be standing to look at him, with exceeding great gust, whilst he was ascending up to heaven upon Ascension day, since there was no remedy, but that they must needs forgo his conversation; that conversation which can carry no disgust with it. And they found great comfort, in looking upon the way by which he passed, and towards the place to which he went. But what did our lord command them? Not certainly, that they should be still casting up their eyes to heaven, though that seemed to be an excellent thing; But he said thus to them; You men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up to heaven? Giving us thereby to understand, that although it be a very savoury thing, to look towards God, yet it concerns us also to study ourselves. First for the reverence which we own to God upon whom we cannot look, but with great confusion, considering how unworthy we are thereof. And secondly, because when a man forgetts himself, he is instantly apt to become wanton; & not seeing his own faults, and frailty, he grows to lose all holy fear and he proves light, and giddy, like a ship which being without balist, loses the ankar, when any tempest rises, and the end thereof is to be carried hither & thither, till at last it be brought to suffer wrack. I never saw any soul remain in safety, but by the knowledge of itself. No building can be sure without deep foundation; and that time is well employed, which is spent upon the reproof of a man's own soul. It is full of profit, towards the amendment of our faults, if we will examine them. What kind of thing is a man who examines not, and knows not himself but a house without a window; but the son of some widow ill brought up, who for want of correction, is grown wicked; but a measure, without all measure, and rule, and which therefore is a false measure. And finally, what is he but a man, who is indeed no man? For he who considers not himself, doth neither govern himself like a man, nor doth he understand, or possess himself; but why lest he is able to tell many stories of other things, he can give no account of himself, at all. These are they; who having forgotten themselves, take such pains to understand the lives of others; and having shut up their eyes to their own defects, have yet more than a hundred eyes open, which stand in continual watch over the error of other folks. These are they, who observe, and aggravate the errors of their neighbours, and neglect their own. For in regard those errors of others are beheld by them, more continually, & more close at hand; they seem greater to them, than their own, upon which they never look but from fare of; & so, how great soever they be in themselves, they seem little to them. From hence it proceeds, that in their conversation, they are so intractable, and so rigorous; for just after the rate of their having no consideration of their one infirmities, they have no compassion of others.  
I never yet saw man, who was curious in the consideration of himself, who would not also, easily pass over the fault of another, and whatsoever that man be, who is severe against another when he falls, gives strong evidence, whereby it is proved that he considers not his own defects. So that, if we desire to fly, from this so dangerous kind of blindness, we must be sure to view & review; what kind of things ourselves are, that so when we find how miserable we be, we may cry out for remedy, to our lord jesus. Because indeed, he is jesus, that is to say a Saviour; but yet of no other, than such as know, and bewail their own miseries, and who receive (indeed, if they can; and, in desire, if they cannot) the holy Sacraments of the Church, that so they may be cured and saved. And although for the making us know ourselves, God, and his Saints, have declared, many and many things to us, yet he who shall attentively behold that which he may observe to pass within his own hart, will find so many things for which he must despise himself, that, with horror, he will cry out, from the bottom of that Abyss, and say, there is no end of my miseries.  
Who is he that hath not erred, in those things wherein he thought himself most sure? who hath not desired, & searched after things, as concerning that they were good for him; which yet afterward, he found to be full of prejudice? Who will presume to know any thing, since he hath been deceived innumerable times? what thing is more blind, than a man, who knows not so much, as what he is to ask of God, as S. Paul tells us? and this comes to pass, 
Rom. 2.  because we know not so much as what is good, for ourselves, as it happened even to the same S. Paul. Who begging of God, that he would free him from a particular temptation, 
Rom. 2. Cor. 12.  conceived that he had asked a right; but it was given him to be understood, that indeed he knew not what he asked, nor so much as what was good for him. And now who will put confidence in his ability, to know even so much as what he should judge, & desire, concerning himself, since he, whom the holy ghost inhabited, did ask that, which was not good for him, to obtain. Certainly, our ignorance must needs be very great, since we err so often in those things, wherein it imports us so much not to err.  
But now though sometimes, our lord should teach us to know what is good, yet who doth not see, how very great our weakness is; and how we fall flat upon our faces, in those things, wherein it concerned us to stand up right. To whom hath it not occurred many times, to propound the doing of some good thing, and yet to find himself overthrown, and overcome, by that wherein he took himself to be most invincible. To day we lament our sins with tears in our eyes, and we purpose to refrain them afterward, and yet, even whilst the same tears are still wet upon our cheeks; some new occasion of sin is offered, and weeping because we fell, we commit that very thing, for which we may have cause to weep again; receiving the body of our lord jesus-christ, with much cause of being confounded, for the irreverence which we have committed. For the time having been but short, since we harboured his precious body in our bosoms, it happens sometimes, that by some sin, we drive his grace out of our souls. What care is so weak, and light, which changes so often, upon the warning of all winds, as we? Sometimes merry and sometimes sad; now devout, and then distracted; now full of desire tending to heaven, and then following the world, and even dropping down to hell. Now he abhors a thing, and instantly he love's that, which he abhorred. He casts up that which he had eaten, because he found it charge his stomach, and presently he eats it up again, as if he had not cast it before. What thing can there be, with such variety of colours in it, as a man who is made after this sort? what Image can they paint with so many faces, and so many tongues, as this kind of man? How truly said job, Man never remains in one and the same state. 
job. 14. job. 7.  And the reason hereof is because he is ashes or dust, and his life, a wind. Now what a sot should he be, who would seek for any repose or rest, between dust, and wind? I do not think that there could be a more hedious thing, then if we were able to discern to how many several dispositions one man is subject, in one only day. His whole life is a very mass of mutability, and frailty. And that, which the scripture saith, agrees well to him, 
Eccl. 27.  The fool is as changeable as the Moon.  
But now what remedy shall we find hereof? Certainly we can have none better than to know ourselves for Lunatics. And, as in former times they carried a Lunatic person to our Lord jesus Christ, that he might cure him; so let us go for cure, to the same lord jesus. The scripture saith, that the evil spirit tormented that man, and that sometimes he cast him into the fire, and sometimes into the water; and the very same happens to us. Sometimes we fall into the fire of covetousness, of wrath, & of envy; at other times into the water of carnality, of tepidity, and of malice. And if we consider, upon how large accounts we stand obliged to almighty God, for the time past; and how little amendment there is in the time present, we will be sure to say, and we may do it with much truth. The sorrows of death have environed me, the dangers of hell have hemmed me in.  
O danger of hell, which is so mightily to be feared! And who is not he, that will not watch with a hundred thousand eyes, that he may not be put to welter in that profound Lake; where he shall eternally bewail the temporal delight, which he hath unlawfully enjoyed? who will not take care of his way, lest otherwise he be found wandering from all happiness? where are the eyes of that man, who sees not this? where are his ears, who hears not this? where is his palate who tastes not this? It is a clear testimony of death, not to perform the actions of life. Our sins are innumerable, our frailties are great, our enemies are stout, crafty, and many; and they hate us home. That whereof we are in question, is either the gaining or losing of God, for all eternity. How comes it then to pass, that in the midst of so many dangers, we can esteem ourselves secure; and under the weight of so many wounds, we do not feel the pain thereof? why seek we not for some remedy, before the night steal upon us, and before the gates of all succour, be shut up against us? when those foolish virgins shall cry out, 
Matth 25. 1. Cor. 11.  and it shall be answered thus, I know you not.  
Let us therefore know ourselves, and we shall be known by almighty God. Let us judge and condemn ourselves, and so we shall be absolved by almighty God. Let us place our eyes upon our own faults, and so there will be mercy enough for us, & to spare. Let us consider our own miseries, and we shall learn to have pity upon those of others. 
Eccl. 31.  For as the scripture saith, By that which is in thyself, thou shalt come to know that which is in thy neighbour. If I see myself fall sometimes by frailty, I shall think that it may happen so to my neighbour, and as I shall be glad to have my fault pitied, so will I have pity upon other men. When my betters do me a disfavour which I feel much, I must think that my inferiors will be troubled after the same manner, if I disfavour them. If I be sad, I desire comfort; and my neighbour's case is the same. I am troubled at an ill word which was spoken to me, and I say. That I am made of flesh and not of iron; & this serves me for a proof, that my neighbour is also made of flesh, & feels the like affliction, upon the like occasion. The ill conditions of some men, give me trouble; and I wish that they would mend them, that so they may not occasion me to sin, and my neighbours desire the same of me. We are all made of the same mettle, & there is no better rule by which I may live with my neighbour, then to mark attentively, that which passes within myself, since he, and I, are one.  
He who practices this point of mercy with his neighbour; may safely pass on to the knowledge of Christ our Lord to be relieved by him. 
Mat. 5.  For the merciful, shall obtain mercy. But otherwise, he will hear that, which the scripture saith, He who shuts his ear against the voice of the poor, 
Pro. 21.  that man shall cry out, and not be heard.  
All man kind is poor; nor is there any one of that race, who is not subject to some necessity. Let us consider well, if we be deaf to the miseries of others, for so will God be to ours. 
Mat. 7.  Let no man think, that Christ our Lord, will measure to us with any other measure, men as we measure to others. Let no man think, that he shall obtain pardon, if he afford not pardon. The untoward man, shall meet with untowardness; the troublesome man, with troubles; the offensive man, with injuries, and the charitable man, with mercy. For, to sow thorns, with a man's neighbour; & to think of gathering sigges, at the hands of God, is wholly impossible.  
Now because we consider not this, there are very few who find themselves entertained; by almighty God with sweetness; and there are many who complain, that God forgetts to relieve their miseries; and they marvel how he can send them such store of troubles, both within, and without; especially since his very name, is, Merciful, and the shower of mercies; and since he invites men to seek for succour at his hands. They beg, they seek, and they find no remedy; and from thence comes their complaint. But if they were not deaf to that law, which God published in his gospel, saying, with the self same measure, wherewith you measure to others, 
Mat. 7.  it shall be measured to you again, they would plainly see, that themselves are they, who are wanting to their neighbours, and consequently are wanting to God in their persons; and therefore it is, that God may seem to be wanting to them. Let them complain in themselves, in that they have no charity with their neighbours. For God, is full of Charity, for his part; but it is not reason, nor will he exercise it, towards such, as are wanting in it to their neighbours. And if at any time he impart temporal blessings, to such a one as is uncharitable towards others, what good will those blessings do that wicked man, if withal he lose himself. But God will not give him any such thing, as may make him indeed the better by it, but upon condition that he carry himself as he ought towards his neighbours.  
Let us therefore know ourselves, and let us be towards others, as we desire, they should be towards us; and so let us pass on towards the knowledge of God, and from the Sancta to the Sancta Sanctorum. And let us lift up our eyes to our Lord, who was placed upon the Cross, for our salvation, and in him we shall discern, both more, & greater blessings, than we discovered miseries in ourselves. And if by thinking what we are, we grow sad, through the consideration of our grievous sins passed, and through the dangers which are at hand; we shall be refreshed by looking up to him, when, we consider, both how truly, and how superaboundantly he paid that, which we own, & purchased that strength for us, whereby we might subdue our enemies.  
It is he who secures us, but, upon condition, that we rely on him. And what O Lord, shall he fear, who follows thee? At what shall he tremble, who love's thee? Who shall be able to set upon that man, who takes thee for his defence? How shall the devil be able to carry him away, who is incorporated in thee? Or how shall the eternal father forbear to love that creature whom he perceives to be in his son, as the b●aunch is in the vine? Or how shall the son fail to love that man, whom he perceives to love him? Or how shall the Holy ghost forsake that creature, who is the temple, which himself inhabits? we possess greater benefits in Christ our lord, than we are full of miseries in ourselves; and we have more cause of hope when we behold him, then of distrust when we cast our eyes upon ourselves. Nor is there any comfort, or resting place for such a one as is discomforted in himself, but to look up to this jesus, upon the Cross; whom God ordained for the remedy of all such as should be wounded, with the bitting of spiritual serpents. For as anciently God commanded that they should erect a Serpent of brass; that all such a should behold it, might be cured of the wound of those corporal serpents, so he who shall behold Christ our lord, with faith & loan, shall live, and he, on the other side, who behoulds him not, shall not fail to dye. He who finds himself all afflicted, & wounded, shallbe refreshed, if he look up hither, as David did, when he said. My soul, was troubled within me, 
Ps. 41.  & therefore will I remember thee, & the land of jordan, & Hermon, & the little hill.  
He who behoulds himself, and there discovers so many abominations, is troubled at himself, and he hath reason. And not finding one hour exactly well spent in his whole life, but seeing his sins to be many & great, & his good deeds to be so few, & weak what should he do but be troubled, when he finds himself so unable to make a good account, before so strict a judge? Only he must remember Christ our lord, considering what he wrought in the land of jordan, & upon that little hill: and bewailing his sins, and receiving the holy Sacraments, he must live in obedience to the commandments of God, and of his Church; and so as a son, he may hope for the inheritance of heaven.  
He must also call to mind, that which was wrought by our lord in those hills of Hermon, which are many & in the little hill also. Which whether it be that of Horeb, where God gave the law, or whether it be some other hill, doth not so much import us, who are Christians; whose understanding jesus Christ hath opened towards the conceiving of the scriptures, and he understands them, who understands Christ our Lord in them, who is shut up therein, as a grain of corn may be, in an ear, or as wine, is in the grape. And therefore the end of our law is Christ our Lord; for all the law rests in him. 
Cor. 10  The hills of Hermon, both they which are within the land of promise, and without it, as also the little hill, do all signify but one hill, which may justly be said to be a little one, and to be of Herman. And this is Mount Caluary, where our redemption was wrought, by the shedding of the blood, of the son of God.  
Now to the end that we may know, how well this name may be applied to Mount Caluary, it is to be understood that Hermon signifies malediction. And how can Mount Caluary be better expressed, then by the name of malediction; since it was the place to which they carried malefactors to be executed; whom the scripture calls accursed, because they were to be so punished. And because Christ our Lord saw, that we were to be accursed, and adjudged to everlasting malediction, he was pleased, through the immensenes of his Charity, to take our maledictions upon himself, I mean the punishment of our sins, that so his benediction might descend on us. S. Paul, expresses thus much after this manner. 
Gal. 3.  Christ was made malediction that so his benediction might be communicated to the Gentiles. He was blessed, and we were cursed: But now the case is altered, and we change persons, with one another. He took the place of the accursed, in being tormented upon the Cross, which was dew to us; and we are admitted to the friendship of God, and to be his sons, and the inheritors of the kingdom of heaven, with a thousand other benedictions, which came from our Blessed lord jesus Christ, in whom they remain for ever.  
O wonderful exchange! that life should dye, to the end that death may live. Benediction is accursed, that so malediction may be blessed. The sound man is wounded, that so the wounded man may be cured. The son is treated as a slave, that so the slave may be adopted for a son. They most cruelly handle him who deserves all pity; and all the favour and Regalo falls upon that person, who deserved hell. In fine what shall we say? They apprehend the innocent, and they release the guilty. The just man pays for sins, Innocency is condemned, and the wicked man is justified. What did Christ our lord choose for himself? Our afflictions, and our miseries, to be his recreations & delights. What shall we say to such a charity as this; but that we are to praise and bless this lord, day, and night, who hath wrought our redemption; and salvation by a way, which put him to so much cost.  
This is indeed that hill of Hermon, that little hill; and this so truly, as that he was esteemed by the relation of the Prophett Esay, 
Esay. 53.  for the meanest amongst men. And for this reason our Lord himself saith, 
Ps. 21  I am a worm and no man but the dishonour of men, and the abasement of the people. O thou honour of men, and angels! and how canst thou be the dishonour of men? Thou, who art the advancement of thy people, and who art the glory both of heaven and earth, what could make thee grow to be the abasement of thy people, but only thine own great Charity. For thou to honour us, didst endure so great dishonour, that as we are wont to say of some very base unworthy man, that he dishonours his whole stock, so did they also say of thee, that thou dishonouredst the whole race of mankind. Be thou Blessed without end. For all the honour, which all the race of mankind possesses, comes from thee, and through thee. Thou gavest it by the conjunction of thyself to them, making thyself man, and dying for men and exalting them to an equality with Angels, and even with Seraphins, if themselves will; and ordaining, that the sons of sinful Adam, they may become the sons of God. and the heirs of thy Father, and coheyres with thee; as being thy brethren, and yet thou; O Lord, art called the dishonour, and abasement of the people. Thou didst abase thyself O Lord to exalt us; thou didst abase thyself below all men, that thou mightest raise us, about the Angels.  
What shall we render to thee O Lord, for so great favours; but only that we must tenderly, and profoundly know, that if we have any thing, if we be fit for any thing, and if we be any way acceptable to almighty God, it is wholly by thee; And we must yield thee all thankes, and praise, for that thou being what thou art, wouldst yet vouchsafe to offer thyself to sufferance of so great afflictions, for such wretched things, as we are. Thou diminishedst thyself in that little hill, that thou mightest exalt us to that great hill. Thou died'st on Mount Caluary, to the end that we might live in the mountain of heaven. And by the malediction which fell upon thee there, thou didst purchase, and thou wilt impart to us that happy benediction of thine. Come you blessed of my father, possess, the kingdom which is prepared for you. They cursed thee, O Lord, and thou blessedst us. Thy death gives us life, and thy affliction, ease; Since thou wert content to be judged, it is reason that thou also be our judge. Let us therefore rejoice since he who love's us so much, is to be our judge; and we will go confidently to judgement, since the judge is of our own flesh and blood.  
If we know not what we may do, for the pleasing of Almighty God, let us look up to Christ our Lord, and he will teach us meekness, from that Cross. Who being amongst wicked persons, did not curse them, who cursed him; nor did he revenge himself, though he had power enough, over such as did him mischief: He despised honour, and to be rich, and to be regaled. And to obey the will of his father he offered himself to the Cross. He who wants knowledge, let him come to here this Doctor, as he is sitting in this Chair. He whoe will hear a good sermon, let him come to Christ our Lord, being in the pulpit of the Cross, and he shall be free from error; because Truth which is Christ our Lord himself, shall free him. And if we be changeable, and weak, in working, let us look upon this author of our faith, and see how he is nailed to that Cross, both hand and foot; and that immoveably, to the end that, by his grace we may be constant, & perseverant in doing well. He who will go to Christ our Lord, for the cure of his inconstancy, shall obtain a perseverance, like that of Anna, 
1. kings 1.  the mother of Samuel, of whom it is said; That she turned her countenance no more towards several ways. He who dwells in Christ our lord, doth not wander hither and thither, but stands fast in goodness, according to the Scripture which saith, that such a one is ever clear, like the sun; 
Eccl. 27.  and that his light is not diminished. For he who is in Christ, participates of Christ. And so as Christ is Just, he is also Just, if Christ be firm, he is also firm, though in a fare inferior degree. For, as in one body, there is but one spirit, which diffuses itself, through all the parts of that body, and they all live by one humane life; and not one of them by the life of a man, and another by the life of a lion, or any other beast, so all they who are in Christ our lord, live by his Spirit, as the branch life's by the life of the vine, and as the members live, by the head. And he who possesses this Spirit, is like to Christ our Lord, and partakes of his conditions; although (as I said), it be in a fare inferior degree. And he who hath not the spirit of Christ; 
Rom. 8  let him hearken to S. Paul who saith, If any man have not the spirit of Christ, that man is not of Christ.  
Let a man therefore view and review himself, to see if he find a conformity of his soul, with that of Christ our Lord; and if he have it, it will be easy for him to keep the commandments of Christ, since he is of the same condition with him. And though he be not yet, of conformity with Christ let him go to Christ, and beg his spirit of him, whereby he may be strengthened, according to that which David desired, thus, Confirm me with thy principal, or chief spirit. For it will profit me little, 
Psal. 50.  that Christ came into the world, if withal he come not into my hart. Christ brought down goodness, peace, and joy in the holy Ghost, with many other benedictions. If I live in wickedness, war,  melancholy, or inordinate delight, Christ our Lord dwells not in my soul. And it is in effect, with me, as if he had not come into the world at all, saving that it will turn to my greater misery; for I shall be punished so much the more, because I would not admit of that salvation, which was offered me, with so good a will.  
Christ our lord died for us all, and is ready to receive us all. Let us make towards him; though it be but to do him courtesy; and let us not permit that so great, and precious labours and afflictions of his, may remain fruitless. The price of them are our souls, if we will carry them to Christ. Let us cast ourselves down at his feet, detesting our sins, and our former wicked life; distrusting our own knowledge, and worth, and strength; and so, persevering to beg, to knock, and to cry out, he will fill us with knowledge; how to address ourselves, and with power to work; and with perseverance, that we may not faint as it is written, 
Esay 40.  They who confide in our Lord, shall proceed from strength to strength, they shall take the wings of an eagle, they shall fly, and not faint. And since there are more excellencies in Christ our Lord then there are miseries in us, let us go on towards him, acknowledging that he is our only remedy; for by this means we shall not despair through our own miseries, but take comfort and partake of his excellencies.  
This my lord, seemed sufficient to me, for the address of a person who hath a mind to draw near to God. But because in your lordship, there is the capacity of two persons, your lordship will have need of two rules. That which is said, may suffice forasmuch as concerns your own particular person; but in respect that you are a man, who have so great charge over so many others; it will be necessary for you, to have more & more care of yourself. For there are many, who for as much as concerns their own particular conscience, are good men; & yet they fail in being good Lords, & good Magistrates. And this second part is more hard, and it is the work of one who is a kind of perfect man; for it takes that first kind of goodness for granted, and then passes further on. For he who forasmuch as concerns himself, is not Just, will not be Just in what he ought to do towards others. But yet it suffices not for one who hath charge over many, that he be Just, for as much as concerns only his own particular person. Ely. for his own part was a good man, but he was not good for as much as concerned his sons, since he for boreto punish them; & therefore he was greivously punished by almighty God. So that, great lords have need of a manifold kind of goodness, since they have a manifold kind of person.  
As for this second part, which to be, concerns a common or public person, me thinks there is no better glass, wherein a man who is a lord over others, ought to look, then upon that lord of men and angels, whose person he represents. He who sits in the place of another, it is but reason that he have the properties of him, whose place he holds. A lord of vassals is a Lieutenant of God who ordains, that some shall govern and command, and that others shall obey. He who resists those former, doth by the testimony of S. Paul, resist she ordination of God, 
Rom. 13.  who disposes of all things according to subordination.  
Now therefore let a man consider, what office God exercises towards man; and so a great lord shall know how he is to carry himself towards his people. God chastises such as err, without any acceptation of persons, and in this he is so strict, that he hath not any, who is so great a favourite of his, but that he shall pay sound for it, if he give just cause. Nay he pardoned not so much as his own son, though he own nothing for himself, but only because he obliged himself, to pay for the sins of others. Without fail he must needs be fare from acceptation of persons, who punished with so great severity, his only begotten son, and such a son, and so dearly beloved, and that for the sins of others. There is nothing which should have power, to make him who governs, forbear the doing of his duty; but he is to stand like the stalk of a balance which leans not, either to the one scale or to the other, that so cuery man may have his own. There is no state but it would perish and be undone, if public business should be led, after the pace of particular affections. And at an instant doth that person leave to be public, when he hangs never so little towards the particular.  
Now since the respect of private profit, must not bend him who governs, much less must the respect of any other man's profit make him bend, since he owes more to himself then to any other. Christ our Lord is the pattern which is made for all; not only forasmuch as concerns the private conscience of a particular man, but forasmuch also as concerns any public person. For he was a king and so he is, though not after the manner of this world. But being in the chair of his Cross, he said to his mother, Woman behold thy son. To give us to understand that he who is in the place of a public person, must renounce all particular inclinations, though it should regard his very Mother. And the same example, he also gave us, when at some other times, he would speak with less tenderness to that Blessed Mother of his. To teach us how careful we must be, to keep ourselves clear from particular affection, though some be angry at it, and though ourselves endure pain by it, rather than to cherish them, with disgust to God.  
There is nothing, to which great lords ought to attend so much (that so they may be well, both with God and man) as truly, & cordially, (and like men who live in the presence of God) to remain ever faithful, & firm to him, with out hanging either to this way, or to that. And this will be easily performed by that great man, who shall attentively consider, that he is but the Minister of God; as one who but merely executes, and must not exceed the commission which is given to him. God places not great. Lords in the world, to the end that they may do, and undo, what they list; but to execute the laws of his holy will. And though they may account themselves lords, yet are they still under the universal Lord of all, in comparison of whom, they are more truly vassals, than their vassals are theirs, and their power is as truly limited as their vassals power is forasmuch as concerns the dispensing with what they ought to do. So that he is to be more favoured, and beloved, who hath most right on his side, and he is to be most punished, who deserves it most. And thus may any lord resemble the true lord of all, if without acceptation of persons, he give to every one according to his works; yea and if sometimes he punish most, such as are most favoured by him. Both because reason would require, that they should offend him least; and for that also they must not think that because they are beloved by him, they may take occasion to do what they list, & that which reason alloweth not. Friendship should last as long as virtue doth, and enmity, or opposition, as vice; For if it be otherwise, woe be to ihem, who call good, evil, & evil, good.  
Your lordship must consider beside, that God hath placed you, in the eyes of many; who take that to be a rule of their lives, which they see you do. Make account that you are seated in a high place, and that your speech and fashions are seen by all, and followed by the most part of men. If such a fashion be taken up in Court, if such a manner of speech be used there, all men procure to follow it. And if it were the custom amongst great lords, that when one should give them a buffet upon one cheek, they would tender the other, and if it were the fashion for t'him, to abhor sin, and to take it for a point of greatness, to obey the laws of Christ our Lord, without doubt, inferior men would hold it an honour, to do that which they saw practised by great persons. And for this reason, I believe, that the Prelates of the Church, and the lords of the world, are a cause of perdition, to the most part of souls.  
I beseech your lordship, that as you are a particular man, you will look into yourself with a hundred eyes, and that, you will look into yourself, with a hundred thousand, as you are a person, upon whom many look, and whom many follow. And take care, to carry both your person, and your house, so ordered, as the law of Christ requires; that he who shall imitate your lordship, may also imitate Christ our Lord therein, and may meet with nothing to stumble at. The vulgar, is without doubt, but a kind of ape. Let great men consider what they do, for in fine that will be followed, either to their salvation, if they give good Example, or for their condemnation, if it be evil. And this consideration alone should suffice to make great lords live like so many Saints, though it might cost them some trouble; considering how our lord jesus, the son of God, would not be a king, but resolved by his labour and sweat, to give rest, and peace to his subjects. And he fled from prosperities and honours, lest otherwise, he might have given occasion of sin to his servants, who would have thought, (if Christ our lord had followed them) that is would also have been their part, to pursue the same. All things are to be thought little worth, so that we may procure thereby, that God be served. And let this be the final conclusion; That so much the more attentively, a man shall consider, and imitate jesus Christ, so much the better man, and so much the better Lord he shall be. For in him we began, and so also we will end in him.   

A Letter of the Author, to a Lady in the time of Advent, and upon this occasion he persuades her to dispose herself to receive the Infant jesus, and to love him with fervent love.  
HOw busy will your ladyship be, in this holy time, preparing a lodging for that guest, who is coming to you. Me thinks, I see you as earnest, as S. Martha, & yet as quiet as S. Mary Magdalen; that so by your endeavours, both exterior and interior, you may do him service, who is drawing near, since he is so worthy both of the one and of the other, and is, in fine, your lord. O blessed time wherein is represented to us the coming of God in flesh to dwell amongst us, 
Luke 1.  to illuminate our darkness, and to address our feet in the way of peace, and to adopt us for his brethren, and to design us for the enjoying of the same inheritance with himself.  
It is not without cause, that you desire his coming, and that you prepare your hart for his habitation. For this lord was desired long before he came, 
Agge.  and the Prophet called him The desire of all Nations; 
Psal. 9  and indeed he gives himself to none, but such as desire him. God hears the desire of the poor, for his ears are laid close to the sighing of our hearts, and he cares for nothing else in us but that. To such a hart he comes, and cannot deny himself, as it is said in the Canticles. 
Cant. 4  Thou hast wounded my hart, O thou my sister, and my spouse; thou hast wounded my hart, by the cast of one of thine eyes, and by a hair of thy head. Is it possible for any thing to be more tender, then that which is wounded, by the sight of a single eye? Is it possible for any thing to be more weak, then that which is tied fast by one single hair? where now are they, who say, that God is hard to be obtained, that he is rigorous to be dealt with, and insupportable to be endured. We must quarrel with ourselves, since, because we will be looking many several ways, we place not our sight upon God; nor will we shut that eye of ours, which behouldes creatures, that so with all our thought we may consider God alone. He who shoots in a Cross bow, shuts one of his eyes, that he may see better with the other, how to hit the white; & we, the while, will not shut up all that sight of ours, which hinders us from being able to hunt & wound our lord with love.  
Let him recollect, and make sure his love, and let him lodge it in God, whosoever hath a mind to obtain God. For as God is love, so is he only to be hunted, and taken with love; and he will have nothing to do with them, who love him not. And if they say, that they know him already as they ought; 
2. john. 4.  S. john will tell them that they say not true. But our lord who is wounded with an eye, is tied with a hair. For that which love takes, the recollected and reflected thought conserves, that it may not be lost.  
And to the end that men might be put into confidence, that they should be able to arrive to almighty God, and that he hath no mind to slip away, he makes himself one of them, and lays himself in the arms of a virgin, swathed up hand and foot, without power to fly from that man, who is disposed to seek him. O celestial bread, which descendest out of the bosom of thy Father, and art laid in the public places of this world, inviting as many as will, that they may come to enjoy thee, and feed upon thee. And who is he who can endure to withhold himself from going to thee, and from receiving thee, since thou givest thyself, upon no harder condition, then only that we be content to hunger after thee? For dost thou peradventure ask more of us, then only that a soul may sigh for thee, and confessing her sins, may receive, and love thee?  
Great is the misery of those men, who when bread comes to seek them in their own houses, they choose rather to dye of hunger, then to stoop to take it up. O sloth what a deal of mischief thou dost! O blindness, what a deal of benediction dost thou lose! O sleepiness, what a deal of advantage dost thou steal away! since considering the promise, that whosoever seeks shall find, 
Mat. 7 & 21 Mark 11. Luc. 11 john. 14. & 16  and he who asks shall obtain, and to him who knocks it shall be opened; it is clear that if we prove not well, the fault is ours.  
But what? shall things pass still after this manner? Though God himself is come to cure us, shall we still continue sick? He being at the gate of our hart, crying out and saying, Open to me, O thou my friend, and my spouse, shall we being all wrapped up in vanities, 
Cant. 4.  suffer him to stand calling there, and not so much as open him the gate?  
O my soul come hither, and tell me, for I ask thee on the part of God, what, in fine, is that thing, which detains thee, from going all, with all thy forces, after God? What dost thou love, if thou do not love this Spouse of thine? Or rather why dost thou not love him much, who did so mightily love thee? He had no business on earth, but to attend to the love of thee, and to seek thy profit, with his own loss. And what hast thou to do in this world, but to exercise thyself, all, in love of this king of heaven? Dost thou not see, how all that which here thou seest, must have an end, as also all that which thou hearest, which thou touchest, which thou tastest, and wherewith thou dost converse? Dost thou not see, that all this is but cobwebs, which cannot  thee, and keep thee warm? Where art thou if thou have not thy being in jesus Christ our lord? what art thou thinking? what account art thou making? what dost thou seek, out of that only, one, complete God?  
Let us rouse up ourselves at last, & break of this bad sleep; Let us awake, for it is broad day, since jesus Christ our lord who is the light, is come. Let us do the wooks of light, since there was time wherein we did the works of darkness. O that the memory of that time, wherein we know not God, might sèrue us now for sharp spurs, to make us run greedily after him. O that we could run, O that we could fly, O that we might burn, and be transformed, into him. What must a creature do, when he sees his creator made man, and all for love of him alone? who ever heard of such a love as this, that one loving another, should by love be converted into that other. It is true that God loved us, when he made us after his Image; but a fare greater work it was to make himself after our image. He abases himself to us, that he may exalt us to him. He makes himself man, that he may make us Gods. He descends from heaven, that he may carry us thither in his company; and in fine he died, that he might give us life. And now shall it be possible that in the midst of these things, I should lie sleeping and without any sense of gratitude for so great love? O lord illuminate mine eyes, that they may not sleep in such a death as this And thou who hast done us this great favour, 
Ps. 12.  give us also a right feeling of it. For otherwise, the greater the benefit is, the more hurt it will do us in the end.  
O Lord open thou mine eyes, that they may consider thee, descending out of the bosom of thy father; and entering into that of thy virgin mother, that I may give thee great thankes for this benefit. Make me able to humble myself for thee. Make me able to consider thee lying in a manger, instead of a bed, crying out, through could & being oppressed with poverty; & make me learn thereby, how to cast all delicacy fare from me. Make thy tears & sighs show & sound themselves forth in mine ears, that so they may mollify my hart, & that so it may deliver itself cover, as wax, to every inclination of thy will. And do not thou permit, that God should weep, and that man should have no feeling of it; for I know not at which of these two things, we might wonder most.  
Seal up, O lord, thy words in my soul, that I may never sinne against thee. Let the blood which thou didst shed for me, be gathered up into my hart, and be thou all, my only love, that so thou mayst not repent thyself, of all these great afflictions, which thou enduredst for me. It is I, whom thou soughtst, and whom thou seekest still; and for me thou hast made all those tiltings, and triumphs, and shown forth all thy liveries, and undergone all that cost. Let me never see myself belonging to any other than thee, since thou hast deserved me so well.  
Come Madam, let that hart of yours, now prepare itself for God is upon the point of being borne; and he hath neither house, nor bed, wherein to lie. Let your hart be all inflamed with love, for the Infant suffers much cold. And yet if your hart be but even so much as luke warm this Infant with his cold, will give it greater heat. For how much the more cold he suffers for us, so much the more love, he shows to bear us; & where I find myself to be more beloved, there am I obliged more to love.  
Exteriorly he suffers cold, and yet, through the great love he bears us, he can endure no ; but he lies naked as soon as he is borne, & naked they lay him upon the Cross, because in his birth, & in his death, he shown the greatest excess of love.  
Madam, you must provide a cradle wherein you may rock him a sleep, which signifies the repose of contemplation, and see that you tend, and treat him well, for he is the son of a great high king, and he is the son also of a virgin, and he takes much gust to lodge himself in the hart of virgins; for the meat he eats is flesh, which is crucified & dead. And because he hath a great deal of poor people, amongst his kindred, whom yet he love's dearly well, you must be also sure to love them, for they are the brethren of our creators. As soon as he is borne in your hart, you must take care to nurse him; and I beseech him to keep and save you, for his mercy's sake. Amen.   

A Letter to a certain Lady, who is taught with what disposition she is to receive Christ our lord, into her soul; and with what care she is to kept him, and of the great misery where into that soul falls, which commits mortal sin, and what a great treason it is, to leave God, and follow the devil, especially for such as have been particularly favoured by almighty God.  
THE grace and peace of the holy ghost, be in your hart, and assist you in this holy time; that you may prepare your soul, for that Infant who is now to be borne. For he hath no house, but in those souls which are well disposed to receive him. He comes as a stranger, and in great poverty, Give him your hart, 
Mat. 25  that so he may say in the last day, I was a stranger and you received me. But yet consider withal, that as there is nothing so much to be desired by you as to lodge this Infant in your soul, so is there nothing which requires more care and diligence, then to prepare, the lodging ready, in such sort as he desires. He comes in humility, and poverty; and they who receive him must be humble, and poor. He comes to undertake great labours, and with labour that house must be adorned, wherein he voutchafes to dwell. He is chaste, and he love's such as are chaste. And though he be very little, and a very Infant; yet withal, he is very great, and he is God; and so it must be no little thing to prepare a lodging for a great God. Our lord is choice and nice, and by reason of someone mortal sin which some man makes little difficulty to commit, he refuses to enter into the soul. And if he be there already, one mortal sin, sends him away. And when he is gone, he comes not back again so soon; but makes it plain, by the difficulty which he hath to return, with how great diligence he is to be kept, by us; when we have him there.  
O my good lady, and how rich is he who possesses God, and how often in the day were he to look down upon his hart, ask our Lord if he be there? What chains should he cast about him of humble petitions and tears, begging of him as David did, in these words, 
Psal. 21.  O lord depart not from me. How full of caution ought a man to walk, lest he should do somewhat, which might offend our Lord, & least being offended, he should be gone. For, if he be all good, what shall it be to lose him, but to fall into the Abyss of all miseries? They are sad things, which a soul feels, when it hath lost God; and such, as will hardly be believed, though all the world should speak of them. This appears well in our first parents Adam and Eue. For Eve, looking upon the fruit of the forbidden, tree, it seemed very beautiful to her eye, and that if she might eat thereof, it would prove very pleasing to her, and give her great contentment. But as soon hast she had eaten, her eyes were opened, to behold those great miseries, which came upon her by that means, & experience taught her, that the bitterness of breaking the commandment of God, was greater, than the pleasure to have eaten the fruit. And then she saw, that the appearance which the forbidden fruit had, of being so very fair, and full of gust, was but a deceit of the devil, who made a false glass, for her to look through. And he also gave her a loathing, of those other fruits which God commanded her to eat. So as they seemed unsavoury to her, and she thought that all the gust, and hidden good, had consisted in that which God forbade.  
O how many have been deceived by the devil, through false imagination; he promising them contentment, & gust; & they afterwards, making bitter lamentation, for giving credit to him, whom even before they knew to be a liar, & the father of lies: and some, after the end of many labours, and tears, have sweat hard, to return into the freindshipp of God, though, through all their life, they continued with this dagger in their hart, of, How have I offended God, having vouchsafed me so many blessings! And it seemed to them, as if they enjoyed not the benefit of his pardon, through the continual grief and shame, which they had for committing the offence. Others there are, who being once gone away; never turn again; like ill made hawks, who flying from the fist of their Lord, fall to feed upon carrion; and being so fleshed, return no more; and having formerly tasted the food of Angels, 
Luc. 15  grow to take delight in the husks of swine. Of these S. Peter saith, 
2. Pet 2.  That it had been better for them, not to have known the way of our lord, then to leave it after it was known. And it happens to them as to the dog who returns to eat, what he had vomited, & as to the hogg who wallows in his mire from side to side. And our Lord himself said, 
Luc. 9  That he who puts his hand to the plough, and looks back is not fit for the kingdom of heaven; but returns to be worldly again, and is both made an object of scorn to the devil, and is also placed as a mark to fright others from offending God.  
In this sort did the wife of Loth undo herself. 
Gen. 19  For God having vouchsafed her so great a favour, as to deliver her from the fire, which came from heaven, upon Sodam and Gomorrah, where she dwelled, and commanding her not to look back again, she obeyed not his voice; but turning her head back, was transformed into a pillar of salt, which beasts lick up. And here it is to be considered, that if God punished her so severely, who had not been a sinner in that City, but only because she obeyed not his commandment of not looking back for what can the sinner hope, who is delivered from the punishment of God, through his great mercy; if yet despising that excessive goodness, he turn back his hart, towards the flesh pots of Egypt, and his sins past.  
I beseech God even for God's own sake, to deliver every soul, from falling down into so great a misery as this. For as S. Paul affirms, 
Heb. 11  it is a fearful and horrible thing, to fall into the hands of the living God, and what is man, that he should be able to endure the wrath and fury, of Almighty God? For as any huge fire, is able to devour some little woeful straw, so doth the mighty wrath of God, swallow up the souls & bodies of all such persons as departed from him. And as when some wife, who had been dearly beloved by her husband, commits the fowl sin of adultery, that husband is enraged so much the more against her, at she had been more beloved by him; so that wrath of God is very unsufferable, which he expresses against that soul, which he had formerly drawn out of the captivity of sin, and of bound had made free, and being naked and void of grace, had made rich and rarely adorned with the same grace, and of a wicked slave, had exalted to be his most honoured & beloved wife. What would such a woman deserve, who being ungrateful for so great favours; I say not should commit adultery, against such a generous and pious husband, but through whose hart, any such thought should once pass, though she were a thousand mile off, from the fact.  
Who could ever think of giving a buffet, to one that had endured so many for him; and to put fresh dishonours, & to crucify a second time that person, whose former wounds, it were much more fit for him to bathe & dress and assuage, then to add new ones to the old? What kind of wickedness shall we call it, (which is able even to amaze, and astonish the world) for one to leave God for the devil, and having been walking in the way to heaven, to go thrust his very feet into hell; and to like better to have to do with God enraged, then with God all gentle and appeased?  
Madam, I have not written this, as thinking that this misery will lay hold on you. For my confidence is not in you, but in him, whoe, with so much mercy, and pity, redeemed you, out of the captivity wherein you were, and taught you so well, what belongs to his love, as to have given you clearly to understand thereby that he meant not to undertake the business in jest, neither will he, that either you, or I, shall make a jest thereof. In this lord who love's with so great fidelity, do I place my confidence; and not in you, who have kept so ill correspondance with his true love. But I have written this, to the end, that of yourself, you may hunt out a little sent, of the danger wherein you are; & that you may recommend yourself more and more, to our Lord, and in fine, that you may be so discreet as not to cast away your time, in the admitting of unprofitable thoughts. Our lord will clear up these things, and will finish that which he hath begun, and will not take this Crown from me, and therefore am I in patience and hope, that you shall not deprive me of that which God hath given me. You have here many servants of God, both men and women, who recommend you to his mercy, with much care, and I beseech him to grant it most completely to you. Amen.   

