papystes whose religion in dede is altogether in outward shewe and worldly pompe And therefore thapostle preuentinge the question whiche might be asked him by some worldlye wiseman whiche woulde saye Why Sir what maner of lyfe woulde you haue vs to leade after what sort would you haue vs Christians to doe and vse he aunswereth euen in the begynninge of the neâ—…t Chapyter of the same Epistle saying Yf ye be then risen againe with Christ seke those thynges which are aboue where christ sitteth on the righte hande of god set your affections on heauenly thinges and not of earthly thynges for yeare dead and your life is hid with Christe in God Thus is it euydente that the righte lyfe of a christian consysteth not eyther in multytude of people prescriptioÌ„ of time forefathers nor outward Ceremonies but onely in vertuousnes of life leauinge our owne dreames inueÌ„cions and in folowing the sacred and holy scriptures settynge the same alwayes before oure eyes as oure onelye lodes starre to folowe and touch stone to trye all doctrine by For whatsoeuer is not conteined in god his boke I meane the holy byble no Christian is bounde of necessity to doe Neither as I saide before neede we to run in to any cloyster to seke a perfecte lyfe seinge it is the dutye of all Christians of what estate or degre soeuer he be to lyue in the feare of God and in suche sorte as in this godly worke folowing is most lyuely and Christenly set forth So that in that matter I shall not nede any thinge to entreat of Thus seking to ende my prologue least I be to tedyous I sende thee good reader to thys boke Prayinge God of hys mercye so to open our hartes to receiue his trueth and followe the same in oure lyuinge that he maye seinge oure repentaunce poure his blessynge vppon vs that hys true and sincere religion nowe beginnynge as it were to springe vppe but wonderfully hyndred in the growinge thereof by gods enemyes the papistes and carnall ghospellers who haue the ghospell in their mouthes but not in their conuersatyons that it maye come to a perfect rypenes that god 〈◊〉 be gloryfyed in this world by our christenly conuersation And that we after this transitorye lyfe once finyshed maye contynallye prayse hym in the heauenlye habytacion wyth his holye aungelles world withoute ende by the merites death and passion of the immaculate lambe oure onely Lorde and Sauioure Iesus Christ to whom with the father and the holye ghost be al honour prayse glorye nowe and euermore world with out ende Amen God preserue the Queene Fare well in the Lorde I. C. Certayne holsome godly and necessary Rules THE holy man Iobe as apereth in the. vii chapiter of his booke mouethe and prouoketh euery good man dylygently to remembre that the lyfe of man in this worlde is nothing but continuall battell conflyct And that the moste parte of the people are greatly dysceaued which so busely folowe the flatterynge prauities and pleasures of this worlde and soo lyue in ydlenesse as though al ieoperdy were passed all thinges quiet in sure and substanciall peace It is maruel to see how quyetly how with oute all feare they slepe continually Syth man is enuironed on all partes with so greate a multitude of ennemies so crafty so subtil and full of disceites Beholde maÌ„ on euery side thou art in gret ieopardie and danger of death ouer thy hed the spirites of the aire with many crafty subtile waies busely waiteth thye destructyon which diligently laboure mortal ly to wounde thy sowle with flaming dartes with deadly poyson infected On thy right hande and on thy left before the also behind the this disceyuable worlde subtelly assaulteth thee the whiche as S. Iohn sayth is vtterly set on myschiefe and viciousenes and for that hated and enuied of god This â—…ering world in his assaultes craftely and polytiquely vseth him selfe For sometime he fu riously rageth and in open battel inuadeth man by much and great aduersitie prouinge the strength of his soule Sumtime by blandishinge and fayre promyse he moueth to yeldinge often times he cometh secretly vpon man to take him vnprouided out of armure Beneath the that slipper and dysceitful serpent the breaker of our quietnes by many diuerse ingins lieth in waite to cause the sensuall apetite to fal to sin which is that Eue by whoÌ„ this most false serpeÌ„t first allured man to commit deadly sinne And yet as thoughe this were not sufficient so to be compa sed on euery syde with deadly ennemies Man beareth also about him a familyar and a domesticall aduersary then the whiche as no thinge can be more adioyninge or nighe so nothinge canne be more daungerous that is that old and earthly fleshe by longe and coutinuall acquayntance very familyare but by mischeuous intent an vtter ennemy of whome man can by no meanes be in sufficient suertie ne auoide the same Then sithe man is thus wrapped in so feareful and perilous battell and hath to meddle with so many enemies so redy so sworne in his distruction so armed so watching so false and accustomed in battell is not he very folishe whych armeth not hym selfe against the assaults kepeth not sure good watch hath not al thinges suspected but so liueth as if al thinges were in quiet and in good tranquylitie nothynge regardinge but the belly and the skynne muche lyke as yf this lyfe were a feast or a banquetinge Suerly who so hath peace with vice hath broken the truice whiche he tooke with god at hys baptisme And yet thou mad christian man thinkest all thynges in quyet and criest peace peace wheÌ„ thou hast god which is only peace and the authour of peace thy extreame ennemie And when he by the mouth of his prophete saythe there is no peace among these vicious people Truely there is no other condicion of peace with god but when man deadly hateth vice and strongly by the helpe of god fyghteth againste it For in case there be amitie and frendshyp betwene man and vice then is god principal enemy to man bothe for that he adioyneth him self to vice which in no wise maye agre with god for how may light and darknes agre and for that also he performeth not his promyse made to god but falsely breaketh his fidelitie so faithefully promised RemeÌ„bre o christian man what time thou were baptised thou promysed to be the true and vnfayned ser uaunte of Ihesus Christ in whose quarell thou art twyse bounde to spende thy lyfe Firste for that he gaue the thy lyfe Seconde that where thou were bonde and dead in synne he of his goodnesse restored the lyfe remembrest thou not what time thou first professed thy selfe to his religion what vengeance what maledictions thou desyred to fall vpon the and that by expresse wordes with good delive ration aduisement coÌ„ceiued In case thou fulfilled
