neuer the better of an hundred hearers scarce one is conuerted to true Penitence when at one sermon of Peters or of some other Apostle fiue thousands were conuerted Men bearing the name of Christ yet voide of Christian life and sanctimonie The vulgar sort giuen to fraud in their workmanship and deceitfulnes in their dealings specially seruants Gouernors without iustice and vertue Churchmen without holines and deuotion Religious men without obseruing the rules of their profession and statutes of their order Married persons without honest and continent life Scriptures and fruitefull sayings of the Doctors to edefie in these points following Prayer I would haue men to pray lifting vp pure hands without wrath and contention I haue said I will confesse mine iniquities When yee doe praye if yee haue anie thing against others forgiue it The sounde or voyces of prayer come not vnto Gods eares except it be made with great affection of mind Prayer if it bee true if it bee chast it pierceth heauen and returneth not emptie For the daily and light sinnes without which this life is not led the daily praier of the faithfull recompenceth By fasting the passions of the bodie by prayer infections of the minde are to be cured The more we haue to doo with carnal things the more earnestly ought we to be giuen to prayer The kingdome of heauen is not gotten by taking our rest nor eternall blessednesse promised vnto the negligent Charitie Hée that loueth abideth in the light In this al men shal know that ye be my disciples if ye loue one another In Charitie a poore man is rich and without charitie euerie riche man is but poore Charity féedeth the hungry pride also féedeth but charitie dooth it to the praise and honor of God and pride for the prayse of her selfe Charitie cloatheth the naked pride clotheth also charity fasteth so doth pride Charitie is the strength of faith and faith is the fortitude of charitie where they bee not both together there both be wanting A man may haue in him the helpe and benefites of the Sacramentes and yet bee an euill man but hée cannot haue charitie and bee euill Fasting This kind of Diuels may not be cast out but by prayer and fasting My legges are weakened with fasting and my flesh is altered for want of wonted sustenance Fasting purgeth the mind reléeueth the senses subdueth the flesh to the spirite maketh the heart contrite and humble disperseth the clouds of concupiscence quencheth the burning of lustes kindleth the light of chastitie Hee that will well and truely fast let him abstayne from sinne and vice for what auayleth it to emptie the bodie of meate and to ouerlode the soule with sin What can it profit any man to be pale with fasting to consume with hatred enuie What good is it to abstaine from wine and to bée dronke with the lées poyson of anger and mallice What gaine is it to abstain from flesh made for mans vse to be eaten and to teare asunder the members of our neighbour with backbiting and slaunder It is no profite or a thing praise-worthie to abstaine from that which sometimes is lawfull and to doe that which neuer is permitted but always forbidden Let thy fasting chasten thée but glad an other and so thy sorrowes shall be fruitfull if they bring ioye to others Fast so that thou maiest bee as glad as if thou hast dined in hauing séen the néedie to eate God loueth a chéereful giuer and when the poore are fedde by thy reliefe thinke then that Christ hath dined with thy goodes crying that he hungereth himselfe in his poore God liketh that fast when thou giuest to an other that which thou doest withdrawe from thy selfe that thy néedy neighbors body may bée reléeued by that meanes wherby thine is afflicted Then thy fasting shall please the Lord God when thy soule abhorreth sinne for it is to no effect to withdraw meate from the body and to pamper and flatter it by sin Fast therefore chiefly from sinne and then thy fast shall please God For as fasting is to the humbling of the soule it will auaile thée nothing in humbling it by abstinence of meat and to puffe it vp by sinne Almes Hee that doeth the woorke of mercie offereth a sacrifice Acts. 14. It is a more blessed thing to giue thā to take Aug. Almes cleanseth sins intreateth for vs to Christ for whatsoeuer wee giue vnto the poore we shall be sure to possesse it Aug. If thou wilt be a good merchant and a great gainer giue that which thou canst not kéep that thou maist receiue that which thou canst not leese geue of thy temporal substance that thou maist receiue eternall inheritance To denie that which sustaineth life is to kill a man take heed lest amongst your chests or store ye lock vp the sauing of poore folks liues and as it were in toombes burying them It is a part of sacriledge to bestowe the goods of the poore otherwise then vpon the poore Geue your almes of that which is rightfully gotten geue not of that which is ill gotten to the faithful vnto whom Christs body is giuen in the sacrament The renowne of the Bishoppe is to prouide for the welfare of