do I presume as an Auctour or a translatour but onely for the pure loue compassyon that I had on my crysten brothren lyuynge in so great daunger And so trustynge that they maye haue grace of a mendemete By the whiche the honour of god may be increased with whom remayneth all Ioye glory and felycyte To the whiche he brynge vs all at his pleasure and wyll Amen ¶ Thus endeth the auctours Prologue â–ª vnto the crysten Reder And hereafter foloweth the Chapytres of this present boke The chapytres ¶ Fyrste the Auctours prologue I. G. vnto the crysten Reder THe fyrste chapytre coÌ„tayneth the dyffynycyon of fayth and of good warkes suffycyent for any crysten man to lene to The fyrste Chapytre ¶ Howe a crysten man shuld ofte remembre what a bonde we haue promysed at the font of baptisme The. ii Chapytre ¶ Howe all Crysten people shulde vnderstande breyfly to obserue and kepe the. x. coÌ„maundementes The. iii. Chapytre ¶ The Pater noster and the salutacyon to our Lady and the Credo in englysshe by IohnÌ„ colet Dean of Poules The. iiii Ch. ¶ An deuoute exposycyon or phrase vpon the Pater noster and on the artycles of the fayth The. v. Chapytre ¶ Howe that scrypture is very profytable to rede with ryghtwyse vsynge the same The. vi Chapytre ¶ Howe a crysten man shuld vse hym self in vowes and pylgrymages with oblacyons The. vii Chapytre ¶ A good ordre or rule for a man to brynge vp youthe The. viii Chapytre ¶ Howe charyte causeth vs to loue god our neyghbour with a good exortacyon of crysten lyuynge with all The. ix Chapyâ—… ¶ Of prayer and of the effycacy and vertue therof The. x. Chapytre ¶ Of the vertue and vtylyte of confessyon and to knowlege thy selfe to god The. xi Chapytre ¶ Of the myserable lyfe of a couetous maÌ„ The. xii Chapytre ¶ Howe it auayleth no creature to magnyfye or to set moche by hym selfe The. xiii Chapytre ¶ Of almesse dede and what marchaundyse it is accordynge to the mynde of seynt Austyn The. xiiii Chapytre ¶ Sayenges of Salamon and other dyuers doctours of auctoryte in Reformacion of synfull lyuynge with remedy for the same The. xv Chapytre ¶ In what myserye and wretchednesse a Gloton or a dronken creature daungeryth bothe his soule and body The. xvi Chapâ—… ¶ Of the synne of adultry or fornycacyon accordynge to doctour Lira with other The. xvii Chapytre ¶ Of the dysposycyon or coÌ„dycyons of the people towarde the ende of the world accordynge to the holye scrypture The. xviii Chapytre ¶ Of the couÌ„ceyll and exortacyon of seynt Paule concernynge the gyftes of grace gyuen to dyuerse people contayned in the. xii Chapytre to the Romayns The. xix Chapytre ¶ To haue vnderstandyng what the. vii deedly synnes be and what deuylles belon ge to them accordynge to scrypture and of the paynes of helle for synners The. xx Chapytre ¶ Of the. vii pryncypall vertues the whâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…en Remedy agaynst the. vii dedly syn nes of the. vii werkes bodely ghostly The. xxi Chapytre ¶ Of the. v. wyttes bodely and glostlye and of the. iiii Cardynall vertues The. xxii Chapytre ¶ Of the. vii Gyftes that procede from the holy ghostly and of the daunger to syn in the holy ghost The. xxiii Chapytre ¶ Of. xvi propryetâ—… that seynt paule wry teth of in the. xiii Chapytre to the Coryntheans The. xxiiii Chapytre ¶ The. viii Beatitudes or blessynges of god rede in the gospell on all Hollondaye The. xxv Chapytre ¶ Dyuerse good exortacions or couÌ„ceylles by seynt Austen very necessary and expedyent to all crysten people to folowe The. xxvi Chapytre ¶ Of. iiii thynges compared to the breyf vnstable lyfe of man and of good counceyll belongynge to the same very vtyll The. xxvii Chapytre ¶ Of the dyspysynge of the worldly thynges and of our olde man Adam also of the pyte mercy of god The. xxviii Cha. ¶ What daunger and vexacyon the poore myserable soule is in at his hens departynge from the body for his synfull