whereof is comprised in this Sillogisme or reason Cursed is euery one that abideth not in al thinges that are written in the Lawe to doe them From hence the conscience gathereth but I haue not a bidden in them wherevpon it concludeth Ergo I am accursed Héerevpon ariseth that sorrow or rather horror of mind not so much for sinne which is in the assumption as for the punishment of the Curse which is in the conclusion This Terrour of the Lawe if the grace of the Gospell come not betweene would driue a man to desperation 2 The second sorrow is for Sinne it Sorrow of offence 2. Cor. 2. selfe and for the Offences committed against God it is called Godly sorrow or a sorrow to Saluation The Efficient cause of this sorrow is Efficient cause the holy Ghost who in this case is called the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Spirit of Adoption Abba Father This openeth our mouth and enlargeth our hart to call God our Father and to call vpon him familiarly Now the Instrument whereby the holy-Ghost doth worke this sorrow or Instrument rather loue in our hearts is the Preaching of the Gospell the somme whereof is comprised in this Sillogisme or reason Hee that beleeueth shal obtaine remission A Sillogisme of sinnes shal be iustified and saued From hence the hart by Faith gathereth but I beleeue Ergo I shall obtaine remission of my Sinnes I shal be iustified and saued In this cōclusion as their is matter of vnspeakable ioy So also there is in that same matter of sorrow which is conceaued vpon the knowledge of Gods mercy for offending so mercifull a father Of this sorrow the same Bernard saith Bernard When I bethink me how I haue offēded my heauenly father I haue good cause to be ashamed Sorrow though I be not terrified He hath voluntarily begotten me by the worde of Truth Hee spared not his only begotten for me so begotten So he hath shewed himselfe a Father to me but I haue not againe shewed my selfe a Sonn to him With what face do I now lift vp mine eies to behold so good a Father being so bad a Sonne I am ashamed that I haue cōmitted things vnworthy my begetting Iam ashamed that I Or my kind haue liued so degenerate frō such a father O let mine eyes gush out with water Let confusion couer my face Let shame ouerwhelm my coūtenance darknes possesse it Let my life languish in sorrow and my yeres in mourning fie for shame whatfruit Rom 6 had we of those things wherof we are now ashamed If I haue sowne in the flesh I shal reape nothing of the flesh but corruption if in the world that also passeth the lusts thereof what I haue not beene ashamed wretched mā to preferre transitory vaine thinges whose ende is death before the loue and honor of my Eternall father I am confounded I am confounded to heare If I be your Father where is my honor c. Reuersion or returne to God A descripti-of God 2 Hauing turned frō sin y◠worst euil return to God the best good whom thou hast forsaken Take a view of God who calleth thee to whom thou must haue recourse He is Ens Compleat absolute of himselfe the chéefest good most simple most perfect therfore diuine Eternall before all things in all things after all things and in the highest degrée within all things not included without all things not excluded aboue all things not lifted vp vnder all things not cast downe to this Ens return thou Hee is the cheefe good most actuall most liberall indefficient perfect in him all goodnes Essentially and aboue all Excellency is found from him all goodnes is deriued to all creatures without any diminution to himselfe By cleauing vnto him by Faith and Charitie all the Saints are made good and happy whom by communion and participation of his goodnes he doth fill and as it were make drunke with plentie To this most excellent and most bountifull good returne that being deliuered from euill thou maiest be made pertaker of good Now thou doest returne by Faith and How to remine confidence of minde wholy resting in the mercy of God the Father through Iesus Christ and his merits This is a wonderful and supernaturall faculty of the hart apprehending and receiuing of Christ by the holy ghost and applying him to our selues Heareof riseth an internall and effectuall An Internall perswasion perswasion by the forcible working or certification of the holy Spirit concerning the mercy of God the Father in Christ Verily verily I say vnto you hee Ioh 6. that beleeueth in mee hath Eternall life Item beleeue in the Lorde Iesus and thou Act 16. Ephes 3. Eph 1. shalt be saued Item By Christ wee haue an entrance through confidence Item In whom yee haue hoped after that yee hard the worde of Truth euen the Gospell of Saluation In whom after ye beleeued yee were sealed with the holy spirit of promise Item Which spirit testifieth to our spirit Rom. 6. that wee are the sonnes of God But that this Faith which is the frée The practise of Faith gift of God and is not giuen to euery one may arise in thy hart First thou shalt doe thy endeuour to The knowledge of the Gospell attaine the knowledg of the Gospel by the illumination of the holy Ghost My iust seruant by his knowledg shal iustefie many Especially thou shalt labour by an inward sence of thine owne wants to consider the promises of the Gospell whereby thou shalt giue an assent to the Gospell hard that thou be not in that number of whom it is saide That the Worde hard Heb. 4. did not profit them because it was not ioyned with faith in them that hard it For God would haue all men to be saued and to come to the knowledge of the Truth Secondly thou shalt conceiue Hope of pardon whereby thou shalt beleeue that Hope of pardon thy sinne is pardonable though it be not yet pardoned thou shalt say with the prodigal Luke 15. sonne I wil arise and go to my Father and wil say vnto him Father I haue sinned against heauen and against thee neither am I worthy any more to be called thy sonne make me as one of thy hyred seruants Thirdly thou shalt eagerly hunger and Hungring thirsting for grace thirst for his grace whieh is offred thee in Christ and shalt earnestly begge that He who is Alpha and Omega the first and the last will giue thee of the fountaine of liuing Water freely When thou art proceeded thus farre Christ doth count thee happy Blessed are they that hunger and Math. 5. thirst after righteousnes for they shal be satisfied Fourthly thou shalt come to the throne Accesse to the throne of grace Heb. 4. of grace that by apprehending Christ there thou maist finde mercy with the father Now in
