of the first heauenly And this I speak welbelouyd for that neither the fleshe ne the bloud shal possesse the kingedome of heauen neither thinges corruptible or incorruption Here you maye euydently se that what Paule in one place called the exteriourman and the fleshe whiche is corruptyble In another place he calleth it the earthely Adam And suerlye this is the same flesh the same body of death where with he was troubled when he sayde O vnhappye creature who shall delyuer me from the body of this death And of the fruites bothe of the spiryte and of the fleshe whiche be muche diuers he writeth saieng He that soweth in the flesshe shall gather corruption of the flesshe And he that soweth of the spiryte shall of the spirite gather euerlasting life O happy and fortunate manne in whom this earthelie Adam is so mortified and subdewed that it in no wise resysteth the spirite But whether this perfecte quietenesse and tranquilitie maye fortune to any man in this worlde I wil not affyrme Peraduenture it is not necessary to be For Paule in this lyfe not withstandinge his hyghe perfection and grace had a mocion of the fleshe to vexe and dystrou ble him And when he thryse desired god to be delyuered from the sayde mocion He onely had this aunswere Paule my grace is suf ficient for vertue is made perfite by vexation Paul was vexed by pryde that he shuld not be proud To be perfit and strong in god he was caused to be weake and feeble For he caryed the treasure of heuenly reuelation in a frayle and bryckell vessell that the honoure and victory shulde onely be in the power and mighte of God not in him selfe This one exaumple of Paule is erudition and learninge to vs in many things First when we be moued and tised to syn that we diligently cal to almighty god by prayer Furthermore that to trewe christian men temptations be not only profitable but also necessary for the preseruation of ver tue Finally that when all the other motions be subdued then the mocions of pryde and vayneglorye are most to be feared which in the myddes of vertue priuelye awayteth vs. After that man hath mortifyed the flesshe and subdued the concupicence of the same TheÌ„ shal he se god and tast god that he is swete God is not seene in the fierce and boisteous winde of temtacion but after man hath resisted and valiantlye oppressyd the suggestions of his ennemies Then foloweth a delectable smale blaste of ghostly comforte and consolacion Which when you shal perceue then quikly awayt with your inwarde eyes and you shall se god well knowe that he hathe made safe for you ¶ Of the thre partes in man the spiryte the sowle and the fleshe These myght be thought more then sufficient but that you maye the more playnlye knowe what man is I shall brieflye declare vnto you what deuision Oxygen maketh of man And to be shorte he maketh three partes in man The body or the fleshe as the lowest parte of man in the which by the offence of the firste parente Adam the cruell and subtyll serpente the deuyll sowed the lawe of synne into the sowle of man By the which he is prouokid to sinne ouercome by the deuill and bonde in sinne The spirite by the which man dothe expresse the very similitude of the nature of god In the which also the highe creatour and maker of al thinges out of the inwarde secretes of his minde with his own finger that is to say his spirite dyd write the eternal law of vertue honestie By this portion also Man is adioyned and made one with god After these he putteth the thyrde parte as a middle or a meane betwene the. ii other which is a receiuour of the naturall meuinges or felynges This parte as in a factious or sedicious cytie is moued and intysed of both partes and is at libertie to whether it wyll encline If it forsake the fleshe and folow the spirite then shall it be spirituall But if it followe the desires and â—…upidities of the fleshe it shalbe al so fleshely And that ment sayncte Paule when he sayd Know you for trouthe that he that cleaueth to an harlotte is made oone body with her and he that cleaueth to god is made one spirite with him This harlot is the slipper and vn stedfast parte of man which is the fleshe Of whom it is spoken of in the seconde booke of Prouerbes withdrawe the from the strange woman whiche maketh her wordes softe and forsaketh the capytayne of her youthe and hath forgotten the couenaunte shee made with god Her house is al deadly her pathes bryngeth to hel They that folowe her shall not obteyne the pathe of lyfe And he that forsaketh her shalbe saued Then the spirite maketh manne godlye the fleshe maketh beastely The soule maketh man liuynge the spirite good and vertuouse the flesshe euyll and vngracious the soule ma keth neither good ne euyl the spirite seketh heauenly thynges the fleshe swete and pleasaunte The soule necessary the spirite lyfteth to heauen the fleshe depresseth to hel The soule of the spirit or flesh taketh merite or demerite what so euer is fleshely is vicious that which is spiritual is parfite that which is of the soule is mean and indifferent will you that I more playnly discriue to youe the difference betwixte these partes You honoure and feare your parentes you loue youre chyldren and frendes it is not so muche ver tuous to do these thinges as it is sinne not to doe them For whye should not you beynge a christian man do those thinges which infidels and beastes doo onely by instinct of nature That which man dothe of nature is not worthie rewarde But it so chauncith that other you must not regard the reue rence towardes youre parentes neglecte dispyse the loue of your children or els displease god In this case what is to be done the sowle is in dought the flesshe mouithe in the one side the spirite in the other The spirite perswadeth that god is better then thy father and more to be regardid the fleshe contrary maketh suggestion You owe your parentes your naturall being And in case you obey them not you shalbe disheritid and com moÌ„ly called vnnatural vnkind lose not your goodes disteyne not your name as for god other he seethe not or he wil not see and at the leaste he wyll sone be pleased Nowe the soule is in doubte and standethe amasyd if it inclyne to the flesshe dispise the spirite it is one bodye with it And if it folow the spyryte it is transmutyd in to the spirite It is great erroure to exteme that absolute vertu which is of nature Some of nature are little moued or intised to the pleasures of the bodye Let them not iudge theÌ„ selues verteous for that which is indifferent For the laud of
be suerlye armed Puer and vnfayned prayer bryngythe and lyftethe vp the inwarde affection to heauen to the whyche oure enemyes can in noo wyse haue entraunce Knowledge and good lerning armyth and defendyth the vnderstanding of man with holsome doctrines and good opynyons and so neither praier ne knowledg may be lacked the one so necessarily requireth the other they agre so frendfully Faithful and vnfayned prayer obteineth of god our peticion knoledge good lerninge teacheth vs howe and in what maner we shall praye And what thinges we shall desyer in oure petycyons whyche as S. Iames sayth be onlye suche as be profytable holsom for the soule praier is the thing more commōly to be requyred whiche is famy lyar cōmunicatyon with god but knowledge and good lerninge is no lesse profitable holsom or neces ry For I cannot immagine how a man intending to forsake the cōmon course of the world can surely and withoute peryll walke so longe and daungerous a iourney vnles he haue the companye and felowship of the two most valiant capitaynes Moyses and Aaron Aaron for that he was the chefe preeste of the temple fygurethe in scripture praier Moyses signyfiethe knowledge of the lawe And as knowledge and lerning without operacion lyttell or nothinge auaileth so praier without know ledge is of smale vertue and efficacie Some men when they pray only consider how longe prolyx their praier is how many orisōs and psalmes they haue saide thiking plainly the vertue strēgth of praier only to consyste in longe and muche cōmunication thys faulte is speciallye amonge them whiche yet as babies cleue in the letter and carnal ceremonies and haue not the rypenes of the spirit But here what maner of prayer Christ in Mathewe teacheth vs vse not saith he much and tedious bablinge in youre praier as