lyuynge The. xxix Chapytre ¶ Of the Inestymable Ioyes that is prepared for mankynde afer this lyfe for the lytel loue and obeyent seruyce that he doth here for crystes sake The. xxx Chapytre ¶ THere endeth the Chapytres of this present boke The Myrrour or lokyng glasse of lyfe ¶ The fyrste chapitre contayneth the dyffynycyon of fayth and of good warkes suffycyent for any man to lene to The fyrste Chapytie FAyth accordynge to the mynde of seynt Paule is the substaunce of a thynge whiche dothe not appere and the foundacyon of thynges that can not be seen I spe ke not of suche faythe as lawers and marchauntes suche other worldly people vse one with an other But of the faith that we haue in cryste Ihesu and bycause that we may knowe hym the more parfytely by his propertye as ye may perceyue and vnderstande howe man and wyfe be coupled to gyther by loue in lyke maner dothe fayth couple and knyt spyrytually maÌ„nes soule stedfastly to byleue that god is omnipotent aboue all For what a greatter pleasure or â—…oue can any creature do vnto goâ—… 〈◊〉 stedfastlye to byleue that all trewth onely restyth in hym in his moste blessyd worde and promyse whiche neuer fayled nor ne uer shall as wytnessyth the Euangelyste fayeng Lelum terram transibunt verba mea auteÌ„ manebit Heuen and erthe shall fayle but my worde and promyse shall neuer fayle And contrary wyse there can be no more greatter dyshonour or blasphemy to god then to put dystrust in hym or thyn â—…ynge in hym any vnstablenesse or 〈◊〉 rynge from any thynge that he hath promy sed vs ye wyll say agayne that man and woman dothe seeche other and hath coÌ„munycacyon to gyther whiche causeth loue encreasyth the fayth of matrymony togyther in them Forsothe in lyke maner hathe the louynge and faythfull soule or spyryte of mankynde spyrytually in god the whiche fayth muste be in vs a stedfast byleue and asure truste in the gloryous goodnesse of god the blessyd Trynyte whiche is thâ—… Father the sone the holy ghost thre peâ—… sones and one god whiche is creature of â—…uen and erthe and of all thynges that 〈◊〉 therin for the welth and coÌ„modyte oâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so shall contynewe by hiâ—… 〈◊〉 myse vnto the worldâ—… ende ¶ Also ye shal vnderstande at the begynnynge god made Aungell in heuen amonge the which was Lucyfermoste gloryous whiche conceyued in his mynde to be equall with god nexte god And at the very same momeÌ„t or thoughte he many other aungellys whiche offendyd with hym fell from that gloryous eternall place in to the depest place of hell where they shall euer coÌ„tynew in pay ne darkenesse intollerable without ende ¶ Also ye shall vnderstande that in conty nent after all thynges created necessary for mankynde god created Adam and Eue moste
dede Reuerence thou thyne elders And obey thy superyors Be felowe and assocyat to thy equallyâ—… Be also beâ—…ynge louyng vnto thyne inferyors Loue all people in god Stande faste and struste in grace In fallynge downe dyspayre not And euer take a fresshe good new purpose Perseuer constantly Use ofte clene confessyon And wasshe clene with repentaunce And therwith sorowe for thy synnes And aske often for mercy In no wyse be no â—…ggarde But awake quyckely Enryche the with vertue Lerne dylyently And teche that thou hast lerned louyngly Declina a malo 〈◊〉 fac bonum inquire â—…cem et sequere eam Dauit 33. ¶ Of prayer and of effycacy and vertue therof â–ª The. x. Chapytre ACcordyng to the mynde of saynt Austyn prayer is the helpe and remâ—…dy for the soule and coÌ„forte and coÌ„solacyon and sub dewynge of the deuyll and voydynge of all synnes There is nothynge of more vertue or excellency in the syght of god here then is pure denocyon or prayer as cryst sayth i thâ—… euaÌ„â—…yst what so euer ye do axe or desyre my father in my name shal be graâ—…ted to you Furthermore they that wyll pray must be hole affeccionat in