lewed the thinge then it selfe is vnlawfull As if any man praye fast and geue almes to obteyne mens prayses thereby Then for asmuch as by the testimonie of Dyonysius goodnesse is an entyer cause that is to say whyther all the circumstaunces of vertue before rehearsed doe concurre and the defectes or euilles doe happen by the omyttinge of any circumstaunces Therefore the gréeuousnesse of the sinne is so much the greater the more that the number of cir cumstaunces be which are forsaken and the more that the partie doeth goe from the verie conuenyent circumstaunces of vertue it selfe Herevpon let vs now not onely be sory that we doe those thinges which of their owne nature be vicyous and absolutly euill and doe also omit things that we should doe But also bicause we haue sinned in an iuconuenient tyme in a place more for bydden to a very wicked ende and purpose by dishonest meanes or assistaunce and in a moste vnapt manner and fashion euen vnfearfully and vnreuerently altogither we must consider also how often with what maÌ„ner of person with how great delight in sinning and with how great or what kynde of offence to our neighbour For the more that the desiere of sinning I meane the verie willingnesse to euill be more bent thervnto the fault is so muche the more gréeuous Lykewise it is conuenyent and we must consider of the good thinges whiche wée doe whither they bée done in due tyme and place with a right intent and reuerently also For it is more gréeuous in the time of diuine seruice on the holy daies and in the church to haue a wandring mynde to tattle to looke gazinge about and to set mynde vpon vice and wickednesse Therefore my welbeloued indeuour thy selfe to fulfil the good déedes wherevnto thou art bounden with the circumstaunces before rehersed as much as in thée lieth and doe héedely consider the gréeuousnesse of thy sinnes by all these thinges now rehersed which doe aggreuate sinne and wickednesse Of the deformytie hatefullnesse and loathsomnesse of sinne by consideration of it selfe Art. 14. BYcause god which is dishonoured by sinne doth consist of an infinyte great honorablenesse aâ—…blenesse and bewtie Therefore sinne is iudged to be also of an infinit loathsomnesse hatefulnesse and deformytie For asmuch as it is displeasing coÌ„trary to the diuine will holynesse and equitiâ—… herevpon sinne ought by the lawes of God neyther to be committed nor to be alowed for no cause for no feare of damage danger or torment nor for any loue of commodytie prosperitie or â—…ye Yea rather should a man willingly receaue indâ—…â—…ost gréeuous death then to incurre the least sinne And therefore whosoeuer doth either for flatterie or for menaces or by regardinge mans fauour yeld vnto sinne he declareth sufficiently that he is imperfect To conclude the least euill of the fault that is to say The least sinne is more hatefull and more to be fledd from then any kynde of euill in the payne or any kynde of punnyshment yea though it be infernall as touchinge that it is méerely punishment Therfore we ought not to sinne for the auoyding of any torment losse or discomodity but rather ought a man to be willing to beare any payne then to offende God For to offende god is as much as to léese god I meane the vnmesurable goodnesse of God and to set our owne wicked wills directly against his most holy will. And therefore now my welbeloued consider how great is their frowardnesse how farr are they distant from true perfection whose whole affection tendeth day and night to doe those thinges which are forbydden by thy diuyne lawes Which by slattery gyftes poursute doe labour to drawe those thinges vnto their consent with the which they may fulfil ther most filthy desiers And which studie to be hououred to be inrytched and to haue their proprietie in this worlde Therefore let the state of our myndes stand inflexible Let vs neither be puffed vp with prosperitie nor yet ouer come with aduersitie Neither let vs fall hedlong from the way of righteousnesse tâ—…rough feare of mans displeasure rebuke or dismaying and let vs beyond all comparison feare the death of the sowle which is sinne more then the death of the body Against those which doe more feare eschewe and hate the euill of the punishment then the 〈◊〉 of the fault Art. 15. FEare is the flying from or detesting of euil Therfore the worse that any things bée the more to be fled from and the more detestable they are iudged to bée For as muche as euil is the obiect of feare So y it is alreadie euident that the euil of the fault is vnmeasurably to be fled froÌ„ But the euil of the paine or the punishment of sin or any kynde of afflictiue aduersitie is not in it self absolutely euil or simply to be fled froÌ„ or auoyded But it is iustly sent by God is profitable in this world to the taking away of sin the powring of grace vpon vs In hell it is