From the library of SIR R. LEICESTER HARMSWORTH BART TO AL THOSE of the Reuerend Societie of the name of IESVS perpetual increase of al vertues from him that geueth them HAVING receaued so singuler benefites from you as needes I must more then to any other earthly creatures acknowledge my selfe indebted to you and hauing from you receued both the copie the counsail and other commodities to translate this woorthie Treatise into our English tongue I could doo no lesse as-wel in respect of your former merits as of the means you gaue me to attempt and finish this worke but make you the Patrones of my smal paines and vowe the cote and simple attire to them who gaue the mould and soueraine subiect to me God graūt my skil haue answered to my wil then shal I without al affec haue translated that into plaine and not impure Englishe which was first written by a woorthy Father of your company in plaine and right pure Italiā Accept therfore Reuerend Fathers and Brethren a birde of your owne broode plucked out of her natural plume and garnished with forreine fether Accept this my seelie trauaile as a testimonie of a reuerent zeale I bear to your whole Socieite and as a 〈◊〉 of further rewarde I owe you which our good God hauing geuen you his worde for me wil furnish you most aboundantlye He preserue increase and strengthen you for euer and graunt me and al others grace to folow your good instructions At Paris the. 20. of June 1579 Your most bounden beadsman and dutiful frende for euer Iamer Sancer THE AVTHOVR to the deuout Reader CONSIDERING the necessitie of many men who hauing a good wil haue not for al that the capacitie or meanes to seeke out and reade such bookes as intreate of the exercises which euery good Christian ought to occupie him-selfe in I haue for this cause thought good to gather in this short Tretise the principal exercises which euery Christian is bound to vse that by spending his time laudably therein he maie haue hope to obtein Gods diuine grace and by meanes thereof come afterwardes to enioye eternal felicitie which is the ende whereto we are created And albeit this Treatise may generally helpe al yet meane I chiefly to speake to those Christians who woting the ende whereto they are created and the rigorous accompt they must render of al their whole life yea of euerie idle worde desire in such sort to spende and gouerne their temporal life as that afterward they maie come to obteine euerlasting life They that are thus affected shal I hope make their auaile of such thinges as I shal here intreat of and wil I doubt not with good wil and plaine meaning receaue that which is with no lesse afforded them A TABLE OF the Chapters conteined in this Booke WHAT thing he ought first of 〈◊〉 to doo that purposeth to beginne a newe life and to spende his time hence-forth sincerely in Gods seruice Fol 1. Certaine general aduertisementes necessary for such as mind to serue God sincerelye 4. Of the particuler order which we ought euery day to obserue in our daily exercises 8. The exercises wherein a good Christian ought to occupy him-self on holy daies 12. Of the profite and necessitie of praier 17 The maner howe to pray mentally and of the preparation we ought to make before it 20. Meditations of the blessed Passion of our Sauiour for euery day in the weeke especially on morninges 23. Certaine particuler aduertisementes touching the Meditations conteined in the former Chapter 38. Meditations to be made on Eueninges or a new weeke 42. Other meditatiōs wherin the better learned may at other times exercise thē-selues certaine also for the simpler for wherin the misteries of the Rosarie are intreted of 57. Certaine Remedies for such as coulde not haply finde sauour or deuotion in the former Meditations 70. Of Confession howe and when we ought to make it 76. Of the vtilitie and profite that is reaped by often receauing the holy Sacrament 82. In what maner we ought to prepare our selues before we come to receaue the blessed Sacrament 87. Of spiritual Receauing 92. Of the temptations which ordinarily offer them selues to such as haue begonne to walke in spiritual way 96. General Remedies to be vsed against temptations 99. A Preamble concerning the Remedies against particuler temptations 104. Remedies against Lasciuiousnes cod Remedies against the second sinne of the fleshe which is Gluttonie 111. Remedies against the troublesom temptations of slouth and Idlenes 116. Remedies against the sinne and temptation of couetousnes 120. Remedies against the temptation of the third enemie to wit the deuil and first against Pride whereto he principally induceth vs. 125. Remedies against the temptations and sinne of wrath 132. Remedies against the sinne and temptation of Enuie 139. Certaine other aduises and Remedies