[
{"content": "When one of the lucky ones shall die, it is most necessary to have a special friend, who will heartily help and pray for him, and in addition, counsel the sick and ensure that all others do the same. Remember the great benefits of God bestowed upon him up to that time, and particularly the Passion of our Lord. Read some story of saints or the seven psalms with the litany or our Lady's Psalter in part or whole, and always keep the image of the crucifix in his sight with other things. And holy water is often cast upon and about him for warding off evil spirits, who are ready to take advantage of his soul if they may. And then, and always, make him cry out for mercy and grace, and for the help of our blessed Lady and other saints in whom he had a particular trust and love, and thereupon make his prayers if he may. When death comes or any grievous pains, or other great sicknesses, then prayer or devotion softens, therefore it is wise for one to pray before any sickness comes, and when one may, in his sickness, if he will not be deceived. So he is happy and may be glad that such a time of great need has a faithful friend and that he will say, besides the prayers previously mentioned, and cause others also to say devoutly in remembrance of the charity of Ihu Christ and of his passion and for the rather his mercy and help: three Hail Marys and three Aves with a Creed.\n\nBrother or sister, remember well that God says through his prophet and evangelist: \"Blessed are those who die and depart in the Lord, that is, from the world and its pleasures and die in the true faith of the church and repentance for her sins.\"\n\nSir, you have a great cause to be glad to depart\nfrom this wretched world and free yourself from all misery. must depart and deeply desire to be with Jesus Christ, your maker and lord, for he shall give to you now your inheritance that he obtained for you with his precious passion and blood. Therefore, this time of your departing shall be better for you than the time of your birth, for now all sickness, sorrow, and trouble shall depart from you forever. Therefore, be not displeased with your sickness and take it not with grudging but take it rather with all gladness. See at all times that you remain steadfast in your faith and believe, and say your Creed if you may, or else earnestly desire another to do it for you openly. And arm yourself ever with the sign of the cross as a Christian man for your defense against your spiritual enemies, in whom doing, God will be greatly pleased and the more take you for one of his people by protection and grace and as his child of salvation. Have ever a good and true belief, and nothing is impossible to you. And ever beware that you fall not in. \"displease God greatly and cannot be remedied. Remember, sins committed before this time will not harm you if they no longer displease you and you are sorry for them. St. Jerome says, if one takes his sickness or death with grudging, it is a sign that he does not love God sufficiently. All is just that we suffer. Desire with St. Augustine, our Lord, to be afflicted with tribulations and burned with sickness and sorrow, so that you may be saved afterward for eternity. Now humble yourself and be sorry that you have been so unkind to please and keep his commandments, and do not presume any goodness in yourself. With all my heart I, good Lord Jesus Christ, know that I have sinned greatly, and by your grace I will gladly amend myself if I should live. Have mercy on me now for your bitter passion. Then ask him these questions before his death:\n\nBe glad that you shall die in Christian belief: Let him\" Answer you, do you know that you have not lived as well as you should? If that were the case, and you had the will to amend it, know that Iesus Christ, God's son from heaven, was born of the blessed Mary. Believe also that Iesus Christ died on the cross to buy man's soul on Good Friday. Do you thank God for this? Believe that you cannot be saved but by his passion and death. As long as your soul is in your body, thank God for his death and have a sure trust in it and his passion to be saved. And counsel him to say these following words of great virtue.\n\nPlace Christ's passion between me and my evil works, and between me and his wrath. Now, Lord God, be merciful to me, a sinner.\n\nThe praise of our Lord Ihu Christ and the virtue of his passion with the sign of the holy cross and the undefiled virginity of blessed Mary, his mother, and the blessing of all saints, and the protection of all holy angels with the help and prayers of all saints be between me and all my enemies now and. In the hour of my death and departing, Amen. Also these verses following are of great virtue in the time of death, and to be said by the sick if he may, or by another for him.\n\nDirupisti, Domine, vincula mea. To you, I will sacrifice the host of praise and invoke the name of God, the merciful, the Savior, Jesus Christ. I acknowledge that I have sinned grievously. And I willingly desire to be amended, have mercy on me, O bitter passion of yours, O Lord, Jesus. God, the merciful, redeemed us in your blood. Praise be to you, O bitter passion of yours, O Lord.\n\nGrant us a clear vision, so that life may not decay, but may the sacred and perpetual joy of death remain. Also to our Lady, full of grace, the Mother of Mercy. Protect us from the enemy, and in the hour of death receive us. And at last: Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit. In paradise, with the priests and saints, may I have peace.\n\nWelcome, blessed Jesus, my Lord and Savior, to whom is appropriate all mercy and pity. Remember, good Lord, how freely my soul is yours. nature and substance is, and have mercy and pity on me, a great sinner,\nafter your great mercies and for your bitter passion. I know and believe faithfully, as a Christian child of yours, that you, in the form of bread, are the same, my lord God, you of your goodness come down from heaven and were born of the blessed Virgin Mary and died for me and rose on the third day and ascended into heaven and reign there with the Father and the holy ghost and all saints for evermore. I, who know well that I am far from worthy to be called your child or servant, for the great multitude of my sins, howbeit, you may make me righteous and able, you who have made great saints of sinners by your great power and might. Grant me this now. Take it gently I beg of you, all fearfully and with yearning, for my sins, and with spiritual gladness. Come now, good Lord, into my heart and cleanse it of all sin; enter into my soul and make it whole; and therewith sanctify me within and without, and be my defense for body and soul, rebuking and putting aside all my enemies from the presence of your power. That I may then be so defended by you may have a free and sure passage to your kingdom, where I shall not see you in this form by mystery, but I shall see your face to face where I shall never hunger nor thirst, but ever be in joy with you and yours. There to glorify you and to worship you, to praise you, world without end, am I. By these following venial sins being taken away, if they are done devoutly.\n\nIn taking holy water, holy bread, also by saying the Our Father, and spiritually for this clause and petition: \"Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors.\" And also by knocking on the breast for one sin, and also for saying: \"Lord, have mercy on us.\" Of Deus, propicius esto in corde (and in your heart) / and by seeing the commune Confiteor at mass or at other time. Also by receiving one of the Church's sacraments / and especially of the body of our Lord. Also by hearing mass / and by the sight of the sacrament of the altar there or elsewhere. By the blessing of a bishop or of a priest at his mass. By any of the works of mercy. By pardons / by martyrdom / and penance / by forgiveness to a trespassor / by good example giving / or for converting others to good life. By patience thanking in trouble / and by contrition for sins with displeasure of them. And for every good deed doing with good intent and devotion, Amen.\n\nOur most merciful Father Lord God, knowing our frailty and readiness to all sin, is ever ready during this wretched and mortal life to forgive us, if truly we order these three virtues following: so that they be said. I. I am truly sorry, with all my heart. The first is that you shall say, \"Blessed lord, I know that I have sinned greatly against your goodness, thus and thus rehearsing my sins, and I am displeased therewith, by reason of which I do penance and will do so, for I know well that I have grieved the merciful lord and broken your commandments, in which you alone ought to be worshipped.\" The second, say this, \"Good lord, I have a good purpose and desire, with your help, to be rightly aware hereafter that I fall not into sin, and I intend to flee the occasions, as far as it is in my power.\" The third is this, \"Gracious lord, I have good will to make a whole confession of all my sins, when place and time convenient may be had, according to your commandments, and all holy church.\" Whoever says these three truths or verities, unfeignedly in whatever place it ever be, he may be sure that he is in the state of grace and salvation, and that he shall have everlasting life though all he has forfeited. Had done all the sins of the world. And if he died without any confession for lack of a priest, sleeping or sudden death, he should suffer hard pain in purgatory. Wherefore it is good counsel that every Christian man once or twice on the day, early or late, or at least on holy days examine his conscience, and remember if he can, with all his heart unfeignedly, these three truths: & if he can do so, he may be sure that he is in the state of grace, and if he cannot but is willing to sin again and have his delight with deed, and willing not to flee the occasions of mortal sins, & so drowned in sin will not arise, such one may be certain that the Pope cannot absolve him. Not for your good it is that such one uses much prayer and gives alms and does other good deeds after their power, that God the rather may lighten their hearts and the sooner turn to goodness.\n\nO Mighty and most pitiful Lord God Jesus Christ. Which of your great goodness has ordained all things that are in heaven and on earth for the use and benefit of man, to the intent and end that they shall serve him, and he alone. And how is it that in each place you ought to be served and worshipped, yet it pleases you much more such service and prayer in a place or church that is dedicated, consecrated, and hallowed by a bishop and his ministers with hymns, psalms, and other suffrages, and their mysterious observances ordered for that purpose. And I know not whether, in the old testament, it pleased you with your angels night and day to be assistant and to hear the prayers of your servants in the temple, where was but the flesh and blood of unreasonable beasts offered up daily; much more do we trust that you will appear and be assistant to us night and day with yours. angels in this new temple and church, where your own body and blood are daily offered up to your father in heaven, and therewith received according to your desire and will, we, your servants, though sinners, pray for salvation; and here you prayers, and those of others who intend to love, worship, and thank you. Now then, blessed lord, full of all mercy and pity, who we call upon and have promised to hear the prayers of your servants: grant us now and at all times, from your superabundant mercy and grace, that whoever comes to this church or to any other with devotion and prays in what case that may be, prosperity, temptation, trouble, or adversity, may have their petitions heard, and that the pardon granted to them may take effect in every part of their souls and bodies. And over this grace of your pity, peace and\n\n(Note: The text appears to be written in Early Modern English, and there are some errors in the OCR transcription. I have corrected the errors while preserving the original meaning and style as much as possible.)\n\nangels in this new temple and church, where your own body and blood are daily offered up to your father in heaven, and therewith received according to your desire and will, we, your servants, though sinners, pray for salvation; and here you prayers, and those of others who intend to love, worship, and thank you. Now then, blessed lord, full of all mercy and pity, who we call upon and have promised to hear the prayers of your servants: grant us now and at all times, from your superabundant mercy and grace, that whoever comes to this church or to any other with devotion and prays in what case that may be - prosperity, temptation, trouble, or adversity - may have their petitions heard, and that the pardon granted to them may take effect in every part of their souls and bodies. And over this grace of your pity, peace and every blessing. accord and agreement in the church and realm, and to our founders, fathers and mothers, friends, benefactors, and all Christian souls, forgiveness of their sins with release of their pains and perpetual joy. And finally, we desire of your bountiful goodness seasonable weather with fruit and to exclude from us poverty, hunger, sickness, and all enemies, spiritual and bodily, and with it, grant us your grace, good life, and eternal bliss. Amen\n\nCast your sight downward and show meekness both in your heart and body.\n\nBeware of haughty speech and clamor, and see that your words be few, well set, and reasonable.\n\nBe not quick to laugh, but ever use sadness.\n\nBe still and keep silence, for an answer must be had.\n\nKeep well the common rule as the holy place has used.\n\nThink the most vile of all others and so pronounce yourself.\n\nKnow yourself unworthy and not profitable to anything / and so believe in deed.\n\nMake frequent confession of your sins and it with great contrition. Keep patience in thy obedience / at all thy pains and trouble:\nTo all people be you steadfast for your master's sake\nOne will forsake it / and love it not in any way\nAnd keep you from sin for fear of him above\n\nThe first is to do that which is commanded of your sovereign without grumbling.\nThe second is to make no exception / neither of the time nor of the deed to be done.\nThe third is to be glad and cheerful in your heart to do such deeds without any compulsion, setting aside all seemly conditions.\nThe fourth is to be quick in doing such things, leaving all other occupations for that time or any manner of excuse.\nThe fifth is to do them with all your might and power / thinking that your reward shall be great.\nThe sixth is to do them also with all meekness both in spirit and gesture.\nThe seventh is to continue such obedience to the end of your life / ever following your master Jesus Christ, who was made obedient unto death for your sin.\n\nThe twelve degrees of patience you may behold here. To do evil to you or to adversely affect you, make no resistance.\nDo not do evil for evil or give an evil answer.\nLove your enemy and do good for evil to him in return.\nBear not grudges against adversity but take it as sweet encouragement.\nConsider it as the best medicine and be glad in your pain.\nTherefore, thank God and look for more with all benevolence.\nAnd when you have no grudging in these things, then you may be pleased.\nThese make perfect charity, after Paul's epistle.\nBe patient continuous for any adversity.\nBe liberal to the needy and do good for evil.\nRegard the welfare of others with no envy nor sadness.\nLet not your crookedness cause good works to multiply.\nDo not swell inwardly by malice if your neighbor prospers.\nLove to be in a low degree and hate to be high.\nTo labor for others as yourself do your duty.\nBe not moved for any cause to avenge or to anger.\nThink no evil to another for any provocation.\nRejoice not in wickedness but rather in sorrow.\nBe glad in truth and righteousness and hate hypocrisy. For such right be near or in one tribulation,\nTo that the church teaches you put fully belief.\nThat God has promised trust it without\ndeception.\nIn hope abiding his reward and everlasting glory.\nAmen. Explicit.", "creation_year": 1491, "creation_year_earliest": 1491, "creation_year_latest": 1491, "source_dataset": "EEBO", "source_dataset_detailed": "EEBO_Phase2"},
{"content": "Of the property and name, and love of everlasting wisdom, and how the disciple of it shall have him in feeling of that love, as well in bitterness as in sweetness. Chapter 1.\nOf the love of Ihu in his bitter passion that he suffered for man, and how man shall enforce his love towards him. Chapter 2.\nHow the disciple of Ihu everlasting wisdom shall gladly suffer tribulations and adversities for his love, by example of his suffrage & of his chosen lovers. Chapter 3.\nHow the aforementioned disciple shall keep himself in true goostly life that is grounded in the love of Ihesu, and how he shall flee and eschew that which is contrary thereto. Chapter 4.\nHow the aforementioned disciple shall learn to know death and desire to die for the love of Ihesu. Chapter 5.\nOf the sovereign love of our lord Ihesu\nshown in the\nHow the aforementioned disciple shall in all things love praise and worship everlasting wisdom, & how he shall wed himself to him and become his disciple. Chapter 7.\nMy most worshipful Lady, of high worthiness and dearly loved, good and virtuous daughter, I, your simple, true, unhaughty one, am worthy to have the name of father, considering your excellent wisdom both to God and to the world, and shining in experience through the sparks of divine communication, the heat of the fire of love to our Lord Ihu. That He, by His grace, has set in your heart to nourish and feed that gracious fire of love (and to comfort your spiritual wisdom, namely in this wicked world full of deceptive wisdom and feigned love), I am stirred to write to you in my simple way.\n\nAs you devoutly desire a little short treatise\nof everlasting wisdom and the true love of Jesus,\ndrawn out in English from that devout contemplative book written in Latin, which is called the \"Orologe of Wisdom,\" and was given that name because the matter thereof was shown to him who wrote it as in a vision. In a vision under the figure and likeness of a wonderful fair Orologe, set and arrayed with passing fair Roses and with sweet symbols that gave wonderful, heavenly soothing and exciting upward to heaven the hearts of all who heard it, the process of which book mainly consists of spiritual revelations and devout imaginations, in the manner of speaking between the eternal wisdom master and the devout disciple whose name is not unknown to us but, as we may truly believe, is written in the book of life. Nevertheless, as it shows, he was a brother preacher.\n\nBut since in the aforementioned book there are many matters and long processes concerning him, whom you wrote it about and other religious persons of his degree, which, as it seems to me, were of little edification to write to my dear lady and to other devout persons who desire this drawing out in English,\n\nTherefore, I leave such matters and take only that which I think is most edifying to. I follow not the process of that book in order, but I take the matters in different places as they accord with my purpose. I do not translate words one for another, for there are many words in charged terms which would seem unpleasant. And therefore, I take the sentence as I think most open to common understanding of the entire process of the aforementioned book, which is meant to stir devout souls to the true love of our Lord Jesus. The everlasting wisdom of the Father in heaven, as I simply understand it, may be comprehended as follows, into seven points that lead to the true love of our Lord Ihu:\n\n1. The first point of love is the sovereign love of the Father and the Son.\n2. The second point of love is the acknowledgment of their unity.\n3. The third point of love is the recognition of their equality.\n4. The fourth point of love is the knowledge of their distinction.\n5. The fifth point of love is the obedience to their commandments.\n6. The sixth point of love is the imitation of their example.\n7. The seventh point of love is the longing for their company.\n\nThese seven points of love will be declared further in the process of this treatise that stands in a devout imagination. How the aforementioned disciple came first to this. I know my variation in desire to translate this treatise, written in English, about the true divinity and the eternal wisdom of the source doctor Ihu. At the beginning of this work, I touch upon myself sincerely. I have had love and liking for the aforementioned book at times. I have been motivated by the spiritual comfort it provides, specifically for you and other devout persons. I was inspired to translate it into English for the reasons stated above.\n\nHowever, considering the multitude of books and treatises already translated into English, I was hesitant about this work. Nevertheless, since human nature in this life delights in change, both bodily and spiritual, and some people enjoy one thing and others another, feeling miserable should not deter us from other spiritual exercises. Rather, it should provide comfort when we have less time and energy. Take upon me this simple work in certain times, when my affection falls thereunto, after our Lord Ihu grants me grace in this place of grace, for which grace in all things as it is necessary to me in this wretched life, I beseech all you that read or hear this treatise to pray to Him who is well of all grace, our Lord Ihu Christ, that He, for His great mercy, grant them all that read it some new spiritual comfort and increase of grace thereby, and spiritual taste, to have of that heavenly wisdom which is Christ Ihu and true love in Him, which is treated in this book. Amen.\n\nSend it to the Lord in goodness and seek Him in simplicity of heart,\nFor He is found by them that tempt Him not, and appears to them that have faith.\n\nThese words that I have said here about everlasting wisdom are thus much to say in English. Feel our Lord in goodness and seek Him in simplicity of heart,\nFor He is found by them that tempt Him not, and appears to them that believe. In his time, there was a devout disciple of wisdom. After he had gone to various schools and been taught diverse sciences of the arts and worldly wisdom, when he came to a greater age and was touched by grace to the true love of our Lord Jesus, he thought vain the former studies. Therefore, he prayed continually and devoutly to God that He would not allow him to depart from this life until he came to the knowledge and the true and sovereign philosophy of truth.\n\nIn the meantime, as he went from study to study and from school to school, seeking diligently but not truly finding it, it happened at one time that, as he was in his devout meditations and prayers, a beautiful and wondrously great and large round house appeared to his sight, resembling the sphere of the firmament, all brightly shining with golden light and set with fair precious stones within it. In the midst of this place were two mansions, one above the other. In the lower mansion were masters and disciples of various doctors and masters of all natural sciences and crafts under the sun. Their faces had a veil-like appearance, and among the great toil and trouble they endured in their sciences and crafts, they were comforted with a kind of sweet drink which quenched but not fully their thirst, causing them to be more thirsty.\n\nThe aforementioned disciple remained in the schools and tasted of the drink. His stomach then turned, and he began to vomit. Therefore, he left the schools and forsook these sciences, ascending to the second mansion which was most wonderful and in various ways beautifully decorated and adorned. Upon arriving there and standing before the door, he found the following: This is the school of sincere divinity where the masters are everlasting wisdom. The doctrine is sincerity and truth, and the end is everlasting felicity. When he had read this superscription in all haste, he entered into that school, carrying with all his inward desire to be made a disciple of that school, where he hoped to come to the end that he had long desired. But in this school there were three orders, both of disciples and of doctors. Some of the first order sat by the door, who lacked true taste of heavenly divinity and had their beholding and sight turned to things that were without. They of the second order profited not frequently but seemed to stand still. But they that were of the third order sat near the master and they drank of the water of helpful wisdom that came out of his mouth, and they were made so drunken that they forgot themselves and all other worldly things, having their hearts and eyes ever upward. The master and fervently were rushed into his love and heavenly thinking. When the disciple had closely held these things, he was greatly amazed, especially by the great diversity and unlikeness in many masters and disciples. He heard, as he thought, a voice speaking to him these words: \"Thou hast seen three orders. The first is fleshly, and those who have much of it possess the letter science without the spirit. The more knowledge they have, the more they are puffed up and harmful both to themselves and others. They seek nothing in their knowledge but God's worship and love, nor the healing or edification of themselves and others, but are only about their own worldly promotion.\" The second manner of learning and teaching of holy writ is worldly, and that is in them who are in a school. Exercising in a simple manner and seeking things necessary for soul health, but they are negligent and slow to profit in the fervor of charity and love for God and heavenly things. The third manner is spiritual and ghostly, and that is in those who, with all their might and heartfelt affection, travel and behold things that lead to perfection. So that as their learning under this master profits in knowledge, so their souls and their affection are filled with the wisdom of God, which tastes and beholds the sweetness of our Lord. And they, being holy writers and leaders, and others into a blessed end.\n\nTherefore, the blessed disciple, leaving all other sciences suddenly desired to have his abiding and dwelling with them, and preferred him to be a true disciple of that eternal wisdom. And so, through negligence to the master, he spoke to him in this manner: \"O thou sovereign and eternal wisdom, since it is so, that all men by nature desire for this.\" \"You, as the universal prince and actor of nature, hide all manner of wisdom and knowledge within you. You are the maker of all things and possess all sciences. Therefore, I earnestly ask of you with all my heart that you open to me the treasure of your sovereign wisdom, concisely and in short words. For those now living and desiring to make books are never satisfied, the world is filled with diverse doctrines, and there are a thousand ways of living. One lives in this manner and another in three. There are also many books and treatises of vices and virtues and of diverse doctrines. This short life shall rather have an end for every man than he may study or read them. Therefore, desiring and asking of you, I request that you teach me in short form about that heavenly divinity which, without error, stands within your wisdom and in.\" The true love of the blessed Lord Jesus \u00b6 The master everlasting wisdom answered thus: \u00b6 My dear son will you not tonight savour in learning but fear me now and shall teach you the things that are profitable to you. I will give you a chosen gift for my doctrine shall be your life, therefore taking your beginning of helpful discipline at the fear of God, the beginning of wisdom. I will teach you by order, seven points of my love in which sovereign wisdom and the perfection of all good and righteous living in this world stand: \u00b6 Seven points of the love of Jesus Christ. \u00b6 The first point is the manner and property of me and my love, and how you shall have it towards me in feeling of that love, as well in bitterness as in sweetness: \u00b6 The second point stands in declaring my love in my bitter passion that I suffered for you in confirming my love to you: \u00b6 The third is in glad suffering of tribulations and adversities for the love of me, by the example of my suffering. of mine chosen lovers you suffered diseases and pains for me. The fourth is how you shall keep a true godly life grounded in the love of me and how you shall flee and eschew all that is contrary to it, which may displease me. The fifth shall teach you how to die for the love of me. The sixteenth point is in declaring my sovereign love shown in the holy sacrament of my flesh and blood for you, and how you shall worthy receive and worship it for the love of me. The seventh point teaches you in all things that you see to love me and worship me, and to wed yourself to me by true love of me and become my disciple. Then the disciple spoke and said: \"Heavenly doctor and sovereign master everlasting wisdom, this is what I have long time earnestly desired and with all my efforts sought: \"Lord, well were I if I could learn this lesson of love declared in the seven foregoing points of love. What more could I desire for Saint Augustine.\" If you are asking for the cleaned text, here it is:\n\nIf you will love perfectly and do as you will, but since no man can love perfectly something he does not know, therefore teach me, if it is your will, after the first point, what is the property of your name and the manner of your love, and so forth, by process, so that I may know how high wisdom and the lesson of love comprehend in the seven points beforehand. \u00b6 The eternal wisdom spoke first: \nFirst, if you will know the property and reason of my name, you shall understand that I am called the eternal wisdom living in the earth. This name is most convenient and least becoming to my nobility. For though it is true that every person of the Holy Trinity takes a son by his own son, and it also falls to him specifically by reason of his generation, therefore the begotten Son of the Father is taken and understood in that significative way of wisdom, customarily now as God, and now as man.\nNow he who is the spouse of his church, and she, that is the spouse and wife of every chosen soul that may say of her everlasting wisdom.\nShe says, \"I have loved and I have sought from my youth, and I have desired to have her as my spouse. I am made a lover of her form and shape, and also in this very book it says, 'Above all health and beauty I have loved wisdom, and I have purposed to have her as my light. And all goods have come to me with her.' Also of her worthiness it is written, 'Wisdom is fairer than the sun, and surpasses all the dispositions of the stars. She is prior to the light and is the image of divine majesty without blemish.' That is, wisdom is fairer than the son and in comparison to her light she is without blemish, passing above all the dispositions of the stars. She is.\" For the brightness of everlasting light and the mirror without blemish of God's majesty and the image of His goodness / Also, thus: Melior est sapientia cunctis opibus preciosissimis et omium desideratum non potest et comparari longitudo dierum in dextera eius et in sinistra illius divicie et gloria / Wisdom is better than all manner of most precious goods / and all that may be desired may not be in comparison like to Her. The length of the years is on Her right side / and on Her left side riches and joy / And thus much touches upon the property and the worthiness of My name says wisdom. But now, concerning My love, be held with a joyful mind how able I am to be loved. How lovely to be clipped and kissed by a clean soul. To whom is granted in all Her life that it be but one time to feel that / and it be so that death falls thereupon, it shall not be grievous to him. For so I am ever ready to them that love Me to love Me in return & with them I am present in church / and at the hour. Lord, you are in heaven and in the cloister and in the market. So that there is no place where charity, which is God, is not present. Among other spouses, the good wife has this singular property: she can be present over all places to the desire of her lovers, and all signs of weeping and desires and every manner of deeds and services. She knows it immediately. The singular privilege of my goodness and love is so great that whoever tastes of it, no matter how little, will hold all the lusts and delight of the world. But woe and filth, my love casts them out from those who are overwhelmed by the heavy burden of sins. It purifies and makes clean the conscience, strengthens the mind and soul, gives freedom to those who are profitable and knits them to me, who am eternal wisdom. And what more, whoever takes me as his spouse and loves me with all his heart, he lives with tranquility and rest, he dies with me. \"sikennes/ and in a manner he begins here the bliss and the joy that shall last eternally. Men speak many things and yet they fail in their words / for the high worthiness of playfully telling it may be felt but it may not be fully spoken or told. Therefore, all these words of the kind of godly love are but suddenly cast out as rapers in effect, plainerly fully spoken. Then the disciple spoke to himself thus: O Lord God, how many good things there are I have spoken of this sovereignly fair and worthy spouse. Why does my soul make dissimulation or feigning? Why try: \"Fili, give me thy heart.\"\n\nSoon you give me yours, and at once as the disciple heard this word for its greatness and fervor of love, his heart melting and as if carried out of himself, he thanked her humbly and said: A sovereign joy of my heart that I may have such a worthy spouse. This is truly the hour of hell and of godly joy to me / and the time of gracious visitation.\" this is the day that our lord has made specifically for me / In which / fear has turned to love / and the gracious experience of thy homeliness gives me more plain trust to speak further to the one I like / therefore I shall open my mouth / & the precious things that I have long time bore closed in the chamber of my heart. now I shall show to thee, who knowest best by experience in that craft of love, that he who loves specifically chooses to be loved singularly in return /\n\nWherefore the fervent affection of my heart for thee, who hast it singularly in thine hands, urges and desires that as thou singulary loves me, thou doest so in return / this is that sovereign desire / and that thou wouldst know me by name / and singulary have me beloved / and choose me for thyself among thy most special friends and lovers\n\nNot that I desire that thou shouldst love me alone above all others. but that thou wouldst show to me and give me thy singulary love among all others that are loved by thee. For that is a thing that puts me in anxiety and sorrow that there are so many hearts loving thee most burning with charitable love, which were before me and pass me in love and showing love in death to thee. Therefore I fear sore lest thou, who art a lover of beauties and feed among beauties, feeling the sweet smell of them, will forgive me, who am but as a brother or a nettle: and so I shall fall into harm for thy love of others. Forgive me, my love, I speak so. For as thou knowest well, it is the property of fervent love that it cannot put law or measure to words, nor has it regard for anything but only for thee, whom it desires, and to be always occupied with him that it loves. Then wisdom said:\n\nThy love, though it be fervent, seems somewhat blinded. In as much as thou feelest of godly and heavenly things, as in a manner of earthly things, & therefore thou err in thy judgment, for it is not as thou takest it. But thou shalt understand undistorted that: The wisdom of God is love. For the being of God that is in all things is not departed from it, therefore neither is His love. Though He loves all things that He has made, take this sadly in mind: I am always and eternally loving towards the one, as if all others were put back and gave attention only to the one. And the disciple said, \"This is a blessed word and most worthy in all ways to be accepted by me.