A patterne of the practise of Dauids repentance

Dauid after his fall repenting, giues the first place to the knowledge of his Knowledge of sinne. sinne: Haue mercie (saith he) on me O God, after thy great mercie, And vpon Psal. 51. which Psalme Gregorie sayeth, I should despayre of the healing of my wound, If I did not presume of the omnipotencie of my Phisition: Let others seeke for small mercy that haue sinned ignorantly, I as I haue grieuously falne, so haue I greatly offended: But thou O omnipotent Phisi­tion, dost both correct the contemners, and instruct the ignorant, and pardon the con­fessors. I doe know mine owne wicked­nesse, and my sinne is alwaies against mee: Here is present (sayeth Gregorie) the mi­serable Gregorye. man, let mercie also be at hand: I know my own miserie, if I did not acknow­ledge my selfe miserable, I should not la­bour in mourning.

1 I acknowledge that I haue sinned of Manifold ac­knowledge­ments mine owne accord, and wicked will, therefore I doe not hide mine vnrighte­ousnesse: I know from what I am falne [Page] and what I haue incurred, I know to whom I haue inthral'd my selfe by sinne, euen to the Diuell, the enemie of all good­nes, I know the blot that I haue gotten by sinne, and the filth wherewith I haue horriby defiled my selfe.

2 I acknowledge that I haue sinned a­gainst Manifould wayes a­gainst God. thée onely, and done euill before thée, against thee my Creator, whom I vnhappy creature haue not serued, but haue rather cleaued to the creature, then to the Creator, Against my Lorde, against whome, I as a most wicked seruant haue rebelled to obey thine ene­mye, against thée my Law giuer, whose will while I shoulde haue followed, I haue shamefully despised, and to sa­tisfie my lust, I haue transgressed thy Lawes. Against thee my most louing Father, for whose innumerable benefits, I haue béene so long vnthankefull, yea with whose benefits beeing fatted and pampred, I haue kicked against thée my Father, and being forgetfull of thy loue, I haue preferred mine owne Loue, and the Loue of the Creatures before thée, Finally against thee my good God, most mightie, most iust, haue I sinned, whiles I [Page] haue departed from thée on whome I should wholy haue depended, and in whome onely as my ende I should haue rested.

2 After the knowledge of sinne, came A conster­nation. Psal: 6. a feare or cōsternation of his mind, which did inuade his minde: Lorde sayeth he rebuke me not in thy fury, neyther cha­sten me in thy wrath.

3 Héere vpon a great sorrow possessed Sorrow for sinne. Ps: 38 his hart, Mine iniquities are gone ouer my head, and are like asore burthen to heauy for mee to beare: my wounds are putrified and corrupt through my foolish­nesse, I am racked and vexed exceeding­ly, my hart panteth, my strength hath Ps: 51. forsaken me, &c but an humble and con­trite hart thou wilt not despise. Hope of pardon psal: 6.

4 Hope of pardon succéedeth: Turne thee O Lorde and deliuer my soule, saue mee for thy mercie sake: because in death no man remembreth thee, and in Hell who will confesse thee:: As my soule, say­eth Gregorie, is turned to thee, by the storme of repentance, so turne thou to Gregorie, me, by the calme of mercy, and being tur­ned to me deliuer my soule. And there­fore Dauid saieth to his soule, why art Psal. 42 [Page] thou cast downe O my soule, and why frettest thou within me: Trust in God for I will yet praise him.

5 After hope of pardon Dauid commu­neth Faith. p [...]al 25. with God, and resteth in him, O my God in thee doe I trust, let me not be put to confusion: The Lorde is my saluati­on: In thee O Lorde doe I hope, let me neuer be confounded.

6 Out of this Faith breaketh out from Confession the soule, a cōfession watching to heauen: I said I will confesse my sinnes vnto the Psal: 32. Lord, and thou tookest away the punish­ment of my sinne. My sorrow is euer Psal. 38. in my sight, for I will open my iniqui­tye before thee, and bee carefull for my sinne.

7 A purpose of amendment of life fol­loweth: Purpose of Amendmēt Psal: 6. Psa: 39. Depart from mee, all yee that worke iniquitie: For the Lord hath heard the voyce of my weepin [...]: I saide I will take heede to my waies, that I offend not in my tongue.

8 Finally he reioyceth, with an inward Inward ioy and peace. Psal: 103. sense of ioy and peace: Praise the Lorde O my soule, and forget not all his bene­fits, who forgiueth all thine iniquities, and healeth all thy diseases, he will not al­way [Page] be striuing or chiding, neither kee­peth in his anger for euer, &c. Returne into thy rest O my soule, because God hath beene bountifull to thee.

Thus doe we depart from euill, not Counersion not without greefe without a sorrow of euill: that is wee are sorry wee haue béene euill: neyther doe we approach to good as to God, without Faith in him: For hee that will come to Heb. 11. God must beleeue that God is.

Now this departing from euill, and approaching to good, imports a certaine Conuersion imports a change, vn­de, et alio. Threefould chaunge, which hath two tearmes or bondes, vz: from whence, and whether.

This chaunge is in the minde, will and harte.

An the minde there is a change of the 1 In the mind Iudgement and counsell The minde disaloweth the euill that is done, and al­loweth the good that is to be done. 2 In the will.

In the will the chaunge is on this wise, the will refuseth the euill, which hetherto it cōmitted, or at the least way declineth frō it, and chooseth hereafter the good that is to be done, or enclineth to it.

In the hart the change is thus wrought: 3 In the hart. The hart hateth and detesteth the euill hitherto done, and loueth and pursueth [Page] the good hereafter to be done.

Cease therefore to doe euill and learne Cōclusion Esai. 1. psal 34. Rom. 13. or else study to do well: or depart from euil, and doe good: Item: Cast away the works of darknes and put on the armour of light: Item: Walke in the spirit, and fulfill not the lusts of the flesh: Item: Put yee one y^e Lord Iesus Christ, and make not prouision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof, And Christ himselfe saieth, deny thy selfe and take vpp thy Crosse and follow me.

Beginne therefore, being turned from euill and returned to good, to bring forth Fruits of Cōuersion fruites worthy of amendment of life, and apply thy selfe to the study of holinesse or new obedience.

1 Thou art bound as a creature to the Obligati­ons between God & us. Creator, I wish thee often to pay the debt of gratitude.

2 Thou art bound as a seruāt to his lord. If I be your Lord, where is my feare.

3 Thou art bound as a childe to his Fa­ther, thou art a child by creation, and re­generation, reuerence therefore Almigh­tye God as thy best Father.

4 Thou art bound as a client to thy be­nefactor, the benefits of God towards thée are exceeding great, therefore exceeding [Page] great thankes are due to him. What fruites.

Beginne therefore to shew thy good life, and obedience to God, in louing God and thy neighbour.

1 The loue of God is conceaued in thée, by the knowledge and consideration of The loue of God. the fatherly affection, of God towards thee: It is brought forth by a confidence in Christ: it groweth by the spirit of faith: it is strengthned by the cogitation of the heape of Gods benefits, both corporal and spirituall: it appeareth in our obedience vnder the Crosse and holinesse of life.

2 The loue of our neighbour is brought forth and maintained, by the loue of God, The loue of our neigh­bour 1 Iohn. by the commandement of God, by the bonde of nature and grace, Hee that say­eth he loueth God and yet hateth his Bro­ther, is a lyar, and the loue of God is not in him.

But beginne the holy study, of eyther loue, to testifie, that thou art turned from The end of godlines. sinne and returned to God: that thou hast renounced Satan, that thou hast submit­ted thy selfe to God, that thou art a com­panion of the most chaste spirits in hea­uen: That thou art a fellow of all that feare gods name on earth: That thou art [Page] the Temple of the holy Ghost: wherein whole burnt Offringes and incense is offred, and the hornes of the Alter are dec­ked with boughs, & flowers of obedience.

Beginne to day deferre not, make no long Dangers. of delay Vncerteinty of life. delayes, for feare of these dangers insuing.

1 Meditate with thy selfe, the vncer­taintie of thy life. Surely thou must watch and pray, for thou knowst not, either the day or hower, wherein the Lord will come: take heede thou be not ouertaken by gods iudgement at vnawares. Heaping of sinne is tre­suring of wrath. Rom: 2.

2 Know thou y^e by dangerous delay, the tresure of many sins, of gods wrath & grieuous punishments, is gathered together.

Thou by thy hardnes, and hart that can­not repent, doste treasure vp to thy selfe wrath, against the daye of wrath, and declaration of the iudgement of God The angels griefe. Luke 15

3 Be y^u affraid to offend the holy Angels: who verily reioyce at y^e repentance of sinners euē as doubtles they sorrow at their securitie in heaping sinne vpon sinne. Induration by alienatiō from God.

4 Call to mind the dangerous alienation from God, which is procured by daily en­crease of sin: way moreouer, with a secret [...] serious cōsideration, in thy soule, y^e indu­ration that wil follow, for the longer thou [Page] deferrest thy conuersion, the harder it will be: A young man walking after his owne way. when he is olde will not depart Prouerb 22 from it. Thou knowest thy saying: Late repentance is seldome true Repen­tance

5 As much as in thée lieth, take héed of an An euill Conscience euill conscience, which custome and con­tinuance in sinne, doth breed and nourish: There is no greefe bitterer then a gnaw­ing Conscience.

6 The longer thou stickest in thine old Depriuatiō of Grace. sinne, the longer thou art depriued of the sweet ioy of the holy ghost, and spirituall consolations.

7 Thou shalt encrease the ioy, and Satans Ioye pleasure of Satan thy enemie, by draw­ing after thee along corde of inueterate or old gr [...]wen sinnes, Thinke it a true say­ing: Sinnes are the delights and dainties of the Diuell. Examples Tragicall.

8 Finally view the Tragicall endes of all such as haue euer drawne along the day of there Conuersion: Call to re­membrance the horrible destruction of the olde world the Sodomites. Egiptians, & Iewes, The Churches of the East, and other that were impenitent Be not flack Syrach. [Page] therfore turne vnto the Lord, and put not off from day to day thy conuersi­on: for sodenly shall his wrath come, and in the time of vengeance he will Ierom. to Cilan­tius. destroy thee. Too long custome of sin makes the way of vertue, rough and vnpleasant.

After any vice, saith Bernard, is confir­med Bernard. by many yeares custome, a parti­cular, and as it were a miraculous as­sistance of Gods grace, as needfull for the ouercōming and rooting out there­of. A questi­on to a se­cure sin­ner. Both waies catching. The same Bernard saith; Thou that makest so vnequal a reckoning w^e thy selfe, perseuering in thy euil & vngod­ly life, tell me: Doest thou belieue that the Lord thy God will pardon thy sinnes, or doest thou not beleeue? If thou beleeue that thou shalt finde no place for pardon, what greater folly can there be; then to sinne without hope of pardon? But if thou thinke that hee is good, gentle, and mercifull: who al­though he haue bin offended, yet he is readie alwaies to pardon thy sinnes: Tell me I pray thee, what greater fro­wardnesse can there be, then to take oc­casion to offend him the more, whom [Page] there is cause thou shouldest loue the more. And S. Augustine, we must pre­uent Augustin the day, which is wont to preuent vs. And the same. He that is first forsa­ken of his sinnes, before he himselfe doe forsake them: is not freely con­demned, but as it were of necessitie: late repentance deceiueth many. And Am­bros. Not to sin is onely proper to God, Ambrose but it is the part of a wise man, to amend and correct his error, and to repent him of his sinne. And Cassiodorus: A mischiefe, the longer it continueth, the more it encreaseth, but a speedy cor­rection of sinne, is a curable good. And Saint Augustin. Though God haue pro­mised pardō to him that repēteth, yet he hath not promised leisure to liue till tomorrow, to him that sinneth.

1. Touching the abnegation or de­niall of vnrighteousnesse.

Thou shalt denie vnrighteousnesse, if thou deny thy selfe, and mortifie the flesh.

Thou shalt deny thy selfe, and mortifie the flesh, if thou first foresée that thou sin not, and after sinning, that thou spéedily repent, and beware not to commit the like sinne.

Now among sinnes.

Some are lighter, and Two sorts of sinnes.

Some more greeuous.

Let vs make our beginning, by shun­ning and declining, the lighter sinnes. Surely all sin offendeth the Maiestie of God, and maketh the sinner guiltie of [Page] eternall death; but it is euident that there All sinnes offend God. Lighter sins to bee subdued. are certaine degrées of sinnes, and one sinne is more heynons than an other: Hee therefore that will profit, must make his beginning by subduing the lighter sinnes.

Though they séeme of small account, yet I would wish thée, not to make small account of them. For remember:

1. All sinne whether great or smal, doth Manifold inconue­niences. wrap thée within punishment, because it is a breach of Gods commmaunde­ment.

2. They defile the soule with their contagion: They doe so deface our beau­tie, saith Augustine, That they seperate vs from the most chast embracings of our Spouse, who is more beautiful than the children of men.

3. As water quencheth flaming fire, so doe they diminish the seruer of Cha­ritie. They weaken the faculties of the mind in the exercise of holy vertues: as a loade laide on an horse, maketh him goe the slower.

4. They hinder our owne glory by hurting Gods glory, and doe abate the blessing of our eternall glory.

[Page] 5. They dispose or prepare a man to greater sinnes: and barre vp the way from receiuing newe graces: They hin­der the true deuotion of holy prayers to God, and are an impediment to our pro­gresse in a spirituall life.