concerning the same matter of temptations 144. What a good Christian ought to doo when he falleth sicke and draweth nigh the houre of death 148. Of the temptations that are commonly felt in the houre of death and of the Remedies against the same 156. A Conclusion and briefe Rehearsal of al that hath bene saide in this litle Treatise and of the thinges that euery good Christian is bound to learne and haue by hart 165. A briefe declaratton of the .12 Articles conteined in the Creede 169. A declaration of the Decalogue or tenn Commaundementes 175. A declaration of the Pater noster 182. An exposition of the Aue Mary 186. A prayer or Meditation whereby the soule is stirred vp to a reuerence and loue of the blessed Sacrament before a man receaueth it 190. An-other Praier or Meditation to be made the day that one hath receaued to stirre him vp through the consideration and knowledge of so great a benefite to geue God thankes therefore and to be grateful for his goodnes 197. A praier for the Translatour 204. A Preface to the Reader 205. A praier to be saide in the morning before al other busines 206. A praier to be saide to bedward applied to the excellent instructions of the. 3. Chapter of this Treatise 207. A praier to be vsed before Sacramental Confession 210. A praier to be saide after Sacramental Confession 211. A very fitt praier to be said before Masse wherin we exercise very fruitfully our faith and prepare our selues to heare it with dutiful attention 213. An-other praier to be saide likewise before Masse 215. An excellent praier and adoration to be made in the presence of the blessed Sacrament 216. A Protestation to be made in time of sicknes 111. A praier to God and to al his holy Saints for al thinges necessary for our selues and our neighbours cod A moste straunge and excellent monument prouing apparantly the reuerend antiquitie of our Catholike Religion found at Rome in Iuly last past in the yere of our Lorde 1578. and is of al wise men beleeued to be the blessed Virgin S. Priscilla her Church-yarde 222. FINIS A
SONNET so the Christian Reader AChilles neuer durst at once With monsters two to fight And yet at once this booke shows thee How three to put to flight The Deuil the World the Fleshe and more To conquere Death and sinne And howe to liue and howe to dye And howe the heauens to winne It is a path to Paradise A port to heauenly blisse It treats of truce and bringes the peace That euer during is Then reade and reape the fruites therof And thanke thou for thy gaines The God aboue who raisd vp those That tooke for thee the paines Conuertantur qui oderunt Sion MILITI CHRISTIANO TETRASTICHON QVO tibi iam de te parias certamine palmam Et docet hic paucis praebet arma liber Sedulus hunc ergo si nocte dieque reuoluas Corpore victus eris menteque victor eris ¶ CARMEN in Natiuitatem Christi CVR petis humanas puer ò 〈◊〉 me sedes A superis factus sedibus exul Amo. Cur tua panntculos molles quibus implicet artus Non habet in tali tempore Mater Amo. Cur geminas inter pecudes decumbis vdas Lachrimulas madido lumine fundis Amo. Cur rigidae 〈◊〉 paleae mordacibus vrunt Et tenerum ledunt frigora corpus Amo. Cur stabulis sacris 〈◊〉 robora membris Et lapis heu 〈◊〉 asper Amo. Pauca modo patior sed post qua adoleuerit at as Verbera 〈◊〉 vepres 〈◊〉 alt a feram Nascitur iacet in staebulo qui torquet Olympum Pastorum Superum cantibus antra sonant Behold O thanklesse wretch behold Howe to repaire thy fall The God that rules the rouling skies Lieth borne in brutish Stall Hocce tuo nunquam labatur pectore nomen Quod decus est Diuum quodq salus 〈◊〉 Al praise and due renowne O Lord Geue to thy holy name And not to vs most wretched wights Doo thou impart the same What thing he ought first of al to 〈◊〉 that purposeth to beginne a newe life and to spende his time henceforth sincerely in Gods seruice Cap. 1. FOR that as S. Austine saieth it is not possible for ani man to beginne a newe and laudable life but if he firste forsake and vtterly detest his former loose and lewd life who so therefore mindeth to amende his former maners and to indeuour him selfe sincerely to serue God the first thing he ought to doo is to clense and purge his soule that so it may please the holy ghoste to dwel and remain therin as in his holy temple who wil not as holy scripture telleth enter into the soule of the wicked nor be harboured in the body thral and captiunte vnto sinne It behoueth therfore to folow the prophetes counsaile first to sequester thy selfe from sinne and so shalt thou become a fit instrument to doo good The which sequestration from sinne and purging of thy soule is procured by true and lowlye confession wherwith it is very expedient thou firste begin preparing thy selfe therto with great diligence and contrition yea it