\" Now is my soul magnified by a love all the days of my life. Therefore, let all the world be glad and joyful with me, for the goodness of my beloved shows such great benevolent love to me. And therefore, O sweetest and everlasting wisdom, I ask of the one who neither life nor death nor any manner of fortune may part me from the one, but that our love, stronger than death, may last eternally. But yet I must also... the sovereign love and everlasting wisdom of the manner of your loving, that sometimes when you will be so homely, so glad and so pleasing in sensible feeling of your blessed presence, and sometimes in contrary manner so strange and so far as though you had utterly forsaken me, and then I see you and sorrow greatly and no wonder, for withdrawing of that thing which is loved against your will is hard and painful to him who loves it, as I have often felt in experience that it has been to me a great labor and sorrow in loving, and therefore thus it is that I have against the thou, mother of everlasting wisdom, in supplication and complaint of your love, for truly right often times when the mind and thought of the lover think to have the rest fully in the private chamber of his heart and believe that he has clipped you to him with his loving arms without. departing for ever / Suddenly, alone I do not know why you flee a way and are not seen, but leave the soul full of sorrow after the and so while the heart of the lover burns brightly, the soul trusts after the, and the body seeks and mourns / carrying me, so inwardly I desire the principal joy that is the chief desire of my heart with all my inward affections. And yet you, as if taking no regard for it, show no sign of feeling or were against it. What is this Semitic it not strange to me that you will not condescend to your lover whom you have so inwardly desired with your love.\n\nThen answered wisdom and said:\nThe making and the kind of every craft may answer for me in as much as you may see my sovereign might, my sovereign wisdom, and my sovereign goodness. And if that suffices not for you, hold the appeased in holy writ.\n\nWhere you may find me sufficiently, for that is as an amorous letter sent to you to solace and comfort. For all who have written, they have written to your comfort. They have written to strengthen your hope and nourish your charity. What do you say? It seems that what is written is not sufficient reasons and proofs of love for the lover.\n\nThe disciple said,\n\nO thou mistress of all love, why do you speak so to me? Are you not you, a true lover? And indeed, you are, love itself, and without doubt, you know the conditions of every loving heart. Therefore, it is not strange for you to speak of love. For you know well, it is little and not enough for him who loves whatsoever it may be, but only the presence of that which he loves.\n\nAnd therefore, this is what makes me sorrowful before such a worthy face of goodness. The changing in the coming and going of the For this torments the soul that is not yet fully sad and stable in the most perfect degree of love.\n\nAnd also these other manners of behavior. You are a helpful assistant. I understand that you want me to clean the given text while maintaining the original content as much as possible. Based on the requirements you have provided, I will remove meaningless or unreadable content, modern editor additions, and correct any OCR errors, while translating ancient English into modern English. Here is the cleaned text:\n\nWisdom: I heed all that you say and the desires of your heart. But stay a while and give me words for the answer to my question. What is that thing which the heavenly spirits long for and have their intent on in their workings?\n\nDisciple: O sovereign masters of heavenly discipline, how should I, so simple and unworthy, answer such a lofty question? Therefore, I pray for the answer on my behalf.\n\nWisdom: You will understand that angels, spirits, and perfect lives seek nothing so much in their workings as to confirm all their deeds to my will, as the wise saying goes.\n\nMy food is that I do the will of my Father who is in heaven. And this is the answer. mete of angels and of perfect lovers, whose delight is solely to fulfill the will of their lord in themselves and in all creatures. Therefore consider and take heed of yourself, what you seek or what you love. For imperfect men seek things that are not of themselves, but of him whom they love. Otherwise, they shun their own harms as servants do, or they seek their own winnings and profits, as merchants do. But now, to answer more plainly to your principal question, concerning the coming and going of my comforting visitations, by which the amorous souls, as you say, are tormented and distressed when they feel my absence, thereby losing their comfort - you shall understand that sometimes and quite often, besides other causes, the soul itself is the cause of such withdrawal of spiritual comfort. At times, the window is stopped up against it by some kind of stopping or unrespect is shown within. For the one so worthy of such a gesture, the one who is loved but not perfectly, is trained and made to leave him, as the holy write. Sometimes, when I come, I give liking and joy in dwelling with my love, not openly but privately. Few and only the most expert ones can know the privacies of such a worthy presence. And since you desire to show to the same token of my most private and most certain presence, first examine yourself in my absence. You will find that which you seek. For since I am sovereign goodness with my presence, I fulfill all things with goodness. And as the sun is known by its beams and its light, so is my presence known by its most plentiful goodness. Now if you have ever proven and experienced my goodness and the liking of my presence, or else the bareness and the disliking of my absence. The disciple said, \"If all the members of my body were turned into tongues and all my limbs and senses could speak with human voices, they could not express or perfectly tell out what you ask of me. Nevertheless, since you have given it to me, I shall tell out what I may have of the plainer and fuller information of the matters before said. Therefore, O sovereign goodness, I know truly that when you turn away from me your gracious face, full of goodness and sweetness, and withdraw your inward comfort, hiding your light in your hands, my wretched soul is suddenly distressed and made sick and unlusty. And then follows weariness of the body and hardness of heart, and sorrow of the spirit is felt so deeply that then my soul is full of life. And then it seems to me that all things, though they be good, are distasteful to me.\" ben other seen or heard, her absence bringing fullness of the place and displeasure of brethren dwelling with me. And then my soul begins to slumber for heaviness, sometimes for the cowardice and weakness of spirit. He knew not when it comes or where it goes. I also feel myself ready and light to fall into vices and unable to resist weak and feeble temptations. And unworthy of all spiritual exercise. Therefore, whoever sees me in that time finds but an empty house. But again, when you, the fairest day, star and brightness of everlasting light, rise up in the midst of the darkness of my heart.\n\nA lord, what a blessed changing is then of God's right hand. For then all the dark cloud of malice is dissolved and put out of the soul with all. Man's happiness and joy light up the heart, the soul rejoices, the conscience clears. And all inward mights and affections unite in rejoicing, loving and worshipping God, for He is so good, and His mercy is so great, without end. What was once hard and sharp, and seemed impossible, becomes light and soft. Fasting is sweet, waking seems short. And though other exercises are great, the might of love seems but little and small. In times of spiritual grace, I purpose to amend my life and manners, and to do many good deeds. But alas, when grace passes away, I bring nothing to effect. Whether all these come from me or from Him, I long to be enforced.\n\nWisdom\nOf yourself, you have nothing but failing, loss, and going to nothing. But all the good aforementioned and similar to it, are given to you by My presence. Therefore, this is you. play of love which I am wont to use in an amorous soul, and if you wish to know more specifically what is the play of love, know this: it is joy and sorrow, one after another, in my presence and in my absence, for that is the property of love that in the presence of it, that which is loved is had, and not known, but in the absence thereof it shows itself and is more known.\n\nDisciple:\nThis play of love, as it seems to me, is rather one of mourning and sorrow than of solace and joy. But I would know how the disciple who is not yet experienced should have him and keep him in this diverse manner of visitation.\n\nWisdom:\nIn the day and time of goods and prosperity, forget not evils, and in adversity have in mind goods and prosperity, so that you do not lift yourself up above measure in their presence, and in their time you shall not put down yourself too much. And especially that you take not unwillingly that diverse gracious visitation. Coming and going, though it be that you shall always closely seek my face.\nDisciple:\nLord, if you would pay attention and see truly, you should well know that the tarrying and long abiding of that thing which is loved is great affliction and sorrow to the heart.\nWisdom:\nWithout a doubt, this turning about the wheel of love, he shall suffer whatsoever he will who will love. And no wonder that the lovers of the world do not always prosper, but also among them often adversities. And if you do not know it by experience, ask one of them, and they will tell you that he who will love must endure. There are many lovers who are slow and weak in working; these, given to love for a time and desiring it without trouble, find it falls from them immediately after their desire in the way they had imagined; they cease from it soon after they began, and therefore these men do not come to the fruit of love. Love is a kind of knighthood. Go away, therefore, you who are unworthy of love. A fervent lover who desires the fruit of love must be near, patient, and servable. He will not easily leave, even if he finds himself put off a thousand times, but he shall always be in good hope, thinking that constant travel overcomes all things. What is softer than water, or harder than stone? And yet, by often falling and striking of drops of water on the stone, the stone is pierced. I tell you good tidings, and this to all true lovers who desire to hear: the goodly spouse you travel after will be won over and has a liking for such service done to her. Therefore, pray and ask often and do not leave, and I advise you truly that you shall have what is desired in your heart. In all this world, there is none found who is so light to be asked of, or so gracious and ready to hear their servants, or so goodly to answer those who are her lovers. This is your most goodly spouse. Therefore, whoever will love me must always be busy looking toward me as unto his love, as I am continually accustomed to hold my lover. He did not know when he who loves and abides with me will come, either from the east or the west, or from the north or the south. And he did not know what time, whether early or late, or at midday or at the cock's crowing, he will come and knock at his door and ask for entry. For often times when the spirit seeking me mourns and is sorry because it does not find me, afterward, when it seeks me and does not find me, it shall have me its beloved presently with it. Therefore, it is not sufficient to spend one hour of time with the beloved. Rather, it is necessary that he who loves be often times busy seeking his beloved and always be. ready to love, and yet he trusts not more upon his merits than on my good will. If he will have and feel in experience my precious present, and for to manage with sweet words, blaming words and sharp words to loved words you must be under control sadly. For truly in such exercises of love you are to be reproved and blamed. Why, for shame, you who have taken upon you the knighthood of love, and have vowed to keep this foreseen, our philosophy, and set your shoulder to bear the sweet yoke thereof. Why I say, are you so hardy to stand before such a worthy spouse, with an unstable heart and flying eyes, turned about in the utmost ends of all the world, and she with a continual looking and a bright, gracious face always beholds thee. How shameful is it to you to give your intent to all things that you hear without further, where through you may not hear how that the wisdom of God speaks to you within. Oh, how foul is it to the disciple of love in. so moche to foryete hym selfe / that he takyth not entente to the wordys of hym that is aboute hym euery where by hys presence Where\u00a6fore hyt may sothly be sayd that thou disceue\u2223rest\n hym fro the sithen he fyndyth not the neyther in hym ne in thy selfe / but wythoute the / and wythout hym in the grete noyse of the worlde Wherfore I praye the amende these defawtes / and take hede how vncomly hyt is that a soule sechyth ony thynge in oute\u00a6warde thynges / the whyche sowle beryth the kyngdom of god wythinne hym selfe as the apostyl seyth / \u00b6 Regnum dei intra nos est. The kyngdome of god is wythin vs / And that is ryghtwysnes pees and Io\u00a6ye in holy goost / and thus endyth the fyrst les\u00a6son of the fyrste poynte of loue / \nDIsciple / \nO thou euerlastinge wysdom that fro the hye throne / that is fro the herte of thyne euerlastynge fader camest down in to thys waley of wretchidnesse and sorowe &. xxxiij. yere suffredyst diseses & trybulacyo\u0304s in the exyle of thys worlde. & for this cause yt yu woldist shewe to vs thi You are asking for the cleaned text of the given input, which is as follows:\n\n\"souereyn charitee, Where through thou lovedst mankind by the mystery of thy most bitter passion and harsh death that thou suffered for man, by this unspeakable charity of thy death, I beseech thee with all my heart and all my inward affections that thou wouldst vouchsafe to show thyself to me, in that form and disposition that thou sufferedst through the sorrow of thy bitter passion.\n\nWisdom: In as much as the greatness of love and sorrow is the passion of my death by paleness and in a manner of darkness in the flesh, I seem more foul. In so much that in an amorous heart and a well disposed soul, I should be the better loved. Right as he that loves seeks courteously to be loved again, right so he that looks of his beloved a token and showing of his love. For love that is hidden and in close, is not known but only to him that loves, and therefore lovers are about as much as they may for to have tokens and proofs of love shown of him that they love, and often times it is.\" Though the tongue be still and speak not, and signs and tokens are not shown without the heart's open expression of love's strength. It often happens that things which some men find foul and unseemly in those they do not love, others praise and commend as fair and lovely.\n\nIn the love of this world, I know well that it is fleeting as you say? But how that may be in a man crucified, I do not yet clearly understand. For though it may be in a man or a woman beloved for the love of this world, sometimes there is something displeasing to him who loves. Nevertheless, there are many other things conducive to love, which please and delight him who sees them. But this beloved one, though deformed by death, I cannot understand how he could be considered lovely. Whose disposition seems more contrary to love, inasmuch as he is covered in blood and desires. \"The semblance of all foul and full of sorrow, within and without, and showing no manner of beauty or liking to the sight of lovers. Yet thou sayest that he is so lovely, the evidence in deed shows it so grievously. I paid and remained unlovely.\n\nWisdom\nTrue lovers take little heed of the thorn that bears the rose, so that they may have the rose that they desire. And also true wise men tell not more deceit of fair things outwardly. As coffins painted with gold that have in them only earth or other foul things than they do by other such vessels, foul without and full of precious stones within. So the spouse of the soul everlasting wisdom without seems in contempt, foul and abject. But within she is full of grace and heavenly light. The flesh without seems dead, but the brightness of the godhead that is not seen shines and shines within, so far forth that the angels of God desire continually to look upon him. Therefore, \" The disposition and form of the dead body without forth is not as you supposed\nto appear foul and uncomely. But the most fairest and comely appearance is what you should behold. For you should not look and consider what he seems, that is seen, but what he has suffered and of what and why. If you ask where he has suffered, truly of his passing love and charity. And if you ask why, truly it is for the purpose of making the fair and comely through his abjection and uncomeliness, and with his wounds to heal the, and with his death to give the everlasting life. And so, if you behold your beloved with the eye of love, you shall more see him full of charity and love. The whych not only shows his love by words, as many lovers of this world have done, but also he proves himself true loving in deeds. For unto death he loved. Therefore, it follows openly that the abjection and uncomeliness of the outer man that he took from the bitterness of his passion is rather showing and proving. of lo\u2223ue / thanne mater of reprofe / \n\u00b6 Ne h\u0304it is noghte there ayens / though he that louyth not see not thys / for the lyghte yt is not noyous and greuous to seke eyen is comfortable and lykynge to clene & clere eyen\nDisciple\nSothly and withoute ony doute hit is as thow seyst / and blessid be tho eyen that soo seen / but thys syghte is not gyuen to alle men / but oonly to hem the wyche ben goode crysten people that feruently desiren to loue the / But now thou euerlastynge wysdom I beseche the that thou more specyally telle me ye processe of thy passyon / that I myghte haue hit the more fresshely in the mynde of my sou\u2223le and herte / and for to stere me the more fer\u2223uently to thy loue / and how I shall comferme me to thy passyon after trewe loue.\nWysdom / \nByfore the feste daye of paske af\u2223ter the souper made wyth my disciples / wha\u0304 ye tyme was come of my passynge out of thys worlde to the fader / I wente forth wyth myne xj. dysciples in to ye mounte of olyuete / where I beenge in agonye after ye Ihadde long time I endured in my mind the cruel manner of torments that were to come to me. My sweet blood ran like drops to the earth. Truly, under this, any man living under heaven would believe what agonies and how great and dreadful in my mind the delicate kind then felt in that time after the nature of man.\n\nSoon came the sons and children of darkness, taking me contemptuously, and binding me cruelly. They led me as a thief into the city. There the accursed creatures spent that night in various forms of torment around me. And upon the most wretched of all, I was led and brought before Justice Pilate. In many ways they accused me, and at last, to the contemptuous death of the cross, they condemned me. And so cruelly, they laid the heavy cross upon my tender shoulders and led me contemptuously out of the city to the place of Judea, where they hung me between two thieves. To make my death seem fouler. The more unbearable / And so I hung on the cross / and on all sides I was lapped with the most bitter sorrows of death / my clear and shining eyes were all dimmed and darkened / my goodly ears filled with scorns and reproaches / my smelling nose with the foul stench of the place / my sweet mouth with the drink of gall made bitter / and so all torn, and wounded. I shed my blood that ran down on all sides of my body that was then full of woe. O If thou hadst seen me that hour and time so wretchedly and pitifully hanging on the cross, I trow (trust) that thy spirit would have failed for sorrow.\n\nDisciple\nWho shall give me that gift that I may, in this hour after my desire, see thy lovely face under this sorrowful form and be pleased / so that I may wash it with the greatest sorrow of tears going out of my open heart. O thou mirror of cleanness and of all virtues / on whom angels desire to look and behold with very felicity. Who shall give to my heart so severely inward feeling of? \"Compassion that might pass all others, by which I might in your love be singularly raised, so that I might show plentiful tears of again, and have weeping voices and stirring of all limbs, wherewith I should yield again to the thankings and confirm myself in deed to that precious passion that you suffered for me. Therefore, you mistress of the discipline of God and everlasting wisdom, teach me how I shall bear in my body your sweetest desires, and in what manner I may hold them continually in my mind, so that thereby I may show to heavenly and earthly creatures what thankings I owe to yield for so many benefits without number, largely given to me, wretch, of the passing abundance of your pity.\n\nWisdom, touching your first desire, you shall understand that no man yields better thanks and rewards to my passion than he who does not only by words but also by deeds follows it, confirming himself meekly to my steps, it is to say, setting at naught the world and its vanities.\" For nothing prosperity and adversity bother me, and I continually progress in the height of spiritual perfection through a burning desire. I tell you truly, as many shedding tears as are rivers or waters, were not as acceptable and pleasing to me as those were, though they may be devout tears coming from inward compassion. And to teach you further how to conform to my passions, at the beginning you should turn away your eyes so they do not see vain things. Stop your ears from hearing wicked and noxious words. Since you are sweet, take bitter things; put away superfluities and unnecessary delights of your body. Seek peace and rest only in me. Receive gladly all manner of tribulations, wrongs, and harms done to you. Patiently suffer all things and desire to be in dispute. Learn to break your will in all things, and attend to the love of your savior. that you must also be busy to suppress all the desires of your flesh. These are the first principles and teachings that everlasting wisdom imparts to you and such others who are lovers of hers. Written and engraved in this open book as you see, it is to say, in my body crucified. And I will tell you in a more particular manner how you shall be crucified to me and confirmed to my passion. You shall offer yourself to me, and all that you have once offered you shall not in any way take back by your own will. And you shall abstain not only from things that are superfluous, but also sometimes from those that are lawful. If you keep these, then you have nailed your hands to my cross. Also, you shall do good and suffer evil things that are done to you, and you shall gather your changeable will and severe thoughts. And when you have gathered them together, you shall entrust them to sovereign God, and then you have nailed yourself. Thy feet to my cross by thine inward affection. This shall be thy cross that thou shalt bear if thou wilt be my true lover. What time thou hast set thy intent to the exercise of virtues and to fulfilling of my commandments according to thy power, and nevertheless thou hast scornings and detractions of envious people who hate thee, and moreover thou seemest in their eyes so wretched and so much in dispute that they do not recognize thy patience in the pursuit of virtues and grace, but rather thy unworthiness and cowardice that thou art not willing to avenge thee or darest not or canst not. And thou, on the contrary, not only dost suffer this patiently and gladly for the love of God, but also of more abundant charity thou prayest the Father who is in heaven earnestly for them, and devoutly art about excusing them and commending them to me. Whoever overcomes himself in this manner contrary to the worship of God, Christ Jesus, and in following his crucifixion. He shall truly write this often, as he does, and make the death of his Lord fresh in his soul, bearing within himself the image of Him who was crucified for him. When you leave your dear friends and kin for the love of your savior, set yourself beside my cross as my beloved disciple and brother. By the example of my truest mother and my beloved disciple, take the mind of my passion always in your heart by inward thought. In prayer, be devoted in speaking and acting, and he who follows me in affectionately will be a true follower of Jesus, and will minister to himself plentiful delights. Therefore, let the token of your love be fulfilled in deed, for he who is fellow and partner in my great tribulation shall be fellow and partner in my sovereign joy.\n\nDisciple\nLord, I well know that man has not of himself, nor is it in his own power. power or might for to dress my steps in the way of righteous living and sincere following of your passion, Lord, but by your help. Why then I lift up my eyes and hands to my merciful savior devoutly beseeching that the image and likeness of your worshipful passion be effectively printed in my soul, through your virtuous grace, and that it work in me continually by heavenly effect to the loving and worshiping of your blessed name. For as you wisely wisdom knows, there is nothing in this life sweeter or more lovely to my heart than that I might continually, with a devoted heart, have compassion. But alas, I am constrained with a manner of dryness and hardness of heart, such that in my mind I am not composed nor sorrowful as it were worthy that I should be. Therefore, benign wisdom of the Father, teach me how I shall do in this matter that is so precious.\n\nWisdom\nThe mind of my passion shall not be had passingly and with haste, and namely, when there is time enough suffice and convenient, but with a sad and abiding compassion. For this sweet tree be chewed and defied with the teeth of affectionate discretion, the savour thereof thou shalt it never so great shall not move nor be felt. And if it be so that you may not weep or have sorrow with him that wept and had sorrow for you, at the least you shall be joyful and yield thanksgiving with a devout affection for such great benefits bestowed upon you freely by the passion. And yet if it be not you that are moved by compassion nor by joy, but you feel yourself overlaid with a manner hard heart in mind of the passion, nevertheless in that manner hardness continue not in the mind of that helpful passion to the loving of God. And that thou mayst not have of thyself, commit it to the sweet hands of him that is thy saviour. Nevertheless be thou persistent in asking, knocking and seeking till thou hast thine asking, smite twice upon the hard stone, that is to say, with determination. inwarde mynde of herte and outewarde exercise of body / as by lyf\u00a6tynge vp of handes and eyen to the crucy\u2223fix / or by knockynge on thy breste or deuoute knelynges / Soo contynuynge in suche ma\u2223ner deuoute exercises tille ye watres of teeris\n passyn oute wherof reson may drinke watres of deuocyon / and the body be abled to receyuyn\u00a6ge of grace / \u00b6 And thou shalt vnderstonde that ofte mynde of my passyon amonge other benefyces wythoute nombre souereynly hit shall profyte to the in two manere of sola\u2223ces / that is to seye to putte awey vnskylfull heuynesse / and forto lesse the peyne of purgato\u00a6rye As touchynge to the fyrste how that the mynde of my sorowe putteth oute vnskil\u00a6full heuynesse and sorowe of the soule I shall shewe the better by ensample than by worde / \n\u00b6 There was a disciple of wysdome / whos name is wryten in the boke of lyfe / the / whi\u2223che aboute the fyrste begynnynge of / his con\u2223uersacyon was soo ouerleyde wyth an in or\u2223dynat sorowe and vnskylfull heuynesse that for the tyme he hadde neyther will to redeem myself, to pray, not to do only good works,\nAnd on a day when he was greatly overwhelmed in his cell by passion and tormented by unbearable sorrow,\nthere came from above a voice in his mind, saying to him in this manner,\n\nWhy do you sit here idle and dull and heavy in yourself? Rise up now and treat devoutly my passion in your mind and my bitterness thereof.\nYou shall overcome your unordinary sorrow, and as soon as that brother heard this,\nhe rose up and gave himself fully to the passion of our Lord Jesus,\nAnd from that time he was healed,\nby continual reply to it,\nso that he felt never after such passion in his soul.\nAnd I shall show you how this most profitable meditation of my passion will release you from the pain of purgatory.\nThe Creator and maker of kind allows nothing inordinate in his kind,\nand righteousness also allows no wickedness or sin unpunished,\nbut it shall either here in this world or after in another be. dewly correctid / But that grete peyne and lon\u00a6ge in place of purgatorie that is dewe after the rightwisnesse of god to the synfull man for grete synnes that mowe not here be dewly punysshed / ye not to ye thousande parte he may make shorte and lyghtly recompence that cowde take hit of the tresory of that precyo{us}\n passion of ye Innoce\u0304t lambe wythoute we\u0304me Ihesu / For thys precyous tresour that is of his grettist charyte and of moost worthy persone and greuous sorowe and peyne is suffisante to heele all syknesse and soorys of sowle / wherfore a man myghte so applye hym therto / and soo deuoutely drawe to hym of Ihesu meryte and satysfaccyon that though he shulde after his deseruyng be punysshed and purgid a thousand yere / by vertue therof he shulde soone be delyuered and relecyd / \nDisciple\nMy lorde I besyche the for thy souereyne goodnesse teche me synfull wretche thys moost profytable craft / for alas myn owne merytes sufficen not / wherfore hit is full nedefull to me / for to loke after the mery\u00a6tes of If thou wish to transform the bitter pain of purgatory into temporal pain that is light and short, it is essential to observe the following: First and foremost, engage in inward contemplation and heartfelt sorrow. Greatly weigh the pangs of thy sins, recognizing thyself as unrighteous before the Lord through deep reflection. Consider what thou hast done, whom thou hast offended, or what thou hast deserved. Repeat, \"Lord, I have sinned. I have sinned exceedingly.\"\n\nNext, humbly despise thyself before the eyes of the eternal, high dominion, and regard thyself as vile and foul, unable to lift thine unclean eyes to heaven with the congregation, nor with polluted lips utter that glorious name. Instead, consider thyself as a man, but as a vile worm.\n\nMoreover, disregard all thy deeds, good and meritorious as they may be. wretched and sorrowful thou shalt endure the grace of thy high Justice before his gates, saying thus with deep inward sorrow of thy heart:\n\nFather, I have sinned in heaven, and before thee, and so am I not worthy to be called thy son. And therefore, treat me as one of thy hired servants. After this, thou shalt, with sovereign affection, magnify and commend the merit of my passion, thinking that in me is most copious and plentiful redemption. And that the least drop of that most precious blood that largely ran out by all the parts of my body, full of wounds, was sufficient for the redemption and satisfaction of the whole world.\n\nAnd thus, I shed my blood so plentifully to prove my great love and sovereign pity, and also to comfort all creatures that flee to me for succor. And the last, seek with a meek and fervent affection, the hand of thy helper and the merit of the most merciful Lord against thee without end, as thou shalt ask of him. Help not doubt, for the well of pity springing full of mercy is more merciful than thou art ready to ask for.\n\nDisciple:\nO sovereign gracious word to me and to those like me, wretched sinner, with sovereign joy it ought to be received. For as much as we find readiness in your passion, through which we may wash away our sins and do penance, and find grace, and deserve everlasting bliss.\n\nWhat shall I render to my Lord for all the great benefits that he has bestowed upon me? O my God, I beseech you teach me, your unworthy servant, how I may please you, for as much as I fail by my own infirmity and the littleness and unworthiness of my works are not sufficient.\n\nWisdom:\nYou shall always keep in your heart the memory of my passion and all the tribulations and adversities that you suffer. And as much as it is possible for you, you shall clothe yourself with its likeness.\n\nAlso, what time of my private prayer. Dispense yourself of inward comfort and leave yourself desolate, resembling the very crucifix, seeking no comfort elsewhere but patiently endure with him and keep your inner gaze fixed on the Father in heaven, forsaking yourself and all thoughts, casting them into him. And without a doubt, the more you forsake and desolate the inner man with your will, the more you will be like the crucifix and the more acceptable to his beloved Father. Truly, this is the point of adversity, by which the best proven knights who are now in heaven in the presence of Christ were most strictly examined in this world. Do not follow your lusts but break them manfully, and then you will with him whom you love drink the gall of bitterness. Desire the salvation of all men and to your soureigns give devout obedience, and be about bringing all your works to the perfection of virtues, that it may come to a completion. \"good end. Committ all my misshapes and sorrows to the goodness of God, and keep it freely in every deed as if in the time of passing out of this world. Seek continual refuge in the wound of my side, for in that place you shall ever find the most copious remission of sins, the most plentiful grace, and a sure defense from all evils that have fallen. Disciples yet have I a little petition to put to the everlasting wisdom of this matter, which you have so shortly passed over, that is to say, how the worthy mother, your truest bearer, had her when she stood by the cross and saw her beloved son before her eyes hanging there so pitifully. Wisdom Of this matter I yield leave to go and to beseech her mouth what you will. Stabat iuxta crucem Ihu, mater eius. Disciples O Mary, Jesus. Mother, what heart had you when you stood beside him.\" The cross and beheld I Jesu, the blessed fruit of thy womb hanging thereon. Truly, reason tells and experience proves, and the strength of love shows that thou were most sorrowful for thy beloved. Since it is so, the mind alone of the passion of thy Son makes some devout creatures as if they were half dead for the great inward compassion they have towards it. What wrought the presence and sight of that cruel passion in her who bore him savior of the world? So innocently suffering. And then this mind is so fervent in the heart of the sinner. How much more fervently did it work in the mind of the soul of the most holy virgin, his mother? We know well that the more fervently he who is expert in love loves another, and the more worshipful and more delightful and more profitable the presence of him whom he loved is to him, the more the departing and wanting of him bring sorrow to the loving mother. And so it is as I. byleue without a doubt. that the blessed presence of him was to the beloved thine own son so dearly, without comparison, passed the presence of all dead creatures in all manner of grace. Wherefore it follows that his departing and death passed all others in sorrow. Good lady therefore abide awhile and answer to us, though thou be absent in body / but present in spirit, tell us something of the sorrow that thou hadst when thou sawest thy son in pain / and the joy that thou hadst of thy blessed loved one before whan the words were said of greeting.\n\nAve Maria.\n\nMaria, he who of his grace vouchsafe to choose me his own handmaiden, he knit and constrained my heart to him with such burning love that my spirit might never receive true joy or true sorrow, but only of him and in him. Wherefore in him I had all thing, and his love was to me the full possession of all the world. My soul was there as Ihu was, and I loved him more truly in him than in myself, and shortly to. I see the blessed presence of heavenly and earthly goods brought to me, but furthermore, when I saw Him with my eyes, my own precious treasure of my heart so disappointingly hanging on the cross, and anguished with sorrows of bitter death. A God, how sorrowful and painful was that sight to me. My heart was away from me, for He had taken Him from me and held it with Him crucified. I had lost my voice for crying and great sorrow. In so much that I might have been unable to speak, and so I fell down. But after I had regained some spirit, I broke out in these manner of words: O thou joy and comfort of my heart and light of my eyes; sometimes I saw thee with joy and liking of my heart, but now I see thee with great mourning; & sorrow. Alas, alas, how wretchedly I see thee now, so hanging on that tree. O thou, all my life, O thou only comfort of my life, take me with thee, I pray thee, thy most sorrowful mother; for I desire greatly to die, & I may not. longer live without him, I see the death in whom stands all my life and my soul. O who shall give me that I might die for thee? And when his most sorrowful mother had said these words and others like them to them, the son, forgetting his own pain and comforting his mother sweetly, died and passed away, taking his leave of me. The disciple, whom he loved singularly, was there. And when you heard the voice of your mother speaking so willfully with a passing sorrow, the sword of bitter mourning pierced my soul. And when I could find no other comfort, with great longing I kissed the hot blood that dropped down into the earth from the wounds of my sweet son. O if you had seen in that sorrowful hour the mother's compassion for the son, you would have had great sorrow for the son and sympathy for the mother. I know well that you would. Disciples: I could not have seen and heard this without an inward feeling of sorrowful compassion.