1 S. BARNARDS golden sentence of the vertue following.

ALL woorthinesse is vnwoorthie of the verie name of woorthinesse, if humilitie be despised. If therefore, ô man, thou art in authoritie, be notwithstan­ding as an vnderling: if thou art a Go­uernour, yet thinke not scorne of subie­ction.

Why art thou puffed vp, ô man? why swellest thou, why lookest thou aloft, and bearest thy selfe high without cause? The Lord alone is aloft, whome thou canst not be like by climing. His greatnes is to be praised, but not able to be followed. Be humble, ô man, and thou hast laid fast hold of him, for it is humilitie alone which lifteth aloft, and leadeth to life. This is the onlie waie, besides it there is none other: [Page 12] he that climeth by another ladder than this, doth rather come tumbling downe, than clime vp.

2 The REPVLSE giuen by HVMILITIE.

O Man, remember thou art but dust & ashes, rottennes & woorms meat. Remember al­so, O man, that if thou art anie thing, except thou a­base & humble thy selfe by so much, as thou art aboue and better than the rest, thou dooest vtterlie loose whatsoeuer thou art.

What man! Looke vpon thy selfe, art thou higher than the first An­gel? Art thou brighter in earth, than Lucifer was in heauen? He through pride fell from the higth of his glorie, and wilt thou by pre­sumption séeke such aduancement, as to exalt thy selfe on high out of the doonghill?

Consider thine owne estate and condition, for the terme of thy life [Page 13] in this world; examine what thou art by the words of the wise man, saieng: A corruptible bodie is hea­uie vnto the soule, and the earthlie mansion kéepeth downe that vn­derstanding, which museth vpon manie things.

With what thicke and palpable darknes then, thinke we, is the dirt of pride obscured and defaced héere on earth: when a starre, which ri­sing in the morning, and beautifi­eng the heauen with his bright­nes, lost the beames of his light?

Heare therefore, O man, and li­sten for thy learning to the voice of truth it selfe speaking vnto thée, and saieng: He that followeth me, walketh not in darknes, but shall haue the light of life. The same truth teacheth elsewhere, in what points we should followe him, sai­eng: Learne of me, for I am méeke and humble in hart, and you shall find rest for your soules.

Harken, O swelling pride, har­ken, I saie, to the maister of humi­litie [Page 14] and méeknes: Euerie one that exalteth himselfe, shall be brought lowe: and he that humbleth him­selfe, shall be exalted.

Againe, Vpon whom doth my spirit rest, but vpon the humble and quiet man, and him that trembleth at my words and saiengs? Listen also, O swelling pride, what the Apostle reporteth of this maister of humilitie, exhorting men therevn­to. For he saith expresselie thus: Let the same mind be in you which was in Christ Iesus, who being in the forme of God, thought it no robberie to be equall with God: but made himselfe of no reputati­on, taking on him the forme of a seruant, and made in the likenes of men, and found in figure & shape as a man; he humbled himselfe, made obedient vnto death, euen the death of the crosse.

If therefore the diuine Maiestie abased himselfe with so great hu­militie; the infirmitie, weakenes, and vilenes of man ought not to [Page 15] be insolent, proud, arrogant, or pre­sumptuous.

3 A Praier for the for­mer vertue.

O Almightie, and euerliuing God, which knowest better than we our selues, what is most conuenient for our condition and estate; we beseech thee to powre in­to the vessell of our harts the plea­sant and acceptable liquor of hu­militie, which is a vertue where­with thou art so well pleased, as with nothing more: promising to such as humble and submit them­selues, the possession of eternall life, according to the testimonie of thy sonne Christ, saieng, that Who soeuer abaseth himselfe like a little child, he shall be called great in the kingdome of heauen.

O grant vnto vs, we beseech thee, of thine vnspeakable goodnes, that we may be inriched with this most heauenlie vertue, knowing that the [Page 16] same maketh vs like vnto Christ Ie­su, who came into the world, as he saith of himselfe, to serue, and not to be serued, as appeareth by the wa­shing of his Apostles feete, and by taking vpon him the shape of a ser­uant, whereby he made himselfe of no reputation, but was found and e­steemed as a common and ordina­rie man, humbling himselfe, and being obedient to the death, euen to the death of the crosse; for the which God his father exalted him, and gaue him a name aboue all names, that to the Name of IESVS, euerie knee should bow, both of things in heauen, and things in earth, and things vnder the earth.

O teach vs trulie to humble our selues before thee, according to the example, which Christ shewed to his disciples, that our praiers being made in humilitie and lowlinesse, may please thy diuine Maiestie, and that pearcing through the clouds, they may not rest, till they come neere; nor depart, till thou, ô most [Page 17] high, hast had respect therevnto. Grant this for thine honour and truths sake, ô omnipotent God, and mercifull Father, Amen.

1 S. BARNARDS golden sentence of the vertue following.

THe FEARE of GOD is the wa­ter of wholesome wisedome, the well [Page 22] of life, and the beginning of knowledge; excellentlie refreshing the soule boiling in noisome desires, and able to quench all the firie darts of the enimie. He which hath the feare of God alwaie before his eies, his waies are beautifull, his paths are peace­able, his footsteps are vnmooueable.

Saie not, ô man, that he is wise, who is puffed vp with his owne knowledge. For the feare of God is the beginning of wise­dome; feare Gods iustice, ô man, feare his power, feare his almightines, and thou art wise enough: bicause feare is wisdome. Furthermore, wisedome maketh wise, as skilfulnes maketh skilfull, riches rich, va­liantnes valiant, &c.

2 The REPVLSE giuen by the FEARE of GOD.

O Man, if thou doost a­nie good, doo it in hope of euerlasting honor, not of transitorie e­stimation; of an hea­uenlie reward, not of an earthlie recompense. Hide and kéepe close that which thou doost, as much as [Page 23] thou maist. And it thou be not alto­gither able so to doo, yet let thy will and mind be to haue it vnknowne, so shall there be no rashnes in thée of anie vaunting what good déeds thou hast done: neither shall it bée imputed vnto thée for a fault, as time serueth to declare that, which thou wast willing should bée al­waies kept secret.

Thus dooing, thou shalt fulfill the twoo saiengs of our Sauiour Christ, séeming contrarie to them­selues: In giuing almes, let not thy left hand knowe what thy right hand dooth; but let thine almes be in secret, and thy Father, which séeth in secret shall reward thée openlie. Againe, Let men sée your good works, that they may glorifie your Father, which is in heauen.

Take héed at anie hand, that the saieng of our Sauiour to hypo­crites agrée not with thée: They doo all their works, that they may be séene and praised of men. Verely [Page 26] the cause that manie misdeedes, which otherwise might be withstood are committed.

O Lord, arme vs, we humblie be­seech thee, that the whole course of our life directed thereby, we may not miscarrie: being assured, that it is a welspring of life, against the snares of death: that who so is fil­led therwith, shall continue suffici­entlie fortified in the euill day: that it is riches, glorie, & life: gladnes, mirth, and a crowne of ioie vnto them: and that such as are guided thereby, shall find fauour in the day of death, perfect peace, and euerla­sting life: which we beseech thee grant, ô Father, for thy sonnes sake, Amen.

1 S. BARNARDS golden sentence of the vertue following.

MEate sauoureth in the mouth, and the praise of God in the hart. It is to small purpose to magnifie the Lords name with the voice onelie, without anie meaning or intent of the mind. For God, from whom nothing is hid, that is vnlaw­fullie done, requireth not the shrilnes and cleerenes of the voice, but the cleannes and purenes of the hart.

Wilt thou therefore worship God a­right, doo him true and alowable seruice, and shew thy selfe an imbracer of pure religion? Then worship him in spirit and truth, with singlenes of hart, with a sin­cere and vpright mind; visit the father­les, maintaine the widowes right, followe [Page 33] the example of Christ, and keepe thy selfe vnspotted of the world. This is true wor­ship, this is pure religion.

2 The REPVLSE giuen by true WORSHIP, and pure RELIGION.

O Man, take héede in anie case of counter­feting & forging thy selfe to be that thou art not. For to séeme before men otherwise than thou art, what else is it but meere dam­nation? Remember therefore the words of our Sauior Christ, spo­ken to this effect: Wo be vnto you Scribes & Pharisies hypocrites, for ye make cleane the out-side of the cup or platter, but within you are ful of robberie and vncleannes.

O thou blind Pharisie, first make cleane the in-side of the cup or platter, that the out-side of them may be cleane also. And the words of our Sauior vttered in the verie same sense, with an often repetition [Page 34] or rehersall: Wo vnto you Scribes and Pharisies, bicause you are like vnto painted sepulchres, which appeare outwardlie to the eies of men gaie and beautifull, but are full within of dead mens bones, and all filthines.

Euen so you likewise séeme be­fore men iust and righteous, but within you are full of hypocrisie and wickednes. Vpon whom this sentence of our Sauiour is verifi­ed: They come vnto you in shéeps clothing, but inwardlie they are rauening woolues.

3 A praier for the for­mer vertue.

O Eternall God, without whose aid and assistance, all our acti­ons are turned into sinne, bicause they are not seasoned with the salt of thy spirit, but leauened rather with the dowe of the flesh: we be­seech thee of thine entire goodnes, to teach vs the true worship of thee, [Page 35] and the sincere seruice due vnto thy diuinitie. O suffer vs not to be mis­led by the imaginations and tradi­tions of men, which highlie offend thy Maiestie; but vouchsafing to o­pen the eies of our vnderstanding with the keie of thine heauenlie knowledge, direct vs how and in what sort we may walke religious­lie before thee.

Roote out of our harts, good God, all sinister seruice, and dissembled adoration: lead vs by the hand into thine holie temple, and make a pas­sage for thy spirit of sanctification into our dull and darke capacities: that being reformed therby, we may worship thee in spirit and truth: knowing that thou art a spirit, and therefore wilt admit none other worship to be done vnto thee, but that which is true, vnfeigned, sin­cere, and spirituall.

We knowe how thou hast abhor­red the hypocriticall holines of the Gentiles, of whom thou complai­nest by thy Prophet Esaie, that they [...]

1 S. BARNARDS golden sentence of the vertue following.

THE vertue of obedience, ô man, doth alwaies march vnder the banner of truth. Obedience directeth our footsteps, ordereth our goings, and deserueth the grace or reward of holie conuersation. For if a contrarie lawe be in our members by disobedience, who knoweth not that conti­nencie or staiednes is giuen by obedience?

This is the vertue that can tell what belongeth to mercie, this teacheth thee patience, this bringeth thee to the full and complete knowledge of thine owne condi­tion. Learne of Christ, who submitted him­selfe to his Disciples, the Maister to his seruants, the Sauior of the world, and ve­rie God, to miserable men; the word and [Page 43] wisedome of the father, to mortall crea­tures. Blush ô earth and ashes, blush and be ashamed ô dust and woorms-meate.

2 The REPVLSE giuen by SVBMISSION.

O Man, remember that if thou owe anie du­tie to God, there is also a dutie required of thée to discharge towards men. For God must haue his right, and Caesar likewise his tribute. Doost thou not knowe, O man, what the Lord himselfe saith in the Gospell? He that heareth you, heareth me: and he that despi­seth you, despiseth me.

It is conuenient (thou wilt saie O man) so to doo, prouided that hée which gouerneth be of the Lords allowing and appointing. Listen, O man, to the words of the Apo­stle deciding this case. There is no power, saith he, but it is of God: the powers that be, are ordeined of God; whosoeuer therefore resisteth [...]

[Page 46] O good Lord, be so fauourable vnto vs, as to bring vnder & subdue the vnrulie and rebellious moti­ons of our mind, which oftentimes driue vs to the committing of ma­nie a wicked offence, not onelie in talke and communication, but also in deed, life, and conuersation: least shaking from our necks the yoke of obedience & submission, and neg­lecting the true obseruation and fulfilling of thy lawe; we fall into flat rebellion against thee, and so prouoking thee to anger, feele the force of thine outstretched arme, striking vs in thy furie with the sword of vengeance.

Direct vs, good Lord, by thy spi­rit, that we may submit our selues to all our gouernours and magi­strates, without murmuring, grudg­ing, or repining: knowing that all authoritie, regiment, superioritie, and countenance proceedeth from thee, who bestowest thy gifts accor­ding to thine owne counsell, not looking vpon the person of the re­ceiuer, [Page 47] least thou mightest seeme parciall in the distribution of thy gifts.

Thou hast said, and expresselie charged, that we should be subiect to the higher powers, yea, euen to the Scribes and Pharisies sitting in Moses chaire, whom thou cōman­dest vs to heare, and to doo accor­ding to their persuasion and coun­sell: but not to make their course of life and trade of dealing, a pat­terne for vs to followe and imitate. Arme vs therefore with true know­ledge, that may lead vs to perfect and acceptable obedience, which thou esteemest more than the fat of rams, or the smoke of incense. O suffer not anie suggestion of Satan, to withdrawe vs from dooing our dutie in this case, least by disobei­ing, we purchase to ourselues eternall death and dam­nation. Grant this for thy mer­cie sake, A­men.

[Page 52]1 S. BARNARDS golden sentence of the vertue following.

THe best, and most approoued marke that we are Christs disciples, is this, if we loue one another, and agree togither in vnitie like brethren. Which so long as we doo, no doubt we dwell in God, and God dwelleth in vs.

For God is loue, and he that dwelleth in loue, dwelleth in God. He loueth vs, bi­cause he hateth nothing that his hands haue made; giuing vs an example how we should loue and tender one another, with singlenes of hart; which who so doth not, that man abideth in death.

What? Haue we not all one Father? Hath not one God created vs? Why then should we despise one another, and not rather liue in vnitie and concord, without all kind of enuie, and hart­grudge?

[Page 53]2 The REPVLSE giuen by LOW­LINES, and brotherlie agreement.

O Man, if thou excell all other in vertues of the mind, it will be more safe, and lesse dangerous for thée, to keepe thy selfe belowe, than to clime aloft. For the higher roome that a man coueteth, the sorer is his fall. Furthermore, if some be thy supe­riours, that is, aboue and better than thou; or equall, that is, as good as thou; what should that gréeue thée, what should that hurt thée, what should that vexe and trouble thée?

Take héed, least whiles thou art enuious at the high and hono­rable place of thy brother, thou shew thy selfe a scholler & disciple of him, of whom these words are written: Through enuie of the de­uill, death entred into the world, & they that folowe him take his part.

3 A praier for the for­mer vertue.

O Almightie and most mercifull Father, which by the mouth of thy Prophet Dauid hast highlie cō ­mended brotherlie concord and a­greement, comparing it to the pre­tious ointment, which ran downe vpon Aarons beard, euen to the borders of his garments: and also to the dew of Hermon, which drop­ped and fell vpon the mountaines of Sion: we beseech thee of thy goodnes, to plant among vs such and so acceptable agreement, that bearing one anothers burthen, we may liue like brothers begotten & borne of the same parents.

We knowe that thy sonne our Sa­uiour Iesus Christ, as of all other commendable vertues, so also of brotherlie agreement, gaue vs a speciall and infallible example, in that for our sakes he betooke him­selfe to the suffering of most exqui­site [Page 55] torments, euen the torments of death, that he might drawe vs his adopted brethren to God his Fa­ther, and might place vs in the land of Canaan, as ioint-heires with him of euerlasting blessednes.

Now therefore, ô eternall God, let vs not seeme lightlie to esteme and regard so singular an example; but giue vs grace, we beseech thee, to consider that notable speech of thy Prophet Malachie vttered for our learning, that Seeing we haue all one Father, one God, and one Maker, it is not meete nor tollera­ble that we should despise one ano­ther: but euerie one of vs bearing one anothers burden, mutuallie to consent and agree in brotherlie a­mitie, vniue, and concord.

Sowe in our harts therefore, ô good Lord, the seed of loue & cha­ritie, that thereby we may growe togither like branches of one tree, being all of one mind and hart, of one opinion and iudgement, ende­uouring as much as in vs lieth, to [Page 56] doo thy will, euen thy will, ô father, which dwellest in heauen: which is, to be knit one to another in bro­therlie agreement, & to drawe all vnder one yoke of obedience, which is the foundation of all godlie loue and mutuall consent. Grant this for thy sonnes sake Iesus Christ our on­lie mediator and aduocate, Amen.

1 S. BARNARDS golden sentence of the vertue following.

CHARITIE is a goodlie thing, yea it is a thing that will not shrinke in [Page 61] anie tribulation, in anie greefe, iniurie, wrong, or abuse. In few words, what thinke we comparable therevnto, seeing it is pre­ferred before martyrdome, and counted better than a faith that mooueth moun­taines?

By charitie man dwelleth in God, and God in man. Charitie bringeth libertie, driueth awaie feare, feeleth no toile, loo­keth on no desart, requireth no reward.

Charitie is the mother of men and of Angels, pacifieng and making attonement betweene things in heauen, and things in earth. This is the vertue which reconci­led God to man, and brought man into the fauour of God.

2 The REPVLSE giuen by true LOVE and CHARITIE.

O Man, doth it neces­sarilie followe, that bicause manie vices in thée deserue well and woorthilie to bée hated, that therefore the image of God in thée ought not to be loued? As Iesus Christ nailed vpon the [Page 62] crosse, and there hanging, loued his enimies, and before his death and passion admonished his disciples in this maner, saieng: Loue your eni­mies, doo good vnto them that hate you: and praie for them which per­secute you, slander, backbite, and vpbraid you, that you may be the children of your Father which is in heauen.

So likewise, by the mouth of Salomon and Paule, these words are spoken: If thine enimie hun­ger, giue him meate: if he thirst, giue him drinke. For in so dooing, thou shalt heape coles of fire vpon his head. Vnto which sentence the Apostle addeth somewhat of his owne, saieng: Be not ouercome of euill, but ouercome euill with good.

