wouldest mercifully looke vpon me thy naughty seruant and haue mercy vpon me that haddest mercy on the woman of Canaan and on Mary Magdalene that sparedst the Publicane and forgauest the theefe hanging vpon the crosse To thee O most holy father I confesse my sinnes which if I woulde hide from thee O Lorde I can not Spare me O Christ whome I haue much offended in thinking speaking and dooing and in euery manner wherein I fraile man and sinfull might sin by my fault by my owne faulte through my great default Therefore O Lord I beseech thy mercy that cammest downe from heauen for my saluation that liftedst vp Dauid from his fall of sinne spare me O Lord spare mee O Christ that sparedst Peter whē he denied thée Thou art my Creator and my Redéemer my Lord and my sauiour my king and my God Thou art my hope and my trust my guide and my help my comfort my strength my defence and deliuerer my life my health and my resurrection my light and my desire my assistance and my refuge I pray and beséech thée helpe me and I shal be safe gouerne me and defend me strengthen mee and comforte me confirme and make mee glad lighten mee and vifite me raise me being dead because I am of thy making and workemanship O Lord despise me not being one of thy housholde seruants although lewd vnworthy and a sinner but whatsoeuer I am good or bad I am alwais thine To whome shal I flie except I goe to thée If thou doest cast me off who shall receiue mee If thou doest despise me who shal look vpon me Uouchsafe therefore to know mee one vnworthy flying vnto thee though I be vile and vncleane seeing if I be vncleane thou canst purge me if I be blind thou canst make me to sée if I bee sicke thou canst make mee whole if I be dead and buried thou canst raise me again For thy mercy is greater then my iniquitie thy godlines is greater then my vngodlines thou canst forgiue more then I can commit and release more then I can offend Dispise me not therefore O lord neither looke on the multitude of my iniquities but according to the multitude of thy mercies haue mercy on me be fauourable vnto mee a great sinner Say vnto my soule I am thy saluation who didst say I will not the death of a sinner but rather that hee may bee conuerted and liue Turne me O Lord and bee not angry against me I pray and beséech thée O most merciful father that for thy mercies sake thou wilt bring me to a good end and to the happinesse of true repentance by due contrition and pure confession of all my sins Amen A prayer before confession to God MOst holy and mercifull Lord Iesu Christ the only hope of my souls health receiue this the confession of my sins which I will make vnto thee and giue me I beseech thee due sorrowing of heart and grace to bewaile them with the tears of mine eies and that hereafter both day and night I may mourn for my negligences offences with an humble and pure hart Let my praier approch in thy sight O Lord if thou shalt be displeased with mee whom shall I séeke to helpe me who shal pitty mine iniquities Be mindfull of mee O lord who calledst the Cananean and the Publican to repentance and receiuedst Peter when he wept O lord my God receiue my praiers the Sauior of the world good Iesu that gauest thy selfe to the death of the crosse to saue sinners respect me miserable sinner that am calling vpon thy name neither respecte thou so much my euilnes that thou forget thy own goodnes And if I haue committed that wherby thou maiest cōdemne me thou hast not lost that whereby thou mayest saue me Spare me therfore thou that art my Sauiour and haue mercy on my sinfull soule vnloose her bonds and beale her wounds Lord Iesu I desire and beséech thée shew me thy countenance I shall be safe send forth thy light and thy trueth into my soule that I may sée in this grosse body the number quality greatnes of my offences which I ought nowe to confesse to thee with answerable sorrowing bitternes of hart Grāt thou that liuest rainest god for euer euer A prayer to be sayd after the confession of our sins to God O Lord I beséeche thee let this my confession be accepted with thee which I haue nowe made before thée by calling to minde and rehearsing of my sinnes and whatsouer there is wanting in me either of due contritiō and sorowing or of pure and dutifull confession let thy godlines and mercy supply it and according thereunto vouchsafe that I may bee receiued ful and perfectly absolued in heauen who liuest and raignest world without end Amen A prayer before the holy Communion TO come to the Table of thy most sweete banket O holy Lord Iesus Christ I doe feare and tremble that am a sinner nothing presuming of my own merits but trusting in thy mercy and goodnesse for I haue a hart and body spotted with many crimes togither with a mind and tongue not warily kept Therfore O holy Deity and dreaded Maiesty I poore wretch attached with many causes of sorrow and griefe of mind haue recourse to thée the fountaine of mercy vnto thee I hasten to be cured I flie vnder thy protection And whom I am not able to bear as a iudge I hope to finde a Sauiour to thee O Lord I shew my wounds before thée I wipe away my shamefastnes I wote my sinnes bee many and great for which I am afraide but I hope of thy mercies which are infinite Looke vnto me with the eies of thy mercy Lord Iesus Christ King eternall God and man crucified for man heare mee hoping in thee haue mercy on mee that am ful of sins and wretchednes thou which neuer wilt cease to let runne the fountaine of thy compassion Remember O Lord thy creature which thou redéemest with thy owne blood It repenteth me that I haue sinned and I am in desire to amend the works of my life Therefore most mercifull father take from me all my iniquities and sinnes that I being purified in minde and body I may worthely taste of that which is most holy and grant that the same that I vnworthy intende to receiue may be the remisson of my sins the perfecte purging of my offences the expelling of filthie cogitations the renuing of good godly intentions and a most firme defence of my soule and body against the snares deceits of my enemies Amen A praier to be saide after the holy Communion I Giue thee thankes holie Lord almighty Father god eternal that hast vouchsafed to feed me a sinner thy vnworthy seruaunt for no merites of mine but of the vouchsafing of thy mercy And I beséeche thée that this holy Communion be not vnto me a guiltinesse vnto punishment but rather a wholsome intercession to forgiuenesse
