vertues are wrapped vp in labours and great expences that thou shouldest get to them by many difficulties Carefull labours or laborsome cares prepare the way to the attaining of faire and honest things Thou hast striuen to enter at the narrow gate procéede in the way giue not thou place to euill but throng on more boldly Pray and take paines and thou shalt ouercome all difficulties Labor improbus omnia vincit vntired labour doth ouercome al But nothing is so easie that seemes not hard if we goe about it with an ill will we clime to honour by vertue nature hath placed nothing so high whither vertue cannot reach They are deceiued with the error of a Vertue hath her delights false opinioÌ„ that think that a godly life is ful of trouble labour paine so that it is altogether voide of swéetnesse pleasure when as vertue is not without delight Christs yoke is swéet his burthen light Let vs heare Dauids experieÌ„ce I haue delighted as much in thy testimonies as in al maner of riches Item The iudgemeÌ„ts Psalm 9. of the lord are to be desired aboue gold precious stones sweeter thaÌ„ the hony the hony comb God himself in his couenant promiseth preseÌ„t helpe I wil giue them a new heart and a new spirit will Gods aide promised I settle in their bowels and I wil take away their stonie heart and giue them â— fleshie heart that they may walke in my precepts and keepe my iudgements and doe them that they may bee my people and I may be their God He therefore who is true and mightie will bring it to passe that thou maiest say with the Apostle Our old man is crucified with Christ that the body of sin might be destroied that wee might no more serue sinne Feare not saith Esay because Esay 40. I am with thee shrinke not because I am thy God I haue strengthened thee and haue helped thee and sustained thee by my right hand Behold all they that striue against thee shal be confounded brought to shame and bee as though they were not c. I am thy Lord God who take thee by the hand saying vnto thee Feare not I haue holpen thee When Iesus our Sauiour commeth And euery valley is exalted and euery mountaine and hill is humbled and the rough waies are made plaine That which thou canst not that shall the holy Ghost aboundantly performe in thée The Lord thy God shall circumcise Deut. 30. thy heart and the heart of thy seed that thou maist loue the Lord thy God with all thy hart and with all thy soule that thou maiest liue Say with Saint Augustine Lord giue that thou biddest and bid what thou wilt Be carefull to kéepe the loue of God and that wil Loue endureth many troubles make thée to swallow al troubles without paine For this is the loue of God that wee keepe his commandements and his commandements are not burthensome for all that is borne of God ouercommeth the world And Saint Augustine He that loueth laboureth not for all labour is contrary to them that loue not onely loue it is that blusheth at the name of difficultie Temptations of the world 4. The world also either with his glory and brauerie will allure thée to loue it or by his contempt and embacing will discourage thee when thou art entred into the way of pietie and charitie or will strike into thee a certaine I know not how to call it impudent shame to professe the truth No small impediments in the way of godlines But learne with me O Christian Spernere muÌ„â—uÌ„ spernere nulluÌ„ spernere to met Spernere te sperni disce beatus eris Despise the world despise no man Except thy selfe perdee Learne to despise to be despisde So shalt thou happie bee Consider with me I pray you how Aydes against worldly felicitie short and transitorie the felicitie of this world is How many and great miseries are mingled with worldly delights How many and great dangers and snares lye in their way that walk through the parching heate of this world Consider the horrible blindnes and Egyptian darknes of worldings Looke on the world thou shalt looke on a filthy dunghill of sin and vncleannes Looke on the world and thou shalt looke into a shoppe of fraude and deceits yea into the house of death Contemne therefore the contempt of this world which being despised despiseth thee but thou shalt be commended of him that is most to be commended euen of God from whom all true praise procéedeth But if thou bee ashamed of the truth Aydes against shaming at truth and blushest at the waies of Gods holy Commandements Remember O man remember that thou must shortly dye and be presented before Christ how great shame shalt thou then be couered with If Christ were not ashamed to hang naked on the Crosse for thee why art thou ashamed to kéepe Christs sayings So many thousands men women haue powred out their blood with their life for Christs sake and art thou ashamed for loue of him to doe any good What wilt thou say in the day of the last iudgement what will he thy shame what confusion of face If thou be ashamed to doe well thou shamest to bee a Christian what shame can be more shameful Thou knowest what Christ saith He that is ashamed of me before men of him will I be ashamed before my father all his Angels Thou knowest also that of the Apostle If I endeuoured to please men I should not bee the seruant of Christ And one saith Why doest thou respect men why doest thou delay to doe those things which are acceptable to God good men Didst thou not promise in thy Baptisme to renounce the diuel and all The vow of Baptisme his workes and onely to loue God into whose name Godhead thou wast baptized Shame therefore to doe the workes of the diuel reioyce to doe the will of God It is a shamefull madnes to blush at well doing for the which we shall bee despised both in heauen and earth and not to blush or be ashamed of euill doing which hath a curse following it and punishment both in this and in the world to come Thou art not ignorant of that saying of our Sauiour The seruant Luc. 12. knowing his Lords will and not doing it shall bee beaten with many stripes What is it I pray thée that thou praiest daily that Gods will might be done and yet to please the world thou doest it not Consider I pray thée that it cannot be By the world vnderstand the wicked that it should bee well with thée concerning God and also concerning the world that thou shouldest please God and the world If other shuld laugh thée to scorne whiles thou séekest for treasure yet thou wouldest not desist from thy purpose for their scorning why then doest thou giue ouer to séeke the treasure of diuine grace and
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
