beautie glory and maiestie he rise vp in and howe he appered afterwardes to his blessed mother to good Mari Magdalen with other the deuout women and his Disciples Marke wel here in what glory and ioy we hope one day to rise again after our death whervnto we must by the toiles and troubles of this life atteyne as Christ him-selfe did by the paines of his crosse and bitter passion THE SECOND glorious misterie is of our Lord and Sauiour his Ascēsion Contemplate here how the fortie day after his Resurrection he lastlye of al appered to his disciples being set at table and commaunded thē to get them vp to the mount Oliuet where after he had taken his leaue and louing farewel of his blessed mother and his disciples mounted vp with great glory and triumphe into heauen accompanied with legions of Angels and such Saintes as he earst had deliuered out of Limbo Take out here this lesson that who so hūbleth him-selfe most in this life shal afterwardes be moste exalted in the other as we see in this example of our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christe If any desire more ample discourse and consideration of these two glorious misteries and of the fiue dolorous aforesaide let them reade the seuenth Chapter aboue where they are more largely amplified and set out and in that respect be here more briefly spoken of my meaning being in this place to serue their turnes chiefly that haue lesse capacitie and leisure to vse this exercise of meditation THE THIRD glorious misterie is of the comming downe of the holye ghoste vpon the disciples Wherein meditate how both they and the other holy women that loued Christe being altogether with his blessed mother in the dining chamber at prayer the holye ghoste came downe in fierie tonges and wonderfully reioyced and comforted them al ministring to them great strength to go and preache abroade as wel appered both by the notable courage and 〈◊〉 efficacie wherewith they preached publiquely without anye feare as also by the multitude of people which were thereby forthwith conuerted whence gather this note that to receaue the holy ghoste thou must be in perfect peace and charitie towardes al men and withal attende diligently to deuout and feruent praier Note furthermore that then shalt thou be strong inough to hazard thy selfe in any peril for Christes cause and thy speeches and spirite shal-be then of force and strenght to stirre vp and inflame others their frosen heartes when thine owne shal firste be perfectlye kindled and inflamed with this heauenly fire which the Apostles receaued as this day THE FOVRTH glorious misterie is of the Assumption of our blessed Ladye Meditate here how the Apostles being nowe departed to preache rounde about the worlde the blessed virgin our Lady remained stil in Ierusalem geuing her-selfe to contemplation and visiting deuoutlye and eftsons those holy places wherin her sacred sonne had earst wrought the misteries of our redemption And being thus occupied wel maye we beleeue she by continual sute of prayers required to be drawen out of this life and conducted thither where she might see her most sweet sonne Who after certaine yeeres condescending to this her sute and humble petition came him-selfe downe accompanied with troupes of holye Angels and tooke with him this moste happye soule carying it into heauen with great ioye and inestimable exultation Marke here what a commendable and verye fruitful exercise it shal-be for thee eftsons in minde to visite these very places where this redemption of ours was wrought meditating deuoutlye the misteries therof as we may right wel suppose the most holy virgin did Note moreouer howe in this life being a vale of toiles and teares thou oughtest to passe the time as in an exile sighing sorowing and desiring to be conducted vp to that heauenly region where the true life is in companye of that moste happy mother and of her derelye beloued sonne Hereby maiest thou likewise vnderstande how greatly this Lord and soueraine Monarche is to be loued and obeyed who both can and wil so highly reward and fauour those that serue and loue him loially as here thou meditatest he hath done towardes his most loial and louing mother THE FIFTE glorious misterie is of the crowning of our blessed Ladye where meditate howe that after her assumptiō according as we right holily doo beleeue that moste happye soule associated with millions of holye Angels came downe to ioyne it selfe to her virginal body which being raised vp became moste beautiful bright immortal and impassible and so with incomparable glory and honour was she crowned of the most sacred Trinitie and placed in a moste pretious throne aboue al the Angels on the right hand of her intierly beloued sonne Here maiest thou cal to minde that albeit in this life thy body be pincht and punished with penance disciplines and other mortifications yet shal it afterwardes rise vp immortal impassible glittering and beautiful like as here thou contemplatest the virginal body of our blessed Lady to haue done Marke here lik ewise what efficacie the praiers of this most soueraine Lady are of being thus highly exalted and beloued of God and therefore oughtest thou to labour al thou canst to be reuerent and deuout towardes her that by so doing it may please her to fauor and helpe thee in thy needes In this wise is the whole Rosary to be said at least once euery weeke and both these and other like profitable lessons to be picked out as God shal vouchsafe by means of thy deuotion to suggest bring thē to thy mind There may also be an-other exercise framed of the Rosarie whereout the simpler sort maye likewise reape good fruite as to laye the picture of Christe before their eyes and at euerye part where he suffered anye torment or gricfe there to say a Pater noster or Aue Mary contemplating the whiles of that griefe and paine In like maner maiest thou doo before the picture of our blessed Ladye calling to minde the ioyes or sorowes she suffred either in seing hearing or touching her sonne as-wel in al his life time as in his passion and painful death Otherwhiles likewise thou maiest offer vp an Aue Mary or Peter noster thinking of the Angels and holye Saintes of both sexe especiallye such as thou hast moste deuotion to recommending thee to their praiers and intercessions and thus maiest thou with great ease gaine great graces of our Lord and blessed Sauiour CERTAYNE remedies for such as could not haply finde sauour or deuotion in the former meditations ¶ Cap. 11. WOTING wel as I haute alreadie saide what great good this exercise of prayer doth purchace to our foules I haue in this respect bene more willing to extende my selfe a litle the further in intreating thereof And for the same some cause haue thought good likewise in this Chapter to annexe certaine remedies to releeue thee with at
