must bestowe those daies in reading good bookes hearing sermons and such like godly exercises not lightly running ouer theÌ„ thinking it enough to haue read or heard good things but pawsing vpoÌ„ such thinges as moue my affectioÌ„ and pâ—inting them wel in my mind and memory Because I am like to be troubled with coÌ„pany more those daies theÌ„ others I must endeuour to recompence in this sort First by often lifting vp my hart to God in talke Secondly by striuing against occasions of euill speech and by not yeldinge to speake of other folkes faultes Thirdly in seekinge when occasioÌ„ serueth to helpe those I talke with by mine example or wordes And finally to make my talke agreeable to the rules of conuersation On principall Feastes it is conuenient to prepare my selfe before hand for them to liue a day or two before as it were in expectation of them desiring the presence and solemnity of that day wherein God doth most aboundantly bestowe his graces that hauing heretofore bene slacke in his seruice I may that day beginne of newe to take hart and courage to amend my life by the helpe and prayers of that Saint or by the meritte and benefitte of that action of Christ the holy day shall be For Confession and Receiuinge EVery sonday and high feast and all the festiual daies of Christ our Lady the Apostles and such other principall holy daies I must prepare my selfe the day before to receiue On Saterdaie at night or on the eue if occasion serue I must go to confession and withall diligence the neerer the time commeth of receauing the more wary must I be of my behauiour I must go to confession twice in a weeke Wednesday and Saterday at night when there commeth not a great holy day or some other day When I want meanes to goe to confession I must notwithstanding at my vsuall times prepare my selfe and to almighty God make euen in wordes the same confession that I would to my ghostly father for though it bee not a Sactament without absolution of a true Preâ—st yet is it a godly thing good to keep me in vre and my conscience in awe Euery yeare twice once about Christmas if I may vpon Newyeers day or Epiphany and another time about S. Mary Magdalens day I must make a generall confession of the halfe yeare last past so from time to time taking those two times especiallie to renewe my selfe to remember Gods goodnesse towardes me and to beginne with newe feruor more earnestly to serue him as my duety and his benefits require I must also compare one time with an other and see whether I goe forward or backwards in Gods seruice and endeuour euery halfe yeare to gaine some ground of my selfe and to amend some one imperfection When I make my generall confession if I haue one certaine ghostly father I must yeild vp an account of my conscience concerning thâ—se points following First how I find my selfe affected in Gods serâ—â—ce and whether I finde a conâ—entment and delight therein or rather a tediousnes and dulnes Secondlie what praiers I vse to saie and howe much time I spende therein and what taste or trouble I feele in the same Thirdly what temptations and passions I am most troubled withal what meanes I doe vse to resist them Fourthlie what imperfections I am most prone vnto what vertu I cheifly labour to attaine and which I haue most facility to practise Fiftly what mortification I doe vse to break mine own will and what other chaâ—â—isement to mortify my body Sixtly what desire I finde in my self to amend my former faultes and to begin a better course Seauenthly how I find my selfe for my resignation of mind to Gods will and for suffering and losse punishment sicknes or disgrace that he should lay vpon me Lastly how my health is aggreable to my exercises and whether I find not my body or mind ouercharged with too much praier penance or such other actions of deuotion These thinges are conuenient to be vttered that the pastour knowing the estate disease force or weakenes of his sheepe may be the abler discreetly to direct it Euery weeeke IN the beginning of the weeke I must foreâ—see what holy daies there are in the same that I may the better prepare my selfe for theÌ„ Also in the beginning of the weeke I must thinke whether I haue any extraordinary business temporall or spirituall to doe that hauing a foresight of it I may remember it and prouide the better for it When I reade my rules I may omitte the reading of other bookes vnlesse leisure serue me to doe both I must twice a weeke at the least go see into the offices of the house and suruey the houshold booke but if I haue the gouernemeÌ„t of it wholy in mine owne handes I must doe it oftener hauinge regarde that wasâ—e lauishing be auoided frugality vsed and behauing my selfe in the demeaning of temporal thinges rather as a stewarde or bailife of an others goods then an owner of mine own seing that in truth I must at my dyâ—â—g day be liable to God how I haue spent euery farthing I must â—uery