A Letter of the Author to a Lady, at the Feast of the Epiphany or three kings.  
Wherein he shows how she is to go and adore the Infant jesus; with those kings; being guided by the star of faith; and that she is to offer him the gold of divine love.  
I Wrote to your Ladyship this last Advent, of the great favour which our Lord did us, in vouchsafing to come to us, and of the happiness of that soul which disposes himself to receive him. I hope in his mercy, that he is come home to you; and that you have received him with faith and love. And therefore now, there remains no more, but that you offer yourself, in perpetual sacrifice to him, who hath vouchsafed to offer himself to you as a dear guest, and that you imitate the faith and presents which were made by those wise men to the Blessed Infant as soon as they found him out; as you have already imitated them in the care they had to find him. It will do well, that you contemplate how this great lord is so humbled, in that poor open stable, and that manger, where the natural discourse and humane reason of those kings, was fare from thinking that they should find him. But the star which, with us, is Faith, refuses expressly to pass any further on, and declares with most resplendent beams as by so many tongues, that he who is above all reason, and knowledge, lies in a place which is hidden from all discourse of reason; that so we may learn to belceve, that most firmly, whereof we find least certainty.  
For if as the star guided them, so they had been guided but by their reason, they would have gone to look for this new borne king in some royal palace; for a person and a place wherein he dwells, are to carry proportion to one another: Our lord vouchsafes to show a great favour to them, upon whom he bestows a star, which is the gift of faith; that so they may seek God, both when he is wrapped up aswell in those swadling-cloutes, in the poverty of his birth, as in the contempt and torment of the death of the Cross; the kings find him in one of thofe places, and the good thief in the other. For both they, and he, had the eyes of Faith, and that made them prostrate themselves all along and adore him, protesting that they were as nothing in his divine presence. For if they had known him but for a temporal king, how great soever he had been, it would have suffized for them, to have done reverence to him, as one man uses to another; but for so great men to prostrate themselves, before an Infant, betokens that they had interior faith, whereby they knew the high Majesty, which lay hid in that Infancy.  
But now your Ladyship must be sure, that you appear not empty before this Lord, and that you think not that you give him any thing, if you do not give him your love. Nothing but God is able to make your Ladyship happy; and nothing but yourself is able to keep him contented. This love of his is not joined with any interest which regards himself, or the value of the presents which are made to him; but it is a true and perfect love, which requires an union of hearts. And this is that language, as S. Bernard saith, whereby God, and the soul communicate themselves & speak to one another, in the same tune. If our lord threaten and punish me, I am not to do the same; but my duty will be, to humble myself so much the more, as he doth more exalt himself; but if he love me, I must be like him in that, and I must love him, saying, with the spouse; My beloved to me and I to him.  
O great dignity of a creature, 
Cant. 2  which is abled thus to draw, in the self same yoke with his Lord, and may answer him like, for like, for love is that thing, which abases hills, and raises valleys. Offer your love to him; who for love of you, did, though he were so great, become an infant, and being God became man; and shed the blood of circumcision for you, within eight days; as being not content that he had shed tears, for you, when he was borne. Steal not yourself away from this lord, since you are so truly his, lest you grow to be of them, of whom the Prophett jeremy faith; he went like one who runs away with him self. Where are you engaged more deeply? where can you employ yourself more profitably? where can you exalt yourself more highly, then by loving Christ our lord, who loved you, and washed you with his blood, and gives even himself to such a one as love's him, and makes him of a man, grow to be a kind of God.  
Be very careful of yourself in this business, and so that you offer gold to the Infant jesus; For as a little gold is more worth than a great quantity of other mettle, so a little true love, is more precious, than much copper, and such other metals of fear, and proper interest, or any other succh affects as rise from these. Many are wont to measure themselves by their doing many good works, and they never consider that God respects nothing in them, but only the hart from whence they rise; and that one man shall please God more who doth less good works, than another who doth greater, if he who did the less, have the greater love. Some man by fasting from some one meal, or by giving some very little alms, shall be more pleasing to our lord (as the widow was, 
Mark 12.  than many others who gave great alms) because he doth it with more love than they. And herein appears the greatness of our Lord, since noeseruice which we can do him, how great soever it may be, is great in his sight, if the love of the party be not great. For he who hath need of nothing, and cannot possibly increase at all in riches, or any other good, why should he care for aught which can be given him, but only to be beloved, which is so acceptable a present, as cannot be refused by any. And so much is God in earnest when he requires it of us, as that he punishes with eternal death, the person who grants him not his love.  
What thing is so fare from self love in the desires of any thing, as he who needs no service which can be done him thereby; and who again hath so much desire of any thing as he who so requires a man's love, as to punish him with the torments of hell, who will not give him that love and give it truly, yea, and that so as it may exceed all other love's. And therefore Saint Augustine might say with reason, O lord what account dost thou make of me, since thou commandest, me to love thee; and dost threaten me with huge miseries if I love thee not. Let his be therefore your prime care, to attend to the love of our Lord. For this very purpose, he made himself so very little. For by how much the more he conceals, and as it were dissembles his Majesty, so much more doth he declare his goodness, and thus doth he the more invite our love; which looks more at ease upon the littleness which he took, the upon the greatness which he naturally possessed.  
His wisdom lies hidden by his being made an Infant who could not speak. His power is also bound up by certain swathing-cloathes, and he endures bitter cold. And all this to the end, that the more of his other attributes he hides from us, the more he may declare his love to us; that so we also may love him the more, as we find him to have suffered more for us. It is certain that to see him tremble with cold doth kindle us much more, then if we saw him well, and warmly clad, and if he felt no pain. And therefore he shall do very ill, who denies him his love, since it was bought at so much cost of this Infant; and after the rate thereof, will it cost that man who shall deny to give it.  
He who offers this love, offers the boloca●st with the marrow to our lord, 
Psal. 65.  as David saith. For as fire burns up a whole beast; so doth love consume the whole man, both within & without. The fire of true love, will not endure that the straw of exterior vanities should remain unburnt. How shall that man be able to love pomps and shows who cordially love's the Infant jesus, being laid in a poor manger, if it be true that love must make lovers like to one another. It is a great blessing and light, which makes us able to see God here belove, that so we may know how to walk for the pleasing of his divine Majesty. And since he walks in a very contrary way to that of the world, let us resolve to make our choice of that guide, whom we mean to follow; since we cannot walk in both; and since the world runs headlong upon error, and since Christ our Lord is the truth which saves such as believe and follow it. 
john. 14   
And let his holocaust have marrow in it, for marrow is a soft thing, and doth soon melt. And so doth that hart which love's our lord; and whether the matter concern the service of the same lord, or else the good of a man's neighhour, such a one will not express either dryness, or harshness, but sweet mildness, be also hath care to keep his love as safe, as the marrow is within the bone. But before you can arrive to that marrow, it is guarded first by the skynue, and then by the flesh, and lastly by the bone itself. The man who love's, places all things which he possesses, and desires, before that which he love's; that he may sooner lose all that, then that the person beloved by him should once be touched. And he hath a strong and firm purpose as if it were made of iron not to venture the love of our lord, though it should cost him whatsoever he either is, or may ever be.  
Such gold as this it is, which you must offer to the Infant, who is borne so poor; and you must open your treasures, for that purpose, as those kings did. For if this hart be not opened, which is the treasure-howse, all the labour is lost. For in that case whatsoever it be, 
Mark 2.  which is offered, is not gold but counterfeit stuffer; & he takes the best to himself, and gives the worst to Almighty god. Open therefore your hart, and convey the Infant newly borne into it, since that hart alone life's, in which he is. And since he is of so little weight, do not lay him down; but wear him in your bosom, like that handful of Myrrh, whereof the spouse speaks. Converse with him with all reverence because he is God; 
Cant. 1  and yet take courage to communicate freely with him, because he is an Infant; for within he hath his hart as serene, and sweet, as you may well conceive by his exterior appearance. Take heed you let him not fall, for he must be kept with great care; but if your love be not great, you will either forget him quickly, or else lay him soon aside, as thinking that he weighs too much. And so that you negotiate with him in such sort, as that you give not over, till you perceive by good conjectures, that both you love him, and are beloved by him. For till a soul feel this, it ever life's in fear, and sadness, and as under the burden of a law, but when it comes to this pass; there is nothing which can easily trouble it, when it considers that God love's it, and it love's God. I beseech him that it may so happen to your Ladyship. Amen.   

A letter of the Author to a Lady wherein he shows what the coming of the holy Ghost wrought in the Apostles, and what it works in them who dispose themselves to receive it, and how they are to dispose themselves.  
GOd send you a good Feast of whitsuntide, not by hearsay, but by experience; & that, in this solemnity your hart may feel that which the faithful servants of Christ our Lord, when they were assembled in that meetingplace did feel, by the infusion of him into their souls, who deprived them of their weakness, and delivered them from their ignorances, and fulfilled the bosom of their souls, with so great joy, as might well give the world to understand; that the blood of Christ our lord was not shed in vain, nor his prayers to his Father made in vain; since by means thereof, a participation of the divinity, was communicated.  
O how often, when they saw themselves so deified, and that they were made so richly the lovers and beloved of God, did they sing a world of praises to jesus Christ, their lord and Master; as knowing well, that he had sent them this gift as he was God, and had deserved it for them as he was man. For according to what our lord himself had ptomised, the holy ghost as soon as he should become, was to make known jesus Christ, our Lord, and to give testimony of him, 
john. 16  that so the Disciples, and the world might know him, and by knowing him might understand withal, that all good was to come to them by his means, and that they were to render him service, and express all gratitude to him, as to their true and abundant benefactor; and that so, they might remain faster tied to him by the cords of love, in his absence, then formerly they had been in presence; & might know by experience, what a puissant love the holy ghost is, and how ardently he makes that Blessed word of God, to be beloved, from whom himself proceeded, and in whom he reposes, and that they should make no difficulty to publish and proclaim him to the world, though it should cost them their lives.  
If we had a part of this solemnity here within our very hearts, we should be sure to celebrate it exteriorly as we ought. And if our soul were bedewed with some drop of the water of this plentiful River which issues out of the throne of God, 
Apo●. 20.  & of the lamb, the thirst of this whole world would be soon quenched in us, and we should be refreshed by this heavenly dew from that dryness, and stiffness wherein we yet remain so negligent, so barren, and so accursed.  
O how much would we find ourselves obliged to our Redeemer, when we should sensibly feel, that we were indeed redeemed by him, and that our sins were drowned, that our sorrows were spent, and abundance of joy imparted instead thereof. We would not then complain of pains, of banishments, of absence from what we love, of wanting those things which seem most necessary to us, and in sine of any inconvenience. For so powerful is this spirit, and the fire thereof, that it strives upward, and makes us so love & confide in God, that no water of sorrow, and affliction hath power to quench it, but it remains ever quick, and conveyed with such strength into the bowels of the soul (which are so mightily inflamed) that it kills that which life's ill; and causes, that even death itself cannot conquer him, who is mortified by the coming of this holy spirit.  
This is that dear guest, who cures the wound, which the absence of Christ our lord had made in their hearts who loved him, and fills up that empty place, which was made therein by his departure. And now if he were able to comfort and free men from that sorrow, which was caused by the absence of Christ our lord himself, more easily will he be able to comfort us, in case of the absence of creatures, if we be in any pain thereby. This is he, who is so full of care of his orphans, who overshadowes them with strength, from on high, and who covers and keeps them warm under the mantle of his protection, and makes them know that they have of in heaven whom they may with confidence, but without presumption call Father; he repairs that which is ruined, he illuminates that which is dark, he heats that which is cold, he straightens that which is crooked, be refreshes that which is over wearied, and he is daily giving us new strength, which makes us fly up toward the mountain of God.  
Madam, it will be reason that such an excellent present as this, should put us into great appetite, and that we sell all the affections of our hart, for the purchase of this jewel, which only is able to make us happy. The news of it passes before our doors, and the noise sounds in our ears, of how he comes down to men, and is glad of a habitation in their hearts; Let us not suffer him to pass by, but let us constrain him to visit, and comfort us, that we may serve him yet more. And considering in whose name we may desire him to stay with us, he will not need to be much entreated; for the Father sends him, through jesus Christ his son our Lord.  
Christ our Lord is he who obtained the holy ghost for us. For otherwises, what had that most high spirit to do, with coming down to us, who are but so much flesh, which is impure, and weak, and inclined to all kind of ill. This spirit exceeds us incomparably more, than the heavens exceed the earth, if it were not for that, he who is of heaven, being engendered by the Father, did abase himself so fare as to become man, the signification of which word is to be earthly. And so God being humaned, and tempored with our weakness, did labour and sweat, and, upon the cost of his life, did obtain for us, that this spirit which created the heavens, should abase itself so fare, as to dwell in those pots of clay.  
Let us give thankes to jesus Christ our Lord, and let us gather the fruit of his labours. And since the holy ghost comes down willingly to dwell with us, in contemplation of the merits of Christ our lord, let us not be so ungrateful for either of these two great favours, as thereby to lose them both. The most high will abase himself to these mean persons, that he may be their Father, and their guide, and how then can we be such woeful sots, as to say No, to him. Let us go forth to receive him with love, who comes with love, and let us do it with great desire, for where he is desired he is well content to stay. Let us be like him who said. 
say. 26  My soul hath desired thee by night, and in spirit; and with the very bowels of my soul, I watch towards thee in the morning. By night he desires to enjoy thy holy Spirit, who finds himself to be afflicted, and places not his confidence in his own arm, but sends out sighs to this spirit, as to the comforter of the sorrowful, and the easer of all such as are in pain. And in the morning he will be content to watch, who makes it not one of his last cares, how it may be fit for him to furnish up that inward house; but the chief of them all is to consider, how he may be able to obtain this favour of our Lord. And being thus desired, and invoked, infallibly he will come; for so did Christ our lord himself, who was called the Desired of all the nations; 
Aggae. 2.  and he love's all such as desire to possess him.  
Let us call upon this holy Spirit, with the speech both of our tongues and of our souls; but, we must be sure that the house be not ill furnished, and so without provision, that after he shall be invited, and sat down at table, we may have nothing for him to eat. Let us mortify our flesh, for that is the food whereon he feeds, and which he likes so well. For as for the flesh which life's, he flies from it, as fare as he can, and it stinks worse to him, than a dead dog would to us. Let us mortify our own opinion and judgement, that so we may be ruled by his; for two heads will never govern a house well, if that which knows least be not swayed by that which knows most. And let us renounce all ourself conceits, for these are the Capital enemies of this heavenly spirit, which teaches us to say, 
Matth. 26.  Not my will but thy will be done. Let us be diligent to cleanse our conscience by penance, and confession, from all impurity, and every grain of dust, how little soever it may be. For this guest is most pure, and clean; and it is not fit to lodge him in such a house as may disgust him. Let us keep peace, both at home and abroad; for even unquiet and wrangling folks, are wont to dissemble their little brawls, for the honour of some principal guest.  
Having lodged him in our house, let us give him good attendance, since he hath made it a palace. For he is a mighty king, and it is against all reason, that having him with us at home, we should be gadding abroad to see vanities. Let us then shut up the doors, and cast ourselves prostrate at his feet, and let us tell him with truth, that there is nothing which shall draw us from him, and that we have given this answer to all the world, that it must leave us, and him alone together. And so let us enjoy him; for he is able to make us happy, and so as that nothing can deprive us thereof. If you carry the business thus, you shall be comforted in all that, wherein yet you have discomfort; and you shall drink of the River of the delights of God till even you be inebriated thereby. And I shall also be comforted when I shall see you in the hands of him who knows so well how to keep you, and instruct you, and eternally to save you. It is he, whom I beseech to be your succour.   

A letter of the Author to a certain Priest.  
He shows how he may prepare himself; and what considerations are most profitable, when he goes to celebrate at the Altar.  
Reverend Father; I beseech our Lord that the delay which I have used in making my answer, may be recompensed with being true, and profitable to you, for your demand is of great importance; and so would the answer also be, if it were such as I have said. You ask me what preparation is best, and what consideration is most profitable, when you go to celebrate the mystery of the body, and blond of our lord and Saviour jesus Christ; because you fear that the thing, which of itself is so helpful, may yet prove hurtful to you, for want of due preparation.  
You know already, that there are different complexions of men's bodies; and so is there variety of inclinations, in their minds, yea and so also are the gifts which God imparts to men, very different. Some, he leads by one means, and others by another, and therefore there can be no such common rule given, as may square well with the generality of all men, concerning the consideration which may be most profitable for the aforesaid action. But this is certain, that that consideration will be best for any man, which God imparts, and whereby a man finds himself to be moved most. And he who hath any knowledge such as a man may have in things like these, (whereof there is no certain faith, nor clear evidence that his Preparation, or consideration grows from the impulse of God), hath no reason to change it for any other, till our lord change it. And this is to be tried, by giving account thereof, to some person, who hath experience in these things, together with prudence; and so to take the resolution.  
But now there are others, who find not themselves particularly moved, to use, this, or that Consideration. And yet it is also necessary, for these men to impart the notice of their inward disposition; so to try whether they have need to be carried by the motive of Love, or fear, they being either sad, or cheerful; and the remedy is to be applied, according to the necessities wherein they are. And because I incline to think, according to the relation which I have received concerning you, that the state wherein you are, is of a person proficient in virtue, and that it is fit for you to exercise yourself, upon he considerations which may provoke you to the fervour of love, with reverence, then upon others; I say, that to this purpose, I know of none better, then that which may give us lively to understand, that our lord with whom we go to treat, is God and man, and what the cause is why he comes to the altar.  
Certainly Sir, it is a blow of great force, towards the awaking of any man, to consider, and say this to himself, in good earnest, I am now going to consecrate Almighty God; to hold him in my hands, to have audience of him, and to receive him into my bosom. Let us ponder this well; and if it sink into us by the grace and spirit of our lord, it will be sufficient, and superabundant, for the making that result towards us, whereof we have so much need, that so (according to our frailty,) we may perform that office as we ought.  
Who is he that can choose but be inflamed in love, by thinking, I go to receive an infinite Good? who will not tremble, with an amorous kind of reverence, at his presence, before whom the powers of heaven tremble? and who will not resolve, never to offend him more, but still to praise him, and do him service▪ Who will not be confounded, and even mourn with grief for having offended that Lord, whom he hath present there? who will not confide, upon such a pawn? whoe will not take hart, to go through this desert, by the way of penance, with such Provision? And finally, this consideration, (when the hand of our Lord helps it on) doth wholly change a man, and taking him from himself, doth even swallow him up; some times by reverence, some times by love; and at other times, by other most powerful affects of the mind, which are produced by the considerations of his Presence. Which affects, though they do not necessarily flow from these Considerations, yet are they a most ready help thereunto, if the man, as we use to say, will not be a stone.  
So that you shall do well to exercise yourself in this thought. Make account that you hear that voice, Ecce sponsus venit, 
Matth 2§.  Deus vester venit. Behold your spouse is coming, your God is coming. And shut yourself up in your hart, and then open it to receive that, which uses to stream from such a lightning. And desire you, of the same Lord, that for that very goodness of his, by which he hath vouchsafed to put himself into your hands; for that same goodness, I say, he will give you a true feeling thereof, that so you may esteem, reveare, and love him, as you ought. Importune him that he permit you not to be in the presence of such a Majesty, without fear, reverence, and love. Accustom yourself to think as you ought, of the presence of our Lord; although you should then entertain no other consideration but that.  
Consider them who stand in presence of kings, who, though they say nothing; yet see the modesty, the reverence, & the love wherewith they stand, if they stand as they ought. But it is better to consider how those great ones assist in the Court of heaven, in presence of that infinite greatness all trembling at the reflection of their own littleness, and burning in the fire of love, like persons who are, as it were, consumed, in such a furnace. Make account, that you enter amongst those Graundes, who are so richly adorned, and so well behaved; and so diligent in doing service to their Lord. And then being placed, in such society as that, and in the presence of so great a king, think of it as you ought, though, as I was saying, you have not, at that time, any other consideration then that.  
My meaning is, that it is one thing for a man to have what to say to the king; and it is another, to know (which may be done with silence) how to stand in his presence, and there to carry himself as he ought. And this is that union of the soul with our lord, which a man shall do well to procure during the time of Mass, and to hang wholly upon him, just so as when he is in his Cell, united with our lord, in the most secret retired corner of his hart. And this, in such sort, as that the words which he reads, may not be of any distraction to this union; for he shall reap more fruit by it, then by them; though yet, it be true, that he is to have regard also to the words; but he is to accustom himself whilst he hath his hart united, and present with God, to carry that attention withal, to what he doth, and saith, as is convenient.  
Dear lord, and what doth the soul of that man feel, when he carries him in his hands who made election of our B. Lady, & enriched her with celestial graces, that she might be made fit to live and converse with God made man. And when he compares her hands, and arms, and eyes, with his own, what confusion doth he grow to have? How straightly will he hold himself to be obliged, for such a benefit? what caution will he use that he may keep himself wholly for him, who hath done him so much honour, as to put himself into his hands, and to come to them by them words of Consecration.  
Sir, these things are no bare words nor no dead considerations; but they be arrows, shut stiffly out, from the strong bow of Almighty God, which wound and wholly change the hart, and which make it desire, that at the end of Mass, it may at large consider that word of our Lord, Scitis quid fecerim vobis? 
John. 13.  Do you know what I have done to you. Dear lord that a man could conceive quid fecerit nobis Dominus, What our Lord had done for us in that hour. That a man might taste him with the palate of his soul. O that a man had true weights, where with he might weigh out, this great benefit. How happy should he be, even in this world; and how, after the end of Mass, would he loathe even the sight of creatures; and would esteem it to be a torment, that he must treat with them. And his joy and life would consist, in pondering, Quid fecerit ei dominus, what our lord had done for him, till the next day, that he should return to say Mass. And if our Lord do at any time give you this light, you will know what sorrow and shame you ought to carry in your hart, when you approach to the Altar without the same. For he who never enjoyed it, doth not know what a misery it is, to want it.  
You may add to this Consideration of the person who comes to the Altar, the reason why he comes; and you will there see a resemblance of the love, of the Incarnation of our Lord, and of his holy Nativity, and of his life, and death; renewing that which passed heretofore upon his sacred person. And if you shall enter into the most inward corner of the hart of our Lord, and if he vouchsafe to teach you, that the cause of his coming, is a violent and impatient kind of love, which permitts not him whoe loves, to be absent from the party beloved; your soul will even faint under such a consideration as that.  
A man is indeed moved much, by pondering after this manner, Hear I have Almighty God. But yet, when he considers, that he comes merely out of the great love which he bears, (like one betrothed who cannot live a day, without seeing and conversing with his Spouse), the man I say, who feels this, would be glad to have a thousand hearts, wherewith to correspond with such love, and to say with S. Augustine O Lord what am I to thee, that thou shouldest command me to love thee? what am I to thee, that thou shouldest so much desire, to make me a visit; and to give me an embracement, and that, being in heaven, with them who know so well how to love, and serve thee, thou yet vouchsafest to descend to this creature, who knows very ill how to serve thee, but very will how to offend thee. Is it possible that thou canst not content thyself, O lord, to be without me. Is it possible that thy love of me, should draw thee down? Blessed mayst thou be for ever, who being what thou art, hast yet placed thy love, upon such a creatures as myself? And is it possible, that thou shouldest come hither, in thy royal person, and that thou shouldest put thy selfe into my hands, as if thou wouldst say; I died for thee once, already; and I come to thee now, is let thee know, that I repent not myself thereof; but if it were needful, I would dye for thee yet, a second tyme. What lance could remain in the rest, after such a dear expression of love as this? Who, O lord will ever be able to hide himself from the heat of thy hart, which warms ours with thy presence, & the sparks fly out to all them who are near it, as out of some mighty furnace. And as such a lord as this, (my good Father) doth the God of the heavens, come to our hands, and we being such wretches as we are, do yet converse with him, and receive him.  
Let us now conclude this good subject, which is so sit to be felt and put in execution. And let us beseech this lord of ours, who hath already done us one favour, that now he will do us another, forasmuch as his blessings, unless we value them, and thank him, and serve him for them, will not be of profit to us. Or rather as S. Bernard saith, The ungrateful man, by how much the better he is, by so much he is the worse. Let us consider well how we live, throughout the whole day; lest else our lord punish us, in that time when we are at the Altar. And throughout the whole day, let us carry this thought in our hearts, I have received our Lord. At his table I sit; and to morrow I shall be with him again. By this meane●, we shall be able to avoid all ill, and we shall take hart, towards the practice of all good. For that which is done from the Altar, our lord is wont to reward, at the Altar.  
To conclude, I say you must remember how our lord complained of Simon the Pharisee, for that, 
Luc. 7  entering into his house, he gave him no water for his feet, nor any kiss to his cheek. To the end we may know that he desires, that in the house where he enters, we should give him tears, laid at his feet for our sins; and love which makes us salute him with the kiss of peace. I beseech our lord to bestow this peace on you, both with yourself, and with your neighbours; and so as that it may spring from perfect love; which I desire may torment you here, for the offences, which yourself and others commit against our Lord. And in heaven I desire, that he should make you enjoy it; esteeming the good of God for your own, and more than your own, because you love him more than yourself. For his love, I beg of you, that if in this letter, there be either little, or much, which needs amendment, it may not want your help; and if there be any thing good in it, give the thankes for that, to our Lord, and remember me when you shall be at the Altar.   

A letter of the Author to some dear friends of his, who were afflicted by a persecution, which was raised against them, he animates them much, to a love of the Cross, and the imitation of Christ our Lord, whereof he speaks with great tenderness.  
BLessed be God the Father, of our Lord jesus Christ, 
2 Cor 1.  the father of mercies, and the God of all consolation, who comforts us in all our tribulation; in such sort, as that we also, are enabled to comfort them who are in any kind of affliction. And this we do, in virtue of that consolation, wherewith God comforts us, For as the tribulations of Christ abound in us, so through Christ, see our consolation is also abundant.  
These are the words of the Apostle Saint Paul. 
2 Cor. 11  Three times he was scourged with rods; five times with whips; and once he was stoned, in such sort as that he was left for dead; and persecuted by all the generations of man kind; and tormented withal sorts of afflictions, and troubles; and this not in any small number of times, but as himself saith elsewhere, we are ever, even drawn to death, for the love of jesus Christ, that so his life, may be made manifest in us. And in all these tribulations, he doth not only not murmur, nor complain of God, as weak persons are wont to do, nor doth he afflict himself otherwise, as is used by them, who love their honour and their case; nor doth he importune God to remove them from him, like such as know not the value thereof, and therefore desire not such company, as that; nor doth he esteem them as some sleight, and little favours, as they do who love not to suffer much; but leaving all ignorance, and weakness fare behind him, he praises our lord in them, and gives thankes for them, as for an extraordinary blessing, Esteeming himself happy, to suffer somewhat for the honour of him, who suffered so great dishonours; that so he might draw us out of that true dishonour wherein we were, being slaves to the baseness of sin; and he beautified, and honoured us, with his spirit, and with the adoption of the sons of God, and he gave us an earnest, and a pledge that we should enjoy the kingdom of heaven by him.  
O my brethren, who are so very much beloved by me, God will open your eyes, that you may consider, how great favour he doth us, by that which the world thinks to be disfavour, and how much we are honoured, in being dishonoured, for seeking the honour of God, and how high honour is reserved to us, for that abasement, wherein now we are, and how sweet, delightful and dear arms, our Lord extends towards us, to receive such as are wounded in the war for his sake, whereby those very wounds do incomparably outstrip, & even make sweet all that gall, which the afflictions of this life can give. And if we have any true understanding, we shall conceive a vehement desire of these embracements.  
For who will not desire that, which is wholly amiable, and , but only such a one, as knows not what true happiness is. But know you for certain, that if those festivities of heaven please you, and if you desire to see, and enjoy the same, there is no way to it more secure, then that of suffering. This is that path, whereby Christ our Lord, and all his servants are gone before us; 
Matth 7.  and which he calls straight, and saith, t'has it leads men to lise. And he left us this instruction, to the end that if we should have a mind to be where he is, we might walk by that way, where he went. For it is against all reason, that the son of God, having gone by the way of dishonour; the sons of men, should go by the way of honour, since the Disciple is not greater than his Master, no● the slave, than his Lord. And God forbid, that our soul should repose, and rest, in any other thing, or should desire any other life, in this world, but only to suffer, under the Cross of Christ our lord. Though yet, I know not, if I have said well, in calling that affliction which is suffered under that Cross. For to my seeming, it is as the delight of a soft bed, full of roses.  
O thou jesus of Nazareth (by which word it is signified that thou art all full of flowers), how sweet is that odour of thee, which awakes in us, those insatiable desires, of eternity; and makes us forget the afflictions, which we suffer here, whilst we consider for whom they are endured, and with what reward they shall be paid. And who is he that can love thee at all, and yet doth not love thee crucified? in that Cross, thou didst seek me, thou didst cure me, thou didst deliver me, thou didst free me, thou didst love me, giving thy life and blood for me, by the hands of base and cruel wretches. And therefore in the Cross, will I seek thee, and upon that I find thee; and finding thee, thou helpest me; and thou deliverest me from myself, who am the creature which contradicts thy love, wherein mine own salvation doth consist. But now (being free from the love of my , which is thine enemy) I answer thee, though not with equality, yet with a kind of poor resemblance, of that excessive love, which thou carryedst to me upon thy Cross; I loving thee, and suffering for thee, as thou by loving me, died'st of love for me.  
But woe is me, and what shame covers my face, and what sorrow seizes upon my hart, who having been so much beloved by thee, which thy so great torments do well declare) I yet love thee so little, as may be seen by the little, which I endure for thee. I easily confess, that all men deserve not so great happiness, as to be marked out for thine, with the mark of the Cross, but yet, consider what a sad thing it is, for me to desire, and not to obtain; to ask and not to receive? How much more, when I beg not delight, and ease; but affliction, and pain, for love of thee.  
Tell me, since thou will have me to be both thy Herald, and the Ancient, who am to carry the flying colours, of thy gospel, why thou dost not apparel me, from head to foot, with thine own livery. O how ill doth the name of being thy servant belong to me, who find myself naked, of that garment, wherewith thou didst so cordially, and so continually, and so abundantly go apparelled? Tell us, O beloved jesus, (even by that sweet Cross of thine) was there peradventure, any one day, when thou didst put off, that robe of sufferance, to  thyself with repose and ease? Or was there any one day, wherein thou didst put off that rough coat, which so wrought into the very roots of thy hart, as to make thee say, My soul is heavy, 
Marth. 26.  even to the death? O Noah, thou wert far from resting, because thou wert fare from leaving to lone, and this love made thee always suffer.  
And when they stripped thee of thy , they cut out, upon the Cross, (as if it had been upon some table) another garment for thee; and that so long a one, as to reach from thy very head to thy feet; and there was no part of thee, which was not died, with thy most precious crimson blood. The head Crow ned with thorns, the face, loaden with buffets, the hands pierced with two nails, and the feet with one; a bitter one to thee, but dear to us; and all the rest of thy body, embroidered over, with so many stripes, as that it was no casye thing, to nunber them.  
He who beholding thee, shall love himself, and not thee, shall do thee an extreme wrong. He who seeing thee, in such a plight, shall fly from that, which may make him like to thee, and he who hath but little desire to suffer for thee, doth not know thee with perfect love. For he who so knows thee, doth even dye for love of thee, when he considers that thou died'st for him, and he more desires dishonour for thy sake, than he esteems honour, & then all that, which the whole world, (which is both a deceiver and doth deceive) can give. Away with it, away, let it all hold his peace, in comparison of thy Cross, whatsoever it be in this world, which flourishes most; and yet is so soon withered. And let worldly people, be even confounded with shame, since thou, so much to thy cost, hast fought & overcome, by thy Cross. Yea and let them even also be ashamed, who are held for servants of thine, and yet rejoice not in that, which is contrary to the world; notwithstanding that thou wert so reproached, and abandoned, and contradicted by this blind world, which neither doth nor yet can see that Truth, which is Thy self.  
For my part, I am resolved to hold thee fast, though all other things be wanting to me (which yet in true account, can neither deserve the name of all things, nor indeed, of any thing, but of perfect misery and a mere nothing) rather than I will remain of any other colour, than thou art; though otherwise the world wherein I live, might be all mine. For all those things, which are not the thing, which thou thyself art, are rather affliction, and burden, then true happiness, but in thy being ours, and our being thine, consists our true joy, and riches, for thou alone, art all our true good.  
I had forgotten myself my dear brethren, in that whereof I began to speak; and to beseech, and admonish you, in the name of Christ our Lord, that you be not troubled, nor brought to wonder, (at a strange thing, and not familiarly known by the servants of God) at these persecutions, or rather the shadows thereof, which are come upon us. For this hath been nothing but a trial, and examen of that lesson, which we have been learning continually, by the space of five or six years, saying, that we must suffer, we must suffer. for the love of Christ our lord. Behold we are now, at the very gates. Let us not be troubled like children, who are not willing to repeat their lesson. But comfort yourselves, in our Lord, and in the strength of his power, who love's you, and who will defend you. And though he be but one, yet he can do more, than all the rest, for he is omnipotent. You need not also fear, that he wants knowledge, how to do it; for he can be ignorant of nothing. And now consider, whether it be reason, that any man should be moved, who is tied to Almighty God, with those three so hard knots, of an infinite power, an infinite wisdom, and an infinite love.  
Let not the menaces of them who threaten you, breed you any trouble. For I for my part, give you to understand, that I value not all their threats, at the weight of one single hair. For I am no where, but in the hand of Christ our Lord; and I have great compassion of their blindness. For the gospel of Christ our Lord, which I have preached in that town, is hidden from their eyes, 
2. Cor. 4.  and S. Paul affirmed, that the God of this world, which is the devil, did blind the souls of the Infidels; to the end that the glory of the gospel, might not shine upon them. But I desire much, and I cordially beg of our Lord, that he will have mercy on them, and that he will heap benedictions upon them, in lieu of the curses which they cast on me; and glory for the dishonour, which they do me, or (to speak more truly) for that which they desire to do me. For as for me, I am fixed in this, that there is no honour for a man upon this earth, but to be dishonoured for Christ our Lord.  
Do you also, my dear friends, after the same manner; and be Disciples of him, who gave a kiss of peace, to that person, and called him friend, who had sold him, 
Matth 20.  to his enemies. And upon the Cross he said, Pardon them, Father, 
Luc. 23.  for they know not what they do. Consider in all your neighbours, how they are the creatures of God; and that God desires their salvation; and than you will take heed, of wishing ill to that man, to whom God desires so much good. Remember how often you have heard from my mouth, that we must love our enemies; and that, with great repose of mind, and without speaking ill of any. Pass over this fit of time; for our Lord will quickly bring on another. And be very well awake, that you may not go back to reverse any one lot of that good, which you have begun; for this would be extremely ill done. But settle this truth in your hearts, that he whom you have followed, is the lord of heaven, and earth, and of life, and death. And that in fine, though all the world should say nay, his truth must prevail. Labour you to follow that truth, and whilst you are doing so, do not only forbear to fear men, but fear not devils no nor even Angels, if it were possible for them, to be against you. Be very careful to be silent amongst men; but be sure that your hearts, speak much in prayer, to God, from whom all our good is to come. And his pleasure is, that we should obtain it; and especially by meditating upon the passion, of jesus Christ our Lord. And if you suffer any thing, by the tongues of evil men (for, in fine, you suffer nothing else) take it in discharge of your sins, and as a particular favour of God, who will make you clean, by the tongues of those evil men, as it might be with some brush or rubber; for those tongues will be fowl thereby (since they utter fowl things) and yourself will grow clean by suffering, and you will be sure of happiness in the other world.  
But in the mean time, I will not, by any means, that you esteem yourselves for better, then them, whom thus you see to go in error. Because you know not how long yourselves may continue in doing well, nor they in doing ill. But work your salvation in fear and in humility; and so hope that yourselves shall get to heaven, as not to judge with all, that your neighbour is not to go thither. And so value the favours which God hath done to you, as that withal you touch not upon the imperfections of your neighbours. For you know what happened between the Pharisee, 
Luc. 18.  and the Publican, by which example we must be warned.  
There is no sanctity assured, but in the holy fear of God, wherein, 
Eccl. 2.  I would have you even grow old, as the holy Scripture saith. So to give us to understand, that we must not only fear God, when first we come to his service, but even to the very end. This fear is no sad, or irksome kind of thing, but full of savour and gust; and it takes away all levity, and effusion of hart; and it makes a man not venturous, to approve his own actions as good; though perhaps in themselves, they be well done. But he leaves the judgement, both of himself, and of all the world, to Almighty God. As S. Paul said, I judge not myself, but he who judges me, is our Lord. This is he, whom you must fear, if you will persever, in doing well; and if you will not have your building fall, but stand safe, till it may rise and reach to the most high God. But now this must be done by love, which I beseech our lord jesus Christ, to give you. Amen. Pray for me very cordially, as already I believe you do. For I hope in God, that he will hear you, and that he will give me to you, for your service, as in former times.   

A Letter to a Lady who was grown a widow.  
He comforts her in the death of her husband, and animates her to carry her afflictions with patience.  
I Have deferred to write to you, out of a belief, that my letter would be of little power, towards the mitigating of that great sorrow, to which they said, you were grown subject. And I thought I should take a better course to be uttering myself to our Lord who is the Lord of all comfort, and to be recommending you to him, then to be speaking to you, by my letters. But yet because they have been demanded with so great instance, which serves to assure me, how much they are desired, and because our lord hath power enough to do what he lists by the means even of dead letters, I would not fail to do as I was commanded, and that to which I was obliged, beseeching our lord that by means thereof he will be pleased to breed that comfort in your hart which I desire.  
Our Lord hath so disposed, as to have you try what taste these afflictions have, which are gathered in this vale of tears, and they not of the gentler but ruder sort. Let his name be blessed, his judgements adored, and his will obeyed, since that which the creature owes to his Creator, is all reverence and subjection, not only in those things which are delightful, but in those others also, which are most painful. Now to make try all of this obedience, God is wont to teach us, in that which lies next our hearts. To the end that we may understand, that for so great a lord, we must be content both to do, and suffer great things.  
Abraham carried excessive love to his son Isaac, 
Cenisis 22.  and God was pleased to try him in that. A great love it was which job carried to his seven sons, and yet God took them all away, in one day. And after this manner, is he wont to proceed with such as he love's. For by this means both they are made capable, of testifying their love to him, and by the same he takes occasion, to do them great favours. I know well, that flesh and blood have no understanding of this language, and that they only employ themselves, upon feeling the grief and loss, which they sustain, without caring for other things. But if God be in us, we must restrain our sense, and make it obedient to reason, and to the will of our Lord. And though it trouble us much, yet must we not let this flesh of ours overcome, but remembering the anguish of our Lord, which made him sweat drops of blood, and say. Father, not my will, 
Luc. 22.  but thy will be done, we are to say the same, if we mean to be known for his disciples; since he will know none for his vassals on earth, nor for his companion in heaven, but the man who carries the cross upon his back, 
Matth 10.  and who will follow him as the sheep his shepherd, though it should cost him his life.  
Tell me of what we can justly complain in our afflictions, since by them our sins grow to be discharged, and ourselves made to ressemble the son of God? For what a bold irreverence should it be, that slaves would not pass, by that law, by which their Lord did pass, and that adopted sons should not be content to endure that, which the natural son endured; who was more beloved by God the Father, than his first begotten son? and whoe was more loaden with variety of pains than he? 
Esay. 53.  He was the man of grief, and be who knew by experience, what belonged to affliction. And if you be able to count the drops of the sea, you may also perhaps count his sorrows. Will it then seem reason to you, that the son of God, being so in anguish, and all wounded with grief, even to the death, we should pass all our lives, without drinking once of vinegar and gall? 
Matth. 26.  What is become of that shame, which we ought to have, if here we should let him suffer alone, and yet pretend to reign with him in heaven?  
Let all creatures be at last unbeguiled and know, that if the king of heaven did enter into his kingdom by tribulations, we also must enter in by the same way. There is no other way but jesus Christ and he crucified; & whoesoever seeks any other, will not find it, and whosoever walks by any other, will lose himself, and he will see, that though it may be a kind of unsavoury thing, to suffer in this life, it is worse to suffer in the next. O blindness of the sons of Adam, who take no care of the future, so that the present may pass to their contentment. Not valuing that which brings in true profit; but that which gives us gust. Not looking towards reason, but passion. And therefore do they lament when they ought to think themselves happy, and they rejoice when they have more cause to mourn. What is all this present prosperity, but a smoke, which by little and little will be dispersed, in such sort as that we shall see nothing of it? And what are all the years of our life, but a short sleep, out of which when we awake, we find ourselves but to have been abused. And upon any little trouble, which arrives, we are drawn to forget our former pleasures; yea and it gives us, a kind of pain to have enjoyed them.  
If then, we find so great in constancy in this why do we not seek that other? And since we see every day, that this is slipping out of our hands; why do we not seek that which lasts indeed, and will make our felicity eternal? If hitherto we have been in blindness, let us now at length open our eyes. And if prosperity did once tell us, that there was somewhat here, which might content us, let now the gall of tribulation be applied to our eyes and give us light to see, that, in this world, we are truly miserable, and that we are not in our own Country, but in a very painful banishment; and so raising first our hearts to heaven, let our conversation be also there.  
This is the end why our Lord hath punished you, that you may make more, and more account of him, the more you see yourself, in want, otherwise do not conceive that God takes pleasure in your pain, but because he is merciful he hath a tender feeling of your tears. Only he will put this touch of wormwood into your cup, that so having discharged your hart, of all humane comfort, you may have your leaning place upon him alone. God hath taken one comfort from you, but it is to give you another, for so he is wont to do. He hath made you a widow, but it is that he may make himself your Father, since, Father of the forsaken, 
Psal. 67.  is his name. Many afflictions will not fail to offer themselves to you, in this widowhood; and in many things you will find the want of him, who was wont to remedy you in them. And in many of your friends, you shall find little help, and little fidelity and less gratitude; but in all these things, God will have you make recourse to him, and confer with him, about the troubles you shall be in, and that, as with a true Father, you ease your hart, with him. And if with that hart you call upon him, and trust yourself in his hands infallibly you shall meet with a sure refuge, in all your difficulties, and a perfect guide in all your ways. And in any times without your knowing by whose means, or how it comes to pass, you shall find your business done, to your hand, much better than you could have imagined; and you shall then understand by experience, how great a friend God is, to the afflicted; and how truly he dwells with them, and makes himself a solicitor of their causes.  
And if at any time, he do not give you that, which you desire; it will be to give you that which shall be fit. For so doth this celestial physician proceed, with them, who go to him for their recovery; and who have a greater desire, to be cured, then that their taste be pleased. Depart not you, from his hands, and cure, though it should put you to much pain. Desire him not to do what you will, but what he will. Let your weapons, be your prayers, and your tears, and they, not lost tears, for that which our Lord hath taken from you, but living tears, for that our Lord may be pleased to pardon him and to save you.  
For what doth that superfluous pain serve which they tell me you give yourself, but only, for the adding of sin, to pain. But now you know, that as we have no liberty to laugh, idly or vainly, so neither have we any to weep superfluously. But both in the one, and in the other, we must be obedient to the holy will of our Lord. Why do you complain? why, I say, do you complain? Either you are a sinner, and then you are to be cleansed by this affliction; or else you are a just person, and then you must be tried, that you may be crowned. whether it be the one or the other, you must give thanks to our lord, with your whole hart, and resolve to love the end and reason of this correction, though the thing itself be unpleasing. This we are taught by holy Scripture, 
Hester. 5.  which relates how Hester kissed the end of Assuerus rod.  
Let not your time pass away, in glutting your eyes with tears; but for the love of our Lord, apply yourself to send your hart up to him, and to prepare yourself for that passage, whereby you see others march before. It is enough, Lady, it is enough, that you have already made so large a feast to flesh and blood. Dry your eyes at last, and let not that time pass in bewailing death, which was granted you for the gaining of life.  
Call to mind, that our Lord driven them out of the house, who lamented the death of a young maid; and he said that she was not dead, but that she slept. For indeed amongst Christians, to dye is but to fall a sleep, till that day come, when we shall awake again, to take our bodies, and so to reign with Christ our Lord, both in body, and soul. And confider, that he for whom you weep, is not dead but sleeps; and that, in a sleep of peace, since he both lived end died a good Christian.  
Why should it trouble you so much, that our lord would draw the man whom you loved, out of this place, which is so miserable, and would carry him into the way of salvation? And if he have left some troubles to you, take them up with a good will, so that he may go on to his repose. And if his absence afflict you much, yet be comforted with this, that shortly you shall see him again; since our days in this life are so very few, and one of us hath so little advantage over the other, in dying a little sooner, or later. You shall do also well to conceive, that our Lord took him away, because he was well prepared, and that he hath lest you here, to the end that you may well prepare yourself. And since you served our Lord with alacrity, in the state of matrimony, serve him now in the state of widowhood, and in the trouble of that state, with patience. That so, if then you gained thirty fold, you may now gain sixty. And so you shall lead a life, if not of gust, yet, at the least of great profit, towards the purging of your sins; towards the imitation of the Crucifix; and towards a most certain purchase of his eternal kingdom.  
But for the obtaining of all this, you must demand grace of our Lord, with prayers, with tears, with using to read devout books, and with receiving the celestial bread of the most Blessed Sacrament. And so lift up your dejected hart, and walk roundly on. For before you can get to heaven, you will have a long way to make. And if you be to enter there, this will not be the last affliction, which you shall have. For the jewel which you expect, is of so inestimable a value (it being God himself) that how much soever it cost, it can never be dear. And since you are one day to possess it, you are now to rejoice in the hope thereof. And complain not of your afflictions, but say, so great is the good for which I hope, that I feel not the misery which I have. Let jesus Christ our Lord, accomplish all this in you, as I desire, and beg of him. Amen.   

