exercise your selfe after this maner It shall not much be peyneful vnto you to resist themotions of your ennemies but also you shall perceiue greate fruite and pleasure For as muche as by this holsome remembraunce you shall vnderstande that you be conformate to your head and shal so recompence him his great paynes and punishmente whiche he suffered for your sake ¶ The. xvii Rule howe greate a helpe to resyste synne is to remember howe detestable a thinge synne is And though this be the most redy and present remedye agaynste all kynde of temptation yet it shal greatly pro fyte to suche as be weake and infyrme if they diligentely remember when they are moued and inti sed to synne Howe fylthy howe pestilente howe abhomynable a thynge syn is And contrary how noble and excelent the dignytie of man is In trifles and matters of smalle valewe we councell and take good aduisemente with oure selfe And in so weightie a matter shal we not diligently remember with oure selfe before wee bynde vs to the deuyll by oure consent as by oure wrytynge and obligations Howe marueilouselie wee were created in how excelent condicion and degree set aboue other creatures Howe preciousely we are redemed frome captiuitie and tiranie of sinne and to how great ioye and felicitie we be called and ordeyned Shall we not also remember and recorde in oure myndes that man is that gentyll and honorable beaste for whose cause almighty god created made this vniuersal world that maÌ„ is the citizen of angels the sonne of god the heire of immortalitie a member of Christ. And that the bodye of a christen man is the temple of the holy ghoste and the sowle or mind of man is the similitude and image of almighty god the secret chamber of the deuinitie And contrarye that synne is the miserable destruction and pestilent infection bothe of the bodye and sowle the deadly poyson of oure moste cruel ennemie the bayte of the deuyll and the erneste and pledge of oure moste miserable and beastely seruitude and bondage and after you haue thus diligently remembryd with your selfe then take good ad uisemeÌ„t whether it be coÌ„uenyente or profytable for so disceitful poisoned short delectation of syn to fal froÌ„ so gret dignitie noblenes vnto such indygnitie and mysery from the which thou canste not at thy pleasure delyuer thy selfe ¶ The. xviii Rule to auoyde sin by and by comparing the. ii heades together videlicet God and the deuyll ANd after ye haue this substaÌ„ cially aduysed counsayled with your selfe it shalbe necessary that you coÌ„pare confer together the two disagreyng and farre vnlyke heades and capitaynes god and the deuyll by synne thou makest the one thine ennemie and the other thy lord and master By innocency and grace of godâ—… 〈◊〉 art ascrybed into the number and â—…lender of the frendes of god â–ª and adopted vnto the ryght and hâ—…ytage of the chyldren of god But by synne thou arte made and constituted the seruaunte and sonne of the deuyll The one is that eternall sprynge and fountayne verye image of the highest beautie gretest pleasure and moste excellente goodnes comynge and deuyding him selfe to all men The other is father and auctour to al vices extreme myschiefe and greatest infe licitie Remember the goodnesse and benefites of god towarde the remember also the malyce and mis chiefe of the deuyll Consyder by how great goodnes almighty god dyd create thee Howe mercyfully he redemed thee howe lyberally he hath indued thee How gentyl ly he â—…ereth and susteyneth thee dayly â—…ffendynge and displeasyng his goodnes howe ioyfully he recâ—…ueth the amending thine offen ces CoÌ„trary cal diligently to thy remeÌ„braunce howe enuiously the dyuyll hatyth thy helthe in what miserie and wretchednes he hath in time past deiected the and how he dailye labourith to bringe man to eternal dampnation And after thou haste diligentlie ponderyd comparyd these thinges in thy remembraunce thinke farther with thy selfe after this maner Shall I vnkindly and vnnaturally forgetfull of my beginning forgetful of so great benefites towards me for so little and vaine pleasure for sake so noble so