expresse his example in the actions of our life God doth shew himselfe a father vnto vs Surely we are too vnthankfull if we shewe not our selues as children to him Christ hath clensed vs by the lauer of his bloud let vs shame to defile our selues with new staines or filthines He hath also inserted vs into his mysticall body let not vs fall away from that bodie by sprinkeling our selues with foule blots The holy Ghost hath dedicated vs to God as holy temples let vs by his helpe who dwelleth in vs make Mat. 5. our light so to shine before men that they may see our good works that our heauenly father may be glorified We haue the Angels our guides and watchmen let vs not by the filthie stinke of our sinnes driue them from vs. Our soules and bodies are destined to heauenly glory and mortalitie Let vs labour earnestly to keep them pure and vndefiled against the day of our Lord Iesus Christ What is therefore for to be done by vs I haue with a good meaning for our mutuall edification in Christ gathered like a Bee and framed out of all the best Authors this fire of Christian Pietie and Charitie that stirring vp one an other brotherly and enflaming one an other in the way of a godly conuersion and holy conuersation we may attaine to the true felicitie of eternall life Take ye this of me your vnworthie Minister with all fauourable countenance reade it with me with a minde desirous of Christian holinesse Let it goe with me and you all our life long He alludeth to the title Vade Mecum Fauour with good will the labours of your seruant studious of your saluatiō tending to Gods glorie Well then ye reuerend men and beloued brethren let vs enter the way of true happinesse by a true conuersion and godly conuersatiō Let vs not faint in the way for any difficultie or burthen of temptations but let vs goe forward in a continuall studie of continencie and obedience vnto righteousnes and by righteousnes vnto the glorie of eternall life And afore all things let vs do our endeuour to learne to denie our selues O how hard and difficult a matter is it for a man to forget and forsake himselfe A hard thing to forsake our selues and to apply his whole soule to the obedience of God How vnpleasant a thing is it for a worldly man not to seeke his owne but by doing all things according to Gods wil to seek the glorie of God Let vs by denying our selues patiently beare the crosse that God doth late vpon vs that we may be conformed to Christ and by humilitie acknowledge our owne infirmitie and begge the grace and helpe of God When we haue thus forsaken our selues let vs not neglect our neighbors From our selues to our neighbours From both to God but rather preuent them with honour and in good earnest imploy our selues wholely to procure their commoditie From our selues and our neighbors yea and from all things let vs cast our eyes vpon God and resigning our selues and all that is ours to his will Let vs yeelde all the affections of our mindes to be subdued by him If any thing fall out prosperously let vs ascribe it to God not to our selues If any thing succeed not according to our wish let vs not be dismayed with impatiencie but if any euil happen vnto vs let vs not therefore recken our selues vnhappie neither let vs complaine against God for our estate Almightie God graunt that by his holy spirit working effectually in our hearts and minds we may with carefull industry search out the way of Truth and Charitie with ardent desire long to come to our heauenly Father and hauing found out knowne the way we may with good courage enter it and with godly care walke in it fleeing the vanitie and inconstancie of the world that we neither goe backward nor decline either to the right hand or to the left The God of mercy and sanctification so frame the course of our liues in the vse of earthly things that we pamper not our selues too much but that we vse the world as if we did not vse it That 1. Cor. 7. we may learne no lesse to beare penury meekly than abundance moderately That we may restraine Luxury our deadly enemy least we turne the helps of our life into hinderances Let vs remember that these earthly things are by the goodnes of God appointed for our commoditie that they might be as pledges wherof we must one day yeeld an account In all the actions of our life let vs carefully looke vnto the speciall calling To looke to our calling wherevnto God hath called vs to do those things which beseeme it and to shunne whatsoeuer is vnseemely for it To conclude the eternall Father grant vs to cōtemne this wicked world whatsoeuer appertaines vnto it and as is meete to meditate on the life to come and the incorruptible Crowne in heauen These things ye Reuerend men and brethren I wish to you and my selfe which my wishes and studies if I shall perceiue not altogether to bee vnpleasing vnto you I shal seeme to haue reaped sufficient and plentifull fruite for my labour in this Booke and peraduenture shall be stirred vp to performe some greater matter The Lord Iesus blesse you all and euery one aboundantly from heauen Amen Fare ye well and liue ye happily At Stoade Idibus Octob 1604. Seneca Epist 116. YE commaund vs say they too hard matters We are fraile men we cannot abridge our selues of all things Hee Answeres Because we loue our vices we defend them And we had rather excuse them than excusse Shake thē off them we pretend we cannot the truth is we will not Epictetus Lib. Dissert Cap. 31. Of Diog. Cyn. I haue no guard no swords nor pompe nor outward terrors In stead of those A good conscience giues me boldnes armes me with power I esteeme Honestie for very loue without lawe or penaltie Other men are harbowred within walles doores or couertures I liue vnder the broad skie and wide world in the eyes and viewe of euery one I desire onely to please God And yet whiles I do thus it falls out that I am railed on yea and beaten but what maruell Of boyes and fooles that cannot abide to be rubd on the gaule yet wil I neither chaunge my minde nor leaue my manner And euen those that beate me I loue as a father or as a brother A Synopsis or viewe of this little booke whose Title is Vade mecum Goe with me Deere Pietie and Rare Charitie This little booke hath six parts 1. A Prologue sententious Foure members 1. Incipe Beginne 2. Ne Defice seu regredere Faint not or goe not backward 3. Sed profice Go forward or profit 4. By denying vnrighteousnes and By following of righteousnes An Epilogue sententious 1. The summe of the Prologue All men desire to Knowe and Liue. LEt vs
