¶ Prologus ¶ Here seweth a prologe vpon the xii . prouftites or auauntages of tribulacions .

DA nobis domine auxilium de tribulatione &c ¶ Lorne god graunte vs helpe of trybulacion To the soule that arte distroubled and tempted To the is purposed the thou shulde●● lerne wherof tribulation seruen & not oonly that thou shuldest suffre / theym paciently & gladly and comforte the Inwardly of that thou arte discomforted / For seneca sayth ¶ Non ●stita magna consolacio sicut illa q ex desolatōne extrahitur Here is none so grete cōfortas is that that is drawen out of discomforte which confort may noma haue but he know fyrst thou frute of tribulacion that is to seye But he know how god sendith tribulacyons and ordeyneth hem to the prouffite of the sufferers But yf soo be that rebellis of frowardenesse wythstonde the ordenaunce of god Therfore they that knowe herde fawtes on that oon partye and the prouffites of tribulacyon on that other partie asken to be holpe in tribulacion and not tribulacyon to be / putte awaye from hem For if they askyn putting awaye therof they askyn ayens hemselfe As seynt poule dide whyche asked thries the pryckyng of his flesshe to be done awaye To whom god answerd thus it ad Corinthios xii Sufficit tibi gracia mea ¶ My grace suffycith to the Many prouffites there ben of tribulacyon

But of .xii. I purpoos to speke in speciall in whiche who soo will wyth good diligence rede or here hem maye lyghtly by goodis grace sauour hem ¶ For righte as mete euyll chewed is euyll to defye righte soo neclygently teching of holi write rede . or harde prouffiteth litill or noghte .

¶ De prima vtilitate tribulacionis Ca: i.

THe firste prouffite of tribulacōnis vnderstonde that is a trewe socoure or helpe sente fro god to deliuer the soule fro the hand of his enemyes whiche enemies ben thise Priue suggestions of the fende that world that cruell enemye false Ioyes & rychesse of the worlde that disceyuable ennemye vnclene lustis of the flesshe that homly en●mye These enemies slayne the soule in so moche the mo perlyously that they deceyuen it wyth fals fayned frendshyppe soo preuely . The whiche ben fygured by Ioab ii . regum .xx. ¶ That feyned hym frende to Amase holdynge hym by the chynne as he wolde haue kyssed hym and so wyth his swerde in that other honde preuely slewe hym .

¶ Vpon this seyeth saynt gregorye yf ony fortune is to be dredde moch more is to be dredde prosperyte than aduersyte as sheweth openly

¶ And not well that god ordeyneth all thynges in tribulation to the delyueraunce of his seruaunt as he behotyth by the profete dauid saynge thus . ¶ Cum ipso sum in trybulatione eripiam eum et / glorificabo eum

¶ I am wyth him in tribulacion I shall delyuer him of trybulacion and I shall gloryfye hym for trybulacion . ¶ For as moche thenne as god is wyth vs in trybulation we sholde suffre it paciently and gladli for the more fhat trybulation greuyth the. the more nerer god nygheth to the as the prophete sayth . ¶ Iuxta est dominus hus qui tribulatio sunt corde et humiles spiritu salitabit

¶ Our lorde god is faste bi to theym that ben in tribulation of herte and he shall saue theym that ben / meke of spyryte Therfofore if the payne of trybulacion maketh the heuy & greuith the. The myght & the mercy of god thy sauyour that is wyth the in tribulacyon shulde Inwardly comforte the.

¶ But nowe perauenture thou myghteste answe● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conn I fele well But swetnesse of his felishyp in trybulatyon feele I none For yf he shewed to the presente swetnesse of his myrthe as he dooth the bytternesse of trybulatyon thou sholde suffre it . ¶ Also perauenture thou wolde saye that afore tribulacyon thou feleste more swetnesse in god than thou didest whan thou were in trybulation Hereto may be answred that the frendshyp of god in trybulation is vnderstonde in two maners . Fyrst ryght as trybulatyon encresyth soo god multiplyeth grace & vertu as the appostle sayth . in conr .

¶ Fidelis est enim deus qui non pacietur vos temptati supra in quod potestis sed faciet eliam cum temptacione prouentum vt possitis sustinere ¶ God is full trewe that behotyth to defende his seruauntes in trybulacion whiche shal not suffre you to be temted more than ye may suffre but also more ouer he shall make puruyaunce in trybulation that ye may suffre it that is to saye he shall yeue grace & vertue for to suffre trybulation paciently and gladly Exaple as lordes sende socoure and helpe to comforte / theyr seruauntes that ben in castelles byseged of their enemyes .

¶ Ryght so our lorde god sendeth comforte of grace to soules that ben byseged wyth temptacyons of trybulation . ¶ The seconde manere of felyshyp of god in tribulation as the Appostle seyeh / prima . cor ·ii .