the promyse of cryst And truste suerly in the wyl of god as he wytnesseth in the euaÌ„ gelyst Mat. 7. axe ye shall fynde knocke and it hall be openyd as who sayth axe for mercy it shall be gyuen you seke the meanes helpe your selfe god wyl helpe you ye shall fynde knocke at the dore of yor harde herte or coÌ„scyence with repeÌ„tauÌ„ce the vertue of god shall open the dore of yor herte for to receyue grace for he wold haue wytnesse of hym selfe here amonge vs in strengthynge of our faythe thus we maye euydently proue and perceyue the wyll of the father in heuen to warde vs here in erth Some maner of people vseth dâ—…uers maners of cloked ypocrysy which in the â—…get and syghte of the coÌ„mon people they seme very holy and ful of great meâ—…enesse and be not so in dede these sortes of ypocrytes â—…e keth theyr owne glory and not the glory of god wher as cryste ascrybeth the nature of suche ypocrytes in the. vi the. vii and the. xxiii chapytres of Mathew the euaÌ„gelyst Rede there ye shall percevue the one from the other As oure louynge mayster crystâ—… techeth vs. Attendâ—…e a falsis yphetisque veniunt ad vos in vestimentis omâ—…uÌ„ trinsâ—… cus sunt lupi Rapaces ¶ Leo papa iÌ„ sermde ascrybeth that of prayer coÌ„meth forgyuenesse of synnes by fastyng or abstynence abateth the luste and affeccy on s of the flesshe by almesse dedes synnes are hydden from the syght of god thus may the ymage of god be dayly renewed in vâ—… to our comforte Prope est dominus omnibus in vocantibue eum in veritate psalmo 44. ¶ Saynt Austyn saythe there is no greffe so paynfull as is the â—…effe of ones conscy ence wherfore except thy coÌ„scyence be pure â—…ene of god nor of no saynt can thy pray er be harde nor acceptable and specyally yf thou be in deedly synne Dauit cormuÌ„duÌ„ creâ—… in â—…e deus psal 50. ¶ Saynt Bernarde sayth when thou enâ—…est in to prayer iÌ„ thy chambre closet churcâ—… or els where â—…rste seperat and expell out of thy mynde all â—…ondanytes world ly thoughtes or busynesse and elyuat thy herte and mynde all hose vnto god onely our father in heuen and pray vnto hym in thy herte purely and syncerly and in so doynge thou pleasest god more then yf thou shuldest say ouer all the bedys that be in the worlde otherwyse in vaynglory hauynge thy mynde ruâ—…led in worldly busynesse for the euangelyst sayth Tribue mihi cor tuum et mihi sufficit ¶ Also saynt Rychat de de sancto victore recordeth sayenge O how many are there whiche dayly say and pray the Pater noster and how fewe be the re that be harde for fault of pure and clene herte And howe many are there that dayly calleth on the Father in heuen in our Pater noster in dede be none of his chyldren for faute of grace and in fulfyllynge of the trowth which is the worde of god the whi che can not entre in theyr hertes for carnall affeccyons as cryste sayth in the euaÌ„gelyst Mat. 15. Ye do worshyp me with your lyppes and your hertes be ferre from me then how can we be the children of god in heuen which is our father we be replet with the werâ—… operacyons of the deuyll as saynt Paule saythe Ro. 8. they the whiche werke by the spyryte of the holy ghost they be suer ly the chyldren of god Also the euangelyst sayth Si filii abrahe est is opera abrahe facite Iohan. 8. ¶ The vertue of confessyon to knowlege thy selfe The. xi Chapytre SAynt Austyn de penitâ—…tia sayth that confession is a sa crameÌ„t whiche is the helthe of man and the saluacyon of the soule and the restoryn ge of vertue and the sperklynge abrode or caâ—…tynge away of vyces and synnes and the deuyll and his werkâ—… And shytteth vs out of the gates of helle and openeth 〈◊〉 the gates of paradyse ¶ Saynt Austyn sayth that person that is a synÌ„er offendeth god dayly wyll not be knowen of his synnes but with a â—…oborne herâ—…e syueth in his carnall pleasure obsty nat to warde god in knowlege of his synnes and offences dothe to the