Heathen man Heare them ponder them blush and followe them Except thou walke and continue in this way Thou shalt be odious to God The conclusion who hateth the workers of iniquitie Thou shalt be offensiue to good men and euen to the vnbelieuers because for thy sake the name of God is euill spoken of among the Gentiles Thou shalt be cursed euery where and procure grieuous punishments vpon thy selfe Thou shalt be holden captiue as a slaue in Sathans snares To conclude thou shalt haue no part in Gods kingdome but shalt heare that fearefull sentence of the most high Iudge Goe thou cursed one into euerlasting fire O homo Mors tua Mors Christi Fraus Mundi Gloria Coeli Et dolor Inferni sunt meditanda tibi Remember man thy dying day Generall restraints of sinne And Christ who for thee dide Remember Sathans subtilties And how this world doth slide Remember ioyes celestiall And paines that are in hell Let not thy flesh seduce thy soule Remember these things well FINIS Certaine short Praiers framed to the Argument of the parts and members of this booke for the vse of such as desire to profit by calling for the assistance of Gods grace in whatsoeuer they shall be instructed by this booke to be needefull for them 1. A Prayer to prepare vs to enter the way of Christian Pietie and Charitie fitting to the argument of the Prologue O Almightie God and most mercifull father who hast engrafted in al men a desire to knowe and liue And To know from whom all true knowledge and life procéedeth Grant me true knowledge whereby I may knowe thee and my selfe aright Least by knowing much and yet not knowing thée and my selfe aright It may bee saide of mee as of many other that I haue much knowledge and little conscience And am puft vp with knowledge but void of Charitie And seeing this life is not to be desired To liue for it selfe but for an other wherevnto we must enter by the gate of death Giue me grace that I may so liue here that I may alwaies liue with Christ that I may learne both to die and liue aright That I may studie not to liue long but to liue well That I be not sodenly taken out of this life before I haue begun to liue well Moreouer O Lord for as much as thou hast set a marke to such as will liue A marke godly to wit Euerlasting life and hast shewed the way to this marke Euen by The way Iesus Christ who is the way the truth and the life Grant me O Lord the knowledge of The knowledge of the way this way by the right vnderstanding of thy holy word and by the instruction and illumination of thy holy spirit That at the length I may féele thy grace working in my heart That by beginning in thée and not falling from thée but profiting and going forward in godlinesse I may walke in faith and charitie till I come to the marke by Iesus Christ c. Amen A prayer for the entrance of the way The first member of Christian Pietie and Charitie fitting to the argument of the first Member Incipe Begin O Almightie God and most mercifull The end and the way father who hast proposed a happy ende to a Christian life and hast shewed vs a good and right way whereby we might attaine the same yea and hast set vs in that way by the Sacrament of Baptisme and hast instructed vs by thy holy word and confirmed vs in the same by the blessed Sacrament of thy Body and Blood Giue me grace that I may earnestly bend my whole studie and desire to attaine that end or marke And that my heart may long after thée my God from whom I haue long time bin wandring Grant me now at length seriously to meditate my conuersion by turning from sinne the worst of all euils and by returning to thée my God the best of all goods And that I may truly turne from sin Turning from sin giue me grace to consider the miserable state of man liuing in sinne vz. How grieuous a thing it is to haue thée his The miserable state of a sinner enemie and thereby to be depriued of grace in this life and of glorie in the life to come How grieuous a thing it is to grieue the holy spirit and the holy Angels our kéepers How grieuous a thing it is to become a slaue to sinne and Sathan and so an heire of damnation I craue thy helpe therefore O God to leade me to repentance That I may Repentance search my selfe and examine all my actions both internall and externall according to the rule of thy Iustice euē thy law whereby I may discerne how I haue in Degrees of sinne inward heart grown from suggestion to delight from delight to consent from consent to a defence or iustifying of my sinne How Outward I haue growne in action from secret sinning without feare before thée to open sinning without shame of men from thence to a custome without compunction deceiuing my selfe with a vaine hope of mercie with danger of dispaire in the Feare of God end strike therefore O Lord a feare of thée into my heart and astonish my minde that I may feare to be forsaken of thy grace to bee depriued of thy sight to bee tormented in hell pricke my heart not so much with a sorrowe Godly sorrow of thy punishments as with a sorrow of offending thée my good and mercifull father that the spirit of adoption Rom. 8. may succéede the spirit of bondage And the swéete comforts of thy Gospel may sucéede the terrors of thy Lawe Through Iesus Christ our Sauiour c. Amen Now in our conuersion as there is Returning to God Terminus a quo so there is Terminus ad Quem As we must turne from sinne so we must returne to thée who art the chiefest good most simple most perfect Grant mee therefore thy holy spirit which onely can worke this conuersion Effects of our conuersion in my soule By illuminating my vnderstanding that it may iudge aright By directing my will that it may choose aright and by inspiring my heart that it may desire that which is good That in the ende I may bring forth the fruits of holinesse and obedience towards thée my God to whom I am infinitely bound c. And the duties of charitie towards my neighbours As in the practise of the holy Prophet Dauids repentance we are taught And because delaying of returning is dangerous as by thy holy word and Dangers of delay sundry examples we are taught Giue me grace not to defer my conuersion vnto thée but euen this day at the least to begin Least by continuing in sinne I treasure vp for my selfe wrath against the day of wrath Least I be restrained from thée Least I be depriued of ioy and comfort of the spirit Least my conscience be seared