infidels doth which earnestly beleue that by longe and by muche spech they shall obtayne their peticion Couet not in this thing to be lyke ned to them for your father in hea uen knoweth what is necessary behouable for youe before youe make peticion And Paule in the xiiii chapiter to the Corinthyans the ii Epistel Muche more estemeth fiue wordes well vnderstād with pure and cleane mynde spoken then tenne thousande not vnderstande and spoken wythe the mouthe only Moyses in his peticion vsyd noo wordes and yet he was hearde It is not the noyse mouing of the lyppes that deferrith our peticion and praier to the hearinge of almightye god But onely the inwarde and feruent desyre of the soule Let this then be thy familiar vsage and custome that when thine ennemyes moue the to vice thou strayght and immediately lyfte vp thy harte vnto heauen with sure faithful hope from whence all helpe cummyth but thether also lyfte vp thy handes The sureste waye to auoyde the daunger of thy ennemyes is alwaye buselye to be occupyed in ly Manna waxe not vnsauery And if you thus with pure and cleane minde with reuerence and humilitie studie the scripture you shall perceiue your selues maruelously rauished and transformed and shall se in them the most pleasante deinties of your moste pleasante spouse The haboundant rychesse of the enryched Salamon the secret treasures of euerlasting wysdome Heauen and earth may peryshe but the worde of god is e uerlasting and shall not peryshe Men may lie and be deceiued but the trueth whiche is god neither can lie ne be disceiued And as for the expositours of the scripture if you couet to be more liuely in spirite then redy to contention if you intende the fatnes of the soule rather then the quyckenesse of the wytte labour suche auncient doctours whose good vertuous lyuing hath ben wel known whose lerninge more plentiful and ful of fruite whose speche neither leude ne vnsauery and their exposition furthest fro the carnal vnderstanding and most fyt to the holy mysteries The holy scripture of god hathe his peculyar language and proper figures whiche must diligently be knowen Somtime she stutteth and as a louynge mother after our infancie she formeth her speche To littel babes and infantes in Christ she geueth milke to them that be sicke and weake suppinges and brothes To thē that be stronge more solyde norishing and stronge meates Haste you to come from childhode and sycknes that you may eate strong and norishinge meates She boweth and enclineth her selfe after our humility and febelnes But inforce you to arise and be strong accordynge to her sublimitye it is very monstruous alwaye to be chyldysshe and to much dastardnes alwayes to be lowest One verse well vnderstand with faithfull and good intent spoken is more sauery and noryshing then the whole psalter not vnderstande and idelly redde And of this I more often admonishe youe for that I knowe this errour not only amonge the common people but also among them which count them selues learned They here not what Chryst saith in the gospel of Iohn the. x. chapiter The fleshely vnderstandynge nothing profiteth The spirituall only geueth life They regard not the sayinge of Paule The flesshe destroieth the spirite quickeneth We knowe that the lawe of God is spiritual not carnal and to spiritual things spirituall vnderstādinge moste be had and geuen In time past the pleasure of god was to be worshipped in the moūtain Nowe he wyll be worshypped in truth and spirite If god hath geuen you a pregnaunt florishinge witte continue not alwaye in the barreine letter but hast you to the high secret misteries and diligētlye call vppon god that it maye please him to open you the booke clasped with the. vii claspes of the whych S. Iohn in the apocalips mencionethe The whyche booke none can open but he that declarethe the secretes of hys father whiche neuer man knewe but the sonne and suche as it pleased him to declare them vnto Then if you dylygently apply the knowledge of scripture busily haue remembraūce of the lawes of Christ you shalbe sufficiently armed and defendid against all assaults and inuasion of your ennemies But he that entendeth profitablye to vse this godly armour must first cast away the armour of proud Saul that is to sai the affectiōs of this worlde whyche be more onerous then profitable more hinderethe then furdereth him that shal fight with our greate Golias And after with pure and humble mynde gather oute of holy scrypture fyue sonns which I thinke be the fiue wordes which Paule desireth to be spoken in good vnderstanding and then arme thy ryghte hande with the slynge for by these weapons onlye is our aduersarye the father of al pride mischefe ouerthrowne Whom our Capytayne christ by thi◅ armour vanquished and ouercam what time the deuil mouid him first to glotony sith to auarice third to Idolytrye did he not with wordes of the said scripture abashe his proude courage vtterly repel hī Dauid also out of the holy
papystes whose religion in dede is altogether in outward shewe and worldly pompe And therefore thapostle preuentinge the question whiche might be asked him by some worldlye wiseman whiche woulde saye Why Sir what maner of lyfe woulde you haue vs to leade after what sort would you haue vs Christians to doe and vse he aunswereth euen in the begynninge of the neâ—…t Chapyter of the same Epistle saying Yf ye be then risen againe with Christ seke those thynges which are aboue where christ sitteth on the righte hande of god set your affections on heauenly thinges and not of earthly thynges for yeare dead and your life is hid with Christe in God Thus is it euydente that the righte lyfe of a christian consysteth not eyther in multytude of people prescriptioÌ„ of time forefathers nor outward Ceremonies but onely in vertuousnes of life leauinge our owne dreames inueÌ„cions and in folowing the sacred and holy scriptures settynge the same alwayes before oure eyes as oure onelye lodes starre to folowe and touch stone to trye all doctrine by For whatsoeuer is not conteined in god his boke I meane the holy byble no Christian is bounde of necessity to doe Neither as I saide before neede we to run in to any cloyster to seke a perfecte lyfe seinge it is the dutye of all Christians of what estate or degre soeuer he be to lyue in the feare of God and in suche sorte as in this godly worke folowing is most lyuely and Christenly set forth So that in that matter I shall not nede any thinge to entreat of Thus seking to ende my prologue least I be to tedyous I sende thee good reader to thys boke Prayinge God of hys mercye so to open our hartes to receiue his trueth and followe the same in oure lyuinge that he maye seinge oure repentaunce poure his blessynge vppon vs that hys true and sincere religion nowe beginnynge as it were to springe vppe but wonderfully hyndred in the growinge thereof by gods enemyes the papistes and carnall ghospellers who haue the ghospell in their mouthes but not in their conuersatyons that it maye come to a perfect rypenes that god 〈◊〉 be gloryfyed in this world by our christenly conuersation And that we after this transitorye lyfe once finyshed maye contynallye prayse hym in the heauenlye habytacion wyth his holye aungelles world withoute ende by the merites death and passion of the immaculate lambe oure onely Lorde and Sauioure Iesus Christ to whom with the father and the holye ghost be al honour prayse glorye nowe and euermore world with out ende Amen God preserue the Queene Fare well in the Lorde I. C. Certayne holsome godly and necessary Rules THE holy man Iobe as apereth in the. vii chapiter of his booke mouethe and prouoketh euery good man dylygently to remembre that the lyfe of man in this worlde is nothing but continuall battell conflyct And that the moste parte of the people are greatly dysceaued which so busely folowe the flatterynge prauities and pleasures of this worlde and soo lyue in ydlenesse as though al ieoperdy were passed all thinges quiet in sure and substanciall peace It is maruel to see how quyetly how with oute all feare they slepe continually Syth man is enuironed on all partes with so greate a multitude of ennemies so crafty so subtil and full of disceites Beholde maÌ„ on euery side thou art in gret ieopardie and danger of death ouer thy hed the spirites of the aire with