pardon my sinnes to forgiue mine offences and to renew thy holy Spirite in mee that I may so passe my time in this life that through thy grace fauor I may neuer waÌ„der in the most filthy streetes of eternall death and destruction but for euer escape the daungerous and stinking gulfe of hellish calamâ—ties and damnation Consider O Lord consider I beseech thee the weaknesse and frailty of my sinful flesh and according to the multitude of thy mercies receiue my soule into thy fauour and put all my wickednes out of thy remembrance Cleanse me O sweet Sauiour and so shall I be cleansed and made whiter than the snowe in thy sight Strengthen me O God streÌ„gthen me that the gates of hel preuail not against me neither let Satan death or hell euer haue power to triumph ouer me but let mee that am thine be thine stil and be thou mine Grant this O most victorious triumphant Lord for thy tender mercies sake and for thy deare sonnes sake our onlie mediatour and Aduocate Amen A Prayer to attaine heauenly felicitiâ—s THis worlde O Lord is a dungion of darknes a mountaine of miserable martyrdoms a lewd laberinth of loathsom lusts a canckred course of choking calamities a place of all vanities quite void of all vertues Wherfore make me strong O sweet Sauior to walke vpright in this wretched wildernes and arme me blessed Lord with thy holy armour let me haue O tender Father thy righteousnesse for my breast-plate a liuely faith in thee for my target a firm hope of thy mercies for my helmet and the true knowledge of thy word for my banner so that I may be strong against all the fond allurements vaine fancies and most wicked assaultes of the world the flesh and deuill the mortall enemies both of my body and soule and after the ende of this fraile life I may participate with thee and thy holie Angels the perfect ioyes of heauenly felicities in eternall life but feeling the heauie burthen of my sinne and calling to memorie the grieuous punishment which thou hast often time laid vpon sinne as when thou diddest send fire vpon Sodom and Gomorrha for sinne when thou diddest cast foorth Adam out of Paradice for sinne when thou diddest harden the heart of Pharaoh for sin when thou diddest cast Lucifer foorth out of heauen into vtter darknes for sin yea when thou didst persecute Salomon in himself his posterity with Dauid thy own seruant and many others to our example al for shameful sin O Christ most mercifull I beseech thee that art the lamb of God and takest away the sins of the world to blot out al mine iniquitiâ—s which I coÌ„fesse O Lord to be more then al theirs let not mine offences be witnesses against me in the great day for then I know that both death and euerlasting damnation shal be my reward Wherefore I beseech thee O most mighty God and mercifull Father that the pittifull passion of thy deare son may be a sufficient ransom for al my sins a ful satisfaction for all mine offences Grant me O Lord thy holy spirite of thy louing kindnes turne thy fauourable countenaÌ„ce towards me that I may for euer in all my thoughts words and deeds praise glorifie thy holy name after this life attaine the felicities and ioyes of thy blessed kingdome and there with thee to raigne eternallly To whome with the father the son and the holy Ghost be all honour and glorie world without end Amen Sweet and comfortable Flowers for soule and body Auarice THe chariote of Auarice is carried vppon foure wheeles of vices which are Faint courage Inhumanitie contempt of God and forgetfulnesse of death The two horses that drawe the same are Rauine and Niggardship to them both is but one Carter which is a desire to haue the whip which the carter vseth hath two cords and they are a greedy mind to get and a fearful heart to forgoe As hell and perdition are neuer filled euen so the minde of a couetous person is neuer contented Riches hastily gotten shall soone diminish but that which by honest trauel is by litle and litle gathered shal dayly increase and continue long He that maketh hast to bee rich and beareth enuie to others litle knoweth how soon pinching necessitie shall summon him to the base court of pouertie Endlesse woe is the rewarde of him that greedily doth gather to maintaine his house that his nest may stand on high and thinketh to escape the great strok of vengeance The couetous person neuer taketh rest for in this life his mind is vexed and his soule shall euer burne in the fiery lake of eternall perdition O with what difficulty shall they that are in loue with mony enter into the kingdome of heauen Verily I say vnto you more easie is it for a Cammell to passe through the eye of a needle then for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of heauen Such as be rich or couet much wealth sal no doubt into most wicked temptations and are taken in the sâ—ares of the deuill yea by greedy and vnlawfull desires are drowned in the stinking gulfe of sempiternall death damnation Pouerty lacketh many things couetousnes al things the niggard â—o no man