louinge so beneficiall a father and geue my selfe in bondage to so enuious and cruel a master shal I not render vnto my maker creatoure almyghty god that thing whiche shame bindeth me to render vnto a man beynge good beneficial vnto me Shal I not abhorre and fiye the deuyll whiche naturally doth flie a man being hurtfull and euyll vnto me ¶ The. xix Rule for the absteining from synne is to haue in oure remembraunce the myseryes of thys worlde FUrthermore haue dilygently in your remeÌ„braunce how ful of trouble and wretchednes how fraile and vncertaine this present life is And how subtillye deathe on euerie side awaiteth man And diuers times sodenly and vnware oppresseth man when no man is suer to lyue one moment or instant of an houre howe peryllous ieoperdous it is to defer or prolonge that life that is to say to continue in sinne in the whiche if sodayne death as it many times hapneth apprehend or take thee thou diest eternally ¶ The. xx Rule to beware of Impenytencye FInally Impenitencie is gretly to be feared For asmuch as of so great a company verye fewe trewly and with all their harte ryse agayne from sin Specially such as prolonge and defer theyr contynuance in synne to the later ende of their lif The discence and fal vnto syn is very slipper and easie but it is harde and great difficulty to ascend againe from sinne And therfore it shalbe very necessary to euery christen man before he discend vnto the depe pit dungion of syn That he diligently remeÌ„ber that the returne againe froÌ„ sinne is very harde and laborous And that he cannot without speci al grace ryse againe at pleasure ¶ Here folowith certaine speciall remedies against certaine speciall vices and sinnes and first against Lechery HYtherto after my sim ple and grose maner I haue declared vnto you certaine generall remedies against all kynd of vice commonly Nowe af ter my capacitie lernyng I shal also prescrybe vnto you certayne specyall remedyes by the whyche you may be the more able to with stand the. vii pryncipall or dedly synnes And fyrst agaynst the syn of lechery for asmuch as this syn of al other so much inuadith man most sharply assautith him and is most common and bryngith moste men to dystruccyon and myschefe And therefore if this fylthy pleasure prycke or inflame thy sowle remeÌ„ber continuallye to arme thy selfe with this armoure and to re sist it First call to thy remeÌ„brance howe impuer how beastly how greatly vnbeseming and vncomly vnto man this fonde pleasure and voluptuousnes is which equalith vs the creature and unage of allmighty god vnto the vilest of the brute and vnresonable beastes as swine dogges gotes such other and not
ri che man misuse the his goodes or riches geuen him â—…hat is to bee done when wee heare oure neyghbour slaundered A christian oughte not to reuenge or recompence euell with euell If we will be the chil dren of god and inheritours of he auen â–ª the perfection of life perteinethe to vs as well as to themi nister he cannot bee good which desâ—… erethe not to be perfecte To loue our louers is worthy no praise The dutie of a cristiaÌ„ towardes hys ennemies Coles vpon his hed what signifieth Iâ—… is better to please Christe by pacience then to reuenge oure wronges become euyll with our enemy howe the christiaÌ„ noble maÌ„ 〈◊〉 behaue hiÌ„ selfe The christi an lerned what the riche man muste doo Note the difference betwene god mans lawe The dutie of a christiaÌ„ officer Euery man is or ought to be of the churche of god how Christ is dispised amoÌ„g word lie christiaÌ„ 〈◊〉 Christeâ—… vi cars â—…ho is a simoniacke To what ende a com mon office iâ—… to be desired how to per secute theâ—…es how a chris tian prince or a ruler oughte too vse hym selfe Euery king is Christes vicar That is not vertuus in a prynce whiche is vice in a coÌ„ mon man what ough te to purchase a pri ce â—…nowm and â—…ame we oughte not to dispyse the siÌ„ plest man what ough te to kepe a prince froÌ„ hatred of his subiectes Right principalite Titels of worldlye auctorytye oughte not to be amoÌ„g spirytâ—…all men A precheâ—… Bishop 〈◊〉 be not names of worldelye