The wayes to perfcet Religion made by Iohn Fyssher, Byshop of Rochester, being Prysoner in the Tower of London

SIster Elizabeth gladlye I would wryte vnto you some thing that myght be to the health of your soule and furtheraunce of it in holye Relygion. But well I knowe that without some feruor in the loue of Christ, Relygion can not bée to you sauerie, nor anye worke of goodnesse can bée delectable, but euerie vertuous déede shall séeme laboryous and paynefull. For loue maketh euerie worke appeare easie and pleasaunt, though it bée ryghte displeasaunt of if selfe. And contrariwyse ryght easie labour appeareth gréeuous and paynefull, when the soule of the person that doeth the déede, hath no desyre ne loue in doing of it. This thing may wel appear by the lyfe of hunters, ye which out of doubt is more laborious and painfull then is the lyfe of relygious persons, and yet nothing sustayneth them in theyr labour and paynes, but the earnest loue and hartie desire to fynde theyr game. Regard no lesse my writing, good sister, though to my purpose I vse the example of hunters, for all true christian soules be called Hunters, and their office and duetie is to séeke and hunt for to fynde Christ Iesu. And therefore scripture in many places exhorteth vs to séeke after him, & assureth that he will be found of them that dyligently séeke after him. Inuenietur ab hijs qui querunt eum. That is to say, he will be founde of them that séeke hym, well happy are all those that can fynde him, or can haue any sent of him in this life here. For that sent (as Saint Paule saith) is the sent of the verie lyfe. And the deuout soules where they féele thys sent, they runne after hym a pace. Curremus in odorem vnguentorum tuorū. That is to say, we shall runne after the sent of thy swéete oyntmentes. Séeyng then all deuoute soules maye bée called Hunters, I will farther prosecute ye comparysō made before betwéene the lyfe of ye Hunters and the lyfe of the relygious persons after this maner.

FINIS.