foreground: two men praying over Jesus's body; background: three crosses on Golgotha   

A MIRROR FOR MONKS WRITTEN BY LEWIS BLOSIUS, Abbot of St. Benet's Order.   printer's device (?) of a sphinx 
Printed at Paris, M.DC.LXXVI.   


CHAPTER I.  
YOu desire of me (beloved Brother Odo) a spiritual Mirror or looking glass, wherein you may behold yourself and exactly see both your beauty and, deformity: This request of yours is somewhat strange: Certainly I think that you know me not: for if you did, whence doth it happen, that you request a spiritual thing of a carnal man: nevertheless lest I might seem to neglect, or rather to contemn your request: behold I send what our penury hath been able to afford you Accept therefore of this short instruction, by reading where of you may peradventure slenderly learn what you are, what you are not, or certainly what you ought to be: first and foremost therefore I admonish you often and seriously to consider the end of your coming into your monastery: that being dead to the world and yourself, you may live to God strive therefore with might and main to accomplish that for which you came learn strongly to despise all sensible things and manfully to break, and noless whole somely to for sake yourself. make haste to mortify your passions and vicious affections that are in you.  
Busy yourself in repressing the instable evagations of your heart: strive to overcome weariness, Idlenes-and the yerksomnesse of your infirm mind: spend your daily labour in thes things, let this be your glorious contention and healthful affliction: Be not remiss, but arise; watch look about you, and expose yourself wholly, lest your be evilly partial to yourself: God requireth thus much of you so doth your state.  
You are called a Monk: see that you be truly what you are called: Do the work of a Monk labour earnestly in beating down and casting forth vice.  
Be always armed against the frowardness of nature, against the haughtynesse of mind against the pleasures of your flesh, and the enticements of sensuality: understand well what I say if you permit pride, boasting, vain glory, self complacence to domineer over your reason, you are no monk.  
If you frowardly follow your own sense and dare despise every humble office you are not what you are called you are no monk.  
If as much as in you lieth you repel not envy, hatred, maliciousness, indignation: if you reject not rash suspicions, childish complaints wicked murmur, you are no monk.  
If a contentious and earnest strife being risen between you and another you do not presently treat of a reconciliation and what wrong soever hath been done you do not presently pardon that but seek for revenge and retain a voluntary private grudge, and not a true and sincere affection in your heart, or show outwardly signs of disaffection, nay if when occasion and necessity requireth you defer to help him that hath injured you, you are no monk, you are no christian, you are abominable before God.  
If having done amiss you are ashamed regularly to accuse yourself, and freely to confess your fault: if being blamed, reproved and corrected, you be not patiented and humble, you are no monk.  
If you neglect readily and faithfully to obey your ghostly father if you refuse to reverence and sincerely to love him as God's vicar, you are no monk.  
If you willingly withdraw yourself from the divine ofce and other conventual acts: if you assist not watchfully and reverently in the service of God, you are no monk.  
If neglecting internal things you take care only about the external and with a certain dry custom move your body, but not your heart to the works of religion, you are no monk.  
If you give not your mind to holy reading and other spiritual exercises: if you have your mind so possessed  transitory matters, that you seldom lift yourself up to eternal, you are no monk.  
If you desire delicate and superfluons meats, and intemperately long after the drinking of wine beyond the measure of a cup, especially if you be in health, and have beer or other convenient drink sufficiently, you are no monk.  
If foolishly you require precious apparel, soft beds, and other solaces of the flesh, which agree not with your state and profession: if loving corporal rest you refuse to undergo labour and affliction for God's sake, you are no monk.  
If you cannot endure solitude and silence but are delighted with idle speeches, and inordinate laughter, you are no monk.  
If you love to be with seculars, if you desire to wander out of the monastery through the villages and cities, you are no monk.  
If you presume to take any small matter, to send, receive or keep any things without the knowledge or permission of your superior, you are no monk.  
If you esteem not the ordinations of holy religion though never so little and willingly do transgress them, you are no monk: To conclude, if you seek any other thing in the monastery, but God and which might & main aspire to perfection you are no monk.  
As I have said therefore, that you may truly be what you are called, and may not wear the habit of a monk in vain, do the work of a monk. Arm yourself against yourself and as much as in you lieth overcome and subdue yourself if presently you find not the peace you desire if, I say as yet you cannot be at rest, but are troubled and assailed by brutish motions and turbulent passions: yea if so be, by God's permission for your own profit throughout your whole life you shall have to do with such enemies, despair not, be not effeminately dejected but humbling yourself before God, stand and be steadfast in your place, and skirmish stoutly: for even the vessel of election, S. Paul endured temptations all his life time, in the which he was buffeted by the Angel of Satan. When he often beseeched our lord to be freed from this trouble he obtained it not, for that it was not expedient for him: But our lord answered his prayer, my grace is sufficient for thee, for power is perfected in infirmity. And so afterwards S. Paul did gratefully endure the scourge of temptation. Being comforted by the example of this most strong and invincible champion, faint not in temptation but endure manfully, remaining fixed and  in this holy purpose. For without doubt, this labour of yours is grateful to God, although the same seem hard and insufferable to you: go through this spiritual martyrdom with an invincible mind. Doubt not although you be a thousand times wounded, and as often trod under foot: if you stand to it, if you give not ground to your enemy and like a coward cast not away your weapons, you shall receive a crown do according to your ability and commend the rest to Gods disposing saying: As thy will is in heaven, so be it done: let the divine will and ordination be your chief consolation: which way soever you turn your self, where soever you are, you shall find tribulations and temptations as long as this life lasteth: which that you may patiently, endure, you ought always ways to be prepared. But you are happy, if by grace you have proceeded so fare, that all grief and affliction whatsoever become truly pleasing to you for God's sake: what think you brother, is my glass bige enough; or is not this yet sufficient for you but you yet desire to hear in more express terms, more abundantly and fully how to compose yourself, within and without, or how according to reason you ought to order every day before God.   

 foreground: three musicians; background: Jesus praying  
CHAPTER TWO, How we ought too bestown our time from our first rising to matin's in the moring.  
AS soon as you are wake and ready to rise to matins, devoutly arm yourself with the sign of the cross, and briefly pray to God, that he will vouchsafe to blot out the stains of sin in you, and be pleased to help you: Then casting all vain imaginations out of your mind think upon some other thing that is spiritual and conceive as much purity of heart as you can, rejoicing in yourself, that you are called up to the praise and worship up of your creator. But if frailty of body if heaviness of sleep if conturbation of spirit depress you, be not out of heart, but be comforted and force yourself, overcominge all impediments with reason and willingness for the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence and the violent bear it away certainly according to the labour with you undergo for the love of God, such, shallbe your recompense and reward, being come of from your bed commend and offer yourself both body and soul to the most high make haste to the choir as to a place of refuge, and the garden of spiritual delights until divine office begin, study to keep your mind in peace and simplicity, free from troubles and the multiplicity of uncertain thoughts collecting a godly and sweet affection towards your God by sincere meditation or prayer. In the performance of the divine office have a care to pronounce and hear the holy words reverently, perfectly, thankfully and attentively that you may taste, that your lord is sweet, and may feel that the word of God hath incomprehensible sweetness and power for whatsoever the holy Ghost hath dictated is indeed the life procureing food, and the delightful solace of a chaste sober, and humble soul remember therefore, to be there faithfully attentive but avoid too vehement cogitations and motions of mind, especially, if your head be weak, least being hurt or wearied, confounded and streightened internally, you shut the sanctuary of God against yourself: reject likewise too troublesome care, which commonly bringeth with it pusillanimity and restlessness, and persever with a gentle, quiet, and watchful spirit in the praises, of God without singularity. But if you cannot keep your heart from evagations, be not dejected in mind: but patiently endeavour, patiently do what lieth in your power, committing the rest to the divine will. Persever in your godly affection towards God and even your very defects, which you are no way able to exclude, will in a manner, beget you consolation. For as the earth which is of a convenient nature, doth by the casting of dung, ostentimes more fruitfully send forth her seeds: so a mind of good will out of the defects which by constraint it sustaineth shall in due time receive the most sweet fruit of divine visitation, if it endure them with patience. And what profit do you reap by being impatient: do you not heap calamity upon calamity; do you not show your want of true humility and bewray in yourself a pernitions' propriety: As long as you do reverently assist, and are ready with a prompt desire of will to attend, you have satified God: neither will he impute the inordinateness of this instability to you, if so be by your negligence you give not consent unto it, and before the time of prayer you set a guard over your senses, if you cannot offer a perfect dutifulness, offer at least a goodwill: offer a right intent in the spirit of humility: and so the devil shall not find any occasion to cavil against you: Although you have nothing else to offer but a readiness, in body and spirit to serve our lord in holy fear be sure of it, that you shall not lose your reward. But woe to your soul, if you be negligent and remiss, and care not to give attendance: for it is written. Cursed is the man, that doth the work of God negligently. Be diligent, that you may perform what you are able, if you be not able to perform what you desire; upon this security be not troubled, when impediments happen and you be not able to perform as much as you would, when I say distraction of your senses, dejection of mind, dryness of heart grief of head, or any other misery and temptation afflicted you, beware you say not: I am left, our lord hath cast me away, my duty pleaseth him not: these are words befitting the children of distrust endure therefore with a patiented and joyful mind all things for his sake, that hath called and chosen you firmly believing that he is near to those that are of a contrite heart. For if you humbly without murmuring carry this burden laid on you, not by mortal tongue, to be uttered, what a deal of glory you heap up for yourself in the life to come. You may truly say unto God: As a beast am I become with thee: Believe me Brother, if being  with intern all sweetness and lifted up aboue yourself, you fly up to the third heaven and there converse with angels, you shall not do so great a deed as if for God's sake you shall affectually endure grief and banishment of heart and be conformeable to our saviour: when, in extreme, sorrow, auginsh fear, and adversity crying unto his father: let thy will be done: who also being thrust through his hands and feet hanging on the cross, had not whereon to lean his head: who also most lovingly endured for thee all the griefs and disgraces of his most bitter passion. Therefore in holy longanimity, contain yourself, and expect in silence until it shall please the most high to dispose otherwise: And certainly in that day it shall not be demanded of you have much intetnall sweetness you have here felt: But how faith full you have been in the love and service of God.   

