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
Vade mecum Goe with mee Deare Pietie and rare Charitie VVhose flame is stirred vp to dispell the cold out of the minde By Otho Casmanne Preacher at Stoade Translated out of Latine by H. T. Minister The Contents appeare in the Page following Duc me nec sine me per me Christ optimë duci Nam duce me pereo Te duce saluus ero Guide me sweet Sauiour Christ The way Let not my selfe me guide If thou me guide I shall be safe If I my selfe I slide LONDON Imprinted for Thomas Charde 1606. The Contents of this Booke The Epistle Dedicatorie of the Translator The Epistle Dedicatorie of the Author A Synopsis or view of this Booke A Prologue sententious Foure members 1. Incipe Beginne 2. Ne desice seu re gredere Faint not or goe not backward 3. Sed profice Goe forward or profit 4. By denying vnrighteousnes and By follewing of righteousnes An Epilogue sententious Prayers framed to the parts and members of this Booke To the three Right worshipful The Epistle by the Translator and religiously vertuous Gentlewomen Mistres Anne Osbourne widowe of the Right Worshipfull Maister Peter Osbourne Esquire Mistresse Dorothie Osbourne the wife of M. Iohn Osbourne Esquire Mist Grace Chapman the Widow of M. William Chapman Citizen Encrease of grace in this life with assured hope of glorie in the world to come HAuing had long experience Right vertuous Gentlewomen of your Christian Pietie and Charitie grounded vpon a true knowledge of the word of God I haue thought good to present vnto you this short Treatise of a learned Writer Translated by me for the good liking I had thereof Wherein he directeth euery Christian how to begin to goe forward to perseuere in the way of Pietie Charitie till he haue attained the marke which is eternall life Not that I thought you to haue much need of any such direction to be prescribed you who haue long since both found the way and practised the course of a Christian life and by Gods grace shall so perseuere But yet I iudged it might be a good confirmation to you that you haue not hetherto wandered vncertainly in your course as also that it might be some encouragement vnto you to perseuere But vnto other who haue not yet either sound the way or begun to walk or haue but slowly or faintly gone forward in this course to such this booke may be both a guide to direct thē in the way of Pittie and Charitie and also a spur to stirre them vp to goe forward I haue bene bold to ioyne you three in the Inscription of this Epistle as my three Charites or Graces of whom the Poets make mention Three louing and bountifull sisters And sure I am that grace is in euery of your Names and Nature hath ioyned you in Consanguinitie and neere Affinitie as also GOD hath vnited you in Pietie Now as in the Etymologie of your Names ye carry Grace so I doubt not but in your hearts ye possesse the three Christian Graces Faith Hope and Charitie which by Gods mercy shall neuer leaue you till they haue brought you to the expected end of your Faith and Hope euen eternall life Which God for his sonne Iesus Christs sake graunt to you and all true Christians Amen So fare ye well Your vnworthy Pastor H. T. To the whole bodie of the Colledge of S. Mary at Stoad Otho Casmanne The Epistle Dedicatorie of the Author Preacher of the said Colledge wisheth saluation in Christ YOu venerable and Reuerend men and Brethren greatly beloued in Christ vnto whom by the fauourable will prouidence of Iesus Christ whose vnworthy Minister I acknowledge my selfe I do execute the embassage of the Gospel who also for that purpose haue chosen and called me to teach among you the word of Christian veritie and sanctitie Are not to be passed ouer by me The tongue serues to teach but giue me leaue I beseech you by writing to warne those whom with mourning I daily wish to teach by example life and work would to God I might perceiue that it were in my power to performe it It is a great matter certainly to be a Minister of the Word but to bee a Worke-maister aunswerable to the word is by Christ a farre greater matter Wee loue a frequent Hearer of the word of God but a diligent Doer of A dooer of the word hard to finde the word heard kept we admire These are my grones these are my wishes in this calling which by the will and grace of God I maintaine pardon me I pray you if I vnburthen these things into your bosome with that Charitie and Faith that is meete to wit That I be not a monster hauing a larger tongue than hands For that saying of my maister Iesus Christ doeth sounde in my eares He that teacheth and doth he shal Mat. 5. be called great in the kingdome of heauen He will haue me not only to be the salt of the earth in soundnesse of doctrine but also the light of the world in holinesse of life example of vertue Otherwise of mine owne mouth will hee iudge me as an vngratious seruant And Luc. 19. Ibid. 12. I shall bee beaten with many stripes If I binde together heauie burthens and laie them on other mens shoulders and I my selfe scarse touch them or moue them with my little finger Euery man must shewe his faith by his workes as a tree is knowne by her fruite Let vs all heare that saying of Aurelius Numerianus Be that which thou art reported to be Or that of Horace Tu recte vivis si curas esse quod audis Well doest thou liue if thou endeuer To be the same thou hearest euer We are called Christians let vs liue a Christian life We are called spirituall let vs liue in the spirit and mortifie the deeds of the flesh Let vs ioyne in wishes and mingle mournings that by begging and getting the helpe of the holy Ghost we may rather be than desire to seeme good For as one saith It skilleth more what thou art thā what thou art accounted Let vs I say on all sides endeuour with ioynt forces to bee the same before God that we wold seeme to be before men That shall we do if ioyning Charitie with Knowledge Holinesse with Veritie we lead a godly and Christian life Surely God is holy and we his seruants ought to be holy that we may be vnited to him Wee are not our owne men Why then should our owne Reason will beare the sway in our counsels and actions Let vs labour in all the parts of our life to enioy God as the chiefe ende hauing a respect vnto his will to do it We are in the Church the holy Citie of God whom he hath consecrated to himselfe Let vs count it a wickednes Motiues to godlines to prophane it with our impuritie Christ who hath recōciled vs to God is a pattern set before vs let vs
thou thinkest for the frequent and often recourse of anie thought vncalled is a signe of a liking or desire of that thing Rip the inclination of thy childhood and youth It is a rule that things that are very pliable may suffer of a weake agent To bee eastly mooued therefore either in mind or sense at the sight voice or fame of any light matter is a token of an inclination to that thing Examine thine owne experience what things they are which haue hetherto either furthered thée to vertue for thy good or drawing thée back to vice for thy hurt and hereby apply thy selfe to pursue the one and to auoid the other 3. Concerning affections and perturbations Euill inclinations and carnall lustes engender vicious perturbations and affections of the mind which are called passions Those if they be immoderate must be wéeded out with the hooke of mortification 1. Watch carefully in the verie rising Rules how to mortifie them of the affection that thou checke the violence of it euen in the beginning before it come to a perfect habite Blessed is hee that taketh the litle ones and dasheth them against the stones As S. Augustine interpreteth the Verse of the Psalme 2. After this thou shalt not be idle Cutting off but shall continually cut off the branches of vntamed perturbations which by hereditary corruption spring vp in the minde with the are of abnegation It is not enough saith Bernard once to haue cut them off wee must euer be pruning yea if it be possible euer because if thou wilt not dissemble thou doest euer find some thing that ought to bee cut off How much soeuer thou hast profited while thou abidest in this body thou art deceiued if thou thinke that sinne is dead and not rather suppressed in thee The Iebusite will dwell within thy