our selues wee must giue to our neighbours their due both in Giuing and Recompencing To our Neighbours Whether liuing Or dead To euery man generally To certaine men specially To all and euery man we owe both an Towards all Inward affection and Outward effects of loue To nourish familiaritie and societie in common conuersation 1. Carry therefore a louing affection towards A louing affection thy neighbour with a studie of Christian Concord 2. Shewe also the effects of a louing affection Effects of loue in word and déede In humanitie ciuilitie and liberalitie To certaine degrées or states thou owest also To certain states To the miserable special duties 1. To thy neighbours being in miserie compassion and commiseration or the bowells of Pietie 2. To certaine degrées also and states yéeld To certaine degrees their due both in affection and effects vz. To thy Superiours giue reuerence and obedience To the poore Almes and reliefe 3. To Strangers or Pilgrimes entertainment by Hospitalitie These duties to the liuing We owe also a dutie to our neighbours being To the dead dead Let vs therfore performe vnto them the last dutie of Charitie vz. Mourning and Buriall We must also haue a respect to our neighbours Retribution desert to recompence good turnes vz. Friendship for friendship And gratitude to them that deserue well of vs. In this manner then denying vnrighteousnesse and practising righteousnesse Entring A short Recapitulation to walke in the way of life in the Lord and not fainting but by Gods helpe going forward and profiting yea Perseuering in the same way at length we shall come to the ende of our way euen to the Lord with whom we shall enioy glory and immortalitie by Iesus Christ our Lord c. Amen The Epilogue containing An encouragement or spurre to vertue Encouragement to vertue First by reasons taken from Christianitie Secondly by wise sentences and examples taken from Heathen men FINIS Vade Mecum Goe with me DEARE PIETIE RARE CHARITIE Whose Flame is stirred vp to expell the Cold out of the mindes of many To all that professe the Name of Christ and call vpon his Godheade A sententious Prologue TO know and liue O yee Christians is all our Desires Let vs learne first to know that wée may know how to liue for Nō qui multa quidem sed quae sunt commoda vitae Is dici sapiens cur meriatur habet Not him that knoweth much alwaies A wiseman will I call But he that knows his life to rule What so shall him befall This world hath much science but little conscience least therefore our knowledge To know if it goe alone doe puffe vs vp let charitie be ioyned with it with christian prudence God and our selues let vs endeuour to know God and our selues But at this day many know many things but scarse any knows himselfe well for to know our selues is an A gradation hard point and not for euery one to attaine Let vs therfore learne first this diuine precept Euery one to know himselfe for he that knows himselfe shal know god he that knows God shal be made like vnto him he that is made like vnto God is worthy of God he that is worthy of God committeth nothing vnworthy of God but Acceptable thinketh on divine things and what hee thinketh he speaketh what he speakerh he Displeasing Godly worketh ergo caetera si vis noscere te ipsum noscere discas caetera si vis vincere teipsum vincere discas Noscere se ipsū vincere se ip sū Maxima virtus If ought thou dost desire to learne Learne first to know thy selfe If ought thou wouldest ouercome First then subdue thy selfe Thy selfe first know and first subdue All other vertues will ensue Let vs liue O yée christians that wée To liue may liue with Christ This life is to be desired not for it selfe but for an other wherevnto we must come by the gate of Death Therefore that we may alwayes liue with Christ let vs learne to liue and die well We learne to liue well by meditating on Death We learne to die wel by liuing Godly We learne to liue Godly by dying hapily The end of this life is a happy Death The end of Death is a blessed life We shall liue blessedly if we be dead to the world Ergo. Viue diu sed viue deo nam viuere mundo Mortis opus est viua est viuere vita deo Viue sed vt séper viuas sic ergo beatus Viue deo moritur qui sibi viuit homo Yf long to liue thou doe desire Then long in God to liue The worldly life doth work to death For God true life doth giue So liue that thou maist alwaies liue And happines attaine Who liues vnto himselfe doth die Such death will be his baine Let vs not therefore reckon how long but how well we doe liue he hath liued Not how long but how well long who in few yéeres hath