Christēdome And though the beginning of a thing be neuer so harde yet the waye of vertue in proces doth waxe easie shal beestes be more ready to be tamed thē we in our mindes Sal we for the healt of our bodies be ruled by the counsail of a phisician beynge a man and not master our awne affections at the commaundement of god him selfe to haue a quyete conscience al oure whole life Shal we do more so saue oure bodies from liknesse then to delyuer both body and soule from eternall death The .vi. Chapter Of the two partes of man proued by holy scripture AShame it is that in this warre men be so rude and vnexercysed that they know not the dyuersite betwene reason and affectiōs For that the philosophers call reason the same doth S. Paul sōtyme call the sprete sōtyme the inward man somtyme the lawe of the mynde That they call affection calleth he somtyme the flesh somtyme the body somtyme the outward man the law of the membres and the body of death And thus oure warre is peace life and libertie of the soule but death and bondage of the fleshe with al his lustes Now where as Plato put two soules in one man S. Paul in one mā maketh two men so coupled togheter that nether without other cā be either inheauē or hel And againe so separated that the death of the one must be the life of the other This is the olde debate betwene the two twynnes Iacob ād Esau which or euer they come to light wrastle together within their moters wombe Betwene these two brethren is neuer ioyned parfite concorde For Esau hateth Iacob who hauing Esau euer suspected darre not come within his daunger With thing shulde teach us to suspecte oure owne sensual fleshe and alwaye to eschue the counsail therof Yea mete is it and conuenient that the woman be obediēt to the husbande that Isaac be more set by then Ismael that grace increace and tirannye of the flesh mynishe For whan carnal affections ware olde then springeth vp to blessed tranquilite of an innocent mynde and sure quietnesse of the sprete Let not Ismael therfore the childe of the flesh disceaue us with his pastyme and pleasures but let oure Isaac alwaye suspecte him and flee the occasions of synne For ful wilde is the flesh so that the trouble therof is expedient to the exercyse of vertue to the custodie of humilite to nurtoure us ād to teach us whā we are tēpted first to desire helpe of god secōdly that yf we be his no tentacion can be daungerous vnto us And finally against al vain glorie agaynst so wilde and manyfolde affections to be euer stil wrastleng For by such victory we shalbe sure of the blessinge of god and opteyne grace to be at another tyme much 〈…〉 armed against oure enemie 〈…〉 halt not on both sydes but leene more to the sprete of god then to oure awue carnall affections Which yf we māfully subdue vnto the end we shal be sure after these trublous stormes to haue true quietnesse euen to se the lorde to taist and fele how swete ād pleasaunt he is and to opteyne eternal consolacion in him The .vij. Chapter Of the thre partes of man MAn after the mynde of Origen is made of thre partes The first parte is the flesh wherin the malicious serpent thorou origenal frespace hath written the lawe of synne wherby we be prouoked vnto fylthynesse and coupled vnto the deuell yf we be ouercome The secōd parte is the sprete wher in we represente the symilitude of the nature of god who after the eternall law of his owne mynde hath grauen therin the lawe of honestie wherbye we be knett vnto god and made one with him The thirde parte is the soule partaker of the sensible wittes and naturall mocions wo yf she forsakyng the flesh 〈◊〉 unto the sprete becometh 〈…〉 But yf she foolowe the corrupte affections of the flesh then ioyneth she herselfe vnto an harlot and is made one body with her that beyng an euel straunge flatryng foolishe and babling woman breaketh her promes and forsaketh the husband of her iouth Wherfore yf we enclyne vnto the sprete it maketh us not onely blessed religious obedient kynde and mercifull But also teacheth us to desire celestiall and necessary pure parfite and godly thinges to obeye God more then men and though some affections be disguised with visers of vertue yet not to be disceaued with them Yf we enclyne to the flesh it maketh us beestes despysers of God disobedient vnkynde and cruel yea ād causeth us to desire delicate pleasaunt and filthie thinges The rule of true godlynesse therfore is to leene so nighe vnto the sprete that for any good inclinacion or vertue we ascrybe nothinge to oure selues that we do nothing for our awne pleasure or advauntage that for obseruyng of outward thinges we iudge not oure selues better thē other men that we regarde more our neghbours nacessite and be readier to helpe them then to kepe mês tradicions that our loue be chaist and spiritual ād that nothing be so deare vnto us as Christ himselfe The .viii. Chapter Certaine general rules of Christen lyuinge Now to guyde and conueye us out of the