the poore it is a shame to all Priests to make themselues rich The almes of the proude riche man can doe him no good if hee haue robbed the poore for that will not suffer his almes to ascend come before the eies of God Penitence Luke 13. Except yée repent yée shall all likewise perish Eccl. My son if thou hast sinned adde not other sinnes to the former but praie rather that thy former may be forgotten Prou. 5. Euerie man is bound with the cordes of his sinnes Aug. de Penit. Paenitere est paenam tenere vt semper puniat in se quod commisit peccando Aug. Better is a little bitternesse in thy mouth than eternall torment in thine intrailes Au. He that wipes away his sins by penitence is become in fellowship with Angels Dauid sinned as Princes doe but he did penance with bewailing of his life the which princes or great men are not wont to doe Not to be sorie for thy sinnes makes God more angrie then the sinne which thou didst committe Contrition Bee sorowfull for your sinnes in your chamber Whome shall I regarde saith the Lord but the poore and contrite in spirit Contrition is a sorowing of the minde with teares rising of the remembrance of sinne of the feare of iudgement Let him know himself to be hard harted and too blame that doth bewaile the corporall death of his friende and weepeth not for the death of his owne soule Confession Esay 14. I will reckon vnto thée O Lord in the bitternes of my soule how I haue spent all my yeares Prou. 28. Hée that hideth his offences shall not bee directed but he that confesseth and forsaketh them shall obtaine mercie Barnard The camell hath but one burden the rich man
apostacy gluttony lechery drunkennesse false inditing of any man wrōg imprisoning striking hurting or hindering any in his body good fame or in his cattle theft robbery extortion vsurie deceite vsing of false weights or measures letting of Gods seruice or of any good doing mispēding of holy daies wasting of time haunting of vaine plaies or iests example of euill liuing bringing vp of new fashions maintaining of sinne or any false quarrell receiuing in the state of mortall sin employing viciously any bodely or ghostly gift of God not refraining the custom of sin nor the circumstances as time place or persons Sinnes of omission that is The leauing of good deeds which we ought to doe Not louing praying and thāking God oft for his gifts and benefites not giuing attention to our praiers not conforming our workes and our wil to Gods wil not dooing al our good déeds to a good intente which is to please God and so come to blis not disposing vs to receiue grace and if we receue it not vsing it as we should do not forgiuing others for charity and Gods sake not resisting strongly against temptation not appeasing them that are at debate not teaching and instructing the ignorant not correcting thē that doe amis not being faithful vnto God and our Christian brother to our power not yeelding a good déede for an other if wee may not comforting them that be in sorrow sickenesse or pouertie not amending our sinnes spéedily but lying or dwelling in them presūptuously in trust of mercy Against which presuming wée reade in Eccl. 5. Non adijcias peccatum super peccatum dicas misericordia Dei magna est Adde not one sin on heape vppon an other and say the mercy of God is greate S. Greg. hath this saying Cum miser homo c. When the wretched mā falleth into any gréeuous sin the Diuell perswadeth with him that hée should not repent nor confesse his sinnes affirming it was but a light and smal sin or but purposed in his heart hee preacheth vnto him of mercy and promiseth him long life and biddeth him goe forwardes a while longer in his sin and all is to the end that we may bring him to care but litle for God and so at length to perish through impenitence or desperation Ready and approued remedies against capitall sinnes AGainst the swelling and enflaming of pride apply vnto your selfe the practise of humility which chiefly consisteth in knowing of our selfe in obaying our superiours spiritual and temporal in not making our selfe better than our equals Neither ought we to dispise or disdain our inferiours And therefore to beat downe stoutnesse and hawtinesse of mind and wil let vs looke vpon examples of Iesus Christ his humbling to the death of the crosse and the lowly patience of his saints and martired seruāts Thus comparing our imperfections with their perfections let vs cast downe our selues and acknowledge our selfe vile voyd of any thing to be honored or praised for Against the heate and distemperaunce of wrath and desire of reuengement the very same remedy serueth that cureth pride Against the wicked repining of enuy had against the prosperity of others or other wise reioising at their harm haue recourse vnto charitie which enuieth not at all to stablish that vertue in you be feruent in praier and vnderstande well the meaning of that ordinarie petition Adueniat regnum tuum which kingdome in vs is the vse possessing of charitie whereby all our wils and mindes