It is contrariwise thus writ­ten by S. Iohn, against such as hate their brethren: He that ha­teth his brother, is a man-slear, and ye knowe that no man-slear hath euerlasting life remaining in him. Againe, He that hateth his [Page 63] brother, walketh in darknes, and is yet in darknes, not knowing whither he goeth, bicause darknes hath blinded his eies.

But thou saiest, O man, It is enough that I loue such as loue me. For why should I beare good will, or be beneficiall vnto them, that haue deserued no such thing at my hand? Heare, O man, the Lord speaking vnto thée in ano­ther tune: for, If you loue them that loue you, what reward shall you haue? Doo not the Publicans the same?

What art thou able, O man, to obiect against this? Doubtles, He that hateth his brother abideth in death. And he that loueth his bro­ther, abideth in God, and God in him. Spue vp therefore all the bit­ter gall of hatred, & doo what thou canst to swallowe downe the swéet honie of loue. For nothing is more pleasant, nothing more happie and blessed.

Saint Iohn saith, God is cha­ritie. [Page 64] And S. Paule that excellent preacher of the Gentils affirmeth, that The loue of GOD is shed abroad in our harts, by the holie Ghost, which is giuen vnto vs. Whervpon it is concluded, and not without iust cause, that loue or charitie is said to couer the multi­tude of our brethrens offences, as it is written: Charitie couereth the multitude of sinnes.

3 A praier for the for­mer vertue.

O Eternall GOD, which by the mouth of thine Apostle Paule hast said, that Although we speake with the tongues of men and An­gels, and yet are void of loue, we are like to sounding brasse, or as a tinkling cymbal: yea, albeit we had the gift of prophesie, and knew all secrets: yea, if we had all faith, so that we could remooue mountains, and yet wanted loue, we were no­thing: heare vs, we beseech thee, [Page 65] and by the heate of thy loue, set on fire and kindle our cold and frosen loue.

We confesse, that the cause why iniquitie and sinne aboundeth, is the lacke of loue, which in holie Scripture is called the bond of peace. We acknowledge also that to loue our neighbour as our selfe, is a sacrifice much more acceptable, than burnt oblations & incense. We can not denie, but that the Apostle speaketh truth, saieng: that, Who so dwelleth in loue & charitie, dwel­leth in thee, ô GOD, and thou in him.

But bicause it is not in vs to liue in loue and charitie, knowing that they are the works of light, vnlesse thou assist vs by thy grace; sanctifie vs, and cleanse vs from all intrinse­call and hidden corruption: wee therefore bend the knees of our harts before thee, humblie besee­ching thy diuine Maiestie, that as thou art the fulnes and perfection of loue, yea loue & charitie it selfe, [Page 66] so it would please thee to conforme and make vs like vnto thee, which delightest in nothing that is euill.

And bicause charitie couereth the multitude of sinnes, fulfilleth the lawe, is the end of the commande­ment, and commended vnto vs as a most necessarie adiument & helpe to obteine and laie hold vpon euer­lasting life: vouchsafe we beseech thee, to plow vp our stonie harts, and to soften them with the show­ers of thy grace, that being mollifi­ed and soupled, they may be able to receiue the seed of loue and chari­tie, and thereby fructifie in all good works, through Iesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

1 S. BARNARDS golden sentence of the vertue following.

THere is a rebuking, which is necessa­rie; and a rebuking, which is vaine and ridiculous. The first causeth amen­dement, [Page 72] if the rebuker be not culpable of the same offence, whereof he reprooueth another: the other breedeth obstinacie and contempt, when the reprehender con­trolleth his brother for some fault, where­of he himselfe is guiltie. The first issueth from wisedome, the second from follie, or rather phrensie,

As for backbiting, whosoeuer vseth it, he is a man-queller: and the tongue of a backbiter is a venemous viper, stinging three at once to death, with one deadlie blast. It is a sharpe, yea a verie sharpe speare, which goreth three at once with one mortall wound: and it is a two, or rather a three edged sword, hewing and hacking three at once with one blowe; namelie, the partie slandered, the slande­rer himselfe, and him that heareth the slander, and holdeth his peace.

2 The REPVLSE giuen by liber­tie in rebuking, and due correcting.

O Man, thy neighbours of­fences ought not to bée kept in silence, neither [Page 73] must they haue thy consent: but as brotherlie loue & charitie mooueth thée, reprooue thy neighbour to his face, and slander him not behind his backe.

If it be obiected, that it is not for thée to rebuke thy brother to his face, least therevpon he being mooued, and out of patience, prooue neuer the better by that kind of correction; but be so farre from amending, that hée take greater cause of offending: heare the holie Scripture, thus determining the matter: Open rebuke is better than secret loue.

Againe, if thou shalt neglect this Christian dutie, and wilt rather choose to slander and misse-report thy brothers fault, aggrauating and making it woorse, though he be an offender, and woorthie of corre­ction: than otherwise to reprooue him to his face, that he may be a­shamed of his sinne, and endeuour to amend; hearken to the voice of the Prophet speaking vnto thée, [Page 74] and saieng: Thou satest, and spa­kest against thy brother; yea, and hast slandered thine owne mothers sonne: and this is a sore offence. For a man taketh more gréefe and hart-burning by knowing him, of whom he is slandered; than by sée­ing and hearing him, of whom he is reprooued.

And bicause the misdéeds of of­fenders are for a time to be dissem­bled and kept in secret, that in due season they may be reprehended for their faults; therefore these words following are set downe: These things hast thou done, and I held my tongue.

Furthermore, least backbiters and slanderers should growe into an excéeding loue & liking of them­selues, by reason of this discréete silence, who couet alwaies ra­ther priuilie and in corners to nick a mans good name and fame, than to come foorth in open place, and there to charge him with his of­fence, it followeth in these words: [Page 75] Thou thoughtest wickedlie, that I am euen such a one as thy selfe.

As if he had said, It is a wicked thing to thinke, that I am a slan­derer, and a backbiter, bicause I hold my tongue for a time, & kéepe silence, vntill I spie due season, and fit choise of place to speake my mind by waie of reprehension.

Herevpon it followeth by and by, I will reprooue thée, and set before thée the things that thou hast doon. As if he had said, Not secretlie, af­ter thy vse and custome: but open­lie, according to mine owne maner and fashion; I will tarrie a conue­nient time, when I may through­lie rebuke an offender, and charge him with his misdéeds to his face.

But thou wilt saie, O man, I doo not hate, but loue him, whom I thus reprooue priuilie in corners. And I saie againe vnto thée, O man, that thou dooest hate him so much the more, and not loue him one iot, by how much thou backbi­test, and neglectest to rebuke him.

[Page 76] Now, what a detestable and ac­cursed thing the slandering of our neighbour is, the holie Scriptures in manie places declare: as name­lie, by the mouth of the Prophet Dauid: Who so priuilie slandereth his neighbour, him will I destroie. Againe, He that backbiteth his brother, backbiteth the lawe. A­gaine, He that slandereth & back­biteth his brother, shall be rooted out. And againe, Take héed least ye be cōsumed one of another, whi­lest ye bite and deuoure one ano­ther.

3 A praier for the for­mer vertue.

O Almightie & euerlasting God, who induedst thy faithfull ser­uants the Prophets, with such mea­sure of thy spirit, that they dischar­ged their duties with all singlenes, truth, and vprightnes, checking and rebuking mightie kings for their transgressions, according to the te­nour [Page 77] of their commission: as ap­peareth in Samuel sharpelie re­proouing Saule for his rebellion: in Nathan seuerelie rebuking Da­uid for his adulterie: in Ahiiah roughlie reprehending Ieroboam for his idolatrie: in Elijah boldlie checking Ahab for his apostasie: in Hanani stoutlie twiting Asah for his mistrustfulnes: in Ieremie con­trolling Zedekiah for his disobedi­ence, and so consequentlie in the rest of thy seruants both Prophets and Apostles.

O take from vs all vaine motions, which may withdrawe vs from ra­ting them, that most apparentlie offend thy diuine Maiestie; and not to seeme blind, or to winke at their offences, least we be counted parta­kers of their wickednes: knowing that thy sonne our Sauiour giueth vs this for a lesson to be learned & followed, namelie, when we see our brother commit anie trespas, to re­buke him, that he may repent and obtaine forgiuenes.

[Page 78] Also most mercifull Father, we beseech thee so to direct and rule the course of our life, that euerie member of our bodie may set foorth thy praise. And bicause the tongue, though it be but a small peece of flesh, is termed a world of wicked­nes, and kindleth much mischiefe, when it is occupied either in lieng, forswearing, backbiting, or reuiling our brethren: we praie thee to root out of our harts all such weeds of sinne and abhomination, that the fruits of them may not appeare in our tongues: through Iesus Christ our Sauiour, Amen.

1 S. BARNARDS golden sentence of the vertue following.

TRue PATIENCE is to suffer and doo contrarie to ones lust, but not contrarie to the right of lawe. To abide and take pouertie in good part, is the ver­tue of patience. Patience is the safetie of the soule, vnpatience the destruction of the same. Who so hath not hold of pati­ence, shall loose righteousnes, that is, shall loose life, that is, shall loose his owne soule.

Looke vpon the sufferance of the Lord, who being beaten with whips, crowned with thorns, bored through with nailes, hanged on the crosse, and ouer-burdened with reproches, forgat all these greefes of his bitter agonie notwithstanding, and said; Father forgiue them. Beware there­fore, and take heed that thou perish not through vnpatience; but suffer all things for Gods sake, bicause he suffered ex­treame torments for thy sake, and thy pa­tience shall not be fruitelesse, void, or vn­rewarded.

[Page 85]2 The REPVLSE giuen by PA­TIENCE or forbearance.

O Man, if thou call to mind the passion of thy redéemer Christ Iesus, there can no­thing happen vnto thee, be it neuer so hard and heauie, but thou shalt be able to beare and abide it with an humble and quiet mind. For Christ, as S. Peter saith, suffered for vs, leauing vs an example, that we should followe his steps.

For he himselfe hath thus spo­ken: If they haue called the mai­ster of the house Beclsebub, how much more will they so doo vnto them of the houshold? Againe, in another place: If they haue perse­cuted me, they will likewise perse­cute you.

But what are our sufferings, in comparison of his passions? For he submitted himselfe to beare re­proches, reuilings, mockings, scor­nings, [Page 86] buffetings, spittings, whip­pings, a crown of pricking thorns, and the accursed crosse: and are we miserable slaues, wearie with a word speaking, euen to our owne confusion and shame? Are we dis­couraged? Are we throwne downe & put to silence with one sentence?

How thinke we of the saieng of S. Paule: If we suffer not with him, we shall not reigne with him. And therefore the prouocations of wrath must be suppressed and bea­ten downe; as the danger thereof, which is damnation, ought to be feared. For, he that is angrie with his brother, is in danger of iudge­ment. And, He that saith vnto his brother, Racha, is in danger of a counsell: but he that saith vnto his brother: Thou foole, is in danger of hellfire.

Now, where may a man find re­medie against this deadlie poison? The words following doo suffici­entlie shew: If thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there remembrest [Page 87] that thy brother hath ought a­gainst thée, leaue there thy gift be­fore the altar, and go thy waie; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

As if he had said: Powre out no priuate praier secretlie in thy hart, except thou haue first made amēds to thy neighbour, whom thou hast misvsed, and brought him to quiet­nes and contentation of mind. For praier is the gift, which we bring, and our hart is the altar. He that endeuoureth thus to doo, as often as he shall perceiue a couple at strife and variance, by wrath and anger, dooth not incur the danger of damnation.

But manie there be, which will not forgiue their offenders, albeit they submit themselues, and séeke pardon and attonement. Against those is the sword of our Sauiour drawne out, to giue this stroke: If you forgiue not men their offen­ces, your heauenlie Father shall not forgiue you your trespasses.

[Page 88] Thou wilt saie, O man, He hath misvsed me manie waies, and of­tentimes he offendeth mée. I saie vnto thée, O man; not I, but the Lord making this answere to Pe­ters demand, and saieng: Lord, how often shall my brother sinne against me, and I forgiue him? Till seuen times? Our Saui­ours answere is this: I saie vnto thée, not seuen times, but seuentie seuen times.

How manie be there, which are verie stowe and slacke to release wrongs done vnto themselues: but verie swift and hastie to set at naught such iniuries as they offer vnto God? And sometimes it com­meth to passe, that vnder a pre­tence of taking occasion to reuenge iniuries done to God, men are not ashamed to reuenge their owne. Againe, what shall we saie of such as in the furie of their blindnes, breake out into words of outrage, and fall a cursing? Against them the Apostle concludeth in this ma­ner: [Page 89] Cursed speakers shall not in­herit the kingdome of God.

Which vice S. Iames detesting, to set it foorth the more effectuallie, saith: No man is able to tame the tongue, it is an vnrulie euill, full of deadlie poison. Therewith wée blesse our God and Father, and therwith we curse men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of one mouth procéedeth bles­sing & cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be; dooth a fountaine send foorth at one hole swéete water and bitter also? For this cause it is said else-where: Death and life is in the hands of the tongue.

3 A praier for the for­mer vertue.

O Eternall God, which hast set before our eies the necessitie of patience and forbearance, by a view of the contrarie expressed in a parable of an euill debter, whom [Page 90] his Lord and maister remitted for compassion sake, bicause he sawe the man vnable to make repai­ment: yet he notwithstanding mee­ting with a fellowe of his, that ought him but a small summe of siluer, void of patience, destitute of mercie, far from forbearance, or anie sparke of pitie, caught him by the throte, and dealt with him in great extremitie. Whose rigorous and cruell behauiour comming to the eares of his Lord, was accor­dinglie punished.

Giue vs, we beseech thee, better grace, that we may see into our selues, examine our owne conscien­ces, and turne-ouer the bils of dets, which thou most fauourablie and mercifullie hast cancelled and cut in peeces, to the end that we taking thee for an example, might acquit and forgiue our brother, if there were anie thing betweene vs: and patientlie to put vp iniuries and wrongs, though the flesh naturallie doo storme therat, referring venge­ance [Page 91] vnto thee, ô Lord, vnto whom properlie it dooth belong.

O powre into our harts, we be­sech thee, plentie of patience, wher­of alas there is great want in this our age, as appereth by the coldnes of charitie & loue, whose propertie it is to be pitifull & long-suffering, to be gentle, courteous, and full of tendernes: least being forward, ire­full, rough, vnquiet, and greedie af­ter reuengement, we heare this sen­tence denounced against vs; Wo vnto you that haue lost patience: bicause it is a necessarie vertue, and greatlie to be regarded; that after we haue done the will of thee, ô fa­ther, we might receiue the promise, for Iesus Christs sake, Amen.

1 S. BARNARDS golden sentence of the vertue following.

PResumption and obstinacie are the waies of diuels; flie from them, ô man, least thine enimie triumph ouer thee. For in these sinnes he reioiceth exceedinglie, hauing made proofe in himselfe, how vn­possible it is to recouer, and get out of such a gaping gulfe.

Now I would not haue thee ignorant, ô man, what are the steps of this downe-fall, or breake-necke: the first is the dissem­bling of thine owne weaknes; the second [Page 97] the ignorance of thine owne wretchednes; the third is the excusing of thine owne wickednes; and the fourth is open con­tempt and perseuering in sinfulnes.

Which steps, if thou wilt not tread in, ô man, nor be swalowed vp in this irrecoue­rable whirlepoole of destruction, despise not good counsell; disdaine not to be re­buked; but mildlie and meekelie take warning when thou docest amisse; and when thou art rebuked of sinne and vn­godlines, take it in good part on Gods name, and beare it patientlie with the spi­rit of softnes and gentlenes.

2 The REPVLSE giuen by MEEKENES, or gen­tlenes.

O Man, this persuasi­on may in no case be followed. For it is flatlie against the counsell & aduise of the Apostle, who admonishing his beloued scholler Timothie in this behalfe, saith: Rebuke not an elder, but exhort him as a father: the [Page 98] yoonger men as brethren; the elder women as mothers; the yoonger as sisters, in all chastitie.

Againe, The seruant of the Lord must not striue, but be gentle vnto all men, apt to teach, suffering euil, in méekenes instructing them that are contrarie minded. Againe, Improoue, rebuke, exhort in all long suffering and doctrine. This vice of waiwardnes, or malapert controiling, doth more hurt to the baser sort, than to the better; to the subiect, than to the magistrate. For it cōmeth to passe oftentimes, that they contemne correction and reprehension, vsed & vttered with mildnes, loue, and charitie: and a­gainst words spoken with humili­tie & lowlines, they will not sticke to shoote the shafts of shameles de­rision and scorning.

Herevpon it is thus written in Scripture: Who so reprooueth a scornefull person, getteth himselfe dishonour. Againe, Reprooue not a scorner, least he owe thée euill will. [Page 99] Contrariwise, of him which amen­deth, when he is reprooued, and is the better being rebuked, it is thus spoken: Rebuke a wise man, and he will loue thee.

3 A praier for the for­mer vertue.

O Lord, which from time to time hast placed among thy people meete & conuenient vessels to car­rie the message of thy word & will, that thereby they might be instru­cted & taught, how damnable their state is, during the time of their pil­grimage in wicked waies, and by­paths of impietie; and hast disper­sed and sowne among vs plaine tell troth Nathans, to reprooue vs of our iniquities and sinnes: giue vs grace, we beseech thee, that the preaching of the one, and the re­proouing of the other, may worke vpon vs, like new made waxe, apt to receiue anie fashion or forme.

