puttynge theyr owne selues to paynes and disease also spendynge in wast the preeftes tyme. In dede a man other whyles to folowe the myndes of suche persones it is a poynte of christen charite but yet so and in suche wyse that by admonicion counsayle they be ê“moted brought forwarde vnto more ê‘fecte thynges and do lerne to loue and to feare lesse THe fyfthe vtilite is The fyfthe vtilite that for asmoche as ther is no remission or forgyuenes of synnes excepte there be a due mete detestation and hatered of the offences coÌ„mitted procedyng of the loue of god also an earnest sure and stedfast purpose to forbeare and refrayne in tyme after to come from all thynges wher with god is offended and displeased to the attaynynge of these thynges the meditation and recordyng of confession to be made vnto man helpeth not a lytle For lykewise as he whiche shall speake of any matter and tell his tale before a iudge doth more diligently bethynke hym selfe and more attentiuely considre wey all the circuÌ„stances of the mater than yf he dyd consydre it without any suche care of speakynge it afore any man euyn so he that studieth bethynketh hym selfe what he shal say vnto the preest doth more depely considre the grauite foulnes of his synnes callynge to remeÌ„braunce howe ofte he hath fallen agayne in them and howe longe season he hath continued in his darkenes fylthynes of synne and of howe great coÌ„modites and welthe he hath in the meane whyle depriued and berefte his owne selfe being out of the fauour of god and departed and seuered from the communion and felyshyp of the hole misticall body of Christ bonde vnto the eternall punyshement of helle fyre Of the attente and diligente consideration of these thinges sprynge or ryse horrour and hatered of synnes whiche somtyme is engendred taketh his originall begynnynge of the feare and drede of punyshement and causeth desperation onles it do go forwardes vnto hope of forgyuenes thrugh the consideration of the mercy of god and thrughe confidence and truste in our lorde Iesu Christe whiche hath ons suffred and made satisfaction for the synnes of al men vntyl that after seruile feare and drede do succede and folowe loue semely for a sonne whiche is displeased and discoÌ„tented with his synnes not for that yâ— they nowe do brynge a man to the fyre of helle but for that that they do offende myslyke the most good father whiche hath done so moche for vs. For yf the son which vnfaynedly and from the herte dothe loue his father mother wolde not although there were no feare of punyshement at all wittingly do that thyng which myghte displease theyr myndes howe moche more dothe he that loueth god which is to be loued aboue all thiÌ„ges bothe hate his sinnes coÌ„mitted in times passed by which he hath displesed god and also take hede and beware that he do not coÌ„mitte any suche lyke offence in tyme hereafter to come This coÌ„modite profyte therfore shuld moue and styrre a man to be shryuen vnto a preest although confession were not necessary howe moche more than is it to be embrased if necessite do drawe vs vnto this vtilite THe sixte vtilite is The syxte vtilite that lyke wyse as the greatnes of sorowe engeÌ„dred and conceyued of the coÌ„sideration ponderyng of a mans offences and synnes dothe purchace and obteyne the mercy of god to the releasyng of the crymes and offences dothe make the purpose of absteynyng from synnes in tyme commyng the more firme and stable euyn so doth shamefastnes to vncouer and disclose that is in his breeste vnto a man take awaye a great parte of the payne and holdeth a man backe that he shall not lyghtly fall agayne in to the same offences Lyke wyse as chyldreÌ„ with beatynge and shame are taught to beware that they do not falle twyes in to one defalte Nowe the most parte of men are weyke and feble and prone and redy to coÌ„mitte synne And this shamefastnes is so greuous and paynfull vnto men of gentle and hygh stomake that there are many men whiche had rather dye than ons to be shamed were it not so that either they dyd loue god or elles dyd feare the fyre of helle The seueÌ„th vtilite THe seuenth vtilite is that for bicause accordyng to the olde prouerbe the principall parte and the chefeste poynte of wysedome is that a man do knowe hym selfe there is nothyng that dothe more cause this thynge than dothe coÌ„fession whiche setteth the whole man often tymes forthe before his owne iyes leauynge none of all the secrete corners of his mynde vnshaken and vnsearched whyles he dothe inwardly coÌ„sidre to what thynges the coÌ„maundementes of god do call hym and to what thynges he hym selfe is enclined and by what occasions he doth fall in to synne Psal. 1. what the very meditation in the lawe of the lorde is For this is the very meditation and studye in the lawe of the lorde that a maÌ„ do ordre and dispose him selfe vnto that estate of lyfe in whiche he wold desyre to be yf the laste day of his lyfe were nere at hande THe eyghte vtilite The eyght vtilite is