Certayne holsome, godly, and necessary Rules.
THE holy man Iobe, as apereth in the. vii. chapiter of his booke mouethe and prouoketh euery good man, dylygently to remembre that the The life of man a continuall conflicte. lyfe of man in this worlde is nothing but continuall battell & conflyct. And that the moste parte of howe the world is [...]e celued and wherein. the people are greatly dysceaued, which so busely folowe the flatterynge prauities and pleasures of this worlde, and soo lyue in ydlenesse, as though al ieoperdy were passed, all thinges quiet & in sure and substanciall peace. It is maruel to see how quyetly, how with oute all feare, they slepe continually: Syth man is enuironed on all partes with so greate a multitude of ennemies, so crafty, so subtil, [Page] and full of disceites. Beholde The contynuall ennemies of mā kynde. mā, on euery side thou art in gret ieopardie and danger of death, ouer thy hed, the spirites of the aire Spirites of the ayre with many crafty & subtile waies busely waiteth thye destructyon, which diligently laboure, mortal ly to wounde thy sowle, with flaming dartes, with deadly poyson infected. On thy right hande, and the worlde on thy left, before the, & also behind the, this disceyuable worlde subtelly assaulteth thee, (the whiche as S. Iohn sayth, is vtterly set on myschiefe and viciousenes, and for that hated and enuied of god.) This [...]ering world in his assaultes, craftely, and polytiquely vseth him selfe. For sometime he fu riously rageth, and in open battel inuadeth man, by much and great aduersitie, prouinge the strength of his soule. Sumtime by blandishinge [Page] and fayre promyse he moueth to yeldinge, & often times he cometh secretly vpon man to take him vnprouided & out of armure. Beneath the, that slipper and dysceitful serpent, the breaker of our the serpēt. quietnes, by many diuerse ingins lieth in waite to cause the sensuall apetite to fal to sin, which is that Eue by whō this most false serpēt first allured man to commit deadly sinne. And yet as thoughe this The fleshe a domestycal & famili ar enemie▪ were not sufficient so to be compa sed on euery syde with deadly ennemies: Man beareth also about him a familyar and a domesticall aduersary, then the whiche as no thinge can be more adioyninge or nighe, so nothinge canne be more daungerous, that is, that old and earthly fleshe, by longe and coutinuall acquayntance very familyare: but by mischeuous intent an [Page] vtter ennemy, of whome man can by no meanes be in sufficient suertie ne auoide the same. Then sithe The great occasions mā hath to watch and pra [...]e, & yet behold our [...] man is thus wrapped in so feareful and perilous battell and hath to meddle with so many enemies, so redy, so sworne in his distruction, so armed, so watching, so false and accustomed in battell: is not he very folishe whych armeth not hym selfe against the assaults, kepeth not sure & good watch, hath not al thinges suspected, but so liueth as if al thinges were in quiet, and in good tranquylitie, nothynge regardinge, but the belly and the skynne, muche lyke as yf this lyfe were a feast or a banquetinge. Suerly who so hath peace He that so at peace with synne so the enne [...] of god with vice, hath broken the truice whiche he tooke with god at hys baptisme. And yet thou mad christian man thinkest all thynges in [Page] quyet, and criest peace, peace, whē thou hast god which is only peace and the authour of peace, thy extreame ennemie. And when he by the mouth of his prophete saythe, there is no peace among these vicious people. Truely there is no whē we [...] at peace with god, other condicion of peace with god but when man deadly hateth vice and strongly (by the helpe of god) fyghteth againste it. For in case there be amitie and frendshyp betwene man and vice, then is god principal enemy to man, bothe for that he adioyneth him self to vice, which in no wise maye agre with god (for how may light and darknes agre) and for that also he performeth not his promyse made to god, but falsely breaketh his fidelitie, so faithefully promised. Remēbre o christian man what time Our profes sion at bap tisme. thou were baptised, thou promysed [Page] to be the true and vnfayned ser uaunte of Ihesus Christ, in whose quarell thou art twyse bounde to we are dou ble bounde to spēd our lines in chri stes quarel spende thy lyfe. Firste for that he gaue the thy lyfe. Seconde, that where thou were bonde and dead in synne he of his goodnesse restored the lyfe. remembrest thou not, what time thou first professed thy selfe to his religion, what vengeance, what maledictions thou desyred to fall vpon the, and that by expresse wordes with good delive ration, & aduisement cōceiued. In case thou fulfilled not thy promise with hym, diddest not thou there promise to fight vnder his baner, and to haue perpetuall enemitye with sinne. Consider what shame and rebuke commonly suffer they Th [...] shame of cowar▪ dise. in the worlde which trayterousely forsake their naturall lorde, & capitayne. And yet thou christian [Page] man, fearest not to dysceaue thye We music▪ feare [...] fo sake Christe capitayne Chryst, neyther reteyned with him for feare, seing he is God, ne yet for loue, when he for thy cause descended from heauen, and became man, whose name also thou bearest. And that shuld ad monishe the of thy promyse made to him, and beyng false of thy promise, folowest thine ennemie, from whose captyuitye this louynge Chryst once redemed the with the raunsome of his precious bludde. O double traytoure, why doeste Forsakers of Christe double [...] tours. thou fyght vnder the standerde of thy aduersary, howe dare thou for shame kepe battell so vnkindly agaynst thy natural capitayne and louing master Christ, which spared not to spend his lyfe for thy re demption. For as he saithe in the gospell of Luke, who fighteth not on his parte is agaynst him, and [Page] he that gathereth not with him, disparkeleth. Alas christian man that thus fightest against Christ, the title of thy battel is not onely naught, but thy title also most vn graciouse. Wilt thou know what Theyr reward that forsake Christe▪ rewarde they shal haue that thus forsake Christ & folow the world? Beholde S. Paule declareth say inge, the finall reward of sinne is deathe. What creature liuynge is halfe so madde to enter into battel be it neuer so beutifull and honourable in kinde, perfectly suer that he shulde not escape, but be slayne in the fielde: and yet thou christian souldiour regardest nothing to disseuer thy selfe from Christ, and cleue to thy enemies, surely know inge that thou shalte haue none other reward but onely death, and that of thy sowle. Consider howe If vaine re wardes make car- in this world, battels (which men [Page] kepe against men) the soldyoures nal soldyours fyght wel, howe much more oughte we to fight. &c. valiantly, and freshly defend their capytaine & fighte in his quarell. Howe little they regard the losse of theyr goods and liues, some for hope of lucre, and temporall rewarde, some for feare they fall not in danger and the handes of their enemies, some because they wolde not be counted cowards and faint harted or dastardes, some to haue name & cōmendatiō of the world, and yet what rewarde haue these miserable people, for their so gret labours, peynes, and miserie.
Shuerly nothing but vain laude of their capytayne, increase of pos sessions and worldly richesse. And [...] vnto ward▪ nesto good. we contrary, nother for shame, ne for rewarde can be moued halfe so valiauntly to fyght in the quarel of Christe, which not onely beholdeth vs in what maner we fight: [Page] but also will plentifully rewarde vs, aboue oure deseruynge. And The rewarde of Chrystes trewe soldyours. what rewarde hath he prouyded for them that manfully fyghte on his parte, not vaine ne transytory but such as neyther the eye can se, eare perceaue, ne the capacitie of man comprehende, and after this life ioye without ende. And truely as he hath promised and prouidid greate and glorious rewarde for thē that stoutly stand on his side: Soo to suche as forsake hym he hath also prouided like paine and punyshment. Heauen is promised to them that fight in Christs qua our [...] is gret rell, and yet (maruell it is to see) howe our courages be abated and nothing quickened with so hyghe promyses, specially when wee be sure that he that promysed vs the reward can not disceyue, no more then he can not be. All thinges be [Page] done in the sight of him, which also seeth the inwardes of oure stomakes and hartes, and yet can no shame prouoke vs to forsake our ennemyes. If we boldely withstande The highest felycty is to be cō mendyd of Christe. our ennemies, he shal com mend our vertue and constancye, of whom it is the highest felicitye to be commended: Why do we not then ieoperde our liues to obteiue this honour? He is very slouthful whiche can be prouoked by no rewardes, when feare and peril oftentymes causeth cowardes and dastards to be bold. Furthermore The differēce of the force of the worldli and spirytuall battells. in this worlde, battel is the most cruell ennemie, and he that moste intendeth mischiefe, can do no farther displeasure then take awaye the riches, and destroy the bodies of them whiche he ouer commeth. But in this spirytuall battell the soule is vtterly destroyed and cast [Page] downe to hell. The body is naturally how much we feare more the deth of the bodie then of the soule ordeined to die, and yet how diligent we ar to auoide the woū des of our body, howe busely seke we helpe for thē, and yet nothinge regardinge the woundes of the sowle. Blessed god howe greatly feare we the deathe of the bodye, for that we perceaue it with oure bodely eyes, but for that we perceaue not the death of our sowles we thynke plainely it can not perishe and regarde it nothing. And yet the death of the soule, is much more to be lamented then the deth of the body, for the sowle is more precious then the body. Wyll you Tokens whereby [...]o know wh [...] ther the soule ve [...] deade or [...]. that I declare you certaine coniec tures whereby you may perceaue the sicknes and deth of the sowle, when the stomake can not wel dis gest ne contayne the meate, then you wel perceue the body is sick. [Page] As the material bread is foode of the body, so is the worde of god, foode of the sowle, whiche when it waxeth bytter and vnsauery to the sowle, then stedfastlye beleue the sowle is infected, and if the sowle contein not, ne perfectly disgeste the worde of god, then is it a plaine and euident argument that the soule is syck. When the knees waxeth weak and the other memberes painefull and vnquyet then you know well the bodie is diseased: and doo you not perceaue the sycknes of the sowle when yt is slothfull and disdainyng towards the workes of mercie and can not beare a lytel infamy or rebuke of the world, and is sore vexed with the losse of vaine substance of temperal riches, when the eyes leseth their sighte the eares be destitute of their hearinge, the other senses [Page] lackinge theyr due operation, no man douteth but that the soule is departed from the bodie. And yet when the eies of the soule be so ob scured with darknesse, that they can not perceaue the perfyt light which is veritie (the eares so stop ped by sensualytie) that they geue none aduertence to the voice of almighty god, the other parts destitute of their godlie felinge, beleuest thou then that thy soule is aliue? Thou seest thy neyghbour in The sowle of man is deade that hath no cō passyon on his neyghboures necessytie. great wreatchednes and myserye and hast no compassion on his heuines and trouble, so that thou be quiet and out of busynes, why doest not thou perceaue and feele his vexation, truly because thy sowle is deade, for that the verye life of the soule which is god is not ther for if god were in the sowle, there should be charytie, for god is charity, [Page] and thou shouldest haue compassion & pytie on thy neighbour. for if thou be a lyuely and quycke membre of Iesu Christ (sythe we be all one bodie in him) how can it be that any part of the bodie be diseased and payned, and thou not only perceaue but sorrowe it also. Farther another euident and sure token to know whether thy soule be lyuely or dead: Thou hast desceiued and falsely begiled thy brother in god, now hath thy sowle a deadly wounde, and yet thou art nothinge sorye for it, but reioysest at it as though thou haddest won great aduantage or lucre: Knowe for truth that in this case thy soul is dead, the body is not aliue, whē it can not fele a litle pricking, and thynkest thou that thy sowle is a liue when it perceueth not so gret a wounde. When you here a man [Page] customably blasphemig the name of god, hautely and proudely dysdayning the dedes and behauiour of other, vsinge vncleane and fylthy communication, misiudginge and hynderynge the name of his brother. Know for troth that his soule is dead. The rotten and stinkyng carion lieth buried in the bo tome of his brest, fro whense such stinkinge and poysoned sauours a ryse, that they infecte and poyson all the hearers. Christ in the gospell Why the phariseis are pain [...]d sepulchres calleth the pharise is painted sepulcres: because they caryed in their freshe & colored bodies stynking and dead soules. The bodies wickid [...]s bodies sepulchres of carions. of good and vertuous men be the temples of the holy ghoste. The bodies of vicious people, be the sepulcres of caryons. As Dauid witnesseth in the psalm: Their bo dies are great and open sepulcres [Page] for that they haue deceyued theyr bretherne and lyed wythe theyr tounges. And surely there is nothing so dead as is the soule whē it fallith from Chryste. Ne no carion so stincking in the noses of mē as a deade sowle is abhominable in the syghte of god. Then when As disspysynge the gospel and the trewe preachers therof [...] [...]nge blasphemy fyl thy talke & such like. God is the life of the sowle, dedly wordes procedyth from the soule, the soule must nedes be cary on and dead. For Christ saieth as the harte thinketh: so the mouthe speaketh. And surely yf the verye life of the soule which is god wer in the soule then should the mouth speake godly and liuely wordes. The disciples of Christ as it ap [...] rethe in the gospell, sayde vpon a time to hym, lord thy wordes ben all lyuely, and the words of christ were all lyuely bycause they procedid fro that sowle, from the whi che the godhed neuer depart [...]. If [Page] the body be sycke it is by phisicke sone restored to his olde healthe, & often times dead bodies by the instance and prayer of holy and vertuous men, be restoryd agayne to life. But if the soule be once dead, The sowle departing from the bodye in sin, is past recouerye. nothing can reuiue it but only the louyng and mercifull goodnes of oure sauiour Iesu Chryst, which helpeth not ne restoreth the sowle to lyfe, if it in sinne departe from the bodie. Furthermore the death of the body is shortely fynyshed, but the death of the sowle is euer lastinge, and when it is in maner more than deadde, yet in felynge of deathe it is immortall. Then sythe oure battel is thus daungerous, what dulnesse, what Idlenes, what pokishenes of minde is this, nothing to regard ne feare so many ieoperdies and feareful perils. And though we be thus on euerye [...] cō forte to enter the feld against [...]. [Page] side with enemies greuously compassid, yet is there no cause why, that other the greatnes of perill, the multitude of enemyes, their mighty and muche strength or dysceyuable doblenes, shoulde to much impalle or abashe our corage: for thoughe our aduersaries be very stronge and myscheuous, yet is oure louinge ayde and dyligent capytayne Christ more strōg and myghty than they all. For as Saynt Paule sayth, if Christ be of oure part who can preuayle agaynst vs: If he assist and help vs who shall ouercome vs, conceyue then a suere hope of victorye, and diligently remember that thine enemies hath in tyme past bin sore beaten, confoundyd, spoyled, and plainlie ouerthrowne of vs. But by the might of our captain christ, of whom no dought (if we be faith [Page] full) he shalbe ouercome againe in vs: inforce and laboure that thou be of the body. and in vertu & pow By chryste we may do all thyngs er of thy head, thou shalt and may do all thigs. Thou art in thy selfe very weake and feble, but in thy head very myghty & stronge, and therfore the ende of our battel is not doubtful and vncertaine. For asmuche as the victory dependeth [...]he use [...]y of a christia an hys battel dependeth not on tortu [...]. not on fortun but is vtterly in the hand and power of god, and by hi in oure power and might also. He that effectually myndethe and desyreth victory shal ouercom. The gentelnes and redynes of our cartaine neuer faileth: make not thy selfe then vnworthy of his goodnes and fauour, and thou shalt ouercome. He shal fight for the and accepte his liberality for thy merite, yet reason wold that thou refer the victory wholly receiuyd of [Page] hym. Whiche fyrst and only pure from all synne, oppressed the tyrany of sinne. But this victory can Christy [...] may not be idle, not be obtayned wythoute thyne owne diligence. For he that saieth trust in me I haue ouercome the worlde, will that thou be coragious and nothing slouthfull, and so through his help thou shalt haue victory yf thou fyght, accordinge as he hathe geuen ensample. And A measure to be vsid [...] in this battell. therfore betwene too extreme ieoperdyes thou muste obserue and kepe the mene course, that thou to muche truste not to the mercye of god and doe nothynge, ne to sone geue ouer, ouercome with hardenes of battell.
Of the armour fyt for a christian souldiour.
ANd for as much as no batel can be maynteined without [Page] conuenyent armoure, I thinke it we muste knowe our [...]r and haue it in a redines. necessari that we first know what kynde of armoure, is most fyt for euery christian souldier. Then our armoure known that it be alway in a redines and at hand, least our disceytful ennemie (whiche continually lyethe in a wayte) take vs vnprouidyd, and so ouercome vs. In this wordely battelles menne oft tymes be at rest and quietnes, the batel not parfectly endid. But In the spirituall bat tell is no rest, but cō tinu [...] fight as long as we bee in this life. in this spiritual battels is perpetual fyght, no rest ne quietenes so longe as the sowle is in the body. And therefore we must alwaie be in readenes, alway wakinge & in armoure. For our enemies neuer resteth, but when he is most quiet The crafty nes of our enemie the deuil in his fight. and fayneth truce, and she with as he wold flye, then is he most busy to doo most mischiefe, therfore the chefe and special care must be that [Page] the sowle be neuer vnarined, you see daily how deligently we arme and defende the body, what tyme we haue busynes or Iorney to be done, that we maye be more able to withstande all suche ennemies and troubles as maye fortune by the waye, shall we nat then much more prouyde that our sowles be in saftye, oure enemyes alwayes be armed and ready to destroy vs, and shal we by negligence, for slothe not be suere that wee peryshe nat? but as concerning the armure most nedeful for euerye chrystian soldier I shall more specially speake in hys peculyar and proper place. And in the mean season, som what generally to talke of them. there be. ii. kyndes of armours or Two [...] of armoure meete for [...] Christian. weapons most requisite for euery man that shall fight with the mischeuous company, or army of sine, [Page] which as S. Paul saith is praier & knowledge or lerning, with the which he aduiseth vs alway with out intermyssyon to be suerlye armed. Puer and vnfayned prayer The vertu and effecte of praier. bryngythe and lyftethe vp the inwarde affection to heauen, to the whyche oure enemyes can in noo wyse haue entraunce. Knowledge the opera [...] of trew knowledg. and good lerning armyth and defendyth the vnderstanding of man with holsome doctrines and good opynyons and so neither praier ne knowledg may be lacked, the one so necessarily requireth the other, & they agre so frendfully. Faithful and vnfayned prayer, obteineth of god our peticion, knoledge & good lerninge teacheth vs howe and in what maner we shall praye. And what thinges we shall desyer in oure petycyons, whyche as. S. Iames sayth be onlye suche as be [Page] profytable & holsom for the soule, praier is the thing more commō ly to be requyred whiche is famy lyar cōmunicatyon with god, but knowledge and good lerninge is no lesse profitable holsom or neces ry. For I cannot immagine how We cannot walke oure longe and dangerous Iorneye to heauē with out our two capitains [...] ron [...] woy ses that is praier and knowledg. a man intending to forsake the cō mon course of the world, can surely and withoute peryll walke so longe and daungerous a iourney, vnles he haue the companye and felowship of the two most valiant capitaynes Moyses and Aaron. Aaron for that he was the chefe preeste of the temple fygurethe in scripture praier. Moyses signyfiethe knowledge of the lawe. And as knowledge and lerning without operacion lyttell or nothinge auaileth, so praier without know ledge is of smale vertue and efficacie. Some men when they pray [Page] only consider how longe & prolyx wante of knowledge is the occa syon that praier is abused, their praier is, how many orisōs and psalmes they haue saide, thiking plainly the vertue & strēgth of praier only to consyste in longe and muche cōmunication, & thys faulte is speciallye amonge them whiche yet as babies cleue in the letter and carnal ceremonies and haue not the rypenes of the spirit. But here what maner of prayer Christ in Mathewe teacheth vs, what maner of prai er Christ te cheth vs. vse not saith he, much and tedious bablinge in youre praier, as infidels doth, which earnestly beleue that by longe and by muche spech they shall obtayne their peticion. Couet not in this thing to be lyke ned to them, for your father in hea uen knoweth what is necessary & behouable for youe, before youe make peticion. And Paule in the xiiii. chapiter to the Corinthyans [Page] the ii. Epistel. Muche more estemeth fiue wordes well vnderstād with pure and cleane mynde spoken, then tenne thousande not vnderstande, and spoken wythe the mouthe only. Moyses in his peticion vsyd noo wordes, and yet he It is not the noise or voice that cawserhe god to heare vs. was hearde. It is not the noyse & mouing of the lyppes that deferrith our peticion and praier to the hearinge of almightye god. But onely the inwarde and feruent desyre of the soule. Let this then be thy familiar vsage and custome, what wee ought to do when wee are en [...]d to sinne. that when thine ennemyes moue the to vice, thou strayght and immediately lyfte vp thy harte vnto heauen with sure & faithful hope, from whence all helpe cummyth, but thether also lyfte vp thy handes. The sureste waye to auoyde the daunger of thy ennemyes, is alwaye buselye to be occupyed in
[Page] ly Manna waxe not vnsauery. And if you thus with pure and what infynitt treasures shalbe fo [...]d in the holy scriptuers by hi which com meth w [...] a pure mid cleane minde with reuerence and humilitie studie the scripture, you shall perceiue your selues maruelously rauished and transformed: and shall se in them the most pleasante deinties of your moste pleasante spouse: The haboundant rychesse of the enryched Salamon, the secret treasures of euerlasting wysdome. Heauen and earth may peryshe, but the worde of god is e uerlasting and shall not peryshe. Men may lie and be deceiued: but the trueth whiche is god, neither can lie ne be disceiued. And as for what expo syteres of the scriptu res are me teste to be red. the expositours of the scripture, if you couet to be more liuely in spirite then redy to contention, if you intende the fatnes of the soule, rather then the quyckenesse of the wytte: labour suche auncient doctours [Page] whose good & vertuous lyuing hath ben wel known, whose lerninge more plentiful and ful of fruite, whose speche neither leude ne vnsauery, and their exposition furthest fro the carnal vnderstanding and most fyt to the holy mysteries: The holy scripture of god The māe [...] of the [...] [...]his of the holy scryptures. hathe his peculyar language and proper figures, whiche must diligently be knowen. Somtime she stutteth and as a louynge mother after our infancie she formeth her speche. To littel babes and infantes in Christ she geueth milke: to them that be sicke and weake suppinges and brothes. To thē that be stronge more solyde, norishing and stronge meates. Haste you to come from childhode and sycknes we must indeuer oure selues to [...] from milke to stronge meates. that you may eate strong and norishinge meates. She boweth and enclineth her selfe after our humility [Page] and febelnes. But inforce you to arise and be strong accordynge to her sublimitye, it is very monstruous alwaye to be chyldysshe, and to much dastardnes alwayes to be lowest. One verse well vnderstand with faithfull and good intent spoken, is more sauery and noryshing then the whole psalter not vnderstande and idelly redde. And of this I more often admonishe youe for that I knowe this errour not only amonge the common people, but also among them which count them selues learned. They here not what Chryst saith in the gospel of Iohn the. x. chapiter: The fleshely vnderstandynge nothing profiteth: The spirituall only geueth life: They regard not the sayinge of Paule. The flesshe destroieth: the spirite quickeneth. We knowe that the lawe of God [Page] is spiritual not carnal, and to spiritual things spirituall vnderstā dinge moste be had and geuen. In time past the pleasure of god was to be worshipped in the moūtain. Nowe he wyll be worshypped in truth and spirite. If god hath geuen howe we ought to be stowe oure wittes. you a pregnaunt & florishinge witte, continue not alwaye in the barreine letter, but hast you to the high secret misteries, and diligētlye call vppon god that it maye please him to open you the booke clasped with the. vii claspes, of the whych S. Iohn in the apocalips mencionethe. The whyche booke none can open but he that declarethe the secretes of hys father, whiche neuer man knewe but the sonne, and suche as it pleased him to declare them vnto. Then if you The profit [...]t commeth of the knowledge of holy scri ptures. dylygently apply the knowledge of scripture, & busily haue remembraūce [Page] of the lawes of Christ you shalbe sufficiently armed and defendid against all assaults and inuasion of your ennemies. But he that entendeth profitablye to vse this godly armour must first cast what armo ure must be cast awaie if we al haue the armoure of a very Chrisan. away the armour of proud Saul that is to sai, the affectiōs of this worlde, whyche be more onerous then profitable, more hinderethe then furdereth him that shal fight with our greate Golias. And after with pure and humble mynde gather oute of holy scrypture fyue sonns which I thinke be the fiue wordes which Paule desireth to be spoken in good vnderstanding, and then arme thy ryghte hande with the slynge, for by these weapons onlye is our aduersarye the father of al pride & mischefe ouerthrowne. Whom our Capytayne Our enemy the deue [...] is to be ouerthrows and resisted by the scripture. christ by thi [...] armour vanquished [Page] and ouercam, what time the deuil mouid him first to glotony, sith to auarice, third to Idolytrye: did he not with wordes of the said scripture abashe his proude courage & vtterly repel hī? Dauid also out of the holy scripture toke al his or namentes of battel, wherwith he ouercame the vncircumsised Philistyns. Thus you maye see that holy scripture ministreth to euery Christian souldiour sufficient armature and defence to withstande the myght and subtell ingines of their ennemies. which armour as whiche be the perticu lar armoures of a christian. Esay saithe is iustyce, equitie, humilite, charity, faith, and suche other. Of the which Paul also speketh in diuers places of his Epistels. As in the firste to the Corinthyans the. x. chapyter, where he callyth this armoure not carnall but spiritual, mighty and stronge [Page] in god, to the dystructyon of oure enemies, subduing filthy and idle cogitacions, and al pride and pre sumption against the knowledge of god. Pawle armyd with this The [...] of this armoure and comforte to hym that weareth it. armoure as it apperithe in the. x. chapiter of the epistel to the Rhomains with an high corage saide, what shall deuide or seperate vs from the loue and charytie of allmightye god. Ueration, hunger, lacke of clothes, Ieoperdy, persecution, prison, deth, as who sayth naye. See how greuous enemies how ferefull he vtterly dispysith. And in a nother place with greate corage he saithe, we shal ouercom and haue the better throughe his helpe which hath so faithfully louid vs. For I am certain and suer that neither deth ne life, aungels n [...] archaungels, things▪ present ne to com heauen ne hel ne other crea [Page] ture may deuide me from the charity of god, whyche is in Chryste Ihesu. O howe much trust & confidence, how happy & blessed auda citye ministred thys armoure of light to Paul, whiche called him selfe the abiect and outcast of this world. Suche might & strength The strengthe holye scryptuere geuethe to suche as de light there in. such sure hardines shal holy scriptur geue you if you cōtinually and substancially labour them, and for your such labour and payn our capitain christ shal transfer you like a valiāt warriour into his glorious Citie called Iherusalem. In the which is no mocion ne noise of battel but immortal peace profyt and sure tranquilitye & quietnes.