 top: Jesus arrested at night; bottom: a fashionable gathering  
CHAPTER III. God hath too sorts of servants and the description of both.  
Among those that are called the servants of God, many serve him unfaythfully, few faithfully indeed unfaithful servants as long as they have sensible devotion, and present grace of tears, do serve God with alacrity, they pray willingly, joyfully go about good works, and seem to live in deep peace of heart: But assoon as God hath thought it good to with draw that devotion, you shall see them troubled, chafe, become malicious and impatient and at last neither willing to be att their prayers, nor amy other divine exercises. And because they feel not internal consolations as they desire, they perniciously betake themselves to those that are external, and contrary to the spirit: where by it is manifest, that they are not purely Gods gift, and abuse them to their own pleasure: for if they did love God purely and did not vitiosty rest in his gifts, they would remain peaceable in God, those gifts being taken away: and would not even then turneout of the way to unlawful consolations. Therefore they are unfaithful, because in adversity they keep not touch with God. They believe for a while and shrink bacl in the time of trial: They would have all things go on their side, and endure nothing that goeth against them: if God grant those things that they would have, they serve him, if he deny them, they leave him: nay in prosperity they serve not God, but themselves. And in all things would rather have their own will done, than Gods they place fanctity, in internal sweetness and consolation rather than in the perfect mortification of vices: being ignorant that by the withdrawing of devotion it more certainly appeareth. If one truly love God then by the infusion of it. For that sensible devotion is commonly more truly a natural then spiritual devotion. But whatsoever it be, unless a man make use of it wisely, it is wont oftentimes to bring him that is so affected, to a hidden kind of pride, a wicked complacence, and a vain security as we daily see in these unfaithful servants: for assoon as they are tickled with this inward sweetness, they will for sooth begin to judge and despise others: they think themselves great saints, and the secretaries of God. They expect and wonderfully long after divine revelations: and wish that some miracles were done by them, or of them: by which others might take notice of the holiness, which they think, they have, but have not. Thus do they use to vanish away in their own imaginations, who gape more after sensible grace, than the giver of grace: But faithful servants behave themselves fare otherwise for they seek not themselves, but God: neither their own consolation, but chiefly the will and honour of God: they always fly propriety, whether God be pleased to infuse, or not to infuse the influence of internal sweetness, they are all one and persisting in equality of mind, cease not to love and praise God it is not internal darkness, nor difficulty of senses, nor coldness of affections nor dryness of heart, nor dejection of mind, nor drowsiness of spirit, nor adversity of temptation: to conclude it is neither misery of adversity, nor success of prosperity, that is able to heave them out of their place: for although peradventure they feel in the inferior powers of the soul the oppression of inordinate sorrow proceeding from adversity, or the violence of sensual delight arising out of prosperity, they are not for all that dejected: because they continue quiet in the reason or higthet part of the soul, and do conform their will to the divine will or permission: and grieve that they feel the least contradiction of unseemly motions. Being founded therefore as a firm rock they persist steadfast in the love of God, as they whose chief comfort is in the will of God: They are always devour: because with all their power they avoid and abhor whatsoever is displeasing to God, and may never so little contaminate the purity of their heart, and committing themselves in all chances to God, do still possess a pure free, and quiet mind. This is the truest devotion and most acceptable to God. The other sensible devotion, which is more familiar to novices, or those that are lately converted is not durable and sure yet not with standing it is very profitable to us, if we wisely make use of it: The faithful servants (for so I still call them, whom christ calleth not servants, but frineds) faithful servants I say, do seek after that effectual, and most pleasant sweetness of grace also: they seek after the joy of our lords salvation: they seek after his most lovely countenance, and most sweet embraces: but they do this with a spiritual and bashful, not with a sensual greediness, or childish lightness, or a troubled impatience. They desire the gift of God, not that they may be sensually delighted in them: but that being made more fervent by them, and more pure from all inordinateness, they may please their heavenly bride groom. They love the gift of God, and willingly thank him for them: but yet they keep themselves as it were quiet and free from them, as long as they rest not in them. By grace they go forword to the giver of grace, and supreme good, in whom only it is lawful for them to rest: they are truly happy because by how much the less they stick to those gifts they receive so many the more. And although they benever so much endowed with blessings from God, they lift not up their mind, they despise not others but themselves, I say, they despise and acknouwledge themselves unworthy of all spiritual grace, they always keep in mind that whatsoever they have it is of God's mere mercy: and that of them more is exacted, to whom more is given or committed. And so continving in holy fear, and by these gists proceeding in humility, they confess themselves to be below the lowest. They rejoice and glory with in themselves, if being oppressed with unjust infamy, reproaches, injuries and uttermost scorn, they have imitated christ: not if they could be elevated above themselves by excess of mind, or could see strange visions or do most apparent miracles: They presently making the sign of cross repel the deceitful suggestions, by which the devil indevoureth to allure them to vain glory, and self complacence, no way consenting to the subtleties of the wicked serpent: they do not confidently place the hope of their salvation either in the number, or in the merit of good works which they do: But put their trust in the freedom of the sons of God, which they have obtained by the blood of christ lo then, Brother, knowing the difference of the faithful and unfaithful servants, endeavour to be of those, which may be you are not of, and strive to leave them, of whom peradventure you are one. If you are of those you would not be of, and are not of those of whom you would be, grieve and humble yourself for God giveth grace to the humble. And certainly if you humble yourself in the sight of our lord, grieving that you are yet of the number of the unfaithful, you have already in a manner passed into the lot of the faithful; labour, persever, fear not. You shall not be reproved with the unfaithful, but shallbe received with the faithful. There are others also that are bound to the divine service, and yet cannot be cal●ed either unfaithful or faithful servants of God: these a man may lawfully call the idle slaves of the devil. I mean those unhappy wretches that esteeming either not art all, or very little of devotion, or the grace of God, and altogether neglecting the interior parts, make a show, as though, they honoured God with their lips, but their heart is fare from him, these being plunged over head and ears in a sea of evil, do little think of their own salvation. These are all one to day as they were yesterday they come from the choir as they went thither viz unclean, tepid apt to no goodness, wand'ring, dissolute, without fear; without reverence By the divine praises, which with a polluted month they utter, they more exasperated, then please God. I would to God these, had kept them in the world: for what do they in monasteries why tread they on holy ground, why devour they the alms of the just: why pollute they the Angelical schools of spiritual exercises with carnal delights. If they intended to live uncleanly, they should have remained in a place for their purpose, and not have entered into places of purity: living negligently in monasteries they double the punnishments of hell, which their ill living in the world had deserved. But it is out of our way to speak more of these things: wherefore I return whence I strayed.   

 top: Jesus whipped; bottom: people of fashion bathe and groom  
CHAPTER IU. That for every hour of the day we ought to cleave to some settled exercise lest our mind grow sluggish.  
So that you may be seted in your private exercises prescribe yourself some thing what to do every hour, and to be busied in: But so, that if at any time either upon obedience, or any other reasonable cause or chance happening you abbreviate any exercise, or wholly overslip it, you be not inordinately vexed for you ought chiefly to endeavour to attain to this, that in liberty and purity of heart (rejecting all propriety) you may always persever peaceable, and without trouble before God. For this is acceptable to our lord above all other exercises be they never so laborious and hard, whatsoever therefore shall hinder this liberty in you although it be spiritual and seem very profitable occasion so requiring, leave it as much as obedience doth permit. Endeavour I say, to repel, all restlessness of heart, which choketh true peace, and perfect trust in God with all spiritual proceed let not vicious idleness at any time take place, for it distroieth souls. Avoid alsoe idle businesses I mean those that are unprofitable, Neither marvel at this kind of speech: let not vicious idleness at anytime take place, for there is alsoe a commendable idleness, which is, when the soul fixed on God, and exempted from the noise and imagination of all sensible things, doth rest as it were idle in internal silence, and in the most blessed embracements of her beloved to which if the hand of our lord bring you, you shall profitably and happily be idle otherwise, always either read, or meditate or pray or take in hand something else, that shall be serious and necessary and truly if you will settle yourself with all diligence to the study of scripture you will be wonder fully comforted and every spiritual thing will begin to grow sweet unto you: and so it will come to pass that being accustomed to holy delights, you will easily contemn those that are carnal: and your mind will be wonderfully strenghned in your good purpose. To the end therefore that you may merit so great a fruit willingly and wisely give yourself to reading; that is to say in reading seek spiritual consolation and profit and the love of God, not curiosity, not superfluous understanding and knowledge, not neatness and elegance of words: for the kingdom of God is not in elegance of speech, but in holiness of lise: which elegance of speech nevertheless as it is not overcarefully to be sought after, if it be wanting: so is it not scornfully to be rejected by him that hath it, for it is alsoe the gift of God. Receive all things with thanks giving and all things shall help forward for your salvation. How beit be not troubled if many of those good things which you hear or read slip out of your memory. For as a vessel which often receaveth water remaineth clean although the water poured in be presently poured out again: so likewise if spiritual doctrine often run through a well willing mind, although it abide not there, nevertheless it maketh and keepeth the mind clean and pleasing to God. Your chief profit consisteth not in committing the word of doctrine to memory, but rather that the effects of the doctrine and words remain in you, that is by this doctrine to get an internal purity, and a ready mind to fulfil the commandments of God. Learn to apply those things to yourself that are spoken against vice for it is not safe to wrest them against others with a fixed judgement of mind: lest while you obstinately judge another, you defile or trouble your own conscience. And so in all things which seem any ways obseene avoid as much as in you lieth even the very lest allurement of any stippery motion if by way of temptation they do impugn, molest and trouble you importunately, contradict them with reason, deny to give consent, and making the sign of the cross, direct your whole intention to God: For so without hurt you may escape this danger. Furthermore do not imitate those that observe no order in reading, but do read what cometh first to hand, and where they first open the book: they like nothing which is not new and strange for they loathe all things that are usvall and stolen, though never so profitable. far be such instability from you: for it doth not recollect but distract the spirit: and he is dangerously sick that is tainted with this disease: wisely bind your mind to a certainty of reading and accustom yourself to go thorougth with it, although sometimes it administer no matter of pleasure. Read, I say not confusedly or disorderly but methodically. Repeat those things, again and again, that are good. Nevertheless in time of tribulation and spiritual poverty you may intermitt what your have begun, and according to your necessity turn and apply yourself to other godly exercises, which may be more consolatory. For it is the opinion of the fathers, that it is good to go to prayer, or meditation from reading, and again to have recourse to reading from prayer: that prayer with a commendable vicissitude succeeding reading, and reading succeeding prayer, loathsomeness may be taken away: and the mind being as it were fresh and lusty may always be the more able for the proposed work, and that the greater fruit may be reaped of both. And what hindrance is there why a man should not make short prayers even in reading, and aspire to God by holy desires. There are many things that may serve either for reading, or prayer or meditation: such are all the scriptures in which there is conference with God: Always prefer common prayers before private: and indge them to be more profitable for you: although sometimes they may seem more barren and unsavoury In like manner esteem of all common and regular actions for above all things obedience ought to be in the first place you: if peradventure you demand in what prayers and meditations you should in private chiefly exercise your self: if you will credit me, after you have accused yourself, and craved pardon for you sins, you shall chiefly beseech God to mortify your evil passions and vicious affections, and quite and clean to strip you of all inordinateness: and that he will be pleased to grant you grace joyfully and patiently to endure all tribulation and temptation. Ask of him profound humility and most fervent charity. Beseech him to vouchsafe always to direct, teach, illuminate, and protect you in all things. These things in my judgement are most necessary for you. And indeed they are great and high, neither can they otherwise be obtained, then by prayer persever therefore continually knocking: and without doubt our lord will at length open unto you: and will give you as much bread as your necessity shall require. But so you neglect not willingly to give thanks for what you have received. For nothing displeasesh God more, than forgetfulness and ingratitude for received benefits. And that you may the more willingly and sooner incline God's benignity unto you, pray, attentively for the state of the whole church commending unto God all the faithful both alive and dead and every reasonable creature. Will you further hearein what with pro, fit you may exercise your self. I will tell you: singing of psalms is profitable, the godly meditating in other parts of scripture is profitable, the consideration of creatures compared to their creator is profitable.   