aduersitie to fall from good to euill Graunt me méeknesse whereby my Meeknes soule may so appease the rage of Anger that it preuaile not aboue reason and put it out of place but that it may encline rather to pardon than reuenge To conclude graunt me humilitie that Humilitie I waxe not proud in opinion of my gifts or graces aboue other but truly acknowledging my owne infirmities I may not onely not preferre my selfe before other but also preferre euery one before my selfe So shall not my Angry part breake forth like a wilde beast into rage but be a furtherance to me in the course of vertue Through Iesus Christ Amen Giue me grace O Lord to moderate The concupiscible part my lusts by Temperance in Abstinence and Continence Graunt that I may restraine the desires pleasures and delights of the Temperance body which being naturall are the more hardly restrained Let my soule therefore striue against them by temperance in vsing moderately meates and drinkes ordained for the nourishment of the body that whether wée eate or drink we may doe it to thy glory Grant me Chastitie to contemne my Chastitie Lusts in a holy moderation of the parts giuen for generation that I may kéepe theÌ„ within the bounds of the lawful vse ordained by thée in holy wedlock That my Lustes by thy grace being Chastised they may not rage to make me brutish nor defile my soule to make me odious to thee but being by thy grace and spirit subdued my soule and body may be an holy Temple acceptable to thée Through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen O Almightie God and most merciful Goods of the body father thou hast giuen vs leaue to take care for our bodies â—o that the same be moderate Giue me grace therefore so to prouide Life and health for my bodye that I make not prouision for the flesh to fulfill the Lusts thereof but that the care of life and health which we séeke to preserue may by thy goodnes be so blessed that I may be the better able to performe the duties of my calling And if my health be impaired grant O Lord that the meanes which I shal vse to remoue diseases may by thy goodnes In sicknes take good effect And that whether in sicknes or health I may be both content and thankfull to thee who knowest best what is best for euery man and turnest all to the best for them that loue thee Through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen Thou also hast commaunded vs O Lord to conteÌ„t our selues with our estate 3. External goods whether in pouertie or riches whether in contempt or honour Giue me grace therefore with a thankfull minde towardes thee to content my Contentment selfe with my lot and not to séeke by gréedie care to encrease Graunt that I may by godly industry Godlie industrie get my liuing neither enriching my selfe by vnlawfull meanes nor eating the sweat of other mens browes but eating the lawfull labour of mine owne hands Possessing riches holily and vsing them frugally Graunt that I may by vertue godlines Honest fame and honest arts purchase a good estimation and report with the good and honest that as farre as is lawfull I may regard the estimation among men and where it is not attained but with euil circumstances I may contemne it together with all false reports and contempt of the wicked and malicious so that there be alwaies within my selfe the testimonie of a good conscience towards thée That finishing the course of this life in an holy calling whether through penury or aboundance through contempt or honour I may attaine the celestial crowne through Iesus Christ Amen O Almightie God and most mercifull 3. Towards our neighbours father thou hast taught vs that we are not borne to our selues but that wée should loue our neighbours as our selues I acknowledge therefore that Iewâ— vnto my neighbors the duties of Iustice both to all in generall and to some specially both to the living and to the dead both in inward affection and in outward effect Giue me grace therefore to embrace all men as men yea as thy Image with To all men a louing affection wishing vnto them all good as to my selfe and as much as lyeth in me to be at peace with all men Yeelding due beneuolence vnto all men in countenance gesture word and déede helping and furthering them to the vttermost of my power Grant that I may through true charitie To some speciall haue a feeling of other mens miserie to suffer with them that suffer through true loue to relieue them to giue almes to the poore to harbour the strangers c. That I may be partaker of that blessing Come ye Blessed in herit the kingdome c. Giue me grace to yéelde vnto my superiours reuerence and obedience as vnto thee and forthée To my Inferiours humilitie and beneficence in conference and conuersion To my friends mutuall loue and gratitude in affection of heart and signes of thankfulnes And because thou hast commanded vs To the dead to doe good euen vnto the dead Graunt that I may bee readie to performe vnto the dead the last Christian dutie in moderate mourning ouer them and decent buriall of their bodies in hope of the Resurrection not forgetting to shew my good will and liberalitie towards their posteritie their widdowes children and kindred c. That in this wise performing the duties The conclusion of Iustice required of euery Christian hauing by thy grace O Lord Entred the way of godlines and charitie And Fainting not in the same but going forward not onely To the deniall of all vnrighteousnesse but also To the practise of righteousnesse euen with perseuerance I may in the ende attaine the crown of glory by Iesus Christ our Lord Amen The Epilogue consisting of Reason and Sentences both of Christians and Heathens to stir vp our endeuour loue to Pietie and Charitie Is referred to the Members of the former treatise Therefore they are easily conuerted to our vse by the prayers aboue framed God grant this booke and labour may haue good successe according to the Authors wish in his Epistle Dedicatory Amen FINIS