that he which maketh his coÌ„fession to a preeste not onely is holpen by his counsayle confort and exhortation but also by his prayer For he prayeth and wyssheth to hym that is coÌ„fessed the grace of the holy ghost ghostly strength to resiste and withstaÌ„de the deuyll And yf it be so that the prayer of eche good man who soeuer he be is auaylable to the obteynyng of the grace fauour of almyghty god howe moche more than is the prayer of the preeste profitable and helpefull to the same For doubtlesse this is it whiche s. Iamis teacheth that euen in this thynge also the feruent prayer of a iuste persone is very moche worthe Iacobi â— of great strength Here I entende not in the meane season to speake any thynge of the power and auctorite of the keyes wherof diuines haue so copiously largely wryten and taughte that it nedeth not me to reherse it agayne For as for what thynge attrition is Attrition whether therof by the meanes of confession may be made coÌ„trition and whether coÌ„fession doth cause and brynge to passe that the synne is forthewith forgyuen in the fyrst instauÌ„te I do leaue all this geare to be disputed reasoned of the subtile scotistes THe nynthe vtilite is The nynth vtilite that lykewyse as by baptisme we are deliuered from the tyranny of Satan and beinge made the sonnes of god are graffed in to the body of Christe whiche is the churche and are chosen in to so blessed a company or felyshyp of aungels and of all those that are predestinate vnto the heueÌ„ly inheritauÌ„ce in what soeuer part of the worlde they do lyfe haue lyued or shal lyue euyn so by penaunce are we
Contrary wyse agayne there are certeyn synnes of that kynde and sorte that the very iudgement of nature dothe abhorre them that he whiche hath coÌ„mitted them dothe condempne and hate his owne selfe as for exaÌ„ple kyllynge of father or mother babeslaughter wonderous abhomynable kyndes of lechery suche as are not to be named coÌ„men theftes robberies whiche are done without any maner sleyght or crafte poysonynge collusion with wicked spirites blasphemy agaiÌ„st god and suche other lyke to these The greuous enormitie of these sayde offences and crymes doth otherwhyles brynge a man in to desperation whiche is the most greuous and sorest offeÌ„ce that may be of all other DesperatioÌ„ is the most greuous offence of all other For that man semeth lesse to offende god whiche is made negligent and careles thrugh ouermoche boldnes and trust vpoÌ„ his goodnes than he whiche despayrynge of forgyuenes of his synnes dothe denye god to be good and mercyfull whan he is euyn very mercy it selfe and dothe denye hym also to be true of his promesse whan he hath promysed without any exception to forgyue the synner that is penitent and sory which promesse doubtles he wyll fulâ—yl and performe yf he be true And finally denyeth hym to be omnipotent almyghty as thoughe there were some offence or synne of man whiche he were not able to remedy and heale Here therfore in this case the preeste shall leaue nothyng vnspoken wherby he may conforte and reyre vp the ê‘sone beinge thus out of conforte and despayrynge of hym selfe vnto hope of forgyuenes also wherby he may after that he hath brought him to that poynt so confirme and establyshe hym that he do not fall downe agayn in to the same The fourth vâ—ilite ANd ther are some ê‘sones also whose myndes ar so weyke and feble that they dare not hope nor ê“myse vnto them selues forgyuenes no not euyn of small and lyghte offences nor can haue their coÌ„science at quiete rest excepte by the preest suche solempne coÌ„men accustomed ceremonies be enioyned them to the whiche absolucion is gyuen Nowe do I suppose and wene it to be a poynt of christen humanite to beare apply our selues vnto the infirmite and weykenes euyn of suche maner persones vntyll they growe vp vnto the firmite of more stronge mynde wherunto it shall be mete conuenient often tymes amonge to styrre and exhort them I haue knowen certeyn ê‘sons whiche coulde not ê‘swade vnto them selues that they were assoyled from theyr synnes except the preeste dyd witnesse and recorde the same by his owne haÌ„de wrytynge Besydes this very many men do scrupulously carefully coÌ„fesse them selues euyn of those thynges whiche amonge venial synnes are of least weyghte yea and somtyme euyn of those thynges whiche are very tryfles as of pollutions in the nyght tyme whiche chaunce to come thrugh no vicious occasion but onely of naturall disposition of the body neither hath any coÌ„sent folowed or delectation in the same Of which thing IohnÌ„ Gerson hath wryten so diligently yea and so specially that he hath caused many mens consciences by reason therof to be very scrupulous Scrupulosite in sayinge of seruice and prayers In lykewise there are some men which in saying of theyr orisons and prayers do neuer satisfie theyr owne myndes they are greatly troubled euin with very small tryfles And often tymes it happeneth that to this weykenes is ioyned also peruersite a