the worke of the diuine iustice ordeyned for the fault although it be hurtfull vnto the dampned If theÌ„ since these things are so how vnperfect vyle childish are they which in this life do rather feare flye from the iust punishment confusion rebuke of their sinnes then from the very 〈◊〉 thie deformitie of sin it self the displeasure of the diuine holinesse and the dishonor of the highest God These be those disordered and miserable creatures in whom priuate loue doth wey downe godly loue in whom seruyle feare is greater then chyldish obedience which doe more honour dread and estéeme the sight iudgement of the world theÌ„ of god neuer fearing to doe that in the presence and beholding of God him self which they would be abashed to doe in the sight of a man being their iudge in this world These are more sorowfull for their own temporal or corporal discommodities losses or punishments theÌ„ for gods displeasure for the losse of grace or for the wounding of their soule These men doe pretend fayne a certaine amendment wheÌ„ the iudgement examination of men is at hand or approcheth But when he is absent whom they feared and is not loked for to returne shortly vnto iudgement or punishment theÌ„ they liue as they did before Go to then welbeloued let vs feare God most sincerely let vs without all comparison hate the euil of the fault and hartely imbrace such punishment as is layd vpon vs for sinne yea and lot vs beare it patiently â—…nd let vs most faithfully bewayle and lament the hurts of the soule that is sins more theÌ„ the lâ—…se of temporall things or the afflictions of y bodie Last of all we shal be able to accomplish all these things if we mark effectually that saying of Salomon My sonne honor God thou shalt prosper Besides him sée thou feare no man And agayne he sayeth Hée that feareth God doth tremble at nothing and he
forgeuenesse For euery good déede ought to be done for the zeale of iustice and righteousnesse and for Godly charytie but not for feare Thereof the Apostle saied If I speake with the tonges of Angels and of men and yet haue not charytie in mée it shall nothinge profit mée For theÌ„ doe wée chiefly performe our dutyes when wée reuerence GOD not onely for feare but also for the sure trust and confidence that we haue in his loue And when zealous affection not dreade doth rayse vs vpwards to doe that is good By this dread is vnderstoode and ment the seruyle feare which onely and principally dothe respect the punishment and correction Of the which sainct Iohn sayeth There is no feare in perfect charitie Then siâ—…ce we might be enduced as hath béen beforesayde to the contempt of this world by the consideracion of death iudgement the paines of hell yet ought we much more by much stronger reason to be enduced therevnto by the consideracion contemplacion and loue of the perpetuall blessednesse glory of the chosen The which is of a certayne infinit dignitie since it is an immedyate frewition of that vnmeasurable good holy and glorious god Wherefore as this frewition is altogether supernaturall we can neuer atteyne therevnto but by supernaturall meanes As thankeful thanksgeuing Fayth Hope Charitie the other gyftes of the holy Ghost And the more perfectly and plenteously that these meanes doo dwel abyde in vs so much the more vehemently we despise all worldly temporal things plainly perceue their vanitie vylenesse doo Yea we doo so much the faster more affectionately more abundaÌ„tly more swyftly vncessantly aspyre go forewards approch or rather runne outryght towards y blessednesse of the heauenly Paradyse habitacion Embrasing executing all the helpe fauour assystance of gods holy spirit more redyly and more chearefully Wherefore let vs be moued by the desire of the felicitie and glory of the â—…lect to performe stoutly and couragiously all thinges that may please god Let vs quickly out of hande forsake the worlde yea lette vs accompt all the fraylties thereof to be as dyrt and doonge For as Augustine dooth well testifie The bewtie of ryghteousnesse and the pleasantnesse of th eternall lyght are such and so greate that although a man myght therein remayne but one onely houre in a daye yet euen for that small space vnnumerable yeares of thys lyfe béeinge full of delyghtes and flowingâ—… with temporall pleasures were worthily to be forsaken and set at naught For in the citiâ—… of God and the kingdom of the elect the lawe is charitie the king is veritie the peace is felicitie and the whoâ—…e course of lyfe is eteruitie Wherefore my welbeloued prepare thy selfe and marke narowly what a great felicitie the blessed inioy and what exceedyng delight it is to see God playnely â–ª and distinctly For the fayrer that any thing is doe we not accompt it also the more delectable to behold it playnly and perfectly Since God then of him selfe is essentially totally and vndescribably