both spiritually and corporally too if neede be THE FIFT aduise is that albeit thou must take for the recouerie of thy health al outward remedies and bodily phisicke that may be applied to thee yet oughtest thou to put greter confidence in the celestial phisition and in his diuine mercy prouidence then in any artificial and humane medicines least otherwise it might happ to thee as it did to king Asa who being visited with excessiue paines in his feete deserued not to recouer health yea mcurred death for that as the scripture telleth he trusted more to his phisitions skil facultie then to Gods diuine succour THE SIXT aduise is that if thorough Gods good grace thou recouer thy health againe and be cured of the infirmitie which lately greeued thee that presently thou remember to geue God the authour of al good thinges moste humble thankes for this his great benefite acknowledging and confessing freelye that it came principally by him rather then by any other helps humane remedies See therefore thou shewe thy selfe grateful euery wayes thou maiest least otherwise thou be like the nine ingrateful lepors that Christe clensed yea rather resemble thou the tenth who albeit he was a forreiner yet did he by and by after he had receaued health returne backe to thanke his benefactour whereby he deserued to be commended of the same our Lorde and Sauiour and th' other nine to be found fault withal and condemned for their ingratitude THE SEVENTH aduise is that nowe hauing receaued the health which thou earst lackedst thou be verye careful hereafter to auoyde al sort of sinne and to amend thy life hereafter assuring thy selfe that for this cause was it that thy health was thus restored to thee Thou oughtest therefore to be very diligent in executing suche good thoughtes and purposes as thou haddest or shouldest haue had in thy sicknes if God did vouchsafe mercifullye to graunt thee health againe as he nowe hath done for other-wise by forgetting the benefite receaued and returning backe again to thy vomite and wented beastlines of offending thou shouldest by this meanes deserue to haue some worse thing to light vpō thee like as our Sauior him-self aduertised the man whom he had cured of his thirtie and eight yeres palsey These aduises maiest thou vse during the time of such sicknes as God wil haue thee to escape and to be recured of But if thy maladie be mortal and no remedie but this temporal life must be determined and ended by it then ouer and aboue what hath been alreadie said take these aduises folowing THE FIRST is that perceauing thy sicknes to increase and to growe more greeuous thou then awake thy selfe with more vigilant care to dispose both of thy temporal and spiritual affaires as if those wordes were then spoken to thee which were deliuered by the prophete Esaye to king Ezechias Dispose of thy house for thou 〈◊〉 dye and not liue Dispatch therfore and make perfect thy wil which euerye good Christian ought to make in the time of health when he maye with better case sounder iudgement and more mature aduise perfourme and doo the same and not to driue it til the last houre when al these commodities doo faile him sith daylye experience doth informe vs howe through the letts and encombrances of sicknes the wils that are made in that time be very rawlye performed and many times vnperfectly drawen and penned Hauing therfore thy wil in a redines by thee with thy satisfaction therin conteyned thou maiest then as shal seeme best vnto thee alter or adde thereto any thing by way of codicil But if thou hast bene heretofore negligent in this matter haddest not made it or not so exactlye as to content and satisfie thy minde withal then maiest thou make it anewe at such time as thou shouldest finde thy selfe best at ease of ripest iudgement and least letted with thy sicknes procuring to haue some trustie frend by thee to prompt thee at that time in necessary and needful remembraunces THE SECOND aduise to helpe thee in this case is that when thou haste once finished thy wil according to thy mind with a true and perfect satisfaction and disburdened thy cōscience as-wel for restitution making and debtes paying if thou owest any as also touching other discrete and godly legacies Briefly hauing disposed of al thy temporal causes force thy selfe forth-with to forget quite 〈◊〉 thinges which thou 〈◊〉 here behinde thee and wholly to occupie thy minde in heauenly matters which thou shortlye hopest to enioye that by this means the remembrance of such thinges as earst thou louedst wel and nowe must needes leaue doo not disquiet thee or cause thee to receaue death more vnwillingly then were meete thou shouldest doo And to ridd thee the better of al these encombrances and daungerous distractions let this be THE THIRD aduise to commaūd al those of thy house and require al others that come to visite and assist thee not to deale or breake with thee in any temporal matters nor to put thee in memorie of such worldlye things as earst thou bare affection to as might be riches wife children frendes with other thinges wherein thou delitedst gretly heretofore And then see that this be chieflye done when death is at the doore and the life draweth fast to an ende then I say let this aduise be moste carefully executed least the sight or hearing of such matters might then allure or draw thine affection to them and so thy minde be distracted and caried awaye from dinine and heauenlye matters wherewith thou oughtest in that time to be onely in loue and onlye to desire and thinke vpon THE FOVRTH aduise when thou seest thy selfe in these termes is to cause some deuout spiritual godly mē to be called for who in this so busie important a time may assist geue thee good counsaile and exhortations comforting thee eyther with their good speeches or by good lessons which they may reade out of some such spiritual booke as maye serue most fitly for thy purpose that by this meanes thy soule maye more easily eleuate it selfe vp to the consideration of celestial and heauenlye matters wherin but specially in the blessed passion of our Sauiour Iesus Christe thou oughtest principallye to occupie thy minde These men may like-wise doo thee great good with their zelous and feruent prayers calling vpon God for his diuine mercye towardes thee and beseeching our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christe and his blessed mother with al the whole court of heauen to helpe and fauour thee in that houre of thy departure being a time so tedious and so ful of imminent peril And thus must thou pray thy selfe too in the best maner thou canst THE FIFT aduise is that when thou supposest thy life to drawe fast awaye yet before such time as thou losest the vse of reason thou then craue