God giuinge him such humilitie as is due to him Submit and subiect thy selfe reuerently to the Maiestie of God both in mind and body and confesse thy selfe vnworthy of his benefits Thou shalt be humbled to God ward if thou consider him to be thy Creator thou his creature Him to be immortall and thy selfe mortall Him to be the Lord and thou his seruant Him to be the best and thy selfe the worst Humble your selues saith S. Peter vnder the mightie 1. Pet. 5. hand of God and hee will exalt you in due season Say with Iacob the Patriarch Lord I am lesse or vnworthy of all the benefits and truth which thou hast shewed vnto thy seruants Gen. 32. This humilitie will bréede in thée an obedience towards God for it is not enough ObedieÌ„ce to knowe the will of God except thou doe obey him and endeuour to put in practise the commandements of God which thou hast learned He that doth the will of God endureth for euer And 1 Ioh. 2. if ye know these things saith our Sauiour happie are ye if ye doe them Not Ioh. 13. euerie one that saith vnto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdome Mat. 7. of heauen but hee that doth the will of my father who is in heauen euen hee shall enter into the Kingdome of heauen Yéelde vnto God a due feare acknowledging Feare the mercy and Iustice of God Feare to offend God whom to offend is the chiefe euill Conceiue a terror of sinne and the punisher thereof and yet so feare God as that thou loue him as a child doth his father for we must both feare God as our Lord and loue him as our father The Lord hath a delight Psal 147. Psal 112. in them that feare him and yet put their trust in his mercie Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord and hath great delight in his commandements Yet haue ye not receiued the spirit of Rom. 8. bondage to feare vz. such a feare as cannot stand with the loue of God 1 Ioh. 4. Render therefore to God the loue that Loue. is due vnto him that is In acknowledging the goodnesse and loue of God towards thy selfe loue thou God againe aboue all things Loue the Lord your Esay 28. God and serue him with all your hart and with all your minde He that loueth father or mother more than me saith Christ is not worthie of me 6. The loue of God is verie diligent in working This is the loue of God that ye keepe his commaundements 1. This loue doth vnite the louer and 1. Ioh. 5 The properties of the loue of God the thing loued so that we say with Dauid Like as the heart desireth the fountaines of water so longeth my soule after thee o my God It bringeth a mutual coniunction with it for God is loue and he that abideth in loue abideth 1. Ioh. 4. in God It so rauisheth a man with the loue of God that forgetting himselfe bee séeketh not his owne but the things that are Iesus Christs 2. This loue maketh vs coÌ„tinuallie to cast the eyes of our mind vpon God Man by loue setteth his affection vpon God because the minde thinketh on nothing else this loue is strong as death it ouercomes all things and is ouercome of nothing 3. It so féedeth the minde that it is neuer satisfied it neuer thinketh or séeketh anie thing but God and him the more it findeth the more it wisheth Viewe the creatures all are yours saith the Apostle viewe thy selfe thou art Christs viewe Christ hée is Gods So by loue thou ascendest to God Fixe thy hope vpon thy God as is meete calling to minde his loue and Hope truth in thinges past and expect with patience his presence and helpe for things to come Cast thy care vpon God and hope in Psal 37. him and hee will bring the matter to passe Item Tarrie the Lords leisure Psal 147 be of good courage expect the Lord and hee shall comfort your heart The Lord hath a pleasure in them that put their trust in his mercie Hope confoundeth not But hope Obiects of our hope thou from God such things as fall vnder a Christian hope to wit eternall happinesse all things that are necessarie and profitable to further vs in the attaining of that blessed felicitie hope for Gods Mercie with his effectual blessing in all things and that by thy Sauiour Christ Iesus Yea hope manie times contrary to hope and striue against the spirit of distrust and desperation And hope thou strongly constantly chéerefully Rest thy confidence vpon God as thou Confidence art bound Acknowledging the power and mercie of thy God and firmely repose thy selfe therein against whatsoeuer dangers happen Blessed is he saith Ieremie that trusteth in God and Ierem. 17 whose confidence is in the Lord. And the sonne of Syrach In all thy Syrach 33 actions put thy trust in God for so shalt thou also fulfill his commaundements 2. Bee thou also religious towardes God giuing him due worship In adoring AdoratioÌ„ or Inuocation of God him and calling vpon his name Call vpon him religiously acknowledging him to haue all power all knowledge and to bée present euery where But call thou vpon God with a present intention of minde with an Rules of Inuocation acknowledging of thine owne vnworthinesse with a true affection of heart with a desire of Gods blessinges submitting thy will to Gods will with hartie repentance with a consideration of Gods commandements with a meditation of the diuine promises with assured faith to be heard with confidence in Christ the Mediator These things being thus prepared intreate the mercie and fauour of God both to obtaine things necessarie for soule and body and to turne away all euill Now the best forme of prayer for euery Christian man is the Lordes praier taught by the sonne of God to his Disciples containing all things briefly which are to be praied for When néede requires giue God the A religious oath honor of a religious oath and call God himselfe to be a witnes of thy spéech as the onely searcher of the heart and if thou doe wittingly deceiue or lye â—et him reuenge the lye or deceit Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God and shalt sweare by Deut. 6. his name Thou owest vnto thy God a reuerend Gratitude thankfulnes waie therefore Gods benefits with an admiration and ioy rehearse them commend them celebrate them extol them Acknowledge all good things as receiued from him onely both spirituall and corporall and therefore giue him only the glorie Say with the Psalmist I will praise the Lord at all times his Psal 34. praise shall alwaies bee in my mouth Offer vnto God the sacrifice of thanksgiuing and say Praise the Lord ô my Psal 103. soule and forget not all his benefits Be not thou either ashamed or wearie Exercise of the word
vp by hardnesse of heart Giue me grace therefore O Lord spéedily to returne to thée for what is the certaintie of my life Or who knoweth the day and hower when thou wilt come to iudgement Blessed is that seruant whom the Lord when he commeth shall find watching Verily he shall be crowned with immortall glory with Christ Iesus our Lord. Amen A prayer not to faint or go backward fitting the argument of the second Member Ne defice Faint not nor goe backward O Almightie God and most mercifull The second meÌ„ber father forasmuch as through thy grace I haue in some sort attained the knowledge of the way of life and haue also by thy grace entred the same giue me encrease of thy grace that I may walke in it For there are many stumbling blocks many snares many temptations in the Temptations in the way of godlines By God way so that we had néede of thy helpe to stay vs that we faint not or fall away 1. If it be thy good will to tempt me O Lord I know it is for my good not to cast me downe but to drawe me from the loue of this present world to stirre me vp to the loue of our heauenly country and that I might know from whence I haue power to resist temptations Giue me grace therefore by faith and patience to humble my selfe vnder thy mightie hand 2. If sathan tempt me I know it is to ouerthrow me yet thogh he be very stroÌ„g By Satan giue mestreÌ„gth to resist him though he be very subtil giue me wisdom to beware of him though he be cruell giue me courage to triumph ouer him through Christ our Captaine who hath spoiled him cast him out and led him captiue 3. If the flesh doe tempt me it is so much the more troublesome as it is By the flesh Memorie of sinne with sorrow more domesticall 1. For sometimes the memorie of my former sinnes hath recourse with sorrow