denyll great pleasure and gyueth his soule to eternall dampnacyon And in coÌ„trary wyse he that coÌ„fesseth hym knowlegeth hym self therof And no more wyllynge to offende god doth please god and so through god he possesseth his soule with grace eternall for he that wyl hyde his synnes from god hydeth hym self from god wherfore knowlege thy offeÌ„ ces thou shalt fynde alway mercy 〈◊〉 â–ª Qui se accusâ—… et se peccator sit iustus esse inâ—…pit â–ª Augusti ¶ The lyfe of a couetous man speketh Ieremy the prophet The. xii Chapâ—… FRom the porest vnto the rychest coÌ„monly and dayly is seen the expery ence they be dysposed to couetous and aâ—… ryce whose ê“pertyes is to withholde and catche landes goodee catall lawfull or vnlawfull and what wronges or iniury that he doth to any maÌ„ he passeth not vpon so that he may obtayne his owne synguler profyte All suche couetous persons hauyn ge lybertye wyll cut large thongâ—… of other meÌ„â—…es lether as who sayth he wyll be pro dygall or lyberall of other meÌ„nes goodes and sparynge and haynous of his owne in so moche that he wyll oppresse his body and spare out of his bely and wyll suffre great penury for his affeccyon loue that he hathe to obtayne this worldly good and substaunce whiche deceyueth hym daylye afore his iyes and all this suffreth he to be noted or named a ryche man amonge the people And to lay out any thyng that shul de be ê“fytable to his soule or that
god then the dede it selfe O lorde that arte so mercyfull holde thy hande of wrath yre from vs and to amende our synfull lyuynge in fylthynesse to know sege and that we may confesse our mysery with repentaunt hertes myndes with the prophet Dauit sayeng in his penyteneyall psalmes Miserere mei deus secundum magnaÌ„ misericordiam tuam qr peccauimus cuÌ„ patribus nostris iniuste egimus et iniquitatem fecimus ¶ Pause resyteth the condycyons and natures of people in the later dayes of this worlde The. x. viii Chap. 2. Tuno 4. THere shal come sortes of people in the later dayes that shall be louynge them selfes and not god nor his lawes no nor suffre noo holsom doctryne to be vsed in prechynge redynge nor spekynge but suche carnall and delectable fables testes tales and lyes that shall be pleasauÌ„t to the carnall lusts pleasur of theyr body but when they here of any good exortacyotis concernynge the welth of theyr neygh boures with theyr owne also to the pleasure of god that can not in no wyse entrâ—… in to theyr hertes but oft tymes therat wyll clawe thâ—…re where it ytcheth not as who saythe yf it be trewe that is shewed them yet wyll they none of it i no wyse they can not abyde it To them sayth Ieremy in the vt chapytre to suche harde herted and obsty nat people the word of god is obbropryoue and hatefull i so moche that they wyll not here nor suffre it spoken bycause it condem pâ—…th all carnall lusts and desyres the whi che they wyll not seâ—…e Verbum dei factum est eis obprobrium et non suscpient istud Ieremie vi ¶ Accordynge to Lyra Saynt pause ad Romanos 12. to all theym that hath gyftes of grace from god The. xix Chapytre AS yf a man hath the gyfte of prâ—… sye set hym vse his lernynge so that it be agreynge to the fayth ¶ Also yf a man hath an offyce or dygnyte therin to do that he is bounde or sworn-to do it with Iustyce ¶ Lette hym that techeth prudently take good hede to his doctryne ¶ Let hym that exorteth any persone with charyte and modestyousnesse vse hym in his exortacyon dyscretly ¶ Yf ye do gyue any thynge gyue it with symplycyte as who saythe not openly in syghte of people but secretly and do it for the loue of god ¶ He that is in auctoryte do it with dylygence that is to saye gouerne them vnder his lurysdyccyon in vertue and trewth ¶ He that sheweth mercy do it with cherefulnesse as who sayth be not therin tygorous nordysdaynous but comfortable ¶ And also let your loue be without dyssy mulacyon as who sayth not