goods either priuily or pertly against the owners wil as also ech other vnlawful seasing or with-holding of others substance be it by stealth violence or any fraude and legerdemain or els by vsurie or some kind of other vnlawful bargaine whereby our neighbour is defrauded and suffreth some losse and hinderance It foloweth therfore that who so in their trades and traffiques vse not equitie and vpright dealing offend against this precept Such also as discharge not their Creditours hauing meanes to pay them or that find any lost thing and restore it not either to the true owner or to the poore the owner being not extant if haply such thinges were not reputed as geuen ouer and voluntarily abēdoned of the owner Finally al fraude deceipt and tretcherie whereby our neighboures goodes is damnified to whom our Sauiour and Lorde wil haue vs to beare great loue and charitie and not to doo other-wise to them then willingly we would that they should do to vs yea that we doo them the good which they maye conuenientlye require and we likewise performe towardes them Who so faileth in anye of these thinges aforesaid doth break and violate this commaundement IN THE eight precept is al such harme forbidden as through our speeche and wordes may be procured to our neighbours as might be principally in bearing false witnes against them in place of iudgement or in speaking suche wordes out of iudgement as might eyther blemishe or quite ouerthrowe our neighbours credite and good name In like maner to reueale suche imperfections and faultes as we knowe by others to them that knowe them not not wherby they are either defamed or els made lesse accompt of especially when such thinges are reuealed with wicked intent and to those that can by no meanes redresse them By this precept is like-wise forbidden al detractions murmuringes speaking euil slaundering of others al scoffing taunting and telling of lies albeit without harme or any preiudice to our neighbours Finally we must beware of speaking or saying anye thing whereby anye harme might any wayes ensue THE NINTH precept is as a declaration of the seuenth thereby to notifie vnto vs the better what charitie God wil haue vs to vse towardes our neighbours and howe farre we ought to be from doing them anye euil being not onely forbidden to take their goodes by outward means from them but also not to desire inwardly in our heartes any vnlawful vsurpation of them And like as the desire and coueting of these thinges is prohibited vs euen so are wee to witt that eche other deliberate wil and desire of any thing what-soeuer that may be preiudicial to our neighbour is vtterly forbidden vs. THE TENTH precept is as a declaration of the sixt to doo vs the better to vnderstand what puritie of heart our Lord requireth of vs wherby we ought not onely to beware of committing aduoultrie fornication or any other carnal act as was abouesaid in the sixt but also not to haue any concupiscence or desire with determinate consent which suffiseth without committing any outwarde act to soile our soules and to procure the losse of Gods diuine grace and fauour towards vs This briefe declaration of these tenne commaundementes shal geue thee some light aswel to know the better how to keepe them as also to vnderstand howe to make thy confession better when haply thou mightest haue trespassed against any of these preceptes Note moreouer that al these tenne commaundementes are according to our Sauiors doctrine reduced vnto two of charitie towardes God and towardes our neighbour sithens who so loueth God sincerely performeth duely the three preceptes of the first table perteyning to Gods honour and who so loueth his neighbor with that sinceritie he doth him-selfe wil not faile in the seuen preceptes of the second table which instruct eche one howe to gouerne thē-selues towards their neighbours OVR LORDES praver which Christ him-selfe made instructing thereby both his disciples and al vs howe we ought to pray and aske for al necessary thinges as-wel for our soules as bodies and this in seucn petitions conteined in thi prayer PATER noster qui es in coelis 1. Sanctificetur nomen tuum 2. Adueniat Regnum tuum 3. Fiat voluntas tua sicut in coelo in terra 4. Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie 5. Et dimitte nobis debita nostra sicut nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris 6. Et ne nos inducas in temptationem 7. Sed libera nos à malo Amen OVR Father which art in heauen 1. Hallowed be thy name 2. Thy kingdome come 3. Thy wil be done in earth as it is in heauen 4. Geue vs this day our dayly bread 5. And forgeue vs our trespasses as we 〈◊〉 them that trespasse against vs. 6. And leade vs not into temptation 7. But deliuer vs from euil Amen A DECLARATION of the Pater noster ¶ Cap. 32. THIS prayer is of al other the most holy and most excellent as-wel in respect of the maker Iesus Christe our Lorde and Sauior as also for that vnder so smal a compasse is taught vs howe we are to aske al that is needful for our souls and bodies and is deuided into a preface or proeme and seuen petitions THE preface is Our Father which art in heauen fitt wordes to stirre vp such attention and deuotion as is meete to say this prayer withal for hereby are we put in minde how we speake to the moste high and Omnipotent God whom we cal father for twoo causes first by creation hauing created vs as he did al other creatures next by adoption sith through Iesus Christe his onely natural sonne he hath receaued al those that beleeue in his holy name for his children adoptiue and this word Our Father doth vs to witt what honor obedience and loue we are bound to beare towardes such a father as also what charitie we ought to haue amongst our selues being al brethren and children of one self-same Father These wordes Which art in heauen warne vs to lift vp our heartes and desires to heauen where our father is and howe we must liue here not like terrestral but celestial Citizens sith our Father is resident aboue in heauen Who is saide to be there for that he appereth there glorious to his elect albeit he be in eche other place in the selfe same substance power and presence THE FIRST petition is Halowed be thy name and is a petition worthy the childrē of such a father sith good childrē the principal care they haue is to seeke and desire whatsoeuer concerneth the reuerence and honour of their Father Euen so doo we in this first petition couet and desire that God our father be halowed and sanctified in vs that is that he be knowē honoured and reuerenced of vs we by his grace performing such works wherby al those that see vs maye prayse and glorifie this our heauenly