borders will thou nill thou he may be subdued hee cannot bee vtterly driuen out 3. Thou shalt not onely labour to lop Planting in the branches of euill affections but also shalt endeuour contrariwise to plant or griffe in the graffes of good affections For the minde is neuer frée from motions either stormy and euil or calme and good let it therefore be occupied with good that it be not ouerwhelmed with ill to wit Let thy minde be occupied in diuine and spirituall things The inward mans labour is the outward mans rest And the seruer of the spirit is the chilnesse of the flesh 4. Moreouer if thou wilt cure thy passions thou shalt toyle much to turne away thy mind and will from the loue of earthly things that thou maist wholely apply thy mind to heauenly things cleauing fast to God That thy life may be hid with Christ in God 4. Concerning wicked Wicked habits habits As euill inclinatious bring forth euill affections so euill affections engender wicked habits the rooting out whereof require a greater force of the spirit Now the faculties of the mind are some Faculties of the Mind Superiour superiour and some inferiour The superiour faculties are the vnderstanding and will In the vnderstanding these vices following are to be mortified 1. The vice of Curiositie whereby the In the vnderstanding What is to be mortified Curiositie vnderstanding doth search those things which either excéede our sapacitie or which appertaine nothing to vs to know Heare the wise man Seeke not out things too high for thee And be not curious to searche out superfluous things 2. The vice of Temperitie or rachnes Temeritie When by doubtfull coniectures and vncertaine signes wee presume to iudge of the life manners of an other man against charitie not onely to iudge but to cōdemne our neighbors Where that of the Apostle may be iustly returned many times vpon vs. Thou art inexcusable O Rom. 2. man whosoeuer thou be that condemnest an other for in the same thing wherein thou iudgest an other thou condemnest thy selfe 3. The vice of Pertinacie or stubbornnesse Pertinacy when wee cleaue so stifly to our owne opinion that wee admit no mans counsell or perswasion in deliberating Aganst which Salomon saith Leane not to thine owne wit and be not wise Prou. 3. in thine owne conceit Distrust therefore O man thine owne iudgement and apply thy iudgement Dagerous to trust our owne iudgemēt to the rule of Gods word and of wise men Saint Basil saith As it is farre from right reason wholely to relye vppon our owne will and iudgement So not to stand to the iudgement of the greater part is to incurre the danger of contumacie and wilfulnesse at the least other circumstances being equall And Cassian It is vnpossible for any man trusting in his owne opinion not to be deluded by the diuel And Bernard How long will yee be wise in your own eyes God committeth and submitteth himselfe vnto mortall men and will yee walke yet in your owne waies And elsewhere What greater pride can there be than that one man should preferre his own iudgement before the whole congregation as if he onely had the spirit of God It is like the sinne of Idolatry not to assent to wit to sound iudgemēt And like the sin of southsaying to repunge And againe If the loue of thy friend doe diminish couer his fault in thy iudgemēt how much more shal the loue of thy self deceiue thee whē thou shouldest iudge against thy selfe 4. The vnderstanding is the perpetuall fountaine of infinite Cogitations Thoughts to be mortified which being laide vp in the memorie are there preserued and kept These if they be faultie must be mortified Whereof some are idle some are earthly some are filthy some are curious 1. Those that be idls must be reformed Idle thoughts For if we shall giue an account of euery idle word why not as well of euery idle thought Call to mind that thou standest alwaies in the presence of the Lord of heauen and earth who séeing the heart doth secretly reprooue the idlenesse and vanitie thereof 2. Those that be earthly and worldly Earthly are more violent and cleaue faster vnto vs which if they settle awhile cannot bée remooued without great difficultie Put the axe therefore to the roote of that delight which beginneth to affect thy will by such cogitations This carnall appetite springing vp in the beginning of our life we must represse or kéepe vnder in vs though wee cannot extinguish or quench it 3. Those that bee filthy or vncleane are suggested by y◠wicked spirit Whereof Bernard saith We ought if wee will preserue our soules pure whiley et the vncleane thoughts are a farre off to preuent Vncleane them and to driue them from vs that they may haue no accesse vnto vs. The same Bernard saith We must set so fearce a keeper at Reasons Chamber doore as will spare none but whatsoeuer enemie shal presume to enter whether priuily or openly hee will driue them away And let that be The remembrance of Hell fire 4
vp by hardnesse of heart Giue me grace therefore O Lord spéedily to returne to thée for what is the certaintie of my life Or who knoweth the day and hower when thou wilt come to iudgement Blessed is that seruant whom the Lord when he commeth shall find watching Verily he shall be crowned with immortall glory with Christ Iesus our Lord. Amen A prayer not to faint or go backward fitting the argument of the second Member Ne defice Faint not nor goe backward O Almightie God and most mercifull The second meÌ„ber father forasmuch as through thy grace I haue in some sort attained the knowledge of the way of life and haue also by thy grace entred the same giue me encrease of thy grace that I may walke in it For there are many stumbling blocks many snares many temptations in the Temptations in the way of godlines By God way so that we had néede of thy helpe to stay vs that we faint not or fall away 1. If it be thy good will to tempt me O Lord I know it is for my good not to cast me downe but to drawe me from the loue of this present world to stirre me vp to the loue of our heauenly country and that I might know from whence I haue power to resist temptations Giue me grace therefore by faith and patience to humble my selfe vnder thy mightie hand 2. If sathan tempt me I know it is to ouerthrow me yet thogh he be very stroÌ„g By Satan giue mestreÌ„gth to resist him though he be very subtil giue me wisdom to beware of him though he be cruell giue me courage to triumph ouer him through Christ our Captaine who hath spoiled him cast him out and led him captiue 3. If the flesh doe tempt me it is so much the more troublesome as it is By the flesh Memorie of sinne with sorrow more domesticall 1. For sometimes the memorie of my former sinnes hath recourse with sorrow which maketh me to doubt of my true reconciliation with thée which though it be troublesome yet it is not vnprofitable That I might thereby consider the heynousnesse of sinne whereby I haue prouoked thée that thereby I might conceiue a feare and sorrowe for the same that I might blush and be ashamed before thée our father be stirred vp to loue thée so much the more who hast pardoned our sinnes by thy mercie in Iesus Christ 2. Sometimes the memorie of my Memorie of sinne with delight former sinne hath recourse with delight whereby it appeareth that there remaineth some remnant of the olde wounds which memorie is dangerous because it bringeth with it a certaine heauinesse whereby I am excluded from the sweetnesse of my conuersion to thée by delighting in the former lusts of the flesh before my conuersion Giue me therefore O Lord thy speciall grace that I may remember my former sins with sorrowe and not with delight with detestation and not with desire with condemnation and not with iustification Purge my memorie from vncleane phantasies drawe out that filthy sincke Make the purpose of my minde constant in good Grant me to detest inconstancie ydlenesse and sloth As soone as I am prouoked with wicked cogitations grant me earnestly to withstaÌ„d them that with a cleane heart I may receiue thy holy spirit 3. Some times euen in the entry of the way of life my minde is troubled to The cares of a Christian life thinke how many cares and troubles Christian life is tossed with which it séemed to be voide of while I gaue the raines to