hath two the one is of his wealth or possessions the other of his sins the first hée laieth down at his death the other will hee or nill he hée must beare when he is dead vnlesse he be vnburdened before his death Aug. Confession is the health of soules the disperser of vices the vanquisher of diuels what more It shutteth the mouth of hell and openeth the gates of paradise He that accuseth himselfe though he be a sinner he beginneth to be righteous because he doeth not spare him selfe but confesseth the iustice of God Close woundes are worse then the open woūds where the corruption is cast foorth much ease and amendement followeth Without confession the good man is iudged vnthankfull and the sinner reputed as dead confession therfore is the life of the sinner and the renowne of the righteous Confesse thy sinnes the rather the more thou doest despaire in thy selfe because of thy iniquities for the greater is the praise of the forgeuer Quanto maior est exaggeratio peccata confitētis saith S. Augustine the more that he that confesseth his sins doth exaggerat thē August From the heart commeth true confession for if thou hast one thing in thy heart and another vpon thy tongue thou speakest but dost not confesse Aug. Tell men what thou art but to God who thou art for feare if thou doe it not he condemne in thée that hee shal sée and find in thée Wilt thou escape gods iudgment Iudge condemne thy selfe Wilt thou that he do pardon thée Confesse and acknowledge thy misdéeds that thou maist truly saie vnto him O Lord turne awaie thy face from my iniquities preuent God alwaies with an humble confession and then thou shalt not fall into eternall damnation Aug. As long as thou hidest and dost not confesse thy sins so long dost thou striue with God confes boldly thy infirmity that thou mayest come to eternitie Confesse and acknowledge the benefites of thy Shepheard and pastour and so thou shalt be sure not to followe the wolfe of error and destruction Of pouertie He onely is poore in spirit that is humble feareth God cōfesseth his sinnes boasteth not of his owne works or iustice but when he doth some good praiseth God for it and when hee committeth some euill accuseth and blameth himselfe Fiue kindes of pouertie Pouertie may be saide to be in fiue manner of waies First by aduersitie Secondly by cupiditie Thirdlie by aboundance Fourthly by counterfetting Fiftly by will The first is a beggerie the second a couetousnes the third a prodigality the fourth a painted Sepulchre the fift Christianitie The first is a scourge the second a poison the third a windie fanne the fourth a shadowe the fift a castell The first is a misery because it gréeueth the second venemous because it killeth the third windie because it puffeth vp the fourth deceitfull because it dissembleth the fifth glorious because it crowneth Iustice. Apoc. 18. Quantum quis glorificauit se in delitijs vixit tantum illi dabitur de tormento luctu Luk. 12. To whome much is giuen much shal be required of him Cyp. The iustice of the King is the peace of the people the defence of the countrie the saluing of sores the temperature of the aire it makes faire weather by sea and plentie at land it putteth awaie the murmuring of the poore and vnto himselfe is the hope of future blessednes That which thou doest to one looke to finde it of another If thou be obedient and louing thou shalt haue peace with men and warre with vice Trueth Great is the trueth and it preuaileth O ye fonde Galathians who hath bewitched you to disobey the trueth The mouth that speakes lies killeth his soule Hee erreth that beareth in hande hee knoweth the trueth and yet liueth naughtelie Chrys. Such is the condition of falsehood or error although no man withstand it yet it wil wax old and decay contrarily such is the state of truth though many withstand and séeke to oppresse it yet it will rise and increase Chry. He is not onely a betraier of the truth who speaketh a lie for the truth but he also that pronounceth not the truth fréely which he ought to pronoūce or defendeth not the truth fréely the which he ought to defend Ibid. If it be vngodly not to speak the truth for feare of death how can it be lesse vngodly to hide the truth for liuing or vaine glories sake Sen. Rich or noble men though they haue all things yet one thing they lacke and that is some one to tell them the truth for he that will accompanie with such people must either laie truth aside or let friendship go Restitution Let not the wrong doing of the iust please thée A kingdome is translated from one nation to another for iniustice wrong dooing deceifulnes and scorning or railing If another mans goods be not restored when it may bee restored thou art not penitent but doest faine it for if penitence be not truely done the sinne shall not bée forgiuen except things taken awaie be restored If he be cast into fire that hath not giuen of his owne goods where shall he be cast that taketh awaie other mens If he burneth with the