fayre holy pure and bright 〈◊〉 or rather the true and infinite beautie the 〈◊〉 substantiall forme the separate eternall perfect simple and vnmyxed comelinesse the chief fountayne originall cause and exemplare shewe of any fayrenesse comelinesse purenesse and clearenesse in all creatures the most beautifull and comely of all other beyond comparison it is therefore moste euydent that to sée and behold him face to face and in his proper person is most delightfull most delectable and moste gloryous excéedyng too too much all other delight and glory more then can be with wordes expressed For the better swéeter and perfecter that any thing is in it selfe the more delightfull and pleasaunt the fruition therof must be But our Lord God being omnipotent onely to bée adored happie and of him selfe most excelent pure vndescribable and incomprehensible goodnesse that infinite swéetenesse that so perfecte Being that whatsoeuer pertayneth to the fulnesse worthinesse and prâ—…heminence of any Being present paste or to come 〈◊〉 néedes agrée and be lyke vnto it in all perfection and excelencie it must néeds follow that the immediate fruition of it should be altogither and in all respects most pleasaunt swéete and delectable For the obtayning whereof all the ioyes honors prayses and prosperities of this worlde are infinitely and with excéedyng lothsomenesse to be dispysed Then consider in such sorte as thou mayest what ioy it would be to sée and behelde the eternall being of his diuyne maiestie How it is and hath bene from the beginning of it selfe made â—…or created by any man nor dependyng of any thing but to it selfe of it selfe by it selfe and in it selfe alwayes sufficient Consider howe much good it would doe thée playnely and face to face to beholde the vndiscribable admyrable and incomprehensible God and in his euer springing wisedome and sapyence to sée and discerne the whole order comelinesse truth and perfection of all the vniuersal world with many other most secrete treasures of gladnesse yea to inioy this vnmeasured goodnesse and treasure and wholly to possesse it And therwith to haue all that may séeme faire amyable or to be desired Agayn to be so excéedingly illustrate with the godly wisdome so abundantly replenished with the diuine goodnesse that all thy capacitie vnderstading and all thy desire might therwith be throughly filled satisfied Yea furthermore consider what excéeding pleasure it would be to taste the swéetnesse of godly peace and tranquilitie to be euen swallowed vp in the loue of thy creator to be transformed into God to be made perfectly lyke vnto him to imbrace him louingly in him selfe in such sorte that thou coulâ—…est not at any tyme be withdrawen or plucked away froÌ„ his sight loue imbrasings to sée perceiue that most blessed vision and inward contemplation of the holy Trinitie the issuing out of the same how the sonne procéedeth from y father and howe the holy ghost procéedeth from them both howe theyr persons are to be worshipped as one in being thrée in subsisting and finally to behold perceyue perfectly their mutuall well pleasing ioye imbrasing loue and glorie For the diuyne and vncreated persons doe mutually loue eche other with an vnmeasurable kynde of loue they beholde eche other with an infinite kynde of delyght they inioye eche other with an vntermynable kynde of swéetenesse and they them selues onely doe fully and comprehensiuely knowe and beholde them selues So that the chosen shall reioyse in them selues at the sight and vision of God in themselues they shall reioyce in the beautye and comelinesse of their heauenly bodies and the bodyes of their corporal creatures and in them selues they shall reioce in the glorification of the bodie and the soule As also without and about them they shall reioyce in the societie of the Angelles and blessed people of god In them shall doubtlesse bee sâ—…ne the true bryghtnesse of the sommers lyght the true
y feareth man shall soone come to distruction I meane not that wée ought not at all to feare our superiors since the Apostle Peter sayth Seruants be subiect vnto your masters with all fear But my meaning is that they are not to be dreaded as meÌ„ but as the Uicars ministers of God least through the fear of them we offend God by any meanes Now pray vnto the most merciful God hartily incessantly for grace to obtaiâ—… the perfection in this article héere discribed How sundrie men vpon sundrie causes and motyues doe eschue sinnes Art. 16. FUrthermore there are some which are withdrawne from vices with onely seruile feare That is with the dread of punishments and not with an affection to felicitie nor with the verie sincere loue of god These men as long as they continue suche are not acceptable to God yet such kynd of feare is not altogither vnprofitable in as much as it withdraweth from sin There is