my lusts whereby the way of godlinesse séemeth hard and difficult Giue me grace therefore O Lord according to thy coÌ„mandemeÌ„t to denie my self and to take vp my Crosse followe thée Deniall of our selues Thou O Christ our guide and standard-bearer hast gon this way This way haue all the Saints troden The way of life is not so hard and difficult where Christ is our guide where hée is our spéede Thou hast promised that thou wilt giue vs a newe heart and a new spirit that we may walke in thy precepts giue vs that thou commandest and command vs what thou wilt 4 If the world either by allurements would drawe me to his loue or by contempt By the world would driue me from my profession with a certaine shame thereof Giue me grace to despise the world and not much â—â— care to be despised for how transitorie is the felicitie of this world how many troubles is it mixed with Giue me grace to remember that shortly we shal all be presented before the tribunall of Christ of whom whosoeuer shall be ashamed before men of him will Christ be ashamed before his holy Angels Grant me grace therefore neuer to be ashamed of any good but to be ashamed of sinne which bringeth shame and confusion from which vouchsafe to deliuer vs through Iesus Christ Amen 5. Moreouer for as much as all relapse into sinne is dangerous least our last be worse than the first Both in respect of Danger of Relapse God into whose fauour to returne it is harder after we haue despised his grace than God into whose fauour to returne it is harder after we haue despised his grace than before we haue receiued it Secondly in respect of the diuell who returneth with seauen worse spirits Thirdly in respect of our selues who by custome engender wicked habites hardly to be cured Grant me therefore grace O Lord that I returne not as a dogge to my vomit least I may seeme to despise thy Maiestie whose mercie I haue so often begged that I might obtaine pardon Least I giue opportunitie to the vncleane spirit to enter againe with seuen worse spirits Least by custome of sinne I growe to an hardnesse of heart to commit sinne with gréedinesse without repentance From those so dangerous euils of relapse stay me O Lord by thy mightie hand through thy mercy in thy sonne Iesus Christ Amen A prayer to profit and goe forward fitting to the Argument of the third Member Profice seu pergredere The third Member Profit or goe forward O Almightie God and most mercifull Ourbackwardnesse in profiting father I acknowledge that it is not in a mans power to direct his owne waies or to reforme his owne life But either we sticke in the beginning of the race or we goe not forward so well or so fast as either we ought or desire Graunt me therefore O Lord according to the riches of thy grace that I may be strengthned by thy spirit in the inner man that Christ may dwell in my heart by faith that I being rooted and grounded in loue may goe forward in the way of saluation First in denying of my selfe and Next in practising righteousnesse And because all sinne be it neuer so small doth make vs guiltie of punishment Care of lesser sins and defileth the soule doth diminish the seruor of Charitie and weaken the force of
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
first learne to knowe that we knowe how to liue godly Let vs learne to knowe God and To know Our selues For he that knoweth himselfe knoweth God He that knoweth God shall be made like to God c. Let vs so liue here that hereafter wee To liue may liue with Christ for euer For this life is not to be desired for it selfe but for another life vnto which we must come by the gate of death Therefore that we may euer liue with Christ Let vs learne both to Liue and well Dye We learne to liue well by meditating on death Wee learne to dye well by liuing godly We leare to liue godly by dying happily To this way there is a marke set vz. Eternal life And the way to this marke The mark and the way Ioh. 14. How to know the way is Iesus Christ our Sauiour who saith I am the way the truth and the life we attaine to the knowledge of this way 1. By a right vnderstanding of the holy Scriptures 2. By Illumination of the holy Ghost 3. Wherof ariseth an experience feeling God himselfe working in vs. Begin therefore O man Know and Liue. Begin faint not but goe forward 1. Beginne to enter the way of life The first member which leadeth to the marke of saluation The entry is made by a conuersion The Conuersion is made by An auersion from sinne the worst Conuersion twofold Auersion from sin Euill and by A Reuersion to God the best good 1 In turning from sinne consider O sinner thy miserable estate while thou art yet in thy sinne Thou art an enemie to God and he The miserable state of a sinner to thée A friend to Sathan nay a slaue both to Sathan sinne Beggerly filthy and guiltie of eternal death Beg therefore the grace of God which may preuent thée accompanie thée and follow thée Now Gods grace in the Conuersion of a sinner vseth two meanes The knowledge of sinne and knowledge of sinne A consternation of the mind 1. We come by the knowledge of sin by the lawe which is the rule of righteousnes By knowing how sinne is bread vz. 1. Foure waies inwardly in the heart How sin is bread By suggestion delight consent defence 2. Foure waies also is it performed in worke First priuily next openly without shame Then it groweth to a custome At length it comes either to securitie or desperation Consider also the heinousnes of sinne vz. It is an iniurie to God A grieuous waight casting vs headlong A tyranny of satan A gilt not pardonable if Christ had not died The sonne of God must néedes dye to purge it 2. After the knowledge of sin followeth Cōsternation of mind a consteruation or casting down sorrowing for sinnes committed And fearing Gods wrath Hereof ariseth A feare and A sorrowe A feare thréefold Least we be forsaken of grace depriued of the sight of God Feare and tormented in Hell A sorrow twofold The first for feare of punishment which is called a worldly Sorrow sorrowe The second for sinne and offending of God which is called a godly sorrowe Either of them is wrought by the spirit of GOD but by diuers Instruments vz. The first by the Lawe The second by the Gospell 2. In returning to God we must consider Reuersiō to God the nature of God That he is the chiefe good c. We returne by faith resting in the By faith mercie of God the father in the merits of Iesus Christ his sonne This faith ariseth in our hearts First How it riseth the Illumination of the spirit with an inward sense of our own wretchednesse Secondly succéedeth a hope of pardon that although wée feele not our sinnes yet pardoned we hope they are pardonable Thirdly we shall perceiue an hunger and thirst of the grace that is offred vs in Christ Fourthly thou shalt come to the Throne of grace that there thou maiest finde fauour Now in this accesse thou shalt performe Two things in returning two things Thou shalt confesse thy sinnes generally and specially Thou shalt aske perdon of thy sins with groanes which cannot be expressed Fiftly thou shalt by an assured perswasion imprinted in thée by the holy Ghost apply the premises of the Gospell specially to thy selfe Here looke to the practise of Dauids Dauids practise Delaies dangerous repentance And beware of delaies and long lingring meditate the shortnes of thy life And the manifold dangers of delaies vz. The treasuring vp of wrath The alienation from God An euill conscience The offence of the Angels The engladding of Sathan The tragicall ends of impatient sinners Faint not neither goe backward The secōd member When thou hast in some sort learned entred the way of life walke in it with thankesgiuing take héede thou faint not neither goe backward 1. Resist therefore temptations for Temptations God tēpteth and why God to whom thou art returned will try his new souldier Both to stirre thée vp to long for the rest of thy heauenly country And to draw thée from the loue of the world And that thou maiest knowe from dines whence thou hast power to resist Here thou must haue these helps in a rea Ardent Prayer Constant Hope A strong Patience 2. Sathan thy aduersarie from whom Sathan tempteth thou art fallen will sift thée Though he be most subtile