The hedde of all wysdome is to know your selfe, & of the two maner of wisdoms heuenly & worldly, the one true & the other immagined.
[Page] PEace is that highe and great The vncer tayntye of the peac of this world is [...]. goodnes whervnto the louers and folowars of this worlde refer all their study and labor, as to the moste perfit suer and quiet ende, but the peace of this world is not substancial and sure, but much deceyuable. The phylosophers to muche assurid of them selues, promised this peace to the foloweres of their lerning, which thei might in no wise perform, for only christ may geue this eternal peace. And to obtaine this godlye peace this The onely waye to ob tayne the parfecte & trew peace is the onely waye to fight boldly with vice, and to hate youre selfe carnally, for betwene these capytall ennemies and our capitayne Christ is continuall enmitye and hatred. For asmuch as god of his nature is very vertue, and beginner of all vertue. The very filt [...] nes The [...] betwen trewe wisdome and folishenes gatheryd of all kinde of v [...] [Page] is of philosophers caled folishnes & in holy scripture caled malis or frowardenes. Contrary parfyte discresion, and sobernes, is both of philosophers and in holy scriptur called wisdom. But hath not this folish frowardnes ouercome wisdome and sobernes? The capitain The deuill the Capita ine of myschefe, the fountayn of wisdome Christ. and father of mischefe and frowardnes, is the prynce of eternall darkenes. And who so folowethe him, hastethe to eternall dampnation. Contrary the beginner and fountaine of wisdome is Chryste, which is the very light expelling all darkenes of worldly wisdom, the beauty of his fathers glorye. The which as he hath made hym selfe oure redempcion and iustification, Christe our redempciō iustificatiō & wisdome so as Paule witnesseth he is made oure very wisdome. Wee preache to you saith Paul, Christ whiche for oure redemption was
[Page] fied, whom the Iues had in derisyō the gentiles reputed as a fole. But to vs whom of his goodnes he hath called to his fauour. He is the very might and power of god the eternal wisdom of god, by whō we shal easely ouercom the malice of our ennemies. Folow you this [...]hat wisdome wee ought to fo lowe. godly and eternall wisdome, and lytle regard the wisdome and policie of this world. Whiche to folyshe earthely people so vaynelie and deceitfully bostethe her selfe, when as Saint Pawl saith ther is no more folyshenes in the sight of god, then this worldelie wysedome vtterly to be forsaken of thē which intendith truly to be wise: and in a nother place he saith it is written, I shall dystroie the wisdome of this worldly people, and reiectc the prudencie of these carnall prudents, wher shall then be [Page] these wise men, these men of aucto ryte and busy labourers for profit of this worlde? hathe not god distroyed the wysdom of this world & plainly declared it to be very folyshenes? I doute not but of these [...]here Chr iste is folowede the worlde is strayghte way angry. folyshe wise men and blind leders of blinde men, many shall rebuke you for that you fall from theyr condicions and worldlye appetytes, and folowe Chryst. But they that thus rebuke you, be in name only christian men, in maners and condicions the very destroyers of Christes religion. But take hede be not deceiued by their false glosinges, whose miserable blindnes is to be wayled rather then folowed. For what extreme folishnes The folish nes of worl delye wise dom descri bid. or madnes is this, in thinges very transitory and of no value to be counted craftye and wyse. And in suche thinges wherein consysteth [Page] onely our wealth and helthe to be more folishe then bruite beastes. Paule desire the that we maye be wise in suche thynges as be good and profitable. And folishe in such as be hurtfull and vnprofitable. Many be wise he saythe to do vngraciously: but they cānot do wel. And Hesiodus that pleasant poet iudgeth al such persons very vyle and nothynge profytable, whiche neyther be wise ne wil obey to suche as geue theim sober and wyse counsaile. But what shal we then say to them, whiche when they be to shamefully folishe, alway continuynge in myschiefe and euyll, mocke and delude suche as haue risen from the darke blindenes, & euil behauiour of this world and amend their life. Dauid saith the skorneful parsons shalbe skorned, he that dwelleth in heauen shall [Page] delude them and god shall laughe at them. It is red also in the boke of sapience. The company of heauen shal beholde and despise them. And god shall mocke them. It is It is commendable to be disp [...] sed of the wicked. much commendable to be discommended of fooles, and theim that be malicious and enuyous, And muche horryble to be mocked of god. This beastely and deuely she wisdome saith saincte Iames is worldly wis dome worthely ha [...] of god and why. vtterly hated of god, whose ende is nothinge but deathe. For this worldly wisdom as a handmaide foloweth pestilent pride and arro gancy, after arrogancy foloweth blindenes of reason, when reason is blindid then ruleth carnall delectacion and worldely concupyscence. Then foloweth the company of synne and redynes to synne. This propencenes to sinne folow ethe custome in Sinne, and after [Page] commeth dulnesse of mynde in the sowle. So that the sowle perceiueth not howe great daunger and peril she is in, and when the soule is thus astonied and destitute of al godly felinge. Then sodainly preuenteth death of the body, and cō sequently deathe of the sowle: for that he dieth impenitēt. Here you maye perceyue and euidentely see that the mother and rote of al mis chefe is wordely and carnall wisdome. But of the wysedome of what the wisdom of Christe is & the [...] [...]e therof. Christe whyche the worlde reputeth as folishenes. It is red in the xi. chapiter of Esay, wher he saith in the persone of those to whome this godly wisdom hath hapened, all goodnes hathe hapened to me withe her, and by her helpe great vertu and honesty, and I haue reioyced in al my actes. For asmuch as this wysedome was euer my [Page] guide and captain, vpon this wisdome waiteth continually humili ty [...] and sobernes. Humility maketh vs apte and mete vessels to receaue the spyryte of god. For vpon lowly and meke parsōs his pleasure is to rest. And after that of his infinite goodnes, he hath dis stylled in oure soules his. vii. speciall gyfts. Sodenly rootith and buddethe in vs the plesant & rype corne of al vertue, with their blessed and ioyfull fruits. Of the whiche A qu [...]et cō [...] a prin cipall fruit of [...] lyfe. the chefe is a quiet and peacified concience with god whiche is called inwarde ioye, The secrete ioye, the ioye vnknowne, but to suche as hathe assayed and tasted it. The ioye which vanishyth not ne can be taken away, as the ioye of this world, but groweth and in creasythe to eternall ioye. This where god ly wisdome [...] to be soughte, wisdome according to the aduisement [Page] of S. Iames, must by conti nual & feruent praier be desired of god, and delygentlye laborid for▪ in the secrete vaines of holy scripture. The hed and begynnynge of To knowe our selues is the begi ninge of godly wise dome▪ this wysdome is suerely and substancially to know your self. The which prouerbe our auncient and forefathers hath honored and taken as the voyce of god, decsendīg from heauen, and good authours delyted so much in it that they extemed the hole some and efficacye of wysdome to be conteyned in it. But the saienges of Infedels and Pagans may be of smal autority among christen men, vnlesse they agree with holye scripture. Here therfore what the heauenly louer in the booke of cantycles sayth to his spowse, threteninge and commaunding her to auoyd his house onles she knewe her selfe. O most [Page] bewtifull of all women, goe from me and walke the waies of youre fleshe or kynsefolke, in case youe know not your self, it is no trifle a man to knowe hym self, I cannot well thinke that any man in this worlde can sufficiently be assured of the knoweledge of hys bodye. Howe showld man then parfytly know the qualites and behauiors of the sowle. Saint Paul whom it pleasyd god to rauishe into the third heauen and teache the secret misteris therof, durst not presume to iudge him selfe, which he wold haue done noo dought therof, if he perfetlye had knowne him selfe. If so godly and perfit a man durst not affirme, that he parfitly knew him self, shal we carnalmen assure oure selues so boldly to the knowledge of our selues. He is thought a verye vnprofytable, and vnwise [Page] soldiour, whiche neither knoweth his owne power and strengthe, ne the might & company of his enemies. But man hath not batel one ly with other men, but also wyth him selfe. And suerelye the moste daunger of oure battell is contained in oure selues. And oftyn tymes there is so smal dyfference be twene our frendes and our fooes. That it is to be feared, leste we by necligence defende our foe for our frend, and hurte our frend for our foo. Then forasmuche as this spirituall battell is moste withe our selues, and the first hope of victorie is to know our selues: I shall breuely as in battell depeinte and [...] to you, an Image of youre [...] by the which you maye the [...] attayne the knowledge of [...].
Of the exterior man and the interior.
MAn therfore is a certaine monstruous Wanne a monstruou [...] beast. beast compact or formyd of. ii. or. iii. partes muche dyuers and contrary, that is to saye of the sowle whiche is spirituall and the image of god. And of the The bodie of man a bruite and [...]be beast. body whiche is in maner a bruite and domme beaste: for in the bodely part we doo not excell the other kinde of beastes but are in al the giftes and condicions therof, muche inferyoure and worse then they. But by the sowle and spyrituall part we be partakers of the highe godhed & diuinytie, and in that behalfe not onelye excell the angelicall creatures, but also are adioyned and made one with god. If the bodye had not bene addyd The great dyffer [...]nce betw [...] the soule & the bodie. and anexyd to the sowle, man had [Page] ben all spirituall and godly. And if the sowle had not ben geuen to the body, man had ben al beastely. These two natures so contrary & disagreinge, the highe workman and maker of all thinges ioyned and knytte together, in ioyful and quiet amitie and concord. But the false deceiuable and crafty serpēt. vtter and extreme enemye to oure quietnes, by mischeuous and vnhappy subtilti, set such enmity and discord betwne them that thei can not be deuyded or departed wyth out greate vexation and payne, ne continue and dwel together with out continuall stryfe and battell. The body as it is it selfe visible, whearein the bodie [...]: [...]. deliteth in thinges that be visible, as it is mortal and trāsytory and of no goodnes, so it foloweth vain and transitory thinges, as it is he [...]ye and ponderous, so it synkethe [Page] and slydyth alway downewarde. Contrarye the sowle as it is in The delight of the sowle. kynde heauenlye, so it alwaye enforsyth vpwarde, and contendyth alway with this earthely parte, dispiseth these visible thinges, for that it knowith them transitorye and of no goodnes. As she is immortal, so she loueth thinges that be euerlastyng (for lyke hathe alway pleasure in thinges that be like (onles she be vtterly drouned in the filthynes and poyson of the body, and by them greuously infec ted, do declyne from her naturall gentilnes and clenes. It was not Sinne soweth the discord betwene the sowle end bodie. the fyrst state and condicyon wher in man was created, that caused thys deuisyon. But that whyche was formid and created good and puer, was by sinne corrupted and defiled. And synne dyd sowe thys dyscorde and discentyon betwene [Page] them which were in quietnes and agreed as one. For before man was by synne infected, the sowle without busines commaundid the body, and the body gladly and willing obeyed the imperye and commaundement of the sowle. Nowe that thys good order and quyetenes is distroubled, it is contrary: for the carnall affection striuethe and enfor [...]the to haue preminence aboue reason. And often reason by [...]an com [...]arid to a factious & sedycious Cittie, and the maner of the gouernement of the same blyndenesse obeythe sensualytie, wherfore man maye well be compared to a faccious or sedicious citie, which for as muche as it consistethe of dyuers kindes of men, diuersly mindid and disposed must nedes be troublid with diuers mo cions and sedicions, onles the hole rule and empiere bee in one, and that he be suche as will nothinge commaund, but that shalbe verye [Page] profitable and holsom for the com mon wealth and safty of the same. And therfore it is very necessary [...] in euery region and communialte, that thei rule which be most wise and discrete, and the other obey. The common people for the moste parte be of smale corage and dastardes, and therefore they maye beare no rule, but muste be obedient to their rulers, and such as be nobles and auncient in yeares, in al assembles and counsailes must paciently be herde. But the aucto rity and power to determine all things must remain in one which is called their kynge, and he must as time requireth, be admonished and aduertised but not compelled▪ ne haue in his realme superiour. For the kyng ought to obey none but the lawe, the lawe presentyth the image of vertu & honesty. But [Page] if so be this order be inuerted and [...]dyt [...]one and disobe dience the vtter ruine of any com [...] the wilde commons and troublesome dregges of the Citie in the common welth, rebell again their ruler, and the nobles disdaine the cōmandement of the king, the peri lous sedicion & grudge growing, and if it be not holpen by deuyne policie, it fallethe to vtter decaye and ruine. Nowe for our purpose, Reason [...] king [...] & who the noble [...] and ancientes. reason in man is a kyng and Emperoure. Nobles and auncientes be certaine corporal affections or apetites, but such as be not beast ly. As in example, naturall reuerence towardes youre parentes, loue and charyte towardes youre bretherne, & beneuolence toward youre frendes and such other, and suche other affections as must discend from the obeysance of reason. And in behauiour are beastly such Riot, enuy, and suche like be the [...] mo [...]. be the commons and dragges of [Page] the citie. As ryote enuie and suche other sickenes and disseases of the minde, wh [...]ihe as bonde and vile seruauntes, must be kepte vnder, that they kepe dewe obedience to their kinge, and in no wise hurte him, and surelye if the affections and apetites sensuall do dewe obeisance and be orderid by reason. Then shall man at noo time commit anie thinge that is euyll, or that after maye repent him. And that knew wel Plato that deuine philosopher, when he sayde that they which oppresse and subdewe these carnall appetites, lyue wel and iustly, and they that be ouercome of them liuethe euill and vn iustlie. Then the onelie parfitte The one [...] perfecte waie to felicitie is first to know our selues▪ next to subdue our [...] [...]tes, waie and pathe to felicitie, is first suerely and substancially to know your selfe, next to subdewe the car nall apetites and to be orderid one [Page] ly by reason. And this reason must be vpryght, hole, wise, not infertyd. That is that she only regard vertue and honesty. Parauenture it shalbe thought very harde to so lowe that I haue taught. But diligently Excelent & commenda ble thinges [...]llwayes daūgerous to be prose [...]d. remember that excelente and commendable thinges be all waye daungerous and difficile.
There can be no more valyant act thē to ouercom thy self ne no greater reward than eternal beatitude and felicite. And that wytnessyth saynt Iherom saying. Nothing is more happy then a trewe crystian man: to whom as a reward, the kyngdome of heauen is prouidyd and promysed. If man only consider [...] of his owne pow er can not subdue his owne [...] but is ouer come by Christ and bowe. his own power and ablitie no thing is more hard then to subdue the fleshe. But if he delygently remember that Chryst is hys capytayne and helper: to whom nothyng [Page] is vnpossyble ne vneasy, it shalbe very lighte in youre concience and mind, a purpose or intent of perfit life, and after busylye labour to bring it to effect. the mind of man can not imagine so hygh & noble a matter: but by feruent lalabour it may be brought to passe. And that thinge whiche in the beginninge shalbe thought inuincible and muche harde to be done, shall in continuance be made soft, by vsage easy, and by custome plesant. The way of vertu, saith Hesi odus is in the beginning straight & daungerous, but if you crepe to the top nothing is more suer ne in sa [...]ty. There is no beaste so cruell ne outrage, but by mans diligēce & labour may be tamed and made meke. Shall man thynke then that no meanes maye be found to bridle the affections and apitites [Page] sensuall. What payne dothe man take to be deliuered from sycknes and diseases of the body. And shal he take no payne to be delyueryd from eternal dampnation, both of body and soule? Suerly it is to be Many christians bond [...] seruaun tes to sin. lamentyd that many whiche bearith the name of Christ, like brute and dome beastes folow in their li uing the beastly and sensual appetites, and are in maner bound and seruauntes to them. So little exercised in this spyrytuall battell that they know noo difference betwixt reason and sensuality. Thei exsteme that only to be man which they see, perceaue, and feele. And that nothynge is but suche as is sensible. What so euer they minde they thinke it lawfull. This call they peace & safty althoughe it is most miserable bōdage. When reson resisteth not the carnall mocions: [Page] But perswaded and blinded by their intisings foloweth them. This is that miserable peace whi The peace Christ ca [...] to breake [...] to set healthefull [...] tell. che Christe authour of trewe and parfite peace came to dissolue and set healtheful battel betwene the father and the sonne, the wife and the huseband. And brefly betwixt al suche thynges as the vnsure amitie of this worlde hath ioyned and knyt together. Let the auctoritie of philosophersbe of smale estimation vnles the same sentence (thoughe in other wordes) be expreslye spoken in holye scripture. That philosophers calleth reson. The difference betwene [...]au les doctri [...] & the philo sopher [...]. Paule sometime the spirite, some time the inwarde man, sometime the lawe of the minde. That they cal the affections, he calleth sometime the flesshe, sometyme the body, somtime the exterior man and the lawe of the membres. Sayenge [Page] in one place walke after the spirite and ye shall not committe the desyres of the flesshe: For the fleshe desyreth against the spyrite, and the spirite against the flesshe. Therfore doo not those thynges whiche you carnally desyre. And in an other place. If you lyue after the fleshe ye shal die: but if you mortifie and subdue the deedes of the fleshe you shall liue. Suerly it is a strange thynge and a newe [...] contrarye to ma [...]s reason, gods wo [...]king to oure [...] i [...]. alteration, that peace shoulde be soughte in battell: and battell in peace, life in deathe, and death in lyfe, libertie and fredome in seruitude and bondage: And bondage and seruitude in libertie and freedome. Of bondage Paule speaketh this. I chastice my body and brynge it in seruitude. And of libertie in an other place, if we folow the leading of the spirite, we [Page] are not vnder the bondage & yoke of the lawe. And againe he saith. I perceiue a law in my membres re [...]tynge the lawe of my mynde, and aboute to brynge me in thraldome vnder the lawe which is in my membres. It is red also of the exteriour and interiour man. Plato The contra [...]es of plato and paules d [...] trine. put two soules in one man: And Paule in the same manne putteth two men, soo annexed and ioyned together, that the one can not be without the other, neither in ioye ne in payne. And againe they be so disceuered and deuyded, that the death to the one is life to thother. And to this also maye be referred The difference betwene the bodie and soule. that he wryteth to the Corynthyans, sayenge. The fyrst man was made a lyuing soule, the seconde a quickeninge or geuinge life. The spiritual part was not first made, but the beastely: The first manne [Page] was of the earth earthely, the seconde of heauen heauenly. Earthly men folowe the condycions of the earthly. And heuenly the condicions of the first heauenly. And this I speak welbelouyd, for that neither the fleshe ne the bloud shal possesse the kingedome of heauen, neither thinges corruptible or incorruption. Here you maye euydently se that what Paule in one place called the exteriourman and the fleshe whiche is corruptyble: In another place he calleth it the earthely Adam. And suerlye this is the same flesh, the same body of death, where with he was troubled when he sayde. O vnhappye creature, who shall delyuer me from the body of this death? And of the fruites bothe of the spiryte Of the frui tes of the spirite and the fleshe. and of the fleshe, whiche be muche diuers, he writeth saieng. He that [Page] soweth in the flesshe shall gather corruption of the flesshe. And he that soweth of the spiryte shall of the spirite gather euerlasting life. O happy and fortunate manne in whom this earthelie Adam is so mortified and subdewed that it in no wise resysteth the spirite. But whether this perfecte quietenesse and tranquilitie maye fortune to any man in this worlde I wil not affyrme. Peraduenture it is not necessary to be. For Paule in this S. Paule could clere lie be ridd of fleshlie mocions lyfe not withstandinge his hyghe perfection and grace, had a mocion of the fleshe to vexe and dystrou ble him. And when he thryse desired god to be delyuered from the sayde mocion. He onely had this aunswere. Paule my grace is suf ficient, for vertue is made perfite by vexation. Paul was vexed by pryde, that he shuld not be proud. [Page] To be perfit and strong in god, he he that wil be stronge in god must fyrste be weke in the fleshe. was caused to be weake and feeble. For he caryed the treasure of heuenly reuelation in a frayle and bryckell vessell. that the honoure and victory shulde onely be in the power and mighte of God, not in him selfe. This one exaumple of Sin to bee driuē away by praier▪ Paule is erudition and learninge to vs in many things. First when we be moued and tised to syn, that we diligently cal to almighty god by prayer. Furthermore that to Temptacion profitable to chris tians▪ trewe christian men temptations be not only profitable, but also necessary for the preseruation of ver tue. Finally that when all the other Pryde and vaine glory assaulteth the good▪ motions be subdued, then the mocions of pryde and vayneglorye are most to be feared, which in the myddes of vertue, priuelye awayteth vs. After that man hath [...]hoo shall see god & trust in him mortifyed the flesshe and subdued [Page] the concupicence of the same. Thē shal he se god and tast god that he is swete. God is not seene in the No [...], fierce and boisteous winde of temtacion, but after man hath resisted and valiantlye oppressyd the suggestions of his ennemies: Then foloweth a delectable smale blaste of ghostly comforte and consolacion. Which when you shal perceue, then quikly awayt with your inwarde eyes, and you shall se god & well knowe that he hathe made safe for you.
¶ Of the thre partes in man the spiryte, the sowle, and the fleshe.