O plant in vs a patient spirit, [Page 100] which may make vs lowlie in hart; and reformable in will; that the words of the admonisher may not passe by vs like a sudden blast of wind, but rather worke effectuallie in our harts, euen like fire, which fi­neth siluer by the vertue of his heate. Remooue from vs all rebelli­ous motions of the flesh, which are euer against the good suggestions of the spirit: & direct vs in the waie of wisedome, that we may take and choose whatsoeuer is wholsome for vs, yea though the taste thereof be as bitter as woormewood to the mouth of our carnall man.

We knowe, ô Father, that to purge abundance of corrupt humours, which ingender euill diseases, the physician ministreth bitter pils: & to an old sore, which can not be cu­red with a gentle plaster, the sur­geon applieth a biting corsiue: which medicines, though to the pa­tient most greeuous and painfull; yet in consideration that they are preparatiues to health, they are re­ceiued, [Page 101] well taken, and suffered. And therefore ô Lord vouchsafe vs the grace of thy holie spirit, wherby we being guided, conducted, and go­uerned, may not murmur at the ad­monitions, reprehensions, and cor­rections of our brethren, though they rebukes vs sharpelie: but may most thankefullie take their re­proofes, knowing that the end and scope of their labour so imploied, is for the edification of our soules in Christ Iesus, to whom be praise for euermore, Amen.

1 S. BARNARDS golden sentence of the vertue following.

FOlowe after me, saith Christ, passe through me, drawe neere to me: after me, bicause I am the truth; through me, bicause I am the waie; to me, bicause I am the life. Againe he saith, Who so will come after me, let him denie himselfe, take vp his crosse, and followe me.

Wherein he laieth three things before vs, bondage, basenes, & hardnes. Bondage in denieng himselfe, basenes in taking vp the crosse, hardnes in following Christ; [Page 107] whose life was tempered with no kind of worldlie pleasure.

By this we are taught to humble our selues, and to be lowlie in our owne eies; to be reformed when we are rebuked; and not to hold scorne of correction, when we are blame-woorthie. For the waie to be per­fect, is to learne how to amend that which is vnperfect: if we neglect this, we shall neuer come to that.

2 The REPVLSE giuen by hum­ble LOWLINES.

O Man, thou must giue no occasion of slander, or euill spea­king, no suspicion of priuie whispering & secret talking: but if thou be guil­tie of such faults, as thou art char­ged withall, confesse them, that thou maiest amend when thou art rebuked: if not, denie them with humble lowlines, and cléere thy selfe by the true protestation of an vpright conscience: bicause the A­postle admonisheth thée, that thou [Page 108] oughtest not to giue anie occasion to the aduersarie of speaking slan­derouslie.

Which thing the Apostle detested euen in them, that knowing the Christian faith, sat downe not­withstanding to eate meates offe­red vnto idols. And although they estéemed an idol as a toie, or a thing of naught: yet, taking vnto them, and tasting idolatrous meates, as altogither harmeles, and nothing at all offensiue, they did tie the weake consciences of their vnstai­ed brethren, to the damnable rites and ceremonies of idols, by this their euill and vnchristian déed.

3 A praier for the for­mer vertue.

O Almightie & euerlasting God, which from the beginning of the world, hast throwne the thun­derbolts of thy iustice and venge­ance at such, as obstinatelie haue continued in their sinne, without [Page 109] remorse of conscience, or feare of thy iudgements; we most humblie beseech thee, to heare the praiers of vs thy seruants, and to grant the pe­tition of our lips. O deliuer vs not ouer into the rule of Satan our ghostlie enimie, least he make a spoile of our soules, and feede on them, as a falcon vpon a dooue, or as a woolfe vpon a lambe.

Be thou the gouernor of our life, and the directer of all our deeds, that we may walke in the waies of thy lawe, and tread the paths of thy cōmandements: out of which when we wander and go astraie, negle­cting the conduction and leading of thy grace, we fall into the temp­tation of the diuell, and beecome outcasts from the Commonwealth of Israel, exiles and outlawes from the testament of the couenant, and haue our names scraped out of the register booke of euerlasting life.

Let vs intreate thee therefore, ô most mercifull God, by the media­tion and intercession of thy Sonne [Page 110] our Sauiour, to giue vs that which we aske, euen an humble submissi­on of mind, which working in vs ef­fectuallie, may strike downe all kind of insolencie, hawtines, vaine­glorie, ambition, arrogancie, and whatsoeuer else dooth hinder vs frō entering into thy heauenlie king­dome.

We knowe, ô Father, the com­modities depending vpon this bles­sing, to be not onlie singular, but al­so manifold. For when we offend, it worketh in vs an inward sorowe for sinne, a greefe for dishonor done to thy Maiestie, a care of conscience, a purpose to amend, and a desire to be reconciled. When we are rebu­ked, it maketh vs take warning gladlie, thinke vpon our offence sadlie, lament the same earnestlie, repent in hartilie, craue pardon vn­feignedlie, and walke euer after more circumspectlie: through Iesus Christ our onelie mediator and aduocate, A­men.

1 S. BARNARDS golden sentence of the vertue following.

IN all the changes and chances of this life, which are manie and diuerse; in all [Page 116] tribulation and anguish, it is thy part, ô man, to hold fast the anchor of hope, if thou wilt arriue at the port of peace. And if thou wilt liue quietlie in Christ Iesu, make full reckoning to suffer affliction; and though thou bee sharpelie touched both in bodie and mind, yet persuade thy selfe, that after long sufferance commeth deliuerance, and that these chastisements confirme thy conscience, that thou art one of Gods houshold.

Reioice in aduersitie, beare all casual­ties patientlie, lament thy sinne sorowful­lie, but beware of being heauie desperate­lie. Comfort thy selfe with the memorie of Gods mercie, who in due time will giue thee a Quietus est from all these earth­lie troubles. Finallie, when thou art most greeuouslie assalted with sorowe, lighten thine hart with thinking vpon these two notable consolations; first, Christs death and passion; secondlie, the vnspeakable ioies of the life to come.

[Page 117]2 The REPVLSE giuen by god­lie reioicing, and spirituall COMFORT.

O Man, I knowe that of heauines there are two kinds, the one worketh to saluati­on, the other to dam­nation: the one draweth to repen­tance, the other to desperation. Thou art assaulted with one of them, not with that which wor­keth vnto life, but with that which worketh vnto death. Thou maist not be sad and heauie, in such sort as thou art persuaded; but contra­riwise, if thy sorowe and heauines spring from some externall cause, as for that art enuied and ha­ted for the truths sake, thou ough­test to reioice in these thy gréefes?

And why? Bicause thou not knowing to what issue they will growe, art notwithstanding to be comforted by the voice of the gi­uer of euerlasting ioie & gladnes, [Page 118] speaking thus vnto thée: Blessed are you, when men shall reuile you, and persecute you, and lieng shall say all maner of euil saieng against you for my sake. Reioice ye, and be glad, for great is your reward in heauen.

Remember also, O man, that the Apostles, the fore-runners of this religion, departed from the face of the Councell, reioicing that they were counted woorthie to suf­fer shame and reproch for the name of Iesus. No place therfore should be giuen vnto gréefe and heauines, where such ioie and gladnes in­sueth.

If thy sorowe and anguish, O man, procéed from the remorse of conscience for thy sinnes, remem­ber a multitude of offenders, that by repentance haue obteined mer­cie at Gods hands, according to the truth of his promise: In what daie soeuer a sinner dooth repent him of his sinne and wickednes, I will put all his iniquitie out of [Page 119] my remembrance, saith the Lord. Againe, Though thy sinnes were as red as skarlet, yet will I make them as white as wooll: & though they were as filthie as the men­struous cloth of a woman, yet will I make them as white as snowe.

Remember, O man, the merci­full Semaritan in the Gospell, that powred wine and oile into the sicke mans wounds, set him on his owne asse, brought him to an inne, and paid for his necessaries. Re­member the good Shepheard, that sought the lost & wandering shéepe, & hauing found him, brought him home to the shéepe-fold vpon his shoulders.

Remember the bountifull King, that making a sumptuous banket, sent abroad his seruants, to bid guests of all estates and degrées vnto the same. Remember the kind and louing Father, that hauing an vngratious spend-thrift to his sonne, fell vpon his necke notwith­standing, at his returning sorow­full [Page 120] for his fault, and put him in possession of the fulnesse of his fa­uour againe, which before by his riotous behauiour he had lost.

If thy heauines, O man, procéed from the consideration of thy poore estate, from the remembrance of thy losses by sea or land, from vn­thankfulnes of affinitie and kin­dred, from frowardnes of children, from wilfulnes of wife, from vn­faithfulnes of seruants, learne pa­tience of Iob: The Lord giueth, and the Lord taketh awaie, euen as it pleseth the Lord, so let things come to passe.

Learne of thy Sauiour Christ to submit thy will to Gods will, and to saie: Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heauen. Thus ar­ming thée with spirituall furni­ture, thou shalt not be heauie either to desperation or damnation, but sorowfull to repentance and amen­dement, and so consequentlie thou shalt find ioie and comfort.

[Page 121]3 A praier for the for­mer vertue.

O Bountifull God, the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ, whose eies of mercie and louing kindnes are alwaies open, and broad waking ouer thy seruants, ouerseeing them, that none inconuenience or euill thing inuade them; not the arrowes of the hunter at noone-day, nor the dangers of the darts of darknes at mid-night; we beseech thee of thine infinite goodnes and clemencie, to continue thy fatherlie affection and fauour at all times, speciallie in the time of persecution, trouble so­rowe, need, and aduersitie, that we may not waxe heauie-hatred in our tribulations; but reioice rather and be glad, persuading our selues, that by the fire of afflictions thou triest thy children like siluer, and finest them, that they may be made fit and woorthie coine to receiue the stampe of their Creator and King.

[Page 122] Giue vs patience, good Lord, to suffer whatsoeuer it shall please thy heauenlie wisedome to laie vp­on our shoulders; according to the example of thy seruant Iob, who es­caping no kind of aduersitie that might happen to the bodie of man, his state, condition, credit, and a­bilitie, did not reuile thee, nor yet curse thee to thy face, although he was greeuouslie tempted of Satan by thy permission, and sorelie assal­ted of his wicked wife, to renounce thee his maker, and so to end his miserable life; but blessed and prai­sed thy diuine Maiestie, supposing it necessarie to receiue euill at thine hands, as well as good.

Euen so, ô eternall God, and most mercifull Father, if it be thy will at anie time to chastise vs, either with sicknes, pouertie, or anie other kind of aduersitie, vouchsafe therewith­all to arme vs with contentation of mind, quietnes of conscience, and consolation of spirit, that we may be so far from being discomforted in [Page 123] our tribulations, that we rather tri­umph, and be ioifull in the midst of them, building our hope vpon the promise of thy sonne Iesu Christ our Sauiour, who prophesieng that in this world we should weepe and lament, mourne and be sorowfull, willed vs notwithstanding to bee comforted, saieng: that The time should come, when our heauines should be turned into ioie, and that our ioie should be full: which grace ô GOD grant, for thy mercies sake, Amen.

1 S. BARNARDS golden sentence of the vertue following.

THis is the summe of vertuous & spi­rituall exercise; this is the forme of godlie endeuour; wiselie to dispose and order things present, penitentlie and in the bitternes of thy soule to consider thy misdeeds past, and carefullie to prouide and fore-see things to come.

Liue soberlie, iustlie, and godlie, saith the Apostle, in this world: soberlie, in re­spect of the time present; iustilie, in re­spect of the time past, which we must re­deeme, by making amends for the neglect of our former thrift; & godlie, in respect of the time to come, setting it as a sheeld to defend vs from all instant dangers, and [Page 130] hazards that may happen hereafter.

I would to God we were wise for the or­dering of our life present; for the amen­ding of our life past; and for leading the rest of our life to come, in vnfeined faith to God-ward. For this is the thred of three twists, whereby we are drawne to saluation: namelie; an orderlie conuer­sation; an vpright iudgement; and a faith vnfeined.

2 The REPVLSE giuen by ho­nest and vertuous EX­ERCISE.

O Man, prolong no time, neither driue off from daie to daie, but whiles thou hast space doo thine inde­uour to liue honestlie, painfullie, vertuouslie, and deuoutlie. Folowe thy vocation, whether it be secular or ecclesiasticall; appertaining to worldlie affaires, or belonging to the spirit. Canst thou tell, O man, whether thou shalt liue till to mo­rowe? Hast thou a lease of thy life [Page 131] from the Lord? Naie, marke what I speake; art thou able to saie, that thou shalt liue one houre to an end?

Is the saieng of thy Sauiour Christ out of remembrance, menti­oned in the Gospell: Watch; for you knowe not the daie nor the houre. Wherefore shake off all slothfulnes of bodie, and all idle cogitations of mind: and let this lesson be fresh in thy memorie dailie, that such as offer violence, and snatch at the kingdome of heauen by force, shall haue it in possession: it is none in­heritance for such as are luke­warme, neither hot nor cold, soft and effeminate persons, wantous, nice, idle, and slothfull.

Followe the counsell of the A­postle; to praie continuallie, to make supplications vnto GOD without ceasing: not forgetting this, that he which stirreth vp such good motions in thine hart, is suf­ficient & able to giue thée strength & might to perseuere in the same.

Be earnest in praier, zelous, fer­uent, [Page 132] & continuall. For, that which the flesh accounteth too much, the spirit contrariwise iudgeth too lit­tle: considering that Satan is tempting vs dailie and hourelie, to sift vs as it were wheate.

Who preserued the eie-sight of Dauid, wéeping and wailing for his sinnes? Who strengthened the Niniuets fasting and praieng at the preaching of Ionas? Who made Paule able to passe through his long peregrination in Asia? Did not the Lord? Why then, O man, doubt not of thine eies, of thy lims, of thy bodie, or of thy mind. For God by his grace will worke that in thée, which séemeth hard and vnpossible to the nature of flesh and bloud.

3 A praier for the for­mer vertue.

O Almightie & euerlasting God, who hast placed vs in this world for two speciall ends and [Page 133] purposes; firstlie, to glorifie thee in our life and conuersation, directed by the rule of thy holie lawes and commandements; secondlie, to doo good one to another, as brotherlie loue and charitable affection dooth moue and exhort vs: knowing that in these two points the two tables of thy diuine precepts doo summa­rilie consist, according to the testi­monie of thy sonne our Sauiour, who in few words did knit vp the ten commandements; namelie, in louing thee, ô Lord, with all our harts; and our neighbours as our selues. O vouchsafe vs the assistance of thy holie spirit, that we may exer­cise our selues daie and night in the meditation of thy lawe, and frame the course of our life according to the prescript rule of thy word, and the good example of thy seruants our predecessors.

Let thy grace ouershadowe vs, yea Lord, let it fill vs wholie and solie, that we may tread in the foote­steps of faithfull Abraham, Tobie, [Page 134] Cornelius that deuout captaine of the Italian band, whose continuall exercise was in the feare of thee, and the honour of thy holie name, wherevnto also he trained all his houshold, insomuch that from the highest to the lowest, they studied to set foorth thy glorie: but he espe­ciallie, who by his continuall prai­er, vnfeined inuocation, and chari­table alms-deeds, grew in great fa­uour with thee, & receiued the assu­rance of saluatiō, by the testimonie of a pure and vndefiled conscience.

We knowe, ô Father of mercie, and God of all consolation, that thou requirest a kind of diuine ser­uice at our hands, proper & peculi­ar to thy Maiestie, which is, to wor­ship thee in spirit and truth. This we are bound by dutie to exhibit and shew thee: as also all other exerci­ses of Christianitie, consisting in loue and charitie, we are charged in thy lawe to testifie vnto men. O giue vs the grace, we beseech thee, to doo it, for Iesus sake, Amen.

1 S. BARNARDS golden sentence of the vertue following.

THere is nothing more vnstable and wauering, nothing more swift and flitting in thee, ô man, than thine owne hart, which so often as it stumbleth at the stone of euill thoughts, so often it offendeth God. Thy hart is vaine, variable, and vnsearchable; and so often as it is led by it owne will and consent, so often it wan­teth Gods counsell. It is like a bird flieng out of hir nest, like a ship lanching into the deepe, like an arrowe shot out of a bowe. And what is the cause of this vn­stablenes? euen lacke of trust in God.

Trust in God, ô man, and continue in thy place; beleeue in him, affie thy selfe on [Page 141] his goodnes, and thou shalt obtaine con­tented staiednes. A foole changeth and al­tereth like the moone, but a wise man a­bideth firme and fast like the sunne: a foole wauereth like a reede, but a wise man standeth still like a strong oke: a foole is compared to the wandering starres, which are euer moouing; but a wise man is likened to the fixed starres, which keepe their appointed places. For the first the mist of darknes is prepared; for the second the cleerenes of light is ordeined.

2 The REPVLSE giuen by Chri­stian contentment, and STAIEDNES.

O Man, if the case stand as thou saiest, and confessest, that God is eueriewhere, then is it thy dutie to kéepe thée where thou art, and not to forsake that place, which thou wouldest so faine change for ano­ther: bicause God is in it, by his greatnes, which filleth euery place. But thou wilt saie, O man, I [Page 142] seeke for a better, and I find a bet­ter. But I answere thée, and saie thus againe vnto thée with bold­nes and truth: Thou séekest a bet­ter place, but dooest thou find a bet­ter, or such a one as thou knowest Lucifer and Adam lost?

Remember therefore that the first angel fell from heauen, and the first man was banished out of pa­radise, & became acquainted with the troubles of this world. Looke vpon Lot, who liuing among the thickest of the beastlie Sodomites, and séeing their filthie behauiours, remained holie notwithstanding & vndefiled: but when he came to dwell in the mountaine, and had growne hard in securitie, he be­came drunke, and fell into the fil­thines of incest with his owne daughters.