as a Serpent yet listen not to him Neither yet trust thine owne iudgement Though he be very strong as a Lion yet resist him being armed with a true faith in Christ wherby thou shalt quench his fierie darts 3. Often times we tempt our selues Domesticall enemies for we haue our domesticall enemies for euery one is tempted when he is drawne away and enticed with his owne concupiscence Against this inward enemie we must make warre continually by mortificatiō 4. Without vs in the world many Externall enemies temptations are offered which may disturbe our wittes But thou O man shalt ouercome them By shunning or remouing the occasions of euill 5. To conclude thou shalt méete with manifold temptations vz. Manifold temtations 1. The memory of former sinnes which griefe is byting but it is not vnprofitable 2. Sometime the remēbrance of former sins with a delight which is very hurtful 3. The troubles and vexation of a Christian life 4. The contempt of the world striking a certaine shame of our profession into vs or alluring vs by his loue to these temptations are set downe their remedies And the danger of Relapse is shewed least the last be worse than the first Relapse dāgerous Dangers of relapse Relaps is dangerous in three respects 1. On the diuels part who séeketh to returne to his house from whence he went out 2. On Gods part whose spirit is grieued and he as it were deluded 3. On mans part himselfe who getteh a custome of sinne hardly to bee recouered Goe forward or profit To goe forward in the
inioy the most pleasant company of thy God thy creator conseruer Redéemer sanctifier whom beholding face to face thou shalt rest in his ioy who shal be all in all vnto thée Thou Cor. 13 shalt be with Christ the fayrest among Iohn 12 men and shalt see his glory which the father hath giuen him 3 Héere shalt thou beare the Image of the heauenly man and with open face 2 Cor. 3. thou shalt behold the glory of God and shalt be transformed into the same Image from glory to glory There that which is perfect commeth in place and that 1 Cor. 13 Math. 13. Luk 20 1 Iohn 3. which is vnperfect shal be abolished and thou shalt know euen as thou art knowne Thou shalt shine as the sunne in the kingdome of God the Father Thou shalt be as the Angels of God and as the sonnes of God are Thou shalt be like to God who appeareth vnto thee 4 Heere shalt thou be gathered to the company of the holy Angels and to the Heb 12 Congregation of the faithfull who are recorded in heauen where is mutuall knowledge perfect loue perpetuall praising of God 1. Pet. 3. 5 Héere thou shalt be replenished with al ioy without tediousnesse in an heritage immortall vndefiled incorruptible To those that loue him God hath prepared 1 Cor. 2. such ioyes as the eye hath not seene the eare hath not heard neither the hart can conceiue in the heauenly Paradice 2 The way to this marke is laid open to The way to the marke Ioh. 14. Ibid. 6. Act. 14 vs. First our Sauiour Christ saith I am the way the truth and the life next it is said by him Euery one that seeth the sonne and beleeueth in him hath Eternall life and thirdly by many tribulations must we enter into the Kingdome of Heauen Therfore Christ is the way we must enter by faith we must walke through tribulations For straight narrow is the Matth. 7 way that leadeth to life This way of life to the iust is good holy right immaculat elect It is vnknowne What manner of way to mans reason few enter into it there are few walkers among so many talkers and vnpleasant and difficult is it to the flesh because of the companions that accompany the Travellers euen the crosse and deniall of our selues Yet this is the way which God hath set before vs which is pleasing to him wherin he directeth vs and which leadeth to him 3 This way is to be learned out of the Where this way is to be learned holy Scriptures rightly vnderstood by the illumination and schooling of the holy Ghost confirmed by vse and frequente meditation till by experience we féele the Spirit of God to worke in our hearts and by practise wée perceiue a chéerfulnes to walke in the waye of Godlinesse The first member Incipe beginne Ierem 6 Enter O man the way of life and looke diligently about thée where that way is and walke in it Beginne the marke is life there is a way that leades vnto it set thy longing to attaine to thy heauenly father from whom thou art declined after the world and the Deuill The first entry by conuersion Conuersion in 2. pointes 1 Acursion from euill Make thy beginning or entry by conuersion let thy conuersion be by auersion or turning away from euill euen the worst euill and by a reuersion or returne to good euen the best good Turne away therefore from euil euen the worst euill which is sinne and turne Ierem 25. vnto good the best good who is God Let euery man turne away from his wicked way and from his vngodly desire Motiues to turne from sinne Alienation from god Consider O thou sinner thy miserable estate whiles thou art yet in thy sinn 1 Thy sinne doth turne thée from God and God from thée whom it greuously offendeth and maketh thée his vtter enemy Now what can be more grieuous then to haue and feele God to be thine Enemie 2 Thou becommest worthy by thy sinne to be forsaken of God and after a sort to Depriuation of graces be brought to nothing being brought to extreame beggery of the Spirit to wit being depriued of Gods grace and glory To be without the chiefe Ens and good is either to be miserable or else to be nothing at all 3 Thy sinne maketh thée of a man a friend to the Deuill yea his seruant and Consorting or seruing of the Diuell slaue and the heyre of hel fire Every man by sinning selleth his owne soule to the Deuill taking the sweetnes of temporall pleasures as a price for it Againe on the other side also thou driuest away from thée As much as in thee lieth by sinning the good Angell thy kéeper 4 Sinne is a most filthy thing as the scripture setteth it out like mire wherein The filthines of sinne swine wallow like dreggs rottennes corruption leprocie Behold the prodigal Luke 15. sonne wallowed in the mire of Luxury at the last liuing among an heard of Swine Looke also if thy soule stinke not by the putrifaction and corruption of the wouÌ„ds of thy sinnes 5 If thou wax olde in thy sinne O thou Custome of sinne daungerous least impatienie follow sinner it will exercise a great Tirannye ouer thée by custome and by custome of sinn Satan so that thou shalt not repent though thou sometimes desire to repent For sinne is barbarous and exerciseth tiranny ouer the Soule that is once taken captiue to the ruine of thâ—se that receiue it chrysostom I confesse I sighed not being bouÌ„d with yroÌ„ chaines but with mine own yron wil mine August lib 8 enemie had possessed my will and had of it made a chaine for me and had bound me fast I strugled with my selfe and was ouerthrowne of my selfe 6 Whilest thou continuest in sin thou dost sustein the gyft of eternall punishment that is thou art depriued perpetually of the Eternall punishmeÌ„ts vision or sight of God and art tormented with euerlasting paine of most ardent fire Epilogus Call to minde therefore with me the miserable state of a Sinner thou art Gods enemy depriued of gods grace most beggerly most filthy a slaue to the Diuell vnder the tirrany both of Sinne and Satan an heyre of Hell Turne therefore from this worst euill But that thou maist conuert by turning from euill and returning to God Gods helpe to be craued thou hadst néede of the help of Gods grace to preuent accompany and follow thée For it is God that giueth Repentance by Grace threefolde 2. Tim 2. the knowledge of the Truth that wee may recouer out of the snares of the Diuell who are holden Captiue at his will It is God that worketh in vs both to wil Phillip 2. and to performe Say therefore with ioying Conuert me O Lorde and I shal be Ierom. 31. de voc gent Lib. 2. The working of