6. They spoile vs of many heauenly graces. And as théeues, who pilfer many A Similie. small things by little and little, are not of long time perceiued, because the things are of small value: yet in the end the theft is perceiued, when the owner perceiueth that he wanteth many things. So doe these pilfering sinnes by litle and little bereaue vs of many graces.

7. They weaken the soule, and make it apt to fall into all euill infirmities: And though they séeme to be but small hurts, yet are they not to be neglected, but spée­dily to be healed.

8. They are as dust, or as a cloud be­fore the eyes, which hinder the sight, so that wee cannot chéerefully behold God, nor purely loue him.

Hee therefore that despiseth small Ecclese. 19 Eph. 4. things, shal decay by little & litle, saith y^e Preacher. Grieue ye not the holy spirit, saith the Apostle. And Saint Augustine;

Despise not small sinnes: though thou Small sinnes to be de­spised. Similes make light account of them, yet be a­fraide at least, when thou numbrest them. And the same. No sinne is so smal, that by contempt becomes not great. For the sea sands, though they be very litle, and so likewise the drops of water: yet being multiplied, growe to great flouds, and doe much harme: and the water that leaketh into the shippe will at the length sinke it. The same. There is no sinne so small, that is not able to destroy a man, if hee take pleasure in it. And Hierom. Way not how little thy sinnes are, but how great God is, who is displeased with thee.

Therefore O man. What is to be done to auoyde small sinnes.

1. Search diligently, and daily, all the starting holes of thy conscience, & striue continually against euery sinne, be it ne­uer so smal: by new repētance &, exercise of faith, we ought daily to cure our ma­ladies, not onely by acknowledging our sins, but also by searching the root of thē.

2. Call to remembrance otherwhiles, that sinnes, otherwise small, in a man endued with great graces, are recokned to be great. For by how much the person [Page] that offendeth is more famous, by so much is the blot, that he is stained with by offending, more shamefull.

3. Thinke seriously, that euery sinne, bée it neuer so little, is an impe­diment to him, that goeth forward in the way of saluation, especially, if it bée nowe growne to an habite, or custome, whereto little sinnes doe make a way. If it hinder, being once or twice commit­ted, what will it doe, thinke you, when by daily custome, it is confirmed? for euery euill is easily suppressed in the first springing, but not when it is waxen olde. Wee must therefore withstand the beginnings. For though such sinnes be thought to be as thornes, To with­stand be­ginnings A Similie. which when they bee young, pricke gently, yet when they are growne more stubborne, sticke faster, and wound sorer, so that though they kill not the inner man, yet they pearce him through to the quicke, and wea­ken him, and make him to halt il­fauouredly in the way of life. Let thy first care bee therefore to ouerthrowe small sinnes.

2. Next, let vs endeuour to shun, plucke [Page] vp, and cast away greater sinnes, euen Greater sinnes to be auoi­ded. wicked affections, which by custome are growne to an habite, which are fourefold.

• 1. Immoderate selfe-loue, which is car­nall, must be cast off.
• 2. Carnal appetites and concupiscences, must be tamed.
  Euilles fourefold
• 3. Vnbridled affections and perturbati­ons, must be refrained.
• 4. Wicked habites must bee pulled vp by the rootes.

1. Concerning selfe-loue.

The loue of our selues being carnall Selfe-loue aboue all to be mor­tified. and immoderate, must bee denied and mortified.

The height of the deniall of our selues, is the mortification of the peruerse loue of our selues. Which passing through all o­ther vices, doth giue as it were a spirit and life vnto them, and therefore hath the preheminence aboue all other vices: Bernard▪ Whereupon Bernard.

There is a carnall loue, whereby a Hom. 4. man loueth himselfe, for himselfe aboue all things, whiles yet he sauoureth no­thing but himselfe. And S. Augustine. in Ezech.

The peruerse loue of our selues, de­priueth [Page] the swelling spirit of the holy Lib. 11. De Gen. ad Lit. societie, and wrappeth him in miserie, now longing to be satisfied with ini­quitie: The contrary to it is Charitie, which seeketh not her owne: that is, re­ioyceth not in her priuate excellencie, and therfore worthily is not puffed vp. And the same. Two loues made two Ci­ties:Lib. 14 de Ciuit.to wit, the loue of our selues, the earthly Citie, to the contempt of God: The loue of God, the heauenly Citie, to the contempt of our selues.

The carnal loue therefore of our selues, Why to be mortified. is to be mortified, because it doth not one­ly defile the action, but also peruerteth it, and bendeth it to thy selfe: so that it cau­seth, that although thou séeme to thy selfe, to doe that thou doest for Gods cause, yet indeede not respecting God, but thy selfe, thou séekest nothing in thy purpose, but onely thy selfe.

Conuert therefore thy whole studie and care, to an earnest deniall of thine owne carnall loue: for no small heate How to mortifie it will serue, to dry vp so great a fountaine of euils.

Oppose against the head of all wic­kednesse, the mother of all vertues, Cha­ritie, [Page] that thou, who didst perish by louing thy self, maist reuiue by denying thy selfe. For man, saith Augustine, who peri­sheth by louing himselfe, recouereth by denying himselfe.

The force of this abnegation, or re­nouncing Fiue heades of our selues, is by Saint Ba­sill reduced to fiue heades: First, to re­nounce our riches, possessions, and all our worldly goods. Secondly, our pa­rents, kindred, and worldly friendes. Thirdly, all our carnall and earthly af­fections. Fourthly, our owne honour and glory. Fifthly, euen the loue of our life, and that for the loue of God and Iesus Christ.

This doe therefore: Be thou vpright: What is to be done He is vpright saith Gregory, who is not cast downe in aduersitie, who is not in­clined to carnalitie, who is wholely lif­ted vp to heauenly things, who is who­ly subiected to Gods will: Direct all thy doings to God, and by loue to enioy God, who is alwaies present: As much as thou maiest, endeuour to be vnited, and likened to God, that thou séeke onely and affect his honour, his will, and his good liking, both in prosperitie and aduer­sitie. [Page] So shalt thou be happie.

2. Concerning carnall lusts and appetities.

The inclinations to euill, to wit, carnal lusts and appetites must be tamed.

For we are by nature more prone to e­uill than to good: The thoughts of mans hart are prone to euil frō his youth: yea Generall inclinatiō to euill Gen. 6. & 7. Rom. 7. al the cogitatiōs of his hart are inclined to euill at all times. In our flesh dwel­leth no good, but sinne, which maketh that we vnderstand not what wee doe, and that we doe not the good that wee would, but the euill, that we hate: For the law of our members in vs, resisteth the lawe of our mind, and captiueth vs to the lawe of sinne.

There are also certaine inclinations, which followe the nature of particular Spciall in­clinations persons, and the constitution of certaine bodies. And there are which by custome are engendred, by some habite gotten.

O how vnhappie doth a man that is going forward, feele himselfe, by being hindred by these inclinations and lustes? and howe great a labour is it to subdue them?

1. But thou O man, take a good cou­rage, [Page] and striue by Gods helpe to goe for­ward, Meanes to tame them. as thou hast begun, in the way of godlinesse: The continual exercise of god­linesse auaileth much in this case: Concu­piscence saith S. Augustine, is daily di­minished in those that profit, and are continent. That therefore thou maist re­straine euil inclinations, either common, or proper: exercise thy selfe in those ver­tues, which are most contrary to them. And to represse lust, containe.

2. With great vehemencie resist the in­clinations of lust, and the first motions Withstand beginnings. Rom. 6. thereof: striue, repunge, consent not: goe not after thy lusts: Let not sinne raigne in thy mortall body, to obey the lustes thereof. Let thy humble and feruent prayer to God, breake the force thereof when it ariseth.

3. When the motions of those appe­tites arise, let not thy heart be moued, but continue immoueable in thine aduised purpose to please God, as if those pertur­bations were altogether without thee: neither didst thou worke any thing in them, but rather didst suffer. According to Bernard. Now peraduenture I doe not these things, but suffer of them: [Page] they are done in me, but they are not done by me, if I doe not consent. I may call them mine, not because I doe them, but because I suffer them.

4. Search diligently to what euil thou How to discerne inclinati­ons. art inclined: that thou maiest méete with them, and strangle them as enemies. Marke the constitution of thy body, whereof followeth the inclination.

Wilt thou knowe, saith Fulgentius, Fulgentius what thou louest, marke what thou thinkest: for the frequent and often re­course of anie thought vncalled, is a signe of a liking or desire of that thing. Rip the inclination of thy child­hood, and youth: It is a rule that things that are very pliable may suffer of a weake agent: To bee eastly mooued therefore either in mind or sense, at the sight, voice, or fame of any light matter, is a token of an inclination to that thing. Examine thine owne experience, what things they are, which haue hetherto either furthered thée to vertue, for thy good, or drawing thée back to vice, for thy hurt: and hereby apply thy selfe to pursue the one, and to auoid the other.

3. Concerning affections and pertur­bations. [Page] Euill inclinations and carnall lustes, engender vicious perturbations and affections of the mind, which are cal­led passions: Those if they be immode­rate, must be wéeded out with the hooke of mortification.

1. Watch carefully in the verie ri­sing Rules how to mortifie them. of the affection, that thou checke the violence of it euen in the beginning, be­fore it come to a perfect habite: Blessed is hee that taketh the litle ones and da­sheth them against the stones: As S. Augustine interpreteth the Verse of the Psalme.

2. After this thou shalt not be idle, Cutting off. but shall continually cut off the branches of vntamed perturbations, which by he­reditary corruption spring vp in the minde, with the are of abnegation. It is not enough, saith Bernard, once to haue cut them off, wee must euer be pruning, yea if it be possible euer, because if thou wilt not dissemble, thou doest euer find some thing, that ought to bee cut off: How much soeuer thou hast profited, while thou abidest in this body, thou art deceiued, if thou thinke that sinne is dead, and not rather suppressed in [Page] thee. The Iebusite will dwell within thy borders, will thou, nill thou, he may be subdued, hee cannot bee vtterly dri­uen out.

3. Thou shalt not onely labour to lop Planting in. the branches of euill affections: but also shalt endeuour contrariwise to plant or griffe in, the graffes of good affections: For the minde is neuer frée from moti­ons, either stormy and euil, or calme and good, let it therefore be occupied with good, that it be not ouerwhelmed with ill: to wit, Let thy minde be occupied in di­uine and spirituall things. The inward mans labour, is the outward mans rest: And the seruer of the spirit, is the chil­nesse of the flesh.

4. Moreouer, if thou wilt cure thy passions, thou shalt toyle much, to turne away thy mind and will from the loue of earthly things, that thou maist wholely apply thy mind to heauenly things, clea­uing fast to God. That thy life may be hid with Christ in God.

4. Concerning wicked Wicked habits. habits.

As euill inclinatious bring forth euill affections, so euill affections engender [Page] wicked habits, the rooting out whereof, require a greater force of the spirit.

Now the faculties of the mind, are some Faculties of the Mind. Superi­our. superiour, and some inferiour.

The superiour faculties, are the vnder­standing, and will.

In the vnderstanding, these vices follow­ing are to be mortified.

1. The vice of Curiositie: whereby the In the vn­derstan­ding. What is to be mor­tified. Curiositie vnderstanding doth search those things which either excéede our sapacitie, or which appertaine nothing to vs to know. Heare the wise man: Seeke not out things too high for thee: And be not curious to searche out superfluous things.

2. The vice of Temperitie or rachnes. Temeri­tie. When by doubtfull coniectures and vn­certaine signes, wee presume to iudge of the life & manners of an other man, a­gainst charitie: & not onely to iudge, but to cōdemne our neighbors. Where that of the Apostle may be iustly returned many times vpon vs. Thou art inexcusable O Rom. 2. man, whosoeuer thou be that condem­nest an other: for in the same thing, wherein thou iudgest an other, thou condemnest thy selfe.

[Page] 3. The vice of Pertinacie or stubborn­nesse, Pertinacy when wee cleaue so stifly to our owne opinion, that wee admit no mans counsell or perswasion in deliberating. Aganst which Salomon saith: Leane not to thine owne wit, and be not wise Prou. 3. in thine owne conceit.

Distrust therefore. O man thine owne iudgement: and apply thy iudgement Dagerous to trust our owne iudgemēt. to the rule of Gods word, and of wise men.

Saint Basil saith: As it is farre from right reason, wholely to relye vppon our owne will and iudgement: So not to stand to the iudgement of the grea­ter part, is to incurre the danger of con­tumacie, and wilfulnesse, (at the least other circumstances being equall). And Cassian.

It is vnpossible for any man, trusting in his owne opinion, not to be deluded by the diuel. And Bernard. How long will yee be wise in your own eyes? God committeth, and submitteth himselfe vnto mortall men: and will yee walke yet in your owne waies?

And elsewhere. What greater pride can there be, than that one man should [Page] preferre his own iudgement before the whole congregation, as if he onely had the spirit of God? It is like the sinne of Idolatry not to assent: to wit, to sound iudgemēt. And like the sin of southsay­ing, to repunge. And againe: If the loue of thy friend, doe diminish & couer his fault, in thy iudgemēt: how much more shal y^e loue of thy self deceiue thee, whē thou shouldest iudge against thy selfe.

4. The vnderstanding, is the perpe­tuall fountaine of infinite Cogitations, Thoughts to be mor­tified. which being laide vp in the memorie, are there preserued and kept: These if they be faultie must be mortified. Whereof some are idle: some are earthly: some are filthy: some are curious.

1. Those that be idls must be refor­med: Idle thoughts. For if we shall giue an account of euery idle word: why not as well of e­uery idle thought? Call to mind, that thou standest alwaies in the presence of the Lord of heauen and earth, who séeing the heart, doth secretly reprooue the idlenesse and vanitie thereof.