Marke also, O man, what mis­chiefs followed loose libertie in Di­na the daughter of Iacob, who not contended to tarrie at home, but desiring to sée fine fashions abroad, [Page 143] among the yoong women of Si­char, was intised to plaie the whoore: and therevpon insued slaughter and bloud-shed by the hands of Simeon, Leui, and their assistants.

There is beside this kind of loose libertie, another licentious wan­dering, which worketh in the minds euen of such as kéepe them­selues in one place, and withdraw­eth their harts from spirituall ex­ercises, intangling them in affaires of the world, or else finding them occupied in most vile and homelie things, contrarie to the counsell of the Apostle in this case, who saith: No man that warreth, intangleth himselfe with the affaires of this life, that he may please him, which hath chosen him to be a souldi­our. And againe, Praie without ceasing, in all things giue thanks.

[Page 144]3 A praier for the for­mer vertue.

O Euerlasting GOD, the well­spring of all true wisdome and vnderstanding, whose will & plea­sure it is, that we should walke in o­bedience before thee all the daies of our life, brideling the vanities of our minds, the ranging lusts of our flesh, the concupiscence of our eies, and whatsoeuer is at enimitie and variance with thee: we beseech thee to beate downe in vs all wild and vnstaied affections, which wrestle against the spirit, & hinder vs from dooing that homage vnto thy di­uine Maiestie, which we are inioi­ned by the verdict of thy most holie word.

And bicause experience teacheth vs, that no small mischiefe ariseth and springeth from loose libertie, whiles we not content with our na­tiue countrie custome, hunt after not onelie foren fashions in out­ward [Page 145] maners, but also new deuised opinions in doctrine and beleefe: wee beseech thee tie our harts in one vnitie of faith, as there is but one truth of thy Gospell: and ex­pell and driue out of our minds all desire of licentiousnes, which is the match to set on fire the powder of fantasticalnes.

O let vs not straie about to Dan and Bethel, suffer vs not to go on pilgrimage to Babylon and Rome: but let thy grace be a snaffle in our mouth, to keepe vs within the wals of holie Ierusalem, there to worship thee in thy sanctuarie in spirit and veritie. And as we craue an vnifor­mitie in matters of religion, so Lord we beseech thee, to make vs of one mind in maners and behauiour, to be content with a reuerent and mo­dest vse of thy creatures, and not to abuse them to the fulfilling of our owne vaine imaginations.

Of our selues we are like wande­ring weather cocks, as vncertaine as the wind, as variable as the wea­ther, [Page 146] as mooueable as the sea: now inclined to this vanitie, now to that fantasie, neuer stedfast, but e­uer changable: and therefore, good Lord, open our vnderstanding, that we may see how irregularlie & out of rule we walke: and seeing it, may be ashamed; & being ashamed, may be greeued, and being greeued, may seeke to be reformed; euen by thy spirit of constancie, which is able to worke in vs a continuall and im­mutable perseuerance, through Ie­sus Christ our Lord, Amen.

1 S. BARNARDS golden sentence of the vertue following.

THere is a place betweene feare and carelesnes, namelie, hope, the golden meane, wherein mans mind and consci­ence sleepeth most sweetlie vpon the soft bed of loue, vnderlaid with patience. In hope we liue, least we should faint in af­flictions present, looking for the ioies, which shall last for euer. God will not disappoint them that hope in him, but [Page 154] will helpe and deliuer them: why so, and for what desarts? Bicause they hoped in him.

A sweete cause, verie effectuall, pi­thie, and past reuoking. Not to disappoint them that hope in him, is a most comfor­table reward, a rich gift, a bountifull lar­gesse. For God refuseth not to be the hope of the miserable, bicause he is mercifull: he disdaineth not to shew himselfe a deli­uerer, but he will be a protector and de­fender also of them that hope in him.

Behold man, reckon vp thy tribulati­ons by number, his consolations shall make glad thy soule; if thou turne not to other by-helpes, if thou crie out vnto him, if thou hope onlie in him. For in all temp­tation, in all vexation, in all time of ne­cessitie, the citie of refuge is readie to re­ceiue vs, the bosome of the Father is wide open for vs, the holes of the surest rocke doo gape for vs to run into, the bow­els of Gods bottomles mercie are our sanctuarie to franchise vs.

[Page 155]2 The REPVLSE giuen by faithfull HOPE.

O Man, if thy sinnes and offences come to reckoning, behold the description of Da­uid, who being guil­tie of adulterie and man-slaughter, was notwithstanding, through the mercie of God, deliuered from the mouth of hell. Behold Manasses in like maner an horrible, a filthie, and a most wicked offender, resto­red from death to life.

Looke vpon Marie Magdalen, plaieng the common strumpet, and defiling the vessel of hir bodie with innumerable fornications: but af­terwards better aduised, she came with sorowe and anguish of mind to the fountaine of godlines, and washing the Lords féete with hir teares, she wiped them with hir hairie locks, kissed, licked, and an­nointed them with ointment: by which hir humilitie she tasted the [Page 156] swéetnes of Gods mercie, and ob­teined remission of hir sinnes.

Looke also vpon Peter, who by denieng his leege Lord & maister, tangled himselfe in the cords of vnbeléefe; but afterwards touched with remorse of conscience for so dooing, hee did vntie the knots of those cords of infidelitie, with bit­ter teares and hart gréefe.

Looke vpon the théefe giuen to quarelling and sedition, and guil­tie of shedding the bloud of his bre­thren; in one minute of an houre, & by one short confession of his of­fences, he did passe from the crosse, where he hoong with shame and infamie, to paradise, a place of end­les ioie and felicitie.

Looke vpon Saule persecuting the congregation of God, brea­thing out threatenings afresh a­gainst the flocke of Christ, and im­bruing his hands with the bloud of the martyrs: of a persecuter, be­came a preacher; of an apostata, an apostle; & of a vassall to sin, a vessell [Page 157] of election and grace.

Séeing therfore, O man, so ma­nie examples of penitent sinners before thy face, let not wicked spée­ches make place for desperation to enter into thine hart, considering it is thus written in holie Scrip­ture: In what daie soeuer a sinner dooth turne and forsake his sinnes, being sorie for them from the bot­tome of his hart, he shall be saued. And againe, I will not the death of a sinner, saith the Lord.

As touching conuersation of life still wickedlie continued, and not changed from the worse to the bet­ter, what should I saie but this; that the thing which a man neg­lecteth to doo to day, let him be care­full to doo to morowe, whiles he hath life in him, and time to repent and amend.

Let him not prolong and driue it off from daie to daie; but hauing helpe of God from heauen, and as­sisted with the spirit of sanctificati­on, let him doo his endeuour dailie [Page 158] to withstand the euill custome of sinne, and let him say with the pro­phet euerie morning and euening: Behold, I haue now begun; the right hand of the Highest hath wrought this alteration & change.

3 A praier for the for­mer vertue.

O Pitifull Samaritan, which didst so lament our distressed case, when wee were wounded with the inuenomed darts of sinne, that thou vouchsafedst to heale vs, euen by applieng the most comfortable pla­sters of thy hart bloud to our despe­rate sores: ô heare the praier and supplication which wee powre out before thy mercie-seat; beseeching thee of thine accustomed kindnes, ô louing Ioseph, to make vs rich in vertue & godlines: speciallie, bring our harts into the safe rode & har­bour of hope, where lieng at rest, they can take no harme.

And although our sinnes, like hie [Page 159] growne seas, doo swell and lift vp themselues ouer our heads; inso­much that with their violent rage, they seeme to threaten the renting in sunder of the gables of our an­chor hold, & so to sinke the ship of our confidence, wherein we wish to be carried into the port of thy pro­mises, neuer failing them that re­pose their vndoubted trust in thee, which art yea and Amen to all the flocke of the faithfull: yet notwith­standing we saie, as that good King said: Thy mercie, ô Lord, surmoun­teth all thy works: and with the Prophet in his lamentations: It is thy mercie, ô Lord, that we are not consumed: and with the Apostle; Thou art rich in mercie, ô God.

And bicause hope is so necessa­rie, ô sweete Sauiour, that without it we cannot be saued, knowing that it is one of the vertues, which must aduance & prefer vs vnto thee, (for in faith, hope, and charitie, consi­steth the obteining of perfect feli­citie) we beseech thy goodnes to sta­blish [Page 160] and strengthen the same in vs, to sowe it plentifullie in the soile of our harts, that it may shoote forth & spread abroad like a palme tree, to the endles comfort of our soules and consciences.

Thou being so gratious and fa­uourable vnto vs, it can not be, but that in all tempests of troublesome thoughts, raging in vs through the sting of our sinnes, and bringing vs out of quiet; we shall presentlie ap­prehend thy promise, encouraged by a liuelie hope; and running from wickednes, as from the ruine of a rotten wall, be erected, supported, and vnderpropped with the firme foundation of thy faithfulnes, which neuer failest the constant beleeuer, trusting to thy word, and building thervpon, as vpon a most firme and vnshakeable foundation: but per­formest the vttermost of thy coue­nant, euen to the third and fourth generation of them that loue thee, and keepe thy commandements: which to obserue, and liue thereaf­ter, [Page 161] giue vs grace, ô Christ, for thy mercie sake, Amen.

1 S. BARNARDS golden sentence of the vertue following.

THE deceitfull pompe of this world is deseruedlie refused, and the glorie thereof woorthilie despised. It is the floure of haie; & a smoke that lasteth but a while. The best state thereof, whatsoeuer it be, dooth it not bring more anguish and vexation, than pleasure or delectation? Whiles, ô man, thou purchasest, whiles thou vsurpest, whiles thou defendest, whiles thou maintainest, whiles thou [Page 168] grudgest, whiles thou repinest, whiles thou suspectest, whiles thou art alwaies liking and louing that which thou hast not; and hauing gotten diuerse things, still desirest more with a greedie mind, what rest is in thy glorie? If there be anie, the pleasure thereof passeth awaie, and is neuer like to returne to thee; but the griefe and an­guish thereof abideth, and is neuer like to leaue thee. Neuertheles, thou maist see that manie lacke it, and few set light by it: why? trulie bicause need is in manie, and vertue in few.

O wicked world, which art woont so to blesse and preserue thy friends, that thou makest them Gods enimies; and conse­quentlie, vnfit for the felowship of Saints! For doubtles, he that will be thy friend, is made Gods enimie: and therfore a friend of the world, is shut out from the compa­nie of Gods friends. When the spirit is once tasted, the flesh must needs loose his sauour; to him that hungreth after hea­uenlie things, earthlie things are not toothsome; to him that longeth for eter­nall things, transitorie things are loth­some. For all the pleasure of this world, all [Page 169] the glorie therof, and whatsoeuer is desired and sought for therein, is verie little, in respect of that blessednes, of that happi­nes, of that honour, of that glorie; if it may be vouch safed to be counted little, or rather nothing.

O ye sonnes of Adam, ye couetous and ambitious generation; giue eare and marke. What haue you to doo with earth­lie riches, and temporall glorie, which in­deed are no true riches, nor yours to pos­sesse? True riches are not the wealth of the world, but the vertues of a good con­science, which it beareth about, for the perpetuall inriching of it selfe.

The shortnes of the world is certaine; but the end of the shortnes thereof is vn­certaine: oftentimes they forsake the li­uing, and commonlie folowe the dead. The pleasure, the delight, and comfort of the world is base, vile beggerlie, and good for nothing: yea rather (a thing much to be feared) it is a blocke or let to true and wholsome comfort. For what is there in this life, but labour and trauell, griefe, an­guish, and vexation of mind?

Thou wouldest faine eate, bicause hun­ger [Page 170] torments thee: they both are a paine and labour; but bicause hunger is the greater and grieuouser, thou thinkest that it is no paine & labour to eate. But after­wards when hunger is killed; tell me then if thou countest it not a greater and grie­uouser thing to eate, than to be hungrie.

In this case are all things vnder the sunne, so that nothing is pleasant or com­fortable in verie deed: but man will passe from one to another, to be releeued by change. For the remedie of one labour or paine, is the beginning of another. There is no wicked person in this world, that can haue what he will. The righteous man can not be satisfied with righteousnes; the v [...]luptuous man with voluptuousnes; the curious man with curiousnes; the ambi­tious and vaine-glorious man with vain-glorie.

But wo be to them, that hunt after vaine and flitting glorie. For whiles they seeke to haue ioie and delight in transito­rie things, that ioie and delight can not but passe awaie, with the verie things themselues whereof they spring. For as fire faileth, when wood is wanting; so vanish­eth [Page 171] the world, and the concupiscence of the same: and no doubt the ioie, plea­sure, and delight thereof dieth withall. Let the worldling therefore see and vnder­stand; let him marke and consider; bi­cause the end of his ioie is mourning and lamentation. For this is the meed of transitorie pleasure; this is the frute of temporall glorie.

2 The REPVLSE giuen by the CONTEMPT of this WORLD.

O Man, these things are not brought to passe of worldlings, without great dan­ger and offence; bi­cause the more a man hath, the more he coueteth: so that he hath no measure in his desires, whiles he maketh haste to become a verie seruant or slaue to innumerable cares of this life. For as the Scripture verifieth: A couetous man is neuer satisfied with monie. And what a detestable thing co­uetousnes [Page 172] is, S. Paule declareth in these wordes: Couetousnes, which is the worshipping of ima­ges, or idolatrie. The same Apostle shewing what a mischéefous thing it is, saith: They that will be rich, fall into temptations, and snares of the diuell, and manie noisome lusts, which drowne men in de­struction and perdition. The wise man also noteth, how hurtfull the vice of couetousnes is to them that be infected therewith, saieng: There is nothing more wicked, than a couetous man. And Saint Iames to the same purpose, vseth this spéech: Go to now ye rich men, wéepe and howle in the mise­ries which shall come vpon you: your riches are corrupt, your gar­ments are moth-eaten, your gold and siluer is cankerd, and the rust thereof shall be a witnes against you, & shall eate your flesh like fire.

Our Sauiour Christ also, sée­ing what mischéefe it is, would not in anie case scale vp such a sinne in [Page 173] silence. For these are his words written by the Euangelist: It is hard for a richman to enter into the kingdome of heauen.

Againe, It is easier for a camel to passe through the eie of a néedle, than for a richman to enter into the kingdome of heauen. If therefore couetousnes in the harts of world­lings, be such a plaguie and pesti­lent infection: what shall we think thereof, if it be found in them that haue taken their fare-well of the world, and bequeathed themselues wholie to the Lord? To such spe­ciallie are the words of our redée­mer Christ directed in the Gospell, whereby the sicknes of couetous­nes might be cured. Be yée not carefull (saith our Sauiour) what ye shall eate, or what ye shall drink, or what ye shall weare. For after all these things doo the Gentiles séeke. But first séeke the kingdome of God, and the righteousnes ther­of, and all these things shall be gi­uen you. O blessed lsaeing, void of [Page 174] care, and woorthie to be imbraced! For there is none liuing so frée from care, as he which desireth to possesse nothing beside Christ. For vnder the condition of this pro­mise, he is allowed to haue all such necessaries as he dooth lacke. As S. Paule the poore, and yet rich Apostle saith: As hauing nothing, and yet possessing all things. All things, not for superfluitie; but for necessitie, as he prooueth in these words: Hauing food and raiment, let vs be therewith content. But thou wilt saie peraduenture, O man, It is requisite that religious and godlie men should haue more in possession (riches I meane, and other vtensiles) than other pri­uate housholders, considering that they bestowe them better, than the common people, in reléeuing the poore & néedie members of Christ Iesu, and such like works of cha­ritie. I allow thy saieng, O man: but yet to pull vp couetousnes by the hard rootes, as well out of the [Page 175] harts of the one as the other, I re­fer all estates to the example of Lots wife, to terrifie them from setting their minds vpon such a vile sinne. Shée departing from among the Sodamites, and for­bidden to looke backe, was turned into a piller of salt; and so gaue vp the ghost, bicause she did not as she was inioined by commandement.

Wherevpon Christ giuing a watch-word to beware of the like, saith: No man putting his hand to the plough, and looking behind him is fit for the kingdome of heauen. To the same effect S. Peter vseth these words: Better were it for such neuer to haue knowne the waie of righteousnes, than after the knowledge thereof, to be tur­ned from that which was deliue­red them by an holie commande­ment. Vnto these men agréeth the old, and not so old as true pro­uerbe: A dog returning to his vo­mit, & a sow to walowe in the mire.

The nature of this disease of co­couetousnes [Page 176] is such, that the readi­est and spéediest waie to ouercome and killir, is continuallie to thinke vpon death, and euerie minute of an houre to consider, what shall be the state of a man verie shortlie af­ter he is laid in his graue. This was alwaies fixed fast, and déeplie grauen in his memorie, that vtte­red this sentence: Man is but cor­ruption, and the sonne of man but a woorme.

This was neuer out of his mind who said: whatsoeuer thou takest in hand, remember the end, & thou shalt neuer doo amisse. To what purpose then dooth the couetous worldling gather goodes? They will stand him in no stead in the daie of wrath. Harken, O man, to the voice of Iob: Naked came I out of my mothers wombe, and na­ked shall I go thither againe. Li­sten also to the words of the Apo­stle: we brought nothing into this world, neither can we carrie anie thing out of the same.

3 A praier for the for­mer vertue.

O Eternall and immortall God, we beseech thee, that the life of thy deerlie beloued sonne, and his disciples, during the time of their soiourning in this earth, the verie inne of iniquitie, may be prouoca­tions vnto vs, to spend the remnant of our flitting age in singlenes of hart, innocencie, and all vertuous conuersations: that hauing before our eies such liuelie examples of godlines, we may declare in our deeds a fruitfull imitation of them before the face of all men.