coÌ„mitted or at the least way declineth froÌ„ it and chooseth hereafter the good that is to be done or enclineth to it In the hart the change is thus wrought 3 In the hart The hart hateth and detesteth the euill hitherto done and loueth and pursueth the good hereafter to be done Cease therefore to doe euill and learne CoÌ„clusion Esai 1. psal 34. Rom. 13. or else study to do well or depart from euil and doe good Item Cast away the works of darknes and put on the armour of light Item Walke in the spirit and fulfill not the lusts of the flesh Item Put yee one the Lord Iesus Christ and make not prouision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof And Christ himselfe saieth deny thy selfe and take vpp thy Crosse and follow me Beginne therefore being turned from euill and returned to good to bring forth Fruits of CoÌ„uersion fruites worthy of amendment of life and apply thy selfe to the study of holinesse or new obedience 1 Thou art bound as a creature to the Obligations between God us Creator I wish thee often to pay the debt of gratitude 2 Thou art bound as a seruaÌ„t to his lord If I be your Lord where is my feare 3 Thou art bound as a childe to his Father thou art a child by creation and regeneration reuerence therefore Almightye God as thy best Father 4 Thou art bound as a client to thy benefactor the benefits of God towards thée are exceeding great therefore exceeding great thankes are due to him What fruites Beginne therefore to shew thy good life and obedience to God in louing God and thy neighbour 1 The loue of God is conceaued in thée by the knowledge and consideration of The loue of God the fatherly affection of God towards thee It is brought forth by a confidence in Christ it groweth by the spirit of faith it is strengthned by the cogitation of the heape of Gods benefits both corporal and spirituall it appeareth in our obedience vnder the Crosse and holinesse of life 2 The loue of our neighbour is brought forth and maintained by the loue of God The loue of our neighbour 1 Iohn by the commandement of God by the bonde of nature and grace Hee that sayeth he loueth God and yet hateth his Brother is a lyar and the loue of God is not in him But beginne the holy study of eyther loue to testifie that thou art turned from The end of godlines sinne and returned to God that thou hast renounced Satan that thou hast submitted thy selfe to God that thou art a companion of the most chaste spirits in heauen That thou art a fellow of all that feare gods name on earth That thou art the Temple of the holy Ghost wherein whole burnt Offringes and incense is offred and the hornes of the Alter are decked with boughs flowers of obedience Beginne to day deferre not make no long Dangers of delay Vncerteinty of life delayes for feare of these dangers insuing 1 Meditate with thy selfe the vncertaintie of thy life Surely thou must watch and pray for thou knowst not either the day or hower wherein the Lord will come take heede thou be not ouertaken by gods iudgement at vnawares Heaping of sinne is tresuring of wrath Rom 2. 2 Know thou the by dangerous delay the tresure of many sins of gods wrath grieuous punishments is gathered together Thou by thy hardnes and hart that cannot repent doste treasure vp to thy selfe wrath against the daye of wrath and declaration of the iudgement of God The angels griefe Luke 15 3 Be thou affraid to offend the holy Angels who verily reioyce at the repentance of sinners eueÌ„ as doubtles they sorrow at their securitie in heaping sinne vpon sinne Induration by alienatioÌ„ from God 4 Call to mind the dangerous alienation from God which is procured by daily encrease of sin way moreouer with a secret â— serious coÌ„sideration in thy soule the induration that wil follow for the longer thou deferrest thy conuersion the harder it will be A young man walking after his owne way when he is olde will not depart Prouerb 22 from it Thou knowest thy saying Late repentance is seldome true Repentance 5 As much as in thée lieth take héed of an An euill Conscience euill conscience which custome and continuance in sinne doth breed and nourish There is no greefe bitterer then a gnawing Conscience 6 The longer thou stickest in thine old DepriuatioÌ„ of Grace sinne the longer thou art depriued of the sweet ioy of the holy ghost and spirituall consolations 7 Thou shalt encrease the ioy and Satans Ioye pleasure of Satan thy enemie by drawing after thee along corde of inueterate or old grâ—wen sinnes Thinke it a true saying Sinnes are the delights and dainties of the Diuell Examples Tragicall 8 Finally view the Tragicall endes of all such as haue euer drawne along the day of there Conuersion Call to remembrance the horrible destruction of the olde world the Sodomites Egiptians Iewes The Churches of the East and other that were impenitent Be not flack Syrach therfore turne vnto the Lord and put not off from day to day thy conuersion for sodenly shall his wrath come and in the time of vengeance he will Ierom. to Cilantius destroy thee Too long custome of sin makes the way of vertue rough and vnpleasant After any vice saith Bernard is confirmed Bernard by many yeares custome a particular and as it were a miraculous assistance of Gods grace as needfull for the ouercoÌ„ming and rooting out thereof A question to a secure sinner Both waies catching The same Bernard saith Thou that makest so vnequal a reckoning w e thy selfe perseuering in thy euil vngodly life tell me Doest thou belieue that the Lord thy God will pardon thy sinnes or doest thou not beleeue If thou beleeue that thou shalt finde no place for pardon what greater folly can there be then to sinne without hope of pardon But if thou thinke that hee is good gentle and mercifull who although he haue bin offended yet he is readie alwaies to pardon thy sinnes Tell me I pray thee what greater frowardnesse can there be then to take occasion to offend him the more whom there is cause thou shouldest loue the more And S. Augustine we must preuent Augustin the day which is wont to preuent vs. And the same He that is first forsaken of his sinnes before he himselfe doe forsake them is not freely condemned but as it were of necessitie late repentance deceiueth many And Ambros Not to sin is onely proper to God Ambrose but it is the part of a wise man to amend and correct his error and to repent him of his sinne And Cassiodorus A mischiefe the longer it continueth the more it encreaseth but a speedy correction of sinne is a curable good And Saint Augustin Though God haue promised pardoÌ„
wage priuie war continually shake the weapons by a daily deniall of thy euill affections wicked inclinations which we perceiue in our selues Let the purpose of thy mind be cōstant to follow good detest incōstancy idlenes slouth with earnest endeuour repunge the prickes of noysome cogitations and delectations assoone as they rise 4 Without vs in the filthy world The world many things doe offer themselues which by some meanes containe in them something which may allure thine appetite and leade thée from right reason yea as Salomon saith The creatures of God are many times as a snare and as a trap to the feete of the vnwise For the corrupt nature of man as a spider doth draw out of the sweete flowers of Gods good creatures a iouyce which it turneth to poison But thou O man shalt get the victorie Aides if thou shunne or remooue all occasions of sinning Bernard The true note of compunction is the fleeing of opportunities and the withdrawing of occasions O thou that art a Champion of Christs if thou be wise arme thy selfe with a most patient enduring of the temptation when it is present and with a Christian perseuerance in the conflict or encounter When thou art conuerted reconciled to God hast entred the path of pietie Speciall temptations certaine special sēptatiōs wil assaile thée 1. But let it not dismay thee that after thou art reconciled the memory of thy Remorse of sinne former sinnes hath recourse sharpely assaulting thy mind Heare Dauid saying My sinne is alway before mee Heare Psal 51. Saint Paule I am not worthy to be called an Apostle because I persecuted the Church of God The remembrance of sinne as it is sinne is profitable for thereby the force and weight of sinne A profitable remembrāce whereby God hath bin iniured and prouoked is represented to the eyes of our mind from whence arise a most holsome feare and sorrowe from whence shame blushing as of a childe before so good a father from whence a loue is enflamed towards our louing or beninge God who hath pardoned our sinnes Heare