 Jesus crowned with thorns; a crowd observes  
CHAPTER V How powerful and efficacious the remembrance of Christ's life and passion is.  
ALl prayers, singing of hymns thanksgiving and holy meditations are profitable: But by consent of all, the remembrance of christs humanity, and especially, of his most sacred passion is most profitable and only necessary, and whorthily. For it is the present extermination of passions and inordinate affections, a fit refuge in temptation, and surest safeguard in dangers a sweet refreshing in distress, a friendly rest from labour, a gentle repressing of distractions, the true door of sanctity, the only entry to contemplation the sweet consolation of the soul, the indeficient flame of divine love, the sauce of all adversities, the fountain of all virtues, from whence they flow to us, to conclude the absolute example of all perfection, the haven, hope, trust, merit, and salvation of all christians, I knew a monk, whose custom was to propose to himself every day some part of our lords passion, as for example: one day he would set before his eyes Christ's being in the garden. And whithersoever he went that day, whersoever he chanced to be, if not troubled with any other serious and necessary cogitation, whatsoever he did outwardly, he took a special care to direct his internal eye to our lord suffering divers distresses in the garden, and thus would he talk with his soul: and my soul, behold thy God. Behold daughter, attend, see and consider, most dear: behold thy God, behold thy Creator, behold thy father, behold thy redeemer and saviour: behold thy refuge, behold thy defender and protector, behold thy hope, trust, strength, and health. Behold thy sanctification, purity, and perfection: behold thy help, merit and reward: behold thy tranquillity, consolation, and sweetness: behold thy joy, thy delights and thy life: behold thy light, and thy crown and thy glory: behold thy love, and thy desire: behold thy treasure and all thy good: behold thy beginning and thy end: whether art thou scattered thou wand'ring daughter. How long wilt thou leave the light and love darkness. How long wilt thou for sake peace, and involve, thyself in troubles: Return, return thou Sunamite return, daugthter, return and recollect thyself most dear: leave many things and embrace one: for one thing is necessary for thee. Abide with thy lord: place thyself by thy God: go not from thy master: sit in his shadow whom thou lovest, that his fruit may be sweet to thy throat. It is good for thee to be here daughter. For hither the enemy cannot make his approach, hear are no snares, no dangers, no darkness. All things are hear safe, all things calm. Reside here willingly most dear. For here thou shalt be safe and free: thou shalt be merry, and joyful. Hear are roses, lilies and violets: here flowers of all virtues do smell most pleasantly. Hear thou shalt see a brightness sweetly inligtning all things with his rays. Hear thou shalt find true consolation: here thou shalt find peace and rest: to conclude here thou shalt find all good. With such short sentences he would both sharply and sweetly spur forward his soul, and call her home, when she was wand'ring abroad, and force her to apply herself to the chiefest good. Of these little sentences he would take sometimes more, sometimes fewer, sometimes only one, sometimes two, sometimes three according to the fervour of his devotion and the pleasure of the holy Ghost: and he would often times iterate and repeat them. He would also force his soul to the remembrance of those things which our saviour did and suffered for her in the garden: in the mean time one while exciting her to the consideration of our saviours unsearchable humility, mildness, patience, most fervent and incomprehensible charity another while to take compassion on our lord of infinite majesty so humbled and afflicted, and then again to thank him for so great benefits and piety, an other while to repay love, with love and anon to ask pardon for her sins, and then to beg this or that grace: he would often convert his speech to these or the like affectionate and fervent aspirations: and my soul when wilt thou be ready to follow the humility of thy lord when wilt thou imitate his mildness when shall the example of his patience shine in thee: when wilt thou be better: when wilt thou be free from passions and vicious affections: when shall evil be quite destroyed in thee: when shall all inordinateness be blotted out in thee: when wilt thou peaceably and gently endure all tribulation and temptation: when wilt thou perfectly love thy God: when wilt thou intimately embrace him: when wilt thou be wholly swallowed up in his love: when wilt thou be pure simple and resiened before him: how long will it be ere thou be hindered no more from his most chaste embrace: and that thou wert immaculate and that thou didst fervently love thy God. And that thou didst inseparably cleave unto thy chiefest good: And then directing the eye of his heart to heaven, or to the depth of eternal light he would frame these aspirations: and my soul, where is thy God: where is thy love where is thy treasure: where is thy desire: where is thy total good when shalt thou see him: when shalt thou most happily enjoy him when shalt thou freely praise him with all the citticens of heaven: these and the like aspirations would he secretly speak either mentally or with his lips taking sometimes more sometimes fewer according to the internal motion of the holy Ghost: he would also often accuse his soul, that it was too slow, stuggish tepid, ingrateful, hard, insensible, unstable, miserable and unhappy. Again he would comfort it being dejected with pusillanimity or fear, and would encourage it with these or the like words: despair not, my soul: take comfort daughter, and be confident most dear. If thou hast sinned, and art wounded, behold thy God: behold thy physician is ready to cure thee. He is most courteous and most merciful and therefore willing: he is omnipotent and therefore can pardon thy sins in a moment. Peradventure thou art afraid, because he is thy judge: but take heart: for he that is thy judge, is also thine advocate. He is thy advocate to defend and excuse thee doing peanance, he is therefore also thy judge to save, not to condemn thee being humbled. His mercy is infinitely greater than thy iniquity either is or can be: which words I say not, that persevering in evil thou should be make thyself unworthy of his mercy: but that being averted from evil thou shouldest not despair of indulgence and forgiveness thy God is most gentle, most sweet, he is wholly amiable, wholly , and wonderfully loveth all things which he hath created: when thou thinkest of him, or conceivest him in thy memory far be all imagination of terror, austerity and bitterness from thee. When we say he is terrible, it is not in respect of himself, but of those, that abuse his patience and defer to do peanance. Whose most bitter and poysonons sins as contrairy to his most sweet and pure goodness he repelleth and punisheth; let not thime imperfections discourage thee too much: for thy God doth not despise thee because thou art imperfect and infirm, but loveth thee exceedingly because you desirest and labourest to be more perfect: he will also help thee if thou persist in thy good intention: and will make thee perfecter, yea peradventure, (which thou little hopest for) wholly fair, and every way pleasing to him. Thus and innumerable other ways would he friendly talk with his soul, and invite her by chaste speeches to the chaste love of her beloved: he would also turn his speech to our lord and aspiring to him by holy love would say: and good JESUS, pious Pastor, sweet master, king of eternal glory, when shall I be immaculate, and truly humble before thee: when shall I truly despise all sensible things for thee: and when shall I perfectly forsake myself: when shall I bestript of all propriety. For vulesse there were propriety in me there would not be self-will in me: passions and inordinate affections would have no place in me. I should not seek myself in any thing propriety only maketh thee impediment and medium between thee and me: propriety only doth hinder thee from me: when therefore shall I cast of all propriety: when shall I freely resign myself to thy divine pleasure: when shall I serve thee with a clean, quiet, simple, and calm mind: when shall I perfectly love thee in the arms of my soul: when shall I love thee with most fervent desire: when shall all my tepidity and imperfection be swallowed up by the immensity of thy love: and my desire, my treasure, o my total good, o my beginning and end: O my God, o sweetness of my soul, o my consolation, my life, my love. O that my soul might enjoy thy most sweet embrace: O that were indisolubly bound with thy love: would it were perfectly united to thee. For what is to me in heaven. And besides thee what would I upon earth. God of my heart and God my portion for ever. When shall the world be silent to me, when shall the impediments, troubles, and vicissitudes of this life cease to me: when shall my pilgrimage be ended: when shall my sejourning be consummate when shall the miserable captivity of this banishment be dissolved: when shall the shadow of mortality decrease and the day, of eternity draw near: when shall I lay down the burden of this body and see thee: when shall I praise thee with thy saints without impediment happily, and eternally: O my God, my love, my total good. He was often wont to use such aspirations knowing that by the exercise of them humane spirit is more effectually united to the divine spirit and that there by man attaineth the sooner to the perfect mortification of himself. He had then ready every where: But if at any time he had more sufficient leisure, he would then (sitting as Mary Magdalen did) rejoice to linger more freely and that more to the honour of God, then to the inordinate pleasing of himself: he would not in the mean time omit with a certain internal effusion of heart, by a sincere and sweet affection to adore, bless, give thanks, and pray: Moreover tourning his speech to the blessed virgin the mother of God, as to a most merciful lady, and most liberal stewardess of heavenly treasures, he would ingeminat his pions complaints before her and with an holy importunity extort a benediction. Another day he would sert before himself how our saviour betrayed by Judas was taken and concerning this point he would iterate his foresaid exercises: and so would go through with the passion in order, and having ended would begin again. And about that part of the passion, which did represent Christ hanging on the cross he did not employ himself in order and in his proper day, but every day at least briefly, if so be he thought it convenient, exciting his soul to the earnest contemplation of these things. On every solemnity of our saviour or the blessed virgin he would (if he thought it good) propose to the eyes of his mind the representation of that feast in steed of part of our lords passion which otherwise was that day to be frequented: And would perform his internal exercises or friendly discourses with his soul and about the work, cause, mystery and joy of that festivity. He was also much delighted with singing the psalms. And I know, that by the continued custom of this holy exercise he reaped  foreground: man riding chariot; background: Jesus falls under the cross great consolation and singular profit of his labours.  
I will set down an example imitate of it, if you please. For by this means you shall be accustomed to apprehend the presence of God: by this means you shall begin to have your senses sober, watchful, exercised, and calm: by this means you shall prepare yourself away to the highest contemplation and perfection: thus wheresoever you are you shall spend your time profitably: vain and instable cogitations being cast forth out of the corners of your heart and such as are serious being entertained in their place: you may frame yourself meditations and aspirations in other terms, than we have, if you perceive the looking in your book to hinder your mind, where by you are the less able to reach to God, and to be united to him, lay a side your book: again if you perceive it doth further your exercise, make use of it: for I would that your devotion should be free to you, and that you should follow the grace of the holy Ghost without confusion or anxiety, moreover, by aspirations (as you may perceive by the above written copies) we understand certain short jaculatory prayers, or burning  foreground: a rich banquet; background: crucified Jesus is offered wine from a sponge desires, and lively and amorous affections to God. He that hath not as yet undertaken the beginning of internal conversation and his own mortification or hath at least but newly begun, ought not peradventure so precisely to follow this rule.  
But it shall be expedient for him to exercise himself for a while according to this manner which I shall opscribe: let him therefore every day propose to himself some part of our saviours passion and let him study to have recourse in mind to the same whether he stand, go, sit, or rest: unless he have some other profitable or necessary thing in his heart to treat of. And let him often discourse with his soul in the presence of Christ suffering, either thus, or after the like manner: O my soul behold thy God, behold ingrateful, attend thou wretch, consider thou poor soul: behold thy God, behold thy Creator and Redeemer: behold how the king of eternal glory humbled himself for thee: behold how the highest majesty debased himself for thee: see what sorrows, bitterness and indignities thy saviour suffereth for thee: Consider with what charity he loved thee, who undertook so great calamity and affliction for thee. Arise my soul, arise out of the dust, slip thy head out of the collar thou captive daughter of Zion. Arise forsake the puddle of thy vices and leave the vucleanesse of thy negligent life. How long wilt thou take pleasures in perils. How long wilt thou esteem anxiety and torments to be rest: how long wilt thou securely sleep in destruction. How long wilt thou willingly, leave the right way and wander abroad fart and near by unknowen places. Return unto our lord thy God: for he expecteth thee: make haste, be not slack: for he is ready to receive thee: he will meet thee with open arms: only defer not thou to return: Come to JESUS, and he will heat and purifis thee: Join thyself to JESUS, and he will illuminate thee. Adhere to JESUS, and he will bless and save thee: sometimes let him more expressly upbraid his soul of ingratitude and perverseness, saying: alas my soul, how ingrateful hast thou been to thy God: he hath bestowed innumerable and most admirable benefits on thee, and thou still repay evil for good: he hath created thee according to his own image and likeness: he hath endowed thee with immortality: he hath deputed heaven, and earth and all things contained in them to thy commodity: he hath enriched thee with many gists and graces: he hath brought thee to the light of the Catholic faith: he hath with drawn thee from the dangerous waves of the world, and conveyed thee to the haven and tranquillity of a monastical life, where thou (as in a most sweet paradise of spiritual pleasures) mightest have infinite occasion of holy joy and good works: he hath patiently borne with thee, greviously sinning, and hath preserved thee from the jaws of hell. The king hath been incarnate for thee: thy Creator for thy sake hath become thy Brother: Neither did he think it sufficient to be borne for thee: wherefore he would also suffer for thy sake, he endured sorrow and distresses, for thy sake, he was betrayed and taken for thy sake, he was spit on and buffeted: for thy sake: he was scourged, and wounded with a crown of thorns: for thy sake he was smitten with a reed, and loaden with the burden of the cross: for thy sake he was nailed to the cross and drunk vinegar: for thy sake he wept and shed his most  a banquet holy blood: for thy sake he died and was buried. He hath adopted thee to be heir of the kingdom of heaven: he hath promised those things unto thee, which neither eye hath seen, nor heart of man can comprehend: But thou hast left and contemned him who hath been so many ways beneficial to thee thou hast cast away the holy fear of him that loved thee: thou hast shaken of his sweet ioke, that hath elected thee: thou art become as one of the daughters of belial: as an impudent harlot, thou hast iniquities, worshipped without modesty: Thou hast compacted with death: Thou hast given thy hand to the devil: thou hast been most prompt to all wickedness: thou hast heaped evil upon evil, and hast rejoiced to add worse to the worst. By thy wickedness thou hast again crucified JESUS-CHRIST, who had chosen thee for his spouse: thou hast renewed his wounds by thy crimes. Who will give thee groans and sighs: who will give thee a spring of tears, that thou mayest night and day bewail thine ingratitude: O unhappy wretch, what wilt thou do ò that thou hadst kept thyself in the state of innocence: and that thou hadst remained immaculate: O that thou hadst not miserably defiled thyself with dishonesty: O that thou hadst not gone, astray from thy God: thou hast lost thine innocency thou art defiled, thou art become dishonest, thou hast gone astray from thy God: Alas poor wretch and what wilt thou do: to whom wilt thou fly: from whom wilt thou expect help: from whom, but from him, whom thou hast offended: he is most pitiful, most courteous most merciful. Humble thyself, pour out thyself like water in his sight, and he will take pity on thee: sometimes let him turn his lamentations to our lord with these or the like words: Alas my lord JESUS, what have I done: how have I left thee: how have I despised thee: how am I become forgetful of thy name: how have I cast aside thy name: how have I cast aside thy fear: how have I trod thy law under my feet: how have I trasgressed thy precepts. O me, my God, o me, my Creator: O me, my Saviour: O me, my life and my total good, woe be to me wretched creature, woe be to me, woe be to me, because I have sinned, woe be to me because I have made myself like to a bruit beast, woe be to me because I am become more silly than a sheep. O good JESUS, o loving shepherd, o sweet master help me. Set me on my feet, stretch forth thy hand to me being in danger. Cleanse me from my filth, cure my wound confirm my weakness, save me from destruction. I confess myself unworthy to tread on the earth, I am unworthy to behold the light, I am unworthy of thy aid and grace. For great is mine ingratitude, great, yea too great is the enormity of sins: never the less thy! mercy is infinitely greater: Therefore, o God, thou lover of mankind, and my only hope, have mercy on me according to thy great mercy: and according to the multitude of thy commiserations take away mine iniquity. Some times as if he were risen out of adreame, falling on his knees in the sight of our lord, let him affectionately say: lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. Or this: O God be propitious to me a sinner: or that have mercy on me JESUS, son of David: or that other: o lord help me, So likewise let him pour forth his heart before the Virgin Mary the mother of our lord, and all the Saints of God, humbly suing for their intercession.   