And bicause it is a true saieng of thy seruant S. Iames, that Whosoe­uer is a friend to this world, is an enimie to God: and that of S. Iohn, that The whole world is set vpon mischiefe; and that of thy Sonne Iesus Christ, that The world know­eth thee not, neither can receiue the spirit of truth, which is the [Page 178] holie Ghost: therefore wee most humblie craue this at thy hand, ô heauenlie Father, that it will please thee to bestowe vpon vs a due por­tion of thy grace, whereby we may growe into a great contempt of the world, and a bitter detestation and lothing of the vaine delights ther­vpon depending; following herein the example of thine Apostle Saint Paule, who counted the things that were vantage vnto him, meere losse for Christs sake: yea all things but losse for the excellent knowledge sake of Christ Iesus, for whom he esteemed all things little woorth, yea he iudged them no better than doong, that he might win Christ.

And although the necessities of this life, be so vrgent and manifold, that oftentimes the world allureth vs vnto hir loue: yet vouchsafe vs of thy mercie, the light of sound iudgement and reason, that we may hang wholie vpon thy prouidence, and vse this world, as if we vsed it not: knowing that thy sonne our [Page 179] Sauiour and redeemer, descended from heauen into the earth, was crucified, dead, buried, rose againe, and ascended into heauen, to the intent that he might deliuer, and set vs free from this present wicked world, than whom we haue not a deadlier enimie to the saluation of our soules. Heare vs for thy mer­cie sake, Amen.

1 S. BARNARDS golden sentence of the vertue following.

MERCIE is an affection, which is neither restrained by will, nor sub­dued to reason; bicause euerie bodie dooth not drawe it to himselfe volunta­rilie at his owne pleasure: but mercie mooueth godlie minds with a necessarie affection to haue compassion of the sad, so­rowfull, grieued, and distressed person; in so much that although it were a sinne to be mercifull; doo as much as I might, and what my will forceth me vnto, yet I can not choose but be mercifull.

Reason and will may indeed pull backe [Page 187] somewhat from this affection, they may hinder it a little, but are they able to root it out of the hart, to supplant it, to quench it? Iustice requireth desert, but mercie beholdeth miserie. True mercie iud­geth not, but taketh pitie; it standeth not vpon examining, but is content with the present occasion. For reason is not looked for, where affection draweth. For the mind, which loue hath once rauished, and com­passion pricked, is not suffered to haue rule ouer it selfe. It feareth things which it knoweth not, greeueth at things which behoue not, is more carefull than it would be, and for causes that it should not be: vnwilling it suffereth, vnwilling it pi­tieth.

Some are mercifull in respect of things not belonging vnto them; and these are offended, bicause men giue not abundant­lie to all; howbeit in such sort, that they themselues in that modicum or little of theirs are not touched with remorse; who if they were mercifull, then ought they to shew mercie by giuing their owne; and if they be not able of their worldlie mucke, yet should they with a good will pardon [Page 188] such as haue offended them, they should giue sweet dole, euen a good word, which is the best gift that can be giuen, that their minds may be mooued to repentance. To conclude, they should not onlie haue pitie, but also praie for all such as they knowe are in sinne; otherwise, their mercie is no mercie, and therefore they shall not ob­taine mercie.

2 The REPVLSE giuen by COMPASSION and MERCIE.

O Man, if thou kéepe that measure in this respect of giuing, which the Apostle dooth prescribe, thou maiest both bestowe vpon the im­potent, and also haue sufficient for the maintenance of thy familie. And therefore to this purpose the Apostle vseth a pithie spéech, verie apt and conuenient, saieng: If there be a willing mind, it is ac­cepted according to that which a man hath; & not according to that [Page 189] which he hath not.

Not that other be set at ease, and you burthened: but of like conditi­on now at this time, your abun­dance supplieth their want, that their abundance also may supplie your want, that there may be an equalitie, as it is written: He that had gathered much, had nothing o­uer: and he that had gathered lit­tle, had no lacke.

Herevpon a certaine righteous father admonisheth his vertuous sonne in this sort: If thou hast much, giue plentifullie; but if thou hast little, giue also of that little willinglie. To the same effect also the word incarnate (Iesus Christ I meane) saith thus: But rather giue almes of those things which you haue, and behold, all things are cleane vnto you. Listen fur­thermore, O man, what the scrip­ture saith: He shall haue iudgment without mercie, which sheweth no mercie.

To the contrarie whereof, the [Page 190] prophet vseth these words, Breake thy bread to the hungrie, and bring the poore and harbourles into thy house. When thou séest one naked, couer him, and despise not thine owne flesh. Remember what hea­uie doome happened to the rich man in purple and silke, who was not condemned bicause hée tooke from other men their owne goods: but for that hée gaue not of his plentie & abundance to the néedie.

Was he not tormented in hell, and forced there to make euen verie small requests, and yet could not obtaine them; bicause whiles he li­ued in this life, he denied trifles to the succouries? He denied the little crums falling from his table, and therefore it was not granted vnto him to haue the tip of his tongue cooled with cold water. He would not send his seruants with a little refreshing to the poore beggar; and therefore he could not get so much grace, as to let his brethren vnder­stand his torments for their in­struction [Page 191] and amendement.

But marke, O man, the seuere sentence of the iust Iudge, denoun­ced and thundered out in wrath and vengeance against the wicked goats on his left hand: Go ye cur­sed into euerlasting fire, prepared for the diuell and his angels. For I was hungrie, and you gaue mée no meate: and so foorth, as follow­eth in that place verie iustlie and terriblie.

3 A praier for the for­mer vertue.

O Eternall and gratious GOD, who by seuere reuengement executed vpon the vnmerciful, hast commended vnto vs the contrarie vertue; we most humblie beseech thee, that the diuine admonition of thy sonne, that pitifull Samaritane, who cast his eies of compassion vp­on the wounded traueller, lieng in the high waie betweene Ierusalem and Iericho, after that a priest and [Page 192] a Leuite had passed by, and mini­stred vnto him not so much as one little mite of comfort, giuen vnto vs in the Gospell, may worke effe­ctuallie in our harts, namelie, to be mercifull, as thou our heauenlie Father art mercifull.

And bicause the sacred Scripture teacheth vs: that With what mea­sure we meate vnto others, the like they shall meate vnto vs againe: vouchsafe that we learning and fo­lowing the sage and sound counsell of Salomon, may distribute our temporall riches liberallie with o­pen hand; knowing that we shall be recompensed with plentie: and may water abundantlie, beleeuing that we shalbe rewarded with store of seasonable raine: that is, for mer­cie, to receiue mercie, which thou requirest rather than sacrifice.

Let the examples of thy seruants, and that principallie of Dauid, a man according to thine owne harts desire, direct vs to the full discharge of our dutie; who although he had [Page 193] opportunitie to kill Saule, and was thereto incited by the aduise of his warriers, had compassion of him notwithstanding, refusing to laie his hand vpon the Lords annoin­ted. Euen so, good & gratious God, grant vs to deale with our enimies, that although they persecute vs most tyrannicallie, and most villa­nouslie intreate vs; yet we may put vp all iniuries patientlie, praieng for their amendment, and referring vengeance vnto thee, whose it is by proper challenge.

Finallie, most bountifull Father, what gift soeuer thou hast bestowed vpon vs, be it either wisdome, coun­sell, vtterance, knowledge of tongs, or other ornament of mind whatso­euer, which anie of our brethren wanting, may by the imparting and vsing thereof reape some profit; vouchsafe vs, that we may be so far from denieng them our helpe and succour; that we may be well con­tent to let all that we possesse bee conuerted and turned into their [Page 194] benefit: so far foorth, as safetie of conscience will suffer, and thy glo­rie allow. This grant, ô good God, for Iesus sake, our onelie mediator and aduocate, Amen.

1 S. BARNARDS golden sentence of the vertue following.

WILT thou learne, ô man, how to vse true and plaine dealing? I will tell thee what thou must doo. First see to thine inward eie, that it be single in­deed, whereto I thinke two things verie necessarie; namelie, charitie in the in­tent, and truth in making thy choise. For if thou loue that which is good, and choose not that which is true, thou hast a zeale of God, but not according to knowledge: and I wot not how in the iudgement of truth, plaine dealing, and double dealing may stand togither.

Christ the truth it selfe, being dispo­sed to traine his disciples to true plaine dealing, willeth them to be wise like ser­pents, and harmeles as dooues. He setteth wisedome before plaine dealing, without [Page 202] the which he knew well inough none could be a true plaine dealer. How then shall the eie be single indeed, with the igno­rance of truth? It is euident therefore, that this praise-woorthie plaine dealing, commended of Christ, is not without these two good properties: namelie, well willing, and wisedome; that the eie (to wit) of the hart, might not onlie be godlie, and so vt­terlie vnwilling to deceiue; but also wa­rie, as not able to be deceiued.

Furthermore, as these two properties make the eie single; namelie, the loue of that which is good, and the knowledge of that which is true: euen so these two con­traries make the eie euill, to wit, blindnes, or ignorance, which hindereth the know­ledge of the truth: and frowardnes or wilfulnes, which causeth a man to loue iniquitie and wickednes.

2 The REPVLSE giuen by VP­RIGHTNES, and plaine dealing.

O Man, it is much better to be poore, and not able to giue anie thing at all, than [Page 203] to indamage or hurt thy freend, thy neighbour, or thy brother by rob­berie or subtiltie. For he which vn­iustlie taketh awaie another mans goods, and liueth vpon the spoile, he shutteth the gates of the king­dome of heauen against himselfe.

Héerevpon, that profound Prea­cher of the Gentiles reprooueth certaine of the Corinthians his hearers, saieng: There is vtterlie a fault among you, because you go to lawe one with another. Why ra­ther do ye not put vp wrong? Why rather doo yée not suffer harme? Nay, yée your selues doo wrong, and doo harme, and that to your bréethren. Knowe ye not that the vnrighteous shall not inherit the kingdome of God?

The same Apostle reckoning vp a rabble of filthie sinners, that are excluded from comming to Gods kingdom, addeth these in the num­ber, saieng: Neither théeus nor ex­tortioners shall possesse the king­dome of heauen. Againe, in another [Page 204] place, by waie of exhortation, he teacheth thée a lesson, O man, which if thou wilt learne, it shall doo thée great good, namelie: that whatsoeuer things are true, what­soeuer things are honest, whatsoe­uer things are iust, whatsoeuer things are pure, whatsoeuer things pertaine to loue, whatsoe­uer things are of honest report, those things doo; and the God of peace shall be with thée.

This God of peace preciselie for­biddeth theft, saieng: Thou shalt not steale. And Christ Iesus the sauiour of thy soule speaketh thus vnto thée: Loue thy neighbour as thy selfe. To the same effect the A­postle giueth thée counsell to put off the old man with his works; in the number wherof, euill concupis­cence & couetousnes are reckoned.

The last precept giuen in that place, is to doo that hartilie which we doo, as vnto God, not to men; wherevpon he inferreth this sen­tence: He that doeth wrong, shall [Page 205] receiue for the wrong which he hath done. The same Apostle gi­ueth this wholesome aduise to the Colossians: To doo their owne bu­sines, and to worke with their own hands, that they might walke honestlie, and lacke nothing.

To conclude, if thou art com­manded, O man, to absteine euen from the verie appearance of euill; iudge with thy selfe, and examine thine owne conscience, whether it be lawfull for thée, either craftilie to circumuent, or violentlie to spoile thy Christian brother. Re­member the last commandement: Thou shalt not couet that which is anothers, then learne to be con­tented with thine owne.

3 A praier for the for­mer vertue.

O Iesus Christ, the liuelie and expresse image of the Father; forsomuch as it is a lesson taught vs in thy Gospell, that we should be [Page 206] simple as dooues, louing as lambs, and innocent as little children, o­therwise we can not enter into the kingdome of heauen: we beseech thee by thy bitter death and passi­on, to root out of our cankered and corrupt minds, all maner of euill concupiscences, which like ranke weedes ouergrowe and choake all kind of good and godlie affections in vs; so that we can not thinke, much lesse doo that, which is ac­ceptable to thy diuine pleasure.

May it please thee therefore, ô Lambe of God, that takest awaie the sinnes of the world, for thy bloudie wounds sake, wherein my faults, and the offences of all man­kind were buried, to plant in vs, and in euerie one of vs, a childish and infant-like innocencie, whereby we may vtterlie forget the falsehoods & subtilties of wicked worldlings, wherein they are so deeplie groun­ded, that they make no conscience of anie profered iniurie, of anie vi­olent extortion, of anie diuelish op­pression, [Page 207] be it neuer so contrarie to lawe and equitie, be it neuer so flat against Gods holie commande­ment, and Christian profession.

Let the world be like it selfe, & let worldlings wallowe in their woonted filthines: let the sworne enimies of true and faithfull dea­ling, surfet of sinne; and like dogs deuoure their owne vomit: but to vs thy children adopted, or rather brothers and sisters assured, giue such portion of thy spirit, that as the members and lims of our bo­dies, by a naturall inclination to loue and kindnes, prouide each one for anothers health and wel­fare: so we may seeke, not euerie man his owne; but that which is a­nothers, to the knitting fast of the knot of vnitie and concord, that in this life our ioie may be continued in hope, & performed in the life to come, with all fulnes and cer­taintie, by the merits of thy death and pas­sion, Amen.

1 S. BARNARDS golden sentence of the vertue following.

TRVTH in the inward parts, is the thing that God requireth. Truth and equitie are the things which he lo­ueth. The diuell was a manqueller from the beginning: and why? bicause the truth was not in him. Truth is the fruit of light, as for lieng, it is a worke of darknesse. Truth is to be honoured, because it ouer­commeth all things; truth is to be im­braced, because it defendeth from shame; [Page 214] truth is to be aduanced, because it endu­reth for euer; truth is to be regarded, be­cause it is blameles; truth is to be obeied, because it preuaileth.

As for equitie, let this suffice thee ô man in few words, that the greatest equitie that can be, is to behaue thy selfe lowlie to thine vnderling, reuerentlie to thy better, and louinglie to thine equall; to deale vp­rightlie, to depart from euill, and do good. For the equitie and iustice of a plaine-dealing man, shall direct his waies: and if thine eie be single, all thy bodie shall be full of light; as for a double minded man, he is wauering in all his waies.

2 The REPVLSE giuen by TRVTH and EQVI­TIE.

O Man, be not decei­ued, God is not moc­ked, neither can he be deluded. In séeking to deceiue him, thou deceiuest thy selfe. For the mouth of him, whosoeuer he be, that spea­keth lies, be it with neuer such [Page 215] cunning & sl [...]nes, slaieth the iouie; and all liers shall haue their porti­on in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone.

Doest thou not remember, O man, the words of the Prophet Dauid, comprised in an answere to a demand of his making? Lord, saith he, who shall dwell in thy ta­bernacle, or who shall inhabit in thy holie hill? The resolution follo­weth, wherein, among other there mentioned, he that hath vsed no de­ceipt in his tongue, nor done euill to his neighbour, is rehearsed to haue his portion.

To this purpose serueth the sai­eng of the sonne of Sirach, A lie is a wicked shame in a man, yet shall it be euer in the mouth of the vn­wise. A théefe is better than a man that is accustomed to lie, but they both shall haue destruction to heri­tage. The conditions of liers are vnhonest, and their shame is euer with them. By which words, O man, thou maist, if thou hast anie [Page 216] grace in thee, perceiue what an odi­ous and accursed sin lieng and dis­sembling is, and what danger they run into that vse them.

And therefore be warned to auoid such a rock, as maketh shipwracke of the saluation of thy soule: and though thou be assalted with the swéetnes of the same, yet take héed how thou puttest thy selfe in ad­uenture to becom acquainted ther­withall. To terrifie thée the more from accustoming thy tongue to such a pestilent vice, set before thine eies the example of Ananias and Saphira his wife, both possessed with the spirit of lieng and dissem­bling to the holie Ghost, and there­fore rewarded with sudden death.

O horrible iudgement of the high­est God! whereby, O man, thou maist be instructed, if thou wilt, that God is the author of truth and righteousnes, the louer of equi­tie and innocencie, and a detester of double dealing and hypocrisie.

To conclude this matter, O [Page 217] man, followe the counsell of the A­postle giuen to the Colossians his hearers: To put off the works of darkens, and to walke in light: to leaue lieng one to another, and to speake the truth euerie man to his neighbour.

3 A praier for the for­mer vertue.

O God the Father of heauen, the beholder of all things, visible and inuisible; which seest our in­ward and cloked thoughts, be they neuer so secret & darke: yea, which seest the issue of thē before they are conceiued; much more our actions or deeds, wherein is greater mani­festation and appearance: we be­seech thee first of all, to bind our manifold and innumerable sinnes in a bundell, and casting them be­hind thy backe, to drowne in the bottome of the sea, that they may sinke, and neuer come againe in sight.

[Page 218] Secondlie, we craue at thy boun­tifull hands the spirit of vnderstan­ding and knowledge, which may lead vs as it were by torch-light, or rather sunne-shine, to the waie of truth and equitie; which ought to be the bounds and limits of a Chri­stian life. For we confesse, as we can not otherwise choose in reason and conscience; that we haue not girded our loines about with veritie, that we haue not spoken plaine truth one to another, nor vsed inter­change of vpright dealing in the necessarie affaires incident to our particular vocations, as we are ex­horted by thine holie Apostle S. Paule.