weeke read some part of this rule of good life so deuiding it that at the moneths ende I may haue read alâ— seeking to print these spirituall directions in my mind and endeuouring to put them in daily practise Of Rules in sickenesse THE SEAVENTH Chapter IF my sicknesse be great I neede not vse any vocall praiers at all more then in the morning to commend my selfe to God with a 〈◊〉 and Aue and Creede or if I cannot well say so much now and then I must call vpon God with short praiers as Lord Iesus saue me Lorde strengthen me Lord grant me patience and such like In sicknesse when I can beare it it will be good sometimes to haue a part of some good booke read vnto me but yet not much for feare of hurting my health As in health I ought to be obedient to my superiours by diligent obseruation of my rules to shew my duety towardes God so in my sickenes I must be contented to be ruled by the phisitions and such as haue caâ—e of me in thinges belonging to my bodily health must perswade my selfe that in that time one chiefe rule I haue to obserue is to be patient and tractable which in such case counteruaileth the merite of all my vsuall exercises I must also assure my selfe that I doe God good seruice when I doe any necessarie thing and take any conuenient recreation that may further my health I must take heede of being testy or froward which sicknes for the most part doth cause thinking that how much paine soeuer I suffer Christ suffered far more for my sake and farre more had I suffered long since in Hell if God had dealte with me as I diserued So soone as I fall sicke I must procure that I be confessed and if my sicknes continue long I
occasions of being interrupted as nere as I may In praier I must obserue these thinges In the first beginning I am to consider the presence of God and of his Saints Secondly for the better procuring of atteÌ„tion to take my good Angell or some other Saint as it were to say with me Thirdly I must thinke a few well saide better then many hastiely shufled ouer It is good sometime to omitt some vocall praiers and to spend the time in meditation of some part of Christes passion or of his life or of mine owne sinnes as the booke of meditation giueth notice After praier on woorking daies I must go presently about some woork or exercise that may be of some profitte and of all other things take heede of idlenes the mother of all vices Towardes eleuen if company other more weighty causes will permit I may say my beades and call to mind how I haue spent the morning asking God grace to spend the afternoone better Dinner times on flesh daies may be eleuen on fasting daies towards twelue of the clocke When I am called to dinner I must thinke for what ende I am to eate that is to helpe nature and not to content mine owne appetite I must learne my little children if I haue any to say some short grace or at the least I must say grace to my selfe and when I am set before I lay hande to my trencher I many pause a while and in my mind desire God to giue me temperance and mindâ—ulnes of his presence At meales I must neither bee too curious or doubtful of what I eate neither too precise in the quantitie finenes or coursnes of the meate but of that which God hath sent take a coÌ„petent meale measurable to my neede not hurtfull to my health After dinner I must thaÌ„ke God for his gifts remembring that he hath fed me for this end that I shoulde be more able to serue him and doe my duety and when I retire to my chamber it is good to say some short prayer of thankesgiuing desiring God to make mee thankfull for all his benefits I must remember that many haue wanted that which I haue had and woulde haue beene glad of my leauings and therfore I ought to haue care and regard of the poore procuring somethinge for them some times goeing my selfe to see them serued considering Christ in their persons If I haue straungers I may keep them company talke friendly merily with them as occasion shall serue directing my behauiour agreable to my former rules of conuersation and hauing this intention in my talke that amity and loue may bee maintained and all breach vnkindnes auoided I must if time and place will permit me be alwaies doing some profitable thinge to auoide slouth directing mine intention in all my exercises to this end that I may auoide idlenes and temptations and bestowe my time in good sort to Gods glorie After dinner I must call to mind whether I haue any promise to performe or any other busines to do that is not ordinary that I neither forget the thinge nor time appointed for it About three of the clocke in winter and fouâ—e in sommer I may go to Euensong and vse the same order of my morning ptaier It is good for me sometimes to goe about the roomes of the house and to see that they be kept cleane and handsome thinking that God is delighted in cleanenesse both bodily and ghostly detesteth sluttishnesse as a thinge which he permitteth