many crafty subtile waies busely waiteth thye destructyon which diligently laboure mortal ly to wounde thy sowle with flaming dartes with deadly poyson infected On thy right hande and on thy left before the also behind the this disceyuable worlde subtelly assaulteth thee the whiche as S. Iohn sayth is vtterly set on myschiefe and viciousenes and for that hated and enuied of god This â—…ering world in his assaultes craftely and polytiquely vseth him selfe For sometime he fu riously rageth and in open battel inuadeth man by much and great aduersitie prouinge the strength of his soule Sumtime by blandishinge and fayre promyse he moueth to yeldinge often times he cometh secretly vpon man to take him vnprouided out of armure Beneath the that slipper and dysceitful serpent the breaker of our quietnes by many diuerse ingins lieth in waite to cause the sensuall apetite to fal to sin which is that Eue by whoÌ„ this most false serpeÌ„t first allured man to commit deadly sinne And yet as thoughe this were not sufficient so to be compa sed on euery syde with deadly ennemies Man beareth also about him a familyar and a domesticall aduersary then the whiche as no thinge can be more adioyninge or nighe so nothinge canne be more daungerous that is that old and earthly fleshe by longe and coutinuall acquayntance very familyare but by mischeuous intent an vtter ennemy of whome man can by no meanes be in sufficient suertie ne auoide the same Then sithe man is thus wrapped in so feareful and perilous battell and hath to meddle with so many enemies so redy so sworne in his distruction so armed so watching so false and accustomed in battell is not he very folishe whych armeth not hym selfe against the assaults kepeth not sure good watch hath not al thinges suspected but so liueth as if al thinges were in quiet and in good tranquylitie nothynge regardinge but the belly and the skynne muche lyke as yf this lyfe were a feast or a banquetinge Suerly who so hath peace with vice hath broken the truice whiche he tooke with god at hys baptisme And yet thou mad christian man thinkest all thynges in quyet and criest peace peace wheÌ„ thou hast god which is only peace and the authour of peace thy extreame ennemie And when he by the mouth of his prophete saythe there is no peace among these vicious people Truely there is no other condicion of peace with god but when man deadly hateth vice and strongly by the helpe of god fyghteth againste it For in case there be amitie and frendshyp betwene man and vice then is god principal enemy to man bothe for that he adioyneth him self to vice which in no wise maye agre with god for how may light and darknes agre and for that also he performeth not his promyse made to god but falsely breaketh his fidelitie so faithefully promised RemeÌ„bre o christian man what time thou were baptised thou promysed to be the true and vnfayned ser uaunte of Ihesus Christ in whose quarell thou art twyse bounde to spende thy lyfe Firste for that he gaue the thy lyfe Seconde that where thou were bonde and dead in synne he of his goodnesse restored the lyfe remembrest thou not what time thou first professed thy selfe to his religion what vengeance what maledictions thou desyred to fall vpon the and that by expresse wordes with good delive ration aduisement coÌ„ceiued In case thou fulfilled
the sowle for that he dieth impeniteÌ„t Here you maye perceyue and euidentely see that the mother and rote of al mis chefe is wordely and carnall wisdome But of the wysedome of Christe whyche the worlde reputeth as folishenes It is red in the xi chapiter of Esay wher he saith in the persone of those to whome this godly wisdom hath hapened all goodnes hathe hapened to me withe her and by her helpe great vertu and honesty and I haue reioyced in al my actes For asmuch as this wysedome was euer my guide and captain vpon this wisdome waiteth continually humili tyâ—… and sobernes Humility maketh vs apte and mete vessels to receaue the spyryte of god For vpon lowly and meke parsoÌ„s his pleasure is to rest And after that of his infinite goodnes he hath dis stylled in oure soules his vii speciall gyfts Sodenly rootith and buddethe in vs the plesant rype corne of al vertue with their blessed and ioyfull fruits Of the whiche the chefe is a quiet and peacified concience with god whiche is called inwarde ioye The secrete ioye the ioye vnknowne but to suche as hathe assayed and tasted it The ioye which vanishyth not ne can be taken away as the ioye of this world but groweth and in creasythe to eternall ioye This wisdome according to the aduisement of S. Iames must by conti nual feruent praier be desired of god and delygentlye laborid for â–ª in the secrete vaines of holy scripture The hed and begynnynge of this wysdome is suerely and substancially to know your self The which prouerbe our auncient and forefathers hath honored and taken as the voyce of god decsendiÌ„g from heauen and good authours delyted so much in it that they extemed the hole some and efficacye of wysdome to be conteyned in it But the saienges of Infedels and Pagans may be of smal autority among christen men vnlesse they agree with holye scripture Here therfore what the heauenly louer in the booke of cantycles sayth to his spowse threteninge and commaunding her to auoyd his house onles she knewe her selfe O most bewtifull of all women goe from me and walke the waies of youre fleshe or kynsefolke in case youe know not your self it is no trifle a man to knowe hym self I cannot well thinke that any man in this worlde can sufficiently be assured of the knoweledge of hys bodye Howe showld man then parfytly know the qualites and behauiors of the sowle Saint Paul whom it pleasyd god to rauishe into the third heauen and teache the secret misteris therof durst not presume to iudge him selfe which he wold haue done noo dought therof if he perfetlye had knowne him selfe If so godly and perfit a man durst not affirme that he parfitly knew him self shal we carnalmen assure oure selues so boldly to the knowledge of our selues He is thought a verye vnprofytable and vnwise soldiour whiche neither knoweth his owne power and strengthe ne the might company of his enemies But man hath not batel one ly with other men but also wyth him selfe And suerelye the moste daunger of oure battell is contained in oure selues And oftyn tymes there is so smal dyfference be twene our frendes and our fooes That it is to be feared leste we by necligence defende our foe for our frend and hurte our frend for our foo Then forasmuche as this spirituall battell is moste withe our selues and the first hope of victorie is to know our selues I shall breuely as in battell depeinte and 〈◊〉 to you an Image of youre 〈◊〉 by the which you maye the 〈◊〉 attayne the knowledge of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of the exterior man and the interior MAn therfore is a certaine monstruous beast compact or formyd of ii or iii. partes muche dyuers and contrary that is to saye of the sowle whiche is spirituall and the image of god And of the body whiche is in maner a bruite and domme beaste for in the bodely part we doo not excell the other kinde of beastes but are in al the giftes and condicions therof muche inferyoure and worse then they But by the sowle and spyrituall part we be partakers of the highe godhed diuinytie and in that behalfe not onelye excell the angelicall creatures but also are adioyned and made one with god If the bodye had not bene addyd and anexyd to the sowle man had ben all spirituall and godly And if the sowle had not ben geuen to the body man had ben al beastely These two natures so contrary disagreinge the highe workman and maker of all thinges ioyned and knytte together in ioyful and quiet amitie and concord But the false deceiuable and crafty serpeÌ„t vtter and extreme enemye to oure quietnes by mischeuous and vnhappy subtilti set such enmity and discord betwne them that thei can not be deuyded or departed wyth out greate vexation and payne ne continue and dwel together with out continuall stryfe and battell The body as it is it selfe visible deliteth in thinges that be visible as it is mortal and traÌ„sytory and of no goodnes so it foloweth vain and transitory thinges as it is he â—…ye and ponderous so it synkethe and slydyth alway downewarde Contrarye