glory Viewe one the one side God and Paradise which is the dwelling of the blessed and on the other side the world and the conuersation of worldlings and tell me whether estate is more to be desired O how great ioy shalt thou be filled with when by death thou shalt depart hence if for humane fauour or displeasure thou wert neuer hindred or ashamed to liue to God 2. Take heede of Relapse that is Relapse daungerous Fall not backe into thy former sins The memory of thy life past which before thy conuersion thou didst leade as it séemed swéetly in the fulfilling the lustes of the flesh is wont to draw with it a certaine sadnes in the will because thou perceiuest that thou art perpetually excluded from that pleasant life by thy conuersion to God But knowe thou that this Relapse as they call it or falling backe into sicknesse is dangerous Our Sauior Christ threatning vs that of a man falling backe to Vnderstand fal or end his old sinne the last shall bee worse than the first And that in thrée sorts 1. In respect of the diuel who doth assault the man lately deliuered from the In respect of the diuel sinnes wherewith he held him in slauerie more cruelly he attendeth him more watchfully he inuadeth him more sharply as a praie recouered out of hie hands or as a morsel snatched out of his Iawes And not finding rest he saith I will returne into my house whence I came out And leadeth with him seuen other spirits worse than himselfe The man therefore relapsed in respect of Sathan is in worse case than before he was 2. In respect of God also because such a sinner as a dogge to his vomite In respect of God or as a swine to her wallowing in the myre is sooner forsaken of God We haue healed Babilon saith the Lord by the Prophet but yet shee is not Ierem. 51 sound Loe let vs leaue her Item Who will haue pittie on thee O Ierusalem Ierem. 15 or who will goe to intreat for thy peace for thou hast forsaken mee saith the LORD thou art gone backward And Christ saith to the man cured of the Palsie Behold thou art made whole sinne no Ioh. 5. more least a worse thing happen vnto thee Item Thou vngratious seruant Mat. 12. I forgaue thee all that debt when thou desiredst me shouldest not thou haue had compassion on thy fellow-seruant euen as I had pittie on thee And the Lord being wrath deliuered him to the Iaylors till hee should pay the whole debt Ye knowe how it saide Hee that loueth danger shall perish in it 3. In respect of the sinner himselfe who often falleth backe into sinne the last In respect of the sinner is worse than the first for sundry causes First because in euery sinne there is a turning from God by the transgression of the commandement and a turning to the diuel by the delight in sin And out of this delight by custome of sinne are engendred euill habits which make our returne to God hard So that we get as the Prophet saith A harlots forhead Ierom. 3. that cannot blush And Saint Augustine Out of our peruerse will riseth lust and while wee serue our lust wee breede a custome and while we resist not custome it becomes a necessitie And Solomon saith The wicked when hee is come into the deepe make light of it All other sinners doe warre against thrée enemies but he that often falleth The three enemies The Diuel world flesh backe into sinne must warre against a fourth enimie to wit custome the hardest enemie among all Secondly he that is reconciled to God and is deliuered out of the power of darknesse euen the diuel and is restored to The fourth Custome Sin in a Christian more hainous than in an infidell 2. Pet. 2. the frée libertie of the spirit doth sinne more heinously by Relapse than hée that is by nature a child of wrath and liues in slauery to sinne hauing neuer receiued faith nor the grace of Christ It had bin better for them not to haue known the way of righteousnesse than after they haue knowne it to fall backe from the holy Commandement which was giuen vnto them And Basil As the aire which is drawn in pestilent places doth breed priuie diseases in the body so out of euill custome many mischiefes arise though they be not by and by felt and perceiued Thirdly consider with mee what a great indignitie is in this matter For what can bee imagined more absurde than euen now to haue wept and mourned An indignitie and to haue entreated Gods infinite mercie to obtaine remission of thy sinnes and sodenly changing thy purpose to forget thy selfe to set light by Gods grace to renounce godlinesse to bee clearely an other man and to thinke otherwise than eare-while thou wast and desirest alway to be Fourthly when we often fall backe Hard to obtaine Gods fauour to the same sinnes it is an harder matter no doubt to returne againe into Gods fauour both because the iniurie is greater and Gods displeasure iuster and because we our selues haue hardned our hearts and finally because Sathans power and dominion ouer our soules is encreased For this cause are wee Heb. 10. taught That to those that sinne wilfully after the knowledge of the truth receiued there remaineth no more a sacrifice for sinne but a fearefull expectation of iudgement and deuouring fire which shall consume the aduersaries But this place is rather vnderstood of Apostasie and sinne against the holy Ghost Be not therefore negligent in auoiding Exhortation such cogitations as solicite thée to returne againe to thy old life yea the more often and earnestly that they thrust themselues into thy mind the more spéedily and strongly let them be cast out We must saith Ciprian meete with the suggestions of the diuel and not nourish a snake till hee become a serpent And Hierom. Kill thy enemie while he is small and dash iniquitie in peeces euen in the seede Be seruent in prayer and often vse that prayer which was so familiar to Saint Augustine Da quod iubes iube quod vis Giue ô Lord that which thou biddest and bid what thou wilt The third member Profice Goe forward or proceede IT is the gift of God to procéede in the God the cause of profiting Iere. 10. way of Saluation For God giueth the encrease I knowe O Lord that the way of man is not in his owne power neither is it in man to correct his owne way Wee must therefore aske this gift of Praier the meanes God by prayer in whose hand it is And Dauid Leade me O Lord in thy righteousnesse because of mine enemies make thy way plaine before my face Wée must therefore pray That according to the riches of his glory hee will strengthen vs by his spirit in our inward man that Christ may dwell in our hearts by