shal be both profituble for thee and right commendable too if already thou hadst not made a general confession of thy whole life nowe to make the same calling to minde very diligently and with inward hartie sorow the whole time thou haste hitherto liued and al thy yeres past so lewdly and disorderly bestowed This general confession shal helpe greatly aswel to cancel and cleere al old reckonings of thy former life being fully bent henceforth to liue a newe and to 〈◊〉 a newe booke as also to take awaye the scruples which are wont to molest the soule wheras through the more plentiful light of Gods good grace we see now the imperfections and defectes of our former confessions which perhaps were not vailable either for want of contritiō or for hauing left some notorious and deadly sinne or necessary circumstance vntolde whether it were through shamefastnes or blame worthie negligence or some suche other like default which we were not in the darke time of our former daies aware of and now through the grace and heauenly light we haue since thē receaued doo plainly and manifestly perceaue them Ioyning therfore due diligence to this heauenly light we are nowe to supply al former wantes that our soule mai be set at rest and ridde of suche remorse which els wold continually gnaw wouud it This general confession shal profit muche in this wise to to moue and prouoke God thorough the 〈◊〉 and shame we suffer in making it to graunt vs greater aboundance of his grace and more strength with other vertues necessary for the better leading of our life hereafter Nowe to make this confession rightly and as it ought to be we must first craue of God in al humilitie his grace and fauour to haue due knowledge of those greeuous sinnes which we haue cōmitted against his diuine Maiestie throughout all our former life and that it may plese him to geue vs sincere and hartie sorowe for the same This being done take a day or 〈◊〉 yea more if neede be wherein thou must retire thy selfe frō company and examine at leasure thy whole life beginning at the time thou firste began to haue vse of reason and so running ouer al thy yeres according to the chaunge of time and places where thou haste liued and the exercises and trades thou haste bene practised in running ouer likewise the ten maundementes of God and those of his Churche the seuen deadly sinnes the senses of the body and powers of the soule Al the which thou mayest doo much better and with more facilitie a great deale if thou reade ouer some briefe and learned Confessionarye as there be many or if so thou canst not reade thy self to cause some other to reade it to thee And whē at any time thou shalt be put in minde of any crime whatsoeuer it be thou haste committed force thy selfe to haue a particuler griefe and sorowful repentaunce as wel of it as al other whereof thy conscience may pleade thee giltie Hauing vsed this diligence and necessary preparatiō seeke then the best learned and most vertuous confessor thou maiest possibly find out to who I wish thee aswel now as hereafter to make thy confession to and by his counsail to gouerne the whole course of thy life and al thine actions wherin no doubt but thou shalt find a notable helpe for the better seruing of God and more secure walking in his waie as I shal hereafter more at large let thee vnderstand in the. Xij. Chapter of this litle Treatise When thou hast thus made choise of such a Confessour then shalt thou with al humilitie shamefastnes and sinceritie ope al thy sins vnto him declaring what is necessarie and omitting that is superfluous accusing thy self and no other body of the sinnes thou hast comitted neither excusing thee as some doo very naughtily attributing the cause of their sinnes to the deuil the frailtie
towardes thee seing he might so many times so iustly haue throwen thee downe headlong into hel as he hath done others and yet hath not done so to thee but forborn thee and preserued thee from sundry and manifold dangers especially frō the douils whose wil thou fulfilledst in sinning and both woulde and coulde haue hailed thee to hel had not his mightie hand defended thee Finally he hath geuen thee many good inspirations and inuited thee to penance besides many mo great benefites bestowed on thee which no father would haue done to a moste tenderly beloued sonne Being then stirred vp with suche like considerations and moued with compunction reputing thy selfe a moste abhominable caytiff prostrate thy selfe filled with shame and confusion at our Sauiour his feete as did that publike sinner the blessed Magdalene and with great sorowe and humblenes pray him to pardon thee those infinite sinnes and abhominations thou haste cōmitted purposing fully for the time past to do penance to lead a new life in time to come