Farther another euident and sure token to know whether thy soule be lyuely or dead Thou hast desceiued and falsely begiled thy brother in god now hath thy sowle a deadly wounde and yet thou art nothinge sorye for it but reioysest at it as though thou haddest won great aduantage or lucre Knowe for truth that in this case thy soul is dead the body is not aliue whē it can not fele a litle pricking and thynkest thou that thy sowle is a liue when it perceueth not so gret a wounde When you here a man customably blasphemig the name of god hautely and proudely dysdayning the dedes and behauiour of other vsinge vncleane and fylthy communication misiudginge and hynderynge the name of his brother Know for troth that his soule is dead The rotten and stinkyng carion lieth buried in the bo tome of his brest fro whense such stinkinge and poysoned sauours a ryse that they infecte and poyson all the hearers Christ in the gospell calleth the pharise is painted sepulcres because they caryed in their freshe colored bodies stynking and dead soules The bodies of good and vertuous men be the temples of the holy ghoste The bodies of vicious people be the sepulcres of caryons As Dauid witnesseth in the psalm Their bo dies are great and open sepulcres for that they haue deceyued theyr bretherne and lyed wythe theyr tounges And surely there is nothing so dead as is the soule whē it fallith from Chryste Ne no carion so stincking in the noses of mē as a deade sowle is abhominable in the syghte of god Then when dedly wordes procedyth from the soule the soule must nedes be cary on and dead For Christ saieth as the harte thinketh so the mouthe speaketh And surely yf the verye life of the soule which is god wer in the soule then should the mouth speake godly and liuely wordes The disciples of Christ as it ap◅rethe in the gospell sayde vpon a time to hym lord thy wordes ben all lyuely and the words of christ were all lyuely bycause they procedid fro that sowle from the whi che the godhed neuer depart◅ If the body be sycke it is by phisicke sone restored to his olde healthe often times dead bodies by the instance and prayer of holy and vertuous men be restoryd agayne to life But if the soule be once dead nothing can reuiue it but only the louyng and mercifull goodnes of oure sauiour Iesu Chryst which helpeth not ne restoreth the sowle to lyfe if it in sinne departe from the bodie Furthermore the death of the body is shortely fynyshed but the death of the sowle is euer lastinge and when it is in maner more than deadde yet in felynge of deathe it is immortall Then sythe oure battel is thus daungerous what dulnesse what Idlenes what pokishenes of minde is this nothing to regard ne feare so many ieoperdies and feareful perils And though we be thus on euerye side with enemies greuously compassid yet is there no cause why that other the greatnes of perill the multitude of enemyes their mighty and muche strength or dysceyuable doblenes shoulde to much impalle or abashe our corage for thoughe our aduersaries be very stronge and myscheuous yet is oure louinge ayde and dyligent capytayne Christ more strōg and myghty than they all For as Saynt Paule sayth if Christ be of oure part who can preuayle agaynst vs If he assist and help vs who shall ouercome vs conceyue then a suere hope of victorye and diligently remember that thine enemies hath in tyme past bin sore beaten confoundyd spoyled and plainlie ouerthrowne of vs. But by the might of our captain christ of whom no dought if we be faith full he shalbe ouercome againe in vs inforce and laboure that thou be of the body and in vertu pow er of thy head thou shalt and may do all thigs Thou art in thy selfe very weake and feble but in thy head very myghty stronge and therfore the ende of our battel is not doubtful and vncertaine For asmuche as the victory dependeth not on fortun but is vtterly in the hand and power of god and by hi in oure power and might also He that effectually myndethe and desyreth victory shal ouercom The gentelnes and redynes of our cartaine neuer faileth make not thy selfe then vnworthy of his goodnes and fauour and thou shalt ouercome He shal fight for the and accepte his liberality for thy merite yet reason wold that thou refer the victory wholly receiuyd of hym Whiche fyrst and only pure from all synne oppressed the tyrany of sinne But this victory can not be obtayned wythoute thyne owne diligence For he that saieth trust in me I haue ouercome the worlde will that thou be coragious and nothing slouthfull and so through his help thou shalt haue victory yf thou fyght accordinge as he hathe geuen ensample And therfore betwene too extreme ieoperdyes thou muste obserue and kepe the mene course that thou to muche truste not to the mercye of god and doe nothynge ne to sone geue ouer ouercome with hardenes of battell Of the armour fyt for a christian souldiour ANd for as much as no batel can be maynteined without conuenyent armoure I thinke it necessari that we first know what kynde of armoure is most fyt for euery christian souldier Then our armoure known that it be alway in a redines and at hand least our disceytful ennemie whiche continually lyethe in a wayte take vs vnprouidyd and so ouercome vs. In this wordely battelles menne oft tymes be at rest and quietnes the batel not parfectly endid But in this spiritual battels is perpetual fyght no rest ne quietenes so longe as the sowle is in the body And therefore we must alwaie be in readenes alway wakinge in armoure For our enemies neuer resteth but when he is most quiet and fayneth truce and she with as he wold flye then is he most busy to doo most mischiefe therfore the chefe and special care must be that the sowle be neuer vnarined you see daily how deligently we arme and defende the body what tyme we haue busynes or Iorney to be done that we maye be more able to withstande all suche ennemies and troubles as maye fortune by the waye shall we nat then much more prouyde that our sowles be in saftye oure enemyes alwayes be armed and ready to destroy vs and shal we by negligence for slothe not be suere that wee peryshe nat but as concerning the armure most nedeful for euerye chrystian soldier I shall more specially speake in hys peculyar and proper place And in the mean season som what generally to talke of them there be ii kyndes of armours or weapons most requisite for euery man that shall fight with the mischeuous company or army of sine which as S. Paul saith is praier knowledge or lerning with the which he aduiseth vs alway with out intermyssyon to