¶ Sicut habundant passiōes Cristi in vobis Ita habundat consolatio vtera As the passions of cryst encreasen in vs so encressyth our confort cristys passions encreasih in vs whan they ben sente from hym mekely and pacientli suffre hem as gooddys seruauntys & not as : mensleers & thefes whiche haue deseruyd that they suffre & vnderstonde well that comforte of grace in tribulacionis is not alway yeuen to be felte of hym that is in trybulacon ¶ And that is for he shuld preue hymselfe he shulde drede god & truste in hym to be delyuerd / And we rede in the boke of holy faders of seynt anton How he after many spirituel temtacyons was trobled of fendis bodilyche betyn and wounded all his body Soo that whan his seruaunte came to visyte hym lyenge as dede ¶ And soo he toke hym vppe and bare hym in to the nexte towne where he was watchyd tille aboute mydde nyghte / And thenne by the wyll of god he releued & bade his seruaunte pryuely alle other slepyng bere hym ayen and so he dide And whan he was brouȝte ayen thyder soo feble that he myghte not stonde but sittynge vp he seyde thus / where be ye euyll spiritys wyked fendys / Loo I am here by the myght of god redy to wythstonde al your malyce And after thyse and many other wonderfull temptations oure lord appered to hym in a wonderfulle lyghte and comfortable To whome holy saynt Anton sayde . Aa lorde Ihesu Cryste where haste thou ben soo / longe from me in trybulacyon

And oure Lorde answered and sayde here wyth / the beholdyng thy fyghtynge redy to rewarde the thy vyctory as I am wonte to doo for my chosen chyldren / For wyte thou well that comforte oweth not to come tyll that a place be arayed therto by trybulacyon / Also we rede of / Sare the doughter of Raguel . Thobie .iii.

¶ Hoc autem acertum habet omnis qui coltꝭ te quia vita eius si in temptacioue fuerit coro nabitur . Si autem in tribulacione fuerit liberabitur Et si correpcōne fuerit ad miserecordiam tuam peruenire licebit Non enim delectaris in ꝑdicionibus nostris quia post tempestatem tranquillum facis & post lacrimacionem & fletum exultacionem infundis ¶ Eueri man that worshippeth the god hath this forcerteyne that yf his lyfe be here in temtacōne he shall be crowned And yf he be in tribulacyon he shall be delyuerd And yf he be in chastisinge It shall be leefull to come to thy mercy / Thou delyghtes not in oure perisshinges For after tempestys thou makest tranquillytee And after teeris & wepynge thou sendeste gladnesse as the prophete seythe

¶ Secundum multitudinem dolorum meorumcō solaciones tue letificauerunt animam meam . ¶ After the multitude of my sorowes in my herte thy comfortes haue glad my soule His conforte of one houre ouerpassyth the sorowes of trybulacyon of many yeres For god that cometh for to helpe and comforte after tribulacyon shall abide wyth the gladynge thi soule And perauenture if thou playnest the that thoue taryeste ouerlonge abidinge his comforte as louers be wonte to playue Herto answerith a grete clerke casiodorus .

¶ Ipsa velocitas dei desideranti et amanti tarditas videtur ¶ The swyftnesse of god to a disiryng and a louynge soule semeth longe taryeng Or thus a thynge that is moche coueyted semeth grete taryeng to a louyng soule thenne of thise to forseyde maye be concluded that a soule discomforted in trybulacyon oweth not to holde hymselfe ouercome of his enemyes but rather delyuerd Sythe thenne that this is sothe that tribulacyons delyuer vs from oure enemyes though it soo be that they be somtyme heuy and chargeable yet neuerthelesse thei shulde be suffird paciently and gladly wythoute grutchyng For if we grutche ayen tribulacyons thenne we striue ayen our helpers and we helpe oure enmyes And for we be not strong of oure selfe to delyuer vs from oure enemeys praye wee to god mekely seyenge wyth the prophete

¶ Da nobis domine axilium de tribulacione ¶ Lorde god graunte vs helpe of tribulacyon

¶ De secunda vtilitate tribulacionis

THe seconde prouffite of tribulacyon is that it stoppith the malyce of the fende For he is aferde to tempte the soule that is in tribulacyon for he dredith hym to be ouercome or els refusid and that is figured by the frendis of Iob / where it seyde Iob. iii.

Nemo loquebatur ei verbum videbant enim dolorem eius vhementem Noo man spake to hym a vode they sawe his sorowe was soo grete Thyse feyned frendys of Iob betokim wycked fendys that vexenor trauaylne soules whyche dare not come nyg he a soule that is in tribulacyon nepteme it beynge distroubled / And not oonly tribulacyon stoppeth the malyce of the fende but also there thorough the comofret of angels and of sayntes as we rede of holy faders many one of whiche one cometh to mynde Abotte sysoy after monke suffering of certayn tribulacyons and dissesis A litill to fory ᵉ soule shulde parte from the body He sayde brethern beglade loo holy anton cometh to vs and soone after he sayde loo here comen the worshipfull companye of prophetys And the thirdde tyme he sayde Now comen that holy apostses and as it semed hem that stode about he spake wyth hem and thenne they prayed hym that he shulde telle hem wyth whom he spake and he answerd and sayde wyth holy Angles that came to take my soule And I prayed hem abide a while that I shulde suffre more penaunce And theyse wordes seyde the spirite passid wyth grete lyghte All they felynge a wonderfull swete sauour Noot well that there is noo peryll in tribulacion of temptacions soo that thou answere not to hem by delectacyon or consentyng as the speche of an openly cursyd man noyeth notte but yf thou answere hym That is fygured in holy wrytte Where it is seyde / I saye xxxvi ¶ Mandauerat enim rex Ezeehas ne populus responderet blasphemus rapsacis ¶ Kyn Ezechie commaundid that the peple shulde not answere to the blasfemyes of that tyraunt Rapsacis By Rapsacis is vnderstonde the fende And by his blasphemyes ben vnderstonde temptacyons of wycked thoughtes the whyche noyen not but yf thou wylfully assente to hym / And yf thou fele the feble by freelte of thy flesshe / pray thou god besely in trybulacyon / that he stope the malycyous temptacion of the fende / as the prophete sayth Lorde god grante vs helpe of trybulacyon .