blynde errours of this world vnto the pure and cleare light of spiritual liuinge we must of vertue and godlynesse make euen a crafft and occupation the rules wherof yf we do folow and manfully exercyse oure selnes therin the holy goost shal bring oure purpose for ward These preceptes shal do us much good agaynst blindnesse against the flesch and against oure awne weaknesse namely thre euel that proceading of origenal synne remayne still in us to nurtoure us and for the increace of vertue For where as blindnesse cancred with corrupte and euell bringing vp lewde company froward affectious darknesse of vices and with custome of synne dymmeth the iudgment of reason so that in the election of thinges we be disceaued and in stead of the best folowe the worst The first poynt is therfore that we haue knowlege to discerne what is to be refused or clene obbolissed and what is to be accepte Secondly where as the flesh draweth us to in ordinate affectiō we must hate that wich we knou to be euel loue that which is honeste wholsome ād good Thirdly where as infirmite ouercometh us is either with tediousnesse or with tentacion we must be of good corage and so contynue in the thinges which we haue wel begon ne that we faynt not ād that after we haue set oure hand to the ploughe we loke not bacward til we haue opteyned the crowue promised The .ix. Chapter Against the euel of ignoruance The first rule THe first rule must be that we so iudge both of Christ and of his holy scripture that we be sure how that it greatly perteyneth to oure health and that though al the world be against it yet nothing that
we perceaue with oure natural senses is or can be so true as it that is red in the scripture enspyred of god himselfe brought forth by so many prophetes approued with the bloude of so many martirs with the consent of all good men so many hundreth yeares with the doctryne and life of Christ himself with so many miracles c. Which scripture is so agreable to the equite of nature aÌ„d euery where so like it selfe so rauiseth moueth and altred the myndes of them that take hede thervnto yea aÌ„d telleth of so many great wonderful and true thinges that yf we oft considre the same it shal stere us vp vnto more feruentnesse both of faith praier and vertue beyng sure that as the rewarde of vice and of these momentany pleasures is both vexacioÌ„ of mynde and eternall punishment So vnto good men shalbe geueÌ„ and hundred folde ioye of a pure conscience and finally ouerlasting life â—he .x. hapter The seconde rule AS the first rule is thaÌ„ not to doute in the promises of god So is the seconde rule that we entre in tho the waye of saluacion gladly boldly and with a good corage that we be alwaye ready for Christes sake to lese both lyfe and goodes that we be not negligent but feauent that we suffre not the affectioÌ„s of our louers the pleasures of this world the care of oure housholde the chaine of wordly busynesse to hold us back from the kyngdome of heauen For we must for sake Egypte that we turne not agayne to the flesh portes therof So haist out of Sodome that we loke not back So fiee out of Babylon and from the vyces therof that we do it spedely without prolonginge of the tyme that we trust no longer to our selues but committe us wholli vnto the lorde that we serue him altogether and no other master that we halth not on both legges For the lorde is so gelous ouer oure soules that he wil haue al that he hath redemed with his bloude and can not suffre the fele shipe of the deuell whoÌ„ he ones ouercame by his deathe So be there but two waies onely the one of saluation the other of perdicion The strayte waye is it that we must walke wherin to though few do entre yet must we considre that we are as much bounde as other men to leade a Christen lyfe to take Christes crosse vpon us and to folowe him For yf it beloÌ„g vnto us to lyue with Christ and to ryse agayne to eternall lyfe then belongeth it also vnto us to dye with him and to be crucified with him as touching the worlde synne aÌ„d carnal desures Which as it is an hard thing and knowne wnto few so is it the comen and general profession of al Christen men sworne and promised in baptyme the most holy and religious vowe of all And though there be neuer so few that perfitly folowe the head yet must we al enforce oure selues to come therto For of al Christen men they are the best that with stedfast hert and purpose are stil mynded so to be The .xi. Chapter The thirde rule THe thirde rule is that we utterly despise and count for a thing of naught watsoeuer wold feaer us from the waye of vertue and of Christ Which as it is of al other lifes the most commodious So euen at the first ceaseth it to be sharpe and in proces is made easier pleasaunt and delectable wherby we go with sure hope and that without laboure to eternal felicite where as these mad men of the world with their owne extreme laboure purchase eternal death non though the waye of