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
to Abraham The symple daughters of Loth seinge they sawe the vniuersall or hole worlde perceyuing of so greate a multitude none remaynynge but theyr father and them self fearing least the kynde of man shuld vtter lye haue peryshed and decaie of a vâ—…hemente loue and zeale to the countenance of mankynd secretly laye with their father and at that time when this commandemente was freshe and in remembrance Increase you and multiplye the worlde And darest thou with the facte or dede of these maydens coÌ„pare thy monstruous pleasures lecherous actes Dauid also after so many vertuous examples and noble actes once commytted aduoutrey and thinkest thou it laufull to the to continue all thy lyfe in fil thy pleasure and voluptuous nes of the flesshe Peter for feare of death once denied Christ shalt thou therefore for euery trifle forswere thy selfe Mathewe once coÌ„maundid by almighty god forsoke his occupacion and office the suerty of his liuinge and folowed Christe And yet so many exaumples of holye Saynctes the commaundementes of the gospel so often rehersed so many sermoÌ„s and holsome predications can not reuoke thy gredy appetite and coue tousnes of the worlde Uertuous behauyoure and honesty hath con tinually decayed sith we haue coloured our vices with thename of vertue And haue ben more quick to defend our abhomination then diligent to amende it And meinteined our froward opinioÌ„s with fayned and false defence of holye scripture And therfore good christen man followe not the common fashions and opinions of men but folowe Christe the onely auctour and example of vertuouse liuing and as for thy outwarde behauyour concerning maners apply thy selfe to all men so that thy intent and purpose be stedfaste and suer towardes god and his trueth to the intente thou mayste wynne all men to Chryst. ¶ The. vii Rule howe to labour to obteyne that whiche is nerest to a spirituall lyfe BUt if our weakenesse of nature and infancie of Faythe can not attaine to the very parfect and spiritual life we must at the least labour and inforce to obteine that whiche is nerest to the sayde parfecte and spirituall lyfe The very trewe and compendiouse waye to eternall felycitie is vtterly to con uerte oure hole mynde and intente to the loue and desyre of heauenly thynges That as the body naturally hath adioined and associated vnto it his shadowe so the loue of christ the loue of vertue and heuenly thynges maye acompanye bring with theÌ„ hatred vice and disdaine of worldly things fraile and vncertaine The one of these necessarylye foloweth the other increaseth or discreaseth with the other For the more you profyt in the loue of Chryst the more shall you hate the world And the more you desier thinges which be inuisible the lesse pleasure shall you haue in thinges that be visible vn stable and vnsure And therefore that thynge whiche Quintilian counsayleth to be folowed in learning we must also folowe in vertuouse liuynge that is that wee from the beginninge inforce and intende to the best The which if by weakenes of nature we can not obteyn the next is that we ware ly and wisely absteyne from notable and open vices and sinnes as muche as shal lye in your power For as the body moste weake and brought lowe but ryd and cleane from hurtfull humours is moste nere the natural helth so the soule not defiled with gret and notable vices is more redy to receaue the giftes of god althoughe it lacke yet the power and perfyt vertue If we be weake and not able to folowe in our liuing the holy Apostells Marters and Uirgins let vs at the least not committe that that heathen and vnchristen men maye be sene to excell and passe vs in vertue Of the whiche dyuers when thei neither knew god whoÌ„ they shoulde loue ne beleuyd that hel was which they should feare Thought and decreyd that vice sinne was vtterly for it selfe to be lefte and auoidyd insomuch that they had leather leese their name riches life then to disceuer from morall vertue If sin of him self be so abhominable of that nature that infidells for no profyt or disprofyt would commit it Trewly thoughe neither the iustice of god might feare him ne the godnes of god disswade exhort him nother the hope of eternal lyfe ne feare of eternal payne reuoke him nother the natural fylthynes of sin withdraw him which onely did withdraw diuers gentylls at the leste the diuers and many incommodyties whiche commonly followe a sinner in this worlde should feare a christen man from commission of sinne that is to saye infamy wast and consumption of his goodes possessions pouerty contempt and hatred of all good men trouble dtsquietnes of minde finally that miserable grudge and vexation of concience the whiche though many men perceaue not ne fele forthe with other obscured by dulnesse of age or drowned in pleasure of â—…n yet they shal fele perceaue it at length the later the more dauÌ„gerous more to their pain And therfore young men ar diligently to be admonished that they rather beleeue by informacion of others that this is the nature coÌ„dicion of sin theÌ„ to lerne proue it by experieÌ„ce in theÌ„ selues And that by sinne they defile not their lyfe before they knowe plainelye what thing the life is If thou regardest not Christe which boughte the so derelye abstaine