power or aucthoritie but of cha ritie Many corrupt carnall opinyons grown among cristians whi che greatly differ froÌ„ true christi anitie and the cause therof â—…hat is ment by this worde worlde howe the worldelye mindid behaue them selues The world hath non a quaintance with Christ The world and christianitie cannot agree what great hurte commeth amoÌ„g christians throughe false flatteringe preachers how a kiâ—… or a prince oughtto vn derstande the scrypture howe the couetous man vnder staÌ„deththe scriptures for his pur pose howe peruersly the wicked coÌ„strue the scriptures to maintain theyr wickednes with howe wee oughtto fol lowe good men in repentaunce â—…hye god permitted good men somtime to fall The peruersnes of manneâ—… na ture A lesson to the couetous man Agaâ—…st the whereâ—… ger against the swearar Mathewe once commaunded left his occupation but no callynge wyll serue the couetousâ—… man More redy to defende our euyll then to amende it The trew way tocter nal fclicite As the bodi hath his shadow so hathe the loueof crist where the loueof crist is ther ne cessarily fo lowith he hate of syn and the worlde The councell of Qui tilian The nexte way to obteyne vertue isto ab steyn from synnes what shaÌ„e is to vs cristians that the hetheÌ„ should excede vs in vertuous lyuynge The abhomination of synne what shuld feare a cry stian from synnynge younge meÌ„ to be admo nyshed we should abstent froÌ„ sin though not for chri ste yet for our owne sake To be tem ted is a signe of god des good wyll he that fe leth no teÌ„p tation it is a token of a reprobate what wee should remember when wee be teÌ„pted we must la bour to ouercome our temptacions Our ennemies at coÌ„ tinually occupied to seke oure destructioÌ„ The head of the serpent what it is howe and by what menes the deuyll is to be ouercoÌ„e To what ende wee ought to â—…e de the scri ptures we must no ther faynt in temptation no tomuche reioyce wheÌ„ we haue o uercom our temptation By what menes we may ouercome thassaultes of our enemy the deuyll The honor of our vyc tory ou r si is only due vnto god how to resist the deuel in temp tation and the nexte waie to we ry him god graunnt vs to followe this good councell we must so â—…ghte as though eue rie battell shoulde be the last con flycte what wec ought todo when wee â—…couercoÌ„ No sinne to be counted as lighte howe men deceiue theÌ„ selues in sinne in est emyng theÌ„ but smal of fences in them ouer other sins Suche as haue pleasure in any one sinne possesse ra ther the shadowes of vertue then vertu it selfe howe good christ tian ought to be myndid wee muste not be discoraged if it bee oure chaunce to be ouercoÌ„ in thys fyghte Desperacy oÌ„ foloweth fearfulnes what is to be done if we fall The sinne long accust tomed is hard to be reformed or amendid The best men haue fallen and whatis our duâ—…ye to learne ther by A generall remedie againste all kyndes of temptatyons howe som abuse the Crosse of Christ and howe it is ryghtely to be vsid we should desierto be made like vnto christ The migh ty working of loue how frâ—…fully to vse the remem braunce of Christsdeâ—… the. How to resist pride How to resiste eâ—…e How to resist the moâ—…ions of glo â—…ome To reâ—…iste lechery How to reâ—…ist anger A consolati on in pouer tie How circoÌ„sâ—…ecte we be in vaine thinges 〈◊〉 negligence in most ear neste matters â–ª The marueâ—…ous wor ke of god in creating of man The excelleÌ„cy of maÌ„ is descrybed Synne the pestilent in fecâ—…ton of the sowle A compaâ—… son of the benifiâ—…es whiche fol lowe them that lyue 〈◊〉 â–ª and the eui les that fol lowe the wicked Beholdthe mercie of god towwards vs. marke tho enuy of the deuell A mete co â–ª gitacion for al christiaÌ„s to acustom them selues in Fewe with all theyre hartes rise from sinne â–ª specially such as pro longe repeÌ„ taunce It is easie to fall into sinne but hard to get oute â—…etcherse assauâ—…ethe man moste sharpely is a moste commoÌ„ sin The mean to resist a uoid whorâ—… dome The vylenes of the sin of whoâ—… dome The discoÌ„modities the euelles that followeth whoredomc whoredom