are subiected and referred to Gods will which ought to rule raigne in vs wherby our faith and suffering of aduersities troubles and annoyances are made effectual and fruitfull to vs and without no good worke is any thing auaileable Against the heate of lechery and gréedines of gluttony wherby they are both counted vile and beastly allay the one and moderate the other with the temperate playster of Christian fasting which subdues the flesh to the spirit and with reléeuing and assisting of the poore oppressed soule it worketh also health to the body and benefite to the common wealth Against the hated iniuriousnesse of Auarice whereby a man offendeth God as wel in keeping as in coueting set iustice against wrong doing the vertue of liberality against sparing in good purposes and mercy against a cruell and vnpittifull mind Against slouth or slownes in well dooing which is the vice of them that bee coldly affected towards God luke-warm in religion negligent in their souls health and such as be in despair or delay and defer that which they ought to doe for the loue of God or their soule encounter resist this sin armed with the vertue of hope which maketh a man to attempt thinges that be hard aboue his meanes so they pertaine to God and the fulfilling of his holy will Hope is our ankar the which holdeth vs fast to a good purpose as the shippe is staied by the materiall ankar A prayer deuout and thankfull for daily help and preseruation O My soueraigne Lord Iesu the very Sonne of Almightie God and the moste cleane and glorious virgine Mary that sufferedst bitter death for my sake and al mākinde on the Good-Friday and rose again the third day I beseech thée lord haue mercy vpon me that am a wretched sinner but yet thy creature And for thy precious passion saue me and keep me from all perilles bodely and ghostly and specially from al things that might turne vnto thy displeasure And with all the powers of heart I thanke thée most mercifull Lord for the great mercies which thou hast shewed me in the great dangers that I haue beene in as wel in my soule as in body And also for that thy grace and endles mercy hath euer kept me spared me and saued me from the houre of my birth vntill this time I beséech thee Lord that thy mercy may kéep me for thée alway And I cry thee mercy with all my whole heart for my great offences for my great vnkindnes and for my wretched and sinfull life and in that I haue shewed my selfe so vnable to leade my life as thy seruant I cry thee mercy and beséech thée to forgiue me I thanke thée also moste entirely my most gracious Lord for the benefites and grace which thou hast giuen me so largely in this worlde before many other who haue better deserued then I. But most gracious Lord I confesse and acknowledge vtterly that all the same commeth of thée for the which all worship praising and thankes be to thée now and euer Non nobis Domine non nobis sed nomini tuo da gloriam A prayer to bee saide when thou preparest to make confession of thy sins to God CReator of heauen and of earth King of kinges and Lorde of Lordes who hast made me of nothing to thy Image and likenesse and hast redéemed me with thy owne blood whō I a sinner am not worthy to name or cal vpon most humbly I pray and beséech thée that thou
all euill and lifting vp my eies and addressing my praiers vnto thee Drawe my féete out of the snare and hide me vnder the couert of thy winges A prayer out of the Psalme called Saint Barnards verses Lighten mine eies least at any time I sléepe in death that mine enimy neuer say I haue preuailed against him Be mindful of thy mercies O Lorde and of thy commiserations which haue beene since the world began Remember not the follies and offences committed in my youth Be mindfull of me according to mercy and for thy goodnesse O Lord. Into thy handes I commend my spirit thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of trueth I haue saide and spoken it openly O Lord make my end knowen vnto me And what the number of my daies is that I may knowe what is wanting vnto me Giue me a good signe that such as hate me may see thy fauour and thereat may bée confounded forasmuch as thou O Lorde hast holpen and comforted me O Lord let it be so séeing I am thy seruant and the sonne of thy handmaid Thou hast ridde me of my thraldome I will offer vnto thee the sacrifice of praise and shall call vpon the name of the Lord. They perished who fled from me and there is none to seeke after my soule I cried to the Lord saying thou art my hope my portion in the land of the liuing Glory be to the Father c. Another praier by such as be present at the perill of child-birth MOst mightie Creator mercifull God wee thy séely wretched creatures descended of Eue her ofspring most suppliantly beséech thée of thy infinite goodnes mercifully to looke on the wretched state miserie which of thy dreadful iustice in mixing alwayes sorrowes with ioyes thou hast inflicted vpon womankind for our said first parent her disobedience and namely the state sorrowful