of the same such as be the Pope Cardinals Bisshops and other inferior ministres and Prelates that our lord vvil gouerne them and giue them light in such sort that they maie bring all men to the knovvledge and obedience of theâ—â—e Creator VVe must likevvise prâ—â—e as S. Paul counseleth vs for kings 1 Timoth. 2.2 and for al those that be in dignitie that thorough theire prouidence vve maie liue 〈◊〉 quiet and peaceable liâ—e in al pâ—ritie and chastitie because 〈◊〉 is acceptable before God our Sauiour 〈◊〉 desireth that all men be saued and com to the knowledge of the truth Let vs also praie our lord foral the members of his mistical bodie for the iust that he vvil conserue them in theire goodnes for sinâ—ers that it maie please him to conâ—ert them for the dead that he vvil mercifellie deliuer them out of the great paines of purgatorie and bring them to the rest of euerlasting life Let vs praie also for al such as bee poore sicke in prison in captiuitie c. that God through the merites of his sonne vvil help and â—eliuer them After that vvee haue thus demaunded for our neighbours let vs forth vvith aske for oure selues Novv vvhat vve ought to desire for our selues the particular neede of eche one vvil teach him if yet he knovv him self Let vs also vvith this demaund pardon and amendment of our sinnes by the merites and paines of our Sauiour and especiallie let vs request his ayde and assistance against al those passions and vices to vvhich vve feele our selues most inclined and of vvhich vve be most tempted and let vs discouer al these our vvounds to this heauenlie phisition that by this meanes he vvil vouchsase to heale and cure them vvith the ointment of his grace After this make an end vvith demaunding the loue of God and in this demaund staie and occupie thy self for the most part of the time desiring ourlord vvith most hartie affection and desire to graunt thee this vertue for so much as in it consisteth al our good and so thou maist saie as folovveth AN ESPECIAL PETITION OF THE loue of God AECVE all this giue me O lord thy grace that I may loue thee vvith all my hart vvith all my sovvle vvith all my forces and vvith all my entrailes euen in such sort as thou desirest O all mie hope all mie glorie al mie refuge and al mie ioie O the most beloued of beloueâ—s O florishing spovvse O svveeâ—e spovvse O honisvveere spovvse O comfort of my hart O life of my sovvle and the pleasant repose of my spirite Prepare o my God prepare o mie lord in me an acceptable dvvelling place for thie self that according to the promise of thie holie vvoord thou com â—o me and repose in me mortifie in me vvhat soeuer displeaseth thy sight and make me a man according to thie hart vvound o lord the most invvard part of my sovvle vvith the dartes of thie loue and make me drunke vvith the vvine of thy perfect charitie O vvhen shall this be vvhen shall I please thee in al things vvhen shall al that die in me vvhich is contrarie to thee vvhen shall I be altogeather thine vvhen shall I leaue to be mine ovvne vvhen shall nothing els liue in me but thou vvhen shall I loue thee most feruentlie vvhen shal the flame of thie loue vvholie burne me vvhen shall I be altogeather melted and pearced through vvith the vvoonderful efficacie of thy svveetenes vvhen vvilt thou take me hence by force and drovvne me transport me and hide me in thy self vvhere I maie neuer more be seene vvhen vvilt thou free me from all these impediments and distractions and make me one spirite vvith thee that I maie not anie more depart from thee O deerebeloued deerâ—beloued deerebeloued of my sovvle o svveetenes of my harte heare me o lord not for my merites and deserts but for thy infinite goodnes and mercie Teache me lighten me direct me and assist me in al things that I maie dooe nothing nor saie nothing but that vvhich is agreeable to thie sight O mie God mie vvelbeloued mie deerest hart and the verie good of mie sovvle O mie svveere loue o my great delite o mie strength help me o mie light and guide 〈…〉 thee O God of mie bovvels vvherefore giâ—est not thâ—u thâ—e self to thie poore creature 〈…〉 the heauens and the earth and leauest thou mie haâ—t emptie and void Seeing thou cloâ—hest the lilies of the field 〈…〉 to the little birds and seedest the 〈◊〉 of the earth vvherefore doest thou forger me vvhoe haue forgoten all others for thie sake To late haue I knovven thee o infinite goodnes To late haâ—e I loued thee o bevvtie so