¶ De tercia vtylytate trybulacionis

THe thyrde prouffyte of trybulacyon is that it pourgeth the soule But it is to wyte that there is v manere of pourgynges one is pturgynges of mannis bodye for corruption of wycoked humours and that is on two maners . One isby medicinable drynkynge / Another is by craft / blode letynge / The seconde pourgynge is metally as golde by the fyre and Iren by the fyle / The thirde pourgynge is of trees / as of vynes of vnfrutefull braunches The fourthe purgynge is of corn ad betynge or thresshyng wyth a flayle The fyfth pourgynge is of grapes and that is by a pressoure / On / thus many many maner god dothe pourge the soule by trybulacion For as the body is pourged bi medycynable drynkes of euyll humures / Ryght so the soule made clene by trybulation sente by our souereyne leche our lorde god of veyne affeccyons and euyll maners For saynt Gregorye sayth .

¶ Mali humores sunt mali mores

¶ Euyll humours ben euyll maners .

Drynke this medycyne of trybulacyon sente to the fro god For he is a wyse leche and knowyth all thy preuy syknesse / and how moche thou mayste suffre and how moche thou nedeste . Foche sendeth the nothynge but that is prouffytable to the / And he that hath tasted and allayed and dranke it afore the not for hymselfe / but for thy purgynge he suffred the passyon of deth / Wherof he sayde to the apostles Iohn and Iames . M / xx . ¶ Potestis bibere calicem quem ego bibiturus sum . ¶ May ye drynke the passion that I shall drynke / ¶ Thenne sythen this wyse leche hath dronken this medicine for thy loue / Drynke thou therof wythonten drede for it is hol / som . This drynke thrysteth the profete dauyd whan he sayde . ¶ Calicem salutaris accipiam et nomen domini inuocado . ¶ I shall take the holsom passion of trybulacyon / And yf thou thynke it better clepe thy lorde god into thyn helpe as he sayde ¶ Da nobis domine &c. Lorde god graunte vs helpe of trybulatyon . And as a purgacyon shulde be resceyued hastely wythoute ony more tastynge or longe tarienge so shulde trybulation be accedice wylfully withoute argumentis of disputyng or rebellyon of grutchynge But now be well ware For somtyme as the prouffite of the medicyne is lettyd and werkyth the contrary to corrupcion Not for the defaute of the medycyne but for the euyll disposycyon of hym that receynyth it / So in the same wyse the prouffyte of tribulatton is lettyd of purgacyon & doth the contrarye For it is beginnyng of payne after whiche folowith euerlastyng dampnacyon As we rede of kynge Pharao Kynge of egipte For the more that he was visited by tribulacyon the more his rebellynge herte encresid in to his dampnacion The seconde purgacyon of mannes body for euyll humours is by crash blode letynge & that is on two maners as by openyng of the veine or els by boxyng or vētusyng Opening of the veyne is approprid to confession & boxyng or vētusynge to tribulacyon And note wel the ryȝte as foule blode corruptith the body so synne whiche is callid in holy writte blode defouleth the soule The veyne by that whiche this blode or synne is voyded oute is the mowthe as it is seid ꝓūx ¶ Vena vite os iusti qr iustus in principio accusator ēsui ¶ The mouthe of a riȝtfullman is a veyne of lyfe . Forthe rightfulle man in the begynnynge blameth-hymselfe that is to seye by confessyon and also note that as a man owyth by thys veyne to voyde oute wycked bloode to pourgyng of hys body and kepe / the goode bloode to his norisshinge righte soo in / confession he oweth by his mowthe to shewe all his synnes and wythholde & kepe preuy all his goode / dedis for fere of lesing For good dedis shewyd in / confesson by veyne glorie or auauntyng turnen from vertue vnto vyce for defaute of wyse kepyng / As we rede of the pharise that sayde luc xviii . ¶ Gracias tibi ago dne quia non sum sicut & ceteri hoīm / raptores adusteri velut eciam hic publicanus ieiuno nobis in sabato decimas de hominum que posidio ¶ Lorde I thanke the for I am not lyke as other / men robbers and auoutrers Also not lyke this publicane I faste twyes in the weke I paye tythes of / all that I haue Loo here thou mayste vnderstonde / by this pharisee a false feyned & a proude confession ¶ Sed publicanus a longe stans noluit