for so is moste expedient forsomuch as the thinges that are here intreated of sith they be the rules and remembrances which thou oughtest in spiritual life to leuel and guide thy worke by it behoueth at al times to reade them when thou purposest to practise thē For besides that the bare reading shal-be a laudable and meritorious exercise for thee and serue as a part of prayer the reiterating and frequētation of reading shal helpe thee to learne by heart what in action thou art bound to execute and so maiest thou afterwardes exercise thee in ech point with much more facilitie and lesse adoo a great deale And therfore albeit this litle labour maye profite eche one that with good and godlye intent wil vouchsafe to reade it yet was it principally intended for the simple and more ignorant sort and for that cause haue I thought good to annexe here in the end such thinges as many of them wot not and yet are bound to knowe Seing that if euerye Artisan thinke it meete to knowe such thinges as belonge vnto his Art howe much more is a true Christian bound to knowe what appertaineth to his profession an Arte aboue al Artes and to be prepared as the Apostle S. Peter saith to yeeld accompt of that he beleeueth and hopeth and what it behooueth him to doo to liue according to Gods wil and pleasure and to obteine euerlasting life withal Wherefore for such as be in this behalfe blame-woorthye negligent I haue here set downe such thinges as without daunger of their owne wel-doing they neither ought nor can be ignorant of that by reading these notes and short remembrances they may both vnderstande what they want and learne it here commodiously without further seeking of other bookes And as for the textes I haue here set them foorth both in the latine and vulgar tonge for euery one to learne them as best shal like thē not respecting so much the wordes as the substance and sapp conteined in the same SIMBOLVM APOSTOLORVM which in vulgare tonge is called the Creede 1. CREDO in Deū Patrem Omnipotentem Creatorem coeli terrae 2. Et in Iesum Christum filium eius vnicum Dominum nostrum 3. Qui conceptus est de Spiritu Sancto natus ex Maria virgine 4. Passus sub Pontio Pilato crucifixus mortuus sepultus 5. Descendit ad inferos tertia die resurrexit à mortuis 6. Ascendit ad coelos sedit ad dextram Dei Patris Omnipotentis 7. Inde venturus est iudicare viuos mortuos 8. Credo in Spiritum Sanctum 9. Sanctam Ecclesiam Catholicam Sanctorum Communionem 10. Remissionem peccatorum 11. Carnis Resurrectionem 12. Vitam aeternam Amen 1. I beleeue in God the Father Almightie Maker of heauen and earth 2. And in Iesus Christ his onely sonne our Lord. 3. Which was conceaued by the holy Ghost born of the virgin Marye 4. Suffred vnder Pontius Pilate was crucified deade and buried 5. Descended into hel the third day he rose againe from the deade 6. Ascended into heauen sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almightie 7. From thence he shal come to iudge both the quicke and the deade 8. I beleeue in the holy Ghoste 9. The holy Catholike Churche the Communion of Saintes 10. The forgeuenes of sinnes 11. The Resurrection of the bodye 12. And the life euerlasting Amen A BRIEFE declaration of the. 12. Articles conteined in the Crede ¶ Cap. 30. FOR thy better remembring of these xij Articles conteined in the Creede aforesaid wherin the whole summe of our holy Catholike fayth is comprehended I haue thought good in this second impression to adioyne a briefe declaration as-wel thereof as also of such other thinges as be needful for thee to haue by hart Wherby thou maiest easily learn not onely to rehearse the bare wordes but to sucke out the sense and sapp also of that which thou beleeuest con fessest and witnessest or at least wise oughtest to doo in al thy life and actions It is therfore for declaration of this Creede or Simbole to be noted howe God being one in substance three in person al the three persons of the most sacred and souerain Trinitie are in this Creede especified and vnto eche one of them their peculier and proper Articles assigned THE FIRST Article sheweth vnto vs the first person of the Trinitie to wit the Father vnto whom is attributed the creation of heauen earth and of al things visible and inuisible al the which as he for vs hath by his Omnipotencie created of nothing so doth he forovs through his wisdome and goodnes still mainteine and gouerne them whereby we are done to wit what great loue we are bounde to beare towarde this our so good a father who hath for vs created and kept so manye thinges What trust we may also repose in him and howe greatly we ought to dreade the offending of so omnipotent a Father THE SECOND Article declareth vnto vs the second person of the sacred Trinitie which is the Sonne who touching his diuinitie is from al eternitie ingendred of his Father of the self-same substaunce with his father and coequal to him This one only and eternal sonne of God as he tooke humane nature and fleshe vppon him is called Iesus Christe that is to saye Sauiour annointed IESVS which signifieth Saurour for that he came to saue and redeeme his people from their sinnes and CHRISTE which is as much to say as annointed for that he was annointed by the holye Ghoste ful of grace and truth He is also called MESSIAS whom God had erst promised to sende into the worlde a KING BISSHOP and LORDE for that he bought vs with his most precious bloud and thereby is geuen vs to vnderstande howe much we are bound to honour loue and reuerence him THE THIRD Article teacheth vs the incarnation and temporal natiuitre of this our Lord for that being as God eternally engendred of his father without mother he for our loue descended frō heauen and tooke humane fleshe vpon him and was as man conceaued without father or operation of man in that most sacred vessel the virginal wombe of the euermore virgin Mary and was afterwardes borne in Bethlcem of this his blessed mother she remayning euermore a virgin By this incarnation of the 〈◊〉 of God we are al of vs regenerated of carnal that we were made spiritual and the children of God in Iesus Christe THE FOVRTH Article doth informe vs of the Passion death and burial of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christe who hauing preched and done many miracles for the space of three yeres the Iewes of meere spite and malice accused him to Pontius Pilate their Iudge who albeit he wist wel his innocencie and cleernes frō any crime yet did he adiudge him to suffer death vpon the Roode and so was he by that means crucified dead and buried whose holy wounds passion Crosse
