But be you well assured that God is not so penuâ—ious of â—rendes as to hold him selfe his kingdome salable for the refuse and reuersion of their liues who haue sacrificed the principall therof to his enimies and their owne bruâ—ishe appetites then onely ceasing â—o offend when habilitie oâ— offending it taken from them True it is that a theefe may be saued vpon the crosse and mercy found at the laste gaspe But well saieth S. Augustine that though it be possible yet is it scarce credible that his death should find fauour whose whole life hath earned wrath and that his repentance should be accepted that more for feare of heil and loue of him selfe then for loue of God or lothsomnes of sinn crieth for mercy Wherefore good Sir make no longer delaies but being so neere the breaking vp of your mortal house take time before extremitie to satisfie Gods Iustice. Though you suffered the bud to the blasted and the flower to fade though you permitted the fruit to perish and the leaues to drie vp yea though you let the boughes wither and the body of your tree growe to decaie yet alas keepe life in the roote for feare least the whole become fuell for hell fire For surely where soeuer the tree falleth there shall it be whether it be to south or north heauen or hell and such sap as it bringeth such fruite shal it euer beare Death hath already filed from you the better part of your naturall fores and hath left you now to the lees and remissailes of your wearish dying daies the remainder whereof as it cannot be long so doth it warne you speedilie to ransome your former losses For what is age but the calendes of death what importeth your present weaknes but an earnest of your aproaching dissolution You are now impathed in your finall voiage and not far of from the stint and period of your course therfore be not dispurueied of such appartenances as are behoofull in so perplexed perillous a iorney Death in it selfe is very fearefull but much more terrible in regard of the iudgement that it soÌ„moneth vs vnto If you were laied on your departing bed burdened with the heauy loade of your former trespasses goared with the sting and pricke of a frestred conscience If you felt the cramp of death wresting your hart stringes and ready to make the rufull diuorce betwene body soule If you lay panting for breath and suiming in a colde and fatall sweate wearied with strugling against your deadly panges O how much would you giue for an hower of repentance at what rate would you valew a daies contrition Then worldes would be worthles in respecte of a litle respitte A shorte truce would seeme more pretious then the treasures of Empires nothing would be so much esteemed as a trice of time which now by monthes yeeres is lauishly mispent O how deeply would it wound your hart when lookinge backe into your life you considered 〈◊〉 faults committed and 〈◊〉 confessed manie good workes omitted and not recouered your seruice to God promised and not performed How inconsolable were your case â—our frends being fled your senses frighted your thoughts amazed your memory decaied your whole minde agast and no part able to performe that it should but onely your guilty conscience pestred with sinne that would continually vpbraid you with most bitter accusations What would you thinke when stripped out of you mortall weede and turned both out of the seruice and how 's roome of this world you were forced to enter into vncouth and strange pathes and with vnknowen and vgly companâ— to be conuented before a most seuere iudge carying in your owne conscience your inditement written and a perfit register of all your misdeeds When you should see him prepared 〈◊〉 the seÌ„tence vpon you against whoÌ„ you had transgressed and the same to be your vmpier whom by so many offences you had made your enimie When not onely the diuels but euen the Angels should pleade against you and your selfe maugre your will be your sharpest appeacher What would you do in these dreadful exigents when you saw that gastly dungeon and huge gulfe of hell breaking out with most fearfull flames When you saw the weping gnashing ofteeth the rage of those hellish moÌ„sters the horrour of the place the rigour of the paine the terrour of the company the eternity of all these punishments Wâ—uld you theÌ„ think them wise that would delay in so weighty matters and idly play away the time allotted to preueÌ„t these Intollerable calamities Would you then account it secure to nurse in your bosom so many sâ—rpeÌ„ts as sinnes or to foster in your soule so manie malicious accuser as mortall faults Would you not then thinke one life too litle to doe penance for so many iniquities euery one wherof were enough to cast you into those euerlasting vnspeakeable