And therefore, being sorie that wee haue shewed our selues such past-graces, partlie through carnall weaknes, partlie also through want of spirituall strength; but cheeflie through the subtiltie of Satan, who incessantlie pitcheth his tents of trecherie about the castle of our soules; we come home againe with [Page 219] wet and waterie cheekes, with our bosoms full of teares, with our harts rent and torne with the hookes of heauines, with wearie knees, wearie yea and wearie againe with wande­ring in wicked waies, bowing them before thy mercie-seate, and besee­ching thee to be good Father vnto vs vngratious & froward children.

Hitherto indeed, yea hitherto in verie deed we haue neglected the rule of obedience, and charitie; the one towards thee, ô Father; the o­ther towards our neighbours. And though we knowe that we ought to serue thee in truth, to maintaine nothing contrarie to truth, to doo nothing against truth; but all for and in the behalfe of truth: yet how far we haue gone beyond these bounds, thine is the iudgement, ô Father; thine is the vnderstanding. As for vs, we are vtterlie ignorant and senseles; and therefore submit our selues to thy mercifull censure, crauing gentle correction, though we haue deserued sharpe chastise­ment, [Page 220] if it be thy pleasure to punish; or suing for remission and forgiue­nes, though vtterlie vnwoorthie of such grace and fauour, if it be thy good will to grant vs pardon.

Finallie, wee humblie beseech thee, to increase truth and equitie in vs, that being led and conducted thereby, on the right hand and the left, we may neuer start aside like a broken bowe; but keepe on in a right course, till we come to the kingdome of heauen: which grant, ô Father, for his sake, whom thou louest best, Iesus the Sauiour of soules, Amen.

1 S. BARNARDS golden sentence of the vertue following.

SVrfetting and drunkennes is an out­ward taking of pleasure excessiuelie, [Page 228] and an inward fostering or maintaining of curiositie foolishlie: contrariwise, tem­perance and sobernes is an outward bri­deling of pleasures measurablie, and an inward keeping vnder of curiositie pru­dentlie. So that a man is well said to liue soberlie, iustlie, and godlie in these three seuerall respects.

Soberlie, concerning himselfe; when he keepeth his bodie in temperance, and abu­seth not the good gifts of God to wanton­nes and wastfulnes, which are to be vsed reuerentlie, and thankefullie; considering that they are giuen for sustenance sake, and not for gluttonie. Iustlie, concerning his neighbour, with whom he ought to deale plainlie, vprightlie, and charita­blie. For these properties are the first fra­mers of iustice, and the last finishers of the same. Godlie, concerning God, not pre­suming too much of our selues, but belee­uing faithfullie and vnfainedlie in God, that through him we may out-growe all the hinderances and stum­bling blocks of this wic­ked world.

[Page 229]2 The REPVLSE giuen by TEM­PERANCE and SO­BERNES.

O Man, one of the parts of thy spéech is true, & also agrée­able to reason. For [...]o, to the intent that thou shouldest not be famished and hunger-bitten to death, it plea­sed the Lord God to make all things fit for foode, pure and cleane. But on the contrarie againe, that thou mightest not shew thy selfe immoderate in eating and drin­king, a paunch pamperer, and a bellie god, he enioined and laid vp­on thée the commandement of ab­stinence.

Furthermore, O man, marke for thy learning, that Sodom, among the rest of hir horrible sins, came to destruction and ruine, through the fulnes of bread; the Lord Iesus giuing witnes héerevnto, when he spake of Ierusalem, and saieng, [Page 230] This was the iniquitie and sin of thy sister Sodom, euen fulnes of bread. Wherfore it shall be good and necessarie for euerie man, to come and take his meate and other suste­nance, as the sick patient receiueth physicke: namelie, not for delectati­on or pleasure, but for necessitie sake. Héerevpon saith the truth, that became flesh, Iesus Christ I meane, in the holie Gospell: Take héed that your hearts be not heauie with surfetting and dronkennes. Againe, S. Paule the Apostle speaking against the Iewes insa­tiable deuouring and gréedines, v­seth these words; Manie walke, of whome I haue often told you, and now tell you wéeping, that they are the enimies of the crosse of Christ, whose bellie is their God, and glorie to their shame, which mind earthlie things. Againe, Meate for the bellie, and the bellie for meate, but God shall destroie both the one and the other.

Now will I teach thée, O man, [Page 231] who he is that falleth not into this vice of gluttonie; but resisting the same, ouercommeth and conque­reth it. Euen he, which in recei­uing his food and nourishment, is not onlie parciall, moderate, and of a contented mind, whereby he is able to rule and temper his appe­tite, when he féeleth himselfe assal­ted with hunger: but he also which despiseth fine fare, delicate dishes, plentie, or rather superfluitie of cates; except it be so that his bodie being weake, féeble, and impotent, cannot brooke grosse or strong meates; or that vpon occasion of entertaining his fréends, he must néeds, for the auoiding of the sus­picion of couetousnes, and mise­rable niggardnes, prepare such banqueting chéere, as may séeme agréeable to the persons assembled.

3 A praier for the for­mer vertue.

O Almightie & immortall God, thy word teacheth vs, that thou [Page 232] art carefull euen ouer little spar­rowes, which haue their food from thee: how much more mercifull, fa­uorable and tender ouer vs, whom thou hast made possessors of all thy blessings, powred out in full and o­uerruning measure vpon the earth? In consideration whereof, assist vs with thy good spirit, that we may re­uerentlie receiue them, to that end wherevnto they were giuen vs: not abusing them to wantonnesse and fleshlie pleasure, or to any such hea­thenish vanitie; knowing, that is to kindle the fire of thy furie, to con­sume vs vtterlie both bodie and soule: but vsing them rather to the comfort of our owne bodies, their reliefe ouer whom we haue charge, & the sustentation of the poore dis­tressed mēbers of thy Church; that thus doing, we may liue in so much the lesse blame, in respect of thee, whose glorie we are bound in con­science, aboue all things to prefer.

Which course of life, bicause it is vnpossible for anie naturall man [Page 233] to keepe, vnles he receiue extraor­dinarie grace from aboue, and haue such helps as may tedder and tie in his wandering affections: wee be­seech thee to haue regard to our present state, and to furnish vs with that vertue, which thou knowest most necessarie in this behalfe; euen the vertue of temperance, whereby we may obserue a decent order, not onelie in our diet, and dailie refreshing: but also in our apparell, and all other exercises, which we take in hand: that thy name therby may be magnified, and the inward hope of our holie cal­ling established, through the me­rits of Iesus Christ our Sauiour, Amen.

1 S. BARNARDS golden sentence of the vertue following.

SOROWE is of two sorts, good and bad; both which are no lesse discer­nable by their effects, than the tree by the fruite. Good sorowe is of such a working, that it bringeth profit with it: and there­fore the Apostle hauing made the Church of Corinth pensife and sad with the E­pistle which he sent them, saith plainelie that hee repenteth not a whit thereof, but rather reioiceth; and why? because he made them sorie to repentance, this sorowe can do no harme to him that falleth ther­into.

As for euill sorowe, which commonlie of­fendeth in excesse: as it hindereth that which may doo good, (for it refuseth the comfort of counsell, and the comfort of praier) so also it hasteneth that which is [Page 240] euill, euen death and the graue: and ther­fore saith the wise man, Giue not thy hart to sorowe, but driue the same from thee. If thou be heauie, keepe a meane: if thou be merrie, vse measure: praie in the one, sing psalmes in the other.

2 The REPVLSE giuen by measurable SORO­VVING.

O Man, what is the cause of this thy so great and excessiue reioicing? Hast thou of late vanquished Sathan the diuell? Hast thou e­scaped the paines of hell-fire? Hast thou recouered thy banishment, and come to thy countrie? Hast thou gotten securitie by thine ele­ction or choice? Peraduenture the saieng of thy Sauior is out of thy memorie, The world shall laugh and reioice, but you shall be heauie and sad; neuertheles, this your sad­nes shall be turned into gladnes, and pour gréefe into ioie.

[Page 241] Peraduenture also thou hast for­gotten the words of thy redéemer, Wo be vnto you which now doo laugh, for yée shall wéepe and la­ment. And Salomon saith, The heart is sorrowfull euen in laugh­ter, and the end of mirth is heaui­nes. Furthermore, although it be affirmed by the same prudent king, that a merrie hart is the life of the bodie, yet is not immoderate reioi­cing allowed by his words. For thy sauiour and redéemer speaketh thus to the contrarie, Blessed are they that moorne, for they shall bée comforted.

Remember, O man, the saieng of Salomon the wise, That no man knoweth whether he shall deserue to be loued or hated, and why? bi­cause all things are kept doubtfull & vncertaine for the time to come. And therefore, O man, vse a mea­sure in thy reioicing, which is but vaine and foolish, bicause thou canst not saie yet thou hast escaped the danger of damnation and hell-fire.

[Page 242] Is not he iudged a mad fellowe, which lieng in prison with irons vpon his legs, hath his head full of iollie robbins, as though he enioied the fulnes and perfection of true felicitie? Euen so, if thou shalt set thy mind so much vpon mirth, vaine-pleasure, and delight, which may mooue pastime & laughter, not thinking vpon the estate of ano­ther life hereafter, I saie vnto thée, O man, I doubt of thy saluation.

For a certaine note and marke to discerne Gods seruants by, is af­fliction of bodie, and tribulation of mind; which thou canst not be counted woorthie to partake, vn­lesse thou cast awaie that ill cu­stome & acquaintance, which thou art growne into with immoderate reioicing, and foolish delight.

3 A praier for the for­mer vertue.

O Almightie, and euer-liuing God, forsomuch as the burthen [Page 243] of our sinnes being heauie and im­portable, forceth vs to grone vnder the weight therof, and diuers times pricketh vs with the gode of inward greefe, whereby we are beatdowne, and kept vnder with consuming an­guish, and brought almost euen to the pits brinke of desperation: we beseech thee to powre into our harts but one little drop of thy good and gratious spirit, which may forti­fie and make vs strong against all the enimies of our soules health; and that we may be sorie and gree­ued for our misdeeds, but yet (Lord) to our comfort and amendment, not to our ouerthrowe & confusion.

Moreouer, because this fraile and wretched life of ours, lieth wide o­pen, like a citie without a wall, or as a vineyard without a hedge, to the inuasion of manie calamities, whereof some touch our owne e­state, othersome our freends, manie our deere children and kindred, not a few our goods and substance, an infinite number our bodilie [Page 244] health, which is sundrie times sha­ken with manie a sharpe surge of sicknes: vouchsafe vs in respect of these necessarie and vnauoidable afflictions allotted to this life, a re­lenting hart, and a greeued mind; knowing that our sins haue let in all these, and a thousand miseries more, to increase and aggrauate our torment.

The example of thy son, ô mer­cifull father, lamenting the death of Lazarus, and bewailing the ru­ine of Ierusalem, which he prophe­sied before it came to passe, tea­cheth vs how we should be affected and minded in the execution of thy corrections and chastisements on others, or on our selues: which be­ing a principall patterne, and so sound in all assaies, as a better or more auaileable cannot be thought vpon, much lesse followed, we craue the assistance of thy grace to pre­uent vs in all our actions and at­tempts, so shall wee bee sure to bee trained vnto that sorowe, which to [Page 245] thy Maiestie is allowable, & to our selues most profitable. Heare vs sweet Father, and grant our sute, for Iesus sake, Amen.

1 S. BARNARDS golden sentence of the vertue following.

SILENCE is blameles, yea it is prais­woorthie. Good silence forbeareth to brag vainelie. Good silence forbeareth to blaspheme boldlie. Good silence forbea­reth to murmur curstlie, and good si­lence forbeareth to backbite lewdlie: then let a vaine-boasting tongue, a bold blas­pheming tongue, a curst murmuring tongue, and a lewd backbiting tongue be silent in vs; because it is good in this four­fold [Page 252] silence, to wait for the sauing health of our Lord.

Howbeit, ô man, I wish thee to be si­lent in such sort, that thou hold not thy peace quite, least by such silence thou cause the Lord to be silent. Speake vnto God in confession, against vaine-boa­sting; that thou maist haue pardon for the time past. Speake vnto him in thankes-giuing, against murmuring; that thou maist find the greater fauour in the time present. Speake vnto him in praier, against mistrust; that thou maist ob­teine glorie in the time to come. Con­fesse I saie thy misdeeds past, giue thanks for things present, and heereafter praie more deuoutlie and hartilie for the ioies to come, that God may not be silent from forgiuenes, from bountifulnes, nor from the performance of his promise.

2 The REPVLSE giuen by dis­creet SILENCE.

O Man, in speaking much, it may bée thou shalt vtter that which is good. But what of that, séeing it happeneth [Page 253] oftentimes, that communication well and honestlie begon, in conti­nuance may become euill, filthie, and wicked: the holie scripture gi­uing authoritie héerevnto, and sai­eng, Where much babbling is, there must néeds be offence.

I grant, O man, that among in­numerable words, and infinite talke, such héed may be taken, that filthie and dishonest spéeches may be well enough auoided: but I praie thee tell mée, is it possible to vse no idle, vaine, and vnprofitable words, whereof we are forewar­ned to render an accompt? Exa­mine thy selfe, and determine of the matter accordinglie. Of thy words thou shalt be iustified, and of thy words thou shalt be condemned, saith the scripture. Now iudge if thou hadst not néed set a hatch be­fore thy tongue, that thou offend not in the same.

The wise king Salomon repu­teth that man discréet, which hi­deth his knowledge, and maketh [Page 254] no vaunt thereof: contrariwise, he termeth him a foole that is blab­bing manie things without discre­tion or iudgement. In much bab­bling, O man, there cannot choose but be great abuse; and the danger of the tongue is so pestilent, that it had néed to be preuented by pru­dence, grauitie, and sobernes. He that kéepeth his mouth, kéepeth his life; but who so rashlie openeth his lips, destroieth himselfe. What a heauie case is this, that destructi­on should depend vpon the tongue; and yet, O man, thou wilt not leaue thy vaine babbling.

Who so kéepeth his mouth and his tongue, the same kéepeth his soule from troubles. In this sen­tence Salomon commendeth si­lence, and condemneth much bab­bling; the one necessarie and fruit­full, the other néedles and hurtfull. To conclude, in speaking thou must vse a measure; yea sometimes it is good for thée to forbeare profi­table spéeches; according to the ex­ample [Page 255] of the Psalmist, I kept si­lence, yea euen from good words.

It should séeme by sundrie spée­ches of the same blessed Prophet Dauid, that by much babbling, which is the peculiar exercise of the tongue, great mischiefe doth grow. For, not all in vaine, he saith thus; I said I will take héed to my waies, that I offend not in my tongue. I will kéepe my mouth as it were with a bridle. Doo thine endeuour, O man, after his ex­ample, to temper thy tongue; so shalt thou bée sure to be found blameles of that vice, whereof thou art giltie.

3 A praier for the for­mer vertue.

O Wel-spring of all vertue, teach vs how to frame our speech & communication to the glorie of thy name, the benefit of our brethren, & the comfort of our owne soules; wishing rather with silence to shew [Page 256] some point of wisdome, than by rash talke and much babling to declare our doltish follie.

And forsomuch as we are taught by the mouth of Salomon, that a word spoken conuenientlie, and as iust occasion mooueth, is like apples of gold with pictures of siluer, ther­by commending silence vnto vs, as a propertie praise-woorthie in the prudent, which must be kept as time and place requireth: we most hum­blie beseech thee, of thy woonted clemencie and bountifulnes, which neuer denied or withheld anie law­full thing required of faithfull su­ters, to chalke out before vs a rea­die waie to that sober silence, which so often is commended in thy holie word, and so seldome vsed in the world.

Lighten our harts, and by the bright appearing of the sunne of knowledge, disperse and driue away from the eies of our minds, the mi­stie and palpable clouds of igno­rance, that we may haue our feete [Page 257] set in that right path, which may conduct vs vnto him, in whom we may learne a most notable and ex­cellent lesson of silence, euen Christ Iesus thy sonne, who in all his sufferings, passions, and ago­nies; in all the villanies, reproches, and contumelies of his enimies, o­pened not his mouth, gaue not twite for twite, rebuke for rebuke, checke for checke: but like a sheepe before the shearer; or as a lambe led to the slaughter, put vp all these iniuries, and gaue his aduersaries not one fowle word.

In him we see the singular silence, which euerie Christian is bound in conscience to imitate and followe; though not so exactlie, bicause our Sauiour was not attainted with sin, which poison hath infected our bo­dies and soules; yet proportiona­blie, according to that measure of grace, which we haue reciued from aboue. Guide vs therevnto, ô mer­cifull Father, by the illumination of thy spirit, that framing our selues [Page 258] after the example of thy sonne, the perfect paterne of all vertue, both morall and intellectuall, wee may please thine eternall Maiestie with our obedience, wherein thou art more delighted, than in anie burnt offering, or fuming incense. This and all other necessaries towards the leading of a godlie life, grant vs for thy mercie sake, Amen.

1 S. BARNARDS golden sentence of the vertue following.

AN honest and cleane life is that, which we commonlie call continen­cie. By this chast continencie, or continent chastitie, all the defilings of lecherous dis­honestie are cleansed, and quite washed awaie. By this vertue, honest and cleane continencie, the bodie is brideled, and kept short from gadding after the deadlie de­lights of the flesh. He that committeth carnall filthines, offendeth against his owne bodie, spoiling it of a speciall honour; & disgracing it with reprochfull shame; in that he taketh the member of Christ, [Page 267] and maketh it the member of an harlot.

It is not my meaning onelie, that wee should forbeare from a sinne so abhomi­nable; but also from all pleasure and de­light of the flesh. For the holie Ghost will not tarrie there, where anie vncleannes resteth. Furthermore, that honestie or continencie of life, which hunteth after the praise of men, hath no reward at Gods hands. And therefore it is needfull for vs to haue a pure and vndefiled intent or purpose, whereby our minds may couet to please God, and be able also to cleaue fast vnto him.