the sowle as it is in kynde heauenlye so it alwaye enforsyth vpwarde and contendyth alway with this earthely parte dispiseth these visible thinges for that it knowith them transitorye and of no goodnes As she is immortal so she loueth thinges that be euerlastyng for lyke hathe alway pleasure in thinges that be like onles she be vtterly drouned in the filthynes and poyson of the body and by them greuously infec ted do declyne from her naturall gentilnes and clenes It was not the fyrst state and condicyon wher in man was created that caused thys deuisyon But that whyche was formid and created good and puer was by sinne corrupted and defiled And synne dyd sowe thys dyscorde and discentyon betwene them which were in quietnes and agreed as one For before man was by synne infected the sowle without busines commaundid the body and the body gladly and willing obeyed the imperye and commaundement of the sowle Nowe that thys good order and quyetenes is distroubled it is contrary for the carnall affection striuethe and enforâ—…the to haue preminence aboue reason And often reason by blyndenesse obeythe sensualytie wherfore man maye well be compared to a faccious or sedicious citie which for as muche as it consistethe of dyuers kindes of men diuersly mindid and disposed must nedes be troublid with diuers mo cions and sedicions onles the hole rule and empiere bee in one and that he be suche as will nothinge commaund but that shalbe verye profitable and holsom for the com mon wealth and safty of the same And therfore it is very necessaryâ—… in euery region and communialte that thei rule which be most wise and discrete and the other obey The common people for the moste parte be of smale corage
and dastardes and therefore they maye beare no rule but muste be obedient to their rulers and such as be nobles and auncient in yeares in al assembles and counsailes must paciently be herde But the aucto rity and power to determine all things must remain in one which is called their kynge and he must as time requireth be admonished and aduertised but not compelled ▪ ne haue in his realme superiour For the kyng ought to obey none but the lawe the lawe presentyth the image of vertu honesty But if so be this order be inuerted and the wilde commons and troublesome dregges of the Citie in the common welth rebell again their ruler and the nobles disdaine the cōmandement of the king the peri lous sedicion grudge growing and if it be not holpen by deuyne policie it fallethe to vtter decaye and ruine Nowe for our purpose reason in man is a kyng and Emperoure Nobles and auncientes be certaine corporal affections or apetites but such as be not beast ly As in example naturall reuerence towardes youre parentes loue and charyte towardes youre bretherne beneuolence toward youre frendes and such other and suche other affections as must discend from the obeysance of reason And in behauiour are beastly such be the commons and dragges of the citie As ryote enuie and suche other sickenes and disseases of the minde wh◅ihe as bonde and vile seruauntes must be kepte vnder that they kepe dewe obedience to their kinge and in no wise hurte him and surelye if the affections and apetites sensuall do dewe obeisance and be orderid by reason Then shall man at noo time commit anie thinge that is euyll or that after maye repent him And that knew wel Plato that deuine philosopher when he sayde that they which oppresse and subdewe these carnall appetites lyue wel and iustly and they that be ouercome of them liuethe euill and vn iustlie Then the onelie parfitte waie and pathe to felicitie is first suerely and substancially to know your selfe next to subdewe the car nall apetites and to be orderid one ly by reason And this reason must be vpryght hole wise not infertyd That is that she only regard vertue and honesty Parauenture it shalbe thought very harde to so lowe that I haue taught But diligently remember that excelente and commendable thinges be all waye daungerous and difficile There can be no more valyant act thē to ouercom thy self ne no greater reward than eternal beatitude and felicite And that wytnessyth saynt Iherom saying Nothing is more happy then a trewe crystian man to whom as a reward the kyngdome of heauen is prouidyd and promysed If man only consider his own power and ablitie no thing is more hard then to subdue the fleshe But if he delygently remember that Chryst is hys capytayne and helper to whom nothyng is vnpossyble ne vneasy it shalbe very lighte in youre concience and mind a purpose or intent of perfit life and after busylye labour to bring it to effect the mind of man can not imagine so hygh noble a matter but by feruent lalabour it may be brought to passe And that thinge whiche in the beginninge shalbe thought inuincible and muche harde to be done shall in continuance be made soft by vsage easy and by custome plesant The way of vertu saith Hesi odus is in the beginning straight daungerous but if you crepe to the top nothing is more suer ne in sa◅ty There is no beaste so cruell ne outrage but by mans diligēce labour may be tamed and made meke Shall man thynke then that no meanes maye be found to bridle the affections and apitites sensuall What payne dothe man take to be deliuered from sycknes and diseases of the body And shal he take no payne to be delyueryd from eternal dampnation both of body and soule Suerly it is to be lamentyd that many whiche bearith the name of Christ like brute and dome beastes folow in their li uing the beastly and sensual appetites and are in maner bound and seruauntes to them So little exercised in this spyrytuall battell that they know noo difference betwixt reason and sensuality Thei exsteme that only to be man which they see perceaue and feele And that nothynge is but suche as is sensible What so euer they minde they thinke it lawfull This call they peace safty althoughe it is most miserable bōdage When reson resisteth not the carnall mocions But perswaded and blinded by their intisings foloweth them This is that miserable peace whi che Christe authour of trewe and parfite peace came to dissolue and set healtheful battel betwene the father and the sonne the wife and the huseband And brefly betwixt al suche thynges as the vnsure amitie of this worlde hath ioyned and knyt together Let the auctoritie of philosophersbe of smale estimation vnles the same sentence thoughe in other wordes be expreslye spoken in holye scripture That philosophers calleth reson Paule sometime the spirite some time the inwarde man sometime the lawe of the minde That they cal the affections he calleth sometime the flesshe sometyme the body somtime the exterior man and the lawe of the membres Sayenge in one place walke after the spirite and ye shall not committe the desyres of the flesshe For the fleshe desyreth against the spyrite and the spirite against the flesshe Therfore doo not those thynges whiche you carnally desyre And in an other place If you lyue after the fleshe ye shal die but if you mortifie and subdue the deedes of the fleshe you shall liue Suerly it is a strange thynge and a newe alteration that peace shoulde be soughte in battell and battell in peace life in deathe and death in lyfe libertie and fredome in seruitude and bondage And bondage and seruitude in libertie and freedome Of bondage Paule speaketh this I chastice my body and brynge it in seruitude And of libertie in an other place if we folow the leading of the spirite we are not vnder the bondage yoke of the lawe And againe he saith I perceiue a law in my membres re◅tynge the lawe of my mynde and aboute to brynge me in thraldome vnder the lawe which is in my membres It is red also of the exteriour and interiour man Plato put two soules in one man And Paule in the same manne putteth two men soo annexed and ioyned together that the one can not be without the other neither in ioye ne in payne And againe they be so disceuered and deuyded that the death to the one is life to thother And to this also maye be referred that he wryteth to the Corynthyans sayenge The fyrst man was made a lyuing soule the seconde a quickeninge or geuinge life The spiritual part was not first made but the beastely The first manne was of the earth earthely the seconde of heauen heauenly Earthly men folowe the condycions of the earthly And heuenly the condicions