torments Why then do you not at the least deuote that small remnant and surplusage of these your latter daies procuring to make an attonement with God and to free your conscience from such corruption as by your schisme and fall hath crept into it Those verie eyes that read this discourse and that veâ—y vnderstanding that conceiueth it shal be cited and certaine wiâ—nesses of the rehearsed things In your owne body shall you experience those deadly agonie and in your soule shal you feelingly find those terrible feares yea and your present estate is in danger of the deepest harmes if you doe not the sooner recouer your selfe into the fold and family of Gods Church What haue you gotten by being so loÌ„g customer to the world but false ware sutable to the shoppe of such a marchant whose trafick is toile whose welth trash and whose gaine miserie What interest haue you reaped that may equall your detrements in grace and vertew or what could you finde in a vale of teares parageable to the fauour of God with the losse whereof you were contented to buy it You cannot be now inueigled with the passions of youth which making a partiall estimate of things sette no distance betweene counterfeit and currant For they ar now worne out of force by tract of time or fallen in reproofe by triall of their follie It cannot be feare that leadeth you amisse seeing it were too vnfitting a thing that the crauant cowardice of fleshe and blood should daunte the prowesse of an intelligent person who by his wisdome cannot but discerne how much more cause there is to feare God then man and to stand in more awe of perpetuall then temporal penalties If it be an vngâ—ouÌ„ded presuÌ„ption of the mercy of God and the hope of his assistance at the last plunge the ordinary lure of the Deuell to reclaime sinners from the pursuite of vertue it is to palpable a collusioÌ„ to misleade a sound sensed man howsoeuer it preuaile with sicke affected iudgements Who would rely eteâ—nal affaires vpon the gliding slipperines and running
most shined who are patâ—ones of that day As in our blessed Lady the Angels obedience and chaâ—itie In the Paâ—riarchs and Prophets tempeâ—ance hope and holinesse In the Apostles Euangelists zeale of soules and of the honour of God In the Martyres patience and constancie In the Bishops Doctours watchfulnesse ouer our charge and zeale of Gods truth and sobrietie In the religious Fathers penance contempt of the world discretion and austeritie In the Virgâ—ns and widowes the subduing of our appetites purity of heart and chastitie An other exercise of deuotion to Saints IF I will keepe my minde continually attentiue in goodnes and goe in continual awe of offending I may take this course I must in euery roome of the house where I dwell imagin in some decent place therof a throne or chaire of estate dedâ—cate the same and the whole â—oome to some Saint that whensoeuer I enter into it I enter as it were into a chappell or church that is deuoted â—o such a Saint and thereâ—oâ—e in minde doe that reuereÌ„ce that is due to them And thus hauing in euery roome setled seuerall Sainâ—es and in minde consecraâ—ed the same vnto them and decked it with such furniture as is fitte for such an inhabitant the same house will bee to me in a maner a Paradise and the consideration of the Saincts presence will be a continuall bridle to restraine me from â—rreueâ—ent demeanor vnfitte for such a behoulder as there I â—aue placed to be a witnessâ— and aider of mine actions But to helpe my memory and to auâ—id confusion First it is good to appoint in euery roome some certaine and deâ—erminac place where I meane to conceyue the Saintes presence Secondly to choose some ceâ—taine determinat â—aint and when I haue once deâ—oted the place to one Saint not to chaunge but still to keepe the same for easier habituating my memorie Thirdly in those roomes wherein I am most conuersant I may place two three or moâ—e as the roome will minister coÌ„nueniency to frame their places for the better conceiuing and remembring of them Fourthly I must place such Saints in the roome as are fittest to be patterns exaÌ„ples vnto me in that action for which that roome principally seâ—ueth As in the dining chaÌ„ber or paâ—lour saints of spare and regular diet of sober and vertuous conuersaâ—ion In the bâ—d chamber Saints giuen to short sleepe and watchfulnesse In the Chappell Sainteâ— giuen to much prayer and deuotion and so in other roomes Fiftly I may in steede of Saintes place some misterie of Christs life or passion as the last supper in the dining chamber and such like Sixtly not only in the house but also in the wallkes gardens and orchards about the house may I doe the same and so make my walkes as it were short pilgrimages