A letter of the Author to a virgin who was disposing herself to leave the world, and to consecrate herself to God:  
he animates her in that purpose; and shows the great blessings which she would find, both in life, and death, by the espousals which she meant to make with Christ our Lord.  
Devout servant of jesus Christ. The contentment which my soul took in understanding of the new purpose you were grown to have, of taking the king of heaven for your spouse (you who might so well have matched yourself here on earth) was so very great that I know not with what words to express it. And though when it was told me, it were new to me, as not having understood thereof before; yet neither was it wholly new; for already I had in a manner eyed you out, for that lord, who created you, and I had begged of him as a particular favour, that he would bestow you upon me, for himself. Blessed be his holy name for ever, who hath now done it so very completely, as I knew not, so much as how to wish. But that joy which your soul found before in seeing itself so disintriqued from all the baseness of this earth, and finding itself already to have received that pledge, and pawn of love from that heavenly king; what was it else, but a clear sign, that this mutation which you have made, proceeded not from any inconstancy of your humour, but from the work of God, who hath conveyed his hand into your hart, and therein hath produced that desire of heaven, which now you have. And he also gave you that great joy, as a testimony, and earnest penny of those many, and great, and pure joys, which if you prove faithful to him, he resolves to give you in heaven; the least whereof, is incomparably more to be esteemed then a husband of this world, and children, and estate, and whatsoever else the whole earth can give. O if you had but tried, how sweet God is, to that soul, which turns her back to the world, to place her eyes upon her Creator. O if you did but know, what that sweetness is, of the celestial spouse, towards the comforting of those souls, who cast all transitory delight away, and like chaste turtles refuse to take comfort upon earth; but send up sighs for love of their Lord, who is in heaven; & who are like the dove which returns home to the hand of the owner, as clean as she went forth, without touching any dead body; so much as with her feet.  
What is there so flourishing in this world, which is any better than a dead, and stinking carcase? And for what then doth it serve us, to join ourselves to that which will infect us, and which may leave us thirty thousand times more disgusted with the bitterness which follows, then with the pleasure which it yielded for the present. You must render Christ our Lord many thankes, who hath given you light, whereby you know how to distinguish between that, the precious, and the base, between eternal and-temporall, between an immortal God, and a mortal man. And for having given you grace, to make so happy an election, as whereby God is accepted, and man despised; and in that for the love of that heavenly bed of state, the care of any earthly bed is thrown aside●, how rich soever it might have been. Be therefore faithful to him, who takes you for his spouse, and who will be sure to be so faithful to you, as to make you find by experience, that he is not in jest, when he calls himself the pure Spouse of pure Virgins; for you shall find the assembly of all bliss in him. Nor can it prove like the marriages which are made between flesh and blood, wherein usually the little contentment, which is had at first, is followed by the bitterness of repentance. But this work of ours gives not only contentment at the first, but the more you converse with this Lord, the better you shall know him, and the better you know him, the more you will love him. For he is not like men, who, when they are more frequented, let us easily see that they have more faults; and he who was a good husband upon the marriage day, within a year proves such, as that there is no living with him. But in Christ our Lord, you shall see nothing which may disgust you, and as little in that Blessed mother of his, who is the mother in law, to all the spouses of her son: O blessed hour wherein that good purpose was sowed in your hart, and much more blessed, will that other be, when you shall find yourself so visited by your spouse, as to make you say, O my Lord, and when could I deserve these favours of thee, that I should find this hidden treasure, for the purchase whereof, to pay the price of a thousand lives, were to buy it very cheap.  
O how happy and prosperous is this marriage to be, and of how excessive joy, both to heaven and earth. God the Father is pleased to see, that there be souls on earth, who love his only begotten son so well, as that for his love, they leave the loves of flesh and blood, not only those, which are forbidden by his law, but even those of marriage which are lawful. For it is a sign of greater love, when for his sake, we forbear that which we might lawfully use. The son is he to whom the soul is espoused; and for this he died, that he might have some souls which would love him at least with spiritual purity; and others who might do it not only spiritually, but even with the body also untouched. The holy Ghost is most pure, and fare estranged from flesh, and when he finds a soul which resolutely despises carnal delights, there doth he lodge his eyes; and fills them with spiritual comforts, and will never permit that the soul be empty, which shall refuse to feed upon carnal food. Our Blessed Lady is the mother of the spouse, and they are very like one another, for she also is all amiable, benign, a beginner, a protector, and an advocate of virgins, and she highly rejoices that there is virginity upon earth, for that is the flower which she planted. There want not pages to give attendance at this marriage, for the Angels are servants to the king of heaven, and ready for all that, which the spouse shall need. Neither yet is there want of children which the world is wont to desire so much; and they come without throws of travail, and without pain in bringing up, and without that grief which grows, when either they live not well, or dye too soon.  
The children of this marriage are good works, which be rightly called a man's or woman's fruit. What comfort will he feel, when for the love of Christ our Lord, he conceives a good purpose, to give an alms, or some such other thing; and when afterward he shall put it in execution, what pleasure will he take by the birth thereof? These children give both ease, and honour to their mother. This Spouse hath no need of a dowry, for the children which she brings, will bring it; and that so richly, as wherewith she may gain, and purchase heaven itself. And they make their mother live in so perfect ease, that I give you my word, that when you compose yourself to sleep at night, you shall find yourself in greater peace, and rest, then if you were Mistress of the whole earth, and whatsoever can be desired therein.  
And tell me now what can be thought of in this world, which may arrive or even approach to the least of these advantages? For if there be any little paltry pleasure here, every hour of such pleasure carries with it the counterpoise of more than a hundred hours of grief and pain. And if here there be any pleasure without pain, it will at last have an end, and either the spouse will dye before her fellow spouse, or else he before her, and so all proves pain. And besides the death of children, it is a grief to a mother to part from them, even upon other occasions, in such sort, as that they enjoy not one another.  
But rejoice you O virgin in Christ our Lord. For your spouse shall never dye. And when you die you will be hemmed in by your children, which are those good works that you have wrought; and they will not put you to pain by your leaving them, for they go with you, into the other world; and they accompany you even to the very throne of God, and they will plentifully repay all the labour and charge, which you have been at with them, and the mother shall be made happy for the love of the children. More over death makes no divorce in this case, but rather puts the spouse, and her fellow spouse together. And he shall deliver us, for he is the Lord of life and death. And no devil shall presume to steal her away, whom God hath taken under the protection of his favour; and hath honoured with the name of his spouse. Then will the Angels come and serve, and present her before Almighty God, singing praises to him, and pouring forth benedictions upon her, and saying to her after this manner. Come O spouse of Christ, receive that crown which is prepared for thee by our Lord. The virgin mother will not then absent herself, being accompanied with a world of other virgins, who have done in this world that which you are doing now, and are fare from repenting themselves thereof. In fine you shall go out of this world, in company of your Peers, where our Lord hath already prepared that celestial bed of state for you, that you may eternally be full, and rich, and royally provided for, in the house and presence of our Lord God, contemplating that infinite beauty of his, from one moment to another, one hour whereof is so high a reward, that by way of recompense it fare exceeds the proportion of what you suffer, yea and all those afflictions which all the men of the whole world did ever suffer, in time past, or can ever suffer, in time to come.  
There shall you possess all good, and there shall you have obtained all that, for which you were created, and you shall be so very full of God, as that it cannot be expressed nor so much as thought. For there shall you find the whole bosom of your soul, even to regorge with joy, like one who were ingulfed into a whole sea of unspeakable sweetness, whereby he were environed on all sides. Then shall you see, and exclaim, and enjoy, and possess the Lord of all things, and say, whom I have loved I have obtained; and whom I have sought I have found; and he for whom I left the world is grown my pay, and my reward, and him will I praise, and love, through the eternity of all eternityes. Amen.   

A Letter written to a devout person wherein is treated of Humility and Pride, and of the perfection of the love of God.  
GOD give you Sir a good Lent, and that so you may exteriorly take ashes, in the beginning of this holy time, that the virtue of holy humility, which is signified thereby, may ever have a resting place in your soul. For to whom our Lord gives true knowledge, and grief for what he was, at that time when he went estranged from God, him hath he delivered from the dangerous blindness of pride, and him doth he make capable of all those spiritual blessings which it may concern him to have. The holy Scripture saith, The beginning of all mischief is pride, and he who is possessed by it, shall be possessed by all manner of maledictions, that is, of vices. For as kings are not wont to go alone, so is Pride accompanied with many sins. And so also on the other side, humility is never alone, since according to Saint james. God gives his grace to such as are humble, which Grace is the Mother of all virtue.  
The proud man seeks after honour, and afflicts himself when he is contemned but the person who is humble, is out of countenance when he is well treated, and is glad when he is despised, because he finds that justice is done thereby, which justice he loue●, as a person who is truly Just. The proud man is ever in want of somewhat, because how much soever he have either of his own, or by the gift of others, he still conceives himself to be worthy of more, but the humble man is always in abundance, yea and in superfluity, for he acknowledges himself to be unworthy, even of the very earth whereof he treads, yea, and he esteems hell itself, to be a punishment which comes short of his sins. The proud man cannot endure nor live with any body, Noah nor even with himself, in peace. But the humble man can live with all the world, for he abases himself to all, he endures all, esteeming them for his betters, in his very hart; To the proud man it seems an unsupportable thing to obey the will of others, whether it be of God or man; but the man who is humble submitts and diminishes himself, and so is enabled to go in, by the straight gate of doing the will of others, whether it be of the Creator or of the creatures.  
Great are the blessings which comes to us in these ashes of humility, and men must take heed, that they be not found without it, unless they mean to be without God. For S. Augustine saith, How high art thou O Lord, and yet ●he ●umble of hart are the house wherein thou choosest to awe●! And the holy Scripture saith. Upon whom will I look? or upon whom shall my spiri●● rest, but upon the person who fears, and trembles at the voice of my words? This humility, which makes a man think basely of himself, is fare from being abase thing, nor is it a fruit which grows on earth, but in heaven it is, and God imparts it to such as dig deeply in their own dung, raking up and ruminating upon their faults and frailties, with great diligence: for amongst those poverties and miseries is this precious jewel wont to be found. And through our sins, we have so much matter to work upon, by way of examining, and bewailing the same, that, unless it be some man who will absent his eyes from looking upon himself, there is none, who may not be sure to find cause, and cause enough, not only to be humbled, but even confounded.  
Woe be to us! if we be found to be of them, of whom God saith, Thou art become as the face of a strumpet, nor wouldst thou blush. For what thing is there more deformed than the impudent boldness of such a person, as hath so much reason to be full of shame? And who is he that dares once cast up his eyes to God or his creatures, if he consider well, how he hath offended him, & made himself unworthy of them? who is there amongst us, who fails not in the perfect love which he owes to God? since we love him not with our whole understanding, believing his truth with that firm constancy which is fit; and enterteyning those considerations, those thoughts, and purposes, by means whereof, we might do him more faithful service? who is he who love's him with his whole hart, not giving any part thereof to others, yea or to himself, but only in God and for God? and who renouncing all proper interest, hath proceeded to love God, for God himself? And he who shall consider, how little he hath mortified his passions, and what a stiff war he makes against the kingdom of the love of God, will easily discern that he love's not God with all his soul? And our Lord commanding us also to love him with all our strength, we are yet content to do it, with such a deal of tepidity, as we may well desire him to pardon. For, the strength which we employ upon complying with the love of ourselves, and appetites being so alive in us, makes us mightily fail in the diligence which we own to the service of God, and to the fervour of our love of him. S. Augustine saith, that the increase of Charity in us, is the decrease of our own appetites and desires; and then will our charity be perfect, when there shall be no such desires in us at all. Now by the name of such desires, he understands that inordinate self love which every one bears to himself. And because amongst all them who descend of Adam, there is no one, (excepting only jesus Christ our Lord, and his most sacred Mother) who hath not found in himself, some excess of this self love; therefore is there none of them, who hath not faith led somewhat of perfection in the love of God. For when the love of myself is wholly alive in me, the love of God is dead; and then is a man in state of Mortal sin. And when the love of God livens and reigns in me (in virtue of which love I fully purpose not to offend God mortally) then am I in state of grace, though I may fail somewhat, of that perfect love of God, because still I comply in somewhat with the love either of myself or of creatures. And from this want of divine love, doth grow our faultiness in our other works, because that is the life of them. From hence also proceed the faults we make in the love of our neighbours, by our not having compassion of their miseries; nor taking joy in their blessings, as concerning persons who are very straightly joined to God, and adopted in the Sacrament of Baptism for his children. And we also fail in our works towards them, because we fail in our love to him who said. That which you have done to any of my little ones, you have done to me.  
Now from the defect of these two Loves, of God, and of our neighbour (which are the roots of our good works) many other imperfections grow into those very works which we do, though sometimes such works themselves, are not sins, nay being performed in the state of grace, they are meritorious of eternal life; But of such as these (if we mean to live in the way of humility and truth) we are to give the glory to God, and to yield him humble thankes, who holp us to embrace that which was good with our free will, and ordained, that it should be meritorious, by that Grace which through his mercy, he bestowed upon us.  
Now we must not, upon this reason, forbear to sift out those faults with care, which we commit to these actions of ours; but it is a much more secure practice, to consider very particularly, that which is faulty in us, then that which may go for a point of virtue. And be well assured, that how much soever you shall consider, and sift, yet still there will much lie hidden from you, in regard whereof you shall have reason enough to say, with deep sighing to our Lord, O cleanse me from my hidden sins.  
Hence comes it, that we love not our neighbours, in such sort, as God would have us, or at least, not so much as he would have us. Hence comes it, that we tolerate not their imperfections, nor fly from giving them disgusts. And in fine from hence grow all those other faults, which defile our souls like filth, which is ever dropping as from a sore. Our sins are greater than any thought of man is able to understand, and only he who created our hart and clearly penetrates to the bottom of it, is able to comprehend what our frailty is. And many times doth that discover itself to be filthy before his judgement, which seems, in the sight of ours, to be very perfect. Therefore as job hath showed us the way we must fear all our works, how good soever they may seem to us, and we must not take pleasure in ourselves by reason of them, nor delight ourselves therein, even in the most secret part of our hearts. For he only is pleasing to God, who is displeasing to himself; he only is Just in the sight of God who knows that grace and justice proceeds from the mercy of God. There is not a thing, from which God is more averted, than a hart which carries liking to itself. For God in such a one finds no vessel empty, into which he may pour the riches of his mercy, and so such a hart remains with the natural poverty, wherewith, and wherein it shall still continued, because it would not abase and empty itself, that so the waters of Grace might run into it, and so it might live contented in God, and might bring forth fruit, as a garden would do, wherein there were abundance of water.  
All our good comes from God; & he who believes that of himself he is able even to move his tongue towards the saying so much as Lord jesus, that person makes himself God since he attributes that to himself which only belongs to God. And God gives himself to us upon condition that we must acknowledge this truth: That in him, & of him, comes all our good, and not from ourselves. And the more good we have, the greater debtors of his we are, and so much more we have, whereof to accuse ourselves, as not corresponding to greater favours by greater services, and to greater benefits by greater acknowledgements. He who is taught by the divine truth, attributes nothing to himself, but Not being and sinning. For if we remove all that which God gave us when he created us, and which every day he conserves in us; we shall not find any being in us, but only a nothing, and that to nothing we should return, as of nothing we are made. And taking also away the favour of God which through jesus Christ is communicated us, what should become of the greatest Saint on earth, but that which became of Peter, when he denied his Lord, and of Paul who persecuted him, that had redeemed him; and that which every one finds by experience, that himself was, before our Lord carried his hand over him, taking from him his old hart, and giving him a new one in place thereof.  
justification is nothing else, but a resurrection of the soul which was dead in sin, and now life's by the spirit of that life, which God infused into it, by the death of his blessed son. And as that body should be both mad and foolish, which would attribute life and motion to itself, and not to the soul which dwells in it, and gives it life; so is that soul deadly blind, which esteems that the life of good works, which she finds herself to have, doth proceed from herself, and not from the spirit of that life, which was infused into her by Almighty God. And sometimes God punishes such souls as these, by taking away that which formerly he had given them, to the end, that observing that they can neither see, nor hear, nor taste, nor in fine, do that which formerly they did, it may be plain to them that it was some other, who imparted that life which was in them; and that they did but receive it; & that the soul is no other thing without the grace of jesus Christ, than the body is when the soul departs from the same.  
And therefore my friend, be sure that thou see no other thing in thyself, but faults, and know that thou hast nothing else of thine own. If our Lord discomfors thee, consider how weak and poor thou growest, and with how little conformity thou receivest that, which thou dost so well deserve. If he comfort thee, consider with how little humility thou receivest it, it being reason that thou shouldst so much the more abase thyself, as God honours thee; and that by so much more thou shouldst be confounded with shame, as thou seest, that God treats thee, as though thou wert good, when indeed thou art not so. Consider how little profit thou makest of the inspirations, and inward speeches of our Lord; and how often our Lord saith somewhat to thee, and how soon thou forgettest to put it in execution; it being reason, that every word of his, should last with thee all the days of thy life; without any need of repeating it. How often doth our Lord infuse precious liquor into thee, and thou, having a hart all full of holes, dost suffer that to be spilt; which in reason, thou shouldest keep a long time? And though it would be sit, that how much more God comforts thee, so much more thou shouldst forget and neglect the comforts of this world, and so much more unite and shut up thy soul, to the end that thou mightest again and again receive God into it, it happens sometimes, that by the comfort, which he gives us, we are made more giddy, through our own lightness, and we scatter and pour out our hearts more than before. What shall we say of our frailties, but that every thing being well examined, we find, that we do nothing right, and that it were much reason, that we should rather be confounded, by considering how faultily it is performed, then that once it should pass by the least part of our thoughts, that we had done any thing which were worth the looking on.  
It is certain, that if a Page serve a king, and that he make him not due reverence, they will punish him. If he answer not, or do it not soon enough, or give not a quick account of any message, they will also punish him. And in fine they whom we serve are not contented, though we do what they bid us, but withal we must do it well, if we mean not to be reprehended and reproached.  
And tell me now my friend, which of us is he, who carries such a profound reverence to our Lord as is fit? where is that adoration of such an incomprehensible Majesty, and such a profound internal kind of trembling, as they have in heaven, of whom it is said in the holy Mass, That the Powers tremble? Where is that confusion and shame; which we should have, to appear before that infinite wisdom, which well doth see what kind of things we are, & which discovers us to the very bottom? where is that so exact obedience, as that we should not need to have the same thing commanded twice? where is that discretion, wherewith we ought to serve such a thing as God? where is the gratitude which is due for so innumerable and so unspeakable benefits? And lastly where is that service both of body and soul, which is deserved by so high a lord, and so great a God?  
Certainly he who hath eyes to see, will never discover in himself any thing else, but a profoundity of miseries and faults. And when in the evening he takes account of himself, what kind of man he hath been all that day, he finds nothing, but errors which he hath committed, in thinking, speaking, and doing, and he finds diverse good works which he hath failed to do, by not having loved and being thankful to God, and by not having loved and not having supported the weakness of his neighbour as he ought to have done, besides innumerable other things, which he should have performed, and hath omitted. And if with the favour of our Lord, he have done any thing which was good, he sindes that he spotted it with pride, or vain glory, or tepidity, or with not answering God as he was bound to do, or with two thousand other faults which God makes him know, and with two thousand others which yet he is not able to discern, but yet he believes that there they are; and for so wicked doth he esteem himself, as that the least part of his sins he holds to be that, which he discovers. For as he knows that God is more good, than he is able to conceive, so also doth he believe, that himself is more wicked than he can arrive to understand. And though God do him favours, yet doth he not attribute to himself any part thereof, but only the faults which he committed, in not answering, and profiting thereby, as he should have done.  
And this is to walk according to truth, giving that to God which is his; That is to say, all manner of good, without the least mixture of any ill. And by this consideration being rooted well in the bowels of a man's hart (as a truth which were delivered by the very mouth of God) a man rises, from leaning upon himself; as from some broken reed, and he ever goes leaning upon him, who uphoulds all things. He behoulds himself, and he sees nothing, but that which is to be lamented; and he behoulds God; in whose goodness he confides; without any fear to be forsaken. And for as much as God is so faithful, as that he never leaves them who go to him, and for that he hath so great care of them; as that infinitely sooner, there will be want of water in the Sea, and of light in the sun, then of mercy in him; therefore do they run, and fly, because God carries them, and they fall not, because be sustains them, and they wander not, because he directs them, and they shall not be condemned, because our Lord gives his kingdom to such as become like little children.  
Be therefore sure, my friend, that thou understand thyself right, since our Lord doth so much expect it of thee. And of all that which passes in thee, lay the glory aside for God, and take the shame and dishonour to thyself. And place thy hope, of being able to proceed, as thou hast begun, in that Lord who put thee in the way; with no meaning, I assure thee, to leave thee in the midst thereof, but to carry thee on, to enjoy the society of his spouses in heaven. There doth he intent to do thee extraordinary honour, and therefore procure not thou to be honoured here. For being taken by the sent of such an excellent feast as that, it is utterly against all reason, that thou shouldst glut thyself, with the baseness of any thing, which this world affords. For there is nothing upon earth, which can savour well in his mouth, who hath tasted, though but a little, of that celestial food. Turn thy back to all things, which thou art soon to leave, & place not thy hart on that, which is so instantly to pass away. It is very little, which here thou art able to endure for God, yea though thou alone shouldest endure all that, which can be endured here. For considering hell, which thou hast deserved, and heaven with which he means thou shalt be rewarded (since he hath placed thee in the way thither) and again, weighing that which here he hath endured for thee; it is not to be accounted of, Noah nor so much as to be greatly considered, which thou either dost, or mayest endure for him.  
Esteem thou God for so precious a thing, that whatsoever he grows to cost thee, thou mayest still believe it to be very little; yea though he cost thee thy life, yet dost thou buy him very cheap. In the next world, thou shalt see, that thou wert not deceived, in the exchange which thou hast made, but finding them to be treated like mad fools, and miserable persons, who lodged their hearts, and besotted themselves, upon this present world, and forgot the promises which God made concerning the future, thou wilt give praises to our Lord, in that thou being once deceived, he vouchsafed to undeceive thee, and whilst thou wert casting thine eyes down to earth, he was pleased to raise them up to heaven; and thou being a slave to vanity, he made thee a son of his own; and when thou wert living without any hope of divine promises, he grew to place thee in that way, wherein thou mayest hope, that he will help thee now to live well, and afterwards to dye well. And that when this exile is ended; he will conduct thee to the land of the living; which is the clear fruition of the face of God. Where thou shall enjoy so great happiness, that it belongs to God alone to know it perfectly, as to him alone it belongs, both to be able, and to be willing to give it. And this will our Lord do, not for thy sake, but for his own, because he is good, and his mercy endures for ever. To whom, for all, and of all, and in all, be glory and praise, for all eternities of eternities. Amen.   

A Letter of the Author to a person, whom he exhortes to be grateful and careful to preserve the gift of the Grace of God.  
It seems, he was in some fear, that the party was returning to sin.  
I Remember you often; and the love I bear you, makes me never think of you without some fear and trembling at my hart, considering the many dangers, wherein your soul may be, for which our Lord hath done so much, that if he were still in case to be weary, without doubt he would now be very weary. But he was weary, once for all, when he took our mortal flesh upon him; and from those wearynesses of his, doth result that care, which now without any weariness at all, he takes of such, as he is drawing to himself.  
O Sir, how much reason have you, to be grateful for the good which you have received; and careful, at the least, to keep it; and fearful, lest it should slip out of your hands. And I said Careful at the least to keep it; because he, who can make conjecture, that he hath received the gift of justification, must employ himself, like a diligent negociatour; that with five talents he may gain other five, Improving that good, which God began in his soul, and getting, every day, a new part in heaven; since the gate is open, for our getting more, and more in every minute of our life.  
It is most certain, that if we should tell a man, that there were a very long way, in the steps whereof there were great felicity to be obtained, yea and that, for the making of one single pace, they would give him the worth of a whole kingdom; and that though a man should go all his life time, in that way, they would never deprive him, of his reward, but that still it should hold on, after the rate, of the first pace, which he had made; I do not think, that in the whole world there is any one worldly man, who in this case, would not be so great a walker, as that he would hardly be ever persuaded to sit still. Now, if covetousness of visible things be able to work so great effects; what will it be fit, that the love of that, which is invisible and eternal, should work in our souls, but a vigilant care, to be still walking on, in the way of God, with resolutions as lively, and more, than they were, which we entertained the first day, when we entered into his service.  
Who is he, that can be so absurdly inconsiderate, as not to hold himself a deep debtor to Almighty God, for the many gifts, which he hath received from him, in recompense (as I may say) of so many sins of ours, as that he will not serve so benign a Lord, with all diligence? who is he, that considering whence our Lord hath drawn him, will not resolve to be daily further and further of from hell, and from the impiety of sin? He seems not to have been sorry for his offence, who procures not with diligence to be fare from the like. He doth not sufficiently thank our Lord for this gift, who hath laid aside the memory thereof, & with whom it decays with time; not stirring himself up, to give new thankes, and to present new services, knowing more and more thereof, every day, as a person, who hath received increase of light: This is so great a favour, that David calls it the Benedictions of sweetness. And it is great reason, that we should grow strong with that new grace, 
Psal. 20.  which our Lord gave us, and not content ourselves still with being little ones.  
I said, that at least we must be careful in the continuance and conservation of this gift; because according to good reason we should be encreasers thereof daily more and more. And from hence it grows, that when I see, that the light of your soul is set upon by so many winds, and when I consider your weakness in the midst of so many, and so great, and so subtle enemies, I find myself to be all trembling over you, as any mother would be over her son; who adventures not to rejoice for the good she sees him enjoy, through the fear she hath, that he may chance to lose it.  
Tell me, good Sir, how is it with you? are you still on foot in the presence of your God? do you live, in the presence of true life? is God lodged in your hart? is there an union of love between God and your soul? Or is there not perhaps, some little dryness or disagreement grown between you, which your much care of this world, and your little care to please your Lord, may have caused? I fear to hear the answer, which you may chance to give; and yet I cannot content myself to be without hearing it. If you give me good news, my soul will rejoice in our Lord, and I will give him thankes for having conserved, what he hath gained. But if you tell me otherwise, I must be extremely sorry; and yet still howsoever, I must needs know it. For I will not remain without grief, if you be subject to any spiritual loss, or inconvenience. I hope to have a part of your Crown; and I submit myself to bear a part of your pain.  
If there be any thing of this kind, take heed you suffer not the wound to fester; and make no intricate knots upon the swathing-bands of your sins. Make haste to break that quickly, which is ill tied up; for you can have no leave to divide yourself from him; who fixed himself to that Crossë for you with so cruel nails. Say aloud to all things; Depart from me; for neither am I yours, neither ought I be so much as mine own. Let the thing be what it will, let the person be who it will, and let the interest be as great as it can be; no other can have Title or justice to carry you away, but only jesus Christ, who created you, and took you for his son; and after you had been a prodigal admitted of you again, and honoured you, and gave you a new garment, and a sweet embracement of peace; and keeps a state of great repose prepared for you in heaven, if you will keep his commandments.  
That man, namely yourself, belongs to this Lord of ours. Though every man in this world, should put in his claim for you; there is none, who hath so dear bought you as he; to whom you also belong by another title. For what is it for God to dye for us, but to repurchase that, at an extreme rate, which was already his, by the benefit of Creation, and to draw us out of hell, and again to admit us to his freindshipp? what is this, but to multiply divers Titles to the same thing? and those so very great, that every one of them, hath reason enough, to carry the whole man after it. O treason of the sons of Adam what is that, which you do, when somewhat else prevails in your hart against jesus Christ? how are you able to say No to him, whom you are so bound to serve, though it were with the loss of your lives? Shall any small title, which any thing may make towards you, be able to carry you away, and so blind you, as to make you forget so many and so great benedictions, as our Lord lays up in heaven for you? Let the world depart, even now, from our hearts; since it is so soon to depart from our eyes? And when we shall see anything therein, which flourishes, let us bury it under ground, and tread upon it there, in the sepulchre. For by the consideration thereof, we shall obtain a true relation of it, and such a one as will deliver us from it, and free us, from the care of all that, which here is sought, with such a pestilent kind of desire.  
What better weights or measure can you desire, that so you may not be deceived, nor be drawn to take one thing for another, then to carry it instantly to the Passion and death of jesus Christ our Lord, who then condemned that, which the world esteemed; and to carry it also to the hour of our own death, which conducts us all naked, solitary, and defeated, and to be trod upon by the feet of our servants. And you in particular may do well, to remember this point; since, besides the fear, which we all ought to have of that passage, yourself have another particular reason for it; because you have a more particular knowledge of death; for lately you wanted not, as a man may say, a fingar's breadth of passing through it, to eternity.  
Take heed, take heed, that you be not deceived by those false appearances, and by those painted masks; for they are no better than masks, which enueagle & deceive our souls. And if you like these shadows so well, raise up your hart to heaven, where the Truths of these things are; whereof here there is but some little resemblance. And so you will neither conceive any envy against him, whom you find to prosper in warldly things; neither yet will you have any great appetite, to possess that, which in fine, you must be forced to leave. Do not entangle yourself with this earth, since God, hath given you some good hopes, and pledges, that he means to carry you to heaven. And those are, his most sacred death, the knowledge, and love of the Crucifix, the receiving of the holy Sacraments, whereby in the holy Church there is given a pardon of our sins; and the adoption of the Sons of God, and consequently of heirs. Let him seek for shadows, who hath no hope to lay hold, on things of substance. Let him respect a short time, who hath had no taste of spiritual benedictions, which last for ever; And let him triumph, like a sot, in the prosperities of this world, who hath not felt in his hart, how delightful a thing it is, to shed tears for having offended God; and how happy a man is, in relying upon Christ our Lord, and in living to him. And since our Lord, hath called us to his mercy, and hath given us the knowledge of his Son Christ jesus, let us not live according to the flesh; nor allow of any counsel against this counsel, That in a thing so manifest, as it is, that we ought to seek, and esteem the contentment of Christ our Lord, despising the world, and all that is therein, there is no need of taking any man's opinion; and we must not be moved by any vanities of the world, how many, 
john. 2.  and how usual, and how well received soever they may be. The world passes with the delight thereof as S. john saith; but he who will do the will of our Lord, shall remain for ever. Who relies upon that which is unstable, shall fall down together with it; and he, who will adore an Idol, shall grow like that very Idol; but he, who love's Christ, our Lord (and that man love's him who hates the world) he indeed is wise, and worthy, and shall be exalted to sit in that kingdom, with the same jesus Christ our Lord, as he sits at the right hand of his Father. It is much more worth, to be the least there, then to be the greatest here: If therefore it delight us to reign let us desire to do so, in that eternal kingdom. I beseech Christ our Lord, to bestow it on you. Amen.   

A Letter of the Author to a devoted religious Friend of his, who animates him to seek God by obedience, & humility, and he teacheth, that recollection of mind, must not be tied to any certain place.  
I Have received your letter, and that which I am to answer is this. You must know, that there is not any one in this life, who can think to live without troubles; & that to complain of them, is to complain of being a man, since we were borne to bear them. And if it seem to you, that when you were shut up, you carried your soul more recollected; you are to consider on the other side, that Obedience in doing those things, which displease one's self, and the humility of performing mean offices, is no small fruit to the soul. And believe you this truth, that the man, who is careful to recollect himself, and who puts his confidence in God, doth many times find himself more recollected in streets, and public places, then if he were in his Cell. And they who tie their devotion to any particular kind of place, do instantly lose it, when they leave the place, yea and many times in that very place, it fails them. And this grows in regard they are resolved to have it there, and strive not to find it in all places, and in all those works, to which they attend by their Obedience; upon this Obedience, you must greatly procure to ground yourself, without choosing this, or that. Since Obedience is a thing so acceptable to God, that it exceeds all that, which a man may do under the conduct of his own will, how good soever it may seem. Father Lewis of Granada will pass shortly by you, and I would have you do that with great confidence, which he shall advice you. The Holy Ghost be ever with you.  
I am such an enemy of these change of place, & I hold the very desires thereof so fit to be suspected; as that I am made slow in giving answer to what you writ concerning them; till by your prayers we may get more light to guide us. For otherwise, we shall go as bad as blindefould; and perhaps you may fall upon worse encounters, than they are, which you would avoid. I beseech you solicit the matter with our Lord; & when I shall have satisfied mine own hart, I will impart it unto you, In the mean time I recommend to you much, that you keep your soul in peace. For it happens to some, that they both lose theyre time, and the good opportunity, which God gives them, by thinking much upon that other, which they desire to obtain; & so they grow to lose, both the one, and the other.  
Make you account, that there is but one day of life left, for you; and that that day is the morning, when you awake. And spend you that, as if it were your last, with all the care that possibly you can. And when the desire of doing any other thing occurs, make this answer. Do not think of to morrow; and exercise yourself, in breaking your will. For when a man flies from the opportunity, which he hath to break it, it is like flying out of the field. And because such a one flies like a coward, and carries his weakness in his company; therefore when the occasion presents itself afterward, he finds, that he is as fare from strength, as before; the reason hereof is, because he changed his place, but not his mind: give you a good account of that house, and of the opportunity, which there you have; and so you shall get a tongue, wherewith you may ask a better, at the hands of our Lord; For otherwise they may say unto you, that he who conducts ill that which he hath already in his care, to what end should one trust a greater matter, in his hands?   

A Letter of the Author to a devout Lady, animating her to fight against the Devil, and to resist his temptations.  
I Beseech our Lord, that you may find yourself as I desire; for it was not said in vain, that love is full of a careful kind of fear. But in fine, I have confidence, that our Lord (as he saith to us by the Prophet jeremy) will regard that love wherewith he espoused himself in those beginnings of his, and will remember how the people followed him, without any high way in the Desert, which was full of affliction to them, and carried a kind of resemblance of death. God is very thankful, to such as serve him with love; and in the time of our weaknesses, and when our strength is even upon the point to fail, then doth he look back, upon the time when formerly we had been in vigour, and to that amorous intention, which we had in former time, relieving our misery, with the abundance of his mercy. Continue therefore with a heart full of courage; and, as S. Paul saith; do not lose your confidence; 
Heb. 10  for there belongs a great reward to it And this is that, which the Devil would feign, either take away from us, or weaken in us, so to pull us down, who pull him down, and much more, you, being a woman; by whose hand he would esteem it, 
judges. 9  more dishonour, to be overcome. As Abimelech said to his second, do thou kill me; that so it may not be said, that a woman killed me; for a woman had cast a piece of earth stiffly down upon him from the fortress. Thus must you do, when the Devil shall offer you combat. Cast Christ our lord at him; and so break his head (for Christ our lord being man, is called earth▪ and so the enemy shall dye. And if notwithstanding, it seem to you, that still he must be a live; know yet, that he remains in extreme trouble, and even as dead, to see himself overcome, and to be the occasion that you shall gain crowns, whereas he thought that they would have proved fetters.  
To what greater misery can an enemy be subject, then to see, that he helps him, to be great, in the eyes of God. For if you saw the treasure, which you have gained, by resisting the Devil, so very often; there is no doubt, but that it would sufficiently temper the bitterness of your troubles to consider the beauty and riches of those crowns. Now so many precious stones have you gotten, wherewith to enrich your crown, as you have resisted, times, those counsels of the Devil; and so much have you gained of eternal rest, as you have with patience, endured several times, the sad afflictions, which he hath brought upon you. Be not therefore weary, of getting still new precious stones, though whilst they are thrown at you, they hurt you a little; but then instantly after, they are your own.  
And see that you resist that unprofitable sadness, which is the beginning of many mischiefs; & confiding in our lord, and being cheerful in the hope of his love, tread all under foot; and let it seem little to you, as S. Bernard saith, My affliction is hardly to be counted affliction for one half hour, and if it prove any longer I feel it not, through the force of my love. Tread you upon the dragon, and upon the lion, and let him fear you, 
Psal. 26.  and not you him. And say you to yourself. Our lord is my helper, and whom them shall I fear? Our Lord takes care of me, what then can arrive, which may afflict me? Our lord governs me, and I am safe Our lord serves himself of me, and I aspire to no other happiness, how much soever it may cost me. And thus, the Devil finding you full of courage, and well armed, shall not be able to pull you down, but rather fear, so much as to assault you. Our lord, who called you, conserve you, and make you such, as I beseech him that you may be. Amen.   

A Letter of the Author to a Cavalier his friend.  
THE news of this messenger, who is parting, takes me by night, and without paper, and full of my ordinary indispositions. I beseech our lord, who is omnipotent, to tell you that by himself, which he was to have told you by my pen; since in me there is no ability to do it, nor have I indeed any opportunity. The complaints you make against yourself, upon the opinion which you had of your own prudence, are just. You must admit them, & do them justice; ever esteeming that opinion for a crafty enemy, and counting up every pace it makes, that so you may understand the deceits thereof. For in these temptations, to know them, is to overcome them. Make that very account with yourself, which was made by that Monk, in this namer; I came not to judge any, but to be judged by all. Say thus to yourself; I came not to have zeal of others but of myself. God places not me in the office of a guide, but in the duty of being guided. And who is so maddly impertinent, as that he will think to hit right, in that, where God puts him not; since every plantation which is not made by the heavenly father, shall be rooted up.  
But now, if by Obedience you be commanded to deliver your mind, first beg you light of our lord, and then declare it, but not without fear, and as a thing which you do but offer, to the end that it may be examined by others. And you are not to shoot it out, with such a kind of resolution, and authority, as if it must needs be approved, and executed, because forsooth you thought it fit. No nor that it ought to have any force at all, upon that reason; but only, that things may so be done, as others may take to be most convenient, whether they approve or disallow your opinion. And you must conceive, that by doing thus, you comply with the duty of your Obedience, and that you have nothing more to do in that business.  
They, who either be endwed with light from heaven, or have else been taught to see, by the many falls, which they have taken; do no less fear, even some good desires of particular things, than the executing of some desires, which are not good. Yea, and in some sort, they apprehend them more because of the two, it is harder to understand and master the deceit, which lurks in them. Now this fear, takes order that they run not instantly to entertain them, but to keep their stand; recommending that desire of theirs to our lord, and ask council of him. This fear is the beginning of wisdom, and it is also the end thereof. It is hard to declare this point by letter but for him who hath a superior, whom he obeys, it is easily declared, by putting the case, and following his counsel.  
When you shall be come to know, that such a business concerns the service of God, and that it is fit to be dispatched, yet still even that must be done in such sort, as that his Majesty be not offended, for whose service the business it to be undertaken. For if the heart be thereby filled, with cares and distractions, and especially if they come at wrong times, the thing itself may well be just, but the manner of doing it, will not be so. It is a good thing, for a man to carry himself like a person who is at the command of another; and not as a guide of the business. Not as if you were some great master, but rather like some young fellow, who were bidden, either to come, or go when the care of any particular shall put itself unseasonably upon you; say to it, to this effect, Our lord commands me nothing, about that matter at this time; For my part, I have nothing to think; all will go into error, if it be done after my fancy when our lord shall command me to do it, I will do it, and I will both hear, and speak. For this purpose it is good to set out some determinate time, to think of these things, which require care; that so they may not come upon a man, in troops, when he were to be in silence with God. If they bring any affliction with them, which much disquiet; we may well conceive that that is not the way, wherein God walks: nor do we comply with his word, which saith, Nolite solicit● esse, labour enim exercendus, sollicitudo tollenda: you must not be over careful, for pains must be taken but solicitude is forbidden; and for the taking of it away, our lord wills us to confide in our heavenly Father.  
He who hath this confidence, perceives well, that the business depends upon God; and that his divine wisdom, knows how to address him, and therefore a Christian man, is to be persuaded, that it gives no advantage, even to the very business itself, if we fall into any unquiet kind of anguish; or even to superfluity of thinking of it, which is thus forbidden, by holy scripture. Ne affligas temetipsum in consilio tuo: Do not afflict thyself in thine own counsel: but say thus to yourself, It is God who must do it, and not I Perhaps our lord will not have it remedied by this means. And if he will, yet his will also is that it be done with peace, and with my spiritual gain, and without my loss. And so procure, that your heart may ever go, in celebration of that. Christian Sabaoth, whereof S. Paul speaketh; and then we may say to our lord, Descend ●hou into my heart, for it is all free for thee: and it hath nothing which may distract me from hearing thee, and from speaking to thee. You have reason to desire the help of prayers to this purpose: for it is not so easily obtained. I beseech our lord, who called you to his own service, continue you in his grace, and carry you afterwards, with himself to eternal rest.   