froward wyll and mynde They are onely carefull and do take thought whether they do playnly and distinctly pronounce and sounde out the letters and syllables but whether they do vnderstaÌ„de what they rede or whether they do worshyp and be styrred with the wordes of god whiche they do sounde with theyr mouthe they are excedyngly careles and hereof do take no kepe at all Semblablye they do so shryue them selues of sodeyn and fleing thoughtes whiche do but as it were only touche lightly skym ouer the ouermost or vttermoste part and skyn of the mynde and not synke or tary in it I say they do so coÌ„fesse these thoughtes as yf they had certeynly or stedfastly ben determined and purposed vpon that thynge whiche came in to their mynde or had also fulfylled it in very dede whaÌ„ other whyles suche thoughtes are of thinges euyn abhominable to be spoken of as whan there happeneth to come in to a mans mynde a certeyne doubtfulnes of the verite and truthe of the scriptures of the articles of the faythe or els a thought of incest or of monstruous formes or facyoÌ„s of fulfyllynge of fleshely luste or pleasure To confesse these thynges rehersed scrupulously and ê‘ticularly it dothe bothe charge and ouerlade the hearer with thiÌ„ges superfluous and nothynge neâ—efull and also dothe trouble the mynde of hym that is confessed with feare dreade vnprofitably They say it is a signe and token of a good mynde there to feare synne where no synne is Admit that it be a signe of a good myÌ„de yet certeynely it is no token of a a ê‘fecte mynde And albeit suche a thyng in yonge boyes or wenches do betokeÌ„ a nature or disposition mete to the lerning of vertue and good lyfe yet the same thynge in men is vnmete and vnprofitable yea pernicious also hurtful for that yâ— supersticious and superfluous fleinge eschewynge of one viceâ— dothe brynge a man in to another more greuous more weyghtie whiche thyng we do se brought to passe in many men by the subtilte and crafte of the deuyll This peruersite and lerned mynde is to be rebuked and simple and vnlerned inâ—irmite is to be instructed and taughte It is a poynte of christian vertue and godlynes to be sory for suche maner infirmities and fraylte of mannes nature and to withstaÌ„de them asmoche as a man maye and to laboure towardes more perfecte thiÌ„ges A man that is verely vertuous and godly wyssheth desyreth the perfecte integrite and cleÌ„nes of his bodye whiche he hopeth to haue in the generall resurrection and therfore he is sory that his vessel is polluted and deâ—iled with vnclene dreames but it foloweth not Not euery thyng yâ— greueth a good vertuous man is syn bicause it greueth hym and he is sory for it that it is therfore strayghtways synne For so a good vertuous man is greued also and sory that with huÌ„gre with thurst with slepinges with faintnes or werynes of the body he is fayne to breke vp the continuall feruour of prayer he is sory for the rebellious motioÌ„s of the membres agayÌ„st the mynd he soroweth that the fleshe doth lust agaynst the spirite But these thynges are so farof from being synnes that they be rather mater occasion of vertue yf a man do stryue agaynst them to the vtter most of his power whiche selfe same thyng I do iudge for to be done to wardes them whiche of lyke infirmite do often tymes repete reherse agayn the coÌ„fession of one the same offences both
is none other thynge than one continuall synne yf I maye so say But the coÌ„men sorte and moste parte of men beinge occupied busyed aboute the bowes and the leues taketh no hede of the rootes where as bothe the fyrste and also the most diligent searche and examination ought to be made aboute the rootes There are some meÌ„ which haue set vp a marke vnto them selues eyther ryches or worldly glory or dignite amonge men euery man for th eÌ„tent to hyt his owne marke do many thynges in apparaunce vertuous and godly they do gyue ames they buylde monasteries they do fyghte for theyr countrey But whether with suche maner good dedes they do displease god let other men lâ—ke without doubte they wynne no fauour or thanke of god Nota. Contrary wyse those persones whiche beinge illuminated and lyghtned by faythe brennyng in charite do directe all the operatioÌ„s workes of theyr lyfe to these markes I meane faythe and charite euyn also whaÌ„ they do refreshe and conforte theyr bodies with meate drynke whan they do refreshe theyr myndes with sporte and playe finally whan they do slepe they do wynne or get the fauour of Christe vnto them selues And there be also founde certeine men whiche are naturally of suche disposition that they do helpe no man hertely but they do measure all thynges by theyr owne profites and aduauntages and yet they do seme free and voyde from great and haynous offences that is to say they are no dronkardes nor whoremongers They do pray and are very diligente deuoute in gods seruice what nede many wordes bothe they thynke them selues holy so also they are reputed of other men There is none other