is good â—ut to himselfe worst Money is a seruant and drudge to a wise man but to a foole a Ladie and Mistresse Inordinate desire of riches and rule is the onlie fountaine whence springeth all mischiefe for couetous appetite subuerteth credit honestie humility clemencie patience benignitie with all other vertues Riches to a wicked man are instruments of mischiefe As the fire euer desireth more fewell that it may consume it euen so a man that is couetous craueth more welth that he may hoord it the fire to his comfort because it is therby maintained but the man to his misery be-because he is thereby damned Riches to the vertuous and godly that vse them wel are a token of the sweet mercies fauour of God but to the wicked that abuse them a perfect signe of their reprobation losse of Gods loue towards them Ambition THe Deuill did fall only because he wold rather be a prince then a subiect An aspiring mind neuer inioyeth quietnes He that desireth to be aboue others often times falleth and is set with the lowest Such as are infected with ambition are desirous of honour must be enforced to possesse such treasures only as are vnspotted and cleane from all mischiefe which may not of any enemy be corrupted of any friend misliked nor of any man slandered All such as exalt themselues shall surely be daunted and set low Who so liueth in authority let him weigh in the vpright ballaÌ„ce of his clear conscience in what sort he came vnto it and comming wel vnto it how he ought to liue wel in it to the end he may gouern wisely let him cal to remembrance his owne infirmity Rule
Nothing doth more diminish a mans commendation then much vaunting the successe of his actes Benificence BEnefite the godlie and thou shalt find recompenee if they cannot requite thee yet God will remember thee Those benefits are most thankfull which a man findeth readie and are bestowed with out tarrying but onely the shame fastnesse of him that shall take them Charitie CHarity is patient and gentle and enuyeth no man If I had faith in so much as that I could carie away mountaines yet were I nothing if I lacked Charitie If I should distribute all my goods giue them to the poore and although I gaue my body to be burned hauing no charitie it nothing auaileth me Charitie doeth nothing amisse it is not puffed with prid it is not ambitious she seketh not her profit she is not mooued shee thinketh no euill shee reioyceth not in miss chiefe she suffereth all thinges shee ioyeth in trueth shee beleeueth all thinges shee hopeth wel of al things Charitie neuer fayleth Chastitie CHastitie is the beauty of the soule or of the Kings daughter that is abroad Chastity without Charitie is like a Lamp without oyle Where necessity is laide vnto Chastity where authoritie is giuen to Lechery there vertue is put to exile The absence of women causeth chastitie amongst men A chaste eie sheweth an honest mind Constancie COnstancie doth surelie perform the thing determined He that is constant â—eeleth neither trouble nor heauinesse Constancie keepeth and still preserueth things well gotten but goodes euill gotten neuer continue long Carnall Appetite CArnall appetie leaueth behind her more cause of repentance then of remeÌ„brance â—â—lthy lust wil haue no affinitie with vertue The fleshlie mind is neuer satisfied A carnall woman euer wisheth without contentment Carnall appetite dulleth the wit dimmeth the eies letteth good counsell spoileth the mind and with vertue wil haue no medling Heshly lust consumeth the body and damneth the soule Confession COnfession is the only remedy for sinne The vengeance of God ceaseth where mans confession timely preuenteth Confession is the life of a sinner the glorie of good men to all offenders necessary and not inconuenient to the godly Confession is the confounder of vices the cleanser of soules the restorer of vertues the vanquisher of deuils what will you more It stoppeth hels mouth and setteth wide open the gates of Paradâ—ce Discorde IF they which make peace bee called the children of God without doubt the disturbors of peace be the children of Satan Discord is the root of all confusion the spring of desolation Discord is an enemy to nature and a shorteâ—er of the life of man They that sustaine one part of the citie neglect the other lowe the wicked seedes of sedition and discord By concord small thinges are made great but by discord the most greatest are brought to nothing Warre is soone made but not quickly discussed for he is not sure to finish it that first toke in hand to begin it Dignitie HE is most honourable that disdaineth to erue or be subiect to vices True Nobility consisteth noâ— of great patrimonies and rich possessions but of godlie vertuous actions If thou wilt esteem a man truly know him plainly viewe him naked and let him lay aside authority possessions and other fortunes finallie respect not his bodie but behold his soule then shalt thou see what he is of himselfe and what he hath of others Dolours THere is no sorrowe but