A Letter of the Author to a Virgin who lived in Recollection.  
Of the value of a soul, and the care wherewith it is to be kept from falling. And that if it fall, it must have hope, and so rise again.  
I Know not with what words, I may be able to express the fault which accuses me, and the punishment which I fear. I look back upon the much time which hath passed without writing to you, whilst yet you were recommended to me; that so by means of my care, you might proceed and profit, in the service of our heavenly king; since he was pleased to receive you for his, through that word, which I preached unto you. And I in the mean time, like an ill servant of Christ our Lord, have been negligent in negotiating this business which he held to be so truly his; as that it filled him full of care, and so full, as to make him give his life, for the dispatch thereof. And not only have I sinned against him, but against you also. To him I have been an ill servant, and to you I have been an ill Father, since I have not preserved the stock nor sustained you with the food of his word; his, who made me his steward, to the end, that in the true time, 
●. 4  I might wisely and faithfully dispense it, 
●12  to every one, according to that which he should need.  
I am much grieved for my negligence, as it becomes a guilty person; and I apprehend the punishment of my fault. Not that I fear so much, lest our Lord should punish, or scourge, or afflict me for it, with vexations, and torments, as that, he may permit your soul to receive some disadvantage thereby. For when a man hath no knowledge of what belongs to children, nor cares how he may bring them up; it is but reason both that he see them dye, and that they may also continue dead in his sight; that so the grief thereof, may be a torment to him, & may keep those eyes open, which his carelessness had shut.  
My good sister, (for I will presume to say, that you are mine, because you are the Spouse of my Lord) O how happy were he, who might know how it is with you; that so he might either be delighted in your good, or receive the torment of sorrow, for your ill? how happy were he, who might know, if those fervent tears of yours still continue, which washed your soul in the high presence of your Spouse, and which watered it with devotion, that so it might give fruit to the Lord thereof. And if your long watches last, wherein you were wont to treat in secrecy and solitude with him, whom your soul love's. Reflecting upon those sorrows, which he endured for love of you; and, you, desiring to endure somewhat like that, for the love of him.  
I beseech him of his mercy, that you may not have lost that holy silence of yours, which was discourse with God; your rich poverty, which gave you more full satisfaction, than all the wealth of this world; That contempt of yourself, which gave you price & value in the sight of our Lord, and that holy change of your life, which cast them into wonder, who saw you, & praised God in you. Let it not please him, that mine ears may ever hear, that the servant of Christ, is other than she used to be. Let it never come to pass, that she should live with any other, nor regard any other, nor think of any other, then only Christ our Lord; to whom she offered herself. Make no exchange; whereby, you may be so deceived; as that having tasted of that heavenly gift, & having fed upon the crumbs of the table of God; you should now afterward, come to taste the bitterness of Egypt; & those meat which are devoured by men cast of from him. Who when here, they shall have satisfied themselves with the food of swine, shall burn hereafter, in the company of devils.  
Servant of jesus Christ, how is it with you indeed? tel me, how it is with you. I beseech jesus, you be well in his sight. S. Paul said, that even his very life, consisted in the good of his children; and even I, though not with that great fire, but with the little, which God gives me, do yet adventure to say, that my life consists, in that you be well, in the sight of God. I can take no pleasure in this body, if the soul of my daughter, be dead; nor shall delight have any place in me, till I may know, that your Spouse, whom I lodged in you, doth still inhabit your hart. If it be any otherwise, it is I, who have made the fault, & I will perform the penance; but yet see that you be not angry with him.  
Do not my good Sister, afflict me more than already I am afflicted, through mine own fault, by the love, which I carry to your soul; and if you be offended with my negligence, be appeased by this confession which is full of shame and grief. And believe that through the favour of our Lord, you shall well find, that I will mend. And upon this motive, you must forget that I have been an ill Father to you; since upon the same, God forgets that we have been ill sons & ill servants to him. And if yet you will require further satisfaction, be your own carver; and require of me what you will. Only return to the way of God, if you should have left it, or else make me know, that you continue in it; that so I may be sure that things go well with you; & that I may have strength to bear that penance which you shall impose upon me for my negligece. Negligence, I mean in writing to you; but not in remembering you. For in this our Lord, hath not permitted that I should be forgetful. For so great was the love, which I carried towards you, upon seeing that you were grown to be the true servant of God; and you entered so deeply into my hart, when I considered those mercies, which our Lord had vouchsafed to you; that it never parted more from thence, though it have failed, to strengthen and comfort you in this way as it should have done.  
Pardon me my good Sister for the love of jesus Christ; and be not cruel against yourfelfe, but be as cruel against me, as you shall think fit. Be sure to love our Lord, for he deserves not to be ill used, for the negligence of his servant. And if you should have forgotten your duty to him you know his condition already well enough, and, that he hath promised to receive the soul which will return and that if you will forgive me he will pardon you. And he will show you such mercies, as he shown before, and will enable you to sing those Canticles to him, which you sung in your first beginning, and birth, to Christ our Lord.  
Do not now give cause of joy, to those infernal spirits, since there was a time, wherein you wounded them with sorrow. Do not grieve your good Angel, since he hath given God much praise for you; and hath rejoiced at your vocation. Do not reverse that solemn Festivity, which was celebrated in the kingdom of heaven, upon the day of your conversion. And if through my sins any of these things should have happened, yet still you must not be dismayed. For our Lord will stretch forth his arms, and will receive you; since he stretched them out for you upon the Cross. And it is usual with him, to love that person more, who having run away out of the war doth yet return to fight with greater courage, than that other, who though he never forsook the field, yet was never but slack in doing him service.  
This is a kind of war, wherein the loss of the victory consists not in the not receiving any wounds, but in flying out of the battle, & rendering himself to the enemy, in the quality of a man who is overcome. Take courage, and begin yet once again, for you shall find Christ our Lord close at hand to help you. And seeing your humility, and how much you are ashamed of yourself, he will not put you to confusion. Nor when he shall perceive, that you are lying prostrate at his feet, will he cast you off, or kick you out of his sight. And if you call upon those intercessors, of yours, who are in heaven, they will not make themselves deaf to the cries which you send up from hence, As for me because I have made the fault, whereby you have incurred the inconvenience, if there be any, I will also perform the penance as I said before. And I will beseech our Lord to restore and raise that up, which my negligence made fit for ruin. Let all your thoughts beat upon his having begunn the work, and not upon my having neglected it. And then he will put things in good order, because he is the true lover of souls, and pretends not to see men's sins, that so they may retract them by sorrow. I beseech him even by what himself is, that he will keep you in close protection, under his wings; and make you gracious in his sight, and that he will punish me in whatsoever sort he shall think fit. And I beg of you by him that you will write to me, though I confess myself to be unworthy of your answer.   

A letter of the Author, to a woman, who was afflicted with grievous, and dangerous temptations.  
He encourages her to suffer, and shows that the fraite of afflictions is great, when they are well borne.  
BEE comforted, 
Esaye 40.  be comforted, O you my people, saith the lord your God: speak to the hart of jerusalem, and call her hither; for her punishment is ended, and her sin is pardoned. Confide, my good sister: for these words are spoken to you, and they command you to be comforted, through his favour, who will defend you: though your own infirmities, and those infernal powers, strive to pluck you down. But if they, be careful to persecute you: more careful is Christ our lord, to overshadow you, and to defend you, and to fetch you of from this combat, adorned with new Crowns, which are incomparably more to be esteemed and rejoiced in, than your tribulation deserves to be lamented.  
What is the matter? what is that, which afflicts you? what is that which frights you? your God is the curer of these wounds: be not troubled there at. For at the instant that he closes them, he will shine to you as a sun, seven times more bright, then before you were subject to this affliction, your spiritual prosperities, will incomparably excel, those which are past: since that which you suffer now, doth so fare exceed in bitterness that which formerly you suffered. For these flowds of anguish, use to serve but for a preface, to an abundance of spiritual delight as the tribulations of job were messengers to him, 
job 24.  of a doubling of his estate and comfort, which God bestowed upon him. God afflicted him first, and then he comforted him, he tried him, and then he crowned him: he hide himself from him a little: but afterwards he shown himself more dear, and sweeter, than he had seemed before to be offended.  
This is the style, which our lord holds with his servants. He mortifies them so fare, that he seems, as if he would place them, in the very torments of hell: but then instantly again he draws them out, and puts them into perfect ease: and so, as that the whale is neither able to retain him, nor yet so much as to touch him with any offence, whom she had swallowed. Our adversaries, the devils, 
jonas 2  are full of pride, and they threaten, to devour us: but let us say to them, in their teeth: Come and spare not, for you shall be overcome. Take what council you list, it shall come to nothing, for God is on our side. Let it not, my good sister, pass once so much as in your thought, to be afraid of these infernal wolves: For he, who conquered them once upon the Cross, hath conquered them in you: and will do so again; and will despoil them, to their great shame. And how soever it may seem to you, that the encounter is fierce, and the enemy so strong, as to fright you; be not yet dismayed. 
E say 19  For it is our lord who saith: Shall perhaps the prize be taken out of the hand of the strong man? And shall that, which was seized by the mighty, be resumed? Most certainly the captive shall be taken out of the hand of the strong man; and that shall be rescued, which he had taken by violence. And this shall come to pass; because the hand of God, will fight for you; and will overshadow you, as birds with their wings spread abroad, defend and cover those young ones of theirs, which they love so much.  
O that our eyes could once but see, that zeal of God, wherewith he keeps our souls, and how safely he clasps them in his hand, even when they think, that they are already lost. Some are wont to throw down a glass, with speed, to show, how dexterously they can receive a brickle thing in safety, which is cast, though never so speedily, from on high. And if the glass could feel and know, it would tremble to see itself cast down so fare and so fast, and to be falling towards hard stones, where it were likely to be broken, into a hundred pieces. But than comes to secure it, the other hand of him, who threw it down; and so it is received without any hurt at all. And thus you who see yourself so drawn even out of yourself, assaulted with such sharp fires, and afflicted by so fierce pains, do tremble and fear, conceiving that you shall be broken all to pieces, by falling into offences against our lord. But you must know and consider, that our lord, who hath brought you into this trouble, he himself will bring you out: and he, who hides himself a while from you, that you may suffer, is yet very near you for your defence. For otherwise, you had been swallowed up ten thousand times over, by your enemies. He throws you down, and yet he receives and saves you from falling. He moves the tempest, but yet he it is, who keeps you from drowning. For in that, which you feel, it is not you, who do any thing, but you suffer it. He who doth it, is the devil, and he shall pay for it.  
God sees your hart perfectly well, and that you are a lover of his Commandments, and one, who abhors any thing, which is offensive to him. I beseech him to keep you, as he hath done hitherto, for as for those things, which the devil representes to your mind, be not troubled at all thereat. For though it be full of deformity, and afflict you much, yet you will not be the worse for that. These are things, which happen to many, and not only these, to which you are subject, but others also which are incomparably greater, and which seem indeed, to be a very copy of the true hell, and of that language, which there they hold.  
But not for all this, doth God forsake his souls; but even when all humane counsel, and power fails, then runs he towards them: with a mighty hand, taking away the cup of bitterness, even from their mouths, and in exchange thereof, he gives them ten thousand comforts. And, the while, a man comes to know, that he is weak, by having understood his great misery through experience. He knows also, the strength, and malice of his enemies, and procures to fly from them, and leans closer upon God, whom he finds to be only able to deliver him, out of such bitter pangs as those. And thus, out of his former miseries, he both fetches light, whereby he may esteem less of himself: and repose greater confidence in God; and he learns to live with greater caution, and reservation, having discovered the treacheries and malicious proceeding of the devil. And we are not to account little of this benefit: because as our true life consists in knowing, and loving Almighty God: so also is it a thing of great moment, if in the strength and virtue of good spiritual directions we may have some knowledge of the devils ways. Not to the end, that we may love, and honour him, (for that belongs from us to God) but that we may fly from him, and escape from his snares; which are discerned, and known by few men, who yet conceive, that they have some knowledge of God. Nay, therefore we are to make great account of the fruit, which we gather out of these difficulties: because thus the soul grows to gain experience, in the war, against this subtle enemy. And these things, and main others, doth our merciefull lord, draw out of these hard encounters, whereby our adversary pretends to make us fall. And so we make him lose, that which he hoped to gain, and we put a scorn upon him: whilst we profit, and purify our souls, by that very means, which he used, for the disadvantage thereof.  
And forasmuch, as you have offered yourself, to the service of Christ our lord: and are now no longer your own, since the day, wherein you were made so happy; do not conceive, that this pastor of your soul, is liable to the fault of being forgettfull. For if he would forget you, he would not call you, nor court you, nor pass so sweet promises to you. 
eccle. 11.  In the day of adversity, let your mind look back to the day of prosperity, which formerly you enjoyed: that so your present condition, may not draw you down, when it is tempered, with the memory of those favours, which were imparted so you in time past. And be sure that if Christ did not love you, he would not have raised you up, nor given you that jewel. And since you know, that you began to walk in this way for his sake: and that you have desired to please him: and that, according to your frailty, you have procured to do it: lay not such a spot upon your honour, as to fail of confidence in him, from whom, when you remained in separation, he drew you close to himself; & conveyed a sweet, & meek spirit into the bowels of your hart; and set you out, with his own mark; to the end that both you might be his, and that you might know yourself for such.  
And now, if the infernal wolf, have presumed to set upon her, who was set forth by the mark of ●esus Christ and who desired to serve him, do not wonder at it; for these are the trials of our Faith, and love; to see if we will be dismayed, and so turn back. There is no true virtue, unless it be tried; and the trials of Faith are dangers, and discountenances of God. But even then, if that faith be pure, and fine, not only it is not dismayed, but how much the more it is vexed, so much the more strength it takes, and even fetches society out of solitude. For we know, that it is the custom of our Lord, to place his servants, even upon the very horns of the bull, and to hide himself, when he hath done, to try their faith. And forasmuch as their sight, is only bend upon the goodness of our Lord; they care not for what they feel, nor from what quarter the wind comes; but a confidence is engendered thereby, that as the anchor of a ship at sea, doth fix itself to the earth; so will a faithful soul, lay fast holde●, upon the Crucifix, and fix his thought, and say; Thou, o Lord, died'st for me, before I was borne; and thou soughist me with the sorrow of thy hart, when I sought thee not nor desired thy ayat; but now I call upon thee, and I love thee, and therefore now forsake me not. If thou didst receane, and shelter him, who was thine enemy; thou wilt never drive him away, who desires to serve thee; and whom thou hast accepted for thine own. And in this faith, you must live, and remain secure amongst, all the waves, and tempests, which the sea can show; though it may seem to you, that the ship is even sinking; and you must labour, that so your hart may not fail; lest else our Lord awake, and chide you, as he did his Apostles, saying: Why fear you ●o men of little faith? whereby you may see, 
Matth 8.  how much in earnest our Lord is, when he requires us to be full of courage: since even, when the waves are entering into the little ship to swallow it up, even than did he reproach them, because they feared. And this he doth, because he will not allow them to be afraid at all, who embark themselves with him. For they go with the true Lord of souls; who is our faithful helper out of the greatest straits.  
And now, since you are one of them, who have quit the shore, and embarked yourself with him, by entering upon his service: what can that be, which you should fear: since you have walked, and do so still, in company of jesus Christ our Lord. Remember, 
Matth. 14.  that S. Peter, whilst he had faith went treading with his feet upon the waters; but as soon, as he saw the wind stiff, and the waves high, he feared. and then presently began to sink. To give us to understand, that with a faith, which was firm, he went secure: and by growing tepid, he began to be drowned, and heard this word from the mouth of our Lord: O thou man of little faith, why didst thou doubt? And in the same manner doth he say to us, if he see us fearful of any visible danger whatsoever.  
And if our Lord took such care to deliver his disciple from a corporal death: much more will he take care, to free you from the death of your soul: and to secure you, that the tempest, which is risen against you, may not drown you. Only be you sure, my good sister, that you be not dismayed, and forsake not the war: for here the Crown is lost, not because men are tempted, but because they either fly, or be overcome. Offer your self to suffer pain, and even fire, for his honour, who suffered so much for you. And by how much the greater your afflictions are, esteem them for so much the more certain to ken, of the love, which passes between Christ our Lord, and you. Beseech him, that he will strengthen you, towards sufferance, and not that he will take away your afflictions. For it will be a Purgatory to you, whereby you may be wholly purified, in the sight of God, and the Cross of your beloved lord will keep you company. This Cross is that thing, which all the lovers of our Lord desire, and by means thereof, you will remain like gold, in the Crusible; so much or the more resplendent, as you ●ere more afflicted.  
Consider, that every lover, is to endure somewhat, which may declare himself, for the love of his beloved. And since you are entered into the war of Love, do not turn coward; but consider, how great things, even weak women have endured for Christ our Lord. Some by fire, others by scourges, and others by having had their flesh torn from their bones; and they held themselves happy in suffering for the love of their Lord.  
Now you also suffer for him. For if you would forsake him, your enemies would not persecute you; but you are passed over to Iosue's side, 
joshua 10.  and therefore do they move this war against you. And if amongst men, there be want of base, and bloody executioners, the devils come, in their place, who are both more cruel, & are not so soon weary, as the other; and with grates of iron they torment you; and more in the soul, then in the body; and you are to esteem, that you are in martyrdom for the love of Christ our Lord, since you are martyrized for his service.  
Do not omit your devotions of Confession, and Communicating, though you should do it without any great sensible appetite, and though the devil should seek to hinder it, as he is wont to do, so fare as to strike your tongue dumb, so that you cannot Confess your sins, as likewise he gives you to believe, that you have eaten, at such a time in the night, that so you may not Communicate the morning after. Tread that enemy of yours underfoot, with all his craft: and pray to our Lord, upon the Cross; and take that Cross in your company; and arm yourself therewith; and offer yourself so truly to any state of sufferance, that if our Lord were pleased, that it should last upon you all your life, you would yet be content therewith. And how much the deeper you shall cast yourself into his will, so much the more speedily, will he relieve you. For he drives not them from him, who strive towards him.  
And remember, that there is no love without grief; and that we are to enter, into the kingdom of heaven by many tribulations. Where, for one only hour that you may see God in his beauty: you would think two thousand years of that sufferance, to which now you are subject, to be well employed. And since God is to carry you thither, as you have reason to hope he will; be not cowardly in suffering nor tepid in loning; For he, who died for you, and called you to himself, will not forsake you. I beseech him to be your comfort. Amen.   

A Letter of the Author to a person, who was much afflicted, for seeing that he profited so little in virtue  
He teaches the difference, between self-love, & the love of God; and how he is to do all things, for the love of God, and nothing in conformity with self-love.  
THE peace of our lord jesus Christ remain with you. The root of all our misery, is self-love; as on the other side, the love of God, is the root of all our felicity; and so, as that he who love's God, meets with nothing, which he can properly be said to suffer; (because he seeks nothing but the will of God, and therein alone doth he delight) so he who love's himself, finds all things to be to hard, and to heavy, for him, and he is ever tormented, with the variety, and trouble of accidents. True repose doth not consist in any thing, but in desiring little for the love of God, or rather no one thing: and to content himself, with any thing for his sake: to whom we offer, and present, as much, as we forbear to desire, for the love of him. And if God will vouchsafe, to open our eyes, that so, 
Psal. 118.  with David we may consider the wonderful things of his law, we shall find, that not only there is danger hanging over us, through this self leave, in those things which are plainly and grossly visible, and exterior: but more, and much more, even in those other things, wherein, many think: that true sanctity doth consist. And if you ask me, what those things are, I say that they are no other, than virtues; the peace of soul; the kingdom of heaven; yea and even our lord himself. And thus you may see, how great our danger is; since there is danger, even in that, which is security, and how great the mischief is of proper, and inordinate love; since the sting thereof, thrusts itself, into such holy things. Not that it is able to make them ill, (for that it cannot do) but in regard that by causing us to desire good things, as our own last end, and for love of ourselves, we make ourselves ill; since we invert that order, which the love of God prescribes; which is, to love that, which is good, and ourselves withal, for the service of God, and for his love, and all this in the same manner, and with the same measure, which is best pleasing to his, Divine Majesty.  
The love of God doth not consist (whatsoever we will needs be saying) in the desire of much virtue, Noah nor even of God himself, if it be inordinately done, and with excess of affliction, as we are wont to desire other things. For if I be moved for the love of God, to desire any thing, my main desire, to have that thing, must be to have it, if God will; and how, and when, and to what proportion he will, and not to be greedy of it for my own good, but to the end, that the will of God may be accomplished though his pleasure were, that my soul should remain without virtue, and that I should never enter into heaven. I say though his pleasure should be so, for indeed it is not. But, at the least, our will must so be lodged, in the will of God; as that it may be prepared, to will any thing, which God would have us will, without any manner of exception. For if our own self-love be alive in us, that mischief is so much the worse, and more inward, by how much the better the thing is, which we desire. For, in these things, as seeming to be very safe, a man is wont to extend his appetite as fare as he lists. And whilst we say, that we desire the love of God, we are full of self-love which makes us desire him, for the love of ourselves, without any rule or measure; whereas, it ought to be, just the contrary.  
I remember some Doctors tell me, that Lucifer was the first, who committed this sin; and how the thing which he desired, was good namely felicity, but that he desired it not how, nor when, nor in whom, nor for whom, it was fit that he should have desired it, but with an unbridled appetite, which aimed at his own private good, as any covetous wretch, might desire much pelf, or any ambitious man much honour. Certainly, if the ends and roots of our desiring one and the same thing be different, the thing itself which is materialy desired, falls out after a sort not to be the same. But rather (as I said before) the better the thing itself is, the more dangerous is the inordinate desire thereof. For there is nothing worse, then for a man to desire any thing, as his own last end, for the love of himself This last end is that sovereign God of Goods, which is God, who ought to be the aim, and end of all our desires. And now, if any should say (by not understanding well, what I affirm) that I seem to teach, that we must not be fervent, in desiring to become more, and more virtuous; but that we must as well leave all to God, which belong to the soul, as that which concerns the body: my answer is. That as in these exterior things, we must be diligent, but not afflict ourselves with excess of care, and anguish, but must put ourselves wholly, into the hands of God, and take with patience whatsoever comes: so in those things, which import the soul, we must be sure, to be more diligent: but yet with condition, that if notwithstanding our diligence, we cannot have all we would, we must not suffer ourselves to grow impatient. For that would be a worse fault, than the former, which gave us so much trouble. But we must conform ourselves wholly, to the will of God; to whom humility, and patience in the midst of our frailties, is more pleasing, than a proud devotion, and complacence, in the strength which we conceane ourselves to have.  
And if we cannot obtain at the hands of God, that we may live without faults: yet let us render him most humble thankes, for having given us the knowledge of them. For was perhaps any other thing, the perdition of that proud Pharisee, but the contentment, 
Luc. 18.  which he took, in his own good works? And did any thing save the Publican, but the knowledge which he had, of his ill deeds; and the displeasure which he conceived against himself for them, desiring mercy of our Lord? It is not the case of every one, to conserve humility, in the midst of great virtues; but there be very few, who are not disgusted with their own faults. And therefore, though the former of these two ways, be higher: yet the later is safer. All which is dispensed by our God, who is of sovereign wisdom, and who guides us by several ways, to the same end, which is himself. And though we be never so covetous, me thinks this aught to stay our stomach with a sufficiency of comfort; that we may hope to go to heaven: whether it be,  the height, and perfection of virtue, as some go: or by the knowledge of what we want, and doing penance for the same, as many others do.  
But notwithstanding all this, we must not forbear to imitate the best we see: since our Lord hath given us a desire thereof: and since an account is to be demanded of us, if we do it not. We must therefore desire, to be better, (so that yet withal we lose not our inward peace) though we obtain not all we desire. For otherwise, I do not think that ever there was a man, in the world (leaving him only aside, whom every body knows) who desired not to be better, than he was; but yet this did not take their peace from them, because they desired nothing out of any particular appetite, which never confesses that it hath enough; but only for the love of God, with whoes distribution, and portion, they would be well content, though he gave them less; esteeming that to be true love, which contents itself with what he gives; more than to desire to have much; though self-love tell us, that we desire it, but for the service of Almighty God.  
And for my part I believe, that there is no peace to be had in this world, but by patience. Nor do I think; that it is true patience, when a man is content to bear, with his neighbours; if withal, he be not content to bear with himself. Not to the end, that he must fail to punish, and to mend his faults; but that his hart may not be dejected, and he unreasonably afflicted; and that whatsoever happen, he may be able to keep himself content, both within, and without; but so that yet withal (as I was saying) he still do his diligences, to mend himself. Which yet if he should not wholly do, it is better that he be sorry for it, and that instantly he rise up, with new alacrity; which uses to increase, and double our strength; then that, whilst conceives himself to lament his faults, for the love of God, he should indeed displease the same God, by serving him with a sour kind of hart, and with fallen wings, and such other branches as use to rise from this root. Let the Conclusion be that, which S. Paul delivers. Let us frequent prayer, in all things, giving thanks to God, 
Thess. 5.  and so we shall be sure to do well? Our Lord jesus be with you, and with us all. Amen.   

A Letter to a Cavalier his friend wherein he teacheth how the afflictions which God sends to his servants are to put good men in hope and wicked men in fear.  
THankes be given to Christ our lord for having made you a partaker of pain and trouble for it is the most certain title to heaven which can be had upon earth: since it doth enable us to be like our lord who descended from heaven to give us light that we might love him, and strength by his example, and grace by his merits. Let not the dispensation of the works of God seem cruelty in your sight: for as the reward which he gives is not light so neither must the means be light whereby it is to be obtained. Nor is there any thing further of from being a matter of toys or jest then that which our lord hath prepared for such as love him Now to the end that this may be known and rightly understood it is fit that they who are to enjoy it may be so treated as he was that so the world may be unbeguiled if it still conceive that by living in jest they are to enjoy that great reward in earnest.  
Our lord gives advice to his servants, and he threatens such as will needs be strangers to him. For to the former sort of men he saith that they must think highly of his reward: since he will not give it but upon high terms. And as for these other he asks them how they think to escape the rigour of his hands, they who are his enemies: since even his children be strictly treated who are yet elected for so great a good. If we cast our eyes towards this beam of rigour and justice which are the afflictions whereof we now speak, we shall find that they contain great occasions both of hope and fear. And on the one side the mercy of God is much glorified thereby and his justice on the other. Let trouble expect to find repose and let him fear affliction hereafter who doth not feel it now. For since in any man how just soever he be there are many things which may deserve punishment though not in hell: (and this punishment is to be personally endured if it be not purged with so great an excess of love as that the contrition may stand for the punishment as it did in S. Mary Magdalen and some others) it is plain that either here or in purgatory they must pass through fire And though they who find not in themselves so great love of God as to cause this grief which may stand for a satisfaction, may think perhaps that they receive hard measure in being saved by fire whilst others shall be saved without it yet indeed they are much deceived in their account.  
For the great love of God even here on earth when men see that God is offended doth cause greater grief then that to which you are subject. And that truth is seen by this then when one love's God greatly he would be glad of the pain you suffer so that he might be free from that which he feels for the offences which are committed against God. And at this we must not wonder since there are persons who even to free you from the pain wherein you are would endure themselves. And this also may serve for a proof that the love which one bears to another puts him to more trouble than the pain itself would do which the other feels: that if yourself love another very much, you would not be rid of your own pain if it were upon condition that the other must endure it for you; which proves as I was saying that it would trouble you more in the person of that other then in your own.  
Now if the love of a creature can reach so fare, how much more will the love of the creator be able to do, it being infused by the most holy spirit of our lord which fare exceeds all other force. And thus it grows to be a most certain truth that either in this fashion or in that there is no means to escape from suffering before we arrive to enjoying. And tell him who would complain of this law ather complain that he is a man, & that he was not made an angel; and let him complain against justice and reason which do absolutely require that virtue must be obtained with labour and the reward must correspond with the virtue.  
But who o lord who shall ever presume to complain of thee as if thou didst treat them with rigours since instantly thou stoppest their mouths with showing that thou so loved the world as to give thy only begotten son, to the end that in the strength of these afflictions and sorrows and death which they charged upon him, the world might escape the torments of hell and might triumph in heaven. Who I say o lord will presume to complain when he shall see thy best beloved friends to be so severely handled, and observe that in thy court it is hard to say which of these two have the pre-eminence either afflictions or favours; and that it was said by thy commandment to one of thy favourites. Because thou wert accepted by God it was necessary that temptation should try thee.  
Do not permit your heart to sink under your crosses but remember that heretofore you have desired to do and suffer somewhat for the love of God God is not deaf to the desires of our hearts. He hath given that which he knew to be best for you; and if you think it heavy confide that he who sends it, will give you shoulders wherewith to bear it. That which afflicts will have an end, and that which gives repose will succeed; but the latter will not be like the former, but incomparably greater. And if you tell me that you will renounce this later upon condition that you may not endure the former, it is not well said nor doth it become a noble mind which desires, more to see itself in difficulty & trouble for the obtaining of virtue then to be idle and without exercise. Nor is it fit that you who have carried so much courage in your hart through these wars of the Emperor should have it faintly affected in the war of God. We demand not of you here that you should conduct a whole army like some Captain general but only that you trail your pike well & give a good account of your personne, & of the place where you are put. Be not a coward in the less occasion who are so valiant in the greater.  
Put yourself wholly into the passion of our lord and learn thereby how much he endured and how great love he bore to you; since being able to redeem you by other means yet he would not do it but upon the price of his excessive pains and sorrows. And so it comes to pass that as he in one hour did more love his father then all mankind put together in all their lives, so in one hour did he pass through more bitter sorrows than all mankind; and there was not in the whole lives of them all to be found either any love or any grief like his.  
Strain yourself to a desire of enduring somewhat for him. Be not a slave since he love's you and treats you as a son For the father corrects the son and you may hold yourself for his son since he corrects you. Love's your father departed from yourself and give yourself too God. Say to him I will follow thee though it be by the way of sorrow I will present thee with this suffering. I will not give thee any thing of little value; but that which may cost me my blood, that so thou mayest to me as thou didst to Abraham, Quia fecisti hanc rem & non pepercisti unigenito tuo propter me etc. Now if God take it so well that a man give his son for the love of God how much reason is it that man should be very grateful to god for the giving of his son for man. And he only is indeed thankful for the benefit who in recompense thereof gives his own son to god; namely that thing which his hart would most be troubled to leave and this because God will have it so.  
Consider the true Original of love which God did bear you, but let it be with fetching this resolution from thence that as they drew blood from him & gave sorrows to him he may give them to you; and as they gave him pain so he may give pain to you. For infallibly if so you shall answer to the sorrows of God with your sorrows he will answer to those sorrows of yours with such a reward as shall make you esteem yourself happy for having endured them. And though our flesh believe not this yet faith must supply that defect & you must sing. Laetati sumus pro diebus quibus nos humiliasti annis quibus vidimus mala. So God grant it may be. Amen.   

A Letter of the Author, to a holy Religious woman written in a time when she was subject to some perturbations, and persecutions, about a book which she was wished to publish.  
He declares how she is to carry herself in spiritual things; and which is the sasest way, how to treat with God, and to use that gift of Prayer, which she had.  
THE grace and peace of jesus Christ our Lord be ever with you; When I accepted, to read that book of yours, which was sent me, it was not so much out of any opinion, that I was able to judge, of these things, which are contained therein; as because I thought, that, with the favour of our lord, myself might profit, by them. And I thank Christ, that althought I have not read it with that repose, which had been fit; yet I was comforted thereby; & may also be benefitted otherwise, if the fault be not mine own. And truly, though I might receive comfort by reading it, without reflecting upon it otherwise: Yet me thinks, the respect I own both to the matter itself, as also to the person who commends it unto me, despenses not with me, in forbearing to say some part of what I think thereof: at least, in general terms.  
The book is not fit, to come into the hands of many. For the words must be reform in some parts thereof, & declared in others. And some things may be profitable to your spirit, which would not be so, if they should be followed by others. For the particular ways, whereby God guides some, are not fit for all. These, or the most of them, I have noted down, and I will put them into order, as soon as I can: & I shall easily find means to send them to you. For if you saw my infirmities accompanied with my other necessary imployements; I believe they would rather move you to compassion, then to any accusation of me for negligence.  
The doctrine of your prayer, for the most part is good: and you may very safely believe it: and practise it, and in your Raptes, I find these signs which true Raptes have.  
The way of God's teaching a soul, without the use of the imagination, and without either interior, or exterior words, is very safe; I find nothing therein, whereat to stumble: and S. Augustine speaks well of it.  
Those interior and exterior words, have deceived many in our times: and the exterior are the less safe of the two, To discern, that they proceed not from our own spirit is an easy matter: but to find whether they grow from a good spirit, or from a bad is more hard. Men give many rules, whereby to know if they be of our Lord: and one of them is, if they be spoken in some time of great spiritual necessity: Or if a man profit much by them, whether it be by way of comforting him, when he is in temptation, or desolation: or for the prevention of any d●ger etc. For if even a wise good man, will not speak a word which is not of much weight: much less will that be done, by almighty God. And considering both this, and that the words must be agreeable to holy Scripture, & the doctrine of the Church: I am of opinion that these words, which are mentioned in your book, or the greatest part of them are of God.  
That, whereof there is more doubt are the imaginary, or corporal visions, whereof you speak. These must in no case be desired; and if they come without being desired, ye● must you avoid them, as much as you can. We must beseech our lord, that he will not suffer us, to walk by the way of seeing; but as for the good sight of himself, and of his Saints, that he will keep it for heaven; and that here, he will be pleased to conduct us, by the plain way, as he doth his faithful friends. And by other good means, we must also procure to avoid those things.  
But yet, when all this is done, if the visions last, and if the soul reap profit by them: and if the sight thereof induce it not to vanity, but to increase of humility; if that which they say be agreeable to the doctrine of the Church; if they continued any long time and with that interior kind of satisfaction, which may better be felt, then declared; by this time me thinks, I see ho ●●use why we should fly them any longer. Though ●●t no body is to trust his own private opinion h●●rein: but he must instantly communicate the matter▪ with some person, who is able to give him light. This is the general course, which must be taken, in all these things; & we may well hope in God, that who hath humility to submit himself to the judgement of others, God will not suffer him to be deceived, since he procures to walk in the right way.  
But the while no man should easily condemn those things, upon the only reason of observing that the person to whom they b● vouchsafed are not perfect. For it is no new thing, for the goodness of our lord to draw men out of ill delights, and even out of sins, (and they great ones) by giving them very sweet consolations of his own, as I have seen him do. For who shall limit the goodness of our lord? especially since these things are not vouchsafed for the merits of the party, or because he is better grown in spirit then another but sometimes to such as are most weak, And as they do not necessarily make a man more a Saint, than he was; so neither are they always given to greatest Saints.  
But yet they have no reason, who discredit such things as these, because they are very high: and for that it seems to them incredible. that so infinitt a majesty should abase itself to such an amorous communication, with a poor creature. It is written that God is love, and if he be love he must needs be infinitt love, and infinitt goodness. And from the hand of such love, and such goodness, it is no marvel, if some souls receive such excesses of love, as may trouble others, who understand them not. And though men may understand by faith, that the●e are such things in the world, yet the particular experience of this amorous, and more the● morbus proceeding, which God holds with whom he will: this I say, unless it be possessed, a man cannot well understand, to what degree or point, it arrives. I have seen many scandalised at the heroical acts of the love of our lord God towards his creatures. And because themselves are very fare from receiving those favours, they cannot think that God will do that to others, which they find him not to do towards them. And though it were reason, that even because it is an act of love, and such love, as casts us into admiration, it should be taken for a sign why to think it were of God, (since he is wonderful in all his works and much more in those of his mercy yet from thence fetch they reasons why they should not believe them, from whence they should fetch reasons to believe them; provided always that there be a concurrence of other circumstances, which show that the thing in itself, is good.  
For your part, my opinion is that, by what I can perceive in your book, you have made resistance to such things as these, even more than it was fit you should. Me thinks they have profitted your soul, and especially they have made you know your own misery, and faults, and enabled you to mend them I find that they have lasted long, & that ever they have been with spiritual profit. They incite you to the love of God, to the contempt of yourself, and to the doing of penance. I see no reason why I should condemn them, but I incline to think that they are right. But yet ●uer with this condition, that you use great caution, and that you go not with entire confidence, especially if that which happens be not usual with you, or when it requires you to do any particular thing, which is not very plain, but subject to some question. In all these cases, & the like, you must suspend your belief, and instantly ask counsel.  
I also think good to let you know, that, though these things be of God, yet the enemy may mingle somewhat with them; & therefore you must never be without care & fear in such things as these. And you must further know that though they be of God you must not yet reflect upon them with too much estimation; because sanctity consists not in these things, but in the humble love of God, and your neighbour. And as for these others, they are to be feared, even when they are right; and you must pass from the thought thereof, to the procuring of humility, & other virtues, with the love of our lord. You must also be sure not to adore any of those visions, but only adore Christ our Lord in heaven or in the Sacrament. And if it be a vision of any Saint, you must lift up your heart to heaven, & to that which is represented in your imagination; and you need no more, but that the image may serve to carry you up to that which is represented by it.  
I must also tell you, that these things contained in this book, happen to many others in these times; and this, with great certainty that they are from God; whose hand is not shortened, to do that now, which he did in former ages; & this in the weaker sort of vessalls that so he may be glorified the more.  
Go you on, in your way: but so as that you be ever in fear of thiefs; and that still you be ask, if the way be right. And give thankes to our Lord, for that he hath bestowed upon you, the love of him, and the knowledge of yourself; and a love of penance, and of the Cross. And as for those other things make no very high account thereof; though yet on the other side, you must not despise them, because they are signs which show, that many of them are sent by our lord; and even they which are, not, cannot hurt you, if you ask counsel.  
I know not how to believe, that I have been able to write this by any strength of mine; for I have none at all; but your prayer hath done it. I beseech you even for the love of our lord jesus Christ, to say it as a charge upon yourself to pray for me. For he knows, that I ask it as being urged by great necessities; and I think, this word alone will suffice for the obliging you, to do what I desire. And now I beg leave of you, that I may end this letter, since I am under promise to go write another. jesus be glorified by all, and in all. Amen.   

A Letter written to a Lady, encouraging her to bear with patience, the afflictions which were sent her, by our lord.  
MAdam, I would fain ask your ladyship, what kind of taste the fruits of the Cross carry with them, since you are feeding so abundantly thereon. Our lord said thus, I will clymb up to the Palm tree, 
Cant. 7.  and gather the fruit thereof: and it seems that he hath taken your ladyship by the hand, and drawn you up with him: to the end, that if heretofore you went up with him by contemplation, to consider how he fed upon them: he is now no more content, that you only accompany him, by having compassion of his pains, but he will have you eat with him at that table of the Cross, & be a witness by experience, of that which he suffered, when he was feeding upon that fruit.  
I dare confidently say, that that soul is happy, which stands at the foot of the Cross of the Son, in society with the Mother of God, who fed at the same table: and was suffering torment, yea and was even crucified in her soul with him. For there is not a more acceptable thing in the eyes of the Father, then to behold his Son, and to see them who accompany the same Son, in the imitation of his affliction and Cross. Let no man deceive himself, by thinking that God is in love with fooleries and conceits; or that every absurd idle fellow shall reign with him, in his kingdom. The favour of God, is reserved for such as love tribulation. No man shall reign with him, but such a one as is crucified: That, in fine the world may know, that forasmuch as he sets that king doom at so high a rate, it is no ordinary place, but most abundant in treasures, and delights, since God himself is the glory thereof: and that they may resolve with fresh courage, to despise all transitory gust, and to endure all kind of Crosses.  
How would your ladyship have our lord proceed towards you, but so a he is wont, and will be sure to proceed, with his beloved Children? What would you have him do, but treat you as his Father treated him? 
john. 15.  As my Father loved me, so do I love you, saith our lord. And now, if any man will make a pause, to consider how the Father treated his Son and such a Son, he will patiently endure his own condition, how sharp soever it may seem. Madam, have patience yet a while, for this tempest will pass, & you will rejoice, that you had it, to pass through. Bow down that neck of yours, to the will of your heavenly Father; for so did jesus Christ our lord, when they passed that rope over his head, which even flayed his neck, and he, the while, held his peace, both with his heart, and with his tongue, through the obedience which he carried to his Father. What doth that hard halter, upon so delicate a neck: and that heavy cross, upon those weak, and weary shoulders, declare to us; but that we must be obedient in suffering afflictions, though they should even defeat us, and pluck our very hearts out of our bodies?  
It is not just nor fit, that your ladyship should take upon you to dispose of your own li●e, and to choose, & say, This I will, and that other, I will not, do or have; since you have offered up yourself so often, as the true slave of our lord, to the accomplishment of every inclination of his holy will. For it is against all reason, that now you should unsay that in your affliction, which formerly you affirmed in time of peace. 
Eccl. 2.  Nor must you be like that counterfected kind of friend, who in time of prosperity, is wont to make many offers, but when they would bring him to performance, he unsayes himself.  
Woe be to them, saith the scripture, who have lost their sufferance; employing such persons, as being weary of enduring, and expecting, went headlong with their hearts to the ground, as men who would no longer bear their burdens. Madam, The Just man life's by faith, 
Act. 2.  and our lord requires to be expected, though he stay; for in fine, he promises that he will come. But if a man have a clock, which goeth too fast, and if the time seem too long, before God give the remedy, that must then be said to him, which is in Esay: He who believes, let him not be too hasty; but let him place his felicity in longanimity as S. Peter saith. 
2. Pet. 2.   
Madam, our lord will come and comfort you. The sea is all in tumult, 
Matth. 8.  and the waves will needs drown the ship: and our lord is in a profound sleep, like one who throws a stone, and then hides his hand: or who strikes, & flies It is he, who raised the tempest, & then instantly laid himself to sleep. It is he and no other, who hath designed your ladyship to these tribulations. It is he who afflicts, and wounds, and without him nothing can be done. And he who hath known so well, how to strike, and hath been so diligent to afflict, is now fallen asleep, when they are seeking remedy at his hands, and the more they beg comfort of him, the more he doth sometimes increase discomfort. And yet, notwithstanding all this, he will have us possess a lively faith, which, in all these miseries, must not fail us. And if we have not this faith, we shall be sure, that when he wakes, he will reprove us, and say. 
Matth. 8.  O men of little faith, why are you afraid.  
You may see, Madam, by this, how lively our Lord will have our faith to be, which may enable us to confide, in him; how fresh, how well tried, and passed even through the very fire. For as chastity is tried by the temptations which are contrary thereunto; as humility is tried by dishonours; patience by afflictions; and charity by rendering good for evil; so is faith and confidence, made evident, when God sends such adversities, as may seem to put men in a manner, even out of their wits; and when he, the while hides himself, and seems to add to them so much the more, as he is the more desired to diminish them.  
Even by this pace we must pass, if we will he are this word from our Lord's mouth, O woman great is thy faith. 
Matth 15.  In this match of wrestling, must we overcome, if we will pretend to the name, and crown of such, as are perfectly, and truly faithful. And we must accept of scourges, which may slice us even to the very soul; and yet we must believe that they are embracements of great, and tender love.  
In this which exteriorly may seem to be the wrath of God, we must believe his divine heart, to be most peaceable, and his bowels most paternal towards us, nor must we argue according to the feeling of flesh & blood, but according to faith, which overcomes and fools all such discourse. This, Madam, is the wisdom of the Cross, which makes the soul, with shirt eyes, submit itself to the holy will of God. And by thus not judging, but confiding in him, it grows wise beyond the wisdom of the whole world. For let him who desires to know, and please God, not raise his eyes, but let him abase them, with humility, and not sift his judgements: and that man shall arrive to true knowledge: and shall find that our lord of power, is entirely sweet towards his servants: and doth then endue them with the greatest blessings, when to the eyes of flesh and blood, he may seem most to have forsaken them.  
It is now long ago, since your ladyship hath sung this song, My beloved to me, 
Cant. 2.  and I to him. But it is now, that you should especially sing it; for these delicate warbling notes, are best used in these tunes of trouble. Your beloved looks upon you, and taketh care of you: look you also upon him, and confide, in such a taker of care. He is your Father, though he scourge you: be you his daughter, in receiving his correction, with obedience and giving of thanks. And if you be in much pain, whilst you feel the scourge, let it be tempered, by considering the hand from whence it comes, your beloved he is: and he love's you more, than he is beloved by you. He corrects you with love: & do you also receive it with love, that so you may answer our lord in the same tune, wherein he speaks. He hath a mind to purify you by fire: do not fly of from the Crusyble, whatsoever pain it may put you to. For it is better to become pure from the uncleanness of earth, which is once own will, and withal to be broken in pieces; then to be whole otherwise.  
Sing you thus to our lord, 
Ps. 16.  Thou hast tried my hart and thou hast visited me by night; thou hast examined me with fire and thou hast not found wickedness in me. For thus doth God purify his elect; and he who is not proved, and purified thus, is no Son, and shall be no heir of his. And for as much as it is now so long a time, since your ladyship hath so fair evidence, that you are borne to inheritt; procure you to pay with readiness, that rend charge, which is laid upon your land. This inheritance is very rich and glorious, but the heirs thereof must suffer much tribulation in this world. They are to be untied, and taken of from the Cross here, when they go up to reign there: and men must not think of going from one pleasure, to another. The bulls which are of a generous kind go all darted, and wounded, out of the Place; but such as are base and cowardly, return home, in whole skins. Just so is the good Christian, who is to be pierced on all sides. And when tyrants, and executioners are wanting, they shall have enough to suffer, in theyre own houses, by theyre children, theyre husbands, and theyre friends, who will by certain sweet, and and smooth ways, torment them worse than those others.  
It is most certain, that to see one suffer whom we love, is a very knife at our hearts: and love is our executioner; and the more love there is, so much is the executioner more cruel. Butt yet let us not turn away our face from him. For this love, was the, executioner of jesus Christ our lord, which put him to more pain, than all those visible executioners; and this was the executioner of his blessed Mother also, and of as many elect, as God hath had. I would have your ladyship prepare your head to be cut of, and your heart to be tormented by this executioner; and you must procure to fight stoutly, in the presence of God, and of all his celestial court, since such an excellent Crown of glory is prepared for you. Our lord, who sends you this tribulation, knows the time which is most fit for comfort, and he will provide it for you, when it shall be best. In the mean time I beseech him to give your lady ship patience, and to remain with you for ever. Amen.   