and dastardes and therefore they maye beare no rule but muste be obedient to their rulers and such as be nobles and auncient in yeares in al assembles and counsailes must paciently be herde But the aucto rity and power to determine all things must remain in one which is called their kynge and he must as time requireth be admonished and aduertised but not compelled ▪ ne haue in his realme superiour For the kyng ought to obey none but the lawe the lawe presentyth the image of vertu honesty But if so be this order be inuerted and the wilde commons and troublesome dregges of the Citie in the common welth rebell again their ruler and the nobles disdaine the cōmandement of the king the peri lous sedicion grudge growing and if it be not holpen by deuyne policie it fallethe to vtter decaye and ruine Nowe for our purpose reason in man is a kyng and Emperoure Nobles and auncientes be certaine corporal affections or apetites but such as be not beast ly As in example naturall reuerence towardes youre parentes loue and charyte towardes youre bretherne beneuolence toward youre frendes and such other and suche other affections as must discend from the obeysance of reason And in behauiour are beastly such be the commons and dragges of the citie As ryote enuie and suche other sickenes and disseases of the minde wh◅ihe as bonde and vile seruauntes must be kepte vnder that they kepe dewe obedience to their kinge and in no wise hurte him and surelye if the affections and apetites sensuall do dewe obeisance and be orderid by reason Then shall man at noo time commit anie thinge that is euyll or that after maye repent him And that knew wel Plato that deuine philosopher when he sayde that they which oppresse and subdewe these carnall appetites lyue wel and iustly and they that be ouercome of them liuethe euill and vn iustlie Then the onelie parfitte waie and pathe to felicitie is first suerely and substancially to know your selfe next to subdewe the car nall apetites and to be orderid one ly by reason And this reason must be vpryght hole wise not infertyd That is that she only regard vertue and honesty Parauenture it shalbe thought very harde to so lowe that I haue taught But diligently remember that excelente and commendable thinges be all waye daungerous and difficile There can be no more valyant act thē to ouercom thy self ne no greater reward than eternal beatitude and felicite And that wytnessyth saynt Iherom saying Nothing is more happy then a trewe crystian man to whom as a reward the kyngdome of heauen is prouidyd and promysed If man only consider his own power and ablitie no thing is more hard then to subdue the fleshe But if he delygently remember that Chryst is hys capytayne and helper to whom nothyng is vnpossyble ne vneasy it shalbe very lighte in youre concience and mind a purpose or intent of perfit life and after busylye labour to bring it to effect the mind of man can not imagine so hygh noble a matter but by feruent lalabour it may be brought to passe And that thinge whiche in the beginninge shalbe thought inuincible and muche harde to be done shall in continuance be made soft by vsage easy and by custome plesant The way of vertu saith Hesi odus is in the beginning straight daungerous but if you crepe to the top nothing is more suer ne in sa◅ty There is no beaste so cruell ne outrage but by mans diligēce labour may be tamed and made meke Shall man thynke then that no meanes maye be found to bridle the affections and apitites sensuall What payne dothe man take to be deliuered from sycknes and diseases of the body And shal he take no payne to be delyueryd from eternal dampnation both of body and soule Suerly it is to be lamentyd that many whiche bearith the name of Christ like brute and dome beastes folow in their li uing the beastly and sensual appetites and are in maner bound and seruauntes to them So little exercised in this spyrytuall battell that they know noo difference betwixt reason and sensuality Thei exsteme that only to be man which they see perceaue and feele And that nothynge is but suche as is sensible What so euer they minde they thinke it lawfull This call they peace safty althoughe it is most miserable bōdage When reson resisteth not the carnall mocions But perswaded and blinded by their intisings foloweth them This is that miserable peace whi che Christe authour of trewe and parfite peace came to dissolue and set healtheful battel betwene the father and the sonne the wife and the huseband And brefly betwixt al suche thynges as the vnsure amitie of this worlde hath ioyned and knyt together Let the auctoritie of philosophersbe of smale estimation vnles the same sentence thoughe in other wordes be expreslye spoken in holye scripture That philosophers calleth reson Paule sometime the spirite some time the inwarde man sometime the lawe of the minde That they cal the affections he calleth sometime the flesshe sometyme the body somtime the exterior man and the lawe of the membres Sayenge in one place walke after the spirite and ye shall not committe the desyres of the flesshe For the fleshe desyreth against the spyrite and the spirite against the flesshe Therfore doo not those thynges whiche you carnally desyre And in an other place If you lyue after the fleshe ye shal die but if you mortifie and subdue the deedes of the fleshe you shall liue Suerly it is a strange thynge and a newe alteration that peace shoulde be soughte in battell and battell in peace life in deathe and death in lyfe libertie and fredome in seruitude and bondage And bondage and seruitude in libertie and freedome Of bondage Paule speaketh this I chastice my body and brynge it in seruitude And of libertie in an other place if we folow the leading of the spirite we are not vnder the bondage yoke of the lawe And againe he saith I perceiue a law in my membres re◅tynge the lawe of my mynde and aboute to brynge me in thraldome vnder the lawe which is in my membres It is red also of the exteriour and interiour man Plato put two soules in one man And Paule in the same manne putteth two men soo annexed and ioyned together that the one can not be without the other neither in ioye ne in payne And againe they be so disceuered and deuyded that the death to the one is life to thother And to this also maye be referred that he wryteth to the Corynthyans sayenge The fyrst man was made a lyuing soule the seconde a quickeninge or geuinge life The spiritual part was not first made but the beastely The first manne was of the earth earthely the seconde of heauen heauenly Earthly men folowe the condycions of the earthly And heuenly the condicions