and death were causes of our life and yeeld great consolation to al such as sincerely doo loue and serue him THE FIFT Article openeth to vs howe Christe our Redeemer being thus deade on the roode his most sacred soule vnited to his diuinitie discended downe to hel to fetche thence those holye Fathers that so many yeres had looked for him And afterwardes triumphing ouer death as he had alreadie done ouer the deuil and hel did rise vp the third daye by his owne power and vertue and so issued out of his Sepulchre immortal and most glorious This his example geueth hope to eche one beleeuing sinceerly in him that they shal in th' ende rise like-wise vp immortal and right glorious THE SIXT Article instructeth vs howe our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christe the fortie daye after his Resurrection did with exceeding triumph ascend vp to heuen and sitteth there on the right hand of his Almightie Father that is to say in the self-same glory power and Maiestie with the Father enioying al the blisse his Father doeth and gouerning al thinges with him This glorious Ascension of Christe our head yeeldeth confidence to his true members that if they obey their head and heauenlye captaine they shal one day ascende also and reigne in heauen with him THE SEVENTH Article telleth vs of the second comming of Christe our Lorde which shal-be at the last day when he shal in humane fleshe come with great power and Maiestie accompanied with al his holye angels to iudge the vniuersal world as-wel those that be at that time liuing in erth as also al those that haue beene dead since the worlde was first created thē shal he yeeld reward to ech one according to the deedes and workes they shal haue wrought This article admonisheth vs to liue with so much more vigilant care and watchfulnes as we knowe more certainlye that al our woordes woorkes and thoughtes are to be examined and discussed of this moste dreadful Iudge before whose tribunal seate we must needes al of vs appere THE EIGHT Article sheweth vs the third person of the moste sacred Trinitie which is the holy Ghoste who proceedeth from the Father and the sonne and is with them the selfe same God eternal and omnipotent And therfore are we bound with the selfe same honour faith and dutiful obeisance to reuerence adore him This is the comforter and spirite of truth that illuminateth teacheth and sanctifieth vs and according to his diuine pleasure departeth his giftes to euery one IN THE ninth Article we confesse that there is a holye Catholike Church to wit an vniuersal congregation of the faithful which haue the very self-same faith doctrine and Sacramentes And this Church is HOLY because it is sanctified by Christ the head therof and gouerned by the holye Ghost and is CATHOLIKE that is to say vniuersal for that it embraceth al the faithful that in euerye place and time haue helde and doo holde one selfe same faith of Christe We confesse like-wise in this Article that in this holye and vniuersal Churche or congregation there is a communion of Saintes that is to say that al those that dwel in this Churche doo as in the house of God al of them communicate one with an-other such giftes as they receaue and doo one of them helpe an-other both spiritually and corporally like members al of one body THE TENTH Article propoundeth to vs the remissiō and forgeuenes of our sinnes which is obteined in this holy Catholike Church aboue saide by the vertue of Christes passion operating by meanes of such holy Sacramentes as he left in this same Churche Hence are sinners to gather a singuler comfort sithens if they be truely penitent for their trespasses and haue a ful purpose neuer after to offende their maker they haue then a redy means to recouer Gods grace again which by their vngratiousnes they had so lewdly lost THE ELEVENTH Article testifieth the vniuersal resurrection of al men who eche one of them iust or vniust shal rise againe in the last day of iudgement with their owne bodies and shal stand before the tribunal of Christes iudgement there to receaue doome in their bodies according to the good or euil they shal haue wrought in this life So that the elect that haue done good shal arise with bright and beautiful bodies to the resurrection of life and perpetual blisse and happines And the damned that haue done euil with moste horrible and vggly bodies to the resurrection of damnation and euerlasting tormentes both in their soules and bodies THE TWELFTH Article promiseth vs an euerlasting life which shal succeede after this transitorye life wherin the good rising vp in bodies and soules shal reigne eternally and enioye the inestimable treasures of blessed happines exempted from al miseries and toils that in this temporal life doo eftsons trouble vs And the wicked being also in body and soule resuscitate shal dwel in perpetual paines and abide more terrible tormentes then any mans tonge can tel This article geueth good Christians cōfort to abide al aduersitie with patience considering that eternal life we looke and hope for where being exempt from al euil we shal enioy al good thinges and reigne in euerlasting happines This worde Amen annexed to the end sheweth the most certain and infallible truth of the christian fayth confessiō conteined in this Creede THE DECALOGVE or tenne Commaundementes of the lawe of God 1. NON ae habebis Deos alienos coram me 2. Non assumes nomen Domini Dei in vanum 3. Memento vt diem Sabathi sanctifices 4. Honora patrem tuum matrem tuam 5. Non occides 6. Non moechaberis 7. Non furtum facies 8. Non loqueris contra proximum falsum testimonium 9. Non concupisces domum proximi tui 10. Non desiderabis vxorem eius 1. Thou shalt haue none other Gods but me 2. Thou shalt not take the name of thy Lorde God in vaine 3. Remēber that thou keep holy the Saboth day 4. Honour thy father and thy mother 5. Thou shalt not kil 6. Thou shalt not committ aduoultry 7. Thou shalt not steale 8. Thou shalt not beare false witnes against thy neighbour 9. Thou shalt not couet thy neighbours house 10. Thou shalt not desire thy neighbours wife A DECLARATION of the Decalogue or tenn Commaundements ¶ Cap. 31. LIKE as we haue alreadie seene in the Creede what we are bound to beleeue euen so in these tenn commaundementes are we taught by our Lorde God what his wil is that we doo to gaine euerlasting life withal Wherefore the summe of his first precept is this to beleeue in one true and onely God which is the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghoste as is aforesaide in the declaration of the Articles and that to him alone we geue adoration honour and reuerence louing this our God aboue al things with al our heart with al our soule and