2. Those that be earthly and worldly, Earthly. are more violent, and cleaue faster vnto vs, which if they settle awhile, cannot bée [Page] remooued without great difficultie. Put the axe therefore to the roote of that de­light, which beginneth to affect thy will, by such cogitations. This carnall ap­petite, springing vp in the beginning of our life, we must represse or kéepe vnder in vs, though wee cannot extinguish or quench it.

3. Those that bee filthy or vncleane, are suggested by y^• wicked spirit: Where­of Bernard saith: We ought, if wee will preserue our soules pure, whiley et the vncleane thoughts are a farre off, to pre­uent Vncleane them, and to driue them from vs, that they may haue no accesse vnto vs. The same Bernard saith, We must set so fearce a keeper at Reasons Chamber doore, as will spare none, but whatsoe­uer enemie shal presume to enter, whe­ther priuily, or openly, hee will driue them away. And let that be, The re­membrance of Hell fire.

4 Those that bée curious (as before) Curious. in séeking the hidden thinges of God, and man, are to be auoided: For as thou must not be carelesse in searching thy selfe: so thou must shunne curiositie. The soule saith Bernard, while it is drousie, throgh [Page] carelesnesse in vewing it selfe, becomes In sear­ching other. In the will what is to be mor­tified. curious in examining others.

2. In the will, all that is to be morti­fied, that is proper to our selues, and not common with God, and his Saints. For as in the will, the principle of good, is to submit our selues to God, and to commit our selues to be ruled by him: so the mischiefe riseth thereof, that the will is guided, by her owne becke and coun­sell. Our owne will therefore is to bée denied: which séeketh it selfe, deligh­teth in it, and neglecting all other by selfe-loue, wherewith it is wholely snared, is bent to her owne commodi­tie. Our owne will saith Bernard, Our own will daun­gerous. doth impunge the Lord of Maiestie, with her owne furie: for it withdraw­eth and conueieth it selfe from his go­uernment, whom it should serue as her Author, while it will bee in her owne power. And againe, What doth GOD hate or punish, but our owne wil? Let our owne will cease, and there shall bee no Hell: Against whom doth that fire rage, but a­gainst our owne will?

Maruellous thinges fall out in the ab­negation Maruel­lous ef­fects. of our owne will: whiles by the spirit of God, the wil riseth against it self, and is turned against it selfe, by enuy it selfe.

1. The will is carnall, and blind by na­ture, How to be morti­fied. therefore it néedeth a guide, that it erre not. If the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the pit.

2. The wil is licencious by nature, therefore it hath néede of a bit or bridle, that it passe not the bounds of reason in her affections: Restraine their iawes Psal. 32. with a bit and bridle.

3. The will by nature, is like a shame­lesse strumpet in her appetites: who pro­stituteth her selfe vnder euery shadowy Ierem. 2. tree: therefore it must be restrained and kept, that it become not a praie to her lusts: Goe not after thine owne concu­piscences, Sirach. 18 saith the sonne of Syrach, and turne away from thine owne will, for if thou giue thy soule her lustes, shee will make thee a scorne to thine enemies. Whatsoeuer, saith Seneca, thou with­drawest from thine owne wil, that one­ly A double leprosie. thou addest to vertue. And Bernard; There is a double Leprosie in the hart: [Page] our owne will, and our owne counsell, surely an euill leprosie, and so much the more dangerous, as it is more inward. And Basil, whatsoeuer any man doth by the arbitrement of his owne will, that, as it is the doers owne, so is it farre from the rule of godlines. Ephrem. No­thing is more grieuous, than to be ouer­come of our owne will.

2. Inferior faculties of the soule, are the Inferiour faculties. Sense and Appetites in the Concupiscible and Irasible parts.

Here are also euill Habites to be mor­tified.

1. First, we must labour to auoid glut­tony; Gluttonie to be mor­tified. For it is impossibl [...] saith Cassian, that a full belly should withstand the temptations of the inner man: for hee that could not stay his superfluous ap­petites; how shall he be able to quench the heates of his carnall concupiscence. And Gregory. We cannot preuaile in the conflict of the spirituall combat, ex­cept wee first tame the enemie that is within our selues: to wit, the appetites of gluttonie. And Basil. The moderation of the bellie, is the repressing of the per­turbations of the minde, the repressing [Page] of the perturbation of the minde, is the peace and tranquillitie of the soule, the tranquillitie of the soule, is the plentifull fountaine of vertues.

1. Applie as a remedie to this disease, Ab­stinence, Reme­dies. Absti­nence. for cōtraries, are cured by cōtra­ries: by vsuall temperance, not onely the mouth, but much more the desire or ap­petite is restrained and is made obedient to reason, and to God.

2. Thou must no lesse abstaine frō other vices, Neigh­bour vi­ces. then from noysome meates, if thou desire to suppresse y^e appetites of gluttony. For as the immoderate lust and vse of one vice is the bréeder of many others: so by pampering thy belly, many vices are rea­die as it were to render mutuall thankes. Againe: They, whose belly is their God, sauour of earthly things. Phil. 3.

3. That thou yéeld not to gluttony, La­bour, and spare not to take paines, do that Labour. thou doest earnestly, for to escape y^• snares, and to preuent the trappes of the Diuel, be alwaies doing some good thing, and euen to day.

4. Be y^u occupied seriously, in meditatiō Medita­tions. of diuine matters: It is true saith Greg. That Gluttony is weakened by absti­nence, [Page] but no man can haue the vertue of Abstinence, that doeth not fill his minde with spirituall foode.

5 Looke on the example of our sauiour Christs example. Christ, whom thou oughtest to imitate: He endured hunger and thirst with won­derfull patience: And when meate was brought him, though he were hungry, Ioh. 4. yet would he not eate, to put away hun­ger, taking his opportunity to win soules: yea, in the middest of his torments they gaue him Wine mingled with Gall to drinke.

6 Finally, thou shalt profit in morti­fying Rules of modera­tion. Gluttonie: if thou take heede least vnder a pretence of naturall necessitie, thou passe the boundes of reasonable mo­deration: If thou encounter the very de­light of gluttonie: If thou prepare thy selfe to eate, as if thou shouldest take a medi­cine: If while thou eatest, when varietie of dishes doth whet the appetite afresh, thou checke the appetite, and represse thy gréedinesse.

1 From hence procéed to mortifie Luxury to bee mortified Luxurie, or Riotousnesse, with a serious care.

The chariot of Luxurie, is rolled Bernh. in Cant. vpon foure vices, as vpon foure wheels: the cramming of the gorge: the lust of the flesh: delicacie in apparell, excessiue idlenesse or sleepe: It is drawne euen with two horses, Prosperitie of life, and Abundance of wealth. And these haue two riders; sluggish Drousinesse, & en­uious Securitie.

Luxurie must be abandoned by him Greg. in moral. that will goe forward: for after this vice hath once possessed any mans minde, it wil scarce suffer him to think any good: for our lusts are like birdlime. Of sug­gestion, riseth cogitation: of cogitation, A grada­tion. affection: of affection, delectation: of de­lectation, consent: of consēt, operation: of operation, custome: of custome, des­peration: of desperation, defence of sin: of defence, gloriation: of gloriation, damnation.

Pleasures, as saith Chrysostom, are like A descrip­tion of pleasures. the Sirenes, which outwardly appeare very beautiful, with long yealow locks, gray glancing eyes: round full pappes: a pretie small mouth: rosie cheekes: the necke, brest, hands, and other parts, as white as Alablaster: but with an horri­ble [Page] tayle, like a Serpent, sharpe poin­ted, full of teeth, and venemous. There­fore Aristotle perswadeth him that will escape the snares of pleasures, to viewe them on the backe part, and not in the face: when they goe from vs ward, and not when they come toward vs.

But looke thou on the iudgements of Gods iudg­ments, against Luxurie. God, against luxurious persons: consider the vniuersall flood: the destruction of So­dome, the slaughter of the Isralites and Beniamites, the cōfusiō of Dauids house.

Read the Histories of all ages, reporting the miseries which came by Luxurie: and marke what destruction Luxurie and Lecherie haue brought, not onely vpon particular persons, but also vpon whole nations. As Troy, Sodom, &c.

When this vice assaulteth thee, the first and chiefe remedie is prayer.

Without humilitie, saith Gregory, no triumph is gotten against any vice. The Remedies Humble pra [...]er. mind that cannot submit it selfe hum­bly to God: cannot preuaile against the lusts of the flesh, but striueth in vaine to ouermaster them, and pressing them, cannot oppresse them. Aske of God with Solamon, continence or chastitie: [Page] For I knewe saith hee, that otherwise I could not be chast, except God gaue it: And euen this was a point of wisdome, to know whose gift it was: therefore I went vnto the Lord, and made my prayer to him. He loues thee not at all ô God, saith S. Augustine, who loueth any thing with thee, which he loueth not for thee.

2. Abstinence from stirring meates, Absti­nence. is an effectuall remedy against this vice, for if lust bee a fire, thou takest matter from that fire, when thou withdrawest wine and delicates. For in wine, saith the Apostle, is Luxurie, if it be in excesse.

Wine and youth saith Herod, are two Riuers of voluptuousnesse.

3. Kéepe thy heart carefully: for The cu­stodie of the heart. out of the heart procéede euill thoughts. The heart therefore, saith Cassian, is first to bee clensed, from whence springeth life and death. And Sa­lomon saith: With all diligence keepe thy heart, for out of it proceedeth life.

But that thou maiest cleanse and keepe thy heart: expell euill cogitations forthwith assoone as they rise: And [Page] in the stead of wicked cogitations, occu­pie thy minde about honest and chast things.

4. After the custodie of the heart, The cu­stodie of the sen­ces. kéepe thy senses: Heare Saint Au­gustine. Whatsoeuer appeares beau­tifull to thy sight: whatsoeuer sweet to thy tast: whatsoeuer flattereth thy hearing: whatsoeuer enticeth thy smelling: whatsoeuer is soft in tou­ching, in all these if wee be vnwarie, euill concupiscences creeping in, we suffer the virginitie of the soule to bee corrupted, and that is fulfilled which is spoken by the Prophet: Death en­tred in by our windowes: to wit, our senses.

Here thou shalt haue profited O man: Notes of profiting. If by Gods grace thou haue attained so farre, as that if thou féele the prickes of the flesh, thou suffer them without thy fault. If thou preuent euery euill thought, or if they offer themselues to thy mind, thou sodainly strangle them: If thou perceiue that lust is abated: & though it cannot here be vtterly taken away, yet it may be subdued.

3. Study then to mortifie couetousnesse: [Page] For it is an outragious mischiefe: whose Couetous­nesse to be mortified. gréedinesse to possesse alwaies more and more, cannot be satisfied with any plen­tie or store of riches, which is wont to bée accompanied with sauage crueltie, which they exercise towardes other, that they may fulfill their vnlawfull greedinesse, with other mens goods, Flee therefore couetousnes, worse than a dog, or a snake, which taketh away the vse of things, en­uying them, to themselues, and other. Marke, I pray you, if a couetous man be not more vile than any slaue: for he is The mise­rable state of a coue­tous man. an Idolater, a théefe, a murtherer, an in­fidell, a prophane person, an Atheist, inhu­mane, execrable, the cause of all mischiefe, a foole, miserable, sordide, insatiable, poore, pensiue, a bande, an Adulterer, blind, and altogether vnhappy.

Expell, and explode with clapping out this vice from thée.

First, by true knowledge and holy re­uerence Remedie & means. of God.

Secondly, by greater gaine, I meane godlinesse, with a minde content with her lot. For nature is content with fewe things, liue not by opinion, but according to nature.

Thirdly, knowe thou that vnsastable Incom­modities of riches. couetousnesse cannot defend hers in time of aduersitie.

Fourthly, remember that the loue of riches doth bring men into many dan­gers. And that onely, the enemies of lear­ning and vertue, doe greatly estéeme them: and that they are the cause of all confusion.

Fiftly, viewe rather the worthy exam­ples of such as haue vsed their riches well and conueniently.

Sixtly, thou knowest that thou shoul­dest first seeke the kingdome of God, to whose prouidence thou oughtest to com­mit all thy businesse and affaires.

Seuenthly, marke me the riches of this world, which are such as can make no satisfaction, nor bring any peace or tranquilitie to the soule.

Finally, looke on the patterne of per­fection, Christs example. euen our Lord Iesus, who being poore in this world, was an vtter enemie, both in word and deede to couetousnesse.

4. Moreouer, we must endeuour to Anger to be morti­fied. How great a mischiefe. mortifie Anger, and to restraine wrath: for wrath is an horrible monster: it doth extinguish the light of reason, it burieth [Page] outward furie, though thou cannot so ea­sily, nor so soone bridle the inward moti­ons: If thou be ashamed so to be moued, or to be séene angry before wise men: If thou canst recompence other mens euill sayings and déeds, towards thyselfe, with good déeds and words: If when wrath a­riseth, it doe not preuent reason, but fol­low it.

5. The poison of enuie must be pur­ged Enuie to be morti­fied. out of thy soule: for this is a pestilent wickednesse, which changeth a man into the state of the diuell, and an vnmercifull fiend: For it is sorrow of the prosperitie, What En­uie is. and good successe of our neighbours affaires. So that as Chrysostome saith; An enuious minde is euer sadde. And Basil. All the blessings of his neighbour, both inner and outer, both of body and mind, doe grieue an enuious man, and his good successe, he counteth his own calamitie: Enuie is so foule an euill, that the enuious man dares not bewray himselfe: therefore he counterfeits glad­nesse, but he bursts inwardly.

