thinges committed to thy charge that I léese nothing or suffer it to perish by my sloth and negligence O Lorde kéepe mee in health and comforte my strength giue me vnderstanding wit to go forward with the worke of my Maister or Mistres and by thy gracious help for to increase their substance that by my diligence they may bee replenished with thy blessing And further that whatsoeuer I shall do at any time the same may turne to the glory of thy most holy name and to the wholesome exercise of my faith through Iesus Christ thy beloued son which liueth with thee and raigneth in the vnity of the holy Ghost worlde without end Amen The praier of one in a troubled conscience LOrde reproue mee not in thy fury thy arrowes are fixed in me and thou hast laide thy hande vppon mee There is no helth in my flesh because of thy wrath there is no quiete in my bones because of my sinnes My heart is sore troubled my strength and valour hath failed mee the light of mine eies is not with me sorrows haue compassed me without number my iniquities are gone ouer my own head they are multiplied as the haires of my head gréeuing oppressing me as a sore burden The sorrowes of death haue compassed me and the troubles of hell are come vpon mee My conscience and my heart are both against mee O Lorde deliuer me hasten to helpe me and bring my soule from the terrors of hell forgiue me my sins which my enemy the diuell heapeth vppon me like a mountaine so as the same standing before my eies I may not beholde the brightnesse of thy grace Let thy mercy therefore appeare vnto me I beseech thee and let me not be destitute of thy fauour Comfort me O God that I may haue the inioying of a quiet conscience for all this is inferiour to thy greatnesse and mercy if thou wilt Why art thou sorrowfull my soule trust in God the helth of my countenance and he shall take thée out of temptation and bring thée at liberty through the innocent death of our Lorde Iesus Christ which is the holy and vnspotted sacrifice for our sinnes Amen The prayer of a sicke person ALmighty God and heauenly Father forasmuch as thou hast commaunded vs saying Call vpon me in the day of trouble I will heare thee and thou shalt honour me therefore I doe call vpon thée in this my great distres through Iesus Christ thy beloued Son forsake me not a wretched sinner And if this my infirmity extend not vnto death help me that by thy mercy I may recouer my helth and glorify thy power and vertue which thou hast shewed vppon me But if it be thy good pleasure more expedient and méete for me to die then to remaine in this sorrowfull vale and troublesome life let thy godly will be done in Earth as it is in Heauen And giue me grace I beséeche thee that I may commit my selfe to thy will which alwaies is best Kéepe me firme in the Catholique faith to the end that I be not seuered from thee and thy vnity but receiue my soule into thy kingdome through the same thy beloued sonne Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen Another prayer of the sicke O Mighty and omnipotent God which art mercifull and ful of pitty and long suffering forgiue me my sinnes and put away my iniquity Uouchsafe beséech thée to comfort my soule against whatsoeuer temptation and afflictions helpe me that my faith doe not faint or wauer in thee nor my hope haue any distrust nor my charitye waxe cold nor that my frailty be ouercome with the fear of death And when the extreame houre of my life shall come then send me forth in peace I beséech thee because mine eies haue seene thy health which thou hast made ready before the face of all people as a light to lighten the Gentiles and as a renowne for all thy people of Israel In this my Sauior I beléeue in him doe I trust I beséech thée O Lord let me not be confounded sith thou art my help and my strength beholde mee with the eies of thy pitty and turne thy fatherly fauour towards mee through Iesus Christ thy sonne who by his most sacred passion and death obtained for vs eternall redemption Amen A prayer of such as be present at the extreame sicknes or death-pangs of any O Most holy and omnipotent God that preseruest our life euē at the point of death wee do beseech thee vouchsafe to cast the eies of thy mercy vppon this sicke person to reléeue him both in body and soul and to forgiue him al his sins accept we beséech thée the oblation of the most innocent death of Iesus Christ thy beloued Son in place of satisfaction for all his iniquities For in