which maketh me to doubt of my true reconciliation with thée which though it be troublesome yet it is not vnprofitable That I might thereby consider the heynousnesse of sinne whereby I haue prouoked thée that thereby I might conceiue a feare and sorrowe for the same that I might blush and be ashamed before thée our father be stirred vp to loue thée so much the more who hast pardoned our sinnes by thy mercie in Iesus Christ 2. Sometimes the memorie of my Memorie of sinne with delight former sinne hath recourse with delight whereby it appeareth that there remaineth some remnant of the olde wounds which memorie is dangerous because it bringeth with it a certaine heauinesse whereby I am excluded from the sweetnesse of my conuersion to thée by delighting in the former lusts of the flesh before my conuersion Giue me therefore O Lord thy speciall grace that I may remember my former sins with sorrowe and not with delight with detestation and not with desire with condemnation and not with iustification Purge my memorie from vncleane phantasies drawe out that filthy sincke Make the purpose of my minde constant in good Grant me to detest inconstancie ydlenesse and sloth As soone as I am prouoked with wicked cogitations grant me earnestly to withstaÌ„d them that with a cleane heart I may receiue thy holy spirit 3. Some times euen in the entry of the way of life my minde is troubled to The cares of a Christian life thinke how many cares and troubles Christian life is tossed with which it séemed to be voide of while I gaue the raines to my lusts whereby the way of godlinesse séemeth hard and difficult Giue me grace therefore O Lord according to thy coÌ„mandemeÌ„t to denie my self and to take vp my Crosse followe thée Deniall of our selues Thou O Christ our guide and standard-bearer hast gon this way This way haue all the Saints troden The way of life is not so hard and difficult where Christ is our guide where hée is our spéede Thou hast promised that thou wilt giue vs a newe heart and a new spirit that we may walke in thy precepts giue vs that thou commandest and command vs what thou wilt 4 If the world either by allurements would drawe me to his loue or by contempt By the world would driue me from my profession with a certaine shame thereof Giue me grace to despise the world and not much â—â— care to be despised for how transitorie is the felicitie of this world how many troubles is it mixed with Giue me grace to remember that shortly we shal all be presented before the tribunall of Christ of whom whosoeuer shall be ashamed before men of him will Christ be ashamed before his holy Angels Grant me grace therefore neuer to be ashamed of any good but to be ashamed of sinne which bringeth shame and confusion from which vouchsafe to deliuer vs through Iesus Christ Amen 5. Moreouer for as much as all relapse into sinne is dangerous least our last be worse than the first Both in respect of Danger of Relapse God into whose fauour to returne it is harder after we haue despised his grace than God into whose fauour to returne it is harder after we haue despised his grace than before we haue receiued it Secondly in respect of the diuell who returneth with seauen worse spirits Thirdly in respect of our selues who by custome engender wicked habites hardly to be cured Grant me therefore grace O Lord that I returne not as a dogge to my vomit least I may seeme to despise thy Maiestie whose mercie I haue so often begged that I might obtaine pardon Least I giue opportunitie to the vncleane spirit to enter againe with seuen worse spirits Least by custome of sinne I growe to an hardnesse of heart to commit sinne with gréedinesse without repentance From those so dangerous euils of relapse stay me O Lord by thy mightie hand through thy mercy in thy sonne Iesus Christ Amen A prayer to profit and goe forward fitting to the Argument of the third Member Profice seu pergredere The third Member Profit or goe forward O Almightie God and most mercifull Ourbackwardnesse in profiting father I acknowledge that it is not in a mans power to direct his owne waies or to reforme his owne life But either we sticke in the beginning of the race or we goe not forward so well or so fast as either we ought or desire Graunt me therefore O Lord according to the riches of thy grace that I may be strengthned by thy spirit in the inner man that Christ may dwell in my heart by faith that I being rooted and grounded in loue may goe forward in the way of saluation First in denying of my selfe and Next in practising righteousnesse And because all sinne be it neuer so small doth make vs guiltie of punishment Care of lesser sins and defileth the soule doth diminish the seruor of Charitie and weaken the force of
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
first learne to knowe that we knowe how to liue godly Let vs learne to knowe God and To know Our selues For he that knoweth himselfe knoweth God He that knoweth God shall be made like to God c. Let vs so liue here that hereafter wee To liue may liue with Christ for euer For this life is not to be desired for it selfe but for another life vnto which we must come by the gate of death Therefore that we may euer liue with Christ Let vs learne both to Liue and well Dye We learne to liue well by meditating on death Wee learne to dye well by liuing godly We leare to liue godly by dying happily To this way there is a marke set vz. Eternal life And the way to this marke The mark and the way Ioh. 14. How to know the way is Iesus Christ our Sauiour who saith I am the way the truth and the life we attaine to the knowledge of this way 1. By a right vnderstanding of the holy Scriptures 2. By Illumination of the holy Ghost 3. Wherof ariseth an experience feeling God himselfe working in vs. Begin therefore O man Know and Liue. Begin faint not but goe forward 1. Beginne to enter the way of life The first member which leadeth to the marke of saluation The entry is made by a conuersion The Conuersion is made by An auersion from sinne the worst Conuersion twofold Auersion from sin Euill and by A Reuersion to God the best good 1 In turning from sinne consider O sinner thy miserable estate while thou art yet in thy sinne Thou art an enemie to God and he The miserable state of a sinner to thée A friend to Sathan nay a slaue both to Sathan sinne Beggerly filthy and guiltie of eternal death Beg therefore the grace of God which may preuent thée accompanie thée and follow thée Now Gods grace in the Conuersion of a sinner vseth two meanes The knowledge of sinne and knowledge of sinne A consternation of the mind 1. We come by the knowledge of sin by the lawe which is the rule of righteousnes By knowing how sinne is bread vz. 1. Foure waies inwardly in the heart How sin is bread By suggestion delight consent defence 2. Foure waies also is it performed in worke First priuily next openly without shame Then it groweth to a custome At length it comes either to securitie or desperation Consider also the heinousnes of sinne vz. It is an iniurie to God A grieuous waight casting vs headlong A tyranny of satan A gilt not pardonable if Christ had not died The sonne of God must néedes dye to purge it 2. After the knowledge of sin followeth Cōsternation of mind a consteruation or casting down sorrowing for sinnes committed And fearing Gods wrath Hereof ariseth A feare and A sorrowe A feare thréefold