faith that we may be rooted and grounded in loue Saying Thy will be done O father as in heauen by thy Angles so in earth by vs. Laying therefore aside all malice Exhortation 1. Pet. 2. and al guile and dissimulation and enuy and all backbiting As new borne babes reasonable and without deceit desire ye the milk of the word that ye may grow thereby to saluation if ye may tast how gracious the Lord is And striue to enter in at the straite gate Exercising thy 2. Tim. 4. selfe vnto godlinesse which is profitable to all things with great zeale and endeuour taking vpon thee the yoke of Christ Goe on in the way which thou hast entred for the kingdome of heauen suffereth violence and the violent catch it Say vnto Sathan that would drawe thée backe Goe behind me Sathan for thou art an offence vnto me The way of the righteous procéedeth Prou 4. as a shining light and groweth to a perfect day Be not therfore wanting to the Heb. 12. Psal 119. Not to profite grace of God but runne the way of Gods commandements If to profit be to runne saith Bernard then thou ceasest to profit when thou ceasest to runne and when thou ceasest to runne then thou beginnest to faint Hereof wee may plainly gather not to profit is nothing else but to fall away The spirit must euer either profit or fall backe And Augustine How much soeuer we liue here how much soeuer we profite here let no man say It sufficeth me I am righteous He that saith I stay in the way cannot tell how to come to the end of the way And the same August Goe forward my brethren examine your selues alway without fraud or flattery dislike alwaies what thou art if thou wilt attaine to what thou art not for where thou pleasest thy selfe there thou wilt stay Obserue diligently thy going forward Foure things to be noted in profiting In profiting perswade thy selfe assuredly that thou art daily beginning 2. Be not discouraged if thou perceiue that thou hast not yet profited so much as thou couldest wish 3. Let the purpose of thy race in profiting be God too God Therefore in the beginning of euery action first examine thy action diligently and afterward looke to the progresse end of it Then whatsoeuer humane praise might happen to thée by thy wel doing tread it vnder foot in respect of the glory of God 4. Looke to the patterne of all vertues euen Iesus Christ who is the sonne of righteousnesse the light of the world the way the Truth and the Life Through patience runne to the marke that is set Heb. 4. before thee looking to Iesus the captaine and finisher of thy faith In all things grow in him Eph. 4. First and aboue all things labour earnestly to subdue thy self and to flée vices then follow vertue and séeke after righteousnesse These things are to be obserued generally now of things specially wherin we ought to profit or goe forward First in denying vnrighteousnesse Two branches Secondly in attaining righteousnesse 1. Touching the abnegation or deniall of vnrighteousnesse Thou shalt denie vnrighteousnesse if thou deny thy selfe and mortifie the flesh Thou shalt deny thy selfe and mortifie the flesh if thou first foresée that thou sin not and after sinning that thou spéedily repent and beware not to commit the like sinne Now among sinnes Some are lighter and Two sorts of sinnes Some more greeuous Let vs make our beginning by shunning and declining the lighter sinnes Surely all sin offendeth the Maiestie of God and maketh the sinner guiltie of eternall death but it is euident that there All sinnes offend God Lighter sins to bee subdued are certaine degrées of sinnes and one sinne is more heynons than an other Hee therefore that will profit must make his beginning by subduing the lighter sinnes Though they séeme of small account yet I would wish thée not to make small account of them For remember 1. All sinne whether great or smal doth Manifold inconueniences wrap thée within punishment because it is a breach of Gods commmaundement 2. They defile the soule with their contagion They doe so deface our beautie saith Augustine That they seperate vs from the most chast embracings of our Spouse who is more beautiful than the children of men 3. As water quencheth flaming fire so doe they diminish the seruer of Charitie They weaken the faculties of the mind in the exercise of holy vertues as a loade laide on an horse maketh him goe the slower 4. They hinder our owne glory by hurting Gods glory and doe abate the blessing of our eternall glory 5. They dispose or prepare a man to greater sinnes and barre vp the way from receiuing newe graces They hinder the true deuotion of holy prayers to God and are an impediment to our progresse in a spirituall life 6. They spoile vs of many heauenly graces And as théeues who pilfer many A Similie small things by little and little are not of long time perceiued because the things are of small value yet in the end the theft is perceiued when the owner perceiueth that he wanteth many things So doe these pilfering sinnes by litle and little bereaue vs of many graces 7. They weaken the soule and make it apt to fall into all euill infirmities And though they séeme to be but small hurts yet are they not to be neglected but spéedily to be healed 8. They are as dust or as a cloud before the eyes which hinder the sight so that wee cannot chéerefully behold God nor purely loue him Hee therefore that despiseth small Ecclese 19 Eph. 4. things shal decay by little litle saith the Preacher Grieue ye not the holy spirit saith the Apostle And Saint Augustine Despise not small sinnes though thou Small sinnes to be despised Similes make light account of them yet be afraide at least when thou numbrest them And the same No sinne is so smal that by contempt becomes not great For the sea sands though they be very litle and so likewise the drops of water yet being multiplied growe to great flouds and doe much harme and the water that leaketh into the shippe will at the length sinke it The same There is no sinne so small that is not able to destroy a man if hee take pleasure in it And Hierom. Way not how little thy sinnes are but how great God is who is displeased with thee Therefore O man What is to be done to auoyde small sinnes 1. Search diligently and daily all the starting holes of thy conscience striue continually against euery sinne be it neuer so smal by new repētance exercise of faith we ought daily to cure our maladies not onely by acknowledging our sins but also by searching the root of thē 2. Call to remembrance otherwhiles that sinnes otherwise small in a man endued with great graces are recokned to be great For by how much