And here note that when thou vnbethinkest thee of thy former sinnes it shal not be needeful ne conuenient to stand vpon suche particularities as might procure alteratiō in thy fleshe which often happeth in carnal sins but generally to consider howe ofte thou hast cōmitted these carnalities and beastlines through thy whole life being sorowful for them in general without staying to discourse any particuler maner or circumstāce in such crimes for therby do cōmonly ensue very daungerous alterations TVESDAY 2 ON TVESDAY meditate thy present faultes and such wicked inclinations as thou nowe findest in thee which daily cause thee to commit diuers disorders and weigh withal the manifold miseries this present life is subiect to that so what by the former meditation knowing thy life past fraught ful of filth and sinne seing the sundry staines thou art now presently defiled with thereby thou maiest humble thy self and force thee to amend such faults as thou findest in thee and withal beginne to hate this life so ful of calamities and dangers wherin for the better and more orderly proceeding consider these three pointes folowing EXAMINE firste the sundry imperfections which thou presently fin dest in thee howe first thou lackest a pure and right intent in moste of thine actions doing them for the world or for some worldly interest where in deede thou oughtest to doo them purely for god Thou maiest find likewise thine inclinations to be disordred being wholly bent to the vaine and transitorie thinges of this worlde The like disorder shalt thou perceaue and finde in al thy senses thoughtes wordes and workes sith there is no true vertue to be sounde in thee which by the examination thereof thou shalt wel perceaue as first for charitie which thou wātest as also humilitie patiēce chastitie tēperance and so through al the rest about the which thou maiest discusse particulerly howe ofte thou vsest to offende in eche one falling into such vices as be opposite and contrarye to the saide vertues SECONDLY consider howe smallye thou haste profited since it pleased God to helpe thee with his grace and geue thee these good motions and purposes to amend thy life and how many times thou haste left such workes vndone as thou purposest to doo and howe often thou haste fallen in relapse of thy former folyes which thou determinest in any wise to abstein from Thinke withal how muche better others haue behaued them-selues in this time and profited more in vertue then thou haste done and here oughtest thou to purpose firmely to imitate them and to seeke newe remedies and meanes of amēdment humbly crauing grace of God to execute the same THIRDLY weigh what smal affection thou oughtest to beare toward this wicked world and present life fraught ful of suche 〈◊〉 and greuous miseries and wherin no true satietie or contentation is to be foūd yea that which is worst of al wherin are so many rocks to reele against and so infinite occasions to offende that soueraine Lorde who so woorthely deserueth to be honoured loued and moste dutifully obeyed WEDNESDAY ON WEDNESDAY thy meditation shal-be of death a thing greatlye profitable to eschewe sinne And this must thou meditate euen as though that houre were nowe arriued Imagining therefore it is so and howe thou art nowe come to that latter time of so great griefe and frighting fear discourse vpon these articles folowing FIRST howe in that houre ther is a seperation and deuorce to be made betwixt the soule and body by meanes wherof the soule shal not onely be seperate from the body but also from al other thinges it loued in this life and howe thou must needes leaue here behinde thee wife riches kinsfolkes and al thy other deere frendes with eche other thing be it neuer so wel beloued neither shalt thou carye any thing away with thee but onely the good and euil workes thou hast wrought in this world CONSIDER secondly what we suffer in this sundring of our soules and bodies the agonies temptations and sightes the visiō of deuils which in terrible and dreadful shew appere vnto vs the perils that pinch the soul on euery side the anxietie it receaueth imagining what shal become both of it selfe and of the withered and consumed body THIRDLY thinke how thy soule thus parting from the body with ineffable griefe the body shal then be buried and yeelde foode to wormes neither shal any one iote of al the riches rest with it but only that poore peece of winding-sheete it shal-be wrapped in and that smal circuit of earth wherin it is interred Nowe the soule it shal-be presented before Christe the dreadful Iudge to whō it shal yeeld a most strict and narrowe reckning of al her life and shal receue according to her desertes an euerlasting doome Weigh wel here what the soule shal feele whiles it waiteth