worthy Dangerous-remembrance Augustine Set not before thine eies the delectation of thy former sins but set before thine eies the damnation of thy sinne It is dangerous when the filthy imaginations of sin impure fantasies haue recourse doe with importunitie thrust in them selues for they shew that the remnants of the old sores doe yet rest in that mans soule Whereupon Bernard saith Therefore our memorie must be purged from these this sinck must be thorowly scoured Heare the Apostle S. Paul This is a faithfull saying and worthy by all meanes to be accepted That Iesus Christ came to saue Comforts sinners among whō I am the chief Take therefore my brethren from the blessed Apostle this cōsolation and comfort that the conscience of former sins after we be returned to God doe not ouermuch torment vs but may onely humble vs as it did him I am the least of the Apostles am not worthy to be called an Apostle because I persecuted the Church of God Euen so let vs humble our selues vnder the mightie hand of God and let vs haue trust because we also haue obtained mercie 2. Moreouer this cogitation not without Troubles of temptations great dāger doth trouble thy mind to wit That while yet thou didst liue after thy owne wil gauest the rynes to thy appetites thou didst not féele so many cares troubles as in this state of grace euen in the first entry of Christian pietie thou art sharpely shaken with But when this Aides cogitation comes to thy minde heare what Christ doth cry to thine eares He that will be my Disciple let him denye himselfe and take vp his crosse follow me Nunquā bella pijs nūquā certamina desūt Et quocū certet mens pia semper habet The godly alwaies warriours are To them are conflicts rife The godly mind hath enemies Who mooue continuall strife vse of tēptations There is great vse of temptation which God will not haue thée to lacke He that is not tempted what knoweth he saith the wise man All the Saints haue troden this path wilt thou exempt thy selfe from this lot Christ himselfe the best beloued sonne of God is the standard-bearer of this warrefare whose steppes we must follow He was in all things tempted like vnto vs. Heb. 4. When thou wast called to a new life thou wast not called to delights and pleasures but to labours and temptations to persecutions yea if so the case required to vndergoe death 1. When this cogitation afflicteth thée Aides Sathan most busie to tempt in our conuersion then thinke that Sathan doth search all the corners of thy heart to trie after thy conuersion how thou holdest friendship with God with whom thou hast newly entred amitie whether it be stable or wauering hee hath no neede of this triall towards those who are at vtter enmitie with God 2. Thinke thou that Sathan will More busie with a convert then with a wilful sinner moue euery stoane as they say to remoue thée from godlinesse but he hath no cause to set vpon a wilfull sinner in such sort for he possesseth and vseth him as he lists Wherupon Chrisostome saith Satan doth euer assaile the first beginnings of good he trieth the rudiments of vertue hee hasteth to extinguish holy things in the first springing knowing that he cannot subuert them when they are surely founded or grounded 3. Finally thinke thou that the séedes Seedes of sinne lurking of these temptations doe lurke or lye hid within our selues for either being addicted to some peculiar vice or being drawn away with the care of worldly businesse they appeare not but when opportunitie serues they lifte vp their heads and bewray themselues euen then when we begin to liue to God 3. Many times the way of Christian The way hard life will terrifie thée as being hard and rough for the flesh saith Bernard hitherto vntamed doth not willingly suffer it selfe to be chasticed brought into bondage but being as yet mindful of late lost libertie doth more earnestly lust against the spirit This temptation saith he is called Night feare in the Psalme The night feare not night it selfe because not euery affliction which is signified by the night but feare of affliction is the temptation But to ouercome this cogitation of the Aydes flesh which by the helpe of Christ thou shalt Thou must take paines in the way of godlines and charitie for the way of vertue is hard it will not be gotten but by enduring euery hard and rough thing sorrow yea infamy if néed be Haue not the Heathen who knew not Christ learned this by natures direction Difficilia qua pulchra Beautifull or excellent things are hard to be attained Nature it selfe hath proposed or set many difficulties before things of estimatiō
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
those businesses and occasions which either hold him in sin or stay him from the race rule of vertue or casteth him into such sinnes as can be by no means excused And so much the greeuouser is the fal as the degree of holines from whence we fall is higher 1. First therefore thou must deliberate Remedies of a newe kinde of life more earnestly to be pursued by a renouation of serious repentance and faith 2. Meditate with thy selfe on thy end which may be sodaine and cannot be auoided and other the last things which follow death 3. Consider that Hypocrisie and dissembling is most odious to God A simple nature saith Bernard such as God is requireth simplicitie of heart woe be to the sinner that entreth the land two waies for no man can serue two maisters 4. Viewe and waigh the life of luke-warme frozen cold men that knowing it thou maiest dislike it disliking it in others thou maiest amend it in thy selfe 5. Cowardnesse and feare must bee Pusillanimitie to be mortified mortified for when a man is entred the way of Christ the mind many times is assailed with griefe either by expectation of some euill or danger approaching or by desperation of safetie or deliuerance from some euil or danger present But bee not dismaied in thy minde Heare and pray to him who saith Say to the faint harted be of good courage and faint not And say with Dauid I Esay 35. Psal 54. did waight for him who saued me from my pusillanimitie of spirit and from the tempest Why fearest thou O thou coward Feare argueth a base minde conceiue a firme hope of the prouidence of God whē Exhortation thou striuest with the anguishes of Pusillanimitie thou must lift vp thy minde to Gods prouidence Resist with a good courage and set thy selfe by the helpe of Gods spirit against the whole rout of phantasies Discusse saith Gregory the mistes of mourning least thou who in the time of tranquillitie didst thinke greatly of thy sefe in the time of perturbation doe confound thy selfe with the terrors of thy base thoughts Peraduenture God will bring thée by this Good effects Pusillanimitie to a studie of humilitie that by it that loftie pride which euen in good actions lieth in waight euen for holy men may be laide flat or hee hath a purpose to purge thy soule of that affection of selfeloue whereby oftentimes thou art wont to please thy selfe more than is méete How be it what is it that thou néedest Comforts against sundry sorts of feare The crosse greatly to feare or be amazed at 1. Is it the Crosse or Affliction If thou be godly the crosse and affliction is to thée ineuitable or not to be shunned it is profitable honorable and glorious it confirmeth thine adoption it renowneth thy vertues it banisheth vices Beare therefore the crosse with a good courage 2. Doest thou feare the anguish of Sicknesse sicknes Thy body is mortall there is no cause then that thou shouldest feare sicknes which leadeth to death Sicknesse bréedeth hollome Philosophy to wit A meditation of death the vices of the mind are cured by the diseases of y◠body thou learnest to abandon selfeloue and the loue of the world and to hope for a better life Faith Hope and Inuocation of God becomes more ardent 3. Art thou afraid of the losse of worldly things Losse of earthly things Trust in God leane on his most holy promises surely Gods truth is immoueable his power impregnable his bountie immeasurable he will not leaue thée nor forsake thée 4. Doth the terror of death trouble Death thy mind Cast off the feare which incredulitie that is to be banished doth strike into thée compare the course of this life with the last period or end thereof Art thou not tossed with perpetuall miserie If thou be wise with the wise man thou Eccles. 