written that who so loueth peril shal perishe in it GENERAL remedies to be vsed against temptations ¶ Cap. 17. SITHENS it is so weightie a matter and of so great importance to fight and to resist tentations for feare of being ouercome and falling into sinne it behoueth vs to haue alwayes a vigilant eye and to be furnished of suche wepons as be moste requisite for this future combat Such therfore as may serue generally to defend thee from al kinde of sinne be these considerations folowing which thou must exercise not onely in time of fight but in time of peace too that when neede requireth thou may thē haue them in more readines FIRST consider the dignitie of thy soule created to the very likenes and similitude of God and how whiles it persisteth in grace it is so beutiful bright that the maker him-selfe delighteth tobdwel in it and al the holy Angels and quiers of heauen doo reuerence and reioyce in it but anone after it hath once consented to sinne God straight-waies departeth out and the deuil entreth in polluting chaunging it into so vgglye and abhominable a state as if the sinner could then see him-selfe he woulde be therewith vtterly confounded and haue him-self in extreme horrour If therfore thou wouldest so lothly soile any fresh and gay garment thou haddest lately bought how muche more thē oughtest thou to detest that consent to sinne which so filthily polluteth thy soule a much more pretious thing without al comparison then any most gorgious and glittering attire of body SECONDLY consider howe besides this euil euen one sinne doth cause thee to incurre innumerable other miseries sith by committing but of one mortal sinne thou loosest the grace of God and his amitie annexed to his grace Thou loosest the infused vertues and the gifts of the holye Ghoste which adorned thee and made thee beautiful in the sight of god Thou losest the repose and serenitie of a good conscience Thou losest the meed and merite of al such good deedes as thou hast done before and the participation of the merites of Christ our head sith thou art not now vnited to him by grace and charitie so remainest an enemy to thy Creator depriued of the inheritāce which Christe by his pretious bloud had purchased for thee condemned to euerlasting tormentes a thral and bond-ssaue to the deuil who by al meanes possiblye seeketh thine vtter ouerthrow Briefly thou incurrest so many other daungers as no mannes tongue can sufficiently declare them What man is he then that wil- be so madd as for a short and beastlye delight that sinne affordeth him to incurre such huge heapes of extreme miseries and incurable calamities THIRDLY consider howe by striuing to resist tentations they tarye not long but vanish and fleete away and thou by hauing vanquished thē shalt remaine enriched with greater meede honour and consolation The blessed Angels of heauen shal also come and serue thee like as they did our Sauiour hauing ouercome his tentations But if on th' other side thou let thy self be lewdly ouercome the delight of sinne shal forth with fleete away and the gripes confusion and discontentment that remain behinde and gnawe thy giltie conscience shal afflict thee much more thē any resistance making might possiblye haue done FOVRTHLY consider that if thou easily consent to sinne thou must afterwardes painfully redresse the euil thou hast committed sith thou must needes suffer much sorowe in bewailing it shame in confessing it pain in doing penance for it besides a milliō of many mo difficulties al which thou maiest auoide by fighting manfully and not consenting vnto sinne FIFTLY consider that looke how much more thou vsest to consent to sinne and so muche more shal thy temptations increase and thy strēgth decay and thus at length shalt thou cause a wicked custome which afterwardes wil almost be impossible for thee to forsake and leaue For as S. Austin sayth Whiles we resist not a custom we make it become a necessitie but contrariwise if thou force thee to resist in the beginning thy strength shal daylye increase and the tentations waxe more weake and feeble Suffer not therfore thy selfe through a litle negligence at the first to receaue afterwardes a desperate and incurable wounde In these and such like consultations if thou eftsons exercise thy selfe beleeue verilye to receaue great helpe therby against al kind of temptations There be yet mo wepons and general remedies as is the often frequētation of prayer a remedie that our Sauior gaue to his disciples the night of his holy passion exhorting them so sundry times to praye for feare of being ouercome by tentation It helpeth greatly in like maner to meditate the foure last thinges to witt Death Iudgement Hel and Heauen according to that saying of holye writt In al thine actions remember the last thinges and thou shalt not sinne everlastingly An-other general remedie is the reading of holy scripture committing certaine sentences and particuler authorities therof to memory suche as may most fitly helpe thee against the tentations that shal assault thee This remedie did our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus-Christe teache vs when being tēpted by the deuil in the wildernes he ouerthrew and repulsed al his temptations by the textes of holye scripture The remembrance of particuler examples of holy saints shal likewise helpe thee setting before thine eyes what they did in suche tentations as thou feelest It helpeth also not a litle against al tentations to cal eftsons vpō the holy name of IESVS with a zeale and feruour of faith and withal to forme the signe of the holy Crosse vpon thee which the deuil doth greatlye dreade especially being made with a liuely fayth as where-with he was once vtterly confounded And if for al this thou finde thy selfe stil infested with these tentations it shal help thee very much to beholde our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christe crucified with the eyes of thy soule remembring those most greeuous torments which he endured for thy sake and so shalt thou wel knowe what a smal matter it is to abide patiently for his sake al that trouble and toile thou presently feelest An-other remede and that of great efficacie is the often frequentation of those two moste holy Sacramentes of Penance and Receauing sith these are the soueraine remedies and medicines which our Sauiour desirous of our wel-fare left vnto vs as-wel to cure our present woundes caused through our former sins as also they being already healed to preserue vs hence-forth from incurring the like dangers And albeit the vse of these diuine Sacramentes is as I haue saide before at al times verye profitable yet much more doth it helpe vs in the time of our tentation sithens thē doth a man stand most need of grace and strength when he is moste greeuously assailed by his aduersary and then no doubt but