nothing that is done as it ought to bée or acceptable pleasing of God vnlesse that procéed of the charitie of God and bée done by the loue of rightuousnesse As Augustine in the xxj booke De ciuitate dei vices sayeth hée are ouercome by a laboursome difficultie Neither it is possible to doe that truly or sincerely but onely through a delight in true rightuousnesse But they which doe séeme by the meanes before rehearsed to decline from euill and to do some good things are euill and vnfaithfull seruants bicause there remayneth in them an affect to sin and a well lyking vnto things that are euil Of such kynde of seruantes our sauior sayeth to his Apostles I will not now call you seruantes for the seruaunt knoweth not what the master doeth And agayne some doe eschue sinnes in hope of rewarde and desire of euerlasting felicitie In these men the loue of God is not perfect and altogither sincere without dissimulation bicause they are bended backewardes towardes them selues beholding and thinking vpon their owne commoditie and occupie themselues most in thinking of their hyer reward But if such dâ—… more regard affect their owne commoditie then the honor of God If they be more induced by y affâ—…ctioÌ„ of priuate loue theÌ„ by the motioÌ„ of diuine charitie vnto the doing of good works theÌ„ they deserue nothing are rightly named mercenary meÌ„ Neuerthelesse it is lawful to serue god by the beholding the reward by the affectioÌ„ to heaueÌ„ly felicitie So as that honor of God be preferred before a mans owne reward that y verie reward of blessednes which is desired be ordred diposed to y honor glorie of god The which who so doth he shal not onely not be a mercenarie but furthermore a friend bicause he loueth God rightuousnesse aboue all things Whereas they which are not yet perfect are accompted to haue a beginning feare or mixed dread bicause they withdraw themselues from siâ—…s do also apply them selues to vertues partly by the feare of the punishmeÌ„ts of hell or these temporall present paynes and partly by the hope of heauenly rewardes Notwithstanding y loue of God in them doeth ouer wey priuate loue they desire the honor and glorie of God both firstly and finally And therefore they are in the state of health and grace Furthermore there are others which withdraw theÌ„selues depart froÌ„ sins do good by the onely loue of the diuine godhead the true and sincere zeale of his honor being conuerted feruently with their whole mynde vnto god And suche desire or couette nothing els at all but that God being glorious holy shuld be in all things honored loued and doe neuer think vpoâ—… the reward nor haue respect thervnto Which bow not back toward themselues but rather doe altogither dye vnto theÌ„selues to the end they may most purely liue vnto god As the Apostle witnesseth saying I liue not now but Christ liâ—…eth in me Furthermore if these men do at any time think vpon their reward and desire it that shall not procéed of inordinate backe bending towards themselues but by a charitable relation vnto God bicause it is gods wil pleasure that they shuld desire eternall felicitie as men confirmed in goodnes happely inioying God that they should most perfectly apply their whole mynd vnto his honor loue praises And so the loue of the reward shal not repugne the perfection of charitie These are the friends sonnes of God whose minds are coÌ„uerted into the most pure affects of diuine charitie and the zeale of rightuousnes And these men do in all places at all times behaue themselues vertuously bicause the reason of wel doing is vniforme pure stable in them euen as God him self being the perfect loue the zeale of verie rightuousnesse the presence of the diuinitie the loue of purenes the mightie affection of diuine honor the wel pleasing of good honest things of all vertues Now then my welbeloued brother flye from vice and exercise goodnes rather by the most pure loue of god the zeale of equitie affection to purenes then either by feare of paynes or respecte of rewards And if thou haue not yet attayued y perfectioÌ„ prâ—…y vnto god therfore in the mean while flie from sins At y leâ—… by fear of eternal daÌ„pnatioÌ„ the loue of the heaueÌ„ly blessednes That we are not able in this life fully to comprehend the enormitie of sinne Art. 17. AS Augustine speaketh in the xxj booke de ciuitate dei the payne eternal punishmeÌ„t which is apointed for temporal sins doth therfore seme hard vniust vnto mans sonces bicause in this lyfe we lacke that sence and vnderstanding of the highest and purest wisedome by the which it might be perceiued how much wickednesse is committed in preuaricatioÌ„ dissembling with god For we haue alreadie manifoldly shewed y the enormitie of sin is so much the greater as the goodnesse of God is greater before the which the frayle goodnesse is by sin preferred And lykewise y