deuil that cloathed not the naked where shall hee burne that spoiled them Ful. If vnfruitfulnesse bée cast into the fire what doth robberie deserue Or what shal he receiue that taketh away other mens if he shall burne that hath not giuen of his owne If iudgement without mercie shal be to him that did not the work of mercie what iudgement shall bee to him that robbed the poore Death Iob. 30. I wot thou wilt deliuer me vnto death where there is a house appointed for euerie one that is aliue Luk. 12. Make your selues ready for ye know not what houre the Sonne of man wil come August de ciu Dei The first death driueth the soule willingly out of the body the second death doth holde the soule against her will in the bodie Aug. de cura pro mor. The rich man had a care of his friends that were aliue although he wist not how they did so we haue a care of the dead though we wot as litle what they do What is death but the leauing of the bodie and a laying downe of an heauie burthen In case the man haue no other burthē wherwith hee may bee throwen headlong into hell Well ought euerie man to dreade his ending daie for looke in what state hee shall bée then at his departing out of the world such shal he be iudged at the daie of iudgement Naked we are borne and naked we die no difference in dead bodies saue that the bodies of the rich doe stinke vilely with much pampering Make death to be of thy famylyar acquaintaunce by continuall thinking vpon him that when God appointeth it thou maiest be readie to méete with him Sen. He that dieth in his youth hath no more cause to complaine than he that hath a
reasonings For faith and loue in his holy and most excellent sacrament surmoūt worke high in secret manner aboue al reason O the eternall God and Lord of infinit power doth great things in Heauen and in Earth that may not be searched For if the works of God were such that they might be lightly vnderstanded by mans reason they were not so marueilous so inestimable as they bée A tripled reason shortly and particularly yeelded of some decay of Christian duty obserued in xii sundry states or degrees of persons First why be there many children not truely obedient to their parents One cause may bee for that the parents themselues be not only not giuen to obey the wil of God and the counsaile of the holy Ghost in his Church who is the spirituall Parent and Nurse of the faithfull but are rather enclined to follow their owne fancy fleshly delight which are the nurs and wel-spring of the greatest diobedience Secondly because they bée negligent in giuing sound godly instruction with needfull example of kindly loue Thirdly because it is the iust iudgement of God that men many times be annoied or punished in the same manner that themselues offēded Why be there so few parents that tender the soules health of their children before worldly wealth First neglecting the bond of nature which ought to bée of more force than the law of friendship they fall too short of the duety of common christiā charity so as that which they should seeke and vouchsafe to any christian brother be he neuer so much a stranger they omit euen to their owne children at home An other cause is for that they who haue so much delighted in fleshly and earthly things haue so litle taste and sauouring of ghostly spirirituall thinges that they are more ready for to séeke anye worldly commodity then to procure them purged and stripped of vice much lesse to be clad inriched with vertue and goods of grace Thirdly for that they consider not the dignity of the soule and but superficially or negligently regard the iustice of God in rewarding of vertue and punishing of vice And this through want of faith Then how happeneth it that there are so fewe Christians found faithfull in the truth sith the faith of Iesus Christ is most holye and true This may come of presumption and blindnesse of minde wrought by the spirit of errour as when some presume ouer much that because god hath created vs to saluation therefore we can not be damned and because he hath redeemed vs with his precious bloud therefore we can not but be saued Likewise some do presume of their good workes and others of onely faith An other cause is for that they do not duely regard the wholesome precepts counsailes of our Sauiour in his word Also want of deuotion in the sacraments which our Sauiour left vnto his people for their Spirituall health comfort and remedy when they delight in base and vile things refusing that which is excellent and eternall VVhy be ther so few conuerted to godly life by true penance or repentance The greatnesse and ouermuch heaping of their sinnes is the cause that they doe not féel the waight and gréeuousnesse of them no more then he that is oppressed with sicknes wotteth where hée hath most neede to be cured Moreouer an euil custome wil hardly be lefte vile and filthy delectatiōs which haue beene so long sweet wil not yet become sower without crosse and affliction Obstinacy of minde and a purpose to perseuere in the former delighted sinnes wil not be expressed or remoued by threatninges preaching nor good counsaile VVhy doth there follow so litle fruit of preaching Because of some imperfections in Preachers some preaching for vain-glory to shew their eloquence get praise of men some to spread their singular conceit and opinion and few that preach simply for the honor of God and true health of soules sealing their words with example of their owne good workes Secondarily through default of the hearers who either are indurate by light regarde and lacke of grace or else distracted by diuersity or contrariety of doctrine Thirdly for the electes sake that hereby they may know themselues aduanced vnto the height of