the spirit doth dispose to great sinnes and hinder encrease of graces doth spoile vs of spirituall gifts and depriue vs of glory c. Graunt me grace O Lord to withstand the first motions of sinne and diligently to examine euery corner of my heart and by spéedy repentance and faith to purge euery sinne séeme it neuer so small that I may not onely cut off all occasions of sinne but also pul it vp by the root through Iesus Christ Notwithstanding O mercifull father forasmuch as through thy long suffering Care of grieuous sinnes thou dost not onely as it were winke at our lesser sinnes but art also wont through thy mercie to pardon our more grieuous sins so that though they be as purple or scarlet by repentance they become as woole or snowe Graunt me grace so to profit in the way of godlinesse that I may daily more and more deny my selfe By mortifying the loue of my selfe By taming the appetites of the flesh By refraining the affections of the minde or will But especially in rooting out all wicked habites Both in the Superiour and Inferior faculties of our soule Mortifie O Lord in my vnderstanding Wicked habites in the vnderstanding Curiositie Rashnes the vice of curiositie whereby I am too curious to search those things which excéede my capacitie or which appertaine nothing vnto me The vice of rashnesse whereby I presume to iudge of other mens liues and manners besides the rule of charitie either by vncertaine and doubtfull coniectures or else by enuious or malicious rumors The vice of pertinacie whereby I doe stand so stifly in my Pertinacy presumed opinion that I will admit no mans counsel or perswasion aboue mine owne Frée my vnderstanding O Lord from Cogitations all ydle worldly vncleane and curious cogitations in stead whereof giue me grace that necessarie spirituall holy and profitable cogitations may occupie my minde That I may contemplate heauenly things laying a foundation for the time to come that I may obtaine eternall life Mortifie O Lord in my will whatsoeuer The will is repugnant to thy wil that I may neither wil nor desire any thing but that which is agréeable to thy will reuealed in thy word and is acceptable to thée And because in the inferiour faculties Wicked habites in the appetites of our soules in our appetites and senses many wicked habites doe preuaile which without a mightie force of the spirit cannot be subdued As Gluttony and Drunkennesse Luxurie Auarice Enuie Anger Pride Slothfulnesse in godly exercises Cowardlinesse or Pusilanimitie in temptations Grant me O Lord by thy grace to ouercome all these euills whereunto either al or to some one more than the rest either by nature I am enclined or by custome subdued that being deliuered out of the snares of sinne and Sathan I may serue thée in such righteousnesse and holinesse as is acceptable with thee through Iesus Christ our Lord. Prayers against each particular euill habite as euery man shall thinke most befitting his owne estate O Almightie God and most mercifull 1. Against Gluttonie or drunkennesse pray thus father I confesse and acknowledge that thou hast forewarned vs to take héed of surfeting and drunkennesse and hast threatned by thy holy word to exclude Gluttons and Drunckards out of the kingdome of heauen Giue me grace to auoide this sinne by a moderate abstinence by flying ydlenesse by Restraints of gluttonie a meditation of heauenly things by a practise of Christian vertues by an imitation of Christ in hungring thirsting and praying Graunt me grace that in eating and drinking I be not carried too farre beyond the boundes of naturall necessitie And that I may come to take my foode as to take a medicine that I may represse in féeding a new appetite stirred by varietie of dishes that I may receiue my corporal foode with praier and thanksgiâ—ing and with a desire of spirituall foode that being refreshed with bodily foode I may returne more chéerefully to the offices of my calling through Iesus Christ Amen O Almightie God and most merciful father forasmuch as the vice of luxurie or Against Luxury pray thus Riotousnesse is neuer alone but is carrier as it were in a Coach on foure wheels vz. Pampering of the belly and lusts of the flesh Nicenesse in apparell and lastnesse of sleepe And is drawne as it were with two horses equally matched vz. Prosperitie of life and aboundance of wealth whereon also doe sit as it were two driuers Slothfull dulnesse and Enuious securitie Giue me grace O Lord to profit day by day in the mortifying of this vice or rather vices By humble prayer crauing continencie of thée By withdrawing from the fire of lust the fewell of wine and delicates By a watchfull eare expelling out of my heart all euill cogitations forthwith as they rise And by kéeping my senses least death enter by them as by the windowes Graunt that by thy grace I may warily auoide whatsoeuer is beautifull to the eye whatsoeuer is swéete to the tast whatsoeuer is pleasant to the eare whatsoeuer delighteth the smell whatsoeuer is soft in touching That at length by thy grace I may so profit in mortifying Luxurie the though I féele the prick of the flesh yet I may suppresse it without sinne and may perceiue lust to be so abated in me that though it cannot wholly bée taken away yet it may bée subdued Through Iesus Christ Amen O Almightie God and most mercifull â— Against couetousnesse pray thus father forasmuch as thou hast forewarned thy children to beware of couetousnesse which is an vnsatiable desire to possesse more and more and is accompanied with many mischiefes Giue me grace to expell and expulse this vice by a godly contentment depending alwaies vpon thy prouidence and promise and setting before our eyes the example of our Sauiour Christ who when he was Lord of all became poore for vs Grant me therefore in whatsoeuer estate I am therewith to be content either in plentie or want in fulnesse or penurie Remembring that riches cannot helpe in the day of temptatioÌ„ nor giue tranquilitie or rest to the soule but rather doe wrap their possessors in many snares Grant me therefore to cast all my care vpon thee c. Through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen O Almightie God and most mercifull 4. Against Wrath pray thus father forasmuch as thou hast forbidden vs to be angry rashly and doest make it as murther to be in danger of iudgemeÌ„t I beséech thée by thy grace to frée me from this sinne which extinguisheth the light of reason disguiseth the countenance and changeth a man into a Monster Grant me by thy grace to ouercome this sauage beast by remouing the procurers of anger which are Enuie Pride Curiositie Suspition Credulitie loue of our selues By restraining by the wisdome of the spirit the first assaults of anger By Christian patience suffering wrongs and not séeking to reuenge our selues That obseruing thy