the confession of his name hee was baptized deliuer him now therefore from the pains and griefes of his body shorten his griefe and affliction conserue him against the accusation of his own conscience and against whatsoeuer temtations of the enemy that hée may striue manfully by the faith of the holy Church and ouercome him Sende vnto him thy holy Angelles that they may bring him to the felowship of al Angels and of the elect in Christ Iesus our Lord. Amen A prayer in time of plague or common mortality ALmighty God wee doe grant and acknowledge that we haue often and gréeously offended thee by our diuerse and manifold sinnes forasmuch as wee haue all swarued from thée and therwith are become vnprofitable neither we nor our fathers kéeping thy commaundements With a right sorrowfull spirite wee beseech thy infinite mercy for Iesus Christe thy beloued Sonnes sake that thou wilt not deale with vs according to our sinnes but haue mercy vpon vs according to thy great goodnesse and fauour Be mercifull to vs of thy fatherly good wil take from vs this fearefull cogitation of pestilence infectiue sicknes and suffer vs not thus to perish by thy dreadfull disease Rebuke vs not Lorde in thy fury nor consume vs with the wicked vngodly Lorde I beséech thée let thy displeasure cease leaue vs shew vnto vs thy mercy and deliuer vs bée mindfull of thy goonesse and pitty for thy names sake Thou O Lord art good and thy iudgements be right but we haue sinned and stirred vp thy displesure against vs forgiue I beséech thee the iniquity of my people and take from vs this pestilent infection for the bitter passion of thy sweet Sonne Protect vs from thy wrath from euill and sudden death and from eternal damnation But if thy good pleasure bee such that thou wilt needes visit our iniquities with this temporall punishment so fauour vs I beséech thee that bearing thy fatherly hande laide vppon vs wee dispaire not in thy chastisement For when we are iudged we are so corrected by our Lord that wee be not condemned with this worlde And more profitable it is to suffer here temporall punishment then eternall in
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
more wealth credit and prosperity And according vnto your guiltinesse herein to cry God mercy in purpose to amend and become more charitable towardes your neighbour Also how much and howe oftē ye haue sinned in wrath against your neighbour kept couertly or breaking foorth into rigorous or malicious words with appetite to reuenge Acknowledge and accuse your selfe imploring mercy and forgiuenesse with grace to become patient Also call vnto minde how slouthfull you haue béen to al goodnesse especially for the health of your owne soule in omitting to serue God deuoutly by praier comming to the Church or in due pondering on your repentance delighting rather in idle thoughts and imaginations of the world and the flesh Acknowledge your manifolde faultes here aske God heartely mercy esteeme lesse of your ease by dreading or thinking on the tormentes due to all sin Moreouer peruse your self and sée how diuersly and often you haue fallen into the sin of Couetousnesse by vnlawfull desires of worldely goods in mispending of them or in vnméet kéeping of them when they might bee well spēt And specialy in desiring of other mens goods wrongfully or in ambitius desire of worshippe or riches aboue that is meet and sufficient against your necessity Acknowledge your desires and dealings herein euen to to him that knoweth whether you say true or do cloak and make light of them Item how often you haue sinned in gluttony of meate or drink in taking more then sufficient or in eating at such times or in such manner as you ought to forbear preferring the regard of your belly before the cōscience of order obedience and example aggrauating the sundry offences herein by making your selfe woorse disposed to serue God and the more prepared and stirred vp to sin wrath and wretchednes Aske God mercy with teares and due sorrowing remembring the penury of the poore distressed and the voluntary abstinēce of Christ and his seruants Lastly how often and diuersely you haue offended in the sin of lecherie and fleshly liking either by vnclean desires or voluntary pollutions by actual performance Acknowledge your manifolde offences herein be thorowly penitent euer think that to be a sorrowfull pleasure which so much displeaseth GOD for the which he saieth Thou shalt not in that state of minde and