gayned many Talents by liuing well for not many yéeres and dayes make a long life but a liuely minde he liueth not that thinketh on nothing but how to liue he that hath nothing in his life more pleasāt then this A miserable life mortall life can neuer in his life imbrace vertue Many times therefore he that liued long hath liued but a while because he liued not well And many times he that liued well hath no long life to wit in this world full ill liue they that thinke to liue alway Let vs not alwaies be beginning to liue well for he liues ill who is alwayes beginning to liue well Oh beléeue me many haue ceased to liue before they euer began to liue therefore let vs diligently consider not so much how long but in what manner wee haue liued for not to liue but to liue wel is better Non est crede mihi sapientis dicere viuā Sera nimis vita est crastina viue hodie It is no wise mans part to say To morrow I will lyue To morrows life may come too late Yf God no life doe giue Therefore Oh man to know and liue begin goe not backward but proceede There is a mark set thée euen eternal life in heauen the chiefe perpetual happines 1 Marke Choose the better part with Mary Lay vp treasure in heauen wher rust nor moth corrupteth Math 6 not nor theeues can break through nor steale And God shall giue to thee ouer Apoc. comming to eate of the tree of life which is in the middest of the Paradice of God This is the marke of life This is true life striue to this from hence is banished all ill héere aboundeth all good Héere shalt thou rest againe from thy Còmodities in the ende labours being deliuered from all euills God shall wipe al teares from thine eyes there shall be no more death nor mourning nor cry nor sorrow 2 Héere shalt thou
inioy the most pleasant company of thy God thy creator conseruer Redéemer sanctifier whom beholding face to face thou shalt rest in his ioy who shal be all in all vnto thée Thou Cor. 13 shalt be with Christ the fayrest among Iohn 12 men and shalt see his glory which the father hath giuen him 3 Héere shalt thou beare the Image of the heauenly man and with open face 2 Cor. 3. thou shalt behold the glory of God and shalt be transformed into the same Image from glory to glory There that which is perfect commeth in place and that 1 Cor. 13 Math. 13. Luk 20 1 Iohn 3. which is vnperfect shal be abolished and thou shalt know euen as thou art knowne Thou shalt shine as the sunne in the kingdome of God the Father Thou shalt be as the Angels of God and as the sonnes of God are Thou shalt be like to God who appeareth vnto thee 4 Heere shalt thou be gathered to the company of the holy Angels and to the Heb 12 Congregation of the faithfull who are recorded in heauen where is mutuall knowledge perfect loue perpetuall praising of God 1. Pet. 3. 5 Héere thou shalt be replenished with al ioy without tediousnesse in an heritage immortall vndefiled incorruptible To those that loue him God hath prepared 1 Cor. 2. such ioyes as the eye hath not seene the eare hath not heard neither the hart can conceiue in the heauenly Paradice 2 The way to this marke is laid open to The way to the marke Ioh. 14. Ibid. 6. Act. 14 vs. First our Sauiour Christ saith I am the way the truth and the life next it is said by him Euery one that seeth the sonne and beleeueth in him hath Eternall life and thirdly by many tribulations must we enter into the Kingdome of Heauen Therfore Christ is the way we must enter by faith we must walke through tribulations For straight narrow is the Matth. 7 way that leadeth to life This way of life to the iust is good holy right immaculat elect It is vnknowne What manner of way to mans reason few enter into it there are few walkers among so many talkers and vnpleasant and difficult is it to the flesh because of the companions that accompany the Travellers euen the crosse and deniall of our selues Yet this is the way which God hath set before vs which is pleasing to him wherin he directeth vs and which leadeth to him 3 This way is to be learned out of the Where this way is to be learned holy Scriptures rightly vnderstood by the illumination and schooling of the holy Ghost confirmed by vse and frequente meditation till by experience we féele the Spirit of God to worke in our hearts and by practise wée perceiue a chéerfulnes to walke in the waye of Godlinesse The first member Incipe beginne Ierem 6 Enter O man the way of life and looke diligently about thée where that way is and walke in it Beginne the marke is life there is a way that leades vnto it set thy longing to attaine to thy heauenly father from whom thou art declined