These myght be thought more then sufficient: but that you maye the more playnlye knowe, what man is. I shall brieflye declare vnto you, what deuision Oxygen [Page] maketh of man. And to be The deuision origen maketh of man by. iii. partes. wherof the fyrst is the flesshe. shorte he maketh three partes in man. The body or the fleshe as the lowest parte of man, in the which by the offence of the firste parente Adam, the cruell and subtyll serpente the deuyll sowed the lawe of synne into the sowle of man. By the which he is prouokid to sinne, ouercome by the deuill and bonde in sinne. The spirite by the which The secōd part is the sprite. man dothe expresse the very similitude of the nature of god. In the which also the highe creatour and maker of al thinges out of the inwarde secretes of his minde with his own finger, that is to say his spirite, dyd write the eternal law of vertue & honestie. By this portion also Man is adioyned, and made one with god. After these he putteth the thyrde parte as a The third part is the [...]le. middle or a meane betwene the. ii [Page] other, which is a receiuour of the naturall meuinges or felynges.
This parte as in a factious or sedicious cytie, is moued and intysed of both partes, and is at libertie to whether it wyll encline. If it forsake the fleshe and folow the spirite, then shall it be spirituall: But if it followe the desires and [...]upidities of the fleshe it shalbe al so fleshely. And that ment sayncte Paule, when he sayd. Know you for trouthe, that he that cleaueth to an harlotte is made oone body with her: and he that cleaueth to god is made one spirite with him. This harlot is the slipper and vn stedfast parte of man, which is the The fesh [...] an [...]. fleshe. Of whom it is spoken of in the seconde booke of Prouerbes, withdrawe the from the strange woman whiche maketh her wordes softe, and forsaketh the capytayne [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] of her youthe, and hath forgotten the couenaunte shee made with god. Her house is al deadly, her pathes bryngeth to hel. They that folowe her shall not obteyne the pathe of lyfe. And he that forsaketh her shalbe saued. Then the The diuers workinges of the sprite, the soul & the flesh. spirite maketh manne godlye, the fleshe maketh beastely: The soule maketh man liuynge, the spirite good and vertuouse, the flesshe euyll and vngracious: the soule ma keth neither good ne euyl: the spirite seketh heauenly thynges, the fleshe swete and pleasaunte. The soule necessary: the spirite lyfteth to heauen, the fleshe depresseth to hel. The soule of the spirit or flesh taketh merite or demerite, what so euer is fleshely is vicious, that which is spiritual is parfite, that which is of the soule is mean and indifferent, will you that I more [Page] playnly discriue to youe the difference betwixte these partes.
You honoure and feare your parentes, you loue youre chyldren what workes we do of nature. and frendes, it is not so muche ver tuous to do these thinges as it is sinne not to doe them. For whye should not you beynge a christian man do those thinges which infidels and beastes doo, onely by instinct of nature. That which man dothe of nature is not worthie rewarde. But it so chauncith that other you must not regard the reue The battel betweene the soule & the fleshe. rence towardes youre parentes, neglecte & dispyse the loue of your children, or els displease god. In this case what is to be done, the sowle is in dought, the flesshe mouithe in the one side, the spirite in the other. The spirite perswadeth that god is better then thy father, and more to be regardid, the fleshe [Page] contrary maketh suggestion. You owe your parentes your naturall being? And in case you obey them not you shalbe disheritid and com mōly called vnnatural & vnkind, lose not your goodes, disteyne not your name, & as for god other he seethe not or he wil not see, and at the leaste he wyll sone be pleased. Nowe the soule is in doubte and standethe amasyd: if it inclyne to the flesshe & dispise the spirite it is one bodye with it. And if it folow the spyryte it is transmutyd in to the spirite. It is great erroure to An error to esteme that on absolute vertu whiche procedeth of nature. exteme that absolute vertu, which is of nature. Some of nature, are little moued or intised to the pleasures of the bodye. Let them not iudge thē selues verteous for that which is indifferent. For the laud Wherin the lawde of vertue con sistethe. of vertue consistith not in lacking of this pleasure: but in subduinge [Page] the mocions therto. Certain affections outward, and in kind good & honest, cloked and coueryd with countenaunce of vertu. Disceiuith and illudyth simple and innocente parsons. Some haue pleasure in Praier and fastīg how to be vs [...]d. fastinge, some in many prayers, & manye suche like. But let these be done in symple and pure spyryte, for if thei be vsed for name, vaynglory, or any profit of y• body, thei smel of the fleshe. Let no man for vsing of these mean thyngs think him selfe better then other ne condemne theim that vse thē not, but diligētly in him self consider whether the vsage of these thinges be carnall or no. Your brother in god The carn [...] vsynge of prayer. is in necessety & nedeth your helpe and comfort, you contineu in your praiers and mumble your beades and mattins and will not knowe his necessitie and trouble. These [Page] praiers god shal despise, for howe shall god geue aduertence to thy praiers, when thou being man, re gardest not the peticion of man.
Here also a nother example. You [...]we we oughte to loue oure children. loue your children. This dede is of no merit. For so doth vnchristē men also, or els you loue them for their beuty or contentaciō of your mind: Nowe is your loue carnal. But if you loue them for that you perceue in thē the image of chryst, as piety, sobernes, constancie and suche other vertues. Nowe youe loue them not in them selues but in Christ, and so your loue is spirituall, but of these thinges I shall speake more in a nother place.
Certaine generall rules of trewe christianitye.
NOwe for as much as I haue Rules wherby we may learne earelye t [...] crepe owe frome the blinde errors of the worlde too the puer [...] light of spi ritual life. declared & opened a certayne [Page] plain and grosse way to vertue. I shal briefly write you certaine rules, by whose cōduct you maye wt more ease crepe out frō the blīd errours of thys worlde to the pure light of the spritual life: in maner as Dedalus dyd out of the daungerous laborinth, by the conducte of a thred. And to al those that diligently Note here vse and exercise them self in this lerninge of vertue. That spyrite which prouithe all godlye purposys and intentes, shall sende ayde and comforte. But suche as saye go from vs we wil not of thy lerninge. The mercy of god shall reiecte because they reiect his lerning and knowledg. These rules whiche I intende to wryte shall be taken partly of the personages of god, the deuill, and the flesshe, partelye of vertue and vice. And such thinges as be annexyd to thē [Page] partly of the matter of vertu and vice, for these shalbe moste necessary agaynst the thre principal euylles, the remanent of origynall synne. For thoughe the vertue of baptisme hath washed awaye the The vertu of baptim. poyson and infection of synne: yet there remayneth a certayne thing of the olde dissease, whiche is aptnes and redinesse to sin left in vs, bothe for the saue garde of humylitie, and more increase of vertue. These three principall euylles be Thre princi pal euils in man. blindnesse, the fleshe, and infyrmitie. Blyndenesse with the darcke Blindenes the [...]. cloude of Ignorāce, obscureth the iudgement of reason: for that most pure lyghte of the visage of God, whiche the offence of our fyrst father dyd make muche darcke, corrupte education, outragious com pany, froward affections, custom of synne, hath soo ouercome with [Page] ruste and canker, that [...]kante any lawe of god by deuyne power gra uen in the soule of Man, doth appere. Then as I began blindnesse causeth that in choyse of thynges we gretly be disceiued, folowing such thinges as be worst, in stede of them that be beste: lesse regardyng thinges of great profyte thē vtterly vnprofytable. The fleshe The secōd euyll the flesshe. soliciteth the affection or appetite sensual. That in case mā parceiue what thynge is beste, yet he shall loue the contrary. Infirmitee or The third euyll is [...] firmitie, weakenesse causeth man to leaue the way of vertu, ouercome other by werynesse, or by temptacion. Blindnes hurteth the iugdement of reason, the fleshe corruptith the wille, infirmitie breaketh constā cye and stedfast intente. Therfore the fyrst remedy is to know difference The firste remedie to know good from euill. betwixte good and euil, and [Page] in this blyndnesse muste be taken awaye, that Man stumble not in choise of thinges. Secondly that he distinctely knoweth good from euyll. And in this the fleshe muste be subdued, that contrarye to the iudgement of Reason, he loue not the pleasaunt thynges more then holsom. Third that after he hath begunne a waye to vertue, he shal The third remedie to contynewe in vertue, after the same knowne. continue, and in this the infirmity muste be vnderset and vpholden, that he forsake not the way of ver tue, wythe more rebuke then if he had not entryd into it, ignorance must be holpen, that man may see which waie to goo: the fleshe must be mortified and tamid, that it carye not man oute of the knowne waie. The wekenesse or infirmitie of man must be coragyd & boldid, that after man hathe euteryd [Page] into the straite and narrowe waie of vertue, he wauer not, ne fiyppe backe, but ioyfullye go forwarde vnto the time that he obteyne the wager and crowne promysed to them, which sredfastly continue in this iorneye, and to these three I shall appoynte certayde rules as hereafter foloueth.
¶ The fyrst rule of Faythe.
ANd for asmuch as faith Faithe the one [...]e ga [...]e & e [...]nce to Christe. is only gate & entrance to Christ. The first rule shalbe that you alwaye thincke and iudge the beste bothe of Christ, and his holy spcripture. And that you beleue not with the The estim [...] cyone wee oughte too haue of chri ste & the holy scriptures. mouthe onely, fayntely and faynedly as many dothe, but with all thy harte, suerly and stedfastly knowing, that ther is no prick [Page] ne title in holye scripture, whiche doth not greatly parteine to your healthe. And be not abasshed for The more part not to be folowed. that you se the moste parte of men liue so as thoughe heauen and hel were triflinges, inuented and im magined onelye to feare or please chyldren: but surely perswade to your self, that god can not lie, and that all thinges shall happen, as he hath saide. Consider howe mar ue [...]lous thynges and farre aboue the capacitie of man, the Prophetes prophesied of Christ, and they be all fulfilled and come to effect. Blessed god what madnesse is it to thincke that he which hath not deceiued in these prophesies, shall deceyue in other thynges. The [...]ow faith [...] tobe [...] [...]ed. prophetes haue not lyed, and shal Chryste the lorde of al prophetes lye▪ If you wolde with these and such other cogitacions, sometime [Page] excyte and styr the flame of Faith, and then desirouslye praye god to increase his faithe, I maruel if he can longe continewe in euill. For who in this world so mischeuous & vngracious, wil not desist from vice, if he perfitely beleue that by vsage and custome of sin, not only trouble and vexacion of concience: but allso eternall dampnacion is gotten. Contrary that vertuouse and good men for temporal paine and punishment, shal haue in this worlde puer and quiete conscience and after this lyfe ioye immortal.
¶ The seconde Rule not to enter the way of saluation slouth fully or fearefully.
LEt this therfore be fyrst and principall, that you nothing dought of the promises of god. [Page] Nexte that you enter not the way of saluacion slothfully or fearefullye. But with a stedfast purpose, we must be redy bothe with body and minde to lose all for the gos pell. with all your harte, with bolde & coragious mind, redy to lese both goodes and life in Christes cause. He chat is slothefull nowe wyll & will not. They shall not possesse the kingdome of heauen, but such as valiantlye fyght and [...]uffer for Christes sake, shall obtaine it.
Suffer not the affectiō towardes what impe dimentes mans nature hathe to plucke hym frome god. kinsefolke, hinder you in this iorney. Let not the flatteringe mocions of this world, reuoke and cal you backe. Ne houshold businesse tary or lette you. The chayne of worldely businesse muste be cut asonder, for it is so knottyd that it is very harde to be vndone. This confusyd Egipte must vtterlye be forsaken, that we in no wise turne our minde and soule to the pottes [Page] of fleshe which be the carnal affectiōs, and pleasurs. The prophet we muste fly from [...] bilon. cryeth fle from the myddes of babylon, and that with hasty spede, onles you wyll peryshe, but many slowely dothe fle from vyces, and fynd many causes to tary, saying, that after I haue performyd and endyd such and suche busynes, and waxe somwhat more in age, then I shall apply to vertue and intend it busyly. O folyshe man what if thy soule thys night be taken frō the? Knowest thou not, that one busines brengith a nother, & vice growithe of vice? Folow therfore vertue quyckly, and in conuenient seasō. In other thinges take good good ad [...] uysement [...] ought to be taken in woildely afayres. But to [...] no de [...]ught to be made auisemēt, but here make al spede. Counte not ne ponder not in your mynde, what and howe muche ye haue forsaken for Christ, beynge well assured that he shall suffycyently [Page] satisfy and recompence for all. Be bolde vtterly and holye to cōmyt your self to christ, mystrust yourselfe, and fullye trust in him, and he shall receaue you, caste all your care and thought to god and he shall norishe you. And then you shall saye with the prophete, god hathe bene my guyde, and I haue wantyd nothing, he hath set me in plentiful pasture, and hath refresshed me with the water of refectiō and conuerted my sowle. Deuide Against suche as wol de please bothe god [...] the world not your self in two partes to god and to the deuyll, for no man may serue. ii. masters of so contrary ap petytes. There is none agrement betwen god & Belial. God disdaineth them which halt on both legges that is, which wold liue after the world, and please god also. He hateth them which be neither hot [...]e colde, but fainte and meane. He [Page] is in great ielosie ouer our soules he wyl possesse all that him selfe, whiche he hathe redeemyd wyth his bloude. He wyll haue no feloshipe withe the deuill, whome by his death he once ouercam. Ther be only two waies. One whyche Then pur [...] ga [...] [...] gonne by folowing the carnall and sensu all appetites, bringeth to deathe. The other whiche by mortification of the flesh, leadith to lif. Ther is no thirde waye. Who so euer intendith he that w [...] lyue with Christ must dye with Christe. to inheryt life, must walk the narrow and strait way which Christ walkid, and al that fro the begynnyng of the worlde pleasyd god. He that wyl liue with christ, muste be crucifyed in thys worlde with Christ. But many folyshely The fond [...] [...] of fleshe. flatter them selues, and fondly in so weighty a matter deceiue them selues by lewde and vnwise opinyons. Some saythe I am noo [Page] preste, I am a lay man, and a man of the world, and therfore I must nedes occupye the wordle. Other saye agayne, though I be a preste I am no man of religion, this ma ner of perfection is fit for them. The religious man also hath sum what to flatter him selfe, saieng, though I be in religion, yet I am not of so strayghte religion, as other bee. Some also saye I am young, a gentylman borne, I am rich, I am a courtier, a noble man or a prince. The sayinges of the a postelles partain not to me. O mi It is euery christen ma n [...] dutie to knowe the scripturs [...] to confesse Christe. serable creature and blynde man, pertainethe it not to thee to liue with Christe? If thou be of this worlde, thou art not of Christ. If thou call the worlde heauen and earthe, the ayer and the sea, then euery creature is of the worlde. [...]ow [...] [...]ord [...] ought to be taken.
But if thou call the world ambycion, [Page] voluptuousnes, auerice, malyce, pleasures of the body. Then I saye to thee, if thou be of thys world, thou art no chrysten man. Christ sayd indiffrently to al men, The crosse what it is. he that takyth not vpon hym hys crosse in this world, that is to say he that subduethe not the flesshe & foloweth not me, shal not enter in to heuen. If you desyre not to liue we may not desyre to reign with the [...]ed, i [...] we will take no pains wyth the [...]ed. with Christ, then the mortefying of the fleshe pertaineth not to you: To be crucified in this world par teyneth not to you, yf to liue with God parteyneth not to you. To be buried with Christ pertain not to you. If you desire not to raigne with him in his glorye Chrystes humilitie, pouerty, tribulation, re bukes, laboures, wordes, and pas sion pertayneth not to you. If his kyngdome pertayne not to youe, what fondnesse is this to desire re [Page] warde commonly with other: and wyll take no paines ne laboures with other? What blyndenesse is it, to desyre to raigne and to haue ioye wyth the hed, and wyll take no payne with the hed. Regarde not my good frend what other do, we mai not hange our fayth on other men. and deceue not your self by compa rison with them, it is a hard matter and fewe people knewe, what it is to be dead to sinne, to be dead to the carnal appetites, to be dead to the worlde. And yet it is the The straight lyfe al Christyans are bounde vnto, no estate excep [...]ed. thing wherunto al christian men, hathe professyd, and bounde them selues solempnely, at theyr baptisme. Other we muste dye wyth out exceptyon, or els walke the waye of vertue, whether we be of highe or lowe degre. And though we muste endeuoure our selues to folowe our [...]dde Christe. all men can not attayn the perfyt imitacion of the hed that is christ, yet euerye man muste do what he [Page] can to attayn it. He hath obtained a gret part of chrystianity, which with stedfaste mynd purposyth to be a trew and perfit christen man.
¶ The thirde Rule prouethe that the waie of Christe is most profitable, besides that it onely leadeth to felicitie.
BUt that the waye of vertue Thoughe the way to saluatyon semeth sha rpe, yet it oughte not to be feared▪ doe not feare you, for that it semith sharpe, bytter, troubelous, lackinge the commodities of this world, and full of battel and strife with the thre principal enemies, the fleshe the deuil and the world, this shalbe the thirde rule, by the which you shall well knowe that the waie of Christe besides that it leadeth onely to felicite, is of all other most commodious and profitable, [Page] the reward not spoken of. For what kynde of liuynge after No kind of life in this world with out troble. this worlde maye man chouse, in the which he shal not suffer many sharp and bitter stormes. The life of courtiers euerye man knoweethe The misera ble lyfe of courtyers is full of wretchednes, vnles he be verie folish and of no experience. Immortall god howe longe and miserable seruitude suffer thei which liue in the court, what pain & trouble haue they in obtaininge their lordes and Princes fauour, what busines in keping the same? They must flatter & please al thē, whiche maye hurte or doe good. And after the appetites of theyr master, their countenaūces must be counterfeyted, iniuries of their betters must not be spoken of. Finally what kinde of vices and mi sery aboundyth not in the Court. Farthermore what pain & labour The trauel some life of the marchaunte. [Page] taketh the marchant, what paine and ieoberdy suffereth he both by land and water, to aduoide pouertie. In maryage howe great vexacion and busines. In common offices, Trobles in mariage what paine and pensiuenes. Whether soeuer you loke you shal perceaue a greate companie of incommodites. The life of man is al Dysommodyties in this life indifferent to good & bad full of wretchednes, Indifferentlie comen, bothe to good and euill, & shalbe meritorious to them whiche walke the way of christ. They The trauel som life of th [...]se that follow the worlde. that folowe the worlde, first howe manie yeres labor they, and swete they, for transitorie thinges, & of no valew, then what doutful thinges haue they, furthermore how vnsure ende haue they of their laboures. The more they laboure, the more greuously are they troubled. And to conclude the ende of their laboure is eternal deth. Go [...] [Page] nowe and compare thys worldly The waye to eternall life compa red to the trauel some lyfe of the world [...] mā i [...] exceding [...] lyfe wyth the waye of vertue, whiche after man hathe enteryd, wereth delectable and pleasaunt, and the ende of this waye is eternall life. What extreme madnesse is it then to desyre to gette by equall laboure, rather eternal deth than immortall lyfe. And in case that the way of vertu were more laborous, then the waye of the worlde, yet the sharpenes of the laboure is eased by the hope of the rewarde, and the inspiration and comfort of god is euer ready, whi che causethe that all bitternes is turned into sweetenesse. In the worlde, businesse commithe of businesse, Comparisones betwene the lyfe of a trewe christian and a worldling▪ and sorowe commith of sorowe. Outward labour and vexation, inwarde grudge and disquietnes of concience. And where the concience is vnquyet, ther lackith [Page] no misery. The bondage & yocke of sinne, is vntollerable and painfull in the ende. The yoke of christ is plesaunt and delectable. And therfor Christ saith in Mathew. Take vpon you my yoke, and you shall finde reste to youre sowles. But nowe shall not that lord and [...]hat [...]uste cause we haue to [...] [...]yse the world and to imbrace Christe. capitaine, with all myght and diligence be forsakyn and despysed, whiche is not onely deformid and fowle, but moste false and deceytfull? whiche desireth so vniust labours, promysith so vayn and vnprofitable rewards, and yet decey [...]ith for most part these myserable wretches of them? Or if he performe them, he pull them awaye agayn at his pleasure? and so vexythe hys seruauntes with more payne in lesyng of them, then they had in the gettynge. None wyth suer and stedfast mynde purposith [Page] to vertue, but he obtaynethe.
Farthermore when youe forsake Note thys for thy com forte, the worlde and folowe Chryste, remember dylygentelie that youe lose not the commodities and plea sures of this worlde (if theie bee plesures.) But permute & change thinges of smale valew, for moch better. What man in this worlde wolde not gladlie change a lytell siluer for muche golde, shales and huskes for precyous stones. Peraduentur sum wil say your ryches by this meanes, shall be dimynyshed, but those riches againe shall increase, whyche neyther mothes canne waste ne theeues take awaie. You shal cease to be in repu [...]e that foloweth chr iste muste not loke for reputacion of the worlde, tacion and regarde of this world, but Christe shal rewarde you and haue you in reputacion, you please the fewer but the better, your bodye waxeth leane, but the sowle [Page] fat, the beuti of your skin decaieth but the bewty of your soule increa seth. And brefely, there shalbe no cōmoditie of this world forsakin, whyche shall not be recompensyd with much better. And as for such what prais foloweth suche as liue a vertuous lyfe. thinges whiche can not be desired without sin, & yet possessid & had without sinne, as laude and praise of the people, fauoure, loue, honor and suche other cōmonly vnloked for, happen to suche as seeke the kyngdome of heauen. Prayse for the moste parte folowethe them which regardeth her not, and flyeth from them which seketh her. Suerlye what so euer happen to what so euer [...]happe [...]eth to the righteouse can no [...] [...]e but plesāt▪ them whiche loueth it, can not be but plesant. To whom loue is tur ned to profyt, punishment to comforte, infamy and rebuke to glory, payne into pleasure, bytter into swete, euill into good.
¶ The fowrth Rule is that in all oure acts and order of oure liuynge, we prefyxe Christ as the onely marcke wherat we shote.
BUt that youe maye kepe a more dyrecte waie and suere course to the path of eternal felici tie, the fourthe rule shalbe that in al the actes and order of your lyuinge you prfixe Christe, as the onlie marck and ende, to the whiche you may apply all your actes study labor and diligence. Inforsinge what christ is▪ and faithfully beleuing that Christ is no idle ne vaine worde or voice, but planely singnifieth, and is charitie, mekenes, paciēce, clennesse, and all thinges that he taughte. The deuyll contrarye what the deuell is▪ sygnifyethe and is all, that calleth and moueth from Christ. He [Page] goith towarde christe that folow eth vertue. And he that seruythe sinne▪ makith him self bonde to the deuill. Let the inwarde affection The eye, that is the intente▪ whiche is called the eye or intent be clene, & al the bodi which is the work, shalbe clene & bewtiful. In tend christ, and loke alwai to him, as to the onely and speciall god. what we oughte to loue and what to [...]b horre
So that you loue nothing, desyre nothinge but for vertues sake. Ab horre nothing, fle nothing, but on ly syn, and for sinne. Thus doinge what so euer you do, whether you slepe, wake, eat, drynke, praye, or laboure shalbe profitable to you & turne you to merite and rewarde. what so euer is with out Christ▪ is sinne▪ But if your affection be darke, vn pure, vnclene, and other way inteding then to Christe, what so euer you doe shalbe vnprofytable and pestilent. For it is offence to doe a good thinge not well. Brefely all [Page] thinges as they hinder or further the iorney of vertue, must be foloed & forsaken. And of such things ther is thre folde order. Some be Thinges [...] [...]at canne not be ver tuouse▪ so vicious, that they cannot be ver teous. As to wil euil to any man, to reuenge iniurye and such other. And these be alway to be dispised, what profytte or losse so euer they pretend to haue, for nothinge can hurte a good man but onely sin.