grace and glorie when they sée others cast off by their fault or neggligence Why bee there so fewe counted good and virtuous men among them that bee learned First because of a corrupt and false intent which they haue in their study which is not to the end of vertue but for liuing and worldly worships sake Also because of pride and swelling of minde or otherwise because of a naughtie affection which many haue in earthly fleshly things whereby they are not giuen to deuout praier and seruice of God bt rather becom vnmindefull of the ende of learning and true wisedome VVherefore in time past were not the greatest part of Cleargye-men counted good and vertuous seeing they were hired vnto vertue as others be to their labour For that perhaps they tooke not their order of a pure intention and with due preparation to receiue the gifts of the holy Ghost Secondly because some attended more to the cares and affairs of the world and following the appetites of the flesh then to the charge and dignity of their sacred vocation Thirdly for that percase there did want in them the true loue of GOD and their neighbour and ouer that an earnest purpose to fast and pray to saue soules of their owne charge which Christe hath redeemed to be saued Howe commeth it that there were so fewe wealthy and great men found to be vertuous or of worthy valure One cause was for that they thought themselues enobled and made worthy of honour or great worship by the vertue and valure of their olde anccestors Also for that it was not duly considered that Nobility was ordained chiefly for the honour of God and common vtility of his people whome they ought not to gréeue or oppresse with hard rents and fines or other cruel and vngentle dealing Also because of taking ouer-much pleasure in voluptuousnes and other vices wanton vanities wherein their great riches was most bestowed which many times they might haue better employed for the health of their soules the benefite of their common wealth and reléeuing of their néedy neighbor Why bee there so fewe true labourers crafts-men and seruants One cause is for that they séek not the kingdom of heauen but rather which waye they may make to themselues best wages at the wéeke or yeares end Also for that they consider not the dignity of the soule nor dread the iustice of God Thirdly because they sée and perceiue in a maner all other degrées faulty in their calling so as they being of the most inferior degrée can deriue litle good example from their better and superiors to draw and encourage them vnto the iust performing of their duety Or else because of a certain liberty taken of conscience when all accounts be so long deferred which maketh almost that all Maisters Mistresses Magistrates doe at this hour find their own feathers in their own wounds VVhy bee there so fewe good men of Marchaunts Because in their trade and trafficke they feare not to offend God by lying deceitfulnes and breaking the holines of the Sabaoth Also if good conscience be once wrecked or laide aside sinne is made but a light and ordinary matter Lastly for that their mind and loue is not vppon God nor care they for these spiritual things but rather to bée satisfied in carnality sensuality and couetousnes of gain VVhy bee there so fewe widowes that be chaste and vertuous women For that whiles they were married they liued carnally without any deuout mind or ghostly care Secondarily because they loued serued and obeyed the will and liking of their husbandes better then God Thirdly for that they giue not themselues to the obseruing and performing of widdowes duty in fasting praier almes sole or sober conuersation litle remembring or considering their sorrows past in the wretchednesse and miserie of Eue. VVhy bee there so fewe maydes that seeke and desire to continue in their virginity One cause is for that they litle know nor are of capacity to consider the dignity of that state Then for that they doe not giue themselues to resist carnall desires nor doe helpe or fortify their weakenes with fasting praier inuocation Also for that they doe not marke by what causes they may be comforted and incouraged therein sith they are honoured by nature and by the worthiest amongst men they are honored in scripture and preferred in grace and glory Wherefore in sundry parts of Christendome the maide of knowen honest and vertuous life when she dieth shée hath for her a hearse of blacke placed in the Quire with a guilt coronet set thervpon as an honour vnto the state encouragement to the followers and a signe of the hundred-folde fruite worthy of a Crowne The Conclusion TO conclude that thou hast perhaps these many yeares neglected the due account and sorrowing for thy sinnes here hast found proofe of thy great fault and testimony of thy folly The obstinate sinner perseuering in his custome may read here the description and calender of his conscience he that by his office or vocation hath pleadged the price of his owne bloud for the safety and conduct of others may perceiue hereby if he be not too much blinded with worldly respect how busie a toil pertayneth to the discharge clearing of himselfe O subtiltie vnsound that deceueth in thy selfe thine owne soule O folly most filthy that fighteth against thy proper health and happines No dallying with holy or ghostly thinges God will not bee mocked If heauen might be had with continuall following the desires of the flesh then the wisedom and carefull regard of the holy fathers was méere folly their straightnes of life vain and like lost labour Sero sapiunt Phryges but let vs remember our selues in time proclayming and practising with the conuerted Niniuites Sackcloth dust and ashes FINIS I. N. LONDON Printed by Iohn VVolfe 1591.