auncient and so nevv VVooe to the time that I loued thee not vvooe to mee since I knevv thee not Blinde vvas I that I savve hee not Thou vvast vvithin me and I vvent seeking thee abrode But novv although I haue found thee late suffer not olord for thie diuine mercie that I euer leaue hee And beea sâ— one of the things vvhich most pleaseth thee and most vvoun deth thy hart is that a man haue eys vvhere vvith to behold thee giue me o lord those eys vvith vvhich I maie see thee to vvit eyes simple of a doue eyes chast and shamefast eyes humble and louing eyes deuout and geuen to teares eyes attentiue discreete to knovv thy vvill and fulfil the same that vvhen I looke vppon thee vvith these eyes I may be seene of thee vvith those eyes vvith vvhich thou diddest vievv S. Peeter vvhen thou madest him to bevvaile his sinne vvith vvhich thou didest behold that prodigal child vvhen thou receauedst him gauest him a kisse of peace vvith vvhich thou didest behould the publicone vvhen he durst not lift vp his eyes to heauen vvith vvhich thou diddest behold Marie Magdalen vvhen she vvashed thy feete vvith the teares of her eyes finallie vvith those eyes vvith vvhich thou didest behold the spouse in the Canticles vvhen thou saidest vnto her Hovv bevvtiful art thou o mie dearling Cantic 4.1 hovv bevvtâ—ful art thou Thie eyes ar as the eyes of doues that pleasing thee vvith the eyes and beutie of mie sovvle thou giue them those pledges of vertues and graces vvith vvhich they maie appeare alvvaies faire and bevvtiful in thie presence O most high most merciful most gracious Trinitie the father the sonne and the holy Ghost one onlie true God teach me direct me and help me O lord in al things O almightie father for the greatnes of thy infinite povver fasten establish my memorie vppon thee and fill the same vvith holie and deuout desires O most holie Sonne for thy euerlasting vvisdom clarifie and illuminate my vnderstanding and bevvtifie the same vvith knovvledge of the highest veritie and of mine ovvne extreme basenes O holie Ghost the loue of the father and the sonne for thy incoÌ„prehensible goodnes ground in me thy vvill and kiudle the
is as the tree of life that must be set in the middest of this paradise is Charitie vvhose propertie is to loue and esteeme God aboue all things To this vertue it apperteineth to laie the first stone of this building vvhich is a stedfast purpose and determination not to doe anie thing through vvhich this treasure maie be lost vvhich yet is lost by one mortal sinne Let this therfore be the first foundation and dermination of a Christian man to esteeme and make such account of God and to procure so much to obserue this manner of loialtie and fidelitie that he vvould rather endure al the torments and paines in the vvorld euen as the holy martyres suffred them then commit but onlie one mortall sinne This must be alvvaies before his eyes this he must feare in all his affaires this he must demaund in al his praiers yea this must be the greatest and the most continual of al his petitions Vnto this same Charitie it apperteineth to purifie the eye of our intention in al our vvorkes pretending in them not our ovvne commeditie and interest but the onlie vvel pleasing and contentation of God In such sort that vvhatsoeuer vve doe either folovving oure ovvne vvil oâ— the vvil of anie other vve doe it not for compliment nor for a bare ceremonie nor for necessitie nor by constrainte nor to please the eyes of men nor for anie vvorldlie gaine or profit but purelie for the loue of God like as an honest vvoman serueth her husband not for anie commoditie that she hopeth at his hands but for the loue vvhich she beareth vnto him And this intention ought a man to haue not onlie in the beginning end of his vvorkes but also in the time that he doeth them he ought to doe them in such manner for God that in doing them he actuallie exercise him self in louing of God so that vvhilest he is in vvorking he maie seeme rather to be louing then to be vvorking And after this sort he shal not be distracted in the vvoorks that he doeth For foe vvere the Saincts vvont to vvorke and therfore vvere not distracted VVe see that vvhen a mother or good vvife doth anie seruice to her child or to her husband vvhich com from abrode she doth both loue them and serue them together deliting her self and taking great pleasure and contentation in that seruice vvhich she doeth vnto them In like manner ought