CHAPTER VI We must daily call to munde the manifold sins which we have committed.  
ANd very day, or certainly very often, when occasion shall serve let him recollect himself, and with a profound humility firmly porposing amendment, let him call to mind, and particularly confess before our lord the sins of his fore passed life but especially those by which he hath most greviously offended the divine goodness. But it will be indiscretion to dwell long upon those that belong to the frailty of the flesh, lest the remembrance of them and the longer treating of the old sin breed a new sin by unlawful delight: In which confession, contrition and sensible devotion, let him accustom to lament, more that he hath behaved him selves contumelionsly and ingratefully to words his Creator and father, then that he hath brought himself in danger of eternal punishment.  
In the forms of lamentation and godly complaints which we have prescribed, he need not care for running over many sentences: But let him take which he will, and as many as he will, observing no order if he make choice of only one, or two, or three, which soever thy be, he may repeat again and again, he shall do well. We would that he should do freely according to his devotion always avoiding confusion and perplexity: I know one, that being externally; busied, in his conversion to our lords passion among chaste discourses took delight to call to mind these few words, or the like: O good JESUS, o pious Pastor, o sweet Master: good JESUS, have mercy on me: pious Pastor direct me: sweet Master teach me: my lord help me: Another there was that did take delight torune over sometimes more, sometimes fewer of the afore said lamentations and to express them in diversity of words recording to his affection. Let our yoing beginner, as I have said, be free in these things, and let him stir himself to compunction and diligence in his spiritual purpose by meditating, if he please upon death purgatory, judgement, hell and heaven.   foreground: musicians play for a lady; background: angels  foreground: a man with riches and food; background: Thomas puts hands in Jesus's side (?)  foreground: man in a luxurious bed; background: priest burns sacrifice on altar (?) 
Now after he hath in some measure reform the image of God with in himself by healthful bitterness of mourning and contrition, he may with greater confidence and profit imitate the above proposed example of exercise.  
Therefore let him take courage, and fervently prepare himself for a more intimate familiarity with the heavenly briedegroome. But as long as he is weak or cold he shall kindle in himself the fire of divine love by serious meditating on the incarnation or passion of the only begotten son of God, sweetly conferring with his soul concerning these things. By which meditation being once inflamed, let him compose himself by prayer and aspirations, desiring, by them to unite his spirit to the chiefest good. If he often persist by this means to draw his heart to the love of God, he shall soon bring himself to that pass, that presently at the first convention of his mind or aspiration without any premeditation he may be able to separate himself from creatures and their imagination, and plunge himself in the sweetness of divine love. Then he shall not so much need to remember each, particular sin of his life passed in his penance before God, and with sorrow to direct the insight of his heart unto him, for so might his freedom and affection towards good be hindered: but rather let him amorously direct his heart to God himself detesting whatsoever may separate or with draw him from him neither do we mean that he should negligently forget his sins: but so to remember them, that the remembrance hinder not a greater profit, therefore let him confess them daily to God rather summarily then particulerle. Truly we have a more present remedy against lesser sins, when we turn to God by a sweet and effectual affection of love, then when we tediously bisi ourselves in the consideration of them, and severe punishment of them. Let him therefore cast them away into the bottomless depth of God's divine mercy and goodness, that like a sparkle of fire in the midst of the sea they may there perish. Let him endeavour to reject quite and clean all inordinate pusillanimity, and superfluons scruples of conscience, and perplexed diffidence whensoever they arise. For unless they be presently lopped of they do divers ways choked up the alacrity of the mind, and very much hinder our internal going forward.   

