the vvickednes it hath And this is one of the chiefest points and aduises of this affaire vvhence it appeareth hovv great an error those bringers vp of nouices commit vvhoe being intangled and intricated in other things of lesse importance imploie not al theire forces in this labour of mortification vvhereof it ensueth that men remaine almost as they vvere borne that is in onlie natural goodnes or yll vvhich is no lesse inconuenience then to place a piece of timber in a gorgeous palaice no othervvise prepared then euen as it vvas brought cut out of the vvoode or to set vppon the table in a delicious banket greene oliues in such sort as they be gathered from the tree Seeing then that the end of this entreprise is to make a man good and vertuous that thou be not deceaued vvith vvhatsoeuer sort of goodnes thou must vnderstand that there be tvvoe kinds of goodnes th' one is naturall and is proper to such as be naturallie gentell and vvel condicioned th' other is spiritual proceeding of grace and of the feare and loue of God vvhich is propre to those that be iust persons Betvvixt these tvvo kinds of goodnes there is so great difference that vvith the first vve nether merite grace nor glorie but vvith the second vve obteine the one and the other And for this purpose the chiefest care of a good maister must be to attend that this spirite of the feare and loue of God be poured into the sovvle of his nouice procuring the same by all meanes that maie serue to this end such as ar Praier Meditation and Vse of the Sacraments c. For othervvise vvhat soeuer he shal doe vvil be a bodie vvithout sovvle an Adam of earth vvithout spirite of life vvhich is a thing of smal profit for Religion because by experience vve see that such as in religion haue nothing els but this natural goodnes ar no more to be esteemed then seelie soules or folkes of good past that ar led by euerie man vvhither he vvil and can not saie naie to anie bodie nor hold hand in anie thing that is commended to them In so much that a man othervvise yl bent by nature vvhich striueth alvvaies through the feare of God against his vvicked inclinations is much more vvorth then is an other verie vvel inclined by nature yf he vvant this feare For as the vvise man saieth Better is a liuing dogge then a dead lion Eccles 9.4 because vvithout spirite of life not anie one thing be it neuer so greate can be grateful and acceptable to God Of that vvhich hitherto hath ben said it is manifest hovv that this end of vvhich vve haue spoken comprehendeth tvvo things th' one is to driue out of the soule al kind of vices the other is to plant in the same al kind of vertues seeing the one necessarilie goeth before the other For like as in natural things there can be no generation vvithout corruption so vertues can not be engendred and brought forth in our soule yf our vices be not first dead nether can the spirit freelie raigne and gouerne yf the flesh be not before vanquished and ouercom These tvvo ends the Apostle had then obteined vvhen he said vvriting to the Galatians Galat. 2.19 vvith Christ I am nailed to the Crosse and I liue novv not I but Christ liueth in me For by saying that he vvas nailed to the Crosse and that he liued not he giueth to vnderstand the death of the ould man vvith al his vvicked inclinations and appetites vvhich he had ouercom through the fauour of the Crosse of Iesus Christ and by saying Christ liueth in me he setteth before our eyes the resurrection and life of the nevv man vvhich vvas not novv conformable to the affections of flesh and bloud but to the vertues and examples of Christ These selfe same tvvo ends did our Sauiour comprehend in those vvoords of his saying Matth. 16 24. If anie man vvil com after me let him denie him self and take vp his Crosse and follovv me For by saying let him denie him self he laid before vs the first immediate end vvhich is that a man denie his ovvne vvil and natural inclination vvith al the affections and appetites thereof and that he haue no lavv vvith them nor in anie vvise acknovvledge them thereby to folovv and obey them The second and last end he declared by saying let him folovv me that is let him folovv all the pases and examples of my life and al the vertues that he shall find in me And in that vvhich he saied Let him take vp his Crosse to vvit of trauail and austeritie he declared the chiefest meane and instrument necessarie for the one and the other end because that neither rooting out of vices and ouercomming of nature nether planting of vertues can be donne vvithout trauail