purpose inherite the kingdome of heauen Furthermore you are to examin your self by the rule of the commandements Whether you haue loued God aboue all things or thy wife childe gold faire house or concubine more then him How much you haue vsed to take his name in vaine by needelesse swearing How negligent you haue beene in obseruing the Sabboth and other festiual days appoynted for prayer and Gods seruice How obedient or disobedient you haue béene vnto your own parents carnal or spirituall in not following their well aduised counsails and commaundements or in not doing vnto them due reuerence How slaunderously you haue vsed your tongue to the defaming of any person How iniurious you haue béene towardes your neighbours in taking away their goods or things without their good wils and consent How much you haue sinned with your neighboures wife or other women by vnlawful act or fleshly desire How wicked and malicious you haue bin in bearing false witnes against any person especially the innocent and he that standeth in that which is right and true How viciously enclined you haue béen in not forbearing to séek and practise how to get and obtain the vnlawfull loue and liking of other mens wiues daughters or seruants Or by what meanes you may get into your handes or possession the goodes house land office or liuing of your neighbour al which offences are committed against the expresse commandement of almightie God and therefore you can not be too scrupulous or diligent in looking well to these points nor thinke this superfluous or superstitious Likewise how much you haue sinned in misusing or in mispending of your fiue senses called the fiue wits that is in vnchast séeing in gluttonous tasting in vaine or vngodly hearing in pomppous or ruffianly smelling in wāton touching with hands féete or other places Lastly how much and how wilfully you haue sinned in not fulfilling the Temporall workes of christian pitty in not clothing the naked in not giuing drinke to the thirsty in not féeding the hungry in not visiting prisoners and the sicke in not giuing vnto the poore in not harbouring the harbourlesse in not burying the dead Spirituall workes of pitty In not giuing counsaile to them that néeded in not teaching the ignorant in not correcting or rebuking offenders in not comforttng the sorrowfull in not forgiuing them that haue missaide or misdéemd of you in not patiently suffering thē that haue reproued you in not praying for your ill neighbors amendement Sins of the heart Error heresie sinfull study not beléeuing all the articles of the faith euill delight imagining mischiefe or vengeance hatred wrath enuy ioy of other mens euill sorrow at other mens welfare no pittying of them that bee in paine or pouerty disdaine at poore or sinfull men hipocrisy or dissimulation flattery dreading more to displease man then God sinfull coueting of dignity benefice office or riches vaine-glory of goods lands gay houses or kindred loathing of poore kindred pride of kindred rich or noble sorrow for not dooing more euill or that he did not the sinne hee might haue done inconstant in good purpose loath to forsake sin not liking or not desiring to hear the word of God not attentiue to the calling of the holy Ghost Loath to serue God or to doe a good déede disobedient to the commandemēts of GOD or of the holy Church disdaining of good counsaile singularity obstination in euill purpose despaire Of these speaketh the Lord in the Gospell De corde exeunt cogitationes malae homicidia adulteria fornicationes furta c. Out of the heart proceede euill thoughts manslaughter adulteries fornications thefts c. Sinnes of the mouth Excesse in tasting eating or drinking idle words or wāton talke taking Gods holy name in vaine lying false bearing in hand swearing or forswearing slaundring scorning cursing blaspheming scolding railing obraiding disclosing of counsaile false-witnesse bearing euill counsaile giuing flattering wordes praysing of euill deedes peruerting of good deedes peruerting of Gods worde to a wrong meaning despising vaine arguing foolishe laughing proud or presumptuous speaking Of these our Lord speaketh by the Prophet Prohibe linguam tuam a malo labia tua ne loquantur dolum sic elige quid loquare quia mors vita in manibus linguae Kéep thy tongue frō euill thy lips that they speake not deceipte weighe what thou speakest for both life death is in the kéeping of the tongue And this of Salomon Qui custodit os suum linguam suam custodit ab angustiis animam suam Hee that kéepeth his mouth and his tongue kéeps his soule from sorrow Sinnes of deede Idolatry Necromancye treachery sorcery tiranny treason manslaughter sacriledge simony