1. Commodities of death wilt say Vanitie of vanities al is vanitie Be not afraid of death wherby thou shalt be deliuered from the tyrannie of sinne from the snares of the world from the temptations of Sathan from the rage of false brethren and shalt come to the port of felicitie out of the sinke of euils eternall death shall not touch thee because eternall life is prepared promised sealed and confirmed to thée in Christ Beléeue and thou shalt haue eternall life 5. Dost thou tremble at the assaults of Satan God doth furnish his with strength to resist Satan Being vpholden by the wisdome vigilancie and inuincible power of Christ thy head cal vpon God take vnto thée christian patience cōstancy with the shield of faith and the sword of the spirit and by Gods grace and perseuerance thou shalt be safe 6. Art thou astonied with thy many and great sinnes Sinne. Behold the remission of all thy sinnes purchased by Christ promised giuen and sealed vnto thée why tremblest thou Behold the loue and mercie of God the father the satisfaction and intercession of Iesus Christ and admit the comfort and assistance of the holy Ghost 7. Thou quakest for feare of the last The last iudgemēt Iudgement and Tribunall Be of good comfort and settle thy selfe throughly on the promises of saluation so often repeated in holy Scriptures The loue of God the father and the couenant of his grace through the satisfaction of his sonne Iesus Christ is immutable and he shall bee our Patrone and Aduocate in that iudgement Thou for thy part as often as thou sinnest so often returne to Daily repentance God by a renewed repentance and faith apprehend the grace of God the father the merites of Iesus Christ the consolation of the holy spirit who is the earnest of our inheritance heare the manifold afflictions of this worlde with a patient minde séeing thou hast accesse vnto the Throne of grace powre out thy praiers to thy God sigh and send vp thy affections and thy hope shall not bee confounded but thou shalt enioy vnspeakeable felicitie in heauen Amen The fourth member Profice vlterius Goe yet further forward in attaining righteousnesse VVHen we haue denied vnrighteousnes we must procéede to A transition attaine righteousnes According to that Cease from euil do good vertue must succeed in the place of vice Now in séeking after the way of righteousnes and life beware thou decline not either to the right hand or to the left Let vs then goe forward In vertues and with a good courage In virtutibus In virtute Concerning vertues knowe y◠they are Vertues Gods gifts great goods to be desired for thēselues that they are the gifts of God most precious and with most earnest praier and desire to be begged of him And if thou obtaine them God is to be thanked who hath endowed thée with so great graces The first care must be to attaine them The next is to keepe them when they are gotten Thou shalt both get thē and kéep
priuate Psal 1. or cloyed with the word of truth exercise thy selfe rather in the word of God by reading meditating talking and conferring with other Let thy delight bee in the law of the Lord meditate therein both day and night let the word of Colloss 2 Christ dwell in thee plentifully in all wisedome teaching and exhorting one another Apply thy reading 1. Tim. 4. Being asked a reason of thy faith at any conuenient time or otherwise being prouoked defend Gods truth out of the holy Scriptures and be not ashamed to confesse it Be readie saith Saint Peter 1. Pet. 3. alwaies to giue an answere to euery one that asketh a reason of the hope that is in you for euery one that confesseth me before men him will I saith Matt. 10. Christ confesse before my father who is in heauen Be not slacke to serue God in publique Exercise of religion publique exercises of Religion At appointed times but especially on the Saboath repaire to the Church where the Christian Congregation is assembled in vnitie of minde forsake not such méetings neither despise thou the communion of Saints but attend the word of God as it is méete vse the Sacraments and pray deuoutly with the Saints Let vs not Heb. 10. forsake the mutuall assemblies saith the Apostle as is the the manner of some Doe all to the glory of God Let all things be done to edifying 1. Cor. 10. 14. Ecclesiasticall rites Moreouer obserue the publique Ecclesiasticall rites attending on Religion that all things may be done decently and in order in conuenient time and place 3. Whatsoeuer crosse it pleaseth God Patience vnder the Crosse to lay vpon thée thou oughtest to beare it patiently for this is our dutie to God Carry therefore the crosse wherewith God doth try thée his child or chastice thée in this vale of teares carry it I say with patience stoutly and with an inuincible Rom. 12. Prou. 3. Heb. 12. mind Be patient in afflictions My sonne saith Saloman refuse not thou the chastening of the Lord neither grudge when thou art reproued of him For whom the Lord loueth he chasteneth c. God doth chastice thée lest thou shouldest Vses of the crosse thinke thy selfe without all fault Hée would haue thée more more to returne to him to cast off sinne and to imbrace vertue that the old man might be crucified and the newe-man reuiued Hée would haue thée to preuēt further lapses and not to rush into securitie He would also staie other from wickednes by punishing thée and that they might spedily returne to good Moreouer the seruant and disciple must be conformed to his Lord master Christ is our Lord and master with whom we must suffer if we will raigne with him God trieth thy faith thy hope thy obedience thy patience thy feruencie in praier He will haue his power and mercie to appeare in strengthning deliuering thée He would make thée wearie of this earthly life to be stirred vp with a desire of thy heauenly loue Therefore beare that is to be borne patience will haue the victorie Be constant in faith and yéeld to God the obedience of thy faith Persist in this Constancie religious worship of God by perseuering vnto the last breath of thy life in a liuely faith and loue of God neither doe thou suffer any thing either prosperous or aduerse to remoue thee from that heauenly truth or godlinesse which thou hast learned Be faithfull vnto death saith the Apoc. 2. Mat. 10. spirit and I will giue thee the Crowne of life for hee that perseuereth vnto the end shall be saued 2. Concerning mans due Iustice giueth to euery man his due man must giue first vnto himselfe that which is due to himselfe And next to his neighbour that which is due to his neighbour Giue to thy selfe that which is due to thy selfe Thou oughtest to loue thy selfe To thy selfe thou owest loue and not to hate thy selfe but this loue must be holy and moderate that knowing thy selfe by the helpe of Gods grace thou maiest frame thy selfe to an holines and righteousnes conformable to the Lawe of God Thou shalt loue thy Rom. 13. Eph. 5. neighbour as thy selfe And neuer yet did any man hate his owne flesh yea he nourisheth and cherisheth it euen as the Lord doth the congregation Auselme saith Iustice is a libertie of the minde giuing What iustice is to euery man his proper right to our Superiour reuerence to our Equal concord to our Inferiour discipline to God obedience to our selues holines to our enemie patience to the needie mercie And a man becomming iudge of himselfe must search himselfe without partialitie Enter therefore into thy selfe Dwell with thy selfe and seeke not thy selfe without thy selfe And as Plautus saith Euer perswade thy selfe it is best that thou thy selfe be best if thou cannot attaine to that yet at the last that thou maist bee next the best First therefore thou owest to thy selfe The knowledge of our selues 1. Cor. 11 and 13. the knowledge of thy selfe Surely it is a very hard matter to knowe our selues but heare thou the Apostle who saith Let euery man examine himselfe Item examine your selues whether ye be in the faith Heare other wise Christians as Ayapetus for one We must first learne this diuine precept that euery one knowe him selfe for hee that knoweth himselfe knoweth God He that knoweth God shall become like to