Least we be forsaken of grace depriued of the sight of God Feare and tormented in Hell A sorrow twofold The first for feare of punishment which is called a worldly Sorrow sorrowe The second for sinne and offending of God which is called a godly sorrowe Either of them is wrought by the spirit of GOD but by diuers Instruments vz. The first by the Lawe The second by the Gospell 2. In returning to God we must consider Reuersiō to God the nature of God That he is the chiefe good c. We returne by faith resting in the By faith mercie of God the father in the merits of Iesus Christ his sonne This faith ariseth in our hearts First How it riseth the Illumination of the spirit with an inward sense of our own wretchednesse Secondly succéedeth a hope of pardon that although wée feele not our sinnes yet pardoned we hope they are pardonable Thirdly we shall perceiue an hunger and thirst of the grace that is offred vs in Christ Fourthly thou shalt come to the Throne of grace that there thou maiest finde fauour Now in this accesse thou shalt performe Two things in returning two things Thou shalt confesse thy sinnes generally and specially Thou shalt aske perdon of thy sins with groanes which cannot be expressed Fiftly thou shalt by an assured perswasion imprinted in thée by the holy Ghost apply the premises of the Gospell specially to thy selfe Here looke to the practise of Dauids Dauids practise Delaies dangerous repentance And beware of delaies and long lingring meditate the shortnes of thy life And the manifold dangers of delaies vz. The treasuring vp of wrath The alienation from God An euill conscience The offence of the Angels The engladding of Sathan The tragicall ends of impatient sinners Faint not neither goe backward The secōd member When thou hast in some sort learned entred the way of life walke in it with thankesgiuing take héede thou faint not neither goe backward 1. Resist therefore temptations for Temptations God tēpteth and why God to whom thou art returned will try his new souldier Both to stirre thée vp to long for the rest of thy heauenly country And to draw thée from the loue of the world And that thou maiest knowe from dines whence thou hast power to resist Here thou must haue these helps in a rea Ardent Prayer Constant Hope A strong Patience 2. Sathan thy aduersarie from whom Sathan tempteth thou art fallen will sift thée Though he be most subtile as a Serpent yet listen not to him Neither yet trust thine owne iudgement Though he be very strong as a Lion yet resist him being armed with a true faith in Christ wherby thou shalt quench his fierie darts 3. Often times we tempt our selues Domesticall enemies for we haue our domesticall enemies for euery one is tempted when he is drawne away and enticed with his owne concupiscence Against this inward enemie we must make warre continually by mortificatiō 4. Without vs in the world many Externall enemies temptations are offered which may disturbe our wittes But thou O man shalt ouercome them By shunning or remouing the occasions of euill 5. To conclude thou shalt méete with manifold temptations vz. Manifold temtations 1. The memory of former sinnes which griefe is byting but it is not vnprofitable 2. Sometime the remēbrance of former sins with a delight which is very hurtful 3. The troubles and vexation of a Christian life 4. The contempt of the world striking a certaine shame of our profession into vs or alluring vs by his loue to these temptations are set downe their remedies And the danger of Relapse is shewed least the last be worse than the first Relapse dāgerous Dangers of relapse Relaps is dangerous in three respects 1. On the diuels part who séeketh to returne to his house from whence he went out 2. On Gods part whose spirit is grieued and he as it were deluded 3. On mans part himselfe who getteh a custome of sinne hardly to bee recouered Goe forward or profit To goe forward in the
those businesses and occasions which either hold him in sin or stay him from the race rule of vertue or casteth him into such sinnes as can be by no means excused And so much the greeuouser is the fal as the degree of holines from whence we fall is higher 1. First therefore thou must deliberate Remedies of a newe kinde of life more earnestly to be pursued by a renouation of serious repentance and faith 2. Meditate with thy selfe on thy end which may be sodaine and cannot be auoided and other the last things which follow death 3. Consider that Hypocrisie and dissembling is most odious to God A simple nature saith Bernard such as God is requireth simplicitie of heart woe be to the sinner that entreth the land two waies for no man can serue two maisters 4. Viewe and waigh the life of luke-warme frozen cold men that knowing it thou maiest dislike it disliking it in others thou maiest amend it in thy selfe 5. Cowardnesse and feare must bee Pusillanimitie to be mortified mortified for when a man is entred the way of Christ the mind many times is assailed with griefe either by expectation of some euill or danger approaching or by desperation of safetie or deliuerance from some euil or danger present But bee not dismaied in thy minde Heare and pray to him who saith Say to the faint harted be of good courage and faint not And say with Dauid I Esay 35. Psal 54. did waight for him who saued me from my pusillanimitie of spirit and from the tempest Why fearest thou O thou coward Feare argueth a base minde conceiue a firme hope of the prouidence of God whē Exhortation thou striuest with the anguishes of Pusillanimitie thou must lift vp thy minde to Gods prouidence Resist with a good courage and set thy selfe by the helpe of Gods spirit against the whole rout of phantasies Discusse saith Gregory the mistes of mourning least thou who in the time of tranquillitie didst thinke greatly of thy sefe in the time of perturbation doe confound thy selfe with the terrors of thy base thoughts Peraduenture God will bring thée by this Good effects Pusillanimitie to a studie of humilitie that by it that loftie pride which euen in good actions lieth in waight euen for holy men may be laide flat or hee hath a purpose to purge thy soule of that affection of selfeloue whereby oftentimes thou art wont to please thy selfe more than is méete How be it what is it that thou néedest Comforts against sundry sorts of feare The crosse greatly to feare or be amazed at 1. Is it the Crosse or Affliction If thou be godly the crosse and affliction is to thée ineuitable or not to be shunned it is profitable honorable and glorious it confirmeth thine adoption it renowneth thy vertues it banisheth vices Beare therefore the crosse with a good courage 2. Doest thou feare the anguish of Sicknesse sicknes Thy body is mortall there is no cause then that thou shouldest feare sicknes which leadeth to death Sicknesse bréedeth hollome Philosophy to wit A meditation of death the vices of the mind are cured by the diseases of y◠body thou learnest to abandon selfeloue and the loue of the world and to hope for a better life Faith Hope and Inuocation of God becomes more ardent 3. Art thou afraid of the losse of worldly things Losse of earthly things Trust in God leane on his most holy promises surely Gods truth is immoueable his power impregnable his bountie immeasurable he will not leaue thée nor forsake thée 4. Doth the terror of death trouble Death thy mind Cast off the feare which incredulitie that is to be banished doth strike into thée compare the course of this life with the last period or end thereof Art thou not tossed with perpetuall miserie If thou be wise with the wise man thou Eccles. 