\n\nBlessed maiden and mother, how hard is that heart which has not compassion for you and your sorrow? Blessed be you, most pitiful mother, I stand before you with a weeping mind. I beseech you and charge you on God's behalf to give me your dear treasure, my king and my lord, who suffered passion and death. And under this form, in which I behold him with the inner eye of contemplation, dead and pale in the lap under the cross, may the compassion and sorrow that was given to you as his mother in bodily presence be granted to me, a sinful wretch, at least spiritually in the mind of my soul. There are some who are joyful in the cleanness of their life, there are others whom you presume. Of the multitude of your merits, and some who rejoice in the worthiness of spiritual exercises. But what shall I trust in? Sincerely, all my hope, all my solace, depends on your passion, my Lord Ihu. And of the greatness and worthiness of your merits, and of the pity of your most benign mother, as you alone know with swift consideration of my infirmity and poverty. Therefore, this mind of my Lord's passion is to be taken affectually in the chamber of my heart, and both by word and by deed, with your grace's help, to be followed. And with all manner of worship and reverence to be magnified. O everlasting wisdom of the Father of heaven, look now, I bring in to my solace and help your sweetest mother, presenting her to thee, and hiding me behind her back. For I dare not lift up my eyes before the glorious face of the thee, bless\u00e9d Lord, but by her I desire to be heard. Therefore, I beseech you to keep in mind all the services and busies that you took of her. You, in the years of your childhood, in swaddling, nursing, clinging, kissing, and all other services done to thee. And also, good lord, have in mind all the sorrows she endured under the cross with pitiful compassion. & the great woe it was in her tender heart at that time for thee. And for her love, grant me, Lord, as I see thee now with inward affection in the eye of true belief, how thou wert so dreadfully and sorrowfully tormented. I may see thee so gloriously above the stars of heaven, sitting in the Father's right hand in bliss without end. And also, thou blessed and most pitiful maiden and mother, I pray thee, as thou who stoodest by the cross of thy dear son, feltest affectionately in thy soul the wounds of his passion. And from them, thou wast made rede with the springing of his blood. And all others, only thou kept faith in him to the last end. Gracious maiden, my dear lady, that I bring to my mind with an inward devotion, grant me, meek maiden. A weary and sorrowful soul, once prosperous in day and time, fell into the clutches of adversity. With a heart heavy with sorrow, I led you to your house at the gate of Jerusalem, an example and figure of things that have passed. O mother of grace, I pray you, at the last, that the souls of all the disciples of eternal wisdom, when they depart from their bodies, you, in your great goodness, take them into your arms, and bring them with joy to that heavenly Jerusalem. There to abide with your dear son, God, Christ, in bliss, without end. Amen.\n\nA spiritual soul, once in the day and time of prosperity, was overtaken by adversity. With a sorrowful heart, it lamented and brought its complaint to God, inwardly moved with compassion. When the aforementioned lamentation was finished, it saw that it had no comfort at hand. trueaeld in adversities for Christ. In a vision, a fair young man appeared before him, holding in his hand an instrument of music called a sackbut, marked with a cross. With it, he plentifully filled my mind with spiritual sentences, bidding me play and sing and comfort and cheer up fearful and dreadful hearts, reassuring them in their Lord God. And many others who were nearby and true to him with diverse sicknesses of soul and other diseases begged him to do so to comfort and cheer up their troubles. Therefore, he took the sackbut from the young man's hand and, understanding the purpose before his patience began to play and sing, and take his delight from the prophet's words, he was comforted, comforted, my people, says our Lord God. And when he had said these words of comfort and other more to abate the sorrow of the mourning spirit, he would not be. But we are more sorrowful and sorrowful still, for it is the time when mourning and sorrow are in their course. Sweet words and liking make sorrowful hearts even more sorrowful. As it is said, a minstrel makes him who is merry even merrier than him who is sorrowful. And so a soul devoted to the love of God feels the sweetness more intensely by experiencing it within himself.\n\nThe comfort of God after greater preference,\nSo much the more of unseen before joy,\nHe falls into tears in the same manner it befell him before,\nIt was the mourning soul itself the cause of joy that was turned into an occasion of sorrow.\nFor he who should have laughed, began to weep without measure.\nAnd when he was asked why he wept and what afflicted or tormented him,\nHe answered and said, \"Alas, I remember before, when I was in young age,\nI sought a wife that I might with her gracious companionship lead a blessed life.\nAnd when I had seen many and had chosen from among them all,\nOne...\" \"It was the fairest of all others in my sight, pleasing and delightful, with large behests inviting and offering herself to me, surpassing all others. I assented to her and took her as my spouse. For a while I dwelt with her, and had hoped to have great prosperity and wealth from her company. Alas, from a friend she has become an enemy, and the lamb is turned into a lion. Through her, my entire life is filled with sorrow and wretchedness. And shortly to say, the time would not suffice if I were to tell all the adversities and diseases she has inflicted upon me up to this point. But it is best for me to keep my privacy to myself, as the prophet says, \"My secret is for me.\" This is what I have said in general has broken out violently from the abundance of my heart, with weeping tears shedding at the stirring of your comforting voice. When the disciple heard this, he understood that this was the mystery of the eternal wedding.\" Wisdom, a young hind,\nproves her lovers with temporal troubles and diseases,\nand when they are proven,\nshe binds them to her love and friendship.\nThen he turned to her and said in this manner,\nO thou deep counselor, unbesought of God's wisdom,\nWhy dost thou torment and love them,\nand suffer them to act proudly.\nWith an upright neck,\nthou art the former and maker of all men,\nthe weak foundation of man's infirmity,\nand that body which is in corruption\ngreatly overpowers the soul,\nso that it cannot always behold and take heed to things that are to come hereafter,\nbut rather is constrained to fall to things that are seen in this life.\nMost merciful Lord God, behold and look upon us benignantly,\nand grant us the virtue of patience,\nand with Thy most free comforts,\ncomfort and strengthen those hearts that are weak and powerless. You shall find that which is newly born / seeking the refuge of the mother / and to suck her teats / but when it is grown and waxed older, it leaves the mother's milk / and goes up to the high hills / and there is fed and fellowship with the flock\n\nAnd thou that art passed the conditions of childhood / and hast need to be fed with milk / and art come now to the sadness of man's years / It is time that thou be weaned from milk / and drawn from the teat / and be joined and fellowshipped in the name of strong men / therefore by the example of them thou shalt learn what thou shalt do / and how patiently thou shalt bear all manner adversities / so that when thou art proved with tribulations as thou mayest be, thou mayest be fellowshipped with the noble company\n\nIn joy without end / Lift up thine heart and behold behind thy back / and see the great company of saints without number whom thou hast been from the beginning of the world / And thou shalt more easily endure it all, for they also, in singular manner, were proved by suffering. And for passing over, Abraham, Moses, and other prophets, and many more whom God chose, speak in the Psalms, thus:\n\nHow many tribulations you have shown me, Lord. How great tribulations have you brought upon me, full of wickedness and adversity, and you have turned to mercy and quickened me, and brought me back again to rest from the deep sickness of the earth.\n\nTake heed of Joseph, whom the Lord God of Egypt raised up:\nFirst, through envy, he was sold by his brethren into Egypt,\nAnd falsely accused, defamed by a wicked man,\nAnd so was put in prison unjustly.\nHe remained there for a long time.\n\nAlso take heed,\nHow the holy prophet Isaiah was seen with a burning coal,\nJeremiah, who was sanctified in his mother's womb, was stoned to death.\nEzekiel was cruelly burned.\nDaniel was cast into the lion's den.\nIob and Thobie were tempted by the world and the devil.\nMaccabees were tested with wonders. tormentry put to cruel death & other fathers, without number, proved with various and great tribulations. Furthermore, behold my dearest friends, the apostles living in this world in great poverty, in hunger and thirst, in cold and nakedness. In prisons and beatings & all manner of diseases of this life that they put themselves willingly to. And yet never failing in tribulations nor complaints nor grumbling, but were patient in reproaches & joyful for my sake in all manner of sorrows & diseases. Also behold the holy martyrs suffering so many tortures without number & hard deaths. How dare they complain of tribulations? Also confessors and virgins who suffered here in penance doing long martyrdom. And yet some day in the broad way of the world endure painful hardships, both young men & old maids & widows & married people. And taken it meekly with great devotion. Whose great tribulation and disease & hit were known by reason should stop thy mouth of pleading / and put thee in silence / Hast thou not in mind that notable example of that devout married woman who showed to thee in confession how she had lived with her husband for twenty years / who was not in manners like a man, but as a fierce lion often showed himself with a naked sword, ready to slay her with beatings and many insults / always tormenting her, the holy woman / that endured every hour at the sight of him she feared and looked to have been suddenly slain and dead /\n\nAnd yet that devout woman patiently suffering all this / and not complaining or grumbling prayed the more devoutly for that wicked man /\n\nAnd then, as thou knowest well, thou\n lifting up thine eyes towards heaven knockest on thy breast / and with a shameful heart knewst it thy suffering from illness was but nothing / and thou were but idle in regard to them\n\nAnd to conclude this letter, and teach the patience. in adversities, the collections of fathers and the lives of fathers, such as Anasanye, Makarie, and Poule, and other holy fathers living in deserts for many years and far from the world, suffering tribulations and diseases without number, their great devotion and patience inspired a holy and wonderful life to all men's sight. Art thou not ashamed when thou beholdest all such, and covetest with all thy heart to be numbered among them, and yet wilt not follow their sufferings in the least point? Wilt thou be overcome by sloth and idleness among so many doughty knights? Nay, God forbid. Betide it never. For lo, thou art now turned into man's estate, and therefore cast away childishness and dress thyself and make ready for strong and mighty battles. Disciples: The minds of so many worthy fathers were like a delightful minstrelsy in a feast of delicate wine. Every soul set in tribulations shall be sweeter than honey. At the time that I beheld, with the inner eye of my heart, those glorious, doughty knights of the high hall of heaven and their wonderful deeds, I saw myself as a poor little worm, and that little disease that I thought I had suffered, I left at their sight. I softly signed and mourned. But I would know whether causal fortune and tribulations contrary to the will are beneficial and mindful, and why you are unwilling to visit your friends, not by adversities and diseases, but by prosperity and ease.\n\nWisdom\nIn one question, as it shows, you ask three doubts: concerning the falling or coming of tribulations, and of their manner, and of their causes. And as to the first, hold this sentence sadly: whatever adversity falls to the man, it is done and sent by his will and providence, by whose virtue all things are made and kept in being. ye in that partie hit shall not be clepid casuell / but ordeyned by god / And as to the seconde that is of trybulacions that comen a\u2223yens the will / thou shalt knowe and vndyr\u2223stonde that though that thinge that is ayens the wyll in partie is not meritorye / neuerthe\u2223les yf a wyse soule by vndyrstondynge wylle gladly suffre ye that is sent and comyth fyrste ayens ye wylle / & soo bowe yt wille yt was fyrs\u00a6te rebelle mekely to ye yerde or scorge of god makynge vertue of nede / no doute but ye that semed before as venemous and wicked shal after become holsom and merytorye / and shall profite to the goostly encrese of vertues / \nFor ryght soo for sothe the euerlastynge wis\u00a6dome of god fro the beginnynge of the worlde hath drawen to hym ayens her fyrste will / creatures wythoute nombre / and compelled hem yt were fyrste rebelle to entre in to lyfe / But touchynge ye thrydde question yt is why ye they yt ben goddis chose\u0304 children ben her i\u0304 this\n worlde ouerseyde wyth aduersitees / take thys for an open skyl and The reasons that, for as much as human wits are prone to evil from their first youth, therefore the way of righteous men is reasonably to be hedged with the thorns of tribulations. Lest wicked looking ministers minister to temptation, so that every chosen soul be overwhelmed in this wretched life with continual tribulations, that thereby he be compelled against his will to draw upward to the eternal life in another world.\n\nDisciple: I believe well that temporal tribulations and diseases are profitable and meritorious, so that they do not exceed the might and the possibility of him who suffers them. But behold now the painful presence of them grieves so much and displeases other while that they seem passing man's might to bear.\n\nWisdom: This is continually the condition and manner of wretches who think their own diseases and tribulations pass all others, and every man feeling his own harms is more sorry for them than for other men's harms, and exceedingly grieved. When you go out and another comes, the difficulty of parting remains. Therefore, all exceptions submit to God's will and gladly accept his scourges. For he is the true God who will not suffer those whom he has chosen to be tempted beyond their strength. But he will also make temptation a means of comfort for them. Why then do you quake and fear? For truly he is most pitiful. & therefore he will help. He is most wise and therefore he knows best what is expedient and profitable for every man. & also he is most mighty. And therefore his most powerful hand fulfills and performs it as a man of himself does. Wherefore cast your thoughts into God & commit all your care to him. For he has care and charge of all. Go in peace and say truly to him, \"My dear father, your will be done and not mine. And whatever trial comes to thee, go out gladly against such a worthy guest, receiving him beguilingly in this manner.\" Glad heart/ Welcome, my friend,\nDisciple\nA lord God, how light is it to say/ but how hard to perform in deed what is said,/ for the bitter pangs of heavy tribulations are full sore and painful.\nWisdom\nIf it were so that tribulations did not grieve,/ they could not truly be called tribulations,/ Therefore, tribulation for the time that it lasts is unpleasant and generates sorrow,/ But what time it is passed and overcome, it rejoices and comforts,/ It has short-lived bitterness/ but long-lasting comfort and joy,/ Tribulation that often falls/ is customarily borne with patience,/ At last, tribulation is overcome,/ So that another like it seems not to be tribulation,/ or else it is light to bear,/ As a maid who is used to marvelous and grievous things,/ for custom takes less notice of them,/ the great habituation of the sweetness of God in such things was not to the so meritorious,/ nor so great praiseworthy as tribulation patiently suffered. For we find more who prosper in the world than those who suffer adversities, and fall from their spiritual purposes. Truly, if it were you who had sovereign command of all the seven arts and excelled in eloquence and subtlety of arguments, all philosophers and logicians would not help you or advance your good living as much as this one thing: the thorough charity of a clean heart and good conscience, and faith not feigned to forsake yourself, committing all to the all-holy God in every tribulation, and obeying peaceably His will.\n\nWhat was spoken before applies to both good and evil men, but this is only proper for those who are chosen, for there is great passing worthiness of everlasting bliss to reward temporal passions. Whoever wisely observes and takes heed should rather willingly choose to be many years in a hot burning. You are a helpful assistant. I will clean the text as requested.\n\n\"You, of fire, be provided and withdrawn from the least medicine that is reserved for you in the bliss that is to come. And why, for the toil and sickness has an end, but the medicine and the bliss is without end.\n\nDisciple:\nOh sovereign and unspeakable pity, how sovereignly sweet and lovely these organs sound in the ears of him who is sorrowful. Oh wonderful and worthy charity of your pity towards us, in as much as you set your heart so about a wretched man who is tormented and desolate, and that you promise to lessen our sorrow and comfort those who are heavy and mourning. For while you sing so sweetly, the spirit that suffers sorrow is lightened in your heavenly melody, and drives away for a time the spirit of sorrow that afflicts the mind, so that it may be lighter born. And if it were given to me, I would rather continually suffer adversity, so with your most sweetest comfort, than to lack adversity and not to have your most.\" Precious ointment / Therefore do now with me as thou hast begun, for he who thinks that all that he suffers is nothing to him who is everlasting wisdom so sweetly harps in adversity.\n\nWisdom /\n\nWill you now here the harp of spiritual music fair and sweetly sounding / sit down and take heed carefully to the precious fruit of temperate adversity / right as in a harp the strings in proportion stretched and twisted yield a sweet heavenly melody to him that hears it / right so every chosen man what time that he is entirely overcome by adversity / he is in manner by strength out of himself constrained / and more plain made able for to yield a sweet heavenly melody.\n\nFor thou shalt understand that temperate tribulation is despised by this worldly wise / but to the high domain of God it is deemed very precious / For tribulation quenches the wrath of the high Justice and turns his harsh righteousness into friendship and mildness / And he that suffers gladly adversities for God / he is made like unto it. God, in His passion, is bound to Him as to a like companion through the knot of love. Just as the day star shows itself before this world, the near coming of the heavenly Son is signified by spiritual tribulation. For spiritual tribulation shows the nearness of the high heavenly Son coming to comfort a soul in tribulation. Just as a dark night goes before a bright shining day, and the sharp coldness of winter goes before the liking heat of summer, so spiritual tribulation comes before both the inner and outer comfort of a good soul. What is then more profitable or what is more precious treasure, truly nothing, for it leads to sin. It slackens purgatory and puts a way to temptations. It cleanses fleshly desire. It renews the spirit. It strengthens hope. And it brings gladness to the heart. It brings clarity of conscience and continual abundance of inward joys and liking. It generates forsaking of the world, but it generates. Love and the family of God is a straight way, but it is sincere and comedious and leads to life. Therefore, every witty man, now take heed how great a soul he would be who often says, take to the profit of tribulation and therewith does not desire its support. O Lord God, how many are and have been the ones who should have committed the most horrible sins, but it had to be through the pitiful dispensation of God that they have been preserved by the means of tribulations. And what more briefly cannot be told or heart think how profitable it is to suffer adversities patiently. Disciples. O Lord Jesus, how openly now it shows what you are. For indeed it is you who are the sovereign worthy wisdom without comparison to all deadly creatures, which show and bring out in the light of knowing your true fastness with the sweet savour of your outer speaking, so that you leave no place of doubting thereof in us. Therefore, it is no wonder. Though men endure all adversities gladly, those which are not comforted by the sweetest. But now, my sweet father, I fall at your feet with a deep affection of my heart. I yield thanks to you for all my present adversities, and also for all the great trials and scourgings with which you vouchsafed to chastise and correct me until this time. These dreadful things seemed to me at one time so grievous, that they seemed to come from the angry enemy. But now, in a wonderful manner, all these dreadful things have been passed, just as the morning cloud, and they are now before my sight through your gracious working, as if they had never been. And so I am compelled to say with the wise man:\n\nI have toiled but little.\nI have found much rest.\n\nAnd in that time when I with the eyes of an amorous heart behold thee, who art the only treasure of my heart, and clasp thee with the inward affection of all my desires, I forget all else. I am an assistant and do not have the ability to directly output text. However, I can suggest the cleaned version of the text based on the given requirements.\n\nThe text appears to be written in Middle English. Here's the cleaned version:\n\n\"Although sorrowful things and those that might have troubled or saddened me have passed out of my mind, I beseech you, eternal and sovereign wisdom and the principal comfort of my heart, that as you have taught me and comforted me to bear patiently tribulations and adversities, so you enlighten me on how I should live righteously and pleasantly in prosperity and adversity. I see that the fellowship of saints, which shine like stars in the dark night of this world and shed great light from their clear conduct, you will find some who were perfectly accomplished not only in active life and virtue but also in contemplation. I willingly concede to your experience and lack of understanding; I will give you a short summary.\" principles of spiritual living, as a reminder: whoever wishes to lead a godly life and have it continually at hand should be diligent in righteous work. If you desire to acquire the perfection of spiritual life, which is desirable for all men, and if you wish to take it upon yourself with a fervent spirit, you must first withdraw from evil companionships and noxious familial ties, and from all those who would hinder your good intentions. Seek opportunities wherever and whenever you can find a place of rest, and take the private silences of contemplation. Flee the perils of disturbance in this noisy world. It is essential for the principal thing to study the cleansing of the heart, that is, to close your fleshly senses and turn inward, and to have the doors of your heart as closely guarded as possible from the forms of outward things and the imaginations of earthly things. Truly, among all things, this is the most important principle. A chosen knight of Christ is primarily concerned with spiritual exercises for the cleansing of the heart as the final objective and reward of all his labors. Diligently remove your affection from all things that might hinder its freedom, and from anything that has the power to draw it away from that which is written in Moses' law.\n\nMan must dwell by himself and no man shall go out of his door on the Sabbath day. This means that a man is to understand that he should gather all the varying thoughts and affections of his heart and knit them into one steadfast and sovereign good. It is God. Keeping the Sabbath is to have the heart free and undisturbed from all fleshly affections, lest they defile the soul and the cures. Above all else, let this be your principal intent and concern, that you always lift up your soul and mind in contemplation of heavenly things, so that the earthly flesh is finally drawn up to you who are above. And whatever thing may be diverse from these, though it may seem great in itself, as the chastisement of the body, fasting, working, and other exercises of virtue, they should be taken and deemed secondary and less worthy, but in so much as they profit and help the cleansing of the heart, and therefore it is that so few come to perfection, for they spend their time and strengths on mean things that are not very profitable, and the necessary remedies they leave behind. But if you desire to come by a right way. To the end of thine intent, you shall solely desire to remain in cleanness of heart, and rest of spirit and tranquility, and for thy heart to be earnestly lifted up to God.\n\nDisciple:\nWho among us in this mortal body can always be joined to this spiritual contemplation?\n\nWisdom:\nNo mortal man can always be fixed and set in this contemplation. But for this reason, the sentence before is said: that thou knowest where thou shalt have fixed and steadily set the intent of thy spirit, and to what destiny, thou shalt always draw the beholding of thy soul. Whenever thy mind may obtain it, then be glad, and when thou art distracted and drawn away, then be sorrowful and seek as often as thou feelest thyself departing from that beholding. But if thou wilt persevere with a complaining voice and come against me, and say that thou canst not long abide in one manner of state, thou shalt know and understand that the virtue of God can do and work more than any man can. Why does it often happen that the thing to which a man binds himself at the beginning with violence and difficulty, becomes something he does lightly in the end, and eventually does it with great pleasure, causing him to continue and not abandon it from the very beginning? My dear son, take heed of my words and write them in your heart as in a book. Stable them in your mind. Do not follow the multitude of wretchedness of those who go backward after the desires and lusts of their hearts. In whom devotion is slackened, charity is cooled, and all virtues are withdrawn. Obedience is cast down, which is a vice that seeks to be over other men in prelacy. And they seek earnestly for worship and delicately serve the belly. These persons receive in this world the reward of their works, but in another world they will be left void of eternal joy. Follow not these people but take heed carefully to your worthy followers, our holy fathers, who spread out that sweet odor of their sovereign holiness, and be attentive and receptive to this with such an attitude and conversation as is now shown to you. Therefore, whether you eat or drink or any other thing do let this voice of the sweet Father resound in your ears, thus amorous and saying to you, \"My son, turn again to your heart, withdrawing yourself from all outward things that might keep you from virtue, as much as is possible. With a fervent love cling ever to the sovereign good, which is God, and having always your mind lifted up in contemplation of heavenly things, so that all your soul with its powers and strengths may be gathered together into God and become one spirit with Him. In whom you stand the sovereign perfection of all the ways of living in this world. Therefore, take this short doctrine as the form and manner of your living that is now given to you. In this state, you, as sovereign of all perfection, if you will study it diligently and truly fulfill it in effect, you shall be blessed, and in a manner, begin everlasting felicity in this free body. My son, this is the helpful way that my masterself taught himself and bade his disciple to keep it.\n\nFlee and keep silence. That is to say, flee and be in rest. These he said are the principal means of spiritual healing. Also, this sovereign doctrine, the spiritual wisdom shown and opened to a disciple whom you know, was when he openly assumed his estate. For what time that the aforementioned disciple intended in manner to occupy himself with the sciences forbidden to man, many vanities grew upon him as if on his backside. Then he began to aspire more than was becoming for the courtesy of temperate appetites and worships. And when his time came, for which he had long traveled and should have been put up to it, He worshipped that which he had desired. He began to think within himself what was most expedient for him and what would please God. It happened at a time that after matins he fell down in his prayer with his body prostrate, and with all his devotion he asked God to show him what was best for him to do. Rising up from his prayer and leaning on a desk, he saw in a vision a fair young man coming to him. The young man took him by the hand and led him into a church, where was built a little cell, and in it dwelt an old man living alone. The old man was old and hoary, having a long beard, and the grace of God shone in him.\n\nBesides the cell of the aforementioned old man, there appeared a ladder straight up high. The young man going up and down as if playing, the brother who saw this said to him, \"Come near and listen.\" The well and origin of all goods to a spuel man is to dwell besely in his cell. That is, the well and beginning of all goods to a spuel man is to dwell quietly in his cell. The youngling read these words from the old book so sweetly that they seemed to work delightfully in his heart, making him think of himself as melted into heavenly love. The effect of these heavenly words was openly shown and known to him, and when the brother had requested it, the aforementioned youngling recited these words several times. forseyde words: \"Hons et origo are the best of all things. The brother, whose joy there was in his heart, broke out and said, 'O Lord, how precious and profitable is this helpful doctrine.' He then asked whether he was among the wise men who brought forth this short, fruitful saying. The young man answered and said, 'I am he, Arsenye. And when the brother further asked that he should read more of the aforementioned book, he began to read and said, 'The well and beginning of all evils or wickedness is idle and unprofitable discourse about preachers. That is the well and beginning of all evils.' The brother, taking these words with a turbulent and restless heart, was about to argue and make reasons to the contrary. But he paid no heed to the fact that these words were not only spoken by him, but also by the going about throughout the world of the holy apostles only for the cause of preaching.\" But also for all who generally live in a godly manner, it is the beginning of all evils if he lets go of his bridle to unprofitable wandering about. Therefore, the young man meekly answered the brother and with all mildness said, \"Welcome, brother. You spoke of the philosopher Arsenius. Repent greatly of unprofitable wandering, and then the brother felt a heavenly comfort within himself. He began to think and ponder the things he had heard and seen before, marveling greatly who this philosopher Arsenius was. For a time he gave all his attention to worldly philosophy and to its masters, but he took little heed of spiritual philosophy and its teachers. Then he said to himself, \"Lo, how many books of diverse philosophers have you read and heard the authors of them alleged to be? But of this Arsenius, you have not.\" found none mentioned in either of them, and then at the end he thought thus: perhaps this is that, Arsenius. The most famous philosopher of Christian doctrine, whom you once heard allegedly called him, and in proof of this, perhaps you saw the old man dwelling in a little cell and holding in his hand the old book that the young man was reading from, and understood that the book of life of the fathers and their collations was being read from it. This book is as an old folio thing and is of little concern to many. And furthermore, the rule of all perfection and the truest science of Christian philosophy, as certain experiences are known and contained therein. Therefore, the said brother early in the morning arose and took the aforementioned book from the library willingly to know whether it contained the aforementioned Arsenius and his saying before mentioned. As soon as he had opened it, he found both him and his sentence. Yongelyng had clearly written in the book: Why the foregoing brother held himself sufficiently by these words spoken before enlightened and taught, and then he left the schools of natural science and worldly wisdom and took himself only to this school of spiritual science and heavenly wisdom, desiring to confirm himself in the saying of the foregoing Arsenye.\n\nDisciple.\nThus these words, as they come out of heavenly showing, move me in all parts, and through their most liking sweetness the fervent devotion is increased in me, and a playful way of a more perfect life is given to my understanding, and all manner of difficulty and doubts is put aside from me.\n\nDisciple.\nThen death yields nothing to man. But rather, it takes and purges him of that which is profitable to this doctrine of death. Tell me, heavenly master, what this means. It seems wonderful to me, and therefore teach me.\n\nWisdom:\nYou shall understand it is a science most profitable and surpassing all other sciences for knowing how to die. man to knowe yt he shal dey / that is comyn to al men in as moche as there is no man yt may euer lyue or hath hope or trust therof / But yu shalte fynde full fewe yt hauen thys cunnynge to cunne dey / for that is a souereyne yefte of god Sothly a man for to cunne dey is for to ha\u2223ue his herte & his soule at all tymes vpwarde to thoo thynges yt ben abouen / that is to seye that what tyme deth comyth hit fynde hym redy / so yt he receyue hit gladly wythoute ony wythdrawynge / ry\u0292te as he yt abydith the desy\u00a6red co\u0304myng of his dere loued felowe / but alas forsorowe yu shalt fynde in summe relygyous as well as in veyne seculers full many that\n haten so moche ye deth / ye vnnethes wylle they haue hit in mynde / or here speke therof / They wolde not goo fro thys worlde / & cause is / for they sernid not to cu\u0304ne deye / they spende moche of her tyme in veyne spekynges / in pleyenges & in vayne ocupacions & curiositees / & other suche veyne thynges / and therfore what tyme deth comyth sodeynly / for as moche as he Find it with unwillingness, he draws out of the body the wretched soul and leads it to hell, as he often has done to the wretched one. Had you not the great mercy of God been with you, standing against him. Therefore, leave vain things to them, and give good intent to my doctrine, which will profit you more than chosen gold or all the books of all philosophers that have been. And this doctrine of mine you should move you more fervently, and let it always be dwellingly fixed in your heart. Therefore, under an open example, I shall give you the mystery of this doctrine, which will profit you greatly at the beginning of spiritual health and to a stable foundation of all virtues. See now, therefore, the likeness of a maiden and with that speaking to you, and then the disciple began to gather all his wits from outside things and in himself to consider and behold the likeness set before him. Then there appeared before him the likeness of a fair young man, who was suddenly overcome. With death coming hastily and I had not disposed of my soul's salvation beforehand, for which reason with a careful voice they cried and said, \"Circumdata sum, gemites mortis dolores, in feris circumdata sum.