CHAPTER VII. Every one ought to consider his own ability and to proceed accordingly.  
MOreover let him attempt nothing beyond his strength, but be content with his lot. If he cannot reach as fare as he desireth, let him reach as fare as he can: And unless he flatter himself, he may easily know what proceed he is able to make. Nevertheless the divine bounty is liberal, infusing itself wheresoever it findeth a mind worthily prepared.  
Wherefore if our spiritual practitioner be not yet admitted to the sublimity of contemplation and perfect charity let him think himself as yet not prepared for the receipt of so great a good. And what good would it do him to receive that grace, which he knew not how to make good use of. Let him make haste to pull up all vice by the root, that he may be the fit. But still with this proviso, that he strive not beyond his strength. Let him not impatiently try to forerun God's grace, but humbly to follow it. Let him not, I say, violently force his spirit thither, whither he cannot reach: lest presuming which he ought not, he tumble himself down headlong by his own violence, and being crushed be punished for his rashness. Let him so tend to perfection that unbrideled violence and turbulent solicitude bear no part in his endeavours. Let him attend the measure of grace given him, and with all remember, that he shall fare more easily, safely, quickly, and happily, attain to the highest degree of contemplation, it is to the comprehending of mystical divinity, if he be touched and rapt by the mere grace of God, then if he endeavour to attain unto it by his own labours: Let him always therefore observe a mean with discretion, lest by excess he rum into defects. The bread of tears is good and many when they should refresh themselves surfeit by it. For they insist so long in tears, and with so great confusion and agitation, that both spirit and body are fain to lie down under the too much intent or extended exercise. We confess that many by discretion and the help of the holy Ghost can long and profitably mourn. And there are many again that being internally inebriated with the torrent of pleasure which they take in God. Do unseasonably urge and spur forward themselves to greater violence, and desist not from this indiscreet forcing themselves, until being hurt and confounded they fall and faint in themselves, and are thenceforth made unapt to receive the sweetness of grace. Wherefore the internal heat and violence is always so to be moderated that the spirit be not extinguished, but comforted by it. They whose heads are of a good temper, may more fervently and strougly insist in fervent aspirations: but they that have weak heads (especially if the weakness grow by indiscretion are not able to exercise themselves otherwise then very gently and moderately. And such can scarrely sometimes admit a simple compunction of mind, or meditation, or reading without hurt yea although they leave their head on some place. So great is the calamity that proceedeth of the vice of indiscretions. But let them not despair, that are brought to that pass: But let them diligently (as much as in them lieth) avoid the discommodity of this hurt or confusion, and humbly pray to God for the restoring of that which they have spoiled themselves. If God be pleased to hear them, let them be thankful: if not, let them bless our lord: and for his love learn according to his pleasure patiently to endure this misery, which they have done on themselves. Let our internal practitioner beware also of all lightness of inconstancy and instability. Let him take in hand those exercises that are good: and let him go on with what he hath once begun, although they like him not: but so that the pleasure of the holy Ghost be followed in all, the decree of his own will and appointment being rejected. For the holy Ghost doth divers ways as it were invite us and use to as bring us by divers paths to that wine cellar and bedchamber of divine love: whose instinct we must still obsearve and most readily follow, laying aside all propriety wherefore this our spiritual scholar shall often present himself to the holy Ghost as a prepared instrument: and which way soever the holy Ghost shall bend and apply, let him presently follow: if att any time he shall be drawn or elevated up to the soaring contemplation and embracements of the chiefest good, let him freely offer up himself: and if the passion of Christ, or any holy meditation and imagination occur, let him not stay at it, but with all expedition fly thither, whether he is called by the spirit  
When he doubt fully staggereth in his purpose not knowing how he ought to proceed in his begun enterprise, let him use the counsel of men that are prudent, expert, and humble: for so he shall be a greater proficient, then if relying upon himself he proceed according to his own inventions.  
But in the mean time let him not forget carefully to have recourse to the remedy of prayer humbly beseeching in all things to be directed and illuminated by our lord: lest at any time being deceived he follow error instead of truth. And let him always remembet, that he can never perfectly be at leisure for God, unless his heart be free and clean from all things besides God: you have now heard, Brother, after a manner how he should begin and how he should go forward in external exercises, that desireth to attain to any excellent degree of a pure life. It shall be your part not only to hear and read these things but also to put them in practice. Which if you do, and have help from above, and that you begin to be clear with in, and that psalmodis and other offices of divine praise wax sweet unto you, search not to high, but be afraid. For although your heart being enlarged you do awhile run the way of God's commandments, you have not of yourself enlarged your heart, but God hath done it. And he that enlarged it can permit it, his grace being with drawn, to be again coupled up and inprisoned. The sun of justice hath shined on you, and certain scales being taken of, hath illuminated your mind: but who can hinder him from hiding himself, of he be so pleased. We you therefore ready: for he will hid himself and his amiable brightness being once departed, your senses shall again be darkened and hindered. Moreover certain immistions by evil angels will toss the shiop of your breast: yea peradventure the temptation will be so strong, that you will think all to oppose itself against you. You will seem to yourself to be wholly given over to satan: and will not have list to open your mouth in God's praise. Neither shall this calamity endure a little while. Neither shall you only once or thrice or six, or ten times be laid hold on by it, but very often, sometimes more vehemently then at others. But be not dejected att this: Neither think any thing sinnisterly of your fault. For he hath permitted you to be tempted that it may be manifest if you truly love him and that you may learn to pity, others that are oppressed by temptations. He scourgeth and bruiseth you, that he may purge you from vice, and prepare you for more grace. He seemeth to leave you as it were for a time, that you wax not prond, but may always acknowledge that you can do nothing without him: yet nevertheless he doth not forsake you. He exerciseth you in these, and the like adversities out of the unspeakable charity where with he loveth you. For the heavenly spouse useth this kind of dispensation with a fervent soul converted unto him. He visiteth her solemnly in the beginning of her new purpose, doth comfort, and illustrat her and after he hath recreated and alured her with his sweet smell he draweth her after him and lovingly meeteth her almost every where, with his mille feeding his new friud.  
Afterwards he beginneth to administer to her the solid food of affliction, and plainly showeth her how much she ought to endure for his name. Now she beginneth to be in a sea of troubles: men molest her without, passions trouble her with in: punishments afflict her externally, internally she becometh dejected by pusillanimity: externally she is grieved with infirmities, internally darkness overcasteth and clowdeth her: the external parts are oppressed, the internal dried up: one while the bridegroom hideth himself from the soul, another while he discovereth himself unto her: Now he leaveth her as it were in the darkness and horror of death, and presently recalleth her to the sweetness of light: insomuch that it may be truly said of him, that he leadeth down to hell, and bringeth bacl again. By such means he tryeth purifieth, humbleth, teacheth, weanes draws & adorns the soul: if he find her faithful in all things, and to be of a good will and holy patience, and that by long exercise and his grace she doth mildly and affectionately endure all tribulations and temptations, then doth he more perfectly join her to himself, and familiarly make her partaker of his secrets, and bind her fare otherwise to him, than he did at the beginning of her conversion: Be not therefore troubled, when vehement temptation scourgeth you but as if you received a tooken of his love remain faithful and invincible in your agonies, saying with blessed Job: Although he shall kill me, I will trust in him during this storm it will be somewhat hard for you to be present at the divine office, by reason of the too much instability and cloudiness of your mind. Not withstanding be patiented and gently do what lieth in your power. The night will pass away darkness will be dispersed and light will take place again. But as long as it is yet night take heed you be not found idle and negligent: if you have no list to pray, sing, or meditate, then read. If your mind loath reading write, or manfully, exercise yourself for the time, in some other external work, in the mean time diligently rejecting the troubles of vain cogitations. If drowsiness do unseasonamolest you, so that it greviously depress you, you shall peradventure (time and place permitting) do better if somewhat pertinently to the honour of God, leaning your head somewhere, you slumber a little, then if inexorably you resist it: for if by labour you think to drive it away, as long as you labour you shall be free: But that once passed, and you betaking yourself to your spiritual exercises, it will easily return if you sleep let it not be deep, nor long: so that it last no longer, than one may read one, or two, or three Psalms: for so your spirit being as it were renewed, will arise with more expedition and alacrity. They that know not how to behave themselves soberly in eating, drinking, and the custody of their senses, if thy fly to this remedy, it is to be feared lest they rather aggravate, then alleviate this disease: and falling into a deep and long sleep miserably lose their time by sluggishness: watch carefully against those temptations by with the devil endeavoureth to incline the mind to those things that are indecent and vicious: Be sure to reject them in the very beginning, before they take possession of you with in for unless you repel the adversary at the first onset, if he get entrance, he will presently clap bolts on your soul: and you being destitute of liberty and force will hardly be able to resist. But if you have behaved yourself negligently and he fetter you, do not yield so, but deny your consent, and strive against him even by creeping on the ground, and pray to our lord in the strength of your spirit, that freeing your bonds he will restore you to liberty, or at least preserve you from giving consent. But know that many times you shall more easily overcome the adversary suggesting any filthy impious, and absurd thing, if you contemn and set light by his barking, and so pass them over, then if you strive long with him, and with great labour endeavour to stop his wicked mouth; But if he over much importune you, and being repelled once or twice do still come on a fresh, you must meet with him on plain terms, that being overthrown in plain ground he may fly away with disgrace. Now he setteth on us many ways: for sometimes he seeketh to ensnare us secretly and under pretence of piety: sometimes he setteth upon us openly and with open fury: sometimes he creepeth by little: sometimes he breaketh forth suddenly and unlooked for sometimes he layeth siege to us by spiritual and internal means, sometimes by corporal and external adversayes or prosperities: wherefore we must always have recourse to the aid of our lords passion, and cry to God with tears. But as I have already said, soar not too high by reason of the grace, which peradventure you have. For what have you, that you have not received why do you glory, as if you had not received, take heed therefore that by no means you open the window of your heart to the blast of vain glory or the air of self complacence: see you brag not see you boast not abroad of what you have received: But keep your secret to yourself, let it abide with you: unless you happen to reveal it humbly and modestly to some intimate and secret friend for spiritual utility or consolation or that you be compelled by obedience, or other manifest necessity, or great profit. See that you believe not, that you have received the gift of God by your own merits and labours: but rather judge yourself unworthy (as indeed you are) of all grace and consolation, and worthy of all confusion and dereliction. Compare yourself with those that are more holy, that by consideration of their perfection you may the better acknowledge your own imperfection: humble and deject yourself: place yourself unfeignedly below all men: but you will say how can I do this considering that many with out fear or shame live most debauchedly which I neither do, nor will do: what shall I cast myself below them: shall I place them above me: I say you shall.   