as a punishment of sinne and one of the scourges of hell A little before supper it will be good to read some parte of some good booke procuring to take some benefitte by it and continuing in one book vntil I haue read it ouer and then begin some new and if I haue any booke that I would ofteÌ„ read I may take some time from my worke or the holy daies to reade a part thereof but the time before supper it is good to spend in continuing that which I haue begun and when one is ended to begin an other When company hindereth me from doing these things at their due times I need not be much troubled for omitting the rest so that my praiers be saied but in such occuâ—â—ants in steed of that I should haue done I must seeke to make my conuersatioÌ„ meritorious by hauing a good intention and often renuing of the same and by watchfulnes to auoid all offence of God leauing him in one exercise to serue him in an other as he apointeth occasioÌ„s to fal out Supper time maie be sixe drinking times on fasting daies seauen of the clocke When I am called to supper I must remember what my intention ought to be and to take the same course that is prescrâ—â—â—â—d for dinner After supper I may talke as occasion shall serue or walk for my health or read some pleasant yet profitable booke as Catholik histories or such like Towards the howre of going to bed I muâ—â—e examne my selfe first whether my promises or appointments concerninge extraordinary things and busines be performed if I haue forgotten any necessary thing I must take order to remember it that I forget it not the second time This done I must examine my conscience touching the thoughtes wordes deedes of that day especially concerning the purposes that I haue made in the morninge and how I haue obserued these rules and what faultes I haue committed of any moment After I haue examined my conscience and saied my prayers it is good to abstaine from talke that nighte vnlesse some iuste occasion require the contrary that my mind may bee free from idle thoughtes when I goe to sleepe When I lie downe to rest my intention must not bee so much for sloth and contentment of the body aâ— for necessity of keepinge my health that I may rise fitter to serue God Also when I lie downe I may imagin to lie by the pilar crosse maunger or some such place where Christ was present that when I wake in the morning he may bee the first that shall come into my mind Before I sleepe I must say some short thinge to commende my selfe to God my good Angell and some other Saints and purpose by their helpe when the time of rising cometh not to suffer my selfe to be ouercome with floth but as though Christ called me spedily to rise I must also then sett downe where vpon I will thinke as soone as I awake that God may haue the first fruits of my thoughts for which the diuell layeth greate wayte On holy daies I Must rise one howre or halfe an houre sooner then on other daies And if it be a day of receiuing my first thought must bee to thinke what a happy baÌ„quet I am to goe vnto desiring God to giue me due preparation I must seeke to say my prayers that day both more and with greater deuotion and especially after the communion In steed of my work I
auoide the misery of an eternall death and deserue the vnspeakable happines of the life euerlasting For this cause saith Saint Iames Thinke you it all ioy my brethren when you shall fal into diuers teÌ„ptatioÌ„s knowing that the triall of your faith worketh patience and patience hath a perfect worke that you may bee perfect intire failing in nothing Of the watchfulnesse and attention required in the care of our soule The third Consideration SEing this weighty affaire of our soules health is hemmed in and besette with so many and manifest perilles and troubles it standeth vs vpoÌ„ most watchâ—ully to take heâ—d to euery thought word and dâ—ede thaâ— passeth lest through the number subtility of our enemies traines we be often intrapped for it is hard to touch pitch not to be defiled to liue in flesh a spirituall life to conuerse in the worlde without worldlâ—e affâ—ctions Wherefore as a Legate that is to deliuer his embassage befor a great presence of Peers and Nobles hath not only regarde to his matter but also to his words voyce actions that all be sutable to the weight of his message So we hauing to worke this exploite of our soule befor the eyes of those that lay waite to take vs in any trippe ought to bee very warye euen in our least thoughts deedes for feare that we offend the presence of God and giue occasion of triumphe and vicâ—ory to our deadly foes And for this saieth the scripture keepe thy selfe very watchfully Secondly to attaine this diligent and attentiue care to all our actions let vs consider what men vse to doe that carry great treasure by places haunted by theeues how warily they see to their way how often they looke about them how many times they prepare theÌ„selues some times