Let it be to me the armour of faith and shielde of good wil. Let it be a cleansing of my vices and destruction of concupiscence and lust the increase of charity patience humility and obedience a sure defence against the assaults of al enemies both visible and inuisible a perfecte quieting of my motions both carnall and spirituall a sure staying on thée one true god and a happy consummating of my life and end And further I beséech thée that thou wilt vouchsafe to bring me a sinner to that vnspeable banket where thou with thy sonne and the holy Ghost art to all thy Saintes the true light and the ful sacâ—ety the euerlasting ioy and most perfect mirth and felicicity through our Lord Iesus Christ. Amen A deuout praier of the seuen last wordes of our Sauiour O Lord Iesus Christ who art noted to vtter specially seuen words or sentences whiles thou didst haÌ„g on the crosse wherby we vnderstande it was thy will wee should alwaies be mindful of the same most holy spéeches I beséech thée by the vertue of the same that thou haue mercie on me in whatsoeuer I haue sinned and offended against thée in the like nuÌ„ber of mortall sins or their branches Lorde euen as thou saidst Father forgiue my crucifiers so giue me grace that I may forgiue all them that work me any euil Lord as thou saidst to the Théefe To day shalt thou bee with mee in Paradice by thy grace let me so liue that at the houre of my death thou maiest say To day shalt thou bee with mee in Paradice Lord as thou didst say to thy mother Woman beholde thy sonne and then vnto the Disciple Beholde thy mother euen so let thy loue and charity bring me to be conuersant with thy blessed mother Lorde as thou diddest say O my God my God why hast thou lefte mee Giue me grace to say whensoeuer I am in trouble or vexation Father haue mercy on me a sinner helpe me my King and my God who hast redéemed me with thy owne bloud Lord euen as thou saiedst I doe thirste after the death of soules so let me euer thirst after thee loue thée the welspring of liuing water the fountaine of eternall light Let me runne to loue thée with all the desire of my hart Lord as thou saidst father into thy hands I commend my spirite giue me grace to liue so perfectly that at my death I may say to thée Lord into thy handes I commend my spirite receiue mee that am comming vnto thée for now is the time thou diddest appoint Lorde as thou saidst It is finished meaning that the sorrowes and labors suffred for vs miserable sinners were now at an end let me by thy help deserue to heare the swéet spéech of thine Come my beloued for I haue now determined to accomplish thy petitions Come with mee that thou maiest sit with my Angelles and Saintes feasting in my Kingdome and reioysing world without end Amen A prayer for the daily bread ALmighty God wee thy wretched children do cry vnto thée from earth as to our father in heauen vouchsafe through thy infinit mercy to giue vs that which pertaineth to the néedfull sustentation of the bodie and grant thy grace and blessing vnto all our labours honest exercises For vnles thou buildest the house they that build it labour in vaine Helpe vs that we may cast out the net of our vocation in thy name to good lucke in taking and therwithal giue vs thy grace that euery one in buying and selling may deal with a good conscience without fraude deceit Kéepe vs from ill seruantes from an vnfaithful family to deale with Giue vs that liue in pouerty patience that we murmure not agaynst thy diuine will nor of malice transgres thy commandements grant to them that be rich that they be not proud therof but rather that they may inrich themselues with good workes and so lay vp a good foundation for the world to come O Lord God two things I do aske of thée kéepe me from Idolatry in preferring any thing before the loue of thée bee it wife children friends house riches or any priuat opinion and giue me neither beggary nor riches but rather the which is néedefull for my sustentation least being ouer full I be moued to deny thee and say who is the lord or otherwise bée compelled by néed to rage and to forsweare the name of my God From these things preserue me I beséech thee through Iesus Christ thy beloued sonne Amen Against the diuels temptation