to other and sâ—…t your mynde and purpose onely vpon hym Spare not loue and folowe such lerning but â—…o 〈◊〉 as you shall thinke necessarye for the contynâ—…unce of youre good purpose If youe fele your selfe substantiallyâ—… stronge and hope by this lerninge to haue greate lucre in god be bolde then to wade further in all suche learninge and turne the riches of Egipt to the making freshe and gaie the temple of god that is to the de claration of holy scripture But if youe perceaue feblenes in youre selfe and feare you shal haue more hinderance by them then profitte returne to youre fyrste rule know your self and mesure your self wise ly with your owne mesure That is to say consider diligentlie your power and strength and ieoperde not farther then you may wel sustain it is better to haue litle knowleged the learnyng of man and feruentelie to loue then greate knoweledge and loue coldelye Then learninge amonge thinges that be meane is of moste excelen cie Nexte frendship of the body strength bewtie dignity birthe kinred riches and such other As they moste helpe to vertue so they must be regarded folowed We maie not for these meane thyngs leue our principal course whiche is Christ ne to busilie desire them but be content as god wil and sendeth them Fortune sendeth abundaunce of riches if they hinder not your good purpose dyspose them and make frendes with the foode of iniquity But if you feare hinde raunce of your good purpose by reason of this riches despise then this hurtfull lucre And as Crato the philosopher dyd Throw this greuous burden into the sea that is to say leue it to the world rather then it shoulde let or hynder your iorney from christ Remember alway that aboundaunce of ry â—…hes is a plentifull matter ministred of god to exercise vertu but ve ry perilous ful of ieoperdy And therfore put no greate affiance in it For they that exteme mony and possessions of this world as a pre cious thing of much valew setting in it their most assurance and trust as the chefe anker and suertie of their liuinge iudging them blessed and happye whyche haue plentie and aboundauÌ„ce of riches contrarie miserable and vnhappie when they be taken from them be false idolators and worship many gods For if monie can make man happie or vnhappie thou â—…ualest thy mony to god as I haue said of money so I may say of honour bewty health of the bodye such other We must so seruently intend our onely marcke Christ that we greatly regarde no suche thinges whether they be geuen vs or taken from vs for as the apostell saint Paule saith the tyme in this worlde is but short and therfore we must vse it as they that vse it not I knowe well the people of this worlde exteme this sayinge as very folishe and vnreasonable but by suche folishnes Christ hath saued suche as beleue in god And that folyshnes of god is muche more wyse then that wysedome whiche semethe more wise to men of this worlde Therefore what soeuer you shal occupy or do proue it by this rule you vse occupacion or handicraft and you doo well if you vse it without dysseyt or subtyltie But whether referre you the ende of your crafte to nory she your housholde and wyn them to Christe Now you do well You faste suerly you do a good worke in aâ—…de but wherfore faste you to spare your mony to be countyd more holye Nowe your intent is nought you eate and drynke to be strong in your body to the intent you maye bee more able to serue god and vse a more godly worke Nowe you hyt the pricke But if you desyre strengthe to preserue your body or to be more able to ful fyll the pleasures of this worlde Nowe haue you fallen from that marck which euery good christian man muste haue fyxed in his re membraunee Manye desyer god that they maye lyue longe in this world but let them rather desyre of god a good and vertuous mind and that hatred of vice and loue of vertue maye dailye increase that when so euer death shall com they be not vnprouided as for time to liue or dye put that to Christ. And saye with Paul whether we liue or dye we liue and dye to Christ. O fonde man whych haste no deuocion of the changing of thy life and prayest thou mayest not dye what desyrest thou of god Trew lye to haue leysure continually to offende god Thou desirest riches and canst not vse them doeste thou not desire thyn owne dystruction Thou desirest health and misusest thy healthe is not this deuocion very vngracious The deuocion shalbe perfyt if we desire to dye be with Christ and if we put oure glory and ioye in sicknesse losse of goodes and other incommodities of this world glad that we maye be by suche vexacion and trâ—…uble conformate and made like to oure hed and capitain Christ. ¶ The fyfte Rule to know perfyt and trewe deuocion from vaine and fayned ANd somewhat to ayde and fortesye that we haue sayde this shalbe the 〈◊〉 rule that you exteme and thinke perfit and true deuocion to assend by iust laboure from those thinges which be visible meane and vnperfyte to the knowledg of those which be inuisible pâ—…rfyte This rule is so necessary that for dyspysing of it lack of knowledg of the same ma ny y â— bearyth the name of Chryst â—…or perfyt dâ—…uocion and trew religion be verye superstycyous and much differâ—…th not from the vsage oâ—… the gâ—…ntylles Let vs therfore immagin coÌ„sâ—… tuâ—… two wordes the oâ—… â–ª intellectable the other visyble or sensyble The intellectabâ—…e may be callyd also the angelical in the wâ—…ich god is contayned and his blessâ—…d saintes the vysible is the hâ—…uenlye spyres and all that is contained within theÌ„ And for our purpose let vs also immagin man as a third worlde pertaker of both the other worldes Of the visible by the body and of the intellectuall by the soule And for as muche as we be pylgrymes in this visyble worlde we maye not â—…esse but such as we shall perceaue by our wittes or censes eâ—…teriour diligently refer and applye to the intellectuall worlde by conueniente and mete collacion or â—…ls to the parte of man whiche is lyke and respondent to the said world The sonne in this sensible worlde resembleth in the angâ—…lical world the godly minde and dâ—…uine sprit and in man the sowle or the spryt The monâ—… in this senâ—…ble world representyth in the angelycall the company of aâ—…gels and holy saintes and in man the sensual partes or the sensis What soeuer this inferioure worlde dothe vppon the earth that same dothe god in thy sowle When you perceue that the bodely eyes be delyghted and com forted what time the sonne clerly shyneth and resplendantly shedith her
beames vpon the earth think by and by what plesure haue they in heauen to whome the eternall sonne is euer shinynge euer rising and neuer goith downe What ioy and felicitie hath that pure soule whom the godly light doth thus illumine And thus admonyshed by this visible creature pray god with Paule that he that caused lyghte to shine out of darkenes so illumine your soule that you may haue the clere knowledge of god in the face of Ihesu Christ. If you thinke the nighte darke and painfull remember the sowles destytute of the godly light and obfuscate with darkenesse of vice And if you perceaue anye condicion of night in your soule pray god that the sonne of iustyce maye springe in your harte and plainly coniec ture that these visible thinges be but shadowes and slender images of thinges inuisible The corporal eye delyghtethe in good shape and bewtye of the bodye Remember how goodly a thinge is the beutie of thy soule Deformitie is odious and displesaunte to the eye consyder howe odious is thy sowle defyled with sinne And this vse of all other corporall matters For the sowle hath a certain proper peculier bewtie and deformitie by the which it pleasythe or displeasyth god or the deuyll And hathe also a certayn youth age sicknes healthe deathe life pouertye ryches pleasure sorowe peace battell colde heate thyrste drynke hunger meate and brefelye all thinges that be perceaued by the senses in the body may well be vn derstande and immagyned in the sowle Therefore in these thinges specially consisteth the 〈◊〉 to the spyritual perfitelife that we soberly and easely wihtdrawe oure mindes from these fraile and sensible thinges and vtterlye set them vpon suche thinges as be eternall incommutable puer and not deceuable And this Socrates not onely in language but al