and paine for somuch as there is great difficultie as vvel in the one as in the other By that vvhich hath ben saied vve maie plainelie gather of vvhat condition this nevv vvarfare is to vvhich a man is called and vvhat sort of profession it is for he is not called to a delicate and quiet life as som doe imagin but to the Crosse to trauail to sight against his passions to pouâ—etie and nakednes to the sacrifice of him self and of his oune vvil and finallie to that mortification of vvhich our Sauiour said Ioan. 12.20 vnles the graine of vvheate falling into the ground die it self remaineth alone but if it die it bringeth much fruite He that loueth his life shall lose it and he that hateth his life in this vvorld doth keepe it to life euerlasting It is no matter of smal importance to vvin and subdue nature and to make of flesh spirite of earth heauen and of a man an Angel For if in deede to make of a greene hearbe fine and delicate linnen cloth there needeth so much mortifying trauail about the same by reason of the greate difference there is betvvixt the one and the other hovv much more is it necessarie for the making of this so greate a change of a man into an Agel They report that vvhen a snake vvil change his skinne he entreth by a verie narovv and straite hole that by this meanes he maie shift of his ould skinne he then that mindeth to strippe him self of the ould man to put on the nevv hovv can he bring this to passe by leading a large delicate life There can be no generation vvithout corruption nether can a man atteine to be that vvhich he is not yf first he leaue not to be that vvhich he is a thing that can not be donne vvithout great paine and labour The life of a Christian man is ordeined to a supernaturall end and so presupposeth supernatural forces and consequentlie this life it self must be supernatural to vvhich thing flesh and bloud can not arriue VVoe to that Religion vvhose manner of life is vvide and large for in
and vveighed in equall ballance they vvil be in the end but blastes of vvind and buggebeares to feare children vvhich ar afraid of euerie shadovve To conclude he that maketh anie greate account of the vvorld Gal. 1.10 can not be the true seruant of God Yf I should please men saith th' Apostle I should not be the seruant of Christ THE FOVERTH TREATISE CONTEINING AN INSTRVCTION OR RVLE OF GOOD LIFE ESPECIALLIE FOR THOSE THAT begin to serue God in Religion TO THE READER ALBEIT the treatise that heere ensueth serue principallie for such as begin to serue God in Religion yet neuertheles al the contents thereof seâ—â—e as vvel alsoe for al those that trulie and vvith al theire hart giue them selues to the seruice of our Lord as in the beginning of this booke vvas mentioned But that vvhich ought heere to be aduertised is that the end of Christian life to vvhich ar ordeined al Gods commaundments and counsels and al statutes voues of Religion is as th' Apostle saieth Charitie VVhich although it be so yet doe vve not in the beginning of this treatise straite vvaies speake of this end but of that vvhich apperteineth to him vvhoe taketh vppon him to instruct a nouice nevvlie com out of the vvorld vvith such inclinations and vvicked customs as he bringeth from the same For he that hath this office must cheefelie at end to destroye and mortifie such euil habites and inclinations and to plant in theire place al those vertues that be contrarie to them For euen as the Carpenter vvhich pretendeth to furnish the timber for building of a palace of som great lord first of al cutteth avvaie the barks of such trees as be brought from the vvoode then doth savve square and polish them vntill they be fit for his purpose so likevvise the good maister of nouices and he that desireth to becom the temple and dvvelling place of God must vnderstand that first he must cast out of his soule al the vvicked and peruerse customs vvhich he bringeth from the vvorld and then must adorne and beutifie the same vvith the vvoorks of vertues And this thing vvhich is the end of him that bringeth vp a nouice is also a meanes to obteine the true end of the lavve vvhich is Charitie as before hath ben saied For vvhen the passions be once mortified and vertues planted in theire place Charitie remaineth as the ladie and Queene of a man for as our sovvle is a spiritual substance so is she a frind of spiritual things Neuertheles the affections of this life dravve her dovvnevvards and hinder her from flying vp to heauen vvhere she hath her neast Heerehence it is that as a stone vvhich by force of som