to visit such Saints as are patrones of the place I goe vnto SeueÌ„thly it is not good to place Saints in al the roomes in one day but first to consider well in euery roome the fittest place for that purpose and then to begin one day with one or two the the next day with two more that they may bee the easher imâ—rinted in my memory Eightly it is good in some roomes to place austere mournefull and rigorous Saints conceiuing them in attire sutable to their austeâ—itie and dolefull profession while they were aliue that when I find my selfe too lauish in mirth or too much inclined to pleasure the coÌ„pany presence of that austere example may temper my disposition And likewise in steede of these Saintes I may place some lamentable history of the olde or new Testament or some representatioÌ„ of death hell or iudgement Likewise in other roomes to place some glorious faire comfortable Saintes histories or figures with all sutable to ioy that may serue me in time of my heauines to alay my sorrowes and the like in feare hope presumption despaire and such other passions but especially in those which I finde my selfe most inclined vnto Ninthly I must take heede that I make not this exercise a toile but rather a spirituall recreation and therfore I must not be too eager to doe all things on a suddaine but get the habit and custome of it by litle litle for so wil it proue an exercise of wonderful profit easines and contentment An other exercise to take occasion of Gods creatures to serue and remember God and to attaine vertue FIrst concerning persons I may allote to euery man woman of the house where I liue a Saint so that euery one of the company shall with his presence bring me in memory of his Saint and whatsoeuer I doe with any of them I shall alwaies carry a respect to his Saint and be affraid to offend Secondly euery one shall represent vnto me some vertue or some vice so that wheÌ„ I see them I may in one remember and practise humility in an other patience modesty obedience and such like or on the other side remember and take heed of swearing anger and such like faultes and be sory that euer I offended in them Thirdly I may take occasion of other creatures to remember Gods mercies as by monâ— the selling of Christ by meate his last supper by waâ—er the water of his eies and side and washing of his Disciples feete by drinking his eâ—sell and gall by wood his Crosse and thornes by stone his graue and so in all other pointes of Christs life and passion and in all other thinges the consideration wherof may mooue me to goodnesse as by fire to remeÌ„ber hel by ashes death by light that discouereth things that darcknes did hide the finall iudgement and day of generall descouery and by the beauty of the elements by the pleasure comfort of other creature heauen This exercise must not be ordinary vnles it be the first point but now then vsed to recollect the mind after long distraction Certaine Iaculatory praiers GRatious Lord sweet Sauiour giue me a pure inteÌ„â—ion a cleane hart and a regard to thy glory in all mine actions Iesu possesse my mind with thy presence and rauish it with thy loue that my delight may be to be imbraced in the armes of thy protectioÌ„ Iesu be thou â—igâ—t vnto mine eies musicke to mine eares sweetnesse to my tast contentment to my heart Iesu I giue thee my bodie my soule my substance my same my friends my liberty and life dispose of me and all that is mine as shal be most to thy glory Iesu I am not mine but thine claime me as thy right keepe me as thy charge loue me as thy childe Iesu fight for me when I am assaulted heale me when I am wounded reuiue me when I am spiritually killed receiue me when I fly let me neuer be quite coÌ„fouÌ„ded Iesu giue me patience in trouble humility in comfort constancy in temptations victory against my ghostliâ— enemies Iesu giue me modesty in countenance grauity in my
but the barke rhine of a man and our equality vppon the soule which is mans maine substaunce thinke it I pray you no dishonour to your person if with all humilitie I offer my aduise vnto you One man can not be perfect in all faculties neither is it a disgrace to the Goldsmith if hee be ignoraunt of the Millers trade Many are deepe Lawyers and yet shallowe Diuines many very deliuer in feates of the bodie and curious in externall complements yet little experimented in matters of their soule and farre to seek in religious actions I haue studied and practised these many yeeres spiritual phisick acquainting my selfe with the beating temper of euery pulse and traueling in the scrutiny of the maladies and medicines incident vnto soules If therfore I profer you the fruits of my long studies and make you a present of my profession I hope you will constre it