A Letter of the Author to a Religious woman, who was his ghostly child.  
Of the mercy which God shows to such as he calls to Religion, and of the exercices and obligation of a Religious woman.  
SERVANT OF JESUS CHRIST  
I Have been thinking sometimes, whither our lord might not ere this have taken you out of this life, to give you the fruition of himself. For to be alive and to remain so long without letting me know how your soul doth, seems to me a kind of incredible thing. Though yet it be true, that our lord some times, gives a soul so great feeling of himself, that it remembers nothing else because it is wholly employed upon him, who is all things. I beseech his goodness, that this may have been the cause of your silence. For then, I shall not only, not complain, but greatly rejoice. For what other thing, can I so well desire for your soul, which in our lord, I love; as to see it all employed, in loving, and in being beloved by him. This is the end, of all the pains which he hath taken with your soul, and of all the favours which he hath bestowed upon it.  
Tell me, O spouse of Christ our lord, how you do. Do you love him much, and do you hold him fast, in your bosom? is you heart even wounded, with the care you have, to keep him content; and to seek his holy will, though it be in contradiction of your own? For though the love of our lord, be the joy, and solace of our souls; yet, on the other side, it suffers them not to repose; but like a continual spur, is soliciting and urging them on, that so every day, they may please him whom they love, more and more. For this reason this love, is compared to fire, which never is at rest; but the lively flame thereof, is ever working, and striving upward. This love, will have nothing to do with slackness; nor knows it, how to take any rest, but in our lord. And this is the love, of a Loyal sponse, which, it is reason that you be, in performance, since you are so in profession; & since, you have an inward vocation, to put that in practice, to which you were called.  
Do not forget the day, on which you offerred yourself to your spouse, by the hand of your Prelatt. Nor that other day, when your spouse conveyed his hand, into your heart, making you understand both yourself, and him. He said in your soul, let light be made: and then all darkness, and sorrow fled away: and now, like one who sees the light of heaven, you live in joy, because you know which way you may go, without danger of falling. For if you be careful to keep those days in mind, you will see, that by the former of them, you were bound to lodge your love upon our lord after a very particular manner, because the contract of marriage obliges either party, to love the other. And on the second day our lord shown the love which he bore to you; and he gave you strength to pay according, to your weakness, the love which you own to him. For what have you out of your own stock, but obligations? and what means have you to pay any thing towards the coming out of debt: you, being a poor engaged creature; who indeed deserved to be ever kept in prison, in misery, and in chains, 
Psal. 106.  as David saith. But the rich jesus Christ, hath given you the plenty of his grace, whereby you may know and love him, and may overcome your contraries; and pluck down that strong Goliath; which is the Devil, who bids battle against all such, 
1 king. 17.  as resolve to serve Christ our Lord.  
It is not reason, I say, it is notreason, that you should forget what you own, nor how God hath enabled you to pay. And for that which God hath given you, you are much the more bound to serve him. For to be a religious woman is the condition of many; but to receive so particular lights, and favours from heaven, wherewith to serve our lord, is the case of few. Abraham, bestowed gifts, even upon those children which he had by less principal wives; but he left his inheritance, and estate, to the lawful son of that wife of his, who was most beloved; that we may understand thereby the difference of the gifts of God, which he imparteth, in this life, to several persons.  
Our lord be thanked, for that your lines, and lots, are fallen into the best ground; forasmuchas grace was given you, whereby to make you change your state of life, and to despise the world with your whole heart, and to despise also yourself; and to obey the superior, of your Monastery, as your mother, and to love all your sisters, and Almighty God, more than the very apples of your eyes. This is that celestial favour, which was done you, that you might be rich, and well supplied with all things necessary, in Christ our Lord crucified, and from thence comes this so hopeful and happy change, which you have made, in the manner of your life, and that invisible beauty, wherewith your soul is endued.  
And what now remains, but that you be like one, who hath acquired great worldly riches, and who instantly entertains servants, to ●eepe it. And so you must be careful, to keep that which our lord hath given you, lest else your soul turn beggar, after it hath been so rich; which is a kind of life, of more affliction and grief, then theirs, who never knew what belonged to riches. Remember what your spouse saith; and conceive that he saith it to you, as indeed he doth, Now thou art whole, so thou sinne no more, lest a worse thing happen to thee. Live with a holy doubt, and care, how you may keep that safe, which our lord hath given you; and how yet withal, you may gain fine other talents, to the five you have; and whether or no you have oil in your lamp, and that such, as may be able to last many years. And till the very hour of your death, let this word sound in your ears, Behold your spouse comes, 
Matt. 25.  go forth to meet him. For if you live with this care, you will still be well employed, and you will not have leisure to cast your eyes upon any thing of this life. For this alone suffices to give us enough to think upon; yea and to grow weak withal.  
The holy scripture saith, that this alone, is enough to break our sleeps. And if you have not this care, I shallbe full of sorrow for it. For by the want thereof, vanity and curiosity do straight enter in, and as many tales of the lives of others, as they make who take no heed to their own. And so by little and little, a soul grows to be seven times worse, than it was before.  
I expect not to receive such fruits, and so full of bitterness at your charitable hands, but rather the fruits of benediction, and sweetness; like a tree which is planted near the streams of water; which, with the leaves, and with the fruit, gives that man a glad heart, who took care thereof. But yet if by humane frailty, you be fallen into any negligence, as it happens sometimes: see that instantly you wake, and break of that sleep. lest it prove in●●tall to you. And beg pardon of our lord, who is full of mercy, and benignity. For though he be angry with the defects of such as have already known him, and will punish them yet he drives not away his children: and he gives them correction, not with fury, but with the rod of a Father. Go you therefore instantly to him, though you know you have offended him, for perhaps he may have showed you his anger, to the end that you should remove it from him, by your humility, and purpose of amendment. He will instantly forgive you, and sometimes he imparts particular favours, even as if it were in recompense of our carelessness.  
Take heed you grow not stiff, and fixed in tepidity, for this is a disease very hardly cured. And yet, on the other side, you must not be dismayed, if you be not always in so great fervour as were fit. For you are but a woman, and no Angel: you are but weak, and not endued with much strength. The greatest courtesy you can do your greatest enemy, is to remain fallen, in the way (as some cripple might be in a slough of mire) with the bones as it were, of your soul broken through distrust, as if now you had no more to do, with the business of getting up to heaven.  
Our lord's pleasure is, that you should think highly of his goodness: and that he drives them not away, who knowing their own weakness, go, and seek for strength, and remedy at his hands And indeed our pride is so very great that for the cure thereof, he lets us fall many times, to the committing of these very things, which had formerly been very fare from us, that so being fallen, we may rise again. And then, knowing by experience, what kind of things we are, we grow to thank our lord, for that which he is to us, and from that time forward, we despise ourselves, & we begin to live with greater doubt, and care, and fear: lest we happen to lose that, a second time, which had been lost by us, once before.  
Thus doth our most wise physician, and most loving father, draw our cure, out of our very wounds themselves; and life, out of our death, and he shows his goodness, by our wickedness. And though we fight sometimes, against him, with the weapons of sin, which gives him provocation, yet his goodness steps out like a conqueror, and imparts a thousand millions of benefits to us.  
Be sure therefore, that you serve this lord, with all the force you have. And if hitherto you have done so, give him thankes for it, and if you have failed thereof, see you return to him, with shame, and firm purpose of amendment. Comfort yourself also with the holy Sacraments of the Church, they being the remedies which he hath left. And put yourself into a new way, and now, at last, learn to trip no more upon that, at which you stumbled most before. So that you may be of their number, of whom S. Paul saith that all things cooperate to ●e good of them, who love God. For howsoever they may fall, 
Rom. 8.  they are not bruised to death, because our lord conveys his hand under them, to receive them In the midst of these things, I beseech you, call my miseries to mind that you may obtain mercy for me of our lord. And deliver my salutations to all those persons in your house, who serve our lord. I beseech him to be your eternal love. Amen.   

A Letter of the Author to a friend of his, whom God had called to lead a spiritual life, by means of his preaching.  
TO those many obligations into which you put me by your letters, I answer late, and ill. And though I be confounded therewith, yet I hope Christ our lord hath given you some little crumb, of Charity. Now the first condition thereof, is (by the testimony of him who had store of it, 
2 Cor 1.  and who knew it well) Quia patiens est, That it is patiented. I beseech that immense fountain of Charity, to increase it in you, till you be enabled thereby, even to lay down your life, for your enemies, as Christ our lord laid down his for us.  
You complain of dryness in devotion, though yet I conceive you speak it not, by way of complaint, but only, as relating to one who love's you, the disposition wherein, you find your soul. And I say, that so long as this dryness reaches not to weaken your desire or virtue it is no such thing, as aught to put you to much pain. For that which is questioned thereby, is but the loss of a certain sweetness, in the things of God, though yet this is wont to be a spur, to make such men quit themselves, and to fly faster on towards our Lord, who know how to make right use thereof. And because I desire all good to you, whether it be in much, or little; I wish that you were endued, with a Love of God, which were both strong, and wise, and sweet also, since a love with all these qualities, is due to him, to whom we own our love. But yet, if he impart that love alone, which is strong, and wise, it will be, because he intends to do us other secret favours, by means which are unknown to us, and to untie us from ourselves, and to exercise our virtue, whereof there will be great need, for a man who treats with him, who is infinitely wise and doth extremely like, that no man should be so in his own eyes.  
Your care must therefore be to follow on, according to that strength, which our Lord gives you; for his grace, will not fail. And you must give him thankes, both for that which you understand; and for that also which you understand not; and in this doth your safety consist. And as you grow elder, and to have more experience, of the very little which any man is able to do, towards the contriving of things, how small soever they may be; you will be confirmed more, and more, in the good custom, which you begin to take, to hold your peace. And you will perceive, that a business will then be well dispatched, when we speak at large with God, and but a little with men.  
This ignorancy of ours, is an unspeakable kind of thing; and so is our setting ourselves out, and our ignorant kind of zeal, to do good. And we have much, and much a do, to believe it, till we have bought this knowledge, upon the price of many errors, which we shall have committed. For we inherit, from our first parents, a certain fly, and secret desire, of a kind of divinity, 
Cen. 3.  which cannot be sought without theft. This makes us imitate our first fathers, therein; and to deny that things may be done, how, and when we list; with certain other deep, and most secret roots of pride, which are never to be discovered, without light from heaven; and this cannot be obtained, without much Prayer.  
As for the particular of those souls, which you desire to reduce; I tell you, as I did before, that you must cordially recommend the business to our Lord, and hope well that you shall have good success. And be you not troubled, or afflicted, since you know, that you have a father in heaven, who calls you towards him, and he will be your guide, in the way. Spend your time, at the present, the best you can, and as for the future, do not vex yourself; but make account that nothing, but your own negligence, cann take God from you. Fight therefore, against this negligence; & if you overcome it, you will find by experience, that the Exchange or Burse is a very Cel● to you; and, that business is but as a River, which may serve to wash you clean.  
The way, wherein God hath placed you, requires that more diligence be used then that which your letter saith you use, concerning the constancy of your devotions. And if I were with you, I could tell you of strange things which have happened to men, who had been slack in performing their good exercises. Whereby you might perceive, that our Lord esteems it not as any small infirmity, for a man to be a Lunatic; sometimes doing his duty, and sometimes, not. A clear sign it is, of a soul in subjection to selfewill, to do a thing when the humour serves, and afterward, upon mere humour, to let it alone. And forasmuch as such men want the abnegation of themselves, they are in fault, both when they cease from doing any thing; and so are they also, when they do it; because they live, butt in themselves. And the punishment, which our Lord inflictes upon these men, is that he is not liberal of himself to them, when they desire it; because they are not liberal of themselves to him, when he requires it. We must therefore be sure, to ask pardon, for the little constancy which we have used, in the service of our Lord; and to reform ourselves with an entire resignation into his hands, concerning the success of our endeavours, whether they be more, or less.  
Take courage once to lose yourself, for the love of our Lord; obeying that which he commands; and never look, upon what is to follow upon it. For whether it be dryness; or devotion, it cannot fail to be a favour, since it is sure to be the pleasure of our Lord. And by how much the more, you shall be able to live towards the contenting of him; and to be dead towards the seeking of your own contentment, so much the more happy shall you be. Spend not time at all, in thinking whether it were best, to accept, or else to refuse, that business, whereof they wrote to you, that without doubt it would be done. For this is the sign, of a hart not delivered up to recollection, and which easily is induced to lose the present time, with care of the future. Forget it; and beseech our Lord, that it may not prove a temptation to you; since he knows your weakness.  
And live without perplexity, or affliction of mind, solemnising such a Feast to our Lord, as that your hart being asked, what care it hath, it may answer you, none at all, but only that I may be so happy, as to give this little time, to our Lord. All that swerves from this, is not sound, whatsoever complexion it may carry.  
And here it comes fitly in, to weigh, what it is to be changing from one thing to another. All those are effects of a heart which is but slack, and not employed about that, whereunto it was called; which is, a continual intercourse with our Lord; who looks upon it in every moment of time; and desires it to look as often towards him, and to open itself to him, because indeed, it is his own: and to deny itself to all that, which is not God.  
O base abominable man, in whose hart God desires to repose, and to give it rest; and yet the man goes labouring here, and there; and God tells him, the while, that to the end he may find rest, he must enter into himself, and must dye there to himself; and that so, he shall find his true safety, & life; and that a certain Sun shall then rise to him, which will discharge all those former clouds, and sorrows, & he shall come to understand certain things, whereof he knows nothing yet.  
Humility, and diligence are needful here, for the keeping of our hearts shut up. And our Lord died for this, that we might have strength to dye to ourselves for his sake, & to keep our hearts recollected. Christ our Lord, be your light. But take you heed of being desirous to know things concerning Mental Prayer, more by speculation, then by practice. For our lord, is the teacher of Infants, & abs●ondit se, & sua, a prudentibus: he hides both himself and his secrets, from all such, as are but worldly wise.   

A Letter of the Author to a Cavalier whom he sought to carry on to the state of Religion.  
THese great fishes are hard to be taken, and a man had need make many turns with them up and down the river, till they be weary, that so through the little strength they have left, the hook may quiettly fetch them up. And therefore we must not marvel, if our lord give you so many knocks; contradicting that which you had formerly in your thought, and desire. And the cause of all I conceive without doubt, to be your own proper will and judgement; which be hard things to subdue, and still are ready to rebel. We have need that our lord should tyre them out, with a multitude of blows, and should kill them, to the end that they may no longer live in you, but that we may continue in the faith of our lord, and in obedience to his holy will: I would have you understand what this curb means, and these tokens of reproof, which our lord shows you. For as he is praised, who is an intelligent servant, and grows acceptable to our lord thereby; so is he discommended, who understands not, I say not only the words, but the corrections also of our lord.  
You must conceive, that there is nothing, which imports you so much, as to be untied from your own opinion, and conceit; and that Omnis sapientia tua devorata sit, ut sic clames ad Deum, & de necessitatibus tuis liberet te. That all your wisdom is at a non plus, and that so crying out to God, he may deliver you out of your necessities. For what Idolatry is more prejudicial, then that a man should rely upon his own opinion? And what marriage is so monstrous, as for a man to be married to his own will? such fearful and abominable monsters rise from hence, as that they precipitate him who breeds them into the very bottomless pit of hell. If you believe not me, do but take order, that a man may not follow his own opinion, and not love his own will, and then I will undertake, that there shallbe no hell for him. You must therefore offer yourself, as a piece of clay, into the hands of that sovereign Potter; and say that to him, 
Isay 64.  which is written Fictor noster es, nos vero lutum. Thou art our framer, and we are not better than a piece of clay. Resolve that to be the best, which is contrary to your own will. For so ill affected is our will, that for the only reason, why a thing is much desired, a man may safely apprehend, and doubt, that it is not good. For that which pleaseth it, is ill; & what confidence can he then repose therein.  
Have great care to consider, of the way, wherein God guides you; for you shall be called to an account thereof; And when you have learned this science, you shallbe wise, in the sight of God. You must be enamoured of nothing under heaven (how precious soever it may seem) but only with seeking the good pleasure of God. And if it should so happen: that we should obtain no part of that which we particularly sought: yet that very thing itself, is all the riches both of this world, and of heaven, for God is pleased thereby: and the contentment of God, is God himself: and he who love's it, love's God, and he who professes it professes God.  
Concerning those complaints, which you are making against yourself, I well believe, that you have reason: since you are a man, and not yet in heaven. And you do well to reprove yourself; for by this means the reproof which our lord makes of sinners, may be removed from you; which reproof of his, would be fare greater, than we know how to imagine. For who can reach to understand either the riches of the goodness of God, or our faults, and miseries? I beseech our Lord give us light from heaven, where with to see these two Abysses, which are so different; that so the sight of our wickedness dismay us not but that we may be comforted by meditating upon the goodness of our lord. For otherwise the stoutest gallant upon earth might say well enough, Cor meum derel●quit me. My hart hath failed me, 
Psa. 38.  to see so many debts incurred by himself, both past, and present, besides the danger of such as are to come.  
I know not what we should do with this miserable thing, which is called Ourselves; nor why we will take Ourselves for our own, or stand charged with doing what we list. Let us give itt to him, who will have goodness to tolerate it, and wisdom to conduct and cure it. And certainly our lord would thereby undergo the weight, as a man may say, of a heavy end unsufferable burden, if his love were not incomprehensible. It is a great help towards out denyeing of ourselves, when we consider that we are our own enemies: and our very being so miserable, may well serve to keep us from being so covetous, to enjoy ourselves; and to make us cast ourselves away, and turn ourselves out of house, whatsoever it cost us. And yet the trumpet of the divine goodness, sounds this out in our ears, that David goes forth into the field, as being persecuted without any fault of his; and that the poor people, who were much in debt, and such as were in anguish, and bitterness of heart, joined themselves to him. Blessed be our lord jesus, Amen: who is so rich, and patiented in goodness; that his father thought fit to trust such poor sheep as we are, in his hands. But that which is lamentable, is, that we are so blind withal, that he, begging that we will be his, and binding himself to be ours upon that condition, yet woe woe be to us) we still resolve to seek, Quae nostra sunt, non quae jesu Christi. Those things which are our own, 
1. Cor 13.  and not these things of Christ our lord. And we will needs possess ourselves still, without any reason at all, but only through blind affection, and without once resolving to try, how sweet, how just, and how profitable a thing it is, to belong entirely to Christ our lord: and to walk in the way of his holy will. Christ our lord give you light in all, Amen: and be wholly with you.   

A Letter of the Author to a great man, his friend, who entered into the state of Religion in the Society of jesus.  
Having understood of the change which you have made, I have given many thankes to the immense bounty of our lord, who hath so earnestly taught you, so mercifully found you, and so powerfully conducted you thither, where without any impediment of other employments, you may present him with your whole hart, for a quiet & peaceable habitation, wherein he may converse, and take delight, as he uses to do with his elect. These are not slight favours; nor must we pass them over, without particular acknowledgement, and gratitude. For this, I hold to be that sacrifice, which our lord expressly requires, in recompense of his favours and for want thereof, he hath deprived very many, of those which formerly he had imparted.  
So much more, must you have a care of this, as the favour was greater: through the great dangers which threatened you, by reason of the greatness of your person, & the many employments which accompanied you, in the world. And therefore, as our lord hath not performed a less act, in giving you light, that so leaving all things, you may go in pursuit of him, than he did, in favour, of the three Magis, whom he enabled by a star, to do the same: you must be sure, to adore God, & to spread yourself all prostrate upon the ground, acknowledging your own nothing, before that high Majesty, and giving him thankes, from the very bottom of your hart, for the favour you have received: and offering yourself as an everlasting present to him, whose you are by so many Titles. As for me I esteemed it not for one of the least, that he hath vouchsafed to seek the Post child and that he hath placed him, in the ranck●: of them, who are most honoured in his house and all this, through his own only goodness.  
What hart is there in the world, which would not melt into tenderness, by the consideration of such a favour as this: to see himself prevented by such a hand, and so as if the question, and doubt had been, whether God's mercy, ●●r our misery should prevail: but he hath mightil●●, & happilly overcome. And not being conte●ted to send us messengers, both within, and from without, himself takes us by the hand, like another Lott: 
Gen. 1  and draws us out of the place of danger, up the hill, where we may be saved. Do not you forget this going out of Egypt; for it is a certain thing, where many wonderful things of God are seen. And this departure of ours, is not obtained for us, but by the bedding of the blood of the lamb, which ●ath cried out, before the Father, with desi●e that it may be applied to our souls, Cleansing them from all earthly appetites, and consecrating them wholly, to the desire of his divine love. Christ our Lord hath been heard, whilst he was praying for you, as we may very well believe; Giving this stone to his Father, that so, of vild, and bas●, he may make it precious; and that it may be set and worn in the head of Christ our Lord, as a fruit of those great afflictions, which he endured, for the good of souls. Great was that war, and he conquered therein; for he gives souls ●o his Father, who may run after him, and adore him; ut, vinctis mambu: post ●●l●● C●●iant.  
Prepare yourself to receive our Lord, since you are redeemed by him: you are already belonging to him: you are the spoils of his victory, a piece of land you are, which is come to him by lot, that he may cultivate, and water it, and make it fruitful. O how happy are you, if you can but value your own happiness, and consider from whom, and through whom, it hath proceeded. Beseech him, that since he hath done you so much favour, without all desert of yours; his goodness, may never permit, that your hart should serve any but him; nor your eyes behold any other beauty, than the beauty of. God, who hath been so good to you. A great burden it is, which herein, they have Laid upon you, in exchange of those many other burdens, whereof they have eased you. For now, you are grown a deep debtor, of a most profound, internal love; and of diligent service, to that Lord, who hath eased you of all those other obligations: and given you the speed, of a slag wherewith to ●unne in his ways. Think you upon this, and be thankful for this. 
Ab●●. 3.  And since you are as poor, towards paying, as you were unworthy towards receiving; you shall make an act of renounciation of all your goods, into the hands of our Lord. Beseeching him, that he will accept you all for his; and so take you upon his own account, to serve himself of you, according to his own gust; and desiring that he will dispose of you, as shall please him best.  
I believe, I have already said too much, to a soul to which our Lord is already speaking. For to such souls, all humane discourse is accounted tedious, and troublesome, and it hath reason to be so. But the joy, which, in our Lord, I have conceived; and the commandment which you sent, that I should write, have been the reasons of this letter. I beseech that soveraines' goodness, which hath already vouchsafed you so much favour, that, to his own eternal glory, he may finish the good work which it hath begun.  
You see in what fashion I am talking to you. I have laid aside those Titles of honour, and rank, which, according to the style of the world, (now forsaken by you) belonged to your quality. And I writ, as to one, who is already estranged wholly from the world; and in so plain a manner, as is convenient to a domestic servant of Christ our lord, and as is fit for the Institute whereof you are. And since yourself desired it, and I have obeyed you in it; be careful, that, now when you have abhorred the Titles of this world, you may also abhor the affections thereof; and that now you may pass wholly on, into that age, cuius pater Christus est, 
Esay 9  whose father is Christ our lord. Which consists not so much, in whether the time, be present or future, as itt doth in Spirit, which cometh after flesh. For as the Apostle saith, non prius quod spirituale, sed quod animale, 
1. Cor. 15.  That is not first which is spiritual; but that which is animal. And therefore the spiritual is called, seculum futurum a future age.  
So much the more care must you take of this, as it will be more hard for you, to do it, since he who hath most to leave, doth it with most difficulty. And the man who hath most impediments, is least able to run lightly away. And this is the good which they get, who are the great men of this world, though they come not to know it, till they put themselves to run, after others, who are before them. And then the faster he runs, the more he shall feel it. And by his own experience, he will be able to unbeguild himself, in that which the world believes. Namely, that it is better to be great, then mean, and poor. And so I believe, it hath happened to you, if indeed you have begun to follow Christ our Lord; or at least will find it, when you shall begin.  
The thing which must comfort you herein, is this, That, since our Lord vouchsafed to take you for his servant, when you were most untoward, & uncapable thereof, he will give you greater strength, wherewith to serve him now, than he would have given to another, who had not been so incapable. And so must you represent yourself before our Lord, who hath called, and accepted you; beseeching him, that howsoever it may put you to more pain, and shame, he will yet bestow that upon you, whereby you may serve him much, since you own him much. And consider yourself, as a person who brings but half that means, wherewith to negotiate this business, which another brings. And beg pardon, for ill employing even your little stock, but yet with giving thankes to our liberal lord whose works are great, towards his poor creatures. That so living with fear, and trembling, to see yourself so unworthy of such a place, there may grow from thence, a due reverence to all your neighbours; carrying them upon the top of your head, and doing for them, as any slave would do for his lord, considering how mercifully Christ our lord, hath done the same to you, you may have good hope, to prove well in your great business, if you obtain that knowledge of yourself, whereof I have spoken. And then shall you spend your life happily, when you hold every day thereof, to be the last. Christ our Lord be with you. Amen.   

A Letter of the Author, to some Disciples which he had in the City of Ezija.  
THE peace of our Lord jesus Christ be ever with you Amen. Since I parted from your presence, I have ever had you all present with me, in my memory, for the love I bear you, permits me not to do otherwise. Give your selves still to God, since you once gave yourselves to him, and I was a witness thereof, nor will I by any means, that you repent the having offered yourselves to him, since he offered himself to death for you. You shall be sure to have battles, and those sharp enough: for our enemies are in great multitude, and full of rage. Be not therefore negligent, for if you be, you are instantly undone. If they who watch best, have enough to do, to defend themselves; what do you think will become of wrechlesse persons, but that they should entirely be overcome?  
Remember that the pleasure which sin presents is small, filthy, and short; and the sorrow which it leaves behind is very great, and the misery which grows to us thereby, is incomparably greater. What sorrow (how great soever it be can equal that which we ought to conceive, upon our loss of Almighty God? O misery, which should make us tremble, even in hearing it named! For if we delight in sin, we shall have no part in God. Let us therefore consider, how we live, for we shall shortly be led before the Throne of God, to give account of ourselves. Let not the uncleanness of the flesh, nor the vanity of the world, nor the subtlety of the devil, deceive us. But let us behold Christ our Lord, upon the Cross; and we shall see him tormented in his body, & dishonoured by the world, & that so he subdued the devil.  
Who ever looked towards Christ our Lord, and was deceived? Infallibly there was never any. Let us therefore never draw our eyes of from him, unless we mean to turn blind. Let it never seem to him, that we value his love so little; as that, although he died for us, we cannot find in our hearts, so much as to be looking towards him. For he died for this, that we by looking up to him, might strive to dye to our sins. Let therefore our old man die in us, since our new man, who is Christ our Saviour, died for us upon the Cross. Let us approach towards his wounds; for by his, we shall be cured of ours. And if we think it a heavy thing, to part from our sins; it was much more hard, and heavy for his soul to part from his body, when he died, to the end that we might ever live.  
Let us therefore go on apace, & take hart to follow such a captain as this; who leads us the way not only in doing, but in suffering Let us crucify our flesh with him, that now we may no longer live according to the desires of the flesh, but of the spirit. If the world shall persecute us, let us go hide ourselves in his holy wounds; and there we shall find those injuries, as delightful to our hearts, as any music is sweet to the ear. And so rude stones will be to us, as precious jewels; and prisons, will be palaces; and death itself, will be converted into life. O jesus Christ, and how strong is that love of thine? and how truly doth it convert all things to our good as S. Paul saith; Infallibly that man shall never die of hunger, who is fed by this love of thine. He shall feel no nakedness, he shall never find want of any thing, which this world can give. For, possessing God by love, no good thing can be wanting to him.  
Let us therefore, O my beloved brethren, be taken with a great desire of going to see this vision, of the bush, which burns and yet is not consumed. That is, 
Exod 2  how they who love God, suffer injuries, and yet feel them not; how in the midst of hunger, they are full fed; how they are cast of by the world and yet afflict not themselves thereat, how they are assaulted by the fire of fleshly appetites, and yet they are not scorched by it. They are trodden under foot, and yet they stand fast upright; they seem poor, and they are rich. They seem deformed, but they are full of beauty. They seem strangers, but they are citizens. They are not known to men, but they are familiarly acquainted with Almighty God. All this, and more, is brought to pass, by the noble Love of our lord jesus Christ in the hart where it is lodged. But no man can arrive unto this, unless he put of his shoes▪ that is to say, his unmortified affections, which spring up out of ●●lselou●. For this is the root of death, as the love of God, is the cause of life. A life, which is spiritual & holy, admits to wear a●e ●h●es, that is to say no desires of se●feloue. He who love's Christ our Lord, must abhor himself. He who will not be cruel to Christ our Lord, let him not be compassionate to himself. They who dandle themselves, show unkindness to Christ our Lord, and they who take so much care of themselves cannot make God their business.  
Let us therefore give, our All that which we are (which God knows is but a little All) for that other great All, which is Almighty God. Let us give over the following of our own proper will, and let us betake ourselves with diligence, to follow the will of God. Let us esteem all things as mere dung, that so we may possess that precious pearl which is Christ our Lord. And to the end that we may see him, in his beauty and glory; let us here be content to embrace dishonour, & labour.  
Infallibly, he shall never find himself deceived, who makes such an exchange as this. But when God shall come with his Saints, and shall come to reward every one according to hi● works, then will that appear to have been foolery which now is held in so great account; and than it will be their turn to lament, who now shall have spent their mortal lives in delight. And he only will be avowed by Christ our Lord, who shall have lived; according to his holy will. O how great, shall the joy of good men be; at that day, when receiving high honour at the hands of God, they shall be seated upon those thrones which were prepared for them from all eternity; and when in society of all the quires of Angels they shall sing praises to their Lord, and their God? O how great will their joy be, who shall behold the king in his beauty. In the contemplation whereof, they will be so happy, that no one of them shall be without even regorging, through his being so full of that precious liquor, and that sovereign Balsamum; which created all good things. In comparison of this, all beauty is deformity: & the very brightness of the sun itself is direct downright darkness, & the very top of other delights, is the very bitterness of gall. And, in fine, (that I may not reckon up every particular thing by itself) in comparison of this beauty, all the things of the whole world put together are not to be esteemed for any thing at all, neither are they any thing in very deed. O eternal God, thou who art all things, and yet who art none of these things, and when shall that day arrive, wherein we may be so happy as to see thee? when is this earthen pot to be cracked, which shuts us up, from enjoying so great a good. When shall these chains be broken, which hinder us from flying up to thee, who art the true repose, of such, as are to repose indeed? Let us not, my Brethren, look any other way but only upon Almighty God. Let us call upon him, in our hearts, and let us keep him close embraced by us: that so he may never part from us. For woe be to us, wretched things; what shall we be able to do, without him, but only to turn again into our nothing. Let us, now at last, cast this world behind us, which yet, we carry before our eyes; and let us, at last begin to try, how sweet our Lord is. Let us run after him, who came running down towards us; from heaven itself, that he might carry us thither. Let us go to him, who calls us; and who doth it with so much love, from the top of that Cross; with his flesh all torn, and even as it were broiled with the fire of love, to the end that it might be more savoury to our taste. O that we might feed thereon? O that we might even consume thereby? O that we were all transformed? O that we could grow, to be one, and the selfsame spirit with God.  
Who is he that detains us? who is he that hinders us? who is he that deceives us so, as that we cannot persuade ourselves to draw near to God? If it be our goods, let us cast them away, if they be in our power, if they be not, let us keep them, though only as so much dung, which may be laid up with diligence, for good uses: but yet still without any love at all to the thing itself. If is be our wives, S. Paul lets us know, that we must have wives, as if we had them not. If it be our children let us love them, but for the love of God. And let us even out of water be able to kindle a fire, whereby all that may be burnt up, which shall pretend to divide us from Almighty God. Let the tears of grief wash us; and the fire of love consume us, and so we shall grow to be those holy creatures which were offered up to God with fire.  
O eternal God, who consumest our coldness; and how sweetly, dost thou burn, and how dear dost thou inflame, and how delightfully dost thou consume us? O that we all might altogether burn with thee? Then would all our powers cry out, and say: O Lord who is like to thee? For whosoever he be, that saith he knows thee, and yet love's thee not, is a liar. Let us therefore love thee, and let us also know thee, since love grows from that knowledge. And afterward make us able to possess thee; since they who possess thee, are so rich, and possessing thee, let us be possessed by thee, and so let us employ ourselves, in praising thee; since all the powers of the heavens confess and praise thee, for God Trine and One, the infinite king, wise, powerful, good, and beautiful, the pardoner of them who are converted towards thee, & the uphoulder of them who approach to thee; & the glorifier of them who serve thee; & that God, of whose perfection there is no end For thou surpassest all tongues, and all understandings; and thou art only known in perfection, by thyself. To thee be glory, through the eternities of all eternities. Amen.   

A Letter of the Author, to a Cavalier, who went to study at Salamanca, where they made him Rector of the University.  
He shows, that in the business of serving our Lord, faint desires are not sufficient, but there must be deeds. He also shows the hurts, which multiplicity of business brings, to such as are but beginning to serve God.  
I Pray God, that both your going to that University▪ your abode there, and your return from thence, may be happy to you: you know already, that in this affair of serving Christ our Lord, it is not enough to have certain faint desires, but they must be accompanied with  works; and sometimes with sweat, even as it were of blood. And I much fear, lest the difficulty of the way, should fright you, and lest you might grow to lose the sweet of the kernel, because the skin, and shell, is bitter. The gate is straight, whereby we must enter into the way of God, but after we are entered, 
Prou 4.  we find that to be true by experience which is written. Ducam 〈…〉 ●emitas aequitatis, quas cum ingressus sueris non arctabuntur gressus tui. I will lead thee, by the ways of equity; into which when thou shalt be entered, thy paces shall not be straitened. And then a man finds, that the yoke of Christ is not heavy to him, since he reaches now his hand to them, who have suffered temptations for his sake: and he comforts them who are in tears, and cures them who have broken hearts. A happy affliction is that (though no other comfort did succeed it) which is endured by us, because we hold the standard of Christ our Lord upright, resolving rather to endure the sharp blows of temptation, then to enjoy an ill peace, and to have war with God.  
You must humble yourself much before our Lord, and lament your own misery, in the sight of his mercy. For there is not means, whereby any good may come to us, but only by the favour of heaven. And there is no way to obtain this favour, but only the profound knowledge of our misery; crying out from the very bottom of our hearts to that lord, who dwells on high; and drives not such persons from him as are overwrought with the burden of their miseries; and who even swelled, in the lake, (as the Prophet jeremy, saith) with a weighty stone upon their backs.  
I like well, that you resolve to make acquaintance with those Fathers. For that good opinion which they of your City do now conceive of them, that have I conceived long ago. Only you are to look, that the good example which you see in others, may not be unprofitable to you. And I beseech our Lord, that he will be pleased to let me pass a little that away, though it be but to give contentment to you.  
The excuse which you make, for having accepted the Rectorship of the University, is just, since you were advised to it by persons so well qualifyed, and so many as that they did even oblige you to it. But I beseech you Sir, be not negligent, now that you are put to sea; since it was not without cause, that you feared, even so much as to embark yourself. For my part, I am full of thought, lest our adversary have traced out this course, so to hinder your proceeding, in the way to God, which you were taking. For many employments (though even about good things) should not be committed, to young beginners; because they use, to trouble such persons, as have not yet set all those things in order which concern themselves. And so our Adversary hath done much hurt to many, by this means, and brought them to the pass of some poor little swallow, which goes forth to fly before she is well in strength; and then having not power, to prosecute her flight up aloft, nor yet to return to her nest from which she went, she falls down into the hands of boys; and they play with her a while, and then kill her.  
This business is so much the more subtle, & perplexed, as it comes cloaked with good zeal. And new beginners, must be watchful in this case, little less than they would be, when there were question of their committing a sin. For if there be any true zeal in them, it is fit that first they be zealous of their own good. And zeal of others, which wants zeal of a man's self, hath been the fearful ruin of many souls. I desire that you will conceive a very great fear, & care, in those things, which may seem good, to you. For in such cases as those, doth that devil, who is called Meridian, deceive them at high noon, 
Psal. 90.  whom he was not able to deceive, in express darkness. And do not precipitate yourself, upon the making of great reformations; nor conceive, that you are there, for that purpose, but rather fear, lest it be for the punishment of your own sins. And if your hart offer to give you, that you shall do great matters in this Office; believe it not; but rather lay it prostrate before our Lord, with fear; beseeching him to keep it still, & that he permit you not to lose the little, which he hath given you, of the knowledge of himself. And if yet indeed, you must execute any thing, let it not be till first, you have recommended it earnestly to our lord; and let it not be of that nature, (through the difficulty thereof) as that you must probably think, it is like to cost your mind much unquietness; and in the end, that the profit will be uncertain. Some other man may do those things, or else yourself, at some other time. But now, look you into your own soul, consider your ways well, and direct your feet rightly in them. And because you have little oil in your lamp, 
Matth. 23.  answer them thus who shall desire oil of you, Ne forte non sufficiat nobis, & vobis. I can spare you none, for perhaps there is not enough, for us both And with this religious fear, even in those things which are good; and with calling upon our Lord from your hart, and with plying your study hard, you may perhaps go through this dangerous passages, without harm. I beseech Christ, by the merit of his blood, to grant you this favour. Amen.   

A Letter of the Author to a lady, wherein he tells her that of all those things which a body might choose for the service of God, the suffering for his love is the most high and safe.  
MAdam, In this so great haste which our life is making to leave us, it is but reason that we make election of that, which may be best for our address in the service of Christ our lord; and to put it in practice, with diligence, lest otherwise, we may have cause to repent ourselves, for not having been faithful servants to that lord, who hath been so faithful to us, and at whose hands we expect that he will be so still. 
Eccl. 15.  There are many things in this life, whereupon we may cast our eyes; since God hath given us liberty: that so we may lay hold either upon this, or that▪ But amongst so many, what shall we choose? Shall it peradventure be pleasures, which pass away like smoke, and which leaves ten times as much affliction behind them as they brought delight? Or shall it perhaps be the dung of riches, which is wont to blind the eyes of the owners, and which makes the entrance into heaven's gate, so hard? Madam, 
Mat. 9  there is no looking towards any thing of this life with hope that it will make one happy. For though a man possessed them all, they would serve him but for an affliction of spirit, and for an impediment to his proceeding; 
Eccl. 1.  and in fine, it is vanity of vanities: and all vanity.  
Happy therefore is he, who removes his eyes, from that which makes such haste to pass away and who places them upon that, which never ends, and where delight is pure, and true, because it is taken in truth itself, which is God. And where the treasures are certain, since they all consist in enjoying him, who alone, suffices to enrich his possessors with inestimable beatitude.  
But now to the service, of this God, there are many several ways and some carry an affection to one, and some to another, every one according to his inclination. Some like the active life, and others the contemplative. Some excel in abstinence, others set up their rest upon Chastity. And so we see, that diverse Saints have flourished, with several virtues, and gifts of God. But Madam, amongst all the things of this world, wherein our lord may be pleased by us, let us make choice of suffering for his love: for this is both most high, and most safe. And this did the Master of truth, who is Christ our lord, teach us, when coming into the world, he principally exercised himself in this, and to this, he hath invited us. This is a point of security, and not a thing made of dust, or straw. For it is not of conformity with our sensuality, but of contrariety thereunto. And only the love of jesus, is able to make affliction savour well in our mouths; and he alone is sufficient to make us encounter, and embrace that, which of itself is unpleasant, and drives men from it.  
What did it signify that Moses seeing a serpent before him, 
Exod. 4.  grew into fear and began to fly: but that men, who considering what they suffer actually, or else foreseeing what they are to suffer, are frighted, and would not only suffer it but not so much as see it. But God commanded, that he should return to that, from which he had fled, and not only return, towards it, but to take it up into his hand. And he, obeying the voice of God, found in those hands, no more now a serpent, to bite him, but a staff to support him. Thus doth it daily happen to men, who in their afflictions obeying the will of our lord who sends them, and taking them into their hands, that is to say, taking hold of the occasions which are offered, and accepting them with obedience, that they find no such discomfort, or disquiet, as is wont to weary the soul with complaining, butt comfort, and support, and strength: Confiding, that since God sends them tribulations, he will place himself near about them, according to his promise: and that he lodges his love in them, since he treats them like his beloved children, and as he hath treated as many friends as ever he hath had, in this world.  
Thus doth tribulation breed patience and patience, 
Rom. 5.  is the proof of that love, and faith, which we have in Christ our lord, And this patience works hope, because God hath promised to make them participate of his glory, who are participant of his Cross. And thus doth tribulation turn into a stay, and staff to our weakness, because it makes us confide in our lord more and more; and it takes from us that kind of unquietness and complaining; which, affliction, was formerly wont to give us, like a kind of servant. Be you therefore well advised, by making choice, of that which is pleasing to God, and be not one of them; whom the Apostle S. Paul reprehends saying. 
Heb. 5.  It was reason that you should have grown great spiritual Masters, after so long a time, wherein you had served God; and yet you still continue but very babes, who have need of new instruction, in the principles of those things which concern God, and you are rather fit to suck milk, then to eat the bread with the crust, which is the food of such as are grown strong.  
Madam, you must consider, that that scholar doth not please his Master, who having been taught a thing at many several times, is still as gross, and rude, as at the first. And that physician grows weary, who finds that he gives no help, through the patient's fault, by some receipt of physic, which he hath ministered often. And so our lord is not pleased, that we should still continue in taking the milk of comforts, and delights; but that we should run nimbly towards him, although it could not be done, without passing the pikes: and that the fire of our love must consume whatsoever shall stand before us: since there is nothing which it imports us so much to have, as love; And this love cannot receive so good a proof, as by tribulation and pain.  
Now whosoever love's Christ our lord, should not desire to be without some trial, or proof, whether indeed he love him, yea, or no. And though that proof may pain one much, yet it gives him comfort, to perceive, That God hath examined him with fire, and that he hath not found wickedness in him; 
Psa. 16  and that it made him not turn back, from the enterprise which he had in hand. A great honour it is to stand constant, in that which much troubles us; and we cannot yield a service to God which pleases him better, then when with a very willing hart, we be afflicted for his sake: and when we drink that chalice in his company, who drunk so deeply of it, for us. Upon this you must place your eyes, since God is pleased to choose this means, whereby to bring you up towards him. Do not turn coward, in fight the battles of the generous love of the celestial king; nor hold you any time to be well employed, but that, wherein you suffer something, for your beloved, which alone, aught to give you comfort, and ground, to think that you love our lord. For, as for other things, though you should be taken up to the third heaven, you know not, whether you love yourself therein, or him. For perhaps it is but the delight, in having that fulfilled which you desire: and not purely, because that is done, which is pleasing to God.  
And since you are already dedicated to the love of God, and are redeemed by him, see that you still be doing your duty exactly well, that so like a good huswife, you may appear at the day of judgement all rich with love; and even cut in pieces in this war, after the imitation of Christ our lord, who died in this battle by the hands of love. Inviting as many as love him, to suffer of that which he suffered, and to answer with love to his love; and being ready to give himself, as an eternal reward, to them who pass through these amorous aflictions for his sake: and your ladyship shall be one of them, by the great mercy of him, who hath made election of you, for this purpose.   