makethe 〈◊〉 man worse theÌ„ a beast and depryueth him of reason we oughte to incorâ—…ge oure selues to well doinge by the example of of others The coÌ„modities that folow chas titie The folish nes of carnall loue The sinne of whoredom ought not lightlye to be regar did if the euelles be marked that folow the same The vncer tenty of our life should cause vs to eschewe â—…nne Callinge to remembraunce the iudgement wyll feare vs from sinne Oure good angell is a wytnes of our doings ye and god hym selfe which also should stay vs from do inge euell note These wer remedies against tempâ—…ons Company kepiÌ„g doth muche redinge of holy scriptures 〈◊〉 pra er remedes to withstaÌ„d sinne â—…olde and â—…uer but redde and white earthe Christians ought to be more perfecte then heathen It is more honorable â—…o â—…ispise ri ches theÌ„ to haue them The vaine excuses christians make to ga ther richeâ—… A confusioÌ„ of suche vaine obiec tions The vertuus man neuer lacked necessares A lytell serâ—… the vertuous â—…e that is 〈◊〉 â–ª 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bee called 〈◊〉 good 〈◊〉 â—…an The coÌ„mâ—… dâ—…es 〈◊〉 comâ—…â—…f 〈◊〉 by the â—…efy 〈◊〉 of â—…e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â–ª money pur chasethe false honoure The highest honour is to please Christe The miserable honoure that commethe of ryches Deceytfull frendeship whiche mo ney obtey â–ª neth â–ª The discoÌ„modyties that foloweth the ryche man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gethe with it more discoÌ„modities then comdities why Christ in the gospel calleth riches thor nes Noo man may be easely riche 〈◊〉 deuouâ—…e also Abonndaunce of ryches cannot be both gatherd kepte with out sinne he that delighteth in ryches or money can not loue vertue Couetousenes is â—…dolatrie where vppon we ou ghteto thik and to eschewe Couetousnes Trew honour proce deth onely of vertue Treweste commenda cione is to be commeÌ„did of Chri ste It is diâ—… nâ—…ure to be praised for euell â—…ooinge what is trew honor Nothinge more vaine then a man to stande in his owne conceyt vp on the prai se of men honoures in this wor lde for the moste part is geuen to worste before the beâ—… ter weltheand honour cau seth a man to forgit hiÌ„ selfe â–ª â—…he meke and lowely in the iudgmeÌ„t shalbe preferred before the proude and ambicious Christe oughte to bee vnto vs an exaÌ„ple of al our doings Christe dispised the pompe of this world Our honore oughte too stand in the deathe and crosse of Christe The 〈◊〉 waye to a â–ª uoyde pryd is for a maÌ„ to know hiÌ„ selfe â—…o cause shuld moâ—… vs to pride if we wayâ—… ed it well â–ª Pridâ—… most euident token of folishnes Anger a fe meâ—…ne of â–ª fectione â–ª Anger a poynte of chyldisshenes and not of manhod It is madâ—…es to be re â—…nged of a nothere mans lewd nes Not to be â—…ued with a maÌ„â—… enemyes contumely â–ª proueth hiÌ„ guiltles Uengeans is not quieted with the lyke By the desyre of ven â–ª geance anger increaseth The coÌ„mo dities that commâ—…e of suffer 〈◊〉 A godly les son to auoy de desyer of reuenge ment The marci full findeâ—…h marcie we oughte not too beleue our sel ues when we bee angrye Thinges somtime coÌ„ mitted in an ger that is repented after The differeâ—…ce betwene fren câ—…e anger The maner of an â—…eful man blaâ—…d howe too withstande all vices
his affaires but Micheas tolde him of his destruction Was not here 400. against one rede the place 3. boke of kinges 22. and you shall see manyfestlye the bragginge lyes of the false prophetes against the simple true tale of Mycheas the prophere of God and not onely thus in the olde testamente but also Christ himself wytnesseth the same in the newe testament saying in Mathew the. 7. Strayte is the gate and narow is the waye whiche leadeth vnto life and few there bee that fynde it And in the. 20. Many are called but fewe are chosen And christ calleth them his little flocke saying in the. 12. of Luke Feare not lytle flock for it is youre fathers pleasure to geue you a kingdome And saint Paule in the 10. to tâ—…e Romaines he sayeth But all haue not obeyed the