yet from vice for thy nowne sake and thoughe it be very daungerous to coÌ„tinew long in this meane waye which is onlye to absteyne from notable and common vices yet to them which cannot ascende to the highe perfec tion it is muche more commenda ble to consist in the polyticall and morall vertue Then headling to runne through all kinde of vices In this concisteth not the parfect felicitie and in this state almightie god is diligentely to be called vpon by praier that it may please hym to helpe and further vs in hygher perfection ¶ The eight Rule howe to resist temptacions IF thou perceiue that the storme of teÌ„ptacion dothe very often and greuously assaute the dysmaye not therefore thy selfe ne be displesed with thy self as though almyghty god nothyng regarded thee but rather thanke him that he instructethe and teacheth thee as one to be his eyer that he punisheth and correcteth thee as his moste dere sonne that he prouith and assayeth the as his well beloued frende It is a manyfeste and great token that man is reiect froÌ„ the mercy and fauour of god when he is troubled withe no temptacion In thy temptacion remember the holy apostell S. Paul which rapte to the misteries of the thyrd heauen was troubled and vexyd with the auâ—…gell of Satan remeÌ„ ber the temptacion and trouble of the holy man Iob Saint Ierom and other Saintes whiche were greuously troubled with their offences Sithe this thinge which thou sufferyst is common to
not thy promise with hym diddest not thou there promise to fight vnder his baner and to haue perpetuall enemitye with sinne Consider what shame and rebuke commonly suffer they in the worlde which trayterousely forsake their naturall lorde capitayne And yet thou christian man fearest not to dysceaue thye capitayne Chryst neyther reteyned with him for feare seing he is God ne yet for loue when he for thy cause descended from heauen and became man whose name also thou bearest And that shuld ad monishe the of thy promyse made to him and beyng false of thy promise folowest thine ennemie from whose captyuitye this louynge Chryst once redemed the with the raunsome of his precious bludde O double traytoure why doeste thou fyght vnder the standerde of thy aduersary howe dare thou for shame kepe battell so vnkindly agaynst thy natural capitayne and louing master Christ which spared not to spend his lyfe for thy re demption For as he saithe in the gospell of Luke who fighteth not on his parte is agaynst him and he that gathereth not with him disparkeleth Alas christian man that thus fightest against Christ the title of thy battel is not onely naught but thy title also most vn graciouse Wilt thou know what rewarde they shal haue that thus forsake Christ folow the world Beholde S. Paule declareth say inge the finall reward of sinne is deathe What creature liuynge is halfe so madde to enter into battel be it neuer so beutifull and honourable in kinde perfectly suer that he shulde not escape but be slayne in the fielde and yet thou christian souldiour regardest nothing to disseuer thy selfe from Christ and cleue to thy enemies surely know inge that thou shalte haue none other reward but onely death and that of thy sowle Consider howe in this world battels which men kepe against men the soldyoures valiantly and freshly defend their capytaine fighte in his quarell Howe little they regard the losse of theyr goods and liues some for hope of lucre and temporall rewarde some for feare they fall not in danger and the handes of their enemies some because they wolde not be counted cowards and faint harted or dastardes some to haue name cōmendatiō of the world and yet what rewarde haue these miserable people for their so gret labours peynes and miserie Shuerly nothing but vain laude of their capytayne increase of pos sessions and worldly richesse And we contrary nother for shame ne for rewarde can be moued halfe so valiauntly to fyght in the quarel of Christe which not onely beholdeth vs in what maner we fight but also will plentifully rewarde vs aboue oure deseruynge And what rewarde hath he prouyded for them that manfully fyghte on his parte not vaine ne transytory but such as neyther the eye can se eare perceaue ne the capacitie of man comprehende and after this life ioye without ende And truely as he hath promised and prouidid greate and glorious rewarde for thē that stoutly stand on his side Soo to suche as forsake hym he hath also prouided like paine and punyshment Heauen is promised to them that fight in Christs qua rell and yet maruell it is to see howe our courages be abated and nothing quickened with so hyghe promyses specially when wee be sure that he that promysed vs the reward can not disceyue no more then he can not be All thinges be done in the sight of him which also seeth the inwardes of oure stomakes and hartes and yet can no shame prouoke vs to forsake our ennemyes If we boldely withstande our ennemies he shal com mend our vertue and constancye of whom it is the highest felicitye to be commended Why do we not then ieoperde our liues to obteiue this honour He is very slouthful whiche can be prouoked by no rewardes when feare and peril oftentymes causeth cowardes and dastards to be bold Furthermore in this worlde battel is the most cruell ennemie and he that moste intendeth mischiefe can do