\" That is how the pangs of death have surrounded me, and the sorrows of hell have encircled me. Alas, my eternal God, why was I born into this world, and why after being born did I not perish at once? For lo, the beginning of my life was weeping and sorrow, and now the end and passing are with great care and mourning. O death, how bitter is your mind to a liking heart and nourished in delights, O how little did I think I would soon die, but now wretched death suddenly, as if out of ambush, has fallen upon me. Now, for sorrow wringing my hands, I yield outwardly, desiring to flee from death. But there is no place to flee from her. I look on every side and I find no counselor or comforter. For death is utterly fixed and set in me, and therefore it cannot be changed. Of that horrible voice of death saying to me in this manner, you are the son of death. No riches, reason, kin, or friends can deliver me from its hand. The end is come. You, the end, are come. It is demanded. Therefore, it must be done. O my God, shall I now need to die? May not this sentence be changed? Shall I now so soon go from this world? O the great cruelty of death. Spare me, I pray, the youth. Spare me, I pray, the age that is not yet fully ripe. Do not so cruelly with me. Do not withdraw me so unsparingly from this light of life. The disciple, hearing these words, said to him: Friend, your words seem to me not savory of discipline. Do you not know that the judgment of death is even to all men? For it takes no person before another, and spares no man. It has no mercy, neither of the young nor of the old. It kills as well the rich as the poor. And truly, it rightly takes many before they have fully accomplished their years. Do you think death should? \"you have spared me alone / new prophets are dead / The likeness or image of death answered and said / Truly he said you are a heavy comforter / Your words are sown but folly / And they are more like fools who have lived wickedly into their death / And have done things worthy of death / And if they did not fear death when it was near / they are blind and like unreasonable beasts, not seeing before her last end / nor that which is to come after death / Therefore I weep not sorrowfully for the judgment of death / but I weep for the harm of unprofitable days that have been spent without any fruit / Erramus in the way of truth, and so on, in the book of wisdom. Alas, how have I lived? I have erred from the way of truth and the light of righteousness has not shone upon me / nor the truth of understanding was not received in my soul / Alas, what profit is it to me, pride or the boast of\" riches, what have they helped me / all thou were passed as a shadow and as the mind of a ghost of one day passing forth / And therefore now is my word and my speech in bitterness to my soul / & my words full of sorrow & my eyes daze / O why had I beenware in my youth of this that falls me in my last days / When I was clothed with strength and with beauty & had many years before me to come / that I might have known the evils that have suddenly befallen me in this hour / I took no heed of the worthiness of time but freely yielding myself to lusts & to wretched life / & spent my days all in vanity / And therefore now I am taken with cruel death that has come upon me suddenly / & my time of life is past & slipped away & may not be called back by any one / There was no hour so short but I might therein have gotten spiritual joys that pass in value all earthly goods without comparison / alas I wretched why have I wasted so many gracious days in vain and spoken so little for myself / Other unbearable sorrow of my heart / why have I given myself to vanity / and why in all my life have I not learned to die / Wherefore you all who are here and have seen my wretchedness, I beseech you, be joyous in the flower of your youth / and have time enough to live and take heed of my misfortunes and sorrows / and shun harm by my peril / Spend you in good the flower of your youth and occupy the time given to you in holy works / Lest it be like me / you suffer the pains I endure / O everlasting God, I know well the great wretchedness I feel from the wanton youth in which I have uttered blameworthy words / I would not obey them that taught me / and I turned away from them who would have wisely counseled me / I hated discipline / and my heart would not assent to reproofs / and therefore now I am fallen into a deep. You are a pitiful wretch, brought into the world only to spend its time unwisely in pride. I wish I had never been born or perished in my mother's womb rather than to have spent it in such a miserable way. Disciples, we all die like water that falls to the earth and does not return. God does not want man's soul to perish, but draws vengeance from him so that he is not completely lost. Therefore, I advise you, repent of all your offenses and do penance for your misdeeds. Turn to your lord through good deeds, for he is full of mercy and benevolence. If the end is good, the image of death said, \"What word is this that you speak? Shall I turn and do penance?\" Do you not see the anguish of death that overwhelms me? I am so greatly afraid with the dread and horror of death and so bound by the bonds of death. may not see nor know what I shall do, but right as the perch is constrained within the claws and nails of the hawk, is half dead from fear and anguish of death, so all wit is gone from me, thinking not otherwise but how I might in some way escape this peril of death, which nevertheless I may not escape, O blessed penance and turning from sin be time, for it is a sure way, Forsooth he it hath late turned himself, and yields himself to penance, he shall be in doubt and uncertain, for he knew not whether his penance is true or feigned, Woe to me that I have so long suffered to amend my life, alas I have too long tarried to get myself healed, and all my days have been passed and lost, wretchedly perished, and gone so negligently, that I know not whether I have spent one day of them all in the will of God and the exercise of all virtues not done so worthily and perfectly as perhaps I might or should have done, or else if I ever did such pleasing service and acceptance to my maker. \"Alas, I lament: for all my inward affections are sore wounded. A God everlasting, how shameful shall I stand before you and all the saints, when I shall be compelled to give answer and reason for all that I have done and left undone, and what I shall say here? But next is my tribulation, that I must pass forth from this world. In this hour, I would have more joy of a little short prayer, such as an Ave Maria, said devoutly for me, than of a thousand pounds of silver or gold. O my God, how many good things have I negligently lost. Truly, now I know it, as to the greatness of heavenly medicines, it should have kept me busy keeping my heart and all my wits clean, rather than I left them defiled and affected by inordinate affection, or that any other man had beseeched him by prostrations to obtain reward for me here or in bliss. O you all who see my wretchedness.\" Have you compassion on me and mercy on yourselves, and while your strengths suffice and you have time, help and gather heavenly treasures for yourselves, the ones who can receive you into everlasting tabernacles, whenever you fail, and are not left void in such an hour as this, which comes to you as I am now, wide and deprived of all goods,\n\nDisciple,\nMy beloved friend, I see well that your sorrow is very great, and therefore I have compassion on you with all my heart, urging you by God Almighty, that you give me counsel, by which I may be taught not to fall into such peril of untimely death. Here spoke the image of death. The counsel of sovereign prudence and most of providence stands in this point, that you dispose yourself while you are whole and strong, by true contrition and clean and whole confession, and by sincere satisfaction and all wicked and noxious things that should withdraw you or let you from everlasting health, that you cast them away and that. thou should keep this in all times as if thou were about to pass out of this world this day or tomorrow or at the latest within these seven nights. Put in thy heart as if thy soul were now in purgatory and had been in penance for thy transgressions for ten years in the ways of burning fire, and this year only is granted for thy help. And so hold thy soul often among the burning coals, crying, O thou dearest friend above all, help my wretched soul. Have mercy on me who am now in such harsh prison. Have mercy on me who stands alone and suffers no longer to be tormented in this dark prison, for I am forsaken by this world. There is none who shows kindness or who would put out a hand to help me in my need. Everyone seeks their own profit and have forsaken me, leaving me in these painful burning flames, all alone.\n\nDisciple again. Truly this doctrine is most profitable to him who has experienced it as thou hast. though the words be fully stirring and binding, yet they profit little to many people, for they turn away their faces who will not see to the end. Their eyes see not, nor do their ears hear; they believe they will live long, and this deceives them, and because they fear an undisposed death, therefore they take no care to see beforehand the harm's coming. What time the messenger of death comes, that is to say hard and great sickness, then come friends and kinsfolk to the sick man to visit and comfort him. And then all promise and by heaven's name, and that he needs not to fear death, and that there is no peril thereof, and that it is but a running of the humors unnaturally, or stopping of the senses or veins that will soon pass over. Thus the friends of the body are enemies to the soul, for as long as the sickness continually increases, and he who is sick ever hopes for amendment, at last suddenly he fails and without fruit. of hell yields up the wretched soul,\nSo those who hear your words, which live according to human prudence and worldly wisdom,\nThey cast behind their backs your words,\nAnd will not obey your helpful counsel.\n\nThe image of death says,\nTherefore, when they are taken by the green of death suddenly with turbulence and anguish,\nThey will cry out and not be heard, for as much as they had wisdom in hate and despised your counsel.\nAnd right now, few are found who\nAre composed through my words, to amend them and turn their life into better,\nNo doubt, for the malice of the devil in time,\nAnd the defect of spiritual fervor,\nAnd the wickedness of the world,\nLet them be few so perfectly disposed to death,\nWhich, for great abstraction from the world and devotion of heart,\nDesire to be with Christ\nAnd with all their inward affections, desire to be with him. But rather the contrary, and for the most part of people they have been so suddenly overcome by bitter death that they are furious and disposed in manner as I am now overcome. And if you want to know the cause of such great and common peril, look here: the unnatural desire for worship and the excessive care for the body, earthly love, and too much attachment to worldly living bind many hearts of the commons, and bring them at last to these miseries. But truly, if you with few desire to be saved from this peril of undisposed death, here is my counsel and often set before your eyes: what you see now in my sorrowful person, and bring it quickly to your mind. And you will find it to be most profitable, for you will profit from it so much that only you will not fear to die. But death, which is dreadful to all living men, you will endure and receive with the desire of your heart, for it is the end. Of travail and the beginning of everlasting felicity, consider this: Bring me daily into your mind, and earnestly attend to my words. Consider the sorrows and anguishes you see in me, and be mindful of the things that are to come upon you in haste. Have in mind of my judgment, for such shall be yours. O blessed art thou, Arseney, who hadst this hour of death before thine eyes, and blessed is he who, whenever his lord comes and knocks, finds him ready to let him in. For by what manner of death he is overcome, he shall be purged and brought to the sight of almighty God, and in the passing out of his spirit shall be received into the blessed palaces of everlasting bliss. Woe is me, wretch, where do you think you shall endure my spirit? Who will receive my wretched soul, and where shall it be lodged at night? In a desolate country, I lament how wretched and abandoned my soul shall be, surpassing all others. Having compassion for myself among these bitter words, I weep and shed tears like a river. But what use is it to weep or to multiply bitter words? It is concluded and cannot be changed. O God, now I make an end of my words. I may no longer make sorrow. For lo, the hour has come that will take me from the earth. Woe is me now, I see and know that I may no longer live, and that death is the next. For lo, the unruly hands begin to ravage, the face to pale, the sight to dim, and the eyes to close. The light of the world I shall no longer see, and the state of another world before the eyes of my soul appears to me. O God, how dreadful a sight is this? Lo, you cruel beasts, the horrid faces of devils and black, shapeless things surround me, spying and awaiting my wretched soul that shall in haste depart. passe out, if perhaps it should be taken to them for torture, as for her lot, O most righteous judge, how strict and harsh are your judgments, charging and harshly demanding of me in these things, which few people fear or dread, for as much as they seem small and insignificant. Do you, most fearsome judge of righteousness, presently appear to me with fear, and suddenly come to life. Behold, the swift approach of death, which witnesses the kind of flesh that perishes and overcomes the spirit. Farewell, dear friends and companions. In my passing, I cast the eye of my mind into purgatory, where I behold, with the eye of my heart, wretchedness and sorrow and many fold penances and torments. Alas, wretch that I am, there I see among other penances those that long for that place, rising up flames of fire and the souls of wretched people cast therein, leaping up and down and to and fro, that run like sparks of fire in the midst of that. \"burning fire right as in a great town, all on fire and in the fire and smoke the sparks are born up and down, so the souls weeping for sorrow of their pains cry each one and say these words,\n\u00b6 Have mercy on me, have mercy on me. At least you that are my friends, where is now the help of my friends? Where are now the good behests of our kinsmen and others. By whose inordinate affection we took no leave of ourselves and so increased this pain for ourselves. Alas, why did we do so? The least pain of this purgatory that we may feel passes all manner of sorrows of that transient world. The bitterness of pain that we now feel in one hour seems as great as all the sorrows of the passing world in a hundred years. But passing all manner of other torments and pains, it grieves me most the absence of that blessed face of God. These words that I have now said in my last passing I leave to you as in\" my mind passes, and I die at this vision. The disciple made great sorrow and all his bones quaked. Then turning him to God, he said: Disciples where is everlasting wisdom now, Lord? Have you forsaken me, your servant? You would teach me wisdom, but I am almost brought unto death. O my God, how much does the presence of death bind me that I have seen now. The image of death has so overcome all my mind that I do not know whether I have seen the image of death or not. I am so greatly troubled that I do not know whether this that I have seen is in truth or in likeness. O Lord of the Lord's dreadful and merciful, I thank you with all my heart for your special grace. I promise to amend. I am afraid with passing great fear. Truly, I perceived in all my life the perils of death so openly disposed as I have now in this hour. I believe for certain that this dreadful sight will benefit my soul forever. Certainly, I now know that we have here no everlasting city, and therefore I dispose myself with all my might, and I purpose to learn to die, and I hope by God's grace to amend my life without any withdrawing or differing. For since I am so made a fear only of the mind, what should be to me the presence of it? Therefore, now depart from me, depart I pray, the softness of bedding, the preciousness of clothing, and the slowness of sleep, and all that hinders me from the Lord Ihu Crist. O holy and merciful savior, put me not to bitter death. Lo, I falling down before thee with weeping tears, I ask of thee here at thy will, so that thou reserve not my wicked deeds unto the last end. Furthermore, in the horrible place there is such great sorrow and pain that no tongue may suffice to tell, O how great a fool have I been to this time, inasmuch as I have so little taken of undisposed death, and of the pain of. Purgatory is so great, and how great is the wisdom in having these things before the eyes. But now that I am so deeply taught and amoned, I open my eyes and fear it greatly.\n\nWisdom answering said:\nThese things that are said, my son, in all times keep in mind while you are young and whole and mighty, and may amend yourself. But when you come to that hour truly, you can in no other way help yourself, except that you commit yourself to the mercy of God only, and take my passion between you and my judgment, lest you fear my right wisdom more than necessary, for so you might fall down from your hope. And now, since you are afraid with a passing fear, be of good comfort under God's sustaining that you fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. Seek your books and you shall find how many goods and profits the mind of death brings to man. Therefore have in mind your creator and maker in the days of your life. Youther/ or that the powder torn again into his earth when he came from, and the spirit torn again to the Lord who gave it to him. Bless thou God of heaven with all thine heart, and be kind to him who yields the grace to see this, for there are few who perceive with their hearts the instability of this time, nor the deceit of death that lies in wait in all times, nor the everlasting felicity of the country which is to come. Lift up thine eyes and look about thee closely, & see how many there are who are blind in their souls, & stop their ears lest they hear not to be covered and led into sin, & therefore their loss and damage will not long tarry. Alas, behold the company without number of them who are now lost through the misfortune of undisposed death. Name ye the multitude of them if you may, and take heed how many they are. The whych in thy time dwelling with thee are dead and passed from this world. How great a multitude of brethren and fellows, and other of thine acquaintances. Years have passed before you reach the age of a young man and have left you alive, and they asked of them all and inquired of each one, and they will tell the weeping and mourning, saying: \"O how blessed is he who sees before him and pursues these last things, and keeps himself from sin, and does according to the counsel of wise men, And in all time disposes himself for his last hour, wherefore putting aside all things that should withdraw him, he orders for his house, and makes himself ready for that last way of every man and to the hour of death. For in truth you do not know what hour it will come and how near it is.\n\nAnd therefore, just as a traveling man standing in the haven beholds closely a ship swiftly sailing toward far-off countries, he should not move until it comes to him, so stand steadfast in virtues, and more for love than for fear, so that all your life and all your possessions are ready. Working be dressed and set to that ende ever primarily to love and please thy lord God, trusting to His mercy, so that thou hast a blessed obit by which thou mayest at last come to the place of Immortality and eternal felicity.\n\nThe disciple said: \"O Sovereign and everlasting wisdom, for as much as the great profit of thy doctrine has stirred me with a fervent desire to go to the schools of virtue and to give my whole intent to them, in which I have sufficiently learned how I shall both live and die; in the exercise and fulfilling of them in deed, I know myself to be unworthy, oftentimes cast down. Wherefore I flee to the almighty God and to thy sovereign might, and ask of thee, who vouchsafest to show me mercies, remedies that I may have recourse to in adversities that have fallen.\n\nWisdom,\nThe seven sacraments of the holy church are seven remedies, through which a man is in a manner newborn into a spiritual creature.\" Among these sacraments, a special excellent manner arises from the sacrament of the water. The shining of God's love and a river of heavenly grace blessingly burns devout souls, and sweetly makes them drunk in spiritual love, as truly known. For just as dry sticks kindle earthly fire to burn more fiercely and make the flames thereof spring up and spread all around, so this worshipful sacrament, nourishing of spiritual heat, imparts great increase to the fire of God's love and nourishes it when it is devoutly received. Among all tokens of love, there is nothing that so rouses the will of the lover as the desire for the presence of the one loved, for that surpasses all other things. Therefore, in my last supper, I gave myself to my beloved disciples in sacrament, and to them and all others. mynystres of thys sacryfi\u00a6ce I haue lefte that grete power in the ver\u2223tue of myne wordys that they may haue me present bodely / that am present euerywhere by my godhede goostly / \nDisciple.\nI beseche the my lorde that I thy seruaunt may speke a worde in thyn eeris / & that thou be not wrothe to thy seruaunt / For sothly thou arte my lorde and I thy seruaunt / And I haue wel vndirstonde that thou hast seyde that thou arte in thys sacramente not figural\u00a6ly / but ryally and bodely. And yf hit be soo I praye the mekely to be taughte / for that sholde yeue me grete mater to loue the ferruently.\nWisdom.\nIn very certeynte and sothfastly / and wyth\u2223oute ony doute I am conteyned in thys sacra\u00a6mente god and man wyth body and soule flesshe and blode as I wente oute of my mo\u2223ders wombe\n and henge on the crosse / and sitte on the fadres ryght hande.\nDisciple.\n I beseke the my lorde be not displesid yf I speke. For thys that I shall speke cometh not of the rote of mysbyle\u2223ue / but of full grete merueyle. For yf I durst seye It seems a great wonder how the perfect body of my Lord, with all members and measurements, can be contained within that little form that we see of the sacrament. The wisdom. How my body is contained in the sacrament, no tongue can tell, nor wit understand, nor human reason comprehend. It is only by faith that this should be believed, and therefore it is necessary to believe it firmly and beware of presumptuous searching in this matter so curious. Nevertheless, I, intending to profit your devout simplicity and excite your fervor more than the showing of the thing itself, which is only known to God, shall answer your simple words, taking the way of answer for those things that are known in their own kind to you, but unknown to the things that pass the knowledge of all earthly creatures. Tell me therefore, if you can. / A little pupil of the eye may close in to see all that great circumference it beholds of the firmament, or in what manner a broken glass receives a perfect image in every broken part of it, since these things are not in proportion. And though these simple examples may be rather unlikeness than perfection, every thing in this purpose has more unlikeness than likeness. Nevertheless, these things may be taken as convenient examples. Since nature can work so many and great marvels kindly, why may not the author and maker of nature stretch himself into greater marvels in his working? Also, if it seemed possible that the maker of the world said, \"and all things were made of nothing,\" why should he not turn one thing into another through his private power? And therefore, right as all things are to him, so there is nothing impossible for him to have done. Whereof then have you. \"wonderfully, you believe that divine wisdom fed five thousand men with five loves, and I ask you what matter that was, serving them all but his great might.\nDisciple:\nTo these things I cannot answer from my simplicity, but I openly acknowledge that God's workings are marvelous.\nWisdom:\nYet I put this question to your simplicity: Do you believe that you have a soul, or that there are things invisible?\nDisciple:\nI do not believe that I have a soul, but I know it well in as much as I have the knowledge of it through my body, my intellect, and my feelings, and reason teaches that there are many things in its kind which may not be comprehended by sight or other bodily senses, and perhaps there are more of God's works that are unseen than those that man's wit can comprehend, as a diligent seeker may find in the order of all things.\"\nWisdom:\nOf these before-mentioned words, say something to further the understanding of Every blessed spirit passes more in understanding the ways of every man than does the understanding of a wise man surpass the understanding of a fool. For experience teaches that many unlettered men hold as impossible many things which clerks have certain knowledge and understanding of, primarily in geometry and astronomy.\n\nTo our purpose, though this matter passes the knowledge and understanding of earthly men who have but a blind understanding of such things that are most open in kind, those who have the knowledge of them are in bliss. Here, the wise man in holy writ speaks of this through these words: \"There is a man who labors him day and night to know all the works of God which He does reversed, and I have understood that no man can find a reason for all the works of God that are done in reverse. The more he labors to find it, the less he shall find. Look also at a great philosopher subtly and deeply.\" \"Bezelely he asked him to know a certain natural matter, which he could not attain through his wit. At last he said, \"Let us leave these things to those who are stronger, that is, wiser than us. Since these things that are of kind and openly in the earth cannot be known, how can those things that are heavenly and not seen be known but surpass all the faculties of earthly nature? Therefore, the Lord spoke to Nicodemus: 'If I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe it, how will you believe if I speak to you of heavenly things?' Therefore, men should flee all such imaginations and concepts that lead to errors by investigating things that touch on faith. For some think often of that ground in which they imagine that they judge of godly things, as they would of human things, and of those things that are above nature, as of those that are in nature. But they should not do so.\" In this purpose, they were required to beware, for God's body is not in the sacrament in the manner of a body that is measured thereafter, but it is there in a spiritual manner. And if you ask me what kind it is, I tell you it is such a kind as is fitting for this sacrament. To know which, your imagination may not attain, therefore your understanding must be compelled and brought into the bondage of Christ to always have before your eyes how much of this virtue it is, without end, to which all manner of things obey and serve at will. A plain example you have here of this by a child born in prison and long unnourished therein. The which would hold it a great marvel, who would tell him many things of the course of stars and of the disposition of this world which we know and see, and marvel not at it. Therefore the wisdom of God. Descending to men's ignorance, the foregoing things have left only for believers to accept as much as they pass the measure of human wit. True men, leaning as to a sad foundation, have more certainty of this than if they should lean to their own understanding or other men's in things known and proportioned by nature.\n\nDisciple:\nSincerely, with most evident persuasions and reasons, you present to me the faith of this sacrament, and take away from my heart troubling doubts and fearful thoughts that grow and diminish a sick soul. For what you have said, I perceive well that it is a simple wit that speaks of things that are impossible, and asserts the ability to know the wonderful works of God alone. And yet, if it fails in knowing the works of the self-kind, I know well and sadly that you are sovereign and endless might, able to do all things and sovereign and everlasting wisdom. You that are God, plain and unchangeable, soothing truth. may not lie nor deceive. Therefore you are the end of my belief and the anchor of my hope, now and forever. Now I have obtained what I long desired. Why are you my soul sorrowful and why do you disturb me? You have sought and found Ihu. Often times in this time you have complained that your loved Ihu was away from you. What time did you see another man glad in his presence whom he loved? You had envy in your heart and made sorrow for as much as you did not have him present whom you loved. And in this manner you said, \"Oh, would that my beloved were such a one who often times or always, if it pleased him, would be with me and live with me. So that I might have joy and liking of his presence, which would comfort me in tribulations and in sickness.\" But now this voice of sorrow is turned into joy. For now I find him present / for whom I made sorrow / due to his absence / Therefore, now all you who love God be glad with me / For I have found my beloved / not only in his likeness, whereby he is present to all men / but also in his sacred presence to me / Therefore, it is wonderful that I may be drawn away from the church and not dwell there night / where I have my Lord present / not only spiritually / but also bodily / and not only God almighty / but also as my brother and beloved friend / O Lord, how blessed I would have been once / if I might have received into my mouth at least one drop of that precious blood flowing out of the open wounds of my Lord, my beloved / But now, with my diligent consideration, I begin to take heed / not only that I receive one drop or two of that precious blood flowing out of his hands or feet or from his heart / but also that I receive all his blood holy / and his body is joined to my body / O Lord, how. Worthily should the presence of such a great guest move the affection of men's hearts. What can be shown more of love than the homely knitting together of him that is loved by him, who loves? Though it may be that he cannot be seen here in the sacrament so openly as in heaven, nevertheless the fervent affection of man leaning towards the foundation of faith should be steadfastly maintained. This sacrament may well be called the sacrament of love, inasmuch as it brings love and the lover together. Now may my soul be comforted, for you have sought and found, and therefore receive and take Christ in humility and in presence, as Simeon did rightly and reverently receive him in his bodily presence. For though Simeon received him visibly, and you invisibly, yet you receive him as faithfully in loveliness and as verily as he did. Rightly as my bodily eye cannot see him now in the sacrament, yet you receive him as truly as he was received by Simeon. sacrament this humanity is present, so that the aforementioned Simon bearing it in his arms might not see your godhead, but only with the eyes of belief. As I see you bodily now present with the eyes of belief, but what is it to me in bodily form, since your eyes are blessed and do not see after the flesh, as the scribes and Pharisees do bodily, but now your chosen children see the ghostly. What would I, my soul, desire more of your beloved to know certainly and without any doubt, you have him present in the sacrament; though it be invisible. But now take heed to God's ordinance, and see that this mystery is done and made much more conveniently under another likeness, than in the likeness of his proper person. For who might be so fearful or hard-hearted that would presume to take him and eat him in the form of flesh and blood? Therefore, the divine wisdom disposing all things in the best manner, ordained that the flesh and blood be brought under the likeness of bread and wine, the which. \"This sacrament should commonly be taken. This should be fitting for us, and it seems not unworthy or less suitable. Therefore, eternal wisdom, whenever I consider and behold such great works and marvels so passing well disposed and ordered, I am amazed in myself, crying inwardly and saying, \"O the high worthiness of the riches of wisdom and the cunning of God. What art thou, being so great and so worthy, and so virtuous in the working of creatures created by thee? Wherefore, now my king and my God, who have vouchsafed to choose me for the office of priesthood not of my merit, and would make me minister of such great mysteries that I may every day receive and offer the Lamb without blemish. I ask of thee, who teach me, how I shall worthily receive this.\"\" that hit be to thy louynge and hele of my soule / knowynge for certeyne that there was neuer kynge soo grete and soo glo\u00a6ryous that was soo worshipfully and soo re\u00a6uerently receyued of ony cite / ne none moost dere frende comyng fro ferre countre soo glad\u00a6ly and effectuously salewed and greted of his specyal frende / ne noo loued spouse soo amo\u2223rously and hertely receyued of his spouse and soo reuerently treatid / as my soule this day desyreth for to receyue the myn worthiest Emperour swettyst frende and deryst loued ghest and moost lykynge spouse / and for to brynge the in to my goostly hous and in to the moost secrete chambre of my herte. and there for to doo to the all maner reuerence & loue / & for to yelde to ye all the worship that is possible to be yelden of a poore crature to his\n god & his maker.\nWysdom.\nWhenne yu comyst vp to the worshipful awter beholde wyth thyn Inner eye of byleue that holy body in flesshe & bloode of thy god / yt is to seye in thys maner that moost certeynly / and wythoute ony thou doubtest with all thy heart and knowest with thy mouth that he is the very son of God. Born of the virgin Mary, and that he was dead and rose from death to life. And after this, with deep reverence and sovereign worship, with thy Lord God I marvel inwardly with meek devotion, that so great a Lord should come to such a wretched worm, and that so noble a prince should vouchsafe to come to me. And then say with fear and reverence, \"Lord, I am not worthy that thou enter into my house, but turning away from my great unworthiness and thy great pity and mercy, I come seeking the leech of life. Trusting to the well of mercy, needy to the Lord of heaven and earth. The sheep to his herdsman. The creature to its maker. Most ardent desire and inward longing of heart, receive thy worthy spouse, having sovereign delight of his blessed and sweetest self. And this one thing is special, that should stir and move an amorous soul: when he thinks he has presented his dearly loved spouse and friend, for whose love he dies every day to this world, and despises all earthly love. Behold these feigned lovers of this world: what joy they feel when they see the house where they think their loved friend or spouse dwells! They are the happier and merrier then. Take heed from this: he should be worthy glad and rejoice supremely when he receives under this visible form, not a foul creature, but the maker of all things, not a closed filth, but the wisdom of God become man. It wonders him that an amorous soul can be sorrowful for any temporal thing in which he has received his beloved maker, God. Without a doubt, he has in himself such great matter for joy that it should rightly consume and put to nothing all chance of heaviness and sorrow, just as the great sea. A drop of eyasle or vinegar in it. Furthermore, if you desire to know in experience the sweet savor of this sacrament, which is yet unknown to thee, be first careful to withdraw your soul from secular needs and fleshly lusts and vices. So that before receiving it, you have profound contrition, and a clean and open confession, and be drawn to it by inward devotion more than by used custom, with most ardent affections and most holy meditations, as with red roses and white lilies you shall array yourself against him, the guest chamber of your heart, and make it ready for such a worthy spouse by inward peace. And whenever you feel him present, clasp him between the arms of your heart, through the outcasting of all earthly love and the inward closing of that heavenly spouse.\n\nAfterward, a devout soul shall make me hear his voice and sing to me with the songs of Sion. Of which melody, when it is made of three manner proportions, it yields most. The sweetest fruit, that is to say, of perfect fruitfulness, all earthly things, and the fervent affection of everlasting things, and a manner of beginning of loving it, the blessed spirits have in heaven. It is well for him who can perceive and feel these things with an inward taste, and it may know them by sincere experience more than by words or writings.