ghospell And in the second Epistle to the thessolonians and 〈◊〉 chapter â—…e sayeth For all men haue not fayth And therefore when Esdras asked the Aungell whether many or fewe should be saued he made him this aunswere The moste highest hath made this worlde for manye and the world to come for fewe 4. booke of Esdras 8. Thus muche haue I written to answer such as haue this reason in their mouthes wil god suffer so many to perishe and to be led blynd so many huÌ„dred yeares What shal I speake of hundrethes of yeares Was not the worlde from the beginninge therof vntyll after christes ascencion setting the Iewes aparte which were but a handfull in comparison of the whole worlde besides altogether not onely without the knowledge of god but also worshipped dyuels and creatures euery manne after his owne fantesy some the Sun some the moone some the starres some the fier and some the similitude of beastes and some of men and as they receyued benefytes of men so after their deathes they worshipped them for goddes as because Bacchus firste found emongst them the meane to make wine therfore after his death they made hym a god if creatures maye make gods as the pope maye sayntes and called him the god of wine Mars first found out armure and weapon when he was deade they made him a God and called him the god of warre Ceres a woman she first founde the meane to plowe the ground and to so we corne so to make breade where before they eate accorns and when she was dead thâ—…y y â— made her a goddes and called her the goddes of corne And so of other as they receyued benefites by theim when they lyued so gaue ther the names of gods vnto them after their deathes and gaue them godly honors As Neptune was the God of y â— mariners for the Sea Pan was y â— god of the wood Apollo was the god of wisedome Iuno was y â— goddes for women that were with childe or in trauel So that they had for euery thing a sundrye god whose ymages they worshipped and their blyndenes ranne so farre that they worshypped dâ—…uylles whiche were in Images and â—…ake and gaue theym aunswers As the Image of Apollo in the ysâ—…e of Delphos Yea they killed their owne children and offred theym vppe to their Images thys wickednes â—…nd detestable ydololatrye endured I saye vntyll after Chrystes assencyon whyche was the space of fower thousand yeares or there aboutes vntill Sainct Paule and other the Appostles preached the ghospel ouer al the worlde So that we must not take hold of oure faith by continuance of yeares neyther prescryptyon of tyme maketh the thynge good yf it bee contrarye to Goddes sacred Scryptures haue it neuer so fayre a shewe And now ye see how farre those fond reasons of worldlye wysedome is from God and howe quyte it is ouerthrowne And I pray you how farre dyssented our Christyanitie from their gentilitye They had for euery thynge a sundry God we had for euery thinge a sundrye Saynct we had S. Uncomber for yl husbandes S. Iob for the pore S. Roke for the plage Saynct Barbara for thunder Sayncte Sithe for our keyes Saynct Anthony for oure pygges Saynct Loye for oure horse Sainct Agatha for the to the ake Saynct Leonards was good maister to theues oure Ladye for women wyth chylde and a number of suche abhominable and stynkynge ydololatrye yea and because we woulde be nothing inferiour vnto them we woulde haue for their droÌ„ken Bacchus a droÌ„nken martin So that we hadde nothynge but the names of Christians for in our rytes and Ceremonies we were altogether heathenish They had for euerye thinge a god we had for euery thyng a patron They worshipped ymages so dyd we Their images spake ours wer not dumbe the craft of y â— diuell often tymes working blasphemous miracles bi them But now me thinketh I heare some say sir it was then a mery world and all thinges were then plentye but sithens this new ghospelling came vp all thynges haue bene verye deare and scarse and we haue hadde a very harde world forsothe hâ—…rein ye are the ryght children of your forefathers the idololatrus Iewes for euen the same aunswere made they to Ieremy the prophet when he had rebuked them for their