so in his lyuinge a verye philosopher wel considâ—…d when he said that then the soul happely departâ—…th from the body if it dewly before hathe remembryd death and by dispysing of corporall thinges loue of thinges that be spirituall and perfyte immagynation of the same hath acustomed in maner to be absent from the body And suerlye this is the verâ—… crosse to the which Christ callyth vs when he saithe he that takythe not vppon him his crosse in this worlde and folowe me shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen And this is the selfe same death by the whych sayncte Paule willeth vs to dye withe oure capitaine Christ. And when he sayde regarde not these earthlye thinges ne seke you for theÌ„ but seke you for thinges that be aboue and be you wise in them He mente only that to these corporall thinges we should be in maner insensyble astonyed that the lesse pleasure we had outwardlye in corporal and worldly matters the more pleasure inwardlye we should haue in spirituall and heauenly matters And the more kno ledge we had of thinges which be eternall the lesse we should be mo ued with such thinges as be vayn and transitory Then let this rule be euer at hand that you continue not in loue of thinges whiche be but frayle and caduke but diligeÌ„t ly ascend to the loue of theÌ„ whiche be eternall and in comparyson of themdispise these thinges visible The bodely disease shalbe more ea sye and tollerable if you consider it is a medecine for the soule And you shal lesse regard the health of your body If you set al your mind and diligence in sauegarde of the sowle You abhore and dedly hate venyme that you see because that you know well that it destroyeth the body much more then is that poison to be hated which infectith the sowle Ciente is a venome and poyson perelous to the bodye but pleasure and fond pastime is more pestilent poison to the soule The naturall thonder and lyghtning of the Elementes fearithe and abashith the hart of man but much more that terrible thonder of the mouth of christ our sauiour ought to be fearyd Go you cursed people in to the eternall fier of hell And such like comparisons man ought diligently to remember in all thin ges sensyble whiche after the dyuersite of ther kind diuersly moue the mind and hart of man Some wyth hope some wyth feare some with loue some with hatred some with heuines some contrari with gladnesse And this man must also obserue in all his actes operaci ons which consisteth of the intent inwarde mynd as of the spirite sowle of the outward doinge as of the body or fleshe So that he pryncipally regard the mynde and intencyon for the outwarde acte be it neuer so bewetyfull in syght lytle or nothing auaileth if the intent be not puer and cleane And that witnesseth our sauyour in the gospell of Iohn saying the fleshe nothing profiteth the spirit only quicknith and edyfieth And therfore man ought not to reioyse or put hys affiaunce and truste in thinges sensyble or cerymoniall whych Paule callyth the fleshe out warde huske or shale specially when perfyt deuocion and trewe christianity dothe not consyste in them â–ª ne they be sufficient for the saluation of man I do not con dempne these corporall ceremonies and outwarde operacyons â–ª which be a meane and helpe to deuocion So they be laufully vsed But I aduertise and monysh you that in them consistyth not the verye perfection of a trew chrystian man nor the vsage of theÌ„ makyth a man truly religious deuoute And therfore thapostel Paule reuokyng the Colocenses from the confidens of these ceremonies and outward actes And prescrybing vnto them the true rules and preceptes of the spirituall life saithe For as muche as you haue rysen wyth Chryste seke those thinges whych be inuisible and heauenly and desire vnderstanding of them not of earthly thinges that is to saye visible and temporall which aperith beutiful in mannes sight Mortefy and subdewe the carnal and earthly affections whiche be as aperyth in Paule to the Galathians fornicacion vnclennes riote aueryce enuy anger grudge debate contencion deuision pride slouthe ipocrisye man slaughter drunckennes ingurgitacion dissimulacion flatery and such other And aboue al thinges be charitable one to the other And as our sa uiour Ihesu christ was not borne for him self lyued not to hym self dyed not for hym selfe but in all acts and thinges applyed hym to our helthes and coÌ„modities So eche deligently intend and mynde the profyt of other nothynge regarding his owne priuate profit ¶ The syxte Rule that we oughte onely to followe the doctryne of Christ and not to cleue to the more number ANd for as muche as in this my hasty writyng vnto you one thynge bryngeth an other to remembraunce I shal annexe the vi Rule much agreable with the other aboue saide as muche neces sary to the health and saluacion of euery man as lyttell regarded of fewe that is that the mynd
lyfe to come whiche muste nedes be miserable excepte it be substancially prouidid for in this worlde Here also a nother erroure of the common people they call him prudent and a man of good knoweledge whiche desyrous of tidinges kno weth commonlye what is done throughout the worlde what for tune and lucke marchauntes hath had what the Emperour intendythe to doo what newelties at Rome what busines in Fraunce howe the Daues lyue and to be bryefe can clatter of al matters and speake all languagys But what may be more folish or more vndiscretely done than so much to desire the knowledge of thinges done so farre of and which partay neth nothinge to thee and to haue no remembraunce of suche things as be done wythin thy stomacke and pertayn only to the. Thou tel lyst what trouble busynes and dis quietnes is in strange places but tell rather howe anger enuie voluptuous pleasure and ambicion vex and distrouble thy soule rebel linge againste reason howe nere they be subduyd what hope of vic tory how stoutly reason is armid against them If thou be in these thinges waking light earyd and quick eyed circumspect ware Then shal I cal thee prudent and of good knoweledge Be not conformate to this worlde and world lye parsons in euill but bee reformyd in thy vnderstandynge that thou mayst alow not those things whiche commonlie these worldly men folowe but approue the good will of god and folowe those thinges whiche be pleasant vnto his goodnes ¶ Opynions mete and conuenient for a christen man EUery good and parfyte Christen manne moste depely hath roted in his remembraunce those briefe and compendiouse rules of trewe christianity Firste that he perfectely knowe and beleue that he is not borne vnto him felfe onely nor oughte to wyll or desyer to liue as to him selfe And that he ex teme not other hys beinge in this worlde or any other good thynge whiche he hath obtayned to come of hym selfe But that he exteme all suche thynges receiued of allmyghty god onely moste hartely thanking him for his suche great goodnes and benefytes receyuyd without his deseruing And plain ly repute all suche good and profitable thinges as he hath common to all men For christian charitie knowith no property He muste vnfainedly loue all good and vertuous men in Christe and all vici ous and euill men for Christ whiche so vehemently and firste as an example louyd vs when we were his ennemies that he disdained not willingly to geue him self for oure redemption And therefore euerye true and good christen man must charitably loue all men indif ferentlye the good for their good nes and vertue the other that by his kinde and charitable behauyoure he maye reduce and brynge them to vertue as the faithful discrete phisician hatyth not hys pacient because he is sicke So a good christen man muste hate no man but be enemy only vnto vice And the more greuous and ieoper dous the sicknes or disease is the more deligence labour shal pure and parfect charitie geue to helpe remedy him that is diseased As in example thy neighbour or brother is an aduouterar a sacrilege a turke thou must hate the aduou trar not the man dyspise the sacrilege not the man distroy the turk not the man And dilygentlye laboure that by thy cure industry the vicious man maye perish whi che made him self but that the mā maye be saued whiche almightye god did create He muste also hartelye without colour or collusion will well to al men praye for thē do them good