1. Commodities of death wilt say Vanitie of vanities al is vanitie Be not afraid of death wherby thou shalt be deliuered from the tyrannie of sinne from the snares of the world from the temptations of Sathan from the rage of false brethren and shalt come to the port of felicitie out of the sinke of euils eternall death shall not touch thee because eternall life is prepared promised sealed and confirmed to thée in Christ Beléeue and thou shalt haue eternall life 5. Dost thou tremble at the assaults of Satan God doth furnish his with strength to resist Satan Being vpholden by the wisdome vigilancie and inuincible power of Christ thy head cal vpon God take vnto thée christian patience cōstancy with the shield of faith and the sword of the spirit and by Gods grace and perseuerance thou shalt be safe 6. Art thou astonied with thy many and great sinnes Sinne. Behold the remission of all thy sinnes purchased by Christ promised giuen and sealed vnto thée why tremblest thou Behold the loue and mercie of God the father the satisfaction and intercession of Iesus Christ and admit the comfort and assistance of the holy Ghost 7. Thou quakest for feare of the last The last iudgemēt Iudgement and Tribunall Be of good comfort and settle thy selfe throughly on the promises of saluation so often repeated in holy Scriptures The loue of God the father and the couenant of his grace through the satisfaction of his sonne Iesus Christ is immutable and he shall bee our Patrone and Aduocate in that iudgement Thou for thy part as often as thou sinnest so often returne to Daily repentance God by a renewed repentance and faith apprehend the grace of God the father the merites of Iesus Christ the consolation of the holy spirit who is the earnest of our inheritance heare the manifold afflictions of this worlde with a patient minde séeing thou hast accesse vnto the Throne of grace powre out thy praiers to thy God sigh and send vp thy affections and thy hope shall not bee confounded but thou shalt enioy vnspeakeable felicitie in heauen Amen The fourth member Profice vlterius Goe yet further forward in attaining righteousnesse VVHen we haue denied vnrighteousnes we must procéede to A transition attaine righteousnes According to that Cease from euil do good vertue must succeed in the place of vice Now in séeking after the way of righteousnes and life beware thou decline not either to the right hand or to the left Let vs then goe forward In vertues and with a good courage In virtutibus In virtute Concerning vertues knowe y◠they are Vertues Gods gifts great goods to be desired for thēselues that they are the gifts of God most precious and with most earnest praier and desire to be begged of him And if thou obtaine them God is to be thanked who hath endowed thée with so great graces The first care must be to attaine them The next is to keepe them when they are gotten Thou shalt both get thē and kéep
precept is more vsuall saith Cyp. among the precepts of Christ than that we should insist or be deligent in giuing of almes and not be greedie of earthly possessions but to lay vp treasure in heauen Sâ—ll your possessions saith hée and giue it in almes And again Lay not vp treasure for your selues on earth c. If thou wilt be perfect goe sell all that thou hast and giue to the poore and thou shalt haue treasure in heauen To conclude He calleth them Abrahams children whom hee seeth to be diligent in helping and feeding the poore 3. Concerning Pilgrimes or Strangers Thou oughtest to harbour Pylgrimes To pilgrimes Hospitalitie or Strangers Such good gests shalt thou receiue cherish and refresh as may no way empeach thy good name or bréede thée any mischiefe Exercise therefore Rom. 12. 1. Pet. 4. Heb. 13. Hospitalitie And bee yée readie to harbour one another without grudging Item Be yee not vnwilling to harbour strangers for by this meanes some vnawares haue lodged Angels And Saint Augustine saith Learne O thou Christian to giue entertainment least peraduenture hee against whom thou shuttest thy doore and to whom thou deniest entertainement be God himselfe Or at least one of Gods Saints of whoÌ„ it is saide whatsoeuer ye did to one of these little ones which belieue in me ye did it to me And contrariwise whatsoeuer ye did not yee neglected to doe to me These things giue to thy neighbour while he is yet aliue And remember that thou art a debter Duties to the dead to the dead Performe to them therefore the last duties of pietie to wit mourning and buriall for as these who are sicke and at the point of death are to bée visited and comforted so those that bée dead must haue their right which are called iust for we ought both to mourne for them and to burie them Wherevpon the sonne of Syracb saith If any man dye bewaile and lament him as if Syrach â—8 thou haddest suffred some great losse and then wind his body according to the custome and see that he may be honestly buried These things shalt thou performe as a man but much rather as a Christian man both to the liuing and dead Now moreouer thou must haue a regard what thy neighbour hath deserued Retribution or recompence of thée and what good turnes thou hast receiued that thou maiest recompence and requit them For iustice requireth that thou retribute and repay the good turns thou receiuedst with good turns as being a due debt Retribute therefore or returne to thy friend friendship and at the least thankefulnes for his well deseruing of thee 1. Concerning friendship Thou doest returne friendship if in good will and curtesse thou doe render Friendship mutuall loue to thy friend Recompence therefore hartie good will with hartie good will enterchange curtesies such as be honest and possible But thou shalt be carefull to set thy affection on such as thou perceiuest to bée With whoÌ„ bent earnestly to true godlinesse and a serious studie of vertue that yee may growe vp together in godlinesse as it were one heart Therefore Eccles saith Ioyne thy selfe to good men and reioyce with them Item A sure friend is Syrach 9. 6. a strong hold hee that hath such a one possesseth a great treasure And Cassian saith That is faithfull friendship and a coniunction indissoluble or a ioynt that cannot be dissolued which is founded vpon equalitie of vertues for the Lord maketh men that are of like manners or conditions to dwel together in one house And therfore in those onely loue can continue without breach in whom there is one purpose wil who wil nil the same thing or one thing 2. Concerning gratitude or thankfulnesse Thou doest returne thankefulnesse Gratitude to thy neighbour who hath deserued well of thée when thou doest render vnto him a thankeful remembrance of a benefit receiued with a willing declaration of thy good will both in word and déed Carry therefore towardes thy benefactors a minde or desire to recompence benefites rrceiued or at the least a heart most readie to wish well But if thou canst requit good turnes receiued with gifts and curtesies Chrisostom saith The best gardian of benefits is the memorie of benefits and a continuall confession of thankes And Bernard Nothing can be returned more acceptable by the receiuer to the giuer than if he shewe