O Mighty and good God the heauenly Father wée find by thy holy worde that the diuel the old serpent our aduersary lieth in waite by a thousand or infinite indeuors to kéepe our soules from saluation and to bring vs into the filthines of sin confusion and desperation He inticeth vs with riches hee woulde catch vs with pouerty voluptuousnesse the coueting of worldly honour and desire of power and authority or els by other worldly carefulnesse He laieth snares for vs by wordes by déedes by night by day which way soeuer we turne vs he assaulteth vs with his temptations whether we watch or sleepe he is at our backes and openeth his iawes to deuour vs. O lord who shal escape him Behold he wacheth without ceasing and neuer is at rest but we of the sluggishnesse of our flesh watch not carefully to resist him by thy helpe OpeÌ„ therfore our eies that we may know how puissant and subtil an enemy we haue for our wrestling is not onely against flesh and bloud but against Sathan the Prince of this world Haue mercy on vs O GOD and make vs strong comfortable in the vertue of thy power put on vs that armour that we may resist his assaultes girde our loines with the truth· put on vs the breast-plate of righteousnes and shooes of Euangelicall peace But aboue all things strengthen our harts with the target of faith wher with we may breake off the fierie dartes of the wicked féende put on vs the helmet of saluation and giue vs the sword of the spirite which is thy holy worde in true sence and vnderstanding so shall we manfully resist and ouercome our said aduersary If thou be our helper wee shall not feare him though the whole earth be in broile and the mountaines cast into the Sea thou art our force and refuge which liuest and raignest world without end For Benefactors O Most mercifull God sith it is so that all ingratitude displeaseth thée giue me grace I beseech thée to be mindful and thankeful for al thy benefites and that I be not found vnthaÌ„kful toward them that haue done me any good least I fal into thy iugemeÌ„t for it O most swéet god giue to them that good both of body and soule which they stand in néed of And giue me grace to be beneficial vnto others as I haue fouÌ„d others to me after my power Let me not for the ingratitude of others faile or
neuer the better of an hundred hearers scarce one is conuerted to true Penitence when at one sermon of Peters or of some other Apostle fiue thousands were conuerted Men bearing the name of Christ yet voide of Christian life and sanctimonie The vulgar sort giuen to fraud in their workmanship and deceitfulnes in their dealings specially seruants Gouernors without iustice and vertue Churchmen without holines and deuotion Religious men without obseruing the rules of their profession and statutes of their order Married persons without honest and continent life Scriptures and fruitefull sayings of the Doctors to edefie in these points following Prayer I would haue men to pray lifting vp pure hands without wrath and contention I haue said I will confesse mine iniquities When yee doe praye if yee haue anie thing against others forgiue it The sounde or voyces of prayer come not vnto Gods eares except it be made with great affection of mind Prayer if it bee true if it bee chast it pierceth heauen and returneth not emptie For the daily and light sinnes without which this life is not led the daily praier of the faithfull recompenceth By fasting the passions of the bodie by prayer infections of the minde are to be cured The more we haue to doo with carnal things the more earnestly ought we to be giuen to prayer The kingdome of heauen is not gotten by taking our rest nor eternall blessednesse promised vnto the negligent Charitie Hée that loueth abideth in the light In this al men shal know that ye be my disciples if ye loue one another In Charitie a poore man is rich and without charitie euerie riche man is but poore Charity féedeth the hungry pride also féedeth but charitie dooth it to the praise and honor of God and pride for the prayse of her selfe Charitie cloatheth the naked pride clotheth also charity fasteth so doth pride Charitie is the strength of faith and faith is the fortitude of charitie where they bee not both together there both be wanting A man may haue in him the helpe and benefites of the Sacramentes and yet bee an euill man but hée cannot haue charitie and bee euill Fasting This kind of Diuels may not be cast out but by prayer and fasting My