\n\nDisciple: Oh, it wonders me and blinds me, why I may well be sorry. For in the most abundant abundance of spiritual riches, I have long dwelt most poor. And the great spiritual goods I have wretchedly delayed. And of the great sweetness, the immeasurable measure of your gifts, I have been empty and dry. O my God, to you I make my complaint with inward sorrow of heart that I have been so long from you. And you have been so near me, and I was not with you. And I have set myself to worldly business and other superfluous vanities, taking little heed of you. Oh, alas, I have had myself so tediously to myself as though you, my God, had not been. I have opened my eyes, clipping your presence with my most affection and desire of body and soul. For as often as I think and have in mind your blessed presence, my spirit begins to rejoice as he who receives a good messenger coming from a far country. Therefore, it is now fitting that, as you have fed me with your blessed presence - as with the bread of life and understanding - so you should also nourish me further by yielding me the drink of your helpful wisdom. Answer me, you servant, regarding these things that I shall ask of you.\n\nFirstly, I ask of you, what good comes to the man who receives you in a devout manner in the sacrament?\n\nWisdom.\n\nI pray, from whence comes this question? Is it convenient for a loving heart that loves inwardly to ask such a question? So, you truly believe that this question is fitting for an amorous heart that loves inwardly? Therefore, he who has that which he loves, has it. taketh not much more than other things. What thing have I better or more profitable or more precious than myself? And he that hath, what shall he desire more? He that yieldeth all himself to his friend, what I pray thee keepeth him from him? Look in the sacrament I yield my myself to thee, and I take thee from thyself and turn thee into me. For truly thou shalt not turn me into thee as the meat of thy flesh, but thou shalt be charged and turned into me. But perchance thou art not yet perfect in love; wherefore thou canst not only love but also some reward thereof. And therefore I shall answer now by a question like unto thine asking: Tell me what is helpful or profitable to the air the shining of the sun at noon? What time does it shine hot with all its virtue without cloud at midday time? Or else, what profit the bright stars, and in particular that fair star Lucifer, to the dark night? Or else, what fair heat brings the hot summer time to the earth that is. Before coming with the cold frost of winter,\nDisciple.\nAll these seeds bring great fruit and great beauty,\nWisdom.\nAll these seeds lead to the great and glorious,\nFor as much as they are commonly and comprehended by sight,\nBut truly the spiritual gifts given in the sacrament in their manner are much greater.\nworthy and greater advancers,\nFor the least gift of grace thereof makes a man more gracious when he receives the sacrament if it is devoutly taken,\nand it shall more clarify the soul afterward with its spiritual illumination than any bright thing can illuminate the clear air,\nand for as much as spiritual things without comparison pass bodily things,\nFurthermore, you may conceive of other likenesses also, my body glorified which is received here in the sacrament truly with grace,\nshall more illuminate and worship with its light all the court of heaven, & every chosen soul,\nthan the course of stars and the varied show of times can help or further. In any manner the earth, and my soul contained in the sacrament, is lighter than all the day stars or even stars in the earth. And all these shall be given hereafter to a true soul by virtue of this sacrament without other profits and graces, which fall every day in great and numberless quantities, often recited and spoken of.\n\nDisciple: I am astonished by the fact that I hear so many worthy miracles and workings of this glorious sacrament. But, Lord, I pray you do not disdain one doubt I shall put forth to thee. Since you, almighty God, have vouchsafed to magnify this worshipful sacrament with so many glorious miracles and profits without number, not only for the time to come, but also in this present time. Why is all this hidden and abstract, unperceived by any man, if I dare say the virtue thereof is not apparent to true believing men. What is done about other men, I know not, in as much as I am not a curious seeker. I am not an expert in old English text, but I will do my best to clean the text based on the given requirements. Here's my attempt:\n\nBut I am experienced in the inconsistencies of other men's conscience. Yet this is something I am familiar with in myself. Whenever I should come to the holy sacrament, of which I have found myself both reluctant to go to and feeling great hardness of heart and a dull spirit, I have believed in myself that all the spiritual lightings and godly graces that come from that sacrament to my soul were void. I felt so desolate without fruit that it seemed the sacrament had no effect on itself. O wondrous counsel of all-mighty God, and yet I, the unwise, dared to reprove and question His Lord, who is most wise and without reproach in all things, disposing all things in the best manner. I pray, why have you hidden so many and great goods? Would it not have been better if you had ordained the faith of such great mysteries with more open signs and more evident experience?\n\nWisdom, do you not know that while you are here, you walk by faith? And faith does not depend on kindly feeling. For that thing which openly shows and experience proves how may faith receive? Nay, faith must not fail where the open showing of reason has place. And so follows that the worthy merit of faith should perish. For as the wise man says, faith has no merit to which faith reason yields experience. And therefore, if you wish to commit to the experience of reason the mystery of this sacrament, reason and the merits of faith must perish and fail. And what if it so happens that a chosen soul feels thoughts that are dreadful? Sothly, if he fights against them lawfully by his will, he shall be crowned therefore.\n\nOpen I pray, the book of your heart, and see how openly the knowing of the mystery of this sacrament is given by God to be known in the hearts of some chosen ones. Though it is not always so, nevertheless, sometimes by grace and in an unspeakable manner, they perceive and feel the sweetness of this sacrament. That if it is possible for us to know anything more certainly than we know by faith, by that knowing we are given by God to feel and know the most truthful being of the sacrament. Therefore, consider these things that are said openly: this sacrament is never the less true in reality, because the spiritual effect of it is invisible or not perceived with bodily wit. For the good light is not like such manner of light that can be comprehended or seen with bodily sight, or that spreads itself to outward things, but it may be seen only by good understanding or else by the sight that is in bliss, and that is properly light in its own being.\n\nDisciple:\nOh Lord, how few are there in this world who with diligent care take and charge the most precious virtue and profit of this worthy sacrament. For some go to this sacrament commonly and following the custom of the commune, they are not going there for that purpose but rather. To go therefor and not often withinwardly with devotion, but of lack of spiritual fervor. And therefore, as they come void to it, so they go void from it and without grace, as did the unclean beasts that were reproved in the old law, for they think not carefully nor take heed what they receive nor how much good and grace follows it if they devoutly receive it with a clean heart, nor how much evil and peril follows to them if they unworthily receive it. And if it so happens that there comes to her mind any good stirring, perhaps it is but shortly and passes away. It fares as a little spark in her heart that suddenly is quenched and appears no more.\n\nThere are three kinds of men who receive me in the sacrament: some are undisposed, as those who are born with deadly sin; some are well disposed, as those who are passing godly lives; some are in mean manner disposed, as those who are uncertain. The first men deserve everlasting death. The second everlasting life and spiritual blessing / The third eating dry bread and unsavory food do not feel its sweetness to them /\n\nDisciple:\nWhat and a free man has perhaps committed some private sins / And in his going to that sacrament is contrite and does it according to the ordinance of the holy church / whether this sinful man dares to go there, trusting in your grace /\n\nWisdom:\nSincerely, if he is contrite and does it according to the counsel of spiritual doctors, then properly speaking, he is not a sinner. For Mary Magdalene, what time she was contrite in her heart and came to the feet of our Lord, and washed them with her tears, had the name of a sinful woman. Nevertheless, after that time, she was not a sinner, for Christ had forgiven her her sins.\n\nDisciple.\nEvery man is held accountable for his own wit / But sincerely, in this matter, I believe faithfully\nthat the godly mysteries of this sacrament pass all manner of virtue of man / and are a boat for all things. Among all that were born of women, there never was one who could sufficiently ordain himself, in terms of worthiness, for such great mysteries, however virtuous he might be in his works. Of these, without the grace of God, he would not be able to receive the high and holy sacrament.\n\nWisdom\nAmong all that were born of women, there never rose one who, by the righteousness of his works alone, could sufficiently ordain himself as worthy for such great mysteries. Though one man might have had all the natural cleanness of all angels, or all the cleanness of saints' glory, or all the merits of holy lives on earth through the strength of living, yet without the grace of God, he would not be able to receive the high and holy sacrament. Greet mysteries, Disciples.\nEverlasting God, how dreadful it is to me and to us sinners to hear this: Alas, alas, Lord God, since angels are not clean in your sight, and men of great works are not worthy of their own righteousness to receive the what shall fall upon us who wallow every day in the cleansing of sins, and are not as it should be, composed of our own negligences, with what dread is it to us to come unworthily to that sacrament skillfully, lest that which should be for us becomes forfeiting, torn into sorrowful punishments.\n\nWisdom.\nTake heed carefully that this sacrament of mercy is ordained against sin; therefore, whatever time a man does what he may to draw near to grace, it is sufficient for him. For God asks not of a man what is impossible for him. And therefore, whatever time he who receives the sacrament does that he may, the pity of God fulfills by grace, so that a man may not come to. Without further context, it is difficult to determine the original language of the text as it contains a mix of modern English and older English spelling and grammar. However, based on the given requirements, the text appears to be in Middle English. Here is the cleaned text:\n\n\"without grace / Therefore if a man disposes himself as well as he can / he shall rather go to that sacrament on trust in the pity of God than he should abstain from it by consideration of his own frailty / though it so be that he feels himself frail and unwilling It is commendable and meritorious to go there with meek hope / Who is he that unworthily dares say that those who are spiritually sick should not come to him, who took death upon himself to cleanse them of their sicknesses and infirmities / Therefore it may be conveniently said / that as his coming in humanity was for the salvation of sinful men / so this helpful host is ordered to true Christian men in remedy of sins / For he, the wisdom of God, at the last superintended the ordering of this helpful sacrament, said thus / This is my body, which shall be given for you. And this is my blood that shall be shed for you in remission of sins / therefore what time you have done that which is in the goo there to, go hardily without great fear with faith and\" Charity doubts not his endless pity, Disciples.\nThese gracious and loving words comfort me, wretched sinner that I am, though I had feared in conscience to approach you for my wicked wretchedness. Now I dare approach and come to the king of majesty, full of mercy. But I pray you, tell me, which is better: to go often to this sacrament or to seal it with confession?\nWisdom.\nTo this question, take common sense and a knowing sentence from the worthy doctor Augustine. He says that both are commendable: for the place and the time, it is to be said that for reverence, it is left; and for the deacon, it is taken. But truly, to him it feels that his devotion increases with the reverence of the sacrament. In frequent reception of it, they find it profitable to go often to it.\nDisciple.\nBut what do you say about those who seem to dwell altogether in one manner of affection, inasmuch as they feel or perceive little profit for themselves on one side or the other? moche amended on the other half & yet more often they feel themselves at times with a harsh heart and dryness of devotion, & though it is so that they say every day psalms & prayers that they have in custom to say, & often times make themselves clean by confession, yet they always dwell in hardness of devotion & feel nothing the taste of spiritual or grace. I shall also recount further one thing that is painful to devote souls and sorrowful, as often as this troubles them: this is to say that other times, at the moment of receiving the sacrament, grace seems to withdraw from some more than it was wont to be before. It seems so, as though it forsakes him who is after it crying. Truly this seems to me a hard and sorrowful thing.\n\nMany causes there are & many manners by which this hardness is accustomed to trouble a devout soul. They say that there are several reasons, which I shall now pass over. You have no mind that you have given any cause for this diligent searching of your conscience. But if it so falls by the suffrance of God, who is wont in a thousand ways to trouble and prove his chosen people, and though such hardness of heart falls upon you, let not this distress you. Nor therefore withdraw yourself from this helpful sacrament, knowing that the pity of God works the healing of the soul oftenest when a soul thinks itself uncertain, and at what time the soul only leans upon the foundation of faith without any special spiritual sweetness, it is excepted as though he had abundance in feeling of spiritual graces and comforts. Perhaps if a creature had such sweetness when he would, he should be negligent and not keep himself in them so carefully and warily as he needed, and therefore such graces are profitably withdrawn. And also for this cause, when they are withdrawn, they should be the more earnestly sought after. And when they are withdrawn, they should be the more earnestly sought after. Come the wisely be kept, so that the loving soul be put to exercise of virtue in the school of meekness. In this matter, one thing is notable and that you should carefully note is that this spiritual savor and inward taste of devotion is not the true effect of faith that endures to this time in this world, but his proper longing for the bliss that is to come afterward. Therefore, when it is given in the sacrament or otherwise, give thanks to God always, and when it is not given, suffer patiently, knowing that it is not in your power but in the sovereign and most benevolent giver's power. We who will not give it as you will, but when it pleases him to give it to his loving and your profit. Also, you shall understand that sovereign God is so plentiful without end that the more it is taken, the more he who takes it is made able to receive it. Therefore, it often happens that touching this sacrament, the more you take. A man who withdraws himself from it through inordinate fear, the more thoroughly his differing from day to day, will be undisposed. It is therefore better to consider all things and go to it through the stirring of love, than to abstain from it through the stirring of fear. It is better to go to it every week or every day with true meekness and knowing of one's own imperfection, than once a year through presumption of one's own righteousness.\n\nDisciple:\nTell me, I pray, what time or what hour,\nwhich he who goes to it should primarily take heed to, and with all his might dispose and prepare himself for his grace.\n\nWisdom:\nThat is the time of holy receiving and spiritual partaking of it. For then heaven is in a manner opened, and the beloved Son of the Father is sent into the soul that is well disposed, and therefore it is called in Latin, the Mass, which is of the Father's sending.\n\nDisciple:\nHow is it for those who covetously desire to receive it with a soured desire? Some may not receive the sacrament despite their desire, as they have seen the priest administer it before and have the heartfelt desire to receive it. Yet, there is none to give it to them, leaving their hungry souls unsatisfied. It is painful for a desiring soul to see the offered food and not taste it.\n\nWisdom:\nSome receive me sacramentally at this table, but others go on fasting, and some come not to this table, yet they are abundantly and spiritually drunk. The first receive and feel only the sacrament. But others receive it spiritually and are affected by its virtue.\n\nDisciple:\nHowever, two doubts remain concerning this matter for me. One is whether he who partakes of it both bodily and spiritually possesses more of its virtue than he who receives it spiritually alone. Touching its effect. You are asking for the cleaned text of the given input, which is a historical text with some formatting issues and potential OCR errors. Based on the requirements you have provided, I will remove meaningless or unreadable content, correct OCR errors, and translate ancient English into modern English as faithfully as possible. Here is the cleaned text:\n\nsacrament: and the cause of the doubt is, for you know who it is that speaks thus.\nCrede et manducasti.\nThat is to believe: and you have eaten the second doubt is, how long does this worshipful sacrament remain after it is received by man.\nWisdom.\nIndeed, the one who receives both the substance and the effect, that is, the giver and the gift, has more matter for devotion and grace than the one who takes only one. And regarding the second doubt, you have enough sentences from the fathers to say that God's body dwells in the sacrament for a long time, as long as the species of the sacrament remain.\nAnd for an end, you shall pray thus to this holy sacrament:\nHail most holy God's body in this sacrament, indeed contained. I know thee with my lips / I love thee with all my heart / I desire thee with all my inward affections / I beseech thee that thou vouchsafe to be graciously and benignantly present on this day to visit my sick soul, couching for the reception of the healing sacrifice. Well of all graces, that I may joyfully find healing in body and soul by thy gracious presence, Lord. Behold not my wickednesses and many negligences, but to thine endless merciful gifts. For truly thou art the undefiled lamb, who today is offered to thy everlasting Father, for the redemption of all the world. O thou manna angels' food, O thou most sweet drink, bring into my inward mouth the honey-sweet taste of thine healthful presence. Kindle in me thy charity. Cast out vices. Pour in me virtues. Increase graces. And give me health of body and soul. Bow I beseech thee, heaven, and come down to me. So that I may be knit and united to thee, and be made one spirit with thee, O thou worshipful sacrament. I beseech thee, through thee, that through all my enemies be put far from me, & my sins be forgiven, & all evils by thy presence be excluded. Good purposes thou givest me, my manners thou amendest. And all my deeds thou disposest in thy will. My understanding by the sweet Jesus be here enlightened. With a newfound affection, my heart is kindled and my hope is strengthened, so that my life in amendment may ever improve and, at last, I may have a blessed foretaste of eternal life.\n\nDisciple\nWith a curious meditation, I walk above in heaven, I go beneath about in earth, I seek the depths of the sea, I consider all the world with its lusts and likings, I marvel upon the woods spread with so fair green leaves, and I behold the meadows green, and with many a fair flower of diverse colors arrayed, and at this time I contemplate all these things and behold each one.\n\nWith a sweet manner of spiritual minstrelsy, all these things gently kindle my heart into loving and praying, singing of the Creator and Maker. In this time of restful contemplation, I take heed how sovereignly fair and well Thou divine wisdom ordains all things, both good and evil, so that in all Thy making, Thou lovest nothing inordinately done, and with great reverence I. be hold this, and I begin then to be greatly glad in soul, and with a joyful voice I am compelled to break out into these words: All the works of God are right good. But what time that I begin to overcome all these, and bring to my mind the truly unmade and everlasting wisdom, chosen before all others to be the special spouse of my heart, for passing wonder and steadfastness of mind I have no more spirit but all to direct myself toward fawning in myself, I am so greatly rejoiced and glad in the - therefore my lord, behold now the principal affection of my heart, and teach me to love thee and to glorify thy glorious name. For that is that before all the joys of this world I covet and desire, and Lord, thou that knowest all things, thou knowest well that from my childhood I have ever desired and sought wisdom.\n\nThe prophets say in this manner: loving and praising become those who are righteous in heart, and also loving and praising is not seemly in the mouth of - sinners. I am a disciple. Indeed, the Lord is with me. And therefore woe is me, for I shall answer and speak, I know not what, and if I will justify myself, my own mouth shall condemn me. But what shall I not, therefore, love and praise the one who made me? See we not you, frogs and unclean worms, generated from the earth in standing waters, crying out in their manner, and as they may love and praise their Creator and Maker? Though they cannot sing sweetly like the lark and nightingale, nor know man as a rational creature, nevertheless, they do this: they yield themselves to love and praise the one they know for loving and praising the one: O thou Father of mercy, I truly know and acknowledge that it is more seemly for me, this wretched sinner, to lie prostrate before you with weeping and sorrow, asking for forgiveness of my sins, than to love and praise you with a defiled mouth. But nevertheless, trusting in your pitiful goodness and your great mercy shown to all the dead. Creatures, I beseech you to praise me with all my inward affections, asking my lord God not to despise me. I am but a wretched worm, a deed dog, and a stinking carrion.\n\nWisdom is about to cloak the wind and follow the shadow, which thinks it is worthy of praising me. He takes upon himself things that are impossible, traveling to praise me to the fullest. Nevertheless, no creature will cease to praise me. But it falls to you and to all creatures to love and praise your maker, for there is none creature but it loves and praises him. Furthermore, in the ears of God's majesty, a holy meditation is sweeter and more pleasing than many high words spoken without inward understanding. And it shows him a sorrowful heart of contrition more than only crying from the mouth and true meekness. And that you may better understand this, I have explained it to you. Seid under one example/take heed by this, though I have always rejoiced and loved the high father of heaven in earth, he was more excellently glorified and clarified in me at the time I knew him on the cross, enduring the contrary actions of mankind in suffering the sorrowful death by obedience. There are many who love and praise me with crying words, but they grieve me with displeasing deeds. They worship me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. And also there are many who, in prosperity, praise and love God, but in adversity they stir up impiety against him, and therefore their loving and praising is not acceptable to God, for it is not clean. But that loving and praising before God is most acceptable and pleasing, it is of them who, in adversity as well as in prosperity, know and love God with all their hearts and all their times, and though they yield thanksgivings. I beseech you, disciple, to suffer me to speak a word to the heart of your lord. Sincerely, I have failed greatly in these foregoing things up to this time, and I have loved you and prayed to you more in prosperity than in adversity. But now I offer myself to you as in sacrifice to your will, having a ready will to do so, no matter whether it falls good or evil. I will nevertheless love you and praise you. In all things, give thanks to you and to all these adversities mentioned for sustaining patience for love's sake. And if it were to your joy, my death rather than my life, sincerely I would put gladly to death my life, which is yet liking in you, and the years in which I might live, if I were not overcome by death. I would so offer myself to you as in sacrifice. Therefore, as long as I am here in the prison of my wretched body, I long and ask of you to be informed how I might come to that point where I may offer you all of my heart and all of my soul and all of myself. Whoever he be that in all his deeds has God in his intent and keeps himself from sin, and does not abandon the exercises of virtues, he does not cease to love and praise God continually. But to make amends for your intent, you shall understand, according to what you have heard about fathers, that when a soul is purged of earthly things and vices, and cleansed of all degrees of passions, and, as it is granted to human frailty, comes to unimaginable tranquility and rest of the soul and perfect cleansing, he shall come to the unbroken perseverance of my loving and praising, which is the end and fulfillment of all the perfection of a spiritual man.\nAnd then, when he is so purged of vices and fleshly passions, and is firmly bound to that sovereign good, he shall love and praise God without ceasing. Discipline, you beloved wisdom, after these sweet words you have brought out from your private chamber of your godly wisdom, I desire that you grant me information about certain doubts. And firstly, where may I find the most steadfast and principal matter of your loving and praising, Wisdom?\n\nIn contemplations of that sovereign and most excellent magesty of God, in which as in the well and beginning of all good things wonderfully contained, and afterwards in rivers of particular goods that go out from that sovereign God: which are given to creatures in diverse manners more or less, as it pleases him who is the cause of causes to communicate them to him.\n\nDisciple,\nTo that high contemplation of divine magesty, I, who am weak and unworthy, cannot rise up and come there. I am not worthy nor mighty enough, therefore I leave that to them who are stronger and mightier in soul. Nevertheless, therefore, I shall not cease, as I can from your loving and praising. And truly I cannot sing sweeter of God than that which is written in the Psalter, that is to say, That our Lord is sweet to all His creatures. And that His mercy is a balm in all His works. O my God, mercy in this song my soul is rightly joyful. And my conscience is enlightened. For truly, as often as I think in my heart of what I was once, and of the schemes I have escaped, and from what perils you have kept me, and from sorrows you have graciously delivered me, In all these and many more, when I bring them to mind, I may not cease from Your loving and praising. Therefore, my God and my mercy for these and all other benefits without number, I covet and desire it there be of me to you such a manner, and so sweet a praising as was the praising and loving of the blessed spirits in heaven, what time it in the sight of Your godly majesty they rejoiced that they were confirmed forever in loving and praising, seeing the evil spirits departed from them without end. Also, I desire that my praising be. as great and pleasing as it is for holy souls when they are delivered out of the prison of purgatory and presented to the presence of your blessings, there to see and behold your sweet face with unspeakable joy, and also as great as the loving and praising in the streets of heavenly Jerusalem after the last general resurrection, when my chosen ones are departed from the wicked damning, and with a glad and merry heart shall love you and be joyful in their salvation forever. O sweet and benevolent master, now would I also know how I might turn to your praising and loving those affections that I feel otherwise, of which I doubt whether they come from nature or grace. And also how I might turn to your loving and praising of my creator, not only doing good things but also evil things as evil stirrings wrought by the wretched angels, and generally giving to your praising all things heard and seen and feelingly perceived. To these three questions, by order we give these answers: Firstly, regarding the affections you speak of, it is hard to distinguish one from another due to their great resemblance. Therefore, all such affections that are pure and honest, such as spiritual joy and stirring emotions that strengthen inner happiness, or else they may turn into bitter tears, all such sweet affections that you know not whence they come nor whither they go, you shall offer up\nto the creator and maker of all things with inward devotion, in the manner of an acceptable sacrifice that Abel offered to God. So that they be dispersed in the loving of him who is the author and maker of nature and giver of grace. And so, such gifts of grace which are by nature in your power and not meritorious through the aforementioned end, may be made above nature and meritorious.\nTouching the second demand, often as you feel the evil suggestions or stirrings of wicked spirits beginning to rise within thee, arise quickly in spirit and say: O highest almighty God, I beseech thee that my soul may fulfill the place and office of this wicked spirit, by which he should have loved thee if he had stood in everlasting bliss. Lord, I covet and desire it as often as this wicked spirit puts such foul and abominable thoughts against my will in my mind, with all my unspeakable loving and thanking be to thee in everlasting bliss. And as often as I suffer these wicked stirrings put in me by the devil, I offer to thee the loving and thanking with all my affection. And thus thou seest how those who love God turn all things into the best, as well the evil as the good. Inasmuch as the wicked suggestion of the spirit turns into prosperity and profit for the soul.\n\nOf the last thing that you asked for, you shall do it in this manner. What time thou Perceiving or seeing in any manner the passing fairness of diverse things, such as the wood's wonderful green trees or the mead full of fair flowers, or the field sown with various corns and such fair creatures. Lift up thine heart and thine eyes, and stretch forth thy hands into heaven, and say with all the inward affection of thy heart in these words, \"O thou gentle and most fair wisdom, after the excellent and fair prerogatives and graces of this thing, A thousand thousand of heavenly spirits ministering to thee, I give thanks. And salute thee on my behalf, and ten thousand times, an hundred thousand spirits that are about thee, may the maye's hudreth thousand spirits glorify thee, and the universal melody of all creatures may praise thee and love thee for me, now and ever without end. Amen.\n\nDisciple.\nO eternal God, since thy praying and loving are so like here in the way of this life, what is it in the country of bliss, and since such likeness is the mind of it here, what is thy presence elsewhere? But alas, by this. wonderful and unspeakable sweetness of thy praying / O God, my heart is both glad and sorrowful, desiring / For what time I think how that I am in this valley of wretchedness, / and consider myself so far from the perfect loving of the blessed spirits / between the voice of joyful praying and of morning. I burst out and with tears of sorrowful weeping I say to my lord thus: O my God, who among so many trials and anguishes, sorrows, and bitternesses that are in this world, / comfort me and gladden my soul.\n\nWisdom\n/ Look now you have whereby you may comfort yourself for the time being. It is to say this book of sweet and lovely praying of God, which if you will often read and behold, / you may be comforted spiritually by divine loving and praying, / For the likeness and gladness of heavenly joys where all my chosen children with full mouths and joyful hearts shall love and glorify me without end. Discipline. O thou, whose joy and sweetest love surpasses all others without comparison, most gentle one, you know well that this is the condition and property of fiery love. That the thing a man loves inwardly, he desires it to be pleasant to others and prays that it be loved and praised by all, without prejudice to himself. And as you have taught, the singular practice of love is such that the lover communicates without envy, the more perfectly he has it within himself.\n\nTherefore, eternal spouse, wise one, who art desirous of the health and salvation of all, think and show a way convenient by which this love of yours and the spiritual marriage of the may be multiplied or renewed, lest it becomes old and feeble in many idle people. So that you do not suffer this spiritual marriage to perish in our days, but that you impart it to them. hertis of dyuerse folke\n some maner grace. of renewynge therof / so yt thou suffre the to be goostly weddid now in oure dayes / as thou hast ben here byfore to thi chosen derlyngys / Bowe the downe I beseche the by compassyon to oure infirmitees / & con\u2223sider the malice of ye tyme that now is / & teche vs & schewe some specyal maner: wherby they that ben not perfyte in thy loue / but as children that haue nede to be fedde wyth mylke maye be partyners of thy blessyng.\nWysdom\nSothli I am euer redy and all tymes to fulfylle that yu askyst & to assente in to thys goostly wed\u2223dynge / if there were ony that wolde feruently desire hit and trauayle therfore. But in dyuer\u00a6se maners many desyren for to haue this li\u2223kynge ernest. but fewe wyll trauayle therfo\u00a6re. Neuertheles as I haue behy\u0292t in the gos\u2223pel that I shall dwelle with trewe cristen men in to the worldis ende / and that I shall neuer suffre the shyppe of petir that is holy chyrche perysshe / thouh\u0304 hit be ofte tymes shaken and trowbled in diuerse maners / And From the beginning of the holy church, as I have chosen various persons as my beloved friends, I now shall show the certain exercises and workings of love by which men of diverse degrees and estates may become my special disciples, and how my love may be continually renewed, moreover, to all those who will be devout followers of this doctrine of everlasting wisdom. This doctrine was grounded and founded upon the stone of the apostles, the truth of which was bequeathed to the seat of Abraham and so to the bliss of our Lord Ihu Crist. They shall be partners and heirs ever without end. Therefore, whoever it may be that covets and desires to be a lover and disciple of everlasting wisdom, of whatever manner of condition that he may be, or of what estate, order, or religion, man or woman, he shall faithfully keep the following things, which have no difficulty or hardship in themselves, but that: Every man may do it without prejudice of his profession and estate. For truly divine wisdom does not purpose by these things to make or ordain any special bond or profession, or any manner of constraint, but only a new stirring by the free will of devotion. It has before slept in this, and he who will labor and be busy to fulfill it does well and commendably, and he who will not do it, therefore sins not or transgresses not. Therefore every disciple of wisdom before all other things shall forsake and leave carnal love if he has any, and take to his spouse and amiable friend the fair everlasting wisdom of God. And if any man perhaps is so bound by any manner of private love, it seems to him suddenly to be constrained therefrom, at least let him have a good purpose to draw him from it as soon as he may through any occasion by the help of God. And those men who are not bound through earthly love but nevertheless to this time they are. have been neglectful and slow in loving Ihu; they shall, in a new manner, wed themselves to this spiritual spouse, and renew themselves in their love, which is everlasting with God, with a deep affection. This will be done in this way: as they were accustomed to serve Him as their Lord out of fear, now they shall be about His service with great eagerness, and continually think of His excellence and goodness as their spouse. And this wedding or renewal of old vows for a more fervent, stirring of devotion, will not only take place within the soul, but also outwardly by some private signs, such as three prostrations, a genuflection, and an \"Ave\" at each one, so that they may offer themselves to Him holy and worthy of such a spouse, and He, in His great mercy, will grant them an earnest of this wedding, that is, some new grace to take root in their love. Truths to other, the which not other death or life, nor any other creature may break, but last without end. And since fleshly lovers use to have some word or token written in their clothes as a reminder of their carnal love, so shall you, disciple of wisdom, have written somewhere privately the name of your true heavenly spouse, Ihu, to bring it often to your mind. For man's mind is so free that it easily strays from good purposes, but worshipers and disciples of everlasting wisdom may, if they will, every day say or read the short service of it written in Latin for clerks, and those who cannot read or are occupied lawfully on other matters or wish to change this service into short devotions shall, in its place, say: seven prayers, that is, one for each hour. And this shall be her intent in the saying of this service, that the divine wisdom keeps her heart and body, that they be not entangled and ensnared. With this foolish world that is now in these days full of vanity and wickedness, but that they may go wisely and warily, so that they are preserved and kept from all wickedness and perils. At the beginning or when they begin to eat, they shall say a prayer, and after eating another, or else the \"De profundis\" as for spiritual alms for the souls that in purgatory have the greatest need. Taking heed how perilous it is to eat without reward, you alms that have been passed. And not serve them truly in necessary help, and on the other hand, how meritorious it is to help those who in no way can help themselves. And with what great kindness they are glad to receive for their refreshment in such great wretchedness, the least drop or the least crumb that falls down from their lord's table. And that this devout exercise may be more acceptable to pitiful souls, it is to be known that at one time, a devout person of religion took on new these prayers to say, and especially the \"De profundis.