our hart to be affected vvhen it mindeth to doe anie seruice vnto his Creator To this self same Charitie it appertaineth not onlie to loue God but also al things that be his and especiallie reasonable creatures made to his image likenes vvhich be his children and the membres of his mistical bodie and so vvith one onlie self habite of Charitie ought vve to loue both God and them God for him self and them in God and for him for vvhose sake it is reason that vve respect loue them although of them selues they deserued not to be beloued This loue requireth of vs that vve hurt no man that vve speake euil of no man that vve iudge no man that vve keepe in greate secresie the good name fame of our neighbour yea and rather to close vp our mouthes vvith seuen knottes then once to touch him in his good name Nether is it sufficient onlie to doe no hurt to others but it is also requisite to doe good to al to help al to giue counsel to al to forgiue vvhosoeuer hath offended thee to ask pardon of him vvhome thou hast offended and aboue al to suffer and beare the greeuances iniuries rudenes simplicitie humors and conditions of al men according to the saying of the Apostle Beare ye one an others burden Galat. 6.2 and so shal ye fulfil the lavve of Christ This is that vvhich Charitie requireth vvherein is conteined the lavve and the Pâ—ophets vvithout vvhich he that vvil goe about to sound a Religion shal doe as litle as he that vvould forme a liuelie bodie vvithout a soule vvhich bodie maie vvel be stravve or stone but not a liuing creature Of Hope THE second vertue sister of Charitie is Hope vnto vvhich it apperteineth to behold almightie God as a father bearing tovvards him the hart of a sonne because that in verie deede as there is no good in this vvorld that is vvorthie to be called good yf it be compared vvith God so is there no father in earth that so tenderlie loueth those vvhome he hath accepted for his sonnes as almightie God doeth And so vvhatsoeuer shal happen vnto a man in this vvorld be it prosperitie or aduersitie let him be vvel assured that al is for his commoditie and good and that al commeth from Gods hand sith no one sparovv falleth into the snare vvithout his prouidence and in al these things let him foorthvvith haue recourse vnto him vvith entiere confidence opening vnto him al his troubles trusting in the passing great bountie of his liberalitie in the fidelitie of his promisses in the pledges of the benifits alreadie receaued and aboue al in the merites of his sonne that although he be a sinner and verie miserable yet vvil God be merciful vnto him and direct al things for his commoditie And for this purpose let him alvvaies beare in mind that verse of Dauid Psal 39.18 I am a begger in pouretie but our lord is careful for me And yf he vvil regard vvith attention the scripture of the psalmes of the Prophets and of the Euangelistes he shall find it al ful of this kind of prouidence and hope vvherevvith he shal dailie take greater encouragement to trust in God And let him be assured that he shal neuer haue true peace and quietnes of mind vntil such time as he hath this manner of securitie and confidence for vvithout this confidence euerie thing vvil molest disquiet and dismaie him But vvith this confidence there is nothing that can trouble him for so much as he hath God for his father for his protector and defender as he is of al those that hope in him vvhose povver and strength no arme is able to resist Of Humilitie THE third vertue is Humilitie as vvel invvard as outvvard vvhich is the roote and foundation of all vertues to vvhich it apperteineth that a man account him self for one of the most vile and vngrateful creatures of the vvorld most vnvvorthie of the bread that he eateth of the earth vvhich he treadeth vppon and of the ayre vvherevvith he breatheth and that he esteeme him self no better then a stinking abominable carcasse stuffed ful vvith vvormes the stenche vvherof he himself can not abide and for this cause let him desire to be dispised and dishonoured of al creatures sith he hath so dishonoured and dispised his Creator Let him loue those offices that be most base and vile as to vvass he vvipe disshes to svveepe the house to vvash and make cleane the necessities of others as vvel sick as