himselfe thankfull for that he secretly receiued for he doth reproach to the spirit of grace who doth not take a good turne from him that giueth it with a gratefull minde Thus hauing abandoned vnrighteousnesse labour to attaine righteousnesse 1. Begin I say to enter the way of saluation by Conuerting from euill to good 2. Faint not for any temptations which are in the way 3. But goe forward by denying thy selfe 4. And following Christ in the way of holy vertues by 1. A firme purpose to attaine to vertue by 2. A fortitude ouercomming all impediments by 3. A swéet contentment in vertues possession by 4. A daily examination of our profiting in the way of vertue The Epilogue or Conclusion containing An encouragement or spur to vertue That thou maiest ô man be enflamed in the studie of Pietie and Charitie First by reasons takeÌ„ froÌ„ Christianitie Consider at large these short sayings LEt the most holy and most glorious God allure thée by the perfectioÌ„ of his vertues whose glorie thou oughtest earnestly to further 2. Let the eternall knowledge of God whereby thou art foreknowne prouoke thée to holinesse 3. Let the vndeserued and frée loue of God wherewith thou art loued the mercie and grace of God wherewith he preuenteth thée drawe thée 4. Let thy holy predestination to life first holy or blamelesse next eternal procure thée 5. Remember that thou art created by thy Creator to walke in holinesse and righteousnesse 6. Let the Image of God thy father and Creator whom thou oughtest to resemble not to be a degenerate or vnkindly sonne inuite thée 7. Let the wonderfull benefite of Gods preseruation and gouernment whereby thou art maruellously kept euen vnto this houre exhort thée 8. Let the vnspeakable loue of God the father who gaue his onely sonne to thée and to death for thée encline thée to godlinesse 9. Let the inestimable or vnvaluable benefite of thy Redemption bring thée to an holy obedience for thou wast redéemed that thou shouldest be thankefull 10. Let the patterne of perfection and charitie Iesus Christ whose steps thou must follow enflame thy heart with the loue of charitie 11. Let the dignitie of thy calling lead thée to holines of life for thou art called not to vncleannes but vnto holines 12. Call to minde how thou wast reconciled to God who was offended with thy sins by Christ that thy sins were forgiuen thée that thou mightest liue to God and righteousnesse 13. Let the gifts of the holy Ghost which are giuen thée to sanctifie thée who
redéemer and Iudge And thou O my soule as often as thou sinnest so often by faith and repentance be thou renewed Take hold by faith on Gods grace acknowledge the loue of Daily repentance Christ embrace the comfort of the holy spirit who is the earnest of our inheritance whereby it will come to passe that thou comming with confidence vnto the Throne of Gods grace shalt finde comfort against temptations in due season Through Iesus Christ c. Amen Prayers framed to the Argument of the fourth Member Proceede further to attaine Righteousnesse The fourth Member and Vertue O Almightie God and most mercifull Gods long suffering father I acknowledge thy infinite grace and mercie towardes me who hast bene hetherto so patient and long suffering towards me that thou hast not onely endured me hauing all my life long prouoked thée by my many and great sinnes but also hast now at the last preuented me by thy grace that I might come to the knowledge of my sinnes and turne from them and returne vnto thée by hartie repentance and deniall of vnrighteousnesse So that I séeme in some sort to haue procéeded in forsaking the loue of my selfe In moderating my carnall desires In mortifying the Affections of my mind In rooting out euill habites But because I must not stay here but from the deniall of vnrighteousnesse I Grace to proceede mâ—st procéede further to the attaining of righteousnesse which I cannot doe except thou O Lord doe giue grace and power therefore I come vnto thee O Lord beseeching thée to giue me grace both to attaine to vertues and to kéepe them being attained And because they be best both attained and kéept by frequent vse of godly prayer By an ardent loue of vertue and by continuall exercise Giue me grace O Lord neuer to faint Meanes in prayer with hartie affection to embrace vertue and not to hide my Talent but that occupying with the same I may make a good account to thée thereof And that I may grow from vertue to A purpose to perseuere vertue Grant that I may haue a firme will and purpose not onely to enter but also to perseuere in well doing that no storme of temptation may remoue mée that being in loue with vertues I may chéerefully doe the offices due to her yet not for any other respect than for thy glory Alwaies beholding our Maister Iesus Christ as the perfect patterne of life and death Amen We must begin at Iustice O Almightie and most mercifull father A prayer to attaine Iustice who art iust in all thy waies and holy in all thy workes I acknowledge that I am infinite waies bound vnto thée for thine vnspeakable benefits which I can no way recompence but by glorifying thée according to the rule of Iustice which thou hast prescribed to vs that as thou art iust so should we be iust also By giuing to euery one that which is due to them To thée that which is due to thée To men that which is due to men Giue me grace therefore O Lord to worship thee according to the prescript 1. Towards God rule of thy word that is to call vpon thy name with a true affection of heart and a liuely faith To submit my selfe obediently to thy Maiestie In a true feare of thy iudgements auoiding effences And in an earnest loue of thy promises embracing thy mercies To rest vpon thee by a firme hope and constant trust To testifie my thankfulnes by a chéerefull obedience of thy will Neuer to be ashamed of thy truth but to professe it constantly To endure the crosse with an inuincible courage Looking for that blessed hope and appearing of the glory of the great God euen thy sonne Iesus Christ our Lord Amen O Almightie God and merciful father 2. Towards our selues thou hast allowed vs to loue our selues to haue a moderate care of our selues by maintaining those good things which thou eitheir in soule or body hast bestowed on vs. Giue me grace therefore to be chiefly 1. The soule careful for the good of my soule by repairing reforming both the superiour and inferiour faculties of my soule Grant me grace therefore O Lord to Superior faculties The mind Wisdome apply my mind to the knowledge of Diuine humane things which either may further me to the life celestiall or make me profitable to humane felicitie Which is wisedome Graunt me Prudence to choose that Prudence which is verily good and to refuse that which is verily euill to marke what is to be desired and what is to be shunned Graunt me discretion which is the coÌ„panion DescretioÌ„ of true Prudence that I may discerne truth from falsehood certainties from vncertainties that which is profitable from that which is vnprofitable that which is seasonable from that which is vnseasonable things honest from vnhonest things pleasant from vnpleapleasant and to conclude good from euill And among these what is moore or lesse good what is conuenient for time place and persons Giue me grace O Lord to remoue all The conscience impediments whereby my conscience may be wounded and grieued which are onely my