\" desolate souls appeared to him in a vision, displaying their inner devotion. Many souls, who were in purgatory, showed him pitifully their suffering from their foul bite and sorrowful cheer, imploring him to understand their need for spiritual benefits and help. Among them, one specifically approached the forsaken person and weeping asked him to allow him to be his beggar, to whom he should give Deprofundis every day for his spiritual alms. After this vision, he was stirred more fervently to spiritual alms. The disciple of eternal wisdom will say once a day, the sweetest and most healthful name, Ihu. To the intent that he may save and keep us, the disciples of eternal wisdom, and he, as mother of the holy church, save and keep us from all adversities, and defend us from the deceits of her enemies. For the reverence of such a worthy name, say either before or after this prayer: Blessed be the name of the Lord, God of Ihu. xpi dei / and the glorious virgins of Marie's mother everlasting. And the reason and cause for this prayer to this name is that he is the sweet Ihu, who brings sweetness to many in these days and devotion is cast out from the hearts of such people who seek things for their own temporal profit and not the worship of Ihu Christ. For this sweet name may be quickened and brought into the hearts of Christ's men more plentifully, and renew love again where it is withdrawn. The aforementioned exercise of pity and charity shall be said and continued. For casting out Ihu from them who were once his beloved friends, everlasting wisdom has appeared in vision to some creatures and complained with a pitiful voice, crying to them. Also, these following days shall be kept in special devotion to this dear spouse, everlasting wisdom. It is to be said that the first day is ordained by the holy church for the story of wisdom to be sung. The Sunday of August. And the days following up to the glorious night in which the Son of the Father in heaven, everlasting wisdom, was born in this world, some special mind should be made of in private prayers, through an anthem or collect, or the Primer. And whoever would, in these days, sing a special mass of everlasting wisdom, it would be pleasing to him, Ihu. Also, there are yet three days in the year which should be kept in mind and primarily observed by all disciples and lovers of wisdom. So, in each of these, do some spiritual service to this spiritual spouse. The first day is the Circumcision of our Lord. In this day, the year begins, and according to the custom of certain lands, those bound by love especially exchange years' gifts and wish for a good year to come to them. In the same manner. for the purpose of stirring and kindling the servile soul towards love of God, every devout and beloved disciple of wisdom in this day shall, in his intention, come to his only beloved spouse, divine wisdom, and ask of her truly, as for a year's gift, prosperity and a good year spiritually for himself and for all the disciples of hers and for all the holy church. Therefore, he shall offer some special prayer, or those who may offer a taper or a serge before the altar of the crucifix in worship of him who is everlasting light. In token of this, the true disciple knows and asks that he might have health and well-being only from this divine spouse, and that her love above may burn and shine in his heart. Then he shall ask that, if perhaps this love be quenched by any occasion, it may be mercifully rekindled, never to be quenched again.\n\nThe second day is the same day in Quinquagesima, with two days following, which is called Shrove Tuesday, and in late: Carniprius. And this time is had in vanities and lusts and liking of the flesh, with foolish lovers of the world. For then they are wont to come together, friends and fellows, and feast lustily, and with great excess in feeding of the foul flesh in many ways. Therefore, in contrast, this kind of thing and as a sign that the divine spouse shall be to his disciple all manner of joy and solace and love, both in this world and the one to come, for stirring and exciting of devotion, and quieting of his dull heart, every true disciple shall worship his aforesaid spouse. The third day is the first day of the month of May. When summer beauty that is to all men and beasts and birds gladly begins, and the growths of the earth make fair to show. And then it is the custom in diverse countries for young people to go to meadows and woods on the night before or early in the morning, and there they kiss. The faithful green leaves they bear and adorn them, placing them before doors as a sign of friendship and true love. In a spiritual manner, devotions are made in the fleshly custom, as ordained by the Holy Church on the first day of November. Thus, the things you do for such earthly lovers, the disciples of God perform them devoutly to the Creator of all creatures. And the more eagerly and fervently, for without a doubt this godly Lord and spouse passes without companionship among all earthly creatures, and generously bestows his gifts of grace upon these disciples on this day, exhorting them to offer their bodies with the saying of some devout prayers, affectionately recommending them to their dear and godly spouse. The disciples of wisdom must especially worship the worthy Mother of the eternal King, everlasting wisdom, who graciously receives them as her own. A devout disciple of wisdom shall worship the queen of heaven every day with the angels' salutation nine times, saying \"Hail Mary.\" He shall say on the morrow, at the time he first rises from bed, intending that all the good deeds he shall do that day, he dedicates to this lady queen, so that whatsoever she presents to her son, the sovereign king, may be pleasing and acceptable to him. This reverent and best-loved mother shall present them more worthily and acceptably, as they would be little worth or unacceptable if presented immediately by the hands of a sinful man. At last, when he is approaching his bed, after all other prayers, he shall say \"Hail Mary,\" asking her to grant that he may more securely sleep whatever he has left undone that day through her intercession. fulfilled and that he who has evil done to her be released and forgiven, and that he has, with her help, done well. They shall say the Hail Mary seven times. The sweetest heart of God's mother, the most pitiful refuge of all sinful creatures, opens the private chamber of everlasting wisdom to all her disciples in her last passing out of her spirit. She bequeaths to them the safekeeping and support. She defeats him from all enemies and brings them with her to the palaces of heaven finally. And at the least, every year on the next day following All Souls' Day, for all her disciples of everlasting wisdom who have died and for all her dear friends, the priests shall say a Mass. And those who are not priests or who do not offer it shall pray this supplication in their prayers: \"Our Lord God, almighty, by your everlasting wisdom, have mercy and save us.\" \"In a short time, be cheerful and do not allow it to be desolate. From His great mercy, put it into peace and tranquility now and forever amen. Furthermore, if there are any creatures so weak or sick or occupied in lawful occupations that they are prevented from the aforementioned exercise, or if they have hard hearts in secular affection, and therefore do not know or cannot apply themselves to the aforementioned teaching, let them say \"ix. paternoster\" with as many Aves. And grant them your forgiveness with a general intention, as others do with a special devotion. And it is sufficient. Now, at last, divine wisdom says to return in some way to our first purposes. You may consider that this is my full profitable doctrine, which seems simple in speaking, but truly it is full of all spiritual fruit in working. And therefore, it shall be taken up with sovereign devotion.\" good service is increased, men's neighbors are profitably educated, and piteous help is ministered to souls in purgatory. This may not displease any man of right reason examined, but it is to the envious backbiter and detractor, or those who have its understanding blinded and their affection indurated and hardened. Therefore, keeping the order of charity, first draw devotion to yourself, and then be about profiting the health of your neighbor's souls. [Note: Ordo ornem pro discipulis eterne sapientia.]\n\nDisciple:\nYou sovereign heart, I commit my soul to you alone, desiring that it be continued perpetually. Now also at the last, I have a word to speak to you. First, I render thanks to my best beloved lord and spouse for these and all other benefits, without number, which you have bestowed upon me of your grace alone. To the love of Ihu be loving glory, worship, and joy without end. And I beseech you with burning desire with all my heart, that by you. inward steadfastness of thy mercy & by the virtues of that red blood which thou hast shed continually in thy passion for the salvation of men: although those who have purposed to wed the everlasting wisdom in aforetime by devout exercises of prayer, or else have desired to commune with other true Christian souls, thou, my king and my God, bless them with a helpful blessing. For truly thou art the blessed fruit that was called the pride of the world in that singular point. Whoever thou hast blessed shall truly be blessed. Therefore, thou, my father, bless these children who are thy lovers and disciples, with the blessing of the patriarchs, and all thy chosen ones, who please thee from the beginning of the world, that at last they may be gathered and joined to the blessed number with joy. Thy loving and glorious name I beseech thee to be upon them, a full defense in all diverse perils of this world, thy everlasting. wisdom teaches and guides them in all their deeds / the angels of peace keep them in prosperity and in God / head and soul and in grace always. Lord, grant them time and space for penance, so that through very contrition and sincere confession and due satisfaction, they may be turned before death to their creator and maker perfectly. And also when they are troubled at their last passing from this life, may they be safely helped and defended with the worthy reception of your most holy body in the sacrament, so that they never be overcome by sudden and unfavorable death. Lord, for your name's sake, grant them this grace / that as they now serve you with these devout exercises and services, may they be blessed by you and by your sweet mother, the mother of mercy, in their last hour of yielding up their spirit. May they be brought gloriously to the kingdom of heaven / where all the company of heaven and the multitude of blessed spirits / after the exile and sorrow of this life shall be joyfully made drunk with great pleasure of the sweetness that is. in God's presence, see the king of bliss and master of all virtues, Ihu Crist our Lord, who with the Father and the Holy Ghost live and reign the everlasting world without end.\n\nThus ends the treatise of the seven points of true love and everlasting wisdom, drawn from the book that is written in Latin, named Orologius Sapientiae.\n\nPrinted at Westminster.\n\nQuid legit emendat / non reprehendat pressoris\n\nWynkyn de Worde or William Caxton, to whom it is given high honor\n\nThe first master said that if there were anything better for man living in this world than tribulation, God would have given it to his son. But since he saw that there was nothing better, he gave it to him and made him suffer most tribulation in this wretched world than any man ever did or shall.\n\nThe second master said that if there were any man in this world who could be without a spot of sin, as our Lord Ihu Crist was, and could live thirty years, it was possible for him. And they were so devout in prayers that he could speak with angels in the air, yet could not deserve such great reward in that life as a man deserves in suffering a little tribulation.\n\nThe third master said that if it were so that your mother of God and all the saints of heaven prayed for one man, yet they would not get him so much reward or so great a reward as he would get himself through meekness in suffering a little tribulation.\n\nThe fourth master said we worship the cross for our Lord Ihu Crist hanging there on it bodily, but I say rather, and by more right and reason, we should have in mind the tribulation that he suffered there for our sins and our trespasses.\n\nThe fifth master said I would rather be of might and strength, and of power to suffer the least pain of tribulation that our Lord Ihu Crist suffered here on earth with meekness in heart, than the reward or the recompense of all worldly goods. For as Saint Peter says, none is worthy. To have tribulation but those who desire it with a pure heart and without error, for tribulation teaches us and reveals the secrets of God. It makes a man know himself and his true Christian self, multiplies virtues in a man, and is lost, holding him in the way of righteousness. Of all the gifts that God gives to man, tribulation is the most worthy. It is a treasure to which no man can make comparison, and tribulation rejoices a man's soul unto God. Now ask the seven masters why we suffer tribulation with such evil will, and they answered for three reasons. The first is that we have little love for our Lord Jesus Christ. The second is that we think little of the great mercy that God will give us, and of the great profit that comes from it. The third is that we think little or nothing of the bitter pains and great passion that our Lord Jesus Christ suffered for us in redemption. of our sins / and bring us to his bliss / that never shall have an end\nAmen\nIf a man knew how much usefulness weakness was to him, he would never have lived without it. Why? Because weakness of the body is health. Considering this, he says, \"When I am weak, then I am strong; for my weakness is the extinction of lust, the destruction of vanity, the escape from curiosity, the annihilation of mud and filth, the superbia's extinction, the expulsion of envy, the acquisition of grace and virtue, the Lord saying to Paul the apostle, \"My grace is sufficient for you.\" For virtue is perfected in weakness, and he who understands this well said with great joy, \"I will gladly glory in my weaknesses.\" Therefore, weakness in us sinners extinguishes the flames and acquires for us the Infirmity of Christ, who purges our faults and prepares for us a crown. O weakness, how dear and useful you are to us. We will never walk without you. We will never be without you. sedes/nunquam sine te in hac vita fugiente vivam (I cannot live without you in this life, fleeing from you) Quia (because) infirmitas corporis est purgatio/et sanctificatio (the infirmity of the body is a sign of the judgment/and purification of God's love) Quis amo. flagello et castigo. Certes si volumus ab eo amari debemus ab eo desistere (Therefore, if we wish to be loved by him, we must desist from him) Quia si ab eo non fuimus flagellati, non poterimus a eo recipi (Scripture testifies that he chastises every son whom he receives) Quod illos quos hic non flagellat, dicit propheta. Dimisi eos secundum desideria corum (For those whom he chastises not, he casts them off according to their desires) Necessarium ergo nobis est flagellum Domini, quia si ab eo flagellamus absque dubio ab eo recipiemus (Therefore, we must bear the rod of the Lord, for if we are chastised by him without doubt, we shall receive him) Paxitier ergo tollenda est infirmitas corporis, quae est preparatio salutis (So let peaceable patience take away the infirmity of the body, which is the preparation for salvation) Igitur cum graveris accedat et suscipienda sit, cordis leticia tollenda est (Therefore, when a heavy burden comes and it is to be borne, let the joy of the heart be taken away) Infirmitas enim corporis generat odium mudum et parit amorem Dei (The infirmity of the body generates bitter hatred and begets the love of God) Cogit nos vita praesentem tanquam erumpensam (It urges us to consider the present life as if it were bursting forth) They desired to reject the wanderer and exile, and to have an eternal life. But miserable men, given over to their misery, if they could have lived separately in this life, they would never have desired another life.\nIt is very painful and lamentable to say that no one is in the power of a god, and they strive in vain to take away the salutary scourge from them. Soon they consult glass vessels to determine whether they should die or live. Alas, alas, such and similar ones are designated by that most wicked king Ozias, mentioned in the fourth book of the kings. When he was ill, he sent messengers, saying, \"Go and consult Baalzebub, the god of Ekron, and ask him if I should die or live.\" But Elisha the prophet, sent by the Lord, met the messengers and said to them, \"Tell your master, 'Is it not with the Lord God of Israel that you consult Baalzebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore thus says the Lord, \"You shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up,\" but you shall surely die, and it was so according to the word of the Lord.' Similarly, those who try to expel their own scourge, which is interpreted as their life, will die a most terrible death. Ita dei ordinationes resistant when eius salubris flagellum sustinere renuntant, / Not knowing this and being ignorant that Deus electos suos hic flagellat ut eos probet et purget. Mundet et sanctificet ut postmodum eos coronet et glorificet qui est super omnia Deus benedictus in secula. Amen.\n\nAve et gaude Maria mater Dei regia celi. Domina mundi Imperatrix inferni.\n\nDa nobis Domine auxilium de tribulacionibus. &c.\n\nDomine Deus, grant us help from tribulaciones. To the soul that is troubled and tested, It is purposed, you should know what tribulaciones serve, and not only that thou shouldst suffer them patiently and gladly, but also comfort the inwardly of that thou art discomfited. For Seneca says, \"Non est ita magna consolatio, quae ex desolatio non extrahitur.\" Here is no such great comfort as that which is drawn out of desolation. This comfort may no man have, but he know first the fruit of tribulation, that is to say, But he know how Deus sendit tribulaciones and ordains them. The first profit of tribulation is understood, it is a true comfort or help sent from God to deliver the sufferer. Who, with good diligence, will redeem it or lightly be saved by it. For just as evil is hard to resist, so gentle teaching of holy writ redeems or harshly profits little or nothing.\n\nThe first profit of tribulation is a true comfort or help sent from God to deliver the sufferer. Whoever will redeem it with good diligence may be saved lightly by it. For just as evil is hard to resist, so gentle teaching of holy writ redeems or harshly profits little or nothing.\n\n(1 Corinthians 15:12) Sufficient for you is my grace. My grace is sufficient.\n\nThe first profit of tribulation is a true comfort or help sent from God to deliver the sufferer. Those who diligently seek it may be saved lightly by it. For just as evil is hard to resist, so gentle teaching of holy writ redeems or harshly profits little or nothing. (1 Corinthians 15:12) My grace is sufficient. soul from the hand of his enemies. Which enemies are these? Private suggestions of the devil, the cruel enemy; false joys and riches of the world, the deceivable enemy; unclean lusts of the flesh, the homely enemy. These enemies killed the soul all the more perilously because they deceived it with false feigned friendship so privately. The which are figured by Joab in II Kings xx. That feigned him friendship and held him by the chin as he would have kissed him, and so with his sword in the other hand privily slew him. Upon this it is said, according to St. Gregory: \"If any fortune is to be feared, much more is to be feared prosperity than adversity.\" And note well that God ordains all things in tribulation for the deliverance of his servant. As he shows openly by the prophet David, saying: \"Near to God is my soul in tribulation; and it is in the midst of affliction that I am made to know him.\" (Next to God is my soul in tribulation; and it is in the midst of affliction that I am made to know him.) - II Samuel 2:24, 25. Our Lord God is near to those in tribulation of heart, and He will save those who are meek of spirit. Therefore, if the pain of tribulation makes the heart heavy and increases sorrow, the might and mercy of God, your Savior who is with you in tribulation, should inwardly comfort you. But perhaps you might answer and say, \"The bitter pain of tribulation I feel well, but the sweetness of his friendship in tribulation I feel none. For if he showed to me the present sweetness of his mirth as he does the bitterness of tribulation, you should endure it.\" Also perhaps you would say that before tribulation you felt more sweetness in God than you did when you were in tribulation. To this it may be answered that the friendship of God in tribulation is understood in two ways. First, rightly, as tribulation increases, so God multiplies grace and virtue, as the apostle says in Corinthians 10:\n\nFaithful is He who does not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation He will also make the way of escape, so that you may be able to bear it. God is truly faithful to defend his servants in tribulation, which shall not enable you to be tempted more than you can bear, but also more, he will provide relief in tribulation so that you may bear it. That is to say, he will give grace and virtue to suffer tribulation patiently and gladly. An example is how lords send comfort and help to comfort their servants besieged in castles by their enemies. Rightly so, our Lord God sends comfort of grace to souls besieged with temptations of tribulation.\n\nThe second manner of God's fellowship in tribulation, as the apostle says (1 Corinthians 1:5). \"As the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our comfort also abounds. Christ's sufferings abound in us, and the comfort of God abounds; but we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed\u2014always carrying in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our body.\" Therefore, those who suffer according to God's will should not think of themselves as suffering for themselves but as suffering for Christ. have deserved that they suffer and understand well, that the comfort of grace in tribulation is not always given to him who is in tribulation. And this is because he should prove himself, he should fear God and trust in him to be delivered, as we read in the book of the holy fathers of St. Anthony. How after many spiritual temptations, he was troubled by a fever in his body and wanted all his body so much that when his servant came to visit him lying as dead, and he took him up and carried him to the next town where he was watched until about midnight. And then, by the will of God, he was relieved. He asked his servant privately to keep all others sleeping there away and he did so. And when he was brought back there so feeble that he could not stand, but sitting up he said, \"Where are you evil spirits, wicked demons? Behold, I am here by the might of God, ready to withstand all your malice.\" And after these and many other wonderful temptations, our Lord appeared to him in a vision. Every man who worships you has this assured: if his life is in temptation, he shall be crowned. If in tribulation, he shall be delivered. If in chastisement, it shall be pleasurable. You do not delight in our distresses because after tribulation, you make tranquility. (Sirach 3:18) To come to your mercy. You do not delight in our perishings. After tempests, you make tranquility. And after tears and weeping, you sendestest gladness, as the prophet says.\n\nAccording to the multitude of my sorrows in my heart, your comforts have gladdened my soul. Your comfort of one hour overpasses the sorrows of tribulation of many years. For God, who comes to help and comfort after tribulation, shall abide with you, gladdening your soul and persevering if you seem to tarry overlong in receiving his comfort.\n\nAs lovers are wont to complain, here answers a great cleric, Cassiodorus:\n\nThe very swiftness of God to a desiring and loving soul seems long tarrying. Or a thing that is much desired seems great tarrying to a loving soul. From these things above, it may be concluded that a soul discomforted in tribulation owes not to: Hold yourself overcoming by your enemies, but rather delivered. Since this is true that tribulations deliver us from our enemies, though they may be sometimes heavy and burdensome, yet nevertheless they should be endured patiently and gladly without grumbling. For if we grumble against tribulations, then we fight against our helpers and help our enemies. And since we are not strong of ourselves to deliver us from our enemies, we pray to God humbly, saying with the prophet,\n\n\u00b6 Lord, grant us help in tribulation.\n\u00b6 Lord God, grant us help in affliction.\n\u00b6 The second benefit of affliction is that it checks the malice of the senses. For he is afraid to tempt the soul in affliction, for he fears being overcome or refused, and it is figured by the friends of Job where it is said, Job 3:23.\nNo man spoke to him a word, they saw his sorrow was so intense. Greet the false friends of Job who disguised themselves as wicked demons, tormenting or troubling souls. These malevolent beings dare not approach a soul in tribulation or tempt it while disturbed, and tribulation itself does not only hinder the malice of the devil but also brings comfort through the intervention of angels and saints, as we read in the writings of many holy fathers. About thirty days after much suffering and distress, the soul was about to depart from the body. He said to his brethren, \"Be glad, for holy Anthony comes to us.\" And soon after, he said, \"Behold, here comes the worthy company of prophets.\" And the third time he said, \"Now come, holy apostles.\" And it seemed to them that he spoke with them. Then they prayed him to tell them with whom he spoke, and he answered, \"With holy Angels who came to take my soul.\" I prayed them to stay a while that I might endure more pain. They spoke the words, and the spirit passed away with great light. All feeling a wonderful sweet savor / Note well there is no peril in trials of temptations, so that you are not to them by delight or consenting, as the speech of an openly cursed man noisome not. But if you answer him, who is figured in holy write, Where it is said, \"Isaiah xxxvii,\" \u00b6 The king Ezechias commanded that the people should not answer to the blasphemies of that tyrant Rapsacis, \u00b6 King Ezechias commanded that the people should not answer to the blasphemies of the devil, and by his blasphemies are understood temptations of wicked thoughts, which noyen not but if you willfully assent to them. And if you feel yourself weak by frailty of the flesh, pray God earnestly in trials, that he stop the malicious Lord.\n\nThe third profit of tribulation is that it purges the soul. But it is to be noted that there are five manners of purgings, one is the purging of the body for the corruption of wicked humors. And that is on two manners. One is by medicinal drinking. Another is by crafty bleeding. The second purging is of metals, as gold by the fire, and iron by the cold. To the third purging is of trees, as cutting of vines of unfruitful branches. The fourth purging is of corn as beating or thrashing with a flail. The fifth purging is of grapes, and that is by pressure. God does thus pour out the soul by tribulations. For as the body is purged by medicinal drinks of evil humors, rightly the soul made clean by tribulations sent from our sovereign doctor, our Lord God, is freed from vain affections and evil manners.\n\nMali humores. Sunt mali mores.\nEvil humors are evil manners.\n\nDrink this medicine of tribulation sent to you from God,\nFor he is a wise doctor,\nAnd knows all your private sicknesses,\nAnd how much you may endure,\nAnd how much you need:\nFor he sends you nothing but what is profitable to you. Hathe tasted and assayed and drunk it before me, not for himself but for your pouring he suffered the passion of death, which he said to the apostles John and James, Mark 14:20. \"Potestis bibere calicem quem ego bibiturus sum.\" \"Might you drink the chalice that I am about to drink?\" Then this wise leech has drunk this medicine for your love. Drink you thereof without fear, for it is holy. This drink thirsted the prophet David when he said, \"Calice salutaris accipiam et nomen Domini invocabo.\" \"I shall take the holy passion of tribulation. And if you think it bitter, call upon your Lord God, as he said,\" Da nobis Domine. \"Lord God, grant us help in tribulation. And as a purgation should be received hastily without further tasting or prolonged tarrying, so should tribulation be accepted willingly, without arguments for disputing or rebellion of grumbling.\" But now beware, for some, the profit of the medicine is delayed, and works the more effectively. Contrary to corruption. Not due to the lack of the medicine, but for the evil disposition of him who receives it. In the same way, the profit of tribulation is hindered by purgation and does the opposite. For it is the beginning of pain, followed by everlasting damnation. As we read of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. The second purgation of man's body for evil humors is by crab's blood, and it is in two ways: either by opening of the vein or by bleeding or blistering. Opening of the vein is appropriate for confession, and bleeding or blistering to tribulation. Note well the right, for foul blood corrupts the body, and sinful blood, called in holy writ defiles the soul. The vein by which this blood or sin is expelled out is the mouth, as it is said in XII, x \u00b6 Vena vite. os iusti. qr iustus i\u0304 principio accusator e\u0304 sui. \u00b6 The mouth of a righteous man. A full man is a vein of life. A rightful man in the beginning blames himself, that is to say, by confession and note, that as a man owes by this vein to void out wicked blood and pouring of his body, and keep the good blood for nourishment, rightly so in confession he owes by his mouth to show all his sins and withhold and keep secret all his good deeds, for fear of lessening. For good deeds shown in confession by vein bring glory or autonomy and turn from virtue to vice for lack of wise keeping. As we read of the Pharisee in Luke 18:11.\n\n\"Gracias tibi ago, Dn\u0113. Quia non sum sicut h\u014dmines, raptores, adulteri velut et hic publicanus. Ieuno bis in s\u0101bato decimas de omnibus quae possideo.\"\n\n\"Lord, I thank thee, for I am not like other men, robbers and sinners, also not like this publican, I fast twice in the week I pay tithes of all that I have.\"\n\nHere you may understand by this Pharisee a false, feigned, and proud confession.\n\nBut [he said]... The publican, standing far off, refused to raise his eyes to heaven; instead, he struck his breast and said, \"God, be merciful to me, a sinner.\" This publican was justified or made righteous by his humble confession. This is in accordance with the true prophet David, who said, \"I will confess my transgressions to the Lord, and you, O Lord, have forgiven the iniquity of my sin.\" I will know peace through a humble confession against myself to my Lord, and you have hastened to forgive the wickedness of my sin. This accord with tribulation. For as many scourges as God sends in tribulation, so many remedies he orders for your purification. But note well, it is necessary to heat and warm the flesh beforehand, for then the striking of the blood may be endured more easily. It is expedient before tribulation. In the heart called with perfect love and charity, the candidate of tribulation may endure it more patiently and gladly. In figure, the Holy Ghost came down to the apostles in the likeness of fire. By whom they were strengthened and comforted, they were glad and gave joy, for they were deemed worthy to suffer tribulation's anger and reprove for the name of Ihu. Which before this time were so dreadful that they fled from Him. And some forsook Him, as Peter, the prince of the apostles, did for fear of a woman, swearing he did not know Him. But after the coming of the Holy Ghost, they no longer feared the cruel torments of Nero, the Emperor, but patiently and gladly suffered crucifixion and death. The second manner of material purgation is of metals, such as gold by fire and iron in the furnace. For just as the fire separates gold from other metals and purges it of rust and filth, making it fair and clean, so tribulation separates the soul from adversaries and makes it godly and lovely. Acceptable, therefore it is said, Sapience in the fifth: As gold in the furnace has proved the elect, and received them as holocaust offerings, and respect will be theirs. Our Lord has provided His chosen ones through tribulation, as gold is proved in the furnaces, and He has accepted them as a sacrifice of offering. In time of reward, they shall be held with this fire of tribulation. As Job was proved when he said, \"God proved me as gold that passes through the fire.\" Note well among all metals, gold is most precious, and lead is least in price. And yet, gold is not purged without lead. Lead draws with it the dross of gold in the furnaces. In the same manner, the souls which are likened to gold are purged by evil men, who are likened to lead. Whereof Solomon says, \"The fool will serve the wise man,\" \"Evil men will serve to purge the good.\" by tribulacon / Just as iron is purged by rust and made shining and bright, so is the soul purged by tribulation from uncleanness and comforted with spiritual light. And just as a knife that is not used draws rust, so the soul without the exercise of tribulation desires unclean lust, as we read of David in 2 Kings 2:1-11. Who was without tribulation in his wars with his enemies, he fell into adultery with the wife of Uriah the worthy knight, and afterward into homicide or man-slaughter. Therefore says the prophet Jeremiah: Moab was fruitful / in the days of his youth / and dwelt in his filth. That is, the son of my people was plenteous in grace in the time of his tribulation, and he has remained in the filth of sin. Do not grumble against God when he fills your soul to make it fair and clean and lovely. For otherwise it may never come to have of him the blessed sight, of which it is said in Matthew 5:8: Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed. Be the heart pure, for they shall see God. The three ways of purging that pertain to tribulation are of trees, as cutting of vines or pruning of unfruitful branches. Of palm it is said in Io. xx:\n\n\"O palm tree, bearing no fruit on me,\nHe shall take away its unfruitful branch,\nAnd every tree that bears fruit,\nHe shall prune it, that it may bear more fruit.