Some thinges again be so good, Thynges good that can not be euyll that they can in no wyse be euyll, as to will well to euery creature, to preferre and help your frendes in all honesty, to hate vice, and to haue pleasure in vertuous cōmunication. Some be meane and of Thynges of them sel ues neyther good nor euyll. thē selfes neither good ne euil, as learning, frendship, health, bewetye, strength, riches & suche other, whiche as they most further our to Christe, so be they most iourneyto be
[Page] desyred and as they hynder oure iorneye, so be they moste to be dispised. Learning helpyth more to Learninge better then richesse. vertue then rychesse, bewtye, or strengthe of the body: and though all lernynge maye be referred to Christ, yet one more nere then an other▪ Frō this ende that is christ measure the profite and disprofite To wh [...] ende wee ought to be learned. of all suche thinges as be meane, you wishe and desyre learnyng of gentls, that by the helpe and con ducte thereof, you maye attayne the knowledge of god, priuely hid in holy scripture, and after duelye loue him, and so communicat him to other, and s [...]t your mynde and purpose, onely vpon hym. Spare not, loue and folowe such lerning, but [...]o [...] as you shall thinke necessarye for the contyn [...]unce of youre good purpose. If youe fele your selfe substantially [...] stronge, [Page] and hope by this lerninge to haue greate lucre in god, be bolde then to wade further in all suche learninge, and turne the riches of Egipt to the making freshe and gaie the temple of god, that is to the de claration of holy scripture. But if youe perceaue feblenes in youre selfe, and feare you shal haue more hinderance by them then profitte, returne to youre fyrste rule know your self and mesure your self wise ly, with your owne mesure. That is to say, consider diligentlie your power and strength, and ieoperde not farther then you may wel sustain. it is better to haue litle knowleged the learnyng of man and feruentelie to loue, then greate knoweledge and loue coldelye.
Then learninge amonge thinges that be meane, is of moste excelen Things indifferente must be regarded [...]s they moste help to ver tue. We ought to dispise al thinges that drawe vs from Christe▪ cie. Nexte frendship of the body, [Page] strength, bewtie, dignity, birthe, kinred, riches and such other. As they moste helpe to vertue, so they must be regarded & folowed. We maie not for these meane thyngs, leue our principal course, whiche is Christ, ne to busilie desire them, but be content as god wil and sendeth them. Fortune sendeth abundaunce [...]ow we oughte to esteme rychesse. of riches, if they hinder not your good purpose, dyspose them, and make frendes with the foode of iniquity. But if you feare hinde raunce of your good purpose, by reason of this riches, despise then this hurtfull lucre. And as Crato the philosopher dyd. Throw this greuous burden into the sea: that is to say, leue it to the world, rather then it shoulde let or hynder your iorney from christ. Remember Richesse an occasion, to exercise vertu. alway that aboundaunce of ry [...]hes is a plentifull matter ministred [Page] of god to exercise vertu, but ve ry perilous & ful of ieoperdy. And therfore put no greate affiance in it. For they that exteme mony and How mony is made a god. possessions of this world as a pre cious thing & of much valew, setting in it their most assurance and trust as the chefe anker and suertie of their liuinge, iudging them blessed and happye, whyche haue plentie and aboundaūce of riches, contrarie miserable and vnhappie when they be taken from them, be false idolators and worship many gods. For if monie can make man happie or vnhappie, thou [...]ualest thy mony to god, & as I haue said of money, so I may say of honour, bewty, health of the bodye, & such other. We must so seruently intend Howe fa [...] [...] [...]e oughte to loue christ. our onely marcke Christ, that we greatly regarde no suche thinges, whether they be geuen vs or taken [Page] from vs, for as the apostell saint Paule saith, the tyme in this worlde is but short, and therfore we must vse it, as they that vse it not. I knowe well the people of The blindnes of the world here in, this worlde exteme this sayinge as very folishe and vnreasonable, but by suche folishnes, Christ hath saued suche as beleue in god. And that folyshnes of god is muche more wyse then that wysedome whiche semethe more wise to men of this worlde. Therefore what To what ende we oughte to do al th [...] ges. soeuer you shal occupy or do proue it by this rule: you vse occupacion or handicraft and you doo well, if you vse it without dysseyt or subtyltie. But whether referre you the ende of your crafte, to nory she your housholde and wyn them to Christe? Now you do well. You A [...]rew [...]ast describid. faste, suerly you do a good worke in a [...]de: but wherfore faste you, [Page] to spare your mony, to be countyd more holye? Nowe your intent is nought, you eate and drynke to be strong in your body, to the intent, you maye bee more able to serue god, and vse a more godly worke. Nowe you hyt the pricke. But if you desyre strengthe to preserue your body or to be more able to ful fyll the pleasures of this worlde: Nowe haue you fallen from that marck, which euery good christian man muste haue fyxed in his re membraunee. Manye desyer god that they maye lyue longe in this [...]hat we ought to de sier of god. world, but let them rather desyre of god a good and vertuous mind, and that hatred of vice and loue of vertue maye dailye increase, that when so euer death shall com, they be not vnprouided, & as for time to liue or dye put that to Christ. And saye with Paul, whether we liue [Page] or dye, we liue and dye to Christ. O fonde man whych haste no deuocion what they de [...]er whiche praye for longe lyfe. of the changing of thy life, and prayest thou mayest not dye, what desyrest thou of god? Trew lye to haue leysure continually to offende god. Thou desirest riches and canst not vse them, doeste thou not desire thyn owne dystruction? Thou desirest health, and misusest thy healthe, is not this deuocion very vngracious? The deuocion howe our [...] deuocion is perfect. shalbe perfyt if we desire to dye & be with Christ, and if we put oure glory and ioye in sicknesse, losse of goodes and other incommodities of this world, glad that we maye be by suche vexacion and tr [...]uble, conformate and made like to oure hed and capitain Christ.
¶ The fyfte Rule to know perfyt and trewe deuocion from vaine and fayned.
[Page] ANd somewhat to ayde and fortesye that we haue sayde, this shalbe the [...] rule: that you exteme and thinke perfit and true deuocion, to assend by iust laboure from those thinges which be visible, meane, and vnperfyte to the knowledg of those, which be inuisible & p [...]rfyte. This rule is so necessary, Th [...] neces sarynes of this rule. that for dyspysing of it, & lack of knowledg of the same, ma ny y• bearyth the name of Chryst, [...]or perfyt d [...]uocion and trew religion, be verye superstycyous and much differ [...]th not from the vsage o [...] the g [...]ntylles. Let vs therfore Two wo [...] [...] on [...] [...] [...]he oth [...]r [...] ble▪ immagin & cōs [...] tu [...] two wordes the o [...] ▪ intellectable, the other visyble or sensyble. The intellectab [...]e may be callyd also the angelical in the w [...]ich god is contayned and his bless [...]d saintes, the vysible is the h [...]uenlye spyres, and all [Page] that is contained within thē. And [...]an the third worlde▪ for our purpose let vs also immagin man as a third worlde pertaker of both the other worldes. Of the visible, by the body, and of the intellectuall by the soule. And for what we ought to do for that we are pilgrymes in this worlde▪ as muche as we be pylgrymes in this visyble worlde, we maye not [...]esse but such as we shall perceaue by our wittes or censes e [...]teriour, diligently refer and applye to the intellectuall worlde, by conueniente and mete collacion, or [...]ls to the parte of man, whiche is lyke and respondent to the said world. The sonne in this sensible worlde A co [...]ary sone of the soune the [...] and man▪ resembleth in the ang [...]lical world the godly minde and d [...]uine sprit, and in man the sowle or the spryt. The mon [...] in this sen [...]ble world, representyth in the angelycall the company of a [...]gels and holy saintes, and in man the sensual partes [Page] or the sensis. What soeuer this inferioure worlde dothe vppon the earth, that same dothe god in thy sowle. When you perceue that the A godly instruct you what we oughte to think whē we see the sonne shie. bodely eyes be delyghted and com forted, what time the sonne clerly shyneth and resplendantly shedith her beames vpon the earth, think by and by what plesure haue they in heauen, to whome the eternall sonne is euer shinynge, euer rising and neuer goith downe. What ioy and felicitie hath that pure soule, whom the godly light doth thus illumine. And thus admonyshed by this visible creature, pray god with Paule, that he that caused lyghte to shine out of darkenes, so illumine your soule, that you may haue the clere knowledge of god, in the face of Ihesu Christ. If you what we lern by the darknes of the nyght. thinke the nighte darke and painfull, remember the sowles destytute [Page] of the godly light, and obfuscate with darkenesse of vice. And if you perceaue anye condicion of night in your soule, pray god that the sonne of iustyce maye springe in your harte: and plainly coniec ture, that these visible thinges be but shadowes and slender images of thinges inuisible. The corporal what we may learne by bewtie. eye delyghtethe in good shape and bewtye of the bodye. Remember how goodly a thinge is the beutie of thy soule. Deformitie is odious and displesaunte to the eye, consyder howe odious is thy sowle defyled with sinne. And this vse of all other corporall matters. For whatsoeuer things may sensiblie be felt in the body may be also vnderstand [...]d in the sowle. the sowle hath a certain proper & peculier bewtie and deformitie by the which it pleasythe or displeasyth god or the deuyll. And hathe also a certayn youth, age, sicknes, healthe, deathe, life, pouertye, ryches, [Page] pleasure, sorowe, peace, battell, colde, heate, thyrste, drynke, hunger, meate, and brefelye all thinges that be perceaued by the senses in the body, may well be vn derstande and immagyned, in the sowle. Therefore in these thinges To wythdra [...]e our mindes frō ea [...]y thi ges to hea uenli is the perfect life specially consisteth the [...] to the spyritual & perfitelife, that we soberly and easely wihtdrawe oure mindes from these fraile and sensible thinges, and vtterlye set them vpon suche thinges as be eternall, incommutable, puer, and not deceuable. And this Socrates I fear this he athen phylosopher shall [...] [...]n the iudgement daie [...] condemne a numbre of christians (not onely in language, but al so in his lyuinge a verye philosopher) wel consid [...]d, when he said that then the soul happely depart [...]th from the body, if it dewly before hathe remembryd death, and by dispysing of corporall thinges, loue of thinges that be spirituall, [Page] and perfyte immagynation of the same, hath acustomed in maner to be absent from the body. And suerlye this is the ver [...] crosse, to the which Christ callyth vs when he saithe, he that takythe not vppon him his crosse in this worlde and folowe me, shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen. And this is we ough [...]e to hau [...] no pleas [...]e in any w [...]ldly thinge. the selfe same death by the whych sayncte Paule willeth vs to dye withe oure capitaine Christ. And when he sayde regarde not these earthlye thinges, ne seke you for thē, but seke you for thinges that be aboue, and be you wise in them. He mente only that to these corporall thinges, we should be in maner insensyble & astonyed, that the lesse pleasure we had outwardlye in corporal and worldly matters, the more pleasure inwardlye we should haue in spirituall and heauenly [Page] matters. And the more kno ledge we had of thinges which be eternall, the lesse we should be mo ued with such thinges as be vayn and transitory. Then let this rule we should not be in loue with worldelye thinges, be euer at hand that you continue not in loue of thinges, whiche be but frayle and caduke, but diligēt ly ascend to the loue of thē whiche be eternall, and in comparyson of themdispise these thinges visible. The bodely disease shalbe more ea how sickenes maybe tolerable to a christian. sye and tollerable, if you consider it is a medecine for the soule. And you shal lesse regard the health of your body. If you set al your mind and diligence in sauegarde of the sowle. You abhore and dedly hate, we oughte to abhorre sinne as a deadly poy son. venyme that you see, because that you know well, that it destroyeth the body: much more then is that poison to be hated, which infectith the sowle. Ciente is a venome and Pleasure of this wor lde is poyson to the sowle A terrible & ferefull thunder. [Page] poyson perelous to the bodye: but pleasure and fond pastime is more pestilent poison to the soule. The naturall thonder, and lyghtning of the Elementes, fearithe and abashith the hart of man, but much more that terrible thonder of the mouth of christ our sauiour ought to be fearyd. Go you cursed people in to the eternall fier of hell. And such like comparisons man ought diligently to remember in all thin ges sensyble whiche after the dyuersite of ther kind, diuersly moue the mind and hart of man. Some wyth hope, some wyth feare, some with loue, some with hatred, some with heuines, some contrari with gladnesse. And this man must also obserue in all his actes, & operaci ons which consisteth of the intent & inwarde mynd, as of the spirite & sowle: & of the outward doinge, [Page] as of the body or fleshe. So that he pryncipally regard the mynde If the intēt be notpuer all othere workes be [...]e they ne uer so good [...]uaile not▪ and intencyon, for the outwarde acte be it neuer so bewetyfull in syght, lytle or nothing auaileth if the intent be not puer and cleane. And that witnesseth our sauyour in the gospell of Iohn, saying the fleshe nothing profiteth, the spirit only quicknith and edyfieth. And therfore man ought not to reioyse we oughte not to trust in a [...] worl dely or sere [...]onie all thinge. or put hys affiaunce and truste in thinges sensyble or cerymoniall, whych Paule callyth the fleshe & out warde huske or shale, specially when perfyt deuocion and trewe christianity dothe not consyste in them▪ ne they be sufficient for the saluation of man. I do not con dempne these corporall ceremonies and outwarde operacyons▪ which be a meane and helpe to deuocion. So they be laufully vsed. [Page] But I aduertise and monysh you, Cerem [...]es make not a trew christ tian. that in them consistyth not the verye perfection of a trew chrystian man, nor the vsage of thē makyth a man truly religious & deuoute. And therfore thapostel Paule reuokyng the Colocenses from the confidens of these ceremonies and outward actes. And prescrybing As we be risen with Christe. so let vs seke heauenlie thinges. vnto them the true rules and preceptes of the spirituall life, saithe. For as muche as you haue rysen wyth Chryste, seke those thinges whych be inuisible and heauenly, and desire vnderstanding of them, not of earthly thinges, that is to saye visible and temporall, which aperith beutiful in mannes sight. Mortefy and subdewe the carnal we oughte to mo [...]fy [...] in vs. and earthly affections, whiche be as aperyth in Paule to the Galathians, fornicacion, vnclennes, riote, aueryce, enuy, anger, grudge, [Page] debate, contencion, deuision, pride, slouthe, ipocrisye, man slaughter, drunckennes, ingurgitacion, dissimulacion, flatery, and such other. And aboue al thinges be charitable Euery chris tyan man oughte to seeke hys brothers wealthe▪ one to the other. And as our sa uiour Ihesu christ was not borne for him self, lyued not to hym self, dyed not for hym selfe, but in all acts and thinges applyed hym to our helthes and cōmodities. So eche deligently intend and mynde the profyt of other, nothynge regarding his owne priuate profit.
¶ The syxte Rule that we oughte onely to followe the doctryne of Christ, and not to cleue to the more number.
ANd for as muche as in this my hasty writyng vnto you one thynge bryngeth an other to [Page] remembraunce. I shal annexe the vi. Rule much agreable with the other aboue saide: as muche neces This neces sarye rule receaued of fewe. sary to the health and saluacion of euery man, as lyttell regarded of fewe, that is, that the mynd truely and dilygently desirynge to be conformate vnto Christe, disceuer it selfe bothe from the deedes and opinions of the comminaltie, and most parte of the people. And onely Christe the onely exam ple of trew & perfecte deuotion. take and lerne of Christ the very exaumple of trewe and perfyte deuocion: For he is onely the true lighte and exaumple, from whom who so euer (be it neuer so lyttell) departeth, he mysseth the ryghte pathe, and erreth from the hyghe waye. And therfore the principal The chefe care of a christian to bringe vp his childe from the cradle in vertue. care & chiefe labour of euery christen man shoulde be, diligently to take hede that the infantes & chil dren frō their cradles and tender [Page] age, as wel with their nurces as their parentes and masters, lerne suche opinious and condicions as be mete and agreable with the actes and preceptes of Chryst, specially when those thynges moste depely remayneth in remēbrance, and nerest sinketh in the stomake, which be taken & lerned in youth. Suffer not good christen men the Whatought to be kept frome the eares of children▪ tēder eares of your infantes to be infected with folishe and fond songes of loue, whiche commonly be songe bothe at home and without forthe, more impure and vncleane then the heathen and vnchrysten men well can suffer and abyde.
Let theim not here the myserable lamentacions and bewaylynges of their parentes, for losse of goddes temporall: neyther the vayne commendacions of them whyche vnlawfully increaseth and gathereth [Page] the goodes and possession of this worlde. For the nature and appetite of manne is very frayle, prone, and ready to vyce, redelye and quickely takynge occasion to cuyll. As the drie towe quyckely taketh fier if it be adioyned. Thē suche common errours and fonde opinions, as commonly be vsed among the people, be vtterly to be pulled out of the stomacke and remembraunce of men. And in their The bringynge of youthe vp in vertu [...] occation of the [...] in foloweeinge the same in age places holsome opinions and true doctrine must be ingraffed and soo rooted in the harte, that noo contrary exaumple or teachyng may pulle them awaye. And so doinge man wilfully without laboure or businesse, shall followe vertue: and iudge them that doth contrary, worthy rather to be pitied and holpen, then followed. And that The minde of socrates concern [...] vertue ment Socrates, when he sayde, [Page] that vertue is the parfyte & true knowledge of thynges to be desyred, and thynges to be auoided & exschu [...]d. And the same Socrates disputing with Pithagoras by euident argumentes proueth, that trewe and perfyte knowledge is of so great a power and effecacy in all kinde of vertue, that sinne and Sinne procedethe of the want of knowledg. offence onely procedeth of false opinions, and lacke of knowledge. For both they that loueth almigh ty god, and they that loueth pleasures, money and the false disceyuable honour of this worlde, followe and ensue that thing which semyth vnto them pleasante good and bewtifull. But these whyche They that set theire mindes on worldly thī ges be disceiued, by the want of trewe knowledg. thus fondly set their minde vpon pleasures, money, and honoures of this world, be deceiued for lack of trew knowledg, folowing that thing which is most displesaunt, [Page] for that whiche is moste pleasant, And of theire won de [...]ful igno rance▪ reputyng and iudgyng that moste profitable which is most hurtfull and that to be hinderance, wherin is moste lucre and aduauntage, thynkyng also that thinge moste lawfull, whiche is most vyle and filthy, and that thing most shamefull whiche is moste honorable.
But he that perfytly knowith in The commodyties that follow wher trew knowledg is graffed. whose stomake and mind this per swasion is substauncially rotyd, that onely vertue is the thynge most good, moste plesaunt, moste bewtiful, most commendable, and moste profytable. And contrarye that vyce only is the thing which is most euill dysplesaunt shamful and hurtful, and iudgeth not vertue and vyce after the common opinion of men but of their priuate and peculier natures, cannot be so longe as this perswasyon remaynethe [Page] in hys remembraunce, that he longe continewe in synne. The common hauiour and fa [...]ion of mē is the worste example & authour, bothe of liuyng and also of knowledge. For from the falle of Adam The worst thing [...] please the most part of the worlde, vnto this time, continually those thinges in thys worlde, whiche hath byn worste hath pleased the most part. Haue not therfore this fantasy or imaginacion in thy se [...]f. This is the common facyon and The more parte and forfathers are not to be folowed in matters of religion. maner of men, this is commonlye vsid in all men, these be the stepps of mine auncetors, this is the opinion of suche a great doctour and deuine, after this maner comonly al noble men liue, thus the great bishoppes and prelates of the holye church dothe, these be not the common sorte, why shoulde not I do as they do? Let not good christian man these greate tytells and [Page] gloryous names deceyue thee. I measure not at this time the commons who is a common man. of their lowe estate condition or birthe, but of their minde & affection towarde god, for I call all them indifferently commons, whiche be drowned in carnall affections, lyue after the appetites & desyers of the fleshse, regarding and folowinge the deceiuable ima ges and shadowes of thinges, for the verie trew things. That mason greatlye dothe misorder hym selfe which formyth not the stone after the rule but fashionethe the rule after the stone. Howe muche more then misusyth they them selues which apply not their liuings and maners after the rules and commaundementes of Christ, but inuert and turne the commaundementes of Christe after theyr lyuinge [Page] and appetyte. Thinke not All things [...] not good and vertuus whiche the greate capitaines of the chur che doe. that thing good & vertuous whiche the greate capitaines and rulers of the churche doethe, or that the moste parte of men doeth. But exteme, that only good and vertuous, which is agreable to the teachinge and rules of Christe. And haue that thinge greately suspectid It is to be suspected that pleasethe the moste part The flock of christe a small companye but yet blessid. whych commonly pleasith the most parte. The flocke or companie of trew Christians is very litle or smal in comparison, but hap py and blessid, to whom onelie the kingedom of heauen is promisyd. The wai of vertu is very straight The waye of vertu ve ry straight. and narrowe, and vsid and occupi ed of verie fewe, and yet none can enter to eternall lyfe but by that waie onelie. A prudent and wyse builder, seketh not in his building The poynt of a wyse buylder. example of the moste vsid and com mon worke, but of the beste. And [Page] one expert and crafty paynter folo weth in his paintinge, the moste crafty and best tables. Christe is Christ onely oure example whō we oughte to followe. onelie our exaumple, in whom alway of good and vertuous liuing doth consist, and him without excepcion man maye in all his workes folowe. But of men (reputed how farre men are to be folowid. vertuous and good) exaumple is to be taken, as farre as their actes be confyrmable to our headde and chife exaumple Christe. The To rewe [...] to be lamen tld, common sorte and greatest parte of theym whiche haue professed Christ and are called christē, liue so fylthely and corruptly, as towching their maners and outward behauiours, that among the infydelles was neuer more corrupte and abhominable liuinge. But of their faithe I wyll not iudge. [...]ow trew and vnfained faithe is knowen▪
Notwithstanding this is vndouted, that trew and vnfained faith [Page] is prouid, by outwarde operations. Rede ouer the old cronicles, and auncient histories of our forefathers, and you shall fynde that sober discretion, honest conuersacion, and good maners were neuer so muche despised and lesse regarded. When was ryotous wan tonnesse more liberally vsed? whē were fylthy fornication, and dam nable aduoutry eyther so greatly occupied, or lesse punisshed and in rebuke? The greate pryncis and The great abuse in courty [...]ge life. rulers of the people, so [...]auoure in other men their owne vyces and fautes, that now a dayes nothing is honestie or good hauyoure, but such as commonly is vsed among the courtiares, when nothinge is more abhominable. And that cau seth the misbehauyour of princes and greate men, of whome other men commonly take example. If [Page] a man nowe shoulde liue contrary lamentable to bee hard amō [...] christians. to the common hauiour and vsage of men, he shoulde anone be deludid and scorned, reputed as an ide otte, dotard, and ipocrite. Thus we christen haue in remembrance we ar christyanes in name but we denye him in oure ly uinges. the doctrine of Christe, and so expresse it in our liuing, that nothig is nowe counted among vs more vile, more folishe, more shameful then to liue truly after the lawes of Chryste, as who saith, Christe vaynely and withoute cause was conuersante here in earth, orelles that trewe christianitie is not the same it was wonte to be, or that it indifferently parteyneth not to all men. From this fonde and folyshe opynion of men, I councell euery good christen man, that he vtterlye withdrawe his mynde, and that he measure all thynges onelye as they be agreable wyth [Page] Christ. Who commonly now doth what is trew nobylitie. not hyghely txteeme and repute it great felicitie in this world, to be borne of noble parentes and aunci ente stocke, whiche men call nobilitie. Of the which many so glory and reioyce, that in comparison of them, they thincke other no men. But a good christen man shall repute that onely to be hyghest and trew Nobylitie, to be renewed in Christ, to be graffed or planted in his bodye, to be one body and spyrite with God. Lette other haue pleasures to be conuersaunt in the courtes and houses of greate prin cys. But thou christen man chose what a chrystiane oughte to chouse. with Dauyd to be counted an abiecte in this worlde, so thou be of the house of God. Beholde and see what men Chryste hath chosen to be his discyples, poore men, and no menne of reputacion as to this [Page] worlde. In Adam we were all men of equall birth, and in Christ we be all one and equall. Trewe Nobilitie is to despise this vayne Nobilitie, and to be the seruauntes of God. Heare what Christe sayth in the gospell of Iohn vnto the Iewes, which semith gloried that they discendyd frō the stocke of Abraham. You are saith he the [...]ull doers ar the children of the deuel. children of the deuill, and execute & fulfil the worke of your father, as who saith, loke whose steppes you folow, and their children you are to be coūted. Saint Paule al so in his epistle to the Romaines, exteminge nobilitie, after the rule of his maister Christe, saithe. All that be circumcised be not trewe Israelites, neither all those that discended of Abraham, be not the children and sonnes of Abraham. It is a shamefull nobililitie to be Shameful nobilitie. [Page] seruaunt to vyce, and disceuer frō Christe. The hyghest nobilitie is to be the sonne of God, and coheire with Chryste. The common people The difference in iudgement betwene the worlde the gospell concerning trew felicitie. iudge and repute him very hap py, wise & fortunate, which hath gathered great richesse and posses sions: But iudge thou him onely blessed who hath possessid Christ, and purchased the precious iewel of pure and cleane concience, and founde the highe treasure of eternal wisedom, more precious then al the riches in this world. What wordelye treasure thorns and brambles. shall I call then richesse, iewels, and possessions, which men of this worlde haue so greatly in admira [...]ion and honour▪ trewely they be as thornes and brambles, which hynder the worde of God, of his [...] and growyng in the soule of man. And as it apereth in the gospell of Mathewe, a gr [...]uouse [Page] burden, with the whiche men laden, can not wel passe the straight waye of vertue, ne enter the lowe and narowe gate of the kingdome of heauen. Reioyce not therfore▪ in we oughte not to accompte our selues the better bycause we are riche [...] who bau [...] [...]. thy riches, ne for thy abundance, repute thy selfe better then other; but more in bondage, more burdened and loden. He hath plenty and aboundantly ynoughe, whiche is contente with a little. He is sufficiently prouidid for, to whom our sauioure Ihesu Christe hath promised that nothing shal lacke. He can not hunger whiche hath pleasure who can not hunger o [...] want clo thinge. in the swete refreshing of the worde of Ihesu Chryste. He can not lacke clothing, whom Christ with hym selfe clotheth. Exteme that only losse and domage when what we ought to es teme losse and aduantage. trewe religion and vertue decayeth, and vyce in the sowle increaseth. Iudge that also onely lucre [Page] and aduantage when thy soule is made better by encrease of vertue. Thou canste lacke nothing when thou hast possession of him, in whō all thinges be conteined. Further more what thinge is that whiche The blind iudgement of the worl de concerninge pleasure. these miserable blinde people call pleasure, suerly extreme madnes, plesaunte venome and flatteringe mischiefe. The very perfyte and trewe pleasure is the reioysynge and ioye of a quiet and puer concience, the deintiest meates be study and intelligence of holy scripture. The most plesaunt songes be psal mes of the holy ghoste. The most mery company, be the feloshyppe of all sainctes. The moste sweete daynties is the fruition of God. he that once tast [...]th of chri ste perfect ly, al world [...] thinges shall [...]me [...].