not hurting them whiche haue deserued hurte and doing them good which haue not deseruid it as muche glad and reioysinge of the commodities and profytes of al men as of his own and equally sorrofull and displeasant for their incommodities and disprofites as for his owne And that mente the apostell S. Paule when he sayde Mourne ye and waile ye with them that be sorow full and be glade and reioysynge with them that be mery Amongst christen men a nother mans losse and hinderance is more heuely to be taken then his owne and more to bee reioysed of a nother mans prosperitie then of his owne And therefore good christen man thou maiest not haue these cogitacions and thoughtes in thy selfe what haue ▪ I to do with yonder man I knowe not whether he be good or euil he is a straūger vnknowen to mee and a man that neuer dyd me benefyt or pleasure he hathe done mee hurte and dysprofyt in tyme paste but neuer profyt But only thou must remember haue in thought by what merite or desarte our sauiour Christ solouing lye and benefycially hathe dealte with thee which desyreth not hys benifycence and goodnes so plentyfullye mynystred to man to bee requyted and renderyd towarde hys hyghnes but in oure neygheboure And onlye consyder what thyng thy neyghbour nedyth and what thou maiste doo Remembre this onely good christin man in al things concerning thy neighbour he is thy brother and creatoure of almighty god coheredytour with Christ a member of the body that thou arte redemyd with the same bloud fellow and partaker of the same faith called and ordeined to the same grace and felicitie of the eternall life to come As the apostel Sainct Paul witnesseth sayinge Ye be one bodie and one spirite called in one hope of the same vocatiō hauing one god one faithe and one baptime How can he than be a straunger vnto the whiche in so many things is one with the. Amonge gentiles these rethoricall circumstaunces whiche folowe dyd greatly helpe eyther to frendshyp or enmytie loue or ha tred he is of the same citie or cite zen with me mine alie or kinsemā of my familiar aquaintance my fa thers frende he hath ben kynde benefycyal to me he is borne of a worshypfull stocke and in honest place or countre in Christ al these thinges be nothinge or else after the minde of Sainte Paule they be all one the same thinge And to a christen man onely this remē braunce shalbe sufficient he is my fleshe and brother in Christ. That thinge that is charitably done to the member dothe it not redownd vnto the hole body and to the hed also We be all members of one bo die eche in his proper and peculier place and the hed of oure bodie is Ihesus Christ. The hed of Chryst is god the father omnipotent Then all thinges good or euyll done to the leaste of the members be done to euery Crystian man to Christ and to god also for all these be but one And therfore these olde prouerbes and common sayinges among men of thys world be not to beregarded among cristen men like commonly reioyce in like And inequalitie is mother of all hatred To what intente shoulde the name of hatred be spoken of among christen men when betwne them is so greate
in all your lyfe after your lyf wormes meate and dust Remember also what Christ was made for youre sake and it shall I doubte not represse youre Pride ¶ A remedy againste the sinne of Anger and desyre of reuengeaunce WHEN vehement displeasure of the mynde moueth and exytethe you to be reuenged re member substauncially that anger is nothing lesse theÌ„ that thinge which she counterfayteth that is to saye strength and fortitude RemeÌ„ber also that anger is a femynine affection â—…urye â—…seming the constancy of man â—…nd that it is a plaine euident toâ—… of a childishe feble stomake to reioyce of uengeaunce Thou thynkeste to be counted bolde and coragious if thou sufferest not iniurie vnreuenged but by this mea nes thou doest declare thy weake nes and chyldyshenes that thou hast nopower to moderate or temper thy mynde or appetite which is the very propertie and token of a manne Howe muche more commendable and manly is it to despise the lightenes or folishenes of other then to folowe it the more hurtefull the more cruell and sekynge of quarels thou shalte perceaue thy ennemye to be the more dyligentely laboure that thou be not made equal and like vntohim For what maddenesse is it to reuenge thee of a nother mannes lewdenes and to make thye selfe thereby more lewde and vicious If you despise the iniurie and con tumely of youre ennemie and be not moued and distroubled therewith then shall it plainely appere that you haue not deserued it but if you be angrye and moued therewith then make you his cause the better whiche didde the iniurye Remember also that iniurye and displeasure is not quenched ne cea sed by reuengeaunce but rather newe kindeled and increased and what conclusion or ende shall be of displeasures if euery man shuld couet to be reuenged By desire of reuengeaunce and continuance in anger ennemies increaceth in bothe parties and the dyspleasure continuallye reneweth in the stomake the whiche the more olde it is the more it is vncurable But by sufferaunce and pacience he is often tymes wonne whiche hath done displeasure and by remembraunce of him selfe of an ennemie made a suer and stedfaste frende Furthermore it shal greatly quen che and slake your aÌ„ger if in other mennes offences and displeasures toward you ye diligently remember how greuousely and howe often you haue offended god and in howe greate daunger you are vnto his goodnes As you remytte the offences and dyspleasures of other men towarde you soo shall almightye god pardon you youre offences towardes him Forgeue therefore youre neyghboure his lyghte and small offences towardes you For it is but lyghte that man can committe againste man and almightye god shall pardone you the greate multitude of your sinnes He wil not refuse the lawe that he hath made and ordeyned And if you thinke it harde and of greate difficultie to represse thye furiouse and angrye mynde Remember that Chryst sufferyd muche more hardenes and payne for your sake What were you when he renderyd and payde his precious lyfe for youre offences were you not his ennemy howe pacientely dothe he suffer you dayely offending and renewing your olde synnes If you desire or couet to be the member of Christ you must followe the pacience and charitie of Christ. You can not haue Christ mercifull vnto you if you vse crueltie and extreame iustice toward your neighbour Therefore when you shall fele youre selues mouyd to angre if you can not vtterly op presse and subdewe this affection at the leaste so moderate and refraine your selfe that you maye haue remembraunce that you be not in perfect and good memorie Beleue not youre felfe when you be angrye but haue all thynges suspected vnto the which the irefull affection shall moue and intise you althoughe they be honest Remember howe many thinges you haue sayde or done in anger of the whiche you after repented you and willed to amende theim Remember that betweene Anger and frenesie is no dyfference but that the oone is a perpetuall furor and maddenes the other temporall and but for a season And if you further desyre by experience to haue knowledge howe vnbecomely and vnseeminge vnto man it is to be ouercom of anger when you be wel aduised and quiet Beholde the countenaunce and gesture of him that is angrye or beholde youre selfe in your anger at a glasse and when you shall perceyue the eyes flamynge as fyer the cheekes pale and wanne the lyppes fomynge lyke a Bore the face dystorted and oute of facyon the other members trymblynge and quakinge the voice furyouse the gesture inconstante and oute of order you shall playnely confesse that it is more like a cruell a sauage beaste then like a man And if you be of Nature propence and disposed to this vice you shall the more diligently vse and accustome your selfe not to be angry and to do and saye nothyng when you be disquietid And as I haue shewed you in one or two vyces for an example so shall you do in all other specially in such as you shal know youre selfe inclined vnto eyther of nature or custome and agaynste their assaultes write certaine rules in the secreates of your minde and often renewe them leaste by disuse they be forgotten And in â–ª struct prepare your mynde with praier fastyng reding of holy scrip ture exaumple of holy and vertuouse men and specially of your Capitaine Christe and so doinge you shalbe more able to withstand vice and more redy to fulfill the commaundementes of Christ To whom be eternall laude and commendation Amen Imprynted at London by VVyllyam Seres dvvellynge at the vveste ende of Paules Churche at the sygne of the Hedgehogge ANNO. 1561 Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum The life of man a continuall conflicte howe the world is â—…e celued and wherein The contynuall ennemies of maÌ„ kynde Spirites of the ayre the worlde the serpeÌ„t The fleshe a domestycal famili ar enemie â–ª The great occasions maÌ„ hath to watch and praâ—…e yet behold our 〈◊〉 He that so at peace with synne so the enne 〈◊〉 of god wheÌ„ we 〈◊〉 at peace with god Our profes sion at bap tisme we are dou ble bounde to speÌ„d our lines in chri stes quarel Thâ—… shame of cowar â–ª dise We music â–ª feare 〈◊〉 fo sake Christe Forsakers of Christe double 〈◊〉 tours Theyr reward that forsake Christe â–ª If vaine re wardes make car nal soldyours fyght wel howe much more oughte we to fight c. 