ad celum oculos leuare fed percuciebat pectus suum dicens Deus propicius esto in peccatori . But the publicane stondinge aferre behynde holdyng himselfe vnworthy wolde not life vp his eyen to heuen but he smote his herte & seyde God haue mercy on me And so this publicane yeede thens iustified or made right by his very / meke confession To this accordeth the veri prophete / Dauid where he seyth thus ¶ Dixi confitebor aduersum mei iusticiam mean dnon & tu remisist● impietatem peccati mei ¶ I shall knowleche by meke confessyon ayens myselfe to my lorde myn vnrightwysnes & thou / haste foryeuen the wyckidnes of my synne Boxyng or / ventusing accordeth to tribulacyon For as many disesis as god sendith to the in tribulacyon soo many remedies he ordeyneth for thy purgacyon But not welle as it is nedefull afore ventusing the flesshe to be / hette & chauffyd for then the smyttyng of the blood Iren maye be suffrid more esely Soo it is spedefull afore tribulacyon that the herte be heted wyth perfigh loue & charitee that rētacōn of tribulacyon maye be suffrid the more paciently & gladly in figure herof the holy goost came downe to the apostels in lykenes of fyre By whom they were soo strengthed comforted they were gladde and yeden Ioyenge for they were● had worthy to suffre tribulacion angre and represse for the name of Ihu The whiche afore that tyme were so dredefulle that they fledde a waye fro / hym And some forsoke hym as Peter that was prince of the apostles for fere of a woman swore that he knewe hym not ye whiche aftir the comynge of / the holy gooste drade not the cruell tourmentis of / Nero the Emperour But pacyently and gladly suffrid to be crucified and dede The seconde manere of materyall purgacyon is of metals as golde by / fyer and Iren by fyle For ryght as the fyer departith golde from other metals and prougyth hym / of ruste and filthe and makith it fayre and clene So tribulacyon departith the soule fro his aduersaries And maketh him to god louely and acceptable / and therfore it is sayde Sapiensee quinto Tanquam aurum in fornace probauit electos dominus and quasi holocasta hostie accepit illos et in tempore erit respectus eorum Oure lord hathe prouyd his chosen by tribulacyon as golde is prouid in the / furneis and he hath acceptid hem as sacrifice of offeeryng and in tyme of rewarde they shal be beholde wyth thys fyer of tribulacyon As Iob was prouyd whan he seide Iob xxiii Probat me deus sicut aurum quod perignem transit God prouuith me by / tribulacyon as golde that passith by the fyer and / note well that amonge all metallis golde is mooste precyouse and lede is leste of price And yet neuertheles golde is not pourgit wyhoute lede For lede / drawyth with hym in the furneyse the fylthes of the gold On the same maner chosen soules the whyche ben lykned to golde ben pourged by euyll men whyche ben lykened to lede Wherof Salamon sayth Stultus seruit sapienti . ¶ The foole shall serue the wyse man / Euyl men shall serue to pourge good men by trybulacyon / ¶ Also as Iren is pourged by the fyle of ruste and made shyninge and bryght so is the soule pourged by trybulacyon from vnclennes and comforted wyth ghoostly lyght and as a knyfe that is not vsyd abydyng in the shethe drawyth ruste so the soule wythout exercyse of tribulacyon desyryth vnclene lust as we rede of dauid ii regum ii Whan he was without tribulacyon of weringe wyth his / enmyes felle in to auoutre with the wyfe of vrie that / worthy knyghte and aftyr into homicyde or man / ne slaughter ¶ Therfore seith the prophete Ieremie Fertil fuit moab in diebus adolescencie sue et / requieuit in fecibus suis Moab the whiche is vndrestonde the sone of my people was plenteuouse by / grace in tyme of his tribulacyon and he hathe restid in filthes of synne Thenne grutche not ayens god / whan he fyleth thy soule to make it fayre and clene louely and liȝt ¶ For els maye it neuer come to haue of hym that blessid sighte wherof it sayde M. quinto ¶ Beati mundo corde quoniam ipsi deum videbunt Blessid bene thei that be clene of herte for / they shal see god The iii maner of purging that accordeth to tribulacyon is of trees as cuttyng of vynes or voydyng vnfruytfull braunches Wherof criste seythe I xx .