Flée therefore enuie O man: horrible is the nature and disposition of enuie: for it is striken with sorrowe: and in stead of [Page] praising the bountie, mercie, and good­nesse of God, it becommeth an enemie to God and man, to whom nothing is so heauie and troublesome, as to enioy the blessings of God.

Viewe the picture of an enuious man, described by Gregory: The rankor of A picture of Enuie. enuie, saith hee, when it hath corrupted the heart, the outward parts bewray the madnesse of the minde: the colour becomes pale, the eyes cast downe, the minde enflamed, the members waxe cold: the cogitation is enraged, the teeth gnash, and when the hidden hatred groweth in the hidden corners of the heart, the inclosed wound festereth the conscience. To mortifie enuie,

1. Be thou so minded, that thou ad­mire no humane thing at al, as being cal­led Remedies to the participation of true and eter­nall blessings, not to vaine and transito­rie things: set thy desires and affections on the actions of vertue, and Enuy shall not surprise thée.

2. Hee that desireth to be free from Lib. 5. Moral. the plague of Enuie, saith Gregorie, let him loue that heritage, which the number of heires doth not straighten, [Page] which to all is one, and to euery one is whole, which appeareth to be so much the larger, by how much the more the multitude of them that enioy it, is en­larged.

3. Consider that the gifts and graces of our neighbours are so proper to them­selues, as that God many waies doth communicate the vse of them to others.

4. Call to minde often the mischiefes which flow from the fountaine of Enuie, the gréeuousnes of the sin, & how hardly it is cured. Take thou away enuie, saith S. Augustin, and then that which I haue is thine: I will take away enuie, and then, that which thou hast is mine. And Ambros: Flee enuie which is wont to rent, not so much other, as him that doth possesse it.

6. Pride, which is detestable in a Chri­stian Pride to be morti­fied. man, is to be mortified: The be­ginning of all sinne, saith the sonne of Syrach, is pride: which beeing the roote of all vice saith Gregory, is not content with the ouerthrow of one vertue, but raiseth it selfe against all the faculties of the mind, & is as it were a generall in­fection, corrupting the whole body.

Sée it, and shunne it: for a proud and ambitious man, can neither endure a su­periour, A proude man. nor an equall: He hunteth after false honour, and neglecteth true honour: he setteth himselfe against God, whom he robbeth of his honor, that he may con­uey it to himself, against all right and du­tie: he neuer wayeth the miseries of such as are like himselfe: he neuer considereth his owne weakenesse, nor Gods power: he neuer obserueth nor feareth the sharpe threates of God against proude men: to conclude, hee hath lost all knowledge of himselfe.

Now to the end thou maist deny and Remedies against pride. ouercome this vice of Pride:

1. Dwell with thy-selfe, and knowe thine owne wants: Know thy selfe, O how many things shalt thou finde, that shall offend thée!

2. Set before thine eyes the example of the Sonne of God himselfe, who beinge declared to be Lord of men & An­gles, yet whiles hee was conuersant in this world, he was a perfect patterne of humilitie, & contempt of worldlie glorie, and consider the dangers that are wont to accompanie great prosperitie.

And wilt thou get a perfect knowledge How to come by the know­ledge of thy selfe. of thy selfe, and a true humilitie, which are the deadly enemies of pride? Reade and meditate diligently the sacred holy truth: Conferre the state of vs, who are men, with the conditiō of other creatures: Examine and enquire rigorously into thine owne life: Consider how many things thou lackest, which are infinite in number, aboue those thou hast: Compare this state of ours, with the state of our first parents before they sinned: Marke who they be that praise thée, and who they be that dispraise thée: Take a liuely view of the tribunall, of the most wise, iust, and omnipotent God. So shalt thou abate thy pride, and be humbled.

7. Sloth is to be mortified, and the drouzie wearinesse of the mind, dulnesse Dulnesse in spiri­tuall ex­ercises to be morti­fied. What it is and coldnesse is to be shaken off: I meane

The drowzie wearinesse wherewith the heart is burthened and depressed, so that it can doe nothing willingly: where­by the whole man is cast downe with a sluggish lazinesse, & a continuall tedious­nesse occopieth the minde, whereby the mind is swallowed vp and possessed with a faint languishing, so that it is hindred by [Page] a cloudie darknesse and confusion of it selfe, that it is no: able to frame a spéech. Whereof riseth a lukewarmenesse, or frozen coldnesse.

Luke warmenesse in this place, is a­certaine dulnesse in him that is going on Luke­warmenes what it is. in the way of life begun, now being al­readie, either wearie, or else discouraged with the loade of the burthen, or difficul­tie of the iourney, & as it were, fainting in the way, he sitteth him downe, and goeth no more forward.

This lukewarmnesse, maketh a man to pray, without attention, & feruencie of Effects. the spirit: 1 To meditate heauenly things, without due sense, affection or fruite of his vnderstanding: 2 Hardly doth hee rid himselfe from frequent cōncourse of men: 3 Seldome doth hee gather his wandring mind home to his owne heart: 4 He view­eth himselfe, as it were, through a lattice, without repentance, or purpose of amend­ment: 5 willingly doth he range abroad, to relieue his tediousnesse: 6 He solaceth him­selfe, with vaine delights, and cogitati­ons, here and there, sought for:7 Hee tal­keth 8 fréely of other men, 9 and obserueth and reproueth other mens wordes and [Page] déedes: 10 But himselfe grieuously taketh discipline, admonition, and correction: 11 Hee auoideth all labour, necessarie and fruitfull to his saluation:12 Hée obeyeth lawes, but slowly, coldly, and with loathsomnesse: 13 He séeketh honor and esti­mation of men, and desireth to please them: Hée neglecteth the holesome vse of the Sacraments: 14 He seldome & lightly heareth godly Sermons: 15 He shunneth not the occasions of sinne, but presumeth of his owne strength: 16 He pampers him­selfe, and liberally bestoweth on his own carkasse: 17 He calles to minde his old man­ners, and the pleasant life of worldlings, so that he is not displeased with worldly pleasures, but rather approueth them.

Therefore to take away this tedious­nes, heauines, and dulnes.

Pray to God to deliuer thée out of these necessities. Say vnto thy spouse: Drawe Remedies me after thee, and wee will runne after the odor of thy ointments or perfumes.

2. When thou feelest, saith Bernard, an heauines or dulnes vpon thee, doe not yeelde vnto it, or cease from a stu­die of Godlines: By resisting, thou shalt ouercome: thou shalt resist, by retur­ning [Page] to thy labour againe.

3. Consider the dangers in the which Dangers of luke­warmnes. a lukewarme man doth stand: There is danger, to fall backe vnto his old sinnes: There is danger, to léese the fruit of the labour bestowed, in the life wel begunne: There is danger of a greater fall, if that dulnes be not shaken off: There is dan­ger neuer to recouer out of the gulfe of that languishing and fainting.

4. Remember the vnhappie state of the lukewarme man: wherein he can no long while be quiet, but he shall be vexed with the cogitations and scruples of his own conscience: yea the very lothsomnes it selfe, (if there were no other thing) wherewith he is holden, cānot but greeue him and wound him.

2. Coldnes is an affection, whereby a man loueth indéed, and chooseth a better trade of life, but he hath no power to dis­patch Coldnes, what it is. himselfe from those businesses and occasions, which either hold him in sin, or stay him from the race, & rule of vertue: or casteth him into such sinnes, as can be by no means excused. And so much the greeuouser is the fal, as the degree of holi­nes, from whence we fall, is higher.

[Page] 1. First therefore thou must deliberate Remedies of a newe kinde of life, more earnestly to be pursued, by a renouation of serious re­pentance and faith.

2. Meditate with thy selfe on thy end, which may be sodaine, and cannot be a­uoided, and other the last things which follow death.

3. Consider, that Hypocrisie and dis­sembling, is most odious to God. A sim­ple nature saith Bernard, such as God is, requireth simplicitie of heart: woe be to the sinner, that entreth the land two waies, for no man can serue two maisters.

4. Viewe and waigh the life of luke­warme, & frozen cold men, that knowing it, thou maiest dislike it, & disliking it in o­thers, thou maiest amend it in thy selfe.

5. Cowardnesse and feare must bee Pusillani­mitie to be morti­fied. mortified: for when a man is entred the way of Christ: the mind, many times, is assailed with griefe, either by expectation of some euill, or danger approaching: or by desperation of safetie or deliuerance from some euil, or danger present.

But bee not dismaied in thy minde: Heare and pray to him, who saith: Say [Page] to the faint harted, be of good courage, and faint not. And say with Dauid, I Esay. 35. Psal. 54. did waight for him, who saued me from my pusillanimitie of spirit, and from the tempest.

Why fearest thou O thou coward? Feare argueth a base minde: conceiue a firme hope of the prouidence of God: whē Exhorta­tion. thou striuest with the anguishes of Pusil­lanimitie, thou must lift vp thy minde to Gods prouidence. Resist with a good cou­rage, and set thy selfe, by the helpe of Gods spirit, against the whole rout of phantasies. Discusse, saith Gregory, the mistes of mourning, least thou, who in the time of tranquillitie, didst thinke greatly of thy sefe, in the time of per­turbation, doe confound thy selfe, with the terrors of thy base thoughts. Per­aduenture God will bring thée, by this Good ef­fects. Pusillanimitie, to a studie of humilitie, that by it, that loftie pride (which euen in good actions, lieth in waight, euen for ho­ly men) may be laide flat, or hee hath a purpose, to purge thy soule, of that affecti­on of selfeloue, whereby oftentimes thou art wont to please thy selfe, more than is méete.

How be it; what is it, that thou néedest Comforts against sundry sorts of feare. The crosse greatly to feare, or be amazed at?

1. Is it the Crosse or Affliction?

If thou be godly, the crosse and afflicti­on is to thée ineuitable, or not to be shun­ned: it is profitable, honorable and glo­rious: it confirmeth thine adoption, it re­nowneth thy vertues: it banisheth vi­ces. Beare therefore the crosse with a good courage.

2. Doest thou feare the anguish of Sicknesse sicknes? Thy body is mortall, there is no cause then that thou shouldest feare sick­nes, which leadeth to death: Sicknesse bréedeth hollome Philosophy: to wit, A meditation of death: the vices of the mind are cured by the diseases of y^• body: thou learnest to abandon selfeloue, and the loue of the world, and to hope for a bet­ter life: Faith, Hope, and Inuocation of God, becomes more ardent.

3. Art thou afraid of the losse of world­ly things? Losse of earthly things.

Trust in God, leane on his most holy promises, surely Gods truth is immoue­able, his power impregnable, his boun­tie immeasurable, he will not leaue thée, nor forsake thée.

[Page] 4. Doth the terror of death trouble Death. thy mind?

Cast off the feare, which incredulitie that is to be banished, doth strike into thée: compare the course of this life, with the last period or end thereof. Art thou not tossed with perpetuall miserie? If thou be wise, with the wise man, thou Eccles. 1. Commo­dities of death. wilt say, Vanitie of vanities, al is vanitie. Be not afraid of death, wherby thou shalt be deliuered from the tyrannie of sinne; from the snares of the world; from the temptations of Sathan; from the rage of false brethren; and shalt come to the port of felicitie, out of the sinke of e­uils, eternall: death shall not touch thee, because eternall life is prepared, promi­sed, sealed and confirmed to thée in Christ: Beléeue and thou shalt haue eternall life.

5. Dost thou tremble at the assaults of Satan?

God doth furnish his with strength, to resist Satan: Being vpholden by the wis­dome, vigilancie, and inuincible power of Christ thy head, cal vpon God, take vnto thée christian patience & cōstancy, with the shield of faith, and the sword of the spirit, [Page] and by Gods grace and perseuerance thou shalt be safe.

6. Art thou astonied with thy ma­ny, and great sinnes; Sinne.

Behold the remission of all thy sinnes purchased by Christ, promised, giuen, and sealed vnto thée: why tremblest thou? Be­hold the loue and mercie of God the fa­ther, the satisfaction and intercession of Iesus Christ, and admit the comfort, and assistance of the holy Ghost.

7. Thou quakest for feare of the last The last iudgemēt Iudgement and Tribunall.

Be of good comfort, and settle thy selfe throughly on the promises of saluation, so often repeated in holy Scriptures: The loue of God the father, and the couenant of his grace, through the satisfaction of his sonne Iesus Christ, is immutable, and he shall bee our Patrone, and Aduocate in that iudgement. Thou for thy part as often as thou sinnest, so often returne to Daily re­pentance. God, by a renewed repentance and faith: apprehend the grace of God the father: the merites of Iesus Christ: the conso­lation of the holy spirit, who is the ear­nest of our inheritance: heare the ma­nifold afflictions of this worlde, with a [Page] patient minde: & séeing thou hast accesse vnto the Throne of grace, powre out thy praiers to thy God: sigh and send vp thy affections, and thy hope shall not bee confounded, but thou shalt enioy vn­speakeable felicitie in heauen. Amen.

1. Concerninge Gods due.

Iustice giueth to God Glorie, especially, by studie of holines, and Religious pietie: therfore glorifie God, for thou owest vnto thy God, glorie.

• In respect of God himselfe.
• In respect of our selues.
  Gods nature. Tim. 1 Psal. 113. His com­mande­ments. Promises there as His bene­fits.