after the world and the Deuill The first entry by conuersion Conuersion in 2. pointes 1 Acursion from euill Make thy beginning or entry by conuersion let thy conuersion be by auersion or turning away from euill euen the worst euill and by a reuersion or returne to good euen the best good Turne away therefore from euil euen the worst euill which is sinne and turne Ierem 25. vnto good the best good who is God Let euery man turne away from his wicked way and from his vngodly desire Motiues to turne from sinne Alienation from god Consider O thou sinner thy miserable estate whiles thou art yet in thy sinn 1 Thy sinne doth turne thée from God and God from thée whom it greuously offendeth and maketh thée his vtter enemy Now what can be more grieuous then to haue and feele God to be thine Enemie 2 Thou becommest worthy by thy sinne to be forsaken of God and after a sort to Depriuation of graces be brought to nothing being brought to extreame beggery of the Spirit to wit being depriued of Gods grace and glory To be without the chiefe Ens and good is either to be miserable or else to be nothing at all 3 Thy sinne maketh thée of a man a friend to the Deuill yea his seruant and Consorting or seruing of the Diuell slaue and the heyre of hel fire Every man by sinning selleth his owne soule to the Deuill taking the sweetnes of temporall pleasures as a price for it Againe on the other side also thou driuest away from thée As much as in thee lieth by sinning the good Angell thy kéeper 4 Sinne is a most filthy thing as the scripture setteth it out like mire wherein The filthines of sinne swine wallow like dreggs rottennes corruption leprocie Behold the prodigal Luke 15. sonne wallowed in the mire of Luxury at the last liuing among an heard of Swine Looke also if thy soule stinke not by the putrifaction and corruption of the wouÌ„ds of thy sinnes 5 If thou wax olde in thy sinne O thou Custome of sinne daungerous least impatienie follow sinner it will exercise a great Tirannye ouer thée by custome and by custome of sinn Satan so that thou shalt not repent though thou sometimes desire to repent For sinne is barbarous and exerciseth tiranny ouer the Soule that is once taken captiue to the ruine of thâ—se that receiue it chrysostom I confesse I sighed not being bouÌ„d with yroÌ„ chaines but with mine own yron wil mine August lib 8 enemie had possessed my will and had of it made a chaine for me and had bound me fast I strugled with my selfe and was ouerthrowne of my selfe 6 Whilest thou continuest in sin thou dost sustein the gyft of eternall punishment that is thou art depriued perpetually of the Eternall punishmeÌ„ts vision or sight of God and art tormented with euerlasting paine of most ardent fire Epilogus Call to minde therefore with me the miserable state of a Sinner thou art Gods enemy depriued of gods grace most beggerly most filthy a slaue to the Diuell vnder the tirrany both of Sinne and Satan an heyre of Hell Turne therefore from this worst euill But that thou maist conuert by turning from euill and returning to God Gods helpe to be craued thou hadst néede of the help of Gods grace to preuent accompany and follow thée For it is God that giueth Repentance by Grace threefolde 2. Tim 2. the knowledge of the Truth that wee may recouer out of the snares of the Diuell who are holden Captiue at his will It is God that worketh in vs both to wil Phillip 2. and to performe Say therefore with ioying Conuert me O Lorde and I shal be Ierom. 31. de voc gent Lib. 2. The working of
Vade mecum Goe with mee Deare Pietie and rare Charitie VVhose flame is stirred vp to dispell the cold out of the minde By Otho Casmanne Preacher at Stoade Translated out of Latine by H. T. Minister The Contents appeare in the Page following Duc me nec sine me per me Christ optimë duci Nam duce me pereo Te duce saluus ero Guide me sweet Sauiour Christ The way Let not my selfe me guide If thou me guide I shall be safe If I my selfe I slide LONDON Imprinted for Thomas Charde 1606. The Contents of this Booke The Epistle Dedicatorie of the Translator The Epistle Dedicatorie of the Author A Synopsis or view of this Booke A Prologue sententious Foure members 1. Incipe Beginne 2. Ne desice seu re gredere Faint not or goe not backward 3. Sed profice Goe forward or profit 4. By denying vnrighteousnes and By follewing of righteousnes An Epilogue sententious Prayers framed to the parts and members of this Booke To the three Right worshipful The Epistle by the Translator and religiously vertuous Gentlewomen Mistres Anne Osbourne widowe of the Right Worshipfull Maister Peter Osbourne