beeing of this our sister thy seruant here languishing and oppressed with the paines of womans trauaile and wretchednesse O good Lorde thy omnipotent wisedome foreséeing that some would sinne much did bridle them with infirmitie of bodie to the end that it may bee founde more profitable for them to be low brought with suffering gréeuous pains then to remaine in helth to their more hasard of sinne and damnation But séeing in all sicknes there bée thrée things that be greuous and specially to vs thy creatures of more weaknes and infirmitie by nature that is to say the feare of death the griefe of the bodie and the losse or leuing of these worldlie pleasures therefore thy mercifull goodnes hath so disposed our state condition in this life that no woman or man can be in great paine and long continue therein so as by thy iust and mercifull prouidence either he shall be able to beare our paines or els that the same shal be but short therfore it may please thée of thy great mercies that as the aire is clensed made cléer after vehement storms so after this sharpe and long showre of teares and wofull panges there may followe a calme of ease of affliction to this our sister and faire wether both of thy gratious fauour and of our mindes quietnesse that are pensiue and carefull for her For by the testimony of thy holy word thou delightest not in destruction with thy own mouth by the holy Ghost thou hast saide that thou wilt conuert the sorowing of thy seruants into reioycing Bee then our good Lord and our comforter in the day of our tribulation Suffer not wee beséech thée this our sister to bée tempted or oppressed with paines and calamity aboue her strength and patience to beare it but mercifully and spéedily helpe and deliuer her both from paines and perill So shal we euermore pronounce and say Blessed is God the Father of our Lorde Iesus Christ the Father of mercies and God of all consolation who comforteth vs in all our trouble Amen The Lords prayer briefly expounded Our Father By benefite of Creation through thy omnipotencie By priuiledge of condition through thy prouidence By pietie of adoption thorough thy charitie By reparation of blisse through thy onely begotten Which art in heauen By omnipotent power gouerning By grace lightening By mercie directing By glorie appearing Halowed be thy name Of vs by honest conuersation In vs by a cleane conscience Foorth out of vs by a good name and fame Aboue vs by Angelicall presentation Thy kingdome come That is Heauen by reuelation Holy Church by assumption The faithfull soule by iustification The holy scripture by instruction Thy will be done In simplicitie of heart by humilitie In charitie of bodie by abstinence In holinesse of prayer by frequentation In veritie of woorke by discretion Giue vs this day our daily bread Of humane necessitie Of spirituall doctrine Of the blessed sacrament Of eternall felicitie And forgiue vs our trespasses as we c. Not retaining mallice in heart Not vpbraiding in word Not doing euill for euill Not refusing to do good And let vs not be lead into temptation Sodaine which dismaieth Importune which wearieth Deceitfull which beguileth Uiolent which oppresseth But deliuer vs from euill Of worldly aduersitie which disquieteth Of mans crueltie which vexeth Of the Deuils subtletie which preuaileth Of euerlasting calamitie which tormenteth Amen that is all thus bee done By attention of heart By sinceritie of word By diligent practise By continuall desire Read and vnderstand Remember practise As thinges are prooued to be liuing by moouing by sense of sight or feeling and by liuely working so is it knowne whether the soule of any man liueth in Christ by these three tokens IF the soule be moued with the spirite of Christ that is to the holie desire of heauenly things and to the contemning of the delectable things of the world 〈◊〉 the soule haue a féeling of those thinges which pertaine vnto Christ and as it were a suffering with Christ that suffered If the soule worketh vertuous works in following of Christ. They that be lead by the spirit of God bée the sons of God Fides sine operibus mortua est These bee sixe signes of a Christian. INnocencie and cleannesse Penitence and the true performing thereof Lowlinesse and humilitie of spirite Obedience and the feare of God Pitie and brotherly loue Feruent charitie The 12. abuses of the world which are thought to bee the sinnes which deserue with the iustice of God that Antichrist the most wicked of all men should preuaile and trouble the whole world to the perill of innumerable soules OLde men and graue persons without the wisedome of true and mature patience Yong men of lesse knowledge and authoritie without reuerence and obedience Rich men without almes and mercifull works The poore giuen to proud apparell and without humilitie The Pastors or Teachers without good déedes where Christ himself wroght first and then taught hee saith Qui fecerit sic docuerit ille saluabitur The people hearing the word of God preached and yet waxe