exercise your selfe after this maner It shall not much be peyneful vnto you to resist themotions of your ennemies but also you shall perceiue greate fruite and pleasure For as muche as by this holsome remembraunce you shall vnderstande that you be conformate to your head and shal so recompence him his great paynes and punishmente whiche he suffered for your sake ¶ The. xvii Rule howe greate a helpe to resyste synne is to remember howe detestable a thinge synne is And though this be the most redy and present remedye agaynste all kynde of temptation yet it shal greatly pro fyte to suche as be weake and infyrme if they diligentely remember when they are moued and inti sed to synne Howe fylthy howe pestilente howe abhomynable a thynge syn is And contrary how noble and excelent the dignytie of man is In trifles and matters of smalle valewe we councell and take good aduisemente with oure selfe And in so weightie a matter shal we not diligently remember with oure selfe before wee bynde vs to the deuyll by oure consent as by oure wrytynge and obligations Howe marueilouselie wee were created in how excelent condicion and degree set aboue other creatures Howe preciousely we are redemed frome captiuitie and tiranie of sinne and to how great ioye and felicitie we be called and ordeyned Shall we not also remember and recorde in oure myndes that man is that gentyll and honorable beaste for whose cause almighty god created made this vniuersal world that maÌ„ is the citizen of angels the sonne of god the heire of immortalitie a member of Christ. And that the bodye of a christen man is the temple of the holy ghoste and the sowle or mind of man is the similitude and image of almighty god the secret chamber of the deuinitie And contrarye that synne is the miserable destruction and pestilent infection bothe of the bodye and sowle the deadly poyson of oure moste cruel ennemie the bayte of the deuyll and the erneste and pledge of oure moste miserable and beastely seruitude and bondage and after you haue thus diligently remembryd with your selfe then take good ad uisemeÌ„t whether it be coÌ„uenyente or profytable for so disceitful poisoned short delectation of syn to fal froÌ„ so gret dignitie noblenes vnto such indygnitie and mysery from the which thou canste not at thy pleasure delyuer thy selfe ¶ The. xviii Rule to auoyde sin by and by comparing the. ii heades together videlicet God and the deuyll ANd after ye haue this substaÌ„ cially aduysed counsayled with your selfe it shalbe necessary that you coÌ„pare confer together the two disagreyng and farre vnlyke heades and capitaynes god and the deuyll by synne thou makest the one thine ennemie and the other thy lord and master By innocency and grace of godâ—… 〈◊〉 art ascrybed into the number and â—…lender of the frendes of god â–ª and adopted vnto the ryght and hâ—…ytage of the chyldren of god But by synne thou arte made and constituted the seruaunte and sonne of the deuyll The one is that eternall sprynge and fountayne verye image of the highest beautie gretest pleasure and moste excellente goodnes comynge and deuyding him selfe to all men The other is father and auctour to al vices extreme myschiefe and greatest infe licitie Remember the goodnesse and benefites of god towarde the remember also the malyce and mis chiefe of the deuyll Consyder by how great goodnes almighty god dyd create thee Howe mercyfully he redemed thee howe lyberally he hath indued thee How gentyl ly he â—…ereth and susteyneth thee dayly â—…ffendynge and displeasyng his goodnes howe ioyfully he recâ—…ueth the amending thine offen ces CoÌ„trary cal diligently to thy remeÌ„braunce howe enuiously the dyuyll hatyth thy helthe in what miserie and wretchednes he hath in time past deiected the and how he dailye labourith to bringe man to eternal dampnation And after thou haste diligentlie ponderyd comparyd these thinges in thy remembraunce thinke farther with thy selfe after this maner Shall I vnkindly and vnnaturally forgetfull of my beginning forgetful of so great benefites towards me for so little and vaine pleasure for sake so noble so louinge so beneficiall a father and geue my selfe in bondage to so enuious and cruel a master shal I not render vnto my maker creatoure almyghty god that thing whiche shame bindeth me to render vnto a man beynge good beneficial vnto me Shal I not abhorre and fiye the deuyll whiche naturally doth flie a man being hurtfull and euyll vnto me ¶ The. xix Rule for the absteining from synne is to haue in oure remembraunce the myseryes of thys worlde FUrthermore haue dilygently in your remeÌ„braunce how ful of trouble and wretchednes how fraile and vncertaine this present life is And how subtillye deathe on euerie side awaiteth man And diuers times sodenly and vnware oppresseth man when no man is suer to lyue one moment or instant of an houre howe peryllous ieoperdous it is to defer or prolonge that life that is to say to continue in sinne in the whiche if sodayne death as it many times hapneth apprehend or take thee thou diest eternally ¶ The. xx Rule to beware of Impenytencye FInally Impenitencie is gretly to be feared For asmuch as of so great a company verye fewe trewly and with all their harte ryse agayne from sin Specially such as prolonge and defer theyr contynuance in synne to the later ende of their lif The discence and fal vnto syn is very slipper and easie but it is harde and great difficulty to ascend againe from sinne And therfore it shalbe very necessary to euery christen man before he discend vnto the depe pit dungion of syn That he diligently remeÌ„ber that the returne againe froÌ„ sinne is very harde and laborous And that he cannot without speci al grace ryse againe at pleasure ¶ Here folowith certaine speciall remedies against certaine speciall vices and sinnes and first against Lechery HYtherto after my sim ple and grose maner I haue declared vnto you certaine generall remedies against all kynd of vice commonly Nowe af ter my capacitie lernyng I shal also prescrybe vnto you certayne specyall remedyes by the whyche you may be the more able to with stand the. vii pryncipall or dedly synnes And fyrst agaynst the syn of lechery for asmuch as this syn of al other so much inuadith man most sharply assautith him and is most common and bryngith moste men to dystruccyon and myschefe And therefore if this fylthy pleasure prycke or inflame thy sowle remeÌ„ber continuallye to arme thy selfe with this armoure and to re sist it First call to thy remeÌ„brance howe impuer how beastly how greatly vnbeseming and vncomly vnto man this fonde pleasure and voluptuousnes is which equalith vs the creature and unage of allmighty god vnto the vilest of the brute and vnresonable beastes as swine dogges gotes such other and not