rather as a duetifull part than anie point of presumption He may be a father to the soule that is a sonne to the body and requite the benefit of his temporall life by reuiuing his parent from a spirituall death And to this effect said Christ these words My mother and brethren are they that doe the wil of my father which is in heauen Vpon which place S. Iohn Climacus shewing to what kindred a Christian ought chiefly to rely draweth this discouâ—se Let him be thy father that both can and will lay his labour to disburden thee of thy packe of sinnes Let holy compuÌ„ction be thy mother to depure thee from thy ordure and filth Let him be thy brother that will be both thy partner and compeditor to passe and perfite thy race towardes heauen Take the memory of death for thy perpetual phere and vnseparable spouse Let thy childreÌ„ bee bitter sighs of a sorrowfull heart and possesse thy body as thy bondman Fasten thy friendshippe with the Angelicall powers with which if thou closest in familiar affiaunce they will be patrones vnto thee in thy finall passage This saieth he is the generation and kindred of those that seeke God Such a father as this Saint speaketh of may you haue of your owne sonn to enter you farther in the fore recited affinity Of which happily it was a significaÌ„t presage aboding the future euent that euen from my infancy you were wont in merriment to call me father R. which is the customary stile now allotted to my present estate Now therfore to ioine issue and to come to the principal drift of my discourse most humbly and earnestly I am to beseech you that both in respect of the honour of God your duety to his church the comfort of your children and the redresse of your owne soule you would seriously coÌ„sider the tearmes you stand in and weigh your selfe in a Christian ballance taking for your counterpose the iudgements of GOD. Take heede in time that the woord Thecel writteÌ„ of old against Baltazar interpreted by Daniel Dan. 5. be not verified in you whose expositioÌ„ was You haue been poised in the scale found of too light weight Remember that you are in the waining and the date of your pilgrimage is wel neer expired now it behooueth you to look towards your countrey Your force languisheth your senses impaire and your bodie droupeth and on euerie side the ruinous cottage of your faint and feeble flesh threatneth fal And hauing so many herbingers of death to premonish your end how caÌ„ you but prepare forso dreadful a straÌ„ger The young may die quickely but the old can not liue long The youÌ„g maÌ„s life by casualty may be abriâ—ged but the old mans by no phisicke can be long adiourned therfore if gâ—een yeares sometimes must think of the graue the thoughtes of sere age should continually dwel in the same The prerogatiue of infancie is innoceÌ„cy of childhood reuerence of manhood maturitie of age wisdom And seeing that the cheife properties of wisdome are to be mindfull of things passed careful of thinges present prouident of thinges to come vse now the priuiledg of natures taleÌ„t to the benefitte of your soule and procure hereafter to be wise in well doing and waâ—chsull in foresight of future harmes To serue the world you are now vnable and though you were able you haue litle cause to be willing seeing that it neuer gaue you but an vnhappy welcom a hurtful entertainment now doth abandon you with an vnfortunat farwel You haue long sowed in a field of flint which could bring you nothing forth but a crop of cares and affliction of spirit rewarding your labours with remorse and affording for your gaine eternall domages It is now more then a seasonable time to alter the course of so vnthriuing a husbandry and to enter into the filde of Gods Church in which sowing the seeds of repeÌ„tant sorow watering them with the teares of humble contrition you may reape a more beneficiall haruest and gather the fruites of euerlasting comforte Remember I pray you that your spring is spent and your summer ouerpast you are now ariued to the fall of the leafe yea and winter colours haue alreadie stained your hoarie head Be not carelesse saieth S. Austen though our louing Lord bear long with offenders for the longer he staieth not finding amendement the sorer wil he scourge when hee comes to iudgement and his patieÌ„ce in so long expecting is onely to lend vs respite to repent not any way to enlarge vs leisure to sinne He that is tossed with variety of stormes and cannot come to his desired port maketh not much way but is much turmoiled so hee that hath passed many yeeres and purchased litle profite hath had a long beeing but a short life for life is more to bee measured by merites than by nuÌ„ber of daies seeing 〈◊〉 most men by many daies doe but procure many