Esquire Mistresse Dorothie Osbourne the wife of M. Iohn Osbourne Esquire Mist Grace Chapman the Widow of M. William Chapman Citizen Encrease of grace in this life with assured hope of glorie in the world to come HAuing had long experience Right vertuous Gentlewomen of your Christian Pietie and Charitie grounded vpon a true knowledge of the word of God I haue thought good to present vnto you this short Treatise of a learned Writer Translated by me for the good liking I had thereof Wherein he directeth euery Christian how to begin to goe forward to perseuere in the way of Pietie Charitie till he haue attained the marke which is eternall life Not that I thought you to haue much need of any such direction to be prescribed you who haue long since both found the way and practised the course of a Christian life and by Gods grace shall so perseuere But yet I iudged it might be a good confirmation to you that you haue not hetherto wandered vncertainly in your course as also that it might be some encouragement vnto you to perseuere But vnto other who haue not yet either sound the way or begun to walk or haue but slowly or faintly gone forward in this course to such this booke may be both a guide to direct thē in the way of Pittie and Charitie and also a spur to stirre them vp to goe forward I haue bene bold to ioyne you three in the Inscription of this Epistle as my three Charites or Graces of whom the Poets make mention Three louing and bountifull sisters And sure I am that grace is in euery of your Names and Nature hath ioyned you in Consanguinitie and neere Affinitie as also GOD hath vnited you in Pietie Now as in the Etymologie of your Names ye carry Grace so I doubt not but in your hearts ye possesse the three Christian Graces Faith Hope and Charitie which by Gods mercy shall neuer leaue you till they haue brought you to the expected end of your Faith and Hope euen eternall life Which God for his sonne Iesus Christs sake graunt to you and all true Christians Amen So fare ye well Your vnworthy Pastor H. T. To the whole bodie of the Colledge of S. Mary at Stoad Otho Casmanne The Epistle Dedicatorie of the Author Preacher of the said Colledge wisheth saluation in Christ YOu venerable and Reuerend men and Brethren greatly beloued in Christ vnto whom by the fauourable will prouidence of Iesus Christ whose vnworthy Minister I acknowledge my selfe I do execute the embassage of the Gospel who also for that purpose haue chosen and called me to teach among you the word of Christian veritie and sanctitie Are not to be passed ouer by me The tongue serues to teach but giue me leaue I beseech you by writing to warne those whom with mourning I daily wish to teach by example life and work would to God I might perceiue that it were in my power to performe it It is a great matter certainly to be a Minister of the Word but to bee a Worke-maister aunswerable to the word is by Christ a farre greater matter Wee loue a frequent Hearer of the word of God but a diligent Doer of A dooer of the word hard to finde the word heard kept we admire These are my grones these are my wishes in this calling which by the will and grace of God I maintaine pardon me I pray you if I vnburthen these things into your bosome with that Charitie and Faith that is meete to wit That I be not a monster hauing a larger tongue than hands For that saying of my maister Iesus Christ doeth sounde in my eares He that teacheth and doth he shal Mat. 5. be called great in the kingdome of heauen He will haue me not only to be the salt of the earth in soundnesse of doctrine but also the light of the world in holinesse of life example of vertue Otherwise of mine owne mouth will hee iudge me as an vngratious seruant And Luc. 19. Ibid. 12. I shall bee beaten with many stripes If I binde together heauie burthens and laie them on other mens shoulders and I my selfe scarse touch them or moue them with my little finger Euery man must shewe his faith by his workes as a tree is knowne by her fruite Let vs all heare that saying of Aurelius Numerianus Be that which thou art reported to be Or that of Horace Tu recte vivis si curas esse quod audis Well doest thou liue if thou endeuer To be the same thou hearest euer We are called Christians let vs liue a Christian life We are called spirituall let vs liue in the spirit and mortifie the deeds of the flesh Let vs ioyne in wishes and mingle mournings that by begging and getting the helpe of the holy Ghost we may rather be than desire to seeme good For as one saith It skilleth more what thou art thā what thou art accounted Let vs I say on all sides