A Letter of the Author, to a Cavalier his friend, who was sick, and desired to enter into Religion.  
The Author shows, that the carrying of the Cross, in the company of Christ our Lord, is exercised best in sickness, when it is borne with patience. He also defends the Fathers of the Society of jesus, advifing him also to esteem them, the rather, because he had been instructed by them.  
YOu do well, in being contented to serve, in that house of our great Lord, in the Office of being sick. For to pass from doing, to suffering, is a sign, that Christ our lord advaunces his servants, & raises them from below the stairs, to attend above. Certainly, there is nothing in this exile of ours, which is so fit for us, as to carry the Cross in company of our lord, who did so love it, & who, for love, died upon it. Now this is better exercised, in sickness, which is so unsavoury to flesh and blood, and which cannot cause vain glory in the patiented; then in health, how well soever it be employed.  
Great were the works, which Christ our Lord performed in this mortal life; but in his sufferring, he exceeded them all, & all the world; That so we might understand, what the Apostle S. james saith, Brethren, 
●. james 1.  esteem it as a reason of supreme joy, to see yourselves in many afflictions. And the same Apostle saith, that the work of patience, is perfect. So that, you must be grateful to our lord, for having sent you sickness; and if you bear this Cross, & burden well, he may perhaps advance you to the carrying of others, which are more interior, and irksome, and which he provides for such alone, as are his nearest friends; that so they may comforme themselves to him, whose Cross was extremely great, even in that which was to be seen; but incomparably more extreme, in that part thereof, which was invisible. And though it may seem to you, that God hath taken away your other Offices or employments, because you gave him not a good account thereof; yet forbear not to be thankful to him, who hath ordered the matter, as now we see. For to be corrected by the hand of such a father, and with so great love, puts us rather into need of humility, for the moderating of our joy and comfort, then of patience, wherewith to endure the punishment.  
But yet nevertheless, I am in some fear, that perhaps, you may not profit by this fever of yours. For some beginners, are wont to give liberty to the soul, in the infirmities of their body, though yet, they be not such, as threaten danger or death. It is a thing very contrary to reason, for a man to turn Physic, into poison, and to take occasion of growing worse, by that which was sent a man by our Lord, to make him better. Call therefore upon him, with your hart and beseech him, that since he strikes you, 
Gen 33.  in the strength of your body, it may be, to make you go more lightly towards him, with your soul. And forasmuch as this sickness, is sent you, that your body, by the pain thereof may pay for that sin which hath been committed by the same body; you must not suffer it to be the occasion of your incurring new debts, since it was meant that it should discharge the old.  
You must live, with great reflection upon yourself: and give no credit to flesh and blood in all that which it shall desire of you but offer it to the Cross of our lord, in the company of his own holy spirit. And he, who was content to let his Cross be sided, by the Crosses of two murdering thiefs, will not drive you from him. And since you cannot now continue, your custom of meditation, or spiritual reading, as you would, yet fail not to be doing somewhat, the best you can, so that it be without evident disadvantage to your health. For our lord is so powerful, and so good▪ as that he gives strength to such as have a mind to take pains. And sometimes, he bestows more favour upon sick men in theyre beds, who cannot pray; then upon others, who spend many hours in that holy exercise. And perhaps, he will vouchsafe this mercy to you, since it costs him no more, than his very will. And I beseech you, for the love of our lord, 
Eph. 4.   non circumferaris omuivento doctrinae, that you be not whirled about, with every wound of doctrine, and that you esteem of those persons, by whose means, our lord hath showed mercy on you. Imitating the man, who was borne blind in the gospel. 
john. 9  From whom no persuasion of any man, could take the good opinion, which he entertained of that person, who had cured him of his continual blindness. He took that benefit, for a great token of the goodness of his Master, when he said, si peccator est nescio, unum scio, quod cum cacus essem, modo video, whether or Noah, he be a sinner, I cannot tell: but one thing I know, that I who was blind, do now see. And though he said as we have heard, yet he believed well, that his Master, was a just person, as may appear by the holy kind of earnestness which he used towards the jews, and beside by our lords making himself known to him, in the temple: in reward of that faith which he defended. Myself have heard some things, which are said by such as oppose, and emulate those Fathers, but I find not yet, that any one of them is grounded upon reason, neither do I believe, that there is any: but yet I like well, that yet when you defend them, it be rather with meekness, and few words, than otherwise. For our lord hath these things in great recommandation; and his pleasure is, that they should be carried sweetly and with patience. I beseech our Blessed lord, to remain with you, since he died for you.   

A Letter of the Author to a disciple of his.  
He treats of the security, which is greater when God is served in the way of affliction, then when, in the way of Consolation.  
I Have received some of your letters, & I have paid my thankes to our Lord, both for having given you health, and his blessed help withal, to be in favour with him, continuing that good, which already he had begun in you; and so you must confide, that he will do even to the end, for his works are perfect. This which he will do for you, is a favour of his, and no merit of yours. Nor will he leave the care, and government of you in your own hands; But he, for his glory, will take the business of your salvation to himself. Now this he doth as a most wise Physician, sometimes by making much of you, sometimes by showing signs of disgust; giving you sometimes, the light of comfort, and at other times the wormwood of sorrow; Now hiding himself from you for the trial of your faith, and then showing himself to you, for the increase thereof. And by a thousand other means which he knows how to use, he will give you your soul saved, without, in a manner your perceiving how you come by it, till you have it.  
Be not disordered in your judgement▪ either by way of valuing yourself the more, when you think your business goes well, or yet, on the other side, must you give sentence of condemnation against yourself, conceiving that all is already lost, when you conceive that you have reason, to be disgusted with yourself. The hart of man is wicked, and cannot be searched, and sifted, but by the wisdom of God himself: and to him, and to his judgement, you must remit the sentence concerning the case in which you stand. And you must walk on, both with great confidence of his mercy, and with a religious fear, of his high majesty. Depart neither to the right hand nor to the left. Do not believe that there is any Sanctity at all, where there is any want of this chaste, and holy fear, which makes a man grow humble. For thereby he knows, that the good, which he hath, depends upon another and it makes him hang, as it were, upon the ears of God, beseeching him with continual prayer, that though he may, without injustice deprive him of the good he gave him, yet that through his goodness, he will not do it.  
Nor must you believe any Spirit, which by means of any temptations, or Spiritual discomforts, may come to you: nor yet if any darkness or anguish, which may be conveyed into your soul, shall pretend to dismay you, or persuade you to disconfidence in our Lord, who love's you. But tell that Spirit, that if it had wished you to disconfide in yourself, it should have had all reason, because you are nothing, but mere weakness. But, in saying that you must not hope for safety at his hands who is the common salvation of all the world: tell him he lies, and therein you shall but say a truth.  
Christ our Lord love's you more than you can think: only it is fit sometimes, that he hide it from you. For perhaps, if you knew it, you might fall into a greater occasion, and danger of vanity, than the suspicion you have of your not being beloved by him, may be of your despair; for without doubt they are fewer who can enjoy prosperity, without any mixture of vanity, or inordinate delight, in the sweet meats which are given them: then there are, who can bear, the bitterness of tribulation, without despair. Conceive you therefore that our Lord, keeps you safe, in the haven of security, under the sharp rock of tribulation: to the end you may not putrify, with too much sweetness: but be preserved by the bitterness of myrrh. And at this, you are not to be troubled. For of yourself you should make election of that, which will be good for you in Eternity, rather than of that, which may afford you some little temporal gust. Yea and even in spiritual consolations, we reap not sometimes so much profit, as we do delight. Nor will you be demanded at the last day, what comforts you shall have enjoyed: but what discomforts, you have suffered, without failing, either in point of faith, or love And believe you, that God receives that for service which being contrary to your sensuality, and self will, you did yet accept, as being conquered by his love, and not that which a man how sensual soever he might be, would be glad to enjoy. For if to be regaled by Almighty God were to do true service to his divine Majesty, he would not have so few servants: since there are so many, who by this way, & that way, and every way are seeking comforts. But they understand not, how fare it is from God, to be able to abstain from comforting his afflicted, and dejected servants, when it is best for them. And as far also he is, from liking them, who taking of their eyes, from his tormenting Cross, send them in search after Comforts as conceiving that the more they have thereof, the more beloved, and more happy they are. And they never consider, how poor they shall be found, at that day, when God will sift jerusalem with the light of Lamps, & when he will call us to account, whether we love him from the profoundest part of our hearts, 
Soph. 1.  and ourselves for him, & in him, and through him: or else whether we have loved him for ourselves, & to our own use. And then will many of those works appear to have been carnal, & infected with, self love, and interest, which shined like so much fine gold, in their eyes who performed them. You are therefore more secure from interest, or complacence, when such things come to you as cause bitterness. But then let the love of God alone, persuade you to endure them, till he provide otherwise. In whom you must have so much strength of the holy Ghost, as may make you abound in charity, and peace, and joy: treading your passions under foot, and having your soul, even all enbalmed with grace. Yet when you shall be in joy, do not enjoy it for yourself: but employ it with greater strength, upon him who gave it: fetching also reason from thence, why it should make your love increase.  
I beseech that Lord, who remembered you when you forgot him, to give strength unto your inward man that so you may know how, to adore, obey, and love him; and that he will send his holy Spirit into your heart, that it may guide you into that land of Eternal light. Amen.   

A Letter of the Author, to a Religious woman, a spiritual child of his.  
He shows that it is no assured sign of disfavour, for God to estrange himself sometimes: & that our safety depends more upon his goodness, than our deserts: and he persuades her to have confidence in God.  
I Have received many of your letters since I saw you last. And in some of them, you told me, that your soul was troubled: and in others, that our lord had begun to give you comfort. Yea, and I think you said, in some one of them, that the peace, and comfort which formerly you had received, was entirely returned. I answered none of those letters, either because my sins hindered me, from the grace of giving you comfort; or else because I knew you had sufficient confidence in me, without receiving my answers. But now at last, I receive a letter from you, whereby you tell me, that you are as much afflicted, as ever, if it be not rather more; and you desire me to write.  
I am in pain, through your pain, and this, hath moved me, to entreat, that for the love of Christ jesus crucified, you suffer not yourself to be blinded by that darkness, which superfluity of sadness, is wont to draw over our souls, but remember, how faithful that lord is, to whom you have offered yourself. And, that it is an usual thing with his infinite wisdom, to save the souls of his servants, by means which they cannot reach to understand; hiding his love from them sometimes: and showing them a countenance of some rigour; and all this, not because he is cruel, but out of pure, and perfect mercy. Because he knows that our infirmities are better cured, when we are laid under the scourge of tribulation; then when we are carried up in the hands of prosperity and comfort.  
You tell me that desolation wherein you are, seems very bitter to you, and that you cannot bear the rigour of that angry face of our lord, which you say he shows to you, and that absence also from him, wherein you live. But I tell you, my good sister, that though tribulation may be of as much danger to you as you declare: yet the state of comfort, is still subject to as much. Nay, prosperity, is much more to be feared, than adversity. For in the former, the soul runs hazard, to departed from God: but in the latter though it suffer pain, yet that very pain itself, incites one to draw nearer to him. And if you say, that the great weight of discomfort, doth sometimes put the soul in danger of sinning through impatience, you say nothing but truth. But yet you must know withal, that much oftener, and by assaults of greater danger, the soul is brought into danger by the sweetness of gust.  
Remember the Apostle saint Paul, who through the grace of him who was crucified, did esteem it for glory, to suffer the afflictions of the Cross. 
Cor. 7.  And though he were environed by wars without, and fears within: yet his soul was safely kept, as in a haven most secure. But so great was the danger which he ran by the fair and clear weather of consolations and revelations; that if God had not permitted him, to be seized upon by the tempest, both of inward, and outward troubles, which laid such load upon his neck, as made him stoop, that great Saint might have been in danger, through the occasion of comfort, whom so many discomforts could not once pluck down. 
1. Cor. 12  By this means, the bitter, was the cure of the sweet: and the Angel of Satan, was the occasion of benefit to him, to whom that great communication of Almighty God, might have been the occasion of falling; if through humane frailty, he had puffed up himself.  
If now this might have happened to that vessel of election: and if it were necessary for him to suffer, that so he might be freed from the dangers of comfort; how can you marvel, if God have watered your joy with tears: if your harp be set to sad tunes; and if those sweet communications, 
job 18.  which you had before with Almighty God, be turned into such an unsavoury departure from him. His eyes, are able to discern, that, which your cannot. And he knows full well, the vanity of that hart of yours, which would not perhaps, be able to endure the weight of divine favours. Or else perhaps he may see, that you are likely to suffer decay of health by the excess, of the sweetness, of that divine gust which he gave you: Or else, that you esteemed more of yourself than you did of others, who want these comforts: Or else in fine, it may have happened, for any one of many other faults, which may have taken hold of the imperfection of your hart, 
jere. 17.  & which cannot be throughly sifted by any, but by that God alone, who made it.  
Yea and if you should not be, in any necessity, of this kind of physic (because, though our lord should comfort you still, yet perhaps you were not, to fall into these inconveniences) yet there are many other reasons, why our lord may think fit to treat his servants, after this manner. All which, are grounded upon his love to us; though in the blind eye of flesh and blood, they may seem to grow from disfavour. You know, it is a common saying, He who love's thee, will make thee cry. And the holy scripture saith, that a wound, given by a friend is better than the treacherous kiss of an enemy. And believe you for certain, that our lord love's you, and therefore doth he treat you after this manner. For it is written, 
Heb. 12.  our lord punnishes whom he love's, and he corrects such a one, as he receives for his son.  
And as in former times, God sent most hideous Martyrdoms to his beloved servants, by the hands of base and bloody executioners, engaging them in bitter wars, that afterward he might honour them with precious crowns; so now, when those exterior Martyrdoms are ceased, he sends others which be interior. And these (how soever they are not visible) be yet as great, or greater, than those. For then, men tormented them, and God gave them comfort; and by the strength of this Omnipotent God; those torments were overwrought, and mastered, which were inflicted on them, by weak men. But now, he who discomforts, is our Lord, who hides himself; and the Devils, like cruel executioners, do by a thousand devices, torment the mind, which is far more sensible, than the body. And from that torment, doth many times redound, a torment even to the very body itself. And so the whole man, both within and without, is laid upon the discomforts of a Cross And he sighs, and groans, and asks succour of our Lord. And our Lord, the while, makes himself deaf, and is more hidden from the soul then if there were seven walls, between him and it. Yea and it doth also expressly feel, that our Lord hath absented himself from it; and that, not only in the way of not doing it any favour, 
Matth. 15.  but rather expressly seeming, to disfavour it. As he proceeded with the Cananean, when, at the first, he did but forbear to answer, but afterward, he compared her to a dog.  
That indeed is an hour, of mighty anguish, when the soul finds no repose, in any thing, to which it can apply itself. As when a man is drowning, in a profound sea, without finding so much, as any little rest for the feet. Or like one, who is bound fast, hand and foot, and would fain rise up, but knows not once how to stir. For as he, who is highly comforted by Almighty God, cannot be discomforted, by any pain, or torment, so can nothing comfort him, who is discomforted by Almighty God. And yet must these servants, go after their lord; through such a desert as this, which is even a very image of death, and by such darkness, and distress, they must pass on, to the place of rest.  
This Martyrdom I say, must be endured, for love of the Spouse, by that soul, which desires to carry, the Emblem of Love in her hart; and amongst these thorns she must make her nest, if she will be conform to her Head, who was crowned with thorns. And these draughts must she swallow down; & into these sweats must she be cast who resolves to keep that Lord company, who, being in fierce agony upon that holy Thursday at night, did sweat drops of blood, from his whole body, in testimony, that his soul, was truly sad, even to the very death.  
Did you think perhaps, that it was some dainty and delightful thing, to serve Christ our Lord? or that you undertook some trifling business, when you began to place your love on him? They who fight the battles of love, must dye daily, as S. Paul did. And they must be even cruel, against themselves, (as a man who were careless of so many base and broken pots) to the end, that they may never fail of fidelity to the Love of our Lord. Which Love, was never complied with well by any, who was either negligent, or inconfident. For the former of these two, seeks his own Regalo, whereas it were his part, to seek the contentment of his beloved. And the latter, faints in his love, because he cannot believe that he is beloved. But Faith being joined to Obedience, frees us from such mischeives as these; making us believe that God love's us, and then most, when he most hides his love from us; and when he seems to be most rigorous, and cruel towards us. For the condition, and property of true faith, is to believe not only upon those signs, and pawns, which may be given; but as well, without them; and not only without them, but even against them. And herein, it doth but resemble every other virtue, which then declares best of what strength and beauty it is, when it is put on, by the fewest helps; and when it is encountered, by the greater impediments.  
That is true love, which love's a person, who even deserves not to be beloved. And that is true Patience, which suffers impertinences, and endures wrongs. And then doth Chastity, deserve a rich, and gallant crown of glory, when in despite of several temptations, it stands fast. And so, you must learn to know, the true value of true faith, which believes and puts confidence, in the truth, and goodness of God, against that distrust, or despair, which humane reason, or the senses of flesh and blood, might pretend to cause. By this Faith, we see that which is invisible, how deep soever it be hid. And even through the midst of these pikes, which are the disfavours of God, (the sharp points whereof we feel sticking in us) we yet enter, and pass on, into that most retired secret of the hart of our Lord; and there we find, that indeed he love's us, though he show us signs, which look as if they proceeded from disaffection. And then so we esteem, and use them, as we ought, when we take them for the trial of our Faith; and for the exercise of our Love; and for the increase of our Crown; and for matter, whereupon our Obedience to God, must work.  
If you believe me not, I pray you tell me, how shall the chaste woman be tried, but by contradictions, and combats against Chastity? And how shall your Faith be tried, but by receiving these tokens of disfavour, which pretend to deprive you of confidence. Be not troubled, to find that your Spouse is thus resolved, to make trial of your fidelity to him. For this is a very usual thing between Spouses; and the fruit thereof uses to be, but an increase of love; which it is not fit to keep idle; for in our employment, and exercise thereof, doth our life and treasure consist. And now God made choice of you, to discharge this office towards him. And if indeed you would exercise it well, it must be by loving him, though you feel not yourself to be beloved by him, and by following him, whom you conceive to be flying from you. For he who love's not but only when he finds himself to be beloved, is indeed no true lover; but his respects, run all towards himself. And hereby it will appear, whether you be that true Cananean or Noah, if when you hear hard language, and be cast of by our lord; you do yet importune him; and if following him, who flies from you; and humbling yourself to him, who treats you no better, than some base, unre asonable creature, you do yet proceed to love him, as sincerely, and purely, as if you tasted of great delights, and Regalos, at his hands. For in the end, he will answer you thus, O woman, great is thy faith, let that be done which thou desirest.  
But in the mean time be you resolute, in continuing faith full; and say to him with your whole hart, O Lord I will love thee, though thou shouldest not love me. I will seek thee, and look cheerfully towards thee, though thou fly from me. Let me love thee still: upon that condition, do with me what thou wilt. By this means, the disfavours of our lord, shall be converted, into the exercise of true love: and herein you are to remain more contented; then you are to be in pain, for being disfavoured. Nor shall you only please our lord by this means, but more over you will obtain a crown in heaven, which will be strangely great. For by the measure of your discomforts, that robe of glory, is to be cut out, wherewith you must be vested, in heaven: and from the seed of tears, we must gather the sheaves of joy. And we are not to be crowned, for having been in devotion, and consolation; but for having been (as it were) threshed with variety of temptations, and for having been content, with the taste of such gall, as carried the very image of hell with it, and of the torments thereof: and for bearing all these things, with an equal mind, and for believing that they are light, and few, 
2 Cor. 4.  in comparison of that superexcellent weight of glory, which is to be revealed in them, who shall be humbled, and mortified after this manner. And we must think ourselves happy, in being obedient to the ordinance of our lord God, not only, in that which gives us gust, but in the contrary also. For otherwise, what wonder is it, to see the spouse, obey her fellow spouse, in that, which gives contentment to herself: since for that, there is no great need of love: for the respect of proper interest is able to breed such obedience as that. Nor do I know, with what eyes, Christ our lord will look upon such a spouse as that: since he obeyed his Father, 
Matth. 26.  for her sake, in cases of so extreme affliction, saying: Let it be, not as I will, but as thou wilt. Whereas she saith, just the contrary; Not as thou wilt, but as I will: for she will be squared out by another rule, than her head was: and will needs make the will of God, which is eternally good, to be crocked, that it may conform itself to her will: which seeks not that which is truly good for her, and which eternally is to be so but that which seems likely, to give her, some little temporal delight.  
A wake O Virgin, out of that sleep, wherein you are: for it is broad day. Take the shield of Faith, 
Rom. 13.  since God hath armed you with it, and drive away these dismays, believing, that you are beloved, though you be not regaled by our lord. And turn your complaint back upon yourself since a little present disfavour, is of more power, towards the drawing you down; then the many favours, which are past, to keep you fast on foot. You now, do just the contrary, of what you should. For whereas it were reason, that in this time of tribulation, you should remember your comforts of former times: believing, that the trouble which now you have, is but to try, what proportion of trust, you repose in God: You do yet call it into question, whether his love were true to you then, or no: believing rather in the show, and leaf, then in the substance, and root,  
You have no just cause to be dismayed, though you be afflicted. For our lord is nor gone from you: but he went away, with a meaning only to stand by, and to see how you carried yourself, like a mother who hides herself behind a hanging, to observe, and hear, what her child saith, and doth: whilst he thinks that he hath lost her, but then shortly she steps out and makes much of him.  
If you fear, that he hath forsaken you, and given you a bill of separation, for the faults, and ignorances, into which you may have fallen, you are much deceived. For in far greater falls than those, 
jerem. 3.  his course hath been to comfort souls, by saying, Thou hast committed fornication with many lovers: but yet return to me, and I will receive thee.  
Though God like well, that his servants should know, and weigh the faults, into which they fall; yet it is not his pleasure, that they should be dismayed, or too excessively afflicted by them. Nay he esteems this, to be of more disservice to him, than the very fall itself. Neither is it also his pleasure, that a sin which is as little as a grain of seed, should be made by us, as big as an Elephant, and much less, that we should make that to be a sin, which indeed is none. So that if you have not fallen into sin, and yet will needs be troubled, as if you had, you offend against his truth, And if you had fallen, you should offend against his mercy, by not believing, that he hath pardoned you. You offend also against his love by suspecting, that he hath forgotten you. And lastly, you offend against the Crosses, which he hath sent to you, esteeming them to be messengers, and signs of wrath, whereas indeed, they are effects of his goodness.  
Take therefore the courage, now at last, to sally out, from the own narrow thought; & believe of God, according to his goodness; as it imports his honour, that you should do. And live not still, in such blindness, as to measure the large hand of God, by the rules of your own poor woeful hart. Nor conceive you, that now he will be a rigorous judge, who, at others times, and in your greatest occasions, hath been, a most indulgent Father to you.  
It was not you upon whom he looked, when he pardoned you, and called you; but he regarded his own blood, which he shed. Nor doth he now, stand hanging upon your hands, as if he loved you, for them; but you are placed, and written in his, as he saith, by his Prophet Isay. And in those hands, he love's you; and with those hands he guards you, even then, when you think he gives you buffets. But it is his mercy, which is your remedy, and safety, and no merit of your own. You are a Daughter, and you are to possess heaven, by way of inheritance, and not, as a mere day labourer. Confide in God; and give him glory, in that he lodges his eyes, upon so unworthy a thing as you; and for that he purposes, to exalt so base a creature, to such height of glory. And know, that he hath no need of anything, in you; and that if he desire anything, it is, but that you may offer him that sacrifice of praise for your own good; confessing him to be your gracious pardoner and your piteous raiser up, from your falls; and your Sentinel who never sleeps when there is question, either of doing you favours, or of drawing good out of your sins; and your most wise conductor, who carries, and saves you, by such paths, as seem, in the eye of your ignorance to be very far about, or rather quite out of the way. And all this, he doth, through his own goodness alone, considering what himself is. Which carries a greater weight towards your salvation, than your wickedness doth, towards your condemnation; and you are bound to believe that so it is. And it must not seem strange to you, that the greater, surmounts the less: and the Creator, the creature. But let it stand for the last conclusion, that as no goodness in you, was the cause, why God loved, and called you to his service; so will he take care, that your wickedness, and weakness, shall not hinder the course of those mercies, which he resolves to show you, for all eternity. Continue your Communions; and, I beseech our Lord to give them his benediction. For my part, I like well thereof; and upon the days which are set down, communicate, from time to time; and God will give you strength, that it may do you no hurt: for he hath no quarrel to you. I beg that he may be your Love, since he is your Lover.   

A Letter to a Lady, who was a Religious woman and in great affliction.  
He shows how troub●es are the proof of Faith, and Love, in the servants of God, and how confident they ought to be of his divine Majesty, in the midst of their troubles.  
AS soon as I received your letter, I offered thankes to our Lord, for having given you a sign, that your vocation came from his hand, and this sign is, that you have suffered tribulation. You must not be a little glad of this, since our Lord love's you. Nor yet must you be slack, since you are in the midst of many dangers; but carry your eye towards him, who hath called you with so great love. You must also have a strong heart, For he called you not with intention to give you over in the midst of your journey; but to guide you under the protection of his own wings, till he may have conducted you to heaven, where you shall see his face. Let not the faith of Christ our Lord, nor the love you own him sleep in you; for he never sleeps when there is question of doing you any good.  
These are tokens which he uses to send, to whom he love's, to try if they also love him, in their afflictions, and if they confide in him in their dangers: That Spouse is not worthy of thankes, who love's her fellow spouse, but only when he is present with her; not doth it cost him much to confide in him when she finds herself regaled by him. But the matter is, that when he absents himself from her, yea and when he seems to have forgotten her, she must love him so much the better, as he is further absent from her, and confide in him so much the more; as she hath fewer exterior signs of his favour.  
It is enough for you, my good sister, to have known already by experience, how loving our Lord hath been to you; by his having drawn you to the knowledge of himself. And be you, not craving new testimonies of his Love, but making yourself sure enough thereof, and be not troubled though he correct you; and though it seem, as if he estranged himself from you and forgot you; but rather say thus; He hath a mind to try me, and not to oppress me. You must love our Lord, though he correct you, you must confided in him, though you feel no comfort from him. Seek him, though he hide himself; suffer him not to rest, till you have waked him, and till he confess that you are faithful in his absence. And thus you shall find him return to you, with so much advantage, as that when you enjoy his presence again, you will esteem your former afflictions well employed.  
Procure great courage, wherewith to suffer; for after the rate of your sorrows, shall your comforts be. Be not a lover of your self, but be a lover of God; lose yourself, and so you shall be sure to find yourself. And if once you would but trust God home; and if once you would offer yourself to him, with true love there could nothing happen which would fright you. All bitter frozen afflictions proceed but from distrust in God. And for this our Lord said, Let not your hearts be troubled, and do not fear. You believe in God, believe also in me. So that faith and love is the cause of peace, 
john. 14  and quietness to the hart.  
There is no one thing, which is so necessary for you, towards the making you able to arrive at the end of that day's work, wherein God hath placed you, as to confide in him with love. Our lord hath many proofs to make of you, and many tribulations shall grow where you look least for them; but if you stand armed with faith and love, you shall overcome them all. Do but remember how the children of Israel, 
Num. 1,  when they were issued out of the land of Egypt, by the means of so many miracles, and were passing through so many afflictions, before they arrived at that land, which our lord had promised them, said thus, The people which possess this land, is greater and stronger than we; they have mighty Cities whose walis do even threaten the sky we cannot overcome such a stout nation as this: to what end do we put ourselves upon this journey? And though some amongst them, who had faith, did encourage the rest, by saying that since God was of their side, they should easily be able to overcome, as they had done till then; yet fear prevailed so fare, as that they offended our lord thereby, and through their little confidence, they lost the land, and God destroyed them in the desert, without suffering them to enjoy that, for which they had laboured, and which himself had promised. Let us take warning, my good sister, by the danger of others: and let us know, that our lord hath gust, 
Psal. 147.  in such as fear him, and hope in his mercy; and is offended with such, as do not so. It is he who drew you out of the captivity of Egypt, when he inspired your hart with a desire of being his: and he leads you still, through this desert, which is so impleasant: where sometimes you want the bread of doctrine, for lack of such, as might break it to you: other times you want company which may speak of spiritual things, that so your way might be made to seem the shorter; At other times you want the trees of other recreation, which might give you shade: and in steed of these commodities, you have a thousand discomforts. Now temptations rise, against you from within: and then from without; now from strangers, and then from domestics. But yet attend you only to your business, for he who did that for you, which was more, can never fail to do that for you, which is less. He who made you a friend, of an enemy, will better keep you now, when you are his friend. He who did not abandon you, when you fled from him, will much less fly now from you, when you follow him.  
Who is he that can say, with any truth, that God did not help him if he were desired? See you have no fear o you servant of Christ, in any thing which may happen to you; but confide in him, who Loved you so well, as to dye for you. It is true that you have but one, who protects you, but that one, is of much more power, than all they who contradict you. Do not think, of how great the giants, and how strong the Cities are, which you must encounter, for it is not you, who must fight. 
Numb. 14.  But hold you your peace, and our lord will fight for you. Do not fly from the war, nor abandon yourself, as one who were overcome: and so you shall see the favour of our Lord ●●wards you. For in this war, he only loses the battle, 
Exod. 14.  who quits the field. It is true that you are weak; but in that weakness of yours, God will show his strength. It is true that you know not much, but God himself will be your guide. By your miseries, God will make his mercies appear. Who are you, that you should be able to pass through such difficulties? but yet say with Da●id, 
P●●. 17.  In the strength of my God. I will leap over a wall. Who are you that you should be able to fight? but yet say with him again. Though thousands should rise against me, y●t my hart shall not fear. Believe, my good sister, 
Ps. 26.  that how much the harder this business is for you, so much the easier is it for Almighty God. And therefore you must have great distrust in respect of your own weakness; but great confidence withal, in God's strength. Infallibly he will crown you, if you continue in his love, and if you confide, that by his grace you shall obtain that Crown.  
Forget not this promise of Christ our lord, him whoe confesses me before men, 
Man 10.  that man will I confess before my father who is in heaven; but him who denies me before men, that man will I also deny before my father who is in heaven. Can you think, that one is to esteem that for affliction, which he endures for the confession of Christ our lord; since it is to have so high a reward, as that, with so much honour, he shall be avowed by him at the day of judgement, before his father? Happy is that sufferance, happy that dishonour, and poverty, to which so high an honour doth succeed. What kind of joy will it be for you, O my ghost sister, to hear these words from the mouth of Christ our lord himself, and that in presence of the whole world. 
Matth 25.  Come you blessed of my father and possess the kingdom which is prepared for you. What will it be, when the angels shall thus sing, to her, who hath been a faithful servant, of that celestial king, Come O spouse of Christ, receive th● crown which our Lord hath prepared for thee; and that not for one day but for all eternity. What will the spouses of Christ our Lord conceive, when having passed through the sea of this life, and their enemies who disturbed us, remaining drowned therein, they shall sing thus with great joy, for having run through this dangerous world, without being overwhelmed by the vices thereof, 
Psal. 123.  The suare is broken, and we are delivered, our help is in the name of our lord. What a day will that be, when that true Mary, the virgin of virgins, shall go before with her Timbrel, which is her sacred body, praising God both in body and soul; and singing thus. 
Psa. 31.  Come magnisye our Lord wish me, and let us exalt his name in mutual satiety with one another.  
Happy are you, if you be found faithful to the Spouse who chose you. Happy are you, if you have the courage to cast away that which is present, under the most certain promise of Christ our Lord, for that which is future. Be confident, my good sister, in taking his word; for you are not the first to whom he hath passed it, and fulfilled it; neither shall you be she with whom that word shall want effect. He gave his word to S. Katherine, S. Agnes, S. Barbara, and S. Lucy, and to innumerable other Lady virgins; and tell me now, how completely he hath performed it. They had the courage to despise, the poor present world: and you see that now, they reign with God. They lived here in trouble; and they are now in the eternity of repose. Through how many combatts did they pass, and they now enjoy the everlasting crowns of their conquests. They fled from spouses of the earth, and they brought the king of heaven, to be in love with them.  
If they had followed the trace, of this world, their delight had been already passed: and their memories would have been forgotten. But they loved that, which was eternal, and therefore their felicity shall not dye: and their memory shall not decay. They were written in the book of God; and therefore neither water nor wind, nor fire nor time, can make them waste; For that book is incorruptible and so in the name which is written in it.  
You must therefore procure to have a strong heart towards God, who is your salvation, and do not think that he sells heaven dear to you, for you have not yet shed your blood for him, as those others shed theirs. Our lord treats you, like a weak creature; and you should be ashamed to have given him such cause. If you had had more faith, and confidence in him, and more love to suffer for him, he would have procured you more afflictions; to the end that you might have purchased richer Crowns. Do not content yourself with suffering little, considering how great your rewards all be: and how much Christ our Lord suffered for you. He gave his life for you, and he was deeply tormented and despised. How then come you thus to complain of the touch of a fly? do but love, and you will desire to suffer. Let your love be doubled, and you will suffer sorrows which are doubled. The love of our lord, makes such as possess it, more greedy of suffering, than the love of ones self, of reposing. It makes that any burden weighs light, for love is stronger than death. He who love's not, groans under the burden, like some lazy beast; but he who loves runs, and flies; and it suffers him not to feel the weight even of his own body, nor of whatsoever else they can lay upon it.  
It is not my good sister, that the afflictions which we suffer are greater; but that our love is little. The weight of a pound is no great weight; but yet lay it upon some little child, and he will say, O how heavy it weighs? Whereas if a man took it up, he would scarce feel it. And so take you it, for a sign, that if you love little your afflictions will weigh heavy upon you; but if you love much you will scarce allow them to be afflictions. For you will be so inebriated with love, that nothing can be able to distract you, from the taste thereof. You will find a good savour in the very suffering, itself; and you will draw water, 
Num. 20.  out of the rock, and honey out of the stony hills.  
Do but love, and you shall not be subject to afflictions, but you shall be Superior to them, as their Lady, and you shall praise him who delivers you from them. If they threaten you with death, you will bid it welcome; that so you may enjoy true life. If with banishment, you will say, That you esteem yourself banished wheresoever you are, till you may arrive to see the face of God: And that it imports you little, whether you go to heaven, from this, or that part of the earth; And that, if you have God in your company, wheresoever you are, you shall be happy; and if not, your own country will give you misery enough. If you see yourself contemned, say, Christ our Lord is my honour and he honours me: let the world despise me, so he value me.  
Do not afflict yourself, about the necessity which you may sustain of present things: for of your self you must despise them, through the desire which you have to ●liue in conformity with Christ our Lord, who made himself a poor man for you.  
What is there in the world, which ought to fright you? If the love of Christ our Lord have wounded you, you will tread the devil under foot; you will despise his threats; and you will pass with courage, through all your enemies. Put your trust in him, who love's his lovers. There is nothing which you will not be able to do, in him. Go and buy whatsoever you want, of him, though he ask you all this world for it; and see that you be not found without the love of him, though it should cost you your life. He is a hidden treasure, but he who finds him, sells all to buy him. For in him alone, he finds himself more rich, then with the multitude of all other things.  
And now if it concern every one of us to love him, how much more doth it import that she do it, whom he hath chosen for his spouse. It becomes the servant to fear his Master; and the son to honour his father, but the spouse, to love her fellow spouse. See you love our lord, and take no rest till he have granted you this gift. Love him with reverence, for that is the kind of love, which he likes. Esteem not him the less, because he communicates himself to you; but wonder, how so great an altitude as his, can stoop to such a profound business as yours. It is the property of ill natured and ill mannered servants to value their Masters at a less rate for vouchsafeing to descend and become familiar with them, then if they had lived which them like lords. But they who live in true light esteem that lord so much the more, as he doth more vouchsafe to diminish himself.  
The true love of Christ our lord carries this badge with it, in token that it is indeed of him; That as it apprehends, and highly esteems the goodness of God, so it also apprehends, and profoundly disesteemes, the wickedness of man. Therefore love, adore and serve our lord, with joy: but yet rejoice with trembling. Not a trembling as of a slave, in the midst of torments, but as of a true, & tender hearted child, who highly fears to give any disgust to her father, how little it soever may be.  
Of yourself you can do none of these things; but if you humble your hart in the acknowledgement of your own miseries, if you present yourself often in prayer, before Christ our lord, if you lodge him in your breast by the Communion; if you hear him speak to you in your spiritual reading, and in fine if you will but give him leave to help you, you are to have confidence, that by little & little he will be healing your soul, notwithstanding all the harsh encounters which may occur.  
Do not start out of his hands, though the cure put you to pain; for, in fine, he will work the cure at the fittest tyme. And for the afflictions which he sends you, & the delights whereof he deprives you, he will give you his own most plentiful delight; which shall inebriate you, as if it were with some swelling river; and you shall be in full joy, for all eternity, without the want of any good, and without the fear of losing what you have. You shall there find yourself to be highly well content, & paid; and more felicity shall be imparted to you, than yourself could tell how to desire. Which felicity is not a creature but a Creator himself of all things; that true God who live & reigns for the eternity of all eternities. Amen.   

A Letter of the Author to a disciple of his who was grown a Priest.  
He shows that exterior afflictions must be desired for the service and love of God.  
RIght Reverend Father, I have received your letter, which hath wrought in me the same effect, with those others which formerly I had from you; Namely rendering of thankes to our lord, for the gifts which he hath bestowed upon you, according to the testimony which your words give, of that which dwells in your heart. It wrought also great confusion in me, to see you call me the Master, and Father, of him, to whom I should think it a great favour of our lord, if I could deserve to be a Son, and a Disciple. And especially I was confounded, yea and put to pain, to hear you say in the end of your letter, that you would have written me many, if it had not been for the Decorum, which you thought yourself bound to keep, of an Auditor, and a Scholar. This is not a course wherein you must proceed with me; for there is no reason that you should put me to loss, only because I desire, to serve and profit you. And if you treat me in this manner, you will make me hear, and hold my peace.  
I know not, if I wrote not to you the other day, of an error, which I have discovered in some, who yet hold themselves to be spiritual. And it is, that they despise, the corporal afflictions, and troubles, which are undertaken, for the love of our lord. If I wrote to you thereof, there willbe nothing lost, though I say it over again; and if not, it is necessary, that I writ it.  
Since, that light of our eyes, Christ our lord, lived in this world, under so many afflictions, and died with so many torments, his servants remain so hungry, of suffering somewhat, that it exceeds the appetite wherewith men of this world, run after ease. And not only are they content to suffer affliction, when it comes upon them, (and much more that kind of affliction, which may be necessary to them for the avoiding of sin) but they seek it out, by all the ways they can, and so they make proof thereby, of the love they bear to Christ our lord, considering how he was in so much pain by the afflictions which he endured, for the love of us.  
For, as the faint and tepid kind of man, would of himself be glad to suffer no afflictions, but yet he bears them with patience when they come, lest otherwise he may offend our lord; so the fervent lover of jesus Christ, would fain take no ease at all; and if perforce he must take any, he endures it, but with patience, because so Christ our lord, doth command. In such sort that as he who is but slack, in the service of God, hath delight and ease in his desire, and takes affliction but with patience, so the true Christian is but patiented to see himself at ease, and hath affliction, in his desire.  
This grows from the spirit of Christ our lord; and when this is perfect in a soul, it works that, which it wrought in him: which was a love of affliction for us, the better to show us his love. And thereupon it also follows, that when men would comfort one who is but slack and negligent, upon the arrival of any affliction, they must do it just so, as they would comfort a good Christian, when he happens to be in repose and ease. For the one of them suffers ease which he love's not, and just so, is affliction suffered by the other. Now this is part of that, which Christ our lord delivered, when he commanded us, to take up the Cross, if we meant to be his disciples. I say it is a part thereof: for the other, and chief part whereof this Cross consists, is the mortification, and death of ourselves conceit, and will; and of our passions and powers.  
This is that old man, who must die, as Christ our lord died upon the Cross, what is this old man? the body, which is passable and mortal; and that other inward man, whereof I have spoken before, must be also dead in us.  
But although this be the chief part of carrying the Cross, we must not put away that other part, howsoever it be less principal than this. And though S. Paul say, 
Timoth  Exercitatio corporis ad modicum utilis est, yet the servant of Christ our lord, will not leave to please him, even in the least things which can be thought. And lest we should fall into error, the same Apostle saith elsewhere. 
1. Cor. 9  Castigo corpus meum & in seruitutem redigo I conceive not that he said this, because he was tempted with the flesh, as some understand the difficulty whereof he complains; but that he would punish and so cure himself, by way of preservative, using this exercise of his body, lest his mind might otherwise grow sick. And elsewhere he saith, when he recountes the afflictions which he endured. 
2. Cor. 4.  Semper mortificationem jesu Christi in corpore nostro circumferentes, where he calls that the mortification of Christ: which is the very Cross of corporal afflictions. In another place he saith also, 
Psal. 5.  Qui Christi sunt, carnem suam crucifixerunt. And if he had meant this only, of crucifing the affections, it had sufficed to say, Cum vitiis & concupiscentiis, but by saying carnem, it proves, that he meant afflictions of the body.  
This he explicates very well, in his Epistle to the Corinthians where, amongst other things, 
Cor. 6.  wherein men were to exercise themselves, he reckons up corporal afflictions, namely fasting and watching, so that the whole man, must undergo the Cross, since Christ our lord, died upon it. Our soul must dye, by the compassion and memory of Christ crucified, and by the mortification of the old man, as hath been said: and the body also must dye, upon the Cross of corporal afflictions, that so the whole man, may be conform to Christ our lord, as he is in pain, and misery; since hereafter, he is to be conform to him, as he is in glory.  
I have said thus much, that you may take a scantling, of those forces, which God hath given you, and that so you may employ them, upon doing, and suffering, all you can. And this, not only considering that it may be addressed to some other good intention, but even though it be for no other reason, let it be done, to the end that you may be in conformity with Christ our lord as he was afflicted; and not upon necessity, but for love. And though neither the haircloth, nor hard bed, nor such things as these, howsoever they be used for the love of Christ our lord, should save us, (sola enim Crux Christ's, est saluifica) yet at least let us use them in imitation of that extreme poverty, and sharp affliction which Christ our lord endured, in being crucified, which consideration, will not be lightly esteemed by us, if we be not wholly void of the love, we own him. Gloria enim magna est sequi dominum. And thus much of this matter.  
There were two other points, of which I thought to have written, but there is no time for them now. I will note them down, lest I should forget them: upon condition that you writ me word, what there is to be amended in this letter.   