godlynesse were much more laborious theÌ„ the waye of the world yet the hope of rewarde and the coÌ„forte of god swageth the tedioussnesse therof and of bitter maketh it swete But in the waye of the world one care aÌ„d sorou springeth of an other without any quietnesse For notging is filthier or more laborious theÌ„ the bondage of Egypte nothing more greuous then the captiuite of BabyloÌ„ nothing more intollerable theÌ„ the yoke of Pharao aÌ„d Nabugodonosor But Christes ioke is pleasaunt his burtheÌ„ is light Summa there lacketh no pleasure where a quyete conscieÌ„ce is No misery where an vnquiete conscieÌ„ce crucifieth te mynde They that out of the vices of Babilon are conuerted vnto the lord haue experieÌ„ce herof and can tel us that nothing is more greuous theÌ„ vice nothing more easie more chereful or more coÌ„fortable theÌ„ is vertue Neuertheles though both the rewarde and laboures of vertue and vice where like yet were is better to be vexed with Christ then to swymme in pleasure with the deuell which is so filthie cruell aÌ„d discentful a master that euery man shulde flee out of his seruyce wherin is nothing but greuous laboure in purchacyng sorou aÌ„d thoÌ„ght in lesyng yea many thousaÌ„d ioperdies miserable care perpetuall tourmeÌ„t mischaunce labour speÌ„t in vaine much grefe of hert aÌ„d mynde But who so endeuoureth himselfe with sure purpose to coÌ„e froÌ„ the vicious world to a good coÌ„uersacioÌ„ in Christ opteyneth that he seketh chaungeth trifles with thinges of more value yea filuer for gold flynt for precious stoÌ„e findeth better freÌ„des for outward pleasures and riches of the body euioyeth such as be 〈…〉 better purer more certayne So that his losse shalbe tourned to advauntage aduersite to solace rebuke to praise vexacion to comforte bitter thinges to swete euel to good The .xij. Chapter The fourth rule THe fourth rule is that we haue none other marke aÌ„d ensample of lyuing saue onely Christ who is nothing els saue charite simplicite innoceÌ„cie pacieÌ„ce cleÌ„uesse what soeuer he himselfe taught To whoÌ„ we directe oure iourney yf we be so geueÌ„ oneli vnto vertue that we loue desire nothing but either Christ or els for Christ hating abhorringe flyeng anoydinge nothing but onely sinne or els for sinnes sake And thus yf oure eye be pure al oure bodi shalbe bright so that what soeuer honest or indiffereÌ„t thing we take in hande it shal turne to oure welth As for filthie thinges nether advauntagener punishmeÌ„t shulde make us to coÌ„mitte them Meane thinges verely and indiffereÌ„t ought no farther to be desyred then they are profitable to a christeÌ„ liuing As for an ensaÌ„ple Conning or lerning must be loued for christes sake so that whaÌ„ we know him and the secretes of his scripture we loue him in such sorte that openyng him vnto other we both take frute of him our selues and yf we haue knowlege of other sciences we vse them all to his honoure For better it is to haue lesse knowlege more loue then much to know and not to loue This euery thing so farre forth as it helpeth most vnto vertue ought chefely to be applied But rather ought we to lack them then that they shulde holde us back from Christ Unto whom we ought to haist so ferueutly that we shulde haue no
oppressed our awne affetions The .xxvij. Chapter The .xxviij. rule THe eightenth rule is that whā any affection moueth us to iniquite we considre the filthinesse of synne ād the greate dignite of mā For seyng that in other trifles we take advisement with oure selues reason it were that or euer we cosent vnto the feynde we pondred well this most waightie matter who made us in how excllent a state we are set with how exceading great pryce we are bought to how greate felicite we are called how that for mans sake onely god hath forged the maruaylous buyldinge of this worlde brought us in to the company of angeles made us his owne children heyres of immortalite membres of Christ and of his church oure bodies the temple of the holy goost oure myndes the ymages and habitaciō of god On the other syde to considre that synne is the most filthie pestilence and consumpcion both of the mynde and body euē that deedly poyson of the most filthie serpent and the prest wages of the deuels most miserable seruyce Thus yf we take good advisemēt we shal se yt were not wisely done for a momentany and poysoned litle shorte pleasure of synue to fal frō so greate dignite in to so vile estate The .xxviii. Chapter The .xix. rule THe nyententh rulle is that we still haue in mynde the eternall benificence of god and the wicked noysomnesse of the deuell namely with what goodnesse allmightie god hath made us with what mercy redemed us with what liberte endewed us with what tēdernesse he daylie suffreth and susteyneth us wretched synners paciently lokyng for oure amendment with what ioye he receaueth us whan we turne agayne Cōtrarely with how naturall hate ād envie the deuell father of all mischefe dyd longe agoo laye