the higher Gods maiestie authoritie are which by sin are dishonoured yea how much the greater gods holines equitie be which do abhorre y filthinesse of sin And again y greater that gods charitie be towards vs the more better y his benifits be which he hath bestowed vpoÌ„ vs And biâ—…ause we are not able to comprehend in these fleshly sences natural mynde the vnmeasurablenesse of the diuyne bountie y vndiscribabe highnesse of the diuine maiestie the most cleare infinitenes of the diuine holines equitie the greatnes of the diuine loue of his benifits towards vs nay rather that we are not able with a cleere eye to behold them I do therfore certaynly beleue that we can not fully know y eâ—…ormitie of sin whilest we are in this estate Here vpoÌ„ the perfect holy men y more sincerely loftily y they did behold God in this world
then more holsome to contempne this liefe for the loue of that most happy and eternall lief which is to come To abiect all the vanity and impietie therof and to cleaue most faythfully fast vnto that diuyne eternall and vumeasurable goodnesse Behold in this present and most vnstedfast lief we must of necessitie haue regard either to eternal felycity or euerlasting dampnation Chuse then my welbeloued that which thou perceauest to be most holesome for thée And hate eschewe and detest most hartely all kynde of sinnes Secondarily the diligent consideration of death doth not a little preuayle to make vs eschewe and avoyde sinnes which death doth most swyftly and vncessantly approch At which time the vicyous liefe which now delighteth vs shall hanâ—… a most miserable end For then the perverse and wicked which dâ—…e cleaue more and more bent to this world then vnto God shall séeke but truce for one hower And onely their sinnes shall march on with them Thyrdly the consideratioÌ„ of the highest and most rigorous straightnesse of gods 〈◊〉 As to thinke what a horryble thing it shal be strayghtwaies after death to be presented before the trybunall seate of Christ to be of him most iustly iudged to abyde the pronouncynge of sentence to bée accused of the Deuylls and of our owne concience and to be séene and found vicyous before him Also the consideration of the last generall iudgement which is to come in the end of the world Which wil be so terryble as no tonguâ—… is able to conceyue the same Therefore whosoeuer doth déepaly consider how miserable sorowful and horrible a thing it wil be then with body and soule to goe downe into the infernall pitt to fall headlong into euerlasting â—…yer being shutt in the most tenebrous prison of hell there desperately to remayne for euer to haue the most dolorous 〈◊〉 and societie of Deuills and to be there vncessantly tormented more then can be told That man doubtlesse will auoyde and eschewe sinnes Who so euer wil bewayle those whiche hée hath already commytted will kéepe his hart with fearefull watch Fourthly the effectuall consideration of the whole infernall punyshement And therefore if he which is delighted and alured with vanytie of hart or voluptousuesse of the fleshe in this world would rightly wey and consider vnto how great desolacion and eternall payne yea the plenteous fulnesse of all calamyties and miseryes those delightes doe leade him he would vtterly abhorre them and flye froÌ„ them O my most entierly beloued brother would God that these thynges dyd sauour and were vnderstoode of thée as it is méete and right that they should For then thou wouldest most readely dispyse the world For behould who would now lye but the space of one houre in a hott burnyng furnace to gayne all the world thereby Wherfore then doest not thou eschewe daily sinnes For the which so great payne must bée suffered yea much more gréeuous then any punyshement which maye bée geuen in this present liefe But these foule considerations whereof I last spake which with drawe vs from sinne doe principally pertayne vnto foolyshe and vnperfect men Which declyne from vyces rather by feare of euill then by loue of goodnesse Fyftly then the consideration of that highest and incomprehensible heauenly felycity which God will geue to those that for his loue doe eschewe and hate sinnes is of great power to withdraw vs from sinne Synce the hope â—…f reward doth diminish the force and smart of the scourge there can be nothing in this world so painful so laboursom or so hard but y he that doeth rightly and worthily ponder the inexcogitable glorie of that blesseonesse would not readily and willingly indure Sixtly to the same end preuayleth deuout trusâ—…ie often praying â—…s if a man which thinketh coÌ„sidereth that without the abundant grace of God he can not flye from nor 〈◊〉 sinnes doe therefore neuer cease to pray hartely vnto God for grace to liue vertuously For we must as our sauiour sayeth alwayes pray and neuer cease Seuenthly the consideration of the