Consider God himselfe: The nature of GOD is most glorious, the best, the greatest, the fairest: Thou art bound by his commandements, to glorifie him: Embrase his swéet promises, tremble at his horrible threats; contemplate his acti­ons and workes, wherein his vertues, promises and threatnings, doe notably shine, to wit: The benifits of our creation, Conseruation, Redemption, Intercession, Sanctification, & Glorification: His won­derfull iudgments, rather to be reueren­ced then searched, yet alwaies right & iust. Iudgmēts Rom. 11. Miracles, His miracles, may be added: Is not y^e end of all his diuine vertues, cōmandements, promises, iudgements, that he should be glorified. Let vs consider our selues? be­hould [Page] the Image of God, to the which we were created, and are regenerate, and The image of God. whereby we haue a fellowship with God and a partaking of his vertues, doth al­lure vs to glorifie him: The vowe which Vow in Baptisme. The Sacra­ments. we made in our Baptisme once, and in receiuing the Sacrament of the Supper, we often renewe, doth bind vs to glorifie God, manie excellent commodities which we enioy doe force vs.

Giue therfore glorie to God, and thou shalt haue peace of conscience, which pas­seth al mans vnderstāding. His blessings Effects. shall cheare thy heart in all things: thou shalt receiue the testimony of a true faith, thy death shall be pretious: thou shalt carry with the a pledge of thy resurrec­tion and glorie, which is to come.

Assure thy self, there is nothing that can returne from vs to God, for al the graces which we receiue from him, but only this homage, to glorifie him: Which while we doe, we declare our loue to our neigh­bour, whom by thy example, thou doest win, by stirring him vp to glorifie God. Now we giue glorie to God, especially as I haue said, by the studie & practise of [Page] religious pietie, whereby, in beléeuing Religious Pietie. rightly of God, thou doest also worship him rightly.

Minister, saith the Apostle, in thy 1. Tim. 6. faith, pietie, and follow O man Gods righteousnes, faith, pietie, charitie, pati­ence, modestie. For godlines or pietie, is great gaine, with a minde content with his estate or lot. And Seneca saith: A good man must be very religious towards God.

Now Religion standetb in two points:

• In the true knowledge of God.
• In y^e true worship of God so known

First therefore thou must learne to know Trust the true know­ledge of God. God aright, as hée is reuealed in the booke of nature, which is the frame of the world, & in his word, which is the holy scripture: and herein consisteth christian wisdome. Let not the wise man, saith Ieremy, glo­ry in his wisdom, nor the strong man in Ierem. 9. his strength, neither the rich man in his riches: but let him y^e glorieth, glorie here­in, that he vnderstandeth and knoweth euē me, who am Iehouah, who exercise mercie and iustice in the earth, wherein also I delight. In the visible creatures saith Paule, the eternall power and [Page] diuinitie of God is seene. And the Prophet Esay sends vs to the Law and Esay. 8. the Testimony: And Christ our Saui­our to the holy scriptures, saying: Search Ioh. 5. the Scriptures.

This wisdome must chiefely be lear­ned out of the holy Scripture; which en­structeth Holy Scripture the rude or vnlearned, counsel­leth the ignorant or doubtfull, correcteth the sinners or offenders, comforteth the heauie or sorrowfull, bringeth backe such as erre or wander, into the way of truth: briefely, it frameth aright the whole life of a Christian man. All Scrip­ture, 2. Tim. 3. and euery part thereof, saith Saint Paule, is inspired of God, and is profita­ble to Teach, to Reproue, to Correct, and to Instruct in righteousnes, that the man of God may be intyre, prepa­red to euery good worke. It is a sure word of Prophesie, saith Saint Peter.

Secondly, God being rightly known, 2. True wor­ship of God. must also bee religiously worshipped of thée. Religious worship yéeldeth vnto God. First due humility, feare, loue, hope, confidence.

Secondly, Inuocation by praier, atten­tion by hearing his word, and seruice in [Page] the publique exercises of religion.

Thirdly, patience vnder the Crosse, and constancie in the profession of Chri­stian truth.

1. Be thou therefore religious towards Humilitie towards God. God, giuinge him such humilitie, as is due to him. Submit and subiect thy selfe reuerently to the Maiestie of God, both in mind and body, and confesse thy selfe vnworthy of his benefits.

Thou shalt be humbled to God ward, if thou consider him, to be thy Creator, & thou his creature. Him to be immortall, and thy selfe mortall. Him to be the Lord, and thou his seruant. Him to be the best, and thy selfe the worst. Humble your selues, saith S. Peter, vnder the mightie 1. Pet. 5. hand of God, and hee will exalt you in due season. Say with Iacob the Patri­arch: Lord I am lesse or vnworthy of all the benefits and truth, which thou hast shewed vnto thy seruants. Gen. 32.

This humilitie will bréede in thée an obedience towards God: for it is not e­nough Obediēce to knowe the will of God, except thou doe obey him, and endeuour to put in practise the commandements of God, which thou hast learned: He that doth [Page] the will of God endureth for euer. And 1 Ioh. 2. if ye know these things, saith our Saui­our, happie are ye, if ye doe them. Not Ioh. 13. euerie one that saith vnto me, Lord Lord, shall enter into the Kingdome Mat. 7. of heauen, but hee that doth the will of my father, who is in heauen, euen hee shall enter into the Kingdome of heauen.

Yéelde vnto God a due feare: ac­knowledging Feare. the mercy, and Iustice of God; Feare to offend God, whom to of­fend is the chiefe euill. Conceiue a terror of sinne, and the punisher thereof, and yet so feare God, as that thou loue him, as a child doth his father: for we must both feare God as our Lord, and loue him as our father. The Lord hath a de­light Psal. 147. Psal. 112. in them that feare him, and yet put their trust in his mercie. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, and hath great delight in his commandements. Yet haue ye not receiued the spirit of Rom. 8. bondage, to feare, vz. such a feare, as cannot stand with the loue of God. 1 Ioh. 4.

Render therefore to God the loue that Loue. is due vnto him: that is; In acknow­ledging the goodnesse and loue of God [Page] towards thy selfe, loue thou God; againe aboue all things, Loue the Lord your Esay. 28. God, and serue him, with all your hart, and with all your minde. He that loueth father or mother more than me, saith Christ, is not worthie of me.

6. The loue of God is verie diligent in working: This is the loue of God, that ye keepe his commaundements.

1. This loue doth vnite the louer and 1. Ioh. 5: The pro­perties of the loue of God. the thing loued; so that we say with Dauid: Like as the heart desireth the fountaines of water, so longeth my soule after thee o my God: It bringeth a mutual coniunction with it: for God is loue, and he that abideth in loue, abi­deth 1. Ioh. 4. in God: It so rauisheth a man with the loue of God, that forgetting himselfe, bee séeketh not his owne, but the things that are Iesus Christs.

2. This loue, maketh vs cōtinuallie to cast the eyes of our mind vpon God. Man by loue setteth his affection vpon God, because the minde thinketh on no­thing else: this loue is strong as death, it ouercomes all things, and is ouer­come of nothing.

3. It so féedeth the minde, that it is [Page] neuer satisfied: it neuer thinketh or séeketh anie thing but God; and him, the more it findeth, the more it wisheth.

Viewe the creatures, all are yours saith the Apostle: viewe thy selfe, thou art Christs; viewe Christ, hée is Gods: So by loue thou ascendest to God.

Fixe thy hope vpon thy God, as is meete, calling to minde his loue, and Hope. truth in thinges past, and expect with patience, his presence and helpe for things to come.

Cast thy care vpon God, and hope in Psal. 37. him, and hee will bring the matter to passe. Item. Tarrie the Lords leisure, Psal. 147 be of good courage, expect the Lord, and hee shall comfort your heart: The Lord hath a pleasure in them, that put their trust in his mercie.

Hope confoundeth not: But hope Obiects of our hope. thou from God, such things as fall vn­der a Christian hope: to wit, eternall hap­pinesse, & all things that are necessarie and profitable to further vs in the at­taining of that blessed felicitie: hope for Gods Mercie, with his effectual bles­sing in all things, and that by thy Saui­our Christ Iesus. Yea hope manie [Page] times contrary to hope, and striue against the spirit of distrust and desperation: And hope thou strongly, constantly, chéere­fully.

Rest thy confidence vpon God as thou Confidence. art bound: Acknowledging the power and mercie of thy God, and firmely re­pose thy selfe therein, against whatsoe­uer dangers happen. Blessed is he, saith Ieremie, that trusteth in God, and Ierem. 17 whose confidence is in the Lord. And the sonne of Syrach. In all thy Syrach. 33 actions put thy trust in God, for so shalt thou also fulfill his commaunde­ments.

2. Bee thou also religious towardes God, giuing him due worship: In ado­ring Adoratiō or Inuo­cation of God. him, and calling vpon his name: Call vpon him religiously, acknowled­ging him to haue all power, all know­ledge, and to bée present euery where.

But call thou vpon God, with a present intention of minde; with an Rules of Inuocati­on. acknowledging of thine owne vnworthi­nesse; with a true affection of heart, with a desire of Gods blessinges, submit­ting thy will to Gods will: with har­tie repentance; with a consideration [Page] of Gods commandements; with a medi­tation of the diuine promises, with assu­red faith to be heard, with confidence in Christ the Mediator.

These things being thus prepared, in­treate the mercie and fauour of God, both to obtaine things necessarie for soule and body, and to turne away all euill.

Now, the best forme of prayer for eue­ry Christian man, is the Lordes praier, taught by the sonne of God to his Disci­ples, containing all things briefly, which are to be praied for.

When néede requires, giue God the A religi­ous oath. honor of a religious oath, and call God himselfe to be a witnes of thy spéech, as the onely searcher of the heart, and if thou doe wittingly deceiue or lye, [...]et him re­uenge the lye or deceit. Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God, and shalt sweare by Deut. 6. his name.

Thou owest vnto thy God a reuerend Gratitude thankfulnes, waie therefore Gods bene­fits, with an admiration and ioy, rehearse them, commend them, celebrate them, ex­tol them. Acknowledge all good things, as receiued from him onely, both spirituall and corporall, and therefore giue him on­ly [Page] the glorie. Say with the Psalmist: I will praise the Lord at all times, his Psal. 34. praise shall alwaies bee in my mouth. Offer vnto God the sacrifice of thanks­giuing, and say, Praise the Lord ô my Psal. 103. soule, and forget not all his benefits.

Be not thou either ashamed, or wearie, Exercise of the word pri­uate. Psal. 1. or cloyed with the word of truth; exercise thy selfe rather in the word of God, by reading, meditating, talking, and confer­ring with other. Let thy delight bee in the law of the Lord, & meditate there­in both day and night, let the word of Colloss. 2 Christ dwell in thee plentifully in all wisedome, teaching and exhorting one another, Apply thy reading. 1. Tim. 4.

Being asked a reason of thy faith at a­ny conuenient time, or otherwise being prouoked, defend Gods truth out of the holy Scriptures, and be not ashamed to confesse it. Be readie, saith Saint Pe­ter, 1. Pet. 3. alwaies to giue an answere, to eue­ry one that asketh a reason of the hope that is in you, for euery one that con­fesseth me before men, him will I, saith Matt. 10. Christ, confesse before my father, who is in heauen.

Be not slacke to serue God in pub­lique Exercise of religi­on publi­que. exercises of Religion. At appointed times, but especially on the Saboath, repaire to the Church, where the Chri­stian Congregation is assembled in vni­tie of minde, forsake not such méetings, neither despise thou the communion of Saints, but attend the word of God, as it is méete, vse the Sacraments, and pray deuoutly with the Saints. Let vs not Heb. 10. forsake the mutuall assemblies, saith the Apostle, as is the the manner of some. Doe all to the glory of God: Let all things be done to edifying. 1. Cor. 10. &. 14. Ecclesias­ticall rites

Moreouer, obserue the publique Ec­clesiasticall rites, attending on Religion, that all things may be done decently and in order, in conuenient time and place.

3. Whatsoeuer crosse it pleaseth God Patience vnder the Crosse. to lay vpon thée, thou oughtest to beare it patiently, for this is our dutie to God. Carry therefore the crosse, wherewith God doth try thée his child, or chastice thée in this vale of teares: carry it I say with patience, stoutly, and with an inuincible Rom. 12. Prou. 3. Heb. 12. mind: Be patient in afflictions: My sonne saith Saloman, refuse not thou the [Page] chastening of the Lord, neither grudge when thou art reproued of him: For whom the Lord loueth he chasteneth, &c.

God doth chastice thée, lest thou shoul­dest Vses of the crosse thinke thy selfe without all fault. Hée would haue thée more & more to returne to him, to cast off sinne, and to imbrace vertue, that the old man might be cruci­fied, and the newe-man reuiued. Hée would haue thée to preuēt further lapses, and not to rush into securitie. He would also staie other from wickednes by pu­nishing thée, and that they might spedi­ly returne to good.

Moreouer, the seruant and disciple, must be conformed to his Lord & master. Christ is our Lord and master, with whom we must suffer, if we will raigne with him.

God trieth thy faith, thy hope, thy obedience, thy patience, thy feruencie in praier: He will haue his power and mercie to appeare, in strengthning, & de­liuering thée. He would make thée wearie of this earthly life, & to be stirred vp with a desire of thy heauenly loue. There­fore beare that is to be borne: patience [Page] will haue the victorie.

Be constant in faith, and yéeld to God the obedience of thy faith: Persist in this Constan­cie. religious worship of God, by perseuering vnto the last breath of thy life, in a liuely faith and loue of God: neither doe thou suffer any thing, either prosperous or ad­uerse, to remoue thee from that heauenly truth, or godlinesse, which thou hast lear­ned. Be faithfull vnto death, saith the Apoc. 2. Mat. 10. spirit, and I will giue thee the Crowne of life, for hee that perseuereth vnto the end, shall be saued.