for this doome not woting on which side it shal-be sent Out of these considerations 〈◊〉 these right profitable lessons be picked to wit how smal trust and confidence we ought to haue in this life wherein deathe may euery daye and hour assaile vs as also to riches kinsfolkes and frendes who can-not anye waies helpe vs at that time yea al abandon and forsake vs on thother fide what contentation we shoulde then receue by hauing liued wel and gained certaine faithful frendes who might in that houre helpe and greatlye succour vs See therefore thou indeuour thy selfe nowe to doo that which thou wouldest in that houre haue done and force thee to please those true frends in deede which are Jesus Christ his holy virgin mother the Saintes and blessed Angels that they may succoure thee in that houre of so apparant peril THVRSDAY ON THVRSDAY thy meditation shal-be of the last day of iudgement which we according to our beleefe doo certainly look for and shal come without faile yea perhaps in thy dayes concerning the which thou shalt meditate these three poyntes
in his handes before he would put it on his head and at length saide openlye in this wise O more noble then happy crown which if any man knewe wel how ful of cares perils and manifold miseries thōu art fraught a lbeit he met thee with his feete yet woulde he not vouchsafe to lift thee vp What this king saide of his crowne maiest thou wel apply to eche dignitie and pretious thing which the ambitious proul after in this life for looke how much higher and more excellent thei be and so much more are they subiect to greter casualties cares more painful griefes See therfore thou take not so great toile for a thing that so quickly fleeteth awaye as doth the wind of pride and vain-glory THE LAST Remedie to shake off pride withal and to purchase that so necessary a vertue of humilitie is to force and accustome thy selfe seeme it neuer so paineful and lothsome to thee to exercise diuers actions of humilitie as to doo the basest offices in the house to conuerse with the meaner sort to sitt in the lowest place to cladd thy selfe in homely attire not so homely though as to geue occasion of being compted singuler sith this should be a pride not to doo or say any thing wherby to make shew of excellencie and preeminence or to cause admiration in other mens eyes finally to cal eftsons to mind our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christes humilitie as also that of his most holye mother the blessed virgin Marye and of such others as haue liued here in humble and lowly wise REMEDIES against the tentations and sinnes of wrath ¶ Cap. 23. DIVERS of the Remedies that haue beene prescribed thee against pride maye in like maner helpe thee against this sinne of wrath and anger seeing that most commonly such as be proude and hawtie are wont also to be angry and ireful Yet neuerthelesse be there other peculier remedies to be vsed against this vice THE FIRST is to ponder howe farre it is out of al good frame and reason that anye man should be angrye and desire to hurt an-other sith 〈◊〉 brute beastes be they ueuer so fel fight not one with an-other but liue 〈◊〉 peace and vnitie with those of their owne kinde howe much more reason is it that men should doo the 〈◊〉 who are not borne armed as brutishe and sauage beastes be nor prouided of wepons to defende them-selues or to offend others SECONDLY beholde the vgglines and deformitie of an angry man both in his countenaunce gesture wordes and actions in al the which thou shalt at that time see him wonderfully disordered and besides himselfe See thou beware therfore of being angry if thou wilt not fal into those defectes which in others doo so greatly dislike thee THIRDLY consider that whosoeuer he be that hath proffered thee anye wrong or iniurie hath done him self much more harme then thee and if thou growe angry therat and seek reuenge in so doing thou shalt hurt thy selfe much more then thine aduersary for that as S. Chrisostome saith No man is hurt but by him-self which should be no lesse a folye then for a man to kil him-selfe to teare his enemies cote sithens thine enemies body is as his coate which thou meaning to teare in seeking to kil him doest first slea and kil thine owne soule for as S. Austin saith The knife pearceth the heart of the persecutour before the body of the persecuted Striue therefore to master thy selfe and to vanquishe thine ire and so shalt thou gaine greater honor and victory then if thou haddest subdued a mightie Citie and by this meanes in not seeking thy selfe to take reuenge God shal take it for thee as he him-selfe hath promised thee FOVRTHLY if the deuil to stirre thee vp to wrath do aggrauate thine iniurie receued make it greter doo thou contrariwise what thou canst to lessen