Purge then thyne eies, thy eares thy pallet or thi tasting, and christ shall waxe plesaunt. Which when thou hast perfectly tasted, al these [Page] worldely pleasures if they were put in one, shall seme but carion.
That thynge is not vtterly to be iudgid swete and pleasant, which commonly sauouryd in the mouth of euery man. But that which sauoureth to a hole man and a man of good iudgement: if water to a man disseased with an axes did sauer all wyne, no man wold iudge that pleasure. Thou art deceyued The troble of thy [...] world more pleasant to the righteous, then pleasures of the worl de to the worldelinge [...]. if thou beleeue that vexacion and trouble of this world is not more pleasaunte and swete vnto a good and vertuous mā, than these fond pastimes, disportes and laughinges, vnto a vicious manne: vnto whom also fasting and abstinence is as muche acceptable as to the other daintie disshes, and delicate bankets. Conclude therfore, that what is trewe and perfect ple sure. very trewe and perfecte pleasure, is onely to delyghte in the loue of [Page] god, and not to regard the vayne pastimes, and fained pleasures of this worlde. And sume what to The trewe difference of loue and hatred▪ [...] howe they are abu [...]d. speake of Loue and Hatred, how greatly doth the common sorte of this worlde abuse these two voca bles and names▪ when a younge man fondely disposyd, mouethe a younge woman to fleshelye luste, and vnclennes of the body, the cō mon sort calleth it loue, whē there can be no greater hatred, then to dispoyle a younge woman, by giftes or faire speche of that, whiche is her cheife iewell and treasure, The chefe [...]ewels of a [...]irgin. that is to say, her virginitie, sham fastnes, clennes, good mynde and fame. When the father and mother The fonde loue of pa [...]. to muche dotynge vpon their children, correct not sharply their outragious wantonnesse, and abhominable vyces, but by their suf feraunce mainteyne and supporte [Page] them therein. The common people extemith it highe loue, and often times saith. Consider how ten derlye they loue their chyldren, when they shoulde rather saye, se howe cruelly they hurte their chil dren, whiche whyle they followe their wanton apetites, and suffer thē vnpunished, regarde not their healthe, ne their saluation. For what this pleasethe the deuell best. what thing can be more pleasante vnto our ghostely ennemy the deuil, then that we here frely offend vnpunished, and be punished eternally in hell. The common people The blynd iudgement of the worl de, concerning the pu nishement of sinne by princ [...], also callith him a gentyll mayster and mercifull prince, which wyll not se the sinnes of his subiectes, and in that g [...]uith theym occasion to sinne more freely, because they be vnpunished. But what doth almightye A greate signe of goddes wrath whē he [...] heth no [...] ▪ god threaten by his prophet, vnto such as he reputith vnworthy [Page] his mercy. I shall not visite by my correctiō, saith almighty god, the fornicacion of your dau ghters, [...]e punysshe your daughters in lawe, when they do aduou trye. But vnto Dauyd and other his electe and chosen chyldren he saith. I shal correct sharply with a rodde your iniquities, and with greuous beatinges punishe youre offences, and yet I will not with drawe from you my mercy. Here you maye see howe all thinges be renued in Christ, and the maner of thinges chaunged. He that fondly he that louethe hym self hateth him selfe, loueth him selfe, hateth hym selfe deadly, & he that is folishe pitiful vpō him self is most cruel to christ. To hate wel, is to dispise: to hurt well, is to do good, and to destroy well, is to preserue. Then shall when we beste cherishe oure selues. you best noryshe your selues, whē you moste despise the appetites of [Page] the fleshe▪ when you moste sharpely correcte the offence and sinne of man, then shall you be moste beneficiall to man. When you haue by [...] ser ued by kyl▪ ling of [...]. correction kylled the synner, then shal you preserue man. And when you haue dystroyed that, whiche man hath cōmitted, then shall you preserue that which god created. And furthermore what dothe the The blynd iudgement of the worl de vppon the words of might [...] strengthe. common errour of people cal pow er or might and strength of the bo dy? Do they not commonlye call hym a myghty man, and of great power which at his pleasure may hurte when he wyl. And yet truely A daungerous might too haue power to hurt▪ this is a very odious and daungerous mighte, to haue power to hurte, or to can or may hurte, whi che is common vnto theym with adders and scorpions, and other venemous and hurtfull beastes.
And with the deuyll also, whose [Page] nature and property is only to do hurt and dyspleasure. Onely god [...]od onelie is trewely mightie. is trewly and verily to be counted mighty and of greate power, whi che neither can hurt if he woulde, ne woulde if he mighte, whose na ture is onely to do good. But this worldly myghty man, commonly The hurte one man cā do to a nother is but finale, and turnethe to good of [...] that is hurt and hurt of the hurter, called a man of great power, how can he hurte man, and after what maner? he may violently take frō man his mony or possessiōs, beate or wounde his bodye, take awaye his corporal lyfe. If he do this to a good and vertuous man he doth him a good turne, in the stede of an euyll, and if he doe it to a vicious and euill disposed man, yet at the leaste he hath ministred vnto him an occasion of good, that is to be pacient, and hath only hurted him selfe, for noo man can haue hurte but of him selfe. And he that intendeth [Page] in any wise to hurt a nother, he that intendeth to [...]urt a nother fyrste hurteth [...] selfe. can not but greuously fyrste hurte him self. As shalbe declared more openly by example, you intende to robbe and dispoyle me of my money, nowe haue you offended charitie, and indamaged your sowle, you can not beate or wounde mye bodye, excepte you firste wounde your sowle: [...]e take from me the life of my body excepte you kylle and destroy your sowle. The common The blind iudgement of the worl de in the verie cora giousenes whyche ought to be in man, people calleth him a valiant couragious, and a strong manne, which is so cruell, fierse, and yet so very impotent of mynde, that he can nothinge suffer, but for euerye light trifell and displeasure is fumous, angry, geuinge checke for check, and displeasure for displeasure, and contrary hym that paciently sufferith iniury and dyspleasure, and holdith his peace, when [Page] he is rebukyd, they call childishe, dastard and of no corage. And yet nothing can be more different and diuerse from trewe strengthe and highe corage of the mind, then for a light worde or displeasure to be disquyeted, furyous and angrye, and not to haue power paciently to suffer the folyshe lightnes of other, and to thynke hym selfe noo man excepte he be reuengyd, and for one shrewde turne doe two or thre. But howe much more coragious The trewe force and strengthe what it is, and stronge is he to be coun ted, which doeth not onely pacient ly suffer i [...]uries and displeasurs, but also doeth good against euill. I call him not strong, ne of audacitie, whiche fiers [...]y inuadyth his enemie, valiantly assauteth or sca lyth the walles of his enemies, & dispising his life, putteth him selfe to all perylles: whiche thinge is [Page] common to all quarellers and sedicious parsons. But he that can manfully withstande the beastely appetytes, and subdewe his ir [...]ful mind, desiring weale to him whiche would him hurte, and do them good, whiche are hys ennemyes, praying for thē which speake him euill. Him repute I very stronge, & of high courage. Let vs discusse also what thinge this worlde callith ioye, honoure, and worshippe, ignomy and shame. Thou art com what is trewlie to be commē did. mendyd, but for what thynge and of whome. If thou be praysed of vicyous for thy mysha [...]your and vicious acts it is false commenda cion, and trew opprobry & shame. Thou art dyspraised, scorned, and The rebukes of the worlde vppon a good mā is most hyghe honoure. rebukyd for thy profyt, deuocion, and trewe christianity and simple nes, and that of vicious and euill disposed personnes, thys is no rebuke, [Page] but most highe honour, and commendation, and though al the worlde in this case would skorne and disdaine thee, yet it cannot be but glorious and honorable, whiche christ commendith & aloweth. And contrarye, if all men vniuersally [...]hat soe uer displea sethe christ is dishonorable, thou ghe it plea se the worl de neuer so moche. The folish nes of wor dely poleci & wisdome. would prayse and alowe the actes and operacions, it can not be but shamfull, that dyspleasyth Christ. Prudency, wysedome and polecy, is commōlye called of men of this worlde, stoutlye and diligently to gather goodes and possessions of this world, to stablishe & make suer that, that is gotten, and to prouyde for all the posteritie, for after this maner we maye heare the common sort earnestlye speake of suche as in shorte tyme haue increasyd theyr ryches and worldly possessyons, he is a profy table man, wise and ware, a man [Page] of great policie, and good prouision. This the world speaketh and worldlings the childrē of the deuell▪ worldly people which befalse and deceitfull, as is their father the de uyll. But what saithe Ueritie, which is Christ. Thou folishe and vnwise man that thus hast gathered the goodes of this world, this nyght thy sowle shall be deuydyd from thy body. A certayn man re membryd in the gospell fyllyd vp pon a tyme, all hys barnes, wyth dyuers kinde of corne, and plentifully stuffed all his store howses wyth al manner of vyttailes, and gatheryd and hurdyd vp store of money, thynking nothynge to remayne, but only to vse and occupy his goods so gatherid, and yet the gospel callith hym fole. For what The follye of the worl delynges which imbrace the shadowes of thinges for the very thinges. may be callid more folishe or more dasterdnes than to delight in shadowes of things for the very thin [Page] ges, & so carefully to prouyde for this fraile, vncertayne, and vnsta ble life, continually decaying, and nothynge prouyde, for the lyfe to come: whiche muste nedes be miserable, excepte it be substancially prouidid for in this worlde. Here An othere fonde error of the common people also a nother erroure of the common people, they call him prudent and a man of good knoweledge whiche desyrous of tidinges, kno weth commonlye, what is done, throughout the worlde, what for tune and lucke marchauntes hath had, what the Emperour intendythe to doo, what newelties at Rome, what busines in Fraunce, howe the Daues lyue, and to be bryefe, can clatter of al matters, and speake all languagys. But what may be more folish or more how folish a thinge it is to selfe what [...]se a farre of [...]o neglect thethinges of moore wayghte within our owne brestes. vndiscretely done, than so much to desire the knowledge of thinges [Page] done so farre of, and which partay neth nothinge to thee, and to haue no remembraunce of suche things as be done wythin thy stomacke, and pertayn only to the. Thou tel lyst what trouble, busynes and dis quietnes is in strange places: but tell rather howe anger, enuie, voluptuous pleasure, and ambicion, vex and distrouble thy soule, rebel linge againste reason, howe nere they be subduyd, what hope of vic tory, how stoutly reason is armid against them. If thou be in these thinges waking, light earyd, and quick eyed, circumspect, & ware. Then shal I cal thee prudent, and of good knoweledge. Be not conformate to this worlde and world lye parsons in euill, but bee reformyd in thy vnderstandynge that thou mayst alow not those things whiche commonlie these worldly [Page] men folowe, but approue the good will of god and folowe those thinges whiche be pleasant vnto his goodnes.
¶ Opynions mete and conuenient for a christen man.
EUery good and parfyte Christen manne moste depely hath roted in his remembraunce those briefe and compendiouse rules of trewe christianity. Firste that he Noo m [...]n born to him selfe onely. perfectely knowe and beleue that he is not borne vnto him felfe onely, nor oughte to wyll or desyer to liue as to him selfe. And that he ex All good thinges to com of god teme not other hys beinge in this worlde, or any other good thynge whiche he hath obtayned, to come of hym selfe. But that he exteme all suche thynges, receiued of allmyghty god onely, moste hartely [Page] thanking him, for his suche great goodnes and benefytes receyuyd without his deseruing. And plain ly repute all suche good and profitable thinges as he hath common to all men. For christian charitie knowith no property. He muste Christyan charity kno wethe no propertie. howe we oughte to loue al mē. vnfainedly loue all good and vertuous men in Christe, and all vici ous and euill men for Christ, whiche so vehemently and firste, as an example louyd vs when we were his ennemies, that he disdained not, willingly to geue him self for oure redemption. And therefore euerye true and good christen man must charitably loue all men indif ferentlye, the good for their good nes and vertue, the other that by his kinde and charitable behauyoure, he maye reduce and brynge them to vertue: & as the faithful & discrete phisician, hatyth not hys [Page] pacient because he is sicke. So a good christen man muste hate no man, but be enemy only vnto vice. And the more greuous and ieoper dous the sicknes or disease is, the more deligence & labour shal pure and parfect charitie geue, to helpe & remedy him that is diseased. As in example, thy neighbour or brother howe we oughte to hate an euyll man. is an aduouterar, a sacrilege, a turke, thou must hate the aduou trar not the man, dyspise the sacrilege not the man, distroy the turk not the man. And dilygentlye laboure that by thy cure & industry, the vicious man maye perish whi che made him self, but that the mā maye be saued, whiche almightye god did create. He muste also hartelye Christians oughte to will wel to al men, and to lamente the hurt or losse of all [...]. without colour or collusion, will well to al men, praye for thē & do them good, not hurting them whiche haue deserued hurte, and [Page] doing them good which haue not deseruid it, as muche glad and reioysinge, of the commodities and profytes of al men, as of his own, and equally sorrofull and displeasant, for their incommodities and disprofites, as for his owne. And that mente the apostell S. Paule when he sayde. Mourne ye and waile ye with them that be sorow full, and be glade and reioysynge, with them that be mery. Amongst christen men a nother mans losse and hinderance is more heuely to be taken, then his owne, and more to bee reioysed of a nother mans prosperitie then of his owne. And These thou ghts ought not to be in a christian harte. therefore good christen man thou maiest not haue these cogitacions and thoughtes in thy selfe, what haue▪ I to do with yonder man, I knowe not whether he be good or euil, he is a straūger & vnknowen [Page] to mee, and a man that neuer dyd me benefyt or pleasure, he hathe done mee hurte and dysprofyt in tyme paste, but neuer profyt. But what a christyan ought to re member. only thou must remember & haue in thought, by what merite or desarte our sauiour Christ, solouing lye and benefycially hathe dealte with thee, which desyreth not hys benifycence, and goodnes so plentyfullye mynystred to man, to bee requyted and renderyd towarde hys hyghnes, but in oure neygheboure. And onlye consyder, what thyng thy neyghbour nedyth, and what thou maiste doo. Remembre this onely good christin man in al things concerning thy neighbour he is thy brother, and creatoure of almighty god, coheredytour with Christ, a member of the body that thou arte, redemyd with the same bloud, fellow and partaker of the [Page] same faith, called and ordeined to the same grace and felicitie of the eternall life to come. As the apostel A good argument. Sainct Paul witnesseth, sayinge. Ye be one bodie and one spirite, called in one hope of the same vocatiō, hauing one god, one faithe, and one baptime. How can he than be a straunger vnto the whiche in so many things is one with the. Amonge gentiles these rethoricall Opiniones mete for heathen but not for christyans, circumstaunces, whiche folowe dyd greatly helpe, eyther to frendshyp, or enmytie, loue or ha tred, he is of the same citie or cite zen with me, mine alie or kinsemā of my familiar aquaintance, my fa thers frende, he hath ben kynde & benefycyal to me, he is borne of a worshypfull stocke and in honest place or countre, in Christ al these thinges be nothinge, or else after the minde of Sainte Paule, they [Page] be all one, & the same thinge. And what wee oughte to thinke of a christyan what soeuer coūtrey he be of, what so euer is done to a christian is done to god. to a christen man, onely this remē braunce shalbe sufficient, he is my fleshe and brother in Christ. That thinge that is charitably done to the member, dothe it not redownd vnto the hole body, and to the hed also? We be all members of one bo die eche in his proper and peculier place, and the hed of oure bodie is Ihesus Christ. The hed of Chryst is god the father omnipotent.
Then all thinges good or euyll, done to the leaste of the members be done to euery Crystian man, to Christ and to god also, for all these be but one. And therfore these olde prouerbes and common sayinges among men of thys world, be not to beregarded among cristen men, like commonly reioyce in like.
And inequalitie is mother of all Inequality the mother of all hatred, hatred. To what intente shoulde [Page] the name of hatred be spoken of among The name of hatrede not to bee spoken of a mong chris tians. Christyanitie remainethe not where disdaine is placed. christen men, when betwne them is so greate vnitie, and they so many wayes agre in one. It sauoryth no trewe christianitie that the courtiar commonly, disdeineth the craftes man, the husband mā, the citizen, the gentill man the yeman, the rich man the poore man, the englishe man the french man, the maried man the bacheler, the gramarian the deuine, the seculer preste, the lay man. Wher is trew and perfyt charitie, whiche faythfully and hartely louyth the ennemie, when the alteration of theyr name, contrary and such other like causith amonge them so great hatred, discorde, and enuye. But let we are all the members of on bodie christ beinge our hed. thys passe, and let vs accustome oure self in remembraunce of that whiche saynte Paule counsailith. that is that al christen men in our [Page] hed Chryst, be the members of one body quyckened & anymatid with one spiryte. In case we lyue with The dutye of a verye christian in case he wil be of the body wher of Christ is the hed. Christ, and that we enuy not those members, whiche haue not receyued so plentifully gyfts. And glad ly helpe them whiche be in lower condicion, and of lesse abilite than we. And that certainely ment S. Paul when he sayde to the Coryn thyans. As the corporall body beyng one hath many members, and all the members thoughe they be diuers and many be but one body. So all we in Christ certaynly in one spirite, be baptised into one bo dy what so euer nacion, condicion, or degre we bee of. And vnto the Romayns in lyke maner he wry tith saying. As in one bodye naturall, we haue many members, and euery member hathe his seuerall and dystinct acte and operacion.
[Page] So all good crysten men be one, & the same body in Christe, eche the members of other, hauing distinct & seperate giftes according to the gyftes which be geuen them. And in a nother place he commaundith that eche beare and sustayne the burden of others, because we bee membres of one body. Consyder The words of a disseuered nom bre, therefore good christen man, whether those persons parteyne to the body whiche commonly saye, my rychesse and possessions be discended vnto me as to the right heire, and I possesse them laufully, why maye I not vse or abuse theym at my pleasure, why shoulde I geue any part of them vnto suche as I owe nothynge vnto? I waste and consume them: & that that is consumyd is my nown, what hath other men to do therwith. It is no mans disprofyt or losse but mine. [Page] Alas good Christen man, thy brother how the ri che man misuse the his goodes or riches geuen him & member with the in Christ for hunger and lacke of meate is lyke to perishe, and thou wastfully and gluttonously consumest thy money in ryot, and banquetynge. Thy brother in Christ is nakyd & shakyth for colde, and thou sufferyst thy garmētes to be eten with mothes. Thou fondly castyst thy money at dyse, and seyst so manye yonge women for lacke of helpe, and in maner inforcid through nececessitie, fall to vnclennes, and fil thinesse of the bodye, and sufferyst the soule which Christ died for, so miserably to perishe, and yet saiest what haue I to doe therwith?