A Letter of the Author to a Lord of great quality, who was sick, and very fearful of death. He teaches him how he is to carry himself.  
I Have received your lordships letter, I have read it, and I have understood it; and I hope, our lord hath mercy for you in store. For it is no great wonder, that his greatness should do favour to one who deserves it not; since he hath done it so often, to such as have deserved the express contrary. I am not sorry a whitt, that your lordship is afraid of death; for although this fear be a thing painful, there is no hurt for a man to apprehend it; and many times it is sent by our lord; to the end, that, by the spur of fear, we may be urged on to do that, which we will not do, for the spur of love. And he as being a father of mercy, useful to guide those affairs, in such an admirable manner; as that, both fear, and hope, may help us to ride that way, which it is necessary, for him to prepare, and to make plain; and in fine thus fear, serves for many good purposes, and it is hurtful for none.  
I desire, that your lordship, would command that house to be built, where your pages are to be lodged. As also, that you would defrey the cost of those arms, and horse, wherewith those towns of yours are charged. I wish more over, that you would not cause any sumptuous , or furniture, or such like things to be provided now. Besides if you remember any thing which you may have won ill at play, which either is not restored, or else not lost again to the same parties, I advice you to make restitution thereof. And, forasmuch as the men, who are Lords of states, as your Lordship is, are not able to reach to the knowledge of all the wrongs which may be done to others by you, Noah nor yet your servants (through their negligence) I could wish, you would command it to be published, in all the Churches of your state, that whosoever had received any wrong by you, should declare the same, and that satisfaction should be given him. And you shall do well, to appoint the Prior of Saint Dominique, and the Pastor of your Church where you dwell, and some man learned in the laws; who knows the affairs of your state, to hear, and see what were fit to be done. Some particular causes your Lordship shall do well to hear yourself, (though it should be of some trouble to you) that so they may not say elsewhere, that this course puts you to more pain, than it doth. I desire by all means, that all this may be done; for it seems to me to be a fit remedy of all those wrongs, which may concern your neighbours; & now, it is as easy to do it well as it vill be hard, if it be adjourned, till after this life. Let it be no impediment to this, that the world may chance not to like it; since he, who respects the pleasure of God, will easily despise, that of the world.  
As for that person, with whom your lordship willed me to speak, I have not done it yet: for, I have now kept my bed ten or twelve days together, But yesterday, I rose, and I will take great care to do what you command very shortly: and you shall know what I find.  
Since you went from hence, our lord hath been pleased to give me a much more particular care to recommend you into the hands of his mercy. I did not then, understand the cause, it is like to be this that there is more need thereof. Be it what it will, your lordship is to animate yourself with new courage, to offer yourself up to the will of our lord: like one who performs service to his father who is some great man, whom he love's much: your lordship was not borne for yourself, but for God. For even before you were borne, you were already purchased by jesus Christ, who bought us, with himself (a price of inestimable value) to the end that we, who live, might as S. Paul sayeth, not live to our-solues, but to him. Who is he, that will pretend to remain his own, now that he sees himself to have been bought, by Almighty God, and by the price of God himself?  
There are men, who offer themselves to the loss of their lives in some war for slight causes: and shall we be so destitute of courage: as not to give ourselves to God? he gave himself for us, into the hands of those base executioners: and shall not we adventure to put ourselves into his? He did it, that he might die: and we are to do it, that we may live.  
I would not have your lordship to be niggardly herein, but make now this account. There is a God; and for that misery, which he hath endured for me; and for those sins which he hath forgiven me, and for those blessings which he hath vouchsafed me; I own myself to him, three thousand times over. If hitherto I have not given him, the entire dominion over myself, I am sorry for it. From this instant I give myself free; and without any impediment, or obligation otherwise; that he may treat me wholly, according to his will; and that mine, may submit itself, to his, as well in the doing of any thing which he commands, by his holy law: as in the suffering of any affliction, which he shall either continue, or add to me. Where can I be kept better, then in the hands of God, into which I put myself? since he suffers not his creatures to be lost: and was content to lose his life, that I might be enabled to do this. He would not ask it of me, if he did not like it: and he would not take pleasure in itt, if he did not desire it. For it is not a proceeding for God to use, to desire us to give him that, which he hath no mind to receive, any more, than it is his custom, to command that we ask, and yet he forbear to give. And since he hath notified his dear will to us, wherewith he desires our good, and consequently that we may be his: let us not doubt to belcive, but that he, (who is so careful to demand, and he who demands with the menace of hell, if it be not granted, and with promise of the kingdom of heaven if it be) will not be slack in receiving that very thing, which he demands.  
Let it not seem to your Lordship, that the sins of your former life, aught to divert you, from this amorous embracement of Almighty God: since he stands crying out to a sinner, with his arms all open, and since he doth so, before the sinner calls on him. For thus he saith. Fornicata es cum amatoribus multis, 
jerem 3.  tamen revertere ad me, & ego suscipiam te. Thou hast committed fornication with many lovers: but yet return to me, and I will receive thee.  
The shepherd will not easily be weary in seeking his lost sheep, nor the falconer in procuring to recover his hawk; and when he finds her, he takes her: and returns home, with much joy.  
I say this, because by what I conceive of your lordship, you are endued with a greater measure of the knowledge of yourself, then of the knowledge of God: and therefore, that you will be more subject to fear, then to hope, and love, I wish you not to retract the ill opinion you have of yourself: confess, and believe, that you have cause: and do not seek to remove your fear, with false hopes, and lies: to diminish your miseries, by that means. This would not indeed prove any diminution, but an addition of one mischief, upon the back of another, and the latter, would be worse than the former; and an impediment, in steed of a remedy: since God never grants his pardon and mercy, but to such a one, as understands his own misery.  
But believe, that as we are more wicked, than we can arrive to know: so is God more good, than we can possibly imagine. Another kind of hart hath he, than we conceive, and especially in pardoning: which men know very ill how to do, because they know not well how to love. And from hence it grows, that they are not able to reach, to that height of mercy, which God vouchsafes to sinners. For as they know nothing by experience of themselves, but anger, against such as offend them (and if they pardon, there yet remains a thousand relics of the disgust, and withal a great cooling of theyre love) therefore do they judge of God, as they would do of themselves; and if they say with theyre mouths, that there is difference between God and man, and that they forgive as well as they can, yet their hearts do not beat to the same time. When your lordship's sons shall be more grown, and shall have given you some disgusts; you will have had some sent, and taste of this.  
The father doth not unlove the son, although that son make him angry; but he corrects him, and still carries the hart of a father towards him. And so is our lord wont to proceed; and whensoever the sinner hath a mind to return to him, he refuses not to receive him into his paternal hart.  
Yea and even when he returns not, he is desiring that he would return: and all his sins are not able to quench this desire in him, fort his love is that which still exceeds.  
Now we gain this love, and this retreat, in to the hart of God, by him, who is the Mediator between God, and men jesus Christ our lord. Who being the natural son, did gain the adoption of sons for us: and that God should have the hart of a father towards us, his sons; whensoever we would dispose ourselves to enjoy this benefit, by means of penance, and the Sacraments. This love, is as the root, from whence it proceeds, that Almighty God is content to expect us, to call us, to receive us, to pardon us, and to save us. For if we consider well, the hart, and love, wherewith this favour is done us; it will enamour us, and oblige us more to him, than the favour itself, which he affords, what a thing is it, that God doth so much love man, as through the much love he bears him, and notwithstanding the great offences which man commits against him, he yet doth not take this love from him; nor doth it ever make him say, I will love such a one no more, though he come to me again: I will not seek him out, nor will I send to entreat him; that he may return to my house. He saith no such thing as this. But that persevering love, doth still burn with a lively flame; and this so very clearly, that as these great waters of his torments, could not so quench them, as to make him forbear to dye for us: so neither can the much greater waters of our sins, extinguish this inflamed charity of God towards us. But it remains ever conqueror, both in his pains, and in our offences: sussering there, and forgiving here. He who shall wonder at this, will have reason. For it would be a wonderful thing, if this kind of love were showed, even from an inferior, to a superior; or at the most, from but an equal, to an equal. Butt now, this love from God to man, is more than wonderful. And yet, on the other side, he who shall not believe it, in respect that it is so strange a thing, puts a great affront upon Almighty God, since he believes it not, because it is so wonderful a work.  
Whereas, on the other side it is as clear way whereby to know the works of God; if they be so great, as to make such wonder, as know them. For if he be wonderful, his works are also to be so. And if the rest of his works be wonderful, these of his love, are wonderful in the highest degree: forasmuch as they spring, out of his goodness: in the manifestation whereof, he takes more delight, and glory, and uses it more, then in the manifestation of the other attributes. As the Prophet David saith, 
Psal. 144.  Miserationes eius super omnia opera eius. His mercies are over all his works. How ill therefore are they advised, who refuse to believe that which God doth, because it is much; and who refuse to expect, and hope, because that which he promises is much: comparing, and parallelling the great acts of God, by the so short measure of theyre own poor understanding.  
The woman of Samaria, cannot arrive to know, how Christ our lord can come by any water: and much less, 
john. 4.  how he can bestow any such water, as that whosoever drank thereof should thirst no more. But our lord saith, that the wo●man knows not the gift of God, nor who it is that advices her to faith, and penance: and who is ready to infuse the holy Ghost, into her hart. And so, there are still, men so cowardly, and weak in faith, that they cannot believe any thing of God, but only in conformity with theyre own poorness. Placing theyre eyes upon theyre little strength, and theyre little desert: and so like beasts of earth they creep upon the earth, and rise no higher.  
But he that looks upon God, who gives us his son, who is his love, and who sweetness God to wards us; and in whom he is so highly content, and in whom his divine eyes take delight, how can he doubt, of that hart, but that it will be favourable to us, when we call upon it, with penance; and pitiful in all those necessities, which may occur to us. He therefore who knows this, and desires it as he ought, may well hope, that he shall have it. And with having that, he hath all good; and will have nothing to fear, as that slave must do who wants love.  
Make therefore haste, to love this Lord, who love's you so much; and hath conserved you so well. And if ever you had a desire to reform yourself, and to follow our Lord yet closer, besure that you renew it, and increase it now. For our Lord commanded twice, that his people should be circumcised. 
Gen. 17.  Once when he enjoined Abraham, to do it; and the second time, 
●osue 5  when he brought joshua into the land of promise. The first, signifies the first coming of a man, from a worldly, and wicked life, to follow the way of the will of God, which is the straight way; especially in the eyes of the world. The second is, when God will carry a soul to his kingdom, and then he commands it, to behold itself with new fervour; and to amend itself, and to cut of all superfluity; to the end, that, with purity, and joy, it may expect that crown of a kingdom, which the goodness of God hath prepared for his servants. Your Lordship must use to confess and communicate often; for it is a thing, which gives most strength, and comfort, to hear the sentence of our absolution, and to receive our Lord jesus Christ into our bosoms. You must pray, and read, and give alms, and do whatsoever other good work, our Lord shall inspire you to. And let me know how the world goes with you. And if your Lordship recover your health, we will yet remain with having put our soul well in order; and with having gotten strength against fear. The Holy Ghost, that great comforter, which through jesus Christ our Lord, was given to such as are well disposed, to receive it, dwell ever in your Lordship, and teach you how you may best please him, and guide you, by the right way. Amen.   

A Letter of the Author to a lady who was sick.  
He comforts her in her afflictions, and animates her to bear them for the love of Christ our lord, who was so afflicted for her.  
MAdam I have understood, that you are sick, and I am not sorry for it. For if it come to you through any excess of penance, the punishment is well employed, and if you be sick upon no other reason but only because our lord sends it to you, let us bid it welcome in a good hour, as being a part of his Cross. And though in some respect, your pain puts me to pain, as our lord knows, yet on the other side, I am glad of it, because I cleary discern the profits which will be made upon this occasion, by one whom I so much desire to see improved. They are not comforts which I wish to my children, but they are corrections; the time of comfort comes afterward. For the present, take not your eyes from of the Cross, nor your heart from him who placed you on it. Give not over till you find that sufferance is of a sweet taste, for that is the true touch of love. Take no compassion upon yourself, for there are both in heaven and earth, who have compassion on you, from their very hearts, and that which is laid on you was very well considered of before; and it passed through the hands of one; who love's you with most perfect love.  
Let not your faith grow weak in these necessities, and dangers, nor your love by the feeling of these afflictions: when the fire is great, the wind doth not only not quench it, but inflame it. And so when a soul love's God but in jest, any little blast of air puts it out, as it would do a candle. But true love grows up in affliction, for it applies more strength wherewith to endure, the more weight, it sees coming towards it. And because that love is of God, it conquers affliction: and no water could serve to quench that fire, which comes down from heaven.  
Our lord called you, that you might love him, and this love is no such thing as must give you reason to regale yourself. But you must abhor yourself for the love of Christ our lord, and deny yourself, to confess him: and be cruel to yourself, that you may be sweet and acceptable to his divine Majesty. If you love and desire to enjoy yourself, you must resolve to lose yourself. If you desire to see the face of God, you must pass towards him through the pikes. If you care to lodge him in your hart, cast yourself away, with all other creatures upon him. Our lord will have you all alone, and all afflicted, not for any ill will he bears you, but because since his own natural son, was so afflicted, he likes not to see his adopted sons apparelled with any other livery then that. There is nothing so beautiful in his sight, as to see the image of his only begotten son in us. And as there is nothing, upon which a soul can so gladly look, as upon our lord jesus being tormented for love of us upon the Cross, and the more afflicted and deformed we see him there, the more beautiful he seems to us, so the more we suffer for God, the more beautiful we shall seem to him.  
Nor is it much, that a soul which desires to seem handsome in the sight of God, should adorn itself with such curious cleansing waters, as may enamour his divine Majesty by his seeing her, since the women of the world do many things which put them to no small trouble, and charge, so that they may content the sons of men. Madam we must cast our skins, before we shall be pleasing to Almighty God. Gould is purified by fire, and the terrestrial part being consumed, it comes resplendent from the Crucible.  
Let us be ashamed of being so weak, in a business which is so great, as to import the pleasing of Almighty God: and if we understood this point well indeed, we should get heart even to shed our blood for him, that so we might appear fairer in his sight. As a certain holy Eremite, considering this very thing, and seeing a woman of the world go so gallant, and so well adorned, he began to weep and say, Pardon me, O lord, pardon me I beseech thee: for the curious dressing, which this woman, bestows upon herself in this one day, to please the eyes of the world, overstrips all the pains which I have taken many years for the pleasing of thine.  
So that, my good lady, this enterprise of love is no matter of words, but of sorrow, of bitter torments, of the dishonour of the world, of being abandoned by the creatures thereof, & sometimes even of the seeming absence from the protection of the Creator. And notwithstanding all this a man must carry a good countenance, and not be subject to complaints, or dejection of heart: but he must resemble that Martyr, whose bowels they drew out of his body, and whose flesh they tore from his bones, with iron combs: and yet there sounded no word out of his mouth but the name of jesus, nor was there any thing in his hart, but Blessed be God, together with a purpose to endure yet more, if God should dispose himself to send it.  
To suffer for Christ our lord, is great glory, and God imparts not that, but to such a one, as whom he love's much. A great mercy it is to give a guilty person fillips, and to release those scourges, which were his dew, and if that wherein we stand obliged to the justice of God, may be satisfied by what we can suffer here, in the name of God let us fall to work, and let us pay whatsoever his divine Majesty will impose, so that being gone from hence, we may instantly by behold the face of God. Let us labour in this banishment of ours; for instantly upon the end thereof, we shall be landed in our own country. S. Augustine saith that he wrongs a Martyr who prays for him when he is dead for Martyrdom makes a soul fly straight up to heaven. Let us therefore labour to be Martyrs by our patience in affliction, for though our persecution be not so grievous as theirs was for the time, yet it lasts longer. And we should indeed desire, that this life might not be too recreative, but a mere Martyrdom. For such was the life of our Lord, and such doth he desire that ours should be.  
There have been many martyrs for the faith of Christ our Lord, but in fine many are gone to heaven, who were not so. But we all must be the Martyrs of love, if we mean to go thither. This love must torment us, and put us to pain, both because ourselves offend God, as also because others do it. This love must deprive us of the comforts of this life, and must load our shoulders with a Cross. This love must make us first embrace affliction, and then pass over it, in the flame which was kindled by our love of God. This makes us endure dishonours without feeling them as wine doth a drunkard. This love is in this, like all other love, that whosoever possesses it seeks not himself but his beloved, who in our case, is God alone and his holy will. But this love which now is so cruel, how full of compassion will it be afterwards, to him who hath bowed down the head to receive. Martyrdom at the hand thereof?  
A man cannot easily feel the force of love, wherewith it torments here, nor that wherewith it comforts afterwards. Let us believe it, since God hath said, it; and let us walk on in the faith, which we have in his words; for we have yet a long way to make. Choose which you had rather have, either long afflictions, or else very great ones, for no man can scape suffering much, either in one fashion or another. Be not sorry for this, for if God give you much affliction, it is because your many sins deserve it; and so you are to make your payment here, and I beseech our Lord that you may do so. For if I should dye, before you want to Purgatory, perhaps you might want a friend who would carry so much compassion to your soul as my ; and would take so much care to free it, and if you die first, I shall have pain enough, in thinking of you.  
Excuse me, for it is not fit, that either you or I, should have an eye to our own ease; but that although we should know, that after this life we must suffer pain, yet here we must also take courage to suffer afflictions for love, & love is content with nothing, but love. Christ our lord suffered for our love. Christ our lord carried the Cross, and let us help him to carry it on. Christ our lord is dishonoured, and I renounce honour. Christ our lord suffered torments, and therefore they shall be welcome to me. He was subject to many necessities, and I submit myself to the same. For me he made himself a stranger, and I desire not to be the owner of any single thing, wherein my heart may rest. He died for me, and let my life be a continual death, for the love of him. 
Gal. 2.  Let me live yet now not me, but let Christ our lord live in me, and that Christ, who was crucified, exhausted, abandoned by all the world, and received alone by Almighty God.  
This Christ I love; upon the Cross will I seek him, and from thence have I no desire to find him. Let him dispose of me, how he will, for my part I will suffer affliction for him. Let him choose whether he will give me any reward or Noah; for the very suffering itself, is an abundant reward. And if he would grant me a great suit, I would desire no other, then to have afflictions: for thereby I may know that I love him, and that he also love's me, since he lays me upon the Cross, where himself lay. For though I have no aim at mine own profit, yet I know full well that if I continue upon the Cross, he will carry me to his Crown. To him be glory, through the eternity of all eternityes. Amen.   

A Letter of the Author, to one, who formerly had been a disciple of his, and then being of the Society of jesus, was grown to be, at the point of death.  
He congratulates his departure hence, and his going to enjoy the fruits of his labour in his Order; and he gives him great hope, of the eternal kingdom, by means of the blood of Christ our Lord.  
THE grace of the holy Ghost, be ever with you. Though here they say that you are upon the point of passing into the land, of the living, so as a man may think, that whilst I am writing this, you may already be enjoying, the dear embracements of our allswcete jesus; yet I thought it not amiss, to venture this letter towards you; congratulating with you, your promotion to that Prebend, in the Church of the celestial jerusalem; where, without all ceasing, God is praised, and seen, face to face. Go in a good hour, most dear father, go I say, in a good hour, both to see all Good, and to possess it, for all eternity. Go in a good hour, to the bosom of the celestial father, where he entertains those lambs of his, with glory; which here he fed with his grace, and corrected with his discipline.  
Now my good Father, shall you see the favour, which God did you, in calling you to a Religious life, and in giving you grace, in the strength whereof, you despising the world, might follow him, by the way of the Cross. For now in recompense thereof, he will give you heaven for your Religious Order, and glory for that Cross, which you have borne for his sake. Blessed be our lord jesus Christ, who hath goodness enough, to induce him to give such glory, to such worms of the earth; raising up the poor man out of the dust, that he may sit amongst the Princes of his people. Happy is the hour of our corporal death, since thereby we are exalted, & entitled to take our seat, amongst those princes, who live eternally, in the high presence of God. O day, which is the end of labours, and the end also, of sins, and in which, we ascend to serve our Lord, in good earnest, and not as we are wont to do here below, where we are all discomforted, through the imperfections of those services, which we perform to God. For here a man goes halting, & fainting with hunger, through his desire to please that divine Majesty, & to serve him with all the soul. But in heaven, this desire is perfected, & that, in so complete a manner, that all the whole man, is employed in the service, & praise of God, without being subject to the least impediment, which may interpose itself  
Blessed be God, who hath, so soon been pleased to gather you up, into his granary, lest malice might else have changed your mind, and to show you the riches of his bounty, 
Sap. 4.  who for so few years of service, imparts an eternity of reward.  
Sir, this is God, this I say is God, this is the fruit of his passion, this is the value of his grace; this is our happy encounter, to have fallen into the hands of such a Lord, to know him, & to love him, though it be with many imperfections. But he washes them away by his blood, making us partakers of his Sacraments. And the paternal love, which he bears us, both makes him easily incline to pardon our faults, & to be very copious in rewarding our services. And he conducts us through the midst of the red sea, 
Psal. 102.  to the land of promise dividing us, from our sins as fare of, as the East, is from the West, and drowning them in his blood. So that although we may see them still, yet we shall see them dead, & they will serve but to give us matter, & reason, to praise our Lord, 
Exod. 14.  who hath cast both the horse and horseman, into the sea.  
Go Sir, with the benediction of our lord God, to enjoy the riches of your dear Father, which he gained for you, with the lance in his hand, & by shedding his own blood, who never faith les to secure all such as place their hope, & love in him. It is true that we shall miss you, & that we shall think ourselves to be all alone when we are here without you, but since God hath defined you to this great happiness, let us, who love you, hold it for our own. And we who in our own right, shall lament, will yet rejoice with you in yours, like the brothers of Rehecca, who is going to be espoused, with Isaak, which signifies i●. And therefore, we say to you, you are our brother, and we desire that you may increase to thousands of thousands, 
Gen. 24.  and that your seed may possess the gates of your enemies.  
I do not pretend to tell you, how you must prepare yourself, for this Feast, for there you have them, who can do it, and who will help you to pass on, out of the hands of men, into the hands of God. And let our lord who came into the world for you, and who ascended up to the Cross for you, 
Ps. 22.  be he who succours you in such sort, that though you walk in the midst of the shadow, of death, you may yet fear no ill. See you call upon him, for though you should be in the whales belly, yet he harkenes to his servants, even when they are there. Call upon his Blessed Mother, 
jonas 3.  who is also ours. Call upon the Saints, who are our Fathers, and our brethren; for with such helps as those, you cannot fear to lose the celestial kingdom.  
And if our lord, will have you pass through Purgatory, let his name be blessed still; for so that you may have hope to see him, you shall gladly endure any thing, which may be imposed. I beseech Christ our Lord who died for you, to accompany you at your death, and receive you into his own arms, when you depart out of this life. Say you to him, as he said to his Father, In manus ●uas Pater, commendo spiritum meum. 
Luc. 23.  And I confide in his mercy, that you shall be received by him, as a son; and treated as the heir of God, and coheyre with Christ our Lord.   

A Letter of the Author to a Religious woman, who was near her death.  
He encourages her, and shows how she is to carry herself, at that time.  
Devout servant of Christ our Lord; you sent me word, that you were in the last days of your life; and that this, was the time, wherein you desired me to remember you. So I do. And though the news you give me, is not pleasing to flesh and blood; yet when I look upon you, with christian eyes, it is to recreate my soul. And so is it also to recreate yours, as our Lord saith in the Gospel; when those things begin to show themselves, 
Luc. 21.  look about you, and lift up your heads, for your redemption is near at hand. For though Christ have freed you by his goodness, & the merit of his blood, from mortal sins; yet still you are in danger of committing even then, and you actually commit venial sins; and you are still in the captivity of your body, which is so subject to misery, as that it makes, even a S. Paul and others, who are like him, sigh and groan; and say, as himself relates it, 
Rom. 8.  that they lived in expectation of the redemption of their body.  
But there, you shall neither sin mortally, not venially. For by means of the blood of that lamb, which was shed for us, hell, where they ever sin, shall have nothing to do with you; but only Purgatory; where though they suffer, yet they sinne not. And from thence, you shall go forth to see your Spou●e, to enjoy that bliss, which he won for you, with the nails in his hands, and with his feet fastened to the Cross. And forasmuch as, it is a stranger thing, to see God nailed upon a Cross, then to see you placed in heaven; I confide in his goodness, that, since he had mercy enough, to make him do the more, he will not want it for that which is the less.  
Thither will he carry you, thither, I say, will he carry you, to remain with himself. For the espousals, which here were celebrated between you, when you solemnly made Profession, that you would live and dye in the state of Religion, was one day to be concluded, by that being, together both of him the spouse, and of her, his fellow spouse in heaven. There shall you see yourself, in so great liberty, and abundance, that you will esteem your enclosure, & afflictions, here, for well employed. And there will they give you, a body, which though in substance it shall be the very same, which here you have; yet shall it be very different, in health, and life, and other things. And you will incomparably more rejoice in it there, than you have suffered in it, here. All entire, all entire, in body, and soul, are you to be blessed there; and so beautified, as is fit for the honour of him, who took you for his spouse jesus Christ the lord, both of this, & the other world. Be not therefore dismayed, when you are to dye, by thinking of what your own sins deserve. Christ our lord, can do all things, and he love's you, & will not forsake you. And since he hath preserved you; in this time of your navigation, amongst all the tempests of this life; be sure, that he will not suffer you to perish; now that you are going to disinbarke.  
Put yourself wholly into his hand, offering yourself entirely, to him, both in life, & death, and to whatsoever he will. And beg pardon of him, by his blood, for all that, wherein you have offended him: and being confessed, & communicated, cast yourself headlong at his feet, and desire of him, one drop of his blood, whereby you may be washed, and have great confidence, that you shall be so.  
Be as reserved, to yourself, & as free from all conversation, as the state of your sickness will permit. For our Lord, before he was to die, left his disciples, that he might pray in solitude, to his father, giving us so to understand, that in this trance, we must resemble him. And let your discourse be with Christ our lord, & with his Bl Mother. And to the end that your infirmity divert you not, from them; it will be well, that you behold an image of the Crucifix; & of his Mother standing by him. Give thankes to our lord, with your whole hart, for the favour he hath done you, whether they be general, or particular; and cast yourself into the wounds of Christ soul Lord, which is that Sanctuary, out of which, his justice, must not draw such malefactors, as are repentant. And repose you there, and conceive strong hope, that by means of his blood, and death, you shall go, and enjoy, that life in heaven, which never is to have an end. Our Lord JESUS be ever with you. Amen.   

A Letter of the Author to a woman, who did greatly feel the absence and disfavour of our Lord.  
He animates her to confide in our Lord; and he assigned divers causes, why God afflicts his servants; and of the fruit, which his Divine Majesty reaps from thence.  
Do not conceive that to be anger in our Lord, which indeed proceeds from true love. For as he, who bears ill will to another, doth flatter sometimes, and fawn upon him; so true love sometimes corrects and chides. And the holy scripture saith, That the wounds, which are given by him, who love's, are better, than the false kisses of him, who hates. And therefore we do him an extreme wrong, who reproves or punishes us out of the bowels of his love, if we think or say, that he persecutes us, as if he love's us not. Do not forget, that the Mediator between God the Father and us, is jesus Christ our lord, by whom we are beloved, and tied with so strong a bond of love, that nothing is able to undo it, if man himself do not cut the knot, by the guilt of mortal sin.  
Have you so soon forgotten, that the blood of jesus Christ cries out in the demand of mercy for us? and that his cry is so loud, as that it drowns the cry of our sins, so that it cannot be heard? Do you not know, that if our sins should still remain alive, notwithstanding that Christ jesus died to defeat them, his death should be of little worth, since it could not work that effect? Let no man set a light price upon that, which was so highly valued by Almighty God; that he holds it for a sufficient, yea a superaboundant discharge, forasmuch as concerns his part therein, of all the sins of the whole world, and of a thousand worlds, if there were so many.  
They, who are lost, are not lost for want of payment, but for want of serving themselves thereof, by means of Faith and Pennance, and the Sacraments of the holy Church. Settle once this truth in your hart, and do it sound, that Christ our lord took the business of our redemption to his own charge as verily, as if it had been his own; and he calls our sins, his: by the mouth of David, saying: Long a salute mea, verba delictorum eorum; And he demanded pardon for them, though himself committed none; and he desired with a most profound internal love, that his servants might be beloved, as if he had desired it for himself: and as he desired it, 
john. 17.  he obtained it. For, according to the ordinance of God, he and we are so much one thing, that either he and we must be beloved, or he and we must be abhorred. And since he neither is, nor can ever be abhorred, neither can we also be so, if we be incorporated into him, by Faith and Love.. But indeed, because he is beloved, we are also beloved, and that justly: because he weighs more, towards the making of us to be beloved, than we do, to make him be abhorred. And the Father love's his Son, more, than he abhors such sinners, as are converted to him. And as one, who was much beloved by his Father, he said to him to this effect: Either love them, or love not me; for I offer myself in pardon of their sins, to the end, that they may be incorporated into myself. The greater love overcame the lesser hate, & we are beloved, pardoned, and justified: & we have great hope not to be forsaken there, where there is so strong a knot of love.  
If through our weakness we be afflicted with excessive fears, (as now you are, conceiving that God hath forgotten you) our lord hath provided you a comfort, saying thus by the Prophet: 
Isai. 49.  Shall the mother perhaps be able to forget to take pity upon the child of her womb? well, if she do, yet will not I forget thee; for I carry thee written in my hands. O writing, which art so firm, whose pen be hard nails, whose ink is the blood itself of him, who writes, and the paper is his own very flesh: and his word saith thus: I have loved thee with an eternal love, 
●eve. 31.  and therefore I have drawn thee towards me with mercy.  
Such a writing therefore as this, must not be little esteemed, especially when one finds in himself, that his soul is drawn by the sweetness of good purposes, which are signs of that eternal love, where with our Lord hath chosen and loved him. Be not therefore scandalised, or afflicted for any of these things, which happen to you: since they all are dispensed by those very hands, which were nailed to the Cross for you, in testimony of the love he bate you. And if you desire to understand, what you get hereby, in the intention of God who sends them, you must know, that they are trials, whereby you may be examined: that afterward (as one, who hath been faithful in the conflict) you may be crowned by the hand of our lord, with a Crown of justice.  
And to the end, you may not think, that the particulars, which you endure, are signs of reprobation: and that they are sent by our Lord to none but wicked men, hear what David saith in his own person, and of many others, who walked in the way of God: I said in the excess of my soul, 
Psal. 30.  that I am cast of before the countenance of thine eyes. And though this dismay of hart, and the disfavour, which we find in the midst thereof, be a thing, which doth much afflict, and that the soul can take no aim of how it stands in the sight of God, nor how it shall stand, nor what end that Cross shall have: yet nevertheless there are few things in the world, which are so forcible to purge sins, or which teach a man so many truths, as doth this dark obscurity, and inward affliction, which makes the soul sweat drops of blood.  
Our lord sends this to his servants, that they may not depart this life, without feeling, what crosses and tribulations are, And therefore he wounds them in the spirit, wherein they live: For, if he should but wound them in temporal things, to which they are dead, they would have no sense at all thereof. You must therefore be sure to give a good account of that dangerous passage, wherein God hath been pleased to bestow you: and you must adore his judgements. And being comforted through confidence in his goodness, bow down that head of yours, without any more sifting into the matter, and open the mouth of your hart, to swallow down this pill of darkness, and desolation, and disfavour of God, through the obedience, which you own to the same God. And know for certain, that unless you have a mind to break your word, and unsay yourself in this trial, which God sends to you, you must resolve to make yourself strong, as the Angel did joshua: 
Io●u● 1.  and you, must live, dying every day, 
1. Co● 15.  as S. Paul did.  
You must be baked in the fire of tribulation, that so you may grow hard, like any brick: and fit to resist the raynes, and winds of temptation, and troubles, and that you be not soft, like the daubing of a wall, which is instantly dissolved by water, and no way fit for a strong building. For the people, who are to be placed in that house of heaven, must be beaten, and hammered here on earth by the knocks of many tribulations and temptations, as it is written: Our l●●d●ry●d them, and found them worthy of himself. 
Sap. 3.  Learn you therefore to sustain yourself with strong food; and strive to convert these stones of tribulation into bread, if you desire to have the testimony of being the child of God. And if he give you an appetite to eat the white, and new bread of consolation, remit it back again to the will of our lord: and be content with being sure, that you shall have so much of that in the next world, as that the sweetness thereof, will fare and fare exceed the recompense, which might be due for any bitterness sustained in this. And in steed of those hard bones, which here they gave you to be gnawed upon, by your soul: you shall there be employed in feeding upon that most savoury bread of life, which is God himself: and thereof there will never be an end. And therefore hope for this, and comfort yourself with this: for the business, whereof we are now in question, is not fit for them, who are either of a delicate life, or a weak faith.  
You will see yourself many times in such a kind of state by these afflictions, as that if you consider them with the sense of flesh and blood, you will think them to be the very marks of hell, and even a beginning thereof; but yet you must suffer it with patience, though it be without comfort yea and though you do not so much as feel your own confidence; that so you may know, what it is, to suffer in good carnest. For as long as a man's confidence is very strong, there is nothing, which can afflict him very much, but when God hides his face, and shows the soul no favour, but disfavour; and when it is persecuted by enemies, and yet feels not the help of her good friend, than indeed is it pure suffering, and hath a taste even of the very torments of hell. You will not then discern any hope, which you may have to escape, but you must content yourself with this, that you despair not; and let that discomfort be accepted by you, in penance for your sins, wherein once you took delight, and let it at length serve to make you clearly see, how little that is, which you are able to do of yourself. It is but reason, that he, who sins by loving and liking himself, should pay for it, by being inwardly and profoundly disgusted with himself; and that he, who had confidence in himself, may see, to his cost, that he is good for nothing.  
Through this fire must you pass, if you desire to enjoy the rest of heaven. In this war must you overcome, if you will deserve the Crown of that kingdom. Consider, how the holy Scripture saith: Blessed is the man, 
jacob. 1.  who suffers temptation, for when he shall have been tried, he is to receive the Crown of life, which God promised to them, who love him. If the Crown content you, let not the trial displease you; and there can be no trial without temptation; and no temptation of troubles can be coming towards you, which passes not from the hand of God, who is your father; and who measures out so much thereof, as may be fit, and neither to fall short in respect of your profit, nor to overflow in respect of your weakness.  
Fear not to drink with patience, of that, which God drank with love. And God himself saith to us; My son, do not cast thyself into anguish, 
Prou. 3.  when thou art corrected by Almighty God. For he corrects him, whom he love's, as the father doth the son, in whom he delights. And elsewhere he saith: 
Heb. 12 Eccl. 38  Do not despise thyself in thy weakness, but pray to God, and he will cure thee. And now, since we are commanded, on the part of God, that whatsoever happen, we must not be dismayed, let us make our recourse to him, upon the confidence, which we have in his word; and let us beg his favour, which he cannot fail to afford.  
O sister, and if we could but see, how dear and precious we are in the eyes of God Oh that we could but see, how deeply he holds us lodged in his hart, and how near we are to him, when we may perhaps conceive our selves to be cast furthest of! Blessed be our lord jesus Christ, for he it is, whom with a full mouth we proclaim to be our hope. Nothing can so fright me, as he can secure me. Let me be changed from devout to slack, and tepid: from going towards the comforts of heaven, to go towards the darkness of the black pit of hell. Let me be environed by my sins, which are past, and by fears, which may be to come: let the devils accuse me, and lay snares for me: let men persecute and fright me, let them threaten me with hell and, lay ten thousand dangers before me, and yet after all this, by sighing, and sobbing for my sins, and by casting mine eyes up to Christ our lord, desiring help at his hands, (that lord, who is so meek, so benign, so full of mercy, and that most firm and faithful lover of mine, even to death) and I cannot be persuaded, to disconfide; especially when I consider, that I was valued at so high a rate, that God himself was given for me.  
O Christ, thou haven of security for all them, who being bruised and battered by the tempestuous waves of their own hearts, and fly to thee for succour! O thou fountain of living waters, to those stags, who are embossed, and pinched by those spiritual dogs, which are the devils, and their own sins. Thou art that profound internal rest, the hope, which never failed, 
Psal. 103.  the protection of orphans, and the defence of widows. Thou art that firm house of stone, which givest receipt to those porcupines, which are so full of roughness, and sharpness, through their sins, if with groans, and desire of pardon, they fly towards thee. Thou defendest us from the wrath of God, to which we are subject. And although sometimes thou commandest thy Disciples to enter into the sea without thee, that so they may be weaned by little and little from thy sweet conversation; & though, when thou art absent, such tempests of the sea may rise, 
Mani. 6.  as to put the soul into hazard of being lost, yet still thou forgettest them not. Thou biddest them depart from thee, and yet even very then, thou goest to pray for them. They think, thou hast laid them aside, and that thou sleepest; and then art thou upon thy knees for them. And when three parts of the night were already past, and when it seemed to thy infinite wisdom, that then thou hadst kept them long enough in pain, through thy absence, and that then they had continued in that tempest long enough, thou descendest from the mountains; and as the true Lord of those unconstant waves, thou walkedst upon them, (for all is firm under thy feet) and thou drewest near thy servants, when they thought thee farthest of from them; and thou utteredst these words of confidence to them: 
Matth. 14.  It is I; be not afraid.  
O Christ our lord, thou diligent and careful pastor of thy sheep, and how much is that soul in error, who will not confide in thee, and through thee, from the most profound internal part of the hart; if withal he can be content to amend his life, and to serve thee? O that thou wouldst but let men know, how much reason, they have, who come to give themselves to thy service, not to be dismayed, under the conduct of such a Captain; and that there is no accident, which ought to put any servant of thine, into so great affliction and fear, as the news of what thou art aught to give them comfort. If thou, O lord, wert well known, there is no soul, which would not love thee and confide in thee, unless it were strangely wicked.  
For this it is, that thou sayest: It is I, therefore do not fear. I am he, who kill, and give life: I cast men down, as low as hell, and I draw them back again; that is, I afflict a man till he thinks, he dies and then again I refresh, I recreate, and I give him life. I cast men into certain discomforts, which seem hell to them: but when they are there, I forget them not, but I fetch them from thence, and they are but therefore mortified, that they may be quickened. I send them not thither, to remain there, but that their entry into that shadow of hell, may be a means to make them escape the substance of that true hell after death, and that they may fly up to heaven. I am he, who can deliver you from all affliction, for I am of infinite power. And I am he, who will deliver you, for I am of infinite goodness; and I am he, who know how to do it, for I am of infinite wisdom. I am your Advocate for I embraced your cause as mine own. I am your surety, for I have made myself subject to all your debts. I am your Lord, who have purchased you with mine own blood; and with no meaning to forget you, but to do you honour, if you will serve me, because you were bought at so high a price. I am he, who have so profoundly loved you, that for the love of you, I have been contented to be transformed into you, and to become passable and mortal. I, who in mine own nature, was very fare from being subject to such misery. I am he, who delivered myself over to innumerable torments of body, and fare greater torments of mind, that you might take hart to endure some for love of me, and to confide, that you shall in fine, be freed from them, since I am he, who undertake it. I am your Father, as I am God, and your elder-brother, as I am man. I am your Christ, & your redemption, and what fear can you then have of your debts, if by penance, and Confession, you demand a general release of them? I am your reconciliation, and of whose wrath can you then be afraid? I am that true-loves-knott of friendship, and how then can you think, that you are fallen out with God? I am your defender: and what opposites can you apprehend? I am your friend, and how then do you fear, that you can want any thing, which I have, unless you will needs depart from me?  
My body, and my blood is yours: and why then do you fear hunger? nay, my very hart is yours, and why then do you fear to be forgotten? yea and my divinity is yours, and what doubt can you then have of misery? For accessories unto that Principal, my Angels are yours to defend you. My Saints are yours, to pray for you. My blessed mother is yours, to be the careful and indulgent mother of you all. The earth is yours, that you may serve me upon it. The heaven is yours, for you shall enjoy it, and me in it. The devils, and hell is also yours, for you shall tread it and them under foot, like slaves, who are chained up in that prison. This life is yours, because with it you get another, which shall never end. Your honest entertainments and delights are yours. For you direct them to my glory. Your pains are yours, for you endure them for my love, and for your own true good. Your temptations are yours, because they are occasion of your merit, and of an everlasting Crown in heaven. Your death is yours, because it is to be the immediate step to your eternal life.  
And all these things you possess in me; and by my means; For neither did I gain them for myself alone, neither will I enjoy them alone; for when I put myself into your company by taking your flesh upon me, I did it, to make you partakers of all the merit, which I should acquire by my labours, my fasting, eating, sweeting, weeping, and by the enduring of all my torments and death, if the fault be not your own.  
Now, you cannot account yourself poor, who possess so great riches, if you do not wittingly throw them away, by your wicked life. Be not dismayed; for I will not forsake you. It is true, that you are no better, than some thin glasses; but I will hold you fast in my hand. Your weakness sets of, my strength the more. From your sins and miseries, I draw the manifestation of my goodness, and mercy. There is nothing, which shall be able to hurt you, if you will love me, and confide in me. Think not of me according to your own opinion, and the judgements, which are made by flesh and blood; but think of me by a strong faith with love; nor by the appearance of exterior signs, but by that hart of mine, which was opened for you upon the Cross, that you might dismiss all doubt, whether you are beloved by me or no, forasmuch as concerns my part; since you see such works of love without, and a hart, which was so wounded by that lance within; 
john. 18.  and yet more wounded by my love.  
How shall I deny myself to them, who seek me, to do me honour; since I went out to that way, where those others sought me to offend me. I offered myself to ropes and chains, which afflicted me; and shall I refuse myself to the hart and arms of Christians, where I desire to repose? I yielded myself to those scourges, and to that hard pillar; and shall I deny myself to that soul, which will be subject to me? I turned not away my face from him, who strooke me; and shall I turn it away from him, who will hold himself happy, that he may behold and adore me. What little confidence is this, that seeing me to be voluntarily torn in pieces by the hand of dogs, for the love of my children, yet those children should be doubtful, whether I love them, or no, though they be confessed to love me?  
Consider, o ye sons of men, and tell me, whom I ever despised, if he desired to be well with me? whom have I abandoned, if he called on me? from whom have I fled, if he sought me? 
Matt. 9  I conversed, and I fed with sinners: yea I called, and I justified them, who were forlorn, 
Matt. 11.  and even fowl in sin. Nay, I am importunate to win their hearts, who love me not. I make myself a beggar to all the world, and what cause is there then to suspect me of forgettfullnesse towards my children, when there is so great diligence used both, to love me, and to make expression of that love? And though I may conceal it sometimes, yet do I not leave to love; but even for the very love, I bear to my creatures, I cover it; for whom nothing is so good, as not to know any thing, which concerns themselves, but to remit themselves wholly to me. In that ignorance, doth their knowledge consist; in that suspense, their strength, and in that subjection, their dominion. And it ought to suffice a soul, that it lies in no other hands but mine, which are also hers, since for her they were nailed upon the Cross. Yea, they are more hers, than mine, since they laboured more for the purchase of her good, then of mine own. And to the end, that I may draw her out of all self conceit, and make her follow my direction; it is I, who conduct her into this darkness, that so she may know nothing of herself. But yet still if she put her confidence in me, and depart not from my service, I will deliver her, and I will glorify her; and all this will I perform to her. Be faithful to death, 
Psal. 90.  and I will give thee the Crown of life.  
This saith our Lord to all faithful souls, and this he saith to yours, which I pray God to keep. Amen.   