it and to make it smaller thinking thus howe he that in this maner hath iniuried thee is at that time ouercome with some passion or indiscretion or els cal to minde some good turnes he hath earst done thee or how thou hast other-whiles done him some iniurie which he then did tolerate at thy handes and therefore is it meete thou beare nowe likewise with him And if thou canst not this waies finde any sufficient plaister to heale thy paine withal cal then to minde how God hath borne many iniuries at thy handes that in like maner thou shouldest beare patientlye thy neighbours imperfections FIFTLY consider howe both this iniury which is now done vnto thee and al other losses that light vppon thee wherby thou feelest thy self incensed and prouoked to anger are al by Gods diuine dispensation sent vnto thee that by these scurges thou shouldest in this life be chastised for thy sinnes and by bearing patiently this chastisement come to obteine his grace and celestial benediction Thus did that holye king Dauid thinke who flying the furye of his sonne Absalon mett with that wicked man Simei in the high way who reuiled him with vilanous and reprocheful speeches and threw stones at him whereby one of his captaines being bent to cutt off his head in reuenge of so outragious an iniurie and crime cōmitted against his sacred ma iestie this patient most mild king did forbid him saying let him curse and raile vpon me for so hath our Lorde commaunded him and it may be our Lord wil by this means looke vpon mine afflictions and geue me good for the euil which this man doth wishe me In like maner maiest thou beleeue that by bearing patientlye the villanies and iniuries that shal-be saide and done against thee God wil so dispose that al shal turne to thy greater benefite and comfort of thy soule SIXTLY if thou feele thy selfe alreadie ouercome with anger take heede in anye wise thou neither doo nor speake then any thing whereby this inward indignation thou feelest may burst forth in outward shewe but force thee al thou maiest to bridle and represse it and get thee out of his company whom thou art thus offended with busie thy mind also about some other affairs vntil this fire flaming within thee be some-what quēched suspecting ech thing which thou then thinkest meete to be done or spoken yea seeme it neuer so honest and reasonable for afterwardes when this angry heate is throughlye cooled then maiest thou a great deal more miturely examin whether that thou thoughtest of before be conuenient to be done or spoken And by thus doing shalt thou within a smal while see this angry blast blowne ouer and be thy selfe greatly contented and comforted by hauing ouercome thy temptation and perceaue the deuil who egged thee therto to be fled with vtter confusion Thus reade we in the liues of holy Fathers that Isaac the Abbot did who being demaunded by an-other father why the fiendes did feare him so made
to waxe colde in good works fixe thine eye vpon those feet so cruelly nailed to the crosse which were neuer weried with wandring and seeking for thy wel-fare Finally in this thy Lorde and Sauiour thus crucified if thou seek in time to him thou shalt finde sufficient remedies against al kind of temptations wherwith in this life thou maiest be anye wayes assailed It resteth now to admonishe thee of one only thing touching this matter that whē at any time thou shouldest either with this or any other of the fore-saide remedies repulse thine enemie and resist his suggestions yet must thou not thinke thy selfe secure as though the battel were ended and the fielde fully fought and wonne sith this is the propertie of the diuel when he is ouercome in one temptation to arme him-selfe forth-with and to make preparation for an-other like as he did to our Sauiour in the wildernes whom when he could not one wayes ouercome he assailed and set vppon an-other waies And therfore albeit thou ween thy selfe to be at some rest and findest the fiende to haue taken truce with thee for a while after he is vanquished yet beware thou trust not too much to him for when thou suspectest least then wil he returne to make a fresh assault to molest thee with newe temptations and if he thē happ to finde thee vnarmed and vnprouided of meanes to encounter and withstand him easily wil he subdue and conquere thee and the aduauntage which thou hadst before woon honorably he wil then make thee lose dishonestlye Take heede therfore thou neuer lay thy weapons aside but alwayes be prouided and in readines for the combat neither be thou tired with his importunate infestations wherby he for the moste part ouercommeth those that waxe wery to with-stand him but like as he is importunate in tempting thee be thou importunate and constant in resisting him and by this meanes shal