diuyns presence is chiesly auaylable to the eschuing of sinnes by the which god doeth behold and consider vs euery where By which consideration there aryseth in vs a chaste shamefastnesse from doing of any thing that is dishonest Eightly the consideration of his benifits Furthermore it appertayneth vnto theÌ„ which are perfect to auoyde sins chiefly by coÌ„sideration of the diuyne goodnes before whome in sin the frayle goodnesse is preferred Also by consideration of the diuyne maiestie which by deadly sinne is infinitely dishonored Agayne by consideration of the diuyne holinesse and equitie vnto the which sinne is infinitly displeasing And lykewyse by consideration of the diuyne charitie by the which God did first loue vs. Moreouer by the verie loue of vertue and purenesse and the horror of the deformitie of sinne As a vertuous man did affyrme saying Although I knew that God would forgiue 〈◊〉 yet would I not â—…inne sayd hée for the verie disordrednesse thereof It is also written that the generall remedyes 〈◊〉 sinnes are 〈◊〉 these Fyrst patience in pouertie that a man may suffer néedâ—… and penurie in all things quietly and gladly as an Embassador sent by God wâ—…ither it be in food clothing or other necessaries For as the abuÌ„dance of temporal things is the 〈◊〉 of many vyces So pouertie withdraweth from many euils The second is the dispising of worldly men and their pratses yea though thou be in all things contemned reproued and troubled without cause giuen For so is the swelling of pryde repressed and a singular grace obteyned of the Lord. The thirde is a ghostly magnanimitie a stout mastership ouer a mans self without which a man is oftentimes enforced to coÌ„mit such things as wold els displease him to omit those things the which hee would willingly doe It preuayleth much for worldlings in all things to forsake their own wâ—…l The fourth is y eloyning of a man from comfort of worldly affayres By which verie often times the quiet and purenesse of the soule is much hindred The fift of conference with learned vertuous men and the following of their counselles and betwéene God and thy conscience to take an account of thy life passâ—…d doth helpe to ouercome sins and the temptations of the 〈◊〉 for since the diuil is the Prince of darkensse he doth hate flye from the light or the recordation or manifestation of his deceiptes and the humble accusing of a mans own self But the forgetting or kéeping secrete of his wyles hée 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Herevpon our sauiour sayeth Euerie man which doth euil hateth the light but hee which dealeth truly commeth to the light that his workes may bee made manifest bycause they are done in god But there are some which are verie naughtely dangerous shamefast 〈◊〉 no will to call to remembrance and examyne their owne consciences of the secretes of their thoughts affections temptations wherby it coÌ„meth to passe
peryls What therefore can be better aduysed vnto vs yea what can be safer or more for our health and saluation then to séeke a place of refuge to go into some streng walled towne and therein to séeke some mancion of rest quyet In the which there maye be founde as many defendors protectors as there are inhabytors All armed with the right spyrituall armour and most redye to fight agaynst sinne And where is this place Or this stronge walled Towne and Cytie Forsooth euen in the congregation of the deuout and relygious Whose harte and soule are all one in the Lorde Of whome euery one doth by spéeche by prayer and by examples drawe some other to followe hym in perfection Which vsing vertue for an armour doe set opposytely synguler and competent vertues against euerye pertyâ—…uler and neglygent vyce For behold howe good and pleasant a thinge it is for brethren to dwell to gether in vnytie For as Salomon sayeth If one of them fall he shal be raysed vp agayne by a nother Yea they haue contynewall and most excelent salues and oyntements that is to saye remedyes agaynst the dayly temptatyons of the Deuylles and the woundes of vyces And those remedyes are Dayly troubles and confusyons rebukes of superyours enstructioÌ„ of the faythfull consolation of that mercifull obseruatioÌ„ of god his word coÌ„mauÌ„denâ—…ts watching fasâ—…ing prayer teaching and holy medytations And to conclude euen as in this world one doth drawe another vnto sinne vyce euen so in the congregatioÌ„ of the deuout and faithfull one doth drawe and entyse a nother vnto vertues And euen as worldly society doth much hynder so this doth very much further aduaunce the perfection of godly lyfe As SalomoÌ„ sayth The man which is helped by his brother is as a strong Citie well walled And the Psalmist sayth With the holy thou shalt be holy and with the wicked thou shalt be paruerted Where vpon the holy worde doth agayne exhorte vs saying Be of daily