deathes and others in a short space attaine the life of infinit ages What is the body without the soule but a corâ—upt carcase what the soule without God but a sepulchre of sinne If God bee the way the life and the trueth he that goeth without him strayeth hee that liueth without him dieth and hee that is not taught by him erreth Well saieth saint Austen that God is our true and chiefest life from whom the reuolting is falling to whome the returning is rising in whom the staying is sure standing God is he from whom to depart is to die to whom to repaire is to reuiue in whom to dwel is to liue Be not you therefore of those that beginne not to lâ—ue vntill they bee ready to die and then after a â—oes desert come to craue of God a frends entertainment Some thinke to snatch heauen in a moment which the best scarce atteined in the mountenance of many yeeres and when they haue glutted theÌ„ selues with worldly dâ— lites they would iumpe from Diues his diet to Lazarus croune and from the seruice of Satan to the solace of a Saint
perfection thou acquaint thy selfe with an other Booke entituled The Exercise of a Christian life or such other-like lest thou attempt to builde a great house with slender foundation and climing to the toppe of a high ladder without passing by the middle steppes at vnawares thou receiue a fall Vale. A SHORT RVLE OF GOD LIFE THE FIRST CHAPTER of the foundations of a Good life The first foundation THE first foundation of a good life is often and seriously to consider for what end and purpose I was created and what Gods designement was when he made mee of nothing and that not to haue a being only as a stone nor withall a bare kinde of life or growing as a plant or tree nor moreouer a power of sence or feeling only as a bruâ—t beast but a creature to his owne likenes indued with reason vnderstanding and freewil Also why he now preserueth me in this health state and calling Finally why he redemed me with his owne bloud bestowed so infinite benefites vppon me and still continueth his mercy towards me The end of man The end of my being thus made redeemed preserued and so much benefited by God is this and no other that I should in this life serue him with my whole body soule and substance and with what else soeuer is miâ—e and in the next life enioy â—im for euer in heauen Rules that follow of this foundation â— Was made of nothing by God and receiued body and soule from him and therfore am I only his not mine owne neither can I so binde or giue my selfe to â—â—y creature but that I ought â—ore to serue loue and obey God then any creature in this world Secondly I committe a â—â—â—de of theft and do God gâ—eat wrong so often as I â—â—ploy any part of my body 〈◊〉 soule to any other ende theÌ„ to his seruice for which only I was created Thirdly for this do I liue and for no other ende but for this doe all creatures serue me and when I turne the least thing whereof God hath giuen me the vse or possessing to any other ende then the seruice of God doe God wrong and abuse his creatures The second foundation Seeing I was made to serue God in this life and to enioye him in the next the seruice of God and the saluation of mine owne soule is the most weighty and important busines and the most necessary matter wherin I must employ my bodie minde time and labour and all other affaires are so farre foorth to be esteemed of me waighty or light as they more or lesse tend to the furtherance of this principall most earnest busines For what auaileth it a man to gaine the whole world and loose his owne soule Rules that follow of this foundation FIrst what diligence labour or cost I would emploie in any other temporall matter of credit liuing or life all that I am bound to employ in the seruice of God and the saluation of my soule and so much more as the weight or worth of my soule passeth al other things Secondly I ought to think the seruice of God and saluation of my soule my principall busines in this world and to make it my ordinary study and chiefe occupation and day and night to keepe my minde so fixed vpon it that in euery actioÌ„ I stil haue it before mine eies as the onely marke I shoote at the third foundation I Cannot serue God in this world nor go about to enioye him in the next but that Gods enemies and mine will repine and seeke-to hinder me which enemies are three the Worlde the Flesh and the Deuill Wherefore I must resolue my selfe and sett it downe as a thing vndouted that my whole life must be a continuall combate with these aduersaries whom I must assuredly perswade my selfe to lie hourely in waite for me to seeke their aduantage And that their malice is so vnplacable and their hatred against me so rooted in theÌ„ that I must neuer looke to haue