deadlie sinne for vvhich I am novv bound to iterate mie confession Novv for help of memorie it shall doe vvel that vve laie doune heere a briefe memorial of deadlie sinnes to the end that the penitent maie therebie more easilie examin his conscience and prepare him self for this sacrament of penance vvhich is the first of the aduises that vve haue before specified Hovvbeit this vve vvil doe not by discouering infinite kinds of exquisite sinnes but by laying doune the most common sinnes that ar vvont to happen and leauing the rest to the penitent and the Ghostlie father A MEMORIAL OF SINNES AS VVEL TOVCHING THE TEN COMMAVNDEMENTS as other matters vvherein a man maie sinne mortallie Of the first commaundement Thou shalt honour God aboue all thinges CONSIDERING that God is honoured vvith the three Theological vertues Faith Hope and Charitie let the penitent examine him self in these As concerning Faith if he hath beleeued vvhatsoeuer the holie Catholique Romane Church beleeueth or hath doubted or vvith vvords and outvvarde signes hath made anie shevv of infidelitie or heresie If he hath ben ouer curious in searching the matters of faith If he hath kept bookes of Heretiques or such as ar forbidden by the Church If knovving anie man to be infected vvith heresie and incorrigible by other meanes he hath not detected him to vvhome he ought If he hath learned those necessarie things vvhich euerie Christian is bound to knovve as ar the commaundements of God and the principal misteries of oure faith If he hath beleeued in dreames enchauntments deuinings or anie sorts of superstition or counseled others to credit them If he hath caried about him superstitious vvritings for hauing his health or for anie other end or induced others to doe the like If he hath blasphemed God or anie of his Saincts If he hath ben angrie vvith almightie God or murmured of him for such aduersities and troubles as he hath sent vnto him as though he vvere vniust or vnmerciful If in his rage he hath desired his ovvne death or els vvisshed that God vvould take him out of this life As concerning Hope If in his troubles he hath had such confidence in God as he ought If he hath put more confidence in creatures and in theire helpes then in God If he hath mistrusted to obteine pardon for his sinnes or amendment of life If hoping to haue pardon of his sinnes he did perseuer in his euil life or minded to differ his repentance vntil he vvaxed old or vntil the houre of his death As concerning Charitie If he hath not loued God aboue al things as he is bound to doe If he hath persecuted or iniuried vvith vvords such deuout persons as doe frequent Confession Masse c. Or if he hath mocked and scoffed at them and in particular if he hath dissuaded or hindered anie from going into Religion If he hath exposed him self to anie daunger of mortal sinne or taken delight of anie sinne donne before Of the second commaundement Thou shalt not take the name of thie Lord God in vaine IF he hath svvorne falslie knovving it vvas false or doubting it to be soe or being careles vvhat he svvare If svvearing he did promise anie lavvful thing and not fulfil it nor hath intention to performe it If he hath ben cause that anie did svveare false or not keepe theire lauful oth once made If he hath svvorne in manner of cursing to vvit if I doe not such a thing let such euil happen vnto me If he hath svvorne to doe anie sinne or euil or not to doe that vvhich is good If he hath made anie vovve vvith a mind of not fulfilling it If he haue differred the fulfilling of his laufull vovve anie long time If he hath vovved to doe anie vvicked acte or not to doe anie good deede or to doe a good thing for an euil end for such vovves bind not Of the third commaundement Thou shalt keepe holy the Sabboth-daie IF he hath not kept the holiedaies but either hath donne or commaunded to be donne anie seruile vvorke vppon the same daies vnles it vvere som litle thing If he hath omitted to heare masse throughout euerie Sondaie and holidaie vvithout lauful cause If being present at masse vppon anie holidaie he hath ben for anie notable time voluntarilie distracted by talking laughing or busying him self in impertinent things If he hath not procured that such as be vnder his charge should heare masse vppon the holidaies If he hath not gone to Confession at the lest once a yeere or hath gone vvithout due examination of his conscience If euerie yeere at Easter he hath receiued vvith due disposition or rather vvith a conscience or doubt of mortall sinne If he hath fasted the lent vigils and Ember daies being bound thereunto or hath eaten