no farther displeasure then take awaye the riches and destroy the bodies of them whiche he ouer commeth But in this spirytuall battell the soule is vtterly destroyed and cast downe to hell The body is naturally ordeined to die and yet how diligent we ar to auoide the woūdes of our body howe busely seke we helpe for thē and yet nothinge regardinge the woundes of the sowle Blessed god howe greatly feare we the deathe of the bodye for that we perceaue it with oure bodely eyes but for that we perceaue not the death of our sowles we thynke plainely it can not perishe and regarde it nothing And yet the death of the soule is much more to be lamented then the deth of the body for the sowle is more precious then the body Wyll you that I declare you certaine coniec tures whereby you may perceaue the sicknes and deth of the sowle when the stomake can not wel dis gest ne contayne the meate then you wel perceue the body is sick As the material bread is foode of the body so is the worde of god foode of the sowle whiche when it waxeth bytter and vnsauery to the sowle then stedfastlye beleue the sowle is infected and if the sowle contein not ne perfectly disgeste the worde of god then is it a plaine and euident argument that the soule is syck When the knees waxeth weak and the other memberes painefull and vnquyet then you know well the bodie is diseased and doo you not perceaue the sycknes of the sowle when yt is slothfull and disdainyng towards the workes of mercie and can not beare a lytel infamy or rebuke of the world and is sore vexed with the losse of vaine substance of temperal riches when the eyes leseth their sighte the eares be destitute of their hearinge the other senses lackinge theyr due operation no man douteth but that the soule is departed from the bodie And yet when the eies of the soule be so ob scured with darknesse that they can not perceaue the perfyt light which is veritie the eares so stop ped by sensualytie that they geue none aduertence to the voice of almighty god the other parts destitute of their godlie felinge beleuest thou then that thy soule is aliue Thou seest thy neyghbour in great wreatchednes and myserye and hast no compassion on his heuines and trouble so that thou be quiet and out of busynes why doest not thou perceaue and feele his vexation truly because thy sowle is deade for that the verye life of the soule which is god is not ther for if god were in the sowle there should be charytie for god is charity and thou shouldest haue compassion pytie on thy neighbour for if thou be a lyuely and quycke membre of Iesu Christ sythe we be all one bodie in him how can it be that any part of the bodie be diseased and payned and thou not only perceaue but sorrowe it also
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
slothfully or fearefullye But with a stedfast purpose with all your harte with bolde coragious mind redy to lese both goodes and life in Christes cause He chat is slothefull nowe wyll will not They shall not possesse the kingdome of heauen but such as valiantlye fyght and â—…uffer for Christes sake shall obtaine it Suffer not the affectioÌ„ towardes kinsefolke hinder you in this iorney Let not the flatteringe mocions of this world reuoke and cal you backe Ne houshold businesse tary or lette you The chayne of worldely businesse muste be cut asonder for it is so knottyd that it is very harde to be vndone This confusyd Egipte must vtterlye be forsaken that we in no wise turne our minde and soule to the pottes of fleshe which be the carnal affectioÌ„s and pleasurs The prophet cryeth fle from the myddes of babylon and that with hasty spede onles you wyll peryshe but many slowely dothe fle from vyces and fynd many causes to tary saying that after I haue performyd and endyd such and suche busynes and waxe somwhat more in age then I shall apply to vertue and intend it busyly O folyshe man what if thy soule thys night be taken froÌ„ the Knowest thou not that one busines brengith a nother vice growithe of vice Folow therfore vertue quyckly and in conuenient seasoÌ„ In other thinges take good auisemeÌ„t but here make al spede Counte not ne ponder not in your mynde what and howe muche ye haue forsaken for Christ beynge well assured that he shall suffycyently satisfy and recompence for all Be bolde vtterly and holye to coÌ„myt your self to christ mystrust yourselfe and fullye trust in him and he shall receaue you caste all your care and thought to god and he shall norishe you And then you shall saye with the prophete god hathe bene my guyde and I haue wantyd nothing he hath set me in plentiful pasture and hath refresshed me with the water of refectioÌ„ and conuerted my sowle Deuide not your self in two partes to god and to the deuyll for no man may serue ii masters of so contrary ap petytes There is none agrement betwen god Belial God disdaineth them which halt on both legges that is which wold liue after the world and please god also He hateth them which be neither hot â—…e colde but fainte and meane He is in great ielosie ouer our soules he wyl possesse all that him selfe whiche he hathe redeemyd wyth his bloude He wyll haue no feloshipe withe the deuill whome by his death he once ouercam Ther be only two waies One whyche by folowing the carnall and sensu all appetites bringeth to deathe The