A Letter to a Lady, who was a Religious woman, and in great affliction.  
He shows; how troubles are the proof of Faith and Love in the servants of God; and how confident they ought to be of his Divine Majesty in the midst of their troubles.  
AS soon as I received your letter, I offered thanks to our lord, for having given you a sign, that your vocation came from his hand; and this sign is, that you have suffered tribulation. You must not be a little glad of this, since our Lord love's you. Nor yet must you be slack, since you are in the midst of many dangers; butt carry your eye towards him, who hath called you with so great love. You must also have a strong hart. For he called you not with intention to give you over in the midst of your journey; but to guide you under the protection of his own wings, till he may have conducted you to heaven, where you shall see his face. Let not the Faith of Christ our Lord, nor the love you own him sleep in you; for he never sleeps, when there is question of doing you any good.  
These are tokens, which he uses to send, to whom he love's, to try, if they also love him in their afflictions, and if they confide in him in their dangers. That spouse is not worthy of thankes, who love's her fellow-spouse but only when he is present with her, nor doth it cost her much to confide in him, when she finds herself regaled by him. But the matter is, that, when he absentes himself from her, yea and when he seems to have forgotten her, she must love him so much the better, as he is further absent from her, and confide in him so much the more; as she hath fewer exterior signs of his favour.  
It is enough for you, my good sister, to have known already by experience, how loving our lord hath been to you, by his having drawn you to the knowledge of himself. And be you not craving new testimonies of his love, but make yourself sure enough thereof, and be not troubled, although he correct you, and though it seem, as if he estranged himself from you, and forgot you; but rather say thus: He hath a mind to try me, and not to oppress me. You must love our lord, though he correct you; you must confide in him, though you feel no comfort from him. Seek him, though he hide himself; suffer him not to rest, till you have waked him, and till he confess, that you are faithful in his absence: and thus you shall find him to return to you, with so much advantage, as that, when you enjoy his presence again, you will esteem your former afflictions well employed.  
Procure great courage, wherewith to suffer; for after the rate of your sorrows, shall your comforts be. Be not a lover of yourself: but be a lover of God: lose yourself, and so you shall be sure to find yourself. And if once you would bud trust God home, and if once you would offer yourself to him with true love, there could nothing happen, which would fright you. All bitter frozen afflictions proceed but from distrust in God. And for this our lord said: Let not your hearts be troubled, and do not ●eare▪ You believe in God: believe also in me So that Faith and love is the cause of peace and quietness to the hart.  
There is no one thing, which is so necessary for you, towards the making you able to arrive at the end of that day's work, wherein God hath placed you, as to confide in him with love. Our lord hath many proofs to make of you: and many tribulations shall grow, where you look least for them: but if you stand armed with Faith and love, you shall overcome them all. 
Num 13.  Do but remember, how the children of Israel, when they were issued out of the land of Egypt, by means of so many miracles, and were passing through so many afflictions, before they arrived at that land, which our lord had promised them, said thus: The people, which possess this land, is greater and stronger, than we; they have mighty Cities, whose walls do even threaten the sky: we cannot overcome such a stout nation as this: to what end do we put ourselves upon this journey? And though some amongst them, who had Faith, did encourage the rest by saying: that since God was on their side, they should easily be able to evercome, as they had done till then: yet fear prevailed so fare, as that they offended our lord thereby, and through their little confidence, they lost the land, and God destroyed them in the desert, without suffering them to enjoy that, for which they had laboured, and which himself had promised.  
Let us take warning, 
Psal. 147.  my good Sister, by the danger of others, and let us know, that our Lord hath gust in such as fear him, and hope in his mercy: and is offended with such, as do not so. It is he, who drew you out of the captivity of Egypt, when he inspired your hart with a desire of being his: and he leads you still through this desert; which is so unpleasant: where sometimes you want the bread of doctrine for lack of such, as might break it to you: At other times you want company, which may speak of spiritual things, that so your way might be made to seem the shorter: At other times you do want the trees of other recreation, which might give you shade: and thus in steed of these commodities, you have a thousand discomforts. Now temptations rise against you from within, and then from without: now from strangers, and then from domestics. Butt yet attend you only to your business. For he, who did that for you, which was more, can never fail to do that for you, which is less. He, who made you a friend of an enemy, will better keep you now, when you are his friend. He, who did not abandon you, when you fled from him, will much less fly now from you, when you follow him.  
Who is he, that can say with any truth, that God did not help him, if he were desired? See you have no fear, O you servant of Christ, in any thing, which may happen to you: but confide in him, who loved you so well, as to dye for you. It is true, that you have but one, who protects you: but that one is of much more power, than all they, who contradict you. Do not think, of, how great the giants, and how strong the cities are, which you must encounter: 
Nu. 14.  for it is not you, who must fight, But hold you your peace, and our lord will fight for you. Do not fly from the war, nor abandon yourself, as one, who were overcome, and so you shall see the favour of our lord towards you. For in this war, he only loses the battle, who quits the field. It is true, that you are weak, but in that weakness of yours God will show his strength. It is true that you know not much: but God himself will be your guide. By your miseries, God will make your mercies appear. Who are you, that you should be able to pass through such difficulties? But yet say with David: 
Psa. 1●.  In the strength of my God I will leap over a wall: Who are you, that should be able to fight? but yet say with him again: 
Psa. 26  Though thousands should rise against me, yet my hart shall not fear. Believe, my good sister, that how much the harder this business is for you, so much the easier it is for Almighty God. And therefore you must have great distrust in respect of your own weakness: but great confidence withal, in God's strength. Infallibly he will crown you, if you continue in his love: and if you do confide, that by his grace, you shall obtain that crown.  
Forget not this promise of Christ our lord: 
Mat. 10  him, who confesses me before men, that man will I confess before my Father, who is in heaven: but him, who denies me before men, that men will I also deny before my Father, who is in heaven. Can you think, that one is to esteem that for affliction, which he endures for the confession of Christ our lord, since it is to have so high a reward as that with so much honour he shall be crowned by him at the day of judgement before his father? Happy is that sufferance: happy that dishonour and poverty, to which so high an honour doth succeed. What kind of joy will it be for you, O my good sister, to hear these words from the mouth of Christ our lord himself, and that in presence of the whole world: 
Mat. 15.  Come you blessed of my Father, and possess the kingdom, which is prepared for you? What will it be, when the Angels shall thus sing to her, who hath been a faithful servant of that Celestial king: Come, o Sponse of Christ, receive that crown, which our lord hath prepared for thee: and that not for one day, but for all eternity. What will the spouses of Christ our lord conceive, when having passed through the sea of this life, and their enemies, who disturbed us, remaining drowned therein, they shall sing thus with great joy, for having run through this dangerous world, without being overwhelmed with the vices thereof: 
Ps. 12●.  The snare is broken, and we are delivered: our help is in the name of our lord. What a day will that be, when that true Marie, the virgin of virgins, shall go before with her Timbrel, which is her sacred body, praising God both in body and soul, and singing thus. Come, magnify our lord with me, and let us exalte his name in mutual society with one another.  
Happy are you, if you be found faithful to the spouse, who chose you. Happy are you, if you have the courage to cast away that, which is present, under the most certain promise of Christ our lord, for that, which is future. Be confident, my good sister, in taking his word: for you are not the first, to whom he hath passed it, and fulfilled it: neither shall you be she, with whom that word shall want effect. He gave his word to saint Catherine, saint Agnes, saint Barbara and saint Lucy, and to inmumerable other lady virgins: and tell me now how completely he hath performed it. They had the courage to despise the poor present world: and you see, that now they reign with God. They lived here in trouble; and they are now in an eternity of repose. Through how many combats did they pass? and they now enjoy the everlasting crowns of their conquests. They fled from spouses of the earth: and they brought the king of heaven to be in love with them.  
If they had followed the trace of this world, their delight had been already past, and their memories would have been forgotten. But they loved that, which was eternal; and therefore their felicity shall not dye: and their memory shall not decay. They were written in the book of God: and therefore neither water nor wind, nor fire, nor time can make them waste. For that book is incorruptible: and so is the name, which is written in it.  
You must therefore procure to have a strong hart towards God, who is your salvation: and do not think, that he sells heaven dear to you: for you have not yet shed your blood for him, as those others shed theirs. Our lord treats you like a weak creature: and you should be a shamed to have given him such cause. If you had had more faith and confidence in him, and more love to suffer for him, he would have procured you more afflictions, to the end, that you might have purchased richer Crowns. Do not content yourself with suffering little, considering how great your reward shall be, and how much Christ our Lord suffered for you. He gave his life for you, and he was deeply tormented and despised. How then come you thus to complain of the touch of a fly? do but love, and you will desire to suffer. Let your love be doubled, and you will suffer sorrows, which are doubled. The love of our Lord makes such as possess it, more greedy of suffering, than the love of ones self, of reposing. It makes, that any burden weighs light, for love is stronger than death. He, who love's not, groans under the burden, like some lazy beast; but he, who love's, runs and flies, and it suffers him not to feel the weight even of his own body, nor of whatsoever else they can lay upon it.  
It is not, my good Sister, that the afflictions, which we suffer, are great; but that our love is little. The weight of a pound is no great weight; but yet lay it upon some little child, and he will say: O how heavy it weighs? whereas if a man took it up, he would scarce feel it. And so take you it for a sign, that if you love little, your afflictions will weigh heavy upon you; but if you love much, you will scarce allow them to be afflictions. For you will be so inebriated with love, that nothing can be able to distract you from the taste thereof. You will find a good savour in the very suffering itself, and you will draw water out of the rock; and honey out of the stony hills. 
Num. 20.   
Do but love, and you shall not be subject to afflictions, but you shall be superior to them as their lady; & you shall praise him, who delivers you from them. If they threaten you with death, you will bid it welcome, that so you may enjoy true life. If with banishment, you will say, That you esteem yourself banished, wheresoever you are, till you may arrive to see the face of God. And that it imports you little, whether you go to heaven from this or that part of the earth; And that if you have God in your company, wheresoever you are, you shall be happy; and if not, your own country will give you misery enough. If you see yourself contemned, say: Christ our Lord is my honour, and he honours me; let the world desp●se me, so he value me.  
Do not afflict yourself about the necessity, which you may sustain of present things; for of yourself you must despise them, through the desire, which you have, to live in conformity with Christ our Lord, who made himself a poor man for you. What is there in the world, which ough to fright you? if the love of Christ our Lord have wounded you, you will tread the devil under foot, you will despise his threats, and you will pass with courage, through all your enemies. Put your trust in him, who love's his lovers. There is nothing, which you will not be able to do in him. Go, and buy whatsoever you want of him, though he ask you all this world for it; & see, that you be not found without the love of him, though it should cost you your life. He is a hidden treasure; but he, who finds him, sells all, to buy him. For in him alone, he finds himself more rich, then with the multitude of all other things.  
And now, if it concern every one of us to love him, how much more doth it import, that she do it, whom he hath chosen for his spouse. It becomes the servant to fear his Ma●ster, and the son to honour his father; but the Spouse to Love her fellow spouse. See you love our Lord; and take no rest, till he have, granted you this gift. Love him with reverence; for that is the kind of love, which he likes. Esteem not him the less, because he communicates himself to you; but wonder, how so great an altitude, as his, can stoop to such a profound baseness as yours. It is the property of ill-natured and ill-mannerd servants, to value their Masters at a less rate, for vouchsafing to descend, and become familiar with them, then if they had lived with them like Lords. But they who live in true light, esteem that Lord so much the more, as he doth the more vouchsafe to diminish himself.  
The true love of Christ our Lord carries this badge with it, in token that it is indeed of him. That as it apprehends and highly esteems the goodness of God; so it also apprehendes and profoundly disesteemes the wickedness of man. Therefore love, adore, and serve our Lord with joy, but yet rejoice with trembling; Not a trembling as of a slave in the midst of torments; but as of a true and tenderharted child; who highly fears to give any disgust to her father, how little soever it may be.  
Of yourself you can do none of these things; but if you humble your hart in the acknowledgement of your own miseries, if you present yourself often in prayer before Christ our Lord; if you lodge him in your breast by the Communion; if you hear him speak to you in your spiritual reading; and in fine, if you will but give him leave to help you, you are to have confidence, that by little & little, he will be healing your soul, notwithstanding all the harsh encounters, which may occur.  
Do not start out of his hands, though the cure put you to pain; for, in fine, he will work the cure at the fittest time; And for the afflictions, which he sends you, and the delights, whereof he deprives you, he will give you his own most plentiefull delight, which shall inebriate you, as if it were with some swelling river, and you shall be in full joy for all eternity, without the want of any good, and without the fear of losing, what you have. You shall there find yourself to be highly well content and paid; and more felicity shall be imparted to you, than yourself could tell, how to desire. Which felicity is not a creature, but the Creator himself of all things, that true God, who life's and reigns for the eternity of all eternities. Amen.   

A Letter of the Author to a Lady.  
He shows how Christ our Lord, being placed upon the Cross, is that glass, wherein we may see all the sports of our souls, and wherein we may also find the cure of all our miseries. And that it is an enterprise of great honour to be carrying a part of his Cross.  
IF in the night of the Nativity of our Lord, they carried you to Mount Caluary, and have given you compassion to the Crucifix, and tears wherewith to wash his feet; it may well be believed that now, when you are in Lenit, and near the time, wherein the holy passion of our Lord is represented, he will keep you, as such a fixed Inhabitant of that hill, as to suffer you to departed no more from thence. This is such a thing, as that you may safely say with Saint Peter, it is good for us to be here; and it shall be a better suit to our Lord, 
Mat. 17  than his was. For he desired to remain on that hill, where repose and delight were to be found; but in this other, there is affliction; and therefore this carries a testimony with it, of greater love. For not in resting, but in labouring, and suffering, is the love of our Lord employed and showed.  
Do you, Lady, remain in those wounds of our Lord, since for the cure of your wounds he accepted his. And though you be not to endure the like for his sake; yet let them serve you at least to make you thank him, and to lament him, and to have compassion on him, since your sins, are they which placed him, in so extreme distress. Continue there, and pass not on, with such haste as you would do by some ill-provided country inn. They whoe passed on by their own way, shaken their heads and blasphemed our Lord. But fix you yourself close by the Cross, like that virgin-mother, and like that beloved disciple, and those other holy women. For they who run over this so great benefit, in such haste, do neither understand it, nor thankfully acknowledge it; and there remain no more with them, but the mere sound thereof. 
john. 19  And some (that is such as are Infidels) blaspheme him for it; because they stay not to look, at leisure, upon this mighty wonder of love.  
But the Christian, who hath taken up his lodging here, saith, and that from his very hart, This is my rest for ever, and for ever will I dwell here, because I have chosen it. And if the spouse, shall not remain with, at least, her hart nailed to that Cross, to which the body of her fellow- spouse was nailed; how will she possibly be able to escape the name of ungrateful, and unkind? There shall you find remedy, against the poison of those false praises, which men give you. And you will profoundly be ashamed to perceive yourself honoured, & proclaimed for good, when you see him, who indeed is good, & holy, to be proclaimed for wicked, & false. There, shall you see, how little reason you have, to think, that what you do is unworthy of estimation in any kind; forasmuch as concerns your part thereof, since it is so weak, & lame, when it is compared with that which Christ our Lord, wrought upon the Cross; yea, & even with that which yourself, as you are, aught to do.  
Look into this glass, and you will easily be able to discern the spots, which are in the face of your soul. For when you have been the most meek of all, if you compare that meekness▪ with his, your meekness will be no better, then mere wrath; and your obedience compared with his, will be very disorderly; and your humility very proud. Yet the blind world will needs believe, that there are no other sins, but those, which it conceives to be such. Whereas the eyes of God are of another kind, and he measures us by another rule; whereby many times he finds that to be faulty which seemed in the eyes of men to be excellently, and completely done. When therefore they shall deliver out any of these poisoned, & smooth-lying praises, say you instantly in your hart, as S. Paul did, 
●. Cor. 4.  he who judges me is our Lord. And make haste to call to mind, how our Lord was proclaimed for a wicked person. And beseech him, not to permit that you be published for one who is good, & be sure you hold your tongue, for our lord will observe how the world goes. Nay procure you, & be careful that when you are despised, you may be very glad thereof, and perhaps our lord doth not now permit any body to give you ill words, because he finds, that you have not strength wherewith to bear them.  
He who desires any part of the Cross of our lord, must receive it, as he would do some precious Relic, with great reverence, & giving of thankes. And he must value it more, than he would all the treasures of the world. And because there are so few who esteem of those Relics of the Cross as they ought, therefore our Lord oftentimes doth not impart them; whose-pleasure is that they be honoured, and beloved, and borne with joy. And for this reason it is, that he leaves us still in our infancy, without putting us to the tasks of men. But how much more then, are we to blame, if we be drawn down to impatience, or superfluity of sorrow, for any of those things, which he sends.  
So that if you shall carry a great love to the Crucifix, he will give you a part of his Cross But then see, that you embrace it, as an enterprise of great honour, according to what he saith to the spouse, Place me as a seal upon thy hart: and upon thine arm; for love is strong as death. 
Cam. 8.  And as for that pain wherein you are, because you may not receive the Body of our Lord in the blessed Sacrament so often as you would; be not troubled thereat. For I have already told you that our Lord is resolved that it shall cost you some what. And it is but reason that it do so, since our souls cost him so much. Do you think perhaps that by our Lords only saying, Let all soul's ●ee mine, they instantly render themselves into his hands. Do you think that the love which you carry to our Lord, & the dominion which he exercises over you cost him but toys? I can assure you it is not so. But he shed his blood, as any slave might do, upon condition, that your souls might be his, and he yours.  
Just so, must that soul do, which hath a mind to obtain him; that is, it must sweat first, it must weep, it must importune him, it must endure ill words, yea and also evil deeds at the hands of others; yea and it must seem little to have endured this, but once. And if it be not put to endure them, at least it shall have gained much in having disposed itself, to suffer somewhat for him, & thus it proves, no fruitless thing to seek God. Negotiate your business with him, for if he say Yea, there is none who can hinder it, and if any body offer to do it, it will not prove with him; but yet, if it chance to prove, you may conclude thereby, that you have not negotiated well, with our Lord. What shall I say to you? Cry out louder to him: Fellow my counsel; and whensoever he gives you a great desire to communicate, procure then to be, just as if you were communicating indeed. And beseech our Lord, since he is omnipotent, that he will give you that, when you communicate spiritually, which he would have given, if you had communicated Sacramentally. For so, you shall be pleasing to his goodness; and he will not suffer you to go empty from him, if you come well prepared, and it were not the worse if it might be two or three days before. Yet now you must not think, that you may therefore fail, to confess your sins afterward, to your Ghostly Father. But till you have means to declare them to him, I advice, that you ralate them to our Lord. And above all things, keep your hart in peace and conserve yourself in the way of obedience, and humility, towards your Superiors, and Prelates. For this is the way of our Lord, and you must take heed you leave it not. Take courage to pass on, in your other devotions. For though, when you are in them, you think you make no profit by them, I say you do; and afterwards you shall taste the fruit thereof. And our Lord will find a time to look back with pity upon such as shall have made much way after him. And one day, of those, when our Lord vouchsafes to look back upon us, is worth more than three, of those others, wherein we laboured to go after him. The crown is prepared for you in heaven. God will be your defendor, and will not forget you. Persever you in obedience, till you see our Lord of all Lord in Zion. 
Psal. 83.  I beseech him to make you dearly his; and that you may be kept safe, and prove a saint. Amen.   

A Letter of the Author to a Cavalier, a friend, and a Disciple of his.  
FOR what do spurs serve, if the beast be so lazy, as I am? And then adding to this the burden, which lies upon me, of little health; it is no marvel, if I neither writ, nor answer. This letter is written in such straits of time, that I know not, whether it can be good for any thing, or no. I have rejoiced much, that the Infant is weaned; though some dye at that age; as not having strength, to eat the bread, with the crust. But since our Lord takes you, for a Child of promise; 
Gen. 17.  as he did Isaac, I hope in jesus Christ, that you will not dye of it, though you should be put to eat stones; but that you will feed upon them; as Christ our Lord, fed upon the wine, with myrrh.  
God will deliver you from consenting to sin, and your temptations shall serve you, in steed of the torment of the Cross, for his glory, who died upon it. And though our enemies may bid us come down, we will rather choose to confess Christ our Lord, by continuing upon it; then to put ourselves into ease, by denying him. You are acquainted already, with that supreme omnipotent goodness of our Celestial Father, whose power is such, as to draw good out of evil, and heat out of cold. And therefore be not dismayed, though you see yourself absent, from the protection of your spiritual Father, on earth; and though you find barrenness, where you expected plenty, and abundance.  
Be not afraid to be alone with Christ our Lord, not that you are to undervalue help, when it may be had, by means of his servants; but we must obey his ordinance, whensoever he shall be pleased, that we remain in this world, without succour. Because our Lord is usually wont in such cases to do more visible, and greater favours, immediately, than he did before by means of his servants. And such a man comes to learn, that, Non sum solus, quia Pater mecum est. 
john: 16.  I am not alone, because my Father is with me. Then, Faith begins to increase, and Prayer dilates itself by Love; which is set forward, by seeing, how the soul is beloved. And thus it increases by that, by which it seemed, and it was feared, that it would be diminished. And he finds society, when he is alone; and he hath learned to walk without a staff, though he be but weak.  
Let there be no want of care, to receive him, who is all our good; and be you ever saying, and that with truth: Loquere Domine, quia audit seruus t●us, 
1. King 1.  Speak, Lord, for thy servant hears thee. Shutt up yourself in the castle of your hart, which, though it be as weak, as glass, yet he, who comes to dwell there, will make it so strong, that all that, shall prove glass, which can assault it; and itself shall remain more firm, then st●ele. And for lack of doing this, the soul is full of weakness, and it may say, that, 
Osee 10  which is written: Divisum est cor eorum, nunc interibunt. Their hart is divided, and they shall instantly perish.  
There is no place secure, where your hart may rest, but in that secret place of retreat, that most hidden corner, where none can enter, but Christ our Lord, ●anuis clausis, the doors being shut. 
john. 20.  For if it depart from thence, it runs as great hazard, as some light young maid might do amongst dissolute men. And if some just punishment, were imposed, & well executed, for every time, that the hart should be gadding up and down the street, perhaps we should take warning by ourselves, as even a very horse, or mule will do. Though indeed a man, who watches himself well, shall instantly be able to find a punishment, which comes down from heaven, 
●re. 14.  upon the very hart itself, quando diligit movere pedes, when it hath a nunde to be gadding; and then that, which follows, is this: & Domino non placuit.  
This gift of recollection, must be gotten with much practice. For afterward the hart will stay within, even of itself, though we open the door, to let it out; as a tame bird, will stay in a cage. And this is the root of all our spiritual profit, and at the feet of Christ our Lord, we must have it, if we mean, that it shall be true profit. Christ jesus be with us all. Amen.   

A Letter of the Author to a Lady, encouraging her to fight the battles of our Lord.  
He shows the subtlety of the devil, and how styly he tempts souls with pride.  
MADAM, because I conceive that you fight the combatts of Christ our Lord, and do frankly offer yourself to all affliction, so that he may reign in your hart: all encouragement and assistance is due to you, from such, as be the servants of God, who are commanded to advertise the wicked man of the misery, which is growing towards him, that so he may amend, and avoid it; and to encourage such as are good; and to go sounding the trumpet before them, when they see them entering into the battle; that is to say, 
Esay. 58.  they are to give hart by the word of God, to such, as they perceive to fight for his honour. For otherwise, as account shall be demanded of them, for the wicked, whom they had not warned, so also for the good, 
Ezech. 3  whom they had not encouraged. And so they should be punished both for the evil, which were committed by the one, and for the good, which were omitted by the other.  
Take you therefore hart, in that combat, which the ancient Serpent makes against you, he procuring, to divide you from God, and you resolving to stick close to him: you must be very watchful; for his chief aim, is at the hart. And it troubles him not greatly, that a man serve God, by recollecting his eyes, by keeping silence, by praying, by singing the divine office, and the like; but to the hart doth he convey his poison; which is a certain vain kind of complacence, or proper estimation, and love of ourselves. The foolish virgins, 
Matth 23.  were virgins; but because they had not oil in their lamps, they heard this sad word out of the mouth of our lord In the word of truth I say to you, that I know you not. Now, what is this lamp, but the hart? and what is this oil, but the spirit of truth, which maintains and feeds it with good works if we mean, that they shall indeed be good, in the sight of God? And what is this Spirit of truth, but that, which makes a man displeasing to himself, and to seem ill in his own eyes; and that from his very hart, and soul, he may conceive, that he is all ugly, and abominable, and that he is amazed to consider, how God can suffer him upon the earth?  
This is that truth, where in we must live, and without this, we live in lies. And sometimes, the more virtue we think we have, and the better we esteem ourselves in health, the more sick, and miserable we be, through the want of this. For confiding in ourselves, we think we are somewhat; whereas indeed it is not so, in his sight, who discerns our hearts, and saith: 
Apoc. 3.  Thou hast the name of one, who life's, whereas indeed thou art dead. He hath the name of one, that life's: who falls not into public sins, which the world condemns for enormous. But if nevertheless, he fall into other sins, which are condemned in the judgement of Almighty God; for what doth it serve him, to be absolved by the world, when he is censured by that just judge?  
The world, knows not, how to hold that man for wicked, nor to punish him for such, who only hath a good opinion, and complacence in himself with pride, or at least is not displeasing to himself; but in the judgement of God, that man is held for proud, and blind, who doth not, even stink to himself, as if he carried some dead dog, tied to his nose; and who hath not a profound internal shame, in the sight of his Creator; as here men use to have, when they are presented before some judge, having been taken, in the manner, with enormous crimes. And if this pride arrive to be a mortal sin, then doth it wholly square, & agree to him, which was said before, in the person of God; and if it be but venial, this suits with him but in part. Thou hast the face of a harlot, 
●ier. 3.  and knowest not, what belongs to the having of any shame. Now it is an ill favoured spot in a soul, to be void of shame, as it is even exteriorly, when women want it.  
The world condemns not a man's confidence in himself, nor the estimation, which he may have of himself, nor a resolute will, which he may have to procure his own contentmont. But in the sight of God, these and such other things are great offences, and they hinder grace, and our friendship with him, if they be mortal; and if they be but venial, yet they hinder the profit, which we might make of the grace, we have; and it destroys all inward communication with our Lord. The devil knowing this, it troubles him not much, that a soul may be alive, after the large manner, if interiorly, and spiritually it be dead. And many times he procures not, that such a person may fall into apparent, and deformed sins; for if he should commit any such, he would be much confounded thereat. For, observing, that he had done things, which even, in the eyes of the world were so wicked, he would take penance to hart, and would be displeasing to himself, in his very soul; and so would mend. But the devil desires to hold him tied fast up, in a deep interior blindness, and so keeps him safe for himself, without inducing him to commit other sins. For if he fell into them also, he would peradventure give over both the one, and the other, and so escape out of his hand.  
You therefore must be sure, to carry your eyes open, upon your own hart; and when you find not there a profound contempt, and confusion of yourself, in the high presence of Almighty God: be you well assured, that you are fare from knowing yourself; and that you have yet, no other eyes, but of flesh and blood; and no true celestial light at all. For this light searches into the most hidden corners, and makes the soul highly ashamed, even of those things, which in the sight of worldly eyes, will seem to have been well done. After this shame, tears of grief and true humility are wont to grow; whereby the soul is wholly, and absolutely made subject to God, & to every creature for his sake. Now, when this is wanting, all things go after another fashion, and the wound is not cured, but only skinned. And in that case, we must call upon our Celestial Physician, & not give over, till, by little and little, we may get some small thread of light, whereby to enter, and see the retraites and dark holes thereof, and find her faults even in those things, which have appearance to be well done.  
Our Lord doth not instantly impart this gift; but when himself is best pleased to do it. And in the mean time, let us know, that we must be sure, not to put confidence in our own works; and if yet this virtue be now wanting to us, let us confide in our Lord, that he will bestow it upon us, in his good time. 
Matth 7. Mark 11. Luc. 11.  For he, that promised That he will not give a stone to him, who shall demand bread; and that our Father of heaven, will give a good spirit to such as ask it. I beseech him to be your light, that so you may know him, to honour him; and that you may know yourself, to despise yourself. And depart you, wholly from yourself, that you may be wholly subject to him. You must also consider, that you must not want some body, even here on earth, who may call you to an account, therefore so you get great store of sanctity against the time, when you shall go into another world. And, in the mean while, be sure, there be nothing in you, for which it may import me to chide you; and for which you may have reason to be ashamed, as having been a cause of pain to us both. Christ our Lord keep you ever, in that side of his, which was pierced by a lance, Amen.   

A Letter of the Author to a certain Preacher, against the temptation of disconfidence, & of the benefits which we enjoy in Christ our lord.  
Do not, Sir, I beseech you, conceive any unkindness at my hands, but forgive me as S. Paul saith; since God hath forgiven the offences, which we have committed against him. You know already, how full of faults I am, which might suffice to make any man fail in the service, which he owes. Sometimes I have wanted a messenger, as I did, where I have been of late, and do yet remain; For if no body bring me word of any, I know not, where I am to seek him. I beseech you, Sir, believe, that in a matter of more importance I will have love enough for the doing you service.  
I hold this distrust of Salvation, to which you tell me, you are subject, for a most plain temptation, Nay, I hold it, not only to be certain, but sottish also. For it deserves no better name, then that, if it will not be discharged, by the consideration of those benefits, which we possess in Christ our lord, as if this business, were the work of our hands, or the reward of our merits; and not by the grace of God, through jesus Christ. You must therefore enlarge your little hart, towards the immenseness of that love, wherewith the Father gave us his Son, and with him, gave us himself, and the Ho●i●-Ghost, and all things. Receive this grace, with giving of thankes▪ and enjoy you God, since he bestows himself upon you. And if your demeritts fright you, remember, that one of the benefits, which the Father imparts to us in Christ our lord; is the payment of our debts: and the sweetening, and appeasing of that wrath, which our sins deserved.  
Why do you doubt of a pardon, since you doubt not of that Passion, which he endured for our sins? 
. Pet. 2.  What doth it profit you, to confess, that Christ our lord died for us (be who was lust, for us, that were unjust) if you believe not, that his death killed our sins: and now, if they be dead, why do you fear them? For the Children of Israel, 
Exod. 15.  whom our lord drew out of Egypt, seeing that their enemies were drowned in the sea, did not fear, but sung praises to our lord: taking occasion thereof, from those very enemies, who had persecuted them before; and whom formerly they had feared. And though we have not so assured Faith, that our sins are pardoned, as we are sure, that our lord, died for them, (because we do not so certainly know, that his merits are applied to us) yet the new hart, which God gave us, when he called us to himself, may be a good sign of his friendship, and pardon, whereby we may well hope that our sins also are forgiven. And besides that spirit of being his children, which he gave us, when he imparted his love, as the love of a Father to us, may well be taken for a particular assurance, that in the hart of God, we are esteemed as his sons, since in our hearts, we esteem him as our Father. For it is blasphemy to affirm, that I loving God, he should not love me: since that love wherewith I love him, is never given me, but by his hand.  
I beseech you, think not of our lord, 
Sap. 1.  with a short hart, & a strait, but in great belief of his goodness, as we are commanded. And cast up your eyes, to that sign of our salvation, Curist our lord; who is the assurance of our hope; and who is so acceptable to his Father, and by whose participation, we are also made, acceptable to him, and we have assured hope, through his blood, to enjoy eternal life, before the Throne of God.  
And if it seem to you, that your works are weak, and poor, it is reason you should think so still. But what reason is this, why you should lose your confidence? By Christ our lord, we were made friends of enemies; and by him we are conserved in his friendship. We had greater impediments to be well with God, when, we were subject to our sins, before we knew God: then now we have, by the defects, into which we fall. So that, if our former sins, could not hinder that grace, which was communicated to us in Christ our lord: much less shall our present faults, be able to break of this friendship, we being now incorporated in Christ, who is beloved by his Father.  
A good thing it is for us to feel our poverty, and misery: but yet it must be with condition, that withal, we believe highly of the bounty, and riches of the mercy of God. And let us glorify his goodness in our wickedness: since with so much love he tolerates his children, who are so faulty, so weak, and so miserable. Why should you deprive God of the glory, to have great latitude of love towards his children? For by reason of the faith, and love, which we carry to his son, he hath patience, with the faults, which we commit; when once we have bewailed them, and done true penance for them.  
Believe therefore now at length, that as there is goodness enough in God, to make you love him: so there is merit enough in Christ our lord, to make you be beloved for his sake: and live you with gratitude, for the benefits, which you have received, as also for the pardon of those errors, which you daily commit. And be daily accepting of all good occasions, and fight the wars of our lord with joy: as that judas Machabeus did. And God giving you, that which he gives, you may hope, you shall enjoy his kingdom, though perhaps you may be put to suffer in temporal fire, for the hay, and straw, and wood, which shall be found in your soul.  
Be you ever breathing more and more towards Profitt in spirit: but yet so, as that it may be accompanied with quietness, grounded upon Confidence. For though it should grow to be no more, than now it is, even that being carefully kept, will suffice for your salvation. But if you look only upon yourself, we are all so full of faults, that your soul will never be without dismay: nor will you perceive, that you are greatly beloved by our lord. And then proceeding after such a manner as that, how will you be able to serve him, and give gust, to his holy spirit, which is dwelling in you. For this spirit is cheerful: and we check it, by our anguish, and dismay: against which S. Paul thus dissuades us, saying. That we must not contristate the holy spirit of our lord. The sum of all is this, that you must know, and consider your faults: and that they must seem very great in your eyes: and you must bewail and lament them by Confession and Penance. But yet still you must consider, that those benefits, which we possess in Christ our lord, are greater: by reason whereof, you must confide yourself to be beloved: and you must do it with much thankfulness. And if God do no more, but continue that to you, which you have already, even that may suffice, as hath been said, to make you hope for eternal life.   

A Letter of the Author to an afflicted woman.  
He declares, that afflictions come either through the fault of the partis, or else for trial, and how one is to carry himself in tribulation.  
THe grace and peace of our lord jesus, be ever with you, Amen. The true love, wherewith I love you in jesus Christ, hath caused so great compassion in me towards you, in respect of what you suffer, that it hath moved me to write this letter, with desire, that it may serve you to some purpose. I know not, my good▪ sister, whether I shall put you into any comfort, or rather, whether I shall not help you to weep. Nor do I know, whether or no, I should tell you, that the trouble, which you have, is good, and that you are to carry it with joy; and that I should not grant, that it is ill, as it seems to you, and that as such you are to fly from it. I see, that if many good men endure such accidents, as this, there are also very ill men, who endure the same. And if to some, it be a sign of love, to others it is an effect of the wrath of God. Our lord punishes some by these means, and to others, who deserve no punishment, he sends them as trials; and he presents them with an occasion of merit. And though the thing, which you endure, may proceed from either of these two causes: yet I am not sorry, that you persuade yourself, that it is not so likely to be a proof of your virtues, as the punishment of some light fault, if that fault may well be accounted light, which deserves so heavy a punishment. For if the saints themselves acknowledge, that there is no goodness in themselves, but many faults, and much wickedness; how much more must you do it, who know yourself to be fare from sanctity, and so full of sin?  
And now, if you hold it for more probable that these fruits grow from this root, the remedy must be, that you examine well, if you have done any thing, for which you may deserve punishment. And know, that for the most part, it uses to be some little dust of vainglory: and if you see not the true reason of it, esteem your case to be so much the worse, when not withstanding you are so full of faults, you can discern none.  
But now, since the blow is come, humble-yourself under the mighty hand of God: as knowing, that you are worthy of greater torment. Beseech him, to have mercy on you, and that he cast you not of from himself. Say: O lord, I have sinned, and any punishment, how sharp soever, is in itself, too light for me: considering the greatness of my sins. If thou be pleased to punish me, here I am, extend the hand, o lord, discharge the blow: Cutt, burn, and kill: only permit not, that I be divided, and driven away from thee. If I have sinned, let not thy punishment be, to let me sinne any more, for the natural punishment of a fault, is pain, and not a second fault.  
But now nevertheless, I would not, that by your thinking your faults, to have been the cause of your crosses, you should discomfort yourself, and be so fare dismayed, as to make you fall, and that as by some precipices into despair. I desire, on the one side, that you humble yourself, believing that your sins have deserved them, and on the other side, that you be comforted by remembering, that you are the child of God, and none of them, who are forgotten, since your father hath been careful to correct you as a child, for fear lest else you would have been worse. And believe me in one thing, though I be no Prophet, that if our lord in his mercy, had not humbled you, as he hath done, you would perhaps have fallen into some part of Lucifer's pride, which had been infinitely worse: and therefore hath he kept you so humble, that you neither dare, nor ever so much as can, hold up your head.  
Give thankes therefore to our lord for this favour, and be happy in that you have his grace. But already I know, you will say thus to me: If I could be sure, that I were his child, and not his enemy: and that this were the correction of a father, and not the punishment of a judge: If I could persuade myself out right, that I were in his favour, what could I wish for more than that? But I verily believe, that unless it might be hell, there is not so wicked a creature, as I am, to be found: and how then can I possess such a thing as grace? This life of mine, is not a life of the sons of God: but it is a life, or to speak more truly, it is a very death of the damned.  
O my good sister, if you know the gift of God, and what kind of people they are, who for the most part are put to suffer such things, as these: you would perhaps rejoice. If I saw, that the enemies only of God, did endure them, infallibly I should be much afflicted: but I find, that his best friends are tempted in this kind: and why then should I not be comforted thereby? job the holy man, 
job. 7.  saw himself one day in so sad a case, that he said: I have despaired. Such things had passed in his hart, that he seemed to be fallen into despair. But to the end, that we may see, that indeed he did not despair, he instantly goes to ask mercy: and he, who asks mercy, despairs not.  
David said, as we all know, 
Psal. 30.  that God had cast him clean out of his sight, and that he saw himself covered with obscurity, and darkness, and environed even by the sorrows of death, and the danger of hell. And he saith, that such things happened to him, as no man will understand, but he, through whose hart they had passed.  
I will omit the tribulations of S. Paul, which were caused by Satan, and which made him hang down the head; for of these you have heard many other times. In the lives of those holy Fathers, I have read many things, which I should never have believed, if the Author were not a man of much authority. And even, at this day, we hear and see strange things, which arrive to certain devout persons, and servants of our Lord; and he hath drawn them out of these temptations, with great spiritual gain. Whereby we gather: that a man in such cases, 
Rom. 4.  must, like Abraham, believe that, which he sees not; and hope, even against hope itself.  
Tell me, my good Sister, have you seen these potter's heat their furnace? Have you seen that smoke which is so thick & black? That kindling of fire, and even the resemblance of hell itself, which passes there? who would believe, but that the pots, which stand there within, would be mouldered even to dust, by the rage of that fire? Or that at least, they would not grow to be as fowl as pitch, by the grossness of the smoke? And yet, when that fury is past, and the fire quenched, and the time come, when they unfurnace the pots, you see, that though they were soft, and made of dirt, they come forth as hard as stone; and they, who formerly were so very brown, show themselves as white as snow; and so neat and dainty otherwise, that they become the table of kings.  
We are called by S. Paul, 
Rom. 9  by the name of pots of clay, and certainly with great reason; since we are so soft, and weak in suffering the knocks of affliction. Make account, that you also are some poor little pot, & that they have put you out to bake; For you were so weak, as that you could not well retain, and conserve the liquor of grace, which was infused into you by Almighty God.  
They will bake you, my good Sister, and you must have patience. They have trust you into the furnace of tribulation. Endure now those fires, those foggy flames, and those obscurities, and by confiding in the wisdom and goodness of our good potter, you shall not be turned into ashes, which may be carried away by the wind, nor disfigured by any ill mark, which may be put upon you; but rather you shall become hard, in being able to suffer; that so, though you should fall, you may not break yourself. And you shall be also purged from that disgraceful colour, which before you had; and finally you shall be made fit, and capable to be a vessel of honour, and to be served up to the table of Almighty God. Procure, not to come broken out of the furnace, lest they cast you here, and there, as a thing of nothing. Those pots are only broken, which lose their patience in the furnace of tribulation; but I confide in our Lord, that you will be able to come forth, without any hurt.  
Suffer now a little, for quickly the whole business will be at an end. Be not you dismayed, how busy soever the devil be. Let him persecute you as much as he will, but confide you in God. It is a sign, that the devil hath no part in you, since he follows you so hard. For if he had you in his hand, he would not follow you. It is a sign, that you are departed out of his kingdom, since he hath dispatched so many squadrons of armed men after you.  
You are passing out of the darkness of Egypt, 
Exod. 12 & 14.  that you may go to the land, which our Lord hath promised you; and now behold, how Pharaoh follows you, with his whole army. You find all ways shut up against you. The red sea is before you, and your enemies are behind you; and you find not any means, whereby to escape. But fear not; have good hope, and you shall see the wonders, which our Lord will work. 
Exod. 14.  Our Lord will fight for you; and you shall but hold your peace. Our Lord will open a way for you, through the midst of the sea. The waves thereof shall serve you for a wall, both on the right hand, and on the left; and you shall pass, without so much as wetting your foot, through the midst of your tribulations, and temptations, whereas your enemies shall be drowned therein.  
Do but conceive, what joy that will be, when (all the people of God, being passed through the dangerous sea of this world) the most Blessed Virgin Marie (who was figured in the person of that other Marry the sister of Moses) shall begin to sing that Canticle of so great triumph; 
Exod. 5.  and when you in company of other Virgins shall answer her.  
And to the end, that you may be yet more comforted, know from me, that you have no cause of any scruple; for your case is rather, that you suffer torment, then that you commit sin. For so that you consent not freely to those temptations, nor delight yourself in those thoughts, which the devil offers; and desire not, for your part, so much as to think thereof, what cause of scruple can you have? And you shall believe me, as a man, who knows your conscience well, that how soever you may think, that you have given consent; it is but fear, which makes you think so; as it happens to them, who are sick of fevers, or be subject to any strong passion. Let this serve to excuse you, for that which is past; but not to discharge you from being diligent in the future. And though some little thing should have stuck to you, and though you had suffered some light hurt, yet so long as you render not, nor yield yourself to be overcome, the very wounds, which have been received by any man at arms in the service of a king, have beauty and glory in his sight.  
The benefit, and merit, which you draw out of the victory, is greater than the prejudice, which you suffer in the conflict, and therefore let nothing trouble you. Be not deceived in believing, that those imaginations, or temptations are any things of yours; or wrought by you. Works they are of Lucifer, and ●ordes they are of his speaking, and images of his representing. Behold you all that business as a thing belonging to others, and wherewith you have nothing to do. And carry yourself just so, as you would do, when you should hear a man blaspheme, or speak any other fowl deformed words; for which, though you would be much in pain, in regard of the offence, which thereby is done to Almighty God; yet in fine, it would be a kind of comfort in some respect to you, when you saw, that it was not you, who offended him.  
Let it grieve you, that the devil doth both say, and do so like himself: and let it comfort you to consider, that it is not you, but he, and that he will smart for it. S. Paul saith, that he gloried in his afflictions, & tribulations: because the virtue and strength of Christ our Lord, shined more therein.  
My good Sister, if indeed you love Christ our Lord; you will rejoice, for that glory, which he gathers from your infirmity. Doth it not seem to you, that God shows his strength in you, since by the weakness of a poor miserable woman, who is indeed but a very child, and a sick creature, and a kind of nothing, he overcomes the strength, and courage of those infernal powers? Will not you be then content to be assaulted, upon condition, that Christ our Lord may be glorified? Yes certainly, I know you will, and that most willingly. Nor can I believe less of that charity, which you pretend to have, nor of that desire, which you carry, that our Lord may be pleased to serve himself of you, whether it be in prosperity, or adversity, in sweet or bitter, by way either of love, or grief, either in peace, or war. Our Lord is pleased now, that you serve him in war, and under the incommodities of heat, and cold, with your weapons by your side, both day and night: being content with broken sleeps, and being subject to surprises, as if you stand upon the top of a pike: yea and (though it will afflict you most) you must content yourself to be fare absent from your king. But after this season, there will come another, and our Lord will command, that you shall serve him in his banketting-house, where you shall enjoy as much, as you can desire. In the mean time, you shall joy in this, that you are doing him service. And I beseech him to strengthen your soul, that so it may be able to fight the battles of our Lord, and to make you a conqueror therein, that so you may deserve that Crown of glory, which he hath promised to such, as overcome, Amen.   
FINIS.