of the first heauenly And this I speak welbelouyd for that neither the fleshe ne the bloud shal possesse the kingedome of heauen neither thinges corruptible or incorruption Here you maye euydently se that what Paule in one place called the exteriourman and the fleshe whiche is corruptyble In another place he calleth it the earthely Adam And suerlye this is the same flesh the same body of death where with he was troubled when he sayde O vnhappye creature who shall delyuer me from the body of this death And of the fruites bothe of the spiryte and of the fleshe whiche be muche diuers he writeth saieng He that soweth in the flesshe shall gather corruption of the flesshe And he that soweth of the spiryte shall of the spirite gather euerlasting life O happy and fortunate manne in whom this earthelie Adam is so mortified and subdewed that it in no wise resysteth the spirite But whether this perfecte quietenesse and tranquilitie maye fortune to any man in this worlde I wil not affyrme Peraduenture it is not necessary to be For Paule in this lyfe not withstandinge his hyghe perfection and grace had a mocion of the fleshe to vexe and dystrou ble him And when he thryse desired god to be delyuered from the sayde mocion He onely had this aunswere Paule my grace is suf ficient for vertue is made perfite by vexation Paul was vexed by pryde that he shuld not be proud To be perfit and strong in god he was caused to be weake and feeble For he caryed the treasure of heuenly reuelation in a frayle and bryckell vessell that the honoure and victory shulde onely be in the power and mighte of God not in him selfe This one exaumple of Paule is erudition and learninge to vs in many things First when we be moued and tised to syn that we diligently cal to almighty god by prayer Furthermore that to trewe christian men temptations be not only profitable but also necessary for the preseruation of ver tue Finally that when all the other motions be subdued then the mocions of pryde and vayneglorye are most to be feared which in the myddes of vertue priuelye awayteth vs. After that man hath mortifyed the flesshe and subdued the concupicence of the same TheÌ„ shal he se god and tast god that he is swete God is not seene in the fierce and boisteous winde of temtacion but after man hath resisted and valiantlye oppressyd the suggestions of his ennemies Then foloweth a delectable smale blaste of ghostly comforte and consolacion Which when you shal perceue then quikly awayt with your inwarde eyes and you shall se god well knowe that he hathe made safe for you ¶ Of the thre partes in man the spiryte the sowle and the fleshe These myght be thought more then sufficient but that you maye the more playnlye knowe what man is I shall brieflye declare vnto you what deuision Oxygen maketh of man And to be shorte he maketh three partes in man The body or the fleshe as the lowest parte of man in the which by the offence of the firste parente Adam the cruell and subtyll serpente the deuyll sowed the lawe of synne into the sowle of man By the which he is prouokid to sinne ouercome by the deuill and bonde in sinne The spirite by the which man dothe expresse the very similitude of the nature of god In the which also the highe creatour and maker of al thinges out of the inwarde secretes of his minde with his own finger that is to say his spirite dyd write the eternal law of vertue honestie By this portion also Man is adioyned and made one with god After these he putteth the thyrde parte as a middle or a meane betwene the. ii other which is a receiuour of the naturall meuinges or felynges This parte as in a factious or sedicious cytie is moued and intysed of both partes and is at libertie to whether it wyll encline If it forsake the fleshe and folow the spirite then shall it be spirituall But if it followe the desires and â—…upidities of the fleshe it shalbe al so fleshely And that ment sayncte Paule when he sayd Know you for trouthe that he that cleaueth to an harlotte is made oone body with her and he that cleaueth to god is made one spirite with him This harlot is the slipper and vn stedfast parte of man which is the fleshe Of whom it is spoken of in the seconde booke of Prouerbes withdrawe the from the strange woman whiche maketh her wordes softe and forsaketh the capytayne of her youthe and hath forgotten the couenaunte shee made with god Her house is al deadly her pathes bryngeth to hel They that folowe her shall not obteyne the pathe of lyfe And he that forsaketh her shalbe saued Then the spirite maketh manne godlye the fleshe maketh beastely The soule maketh man liuynge the spirite good and vertuouse the flesshe euyll and vngracious the soule ma keth neither good ne euyl the spirite seketh heauenly thynges the fleshe swete and pleasaunte The soule necessary the spirite lyfteth to heauen the fleshe depresseth to hel The soule of the spirit or flesh taketh merite or demerite what so euer is fleshely is vicious that which is spiritual is parfite that which is of the soule is mean and indifferent will you that I more playnly discriue to youe the difference betwixte these partes You honoure and feare your parentes you loue youre chyldren and frendes it is not so muche ver tuous to do these thinges as it is sinne not to doe them For whye should not you beynge a christian man do those thinges which infidels and beastes doo onely by instinct of nature That which man dothe of nature is not worthie rewarde But it so chauncith that other you must not regard the reue rence towardes youre parentes neglecte dispyse the loue of your children or els displease god In this case what is to be done the sowle is in dought the flesshe mouithe in the one side the spirite in the other The spirite perswadeth that god is better then thy father and more to be regardid the fleshe contrary maketh suggestion You owe your parentes your naturall being And in case you obey them not you shalbe disheritid and com moÌ„ly called vnnatural vnkind lose not your goodes disteyne not your name as for god other he seethe not or he wil not see and at the leaste he wyll sone be pleased Nowe the soule is in doubte and standethe amasyd if it inclyne to the flesshe dispise the spirite it is one bodye with it And if it folow the spyryte it is transmutyd in to the spirite It is great erroure to exteme that absolute vertu which is of nature Some of nature are little moued or intised to the pleasures of the bodye Let them not iudge theÌ„ selues verteous for that which is indifferent For the laud of