¶ Omnium palmitem in me non ferentem fructum tollet eum Et omnem qui fert fructum purgavit eum vt fructum plus afferat . ¶ Euery vyne braunche that bryngyth forthe no frute in me that am a very vyne my fader that is a tylyer shall kitte hym of and caste hym awaye and that braunche that / beryth frute / he shall purge hym that he may bryng forth more frute By this vyne may be vnderstonde mannis herte by the humure is vnderstonde affection or loue and by vnfrutfull braunche ben vnderstonde flessly lustes Inordinate loue of creatures carnall affeccyon of kynred and wordly rychesse / Whan the humures or a vyne or of a tree is spred abou● louer mani ūfrutful braunches it bringeth forth the lesse frute or els none Thenne it longith to a wyse tylyer or to a goode Gardiner to kitte of thyse vnfrutefull braunches that the vyne or the tree maye brynge forth the vetter frute and the more ¶ Right so almyghty god the whiche is a wise tylier and a souerayne gardiner cuttyth away vnclene lustes of the flesshe wyth the knyfe of bodyly syknesse he cutyth awaye Inordinate loue of creatures wyth the hoke of aduersytee and trybulacyon He cuttyth away carnal affeccyon of kynred wyth the swerde of deth ¶ And he cuttythe awaye worldly rychesse wyth / his Iren rodde / As brennynge of fyre dreuchȳg of water robbyng of theues and suche other On all these maners dooth god chastyse and pourge by tribulacyon For he wolde that the loue thine herte shulde abide with him and brynge forthe plente of spirytuell frute in hym / and not abyde ne truste in suche disceyuable frendshyppe / For saynt Gregorye sayth . Qui autem labet inuititur Necesse est vt cum labente labatur ¶ He that lenyth to a fallynge thynge / nedis the fallynge he muste fall . The fourthe . maner of materyall pourgynge that accordyth to trybulacionis of corne / as by betynge or thresshynge wyth a flayle to departe the corne from the chaffe Wherof saynt Austyn sayeth . Quod flagello granum quod fornax auro quod luna ferro hec facit tribulatio viro iusto . ¶ As the flayle seruyth to corne as the fyle seruyth to Iren / so serueth trybulation to the ryghtfull man . As we rede that the angelle Raphaell sayde to thoby hobye .xii. Et quia acceptus eras deo / Necesse fuit vt temptacio probaret te ¶ And for thou were acceptable to god it was nedefull that trybulacion shulde preue the / For as beting of a flayle constreyneth the corne to departe frome the chaffe so trybulacion constreyneth the herto for sake the disceyuable loue of the worlde and the false frendshyp of synners / Whiche are vnderstonde by chaffe . The prouffyte of this flayle knewe the ꝓphete whan pe sayde . Ecce egorn flagella ꝑatus sum Lo I am redy to suffre the betynge of tribulacyon and therfore saythe saynte Austyn / Noly cōquerere de flagello tribulacionis si vis hēre purum gratium & reponi cupis in celo vbi non nisi purum granum reponetetur Playne the not of the flayle of trybulacyon yf thou wylte haue clene corn of consyence & yf thou wylte coueyte to be putte in the garner of the blys of heuen in to the whiche thou mayst not come till thou be clene pourge But be well ware for as corne that is greue & moste & not rype ne dryed is not departid from the chaffe with the beting of the flayle but rather cleueth ther to Soo it is for to drede the hertis that whiche aren grene in begynnynge of conuersion & moste in carnall affeccyon that wihche haue not assaid the prouffite of tribulacyon ben not departid from the falsf frendship of her enemyes But rather cleuen to hem as though thei wolde be confortid by hem For whan god sendith vs visitacōns for to pourge the soule that he louyth be it by bodily sykenes or losse of temporal godes or aduersite of enemyes or ony other temptacyon of heuynesse And one the herte rennyth al about● to seke conforte to haue minde on the Why shuldeste not be glad whan he fendyth to the suche tokens of loue as he toke here for the For he wolde that thou shuldest haue mynde of hym & knowe hym For he is thi frende & wyll not forgete that For as many diuerse tribulacyons as he sendeth to the soo many sondrye messengers thou haste cleping & warnyng that to haue mynde on hym / But nowe perauentur thou woldest saye that suche tribulacyons are not moost necessary to clepe that to haue mynde on him But rather his gracyous benefaytys of prosperite / For as seynte Austyn seythe / Dei beneficia nil aliud fuit nisi monicōes veniedi ad eum The bn̄fytes of god been no thing els but warnynges or clepynges to come to hym To this maye be answerid al though the / graciouse bn̄faytes of god as yeftis of prosperitee riches bewte & bountee & suche other clepen that to hauynge to suche yeftis that he wythdraweth thyn herte to haue mynde rather on the yeftis than on the yeuer wherfore he playeneth by the prophete seyenge Expandi manus meas et non erat qui aspiciret I haue spred out myn handes that is yeuyng benefices / And there was noo man that wolde beholde Qr omnes diligunt munera et secuntur retribuciōnes . For all men louen yeftis and they pursuen aftir rewardes from the mooste to the leste But ●ewe there ben or els none that beholden mekely knowynge the yeuer of him Also perauenture thou woldyst seye all though it be according to god to clepe indurate and rebellyng hertis to knowe him bi tribulacyon Neuertetheles it nedith not to good and meke hertys the whiche desire to knowe hym bi benefaytes and yeftis / To this maye be seyde all though gode and meke hertys knowen the yeuerof hem by naturall delityng in benefaytes yet neuertheles to to the prouffite of perfighte knowing yf god maye thei not come wythoute growyng of tribulacion Example herof we reden that Salamon was clepid bi benefaytes and yeftis Iob was clepid by drawyng or takyng awaye of his temporell goodes and sendyng him tribulacions and aduersitees But thyse tribulacyons brought Iob to the perfight knowynge of god Salamon bi propirite●e felle in to folie lesyng the prouffite of perfghte knowing of god Whatsoeuer thou arte truste not that thou myghteste not longe abide in this knowyng in suche prosperite and therfore suffre pacientli tribulacyons and aduersytees / And yf thou be dyscomforted that they / be many and grete / be thou comforted . For the moo and the gretter that they ben to the / the more prouffyte of knowynge of god they bryngen to the / And yf thou can not fele ony comforte for frowardnesse or freelte of thy selfe / praye to god that he comforte the in trybulacyon and graunt the grace to come to the prouffyte of perfyght knowyng of hym and say . ¶ Da nobis domine auxilium de tribulacione / ¶ Lorde graunt vs helpe of trybulacyon .