That whiche is mine, I order at my pleasure. And hauing this vngracious minde, thinkest thy selfe a good Chrysten man, when thou art not to be countyd aman. Thou [Page] hearist the name of thy neighbour [...]hat is to bee done when wee heare oure neyghbour slaundered in company, defamyd, and holdyst thy peace or haste delectacyon or pleasure in hearing this infamy, and slaunderous communicacion, and sayest I would haue rebukyd them if their communycation pertayned to me, but for asmuche as it touchyd not me, let them speake therin, which fele them selfe greuyd. Alas christyn man, if thou be of the body all thynges that towchith anye of the members, towchith the also, and if thou be not of the body thou belongist not to the head which is Chryst, nor art not to be countyd a christen man. Furthermore the common people saye A christian oughte not to reuenge or recompence euell with euell. it is laufull to be reuengyd of violence and iniuries, done towards them. I force not what the ciuill or imperiall lawes permit or suffer. But I maruell greatly howe [Page] these common sayinges, entryd in to christen mens stomakes or condycyons, I dyd hurte him, but I was prouokyd by former displea sure, I had rather do displeasure then to suffer it, in case mans law doo not punishe that whiche they permytte and suffer. Thynkeste thou that thy capytayne Christe shal suffer the vnpunyshed, if thou offende and breake hys lawes? whiche is recyted in Mathewe, where he sayth. I wyll and commaunde you that you violently re syst not iniuries and displeasures, ne couet you not to be reuenged of your ennemies, but loue you them vnfaynedly, And be you benefyciall and well doinge toward them whiche hate you: And praye you hartely for them which persecute and slaunder you, that you maye be the very faythefull and trewe [Page] children of your father in heauen, which causethe the sonne to shyne bothe vpon the good and the euyl, and causethe the rayne to dyscend as well vpon the iuste as vniuste men. Parauenture some men wil If we will be the chil dren of god and inheritours of he auen▪ the perfection of life perteinethe to vs as well as to themi nister. here obiecte and saye. Christ commaundeth not these thynges vnto vs that be laie men, but to the apo stelles and suche as be religious and perfite. Alacke chrysten man diddest thou not heare in the commaundemente of Chryste: that he wylled these thynges to be doone and vsed of his people, to the intēt they shoulde be knowen the chyldren of theyr father in heauen? If thou desyrest not to be the chyld of god, this lawe parteineth nothing to thee. And yet I ensure thee, he he cannot bee good which des [...] erethe not to be perfecte. can not be good, whiche coueteth not to be parfyte. And if thou desyre not the rewarde which is pro [Page] mysed to these, whiche keepe and obserue the lawe and commaunde ment of god, the lawe nothing par teyneth to thee. For it folowethe saide Mathew. If you loue onely suche as loue you, what rewarde To loue our louers is worthy no praise. shal you haue? as who saith none. For this act is worthy no thāke. But the contrary is synful and ab hominable, where a thynge is requyted and recompenced by an other equiualent, and of like value there is noo det ne duetie remaynyng. Here also what S. Paule sayth in his epystel to the Romaines, expounding the foresaid law. Saye you well by those whiche The dutie of a cristiā towardes hys ennemies. parsecute you, and not onely to say well, but couet you not to myssay them, rendrynge to no manne dyspleasure for displeasure: and as muche as shall lye in you, be you in peace and quyetenesse with all [Page] men, not violently defending your selfe in withstandyng the iniuries and wronges of other: but rather geue place to their fury and anger and withdrawe your selfe, for it is vertue. Leaue the reuengynge to me and I shal reuenge the saith almighty god, but if thy ennemye hunger, geue him meate, and if he thirst geue him drynke. And so do inge, thou shalte caste burning coles Coles vpon his hed what signifieth, vpon his head. That is to say thou shalte cause hym to knoweledge him selfe more culpable and worthy to be rebukyd, and shalte do that is in thee, to reconsyle and wyn him. Desier not to ouercome thine enemy in euil, but ouercome his malice & frowardnes in good. That is to saye by thy gentelnesse and benificence. But here some fro warde parson will saye. If I by my gentelnes and pacience norish [Page] the frowardnes and malice of my ennemie, and in suffering his former iniurie, mynyster occasion to hym to doo farther displeasure or hurt, what ende shalbe of his malicious and frowarde minde? vnto whom I make this aunswere. If you maye without offendynge and breakinge the lawes of God, (which I call your hurte and onely diplesure) auoide and withstād the maliceof your enemy, I thinke it very lawfull, and otherwyse I thynke more conuenient and neces sary for a christen man to suffer in iurie then to do it. And to prouoke his ennemie to amendment, other by benefytes and wel doyng orels by paciēce. And in case you can not I [...] is better to please Christe by pacience then to reuenge oure wronges & become euyll with our enemy. win him, it is better yc one perishe then both, and that you content & please youre captayne Christe, by your pacience, then by reuenginge [Page] displease him & be made euil with youre ennemie, then let thys be a lawe and decre amonge Chrysten men, that they contend and labour to ouercome eche other in loue, gē tylnes, and benyficence, not in con tencion, hatred, obloquy, contume ly, and iniury. And the greater or more excellente they are, somuche more submytte and humble them self that they maye in all thinges obserue and kepe charitie. Thou howe the christiā noble mā [...] behaue hī selfe, art decendyd of noble lynage and auncient stocke, maners conuenyent and cumely for a christen man, shall not distayne or impayre thy birthe, but make it more honorable. If thou bee lerned thou muste the more discretely beare and paciently The christi an lerned. correcte, the lewdenesse of the vnlerned. The more thou hast receiued, the more thou arte [...]det tid, and owest thy neighboure. If [Page] thou be riche and hast aboundaūce what the riche man muste doo. of worldly goodes and possessiōs, remember that thou art a distribu tour and disposer of them, and not the Lorde or owner of them. And soo muche more diligentely take hede howe thou handelyst or orde ryst that thyng which is common to manye with the, and put in thy handes to order and dyspose, thou arte dysceyuyd, if thou beleue that proprietie was only forbydden to the spyritualtye, for that equally pertayne to all chrysten men. The Note the difference betwene god & mans lawe. common lawe punyshethe thee, if thou violently take any thing frō a nother, and the same lawe punyshethe not, if thou refreshe not thy neighbor in his necessity, but with holdist from him, that which thou callest thyne, but Christ shall correcte and punyshe the for both. If The dutie of a christiā officer. thou be an officer let not the office [Page] make the more cruel, but consider the burden and dewty, whych dependyth vppon thy offyce, and let that make the more circumspecte and ware in executing thy offyce. But heare, some man will saye I Euery man is or ought to be of the churche of god. beare no office of the church, I am no curat, I am no byshop. Alacke my frend, if thou be not of the chur che thou pertaynest not to Christ. For the church is nothing else but the congregacion or companye of faithful people. But now a daies, how Christ is dispised amōg word lie christiā [...] Christ is so in contempte, amonge these worldly people, that they exteme it very glorious and honora ble to be an aliene and a straunger from Christe. In somuche that he is moste dyspysed which neryst folowyth Christ. There is one lord Christe [...] vi cars, only bothe of bishopes and temporall officers whose vicares they bothe be here in Earthe, and shall [Page] make straight acounte vnto hym, of the administracion of their offices. If thou haue other respect thē [...]ho is a simoniacke. vnto hym other in receiuing thine offyces, or in the admynystracion & occupying of the same, thoughe the world repute the not as a Si moniake he shal punish the as a si moniacke. If thou desyre or couet To what ende a com mon office i [...] to be desired, a cōmon offyce, not for the cōmon weale & profit, but for thy priuate lucre & aduauntage, and to be reuengid, and do displeasure to such as thou bearyste no good mynde, the administracion of thy office, is thefte before God. If thou persecute theues, not to the intente such how to per secute the [...]es, as hathe bene spoyled [...]oulde receaue agayne theyr goodes, but that thou mayst conuerte the robbry vnto thy priuate vse. I praye the what difference is betwne the theues and the, but that they haue robbyd the marchantes, and thou [Page] theues. And to conclude, if thou administer not thy office to this in tente, onely that thou be prompte & redy not only to lese thy goodes but also thy lyfe, in maintenaunce and defence of ryght and equitye, Christ shalnot commend ne alowe thy administracion and execution of thy offices. If thou be a Prince how a chris tian prince or a ruler oughte too vse hym selfe. and capitaine of the people, suffer not these poysoned vices of flatterers to infect thy eares. Thou art a kinge and lorde ouer other, thou arte free and aboue the lawes, all thinges that thou mindist be iuste and honest, it is lawfull to the to do what the pleasith, it forsith not what these prestes and preachers commonly precheth, they pertaine nothinge to the, but to other pryuate and inferiour persons. But haue thou in remembraunce that Euery king is Christes vicar. whiche is trewe, that Ihesus [Page] Chryst is the onely lorde and mas ter of all men, vnto whome (for as muche as thou arte here his vicar and officer) it behouyth the to bee lyke and not to differ, whose doctryne is of no man more iustely to be obseruid then of thee, of whom he shall require more strayght accompte then of other. Thinke not vtterly that lawful that thou min dest, but minde and intend thou no thinge but that which is lawfull. Thinke not that verteous and ho That is not vertuus in a prynce whiche is vice in a cō mon man. nest in the, which is culpaple and synfull in other. But that whiche is but a smale vice in other maner parsones, thinke in thy selfe, abho minable and greuouse. Suffer no thing to raigne in the, which thou dailye punishyst in other. Let not thy riches purchase the honour, cō what ough te to purchase a pri ce [...]nowm and [...]ame. mendation, dignity, fauoure, and autorytie, among the people. But [Page] thy excelent vertue, and noble con ditions, in the whiche thou muste excel incōparable, aboue the commons. Let the people learne of the to dispyse riot, wantonnes, and auarice, and to folow vertu, reioyce in temperaunce, honesty and measure. Thou shalt very wel dystroy the appetites and affectiōs of the commons towardes mischefe and euyll doing, if they shall perceaue that thou nothynge regardeste ryches and pleasure, matter & occasion of vice and inniquite. Dyspise we oughte not to dispyse the sī plest man. no man be he neuerso simple, plain ly remēbryng that ye be redemed with equall & one pryce, the bloud of Ihesu christ. Let not auctority, what ough te to kepe a prince frō hatred of his subiectes. fiersenes armore, or thy garde defend the frō hatred, but y• puernes of thy liuinge, vertuous conuersacion, vndefylyd maners, and honest condicions. Thou maist right Right principalite. [Page] well in mainteining thy regality, kepe thy high estate, and be equall with other in charitie. thinke this principalitye, (not to excell other in riches) but to profit many. Remember thou arte a common person, and therfore al thy cogitation must be, of the common wealthe. A Christen prince may not desier, to exercise his power and authori ty vpon his subiectes, but his charitie. And among christen me [...], he that is greatist and highest in auc toritie, must thinke him selfe a minister, not a lorde or maister. And Titels of worldlye auctorytye oughte not to be amōg spiryt [...]all men, therfore I maruell greatlie howe these ambiciouse names and titles of worldly auctorytie, were firste brought in to popes and bishops, when Christe forbade his dyscisples, that they should suffer them telues to be called lordes or maysters, for there is but one lord and [Page] mayster, whiche is the head of all Christen menne Iesus Christe. A preacher, a curate, a Bishoppe, be A preche [...], Bishop. [...] be not names of worldelye power or aucthoritie but of cha ritie. names of charite, not of power, or worldely auctoritie. But wherefore shuld I wade further in this troublouse sea of common errours There is noo kynde of men in the which a very spirytuall man shal not perceyue many thynges to be bewayled and lamented: And ma ny corrupte opynions among chri Many corrupt & carnall opinyons grown among cristians whi che greatly differ frō true christi anitie, and the cause therof, sten menne, whiche greatly dyffer from the trewe doctrine and learnynge of Ihesu Christe, which for the moste parte, procedeth of this onely: That we haue immagined and brought in a certayne world into christianytie, or amonge chri sten men. And that (whiche is red in auncient auctours of diuinitye) men easely learned only to referre to suche as be called relygiouse.
[Page] The worlde in the gospell, in the [...]hat is ment by this worde worlde. wrytinges of the Apostels, sainct Austine and saincte Iherome, is called vnfaythfull people, or infidelles, the ennemies of the crosse of christ, and blasphemars of god. And suche, for as mutche as they howe the worldelye mindid behaue them selues. mistrust Christ, and haue no confidence in his promyses, busely care for the worldely lyuinge, fearing that they shall lacke, and neuer haue sufficiente, and carefully labour and stryue for the increase & obteynynge of rychesse and possessyons of this worlde, and followe voluptuousnesse and pleasures of this worlde, blinded with the disceytfulnes of sencyble thinges, co uetyng feined good for true good. This world hath no acqueintance The world hath non a quaintance with Christ with Chryst, the very and trewe lyghte, and as saynct Iohn saith, is al set in vyce, and synne, louing [Page] it selfe onely, liuyng to it selfe onely, and carynge for it selfe onely.
And from this worlde Christe deuyded The world and christianitie cannot agree. his apostels, and all suche as he thought mete and conuenyente for him. Why do we then min gle and conioyne this worlde soo vtterly condempned in holy scripture, with christianitie? And by a fained vocable or fained name of the worlde, coulour our vycious and lewde liuing. This pestilent what great hurte commeth amōg christians throughe false flatteringe preachers. erroure is greatly mainteined, by such flatteryng preachers, whiche as sainct Paule saith, peruert the word of god, and apply holy scripture to the maners and condiciōs of men, when it were moste conuenient, that the condicion and behauioure of men, were correctid and amended, according to the rule of holy scripture. There can be noo more pestylent kynde of flattery, [Page] then to mysuse the interpretacion of scripture, and by wordes of the gospell or of the holy prophetes, to meinteine oure vices, & not correcte them. A king or a prince herith how a ki [...] or a prince oughtto vn derstande the scrypture, in scripture, that all power & regalytie cummeth of god, and anone he beginneth to excel and ma gnifie him felf. But why doth not this scripture cause h [...] to be more carefull in minde, then proude and haughty. Thou remembrest that God hath gyuen thee a realme or empyre to gouerne, but thou remembrest not that thou shalt render vnto him accompte of thy gouernance. A nygarde or couetous howe the couetous man vnder stādeththe scriptures for his pur pose, man, heryth in scripture that it is not lawefull to haue two cotes or garmētes, the which the masters of diuinitie doo thus interprete: That the seconde cote or garment is that, whiche is superfluous or [Page] not necessarye to nature, and that parteineth to the vice of couetous whereat this nigarde greatly reioyceth and sayth. I haue not yet sufficient, I lacke many thinges, and therefore I shall gather and increase my rychesse. This beastly man and colde in charytie, hereth that Charitie begynnethe at our selfe, and that this is the order of Charytie. That a man preferre his own ryches before other mennes: more regarde his owne lyfe then other mennes: setteth more by his owne fame then by other mens, and saith I will geue nothing, I lacke my selfe, I will not defende his name least I hurt my nowne. I will leaue my brother or neighbour in ieoperdy, lest I come my selfe in ieoperdie, and brefely, I wil liue all to my selfe, least by medling with other mens [Page] busines, disprofyte or incōmoditie may chaunce to my self. We haue howe peruersly the wicked cō strue the scriptures to maintain theyr wickednes with also learned nowe a dayes to take that onely into example of our lyuinge of holy saynctes and vertuous men, which they dyd contrary to the doctrine and teaching of Christe. Aduouterars and homicides, flatter them selfe by the exaumple of Dauid. Couetous and gredy men of the worlde, obiecte vnto vs riche Abraham, pryncys and greate men, whiche counte it but a tryfle or dysporte to defyle maidens, number vnto vs the con cubines of Salamon. Gluttons, excuse theym by the drunkennesse of Noe. Incestes, in excuse of their fylthynesse, pretende the acte of Loth. But why do we withdraw our respect in these men frō christ? I dare boldely affyrme, that neyther in the prophetes, neyther in [Page] the apostels, is any thyng to be fo lowed, whiche they dyd contrary to the doctrine of Chryst. But yf men haue so great pleasure to followe saynctes in that they offended: let them folowe wholly and not in parte. Thou haste folowed howe wee oughtto fol lowe good men in repentaunce. Dauyd in aduoutrye, folowe him the rather in doinge repentaunce. Thou hast expressed in thy lyuing the vyce of Mary Magdalene, ex presse also her teares, loue, and hu militie. Thou hast persecuted the churche of Christe, as Paule dyd. Thou hast forsworn thy self with Peter, spend thy lyfe againe with Pawle, in defence of Chrystes faythe, suffer wilfully persecution with Peter. Almightye god oure [...]hye god permitted good men somtime to fall. comforte, suffereth somtime holye men to synne, that we when wee haue offended dispaire not, and as we haue folowed them in doynge [Page] offence, so we shulde folowe them in maky [...]ge amendes for oure offences. But we commonlye take The peruersnes of manne [...] na ture, in example that thinge whiche is not to be folowed, and oftentimes depraue that they did wel, moche after the maner of spiders, sucking that thinge onely whiche is venomouse and poysoned or els by our poysoned stomakes turnynge holsome and good things into venim and poyson. Thou greedy and couetous A lesson to the couetous man, man, vnto whom moneye is a god, howe doest thou folowe the riche Abraham, because he by increase of his cattell (almyghtie God prosperynge his substaunce) was made ryche, and that in the lawe of nature. Thinkeste thou it leful for the (being a christin man) vnlawefully to gather riches and goodes of this worlde? and other vainely to mispende them, or els [Page] more vainely to kepe them? How little he regardyd his goodes and possessions, it plainlie apereth, in that he anonne at the voyce of almighty God, broughte his onely sonne to be sacryfied and kylled.
How little thinkest thou he set by his riches, whiche so little regarded his son? And yet thou nothing desyringe, but lucre and aduauntage, nothing regarding but money and riches, redy for a little lucre to deceiue thy brother, and forsake Christe, thynkest thy selfe in condicion lyke to Abraham. The Aga [...]st the where [...] ger, symple daughters of Loth, seinge they sawe the vniuersall or hole worlde perceyuing (of so greate a multitude) none remaynynge but theyr father and them self, fearing least the kynde of man shuld vtter lye haue peryshed and decaie: of a v [...]hemente loue and zeale to the [Page] countenance of mankynd, secretly laye with their father, and at that time, when this commandemente was freshe, and in remembrance. Increase you, and multiplye the worlde. And darest thou with the facte or dede of these maydens, cō pare thy monstruous pleasures & lecherous actes? Dauid also after so many vertuous examples and noble actes, once commytted aduoutrey: and thinkest thou it laufull to the to continue all thy lyfe in fil thy pleasure and voluptuous nes of the flesshe? Peter (for feare against the swearar, of death) once denied Christ, shalt thou therefore for euery trifle forswere thy selfe? Mathewe once Mathewe once commaunded left his occupation, but no callynge wyll serue the couetous [...] man, cōmaundid by almighty god, forsoke his occupacion and office, the suerty of his liuinge, and folowed Christe. And yet so many exaumples of holye Saynctes, the commaundementes [Page] of the gospel so often rehersed, so many sermōs, and holsome predications can not reuoke thy gredy appetite, and coue tousnes of the worlde. Uertuous behauyoure and honesty, hath con tinually decayed, sith we haue coloured our vices with thename of vertue. And haue ben more quick More redy to defende our euyll then to amende it, to defend our abhomination, then diligent to amende it. And meinteined our froward opiniōs, with fayned and false defence of holye scripture. And therfore good christen man followe not the common fashions and opinions of men, but folowe Christe, the onely auctour and example of vertuouse liuing: and as for thy outwarde behauyour concerning maners, apply thy selfe to all men, so that thy intent and purpose be stedfaste and suer towardes god and his trueth, to [Page] the intente thou mayste wynne all men to Chryst.
¶ The. vii. Rule howe to labour to obteyne that whiche is nerest to a spirituall lyfe.
BUt if our weakenesse of nature, and infancie of Faythe can not attaine to the very parfect and spiritual life, we must at the least labour and inforce to obteine that whiche is nerest to the sayde parfecte and spirituall lyfe. The very The trew way tocter nal fclicite trewe and compendiouse waye to eternall felycitie, is vtterly to con uerte oure hole mynde and intente to the loue and desyre of heauenly thynges. That as the body naturally hath adioined and associated As the bodi hath his shadow so hathe the loueof crist vnto it, his shadowe, so the loue of christ, the loue of vertue and heuenly [Page] thynges, maye acompanye & bring with thē hatred vice and disdaine of worldly things fraile and vncertaine. The one of these, necessarylye foloweth the other & where the loueof crist is, ther ne cessarily fo lowith he hate of syn and the worlde, increaseth or discreaseth with the other. For the more you profyt in the loue of Chryst, the more shall you hate the world: And the more you desier thinges which be inuisible, the lesse pleasure shall you haue in thinges that be visible, vn stable and vnsure. And therefore The councell of Qui tilian, that thynge whiche Quintilian counsayleth to be folowed in learning, we must also folowe in vertuouse liuynge: that is, that wee from the beginninge, inforce and intende to the best. The which if The nexte way to obteyne vertue isto ab steyn from synnes, by weakenes of nature we can not obteyn, the next is, that we ware ly and wisely absteyne from notable and open vices and sinnes, as [Page] muche as shal lye in your power. For as the body moste weake and brought lowe (but ryd and cleane from hurtfull humours) is moste nere the natural helth, so the soule not defiled with gret and notable vices, is more redy to receaue the giftes of god, althoughe it lacke, yet the power and perfyt vertue. If we be weake and not able to folowe what shāe is to vs cristians that the hethē should excede vs in vertuous lyuynge, in our liuing, the holy Apostells, Marters, and Uirgins, let vs at the least not committe that, that heathen and vnchristen men, maye be sene to excell and passe vs in vertue. Of the whiche dyuers, when thei neither knew god whō they shoulde loue, ne beleuyd that hel was, which they should feare. Thought and decreyd that vice & sinne, was vtterly for it selfe to be lefte and auoidyd, insomuch, that they had leather leese their name, [Page] riches, & life, then to disceuer from morall vertue. If sin of him self, be The abhomination of synne, so abhominable & of that nature, that infidells for no profyt or disprofyt, would commit it. Trewly thoughe neither the iustice of god might feare him, ne the godnes of god disswade & exhort him, nother the hope of eternal lyfe, ne feare of eternal payne reuoke him, nother the natural fylthynes of sin withdraw him, which onely did withdraw diuers gentylls: at the leste the diuers and many incommodyties, what shuld feare a cry stian from synnynge, whiche commonly followe a sinner in this worlde, should feare a christen man from commission of sinne, that is to saye infamy, wast and consumption of his goodes & possessions, pouerty contempt, and hatred of all good men, trouble & dtsquietnes of minde, finally that miserable grudge and vexation of [Page] concience, the whiche though many men perceaue not ne fele forthe with, other obscured by dulnesse of age, (or drowned in pleasure of [...]n yet they shal fele & perceaue it at length, & the later, the more daū gerous & more to their pain. And younge mē to be admo nyshed, therfore young men ar diligently to be admonished, that they rather beleeue by informacion of others that this is the nature & cōdicion of sin, thē to lerne & proue it by experiēce in thē selues. And that by sinne they defile not their lyfe, before they knowe plainelye, what thing the life is. If thou regardest we should abstent frō sin though not for chri ste, yet for our owne sake, not Christe, which boughte the so derelye, abstaine yet from vice for thy nowne sake, and thoughe it be very daungerous to cōtinew long in this meane waye, which is onlye to absteyne from notable and common vices, yet to them which [Page] cannot ascende to the highe perfec tion, it is muche more commenda ble, to consist in the polyticall and morall vertue. Then headling to runne through all kinde of vices. In this concisteth not the parfect felicitie, and in this state almightie god is diligentely to be called vpon by praier, that it may please hym to helpe, and further vs in hygher perfection.
¶ The eight Rule howe to resist temptacions.
IF thou perceiue that the storme of tēptacion dothe To be tem ted is a signe of god des good wyll, very often and greuously assaute the, dysmaye not therefore thy selfe, ne be displesed with thy self, as though almyghty god nothyng regarded thee, but rather thanke him that [Page] he instructethe and teacheth thee, as one to be his eyer, that he punisheth and correcteth thee as his moste dere sonne: that he prouith and assayeth the, as his well beloued frende. It is a manyfeste and he that fe leth no tēp tation it is a token of a reprobate great token that man is reiect frō the mercy and fauour of god when he is troubled withe no temptacion. In thy temptacion remember what wee should remember when wee be tēpted, the holy apostell S. Paul, which rapte to the misteries of the thyrd heauen, was troubled and vexyd with the au [...]gell of Satan, remē ber the temptacion and trouble of the holy man Iob, Saint Ierom and other Saintes, whiche were greuously troubled with their offences. Sithe this thinge, which thou sufferyst is common to thee, wyth so manye holye men, whye shouldest thou be dismayed or discoraged. Laboure deligently, to we must la bour to ouercome our temptacions, [Page] ouercome thy temptatyons wyth them, and almightie god shall not leaue thee without remedye, but shal increase thy strength & make the able to sustayne and ouercome thy temptacion.
¶ The. ix. Rule to geue deli gent hede to the assault of oure enemies.