countenauÌ„ces must be counterfeyted iniuries of their betters must not be spoken of Finally what kinde of vices and mi sery aboundyth not in the Court Farthermore what pain labour taketh the marchant what paine and ieoberdy suffereth he both by land and water to aduoide pouertie In maryage howe great vexacion and busines In common offices what paine and pensiuenes Whether soeuer you loke you shal perceaue a greate companie of incommodites The life of man is al full of wretchednes Indifferentlie comen bothe to good and euill shalbe meritorious to them whiche walke the way of christ They that folowe the worlde first howe manie yeres labor they and swete they for transitorie thinges of no valew then what doutful thinges haue they furthermore how vnsure ende haue they of their laboures The more they laboure the more greuously are they troubled And to conclude the ende of their laboure is eternal deth Goâ—… nowe and compare thys worldly lyfe wyth the waye of vertue whiche after man hathe enteryd wereth delectable and pleasaunt and the ende of this waye is eternall life What extreme madnesse is it then to desyre to gette by equall laboure rather eternal deth than immortall lyfe And in case that the way of vertu were more laborous then the waye of the worlde yet the sharpenes of the laboure is eased by the hope of the rewarde and the inspiration and comfort of god is euer ready whi che causethe that all bitternes is turned into sweetenesse In the worlde businesse commithe of businesse and sorowe commith of sorowe Outward labour and vexation inwarde grudge and disquietnes of concience And where the concience is vnquyet ther lackith no misery The bondage yocke of sinne is vntollerable and painfull in the ende The yoke of christ is plesaunt and delectable And therfor Christ saith in Mathew Take vpon you my yoke and you shall finde reste to youre sowles But nowe shall not that lord and capitaine with all myght and diligence be forsakyn and despysed whiche is not onely deformid and fowle but moste false and deceytfull whiche desireth so vniust labours promysith so vayn and vnprofitable rewards and yet decey â—…ith for most part these myserable wretches of them Or if he performe them he pull them awaye agayn at his pleasure and so vexythe hys seruauntes with more payne in lesyng of them then they had in the gettynge None wyth suer and stedfast mynde purposith to vertue but he obtaynethe Farthermore when youe forsake the worlde and folowe Chryste remember dylygentelie that youe lose not the commodities and plea sures of this worlde if theie bee plesures But permute change thinges of smale valew for moch better What man in this worlde wolde not gladlie change a lytell siluer for muche golde shales and huskes for precyous stones Peraduentur sum wil say your ryches by this meanes shall be dimynyshed but those riches againe shall increase whyche neyther mothes canne waste ne theeues take awaie You shal cease to be in repu tacion and regarde of this world but Christe shal rewarde you and haue you in reputacion you please the fewer but the better your bodye waxeth leane but the sowle fat the beuti of your skin decaieth but the bewty of your soule increa seth And brefely there shalbe no coÌ„moditie of this world forsakin whyche shall not be recompensyd with much better And as for such thinges whiche can not be desired without sin yet possessid had without sinne as laude and praise of the people fauoure loue honor and suche other coÌ„monly vnloked for happen to suche as seeke the kyngdome of heauen Prayse for the moste parte folowethe them which regardeth her not and flyeth from them which seketh her Suerlye what so euer happen to them whiche loueth it can not be but plesant To whom loue is tur ned to profyt punishment to comforte infamy and rebuke to glory payne into pleasure bytter into swete euill into good ¶ The fowrth Rule is that in all oure acts and order of oure liuynge we prefyxe Christ as the onely marcke wherat we shote BUt that youe maye kepe a more dyrecte waie and suere course to the path of eternal felici tie the fourthe rule shalbe that in al the actes and order of your lyuinge you prfixe Christe as the onlie marck and ende to the whiche you may apply all your actes study labor and diligence Inforsinge and faithfully beleuing that Christ is no idle ne vaine worde or voice but planely singnifieth and is charitie mekenes pacieÌ„ce clennesse and all thinges that he taughte The deuyll contrarye sygnifyethe and is all that calleth and moueth from Christ. He goith towarde christe that foloweth vertue And he that seruythe sinne â–ª makith him self bonde to the deuill Let the inwarde affection whiche is called the eye or intent be clene al the bodi which is the work shalbe clene bewtiful In tend christ and loke alwai to him as to the onely and speciall god So that you loue nothing desyre nothinge but for vertues sake Ab horre nothing fle nothing but on ly syn and for sinne Thus doinge what so euer you do whether you slepe wake eat drynke praye or laboure shalbe profitable to you turne you to merite and rewarde But if your affection be darke vn pure vnclene and other way inteding then to Christe what so euer you doe shalbe vnprofytable and pestilent For it is offence to doe a good thinge not well Brefely all thinges as they hinder or further the iorney of vertue must be foloed forsaken And of such things ther is thre folde order Some be so vicious that they cannot be ver teous As to wil euil to any man to reuenge iniurye and such other And these be alway to be dispised what profytte or losse so euer they pretend to haue for nothinge can hurte a good man but onely sin Some thinges again be so good that they can in no wyse be euyll as to will well to euery creature to preferre and help your frendes in all honesty to hate vice and to haue pleasure in vertuous coÌ„munication Some be meane and of theÌ„ selfes neither good ne euil as learning frendship health bewetye strength riches suche other whiche as they most further our to Christe so be they most iourneyto be desyred and as they hynder oure iorneye so be they moste to be dispised Learning helpyth more to vertue then rychesse bewtye or strengthe of the body and though all lernynge maye be referred to Christ yet one more nere then an other â–ª FroÌ„ this ende that is christ measure the profite and disprofite of all suche thinges as be meane you wishe and desyre learnyng of gentls that by the helpe and con ducte thereof you maye attayne the knowledge of god priuely hid in holy scripture and after duelye loue him and so communicat him