ydololatry in the 44. chapter of his prophecy sayinge We will not heare the worde which thou hast spoken vnto vs in the name of the Lorde but we wyll doe whatsoeuer goeth out of our owne mouthes that we maye sacrifice to the Queene of heauen and bake cakes vnto her as we our selues our forfathers our kinges and Prynces haue done in the Cities of Iudae and in the streates of Ierusalem and had our bellyes full of bread and then went it wel with vs saw no misfortune And why woulde they not heare the prophet speaking vn to them It foloweth But sithence we left to do sacrifice to the queene of heauen we haue had scarsenes of all thynges and are consumed with the sword and hunger The Gospell is not the cause of y â— wickednes y â— nowe raigneth in the worlde far be it from euery christen harte to thinke so vnreuerently of that most precious Iewell the word of god but our owne sinnes and wickednes our exceding pride oure bottomles couetousnes our abhominable whoredome our terrible swearing our wycked blasphemye our neglectyng of god his ghospell our despisinge of his true prophetes and preachers my pen is not able to write and describe the exceding wickednes whiche nowe raigneth and floweth in Englande Godde for hys mercye amende it and graunte vs hartye repentaunce for the same for the deuyll nowe so rageth for that he seeth hys kyngedome and hys eldeste sonne Antechriste of Rome lyke to bee ouerthrowne therefore I say he nowe rageth accordinge to the saying of sainâ—…t Peter in hys fyrste Epystle 5. For youre aduersarye the dyuell walketh aboute lyke a rorynge Lyon seekynge whome he may deuoure And for that he seeth hys dominyon and power to be nowe at the poynt of ouerthrowing because the laste day is at hande after the whyche tyme he shall neuer more
slothfully or fearefullye But with a stedfast purpose with all your harte with bolde coragious mind redy to lese both goodes and life in Christes cause He chat is slothefull nowe wyll will not They shall not possesse the kingdome of heauen but such as valiantlye fyght and â—…uffer for Christes sake shall obtaine it Suffer not the affectioÌ„ towardes kinsefolke hinder you in this iorney Let not the flatteringe mocions of this world reuoke and cal you backe Ne houshold businesse tary or lette you The chayne of worldely businesse muste be cut asonder for it is so knottyd that it is very harde to be vndone This confusyd Egipte must vtterlye be forsaken that we in no wise turne our minde and soule to the pottes of fleshe which be the carnal affectioÌ„s and pleasurs The prophet cryeth fle from the myddes of babylon and that with hasty spede onles you wyll peryshe but many slowely dothe fle from vyces and fynd many causes to tary saying that after I haue performyd and endyd such and suche busynes and waxe somwhat more in age then I shall apply to vertue and intend it busyly O folyshe man what if thy soule thys night be taken froÌ„ the Knowest thou not that one busines brengith a nother vice growithe of vice Folow therfore vertue quyckly and in conuenient seasoÌ„ In other thinges take good auisemeÌ„t but here make al spede Counte not ne ponder not in your mynde what and howe muche ye haue forsaken for Christ beynge well assured that he shall suffycyently satisfy and recompence for all Be bolde vtterly and holye to coÌ„myt your self to christ mystrust yourselfe and fullye trust in him and he shall receaue you caste all your care and thought to god and he shall norishe you And then you shall saye with the prophete god hathe bene my guyde and I haue wantyd nothing he hath set me in plentiful pasture and hath refresshed me with the water of refectioÌ„ and conuerted my sowle Deuide not your self in two partes to god and to the deuyll for no man may serue ii masters of so contrary ap petytes There is none agrement betwen god Belial God disdaineth them which halt on both legges that is which wold liue after the world and please god also He hateth them which be neither hot â—…e colde but fainte and meane He is in great ielosie ouer our soules he wyl possesse all that him selfe whiche he hathe redeemyd