BUt for as muche as oure enemies be very craftye and subtill, it is conuenyent and necessarie that we geue suer and diligente watche, hauing oure minde alwaye redy and circumspecte, againste the assaute of our ennemies. For they continual Our ennemies at cō tinually occupied to seke oure destructiō, ly compasse and labour to distroye vs. And therfore we must euer be in a redinesse, that when they shal [Page] assaute vs, we maye repell them. And break the hed, that is the sug The head of the serpent what it is, gestion of the pestilent serpent the deuill, for that is the moste parfyt and easie waye to ouercom him, to withstand his suggestions & first mocions before thei grow or take roote in our sowles.
¶ The. x. rule is to hate those oure ennemies.
THe ghostly ennemy shal by this meanes speciallye bee repellyd, if thou with all thy harte, hate howe and by what menes the deuyll is to be ouercōe him or manfully withstād his sug gestions, or cōtinually occupy thy minde in holy praiers & vertuous occupations, or aunswere him in his tēptation with wordes of ho ly scripture as I before haue taught you. And in this thing it shall To what ende wee ought to [...]e de the scri ptures, [Page] greatly profyt against all kind of temptacion, to gather certaine sen tenses oute of holy scripture, and haue them in memory. But suche speciallye as youe shall perceaue youre minde to delighte and haue pleasure in, and by the which it is moste commonly mouyd to deuoci on.
¶ The. xi. rule is what we should do in the time of temptacion, and what after the temp tacion ouercome.
BUt of two thinges specially thou must beware, the one is that thou fainte not in temptation we must no ther faynt in temptation no: tomuche reioyce whē we haue o uercom our temptation and geue ouer to thy enemye, the other that after thou hast manfully withstand him and had the vic torye, thou to muche reioyce not, and be prowde and insolent. And [Page] therfore to be sure, loke that whē By what menes we may ouercome thassaultes of our enemy the deuyll, thy ennemie intiseth thee to sinne, thou haue not respect only to thyn owne imbesilitie and weakenes, but remember that in Christ, thou maist doo all things, which saide not only to his apostels, but to all his members indifferently, truste in me I haue ouercom the world. And after thou hast ouercom temp The honor of our vyc tory ou r si is only due vnto god, tacion, and perceinyst thy mind de lyghted, and comforted reioyse in vertuous operacions. Beware di ligently that thou repute not this victory or good dede to thin owne merytes or power but only to the gentilnes and goodnes of almigh tye god, repressyng thy selfe with the wordes of saynt Paule, what thing hast thou, that thou hast not receiuyd, and if thou hast receiued it, whye reioysist thou as though it were done by thine own power, [Page] and therfore agaynst these two euylles these shallbe remedyes, if thou in temptacion mystrust thine owne power and strength & cleue onely to Christ, puttyng in his be neuolence and mercye, all hope of victory. And after the victory and ouerthrow of thyne enimy, in thy spyrituall reioysynge thanke all myghty god of hys benefyt, humbly knowlegyng thy imbesylytie and vnworthynes.
¶ The. xii. rule howe to ouercome our spyrituall enemy with hys owne weapon.
WHen thou fightest with thine enemye, think not thys sufficient to repell or withstande his firste suggestion and mocyon, but manfully conceyue the occasyon of his [Page] suggestion and returne it agayne thine enemie with his owne weapen or sworde distroying him, and so doing when thou art mouid and intisid to sinne, thou shalt not onelye not offende but of his mocion, take occasiō of vertu: & as the poe tes properly faine yc Herculus the more perills and teoperdies that Iund displeased, obiectid againste him and incombred him, the more his corage increas [...]d, and the more valiant he waxyd. So geue thou diligence, that by instigation and mocion of thy enemies thou be not made worse, but increase in vertue and valiantues. Thou art pro how to resist the deuel in temp tation and the nexte waie to we ry him god graunnt vs to followe this good councell. uoked to voluptuousnes and plea sures of the body, consider thy imbesilitie, and withdraw thy mind the more from vnlawful pleasurs and delectations, occupyinge thy selfe in vertuous operations and [Page] chaste meditacions. Thou art mo ued to couetouse: increase thy cha ritie and almes toward thy poore neibour. Thou art intisid to pride and vaine glorye, humble and sub mit thy self more lowly in all thin ges. And so euery temptacion shal be vnto the a reuenging of a godly purpose, and increase of vertue & trewe deuocion. And trewly ther is none so good and readye awaye to destroye and repell thy enemie as this. For so doinge he shalbe aferde to prouoke the again to sin, lest he which reioisith to be auctor of iniquitie, minyster occasion of vertue and goodnes.
¶ The. xiii. Rule howe we ought both to fyghte manfully, and the feld ouercom alwaies ready to resist the nexte onset of our enemy.
[Page] IN thy conflict and battel we must so [...]ghte as though eue rie battell shoulde be the last con flycte. with thine enemies, thou must so fyght, as though this should be the last bat tell, if thou ouercom, and haue the better of thy enemie. For it maye so bee, that almightye God of his goodnes shall geue this rewarde vnto thy vertue & noblenesse, that thine enemy once ouercom and con foundid, shall no more assayle the, whiche we haue redde to haue ben graunted to dyuers Saintes and vertuous men. Orygyn saith that when we ouercom, the power and strength of our enemies decaieth. And he that is once decayed and manfullye confoundyd, shall noo more be sufferyd to intyse man to sinne. And therfore in thy battell bee bolde to hope for parpetuall peace. And when thou hast ouerthrowne what wec ought todo when wee [...]couercō, thine enemie, so order & [Page] vse thi self, as though thou should straight enter againe into battel. After one temptation loke for an other, and departe not from thine armoure, forsake not thy araye or standing, kepe good and suer watche as longe as thou feyghteste in the Castell of this body, hauinge euer in thy remembraunce the saiinge of the Prophet. I shall stand vpon my word or watch and shal be alwaies in readinesse for mine enemies.
¶ The. xiiii. Rule howe we oughte to hate al sinnes seme it neuer so smal.
YEt must thou delygently No sinne to be counted as lighte, beware that thou dis pise no vice as lyght, & not to bee regardyd, for no enemie hathe more often ouercom, [Page] then he that hath byn dispisid and nothinge regardyd. And in howe men deceiue thē selues in sinne, in est emyng thē but smal of fences in them, ouer other sins, this thing diuers men meruelous lye deceaue them selfe, which fauo ryng in them selfe one or two vyces whiche eche (after his maner) thinkith veniall or lyght, hate the resydewe. A great parte of them which are callid vertuous and ho lye, abhorreth greatly, and hateth theft, rape, homycide, aduoutry, and inceste. But the same lytle or nothing regarde simple fornicacion, and immoderate vse of sonde pleasures. Some man puer and clene from other vices, is commō ly dronken, and accustometh ryot. A nother to lyberall, and free of spech. Some to hauty and prowd of mynde, but if we thus fauoure our owne vices and delight in the same, howe shall vice be extincte and banished from man? It is a to [Page] ken that suche as haue pleasure in Suche as haue pleasure in any one sinne, possesse ra ther the shadowes of vertue, then vertu it selfe, anye one vice, trewlye possesse not the other kynd of vertues, but rather shadows and images of vertue. But he that perfetlye hatyth one vice, hateth all kind of vice, & reputyth no vice as light or smal, least from the leaste, he fall to the greatest. And euery good christen howe & good christ tian ought to be myndid, man must thus be minded & affectionatyd in him selfe, that though he can not vtterly & at once expell the hole company of vices, that he diligently laboure dayly to withdraw somwhat of his viciousnes and filthy appetite and increase in verteousnes and good behauiour.
¶ The. xv. rule is how we should behaue oure selues, if wee chaunce in this fyght be ouercom of the deuil.
[Page] ANd if it fortune youe in wee muste not be discoraged, if it bee oure chaunce to be ouercō in thys fyghte, temptacyon to be dedly woundyd of your ennemy, be not therfore disco raged nor cast away your armour and yelde you to your enemye, as manye dothe which be weake and feble of stomake, which once ouerthrowen, feare againe to ieopard them self in battell, and still conty newe in bondage and captiuite of their enemyes, hauing no remem. braunce to recouer againe theirly berty. This ferefullnes & pusillanimitie is very perylous, whiche Desperacy ō foloweth fearfulnes commonly bringyth aman to that whiche is worst of all vices, that is to saye, fynal desperacion, and therfore against suche weake and feble stomakes and courage, thys shalbe the remidy and rule. That when thou hast fallen into synne, what is to be done if we fall. thou dyspayre not, but folowe dylygent [Page] and couragious souldiers, whome many times, shame of igmominy and payne of the wound doth not cause fle. But quyckneth and causyth them fight more feirs ly, so thou after thou hast commit tyd a dedly synne delygently haste to retorne agayne to thy corage & strength of mynde and amende the rebuke and shame of thy fawle, with new quicknes and corage of vertue. Thou shalt soner remedye The sinne long accust tomed is hard to be reformed or amendid and helpe one wound then many, & a fresh and a new wound, then a olde & putryfyed stomake, and encorage thy selfe wyth this cōmon prouerbe, whiche Demosthenes, as is cōmonly red, did vse and accustome. A man flying, and he shal fyght agayne, that is to saye that man in whome any corage or stomacke remayneth, shall not for a lytle rebuke of his enemy vtterly [Page] bee dysmayed, but rather gether strengthe vnto hym, and be reuengyd of hys enemye. Remember The best men haue fallen and whatis our du [...]ye to learne ther by, that Dauid the prophete, Kynge Salomon, Peter, and Paul, the apostels. Not withstanding they were great lyghtes & exaumples of holynes: yet they fell into greuous and greate synnes, whome almighty god parauēture suffered to fal for this cause, specially that thou shouldest not dispayre, Lifte vp thy self therfore vpon thy fete and with highe courage and bold stomoke, returne againe into battel againste thy enemies, not only more fierse & bolde, but also more ware and diligent.
¶ The. xvi. ruleis of sondry reme dies against temptacions.
BUt agaynste the dyuers suggestions and assaultes of our [Page] enemie, dyuers remedyes be prouidid and had as they shalbe most necessary and expedient, not withstandynge A generall remedie againste all kyndes of temptatyons. the generall remidye & of most effecacy & vertue againste all kinde of aduersitie and temptation, is the perfect and diligent remembrance of the passion or crosse of Christe, whiche is also a refreshing to them that can not labour, an example to them that wander from the righte waye, and sufficiente armour, to them that fyghte, whiche is specially to be obiectyd agaynste all the suggestyons and mocions of the deceitfull enemye. And therfore it is necessarye that man be substanciallye exercised in this remembraunce, of the passion and punishments of Ihesu Christ. Some commonly doth reuerence howe som abuse the Crosse of Christ and howe it is ryghtely to be vsid, to the image of the crosse, & crosse their bodies ouer euery part with [Page] thousand tokens or crosses, or reserue and kepe at home a gobet or a pece of the holy tre, and so at certaine and apointed houres call to remembraunce the passion and pu nishment of Christ, hauinge petye and compassion vpon him as vpon a iuste and rightwise man, wrong fullye punished. In this consisteth not any trewe fruitie of the crosse of Christ, but rather norisheth supersticion & idolatrye. But rather laboure thou good christen man & diligentlye inforce thy selfe to ascend to the high and toppe of this tree, or crosse, and to obtayne the true fruite therof which specially consisteth in subdewing and mortefying the worldly affections. And therby to desyer to be confyrmate and made lyke to the head & capytayne, whiche is Christ. And we should desierto be made like vnto christ this is vtterly to be desyryd of all [Page] men, in whom the spirite of god is quycke and lyuinge. For he that The migh ty working of loue, perfectly and faythfully louyth a nother desyryth in all thynges to be like vnto him, whom he louith. But that you may more fruictfully how fr [...] fully to vse the remem braunce of Christsde [...] the. remember, and to your healthe recorde the mystery of the crosse of Christ, you muste dilygentlye prepare a certaine maner and deuout arte to fyghte with your enemye, and in the same diligently exercise your selfe, that when oportunytie and tyme shall requyer you maye be sufficiently preparyd and in redynes to withstand the inuasions and mocions of youre ennemyes, that is to saye, that to euery singu ler affection and pleasure of thys world to be mortified and oppressed, thou applye that parte or porcion of the crosse, which is moste respondente. For there is no temp [Page] tacion or aduersitie, whiche hathe not his peculier & proper remedye in the saide crosse or punishmente of Christe. As in example, when thou arte inflamyd to ambicion or How to resist pride. pryde of this world, and arte asha myd to be in contempte and dispysyd of other, remember thou vyle and lowe member of Christ, how great and excellent in comparison to the, thy head and captayn was, and howe lowly he submitted and humblyd hym selfe for thy sake.
When thou arte prouokid and mo How to resiste e [...]e. uyd to enuye, remember howe louingly and gentelly thy capitayn Chryste wholy gaue hym selfe to our vse, & how good he was to thē that were worste and moste vicious When thou arte mouid and in tised to gluttonye, remember that How to resist the mo [...]ions of glo [...]ome. he in his thyrste had geuen him to drinke Eizell & gaule. When thou [Page] arte temptid of lechery and volup To re [...]iste lechery, tuous pleasures of the bodye, remember howe pure and cleane all his lyfe was, from fylthynesse of the bodye and other voluptuousenes. When thou art intysed to the How to re [...]ist anger. synne of wrathe and anger, remē ber howe mekely and lyke a lābe, he helde his peace, when he was rebuked, and howe pacientlye he suffered the obloquy of his aduersaries. If pouertie trouble and dis A consolati on in pouer tie. quiete thee, and the synne of couetouse moue and prouoke the, remē ber that the lorde and maker of al thynges, was for thy sake made so pore and nedy, that he hadde no place ne cottage, whiche he chalenged as his owne, wherein he myght dwell or continue. And if in other tēptations, ye vse and exercise your selfe after this maner: It shall not much be peyneful vnto [Page] you to resist themotions of your ennemies, but also you shall perceiue greate fruite and pleasure: For as muche as by this holsome remembraunce, you shall vnderstande that you be conformate to your head, and shal so recompence him his great paynes and punishmente whiche he suffered for your sake.
¶ The. xvii. Rule howe greate a helpe to resyste synne, is to remember howe detestable a thinge synne is.
And though this be the most redy and present remedye agaynste all kynde of temptation: yet it shal greatly pro fyte to suche as be weake and infyrme, if they diligentely remember [Page] when they are moued and inti sed to synne: Howe fylthy, howe pestilente, howe abhomynable a thynge syn is. And contrary how noble and excelent the dignytie of man is. In trifles and matters of How circō s [...]ecte we be in vaine thinges, [...] negligence in most ear neste matters▪ smalle valewe, we councell and take good aduisemente with oure selfe. And in so weightie a matter, shal we not diligently remember with oure selfe, before wee bynde vs to the deuyll, by oure consent: as by oure wrytynge and obligations? Howe marueilouselie wee were created, in how excelent condicion The marue [...]ous wor ke of god in creating of man. and degree, set aboue other creatures. Howe preciousely we are redemed frome captiuitie and tiranie of sinne: and to how great ioye and felicitie we be called and ordeyned. Shall we not also remember and recorde in oure myndes that man is that gentyll and [Page] honorable beaste, for whose cause almighty god created & made this vniuersal world, & that mā is the citizen of angels, the sonne of god, the heire of immortalitie, a member of Christ. And that the bodye The excellēcy of mā is descrybed. of a christen man is the temple of the holy ghoste: and the sowle or mind of man, is the similitude and image of almighty god, the secret chamber of the deuinitie. And contrarye that synne is the miserable Synne the pestilent in fec [...]ton of the sowle, destruction, and pestilent infection bothe of the bodye and sowle, the deadly poyson of oure moste cruel ennemie: the bayte of the deuyll, and the erneste and pledge of oure moste miserable and beastely seruitude and bondage: and after you haue thus diligently remembryd with your selfe, then take good ad uisemēt, whether it be cōuenyente or profytable, for so disceitful poisoned, [Page] & short delectation of syn, to fal frō so gret dignitie & noblenes vnto such indygnitie and mysery, from the which thou canste not at thy pleasure delyuer thy selfe.
¶ The. xviii. Rule to auoyde sin, by and by, comparing the. ii. heades together, videlicet God and the deuyll.
ANd after ye haue this substā cially aduysed & counsayled with your selfe, it shalbe necessary that you cōpare & confer together the two disagreyng and farre vnlyke heades and capitaynes, god and the deuyll, by synne thou makest the one thine ennemie and the A compa [...] son of the benifi [...]es whiche fol lowe them that lyue [...] ▪ and the eui les that fol lowe the wicked, other thy lord and master. By innocency and grace of god [...] [...] art ascrybed into the number and [...] lender of the frendes of god▪ and adopted vnto the ryght and h [...]ytage [Page] of the chyldren of god. But by synne thou arte made and constituted the seruaunte and sonne of the deuyll. The one is that eternall sprynge and fountayne, verye image of the highest beautie, gretest pleasure and moste excellente goodnes, comynge and deuyding him selfe to all men. The other is father and auctour to al vices, extreme myschiefe, and greatest infe licitie. Remember the goodnesse and benefites of god towarde the, remember also the malyce and mis chiefe of the deuyll. Consyder by Beholdthe mercie of god towwards vs. how great goodnes almighty god dyd create thee. Howe mercyfully he redemed thee. howe lyberally he hath indued thee: How gentyl ly he [...]ereth and susteyneth thee dayly [...]ffendynge and displeasyng his goodnes, howe ioyfully he rec [...]ueth the, amending thine offen [Page] ces. Cōtrary cal diligently to thy marke tho enuy of the deuell. remēbraunce, howe enuiously the dyuyll hatyth thy helthe, in what miserie and wretchednes, he hath in time past deiected the, and how he dailye labourith to bringe man to eternal dampnation. And after thou haste diligentlie ponderyd & comparyd these thinges in thy remembraunce thinke farther with thy selfe after this maner. Shall A mete co▪ gitacion for al christiās to acustom them selues in. I vnkindly and vnnaturally, forgetfull of my beginning, forgetful of so great benefites towards me, for so little and vaine pleasure, for sake so noble, so louinge, so beneficiall a father, and geue my selfe in bondage to so enuious, and cruel a master? shal I not render vnto my maker & creatoure almyghty god that thing, whiche shame bindeth me to render vnto a man, beynge good & beneficial vnto me? Shal [Page] I not abhorre and fiye the deuyll, whiche naturally doth flie a man, being hurtfull and euyll vnto me.
¶ The. xix. Rule for the absteining from synne is to haue in oure remembraunce the myseryes of thys worlde.
FUrthermore haue dilygently in your remēbraunce, how ful of trouble and wretchednes, how fraile and vncertaine this present life is. And how subtillye deathe, on euerie side awaiteth man. And diuers times sodenly and vnware oppresseth man, & when no man is suer to lyue one moment or instant of an houre howe peryllous & ieoperdous it is to defer or prolonge that life (that is to say to continue in sinne) in the whiche if sodayne death (as it many times hapneth) apprehend or take thee, thou diest eternally.
¶ The. xx. Rule to beware of Impenytencye.
FInally Impenitencie is gretly to be feared. For asmuch as of so great a company verye fewe Fewe with all theyre hartes rise from sinne▪ specially such as pro longe repē taunce, trewly, and with all their harte, ryse agayne from sin. Specially such as prolonge and defer theyr contynuance in synne, to the later ende of their lif. The discence and It is easie to fall into sinne but hard to get oute, fal vnto syn is very slipper and easie, but it is harde and great difficulty to ascend againe from sinne. And therfore it shalbe very necessary to euery christen man, before he discend vnto the depe pit & dungion of syn. That he diligently remēber that the returne againe frō sinne is very harde and laborous. And that he cannot without speci al grace ryse againe at pleasure.
¶ Here folowith certaine speciall remedies, against certaine speciall vices and sinnes, and first against Lechery.
HYtherto after my sim ple and grose maner, I haue declared vnto you certaine generall remedies against all kynd of vice commonly. Nowe af ter my capacitie & lernyng, I shal also prescrybe vnto you certayne specyall remedyes by the whyche you may be the more able to with stand the. vii. pryncipall or dedly synnes. And fyrst agaynst the syn [...]etcherse assau [...]ethe man moste sharpely & is a moste commō sin. of lechery, for asmuch as this syn of al other so much inuadith man, most sharply assautith him, and is most common and bryngith moste men to dystruccyon and myschefe. And therefore if this fylthy pleasure The mean to resist & a uoid whor [...] dome. [Page] prycke or inflame thy sowle, remēber continuallye to arme thy selfe with this armoure, and to re sist it. First call to thy remēbrance howe impuer, how beastly & how The vylenes of the sin of who [...] dome. greatly vnbeseming and vncomly vnto man, this fonde pleasure and voluptuousnes is, which equalith vs the creature and unage of allmighty god, vnto the vilest of the brute and vnresonable beastes, as swine, dogges, gotes & such other, and not onely equallethe vs vnto them, but bryngeth and deiecteth vs far vnder their condicyon and degre, which be preordinate to the company of angelles, and fruition of diuinitie. Remember also how shorte and deceitfull this pleasure is, hauing alway, much more bitternes then delectacion and pleasuer. Contrary consider how precious a thing the soule is, & howe [Page] excellent the body of man is, accor ding as I haue shewed you in the generall rules. What fondnes is it then, for so fylthy delectacion of so vnsure and vnstable pleasure, so vngoodlely to polute, bothe body and soule, and to defyle that temple or suspende it: the which oure sauiour Iesu christ did consecrate to him self with his most precious bloud. Consider also, what company The discō modities & the euelles that follow eth whoredomc. of greuous incōmoditys and displeasures, foloweth this flattering pestilence, and couert poison. First it taketh away from a man, his good name & fame, for be thou assuryd the rumour of Lechery is much more abhominable, then of any other vice. It consumeth also and wasteth the substance and patrimony of mans body: it kylleth and destroieth both strengthe and bewty of the body. It hurteth and [Page] hindereth the healthe of the body, & ingendreth dyuers sycknes and lothely soores, it hastneth age before a due tyme, and debateth the flowre and lustines of youthe: It dulleth the quicknes and felicitie of the witte: it withdraweth the minde of man from al vertuous & honest occupacions or studies: and drowneth him so in durt and filthi nesse, that he hath no pleasure to think or remember any thing, but such as is filthy beastly and vyle. Finally it takithaway that thing whoredom makethe [...] man worse thē a beast and depryueth him of reason. which is the very properte of mā, and by the which only mā is man, that is to say, the vse of reason. It pulleth out or extirpeth the godly mynd, & infundeth a beastly mind, it causith youthe to be infamous, wyld, & vnruly, age to be suspectyd, myserable and lothelye. Beware therfore and refrayn thy self [Page] from thys fond voluptuousnes, by the exaumple of other whom thou hast known or hard, by such lewde nes, to haue fallen into sycknesse, pouertie, and misery. And corage or stomake thy selfe to the vertue we oughte to incor [...]ge oure selues to well doinge by the example of of others. of chastitie, by the exaumple of so many younge women & lusty men which thou shalt rede in histories very tenderly brought vp and delicately norished, to haue kept cha stitie. Why shouldest thou not do that thing which they did, and no doubte thou shalte do as they did. Remember with thy selfe how flo The cōmodities that folow chas titie, rishing, how pleasaunt, and honest a thing the chastitie and cleannes of minde and of the body is, which maketh vs familiar with the angelles, and pleasant vessels of the holy ghost. Be thou insured the de uine spirite and holy ghoste, most faithful louer of chastitie and clen [Page] nes, fleith noo vice so greatly, as the vice of vncleannes, ne delighteth or resteth any where so gladly, as in puer and virginall members. Consider howe vncomelye, how folishe & beastly it is to loue The folish nes of carnall loue, fondely, to waxe pale, to be leane, to wepe and lament, to flatter and speake fayre, to be lowly and plyante to a stinking harlot: to singe all nyght at her gates or doores, and to depend at the commaundement of your fonde mystres, to be vnder the gouernaunce of a lyght and leude woman, to complayne to be angry, and sodēly to be agre ed agayne, to suffer thy selfe wylfully to be deluded, to be beaten, to be spoyled and vtterly to kyll thy soule for the cōtentacion of a leude woman. Where is amonge these thinges the name of a man? wher the remēbrance of the berd? wher [Page] that honest and ientil mind, borne and predestinate to noble acts and goodly matters? Consyder also what flocke and company of vices foloweth this beastelye pleasure comitted and vsid. If it seme but The sinne of whoredom ought not lightlye to be regar did, if the euelles be marked that folow the same. light to followe this wantonnesse and pleasure of the body, yet remē ber with thy selfe howe great and greuous an offence it is to be disobedient to thy parentes, to dispise the holsom admonitions and coū celles of thy frendes: to consume prodigally & dispend thy substāce and heritage, to take di [...]ceitfully other mennes goodes, to forswere thy selfe wyllingly, to drynke all riotousely, to chide and braule, to be a quareller, to fight, to commit homicide, to blaspheme and slaunder. Into the whiche and worse, this filthy & beastly pleasure shal deiecte thee, if she once ouercome [Page] the, and thou become her seruant. Consider furthermore, how fraile The vncer tenty of our life should cause vs to eschewe [...]nne. and vncertain this present life is, and how diuers ways death lieth in waite, from whose violence no time, no place, maye defende thee. Remember the suertie and ryghtuosnes Callinge to remembraunce the iudgement wyll feare vs from sinne. of the last iudgement, and that feareful sentence neuer to be reuoked, goe you cursed people into the eternal fier of hel. And how this little short & vayne pleasure, shal vndoutedly be punished with eternall punishment. Remember Oure good angell is a wytnes of our doings ye and god hym selfe which also should stay vs from do inge euell, that thy good aungell deputed to be thy keper is alway present, beholdinge and testifyenge all that thou thinkest or doest. Remember that almighty god also beholdeth the, vnto whose sight, all thinges be open. And shalte thou not be ashamed to do yc thing in the sighte note. of almighty god, and all the company [Page] of heauen, which thou arte ashamed to do in the sight of man. Beleue plainly that if thou hadst a thousand eies, & were as quicke of sighte as the Egle, yet couldest thou not more clerely se that thīg which man dothe in thy presence, then almighty god plainely seeth the secrets and inwardes of thye minde and harte. And to be briefe the speciallest and surest remedye These wer remedies against temp [...]ons, against the tēptacions of the flesh, be these. First diligently to auoide and flye all such occasion and company, as soliciteth and moueth to the said vice. Seconde moderate diet, and mesurable slepe. Thirde temperaunce and abstinence from temptacion and pleasures permit ted and suffered. Finally the remē brance of death and contemplacion of the pashion, and punishment of Christ. It shal also greatly profyt [Page] thee against the sayde temptacion, Company kepīg doth muche, to liue & kepe company with such as be chast, vertuous, and honest. And to fle and auoide corrupt and vnchast communicacion: to fle idelnes and trifling occupacions, & to occupy thy minde busely with honeste studies and meditacion of heauenly matters. Specially, to redinge of holy scriptures [...] pra er remedes to withstād sinne, exercise and vse thy selfe in reding of holy scripture. And to be often in puer and deuout praier.