2. Concerning mans due.

Iustice giueth to euery man his due; man must giue, first vnto himselfe that which is due to himselfe.

• And next to his neighbour, that which is due to his neighbour.

Giue to thy selfe that which is due to thy selfe. Thou oughtest to loue thy selfe, To thy selfe thou owest loue. and not to hate thy selfe, but this loue must be holy and moderate, that know­ing thy selfe, by the helpe of Gods grace, thou maiest frame thy selfe, to an holines and righteousnes, conformable to the Lawe of God. Thou shalt loue thy Rom. 13. Eph. 5. neighbour as thy selfe. And neuer yet [Page] did any man hate his owne flesh, yea he nourisheth and cherisheth it, euen as the Lord doth the congregation. Au­selme saith.

Iustice is a libertie of the minde, gi­uing What iu­stice is. to euery man his proper right; to our Superiour reuerence, to our Equal concord, to our Inferiour discipline, to God obedience, to our selues holines, to our enemie patience, to the needie mercie. And a man becomming iudge of himselfe, must search himselfe, with­out partialitie. Enter therefore into thy selfe: Dwell with thy selfe, and seeke not thy selfe without thy selfe. And as Plautus saith: Euer perswade thy selfe it is best, that thou thy selfe be best, if thou cannot attaine to that, yet at the last, that thou maist bee next the best.

First therefore thou owest to thy selfe, The know­ledge of our selues. 1. Cor. 11 and 13. the knowledge of thy selfe: Surely it is a very hard matter to knowe our selues; but heare thou the Apostle, who saith: Let euery man examine himselfe, Item, ex­amine your selues whether ye be in the faith. Heare other wise Christians, as Ayapetus for one: We must first learne [Page] this diuine precept, that euery one knowe him selfe: for hee that know­eth himselfe knoweth God: He that knoweth God, shall become like to God, but he that shall become like to God, must be worthy of God, hee be­comes worthy of God, who cōmitteth Accepta­ble to God. nothing vnworthy of him, but thinketh on diuine things, and speaketh what he thinketh, and doth what he speaketh. Chrysostome saith: It is the part of a wise man, first to knowe himselfe, to viewe what hee himselfe is: what is beneath him, what is within him, what is aboue him, what is ouer against him, what be­fore him, what behind him. For this consideration hath a fourefold fruite, Our own commoditie, our neighbours charitie, the worlds contempt, and the loue of God. And Bernard saith. No man is saued without the knowledge of himselfe, out of which riseth humilitie, the mother of saluation, and the feare of God, which as it is the entrance to wisedome, so is it the entrance to salua­tion.

Beeing knowne to thy selfe, Care of our selues thou owest of good right to thy selfe, a [Page] diligent care of thy selfe, concerning in­tegritie, & holinesse, to the composing and decking of thy selfe.

Now thou shalt frame thy selfe to in­tegritie and holinesse: if thou studie to vse and order aright, the things which God hath committed to thée,

• Whether they be
  • Inward, or
  • Outward.

First therefore, when thou knowest Care of goods. Of the minde. thy selfe, reforme all the inward goods of thy minde and body, to a rightnes plea­sing God.

Iustice therefore, yéelding thy selfe thy right, commandeth thée, aboue all things, to be carefull in enforming rightly, and repairing the faculties of thy soule, both Superiour, and Inferiour.

The superiour faculties of the soule, Superior faculties. are the mind, the conscience, and the will: Haue a good regard of these, and thou shalt not be in danger.

Concerning the mind.

Giue therefore to thy minde or vnder­standing, that which is due to it. What we owe to the minde

Now thou owest to thy mind or vn­derstanding, wisedome: to thy Iudge­ment, Prudence.

[Page] 1. The minde attaineth wisedome, Wisdome by applying it selfe to the knowledge, and consideration of diuine and humane things, which are profitable and neces­sarie to the vse of our life.

This is obtained of God: For all wis­dome, How we obtaine wisdome. Out of the word. By prayer saith the sonne of Syrach; is from God, but by his word, for his word is the fountaine of wisdome, and his com­mandement, the originall and entrance thereunto. It must be asked by prayer, saying with Saloman. O Lord giue me wisedome and vnderstanding, that I may go in and out before thy people. By com­panying with the wise. Prou. 13. Syrach. 6. It is learned also by conuersing with wise men, according as it is said: Hee that keepeth companie with wise men, shall become wise: Therefore my son, saith Syrach: Apply thy selfe to the in­struction of wisdome, from thy youth: for wisedome aduanceth her children, and receiueth those that loue her, & go­eth before them, in the way of righte­ousnesse, and purchaseth them the loue of God.

2. Prudence is gotten by due obser­uation, Prudence what is méete to be done, or left vndone, what is to be desired, or shunned, [Page] that thou maiest foresée to chuse the good, and refuse the euill, and search the means to performe honest actions: that both a­fore and after thou be wearie. For Pru­dence, is like two-faced Ianus, in euery thing obseruing, what goes before, and what followes after: Remember what Aristotle saith: That man is borne to two things, vz. to vnderstand, and to doe, or worke.

Thou shalt atchieue it, next the grace of God, by vse and memorie of things, ac­cording Howe prudence is gotten. By experi­ence. as it is said,

Prudence riseth, by long practise or experience.

When thou doest deliberate, saith Iso­crates, of things to come, consider the examples of things past; For if thou remember thinges past, thou shalt the better deliberate of things to come. Al­waies giue eare to that of Syrach: What­soeuer thou takest in hand, doe it adui­sedly, and keepe a meane in all things.

Now in labouring for Prudence, in How to be per­fect in Prudence Counsell. this sort shalt thou proceede.

First, take counsell of the matter that is to be done, or not done: try all things afore hand by counsell.

[Page] 1. Let the rule of thy counsell be the Law of God: according to it, let all thy cogitations and deliberations be direc­ted: Thy Law saith Dauid are my coun­sellors.

2. Then let thy prayer, powred out to God, craue his helpe, that thou maist both thinke, and determine those things that are agréeable to his will: saying with Dauid; Teach me to doe thy will O God, for thou art my God.

3. After prayer let a diligent inquisiti­on and meditation of those things wher­of thou hast consulted, follow. For as Sa­loman Prou. 10. saith: The lips of the iust consi­der what is acceptable.

4. Doe not attribute too much to thy selfe, and to thine owne determinations, according as it is said: Leane not too much Prou 3. to thine own wit, especially in thine own matters, wherein men are wont to be blinded. Therefore in waightie matters take aduise of other: I, saith Wisedome, Prou. 8. dwell with Counsell, and am present in all wise consultations.

Secondly, when thou hast taken coun­sell, discerne aright betwéen all those rea­sons, Discreti­on. that are brought in consulting.

Here therefore is néede of discretion, whereby truths are discerned from false­hoods, certainties from vncertainties: vn­profitable things, from profitable: vnsea­sonable, from seasonable: honest from vn­honest: pleasant, from vnpleasant, and to conculde, good from euill. And of these which are more or lesse good, and which are more or lesse conuenient, for time, place, person, or for the matter in hand. And to discerne not onely what is to bée determined, but also how much, and how farreforth wee ought to procéede in eue­ry cause.

2. Concerning the conscience.

Giue vnto thy conscience, that which What is due to the consciēce. is due vnto it.

Thou oughtest not to wound and vl­cerate our conscience, but to kéepe it sound and entire.

Now thou shalt get, and kéepe, a good, Three meanes to get a good con­science. Prepara­tion. and a sound conscience, by thrée meanes.

By diligent preparation, by spéedy ap­plication of remedy: and by reformati­on.

2. That thou maiest diligently pre­pare thy conscience: Learne by the lawe what is cōmanded to be done, and what [Page] is forbidden and to bee left vndone: Learne the iudiciall sentence of the Law, pronouncing men accursed for euery sinne: Then examine thine owne consci­ence seriouslie, according to this rule of the Lawe, whereby thou shalt vnder­stand, what thy state is before God; here­of a sorrow will strike thy hart, for feare of the punishment due to thy sinnes which thou hast committed.

2. A better Remedie for a sorrow­full and wounded conscience, can I not Remedies shew you, than the blood and merite of Iesus Christ our Sauior. For the apply­ing whereof vnto our selues, we haue néede: First, of the preaching of the Gos­pell, which is as it were the hand of God, offering his grace vnto vs. And then of faith, which is as our hand, receiuing the graces offred. But here thou must remember to humble thy selfe truely, and to resist all doub­ting.

3. The conscience is then reformed, Reforma­tion. when it ceaseth to accuse and terrifie thée, and contrariwise, beginneth to excuse thée, and by the holie spirit doth testifie vnto thy spirit, that thou art the childe of [Page] God, and that thy sinnes are forgiuen Two means to Keepe a good conscience. thée. When thou hast gotten a good cōsci­ence sée that thou preserue it, and kéepe it in safetie: by remouing impediments and applying fit remedies.

Impediments, some are with in thee; Impedi­ments to be remoued. some without thée.

1 Within thee are thine own sinnes: take away therefore ignorance, seducing thée from the knowledge of Gods word: take away vnbrideled & vntamed affec­tions, by inuerting their course from thy neighbour against thy selfe, or thine owne sinnes: or by inclining them to God, and our Sauiour Christ: take a­way worldly desires of riches, honours, and pleasures.

2. Without thée the diuell, and the wicked world are impediments to a good conscience, these must be withst [...]d.

Remedies to be applied for the preser­uing of the conscience are two: First, Remedies to be appli­ed. thou shalt conserue and nourish a liuely faith: Secondly, thou shalt retaine a con­stant purpose and ardent desire to obey God in all things, so shalt thou prouide for thy conscience.

3. Concerning the will.

Moreouer, giue vnto thy wil that which What is due to the will. is due to it.

If thou loue thy selfe, thou owest vnto thy will an holy gouernment, to bridle it by a godly prudence: that being guided, not by the flesh, but by the spirits, it may earnestly will that which is good, and niil that which is euill: Now it is God, saith Philip. 2. the Apost. who worketh in you, both to will, and to performe according to his vndeserued fauour.

Here thou maist vse the sylogisme, as Prudence Sylog. they call it, of Prudence: whose principles or propositions are fetched from Counsel and Iudgement, and the conclusion from the election of the will.

Counsel searcheth out things which are Counsell. a furtherāce to attaine the purposed end.

Iudgement discerneth among many Iudgemēt things purposed; which are chiefly to be chosen.

By election the will desireth and choo­seth Election. those things, which by right reason we haue learned to be most profitable for our vse: whereunto if the command of reason & prudence, illumined, be ioyned, it maketh the purpose readie for the acti­on, or to the hand: so that there wanteth nothing but execution, or putting in prac­tise.

But sée thou propound nothing to thy will, but that which may agrée with the will of God, and doth tend to his glorie to the knowledge of whose will, and to; the aduancement of whose glorie, thou oughtest with all diligence to frame thy selfe. Thus shalt thou sanctifie the superi­our faculties of thy soule, by giuing them that is due to them: wherein thou doest a right to thy selfe.

The inferiour faculties of the soule; to wit: The Irascible or angry part, and the Cōcupiscible or lusting part, are to be brought in order, that thy affections may be moderate and holy.

1. Concerning the Irascible or an­gry part.

Thou shalt moderate or rule that Vertues modera­ting the Irascible part. part of thy soule which is prone to anger, by these Christian vertues, vz. Fortitude, Magnanimitie, Patience, Constancie, Méekenesse, Humilitie.

1. Furnish thy soule with Fortitude, wherewith it may be armed and prepa­red Fortitude to enterprise and endure labour, yea euen the perils of death, with a Christian courage, so that it may expell cowardly [Page] feare out of the minde, & may settle a con­stant trust in it. Be of good courage, Psa. 27. saith the Psalmist, and God shall com­fort your hearts. Ye that put your trust in the Lord: Be strong in the Lord, and Ephe. 6. 1. Pet. 3. in the might of his power: Feare not their threats, neither be thou troubled. And Saint Paul to Timothie, saith: My sonne, be thou of good courage. 2. Tim. 3.

Saint Ambrose saith: Fortitude of the Lib. 61. Offic. minde is no meane vertue, or seuered from the rest, as if it were at defiance with other vertues, but it is such a ver­tue as onely defendeth the ornaments of al vertues, and preserueth their right, and is at deadly enmitie with all vices, it is inuincible in labours, couragious in dangers, rigorous against pleasures, churlish against enticings, whereunto it cannot tell how to listen. And Christ. Fortitude of minde is to vs from him Lib. 63. De vita Contempt. to whom with the Prophet wee sing; The Lord is my fortitude & my praise, and he is become my saluation: He is our fortitude, because hee doth so strengthen vs with his inuincible pro­tection against all vices, that neither flattering prosperitie can make vs dis­solute, [Page] nor frouning aduersitie despe­rate. And now the Lord be our praise.

Now thou shalt be reckoned a vali­ant man if thou haue such power ouer Who is a valiant man. thine affections, that thou canst master them, so that not thou art so stirred and prouoked by them, as they by fortitude are ruled and gouerned at thy becke: For the valiant man vseth his anger as a whe [...]stoane to sharpen his courage in aduenturing perills, yet as an vnder­ling, not as a commander, neither is his reason thereby disturbed, but his affection inflamed.

2. Magnanimitie or greatnes of cou­rage is occupied in great matters, and of Magna­nimitie. honorable account, wherewith also the soule must be endued: that wée seeke not honour for it selfe, nor greatly estéeme of humane honour.