To cleaue fast vnto God, is nothing else but to see God; which is granted on­lie to such as be cleane harted. And tru­lie, then is the vertue of continencie per­fect, when wee liuing togither with our neighbours in the vnitie of faith, keepe our selues from committing sinne & wic­kednes, not for feare of punishment, or for desire of mens commendation; but one­lie for the loue, which we beare to God, vnder whose safegard wee rest: bicause continencie is not able to withstand the mightie and manifold assaults of the [Page 268] tempter, vnles it be defended and vnder­shored with his grace.

2 The REPVLSE giuen by ho­nestie and cleannes of LIFE.

O Man, looke into the glasse of Gods most holie word, and thou shalt sée from the be­ginning to the en­ding of the same, what terrible threatenings, maledictions, and cursses, are thundered out against all vncleane persons: contrariwise, what benedictions and blessings are promised to the obedient obser­uers of the lawe.

The Lord himselfe, by the mouth of Moses, saith vnto his chosen people the Iewes; and vnto thée, O man: If thou walke in mine or­dinances, and kéepe my comman­dements (meaning indéed, if thou abhorre idolatrie, breake not my sanctified sabboths, honor thy su­periours, leade an honest & cleane [Page 269] life, [...] not thy [...], which was giuen thée pure and vnpollu­ted) I will send thee raine in due season, increase of thy land, fruits of thy trées, plentifull thres­shing, an abundant vintage, quiet dwellings, vniuersall peace, sound sléepe, victorie ouer thine enimies; I will be thy God, and thou shalt be my seruant.

On the other part, if thou neglect the kéeping of the Lords lawe, looke for none other reward, but the contrarie cursses to these bles­sings. And therefore, O man, if thou wilt liue in Gods fauour, and auoid the heate of his wrath, take héed how thou acquaintest thy soule with sin, which stingeth vnto death, if it obteine place to enter.

Not without great cause is vn­cleannes cried out against in the scripture, and most horrible pu­nishments denounced against it, that thou mightest be terrified, and become fearefull to fall into such a foule offence. Doo but looke vpon [Page 270] the curssed waters, which the a­dulterous woman, in the time of Moses lawe, was enioined to drinke; whereby hir bellie most irkesomlie did swell, and hir thigh rot, as it hoong vpon hir bodie; to declare that God is highlie dis­pleased with such filthines.

An example of his indignation against his peculiar people, thou maist sée in the scripture, & learne to detest all vncleannes, speciallie that beastlines of the flesh. The Israe­lites abiding in Sittim, began to commit whooredome with the daughters of Moab; wherevpon they grewe to be idolatrers and i­mage-woorshippers, contrarie to that which they were commanded. What followed? Were not all the heads of the people commanded to be hanged against the sunne? And were not Zamrie the Israelite, and Cosbie the Madianite, both of them descended of honourable hou­ses, thrust through euen in the ve­rie committing of carnall lust and [Page 271] vncleannes, with the iaueling of Phinées, the sonne of Eleazar.

If examples may withdrawe thée from dooing such wickednes, thou hast store of them in the scripture: if precepts and admonitions, thou canst not so soone open Gods booke, but thou shalt find plentie for thine instruction and learning. If nei­ther of these can worke with thée, but that thou continuest at a staie; O then wo be to thée, O man: for thou art sold ouer vnto sin, and there is little or no hope of thy re­couerie.

Consider the words of Sainct Paule, and imprint them in thy memorie: the same counsell that he gaue the Corinthians, I giue thée; not to be an idolatrer, not to be a murmurer, not to be lead by lust, not to be a dronkard; and to con­clude, not to be a fornicator, or vn­cleane person. The same Apostle else-where, vseth words well wor­thie to be marked and remembred. Knowe ye not (saith he) that the [Page 272] vnrighteous shall not inherit the kingdome of God? Be not decei­ued: neither fornicators, nor idola­ters, nor adulterers, nor effemi­nate, nor abusers of themselues with man-kind, nor théeues, nor couetous, nor dronkards, nor reui­lers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdome of God.

Heere thou séest, O man, all vn­cleannes condemned. Thou seest also how the workers of wicked­nes are rewarded. And therefore, followe the good aduise of the same Apostle, to kéepe thy vessell pure in holines, and by no meanes to make thy members the members of an harlot, seing thy whole bodie is ap­pointed to be the temple of the holie Ghost, where he will not vouchsafe to dwell, if thou sufferest the same to become filthie and vncleane.

3 A praier for the for­mer vertue.

O Father of mercie, and God of all consolation; we most hum­blie [Page 273] beseech thy diuine Maiestie, to giue vs grace to take heed to our selues, that wee exceede not the bounds of honestie, nor keepe com­panie with such as are counted dis­honest and lewd liuers; by whose euill example, all good inclination naturallie graffed in vs is choked, godlie motions pliable to Christi­an purposes peruerted, the whole course of our life corrupted, our vertues blemished, our vices cheri­shed, our bodies abused, our soules defiled, and thy glorious name dis­honoured.

Powre into vs the spirit of chasti­tie, which abounded in Ioseph; which ouerflowed in Susan; that being therewith harnessed, as with complete armour, wee may gain­stand, repell, and award all the blowes of temptation, sent from Sa­tan the prince of this world, to as­sault vs, and with sundrie subtill and sugred assaies to circumuent, and vndermine vs, to the end we might, by his malicious meanes, pollute [Page 274] our vessels with the dregs of filthi­nes; which thou, ô Father, hast com­manded vs to keepe holie and vn­defiled, for thy selfe to inhabit and dwell in.

Mortifie euerie member of vs, both inward and outward, with the sword of thy spirit, which is thine eternall word, whereby we may be sanctified, and withdrawne from all kind of affections sauouring of vn­cleannes (than which nothing is more odious and abhominable in thy sight) and not like the Scribes and Pharises, scowre and clense the outside of the cup or platter, lea­uing the inside furd as it were with filthines: but washing and wiping euen our verie hearts from euill thoughts, our mouthes from lewd speech, our eies from viewing vani­tie, and all the parts of our bodies from stinking nastines; that being cleane within and without, we may in due time approch to thee, ô God, and see thee face to face: which grant we beseech thee for his sake, [Page 275] whose bloud hath made vs cleane, euen Iesus Christ thy beloued son, and our blessed Sauiour, Amen.

1 S. BARNARDS golden sentence of the vertue following.

VNspotted CHASTITIE is the onlie iewell, which in this mortall life representeth vnto vs a certaine state of eternall glorie. Vnspotted chastitie is the onelie thing, which at the solemnities of mariage setteth before vs a forme of that blessed countrie, where wee shall not marie, nor be maried: giuing vs in this our earthlie booth a proofe of that same celestiall conuersation, which wee shall lead in the life to come with the Saints.

This vessell which we beare about is brickle, fraile, and manie times in danger: howbeit chastitie keepeth and preserueth it for sanctification, yea like most sweete smelling balme it perfumeth our carca­ses, making them trim and sauourie, as if they were seasoned with the purest spice.

Vnspotted chastitie brideleth the sen­ses, [Page 284] and snaffleth the lims, least otherwise they might soke in idlenes and ease, run a rioting after lewd desires, and beecome ranke and rotten with the pleasures of the flesh. But yet for all this, chastitie, how beautifull & amiable so euer it seeme in shew, is nothing woorth, without charitie: it is of no value, of no price, of no estima­tion, void of credit, merit, & desart. And no maruell. For without charitie what good thing can be vndertaken, had, or ob­teined? Faith: yea but that auaileth lit­tle, though it mooue mountaines. Knowe­ledge: yea but that profiteth little, though it speake with the tongues of men and angels. Martyrdome: yea but that hel­peth little, though I offer my bodie to be burned. Chastitie void of charitie, is a lampe lacking oile. Take awaie oile, & the lampe is not lightsome: take awaie chari­tie, and chastitie is not delightsome.

2 The REPVLSE giuen by vn­spotted CHASTITIE.

O Man, I would not haue thée ignorant what thy reward shall be after this [Page 285] life. For if thou liuest chastlie and holilie, thy ioie and happines shall be euerlasting: if dishonestlie and wickedlie, thou shalt haue thy por­tion in eternall torments of hell­fire. Furthermore, it is méete also, O man, that thou endeuour to liue the more chastlie, because thou canst not tell how soone the accep­table time of grace and repentance will passe awaie.

And although God in the begin­ning of the world, made man and woman, to kéepe companie, and the one to take pleasure of the other, yet thereby it was not his godlie meaning to approoue or allow li­centiousnes of life, but rather to e­stablish and confirme matrimonie vpon earth, that such as had not the gift of virginitie and chastitie, might with safetie of conscience presume vpon that present remedie of marriage, which the Lord in his own person ordeined & established.

As for the filthie sin of lecherie, fornication, or adulterie, none may [Page 286] be so bold as to commit them, for feare of perill following héere vpon. And that it is no sight sin to defile thine owne bodie, learne by the words of the Apostle. For dooest thou not marke, O man; or dooest thou take that for a vaine toie, which S. Paule speaketh to lea­cherers, & lusters of strange flesh? Flie fornication my brethren (saith hée:) for euerie sin which a man committeth, is without the bodie, but he that plaieth the fornicator; offendeth against his owne bodie.

If thou estéemest this for a thing of naught, listen vnto that which will make thée lament and wéepe, if thou hast anie drop of grace in thy hart or entrailes; Neither a­dulterers, nor fornicators, nor a­busers of themselues with man­kind, shall inherit the kingdome of God. Againe, the same Apostle set­ting downe a rabble of fleshlie works, doth not omit this filthie vice, and concludeth as before sai­eng: The works of the flesh are [Page 287] adulterie, fornication, vncleannes, wantonnes, wrath, strife, enuieng, murthers, gluttonie, dronkennes, and such like; of the which I told you before, & tell you now againe, that euen they, which doo such things, shall not inherit the king­dome of God.

And yet further in this matter, he spareth not to expresse his mind else-where, saieng: As for fornica­tion and all vncleannes, let it not be once named among you, as it becommeth Saincts; neither fil­thines, neither foolish talking, nei­ther iesting, which are not comelie. And why? Because no whore­monger, neither vncleane person, &c. hath anie inheritance in the kingdome of Christ, and of God.

To conclude therfore, I put thée in memorie of the sentence of S. Iohn, describing the holie citie of God, new Ierusalem, and the glo­rie of the same, into the which he affirmeth flatlie, nothing that is vncleane shall enter: for without [Page 288] shall be dogs, inchanters, whore­mongers, murtherers, idolatrers, liers, and such like.

By these contraries, O man, and their reward, thou maist iudge what a pretious thing it is to kéepe thy bodie chaste, to liue ho­nestlie, soberlie, and acceptablie be­fore God and men, that thy wal­king may be after the example of Christ Iesus thy sauiour, whome if thou imitate and followe with vnfeigned affection, thou canst not doo amisse.

3 A praier for the for­mer vertue.

O Eternall GOD, Father of our Lord Iesus Christ, who by the mouth of thy sonne our Sauiour Iesus Christ, hast told vs of three kinds of chastitie: the first natural­lie ingraffed, the second artificial­lie procured, and the third celesti­allie obteined; ech one whereof shooteth at a certaine marke, is vn­dertaken [Page 289] for a speciall end, and ri­seth of some materiall cause; as of infirmitie, necessarie policie, and desire to serue thee with free liber­tie; which is a verie beneficiall kind of chastitie, drawing with it the complete and full dutie of Christi­anitie; wee craue of thy gratious goodnes the entire practise & per­fect vse of the last, holding our selues content with the bare know­ledge of the second and the first.

Also most mercifull Father, bi­cause this is the chastitie, which proceedeth from thy diuine influ­ence (in comparison whereof, the two former are but flourishes as it were and shadowes) which manie of thy Saints haue imbraced for the kingdome of heauens sake, that be­ing furthest off from all transitorie concupiscences, of seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, and feeling, they might be the neerer to true & eter­nall felicitie, which is then most likelie to be obtained, when we re­nounce the world, and all trifling [Page 290] vanities.

Therefore, euen therfore, ô Lord, euen for the participation of thy kingdome, and the ioies thereof, whereat thy Saints haue directed their liues, by the iust line and le­uell of vnspotted chastitie, keeping their vessels pure and sanctified for the honorable seruice whereto they are appointed: wee craue at thy hands the selfe-same ornament and rich ouch of innocencie, the selfe-same iewell of spotlesse virginitie, the selfe-same tablet of true tempe­rance: that treading the trace which they trode, and not mistaking our aime giuen vs by their good exam­ples, we may obtaine the reward of our chastitie; euen the white siluer­like glistering robes of Saints and angels, with them to liue euerla­stinglie and world without end, in the heauen of heauens, where­to hee bring vs speedilie, that bought vs deer­lie, Amen.

1 S. BARNARDS golden sentence of the vertue following.

WILT thou learne, ô man, what inward chastitie and cleannes of [Page 298] hart is; then consider the contrarie, that by the vilenes of the one, thou maist learne the excellencie of the other. It is natural­lie graffed in euerie reasonable creature, to fansie the best things, and still to couet more, though he haue enough: yea, sup­pose that whatsoeuer he hath, be pure and good; yet so rauenous are his desires, and so insatiable his hart, that he thinketh better of other mens, than his owne. For doubtles it is a thing vnpossible, to tedder & tie in concupiscence, or to appoint it much or little, till it be satisfied, till it be filled, till it haue got wherewith to be contented. As for example. He that hath a faire wife, wisheth a fairer in his hart, and is be­witched with a wanton eie. He that goeth gorgeous and gaie, setteth his mind vpon costlier and brauer attire. He that swim­meth in wealth, hunteth after more, re­pining at him that is richer. The monie­monger will neuer saie, I haue enough. The whooremonger will neuer saie, I haue enough. The bloud-thirstie murtherer will neuer saie, I haue enough. The ambi­tious vain-glorious man will neuer saie, I haue enough: and so of the rest.

[Page 299] What is the cause of this insatiablenes, which hath no end, which hath no botome? Euen an vncleane hart, a corrupt hart, a defiled hart, an vnchast hart, which run­neth a whoring after other mens goods, & will in no wise be content with his owne. A cleane & pure hart is the dwelling-house of Christ. In such a hart reason is so far frō error, that it agreeth with mans will. For mans will loueth such a reason, and such a reason mans will. Let thy will be void of vncleannes, bicause right reason alloweth such a will.

Cleannes of hart causeth quietnes of conscience. For if the hart be chast, the conscience is not troubled; bicause such chastitie and cleannes is a mortifieng of the earthlie members, a taming, a bring­ing downe, and a keeping vnder of cor­rupt affections, which are the torches that set the towe of euill deeds on fire. To the cleane harted, blessednes is promised; to the vncleane harted, cursednes is threa­tened: the one shall dwell in the Lords tabernacle; the other in the diuels dun­geon: the one shall rest in Gods holie hill; the other in the vallie of death: the [Page 300] one shall liue with the Lambe euerla­stinglie; bicause they are chast virgins: the other with the Gote (Satan I meane) bicause they are ranke harlots.

2 The REPVLSE giuen by in­ward CHASTITIE, or vndefilednes of heart.

O Man, thou art a gre­uous offender, if thou kéepe not the chasti­tie and virginitie of thy soule. For marke what the author of perfection, in­nocencie, and cleannes vttereth in the Gospell; Whosoeuer (saith he) looketh vpon a woman to lust after hir, he hath committed fornication with hir alreadie in his heart.

To the contrarie whereof, that patient man Iob hath this spéech; I haue made a couenant with mine eies, that I should not so much as thinke vpon a woman. For how great a portion shall I haue of God from aboue, and what [Page 301] inheritance of the almightie from on high? Is not destruction pre­pared for the wicked, and some strange thing for the workers of iniquitie?

Furthermore, if there were not deadlie danger, euen in concupis­cence of the eie and the heart, it is not like that he would haue burst out with vehemencie into these spéeches; If mine heart hath wal­ked after mine eies, if it hath béene deceiued by a woman, or if I haue laid wait at my neighbours dore, then let my wife grind vnto ano­ther man, and let other men lie with hir.

It is good for thée therefore to haue the petition of the Prophet Dauid alwaies fresh in memorie: O Lord turne awaie mine eies, that they behold not vanitie. Em­brace the wholesome counsell of wise Salomon, Lust not after a womans beautie in thine heart, least thou be taken with hir faire lookes.

[Page 302] Moreouer, if it were not so, that the verie thought of consenting to wickednes did not displease the Lord thy Creator, this sentence of the Prophet Esaie had neuer béen vttered; Awaie with the euill and wickednes of your thoughts from my sight. Againe in the Gospell, the Lord vseth these words to the Pharisies; why doo ye thinke euill in your hearts? Neither would the blessed Apostle S. Paule haue spoken in this manner; Their thoughts accusing or excusing one another, at the day when God shall iudge the secrets of men, according to my Gospell.

Among manie vices, which Ie­sus the son of Sirach reciteth, ex­horting vs therwithall to be asha­med of them, he omitteth not loo­king vpon another mans wife, v­sing manie trifling words with a maiden, or standing by hir bed-side; because they be as it were ladders to clime vp to greater mischiefs, and therefore ought most aduised­lie [Page 303] to be shunned.

To knit vp my meaning in bre­uitie, O man, I would haue thée walke after the example of Christ in holines and innocencie, not de­luding thine owne soule with anie false and lieng persuasion of the diuels suggesting; as though it were the actuall déed, which dis­pleased Gods maiestie, and that thy thoughts and cogitations are not to be called to a reckoning.