CHAPTER VIII. A very good means to obtain, humility.  
FOr if you consider that these who to day are so bad, may to morrow be more perfect than yourself: and that if they had received the gifts, that are granted you from above, they would lead a fare more holy life than yourself: and that you would sinne more greviously than they, if you were not prevented by a more abundant grace: I say if you consider these things, you will easily observe how fit it were, that you should prefer every sinner before yourself: O if you did know the secret of God, how willingly would you give place to others, how gladly would you take the lowest place, how joyfully would you lay yourself at the feet of others, with what alacrity would you attend the sick, how devoutly would you honour all, how affectionately obedient would you be without any delay or complaint: But yet I require a more excellent thing of you, viz that you place yourself not only below all men in your heart for God's sake, but also below each creature, reputing yourself as most abject dust, esteeming your self unworthy to tread on the earth, or to enjoy the benefit of light: look more exactly into yourself, how ingrateful, tepid, unstable, miserable, and vile you are: and by that means you will attain to that most humble submission of mind: if the old enemy knock importunately at the door of your heart putting into your conceit that you should think yourself some body, that you should vainly glory and compare yourself with others: repel the subtle villainy, lock the doors against him: and although you feel some pestilent immissions, beware always of giving your consent: for if you consent, if you let in the impostor and incline your mind to his unlawful allurements, you have broken your faith and vow, which you have made to the bridegroom of your soul: you have polluted the bed of your beloved, which before flourished: neither can you be admitted to his most blessed familiarity, unless you cast out the adulterer, and humble yourself exceedingly. And peradventure you shall not be received to favour, unless you be first punished and afflicted for a while, and that the filthy kisses which the impure spirit hath imprinted on your soul, be razed out by the scourge of God. But enough hath been spoken of this.   

CHAPTER IX.   several tombs, surrounded by kings, soldiers, and skeletons 
〈◊〉 ●it lafoy Sagesse du 〈◊〉 sou l● 〈◊〉 de Solom●●  
Ci ●it la beaute du 〈◊〉 sou le non 〈…〉  
Ci ●it lafoy Riches se du monde sou le non de Croesus  
Ci oit la Valleur du monde sou l● non dalexandre  
Further more beware that while you refresh your body your mind be not in the mean time hungerstarved. Therefore let the mouth of your heart feed on the word of God, and let your ears receive the wholesome doctrine and deeds of the saints: And if you happen to sit at that table, where there is no holy reading, do not thus deprive yourself of her spiritual food; but as much as silence will permit, converse inwardly either with your soul or with God and propose to yourself some godly thing to keep your self doing. As in your diet, so be alsoe sober in apparel. Reject, scorn, and detest what soever is contrary to monastical simplicity. Neither do you imitate those vain and wretched monks, that are ashamed of their estate and vocation, but not of their lewd life and conversation: who if they are to go abroad and to come into the sight of seculars will bewray their foolishness and curiosity: They must forsooth have such and such clothes, and wear their cassoke after this or that fashion. They are ashamed to wear their apparel according as religion doth ordain, and according to the constitutions of their superiors and ancestors: And so coming abroad not like humble monks, but like delicate and neat courtiers by this prodigious sight they provoke wise men to sorrow and indignation, but find matter of mirth for the devil, evidently showing by this absurdity what they are with in viz proud, wanton, and full of vain glory: Alas wretched monks fare wide from the scope of true religion: O monks not monks: but monsters: o monks detestable, by being thus deluded by the devil's clothing. Is this it, that you promised to God, when by the most sacred vow of poverty, you solemnly renounced the world with all the pomp and vanities there of: is this it, that the king of kings hath taught you by his word: is this it, that he hath showed by his example, when being wrapped in base clouwts, he had no other cradle than a manger. When likewise he was apparelled in a white garment and a purple robe in scorn: is this to follow JESUS: is this to tread in JESUS footesteeps. O intolerable confusion. O extremity of madness. Look to yourself, brother, that you become not like these: but rather be content with plain apparel whether you be with in the monastery or without, For thus much your profession exacceth of you. Every where, but especially during the divine office keep your eyes from wand'ring: neither lightly look about you either this way or that, unless necessity require: lest you chance to see something, that may hinder you from attention and purity of heart. But although there be no fear of danger, yet monastical discipline requireth that whether you rest or go, you use modestly to look down upon the ground. Never look curiously on the face of any.  
Let not your gate be too swift or hasty especially in the church, unless it happen that of necessity it must be so. Neither out of the church let it be overslowe or remiss but modest and civil: In all things compose yourself to a laudable carriage of your whole body.  
Let your looks before others be pleasing with a decent gravity, behaving yourself, courteously and affably towards all. And if against your will you happen to be over sorrowful, so dissemble it, that you seem not unpleasant and harsh, and so be troublesome to the rest: when you are forced to laugh, laugh sparingly and like a monk: Avoid long laughter as a great impediment to you in your purpose, and as the destruction of your soul: knowing that vehement and immoderate laughter doth violate the cloisters of modesty and dispersing the interior powers of the soul driveth the grace of the holy Ghost our of your heart.  
Above all things love solitude, silence, and taciturnity. Be more ready to hear, then to speak: Be not hasty, nor turbulent, nor clamorons, nor contentious in words: But speak modestly bashfully, courteously and without dissembling, what is true and right. Be not, I say too loud: nor yet so low that you cannot be understood, especially if the place, time, cause, or person to whom you speak require, that you speak somewhat more loud than ordinary: for as the voice of a monk should always be bashful, and for the most part low according to the holy ordinations of religion: so alsoe sometimes it ought to be reasonable loud affirm nothing obstinately: unless matter of faith or necessity of salvation constrain: but whosoever contradicteth you, either yield or hold your peace, if neither aught to be done affirm with modesty and humility what you know to be certain. For by this means you shall take away all occasion of irreligions' contention. Let not your words be biting. Willingly speak not any thing that may be either to your own credit, or another's discommendation. But if out of necessity or utility you speak any such thing, do it with a laudable modesty and a pure intention. Abhor dissolute tales as the poison of the souls. As for jests (if they happen in your presence) howbeit you suffer them, yet relate them not. Never consent to a tongue, that speaketh foolishly unseemly, and perniciously. Yea, if such things are spoken, do you if it seem good, mildly and with reason find fault with the speaker: if you think it not good, yet at least cut of his speech honestly and endeavour to draw him to better discourse: if possibly you may give no ear to back biters. The liberty of external recreation granted you, either by walking or otherwise, see you abuse not: that is, make such use of them, that they hinder not your spiritual going forward, but rather further it. You may indeed to the honour of God slake your mind, but let it not lose: lest whilst you wander abroad being expelled out of yourself, some delight or passion contrary to the spirit, lay hold on you, and disperse your interior senses, and replenish them with bitterness. Therefore carefully learn by a certain advised simplicity of mind to abide within yourself: that the noise of vain cogitations and the motion of inordinate affections being repressed, you may keep your heart in silence and liberty. Let God be your chief, yea your whole thought and study for it is not enough for you, that he be your whole intention.  
Likewise in all external occupations endeavour, that with Martha you do not only for the honour of God perform your work prudently, devoutly, and with alacrity, but that also in those works which you faithfully do to the honour of God, with Mary you direct your mind being freed from the tumult of cogitations and the confused imagination of sensible things, to God, or those things that are divine: especially if reasonable discourse or any other necessity hinder not.   