one hower secure from their assaultes but that they will â—rom time to time so long as there is breath in my body still labour to make me forsake and offend God alure me to their seruice and drawe me to my damnation Rules following of this foundation I Must prepare my body and mind to all patience and thinke it no newes to be tempted but a point annexed necessarily to my profession and therfore neuer must I be wearied with the difficultie considering the malice and wickednesse of mine aduersaries and my professed enmitie with theÌ„ Secondly I must alway stand vpon my guarde and be very watchfull in euery action seeing that whatsoeuer I doe they wil seeke to peruert it and make it offensiue to God euen my very best indeuours Thirdly I must neuer looke to befree from some trouble or other but knowing my life to be a perpetuall warfare I must rather comefort my sâ—lfe with hope of a glorious crowne for my victories then of any long or assured peace with mine enemies The fourth foundation The thing which these enemies endeuour for to drawe me vnto is sinne and offence of God which is so odious hatefull and abhominable that God doth more detest and dislike it then he did the cruell vsage the woundes the tormentes and the death it selfe that for vs he suffered of the Iewes and it maketh our soules more vgly then the plague leprosy or any other moste filthy disease doth the body Rules following this foundation SO carefull as I woulde bee not to wounde torment or murther Christ so carefull must I bee not to commit any mortall sinne against him yea and much more seeing that he hateâ—h sinne more then death hauing voluntarily suffered the one and yet neuer committed the other Secondly when I am teÌ„pted with any sinne let me examine my selfe whether I would buy the fulfilling of mine appetite with being a leaper or full of the plague or with death presently to ensue after it if not then much lesse ought I to buy it with the leprosie losse and death of my soule which is of far more worth then my body The fift foundation Being Gods creature made to serue him in this life my body soule and goods and all things any way appertaining vnto me are but lent or onely let me for this end and I am only as bailiffe tenaunt or officer to demaine or goueâ—ne these thinges to his best seruice and therfore when the time of my stewardship is expired I shall be summoned by Death to appeare before my Land-lorde who with most rigorous iustice will demaunde account of euery thing and creature of his that hath beene to my vse yea of all that I haue receiued promised omitted committed lost and robbed and as I can then discharge this account so shall I be either crowned in eternall ioy or condemned to perpetuall damnation Rules following of this foundation FIrst I must vse all thinges in this life as an other bodies goods for which I
his life shall be saued Wâ—erfore the same cause that mooued me to beginne ought also to mooue me to continue that the merit and crowne of my good resolution be not cut off by any want of perseuerance Let not the cries of mine enemies moue me let me with S. Paul say the world is crucified to me and I to the world and with Dauid it is good for me to cleaue vnto God Finally let me imitat the exaÌ„ple of Christ that perseuered oÌ„ the cross vnto death for my sake though ofteÌ„ called vpon to come downe Fiftly I must consider that in what state soeuer of grace or merit of damnation I begin the next life I must shall vndoubtedly perseuere in it according to the word of Salomon whersoeuer the tree faleth there shall it be towards south or north that is towards heauen or hell for both the paine of this continueth for euer and the ioy of the other after it is once begunne for it may bee deferred for a time by the paines of purgatory is also euerlasting If therefore I will perseuer in heauen let me perseuer in the way that leadeth vnto it and neuer forsake the painefulnes of it till the iourneis end The passions of this life are not condigne or compatable to the fuâ—uâ—e glory and it is extreame folly for auoiding a short and transitory paine to hazard the losse of euerlasting ioy and put my selfe in perill of peâ—petuall bondage in farre more extreame and endlâ—s torment The sinners perseuer still in wickednes and seruice of the Diuâ—ll The wordlinges perseuer in pursuing vanities following the world yea and that with most seruile toile and base drudgery and not without many bodily and ghostly harmes how much more ought a true seruant of God perseuer in his seruice and not seeme by forsaking him in the way to condemne him for a worse master then the world or the Diuel whom many thousandes serue to the end to their owne damnation Let me remember that the first Angell