〈◊〉 vnto ward â–ª nesto good The rewarde of Chrystes trewe soldyours our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is gret The highest felycty is to be coÌ„mendyd of Christe The differeÌ„ce of the force of the worldli and spirytuall battells how much we feare more the deth of the bodie then of the soule Tokens whereby â—…o know whâ—… ther the soule ve 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deade or 〈◊〉 The sowle of man is deade that hath no
coÌ„ passyon on his neyghboures necessytie Why the phariseis are painâ—…d sepulchres wickidâ—…s bodies sepulchres of carions As disspysynge the gospel and the trewe preachers therof 〈◊〉 â—…nge blasphemy fyl thy talke such like God is the life of the sowle The sowle departing from the bodye in sin is past recouerye 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 coÌ„ forte to enter the feld against 〈◊〉 By chryste we may do all thyngs â—…he useâ—…y of a christia an hys battel dependeth not on tortuâ—… Christyâ—… may not be idle A measure to be vsidâ—… in this battell we muste knowe our â—…r and haue it in a redines In the spirituall bat tell is no rest but coÌ„ tinuâ—… fight as long as we bee in this life The crafty nes of our enemie the deuil in his fight Two 〈◊〉 of armoure meete for 〈◊〉 Christian. The vertu and effecte of praier the operaâ—… of trew knowledg We cannot walke oure longe and dangerous Iorneye to heaueÌ„ with out our two capitains 〈◊〉 ron 〈◊〉 woy ses that is praier and knowledg wante of knowledge is the occa syon that praier is abused what maner of prai er Christ te cheth vs. It is not the noise or voice that cawserhe god to heare vs. what wee ought to do when wee are enâ—…d to sinne what infynitt treasures shalbe foâ—…d in the holy scriptuers by hi which com meth wâ—… a pure mid what expo syteres of the scriptu res are me teste to be red The maÌ„eâ—… of the 〈◊〉 â—…his of the holy scryptures we must indeuer oure selues to 〈◊〉 from milke to stronge meates howe we ought to be stowe oure wittes The profit â—…t commeth of the knowledge of holy scri ptures what armo ure must be cast awaie if we al haue the armoure of a very Chrisan Our enemy the deueâ—… is to be ouerthrows and resisted by the scripture whiche be the perticu lar armoures of a christian The 〈◊〉 of this armoure and comforte to hym that weareth it The strengthe holye scryptuere geuethe to suche as de light there in The vncer tayntye of the peac of this world is 〈◊〉 The onely waye to ob tayne the parfecte trew peace The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 betwen trewe wisdome and folishenes The deuill the Capita ine of myschefe the fountayn of wisdome Christ. Christe our redempcioÌ„ iustificatioÌ„ wisdome â—…hat wisdome wee ought to fo lowe â—…here Chr iste is folowede the worlde is strayghte way angry The folish nes of worl delye wise dom descri bid It is commendable to be dispâ—… sed of the wicked worldly wis dome worthely haâ—… of god and why what the wisdom of Christe is the 〈◊〉 â—…e therof A quâ—…et coÌ„â—… a prin cipall fruit of 〈◊〉 lyfe where god ly wisdome 〈◊〉 to be soughte To knowe our selues is the begi ninge of godly wise dome â–ª Wanne a monstruouâ—… beast The bodie of man a bruite and â—…be beast The great dyfferâ—…nce betwâ—… the soule the bodie whearein the bodie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The delight of the sowle Sinne soweth the discord betwene the sowle end bodie â—…an comâ—…arid to a factious sedycious Cittie and the maner of the gouernement of the same â—…dytâ—…one and disobe dience the vtter ruine of any com 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Reason 〈◊〉 king 〈◊〉 who the nobleâ—… and ancientes Riot enuy and suche like be the 〈◊〉 moâ—… The one 〈◊〉 perfecte waie to felicitie is first to know our selues â–ª next to subdue our 〈◊〉 â—…tes Excelent commenda ble thinges â—…llwayes dauÌ„gerous to be prose â—…d 〈◊〉 of his owne pow er can not subdue his owne 〈◊〉 but is ouer come by Christ and bowe Many christians bondâ—… seruaun tes to sin The peace Christ caâ—… to breake 〈◊〉 to set healthefull â—…tell The difference betwene â—…au les doctriâ—… the philo sopherâ—… 〈◊〉 contrarye to maâ—…s reason gods woâ—…king to oure 〈◊〉 iâ—… The contraâ—…es of plato and paules dâ—… trine The difference betwene the bodie and soule Of the frui tes of the spirite and the fleshe S. Paule could clere lie be ridd of fleshlie mocions he that wil be stronge in god must fyrste be weke in the fleshe Sin to bee driueÌ„ away by praier â–ª Temptacion profitable to chris tians â–ª Pryde and vaine glory assaulteth the good â–ª â—…hoo shall see god trust in him Noâ—… The deuision origen maketh of man by iii. partes wherof the fyrst is the flesshe The secoÌ„d part is the sprite The third part is the â—…le The feshâ—… an 〈◊〉 The diuers workinges of the sprite the soul the flesh what workes we do of nature The battel betweene the soule the fleshe An error to esteme that on absolute vertu whiche procedeth of nature Wherin the lawde of vertue con sistethe Praier and fastiÌ„g how to be vsâ—…d The carnâ—… vsynge of prayer â—…we we oughte to loue oure children Rules wherby we may learne earelye tâ—… crepe owe frome the blinde errors of the worlde too the puerâ—… light of spi ritual life Note here The vertu of baptim Thre princi pal euils in man Blindenes the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The secoÌ„d euyll the flesshe The third euyll is â—…firmitie The firste remedie to know good from euill The third remedie to contynewe in vertue after the same knowne Faithe the oneâ—…e gaâ—…e eâ—…nce to Christe The estimâ—… cyone wee oughte too haue of chri ste the holy scriptures The more part not to be folowed â—…ow faith 〈◊〉 tobe 〈◊〉 â—…ed we must be redy bothe with body and minde to lose all for the gos pell what impe dimentes mans nature hathe to plucke hym frome god we muste fly from 〈◊〉 bilon good adâ—… uysementâ—… ought to be taken in woildely afayres But to 〈◊〉 no deâ—…ught to be made Against suche as wol de please bothe god 〈◊〉 the world Then purâ—… gaâ—… 〈◊〉 gonne he that wâ—… lyue with Christ must dye with Christe The fondâ—… 〈◊〉 of fleshe It is euery christen ma nâ—… dutie to knowe the scripturs 〈◊〉 to confesse Christe â—…ow 〈◊〉 â—…ord 〈◊〉 ought to be taken The crosse what it is we may not desyre to reign with the â—…ed iâ—… we will take no pains wyth the â—…ed we mai not hange our fayth on other men The straight lyfe al Christyans are bounde vnto no estate excepâ—…ed we muste endeuoure our selues to folowe our â—…dde Christe Thoughe the way to saluatyon semeth sha rpe yet it oughte not to be feared â–ª No kind of life in this world with out troble The misera ble lyfe of courtyers The trauel some life of the marchaunte Trobles in mariage Dysommodyties in this life indifferent to good bad The trauel som life of thâ—…se that follow the worlde The waye to eternall life compa red to the trauel some lyfe of the worldâ—… maÌ„ iâ—… exceding 〈◊〉 Comparisones betwene the lyfe of a trewe christian and a worldling â–ª â—…hat â—…uste cause we haue to 〈◊〉 â—…yse the world and to imbrace Christe Note thys for thy com forte â—…e that foloweth chr iste muste not loke for reputacion of