commandements and following thy example I may through patience inherite the promise through Iesus Christ Amen O Almightie God and most mercifull 5. Against Enuie pray thus father who hast commanded vs to loue our neighbours as our selues the poyson against which loue is Enuie which sorroweth at the prosperity of our neighbor and ioyeth at his miserie Giue me grace therefore O Lord to shun this plague which hurteth more the possessor than him that is enuied For the auoiding whereof Grant mee grace to contemne all humane things to long for that heritage which multitude of heires doth not strengthen that I may reckon the gifts of my neighbours as mine owne and communicate my gifts with them that Enuie being set apart we may reckon that ours which they possesse and that we possesse may be theirs as Members of one body whereof Christ is the head O Almightie God and most mercifull father who resistest the proud and giuest Against Pride pray thus grace vnto the humble For as pride is the roote of all euill so it is the ouerthrowe of al vertues and as an infectious disease corrupteth all the faculties of the soule Giue me grace therefore O Lord to beate down this great euill By taking a diligent viewe of my selfe that finding mine owne wants I may lay downe my Pride By conferring my state with the first estate of our first parents I may see from whence I am fallen By knewing the lawe I may knowe my owne infirmities And by setting before me Christes example I may learne Humilitie who when hée was Lord of Men and Angells yet became a perfect patterne of Humilitie and Contempt of the world that we being humbled in our selues might â—e exalted of thée Through Iesus Christ Amen O Almightie God and most mercifull Against dulnes in 〈…〉 exercises pray thus father I acknowledge my dulnes and lukewarmnes in going forward in the way of life whose effects daily I féele in my selfe For. How often doe I pray without attention and feruencie of spirit How often do Ill effects I meditate diuine things without affection of my minde and therefore without fruit How hardly doe I rid my selfe from ydle companie How seldome doe I returne into my selfe to gather my spirits to examine my own state I looke into my selfe as it were through a Lattice without repentance or amendment of life I talke freely of other men and seuerely censure their déeds and words O how willingly doe I passe my time in vaine showes or outward things to relieue my wearines How often doe I séeke comforts here and there solace my selt with ydle thoghts How grieuously do I bear discipline correctioÌ„ I obey laws but for a fashioÌ„ with lothsomnes vnwillingnes O how often do I auoide labours which are necessary and profitable to saluation I séeke to bee gracious and in fauour with men How doe I neglect the vse of the Sacraments How seldome and negligently doe I heare godly Sermons How carelesse hitherto haue I bene to auoide sinne How presumptuous of mine owne strength How much haue I pampered my selfe making prouision for the flesh to fulfill the lustes thereof I call to minde my olde manners and the pleasures of sinne not with griefe and disliking but with a delight and liking Grant me therefore O Lord thy Dangers of Lukewarmnes grace that I may ouercome this roote of vices I acknowledge the daÌ„ger wherein a Lukewarme man doth stand whom thou hast threatned to vomit out whose state is miserable and end searefull Giue me grace therefore not to fall backe into mine old sinnes that I be not in danger of a greter ruine but that recouering out of the gulfe of these mischiefes I may with a more chéerefull minde runne the way of life Stir vp in me O Lord an Remedies ardent desire of newnesse of life make me continually to meditate on my ende which if it should happen to be sodaine and I vnprouided the things that come after will be more grieuous which my end that it may be blessed I beséech thée for Iesus Christ his sake c. Amen When thou art entred O my soule In case of Pusillanimitie or feare a coÌ„municatioÌ„ with the soule the way of life thou art perhaps grieued either with the expectation of some euill at hand or with distrust of deliuerance from some euill present But pray O my soule with Dauid I expected him who deliuered me from my feare and from the storme Conceiue an assured hope in Gods prouidence and flée to him in the time of trouble Peraduenture he will humble thée by this temptatian to beate down thy pride which assaulteth the godly euen in holy actions or be purposeth to purge thée of selfe-loue whereby thou pleasest thy selfe many times more than is meete But what is it O my soule that thou néedest feare Doest thou feare the Crosse and affliction The crosse not to be feared If thou be godly the Crosse and affliction as it cannot be shunned so it is profitable and glorious to the godly It abateth vices it encreaseth vertues it confirmeth our Adoption c. Beare it therefore patiently and couragiously 2. Doest thou shrink at sicknes Thy Not sicknesse body is subiect to death why then doest thou so grieue at sicknes which prepareth to death which to the godly is a passage to life Moreouer the sicknes of the body doth many times cure the diseases of the soule 3. Doest thou grieue for the losse of Not losse of worldly things worldly things Belieue in God take hold of his promises He will not leaue thee nor forsake thée 4. Doth the terror of death astonish thée Not death Cast off feare which riseth of infidelitie Compare the course of this life with the last periode thereof Art thou tossed with continual miseries Feare not death which shall deliuer thée from the tyranuy of sin from the deceits of the world from the temptations of Sathan Eternall death shall not touch thée because life is prepared for thée in Christ 5. Doe the assaults of Sathan terrifie thée Remember that God doth arme Not Sathan such as be his with power to resist Satan Thou shalt ouercome by Christ our Captaine Call vpon God and arme thy selfe with the Shield of faith the sword of the spirit c. And by Gods grace thou shalt ouercome 6. Art thou amazed with thy many Not many or great sinnes and great sins The remission of thy sins is sealed and confirmed to thee by many and great promises by Christ and in Christ therefore thou oughtest not to 1. Ioh. 2. feare If any man sinne we haue an Aduocate to the father euen Iesus Christ the righteous 7. Doth the terror of the last iudgment Not the last Iudgment make thée tremble Cast off this feare call to mind the loue of God the father in his sonne and that the same Son of God is both thy