wayte to oure health in to what greuous tentacion he hath cast us ymageninge daylie to draw us in to eternall mischefe Thus beyng myndfull of all mightie god and his manifolde benefites we shal not vnkyndly departe from so noble so louyng and so beneficiall a father to make our selues wilfully bonde vnto the deuell that most filthie and cruell master The .xxix. Chapter The .xx. rule THe twentiet rule is that we forget not but allwaye remembre what great difference is betwene the rewarde of vertue and the rewaerde of synne Yea euen in this worlde are the frutes of thē vnlike For like as the ende of faith is eternall saluaciō in heauē and the rewarde of synne euer lastinge death in hell Euen so here in this life godlynesse bringeth tranquilite ād quietnesse of mynde euē a blessed ioye of pure cleane conscience athing more precious and pleasaunt then all the world And contrary wise a perpetuall grefe vnquietnesse ād gn a winge of the mynde with a thousand other euels accompanieth synne and wickednesse euen in this life The .xxx. Chapter The .xxi. rule THe one and twentieth rule is that we cōsidre how full of gre fe and misery how shorte and transitory this present life is how on euery syde death lyeth in wayt agaynst us and sodenly catcheth us how vnsuer we are of one moment of life how great perill it is to contynuethat kynde of life wher in yf soden death shulde take us as it often fortuneth we were but lost for ouer The .xxxi. Chapter The .xxij. rule THe two and twentieth rule is that we fearing the extreme mischefe of impeuitencie pondre well how few of them which haue prolonged their lyues in iniquite be truly conuerted vnto synne and with due repentaunce reconcyled vnto god againe Therfore is it mete that we beynge monished do remembre how easie it is to fail in to synne but harde to turne back agayne The .xxxij. Chapter Remedies agaynst certayne vices first agaynst bodely lust TO resiste the lust of the bodi yf we wil be wel weapened we must considre the incōmodities therof namely ▪ how filthie beestly it maketh us how moment any and bitter it is hou it pulleth us frō our good name and fame consumeth oure goodes kylleth the strength and beautie of the body decayeth and hurteth health causeth innumerable and filthie diseases disfigureth youth hasteth age dulleth the witte and sight of the mynde withdra et us from al honest studies taketh awaye the vse of reason Likewyse by the hurt that we haue sene other haue thorow their voluptuous pleasures shulde we lerne to auoyde the fame And aswel by the ensamples of them that are vertuous as by the greate commodities of chastite to be pure and cleane bōth in body and mynde Considering to how mani vayne of fices they be subiecte that put their heades vnder the girdle of filthie lust hou it is alwaye coupled with those sinnes that be greatest and most in nombre hou this life vanisheth awaye faster thē smoke hou many that folowe such thinges are taken awaye by soden death how sharpe the extreme iudgment of god is how the ioye of a pure mynde is much sweter then the pleasure of synne how greate benefites the lorde hath heaped vpon us and al to make us refrayne from deedlie ād mortall pleasures how he alwaye beholdeth us what soeuer we do or thinke how greatli abstinacy and frowardnesse of mynde springeth of bodely lust what greate sorow foloweth therafter how that the more we are consecrated vnto god yea the more lerned we be and the more we haue receaued of his ghiftes The more vnmete and the more shame is it for us so to abuse our selues what estate or kind soeuer we be of The .xxxiiij. Chapter A shorte recapitulacion of remedies agaynst the flame of lust JN cōclusiō yf we bilde sure frō the enticynges of the fleshe we must be circumspecte auoyding al occasions moderate in eatynge driue kinge and slepinge absteyne from pleasures regarde once owre death beholde the deathe of christ lyue with such as be vncorrupted eschue the communicacion of wanton persones flee ydle solytarynesse and sluggishe ydlenesse exercyse oure selues in the meditacion of celestial thinges and honest studies specially of holy scripture gevyng our selues oft ād purely vnto prayer most of al whan we be tempted The .xxxiiij. Chapter TO resiste the vyce of couetousnesse we must cal to remêbrauce the dignite of the estate of man to the vse wherof almightie god hath created al thinges And though we possesse riches yet must we despise them Yea so farre must we be from alcarefulnesse of oure liuinge that we cloke not our conuetousnesse wich the name of necessite but first seke the kyngdome of heauē be sure that he which maketh prouisiō for the lilies of the felde ād byrdes of the aire wil not suffre us to lacke as we must abhorre wilful begging euē so possessing money we must set no store therbye ner loue it but be faithful dispensers of it of al that god hath cōmitted vnto us yea though we lese them yet not to be sorye therfore For they are but aburthen