¶ De quarta vtilitate tribulacionis . Ca. iiii

THe .iiii. prouffyte of trybulacyon is that it lighteneth the to haue the knowynge of god In whyche is perfeccyon and the prouffyte of mannys knowynge / the whyche Saynt Austyn desyred seyenge in the boke of answers to hymselfe ¶ Libro soliloquiorum ¶ Thus wolde god I shulde knowe the. And also it is wretten in the boke of wysdom . sapiencie quinto . ¶ Nosce te iusticia est consummata ¶ To knowe the lorde god it is ryghtfulnesse ende of cunnynge / to this knowynge helpith trybulacyon / For as the roddeconstreyneth a chylde to bowe downe his hede / and taketh hede vnto his boke / and recorde his lesson / So trybulacyon meketh the hert and makyth hym to behold his owne freelte / and to know god . Wherof saynt Bernerde / ¶ Deus facit se congnosci verberando qui oblitus et incognitus erat percendo . God maketh hymselve to be knowen in betyng wyth tribulacion whyche was foryetyn and vnknowen in his meryfulle / sparynge / Daniel iiii . Of this we haue ensample / of the kyng Nabugodonosor whiche for pryde was caste oute of his kyngdom and liued with wilde hestis and ete haye as an oxe But whan he lyfte vp his eye to his maker of holy herte his wytte was restorid to hym ayen and he knewe god that castised - him in tribulacyon ¶ As the maner of chidren whan they felen strokes sharpe of the rodde They leften / vppe her eyen to hym that smyten him For thei wolden that he shulde turne his face to hem by pitee / and by compassion . ¶ Now thenne thou lowely soule that arte vnder the rodde of tribulacyon considere and knowe well that the maner of louers is for / to sende yeftis tokens and preui lettres eche of / hem to other for to kepe loue and mynde and knowyng eche to other On the same maner oure lorde Ihu crist as a trewe louer sedinth to his treue louyd children suche tokens as he toke here for hem ¶ For here he toke mankynde in whiche he usffrid many tribulacyons detraccyons blasphemyes scornes repreues sclaundres hunger thirste and colde and many betyngis sharpe scourgyngys many thou and is of grete woundes and was naled vpon the crosse betwene ii theues and deyed the shamefolliste dethe / that the Iewes cowde ordeyne for hym and aftir / that he was rysen from deth and stied vp in to heuen he kept his woundis as for tokens that thou shuldeste knowe that the wolde haue mynde of the and neuer forgete the as he sayde by the prophete Isaye xlix .

¶ Numquid obliuisci potest mulier infantem suum / vt non misereatur filio vteri sui et si illa oblita fuerit ego tamen non obliuiscar tui Ecce in manibus-meis descripsi te