legges are weakened with fasting and my flesh is altered for want of wonted sustenance Fasting purgeth the mind reléeueth the senses subdueth the flesh to the spirite maketh the heart contrite and humble disperseth the clouds of concupiscence quencheth the burning of lustes kindleth the light of chastitie Hee that will well and truely fast let him abstayne from sinne and vice for what auayleth it to emptie the bodie of meate and to ouerlode the soule with sin What can it profit any man to be pale with fasting to consume with hatred enuie What good is it to abstaine from wine and to bée dronke with the lées poyson of anger and mallice What gaine is it to abstain from flesh made for mans vse to be eaten and to teare asunder the members of our neighbour with backbiting and slaunder It is no profite or a thing praise-worthie to abstaine from that which sometimes is lawfull and to doe that which neuer is permitted but always forbidden Let thy fasting chasten thée but glad an other and so thy sorrowes shall be fruitfull if they bring ioye to others Fast so that thou maiest bee as glad as if thou hast dined in hauing séen the néedie to eate God loueth a chéereful giuer and when the poore are fedde by thy reliefe thinke then that Christ hath dined with thy goodes crying that he hungereth himselfe in his poore God liketh that fast when thou giuest to an other that which thou doest withdrawe from thy selfe that thy néedy neighbors body may bée reléeued by that meanes wherby thine is afflicted Then thy fasting shall please the Lord God when thy soule abhorreth sinne for it is to no effect to withdraw meate from the body and to pamper and flatter it by sin Fast therefore chiefly from sinne and then thy fast shall please God For as fasting is to the humbling of the soule it will auaile thée nothing in humbling it by abstinence of meat and to puffe it vp by sinne Almes Hee that doeth the woorke of mercie offereth a sacrifice Acts. 14. It is a more blessed thing to giue thā to take Aug. Almes cleanseth sins intreateth for vs to Christ for whatsoeuer wee giue vnto the poore we shall be sure to possesse it Aug. If thou wilt be a good merchant and a great gainer giue that which thou canst not kéep that thou maist receiue that which thou canst not leese geue of thy temporal substance that thou maist receiue eternall inheritance To denie that which sustaineth life is to kill a man take heed lest amongst your chests or store ye lock vp the sauing of poore folks liues and as it were in toombes burying them It is a part of sacriledge to bestowe the goods of the poore otherwise then vpon the poore Geue your almes of that which is rightfully gotten geue not of that which is ill gotten to the faithful vnto whom Christs body is giuen in the sacrament The renowne of the Bishoppe is to prouide for the welfare of the poore it is a shame to all Priests to make themselues rich The almes of the proude riche man can doe him no good if hee haue robbed the poore for that will not suffer his almes to ascend come before the eies of God Penitence Luke 13. Except yée repent yée shall all likewise perish Eccl. My son if thou hast sinned adde not other sinnes to the former but praie rather that thy former may be forgotten Prou. 5. Euerie man is bound with the cordes of his sinnes Aug. de Penit. Paenitere est paenam tenere vt semper puniat in se quod commisit peccando Aug. Better is a little bitternesse in thy mouth than eternall torment in thine intrailes Au. He that wipes away his sins by penitence is become in fellowship with Angels Dauid sinned as Princes doe but he did penance with bewailing of his life the which princes or great men are not wont to doe Not to be sorie for thy sinnes makes God more angrie then the sinne which thou didst committe Contrition Bee sorowfull for your sinnes in your chamber Whome shall I regarde saith the Lord but the poore and contrite in spirit Contrition is a sorowing of the minde with teares rising of the remembrance of sinne of the feare of iudgement Let him know himself to be hard harted and too blame that doth bewaile the corporall death of his friende and weepeth not for the death of his owne soule Confession Esay 14. I will reckon vnto thée O Lord in the bitternes of my soule how I haue spent all my yeares Prou. 28. Hée that hideth his offences shall not bee directed but he that confesseth and forsaketh them shall obtaine mercie Barnard The camell hath but one burden the rich man