to Abraham The symple daughters of Loth seinge they sawe the vniuersall or hole worlde perceyuing of so greate a multitude none remaynynge but theyr father and them self fearing least the kynde of man shuld vtter lye haue peryshed and decaie of a vâ—…hemente loue and zeale to the countenance of mankynd secretly laye with their father and at that time when this commandemente was freshe and in remembrance Increase you and multiplye the worlde And darest thou with the facte or dede of these maydens coÌ„pare thy monstruous pleasures lecherous actes Dauid also after so many vertuous examples and noble actes once commytted aduoutrey and thinkest thou it laufull to the to continue all thy lyfe in fil thy pleasure and voluptuous nes of the flesshe Peter for feare of death once denied Christ shalt thou therefore for euery trifle forswere thy selfe Mathewe once coÌ„maundid by almighty god forsoke his occupacion and office the suerty of his liuinge and folowed Christe And yet so many exaumples of holye Saynctes the commaundementes of the gospel so often rehersed so many sermoÌ„s and holsome predications can not reuoke thy gredy appetite and coue tousnes of the worlde Uertuous behauyoure and honesty hath con tinually decayed sith we haue coloured our vices with thename of vertue And haue ben more quick to defend our abhomination then diligent to amende it And meinteined our froward opinioÌ„s with fayned and false defence of holye scripture And therfore good christen man followe not the common fashions and opinions of men but folowe Christe the onely auctour and example of vertuouse liuing and as for thy outwarde behauyour concerning maners apply thy selfe to all men so that thy intent and purpose be stedfaste and suer towardes god and his trueth to the intente thou mayste wynne all men to Chryst. ¶ The. vii Rule howe to labour to obteyne that whiche is nerest to a spirituall lyfe BUt if our weakenesse of nature and infancie of Faythe can not attaine to the very parfect and spiritual life we must at the least labour and inforce to obteine that whiche is nerest to the sayde parfecte and spirituall lyfe The very trewe and compendiouse waye to eternall felycitie is vtterly to con uerte oure hole mynde and intente to the loue and desyre of heauenly thynges That as the body naturally hath adioined and associated vnto it his shadowe so the loue of christ the loue of vertue and heuenly thynges maye acompanye bring with theÌ„ hatred vice and disdaine of worldly things fraile and vncertaine The one of these necessarylye foloweth the other increaseth or discreaseth with the other For the more you profyt in the loue of Chryst the more shall you hate the world And the more you desier thinges which be inuisible the lesse pleasure shall you haue in thinges that be visible vn stable and vnsure And therefore that thynge whiche Quintilian counsayleth to be folowed in learning we must also folowe in vertuouse liuynge that is that wee from the beginninge inforce and intende to the best The which if by weakenes of nature we can not obteyn the next is that we ware ly and wisely absteyne from notable and open vices and sinnes as muche as shal lye in your power For as the body moste weake and brought lowe but ryd and cleane from hurtfull humours is moste nere the natural helth so the soule not defiled with gret and notable vices is more redy to receaue the giftes of god althoughe it lacke yet the power and perfyt vertue If we be weake and not able to folowe in our liuing the holy Apostells Marters and Uirgins let vs at the least not committe that that heathen and vnchristen men maye be sene to excell and passe vs in vertue Of the whiche dyuers when thei neither knew god whoÌ„ they shoulde loue ne beleuyd that hel was which they should feare Thought and decreyd that vice sinne was vtterly for it selfe to be lefte and auoidyd insomuch that they had leather leese their name riches life then to disceuer from morall vertue If sin of him self be so abhominable of that nature that infidells for no profyt or disprofyt would commit it Trewly thoughe neither the iustice of god might feare him ne the godnes of god disswade exhort him nother the hope of eternal lyfe ne feare of eternal payne reuoke him nother the natural fylthynes of sin withdraw him which onely did withdraw diuers gentylls at the leste the diuers and many incommodyties whiche commonly followe a sinner in this worlde should feare a christen man from commission of sinne that is to saye infamy wast and consumption of his goodes possessions pouerty contempt and hatred of all good men trouble dtsquietnes of minde finally that miserable grudge and vexation of concience the whiche though many men perceaue not ne fele forthe with other obscured by dulnesse of age or drowned in pleasure of â—…n yet they shal fele perceaue it at length the later the more dauÌ„gerous more to their pain And therfore young men ar diligently to be admonished that they rather beleeue by informacion of others that this is the nature coÌ„dicion of sin theÌ„ to lerne proue it by experieÌ„ce in theÌ„ selues And that by sinne they defile not their lyfe before they knowe plainelye what thing the life is If thou regardest not Christe which boughte the so derelye abstaine yet from vice for thy nowne sake and thoughe it be very daungerous to coÌ„tinew long in this meane waye which is onlye to absteyne from notable and common vices yet to them which cannot ascende to the highe perfec tion it is muche more commenda ble to consist in the polyticall and morall vertue Then headling to runne through all kinde of vices In this concisteth not the parfect felicitie and in this state almightie god is diligentely to be called vpon by praier that it may please hym to helpe and further vs in hygher perfection ¶ The eight Rule howe to resist temptacions IF thou perceiue that the storme of teÌ„ptacion dothe very often and greuously assaute the dysmaye not therefore thy selfe ne be displesed with thy self as though almyghty god nothyng regarded thee but rather thanke him that he instructethe and teacheth thee as one to be his eyer that he punisheth and correcteth thee as his moste dere sonne that he prouith and assayeth the as his well beloued frende It is a manyfeste and great token that man is reiect froÌ„ the mercy and fauour of god when he is troubled withe no temptacion In thy temptacion remember the holy apostell S. Paul which rapte to the misteries of the thyrd heauen was troubled and vexyd with the auâ—…gell of Satan remeÌ„ ber the temptacion and trouble of the holy man Iob Saint Ierom and other Saintes whiche were greuously troubled with their offences Sithe this thinge which thou sufferyst is common to