God but he that shall become like to God must be worthy of God hee becomes worthy of God who cōmitteth Acceptable to God nothing vnworthy of him but thinketh on diuine things and speaketh what he thinketh and doth what he speaketh Chrysostome saith It is the part of a wise man first to knowe himselfe to viewe what hee himselfe is what is beneath him what is within him what is aboue him what is ouer against him what before him what behind him For this consideration hath a fourefold fruite Our own commoditie our neighbours charitie the worlds contempt and the loue of God And Bernard saith No man is saued without the knowledge of himselfe out of which riseth humilitie the mother of saluation and the feare of God which as it is the entrance to wisedome so is it the entrance to saluation Beeing knowne to thy selfe Care of our selues thou owest of good right to thy selfe a diligent care of thy selfe concerning integritie holinesse to the composing and decking of thy selfe Now thou shalt frame thy selfe to integritie and holinesse if thou studie to vse and order aright the things which God hath committed to thée Whether they be Inward or Outward First therefore when thou knowest Care of goods Of the minde thy selfe reforme all the inward goods of thy minde and body to a rightnes pleasing God Iustice therefore yéelding thy selfe thy right commandeth thée aboue all things to be carefull in enforming rightly and repairing the faculties of thy
soule both Superiour and Inferiour The superiour faculties of the soule Superior faculties are the mind the conscience and the will Haue a good regard of these and thou shalt not be in danger Concerning the mind Giue therefore to thy minde or vnderstanding that which is due to it What we owe to the minde Now thou owest to thy mind or vnderstanding wisedome to thy Iudgement Prudence 1. The minde attaineth wisedome Wisdome by applying it selfe to the knowledge and consideration of diuine and humane things which are profitable and necessarie to the vse of our life This is obtained of God For all wisdome How we obtaine wisdome Out of the word By prayer saith the sonne of Syrach is from God but by his word for his word is the fountaine of wisdome and his commandement the originall and entrance thereunto It must be asked by prayer saying with Saloman O Lord giue me wisedome and vnderstanding that I may go in and out before thy people By companying with the wise Prou. 13. Syrach 6. It is learned also by conuersing with wise men according as it is said Hee that keepeth companie with wise men shall become wise Therefore my son saith Syrach Apply thy selfe to the instruction of wisdome from thy youth for wisedome aduanceth her children and receiueth those that loue her goeth before them in the way of righteousnesse and purchaseth them the loue of God 2. Prudence is gotten by due obseruation Prudence what is méete to be done or left vndone what is to be desired or shunned that thou maiest foresée to chuse the good and refuse the euill and search the means to performe honest actions that both afore and after thou be wearie For Prudence is like two-faced Ianus in euery thing obseruing what goes before and what followes after Remember what Aristotle saith That man is borne to two things vz. to vnderstand and to doe or worke Thou shalt atchieue it next the grace of God by vse and memorie of things according Howe prudence is gotten By experience as it is said Longo Prudentia surget ab vsu Prudence riseth by long practise or experience When thou doest deliberate saith Isocrates of things to come consider the examples of things past For if thou remember thinges past thou shalt the better deliberate of things to come Alwaies giue eare to that of Syrach Whatsoeuer thou takest in hand doe it aduisedly and keepe a meane in all things Now in labouring for Prudence in How to be perfect in Prudence Counsell this sort shalt thou proceede First take counsell of the matter that is to be done or not done try all things afore hand by counsell 1. Let the rule of thy counsell be the Law of God according to it let all thy cogitations and deliberations be directed Thy Law saith Dauid are my counsellors 2. Then let thy prayer powred out to God craue his helpe that thou maist both thinke and determine those things that are agréeable to his will saying with Dauid Teach me to doe thy will O God for thou art my God 3. After prayer let a diligent inquisition and meditation of those things wherof thou hast consulted follow For as Saloman Prou. 10. saith The lips of the iust consider what is acceptable 4. Doe not attribute too much to thy selfe and to thine owne determinations according as it is said Leane not too much Prou 3. to thine own wit especially in thine own matters wherein men are wont to be blinded Therefore in waightie matters take aduise of other I saith Wisedome Prou. 8. dwell with Counsell and am present in all wise consultations Secondly when thou hast taken counsell discerne aright betwéen all those reasons Discretion that are brought in consulting Here therefore is néede of discretion whereby truths are discerned from falsehoods certainties from vncertainties vnprofitable things from profitable vnseasonable from seasonable honest from vnhonest pleasant from vnpleasant and to conculde good from euill And of these which are more or lesse good and which are more or lesse conuenient for time place person or for the matter in hand And to discerne not onely what is to bée determined but also how much and how farreforth wee ought to procéede in euery cause 2. Concerning the conscience Giue vnto thy conscience that which What is due to the conscieÌ„ce is due vnto it Thou oughtest not to wound and vlcerate our conscience but to kéepe it sound and entire Now thou shalt get and kéepe a good Three meanes to get a good conscience Preparation and a sound conscience by thrée meanes By diligent preparation by spéedy application of remedy and by reformation 2. That thou maiest diligently prepare thy conscience Learne by the lawe what is coÌ„manded to be done and what is forbidden and to bee left vndone Learne the iudiciall sentence of the Law pronouncing men accursed for euery sinne Then examine thine owne conscience seriouslie according to this rule of the Lawe whereby thou shalt vnderstand what thy state is before God hereof a sorrow will strike thy hart for feare of the punishment due to thy sinnes which thou hast committed 2. A better Remedie for a sorrowfull and wounded conscience can I not Remedies shew you than the blood and merite of Iesus Christ our Sauior For the applying whereof vnto our selues we haue néede First of the preaching of the Gospell which is as it were the hand of God offering his grace vnto vs. And then of faith which is as our hand receiuing the graces offred But here thou must remember to humble thy selfe truely and to resist all doubting 3. The conscience is then reformed Reformation when it ceaseth to accuse and terrifie thée and contrariwise beginneth to excuse thée and by the holie spirit doth testifie vnto thy spirit that thou art the childe of God and that thy sinnes are forgiuen Two means to Keepe a good conscience thée When thou hast gotten a good coÌ„science sée that thou preserue it and kéepe it in safetie by remouing impediments and applying fit remedies Impediments some are with in thee Impediments to be remoued some without thée 1 Within thee are thine own sinnes take away therefore ignorance seducing thée from the knowledge of Gods word take away vnbrideled vntamed affections by inuerting their course from thy neighbour against thy selfe or thine owne sinnes or by inclining them to God and our Sauiour Christ take away worldly desires of riches honours and pleasures 2. Without thée the diuell and the wicked world are impediments to a good conscience these must be withstâ—â—d Remedies to be applied for the preseruing of the conscience are two First Remedies to be applied thou shalt conserue and nourish a liuely faith Secondly thou shalt retaine a constant purpose and ardent desire to obey God in all things so shalt thou prouide for thy conscience 3. Concerning the will Moreouer giue vnto thy wil that
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