sinnes which bring sorrow and inflict wounds Graunt that I may so restraine my conscience Knowledge of the law by the knowledge of thy law and awe of thy iudgements that I may not dare any thing contrary to thy will And if my conscience chaunce to be A remedie wounded that I may spéedily seeke my remedie which onely is the redemption by the bleed of Iesus Christ apprehended by a true and liuely faith whereby our consciences are secured before thee if therewithall we abstaine from our sins and serue thée with a pure minde Giue me grace O Lord to will nothing but that which is agréeable to thy will reuealed in thy word that cleauing onely thereunto I may both will and doe those things which are good and acceptable to thée which grace we obtaine by the assistance of thy holy spirit who worketh in all men the power both to will and to performe according to thy frée grace Through Iesus Christ our Lord and Sauiour Amen Giue me grace also O Lord to rule Inferiour faculties The Irascible part the inferiour faculties of my soule Anger and Lust And that I may moderate Anger graunt me fortitude whereby my soule may bée strengthned stirred vp and armed to endure labour and danger yea of death for Christs sake with a good courage that I may bee able to moderate and subdue my affections and not bee subdued of them That I may despise worldly honour and seeke the glory of God and eternall felicitie that I may patiently beare all troubles and aduersities and crosses which cannot with godlinesse and honestie be auoided Graunt mée constancie that I may perseuere in honest and godly purposes Constancie retaining one tenure of minde will that I be not puffed vp in prosperitie nor cast downe in
glory Viewe one the one side God and Paradise which is the dwelling of the blessed and on the other side the world and the conuersation of worldlings and tell me whether estate is more to be desired O how great ioy shalt thou be filled with when by death thou shalt depart hence if for humane fauour or displeasure thou wert neuer hindred or ashamed to liue to God 2. Take heede of Relapse that is Relapse daungerous Fall not backe into thy former sins The memory of thy life past which before thy conuersion thou didst leade as it séemed swéetly in the fulfilling the lustes of the flesh is wont to draw with it a certaine sadnes in the will because thou perceiuest that thou art perpetually excluded from that pleasant life by thy conuersion to God But knowe thou that this Relapse as they call it or falling backe into sicknesse is dangerous Our Sauior Christ threatning vs that of a man falling backe to Vnderstand fal or end his old sinne the last shall bee worse than the first And that in thrée sorts 1. In respect of the diuel who doth assault the man lately deliuered from the In respect of the diuel sinnes wherewith he held him in slauerie more cruelly he attendeth him more watchfully he inuadeth him more sharply as a praie recouered out of hie hands or as a morsel snatched out of his Iawes And not finding rest he saith I will returne into my house whence I came out And leadeth with him seuen other spirits worse than himselfe The man therefore relapsed in respect of Sathan is in worse case than before he was 2. In respect of God also because such a sinner as a dogge to his vomite In respect of God or as a swine to her wallowing in the myre is sooner forsaken of God We haue healed Babilon saith the Lord by the Prophet but yet shee is not Ierem. 51 sound Loe let vs leaue her Item Who will haue pittie on thee O Ierusalem Ierem. 15 or who will goe to intreat for thy peace for thou hast forsaken mee saith the LORD thou art gone backward And Christ saith to the man cured of the Palsie Behold thou art made whole sinne no Ioh. 5. more least a worse thing happen vnto thee Item Thou vngratious seruant Mat. 12. I forgaue thee all that debt when thou desiredst me shouldest not thou haue had compassion on thy fellow-seruant euen as I had pittie on thee And the Lord being wrath deliuered him to the Iaylors till hee should pay the whole debt Ye knowe how it saide Hee that loueth danger shall perish in it 3. In respect of the sinner himselfe who often falleth backe into sinne the last In respect of the sinner is worse than the first for sundry causes First because in euery sinne there is a turning from God by the transgression of the commandement and a turning to the diuel by the delight in sin And out of this delight by custome of sinne are engendred euill habits which make our returne to God hard So that we get as the Prophet saith A harlots forhead Ierom. 3. that cannot blush And Saint Augustine Out of our peruerse will riseth lust and while wee serue our lust wee breede a custome and while we resist not custome it becomes a necessitie And Solomon saith The wicked when hee is come into the deepe make light of it All other sinners doe warre against thrée enemies but he that often falleth The three enemies The Diuel world flesh backe into sinne must warre against a fourth enimie to wit custome the hardest enemie among all Secondly he that is reconciled to God and is deliuered out of the power of darknesse euen the diuel and is restored to The fourth Custome Sin in a Christian more hainous than in an infidell 2. Pet. 2. the frée libertie of the spirit doth sinne more heinously by Relapse than hée that is by nature a child of wrath and liues in slauery to sinne hauing neuer receiued faith nor the grace of Christ It had bin better for them not to haue known the way of righteousnesse than after they haue knowne it to fall backe from the holy Commandement which was giuen vnto them And Basil As the aire which is drawn in pestilent places doth breed priuie diseases in the body so out of euill custome many mischiefes arise though they be not by and by felt and perceiued Thirdly consider with mee what a great indignitie is in this matter For what can bee imagined more absurde than euen now to haue wept and mourned An indignitie and to haue entreated Gods infinite mercie to obtaine remission of thy sinnes and sodenly changing thy purpose to forget thy selfe to set light by Gods grace to renounce godlinesse to bee clearely an other man and to thinke otherwise than eare-while thou wast and desirest alway to be Fourthly when we often fall backe Hard to obtaine Gods fauour to the same sinnes it is an harder matter no doubt to returne againe into Gods fauour both because the iniurie is greater and Gods displeasure iuster and because we our selues haue hardned our hearts and finally because Sathans power and dominion ouer our soules is encreased For this cause are wee Heb. 10. taught That to those that sinne wilfully after the knowledge of the truth receiued there remaineth no more a sacrifice for sinne but a fearefull expectation of iudgement and deuouring fire which shall consume the aduersaries But this place is rather vnderstood of Apostasie and sinne against the holy Ghost Be not therefore negligent in auoiding Exhortation such cogitations as solicite thée to returne againe to thy old life yea the more often and earnestly that they thrust themselues into thy mind the more spéedily and strongly let them be cast out We must saith Ciprian meete with the suggestions of the diuel and not nourish a snake till hee become a serpent And Hierom. Kill thy enemie while he is small and dash iniquitie in peeces euen in the seede Be seruent in prayer and often vse that prayer which was so familiar to Saint Augustine Da quod iubes iube quod vis Giue ô Lord that which thou biddest and bid what thou wilt The third member Profice Goe forward or proceede IT is the gift of God to procéede in the God the cause of profiting Iere. 10. way of Saluation For God giueth the encrease I knowe O Lord that the way of man is not in his owne power neither is it in man to correct his owne way Wee must therefore aske this gift of Praier the meanes God by prayer in whose hand it is And Dauid Leade me O Lord in thy righteousnesse because of mine enemies make thy way plaine before my face Wée must therefore pray That according to the riches of his glory hee will strengthen vs by his spirit in our inward man that Christ may dwell in our hearts by