for want of perseuerance became a Diuell Adam for want of the same was thrust out of paradise and Iudas of an Apostle became a prey of hell Finally there be many thousands in hell fire burning that began very good courses and for a time went forward in the same and yet in the end for want of perseuerance were damned for euer What good a soule looseth by mortall sinne 1. The grace of the holy Ghost 2. The friendship and familiaritie with God 3. Al moral vertues infused and of Gods spirit 4. The inheritance of the kingdome of heauen 5. The portion of Gods children and patronage of his fatherly prouideÌ„ce which he hath ouer the iust 6. The peace quietnes of a good and cleare conscience 7. Many comfortes and visitations of the holy Ghost 8. The fruite and merit of our former life during the state of sinne 9. The merit and satisfaction of our present actions albeit in the mean time they dispose to Gods grace and satisfie the precepts of God and the Church 10. A great portion of the communion of Saintes and of the participation of the good workes and praiers of the whole Church And finally of the fruit and part of the merite of Christs passion What misery the soul gaineth by mortall sinne 1. Condemnation to eternall paine 2. To be quite cancelled out of the booke of life 3. To become of the child of God the thrall of the Diuell 4. To be chaunged from the Temple of the holie ghost into a denne of theeueâ—â— a nest of vipers a sincke of corruption How a soule is prepared to iustification by degrees Faith setteth before our eyes God as a iuste Iudge Angry with the bad Mercâ—full to the repeÌ„taÌ„t Of this faith by the gift of Gods spirit aâ—iseth a feare by coÌ„sideration of Gods iustice of our owne sinnes This feare is comforted by hope grounded in Gods mercy and the merites of Christ. Of this hope aâ—iseth loue and charitie vnto Christ. For louing vs without desert Redâ—ming vs with so many torments Of this loue followes sorrowe for offending Christ of whom we haue bin so mercifully Created Redeemed Sanctified Called to his faith Of this sorrow ariseth a firme purpose to auoyde all sin which God aboue all thinges detesteth The diuil aboue al thinges desireth Aboue all thinges hurteth the soule Of deuotion to Saints and how our conuersation may be in heauen as Saint Paul saith it should FIrst after a special deuotion towardes our B. Lady whom aboue all pure creatures we ought continually to affect and reuerence we must procure to haue a kind of reuerent familiarity with our good Angel whoÌ„ we ought to make reckning of as a most vndiuided and peculiar friend who is vnto vs as a nurse vnto a childe a shepheard vnto a wandering lambe a guide of our waieâ— a gardian of our persons a counsellor in doubts a comforter in troubles a patron in our needes and an assured friend in all our afflictions We must therefore loue him as our friend honour him as our superiour thanke him for his censureâ— finally vse him as one to whom we may boldly both impart our comfortes and vtter our desolations When wee sleepe he waâ— cheâ—h ouer vs when we wake he attendâ—th on vs wheresoeuer we be he gardeth vs whithersoeuer we goe he assâ—â—teth vs and whatsoeuer we doe he hath still an eye to succour vs. We must therfore often coÌ„mend our selues and our busines vnto him often aske his aduise with our inward eare often harken what he saieth within vs. We must account him as an ordinary and assured friend euâ—rmore readie at our call to affoord his present helpe and to beare vs company in all necessities Because our nature is delighted and holpe with varity we may euery day in the weeke vse the patronage of diuers Saints according to the order of our Letanies On Sunday the blessed Trinitie our Lady and the nine quires of Angells especially the three Archangells there named Michael Gabriel and Raphael On monday S. Iohn Baptist with all the Patriarches and Prophets On Tuesday S. Peter with the rest of the Apostles Euangelistes and Disciples of Christ and all the holy Innocents On Wednesday S. Steuen with all the holy Martirs On Thursday S. Siluester with aâ—l the holy Bishops Confessors and Doctors On Friday S. Benedict with all the holie Priestes Leuites Monks Eremites Religious men On Saturday S. Mary Magdalen with all the holy Virgins and Widowes Wee must euery day in the morning so soone as we awake commend our body soule affaires to God and our patrâ—nes of that day In euery principal action wee must commend our selues to some one of them desiring their helpes and asistaÌ„ce Wee must ofâ—en in the day thinke what guestes wee haue bidden that day into our soule and seeke to make it a sitte receipt for so honorable a company We must seeke to imitate that vertue which in these Saints