I tell thée, O man, that as the sunne ouer-looketh all things with his cléerenes; so the Lord séeth into the verie secrets of thy heart. No thought may escape him, no imagi­nation be hidden from him, no word be vnknowne to him, neither anie déed, though neuer so closelie wrought, flie from before his face.

How then canst thou deceiue him, who will not be deceiued? Or how darest thou conceiue, that thou hast shifts to ouer-shoote the Lord, be­fore whome thy heart and reines stand starke naked and discouered? [Page 304] Beware therefore, O man, of in­ward lusting; for euen therby thou fallest into the transgression of the lawe, and (if Gods mercie doo not reforme thée) standest in state of damnation.

3 A praier for the for­mer vertue.

O Almightie & euerlasting God, we fall on our faces at the feet of thy Maiestie, before whom our harts are as bright as glasse, so that thou seest euen the smallest spot & staine of the same, much more the great blemishes, which are not to be hidden; beseeching thee, that whereas we haue started like bro­ken bowes, from the fealtie where­to we sware; and haue most lewd­lie and looselie followed the liber­tie of our lusts, committing against thee such sinne and iniquitie, as thy blessed Apostle S. Paule admoni­shed vs ought not once to bee na­med among vs; to pardon that [Page 305] is past, and to accept our present humiliation and repentance, in to­ken of a full purpose to lead a god­lie and reformed life hereafter.

Which that we may the better doo, for that of ourselues we can­not so much as conceiue one good thought; much lesse vtter one good word, or exercise one good deed; we craue at thy bountifull hands an vt­ter rooting out and supplanting of all concupiscence in vs, wherby we are drawne to sinne, as it were with cartropes, and intangled therein as flies in a spiders cobweb. O kill all vncleannes in vs, quench it quite, put out the heate thereof vtterlie by the working of thy spirit; that being purged within from all pol­lusion & filthines, we may become new creatures, addicted to the true seruice of thee, and enamored with the glorie of thy name.

Sowe in vs most plentifullie the seed of a cleane hart, which may foster and cherish with the heate therof godly & Christian thoughts, [Page 306] holie & honest affections, pure and vndefiled consultations, that the fountaine and well-head of our na­ture being void of vncleannes, all the appurtenances of the same may be cleane and vnstained: remem­bring the saieng of Christ our Sa­uiour, that nothing defileth a man, but that which breaketh out of a man; meaning the hart, which is a treasurie of things good and bad. This grace, and all other graces ne­cessarie, bestowe vpon vs for thine infinite mercie sake, ô almightie and euerlasting God, Amen.

1 S. BARNARDS golden sentence of the vertue following.

THE contempt of this world, ô man, if it were common, as it is but rare, [Page 317] would be a meanes to drawe thee vnto God, and to a longing fo the life to come. Thine owne miserable and helples estate in this vale of wretchednes, were enough to bring thee to an vtter misliking and despising of this world. For what art thou, ô man? no more than a man, yea a bare and naked man, a poore man, and a di­stressed man: a man lamenting that thou art a man, ashamed that thou art borne a naked man, repining that thou art borne to labour, and not to honour: a man borne of a woman, and through the guilt of sin li­uing but a while, and therefore fraught with feare, stuft with miserie, and wrap­ped in wo; yea, manie and manie woes, woes of bodie, woes of mind, woes in slee­ping, woes in waking, woes on all sides, which way soeuer thou lookest, and castest thy tooting eies.

How then canst thou find in thy hart, ô man, to loue the world; and not rather to hate and haue it in contempt, knowing that it is the fornace where all these af­flictions are forged? Thou art one of A­dams sonnes, descended of his loines, borne in sin, brought vp in wickednes; and there­fore [Page 318] thou canst not liue in this world without labour, without sorowe, without anguish, without misfortune, and infinite casualties day by day ebbing and flowing, wherevnto thou art so much the more subiect, bicause thou louest the world, which thou oughtest to contemne, and vt­terlie mislike. Againe, in louing the world, thou art in league with sin, and in fee with death. Why then wilt thou loue the world? why wilt thou desire his friendship? why wilt thou hunt after the delight of the same? the longer thou liuest in it, the gree­uouser is thy transgression, the heinouser thy wickednes, the more in number thine offences. Loue this world the lesse, and sin the lesse: contemne this world the more, and rise to righteousnes the more: for the killing of the one, is the quickning of the other. Set not thy mind, ô man, vpon this present wicked world, nor the vaine pomps and transitorie trishtrash of the same; for it shall waxe old as a garment, and all the beautifull brauerie thereof shall vade like a blossome.

Looke aloft, ô man, to Ierusalem the ci­tie of the great king, who will satisfie thee [Page 319] with the finest floure of wheate, and che­rish thee with comfortable streames of running riuers. There is no measure nor weight, there is no scale nor ballance, there are no bounds nor marks; but plentie and abundance, fulnes and store, freedome and libertie. There is no feare nor trembling, because God hath established peace in his kingdome; no enimie entreth in, no friend goeth out of that citie: there are no temptations; there are no troublesome thoughts; because he that is alwaies one, and neuer changeth, hath set euerie thing in a stedfast and inuariable order. There is no power of tempting, no cause of dis­quieting, no ablenes of hurting, no dooing against gods holie will, and no transgres­sing; but happie peace, and peaceable happines; perfect pleasure, and pleasant perfectnes; one will in God and vs, so that whatsoeuer pleaseth him, the same plea­seth vs. There is cleere light, which wee shall behold with cleere eies. There is the souereigne good, euen the treasure of trea­sures, which we shall not onlie see, but also enioie, I meane life euerlasting, which is the fulnes of time, the length of daies, yea, [Page 320] the true daie, which knoweth no sun set­ting, the high noonetide, the abundance of perfect glorie, euerlasting truth, and true euerlastingnes.

The continuance of that citie hath no end, the brightnes of that citie hath no dimnes, no decaie. The fulnes of the ioies of that citie hath no lothsomnes. O true mid-daie, ô glistering light, ô cleere sun­shine, ô driuer awaie of darke shadowes, ô drier vp of fens and marishes, ô cleanser of noisomnes and stinkes! O temperate spring-tide, ô beautifull summer, ô plenti­full haruest, ô calme and quiet winter, ô safe dwelling, paradise I meane: ô sweete food of life, God almightie! Long ô man with a godlie longing after these euer­lasting ioies laid vp in heauen, where thou shalt see God face to face, who is the light of the inlightened, the rest of the exercised, the countrie of the sore tra­uelled, the life of the liuing, and the crowne of con­querors.

2 The REPVLSE giuen by the contempt of this present world, and the loue of the world to come.

O Man, if the things which thou séest vn­der heauen so much delight thée; if a ve­rie prison and gaile seeme so beautifull in thine eies: what affections should the coun­trie of countries, the citie of cities, and mansion of mansions bréed in thy heart? If strangers and for­reners are in loue with such van­ties, how pretious are those things which children & heires shall pos­sesse, euen to their full cōtentment? If mortall and miserable men are so inriched in this life, how shall immortall and blessed saincts be rewarded in the life to come?

Wherefore I counsell thée, O man, to shake off from thée the loue of this present world, wherein no reasonable creature is so borne, [Page 322] that he should not die, and take vn­to thée in place thereof the loue of the world to come, where all are so reuiued and quickened, that they cannot die againe: where no ad­uersitie troubleth, no necessitie pricketh, no molestation vexeth, but eternall reioising reigneth.

But thou wilt aske mée, what else should be there, but continu­ance and euerlastingnes of such and so great blessednes? I can not answere thée otherwise than thus, that what good thing soeuer is, there it is to be found: and what e­uill thing soeuer is, there it is not to be found.

Thou wilt yet aske me further what good thing that is? I tell thée, O man, it is néedles to aske. The Prophet Esaie, and the A­postle Paule teach thée in few words, saieng: The eie hath not séene, the eare hath not heard, nei­ther hath it entred into the heart of man, what things God hath pre­pared for them that loue him.

[Page 323] Zelous Dauid, garded about with all the glorie, pompe, and ri­ches of this present world, gasped and groned after this felicitie, when he said: What haue I in heauen but thée? and there is no­thing vpon earth that I desire in comparison of thée. God is the strength of my heart, and he is my portion for euer. The same good King Dauid, in the abundance of his sumptuous banketing dishes, and costlie fare,vseth these words; I will behold thy face in righte­ousnes, and when I awake, I shall be satisfied with thine image.

Againe, My soule thirsteth for God, euen for the liuing God: when shall I come and appeare be­fore the presence of God? And yet againe, How are the daies of my pilgrimage prolonged? How long shall I dwell on earth? But Paule much better, I desire to be loosed, to be set at libertie, to die, and to depart cut of this world, that I may be with Christ.

[Page 324] By which godly mens examples, written for thine instruction, O man, that thou mightest increase in knowledge, and expresse the points of thy holie calling; I would wish thée to be schooled, to be wearie of this world, to loath the vanities of the same, to estéeme the pleasures thereof as smoke, which vanisheth with the least blast of wind that doth blowe: to repute of riches, honours, digni­ties, offices, promotions, lands, possessions, beautie, fauour, elo­quence, wisedome, policie, strength, manhood, valiantnes, kindred, affi­nitie, linage, petigrée, parentage, and whatsoeuer else may be named as they are; euen méere vanities, according to the sentence of the preacher, who beheld and conside­red all things vnder the sunne, and lo, all was vanitie, vanitie of va­nities, and nothing but vanitie.

The counsell of blessed Paule of­fereth it selfe in conuenient place to be imbraced, who no doubt had a [Page 325] perfect view of the vanities reig­ning in this world; vanitie in ea­ting and drinking, vanitie in spea­king and thinking, vanitie in wri­ting and inuenting, vanitie in ap­parell and clothing, vanitie in bui­eng and selling; vanitie in heart, vanitie in tongue, vanitie at home, vanitie abroade, vanitie on sea, va­nitie on land, vanitie in most, va­nitie in least, vanitie in rich, vani­tie in poore, vanitie in wise, vanitie in fooles, vanitie in strong, vanitie in weake, vanitie in faire, vanitie in foule; finallie, nothing but vani­tie vanitie, which way soeuer a man casteth his eies, vp or downe, on this side or that side, behind, be­fore, or round about.

And therefore S. Paule (I saie) willeth vs (whose aduise I wish thée O man to followe and put in vre) that such as wéepe, should be as though they wepe not; they that reioice, as though they reioi­ced not; they that buie, as though they possessed not; and they that vse [Page 326] this world, as though they vsed it not. And why so? For (saith he) the fashion of this world weareth awaie, and all the pleasures, recre­ations, delights, and whatsoeuer thing passeth other in excellencie, is but méere vanitie.

Héere, O man, thou canst doo no good déed, but it hath an imperfe­ction; the diuell is so busie about thée to ouer-swaie thée in thy works; yea, when thou art best oc­cupied, euen in praieng to God the father for supplie of some-thing which thou lackest, or praising him for benefits and graces receiued, or confessing thy faults when thou hast offended or suing for pardon by the vertue of Christes death and passion. Wh [...] thou art reading the scripture fo [...] thine in­struction and comfor [...] earnestlie, hearing the word of God prea­ched with [...] attent [...]ue eares dili­gentlie, re [...]nine in points of re­ligion, for [...] increase of spirituall knowledge desirouslie.

[Page 327] To conclude, when thou art goodliest disposed and giuen, then, euen then the diuell sendeth out his angels, euen wicked thoughts, idle imaginations, phantasticall toies, and a thousand impediments, to withdrawe thée not onlie from doo­ing well, but also from thinking well.

O man, this busie diuell, who sée­keth to make a diuorce betwéene Christ and thy soule, whome hée hath married to himselfe, and cho­sen for his spouse; he, euen he is the prince of this world; he is the prince of darkenes, and therefore this world, which is his prince­dome, must néeds be darkenes: for whatsoeuer is at strife with God, who is the father of light, the same is darkenes; but such is the world, therefore the sequeale is prooued, and standeth iumpe with truth.

Now, O man, buckle thy selfe to encounter with this world, the pompe, pride, statelines, and iollitie thereof. Let faith, Dauids chiefe [Page 328] weapon against Goliah, be thy chiefe armour, let righteousnes and light be thy furniture, and not onlie that, but the complet harnes which S. Paule exhorteth the Ephesi­ans to put on; namelie, the vain­braces of veritie girt about thy loines, the brest-plate of righteous­nes claspt close to thy hart, the pre­paration of the Gospell of peace for shooes on thy féet, the helmet of sal­uation to couer thy head, the shield of faith to hold in thy left hand, and the sword of the spirit in thy right.

Thus prepared, O man, feare not the force of anie foe: for thou shalt de able thus armed, to quench all the firie darts of the wicked, to stand fast against sathans assalts, and the inuasions of his ministers. Looke about thée, bestir thée.▪ haue an eie before, behind, aboue, belewe, on thy right hand, on thy left, and round about thée, that thou be not betraied, supplanted, ouercome, and subdued. Handle thy weapon cir­cumspectlie, fight it out manfullie, [Page 329] and giue not an inch of ground to thine aduersarie; for thou dooest not wrestle against flesh and bloud on­lie, but against principalities, a­gainst powers, and against world­lie gouernours, the princes of the darknes of this world, against spi­rituall wickednesses, which are in the high places.

Go to then in Gods name, set forward in faith, Gods grace is thy guide, feare not the world; for Christ hath ouercome the world. Thy life on earth, O man, is a con­tinuall warfare, thou shalt be in one conflict or other, so long as thou drawest breath: and therefore praie alwaies, with all manner of praier and supplication in the spi­rit, and watch therevnto with all perseuerance, so shalt thou be suc­coured at all assaies, and not destitute of helpe in time of néed.

So fight therefore, O man, not as one that beateth the aire; but as one that would be counted a good souldiour, and tread vnder féete the [Page 330] loue of this world, withstand e­uerie thing that commeth not of faith, for it is sin: endure all, suffer all, beare all, hazzard life and all for the loue of the life to come, per­suading thy selfe, that thou art blessed (as S. Iames saith) when thou subduest the temptations of thy disordered appetites, vrging thée to sin. For when thou art tri­ed, thou shalt receiue the crowne of life, which the Lord hath promi­sed to them that loue him; the crowne of glorie, euen an incorrup­tible crowne, which shall be set vp­on thine head, at the appearing of Iesus Christ, the great and vni­uersall shepheard of thy soule.

Feare none of those things which thou shalt suffer. Behold, it shall come to passe, that thou shalt be tri­ed ten daies; that is, manie times: be thou faithfull and wise vnto the death, and thou shalt surelie be re­warded with the crowne of eter­nall life, promised by Iesus Christ thy sauiour; to whome be all laud, [Page 331] praise, honor and glorie, for euer­more, Amen.

3 A praier for the for­mer vertue.

O Eternall God, father of our Lord Iesus Christ, which by the mouth of thine Apostle blessed Iohn, hast giuen vs this wholesome counsell and admonition; that we should not loue this corruptible world, neither yet the things that are in the same. And why? euen be­cause the loue of God the father is not in him that loueth this world. For, saith thine Apostle, all that is in the world; as the lust of the flesh, which is to liue in pleasure; the lust of the eies, which is wantonnes; and the pride of life, which is ambition, and haughtines, is not of the father, but of the world, and therefore wic­ked and damnable. In consideration whereof, ô almightie God, breed in vs we beseech thee, by the vertue of regeneration, a hatred of this pre­sent [Page 332] world, and a loue of the world to come; that by how much we are separate and distant from the one, by so much we may be knit and cou­pled in neerenes to the other; wi­shing rather by triall of manie tri­bulations in this life, to arriue in the end at the port of perpetuall peace, and endles tranquilitie, than by enioieng all this present worldes goods, and the variable pleasures of the same, which are but momenta­nie, to receiue eternall torments in the lake of restles paine, and vnces­sant miserie.

Now therefore, most mercifull father; for that we haue heere in this world no continuing citie, but looke for one to come; not of dutie by deserts in our selues, but of mer­cie by the merits of thy sonne: we beseech thee most earnestlie to weane vs from the loue of this world; ô weane vs Lord, that wee may be like children weaned from their mothers teates, that as they giuing ouer to sucke milke anie [Page 333] more, which is a food for sucklings, are fed with stronger nourishment, as they growe in yeares: so we with­drawing our selues from louing the vaine toies, and vading smokes of pleasures attending on this life, which are the ioies of worldlings, may betake ourselues to the medi­tation of heauenlie blessednes, fall in loue therwith, and long after life euerlasting dailie more and more, the neerer we drawe to our graues.

For we doo beleeue, ô eternall king, and vniuersall emperour, that the least ioie in heauen, if it might be peised in a paire of scales, would weigh downe all worldlie delights by thousand thousands; yea, though they had the vantage of the ba­lance: and therefore no doubt they are exceeding great, woonderfull, & out of measure; yea such, as no eie could euer atteine to see, no eare be able to heare, no hart conceiue or vnderstand, and no tongue vtter or declare. Then Lord, of thy woon­ted goodnes, giue vs grace to hate [Page 334] this present world, with all the pomps and vanities of the same; that we may loue the world which shall euer last, euen heauen, the house of thee, ô thou most high God; and may dailie and hourelie grone and braie after it, praieng continuallie for the time, when it shall be reuealed, and saieng with feruencie of spirit; Thy kingdome come Lord, thy kingdome come, for the consolation of the elect, and the confusion of the reprobate.

Come Lord Iesu, come quicklie, & make no tarrieng; that the ioies of the faithfull may be fulfilled. O heare our praiers, most holie, blessed, and glorious Trini­tie, Father, Sonne, and holie Ghost, one God in vnitie; to whom be all praise, power and maiestie, A­men.