CHAPTER X. Martha may serve as a mirror for imperfect Religious men; Marry Magdalen for such as are grown to perfection.  
MArtha because she is distracted in her external actions and in her right intentions by the multiplicity of vain cogitations, and is troubled about many things, although peradventure she be not deformed, yet is she not comely enough. But Marry because she knoweth how to forsake the troops of unstable cogitations, and persisting in unity and tranquillity of mind doth strive to cleave to goodness itself, is of more perfect beauty. Wherefore howsoever you are externally occupied, love not only to be right and innocent with Martha, but also to be clear and simple with Mary. Mary hath chosen the better part which shall not be taken away from her. And you have chosen the same: which unless you keep according to your power, you produce not fruit worthy your profession. Have therefore always a charitable simplicity of mind if you be yet a little one in Christ, and are not able to follow Mary soaring so high in mind: imitate her humility: imitate her affectionate watering our lords feet with tears: imitate her sweetly feeding on our lords words: imitate her most amorously seeking our lord in the sepulchre. For even in these she had simplicity of mind: she loved one thing. She thought on, one thing, she sought one thing: But imitate her not for your own delight, but to please our lord. For if by spiritual delectation you do principally seek your self in these, your soul is, not the chaste spouse of Christ, but the most baise servant of sin, I might say, the devil's impure hackney: you shall at length merit to be admitted to the apprehension of higher mysteries by these that are more low, if I may so call them, which indeed are not low, but of a wondrous height.  
In all things, that differ not from the sincerity of a monastical life, conform yourself to the community, still avoiding vicious singularity: And because you live among Monks that live laudably according to the sweet austerity of a holy rule, be not singular in abstinence and watching: neither exceed the rest of the Monks therein: unless by the revelation of the holy Ghost you know it to be the will and pleasure of God. Neither attempt any thing without the counsel and consent of your superior: lest while you presume of your own head to afflict your body beyoud measure, you make yourself unable for good works, and wholly deprive yourself of the fruit of your labour: God requireth of you purity of mind, not the overthrow of your body. He would that you should subject it to the spirit, not that you should oppress it. Therefore as well in external exercises as internal, temper the fervour of your mind with a holy discretion.  
If your will being more slow to virtue and remiss do as it were sleep, rouse it up, spur it forward. But if having to much bridle, it run too fast, repress and cheek it. Always assist it with holy fear in the presence of God. And let these words always resound in the ears of your heart: look to thyself. Consider not over curiously the deeds of others, what are their manners and behaviour, unless it belong unto you as an officer. Let your curiosity and business be about yourself. Howebeyt think not in this that I would have you make no account of the excesses or fins of others, or neglect to amend them as much as in you lieth, or procure them to be amended. For we condemn curiosity not holy zeal of justice. We discommend not what in this case is not against mature stability, or contrary to the sincere love, of your neighbour. These vices that you see in others or hear of them, either think them not to be simply true, or interpret them in the better part: but if they be so manifest, that no interpretation can qualify them, endeavour to separate your sight both of body and mind from them, and reflecting on your own sins if you have leisure, humbly pray to God both for yourself and for them. For so shall you more easily avoid unquiet suspicions and rash judgements: But beware that with consent of reason you rejoice not at another's sin though of small moment, or of any adversity: but mourn for your brother before our lord, calling to mind that we are members one of another, all one body, and redeemed all with the same blood. Learn not to be angry, but to pity the defects of others, and patiently to bear with them, whether they be defects of body or mind.  
For it is written: bear one another's burdens: and so you shall fulfil the law of Christ. Let not the heavenly grace, with you observe in others excite you to satanical envy, but to a faithful imitation and godly congratulation. And although you have not the spiritual good, that you know another to be blessed with, yet rejoice in heart that God is honoured by it: as readily thank our lord for it, as if it were your own.  
And indeed it will be to your own good, and you shall be crowned for another's, as for your own. Nay more it shall become your own: so order your mind, that you desire not to please the world, nor fear to displease it. In man although very nearly allied, love, nothing but good, or the grace and workmanship of good. And again hate nothing but vice.   skeletons and angels draw death's chariot (?) 
Le trompe tout le monde  
Ainsi 〈◊〉 la gloire du 〈◊〉  
Nay esteem no man your enemy, but love even your persecutors, as the most dear furtherers of your salvation. What soever you see, hear, or perceive, in creatures to be delightful and worthy of singular admiration, either by their natural disposition, or the art and industry of man, refer it to the praise of the great Creator, or the use of eternal beatitude, that you may be delighted in our lord. Always be afraid of sensual delectation whencesoever it have its beginning. For if you seek yourself by that and cleave to it, you will be entangled and defiled: utterly detest the love of all sins, yea even of the very least. By which not withstanding, if peradventure being over reached you fall out of frailty, afflict not yourself unreasonable with inordinate pusillanity, but humbly confess your fault before our lord: and renewing your good purpose and piously taking heart cast all your defects into the unsearchable profundity of his mercies, or his most holy wouds. As long as you live in this clay building of your body you may mortify in yourself the affections of lesser sins, but wholly avoid to slip into them you cannot: godly Monks although thy slip sometimes, yea very often, yet they hate sinning and beware of it, and grieve after they have offended. But perverse Monks sin without hating, without bewailing of it. For they take no pains to extinguish the affections of lesser faults nor to avoid the occasions of them. They desire the liberty of a more lose life: they love to be absent from divine office and other conventual acts: they desire delicate and superfluous meat and drink: they espy out opportunities of trifling: they affect inordinate laughter. They delight in secular businesses, to see vanities, to have curious things for their own use: self complacence, foolish joy, idleness, vain talk, fables, fantastic behaviour, and such other vices are with them not at all, or scarcely accounted faults: in their conscience they make no bones of them. For being made insensible they think themselves whole, when they are deeply wounded: and therefore neither care for lamenting their sins, nor amending their life. But what say they, these say they, are no wounds, or of thy bee, they are very little ones, and as much as nothing: O wretched Monks. O mad Monks: O Monks, not Monks. For although they seem little, yet because they are not afraid to receive them, and after receipt of them defer to cure them, they become mortal: I speak nothing of their falling into pride, rebellion, disobedience, murmurations, fury, detractions, hatred, envy, contempt, gluttony, with other hideous sins, and all by this negligence: Do not, brother, do not imitate these: for they are not the desciples of the Crucified, and the beloved friends of God: Neither ever shall be, unless they leave of to be what they are: look you better to yourself: leave, remove, cast aside whatsoever may any way hinder you from the true love of God.   

CHAPTER XI. Perfect mortification is the certain and only short way to perfection.  
BY mortification as by a certain and compendious way hasten to perfection of life. Will you in few words know what this generality of mortification is. Will you know that only certain short cut. I will tell you I will show you: give ear therefore: put of all propriety: Behold this short way: put of all propriety. And what is the meaning of this: lay aside all your own will and seeking: put of all the owld man. But that you may the better understand what is spoken, I will propose the same a little more plainly.  
Have you bound yourself to the observance of poverty. Why then be poor. Poor how is that: Be poor in the desire of wealth, and passions of the mind, poor in spirit: if you love and desire any thing by propriety of affection and sensuality, if as yet you seek yourself in any thing you are yet voluntary, you are not yet truly poor: you cannot yet with S. Peter say to God: so we have left all: and have followed thee. Strip yourself, leave all, put of all propriety whatsoever is not God, let not abide in your heart by cleaving to it, or in ordinately loving it. Be free from all things that are besides God: in so much that I would have you neither foolishly to rejoice for any good news, nor to be inordinately dejected for any bad: and whether you have not received what you yet have not, or have lost, what you have, every way keep a stable and quiet state of mind for God's sake utterly deny all sensible things, yea even yourself. Which is as much as to say: mortify in yourself the force of concupiscence, delight, anger, and natural indignation: and aswell in adversity as prosperity resign yourself over to God's divine pleasure, without any contradiction of will. I have showed you, that this short way and general mortification of yourself is none other than the genetal casting away of all propriety, that is an humiliation of yourself in all kinds. For indeed perfect humility itself is that short way, by which you go straight forward to the fort of perfection. Now this fort, is perfect charity or purity: you will demand how you may know whether you have attained to that fort. I will give you manifest instructions. If always abiding in silence of heart as in a most quiet haven, you affectionately direct and incline towards God your mind, being free from all inordinate care, affection and earnest imagination of things that are below you, and in a word from all disquiet and tumult: so that your memory, your understanding, your will, that is, your whole spirit possessing the above named fort be happily united to God.  
This is the sum of all perfection. For although being clothed with this corruptible flesh we cannot always by present insight and memory stick to the Theory and speculation of God: yet here we ought always to be fixed by our intention: and hither as to a mark we ought carefully to recall our mind, as often as we waste ourselves by unseasonable light, and unsettled cogitations. As long as by reading, meditating, hearing, or speaking we profitably and sincerely treat of any contemplative and spiritual matter, we are not separated from God. Neither when (occasion requiring) we do with the like sobriety and sincerity speak or think of external matters in their due time, do we go fare from God. O what a brave philosopher, what a wise man, what an excellent divine shall I account you, o how happy and blessed, if you convey these things by your corporal ears into the ears of your heart, and being stirred up to the true mortification of yourself do lay the axe to the root of the tree, but what tree is this: it is propriety, of which we spoke a little before. But what is the axe then. It is the fervour of spiritual and internal exercise. But chiefly the daily handling of our Lord's passion, and often aspirations to God, with prompt obedience and a reasonable sobriety of diet are this axe. It is certainly a sharp axe, a blessed axe, a most grateful axe, an axe that bringeth with it all good, and all purity, a golden axe, and deked with precious stones. But the tree is a cursed tree, a tree full of most bitter fruit, a tree of all evil, a tree that produceth and nourisheth all inordinateness, a tree of obscurity and darkness. This tree is in you, as also in all others, and as long as it abideth in you, you cannot have perfect light. If therefore you desire clearly to behold the bright beams of the sun of justice, cut down this tree and cast it from you it is a very thick and hard tree, not to be cut down at the first blow, not the first day, nor perchance the first year, no nor peradventure in a long time together: wherefore perseverance and patience are requisite. Now as gold, if there be no let, naturally goeth downwards and the flame of fire is carried upwards. So the mind that is purged and purified from the dross of propriety and seeketh only the will of God, is naturally elevated to her beginning, which is God and is more freely united to him. But the mind that is partly purged of it, although she tend to her beginning, and be in some sorre illustrated from above by the brightness of eternal light: yet notwithstanding because all impediment is not taken away she cannot have free passage nor flow to, nor be swallowed up in the bottomless depth of eternal light: that is she cannot freely be united to God her principal and greatest good. Furthermore although God out of his bounty be pleased sometimes to lift up some to his love by a more easy way without many temptations, yet let no man, although enriched with spiritual gifts easily believe, that he hath attained to the perfect resignation of himself, unless in very deed he have endured many most grievous adversities, and have kept a perfect quietness and liberty of mind in the toleration of them. There are many that as long as they feel no checks, no injuries, no losses, no temptations, no troubles, do seem devout, patiented, and humble. But assoon as they are but once touched by them, they proudly show by murmuring, indignation, and impatience how little they are mortified. Wherefore before any one can be thought to have attained to the true abnegation of himself, he must necessarily endure many adversities with a voluntary and quiet mind: And as for him that hath been exactly tried, by God in afflictions, let him think that he hath not yet gone so fare, as that he is able to endure them. For if he had, without doubt he should not want occasions of divers tribulations. For God rejoiceth to adorn the soul more secretly and perfectly joined to him, with many fold afflictions, as it were with so many precious pearls, and so to bring it to the true similitude of JESUS-CHRIST. He therefore that rejecting propriety in all things conformeth his will to the divine will and ordination, being equally prepared to undergo any adversity, confusion, subtraction of internal sweetness for God's sake, as he would the affluence of any prosperity, honour, and devotion: he I say, that is come to that pass, that he can endure all temptation and tribulation with a certain internal sweetness and joy, this man hath found a precious pearl, this man hath attained to the highest degree of perfection: he is every where, and in all occasions united to God, and most sweerly poureth his soul to him. He doth purely quietly, simply, joyfully, and sweetly walk all the day long in the light of our Lord's countenance, and can adhere to highest contemplation when he pleaseth, with the same facility that he doth live and breath. What in this veil of misery he may receive from heaven and to what God will be pleased familiarly to admit him, it lieth not in our power to speak, for indeed they are things unspeakable. Let him that is such glorifis God, and confess, that JESUS-CHRIST hath raised up the needy from the earth, and lifted up the poor out of the dung, since that of an impure man here on earth he hath made an angel like to God.   