wyth his bloude He wyll haue no feloshipe withe the deuill whome by his death he once ouercam Ther be only two waies One whyche by folowing the carnall and sensu all appetites bringeth to deathe The other whiche by mortification of the flesh leadith to lif Ther is no thirde waye Who so euer intendith to inheryt life must walk the narrow and strait way which Christ walkid and al that fro the begynnyng of the worlde pleasyd god He that wyl liue with christ muste be crucifyed in thys worlde with Christ. But many folyshely flatter them selues and fondly in so weighty a matter deceiue them selues by lewde and vnwise opinyons Some saythe I am noo preste I am a lay man and a man of the world and therfore I must nedes occupye the wordle Other saye agayne though I be a preste I am no man of religion this ma ner of perfection is fit for them The religious man also hath sum what to flatter him selfe saieng though I be in religion yet I am not of so strayghte religion as other bee Some also saye I am young a gentylman borne I am rich I am a courtier a noble man or a prince The sayinges of the a postelles partain not to me O mi serable creature and blynde man pertainethe it not to thee to liue with Christe If thou be of this worlde thou art not of Christ. If thou call the worlde heauen and earthe the ayer and the sea then euery creature is of the worlde But if thou call the world ambycion voluptuousnes auerice malyce pleasures of the body Then I saye to thee if thou be of thys world thou art no chrysten man Christ sayd indiffrently to al men he that takyth not vpon hym hys crosse in this world that is to say he that subduethe not the flesshe foloweth not me shal not enter in to heuen If you desyre not to liue with Christ then the mortefying of the fleshe pertaineth not to you To be crucified in this world par teyneth not to you yf to liue with God parteyneth not to you To be buried with Christ pertain not to you If you desire not to raigne with him in his glorye Chrystes humilitie pouerty tribulation re bukes laboures wordes and pas sion pertayneth not to you If his kyngdome pertayne not to youe what fondnesse is this to desire re warde commonly with other and wyll take no paines ne laboures with other What blyndenesse is it to desyre to raigne and to haue ioye wyth the hed and wyll take no payne with the hed Regarde not my good frend what other do and deceue not your self by compa rison with them it is a hard matter and fewe people knewe what it is to be dead to sinne to be dead to the carnal appetites to be dead to the worlde And yet it is the thing wherunto al christian men hathe professyd and bounde them selues solempnely at theyr baptisme Other we muste dye wyth out exceptyon or els walke the waye of vertue whether we be of highe or lowe degre And though all men can not attayn the perfyt imitacion of the hed that is christ yet euerye man muste do what he can to attayn it He hath obtained a gret part of chrystianity which with stedfaste mynd purposyth to be a trew and perfit christen man ¶ The thirde Rule prouethe that the waie of Christe is most profitable besides that it onely leadeth to felicitie BUt that the waye of vertue doe not feare you for that it semith sharpe bytter troubelous lackinge the commodities of this world and full of battel and strife with the thre principal enemies the fleshe the deuil and the world this shalbe the thirde rule by the which you shall well knowe that the waie of Christe besides that it leadeth onely to felicite is of all other most commodious and profitable the reward not spoken of For what kynde of liuynge after this worlde maye man chouse in the which he shal not suffer many sharp and bitter stormes The life of courtiers euerye man knoweethe is full of wretchednes vnles he be verie folish and of no experience Immortall god howe longe and miserable seruitude suffer thei which liue in the court what pain trouble haue they in obtaininge their lordes and Princes fauour what busines in keping the same They must flatter please al theÌ„ whiche maye hurte or doe good And after the appetites of theyr master their