Hee is a man of great courage saith Gregory: who desireth eternall things. Who is Magnani­mous. Thou shalt bee magnanimous, if thou contemne humane honour, and enter­prise great thinges for the glory of God, and exercise all vertues which tend to e­ternall felicitie. If thou encrease daily in courage, and wish earnestly, and per­forme [Page] valiantly whatsoeuer may further the glory of God, & the saluation of men, if thou stand inuincible against all iniu­ries and calamities, which men can lay vpon thée.

3. Possesse thy soule in patience, wher­by Patience. thou maiest endure with a willing mind, & stoutly beare all euills that come vpon thée, and all troubles which thou ta­kest vpon thée, and all aduersities and crosses which thou canst not with hone­stie and godlines auoide.

Arme thy selfe with patience, saith Syrach. 2. the sonne of Syrach, whatsoeuer hap­peneth, bear it patiētly, & endure what­soeuer calamitie patiently. And our Sa­uiour Christ saith: Possesse your soule, Luk. 2. in patience. And S. Peter: Minister in your faith patience, &c. 2. Pet. 1.

No man can escape misfortunes, but to beare misfortunes patiently, is onely the part of a godly man: for mortall men are bound to beare mortalities: endure the harder things, then shalt thou more easi­ly beare light things.

S. Crysostome maketh nine degrées Nine de­grees of patienc. of Patience. 1 The first is, to do no wrong. 2 The second is when a wrong i [...] done, not to desire a reuenge. 3 The third is, not to requite the wrong, but to be quiet. 4 The fourth is, to offer himself to beare wrong. 5 The fift is, to be ready to beare more than he that doth the wronge desires. 6 The sixt is, not to hate him that doth the wrong. 7 The seuenth is, to loue our ene­mie. 8 The eight is, to doe him good. 9 The ninth is, to praie to God for him.

4. Thou owest vnto thy soule con­stancie, Constan­cie. or perseuerance in wel doing: that is, to persist in an honest & laudable pur­pose, to retaine alwaies in one rate, the same minde and will, that thou be not lif­ted vp by prosperitie, nor cast downe by aduersitie, or decline from good to euill.

Hereby thou maist ouercome the diffi­cultie of long lingring, or fault of defectiō, whereunto the action of vertue is in dan­ger, when it is drawne out by length of time. Get this grace, by Gods helpe vnto thy soule: y^e thou maist haue a wil to per­seuere [Page] in the action of vertue begun, till thou haue fully perfected it: Pray vnto God, and he will say vnto thee: I am the Lord thy God, taking thee by the Esay. 41. hand, and saying to thee: Feare not: I haue holpen thee: Feare not ô Iacob, that art a worme: He will strengthen thy weake hands, and thy feeble knees, and make thy feete to step aright.

But let thy will bee firme to persist in faith, and the workes of faith, and to re­sist those things which hinder them. First Satan is an aduersarie, whom thou must Impedi­ments. withstand, being stedfast in faith. Se­condly, the very length of time, often bréedeth a vaine feare, but in thy God thou maiest doe all things. Thirdly, the world many times affrighteth vs with his bugges, or turneth vs aside by his examples: But labour thou, & thou shalt haue thy hyer, after wearines followeth rest: hope, and thy hope shal not confound thée.

5. Indue thy mind with méekenesse, which may so appease the angry force Meeke­nesse. therof, that it offer not violence to reason, or remoue her out of her state, but may make thée readier to pardon, than to re­uenge.

By méeknesse therefore anger must be Anger to be refrai­ned. Eph. 4. Tit. 3. refrained or brideled: Walke saith the Apostle, in all meeknesse and humilitie, forbearing one an other, and forgi­uing one an other, in modestie shew­ing meekenesse to all men. Item, Let vs behaue our selues in much patience and long suffering and mildnes, in the holy Gost.

By méekenesse desire of reuenge Eph. 4. Colloss. 3 which riseth of anger must be restrained or cut off. With patiēce support ye one an other, forgiuing one an other, if anie man haue a quarell against an o­ther, euen as God for Christs sake hath forgiuen you: not rendring euill for euill. Rom. 12. The ef­fects of meeknes Psal. 147. Iudith, 9.

If thou be méeke, thou shalt be accep­table to God: The Lord receiueth the meeke, he heareth the prayers of such as be gentle: The prayers of such as be humble & meek haue euer bin accepta­ble to thee, saith Iudith: To such he sent his sonne: To preach to the meeke he sent me: To such hee giues his grace: To the meeke he giueth grace: Such he directeth in all their actions. He shall Esay. b 1. Prou. 3. guide the meeke in iudgement, he shal [Page] teach the gentle his waies.

6. Thou owest humilitie to thy soule Humilitie which may make thee not to waxe proud of the store or worth of any graces, but in acknowledgement of thine own infir­mities to prefer euery one before thy self.

In humilitie embracing one another, Item, Decke your selues inwardly, with lowlinesse of minde: for GOD 1, Pet. 5. resisteth the proude, and giueth grace to the lowly. Humble your selues ther­fore vnder the mightie hand of God, & he shal exalt you in due time. My sonne saith Syrach, behaue thy selfe humbly, apply thy selfe to the lowly: for this is Syrach. 3. better than all that which the world esteemeth so highly: The greater thou art, the more humbly behaue thy selfe, and the Lord will loue thee: for the Lord is the most high, and yet he wor­keth great things by the lowly and afflicted. And Chrysostome saith; No­thing is to bee compared to the vertue of humilitie: for it is the roote, the nurce, the prop, and band of all good­nesse. And Saint Augustine, If we will attaine to the height of Charitie, wee must first thinke of the foundation [Page] of humilitie. And Basil: Humilitie is the safest treasury of all vertues.

Anselme reckoneth seuen degrées of hu­militie: The first is, to knowe thy selfe to Seuen de­grees of humilitie. be contemptible. The second is, to be so­ry for it. The third, to confesse it. The fourth is, to perswade the same to other in time and place. The fifth is, to beare it patiently when other report it. The sixt is, to take it in good part when thou art vsed contemptibly. The seuenth is, to accept, desire, and loue the same.

It must néedes be a great strength in the mind that shal ascend to these degrées. Though thou do neuer so great matters, yet count not thy selfe great: Thou shalt become humble, if thou contemne all worldly and humane things, and doe consider the beginnings of thine own be­ing.

2. Concerning the concupiscible or Vertues modera­ting the concupi­scible part lusting part.

Thou shalt moderate thy soule, which is prone to lust, by these Christian vertues.

3. Temperance, Abstinence, and Continence.

1. Thou oughtest to kéepe thy soule in Tempe­rance. [Page] Temperance: whereby thou maiest re­fraine and restraine thy lustes, thy plea­sures & delights of the body, from which, because they be natural, we are the more hardly drawne.

Sundry reasons there are, which ought to stirre thée vp to moderate the ap­petit [...] Motiues. of iust.

First, because the voluptuousnes of the body, doth hinder that God by his word cannot enter into the soule of man, to drawe and conuert it to him.

Secondly, because bodily pleasures are vaine, slipperie, momentanie: euen vani­tie of vanities: leauing behind them, re­morse, sorrow, repentance, not easily re­moued.

Thirdly, because euen in the very mo­ment of time, wherein carnall pleasures doth entangle vs with her allurements, it doth so bewitch our mindes: with her poyson (shall I call it) or swéete charme, that it wholly subdueth vs. Let not sinne Rom. 6. therefore raigne in your mortall bo­dies, that yee should thereunto obey through the lustes thereof: But striue against the tyrannie of pleasures, which a [...] it were certaine cruell beasts doe de­uour [Page] the soule, and strangle reason, if in time they be not preuented. Seneca saith: It is an easier matter to hinder the first motions of the affections, than to rule their violence: set thou therefore vpon the roote of lust as it were with a sword.

2. If thou loue thy selfe, challenge to thy Abstinence & sobrietie. selfe abstinence and sobrietie, and yéelde them to thy soule: that thou maiest kéepe the nutritiue power thereof in an holy temperance and moderate vse of meate and drinke. Vse sparingly, saith Ecclesi­asticus, Syrach. 31 Eccles. 10 those things that are set before thee, that thou bee not odious for thy greedines. And the Preacher saith: Bles­sed are thou O land, whose princes eate in due time for refreshing and not for ryot: for he that is moderate in feeding shall prolong his life. Item, Wine mo­derately drunke is a cheering to the soule and heart: And strong drinke so­berly taken is health both to soule and body. Let not therefore your hearts Luk. 21. bee ouercome with surfetting and drunkennesse, and cares of this life. &c.

Thou must therefore striue earnestly [Page] with thy selfe, against thy bodily appe­tities, which as it is hard to ouercome, so it is glorious to ouercome: for the diuell vseth the necessitie of the flesh as a iust patronage to an inward temptation.

3. If thou wish well to thy flesh, sée Conti­nence and Chastitie. thou retaine Continencie and Chastitie, and embrace them: that thou maiest kéep the generatiue power of thy soule in a holy temperance and lawfull vse ordai­ned of God. Cal to mind often these war­nings.

This know ye, saith the Apostle, and Eph. 5. vnderstand, that no fornicator, or vn­cleane person, or Adulterer, hath any inheritance in the kingdome of God & 1. Cor. 6. Christ. And againe: Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ, the Temples of the holy Ghost, Ves­sels of honour? shall I take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid? Item. If any man defile the Temple of God, him will GOD destroy. Item: This is the will of GOD, euen your Sanc­tification, 1. Thes. 4 that yee shoulde ab­staine from fornication, and that e­uery one of you should knowe how [Page] to keepe his vessell in holinesse and honour, and not in the lustes of concu­piscence, as doe the Heathen which knowe not God. And our Sauiour Christ saith; Hee that looketh on a Mat. 5. woman to lust after her, hath commit­ted Adulterie with her alreadie in his heart. And Ierom. It is a great gift of faith, and a great grace of vertue, to keepe the Temple of God pure, and to offer our selues a whole burnt offering to the Lord, and to be holy both in bo­dy and spirit.

2, Thus must thou prouide for gra­ces of the mind: Take a care also for goods Cares for goods of the bodie. of the body, by a lawfull endeuour to pre­serue the health of the body.

If therefore thou loue thy selfe, haue a care of thy bodily health, maintaine as Health. much as in thée is thy life and welfare, that it may be whole and sound: It is maruellous how much the former tem­perance through abstinence and conti­nence doe helpe to preserue health.

If thy health bee endamaged, apply medicine to recouer health, and to auoide Medicine Sirach. 38. sicknesse: My sonne, saith Ecelesiast. con­sider diligently what is good for thy [Page] body and what hurteth thy health, and abstaine from it: Honour the Phisitian with due reward, and vse him for ne­cessitie sake. Againe: Health and a good habite of body is better than gold, and Cap. 30. an able body than great riches. Reade more, Chap. 38.

3. Thou must prouide for externall Care for goods of fortune. goods, which they cal the goods of fortune, (if thou loue thy self) such as are Honour, and Riches.

Let a godly contentment and sufficien­cie, moderate and gouerne both these sorts: that thou rest content with thy portion and estate, both of honour and wealth, which God hath allotted thée, with a thankefull minde to GOD, not desiring or carefully séeking more.

For godlinesse is great gaine, with a 1 Tim. 6. Syrach. 31. minde content with his lot: And a mo­derate man is content with fewe things: Bee content therefore with present &. 42. things. Learne with the Apostle to bee content with thy estate: I haue learned, saith hee, In whatsoeuer estate I am, Philip. 4. therewith to be content: I knowe how to be humble, and how to excell euery where, and in al things I am instructed, [Page] both to be full and to hunger, both to a­bound, and to suffer penurie. Hauing 1. Tim. 6. foode and cloathing, let vs bee there­with content, &c.

1. Concerning honour.

Let modestie be the moderator of thine Honour. honour: whereby thou maiest desire, pursue, and maintaine thine honour, so farreforth as is conuenient, lawfull, and seemely: Let your modestie bee knowne to all men: Through mo­destie, Philip. 4. &. 2. let euery man esteeme an o­ther better then himselfe: The grea­ter thou art, the more humbly be­haue thy selfe, saith the sonne of Sy­rach.

Endeuour in the meane while, by godlinesse, vertue, and honest arts, to get thy selfe a good report among men: for honour is an honest estimation, conceiued of vs by other men, for ver­tues sake. If it may be, procure an Rom. 12. honest report in the sight of all men. Item, Whatsoeuer things are true, what­soeuer Philip. 4. honest, iust, pure, louely, or of good report, if there be any vertue, any praise, thinke on these things: for a [Page] good name is better th [...] riches, saith the wise man.

2. Concerning riches and wealth.

Let godly industrie bee thy guide in Riches. Getting. getting thy riches or wealth: I say godly, that thou shouldest pray. For

Omnia cūprecibus ferivda cura potest: Prayer. Labour. Isay industry, that thou shuldest labor.

Performe therefore the duties of thy calling diligently, expecting an heauenly blessing by calling vpon God, and la­bour earnestly to get thy liuing, that thou maiest eate the labour of thine owne hands.

In the vse of thy riches gouerne them Vsing. by a godly possession: that being iustly gotten, thou maiest hold them lawfully, and maiest be master of them as long as it shall please God: Be thou alone owner Prou. 5. of thine owne fountaine, and not stran­gers with thee.

Vse them and enioy them, frugally Vsing. and thristily: by making thy expen­ces according to thy abilitie, tollerable, [Page] honest, and necessarie, answerable to thy degrée. The iust man saith Salomon, v­seth Prou. 10. his riches for the benefite of his life. And the sonne of Syrach saith, Take Sirach. 14 benefit thy self of thy wealth or goods. And Dauid; God shall fill thy mouth Psal. 103. with good things.