disease of the mynde more incurable than is this and therfore by so moche the more a wyse discrete gostly father oughte to gyue a diligent mynde to the healynge of suche maner persones and they do all in vayne flatter them selues and stande in theyr owne conceypte as thoughe they loued god for hym selfe whan eyther they do not loue theyr neyghbour at all or yf they do loue hym they do not loue hym for gods sake but for theyr owne profites sake Of these two fountaynes Princes prelates specially princes and prelates are to be enfourmed and taught whiche do nothiÌ„g well onles they do beare theyr office and vse theyr auctorite to the honour of god and the profyte of the coÌ„men weale Faythe therfore driueth awaye and putteth by all those lewde excusations whiche the malicious crafte subtilte of men is wonte to inuente and deuyse Yf I do gyue any thyng to poore folkes I shall wante and lacke my selfe Yf I shall exercise and vse byeng and sellyng and myne occupatioÌ„ or craft without fraude or gyle in the stede of gaynes I shal susteyne and beare damage losse Suche maner men do playnely mystruste these promyses of almyghty god Couetous meÌ„ mistrust gods promyses Caste thy care and thought vpon the lorde and he shall nouryshe the. Psal. 54. I haue not sene a ryght wyse man forsaken Psal. 36. And fyrst of all seche you the kyngdome of god Math. 6. all these thinges shall be added gyuen vnto you Do they suppose that god is a lyar that he wyll not performe those thynges whiche he hath promysed Or elles do they wene that he is impotent and vnable that he may not performe his pmyse Or els do they trowe that he is recheles that he doth not mynde the care of his seruauntes This same faythe shall conforte vertuous men yf the kyndnes of men do not recompence theyr benefites nor shewe kyndenes agayne accordyng to theyr deseruynges God is faythfull true of his promesse to whom they haue lente theyr benefites he shall rendre and restore them theyr owne stocke whiche they haue layde forthe with inestimable encreace and aduaÌ„tage But it is coÌ„menly sene that those persones whiche allege suche excuses do lese and caste away very many thiÌ„ges in reuell and ryot in fleshely luste and in dysynge cardynge to whom euyn that lucre gaynes also is loste whiche they myghte haue gotten yf they dyd not loue ydlenes better than they do lucre aduantage Suche maner of men doubtles are shameles yf they do say onles I dyd vse fraude and guyle I coulde not lyue Charite Nowe charite or loue stretcheth it selfe as it was sayde before vnto two thynges that is to wit to god to thy neyghbour Here offre them selues vnto vs thre ê‘sons the father the sonne and the holy ghoste beinge all thre one god whiche is to be loued aboue all thynges bothe visible and inuisible But he loueth not god who soeuer mystrusteth his promyses who soeuer setteth noughte by his coÌ„maundementes who soeuer maketh any thynge egall vnto hym or pferreth any thing before hym that is to say who soeuer loueth his life better than hym and who soeuer doth feare lesse to offende displease hym than he dothe to dye euyn a thousande tymes The ê‘sone of oure neyghboure stretchethe farre and broode Here it is to be consydered whether we haue done our duetie that we are bouÌ„de to do to our wyues to our parentes to our chyldren to our teachers to our scholemaisters to our pastors or curates to the prince to the heede officers to our kynsfolkes to our frendes and to those that haue done vs good breuely to all christen men Moreouer eche man is neyghboure to his owne selfe and no man is more greuously more sore hurted than of hym selfe Thou haste hurte and appayred thy neyghbours good name Confesse yâ— of it But thou haste blabbed out thyne owne rebuke and shame eyther thrugh dronkennes or els thrughe lyghtnes of tonge wepe be sory for it Thou haste two maner wayes hurte thy neyghbour that is to wit thou haste hurte thy selfe and thou hast also hurte hym to whom thou haste blabbed it forthe He that wyll diligently bethinke hym selfe of all these thynges he shall soone call it to remembraunce yf he haue doone any thynge worthy repentaunce And this thynge shall helpe his remembraunce well yf he reken with hym selfe A maner way to helpe remembraunce in what places he hath ben conuersaunte abydyng in the meane season in what businesses or maters he hath ben occupied and amonge whom he hath lyued and companed For so by that meane one thing shall euer brynge another to mynde There are some men whiche euyn of theyr owne selues do fetche places as they call them of makynge confession For euery synne either it is coÌ„mitted by the mynde or elles by some of the fyue senses or wittes Unto the mynd do apê‘tein fayth loue toward god our neyghbour and the vices contrarye to these namely those spiritual vices enuie hatered wrathe and desyre of vengeaunce pryde hypocrysye yuel wyll and malyce And albeit that euery synne yssueth and coÌ„meth forthe from the fouÌ„teyne and spring of the herte