cloked louâ—… sayenge one and do another ¶ And so shall you hate that which is euyl or synfull gladly to do that shal be good and profitable both to your body and soule vse kynd brotherly loue one to another ¶ Whiche is a lyfe angelycall to god and thus we may procede or Ioy one with ano ther for another in vertue goodnes or â—…cellyng eche other in charitable gladnesse not in murmur or dispysynge eche other ¶ Also â—…et noâ—… your busynes and werkys in doynge be tedyous to you that is to wyl in dedes of mercy or i that which coÌ„meth of the holy ghost for the welth of your soule ¶ Wherin be seruent in spyryte and apply your selfe with all your dylygence whyle ye haue tyme and leyser ¶ And reioyce truste suerly in the rewarde of god whiche that he hath mysed vs. ¶ Also ye muste be paâ—…t in trybulacion and thynke it not tedyous or paynefull to you but gently suffre theyin with thankes hertely gyuen to god and pray for them ¶ Ye muste alway be stedfast i prayer and not hauyng your mynde tuffled with world ly busynesse but all onely in god ¶ Also to dystrybute to the nedy and poore for the loue and fayth thou hast to god and for goddes sake ¶ Also you shall blesse them that persecute you and vexe you in body or spyryte and pray for them and do ye good for euyll ¶ Also that ye wayle morne with them that morne and wepe and therof make ye no iesteâ—… pleasure or sporte ¶ Also agre as one when ye be togyther in god and let not one repute hym selfe 〈◊〉 lenter in wytte or corage agaynst another but gently to be companyons as chyldren and apply you therin egall to the inferyor sorte rather then to presumpcyon ¶ Also be ye wyse and kepe none opynyon in your owne conceyte ¶ Also haue ye afore wyt and prouyde for thyngs honest for your self afore the people ¶ And yet specyally for your owne parte vse quyetnesse and rest ¶ Here foloweth the seuen deedly synnes that all people be bounde to fle and withstande The. xx Chapytre PRyde wrath enuy couetyse glotony slowth and lechery Pryde wrath and enuye be the synnes of the deuyll Couetyse and aueryse be synÌ„es of this worldly pleasur Glotony slowth lechery be synnes of the flesshe these ben the hye wayes to dampnacion perpetuall Qui se exaltat humiliabitur ¶ And we muste vnderstande that man offendeth god in pryde when he is rebell or obstynat agaynst goddes coÌ„maundemeÌ„t in folo wyng his owne wyll and pleasure and not the wyll and pleasure of god ¶ Also a man offendeth god in the synne of wrathe when he malycyously busâ—…h hym selfe or other to be auenged and is sur ly mynded and dysposed to complysshe his desyre therin Qur gladio pcutit gladio pibit mat 26. ¶ Also a man offendeth agaynst god in en uye when he repyneth or is gâ—…d agaist his neyghbours prospetyte or good name Quid gloriarâ—…s in malicia qur potens â—…s ininiquitate psalmo 51. ¶ Also a man offendeth god in couâ—…tyse when he coueyteth any goodds to hiâ—… welth or pleasure or els wrongfully from his neyghbour and hath no wyll to depart therwith to the nedy in theyr necessyte Qui pecuniam suam noÌ„ dedit ad vsuraÌ„ et munera innocenteÌ„ noÌ„ accepit psâ—… 15. ¶ A man offendeth in glotony when he ta keth excesse of meate or drynke more then nedeth where through he may be the worse to serue god quyetly Animalis homo non pepercit que sunâ—… spiritus dei Corin. 2. ¶ A man offendeth in slowth when he lâ—…uyth vndone the good werkes or deedes wherof god by his grace moueth or styreth a man vnto and doth leue them vndone Surge qui dormis et exurge a mortuis illuminabit te xpÌ„s paule to the ephe 6. ¶ Also a man offendeth in lechery when he withstaÌ„deth not the foule fylthy styrynges of his flesshe lust and suffreth hym selfe to be ouer come whether it be in wyll or dede both are mortall synne More peccatorum pessima psalmo 33. ¶ Hereafter foloweth the names of the Deuylles the whiche styreth a man to the synnes deedly TO pryde belongeth