endeuour with ioynt forces to bee the same before God that we wold seeme to be before men That shall we do if ioyning Charitie with Knowledge Holinesse with Veritie we lead a godly and Christian life Surely God is holy and we his seruants ought to be holy that we may be vnited to him Wee are not our owne men Why then should our owne Reason will beare the sway in our counsels and actions Let vs labour in all the parts of our life to enioy God as the chiefe ende hauing a respect vnto his will to do it We are in the Church the holy Citie of God whom he hath consecrated to himselfe Let vs count it a wickednes Motiues to godlines to prophane it with our impuritie Christ who hath recōciled vs to God is a pattern set before vs let vs
expresse his example in the actions of our life God doth shew himselfe a father vnto vs Surely we are too vnthankfull if we shewe not our selues as children to him Christ hath clensed vs by the lauer of his bloud let vs shame to defile our selues with new staines or filthines He hath also inserted vs into his mysticall body let not vs fall away from that bodie by sprinkeling our selues with foule blots The holy Ghost hath dedicated vs to God as holy temples let vs by his helpe who dwelleth in vs make Mat. 5. our light so to shine before men that they may see our good works that our heauenly father may be glorified We haue the Angels our guides and watchmen let vs not by the filthie stinke of our sinnes driue them from vs. Our soules and bodies are destined to heauenly glory and mortalitie Let vs labour earnestly to keep them pure and vndefiled against the day of our Lord Iesus Christ What is therefore for to be done by vs I haue with a good meaning for our mutuall edification in Christ gathered like a Bee and framed out of all the best Authors this fire of Christian Pietie and Charitie that stirring vp one an other brotherly and enflaming one an other in the way of a godly conuersion and holy conuersation we may attaine to the true felicitie of eternall life Take ye this of me your vnworthie Minister with all fauourable countenance reade it with me with a minde desirous of Christian holinesse Let it goe with me and you all our life long He alludeth to the title Vade Mecum Fauour with good will the labours of your seruant studious of your saluatiō tending to Gods glorie Well then ye reuerend men and beloued brethren let vs enter the way of true happinesse by a true conuersion and godly conuersatiō Let vs not faint in the way for any difficultie or burthen of temptations but let vs goe forward in a continuall studie of continencie and obedience vnto righteousnes and by righteousnes vnto the glorie of eternall life And afore all things let vs do our endeuour to learne to denie our selues O how hard and difficult a matter is it for a man to forget and forsake himselfe A hard thing to forsake our selues and to apply his whole soule to the obedience of God How vnpleasant a thing is it for a worldly man not to seeke his owne but by doing all things according to Gods wil to seek the glorie of God Let vs by denying our selues patiently beare the crosse that God doth late vpon vs that we may be conformed to Christ and by humilitie acknowledge our owne infirmitie and begge the grace and helpe of God When we haue thus forsaken our selues let vs not neglect our neighbors From our selues to our neighbours From both to God but rather preuent them with honour and in good earnest imploy our selues wholely to procure their commoditie From our selues and our neighbors yea and from all things let vs cast our eyes vpon God and resigning our selues and all that is ours to his will Let vs yeelde all the affections of our mindes to be subdued by him If any thing fall out prosperously let vs ascribe it to God not to our selues If any thing succeed not according to our wish let vs not be dismayed with impatiencie but if any euil happen vnto vs let vs not therefore recken our selues vnhappie neither let vs complaine against God for our estate Almightie God graunt that by his holy spirit working effectually in our hearts and minds we may with carefull industry search out the way of Truth and Charitie with ardent desire long to come to our heauenly Father and hauing found out knowne the way we may with good courage enter it and with godly care walke in it fleeing the vanitie and inconstancie of the world that we neither goe backward nor decline either to the right hand or to the left The God of mercy and sanctification so frame the course of our liues in the vse of earthly things that we pamper not our selues too much but that