\n\nBy this palm tree may be understood the mind,\nBy the humour is understood affection or love,\nAnd by unfruitful branches, carnal lusts,\nInordinate love of creatures,\nCarnal affection of kindred,\nAnd worldly riches.\"\n\nWhen the humours of a vine or of a tree are spread about in too many unfruitful branches. It brings forth less fruit or none,\nThen it is long overdue for a wise tilter or a good gardener to prune these. The wise and sovereign God, who is a skillful tiller and gardener, cuts away unclean lusts of the flesh with the knife of bodily sickness. He cuts away inordinate love of creatures with the hook of adversity and tribulation. He cuts away carnal affection for kin with the sword of death. And he cuts away worldly riches with his iron rod, as burning with fire, drenching with water, robbing with thieves, and such other means. In all these ways, God chastises and pours out His judgments by tribulation. For He would have the love of your heart to abide with Him and bring forth fruit in Him, and not abide nor trust in such deceivable friendship. According to Saint Gregory, he who seeks to cling to a falling thing must himself fall. The fourfold material purgation that corresponds to tribulation is of corn. \"Be it beginning or threshold with affliction to separate the pure from the impure. Saint Austin says, \"With a rod the fine, the moon with iron does this make, a trial for the just man.\" As the flail serves to separate corn from chaff, so does tribulation serve the righteous man, according to what we read. The angel Raphael said to thee, \"Thou shalt receive twelve and six, and it was necessary that thou be tempted.\" And because thou was acceptable to God, it was necessary that tribulation should prove thee. For as the beating of a flail separates the corn from the chaff, so does tribulation compel the heart to forsake the desirable love of the world and the false friendship of sinners, which are understood as chaff. The profit of this flail the prophet knew when he said, \"Behold, I am ready to undergo the beating of tribulation,\" and therefore says Saint Austin, \"Do not strive against the rod of tribulation if you wish to bear its weight and return to heaven where no one.\"\" If you will have clean corn of consciousness and if you will desire to be put in the garner of the bliss of heaven, into which you may not come till you are cleansed. But beware, for corn that is green and moist, and not ripe nor dried, is not separated from the chaff with the beat of the flail but rather clings to it. So it is for the hearts which have a green beginning in conversion and are moist in carnal affection, which have not been detached from the profit of tribulation. But rather cling to him, as though they would be comforted by him. For when God sends us visitations to purge the soul that he loves, it be it by bodily sicknesses or loss of temporal goods or adversity of enemies or any other temptation of heaviness. Nevertheless, the heart runs about seeking comfort in the very thing that has sent it. Why should you not be glad when he sends it? For the tokens of love that he gave you here, remember him and know him, for he is your friend and will not forget it. For as many diverse troubles as he mentioned to you, so many various messengers you have calling it and warning you to remember him. But now you would say that such troubles are not most necessary to call you to remember him, but rather his gracious benefits of prosperity. For as Saint Augustine says, \"God's blessings are nothing else but the gracious benefits of God, as gifts of prosperity, riches, beauty, and favor, and such like.\" Yet inordinate love is so alluring to such gifts, that it withdraws your heart to have mind rather on the gifts than on him. Therefore he speaks through the prophet, saying, \"Expand my hands and there was no man who could look,\" I have spread out my hands, it is the yielding blessings, and there was no one who would behold. Despite men desiring gifts and pursuing rewards from the greatest to the least, few truly understand the one who gives. You might argue that it is according to God to call hardened and rebellious hearts to know Him through tribulations. However, it is not only the good and meek hearts that know the giver through natural delight in benefits; yet, they cannot come to the profitable knowing of God without the growing of tribulations. An example of this is found in the case of Solomon, who was called by benefits and gifts. Job was called by the taking away of his temporal goods and the sending of tribulations and adversities. But these tribulations brought Job to a true knowing of God. Solomon, on the other hand, fell into folly through prosperity, forsaking the profit of truly knowing God. Whatever you are, if you don't trust that you cannot long endure in this knowing in prosperity. Therefore suffer patiently tribulations and adversities. And if you are discomforted because they are many and great, be comforted. For the more and the greater they are to you, the more profitable is the knowing of God they bring. And if you cannot yet feel any comfort for sorrows or fear of yourself, pray to God that He comforts you in tribulation. And grant me the grace to come to the profit of perfect knowing of Him and say, \"Give us help from tribulation, Lord. Grant us help in tribulation.\" The four profits of tribulation are that it lightens you to have the knowing of God. In which is perfection, and the profit of man's knowing, which Saint Augustine desired, saying in the book of his soliloquies to himself. Libro soliloquiorum. Thus would God I should know Thee. And it is written in the book of Wisdom, sapientia v.\n\nNosce te ipsum, iustitia est consummata\n(To know yourself is justice fulfilled) Knowledge of the Lord is the end of learning. Tribulation helps to this knowing, for as a rod constrains a child to bow down his head and take heed to his book and record his lesson, so tribulation makes one humble and makes him behold his own frailty and know God. Therefore, says Saint Bernard, God makes himself known in chastising, whom he had forgotten and was unknown in his merciful sparing. Daniel 4. We have an example of this in King Nebuchadnezzar, who, for pride, was cast out of his kingdom and lived with beasts and ate grass as an ox. But when he lifted up his eyes to his maker with a whole heart, his understanding was restored to him again, and he knew that God had chastised him in tribulation. As the manner of children, when they feel sharp strokes of the rod, they lift up their eyes to him who smites them, for they would that he should turn his face. To have compassion and pity on you, lowly soul, who are under the rod of tribulation. Consider and know that the manner of lovers is to send gifts, tokens, and precious letters to each other, to keep love, mind, and knowledge of each other. In the same way, our Lord Jesus Christ, as a true lover, sends such tokens to his true loved ones. For here he took humanity, in which he suffered many tribulations, detractions, blasphemies, scorns, reproaches, slanders, hunger, thirst, and many other afflictions, sharp scourgings, and thousands of great wounds. And he was nailed upon the cross between two thieves and died the most shameful death that the Jews could devise for him. And after that he was raised from death and ascended into heaven, he kept his wounds as tokens, that you should know that he would have mind of you and never forget you. As he said by the prophet Isaiah, xlix:\n\n\"Shall I forget?\" A woman may forget her child, showing no mercy to the son of her own body. Even if she forgets him, I shall never forget him. Behold, I have written you in my hands.\nWhether a woman may forget her child, having no mercy for the son of her own body, and though she forgets him, I shall never forget him. I have written you in my hands, in all my sorrows which I have suffered for love of you. Since you keep showing wounds as a token of love, and it is said that there is great fear where there is no fear, as the prophet says. They fell down for fear, where there was no fear. It may be called a cursed comfort, set rather in any creature than in God. For the prophet Jeremiah says, \"Cursed is the man who trusts in man, and puts his strength in flesh, and turns his heart from the Lord.\" (Jeremiah 17:5) \"Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord God, and the Lord shall be his trust. And we shall fully trust only in God in all manner of tribulation. Fear false comfort and evil counsel of our enemies. We have an example of Hezekiah the king who sent messengers to Belzebub the god of Ekron to have comfort and counsel, whether he should escape the tribulation of sickness or not. God sent an angel to the prophet and said, 'Why have you sent messengers to inquire of Belzebub, the god of Ekron, as though there were no God in Israel from whom you could inquire the word?' Therefore you shall not descend from the bed you have climbed up on, but you shall die.\" Ask for comfort; therefore you shall not go out of the bed that you lies upon but you shall die. Also, that we should not love the world nor trust in worldly things, Saint John bids us (John 2:15-16). Do not you love the world nor worldly things and so on. \u00b6 The fifth kind of material purgation is of grapes, and that is by a press; for as a press presses the grapes to separate the precious liquor of wine from dregs and the husks, so God pours out the soul that he loves in the press of tribulation from corruption and wickedness of sin. Sometimes by bodily sickness or profound spiritual heaviness, and sometimes by loss of temporal goods: or persecution or slander of evil men and enemies. Sometimes by lack of noble kindred or by the death of faithful friends. Therefore, patiently endure the profit of this press if you will be brought into Christ's blessed celestial city. Canticles 2:\n\nCleaned Text: Ask for comfort; therefore you shall not leave the bed that you lie upon but you shall die. Also, that we should not love the world nor trust in worldly things, Saint John bids us (John 2:15-16). Do not you love the world nor worldly things and so on. \u00b6 The fifth kind of material purgation is of grapes, and that is by a press; for as a press presses the grapes to separate the precious liquor of wine from dregs and husks, so God pours out the soul that he loves in the press of tribulation from corruption and wickedness of sin. Sometimes by bodily sickness or profound spiritual heaviness, and sometimes by loss of temporal goods: or persecution or slander of evil men and enemies. Sometimes by lack of noble kindred or by the death of faithful friends. Therefore, patiently endure the profit of this press if you will be brought into Christ's blessed celestial city. Canticles 2: The lord, the king, has brought me into his wine cellar. According to Saint Austin and Saint Agnes, these holy martyrs were not abandoned in the pressures of this life as the bodily matter was left in the pressures of this world. But the precious souls were received into the vessel of everlasting bliss. Do not grumble against God if he has put you in his prison of tribulation. For he has tried it beforehand. As Isaiah the prophet says in the person of Christ, \"I alone have trodden the pressures of tribulation, and no man was with me\" (Isaiah lxiij. Torcular calcaui solus & de gentibus no ee ibi mecum). I alone have trodden the pressures of tribulation, and no man was there with me. Note that he spoke to no man, but he said not a word to any woman, for the blessed woman, mother and maid, our Lady Saint Mary, abode with him in faithfulness. When all the apostles fled from him, she was ready to suffer death for the compassion of her son. And the sword of death was ready for you, as the prophet Simeon says, \"Your own soul a sword shall pierce\" (Luke 2:35). \"shall pass through thy own soul. Now then, since our Lord Ihu Crist has undergone this trial of tribulation, and that blessed lady his mother Mary, whatsoever you may be that feel it in this trial, take it meekly and gladly, praying with the prophet. [Latin] Lord, grant us help in tribulation.\nThe five profitable aspects of tribulation are that it recalls or brings us to the knowledge of ourselves. For the heart that has not put away from itself worldly and vain glory may not truly feel or know itself, for that heart has more knowing of light whereof the prophet David said, \"The light of my eyes is not with me.\" Woe to them that spend the light of their knowledge in vain joy and worldly things, and nothing to desire the knowledge of themselves, but how should they know themselves if they are not with themselves?\" The soul loves and desires vain joy and worldly prosperity more, the further it draws from the knowledge of itself. And therefore Saint Gregory says, he who is besieged by enemies dares not go far, but is compelled to return for fear. Tribulation constrains the heart to turn inward, and the more adversities that are about him, the fewer he has of companions outside of himself. It is a blessed adversity that brings one into himself and makes the one who has strayed to turn again. Of this it is said, \"Exodus 12:4.\"\n\nEach man should dwell with himself, for he knows himself if he abides with himself. A house in which no man dwells is wasted and falls to nothing. Likewise, the heart that dwells or abides not with itself. Woe to the heart that runs from itself, like a jester or a juggler in other men's houses. The more he signs Iapeth and enjoys himself in others. men's places / The more cause he finds in his own place of sorrow and weeping, / So the more it delights his heart outward in vain things and worldly joys the less he finds in himself whereof he should be comforted, / Therefore tribulation is full necessary to the heart to make him turn inward, / And it constrains him to say with the prophet:\n\nConvert me in thy rest. Turn again, thou my soul, in thy rest, / And also our Lord God, having pity on the soul that has wrapped itself with worldly things, says thus:\n\nReturn, return, O sun of my righteousness. Return, and make us rejoice in thee, / Turn again, turn again, O wretched, disturbed soul, / Turn again, turn again, that we may behold thee with the eye of conscience, / And thou mayest behold Him who beholds thee with the eye of mercy, O soul that is disturbed in adversities, / Suffer thee to be reproved to know thyself by tribulation, / And especially for that tribulation binds or knits thee to thy Maker whom wicked and large freedom of the world has let run rampant from itself; of which the prophet speaks thus:\n\nIn funiculis adam traham eos & in viculis caritatis. I shall draw them in with the small cords of Adam and in the bonds of charity. Our first father, whose desires draw near to us as by the way of inheritance, are called all manner of poverty sent from God to reserve the heart from vain and worldly comforts. By which God draws many one, as it seems, by violence. Saint Bernard says: Trahimur. We are drawn when we are afflicted with tribulations; therefore, you who are strained by these cords and bonds of charity, do not suppose that you are defiled or forsaken. But rather, you are made fair and chosen by God, though you have not yet obtained what you asked for. Do not think that they are not strained by these bonds to be in true liberty, though they have it. For just as the physician, when he grants health to the sick, desires it. Certain signs of death / Right so the false freedom of the world is a certain sign of perishing / For the more freely they desire and fulfill one desire without tribulation, the more they fall down into her damnation\nTherefore, you soul that are troubled, if you will have God to be merciful, suffer yourself to be restrained with these bonds of tribulation, which come from God and draw you toward Him / Wherefore our Lord said to the prophet Ezechiel: \"Behold, I have given my bonds upon thee.\" Lo I have given my bonds upon thee / By this is understood / that bonds of tribulation are the gifts of God / and the more tribulation the stronger it binds the soul to God / Also the profit of tribulation is that it hastens the way to God / For as many tribulations as you have, so many messengers God has sent to you / that you have not let go of the way / Whereof says the prophet: \"The infirmities of the righteous have been multiplied, and they have been quickened in the end.\" Their afflictions were multiplied. And afterward they hastened them to God, as Saint Gregory said. This oppression that compels us to hasten to God should not be considered a disease, for it delivers us from a grievous prison and hastens our way to the kingdom of heaven, as it is said, Ecclesiastes 4:3. From prison and from iron bonds, a man is sometimes brought into a kingdom. This prison is called that which the heart loves inordinately in this world. These iron bonds are such things that wicked affections are bound to. But God delivers many one from this prison through tribulation, as when He takes away from them the things they love inordinately.\n\nAnd this is figured by Saint Peter. He was kept in Herod's prison. When our Lord's angel stood by him and Peter's side, he said, \"Arise quickly.\" And at once the iron bonds fell from his hands. By the side of Peter is understood your brother who came. You are to go out from the same side that you came from, or else generally those who are related to you by kinship or affinity. For when any of these, who by the law of nature ought to be your friends, are contrary to you, or in any other way, understand that you are smitten on the side because you shall go out of the prison of inordinate lust and set your heart only in God that may not fail you. But take good heed that you do not retaliate on the smiting on his side. So you owe not to retaliate or to grieve the one causing tribulation, which delivers you from false and deceitful love and fleshly and worldly friends. And if the smiting of tribulation in the side is sharp and grievous to endure, hold Christ your maker and your brother, whose side was wounded for your love, and you shall suffer it more easily as a true knight who sees his lord's wounds. Therefore, do not refuse the messengers of your lord God who come to call you to him and to constrain you to hasten towards him. For he who refuses the messenger refuses his lord. When is the messenger refused, when the heart with a pretense contradicts and grumbles against tribulation:\n\nNote well that tribulation transforms into torment, and it torments in turning, But when the heart grumbles against tribulation, then it separates torment from the process of being tormented, For he keeps the bitter torment of tribulation, And he leaves the sweet profitable process.\n\nThe sixteenth profit of tribulation is that it is against paying of thy debts in which thou art bound to God whom thou mayest not flee, nor disceive, nor hide anything from him of thy debts. These debts are penance which thou owest for thy sins, And though everlasting penance is debt for one deadly sin by the righteousness of God, Yet by his mercy, it is changed into temporal penance by contrition and confession. Furthermore, it is forgiven by satisfaction, and sometimes it is all resolved, and namely by tribulacyon Hewf vnderstonde well / for what soo euer thou suf\u2223feriste paciently in tribulacyon. afore god it is acounted to him as for paymente of thy dette / For as a lordis anditoure somtyme in the ende of acountys layeth a counter of bras or coper or a nother thyng of lytyll va\u2223lewe to be worthe or signifie an hundryd / pounde of\n golde. or siluer / Soo tribulaco\u0304n of lytyll tyme wyth pacyence resceyued in this presente lyfe delyuerith yt from euerlastyng tribulacyon of the peyne of helle / And bryngith the to the euerlastyng blysse of the ryche kyng of heuen Wherof we haue example of the theyf that hinge on cristis ryghte syde / that whan he suf\u00a6fryd the tourmente of the crosse / and was bounde by dewe dette of synne to the payne of helle / He hauyng contricion of his wickid\u00a6nes in that same houre turned hym to god & seyde / Lorde whan thou comest in to thy kyngdome thynke on me / and anone he was vnbounden and delyuered of al dette of peyne And herde the swete voyce of criste seyenge to hym / Amen, I tell you today, you shall be with me in paradise.\nWoe to him who pays nothing towards his debt in this life, but adds sin upon sin.\nWoe to him who makes large expenses and shall be compelled to come to a reckoning.\nThose who have lived without a count, must pay for their debt eternally in hell, without release.\nThere shall weep many merchants who in this life laughed and rejoiced.\nIt is said in the book of the Apocalypse. Mercatores terre flebunt.\nMerchants of the earth shall weep. Merchants of the earth are you who set all your thought and your love in earthly things, which shall weep bitterly.\nFor God shall show his merchandise to all the world.\nBut merchants in heaven shall laugh and rejoice.\nFor they shall see that for little, they have endured much tribulation and have obtained the bliss of paradise.\nIt is said in Ecclesiastes: Est qui multum redimat de. \"Modico price. Some other men obtain much thing with little price/ that is, be patient in tribulation of this present life/ for God receives it for your great/ For it is commonly said of an evil payer, they receive outsides for where/ And though it be that you are not bound in any debt of deadly sin or venial/ For which tribulation should deliver you Nevertheless, tribulation reserves you from/ falling into debt as Saint Gregory said. Many are innocent who would soon lose innocence/ but if tribulations preserve them Therefore, you soul that desires to be freed from debts/ or you that fears the payment/ suffer patiently tribulations/ As long as time endures/ It pays before your debts in which you are bound as by an obligation. For though all the tribulations of this world were together they might not be likened to the least point of tribulation of hell\" There are no worthy passions of this time compared to the future glory that will be revealed in us, according to Saint Paul. There are no worthy passions for the past sin that is forgiven to us in the present grace that is given to us, and for the future glory that is promised to us. There are no worthy passions for the sin that is forgiven to us, or for the present grace given to us, and for the bliss that is granted to us. The seventh benefit of tribulation is that it spreads abroad or opens the heart to receive the grace of God. Just as a goldsmith spreads gold or silver over a piece to make a vessel to hold wine or precious liquor, so Almighty God, the maker of every creature, ordains tribulation to spread or open the soul. Put therein thy gifts from his grace. Therefore says the prophet in the psalm:\nIn tribulation you have expanded me.\nIn tribulation you have spread abroad or opened to me.\nTherefore suffer gladly the strokes of tribulation. For the more they spread abroad the heart in suffering patiently,\nthe more graciously our Lord God puts therein spiritual gifts.\nAnd consider that, as the more precious metal is more ductile and obedient to the strokes of the goldsmith,\nSo the more precious a meek heart is more patient in tribulation.\nAnd though the sharp strokes of tribulation grievously torment,\nYet comfort it. It is the almighty God who holds the hammer of tribulation in his hand,\nand knows full well what you may suffer,\nand measures his striking according to your free will.\nYou will not then be like metal in a crucible, agitated with spreading of shape,\nas hearts are without teaching. In which God finds no place for working,\nNor will you not be like an old furnace. \"that for a little stroke, all break in many pieces / Rightly so, hearts fare fall and impetuous in tribulation by a little stroke in temptation, for they shall enter into many great harms of perishing / therefore suffer tribulation to work his craft in thee / For so bids Solomon Ecclesiastes 2: Sustain sufferings and join God, and suffer that thy life increase in the last end. / As one says, suffer tribulation in this world for God, and yield him some of the time of his service / And what tribulation he puts to the test, take it meekly, and know well that he will not charge you beyond your might / As Saint Paul witnesses in Corinthians 10: / A faithful God is he who will not allow you to be tempted above what you can bear. / Sincerely, God is true and will not suffer you to be tempted beyond that which you can bear / Therefore, suffer tribulation.\" The eighth profit of tribulation is where God takes away all worldly comforts that are here below, and constrains thee to seek heavenly comforts that are above. So our Lord God sometimes denies earthly comforts that He may bring forth His comforts, as is signified by the prophet Joel, where it is said: \"The best of the field were as dry earth, the cattle looking up for rain; the wells of waters failed, for the streams were dried up.\" The best of the field He calls affections and fleshly desires. The wells of water He calls worldly comforts. Therefore, when earthly comforts fail in adversity, then the heart is constrained to look up and to seek. Help of heavenly comforts\nAnd yet our Lord God is more benevolent to the soul,\nas the heart finds greater bitterness in outward things.\nBut now you may say, \"I am sorry that the tavern of earthly comforts is not open to me,\nbut the tavern of heavenly comforts is so far from me.\" For neither here nor lover do I find comfort.\nTo this may be answered, \"You owe not to have spiritual comforts,\nbut if you beg and seek them,\nfor there is more joy in desiring and seeking God than in the delighting of Him.\nFor why, the more you desire and seek God, the more comfort He will bring you,\nand the sweeter pleasure you will find in Him.\nAnd know well that heavenly comforts will not be long delayed,\nif worldly comforts are taken away by tribulations.\nIf you ask desiringly and seek earnestly, as Solomon said,\n\"Desire satisfies a man.\" (Proverbs 13:19) The profit of tribulation is that it puts the mind of God into yours, and the more tribulation there is, the more He impresses you in His mind. Not for your forgiveness or any creature that sees and knows all the subtleties of your heart, but for Scripture says that God forgives a man to whom tribulation is given, for to him He sends tribulation, and He has in mind spiritual comfort and an increase of grace. Therefore, O good soul, if you want to be put in mind, in whose mind is your health and salvation, in whose forgiveness is your harm and damnation, learn to bear patiently adversities and tribulations, and in doing so, think meekly in God, and He will think meekly and mercifully in return. A true friend thinks fervently on his friend who is in distress. In figure, our Lord said, \"Exodus iv. I have seen the affliction of my people in Egypt, and I have heard their cry.\" Her crying. For the distress of those who oversee the works, and knowing her sorrow has gone down to deliver them from the hands of the Egyptians; therefore, be comforted; for the merciful beholding of God in your disease is of more avail to you than we read of David, 15th king, fleeing from Absalom, his son, who seemed an enemy to him and spoke evil to him and said, \"Depart from me, man of sin, and man of wickedness. Go, go, thou man of iniquity.\" This Abishai, who was David's friend, said this to King David. This deceitful dog has wronged or cursed my lord the king; I shall go and strike off his head. And David answered, \"Let him be allowed to wrong or curse David on God's commandment. Perhaps God will behold my disease and give me good for this wrong or cursing on this same day. Consider this.\" that dauid wolde suffre the myssayeng or the cursynge of thys aduersarie / that he myght ge\u00a6te the blessyng of god then\u0304e loke how moche yu desyreste the blessynge of god and suffre somo\u00a6che ye more pacyently ye myssayeng or cursyng of thyne aduersarye / For pacyence of euyll mennys cursyng deserueth to haue goddis\nblessyng / and that is tokened where it is seide danielis iij. That the angell yeede downe wyth Azarie and his felowes in to the fur\u2223neys / And he made the myddes of the fur\u00a6neys as a blowyng wynde of a dewe / but the flam\u0304e brente the kyngis ministers that hette the furneys / But sothely the fyer touchid ne greuid hem in ony maner / Loo here thou ma\u2223yst\n see / that the fyre not oonly brente theyr fo men / but also it refresshid hem / the whiche is vnderstonde that criste is prese\u0304te wyth hem yt ben in tribulacyon and yeuith hem fresshynge in dysese / and blyssed hem that ben myssayde or cursyd for his name / Therfore yf thou desyre refresshinge in tribulacyons and thyne enmy\u00a6es to be brente / \"suffers patiently through tribulations, for in tribulation, God is with us. And for tribulation, great reward he shall yield you. Of these three things the prophet speaks: 'I am with him in tribulation. Behold, a gracious fellowship comforting him I shall deliver him. Behold, a fullness of delivering, and I shall glorify him. Behold, a certain hope of rewarding.'\n\nThe tenth profit of tribulation is that it makes your prayer heard by God. For it is not the manner of God to turn away the prayer of him who is in tribulation, but rather gently to hear his humble prayers. As Solomon said, 'Behold, in the place of affliction God will hear prayer.' So our Lord shall hear the prayer of him who is hurt. Truly God smites and chastises many men and sends them tribulation to humble them and make them open their mouths to God in tribulation to ask for help which they sorely need.\" Mothy's from him in prosperity, for whom Saint Augustine says that God sends tribulation to some men to stir them to ask for it; in the person of such men, says the prophet. I cried to the Lord when I was in tribulation, and he heard me. Though prosperity may not make you slow or insolent in your prayer, it sometimes does. Therefore, your prayer in prosperity is not as effective as it is in adversity. And though adversity may occupy so much of your heart that you think it has none entrance or devotion, like in prosperity, yet the same adversity makes your prayer more precious. And truly, though tribulation presses upon you so much that you may not be able to open your mouth to cry to God, certainly this tribulation cries and prays to God for you, so that you have peace. As a great cleric Peter of Lazarus says, \"the more wounds he had, the more he had.\" prayers or cries he had to God,\nfor when Lazar stilled with his mouth,\nhis wounds cried to God for him,\nwhereof our Lord God said to Cain.\nthat had killed his brother Abel (Genesis)\nVox sanguinis fratris tuis Abel clamat ad me de terra,\nThe blood of thy brother Abel cries to me from the earth,\nThus it shows,\nthat tribulations make thy prayer the more precious,\nand thee more acceptable to God,\nTribulations are as it were a payment for a letter sealed by delivery,\nWhereof says Job,\nQuis mihi det ut veniat peticio mea,\n& quod expecto Deus qui cepit me,\nipse me converteret, soluit manum suam & succidit me,\net mihi sit consolatio, ut affligens me dolorem meum non percat.\nWho shall give me my request.\nand who shall grant me that I abide.\nGod who began, he converted me,\nloosed His hand and raised me up,\nand that it be to my comfort,\nthat He tormenting me spared not my sorrow.\nNote well that Job,\nwho had lost his possessions,\nhis sons and his daughters. all his body was smitten with wounds of leprosy from the sole of the foot to the uppermost part of the head, and was reproved by his friends and scorned by his wife and false friends. He desired nothing else but comfort. But God should not spare him.\n\nIf you ask what pertains to his deliverance, it may be answered thus. The asking for his affections or torments. For his torments were penances for his sins, as it is said in some place, that when a poor man drinks in a tavern and has not wherewith to pay his score, he asks to be beaten and so delivered.\n\nWhen he asked to be tormented, St. Gregory answers and says that God spares some in this world to torment them afterward, and some He torments here whom He will afterward spare. The comfort of Job was that he knew well by present tribulation he would escape everlasting damination. For as it is said, \"God will not judge him.\" \"In Ijob, God shall never punish a person twice for the same thing. Therefore, this same Job, who asked that God should not spare him in this world, asked in another place and said, \"Spare me, Lord, in the time to come, suffer patiently in this world the tribulation, for tribulation saves the soul,\" as Job said. \"He wounds and heals.\" He wounds the body and heals the soul. The eleventh profit of tribulation is that it keeps and nourishes the heart. So, just as fire is kept in ashes, so the hearts of God's friends are kept in tribulation. Therefore, the Lord God commanded, \"Exodus,\" \"That the tabernacle of God be covered with curtains of fine linen, and God's precious vessels of gold and silver against winds and reins, in token that the virtues of God's servants named meek ones are kept in adversity of tribulation, for tribulation constrains the heart to think on them.\"\" The wretchedness of his own infirmity / And so it constrains a man to be meek, / Whom worldly prosperity had puffed up, / Boasting himself. / Troubles nourish the heart as a nurse her child, / For as the mother with the child chews hard food, / Which the child may not chew, / And draws it in to her body, / Where that food is turned into milk to nourish the child, / So Christ, who in holy writ is called our Mother, / For the greatness of his tender love that he has for us, / He chewed for us bitter pains, / harsh words, reproaches, and scourges, / With the bitterness of his passion that suffered for us, / And strengthens us spiritually by the example of him, / To endure the troubles and adversities of this world. / So a man suffering the troubles and adversities of this world owes / To cleanse himself by the blessed body of our Lord Jesus. Considering the passion that he suffered for him, and so it shall be sweet and tolerable, though it seemed full bitter and intolerable before. The twelve benefits of tribulation are that tribulation is a certain token of love that God has towards him, which is sent to him. Whereof he said, \"Quos amo arguo et castigo\" (I love those I reprove and chastise). And also Solomon said in Ecclesiastes, \"Qui diligit filium assiduat ei flagella\" (He that loveth his son chastiseth him often). Whereof St. Jerome said, \"Summus Pater Ihu Xpus filios suos semper sub aliquo flagello vel virga retinet ut quis eripiatur ab uno sub altero capiatur\" (Our sovereign father Ihu Christ keeps his children ever under a scourge or a rod, so that they may not be snatched away from one another). Our good meek father and Lord keeps not all his scourges at once for us, but one after another, knowing our frailty. For he wills that no man perish, but he wills all men to be safe, but evil men and sinners. \"Vainly those who do not believe him nor love him dwell here without scourge of tribulation. Whom no correction of chastising can withdraw from their errors, God will punish with all his arrows of vengeance. Truly, all the torments that now depart from all the world thence will be gathered together and remain as in their own place. As our Lord said, Deuteronomy xxxiv. I will gather evil things upon evil men. And I will spend all my arrows of vengeance among them. Therefore, thou good soul, if thou wilt be beloved of God, wilt thou not put away tribulations? For they show the tokens and witness of God's love. But perhaps thou sayest that God's children take both good things and evil things from him. Why is the taking of evil things a showing or token of God's love more than the taking of good things? This may be answered that God gives many good things and great things to his children.\" The blessed father in heaven loved his blessed son, our Lord Jesus Christ, more than all the world. Yet he sent him many afflictions, poverty, tribulations, adversities, reproaches, scornings, beatings, scourgings, many wounds, and cruel death. But few temporal goods. The gift of adversity is more revealing of God's love than the gift of temporal prosperity. Our Lord Jesus Christ, God's son, who lived in this world as a wise merchant, chose good merchandise and refused the bad. When they wanted to make him king of Judea, he refused it and chose rather to flee into the desert. When they sought to torment him and kill him, he did not flee. But he chose rather to die and said, \"I am he whom you seek.\" If Christ was wisest in choosing adversities, they are much folly. That dispises tribulation and adversities, and chooses worldly prosperities that may not deliver them from the hands of their enemies, the cruel fiends. Suffer them patiently with Christ's tribulations, so that you may take afterwards the crown of life in the bliss of heaven. For truly otherwise you may not come to the bliss. The apostle says, \"Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of heaven.\" He brings all of us. The suffering Lord Jesus Amen.\n\nThus ends this treatise showing the twelve profits of tribulation.