forbidden meates If he hath spent all the Holidaies in pastimes gamemings and vanities If being excommunicated he hath ben present at Catholique diuine seruice or receiued anie Sacrament during that time or hath conuersed vvith excommunicate persons or such as vvere suspected of heresie If being bound to saie his office he hath omitted or all or anie part thereof or in the saying of it hath ben voluntarilie distracted Of the fourth commaundement Thou shalt honour thy father and thy mother IF he hath despised or not honoured his father and mother or hath offended them in deedes or vvords or not obeied them in matters that vvere iust and such as might result to notable detriment of theire familie or of theire ovvne sovvle If he hath not succoured his parents in theire necessitie vvhen it vvas in his povver If he hath ben ashamed of them by reason of the basenes of their familie or poore estate If he hath desired theâ—re death to enioie theire lands or goods If he hath performed theire testaments and last vvills If he hath so loued them that for theire loue he cared not to offend God If he hath not obserued the iust lavves and decrees of his Superiours If he hath detracted or spoken euill of Superiours Ecclesiasticall or Secular of Religious persons or Priestes or Teachers c. If he hath not succoured the poore if he could especiallie in extreme or grieuous necessitie or if he hath ben cruell vnto them in vvoords or deedes If those vvhich be fathers and mothers haue cursed or vvished euill vnto theire children Also if they haue brought them vp as they should teaching them theire praiers and Christian doctrine and reprehending and correcting them especiallie in matter of sinne and occupying them in som honest exercise to the end they be not idle and take som euil course And that vvhich is said of Children is to be vnderstoode also of seruants and others of the familie of vvhome care is to be had that they knovv things vvhich be necessarie and obserue the commaundements of God and of the Church Of the fift Commaundement Thou shalt not kill IF he haue spirituallie slaine his neighbour by pesvvading him to Scisme or Heresie or
same vvith so great fiar of loue that no vvaters maie be able to quenche it O most blessed Trinitie my onlie God and al my good o that I vvere able to praise thee and loue thee as all the angels doe praise and loue thee O that I had in me the loue of all the creatutes in the vvoorld vvith hovv good a vvil vvould I aford it thee and povvre it out into thee albeit neither this vvere sufficient to loue thee in such vvise as thou deseruest Thou onlie canst loue thy self vvoorthilie and vvoorthilie praise thy self because thou alone doest comprehende thy incomprehensible goodnes and so thou onlie canst loue the same as it deserueth so that onlie in that diuine brest of thy most gracious maiestie the iustice and lavve of true loue is enâ—irelie obserued O virgin Marie virgin Marie virgin Marie most holie virgin mother of God Queene of heauen ladie of the vvhole vvoorld vestrie of the holie Ghost lilie of puritie rose of patience paradise of delites mirrour of chastitie patterne of innocencie praie for me poore banished creature and pilgrime and make me partaker of thy most aboundant charitie O al ye happie Saincts and ye other blessed spirites that dooe so burne in the loue of youre Creator and in particular ye Seraphines vvhoe enflame the heauens and the ear the vvith your loue abandon not this my poore and miserable hart but rather purge the same as the lippes of Esaie from al sort of sinne and burne it vvith the flame of your most feruent loue that it maie loue this onlie lord seeke him onlie make his abode and repose in him onlie and this for euer and euer Amen OF CERTAINE ADVISES VVHICH at to be obserued in this holie exercise CHAP. XI AL that vvhich hitherto hath ben said serueth to yeeld vs matter of consideration vvhich is one of the principall partes of this spiritual affaire considering that such as haue sufficient matter of consideration be but the lest number of so manie people so for vvant of matter vvhereupon to meditate manie there be that abandon this kinde of exercise Novv vve vvil set dovvne breefelie somvvhat touching the manner and forme vvhich in it maie be obserued And albeit the cheefe maister of this vvoork be the holie Ghost yet experience hath tavvght vs that som aduises be requisite and necessarie in this part because the vvaie to