through famine to plucke of the eares of corne and eate them how our Sauiour likewise fasted fortie dayes in the desert and the gaule that was geuen him in his extreme thirst to drinke being vpon the froode wherof thou oughtest euerye time thou art at meate to vnbethinke thee THE FOVRTH remedie is eftsons to remember that eternal supper of heauen wherto we are al inuited as our Sauiour by one of his parables doth signifie Consider how minding to enioye this so happye and royal a supper it behoueth to absteine in the dinner of this life that by so doing thou maiest then fil and satiate thee the better like as we see in the world he that is inuited to a sumptuous sup per vseth commonly to be moderate and spare at noone not to lose the cōmoditie and pleasure of his appetite at night THE LAST remedie that a very secure one is so much as thou maiest possibly to flye al occasions of gluttony as be the feastes and iunketings of worldly mā where there is so great abundance and varietie of viandes so many meats drinkes and delicate and plesant fruites amidst the which very hardly may any man keepe sobrietie being so many thinges to allure him to gluttony Remēber what holy writt saith of our mother Eue how she saw the tree that it was good to eate and fayre and pleasant to the eye she tooke of the fruit did eate and gaue thereof vnto her husbande and thereby was cause of so great a losse both to her-self to the whole race of miserable mankinde In like maner maiest thou fal into many miseries if thou flye not the hazarding thy selfe in such like dangers REMEDIES against the troublesome tentations of slouth and idlenes ¶ Cap. 21. THERE is yet an-other vice of the fleshe engendred of the two former spoken of in the former Chapters and is called Slouth or Idlenes which is a lothsomnes and disliking of spiritual things and a negligence or fainting to beginne anye good thing or to finishe that which is entred and begon alreadye Against which vice not a litle hurtful it is conuenient likewise to be armed sith thou shalt not be without this wearines and lothsome temptations whiles thou art harboured in this fleshly body which as the scripture saith doth aggrauate and molest the soule seing that many times through attending to our bodily necessities and the importunities of our fleshe we become slouthful distract and dul to doo any good Wherfore to th' end thou be not ouercome with this domestical enemie helpe thy selfe with these considerations and remedies that I shal now prescribe thee FIRST consider the strict accompt thou must yeelde of the time that God doth graunt thee in this life to worke wel in for that as S. Bernarde saith There is no time geuen thee in this mortal life wherof thou must not render a reckning 〈◊〉 thou hast employed it For if we be to yeeld an accompt of euery idle word as truth him-selfe doth tel vs in the holy Gospel howe much the rather are we to doo the same of time spent idely and without any fruit or goodnes The which a deuout and spiritual man marking wel euery time he heard the clocke strike saide thus in his heart Ah my Lord God loe now an-other houre of my life spent wherof I am to yeeld thee a reckning and so forced him-self withal to spend the next houre better thē he had done the former SECONDLY consider howe if thou once let slip the time vnfruitfully that is geuen thee to fructifie and doo good in it can neuer be possibly recouered againe and so must thou needes afterwardes lament the losse of so pretious a thing through thy negligence and yet want meanes to winne it any more for albeit thou haue a meaning to doo wel hereafter yet is it vncertain whether thou shalt haue time and leisure graunted thee to doo so and but if thou haue yet is the good thou shalt then doo due to that present time and so both mightest and oughtest thou haue done tofore THIRDLY consider howe long painful the toils and sweats of worldlye men be to scrape a few riches together and to purchase some temporal promotion and howe they refuse no paines to satisfie others humours and to gaine their gratious lookes fauors and thus be thou vtterly confounded that they to get vaine and transitorie things should be more diligent then thou to purchace moste pretious and euerlasting riches Be ashamed likewise that they are more diligent and careful to please men but bond-slaues of the world then thou to please God that celestial and omnipotent Monarche Thus reade we of a holye Father in the liues of Saintes who on a time hauing marked the curious attire and tricking vp of a lewde losel beganne to bedew his cheekes and say Pardon me O my Lorde and omnipotent God who see that one dayes trimming vp of this strumpet surpasseth the pains I haue al my life longe bestowed to deck and beautifie my soul. The like is al-most writtē of the Abbot Pambus who hauing seene in Alexandria a woman of no lesse curious attire thē th' other fel of weeping and being asked the cause his aunswere was that he wept as-wel for the losse of that woman as also for that he employed lesse care and studie to please God then she to please men THE SECOND Remedie to make thee take paines and to worke wel in this life is to thinke estsons of the glorious fruite that these thy good trauailes and labours wil one day afforde and yeelde thee for if the husband-man doo digge and delue and til his ground in frost sknow al the colde winter winds that blow and withal this hardnes goeth so lustily away in hope of summers yeeld that some-times doth deceaue him howe much more reason is it that thou shouldest trauail and take pains to serue God in this life hoping as thou doest for so plentiful a haruest in the life to come which neuer did nor can possibly deceaue vs as both our faith and al the holye scriptures doo assure vs And if the hired seruant weigh not the toil of his whole dayes trauaile for ioye of the wages he looketh to receaue at night whye doest not thou in like maner animate thy self to worke in this life remembring the aboundant and incomparable hire that shal-be paide thee at night to wit after thy death Neither can any man attaine to so great a rewarde but by great pains and trauaile as S. Gregory testifieth Cal to minde also the anguishes griefes and infinit torments that such suffer and shal do euerlastingly as in this life through slouth and negligence refused to take any pains to serue God and to fulfil his diuine commaundementes and so be deade like barreine braunches without bearing fruit Which