we vse the world as if we did not vse it That 1. Cor. 7. we may learne no lesse to beare penury meekly than abundance moderately That we may restraine Luxury our deadly enemy least we turne the helps of our life into hinderances Let vs remember that these earthly things are by the goodnes of God appointed for our commoditie that they might be as pledges wherof we must one day yeeld an account In all the actions of our life let vs carefully looke vnto the speciall calling To looke to our calling wherevnto God hath called vs to do those things which beseeme it and to shunne whatsoeuer is vnseemely for it To conclude the eternall Father grant vs to cōtemne this wicked world whatsoeuer appertaines vnto it and as is meete to meditate on the life to come and the incorruptible Crowne in heauen These things ye Reuerend men and brethren I wish to you and my selfe which my wishes and studies if I shall perceiue not altogether to bee vnpleasing vnto you I shal seeme to haue reaped sufficient and plentifull fruite for my labour in this Booke and peraduenture shall be stirred vp to performe some greater matter The Lord Iesus blesse you all and euery one aboundantly from heauen Amen Fare ye well and liue ye happily At Stoade Idibus Octob 1604. Seneca Epist 116. YE commaund vs say they too hard matters We are fraile men we cannot abridge our selues of all things Hee Answeres Because we loue our vices we defend them And we had rather excuse them than excusse Shake thē off them we pretend we cannot the truth is we will not Epictetus Lib. Dissert Cap. 31. Of Diog. Cyn. I haue no guard no swords nor pompe nor outward terrors In stead of those A good conscience giues me boldnes armes me with power I esteeme Honestie for very loue without lawe or penaltie Other men are harbowred within walles doores or couertures I liue vnder the broad skie and wide world in the eyes and viewe of euery one I desire onely to please God And yet whiles I do thus it falls out that I am railed on yea and beaten but what maruell Of boyes and fooles that cannot abide to be rubd on the gaule yet wil I neither chaunge my minde nor leaue my manner And euen those that beate me I loue as a father or as a brother A Synopsis or viewe of this little booke whose Title is Vade mecum Goe with me Deere Pietie and Rare Charitie This little booke hath six parts 1. A Prologue sententious Foure members 1. Incipe Beginne 2. Ne Defice seu regredere Faint not or goe not backward 3. Sed profice Go forward or profit 4. By denying vnrighteousnes and By following of righteousnes An Epilogue sententious 1. The summe of the Prologue All men desire to Knowe and Liue. LEt vs
to him that repēteth yet he hath not promised leisure to liue till tomorrow to him that sinneth The second member Nedifice Faint not neither goe backward THou knowest hast found the way of life thou art entred into it walke in it with thankesgiuing No man Transitiō by onely knowledge of the way hath attained to the end except he also walke in it Thou art entred the way hold on thy purposed course approach euery day chéerefully to thy GOD by faith in heart by studie of godlinesse by true loue depart further daily from Sathan the world and thy selfe But in fleeing beware of vanitie and inconstancie that thou faint not or goe backward Thy repentance and thy life are determined Repentance and life one end August by the same ends for the whole life of a Christian man is a continual exercise of repentance The action of the second repentance which followeth the first through our whole life which wee lead in this mortal flesh must be vndertakē with perpetual supplicatiō of humilitie 1. because no mā desireth the eternall incorruptible immortall life except he repēt him of this temporal corruptible mortal life Secondly howsoeuer euery mā doth glory that he hath tamed his body so y◠being crucified to the world hee doth chastice his members from all euill workes hauing brought them in subiection yet let him vnderstand that all these thinges are giuen him he hath them not of himselfe Not onely therefore because of our very mutabilitie ignorance and for the malice of the day but also because of the very contagious dust of this world we ought to repent vs daily Here therefore is néede of a continuall Mortification vivification Mortification of the flesh and vivification or quickning of the spirit Faint not beare it out and bée stout thy labour will one day auaile thée The greater thou art the more laborious The greater the greater conflicts shalt thou be being deliuered from Sathan and made the sonne of the highest thou hast gottē an