thy crowne be so much the more riche and pretious as the temptations which by Gods helpe thou ouercommest be more irksome and importunate WHAT a good Christian ought to doo when he falleth sicke and draweth nigh the houre of death ¶ Cap. 27. AL SVCH thinges as I haue hitherto intreated of wil helpe thee during the time it pleaseth God to graunt thee health and strength of bodye But because this temporal life of ours is subiect to many infirmities and in th' ende no remedie but al of vs must needes once dye according to God his good ordinance and appoyntmēt I haue for this cause thought good in this Chapter to adde certain aduises and instructions to teache thee the better howe to gouerne thy selfe both in time of sicknes and in the houre of death Neither oughtest thou with worse wil to reade these nor with lesse diligence to execute them in their time then the former Neuertheles these aduises shal principallye profite those that in their health did employ their time in such exercises as haue beene heretofore spoken of in this litle Treatise preparing them-selues continuallye to death as al good and faithful christiā people are bound to doo For such as prolonge their properation and conuersion vntil the houre of death hauing liued loosly and without the feare of God al the time of their health albeit they be not to dispaire but to make the best shift they can for their poore soules in the smal time that is left behinde yet are they in great daunger no doubt and in a verye perillous estate these being they whose saluatiō S. Austin doubteth of Let vs therefore as S. Paule fore-warneth vs doo wel whiles we haue time continually watching and preparing our selues to death according to our Sauiours counsaile sith we neither wott the day nor houre therof Neuerthelesse when thou suspectest that houre to be alreadye come then oughtest thou to be more curious and careful in thy preperation THE FIRST aduise therfore whiche in this matter thou shalt take let be this that so soone as euer thou fallest sicke albeit the sicknes seem not greatly daungerous to be careful for phisiking thy soule first before thy bodye and therfore take order that thy spiritual phisitiō come to purge thy soul by confession eyther before or assoone as the other to cure thy body by potion and expect not til the bodily phisition doo bidd thee to doo thus as he is bound to doo if he desire to obeye that the sacred Canons doo commaunde him Where this moste true sentence is also written that God doth many times sende sicknes of bodye for the sinnes of the soule And therefore it maye be that the cause once ceassing to witt sinnes the effect shal also ceasse to witt sicknes NOWE if hauing vsed this remedie of confession thy sicknes doo stil continue then take this for a second aduise to accept it with a cheerful willing minde as a gift which thy heauenly father hath for thy soules health with singuler loue sent to thee offring vp thy selfe to suffer for his sake what-soeuer his diuine prouidence shal ordeine and laye vppon thee and see thou purpose fully in al thinges to conforme thy self wholly to his moste holye wil. But because mans frailtie is great and feeling the gripes of greeuous and painful sicknes it shal-be a very hard matter to haue that patience and conformitie to his diuine wil which were meete and requisite for to haue LET THIS be therefore the third aduise to make thy humble prayers to God for the obteining of such graces as thou wantest and he know eth to be needful for thee Procure like-wise that others praye for thee folowing therin S. 〈◊〉 the Apostles counsaile who saith If any man amongst you finde him-selfe sicke let him cause the priests to come that they may pray for him And wel maiest thou hope that their prayers made with fayth shal-be no smal helpe to mittigate thy pains grieuous sicknes THE FOVRTH aduise is that as in thy health either thou diddest or at least wise oughtest to haue endeuoured thy selfe to edifye and geue good example to those thou diddest conuerse withal that nowe in time of sicknes thou be careful to doo the same obeying those that keepe thee taking willingly the medicines and what-soeuer for thy health shal-be geucn thee be it neuer so lothsome and painful to thee In like maner to shewe none anger or impatience in thy speeche especially to such as attend vpon thee and to geue gratious aunsweres to those that visite thee not complayning too much of the pain thou feelest but recommending thy selfe in humble and lowly wise to their good deuotions And so in al other thinges art thou with suche good discretion and mildnes to gouerne thy selfe as al those that see thee or deal with thee may be wel edified by thee and consequently take greter compassiō of thy griefes and help thee more willingly