the length of time doth diminish make more easie As a moâ—h consumeth a garment euen so heauinesse hurteth the heart of man It is to be considered in all griefe and heauinesse that nothing bee done vnaduisedlie nothing rashlie nothing fearfulâ—ie nothing desperatly nothing wretchedlie or any thing foolishly Ouer much sorrowe breaketh the heart and killeth the bodie Sorrowes bring solace to the godlie but they vtterly ouerthrow daunt the wicked Sorrowes are most necessary to all sinners for they bring amendement of life Doctrine DOctrine is an ornament to the rich and Noble but to men without wealth a happie refuge and succour As faire legges bee in vaine to a Cripple so vnseemely is Doctrine in the mouthes of fooles Learning is a treasure which water cannot drown fire burn theeues steale nor dice lose As learning in good men is the armour of vertue so in wicked and corrupted persons it is a spurre to doe mishciefe We teach our children liberall Sciences no because these Sciences may giue any vertue but because they make the minde apt to receiue vertue As the right vse of learning adorneth the soule euen so the abuse therof spoyleth both bodie and soule Diet. IN diuers meates is occasion of sicknes and greedy feeding is a token of choller When the sicknesse is in his force then sparest diet is best Vâ—cleane bodies and they which be not well pâ—rged of supeâ—fluous humours the more you nourish them the more you hinder them Ouermuch euacuation or ouer much filling of the body is dangerous for too much of any thing is enemie to Nature To him that is fallen into a distemperance in heate or colde it is expedient to giue him things of contrary qualities Stomackes in winter and spring time bee hottest and sleep then is longest wherefore in those times meat should be taken in greatest aboundance You must not only remember that contrarie thinges be cured by their contraries but also consider in euery contrarie the true dose and quantitie Vâ—e moderate exercise for so shalt thou helpe Nature Ouer much ease maketh Nature feeble that shee cannot resolue that which by Arâ—e was not purged Drunkennessâ— DRunkennes maketh men seem as beasts â—oâ— it depriueth them of reason and stirreth them to all filthinesse The drunken man shall neuer be rich The Drunkard consoâ—ndeth Nature loseth both grace and honour runneth headlong into â—uerlasting damnation Eâ—uie THe enuious man pineth to see the prosperity of his neighbour Enuie seeketh dayly to subuert the state of the godâ—ie Enuie is blind can doe nothing but dispraise vertue Enuie is an excremeÌ„t of Satan which poisoneth the hearts of all such as once touch it Enuie cannot endure the vertuous but seketh their confusion The enuious man wisheth wel to no man but worst to himselfe for his filthy conceites drowne his soule in the filthy puddle of eternall damnation Faith AS the bodies is dead wherein is no spirit euen so that faith is dead which bringeth foorth no good workes By faith wee see God by faith we beleeue in God and by faith wee haue our saluation from God A liuely faith is the badge of a perfect christian Let all godly beleeuers endeuour to excell in good workes True Faith confirmeth thy wordes with workes Not the hearers of the Law be righteous in the sight of God but the doers of the lawe shall be iustified The Faith of a
Chtistian is ioyned with charity and without Charity is the Faith of the Deuill Flattery TAle bearers rioters glozers flatterers ar more to be abaÌ„doned theÌ„ opeÌ„ enemies Better is the stroke of a faithfull friend then the false kisses of them that flatter thee The best natures soonest beleeue and by flattering persons are soonest destroyed God IN the hart of man be many deuises but the will of God neuer altereth They that fear God wil beleeue his word and such as loue him will keepe his commandementes The eyes of God are more bright then the Sunne for he seeth the secretes of the hart and searcheth the raines Gâ—ace GRace is giuen for three causes that the â—aw be fulfilled that nature be restored and that we by sin be not subdued By grace we are freed from the bondage of sinne Grace bringeth vs to the hauen of eternall happinesse Without the grace of God no flesh can be saued Humility hVmblenes banisheth pride winneth loue and bringeth vs into the fauour of God As pride pride is the roote of all destruction so humility is the welspring of eternâ—ll blisse Pride cast Lucifer into the gulfe of damnation but by humilitie we shal attaine saluation Suffer not pride to rule thy witte for then will it spoile thy sences God hateth the proud but the humble hee exalteth Honour HOnours ouer great wherein is pride or ouer much statelines be suddeÌ„ly thrown downe like high trees in a great â—empest Honour-nourisheth cunning and with praise mens wits be kindled to studie Ignorance IGnorance excuseth not sinne The onlie enemy to knowledge is Ignorance By Ignorance al absurdities are nourished Ignoraunce is the image of blindnesse the mother of errours