onely equallethe vs vnto them but bryngeth and deiecteth vs far vnder their condicyon and degre which be preordinate to the company of angelles and fruition of diuinitie Remember also how shorte and deceitfull this pleasure is hauing alway much more bitternes then delectacion and pleasuer Contrary consider how precious a thing the soule is howe excellent the body of man is accor ding as I haue shewed you in the generall rules What fondnes is it then for so fylthy delectacion of so vnsure and vnstable pleasure so vngoodlely to polute bothe body and soule and to defyle that temple or suspende it the which oure sauiour Iesu christ did consecrate to him self with his most precious bloud Consider also what company of greuous incoÌ„moditys and displeasures foloweth this flattering pestilence and couert poison First it taketh away from a man his good name fame for be thou assuryd the rumour of Lechery is much more abhominable then of any other vice It consumeth also and wasteth the substance and patrimony of mans body it kylleth and destroieth both strengthe and bewty of the body It hurteth and hindereth the healthe of the body ingendreth dyuers sycknes and lothely soores it hastneth age before a due tyme and debateth the flowre and lustines of youthe It dulleth the quicknes and felicitie of the witte it withdraweth the minde of man from al vertuous honest occupacions or studies and drowneth him so in durt and filthi nesse that he hath no pleasure to think or remember any thing but such as is filthy beastly and vyle Finally it takithaway that thing which is the very properte of maÌ„ and by the which only maÌ„ is man that is to say the vse of reason It pulleth out or extirpeth the godly mynd infundeth a beastly mind it causith youthe to be infamous wyld vnruly age to be suspectyd myserable and lothelye Beware therfore and refrayn thy self from thys fond voluptuousnes by the exaumple of other whom thou hast known or hard by such lewde nes to haue fallen into sycknesse pouertie and misery And corage or stomake thy selfe to the vertue of chastitie by the exaumple of so many younge women lusty men which thou shalt rede in histories very tenderly brought vp and delicately norished to haue kept cha stitie Why shouldest thou not do that thing which they did and no doubte thou shalte do as they did Remember with thy selfe how flo rishing how pleasaunt and honest a thing the chastitie and cleannes of minde and of the body is which maketh vs familiar with the angelles and pleasant vessels of the holy ghost Be thou insured the de uine spirite and holy ghoste most faithful louer of chastitie and clen nes fleith noo vice so greatly as the vice of vncleannes ne delighteth or resteth any where so gladly as in puer and virginall members Consider howe vncomelye how folishe beastly it is to loue fondely to waxe pale to be leane to wepe and lament to flatter and speake fayre to be lowly and plyante to a stinking harlot to singe all nyght at her gates or doores and to depend at the commaundement of your fonde mystres to be vnder the gouernaunce of a lyght and leude woman to complayne to be angry and sodeÌ„ly to be agre ed agayne to suffer thy selfe wylfully to be deluded to be beaten to be spoyled and vtterly to kyll thy soule for the coÌ„tentacion of a leude woman Where is amonge these thinges the name of a man wher the remeÌ„brance of the berd wher that honest and ientil mind borne and predestinate to noble acts and goodly matters Consyder also what flocke and company of vices foloweth this beastelye pleasure comitted and vsid If it seme but light to followe this wantonnesse and pleasure of the body yet remeÌ„ ber with thy selfe howe great and greuous an offence it is to be disobedient to thy parentes to dispise the holsom admonitions and couÌ„celles of thy frendes to consume prodigally dispend thy substaÌ„ce and heritage to take diâ—…ceitfully other mennes goodes to forswere thy selfe wyllingly to drynke all riotousely to chide and braule to be a quareller to fight to commit homicide to blaspheme and slaunder Into the whiche and worse this filthy beastly pleasure shal deiecte thee if she once ouercome the and thou become her seruant Consider furthermore how fraile and vncertain this present life is and how diuers ways death lieth in waite from whose violence no time no place maye defende thee Remember the suertie and ryghtuosnes of the last iudgement and that feareful sentence neuer to be reuoked goe you cursed people into the eternal fier of hel And how this little short vayne pleasure shal vndoutedly be punished with eternall punishment Remember that thy good aungell deputed to be thy keper is alway present beholdinge and testifyenge all that thou thinkest or doest Remember that almighty god also beholdeth the vnto whose sight all thinges be open And shalte thou not be ashamed to do y c thing in the sighte of almighty god and all the company of heauen which thou arte ashamed to do in the sight of man Beleue plainly that if thou hadst a thousand eies were as quicke of sighte as the Egle yet couldest thou not more clerely se that thiÌ„g which man dothe in thy presence then almighty god plainely seeth the secrets and inwardes of thye minde and harte And to be briefe the speciallest and surest remedye against the teÌ„ptacions of the flesh be these First diligently to auoide and flye all such occasion and company as soliciteth and moueth to the said vice Seconde moderate diet and mesurable slepe Thirde temperaunce and abstinence from temptacion and pleasures permit ted and suffered Finally the remeÌ„brance of death and contemplacion of the pashion and punishment of Christ. It shal also greatly profyt thee against the sayde temptacion to liue kepe company with such as be chast vertuous and honest And to fle and auoide corrupt and vnchast communicacion to fle idelnes and trifling occupacions to occupy thy minde busely with honeste studies and meditacion of heauenly matters Specially to exercise and vse thy selfe in reding of holy scripture And to be often in puer and deuout praier ¶ A remedy against the mocion of Auarice IF thou perceue that thou art eyther of nature propence and disposed to the sinne of couetouse or else intised and moued to the same of the ennemy the deuil remeÌ„ber the noblenes and dignitie of thy condi â—…ion and that thou arte only creatyd redemyd to this vse to haue the possessyon of the ioy celestiall and eternall fruycion of almyghtye god And that he creatyd and formyd all this worlde to thy vse and commoditie Howe vncomely is it theÌ„ and how filthi not to vse and dispose these earthely dounge and vile thinges but so greatly to loue and kepe them Take awaye the erronious opinion