CHAPTER XII. A Monk or Nune by virtue of their profession is bound to tend, to perfection.  
YOu will peradventure say: O this perfection is too much above me: therefore will I not streich myself, nor endeavour to apprehend it, lest I should labour in vain. But my answer, is that if you do according to your words, you are no Monk: For although you are not bound to attain to perfection, yet are you bound as much as in you lieth, to endeavour to attain to it. Flatter your self how you will: persuade yourself as you will: feign and pretend what excuses you will, you are bound with might and main to tend to perfection. It is even so, and no otherwise. If hitherto you have been ignorant of it henceforth ignorance cannot excuse you, you have bound and obliged yourself, and so you shall remain.  
But you will say, I cannot attain to such perfection: what mean you by this distrust. Are you ignorant that the divine power can do mo-more, then humane infirmity can imagine. I confess that of yourself you are not able to abaine it, but God is able to bring you. Believe God, hope in God, not in yourself. Trust in the grace and help of God, not in your own endeavours. Nevertheless that God may be with you, be not you wanting, to yourself by sloth. Do what lieth in your power, put forth your hands, stretch out your arms, confirm your mind to the destruction of vice, to the perfect abnegation of yourself, recollect your heart, produce affection elevate your mind to the contemplation of those things, that are eternal and accustom yourself every where to attend the presence of God. Which that you may the better perform, propose to yourself according to the above demonstrated example every day some part of our Lord's passion, and carefully cast your internal eye sight upon the same: in the mean time sweetly conversing with JESUS, or with your soul, concerning him. Always I say, busi your cogitations (as much as commodiously you may) in some divine matter. Let this be your scope, let this be the determination of your mind: labour for this without rest with a quiet and pleasing care. And although every moment (as I may say) you be distracted, and stray from your intention, be not dejected, let not that breed pusillanimity, but be constant, and ever return to what you ear resolved. By your infatigable labour you shall overcome all trouble of difficulty. Nay in a little while you will find this labour more easi and pleasant: and being regenerate to the newness of an unknowen light, you will begin to taste of the delights laid up for the saints, you will not be the same that you were before: but being happily changed into another man, and clothed with angelical grace, you will highly esteem what before you despised, and despise what before you highly esteemed: That which before did evilly please you, will now displease you: what before evilly displeased you, will now please you: you will promptly and willingly endure what before seemed insufferable. O pleasant metamorphosis! O change proceeding from the right hand of the most high. At last this laudable custom growing into a second nature, and the divine love more perfectly possessing you within you will not feel any labour: and as before without labour you did think on filthy, impure, absurd, foolish, vain and dream like things: so now you will without labour adhere to God, and divine things. For of necessity the mind must daily reflect on that, which the heart dearly loveth. Woe, woe unto perverse, tepid and negligent Monks, Monks in name, but not in life: who contemning the reverence of their state, and violating their vows, are neither ashamed, nor fear to wallow in the dirt, and dung of sloth vanity, and passions. But blessed yea ten times treple blessed are those Monks and Religious men, who albeit they are of little estimation and imperfect, do notwithstanding with might and main aspire and tend to perfection: For they are certainly the adopted sons of God: whom our pious Saviour JESUS doth comfort saying: fear not little flock: for it hath pleased your father to give you a kingdom: they may securely expect death, although they are yet but in the beginning of their holy purpose: because it shall be precious in the sight of our Lord securely may they expect death, and yet not death but the sleep of peace, the period of death and the passage from death to life. What say you, Brother: are you yet in doubt: do you yet stagger. Take courage I pray you, and being emboldened through so great a confidence in our Lord's goodness going on the way of salvation without fear, preparing your soul against temptations. Let no manner of difficulty affright you. In all adversity, which you happen to endure either at home or abroad, say gratefully the will of our lord be done. Although you must sweat much and long, and wrestle strongly before you can overcome, and supplant the owld man. Let not that trouble you, consider not the labour: but the fruit of the labour. Believe me, the supernal piety will be present at your labours, and will still most lovingly secure you: will comfort you when you fear, will confirm you when you stagger, will defend you being assailed, will uphold you when you slip, will comfort you in your sorrow, and will now and then infuse the most precious ointment of internal sweetness into you. If you persever, the force of temptations must of necessity yield to the force of divine love: temptions and tribulations will no more be grievous and bitter to you, but light and sweet: then shall you see all good and shall find a Paradise even in this life: This I say will come to pass, if you persever, and be not of the number of them, that begin well, but being deluded by the allurements of satan, or wearied with the troubles of temptations and labours, do afterwards lightly leave their good purposes: They will not be pressed with the weight of tribulation And therefore in time of affliction are scandalised in our Lord, and going bacl from him do as it were seem to say: This saying is hard and who can bear it.  
They build not on the firm rock, but on the unstable sand: and therefore their buildings do easily fall down at every puff of wind, and bushes of the floods. And would to God they would consider their ruins: and not so give over: but make haste to renew the decayed building, no more laying their foundation upon the sands, but committing them to the firmity of the rock: Dear brother, if (which God forbidden) your building be fallen: renew your overthrown work: and build again more happily than you did before. If it fall twice, or ten, or an hundred, yea a thousand times, or more repair it as often as it falleth: never despair of God's mercy: For the innumerable multitude of horrible and hideous sins doth not make God so implacably angry with us, as desperation alone. For he that despaireth of forgiveness denyeth the mercy and omnipotency of God, and blasphemeth against the holy Ghost. We cannot be so ready to sin, as our lord is to pardon, if we abuse not his patience: that is, if we will truly, and in time do penance: Thus ought every Christian to think. But least prolixity make my treatise displeasing, I think it best for me to with draw my pen, and to stop the course of my begun navigation. In the mean time while we take down our sails, it will not be amiss briefly to touch what you ought to do at every day's end.  
Every day therefore before you go to bed, seriously, but without inordinate dissipation of mind, consider in what you have that day offended: and ask pardon of our most merciful God, purposing thenceforth to live better, and more carefully to avoid all vice. Then pray that he will vouchsafe to keep you that night from all pollution both of body and mind, commending to him, and to his sacred Mother, and your holy Angel your soul and body to be guarded and kept. Being gone to bed, arm yourself with the sign of our Lord's Cross: and having honestly and chastely composed your body, sigh to your beloved, thinking upon some good thing, until sleep gently seize on you. Which if it be over deep and rather a burden then a refreshing to your body: if likewise by frail illusions it procure or produce any thing savouring of dishonesty, be not over much grieved theareat: but humbly sigh before our Lord: and with humble prayers beseech him to grant you sobriety of diet and senses, to which sobriety of sleep and purity of body are commonly companions. This is all dear brother, that I have to send you. You desired a Mirror or looking glass: see whether you have received one: If I have any way satisfied your desire, God be praised: if not, how soever God be praised I have given, what our Lord hath given me But be they better or worse, I desire you sometimes to read them over. Far you well and pray for me.   
FINIS.   

A TABLE Of the thing contained in this treatife.  

CHapter I. pag. 1  
Chap. II. How we ought too bestown our time from our first rising to matin's in the moaning. 21  
Chap. III God hath two sorts of servants and the description of both. 33  
Chap. iv That for every hour of the day we ought to cleave to some settled exercise lest our mind grow sluggish 51  
Chap. V How powerful and efficacious the remembrance of Christ's life and passion is 67  
Chap. VI We must daily call to mind the manifold sins which we have committed. 107  
Chap. VII. Every one ought to consider his own ability and to proceed accordingly. 130  
Chap. VIII. A very good means to obtain humility. 154  
Chap. IX. 159  
Chap X. Martha may serve as mirror for imperfect Religious men; Marry Magdalen for such us are grown to perfection. 177  
Chap. XI. Perfect mortification is the certain and only short way to perfection. 194  
Chap. XII. A Monk or Nune by virtue of their profession is bound to tend, to perfection. 209   
FINIS.