other whiche by mortification of the flesh leadith to lif Ther is no thirde waye Who so euer intendith to inheryt life must walk the narrow and strait way which Christ walkid and al that fro the begynnyng of the worlde pleasyd god He that wyl liue with christ muste be crucifyed in thys worlde with Christ. But many folyshely flatter them selues and fondly in so weighty a matter deceiue them selues by lewde and vnwise opinyons Some saythe I am noo preste I am a lay man and a man of the world and therfore I must nedes occupye the wordle Other saye agayne though I be a preste I am no man of religion this ma ner of perfection is fit for them The religious man also hath sum what to flatter him selfe saieng though I be in religion yet I am not of so strayghte religion as other bee Some also saye I am young a gentylman borne I am rich I am a courtier a noble man or a prince The sayinges of the a postelles partain not to me O mi serable creature and blynde man pertainethe it not to thee to liue with Christe If thou be of this worlde thou art not of Christ. If thou call the worlde heauen and earthe the ayer and the sea then euery creature is of the worlde But if thou call the world ambycion voluptuousnes auerice malyce pleasures of the body Then I saye to thee if thou be of thys world thou art no chrysten man Christ sayd indiffrently to al men he that takyth not vpon hym hys crosse in this world that is to say he that subduethe not the flesshe foloweth not me shal not enter in to heuen If you desyre not to liue with Christ then the mortefying of the fleshe pertaineth not to you To be crucified in this world par teyneth not to you yf to liue with God parteyneth not to you To be buried with Christ pertain not to you If you desire not to raigne with him in his glorye Chrystes humilitie pouerty tribulation re bukes laboures wordes and pas sion pertayneth not to you If his kyngdome pertayne not to youe what fondnesse is this to desire re warde commonly with other and wyll take no paines ne laboures with other What blyndenesse is it to desyre to raigne and to haue ioye wyth the hed and wyll take no payne with the hed Regarde not my good frend what other do and deceue not your self by compa rison with them it is a hard matter and fewe people knewe what it is to be dead to sinne to be dead to the carnal appetites to be dead to the worlde And yet it is the thing wherunto al christian men hathe professyd and bounde them selues solempnely at theyr baptisme Other we muste dye wyth out exceptyon or els walke the waye of vertue whether we be of highe or lowe degre And though all men can not attayn the perfyt imitacion of the hed that is christ yet euerye man muste do what he can to attayn it He hath obtained a gret part of chrystianity which with stedfaste mynd purposyth to be a trew and perfit christen man ¶ The thirde Rule prouethe that the waie of Christe is most profitable besides that it onely leadeth to felicitie BUt that the waye of vertue doe not feare you for that it semith sharpe bytter troubelous lackinge the commodities of this world and full of battel and strife with the thre principal enemies the fleshe the deuil and the world this shalbe the thirde rule by the which you shall well knowe that the waie of Christe besides that it leadeth onely to felicite is of all other most commodious and profitable the reward not spoken of For what kynde of liuynge after this worlde maye man chouse in the which he shal not suffer many sharp and bitter stormes The life of courtiers euerye man knoweethe is full of wretchednes vnles he be verie folish and of no experience Immortall god howe longe and miserable seruitude suffer thei which liue in the court what pain trouble haue they in obtaininge their lordes and Princes fauour what busines in keping the same They must flatter please al theÌ„ whiche maye hurte or doe good And after the appetites of theyr master their
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
vnpunished regarde not their healthe ne their saluation For what thing can be more pleasante vnto our ghostely ennemy the deuil then that we here frely offend vnpunished and be punished eternally in hell The common people also callith him a gentyll mayster and mercifull prince which wyll not se the sinnes of his subiectes and in that g◅uith theym occasion to sinne more freely because they be vnpunished But what doth almightye god threaten by his prophet vnto such as he reputith vnworthy his mercy I shall not visite by my correctiō saith almighty god the fornicacion of your dau ghters ◅e punysshe your daughters in lawe when they do aduou trye But vnto Dauyd and other his electe and chosen chyldren he saith I shal correct sharply with a rodde your iniquities and with greuous beatinges punishe youre offences and yet I will not with drawe from you my mercy Here you maye see howe all thinges be renued in Christ and the maner of thinges chaunged He that fondly loueth him selfe hateth hym selfe deadly he that is folishe pitiful vpō him self is most cruel to christ To hate wel is to dispise to hurt well is to do good and to destroy well is to preserue Then shall you best noryshe your selues whē you moste despise the appetites of the fleshe ▪ when you moste sharpely correcte the offence and sinne of man then shall you be moste