¶ A remedy against the mocion of Auarice.
IF thou perceue that thou art eyther of nature propence and disposed to the sinne of couetouse, or else intised and moued to the same, of the ennemy the deuil, remēber the noblenes and dignitie of thy condi [Page] [...]ion, and that thou arte only creatyd & redemyd to this vse, to haue the possessyon of the ioy celestiall, and eternall fruycion of almyghtye god: And that he creatyd and formyd all this worlde to thy vse and commoditie. Howe vncomely is it thē and how filthi, not to vse and dispose these earthely dounge and vile thinges: but so greatly to loue and kepe them. Take awaye [...]olde and [...]uer but redde and white earthe, Christians ought to be more perfecte then heathen, the erronious opinion of men, and what shal golde and siluer be, but red and white earthe▪ Shalt not thou beinge the disciple and member of Christ, chosen and electe to so great possession & heritage, dispise that thing▪ which commonly all the gen [...] a [...]d vnchristen philosophers, didde despise and set at naughte. It is not honourable to It is more honorable [...]o [...]ispise ri ches thē to haue them haue richesse, but to despise them. But here the most parte of theym [Page] which be called christen, most sub The vaine excuses christians make to ga ther riche [...] telly and craftely disceiuing them selfe, obiecteth and sayeth, necessity cōpelleth and causeth vs to gather possessions and richesse: and when we haue gotten thē to kepe them dilygentely: For in case we haue nothing we can not liue, and if our substaunce be but smale: our life shall be more incommodiouse and full of displeasures: but if we haue aboundance and plenty of riches, then maye we liue quietlye and more commodiously, hauinge wherwith to preserue our health, and remedy oure sicknesse: to prouide for our children, to helpe our frendes. Finally so shall we cease to be in contempte, and be in reputacion and fame amonge other.
But vnto these which by pretence A confusiō of suche vaine obiec tions, of necessitie, excuse their couetous: I shall obiecte the parable of the [Page] Lillies, and birdes mencioned in the gospel: which onely liue with that, which they finde redy, vnto whose Imitacion our sauiour moueth and exhorteth vs. I shal also obiecte vnto them, that our sayde sauioure aboue all thynges commaundeth vs to get the kingdome of heauen, promisinge that soo doinge all thinges necessary shal be plentifullye ministred vnto vs.
When haue they lacked necessaries, The vertuus man neuer lacked necessares whiche with all their hartes hath folowed vertue? How littell is it that nature desireth of vs?
But thou madde man, doeste not measure the necessitie of the vse of nature, but of the satisfyinge and end of thy insaciable and couetous minde. To vertuous and good mē A lytell ser [...] the vertuous, that little whiche cont [...]nteth nature is sufficient. But he whiche [...]e that is [...] ▪ [...] bee called [...] good [...] [...]an. consumeth the gretest part of his [Page] life in gatherynge of ryches, and hordeth and kepeth theym as the anker and suertie of his liuynge: paradu [...]nture he maye be calleda good and a wise marchante. But I can not thinke hym a good chri sten man, whiche only trusteth to him selfe: and mistrusteth the promises of our sauiour Christ, whiche when he of his goodnes, so louingely fedeth, and clotheth sparrowes and birdes of the ayer: shal he leaue man destitute and vnprouided for, whiche trusteth in his goodnes▪ But let vs now expend The cōm [...] d [...]es [...] com [...] [...]f [...] by the [...]efy [...] of [...]e [...] ▪ and consider the profites and commodyties, whiche these ryches be thought of dyuers to bringe vnto man. Fyrst by the common assente of all philosophers, riches among wordely thinges counted profitable, be set in the laste place. And when all thynges after the deuision [Page] of the philosopher named Epictet, except vertue only: be with out man, nothynge is so moche to be counted without Man as money: ne nothynge so little commodiouse and profytable. For in case one man dyd possesse, al the riches and iewels of the world: shuld he therefore be more vertuous, more wise, or more learned? Shoulde his mynde or sowle thereby any thinge, be the better: shoulde the health of his body be more prospe rous? Can his money make hym more bewtiful, stronger, or younger? But here some worldly parsonne money pur chasethe false honoure, will saye, money causeth a man to be regarded, and purchaseth honoure. But what honoure is that, which money causeth, truly false and deceiuable, and suche they onely geue, whiche honoure is nothinge but trifles, and vanities, [Page] of whom to be commendid, is plainely discommendable, and to be rebuked: trewe honour is to be laweded and praysed of suche as be laudable. And the hyghest honour The highest honour is to please Christe, is to please Christe. Trewe honour and commendation is the rewarde of vertue, not of richesse. And when the people do honour a man for his riches and apparell, The miserable honoure that commethe of ryches, they honour the riches and the ap parell, not the manne. And if they might, as well perceaue the miserable pouertie and nakydnesse of the sowle, as they perceaue and see the outwarde aparell and substaunce, they woulde then iudge him as wretchid and vnfortunate as they nowe call him happy and blessed in this worlde, and as muche despise him, as they nowe do him reuerence and honoure. And as for the frendshyppe and amitie Deceytfull frendeship whiche mo ney obtey▪ neth▪ [Page] whyche men of this worlde thynkethe that money obteynethe and getteth, trewly it is false and deceitful: for money purchaseth fren des to it selfe, not to him that possesseth the mon [...]y, so that they whiche loue a man for his money, be frendes not to the man. And therfore I thincke them whiche be richest in this case most vnhappye: that they cānot discerne ne knowe their frendes from their foes: For of them whiche pretende loue and frendshippe, towardes the ryche man: Some priuily hateth hym, The discō modyties that folow eth the ryche man, as to gredy and couetous, some en uieth him, because he is more rich, and of more substaunce then they, And some regardynge their owne profytte and lucre, flatter [...]th him and vpholdeth his doinges & sayinges, to the intent they maye get somwhat of him: and he that most [Page] pretendeth frendshippe before his face, wold fainest haue him dead. And againe, the riche man commonly hath all men suspected.
Iudginge them as vultures, gapinge for their praye, and thynkynge that they resorte vnto him onely, for their owne lu [...]re and ad uauntage, not for his loue & frend shippe. And therfore, if thou dilygently [...] gethe with it more discōmodities then comdities. pōder and aduise with thy selfe, the maner of getting and kepinge of this money, thou shalte plainly perceue, that abundaunce and plenty of riches, bringeth vnto man muche more incommodyties and disprofites, then profites and commodities. How great labour and payne sufferethe man in gettynge of this rychesse. Howe great feare and disquietnes, hath he in kepinge of them. What heauines and sorow, in lesing of thē? [Page] Trewly man can not wel expresse it. And therfore our sauiour in the why Christ (in the gospel) calleth riches thor nes. gospell calleth them thornes, because they take from manne, that thing whiche is moste pleasaunt, that is to saye, quietnes and tranquilitie of the minde: and vexe and distrouble man with dyuerse crakes and dysquietnesse. And the more they are possessed and obteined, the more they inflame & moue manne to gather and keepe them. And this insaciable and gredy desyre casteth man hedlinge into diuerse kinde of vices, and into muche mischefe. Disceaue not thy self good Christin man, fondely beleuynge, Noo man may be easely riche [...] deuou [...]e also, that thou maiest easely be bothe riche and parfectly deuoute. Remēber that Christ saieth, in the gospell. It is muche more easie and lighte that a Camell shoulde passe throughe the eye of a nedle, [Page] then a ryche man to come into the kingdome of heauen. Remember Abonndaunce of ryches cannot be both gatherd & kepte with out sinne, he that delighteth in ryches or money can not loue vertue. the saieng of saint Iherome, great aboundaunce and plenty of riches can not be both gathered and kept without synne. Remember also, that riches and substaunce of this worlde, robbythe and dyspoyleth the of much better riches. For he that hath pleasure and felicitie in money, can not but hate vertu and honeste occupations. Fynally remember that saincte Paule in his Couetousenes is [...]dolatrie, Eepistels calleth the sinne of auarice playnely Idolatrye, and that thou canst not both serue god, and intend to thy riches. And that as thou, nakyd dydde come into this world, so shalt thou hence departe againe nakyd. Haue also alwaye in thy remembraunce the folyshe ryche man spoken of in the gospel, vnto whō it was said, this nighte [Page] thou shalt dye, and who shall then haue this substaunce and richesse, which thou hast gathered? Withdrawe thy minde diligently from where vppon we ou ghteto thik and to eschewe Couetousnes, the corrupte maners and behauioure of the common people, vnto the contemplacion of the pouertye of the blessed vyrgin Marye, the apostells, the marters, and of thy capytayn Christ, and euer remem ber, that fearefull intermina [...]ion, whiche almyghty god threatneth in scripture to the riche mē of this world, and it shall cease and slake thy gredy apetite of couetousnes.
¶ A remedy againste the sinne Ambicion, and desyre of honoure.
ANd if the synne of Ambycion with hys inchauntementes and charmes, moue and attempte [Page] thye sowle, arme and defende thy selfe with these remedys.
Fyrste dilygently remember, accordyngly Trew honour proce deth onely of vertue, as I haue shewyd you before, that perfyt and trewe honoure onely procedeth of vertue, and is onely lawde and commendation, for vertuous behauioure and maners. And yet this honour is not to be desired, as our sauiour Ihesu Chryste hath taughte vs, bothe by exaumple of his liuinge, and also by his doctryne and teachynge. For the very trewe honour Treweste commenda cione is to be commē did of Chri ste, and commendation to be desyred of a christen manne, is to be commended and honouryd of almighty god, and not of men. As sainct Paule witnesseth in his pistell to the Hebrewes, sayinge. He is onely commendable whom Christ commendeth and prayseth. This honour and reuerence whiche It is di [...] n [...]ure to be praised for euell [...]ooinge. [Page] men comonly geue vnto man, if it be geuen for a thing vnhonest and vicious, it is not to be coūted honour, but greate rebuke, and if it be geuen for thinges whiche be meane, and of theym selfe nother vertuous ne vicoius, as bewtye, strengthe, ryches, kynred, and suche other, yet is it not to be counted trew honour: For no man can deserue honour by that thinge: for the whiche he is not worthy to be commendid. But if man be had in what is trew honor reuerence and honoure for his ver tuouse behauiour and honestie: Then is it to be counted trew honoure. And yet he that deserueth Nothinge more vaine then a man to stande in his owne conceyt, vp on the prai se of men. this honour shall not vtterly desyre and couet it, but be contentyd with his vertuouse demeanoure and concyence, or knowledge of his good dede. For what thynge can be more fonde, then a man to [Page] esteame hym selfe vpon the opinion and fantasy of men: which haue at pleasure, and at their owne lyberty to take awaye that honoure and reuerence whiche they gaue, and to dishonest them which they haue reuerencyd before. And therfore nothing maye be more folishe then to reioyse or be proude of suche honours, when they be geuen. Or to be troubled or dysquyeted, when they be taken awaye. Whiche honoures you shal by this argumente honoures in this wor lde for the moste part is geuen to worste before the be [...] ter. speciallye perceaue to be false, that they commonly happen to such as be worste, and moste vicious. Remember howe gracious and blessed the quietnes and tranquilitie of meane priuate lyfe is, whiche is not incombrid with am bicion of honour. Remember how carefull and ful of troubles, howe daungerous, and full of ieoperdies [Page] the life of great men, and men called honourable is. How great weltheand honour cau seth a man to forgit hī selfe▪ diffyculte is it in prosperitie and wealthe, a man not to forget his imbesilitie and weakenesse, howe harde and laborous is it for a mā to stande in a flypper and flydynge waye, and not to fal▪ howe ieoper dous and deadly the fall is, from great height. Finally remember that to all honoure and worldely auctoritie is annexed and conioyned greate bourden and bondage. Remember also howe rightewise [...]he meke and lowely in the iudgmēt shalbe preferred before the proude and ambicious. and iuste the last iudgement of almighty god shall be, vppon theim whiche are desyrous of honoures and reuerence of this worlde, exteme them selues here, hyghe aboue other. For it is wrytten, he that submitteth and hūbleth hym selfe, lyke as the infante and vn [...]urtefull childe doth, shal obteine [Page] mercy and fauoure of almyghtye god. And he that ambiciouslye desireth honoure, and preheminence aboue all other, shall be secluded from the grace and fauour of god. Haue diligentely in thye remembraunce the example of thy master Christe oughte to bee vnto vs an exāple of al our doings and capitaine Christ, then the whi che nothing was more dispised, ne lesse honored, and counted vile as to this worlde: Whiche when he was far aboue all dygnities, and worldly auctorities, refused reuerence and honour of this worlde. Remember howe little he regarded the pompe and honoure of this Christe dispised the pompe of this world worlde, whiche entered the moste noble and regall citie of the Iues, syttinge vpon a poore and symple asse, not gorgeouselye decked, ne pompeousely arayed, and that he couerid with a pore and vile pall, & crouned with a crown of sharpe [Page] thornes, vtterly condempned the pompe of this worlde. Remember how vile and ignominus a deathe he didde elect and chuse. But him that the world dispised, the father omnipotente did glorefye and honour. Let thy honour and glory, Our honore oughte too stand in the deathe and crosse of Christe, good christen man, be in the crosse and passion of Christe, in the whiche also thy healthe and saluation is conteyned: for what shal it profite the to be honoured of men, and reiected and despysed of almighty God.
¶ A Remedy agaynst the sinne of Pryde and Disdaine.
YOu shall ceasse to be prowde and disdainful in mind, if you according to the olde and auncient prouerbe, laboure diligentely to haue perfyt and substancial know [Page] ledge of your selue. That is to say The [...] waye to a▪ uoyde pryd is for a mā to know hī selfe. if you exteeme all suche thynges as you shall perceaue in your [...]elfe excellente, vertuous, good, and commendable, receyued onely of almyghtye god, as his free gyfte and rewarde: And contrarye all that is vile, euyl, and vicious, to come of thy selfe and to be thyne: and you remember, in howe great wretchednes you were conceyued [...]nd borne, howe naked, howe nedy, howe destitute of knowledge, and howe myserable, you entered into this worlde, howe apte and disposed the bodye is to sycknesse, howe greuousely incombred with chaunces and troubles, and howe little aduersitie maye debate and distroie this pride and hautinesse. It shall profyte you also to call to [...]o cause shuld mo [...] vs to pride if we way [...] ed it well▪ remembraunce what thynge that is, whereof you so highely reioyce [Page] in your self. And if it be but meane not vicious, ne vertuous, then it is great folishenes to be proude of that thynge, wherof thou hast no suertie: if it be vicious, then is it extreme madnes, to reioyse of that whiche is verye odious. And if it be vertuous, yet is it vnkyndnes, not to thanke god of that, whiche he hath gyuen thee. But to repute it as thyne own, and to be prowde of that thing which thou hast not deserued. Finally remember that Prid [...] most euident token of folishnes. Pryde and Disdayne is the moste euidente and suer token of folishenes, and the thynge moste hated, and enuied bothe of god and man. And therfore when you feele your selfe moued or inflamyd to pryde, remember dilygentely, what you are in your selfe, a thinge corruptible in the begynnynge, variable and inconstante in all your lyfe, & [Page] after your lyf, wormes meate and dust. Remember also what Christ was made for youre sake, and it shall I doubte not, represse youre Pride.
¶ A remedy againste the sinne of Anger and desyre of reuengeaunce.
WHEN vehement displeasure of the mynde moueth and exytethe you to be reuenged, re member substauncially that anger is nothing lesse, thē that thinge which she counterfayteth, that is to saye, strength and fortitude. Remēber also, that anger Anger a fe me [...]ne of▪ fectione▪ is a femynine affection, [...]urye [...]seming the constancy of man. [...]nd that it is a plaine euident to [...] of a childishe & feble stomake, [Page] to reioyce of uengeaunce. Thou thynkeste to be counted bolde and Anger a poynte of chyldisshenes and not of manhod, coragious, if thou sufferest not iniurie vnreuenged, but by this mea nes thou doest declare thy weake nes and chyldyshenes, that thou hast nopower to moderate or temper thy mynde or appetite, which is the very propertie and token of a manne. Howe muche more commendable It is mad [...]es to be re [...]nged of a nothere mans lewd nes. and manly is it to despise the lightenes or folishenes of other, then to folowe it, the more hurtefull, the more cruell and sekynge of quarels, thou shalte perceaue thy ennemye to be the more dyligentely laboure that thou be not made equal and like vntohim. For what maddenesse is it to reuenge thee of a nother mannes lewdenes, and to make thye selfe thereby more lewde and vicious. Not to be [...]ued with a mā [...] enemyes contumely▪ proueth hī guiltles, If you despise the iniurie and con [Page] tumely of youre ennemie, and be not moued and distroubled therewith, then shall it plainely appere that you haue not deserued it: but if you be angrye and moued therewith, then make you his cause the better whiche didde the iniurye.
Remember also, that iniurye and Uengeans is not quieted with the lyke. displeasure is not quenched ne cea sed, by reuengeaunce: but rather newe kindeled and increased, and what conclusion or ende shall be of displeasures, if euery man shuld couet to be reuenged. By desire of By the desyre of ven▪ geance anger increaseth. reuengeaunce and continuance in anger, ennemies increaceth in bothe parties, and the dyspleasure, continuallye reneweth in the stomake, the whiche the more olde it is, the more it is vncurable. But The cōmo dities that comm [...]e of suffer [...] by sufferaunce and pacience, he is often tymes wonne whiche hath done displeasure, and by remembraunce [Page] of him selfe of an ennemie made a suer and stedfaste frende.
Furthermore it shal greatly quen A godly les son to auoy de desyer of reuenge ment. che and slake your āger if in other mennes offences and displeasures toward you ye diligently remember, how greuousely and howe often, you haue offended god, and in howe greate daunger you are vnto his goodnes. As you remytte the offences and dyspleasures of other men towarde you, soo shall almightye god, pardon you youre offences towardes him. Forgeue therefore youre neyghboure his lyghte and small offences towardes you (For it is but lyghte that man can committe againste man) and almightye god shall pardone you the greate multitude of your sinnes. He wil not refuse the lawe that he hath made and ordeyned. And if you thinke it harde and of [Page] greate difficultie, to represse thye furiouse and angrye mynde. Remember that Chryst sufferyd muche more hardenes and payne for your sake. What were you when he renderyd and payde his precious lyfe for youre offences? were you not his ennemy? howe pacientely dothe he suffer you dayely offending and renewing your olde synnes. If you desire or couet to be the member of Christ, you must followe the pacience and charitie of Christ. You can not haue Christ The marci full finde [...]h marcie. mercifull vnto you, if you vse crueltie and extreame iustice toward your neighbour. Therefore when you shall fele youre selues mouyd to angre, if you can not vtterly op presse and subdewe this affection, at the leaste, so moderate and refraine your selfe, that you maye [Page] haue remembraunce, that you be not in perfect and good memorie. Beleue not youre felfe, when you we oughte not too beleue our sel ues when we bee angrye be angrye, but haue all thynges suspected, vnto the which, the irefull affection, shall moue and intise you, althoughe they be honest. Remember, howe many thinges, Thinges somtime cō mitted in an ger that is repented after. The differe [...]ce betwene fren c [...]e & anger. you haue sayde, or done in anger, of the whiche you after repented you and willed to amende theim. Remember that betweene Anger and frenesie is no dyfference, but that the oone is a perpetuall furor and maddenes, the other temporall, and but for a season. And if you further desyre by experience to haue knowledge howe vnbecomely and vnseeminge vnto man it is to be ouercom of anger, when you be wel aduised and quiet. Beholde The maner of an [...]eful man bla [...]d the countenaunce and gesture [Page] of him that is angrye, or beholde youre selfe in your anger at a glasse, and when you shall perceyue the eyes flamynge as fyer, the cheekes pale and wanne, the lyppes fomynge lyke a Bore, the face dystorted and oute of facyon, the other members trymblynge and quakinge, the voice furyouse, the gesture inconstante and oute of order, you shall playnely confesse that it is more like a cruell & a sauage beaste, then like a man. And if you be of Nature propence and disposed to this vice, you shall the more diligently vse and accustome your selfe not to be angry, and to do and saye nothyng when you be disquietid. And as I haue shewed you in one or two vyces for an example, howe too withstande all vices. so shall you do in all other, specially in such as you shal know [Page] youre selfe inclined vnto eyther of nature or custome, and agaynste their assaultes, write certaine rules, in the secreates of your minde and often renewe them, leaste by disuse they be forgotten. And in▪ struct & prepare your mynde with praier, fastyng reding of holy scrip ture, exaumple of holy and vertuouse men, and specially of your Capitaine Christe, and so doinge you shalbe more able to withstand vice, and more redy to fulfill the commaundementes of Christ, To whom be eternall laude and commendation.
Amen.