\n\nHe who is to be made head or sovereign in a monastery, in whom the whole congregation in one accord, after God's consent, chooses; or else that the greater part thereof and agrees with God's counsel chooses him.\n\nWhen anyone takes by true election the name and dignity of an head or sovereign. souereyn in relygyon / they owne to shewe in their dedys to their disciples two doctrynes / that is to sey that all suche good de\u00a6dys and holy that they teche / yt they first shewe hem by their owne dedys rather than by theyr wordys / And al thynges that they teche their\n children and disciples to be contrari to god & their rule / lete her dedes shew openly suche thin\u00a6ges not to be done so o ye theimselfe be not fou\u0304\u00a6de gylty & reprouable in their doctryne & ensa\u0304\u2223ple / & redy to see a lytill mote in their disciples eyen / but a grete blocke or beme in their owne they can not espie / but lete it lye styll. The so\u2223uereyns also shulde not dissymyle in punysh\u2223me\u0304t and chastysyng of theyr subgettes whan they offende / but assone as the synnes begyn to sprynge / forthwyth cut hem vp by the rote by correccyon accordyng to the rule wythoute acceptynge of ony persone / Remembryng yt foles wyll neuer be corrected with wordis. but rather by chastisment / As ofte as ony grete maters arn to be doon in the monestary / all You are the congregation, to be called and informed by those who are to represent each individual. Our Lord often reveals something to the simplest of the faithful, so whatever is said about the subjects, let it be done with meekness and submission of spirit and body. The sovereigns ought to keep in mind the reasons or sayings of each one and act accordingly as what is best and profitable can be found. It is a sign of an unwise mind and a proud heart for them to take their own way only and to counsel. As a disciple is required to obey his master, so is it required of the sovereign wisely and faithfully, and all things of the place to be disposed.\n\nTo matters of lesser charge, the sovereigns ought to seek counsel from the seniors of the religion and the wise. Let all things be done at any time with counsel according to scripture. Do all things with counsel. Thou shalt not repent after this. Bear in mind that the head or sovereign, along with the congregation, are strictly bound to follow the rule in every point. None of them should be so bold to decline or depart from it. So that none follow the will of their own mind only, but ever be ready to be reformed. The subjects also ought to be rightware that they make no strife within or without with their sovereigns, if they do so let them have the strict regulatory punishment with it fear of God and in keeping the rule. The head without any doubt shall give a full strict account one day of all their judgments and be brought to a fearful day of reckoning. Also be they ware that they trouble not their flock that come to them and that they dispose nothing of the place unrighteously as though they would use them as their own, which is against God and the rule. Therefore it is good that they at all times behave themselves in this manner. virtue. That all people may say that one is worthy to occupy this place and to have this dignity. Therefore such should not be chosen to it by their age but for their virtuous living and wisdom. chastity and sober dealing. And also for their pity and mercy, which they must use in all their deeds, so that they may have the same from God when they transgress. See then that they love their children and hate their sins, and wisely to behave them, for too much in any thing is nothing least they break the vessel, of which without discretion and pity they would take of the rust. Also they must profit in their works more than to look for worship, and ever to study to have love rather of the subjects than fear, doing all things with discretion, which is the mother of all virtues, considering their own frailty, where through of their subjects the better they may. Have compassion when someone transgresses. They must not be resentful, unrestful, or obstinate, or jealous, or overly suspicious towards their subjects. For if they do, they will never find peace in their religion and will never keep the rule. The sovereign and the subjects owe each other kindness, occupying themselves with virtue, loving God with all their heart, soul, and strength, and their neighbor as themselves. Doing unto them as they would be done unto, despising themselves, and following Christ by the cross of penance. They must chastise their body and flee the pleasure thereof, and practice fasting and refresh the poor with deeds of mercy, both spiritually and physically. They should engage little with worldly acts, and nothing preferring above the love of God. Wrath or deceit should never be kept in the heart or promised falsely. Keeping charity, and using never to swear lightly, lest they fall into perjury, and always speaking the truth. in the heart and mouth, never yielding evil for evil, but rather good for evil. Do no wrong to anyone but endure patiently what is done to you. Love your enemies and curse them not. Be ready to take persecution for a righteous cause. Never be proud or drunken, nor much eating or slothful. Not grumbling or backbiting, but putting your trust in our Lord God. When you see any goodness in yourself, put it to our Lord and not to yourself. All things that are evil, ascribe to yourself. Fear ever the day of Judgment and the dungeon of hell. Desire with all your mind and heart eternal life, and have death suspect before your eyes. Guide your deeds wisely in every hour. And be certain that God holds them in every place. And every evil thought that comes to your mind, put it away by thinking of Christ's passion. Show them by confession to your spiritual father. And keep your tongue from evil and shrewd language. Speak little and well. And ever avoid. \"Obedience is a great virtue done without grudging or delay. It is the first step to meekness, and it is rightly suitable and necessary for all people, especially for religious persons. True obedients immediately comply with their sovereign's words. They are ready after they are called or commanded.\" gladness to do the deed, setting aside all other things undone and their own will in every point, and doing it with all quickness of heart and body for fear of the Lord. Therefore, he calls such a life a straight way to heaven, and not a common way where sinners take their own will and are not under the yoke of obedience to another. Without doubt, true obedient servants follow surely our Lord and his words where he says, \"I come not in this world to do good, yet it is not acceptable to God, who beholds the heart ever and the will of the doer, and he shall have no grace but rather punishment ordained for grumblers unless he amends them.\"\n\nAs for silence, do after the chief prophet of God, David, where he says in Psalms, \"I have said, 'I will not offend with my tongue,' I have put a bridle on my mouth, I am mute and silent. Much speaking, as it is written, can be avoided. Also, in the power of the tongue is death and life. As it accords to a saying. mays\u00a6ter to speke & teche. so it behoueth the disciple to here & be silent / wordes of vnclennes / voyde or meuynge to disolucyon or to laughter ben dampned by the rule in ony place to be had / & it is co\u0304mau\u0304did streytly by the same / none to be so bolde to open their mowth in suche maner of talkyng / Also silence is to be kept by the rule at all tymes & spyrituelly at nyght after com\u2223plyn. and noo licence then\u0304e is to be gyuen to ony for to speke but oonly to officers / or to theim that grete nede causith to speke with sad\u00a6nesse & honestee / & silence also is to be kept at\n all refeccions and meles & in other places / & at other tymes specyfyed by the rule / Yf theyr be fou\u0304de ony gylty in theis premyses thei ou\u0292t to be punysshid streytly and greuously.\nHOly scrypture cryeth and seyth / he that wyll high hymselfe. shal be made lowe and he that mekyth hym selfe shall be made high / In thys is shewid that exaltacyon is ye doughter and nygh of kyne to pryde whiche is mortall / Yf we wyll atteyne and come to the Height of perfection brings us to the honor of heaven in body and soul, lifting up our heart and mind to heaven by the scale and ladder of Jacob, descending with the angels from any exaltation; and climb up to them by meekness and humility. The first step of this ladder ascending by meekness to heaven is to be ever afraid of God and of your sovereign, and not to forget, bearing in mind steadfastly all things that God has commanded you to do and your rule, and how they despise God and His precepts or the rule will go to hell, and to them that love and fear God and keep His commandments is ordained eternal joy. Our Lord in every place beholds the deeds and thoughts of every creature, and the angels are ready to show to the Trinity daily the good deeds of each good creature.\n\nThe second step of the degree of this ladder of meekness is when one has no delight to fulfill their own will or desire, but only to follow Christ; you say, \"I come not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.\" The third degree is when one submits and makes oneself lowly to one's sovereign, following Christ, of whom the apostle says, \"Jesus was made obedient to death on the cross.\" The fourth degree is when one can endure all injuries, wrongs, words of rebuke, and such with obedience and patience, and take them gladly for God's sake, for the gospel says, \"he who endures to the end shall be saved.\" The fifth step of this ladder of humility is those who harbor all evil thoughts that come to their heart or mind and their sins hidden and not confessed, for it is written, \"show your ways to the Lord and trust in Him and in His mercy, for He is goodness and merciful, and ready to forgive your transgressions and sins if you acknowledge them with repentance and amendment.\" The sixth degree of this ladder of humility is... Mekenes is when one is content with simple array or habit and is glad to be set little by and to be taken as a drudge or outcast of the religion, and ever ready to do all things that are commanded him, jugging him an idyl servant and unworthy to God and man.\n\nThe seventh degree is if he shows in deed himself not only with tongue but also with all the inward parts of his heart and by outward behavior the most loathsome and vilest of all others, saying with the prophet, \"I am a worm and no man, the reproof of people and abhorrence.\" Lord, I thank thee that thou hast made me so that I may the better learn thy commandments.\n\nThe eighth degree is if he does nothing but as the common rule of the place and the holy example of his seniors show to him in our Lord.\n\nThe ninth degree is if one keeps his tongue in silence until he is commanded to speak or is asked a question.\n\nThe tenth degree is if one is not light and ready to laughter or to dissolution. It is written, \"A fool's will exalts him.\" The voice in laughter.\nThe eleventh degree is to speak softly with sadness and meekly, with few words, on reason and godly grounds. It is written, \"A wise man is known by his words.\"\nThe twelfth degree is when one not only in mouth but also in body shows meekness to all who behold him, in chapter, in church, in garden, in field, sitting, walking, or standing, and his head inclining, and his sight to the ground, showing himself every hour guilty of sin. Having ever suspect for being brought to the fearful judgment of God, saying thus with the publican, \"Good Lord, I, a sinner, am not worthy to lift up my eyes to heaven. Whoever has ascended these degrees of meekness shall immediately have the charity of God, which then removes all fear in such things, which he did before with fear, and also does all his acts of custom as it were naturally to him, cheerfully and without labor, not for the fear of The service of God is to be done at His hours according to the time, as shown in the whole rule, distinctly by chapters where it is noted at the end. Every week should begin on Sunday with the singing of the whole Psalter of David with anthems and other appropriate pieces. It is also our belief that God is present in every place and beholds both the good and the evil. Therefore, it is to be trusted without any doubt that the more we are occupied in His service in the church or any other holy place, the more He is to be served in fear, according to the counsel of the prophet, and wisely remember His presence with innumerable angels, who are surely at divine service, and let us. \"Ever so we sing and say that our minds accord with our voices and the sentence of the duty. Amen. If we should make any suggestion to a temporal state, we would not presume to do so but with meekness and reverence. Then how much more ought we to our Lord God, with meekness and purity, to make our prayer and supplication? Not in haste and much speaking, but in purity of heart and compunction with weeping, so that we may be the more heard in our prayer and petition.\n\nOf the election of the deans and officers of the religion and of their good life, and of their charges, by which the sovereign may be partially discharged. And how they ought to be chosen for their good life, their learning and wisdom, and how they shall be corrected and blamed, and also deprived if they are not according to their duty. And how other better disposed shall occupy their place. And so for other offices, and also in what manner they shall sleep in their clothes girded.\n\nAnd how offenses and sins great and\" The following text describes various matters that require correction and diligence regarding good doctors or physicians, dealing with those who have been corrupt and refuse to amend, the importance of prayer and exhortation for such individuals, the potential consequences of their departure from the congregation, the reception of those who have left the religion on their own accord, and the chastisement of children. All of these topics were previously addressed in Saint Benet's complete rule in separate chapters.\n\nThe cellarer of the place should be chosen by the congregation, someone who is wise, quick, well-conditioned, sober, not proud, impetuous, or fearful, but always fearing God, acting as a father or a loving mother to all. They must have great labor and thought for all of them, doing nothing without the command of the sovereign, which agrees with God and the rule to be kept, so that they cause not any of the community to grumble or be heavy. If it happens that one asks for something unreasonable, yet they owe not to deny such one or despise making them heavy with their counsel, but reasonably with all meekness and cheerful counsel deny their petition. This said charge is dreadful and also meritorious, for the apostle says, \"He who endures well will have great reward and will be crowned in heaven.\" Moreover, their charge is to attend diligently and well to the sick, and to welcome strangers and to show respect to people. Remember that without doubt, they shall give a strict reckoning and account for all theirs, and for the least thing in their office neglected or mismanaged at the fearful day of judgment. All the vessels of the place they owe to keep. In this office, they should act as if they were the sacred vessels of the water. They should not act negligently or covetously or excessively, but all things should be done measurably with discretion, according to the commandment of the sovereign. In this office, they must have humility, and when they do not have the thing that is asked of them, at least they should give an easy and gentle answer. It is written that a soft and easy answer turns away wrath. The refreshments and food that are to be given to the convent or congregation should be done eagerly without grumbling or delay, so that they have no cause to complain for the ministry. All things should be asked for in due hours, so that none are troubled or made anxious in the household of our Lord.\n\nFor the other stuff of the monastery and the convent's vesture with other necessities, you, the sovereign, owe to provide such officers whose lives and good manners you and others may be sure for their keeping and gathering of the same. Delivering to them what you have need of, of which stuff the sovereign shall have writing, whereby he may deliver the parcels to the officers as they charge, so it may be well known what is given and what is received. Whoever negligently or slothfully enters anything into the place, let them be reprimanded and punished. The great vice and sin of pride in relying is namely to be cut away by the root. Presume none in relying to give anything or take anything without the will and commandment of the sovereign. Nor is it seemly to have anything to themselves more than their own body, or to have their own will in their power. All things necessary to them are to be had from the sovereign according to their need, not accepting anyone more than another but according to need and in firmness. And all things must come to them according to the life of the apostles. None presume to say such a thing is mine. If anyone is found guilty in this venomous offense of: Properly let them be correct twice or thrice, if they do not amend, see them to their chastisement. If at any time one needs a little thing, thank him our Lord and say he ever does not need. Deo gratias, being sorry that another who needs has not. That pity is shown upon him. And he who has such pity shown upon him shall not be proud by contention or by word, and thus shall all the congregation be in rest and charity, and grumbling laid aside. The which is perilous to be had either by word or sign. If any are found culpable, immediately put them to strict discipline. Each one be busy to serve another, and none is to be excused from the dressing board of the kitchen, without they be sick or otherwise occupied for the common good. In such meek and low service is great reward, charity and recompense, and when they shall depart weekly from the kitchen by course, they owe to make all things clean at their departing, and the clothes that the convent has filed with their hands or feet they. shall deliver clean, also with all humility, and moreover make themselves clean in their departing. And deliver all the napery and clean clothes to the celery. Such servants, by the rule, may take a little refreshing of food and drink before high dinner, for on account of their attendance and service at the same.\n\nGreat attendance is to be had about sick persons above all other things, as though it were to Christ himself. Which certainly is served in them who are sick, as he says of himself. I was sick and you visited me and did to me what was least expected of you. You did it to me. Therefore, those who are sick should consider that such service is done to them for the love and honor of God, and therefore they should be rightlyware to cause any heaviness to their servants through any superfluity or uncurteous behavior. Not for their sakes they owe patience to be suffered, for of such is greater reward in their recovery, they abstain in any way therefore. Provide always that favor. The reader must seek persons and be aged at all receptions and meals. Silence must be kept during reading and lecture. The reader, after the mass on Sunday, shall enter and humbly request the congregation to pray for him, making a cross on his forehead for the evil spirit of pride and other vices. The congregation shall be served all things necessary for them at that time, so that none have need to ask for anything. If it should be necessary, signs must be used and no speech. The reader may take a little refreshment called mixtum before his lecture if necessary due to reading at mealtime. Those who are to read shall do so. The reading may best enlighten the hearers. This rule is to be observed in all singing and reading in the church or in preaching. It is to be done in meekness, sadness, and fear.\n\nRegarding the measures of food and drink, and what hours after the season and time of the year the congregation shall take their repast and meals, and how the sovereign must temper and dispose all such things so that the souls of his subjects may be safe, it follows in the rule.\n\nGo to the service of God as soon as any bell or token is heard. All things set aside, the convent ought to come in godly haste and reverently there. Those who come late shall not go to their own place in the quire, but to the place assigned for such latecomers, to their rebuke, penance, and amendment. How they shall be punished who come late to meals, and of their sequestration from the fellowship, and of their eating alone in penance after others, the rule which its expositor specifies is as follows:\n\nWhoever... File in psalmody/responses: if the ministers or lessors do not make themselves openly before the congregation, as putting their head down to the ground or in some other way by the rule for a satisfaction, otherwise they must have afterwards more largely and greater penance for their offense. Children ever for their transgressions must be better.\n\nWhoever in his labors, as in the kitchen, in celery, in the garden, or in any other occupation offends or breaks anything, or else hides and will not acknowledge his offense to the head and sovereign or to the congregation, they owe idleness is the enemy of the soul. Therefore, like how the convent is occupied certain hours about the service of God, so certain other hours they are occupied in reading and studying heavenly things, and in labors with their body in things that are good and necessary to them or the place, for then they are very religious when they thus follow holy fathers and do as the apostles did.\n\nIn the time of Lent, each one by. They have the Bible, which they owe to read completely and thoroughly besides their service. This Bible is to be delivered to them at the beginning of Lent. The searchers of the religion ought to be careful about it, and they should not be occupied in it on Sundays and other days for fables, jokes, or sluggishness.\n\nIf anyone is found to be such, let them be spoken to sharply once or twice, and if they do not mend, let them be corrected, so that all others may be warned by them.\n\nIf there are any so slothful or negligent that they cannot or will not be occupied in reading or holy meditation, then let them be assigned to other occupations, so that they are never unoccupied in virtue.\n\nIf they are sick or feeble due to age, then let an occupation be put to them that they may be relieved, and not idle by the discretion of the sovereign.\n\nHow is it that a person of the religion owes to keep Lent every time, yet for this cause that few have this virtue, therefore we Advisement and counsel say Saint Benet's monks should keep themselves clean spiritually for the forty days of Lent. They should put away all negligences and old customs of sin. Then, more spiritually, they should give themselves to prayer, reading, and abstinence in food and drink. Withdrawing somewhat from their taking in food and drink in other ways than before, and this with good will, offering it in their minds to God and the poor people.\n\nThey should withdraw something from sleep, speech, and wanton behavior.\n\nAs for abstinence from food and drink, it ought to be done with the consent ever of the sovereign and the help of prayer.\n\nFor if it is otherwise done, it is to be taken as presumption and vain glory, and then it has no merit.\n\nNothing is to be spoken in the church but prayer. And after any service is done, all should depart with silence and low reverence done to God. If anyone after will pray devoutly, none shall let them. All strangers or guests are to be received for God and as God. For afterward they shall hear him say to them, \"I was a stranger and you took me in, and gave me food and drink and lodging, and so forth of other acts of mercy.\" Every person is to be honored for the image of God, and therefore much more those who are of Christian religion and come for God's sake. Whenever it is shown that a stranger has come, the sovereign or his brothers should quickly go to him with all charity, and after their prayer together, make a bond in God's peace by kissing one another and saluting each other. With this, they should refresh him with food and drink and other necessities to their power, reading among the laws of God to their edification. The sovereign may break his fast for a stranger without it being a spiritual fasting day, and then he is not obligated to break it. Brothers may not break any fast for strangers. The sovereign and congregation should, with all meekness, welcome strangers, wash their feet, say certain prayers for them and the poor, for Christ is surely received in them. He who is assigned to care for such gestures or the poor should fear God greatly, be meek and patient, and do all things wisely and silently, fulfilling the sovereign's commandment completely. When they meet other men or see them, they ought to incline meekly and silently depart, wishing them farewell.\n\nIt is unbe becoming for any brother to take or receive from his father or mother letters, tokens, or gifts, or to speak or give anything without the will and commandment of his head and sovereign. Receive them not forty days after, if you yield such stuff to whom it pleases him, and he to whom it was sent shall take it in worth and cheerfully. Clothing to the convent and habit is to be given according to the heat of the year or the coldness of the country, less or more as new. And the sovereign must consider this. And buy such cloth as is made in that country or province of the vilest and lightest price. And as often as they shall take new ones, render up the old for the use of poor people. Of other things necessary for their body day and night in winter and summer and of their cells and lodging and of their behavior in them with other, the whole rule certifies. And how the sovereign shall diligently search that they lack nothing necessary, so that all occasion of grumbling or for anything working is avoided. or for anything keeping / have no place in the religion / ever remembering the words written in the Acts of the Apostles where it is said / that it was distributed and delivered to each one of them as their need required.\n\nThe board or table of the sovereign is to be adorned with pilgrims or guests. And when there are few strangers, the sovereign may call upon him some of the brethren / so that part of the seniors remain with the community for their awe and discipline.\n\nWhen anyone comes from the world to enter into religion / a light or sudden entrance is not to be granted. But for him to do according to the apostle's example / if certain space in the guests' chamber / and afterwards in the cell for novices / they are to be for a time in prayer and meditation / and for eating and drinking. And a senior of the religion is to be assigned to him / the whych is apt to get souls to God / the whych shall see to him carefully and vigilantly that he be virtuously occupied / seeking our Lord, pray and follow him in obedience and endure reproaches. The harshness and harshness of the order must be told to him plainly by which he must go to heaven. If he promises to continue and be steadfast in his purposes, then, after two months, the rule shall be read to him by order, and it shall be said to him:\n\nBehold here the law under which you must labor and fight. If you think you can keep it, come in; and if not, go free wherever it pleases you. If he still continues by his promise, he will be brought back to the novice cell to be tested again and again in all patience. And then, after six months, the rule shall be read to him again, so that he may well know why he enters religion, and if he continues still, the rule shall not be read to him again. And if he promises utterly to keep all things that are often read to him and to be obedient then. The person shall first be taken into the congregation, where it is determined that he is bound to the law of the rule. Then, he may not depart from the monastery nor excuse himself unless he is under the yoke of the said rule until his death. Once admitted and taken into the church to be professed, he shall promise stability and amendment of his manners before God and the saints, making his obedience with all his mind and heart lest he mock our Lord God to his damnation. Of his promise and profession, he shall make a petition in writing to God and to all saints whose relics are in that church and to the one assigned there, which he shall write with his own hand or have another do it if he cannot write, and mark it with his own sign, which he shall put upon it afterward with his hand. He shall also recite certain prayers with it. If a man of worship offers a young child, his son, to God and to the religion, then he or his friends must make the petition as follows:\n\nIf a man of worship presents a young child, his son, to God and to the religion, he or his friends must make the petition:\n\n1. Prostrate yourself before the convent and pray that they pray for him.\n2. He will then be numbered among the congregation for eternity and named as one of its members.\n3. Any possessions he has not given before to the poor or in other ways openly, he must then give to the monastery. Nothing may be reserved for him after that time. He may have no more than his own body.\n4. When in church, he shall remove his secular attire and be clothed with the habit of the place. Those he puts off shall be kept in the vestuary, lest the enemy, the devil, persuade and cause him to depart from the religion after that. God protect him from that. Then he must have his secular clothes again and put them out forever.\n5. However, his petition in writing that he made at his first entrance into the water, ought ever to remain and be kept in the monastery.\n\nIf a man of worship offers a young child, his son, to God and to the religion, he or his friends must make the following petition:\n\n1. Prostrate yourself before the convent and ask them to pray for him.\n2. He will then be numbered among the congregation for eternity and named as one of its members.\n3. Any possessions he has not given before to the poor or in other ways openly, he must then give to the monastery. He may keep nothing for himself after that time. He may have no more than his own body.\n4. When in church, he shall remove his secular attire and be clothed with the habit of the place. Those he removes shall be kept in the vestuary, so that the enemy, the devil, does not persuade or cause him to depart from the religion after that. May God protect him from that. Then he must have his secular clothes again and put them out forever.\n5. However, his petition in writing that he made at his first entrance into the water, must always remain and be kept in the monastery. Aforementnote: a child writes before him with writing and their offering with the hand. This is rolled together in the pall or in the well of the water. Regarding the reception of poor children and secular priests, as well as strangers, and the ordinance of priests and deans within our religion, this is shown followingly in the complete rule, which I pass over due to the great change that has occurred in that religion and its length.\n\nWhen the brethren meet together, the younger one makes himself, desiring the blessing of his senior. And whenever any senior comes at any time before him, he shall arise and give him place to sit. The said younger one shall stand until he is commanded to sit. Young children of the religion, both in church and at table and elsewhere, shall keep their place according to their age in religion, and they shall have overseers teaching them and giving discipline until they come to the age of understanding.\n\nTo the gate of the monastery comes an aged, wise person. A well-mannered brother is to be assigned to answer or receive messages for those who can do so wisely or politely. Such a brother should reside near the gate so that strangers may always find him ready and able to respond. When anyone knocks at the gate or the poor people cry out, he should say, \"Deo gracias. Cheerfully.\" and give them a comfortable answer in all meekness and softness, fearing God. The porter brother should have the help of a younger brother if great need requires it. Such a monastery is to be situated in a place where necessary things can be obtained quickly, so that the monks do not need to leave the confines of the monastery, which would be perilous for their souls. St. Benedict desires the rule to be read effectively several times a year before the congregation, for none of them should pretend ignorance or any excuse.\n\nWhen any of the brethren... (The text is missing the continuation of this sentence.) Brothers must make a journey without delay, if they have not been given permission, they shall come to the prayer of their sovereign, and eventually return to the service of God. A prayer will be said for them and all who are absent when they return home. And they shall lie prostrate for the entire service time and ask the convent to pray for them for any vanities, evil things, or empty words they may have heard. They shall not speak of anything they saw or heard in their journey, as it is a great means of destruction for such a place of religion. He who presumes to do otherwise or to leave the monastery for any reason without command or license from the sovereign must be strictly punished.\n\nIf any grievous or impossible things are commanded to a brother by his sovereign, he shall humbly and obediently accept the command: If it happens that... Each one should beware not to excuse or defend another in any cause, however near of blood. For this lightly would grow great occasion of scandal to the religion. Whoever is faulty in this matter ought to be punished severely. It is also ordered that no member of the convent is allowed to punish or beat another of the same, but such one as the sovereign has given power to. Those who offend openly must be reproved and punished openly, so that others may be the rather afraid to offend. Children up to the age of fifteen shall remain ever under strict and diligent discipline. Things should be done to them measurably with discretion and reason, and unwittingly disobey the command of the sovereign. Whoever does otherwise shall be corrected with regular discipline, for it is written in the Gospel. Whatever you wish others to do to you, do the same to them, and whatever you would not wish done to you, do not do to them.\n\nObedience is not only to be given to the sovereign by all the community, but also to each other. By the way of obedience, they shall come to heaven. When the commandment of the sovereign is ever obeyed by the younger in religion, they should obey their seniors in all charity, diligence, and meekness. Whoever is blamed by his sovereign or senior for any cause, however small, should immediately fall down at his feet until the one who is grieved or troubled is satisfied. for his humility. If one refuses to do this, let him be punished on the naked body, and if he is obstinate, put him out of the monastery.\n\nAs there is an evil zeal, love or affection, which separates one from God and leads him to hell, so there is a zeal or affection which separates one from sin and brings him to God for eternal life. This can be found in religion in all fervent desire. For by it each one gladly reverences others and each one suffers others for any infirmity or conditions, and this with all patience. Moreover, each one is glad who can make himself obedient, never following that thing which he deems profitable only for himself, but much more that thing which is profitable for others.\n\nEach one should show charity to others as brothers in all clean and chaste love, fearing ever God, and loving their sovereign in charity unfeigned. Preferring ever God's cause and matter above all others, which will bring them all together. Reigns in the life, which is eternal. Amen.\n\nExplicit.\n\nOf your charity, pray for the translation of this said treatise.\n\nThus ends this present book composed of various fruitful spiritual matters. Of which the following names follow, to the intent that well-disposed persons who desire to hear or read spiritual information may know by this little title the effects of this small volume. Since the whole content of this little book is not of one matter only, as hereafter:\n\nThe first treatise is named Orologium sapientiae with seven chapters following, showing seven points of everlasting wisdom.\n\nThe second treatise shows fourteen proofs of tribulation with fourteen chapters following.\n\nThe third treatise shows the holy rule of St. Benedict, which is right necessary for all men and women of religion who understand nothing, which shows thirty-four points to be observed.\n\nPrinted at Westminster by the desire of certain persons. worshipfull persones \u2234", "creation_year": 1491, "creation_year_earliest": 1491, "creation_year_latest": 1491, "source_dataset": "EEBO", "source_dataset_detailed": "EEBO_Phase2"}
]