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
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
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
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
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
aduersitie to fall from good to euill Graunt me méeknesse whereby my Meeknes soule may so appease the rage of Anger that it preuaile not aboue reason and put it out of place but that it may encline rather to pardon than reuenge To conclude graunt me humilitie that Humilitie I waxe not proud in opinion of my gifts or graces aboue other but truly acknowledging my owne infirmities I may not onely not preferre my selfe before other but also preferre euery one before my selfe So shall not my Angry part breake forth like a wilde beast into rage but be a furtherance to me in the course of vertue Through Iesus Christ Amen Giue me grace O Lord to moderate The concupiscible part my lusts by Temperance in Abstinence and Continence Graunt that I may restraine the desires pleasures and delights of the Temperance body which being naturall are the more hardly restrained Let my soule therefore striue against them by temperance in vsing moderately meates and drinkes ordained for the nourishment of the body that whether wée eate or drink we may doe it to thy glory Grant me Chastitie to contemne my Chastitie Lusts in a holy moderation of the parts giuen for generation that I may kéepe theÌ„ within the bounds of the lawful vse ordained by thée in holy wedlock That my Lustes by thy grace being Chastised they may not rage to make me brutish nor defile my soule to make me odious to thee but being by thy grace and spirit subdued my soule and body may be an holy Temple acceptable to thée Through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen O Almightie God and most merciful Goods of the body father thou hast giuen vs leaue to take care for our bodies â—o that the same be moderate Giue me grace therefore so to prouide Life and health for my bodye that I make not prouision for the flesh to fulfill the Lusts thereof but that the care of life and health which we séeke to preserue may by thy goodnes be so blessed that I may be the better able to performe the duties of my calling And if my health be impaired grant O Lord that the meanes which I shal vse to remoue diseases may by thy goodnes In sicknes take good effect And that whether in sicknes or health I may be both content and thankfull to thee who knowest best what is best for euery man and turnest all to the best for them that loue thee Through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen Thou also hast commaunded vs O Lord to conteÌ„t our selues with our estate 3. External goods whether in pouertie or riches whether in contempt or honour Giue me grace therefore with a thankfull minde towardes thee to content my Contentment selfe with my lot and not to séeke by gréedie care to encrease Graunt that I may by godly industry Godlie industrie get my liuing neither enriching my selfe by vnlawfull meanes nor eating the sweat of other mens browes but eating the lawfull labour of mine owne hands Possessing riches holily and vsing them frugally Graunt that I may by vertue godlines Honest fame and honest arts purchase a good estimation and report with the good and honest that as farre as is lawfull I may regard the estimation among men and where it is not attained but with euil circumstances I may contemne it together with all false reports and contempt of the wicked and malicious so that there be alwaies within my selfe the testimonie of a good conscience towards thée That finishing the course of this life in an holy calling whether through penury or aboundance through contempt or honour I may attaine the celestial crowne through Iesus Christ Amen O Almightie God and most mercifull 3. Towards our neighbours father thou hast taught vs that we are not borne to our selues but that wée should loue our neighbours as our selues I acknowledge therefore that Iewâ— vnto my neighbors the duties of Iustice both to all in generall and to some specially both to the living and to the dead both in inward affection and in outward effect Giue me grace therefore to embrace all men as men yea as thy Image with To all men a louing affection wishing vnto them all good as to my selfe and as much as lyeth in me to be at peace with all men Yeelding due beneuolence vnto all men in countenance gesture word and déede helping and furthering them to the vttermost of my power Grant that I may through true charitie To some speciall haue a feeling of other mens miserie to suffer with them that suffer through true loue to relieue them to giue almes to the poore to harbour the strangers c. That I may be partaker of that blessing Come ye Blessed in herit the kingdome c. Giue me grace to yéelde vnto my superiours reuerence and obedience as vnto thee and forthée To my Inferiours humilitie and beneficence in conference and conuersion To my friends mutuall loue and gratitude in affection of heart and signes of thankfulnes And because thou hast commanded vs To the dead to doe good euen vnto the dead Graunt that I may bee readie to performe vnto the dead the last Christian dutie in moderate mourning ouer them and decent buriall of their bodies in hope of the Resurrection not forgetting to shew my good will and liberalitie towards their posteritie their widdowes children and kindred c. That in this wise performing the duties The conclusion of Iustice required of euery Christian hauing by thy grace O Lord Entred the way of godlines and charitie And Fainting not in the same but going forward not onely To the deniall of all vnrighteousnesse but also To the practise of righteousnesse euen with perseuerance I may in the ende attaine the crown of glory by Iesus Christ our Lord Amen The Epilogue consisting of Reason and Sentences both of Christians and Heathens to stir vp our endeuour loue to Pietie and Charitie Is referred to the Members of the former treatise Therefore they are easily conuerted to our vse by the prayers aboue framed God grant this booke and labour may haue good successe according to the Authors wish in his Epistle Dedicatory Amen FINIS