high pitch of glory thou shalt therefore haue the greater conflicts with labour and dangers Nothing Alexāder was more Kingly in Alexander than his labour And to thée being a great Kings sonne now reconciled to thy father nothing ought to be more glorious then this spirituall labour Life life I say eternall giues nothing to men without great labour no man attaineth to the highest without labour Sometimes thou Preoccupation shalt be in danger what then he that attempteth great matters shall be in danger and great things will be enterprised with great perills and the greatest good things are not without some great euils Spare not therefore to bestow thy labour though there be danger where honor and reward are to be hoped for But be wise A minde that knowes how to feare knowes how to aduenture warily be well aduised of the danger and thou shalt be wary to auoide it Two brāches Here two things are to be done We must resist Temptation We must take héede of Relapse When thou art entred the iourney of Temptations Christian Pietie and Charitie thou shalt not be frée from temptations But take a good courage 1. For God to whom thou art returned Causes of temptations God and why will trye his new souldier But God would neuer suffer thée to be shaken in the siue of temptations were it not for his owne greater glory and thy greater profit who art tempted Both that thou mightest be stirred vp to desire the rest of our celestiall countrey and be drawne away from the loue of this presēt world also that thou mightest knowe from whence strength to resist is ministred vnto thée Here thou must haue these aides in a readines First be feruēt in praier that thou maist Aydes Praier Psal 6. Hope say with Dauid Let thy hand now cease Item Lord reproue me not in thy furie Secondly stir vp thy hope of Gods mercie for he that now chasteneth vs is our father who therfore doth now shew himselfe a father that he might not hereafter shewe himselfe a most seuere iudge God 1. Cor. 10. is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted aboue that which you are able to beare but will with the temptation giue succes that ye may be able to bear it Thirdly let inuincible patience strengthen thée Whereupon Bernard Patience on the Psal He that dwelleth saith Glorifie and beare Christ in your body A Psalm 9◠pleasant burthen a sweete waight a holsome farthel though it seeme sometime to presse vs down thogh it punch our sides though it whip vs when we winch againe though it pinch our chawes with bit and bridle yet it doth very happily restraine vs. Be thou as a yoked Iumentum or drawing beast that thou maist say with Dauid I am become as a beast vsed to the yoke This similitude consisteth not in brutishnes but in imitation of patience 2. The diuell an aduersary and a tempter wil sift thée and vexe thée whom The diuel and why thou hast forsaken He séeketh the ruine and destruction of thy soule and by infinite engines and great force laboureth to ouerthrow thée But resist and faint not Though he be most subtile yet thou Aides Subtile that art a tender plant of God as Bernard speaketh not hauing as yet thy sences exercised to discerne good and euill followe not the iudgement of thine owne heart abound not in thine owne sence least that craftie huntsman entrap thee being vnwary Humble thy selfe vnder the mightie hand of God take counsel of the holy Scriptures hear the aduise of holy men who knowe better the wiles of that hunter Solicite God by prayers and knocke at heauen gates Though hee be very strong and as a roaring Lion yet be thou armed with Strong faith in Iesus Christ whereby thou maiest daunt the force of Sathan studie to leade a godly life as much as thou canst by Gods grace In all things or aboue all saith the Ephes 6. Apostle take the shield of faith whereby ye may quench all the fiery darts of that wickedone And S. Peter saith Resist the diuel being strong in faith 1. Pet. 5. Though hee be most cruell yet since the triumph which Christ crucified got Cruell ouer him he is become most cowardish Resist the Diuel saith Saint Iames Iames. 5. and he wil flye from you And Gregory He is strong against them that consent to him hee is weake against them that resist him if consent be giuen to his suggestions he is as a Lion if he be resisted he is as an Ante. 3. Oftentimes we our selues doe tempt Our selues our selues being domistical or priuie enemies to our selues by our carnall lusts Euery one saith Saint Iames is tempted Iam. 2. when hee is drawne away by his owne concupiscence and snared as a fishe with a baite Against this inward enemie thou must Aides