to fight and otherwhiles to runne away Likwise how warily he walketh and how carefull he is neuer to stumble nor fall that carieth in each hande a thinne glasse of liquor verie pretious through stony and rough places And when wee haue marked these meÌ„s carefulnes in these inferiour matters let vs remeÌ„ber that much more respect is necessary in vs whose treasure is more pretious then any worldlie iewelles yet doe we carry it in earthen and fraile vessels in the middest of so many theeues as there are passions and disordered appetites in vs as there are Diuels in waire for vs and as there are stumbling stones occasions of sinne sette round about vs. To procure this attention the most effectuall helpes are these First to thinke how carefull we should be to doe all thinges wel if this preseÌ„t day were the last that euer we should liue in this worlde as peraduenture it may be and that at the end thereof we were to bee conuented before a most seuere and â—igourous iudge who according to the deserts of that daies actions should passe the sentence of life or death vpoÌ„ vs. Secondly to remeÌ„ber that God is in his owne substance power and true presence in euery place and seeth both our outward and inward actions more then we our selues and therfore let vs seeke in euery thing so to behaue our selues that we feare not to haue God a witnesse and behoulder of all that wee doe thinke or say and let vs aske him grace to doe nothing vnworthy his sight Thirdly we must consider the carlesnes of our life past remembring how often we haue fought against God with his owne weapons and abused the force that he hath afforded in euery part of our body and mind therefore as S. Paul Warneth as we haue exhibited our meÌ„bers to serue vncleanes and iniquity to iniquitie So now let vs exhibite our members to serue iustice vnto sanctification Fourthly to procure this attention it is good oftentimes in the day when we are about our ordinarie actions to vse some shorte praiers or some one verse of a Psalme or any other shorte petition of Gods grace aide and assistance for these short prayers are fewell of deuotion causes of attention foode of the soule preparations against temptations and assured helpes to attaine anie vertues therefore it is good to vse them in lieu of sighes in the beginning of euerie chiefe action directing therin our intention and action to Gods glory and seruice and our good Of the necessity of perseueraÌ„ce in continuing watchfull ouer our selues The last consideration FIrst seeing the suÌ„me and complemeÌ„t of al verâ—ue consisteth in the coÌ„tinuance and progresse in it perseuerance of all other things is most necessary in this busines to the better aâ—taining wherof these considerations may preuaile First to consider by whose instinct and motion I beganne to take speciall care of my soule and I shall find that being a thing contrary to the inclination of flesh bloud and aboue the reach of nature to resolue vpon so painfull and wary a course in hope of a reward and ioy that faith doth promise that I say God onely and no other was the author and mouer of my heart vnto it and therfore vnlesse I meane directly to resist God and run a contrary course to that which he prescribeth I must resolue my selfe to perseuer to the end in that which I haue happely begunne Secondly the ende of this enterprise was to serue God to bewaile my former sinns and to worke by Gods helpe the salâ—aâ—ion of mine owne soule and when I resolued vpon these meanes I was in a state free from passion and as wâ—ll able to choose thingeâ— conuenient aâ— I could be any other time wholy bent to do that thing which was for my greatest good Wherfore seing I can neuer ayme at a better end nor be in better plighte to make a sounder châ—â—â—e my surest way is to perseuer stilâ— in my resolution to the end neuer altering my designemeÌ„t vnlesse it be â—o a better and further my course Thirdly I must coÌ„sideâ— who he is that that would make me forsake it For if God moued me vnâ—o it doubtles it is the Dâ—uâ—ll would remoue me from it for God cannot be câ—ntrary to him selfe neither vseth he to alter our mindes but only from euil to good or froÌ„ good to better therefore vnles I meane to yeeld wittingly vnto the Diuel and to follow mine enemies counsaile vnto mine owne perdition I must perseuer vnto the end For with what pretext soeuer the Diuel seeketh to couer his motion sure it is that his drifte is to drawe me from God and goodnesse and to damne my soule for how can he intend any thing to my good that beareth me such a cancred malice that hee careth not to encrease his owne paine so that he may worke me any spiritual yea or corporal harme Fourthly I must print that saying of Christ in my mind He that perseuereth vnto the end shal be saued For not he that beginneth nor he that continueth for a moneth or a yeare or a shorte time but onely he that perseuereth to the very end of