¶ Whether a woman maye foryete her childe that she haue noo mercy to the sonne of her owne body ¶ And though she forgete her childe I shall neuer forgrete the Loo I haue writen the in myne hondis that is in all my woundes whiche I suffrid for loue of the sy●hen it is soo that he kept the shewyng of woundis as for a token of loue / And it hath grete drede / there as is noo drede as the prophete sey the I bi ceciderunt timore vbi non erat timor They fellen down for drede there as noo deede was It maye be clepid a cursid comforte that is sette rather in ony creature than in god For the prophete Ieremie seyth / ieremiex vn Maledictus homo qui confidit in homīe & ponit carnem brachi suum & a deo recedit cor eius ¶ Cursid be the man that tristyth in man & he that settyth ony creature to be his strenghe & he that departyth his herte from god But it maye be clepid a blessid comforte that is sette in god as the same prophete seide ¶ Benedictus vir qui confidit in domino & erit dns fiducia eius ¶ Blessid be that man that trustith in oure lorde god and oure lorde shall be his truste / ¶ And whan that we shall fully truste oonly in god in al maner tribulacyon ¶ And drede false comforte and euyll counseille of oure enmyes ¶ We / haue ensample . of Ochosyas kynge that sente mesengers to / Belzebub the fende of Acharon to haue comforte and counseyle whether he shulde escape the tribulacyon of sykenes or none And god sent an angell to the prophete and bad hym seye chosie iiii regum i c Qr misisti nuncios ad consulendum belsabub deum accharon quasi non esset deus in israel a quo posses interogare sermonem Ideo non descendes de lecto super quem ascendisti sed morte morieris For thou hast / sente mesengers to aske counseyle of belzabub the / feende of accharon as though there were noo god / in Israel of whom thou myghteste aske comforte therfore thou shalte not goo oute of the bedde that thou yediste vpon but thou shalte deye Also that we shulde not loue the worlde ne truste in worldly thyngis synte Ihon biddith i Iohis ii ¶ Nolite dilegere mundum neqmꝪ ea que in mundo sunt Wyll not ye / loue the worlde ne worldly thyngys &c. ¶ The v. / maner of materiall purgacion is of grap is and yt is by a pressour ¶ For as a pressour pressith the / grapes to parte the preciose lycour of wyne from / draffe and the draggys Soo god pourgith the soule that he loueth in the presour of tribulacyon from / corrupcyon and wickidnes of synne Some tyme / by bodely sykenesse or preuy goostly heuynesse and sometyme losse of temporell goodes : or persecucion or sclaunder of euyll men and enmyes : Somtyme by lackynge of noble kynrede / or by dethe of fayth / full frendys . And therfore suffre pacyentely the : prouffite of this pressour yf thou wylte be broughte into cristes blessyd celar of whiche it is seyte Cant ii . ¶ Introduxit me dommus rex in cellam suam / vinariam ¶ The lorde the kynge hath broughte me in to his wyne seler / Herto accordeth seinte / Austin and seithe That holy martirs weren so pressyd by tribulacyon in thys presente lyfe that the bodely mater was lefte in the pressour of thys erthe / But the preciouse soules weren resceiued into the / seler of euerlastynge blisse ¶ Grutche not ayens / god yf he hathe putte the in his prison of tribulacyon For he hathe assayed it afore the ¶ As I saye the prophete seithe in the personne of criste Isa. lxiii / ¶ Torcular calcaui solus & degentibus non est ibimecum I alone haue troden the pressour of tribulacyon and noo man was there with me And note it that he seide no man but he sayde not noo woman / for that blessid woman moder and mayde oure lady saynte Marie abode wyth hym in feith full whan / all the apostles fledde from hym And was redy to suffre dethe for the compassyon of her sone as the. prophete Simeon seith luc ii ¶ Et tuam ipius animam pertransibit gladius ¶ The swerde of dethe shall passe tho rough thyne owne soule ¶ Now the n̄e sithen this is sothe that oure lorde Ihu criste hathe assayed thys pressour of tribulacyon and that blessid lady his moder mayde marie What so euer thou be that feliste the in thys pressour take it mekely and gladly prayen wyth the prophete ¶ Da nobis domine auxilium de tribula conne Lorde god graunte vs helpe of tribulacyon

¶ De quinta vtilitate tribulacionis Capitulum v.

THe v. prouffite of tribulacyon is that it reuoketh or bryngeth the to knouynge of thyselfe For that herte that hath not putte awaye ferre from himselfe worldly and veyne glorie maye not truly fele ne knowe himselfe For that herte hathe more very knowyng of lighte wherof the prophete Dauit seyde ¶ Numen oculor ūmeorum & ipm̄ non est mecum ¶ Lighte of knowynge there is of myn eyen but the lighte is not wyth me Woo to him that dispenden the lighte of her knowynge in vayne Ioye and vorldly thynges and no thynge to desyre the knowyng of hemselfe But howe shulde thei knowe himselfe that ben not wyth hymselfe For the more that the soule louyth and desireth vayne Ioye / and worldly prosperitees the more ferther he drawyth from the knowyng of hymselfe ¶ And therfore seythe seinte Gregory As he that is besegid / wyth enmnyes dare not goo ferre out but he is constreinid to goo ayen for drede . Soo tribulacion constreyneth the herte to torne in to himselfe . And the. mos aduersytees that ben about hym the fewer he hathe of rennynges oute from hymselfe . Thene it is . a blessid aduersitee that bringeth the in to thyselfe and maketh the that thou hast misgoon to tourne ayen . Wherof it is seyd . Exod. xii . ¶ Maneat vnis qui sque apud seme● ipsum . ¶ Dwelle eche man With hymself that is knowe he himself ¶ Abide he wyth hymselfe for as an howse whiche noo man dwellith is washd and fallyth to noughte ¶ Ryghte soo the herte that dwelly●h or abydith not wyth himselfe / Woo to that herte that renneth from hymselfe all aboute lyke as dooth a Iaper or a Iogelar in to other mennes houses more he singith Iapeth and / Ioyeth in other mennes places The more cause / he findeth in his owne place of sorowe and of wepyng So the more that the herte deliteth him outeward in vayne thynges and worldly Ioyes the lesse he fyndith in hymselfe wherof he shuld be comfortid Therfore tribulacyon is full necessary to the / herte to make hym turne into hymselfe / And it constreyneth hym to saye with the prophete .