and the Nurse of all follie Ingratitude EVill shall neuer depart from the house oâ— him that rendreth an euil turn for a good He that doth all things well cannot bee vnkinde The hope of a person vnthankfull shall relent like winter yce vanish away as a sudden floud Idlenesse IDlenesse weakneth strength but exercise encreseth the same As ruste consumeth yron euen so idlenesse wearieth strength Idlenesse without learning is death the graue of a quicke man Idlenesse bringeth beggerie and causeth men with hatred to fall into miserie Idlenesse teacheeth all vnhappinesse Where Idlenesse beareth â—way all vertues decay Loue. LOue couerâ—th the multitude of sinnes Loue pleaseth God and winneth the hearts of men Liberality LIberality consisteth not in the quantity of the thing that is giuen but the manner of the giuer for he giueth according to his abilititie and substance He giueth late that giueth not till hee bee asked Liberalitie is the only meanes for a prince to aduaunce his honour and to keepe the faithfull heartes of his true subiectes As the Adamant draweth yron so liberalitie winneth the hearts of men Lechery LEcherie is an enemie to God and subuerteth all good vertues He that delighteth in Lecherie wearieth his body consumeth his abilitie and damneth his soule If we consider the excellent work of God in vs wee shall easilie perceiue how foule filthie a thing it is to be resolued in lecherie and to liue wantonlie Lecherie hasteneth olde age and withereth the bodie Malice BY malice a man slayeth his owne soule Malice hurteth them most that doe retaine it Malice is compassed with no limmites of reason Nobilitiâ— THe chiefest Nobility before god is to excell in all vertues True Nobilitity scorneth to do seruice to sin He that boasteth of his ancestors declareth himselfe not worthy of praise Iphicrates a valiant Captaine but the sonne of a shoomaker being there with imbrayded of Hermodius a Noble man borne answered in this wise My blood beginneth at me thy blood of Generosity endeth in thee The onlie welspring of true honor is vertue Obedience IT is a generall decree made by mankind to be obedient to kinges howe much more vnto god which gouerneth all creatures Better is obedience then Sacrifice If thou wilt be wise be thou euer obedience for it is written desirest thou wisdome then keep the commandements and God wil giue her vnto thee The contempt of superiours is the original fountaine of mischiefe in euery publik weale That country is euer wel gouerned where people wel know how to obey Faithfull obedience in subiectes maketh louing and kinde hearts in Princes Patience BY patience Iob ouercame his woonderous miseries and afterward enioyed all wished prosperities He that patiently suffereth the troubles crosses of this life shal after be endued with al felicitie Patience comforteth the heart quieteth the minde and best pleaseth God Most happy is he whoÌ„ no misery troubleth Patience causeth much peace and breedeth quietnesse twixt man and wife Pouertie BEtter is a little in the feare of God then great treasures with a troubled Spirit The patience of poore men shall surelie bee rewarded The life of man is not in aboundaunce of wealth great riches and high pompe but in vertue and faith for he is onely rich that to Godward is rich Be poore in spirit so shalt thou see God so shalt thou praise God when thou doest good so shalt thou lay the fault vpon thy self when thou doest euill Pouertie plucketh downe the hearts of the proud and often times bringeth them home to God He that liueth after his owne opinion wil neuer be rich but God will blesse him that with his riches praiseth the Lorde in doing almes and maintaining vertue godlinesse Prayer VVIth fasting corporall passions are to be cured with praier the pestilence of mans mind is to be healed Thy prayer is thy speech vnto God when thou readest God talketh with thee when thou prayest thou talkest with God By prayer the Niniuits were preserued By prayer Ionas was deliuered out of the Whales bellie Earnest and feruent prayer doeth oftentimes pacifie the wrath of God The froward nature of men is by humble peâ—ition and prayer rectified Prosperitie THe worlde is more dangerous laughing then lowring Liue so in prosperity as though thou shouldest fall into misery Let not prosperitie make thee proud least God for saking thee thou be pluckt into the narrow straites of pinching necessity When God suffereth euill men to haue great prosperity theÌ„ his indignation is much more grieuous If thou haddest the wisedome of Salomon the beautie of Absalon the strengh of Sampson the long life of Enoch the riches of Croesus the power of Octauiaâ— what can al this auail thee when finally thy body is giuen to wormes thy soule vnto deuils to be with the rich man in paine euerlasting Perfect prosperitie is the vse of vertue Promise AL honest promises are to be performed but these are not to be kept which are either compelled by feare or By craft deceiued O the shameful confession of fraud