from my foes For these and al other thy benefites namely for those thou hast this day most bountifully bestowed vpō me Here are they particulerly to be though of O my soueraine Lorde I yeeld thee such sincere and dutiful thankes as my poore hart can possibly afforde thee beseeching the blessed virgin and al the Saintes of heauen to yeeld thee thankes and praises in supply of my want 2. AND NOWE mine only Redeemer and Sauiour I humbly craue the light of thy grace to know wherein I haue this day any wayes offended thee and that by mature and sounde discussion of my conscience I maye see mine owne sinnes with sorowe and thine ineffable mercy with a zelous and firme purpose of amendment 3. HERE MVST we examine our selues how we haue employed the day in word thought and deede towardes God and our neighbours 4. THOV SEEST O Lord my lewdnes and wotest my miserie muche better then I my selfe doo Sory I am with al my heart that I should stil offend so louing a Lord and wish to God my sorowes were greatly multiplied I purposed earst to doo better by thy grace which wanted not and yet haue I trāsgresled in my former trespasses Neither yet may I despaire O Lorde but wil continually trust to thy mercies in al euentes and purpose firmely as I nowe doo euery day to amend my life Deliuer me my gratious God from al mortal sinne for euer and geue me grace to persecute my venial vices with sorow during life And for the satisfaction of these and al my former sinnes together with al those of the world as also for al thine ineffable benefites bestowed vpon me and al man-kinde I offer vnto thee the merits of thy bitter passion those moste pretious droppes of bloud thou sheddest for me and that inflamed charitie wherwith thou wholly resignest thy selfe to al thy tormentes for my 〈◊〉 and in the vnion of this thine oblation on the roode I offer vp my self soul body and al I haue of thine within or without me to thine honour and euerlasting glory I retaine nothing to my selfe but geue al to thee whose it is and make that thine by my wil which is thine of iustice Geue me thy grace O my God to liue better her eafter and to confesse my sins in due time to my ghostly Father Geue me true humilitie and repentance grace to knowe thee and grace to knowe me puritie of heart in al my doinges patience chastitie and perfect charitie Geue me a good life and a good death and in the daungerous houre of my departure the assistance of thy blessed Saintes and Angels with whom I may through thy mercie in an-other world praise and glorifie thee euerlastinglye Amen Say then the Pater noster Aue Maria and the Creede with some short praier or hymne as thou liest thee downe to craue protection for the night and conuenient rest of bodie and soule And faile not to commend thee to thy Gardian Angel. A PRAYER to be 〈◊〉 before Sacramental Confession MOST Soueraine mightie and merciful Lorde who of thine infinite loue and mercie towards mankinde hast ordemed in thy Churche the Sacrament of Penance as a soueraine saulue to heale our spiritual woundes and to purge vs from the filth wher-with we maie after Baptisme any wayes haue defiled our soules I. N. thy most vile and ingrateful creature hauing offended thee many waies and most greeuouslye since my last Confession purpose through thy grace to flie hither for my remedie and according to thy diuine ordinance to confesse my sins vnto thy seruant hoping therby according to thy promise to receaue a ful and perfect absolution Geue me grace therefore O Lorde that like as of thy goodnes thou hast inspired into my hart a desire to apply this remedy to my ghostly griefs so I may in due reuerence contrition and sinceritie vse the same to the glory of thy name and the ful forgeuenes of my sinnes Open the secretes of my soule vnto me O Lord and make me knowe al my sinns and iniquities what-soeuer Geue me also due sorowe and contrition for the same and grace to vnfolde them to thy vicar my ghostly phisition purely plainly sorowfully and sincerely with firme and constant purpose through thy grace to amend my life hereafter Ah Lorde my gratious God and onely comfort of my soule sithens thou desirest that in al thinges I should sincerelye serue thee and I through thy grace desire nothing more then to doo the same why is it Lorde that I stil offend thee whye fal I so ofte in relapse of my former folies Thy grace is not wanting but mine vngratiousnes and inconstancie is the cause thereof whereof I moste hartily accuse me Euen nowe I mind to fight manfullye and by and by I faint and faile in my former purposes Rightly therefore am I in respect hereof to humble my selfe and to deem me to be thy most vile and abiect creature Increase in me daily thy grace and soueraine vertue of humilitie and graunt me that once I may know thee and know my selfe Thee in thy Maiestie and mercye me in mine abhominations and misery and that at length I may fight more manfully and gain the victorie ouer mine 〈◊〉 through thy gratious helpe and fauour my onely Redeemer and Sauiour Iesus Christe who with the Father and the holy Ghost reignest one God euerlastingly Amen A PRAYER to be saide after Sacramental Confession O GOD of mercie and pitie hauing nowe through thy gratious goodnes disburdened my conscience of the gilt wherwith it was oppressed and in the low liest wise I might vnfolded al the sinnes I could possibly thinke of vnto thy minister my ghostly father I most humblie beseeche thee to accept this my Confession and to forgeue me my trespasses aswel remembred as forgotten Graunt me grace O Lorde to liue more carefullie and diligentlie hereafter and to refraine from my former folies which I vtterlie detest and through thy grace doo firmely purpose neuer any more to offende in Especially O my gratious and benigne Sauior geue me grace to withstande these temptations wher-with I am most greeuously infested Here are the temptations wherwith one is most troubled to be rehearsed as also grace to eschewe al occasions of offending so much as possibly I maie The just man as Scripture telleth falleth seuen times a daie much more then shal I fal O Lorde hauing thorough mine owne most vile abhominations increased greatlye the weaknes and blindnes I receaued frō my fore-father Adam yet Lorde as I hope and purpose firmelie by thy merciful fauour to refrain from consenting to anie mortal sinne which I most humblie begg of thee to preserue me from whilest I liue so Lord wil I by thy goodnes detest and persecute my venial sins and imperfections during life Graunt me grace so to doo O merciful Lorde and that as heretofore I haue without ani remors of conscience most heinously transgressed thy commaundementes in euery sort so nowe