¶ Conuer●ete anima mea in requiem tuam . ¶ Turne ayen thou my soule in to thy reste / And also our lorde god hauynge pyte of the soule that hath for wrapped hymselfe wyth worldly thynges seyth thus . ¶ Reuertere reuertere sonamitis . reuertere vt intueamur te . ¶ Turn ayen turn ayen thou wretch caytyf soull / turn ayen / turn ayen / that we / mowe beholde the that thou beholde thyselfe wyth the eye of consyence / and that I maye beholde the with the eye of mercy . ¶ O thou soule that distroubled in aduersytees / suffre the to be reuoked to knowynge of thyselfe by trybulacyon / And namely for that trybulacyon byndeth or knyttyth the to thy maker Whome wycked and large fredom of the worlde ha●h lete runne longe loose from thyselfe Wherof speketh the prophete thus .

¶ Infuniculis adam traham eos et in binculisca ritatis . ¶ I shall drawe theym in the small cordys of Adam & in the bondis of charytee . Thyse smalle cordys of adam oure fyrste fader whyche longen to vs by the waye of herytage are clepyd al maner pouertees sente fro god to reserue the herte from vayne and worldly comfortes . by the whyche god drawyth many one / as it semyth by vyolence . Wherof sayth saynt Bernarde / ¶ Trahimur / cum tribulacionibus exercemur . ¶ We ben drawen whan we hauntyd wyth trybulacyon / therfore thou that arte streyned wyth thyse cordys and bondys of charyte suppose not that that thou arte defoiled or forsaken but the rather made fayre and chosen of god al though thou haste not that thou askeste / Ne trowe not theym they ben not streyned wyth thyse bondys to be in very lybertee / though they haue that they asken / For lyke as the leche whan he grauntyth to the syke all that he desyryth it is a certeyne sygne of dethe / Ryght soo the false fredom of the worlde is certeyne sygne of perysshynge / For the more frely thei desyren and fulfyllen theyr owne desyre wythoute trybulacyon / the rather they fallen downe in / in to theyr dampnacyon . Therfore thou sely soule that / arte troubled Yf thou wylte haue god to the merciable / suffre the to be restreyned wyth thyse bondis of trybulacyon / Whyche comen fro god and drawen that towarde god / Wherfore oure lorde sayde to the profete Ezechiel Eccededi viculanica s●●te Lo I haue yeuen my bondis vpon the / by this is vndstonde that bondis vpon the By thys is vnderstonde that bondys of / tribulacion ben the yeftys of god and the more tribulacyon the strenger byndeth the soule to god Also the prouffite of tribulacyon is that it spedith the waye to god For as many tribulacyons as thou haste soo many messengers god hathe sente to the that thou haste to hym and not let by the waye Wherof sey the the prophete Multiplicate sunt infirmites eorum postea acceleuauerunt Her sykenes were multiplied and afterwarde they hastid hem to / god Herof seynte Gregory sayde Disesis that oppresson vs to haste to god compelle vs Supposse thou not the benefytes of tribulacyon to be disese for / to delyuer the from a greuous pryson and to haste thy waye to the kyndom of heuen As it is sayde / Ecclesiastici uit De carcere cathenisque interdum / quis introducitur ad regum From pryson and from Iron bondis other while a man is brought into a kyngdom Thys pryson is callid all that the herte loued inordinatly in thys worlde Thyse Iren / bondys are suche thinges that wicked affeccions / be bounden to . But of this prison god deliuereth many one by tribulacyon as whan he puttyth awaye / from hem thyngys that they louen inordynatly ¶ / And that is fygured by seynte / Peter that was kepte in herodis prison whan oure lordis angell stode besyde hym and peters sayde Ismyten He excited / hym and sayde arise vppe lyghtly And anone the / Iren bondis felle from hys hondys By the syde of / petir is vnderstonde thy brother that cam oute of the same syde that thou / came of Orels all thoo generally that aren alyed / to the by kynrede or by affinitee For whan ony of thys or all whiche by lawe of nature ought to be / thy frende is contraryous to the or els by ony other maner Vnderstonde thou arte smyten in the syde / for that thou shuldist goo oute of the prisone of inordinate loue and set thyne herte oonly in god that may not fayle the But take good heede that as petir playned not on the smytyng on his side Soo thou owest not to playne ne to greue the of tribulacyon whiche delyuerith the fro the false and disceiuable loue and flesshly and worldli frendis / And yf the / smytynge of tribulacyon in the side be sharpe and / greuouse to suffre be holde criste thy maker and / thi brother woundid in the side for thy loue and thou / shalte suffre it the more casely as a trewe knyghte / whan he seeth his lordis woundis therfore refuse-not the messengers of thy lorde god the comen to / clepe the wyth hym and constreyne the to haste towarde hym For he that refusyth the mesenger refusyth his lorde / Whan is the messenger refusyd / whan the herte wyth a vylement contrarieth and gru●chith ayens tribulacyon ¶ Note well that tribulacyon turmenyth in pourgyng and pourgyth in / turmentyngh / But whan the herte grutchyth ayenste tribulacyon Thenne he parteth pourgyng from turmentynge For he kepyth the better turmente / of tribulacyon And he lesith the swete profitable / pourgynge thorough his folye and contrarious grutchynge .