goe tovvards God is hard hath neede of a guide vvithout vvhich very manie goe long time lost and a stray The first aduise LET then the first aduise be this that vvhen ve set our selues to consider anie of the a foresaide things in theire times and exercises appointed vve must not so binde our selues vnto it that vve esteeme it ill donne to goe from that to som other thing vvhen vve finde therein more deuotion more tast and more profit For as in conclusion al this serueth for denotion so that vvhich maketh most to this purpose is to be taken for the best Hovvbeit a man ought not to dooe this vppon verie light occasions but vvhen he perceiueth euident commoditie to com thereby The second aduise THE second aduise is that a man labour to eschevv in this exercise superfluous speculation of the vnderstanding and procure to handle this affaire rather vvith affections and feelings of the vvil then vvith discourses and speculations of the vvitte VVherefore they vndovvtedlie take not the right course vvhoe in time of praier giue them selues to meditate vppon diuine misteries in such vvise as yf they studied to preache them vvhich manner is rather to make oure spirite to vvander more abrode then to recollect it and to goe more out of it self then to be in it self Therefore vvhoe mindeth to dooe vvelin this matter let him com vvith the hart as it vvere of an old vvoman ignorant and humble and rather vvith a vvil disposed and prepared to feele and to be affected tovvards the thinges of God then vvith an vnderstanding purified and attentiue to search and examine them because this is a thing proper to those that studie to get knovvledge and not to those that praie and thinke vppon God thereby to lament and moorne The third aduise THE former aduise teacheth vs hovv vve ought to quiet our vnderstanding and commit al this busines to oure vvil but this present aduise prescribeth boundes and limites to the same vvil that it be not to excessiue nor to vehement in her exercise VVherefore it is to be vnderstoode that the deuotioÌ„ vvhich vve seeke to obteine is not a thing that may be goten by force of armes as som parsons think vvhoe by eccessiue sighings and enforced sobbings procure to vvring out teares and compassion vvhen they think vppon the passion of our Sauiour for such force drieth vp the hart and maketh the same more vnable to receaue our lords visitation as Cassianus affirmeth Moreouer those things ar vvont to preiudice and hurt the health of the bodie yea somtimes they leaue the sovvle so astonied and agast by reason of the litell tast she hath there receaued that she is loth to returne againe to this exercise as to a thing vvhich she hath tryed by experience to haue ben verie paineful and ircksome vnto her Let a man therefore content him selfe vvith doing sincerelie vvhat lieth in him that is that he esteeme him self to be present at that vvhich our Sauiour hath suffered beholding vvith a sincere and quiet eye vvith a tender and compassionate hart prepared for vvhat soeuer feeling it shall please our lord to giue him that vvhich he suffered for him and so dispose him self rather to receiue such affections as the mercie of God shall aford him then to vvring them out vvith teares And vvhen he hath donne this let him not vexe him self anie more for anie other thing though it be not graunted him as he desireth The fourthe aduise OF all these aduises a foresaid vve maie gather vvhat manner of attention vve ought to haue in praier for that in this exercise it is cheefelie expedient to haue our hart not heauie nor dul but liuelie attent and lifted vp on high But as it is heere necessarie on the one side to haue attention and recollection of hart so it behoueth on the other side that this attention be tempered and moderated that it neither hurt our health nor hinder oure deuotion For som there be that doe vvearie theire head vvith ouer much violence vvhich they vse to be attentiue vnto those things vvherevppon they meditate as vve haue said before And againe there be others vvhoe to auoide this in conuenience ar in theire meditation verie flack and negligent and verie easie to be caried avvay vvith euerie vvinde Novv to eschevv these tvvo extremities it is expedâ—ent that vve vse such a meane that vve dooe neither vvith ouermuch attention vvearie our head nor vvith to much carelesnes and negligence suffer our thoughts to goe vvandering vvhither soeuer they vvil So that like as vve are