beneficiall to man When you haue by correction kylled the synner then shal you preserue man And when you haue dystroyed that whiche man hath cōmitted then shall you preserue that which god created And furthermore what dothe the common errour of people cal pow er or might and strength of the bo dy Do they not commonlye call hym a myghty man and of great power which at his pleasure may hurte when he wyl And yet truely this is a very odious and daungerous mighte to haue power to hurte or to can or may hurte whi che is common vnto theym with adders and scorpions and other venemous and hurtfull beastes And with the deuyll also whose nature and property is only to do hurt and dyspleasure Onely god is trewly and verily to be counted mighty and of greate power whi che neither can hurt if he woulde ne woulde if he mighte whose na ture is onely to do good But this worldly myghty man commonly called a man of great power how can he hurte man and after what maner he may violently take frō man his mony or possessiōs beate or wounde his bodye take awaye his corporal lyfe If he do this to a good and vertuous man he doth him a good turne in the stede of an euyll and if he doe it to a vicious and euill disposed man yet at the leaste he hath ministred vnto him an occasion of good that is to be pacient and hath only hurted him selfe for noo man can haue hurte but of him selfe And he that intendeth in any wise to hurt a nother can not but greuously fyrste hurte him self As shalbe declared more openly by example you intende to robbe and dispoyle me of my money nowe haue you offended charitie and indamaged your sowle you can not beate or wounde mye bodye excepte you firste wounde your sowle ◅e take from me the life of my body excepte you kylle and destroy your sowle The common people calleth him a valiant couragious and a strong manne which is so cruell fierse and yet so very impotent of mynde that he can nothinge suffer but for euerye light trifell and displeasure is fumous angry geuinge checke for check and displeasure for displeasure and contrary hym that paciently sufferith iniury and dyspleasure and holdith his peace when he is rebukyd they call childishe dastard and of no corage And yet nothing can be more different and diuerse from trewe strengthe and highe corage of the mind then for a light worde or displeasure to be disquyeted furyous and angrye and not to haue power paciently to suffer the folyshe lightnes of other and to thynke hym selfe noo man excepte he be reuengyd and for one shrewde turne doe two or thre But howe much more coragious and stronge is he to be coun ted which doeth not onely pacient ly suffer i◅uries and displeasurs but also doeth good against euill I call him not strong ne of audacitie whiche fiers◅y inuadyth his enemie valiantly assauteth or sca lyth the walles of his enemies dispising his life putteth him selfe to all perylles whiche thinge is common to all quarellers and sedicious parsons But he that can manfully withstande the beastely appetytes and subdewe his ir◅ful mind desiring weale to him whiche would him hurte and do them good whiche are hys ennemyes praying for thē which speake him euill Him repute I very stronge of high courage Let vs discusse also what thinge this worlde callith ioye honoure and worshippe ignomy and shame Thou art com mendyd but for what thynge and of whome If thou be praysed of vicyous for thy mysha◅your and vicious acts it is false commenda cion and trew opprobry shame Thou art dyspraised scorned and rebukyd for thy profyt deuocion and trewe christianity and simple nes and that of vicious and euill disposed personnes thys is no rebuke but most highe honour and commendation and though al the worlde in this case would skorne and disdaine thee yet it cannot be but glorious and honorable whiche christ commendith aloweth And contrarye if all men vniuersally would prayse and alowe the actes and operacions it can not be but shamfull that dyspleasyth Christ. Prudency wysedome and polecy is commōlye called of men of this worlde stoutlye and diligently to gather goodes and possessions of this world to stablishe make suer that that is gotten and to prouyde for all the posteritie for after this maner we maye heare the common sort earnestlye speake of suche as in shorte tyme haue increasyd theyr ryches and worldly possessyons he is a profy table man wise and ware a man of great policie and good prouision This the world speaketh and worldly people which befalse and deceitfull as is their father the de uyll But what saithe Ueritie which is Christ. Thou folishe and vnwise man that thus hast gathered the goodes of this world this nyght thy sowle shall be deuydyd from thy body A certayn man re membryd in the gospell fyllyd vp pon a tyme all hys barnes wyth dyuers kinde of corne and plentifully stuffed all his store howses wyth al manner of vyttailes and gatheryd and hurdyd vp store of money thynking nothynge to remayne but only to vse and occupy his goods so gatherid and yet the gospel callith hym fole For what may be callid more folishe or more dasterdnes than to delight in shadowes of things for the very thin ges so carefully to prouyde for this fraile vncertayne and vnsta ble life continually decaying and nothynge prouyde for the
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