Thus must thou exercise righteous­nesse by louing thy selfe in a godly sort, giuing to thy selfe thy due: to thy soule that which is due to it: to thy body that which is due to it: to thy externall goods that which is due to them.

But thou art not borne to thy selfe, thou oughtest to loue thy neighbour as thy selfe: thou must be conuersant with him. To him thou owest loue, to vse him familiarly, nourishing societie in a ciuill life. Here obserue two things. Who is our neigh­bour. Luk. 10.

First, that euery man is thy nighbour, whether thy friend, or thine enemie: whe­ther rich or poore: whether domesticall or a stranger: whether knowne or vn­knowne: especially if he stand in néede of vs. But among Christians hée chiefe­ly Gal. 6. is our neighbour, who professeth the same religion with vs, and therfore chief­ly to be beloued.

Secondly, let this be [...] common rule, whatsoeuer ye would th [...] men should doe to you, doe ye the same to them a­gaine.

• 2. Let iustice therefore both giue and
  Iustice to­wards thy neigh­bour. To euery man li­uing.
  retribute vnto thy neighbour that which is due to him, whether
  • A liue,
  • Ordead.

To euery man liuing generally, and to some speciall persons especially.

To euery man liuing, beare inwardly [...] Christian affection, and shew outward­ly the effects thereof.

1. Thou oughtest to beare a Christi­an Beneuo­lence in-affection. affection towards thy neighbour: that is to say a good wil, embracing euery man as he is a man, and Gods Image, with a welwilling affection of minde: being wil­ling and readie to helpe, or further thy neighbour in his businesse no lesse than thy selfe in thine owne: Endeuour as much [...] thou caust to preserue Christian Concord, and peace towards all men. Concord. According to the Charge of the Apostle. If it be possible, as much as is in you, Rom. 12. Effects of beneuo­lence. line peaceably with all men.

2. Thou must also shewe the effects of thy wel-willing in déede and worke, [Page] to performe towardes him in conuer­sation. Humilitie, Ciuilitie: Liberali­tie.

1. Concerning Humanitie.

Denie not the right of Humanitie vn­to Humanitie. any man, being thy selfe a man. But signifie thy inward good will towardes all men, in outward gesture and words: for iustice wils thée to bee courteous and gentle to thy neighbour. Shewing thy selfe easie and tractable in speaking, in hearing, in answering, in companying. Be yee gratious or amiable, saith the A­postle. Collos. 3. Eph. 4. Rom. 15. Be yee curteous one to another. Let euery man please his neighbour in that which is good.

2. Concerning Ciuilitie.

Be not vnmindfull of Ciuilitie in mée­tings, let thy behauiour be quiet, thy con­uersation Ciuilitie. seemely: Let mistresse Ciuilitie rule thy spéech and gesture: for thou ow­est vnto thy neighbour, both conuenient speech and gesture.

1. Let her so gouerne thy spéech, that Silenc. & speech. first thou maiest learne to kéepe silence, seasonably, and séemely. Next, that thou maiest knowe when to speake wisely and rightly.

[Page] 1. Some time a comely silence is sea­sonable, Circum­stances. of silence & speech whereby we conceale our mea­ning, or what we knowe: Bethinke thée therefore aforehand, whereof, and to whom, in what wordes, in what place and time, with what sound or voice any spéech is to be had, or not had: what, to whom, where, and when it is meete to kéepe silence. Weigh thy wordes, saith the sonne of Syrach, as in a ballance, and Syrach. 8 make a doore and barre for thy mouth, and beware thou slip not at any time, and fall before him that lieth in waight for thee: Pray with Dauid: Set a watch Psal. 141 O Lord before my mouth, and keepe the doore of my lippes.

2. Sometime it becomes vs to speake vnto our neighbour, and to vtter our mind, but yet in due sort: Sée therefore Circum­stances. that thou consider the things whereof thou speakest: waigh thy words. Obserue time and place, temper thy pronuntiation decently.

3. Let truth especially season thy talke Truth. in our speech. Eph. 4. with her attendants: for thou oughtest to speake the truth to thy neighbour.

Be therefore most studious of truth, and vtter thinges to thy neighbour [Page] as they are in déed, according to the mea­ning of thy heart, and the instruction of reason. Let euery man speake the truth Zach. 8. to his neighbour, saith the Prophet. And Dauid testifieth, that He that speaketh the truth to his neighbour from his Psal. 15. heart, and hath vsed no deceite in his tongue: hee shall dwell in Gods Ta­bernacle.

With truth, ioyne first gentlenesse, next fidelitie, both which thou owest vn­to thy neighbour.

Deale plainely and fréely with thy neighbour, what thou conceiuest aright Truth. vtter; what tbou hearest interpret fauou­rably in thy word, and couenantes with thy neighbour. Keepe thy promise firme­ly. Keepe touch with thy friend laith Salomon: And bee not carried about Prou. 27. Syrach. with euery wind, but be constant in thy words.

Let Christian grauitie order thy ge­sture Iestures. towards thy neighbour, that they may be framed towards euery one, as is conuenient, with comely behauiour: let A [...]ule. this be thy rule: Shewe thy selfe in beha­uiour and gesture, such as thou wouldest be counted: And be thou inwardly such [Page] indéede, as thou labourest to appeare out­wardly.

3. Concerning liberalitie.

Thou owest vnto thy neighbour good Benefi­cence, or libera­litie. turnes and benefits, therefore according to thy abilitie thou shalt helpe thy neigh­bor▪ both with thy purse and paines, thou shalt communicate with him thy goods, what thou maiest and oughtest: Let thy Prou. 5. fountaines saith Saloman, flowe forth, and let the water streame in the streets, but bee thou still owner of the springs. Doe good vnto al, but specially to those Gall. 6. Mat. 5. Syrach. 5. and 14. of the houshold of faith. But doe good to thē also y^e hate you, &c. Item. Accor­ding to thy power help the poore, giue cheerefully: for God loueth a cheerefull giuer.

To thy Beneficence adde Christian Gratifica­tion. gratification, whereby through thy curte­sies and good turnes, thou dost encourage thy neighbour in well doing, that he may goe on to the end of that he hath wel purposed: Light thou therefore an other mans candle by thine: teach the way to the wandring: giue faithfull counsell: communicate willingly holsome doctrine: further thy neighbour in the attaining [Page] of some honest function, and other things necessarie. These things thou owest to euery man.

To some speciall persons we owe also To spe­ciall men. some speciall duties. Both in hartie affec­tion, and willing effects. As,

1 To our neighbour being in mise­rie, To such as are in miserie. we owe, Compassion and Commise­ration, or the bowels of mercie: sorrowe therefore with thy neighbour in his mi­serie, out of an earnest affection of loue & desert, and studie to relieue him. Put vp­on Coll. 3. you as the elect of God, holy and beloued, the bowels of cōpassion. Item, Be ye at concord; haue a feeling of one 1 Pet. 1. anothers miseries: loue as brethren, &c. Item, Remēber those that are in bonds, Heb. 13. as if you your selues were in bondes with them. Haue compassion of those that be in afflictiō, as if you your selues were afflicted in the body. Item, Re­ioyce Rom. 12. with them that reioyce, weepe with them that weepe.

To certaine states of men, we owe also Affection and Duties. Giue therefore to euery one their due.

• To our superiours,
  • Reuerence, and
  • Obedience.
  [Page]
• To the poore,
  • Reliefe, or
  • Almes.
• To the Pilgrimes or strangers
  • Hospitalitie and
  • Entertainment,

1. Concerning our superiours.

Giue vnto thy Superiours, first, reue­rence The supe­riours. Reue­rence. Rom. 13. or worship. That is, sée thou giue due honour & reuerence to such men as either in age, state, gifts, or otherwise, are thy betters. Giue to euery one, saith the Apostle. his due: Fear, to whō feare: Ho­nour, to whom honour belongeth. Rise Leuit. 19. vp before the gray head, & honour the person of the aged. Item. Feare God, ho­nour the King, For he that feareth God, Syrach. 10 honoureth his Prince. saith Eccles.

Secondly, we ought to yeeld obedience Obediēce to those that lawfully rule ouer vs: so that wee must not onely heare the lawfull charge of our superiour, but also studie to performe it. Obedience, saith Samuel, is Sam. 15. better than Sacrifice. And Greg. By Sa­crifices were offred the flesh of other creatures: by obedience our owne wil is mortified: in that our will is subiected to the will of another for Gods cause. And Bernard, Christ rather than hee would loose his obedience, lost his life.

2 Concerning the poore. To the poore almes.

Giue almes to the poore, that thou maist reléeue theire want by thy supply.

No precept is more vsuall saith Cyp. among the precepts of Christ, than that we should insist or be deligent in gi­uing of almes, and not be greedie of earthly possessions▪ but to lay vp trea­sure in heauen: S [...]ll your possessions saith hée, and giue it in almes, And a­gain, Lay not vp treasure for your selues on earth, &c. If thou wilt be perfect, goe, sell all that thou hast, and giue to the poore, and thou shalt haue treasure in heauen. To conclude, He calleth them Abrahams children, whom hee seeth to be diligent in helping and fee­ding the poore.

3. Concerning Pilgrimes or Strangers.

Thou oughtest to harbour Pylgrimes To pilgri­mes, Hos­pitalitie. or Strangers: Such good gests shalt thou receiue, cherish, and refresh, as may no way empeach thy good name, or bréede thée any mischiefe. Exercise therefore Rom. 12. 1. Pet. 4. Heb. 13. Hospitalitie. And bee yée readie to har­bour one another without grudging. Item. Be yee not vnwilling to harbour [Page] strangers: for by this meanes some vna­wares haue lodged Angels. And Saint Augustine saith. Learne O thou Chri­stian to giue entertainment, least perad­uenture, hee against whom thou shut­test thy doore, and to whom thou de­niest entertainement, be God himselfe. Or at least, one of Gods Saints, of whō it is saide: whatsoeuer ye did to one of these little ones which belieue in me, ye did it to me. And contrariwise, whatso­euer ye did not, yee neglected to doe to me. These things giue to thy neighbour while he is yet aliue.

And remember that thou art a deb­ter Duties to the dead. to the dead: Performe to them there­fore the last duties of pietie: to wit, mour­ning and buriall: for as these who are sicke, and at the point of death, are to bée visited and comforted: so those that bée dead must haue their right (which are called iust) for we ought both to mourne for them, and to burie them. Where­vpon the sonne of Syracb saith: If any man dye, bewaile and lament him, as if Syrach. [...]8▪ thou haddest suffred some great losse, and then wind his body, according to the custome, and see that he may be ho­nestly buried.

These things, shalt thou performe as a man, but much rather as a Christian man, both to the liuing and dead.

Now moreouer, thou must haue a re­gard what thy neighbour hath deserued Retributi­on, or recom­pence. of thée, and what good turnes thou hast receiued, that thou maiest recompence and requit them: For iustice requireth, that thou retribute and repay the good turns thou receiuedst, with good turns, as being a due debt.

Retribute therefore or returne to thy friend, friendship: and at the least thanke­fulnes, for his well deseruing of thee.

1. Concerning friendship.

Thou doest returne friendship, if in good will and curtesse thou doe render Friend­ship. mutuall loue to thy friend: Recompence therefore hartie good will, with hartie good will, enterchange curtesies, such as be honest and possible.

But thou shalt be carefull to set thy af­fection on such as thou perceiuest to bée With whō bent earnestly to true godlinesse, and a serious studie of vertue, that yee may growe vp together in godlinesse, as it were one heart. Therefore Eccles. saith; [Page] Ioyne thy selfe to good men, and re­ioyce with them. Item; A sure friend is Syrach. 9. & 6. a strong hold, hee that hath such a one possesseth a great treasure. And Cassian saith; That is faithfull friendship, and a coniunction indissoluble, (or a ioynt that cannot be dissolued) which is foun­ded vpon equalitie of vertues: for the Lord maketh men that are of like man­ners or conditions, to dwel together in one house. And therfore in those onely loue can continue without breach, in whom there is one purpose & wil, who wil, & nil the same thing, or one thing.

2. Concerning gratitude or thankfulnesse.

Thou doest returne thankefulnesse Gratitude to thy neighbour who hath deserued well of thée, when thou doest render vnto him, a thankeful remembrance of a benefit re­ceiued, with a willing declaration of thy good will, both in word and déed.

Carry therefore towardes thy bene­factors, a minde or desire to recompence benefites rrceiued, or at the least a heart most readie to wish well: But if thou canst requit good turnes receiued, with gifts and curtesies. Chrisostom saith; [Page] The best gardian of benefits is the memorie of benefits, and a continuall confession of thankes. And Bernard, Nothing can be returned more accepta­ble by the receiuer to the giuer, than if he shewe himselfe thankfull for that he secretly receiued, for he doth reproach to the spirit of grace, who doth not take a good turne, from him that giueth it, with a gratefull minde.

Thus hauing abandoned vnrigh­teousnesse, labour to attaine righteous­nesse.

• 1. Begin I say, to enter the way of saluation; by Conuerting from euill to good.
• 2. Faint not for any temptations which are in the way.
• 3. But goe forward by denying thy selfe.
• 4. And following Christ in the way of holy vertues: by
• 1. A firme purpose to attaine to ver­tue: by
• 2. A fortitude ouercomming all impe­diments: by
• 3. A swéet contentment in vertues pos­session: by
• [Page]4. A daily examination of our profiting in the way of vertue.