conuersation with the holy man And with whome soeuer thou knowest to kéepe the feare of God before his eyes and whose soule is according vnto thyne in holynesse For in this world a man falleth often but ryseth seldome Is soone hurte gréeuously and late healed perfectly He fayleth much and profiteth but lyttle But in the congregation and feloshype of the faythfull and true chrystians all these thinges by Bernardes opynyon and by certayne experyence are cleane contrarye For there men fall seldome and ryse often Are lyghtly hurt and more easyly cured Doo lesse decrease and much more encrease Consyder then euen déepely the quantitie qualytie multitude and magnitude of thy perills Truely if this perill whereof I forewarne thée were onely for the losse of temporall thinges for troubles or afflyctions yea were it for transitorie infirmities losse of lyues or abyding of most bytter and paynefull death yet were it tollerable and I would not be so carefull for thée But this perill whereof I meane is concerning the irecuperable losse of the highest vnmeasurable and vnchangeable goodnesse of god And â—…wyse it concerneth the purchasing of euerlastinge daâ—…ion and the paynes of hell So that if thou doo not estéeme and dreade this perill vehemently then hast thou not thyne eyes illumyned neyther yet a cleare and lyuely faythe but a deadly and a darke Spyryte For is this perill not to be feared with out all comparyson more then any domage lâ—…sse trouble 〈◊〉 griefe and languyshing aduersity or temporall death Yes surely And for that cause if thou wouldest in the daye of iudgemeÌ„t be voyd of feare and be saued then be not voyd of care vainely light and vnfearefull but carefull busie and fearefull For in so doâ—…ing thou shalt at the last be safe and frée Furthermore since by Salomons wordes it séemeth That we are ignoraunt whether we are yet worthy of the loue or hatred of God and that all thinges vncertayne are so reserued till the tyme to come therfore we ought to be héedy and carefull before God least we encurre the daunger of his infinyte wrath and euerlasting dampnation To the avoyding wherof it is to be considered that certeyne sinnes vyces namely of the fleshe are the better avoyded and ouercome if a man doth estraunge and withdrawe himselfe from the materyall cause of the same But how canst thou ouercome such vyces and their branches if thou doe not flye from the materyall causes thereof But dost dayly kéepe company with such as vnhappyly wallowe toumble in those enormyties yea if thou doest become a fellowe vnto them eating drinking and walking with them For Hugo sayth That it is vnpossible for any man tâ—… eschewe sinne vnlesse he refrayne the company of sinners Then they which are dayly coÌ„uerasant with such as walke the broad and large way of perdytion and are like and conformable vnto them in eating drinking clothing spéeche pastymes and such other lyght affectiones how shall they be able to auoyde theyr more gréeuous offâ—…nces or how can they contynewe in the streyght path and ryght way walking with theÌ„ which wander so at large and straying so in euery broade bâ—… way god forbyd that thou shouldest arrogaÌ„tly thynke thy selfe of such so great perfection Synce it is written by Salomon he that handleth pytche shal be defiled therewith And he that doth communycate with a proude man shal be endewed with pryde Dothe it not folowe by the same reason that hée which communycateth with a lecher shal be defiled with lecherye Augustine sayth I beheld the Ceders of Lybanus Whose fall I doubted euen asmuch as the rewyne of Hierusalem And yet they both fell To conclude I say in fewe wordes that the more thou neclect the perylles of thy soule the more thou prosperest in this world the more delycately thou cherysh and tender that frayle fleshe of thyne the more theu folowe the will of thy harte the lesse thou regarde the losse of thy tyme the more thou doe now glory laugh and wander in vanyties so much the more myserable art thou so much the more grééuously to be bewayled and pyttied Yea y lesse that thou thy selfe bewayle thy blyndenesse iniquity and neglygence so much the more thâ—…u art of others to be bewayled pyttied Wherefore my welbeloued rowse thy selfe from so many peryles and daungers Flée from this world which is the enemye to thy soule conuerte thy selfe wholy and perfectly to the Lord thy God leaue and forsake for his sake all the goods and delights of this lyfe and he will geue vnto thée all the treasures and abundaunces in the kingdome of heauen Our Sauiour sayth in the seuenth Chapiter of Mathew He which heareth the word of God and doth it not is lyke vnto a foolyshe man which buylt his house vpon the sande The floodes came and the wyndes blewe and burst into that house the rewyne thereof was great The holy fathers doe compare this world to a great and ragyng