faith that we may be rooted and grounded in loue Saying Thy will be done O father as in heauen by thy Angles so in earth by vs. Laying therefore aside all malice Exhortation 1. Pet. 2. and al guile and dissimulation and enuy and all backbiting As new borne babes reasonable and without deceit desire ye the milk of the word that ye may grow thereby to saluation if ye may tast how gracious the Lord is And striue to enter in at the straite gate Exercising thy 2. Tim. 4. selfe vnto godlinesse which is profitable to all things with great zeale and endeuour taking vpon thee the yoke of Christ Goe on in the way which thou hast entred for the kingdome of heauen suffereth violence and the violent catch it Say vnto Sathan that would drawe thée backe Goe behind me Sathan for thou art an offence vnto me The way of the righteous procéedeth Prou 4. as a shining light and groweth to a perfect day Be not therfore wanting to the Heb. 12. Psal 119. Not to profite grace of God but runne the way of Gods commandements If to profit be to runne saith Bernard then thou ceasest to profit when thou ceasest to runne and when thou ceasest to runne then thou beginnest to faint Hereof wee may plainly gather not to profit is nothing else but to fall away The spirit must euer either profit or fall backe And Augustine How much soeuer we liue here how much soeuer we profite here let no man say It sufficeth me I am righteous He that saith I stay in the way cannot tell how to come to the end of the way And the same August Goe forward my brethren examine your selues alway without fraud or flattery dislike alwaies what thou art if thou wilt attaine to what thou art not for where thou pleasest thy selfe there thou wilt stay Obserue diligently thy going forward Foure things to be noted in profiting In profiting perswade thy selfe assuredly that thou art daily beginning 2. Be not discouraged if thou perceiue that thou hast not yet profited so much as thou couldest wish 3. Let the purpose of thy race in profiting be God too God Therefore in the beginning of euery action first examine thy action diligently and afterward looke to the progresse end of it Then whatsoeuer humane praise might happen to thée by thy wel doing tread it vnder foot in respect of the glory of God 4. Looke to the patterne of all vertues euen Iesus Christ who is the sonne of righteousnesse the light of the world the way the Truth and the Life Through patience runne to the marke that is set Heb. 4. before thee looking to Iesus the captaine and finisher of thy faith In all things grow in him Eph. 4. First and aboue all things labour earnestly to subdue thy self and to flée vices then follow vertue and séeke after righteousnesse These things are to be obserued generally now of things specially wherin we ought to profit or goe forward First in denying vnrighteousnesse Two branches Secondly in attaining righteousnesse 1. Touching the abnegation or deniall of vnrighteousnesse Thou shalt denie vnrighteousnesse if thou deny thy selfe and mortifie the flesh Thou shalt deny thy selfe and mortifie the flesh if thou first foresée that thou sin not and after sinning that thou spéedily repent and beware not to commit the like sinne Now among sinnes Some are lighter and Two sorts of sinnes Some more greeuous Let vs make our beginning by shunning and declining the lighter sinnes Surely all sin offendeth the Maiestie of God and maketh the sinner guiltie of eternall death but it is euident that there All sinnes offend God Lighter sins to bee subdued are certaine degrées of sinnes and one sinne is more heynons than an other Hee therefore that will profit must make his beginning by subduing the lighter sinnes Though they séeme of small account yet I would wish thée not to make small account of them For remember 1. All sinne whether great or smal doth Manifold inconueniences wrap thée within punishment because it is a breach of Gods commmaundement 2. They defile the soule with their contagion They doe so deface our beautie saith Augustine That they seperate vs from the most chast embracings of our Spouse who is more beautiful than the children of men 3. As water quencheth flaming fire so doe they diminish the seruer of Charitie They weaken the faculties of the mind in the exercise of holy vertues as a loade laide on an horse maketh him goe the slower 4. They hinder our owne glory by hurting Gods glory and doe abate the blessing of our eternall glory 5. They dispose or prepare a man to greater sinnes and barre vp the way from receiuing newe graces They hinder the true deuotion of holy prayers to God and are an impediment to our progresse in a spirituall life 6. They spoile vs of many heauenly graces And as théeues who pilfer many A Similie small things by little and little are not of long time perceiued because the things are of small value yet in the end the theft is perceiued when the owner perceiueth that he wanteth many things So doe these pilfering sinnes by litle and little bereaue vs of many graces 7. They weaken the soule and make it apt to fall into all euill infirmities And though they séeme to be but small hurts yet are they not to be neglected but spéedily to be healed 8. They are as dust or as a cloud before the eyes which hinder the sight so that wee cannot chéerefully behold God nor purely loue him Hee therefore that despiseth small Ecclese 19 Eph. 4. things shal decay by little litle saith the Preacher Grieue ye not the holy spirit saith the Apostle And Saint Augustine Despise not small sinnes though thou Small sinnes to be despised Similes make light account of them yet be afraide at least when thou numbrest them And the same No sinne is so smal that by contempt becomes not great For the sea sands though they be very litle and so likewise the drops of water yet being multiplied growe to great flouds and doe much harme and the water that leaketh into the shippe will at the length sinke it The same There is no sinne so small that is not able to destroy a man if hee take pleasure in it And Hierom. Way not how little thy sinnes are but how great God is who is displeased with thee Therefore O man What is to be done to auoyde small sinnes 1. Search diligently and daily all the starting holes of thy conscience striue continually against euery sinne be it neuer so smal by new repētance exercise of faith we ought daily to cure our maladies not onely by acknowledging our sins but also by searching the root of thē 2. Call to remembrance otherwhiles that sinnes otherwise small in a man endued with great graces are recokned to be great For by how much