other thing is holden in a higher place then his nature requireth as soone as the impediments that held it be taken avvay straite vvais falleth dovvne to the center vvhich is his natural place in like manner vvhen the disordred passions of oure soule be once mortified and subdued vvhich she hath to the things of this vvorld she sudainlie being holpen vvith the grace of God lifteth her self vp to heauen vvhich is the proper place of her abode This is then the reason vvherefore so greate account is made heere of the mortification of our passions because these be the chaines vvhich hold our soule bound hinder her from flying vpvvards Vertues also be necessarie together vvith this mortification because they be the instruments vvhich Charitie vseth in alther vvoorks no othervvise then our sovvle vseth her faculties and naturall povvers in all her functions AN INSTRVCTION OR RVLE OF good life for those that begin to serue God especiallie in Religion BEFORE vve begin to treate of the exercises and vertues that he must haue vvhich beginneth to serue God in Religion it is necessarie to declare the end of this affaire because the ignorance of the same is that vvhich maketh manie erre out of the right vvaie The end then of this entreprise so important is to correct and mortifie al euil inclinations and disordred appetites of nature and to make a man spiritual and vertuous in such sort that he obteine the end for vvhich he vvas created vvhich is God The end is to giue the first being to a nevv man not of the earth but of heauen not of the flesh but of the spirite not conformable to the image of the earthlie Adam but like to that of the heauenlie not according to the affections and conditions of the first generation vvhich vvas by nature but according to the second generation vvhich is by grace Finallie the end is to dooe that vvhich God commaunded the Prophet Ieremie Berem 1.10 vvhen he saide I haue set thee this daie ouer nations and kingdoms that thou maist roote out and destroie disperse build vp plant VVhich is as much as to saie that thou pluck of from the soule all appetitee inclinations that men bring from theirs mothers vvombe the corruption of sinne that thou plant in theire places the plants of vertues vhich be agreable to the nevv regeneration adoptioÌ„ of the sonns of God Heerehence it appeareth that like as he vvhoe desireth to make a pleasant garden in a hill ful of briars first diggeth vp vvhatsoeuer hindereth him and then planteth in the same al such fruteful trees as he desireth so one that purposeth to make his sovvle a garden shut vp and inclosed and a paradise of pleasure for almightie God must first roote out all euil herbs al the thornes of vices and vvicked inclinations of nature and then forthvvith set in theire steede al svveete plants flovvers of vertues and graces In like sort doe they that mind to make a faire picture for first they prepare the matter vvhereupon it is to be painted by plaining and polishing the same and taking from it al roughnes vvhich being donne they dravv in it vvhatsoeuer they please Novv the verie like diligence is to be necessarilie vsed in this state in vvhich nature remained through sinne vvhich before vvas needles to destroye and abolish the remaines of that first generation and to adorne the sovvle vvith the vertues of the second VVherfore as amongst diuers and sundrie kind of fruites som there be that ar fit to be eaten as soone as they be gathered of from the trees and som others that first must be boiled or put in conserue manie daies to assvvage and temper their natural sharpnes and bitternes vvith vvhich they grevv so must vve vnderstand Note this that mankind hath had tvvoe states or conditions of being the one before he fel the other after his sinne committed that in the first he vvas so seasoned and ripe that nothing vvas to be found in him vvorthie of blame or amendment but in the second there is so much to be amended that scarse he hath anie thing that needeth not to passe first through the fiar of the holie ghost that so it maie lose al
remaineth that there be three things necessarie for the good order redressing of our life One is to mortifie and cast out of our sovvle al our vvicked inclinations and vices An other is to adoine and beutifie the same vvith vertues The third is to procure by al the aforesaied meanes and exercises the grace of deuotion that through it vve maie performe the one and the other Amongst vvhich things the tvvo first be as the ends the third is as a most principal meane to obâ—eine these ends And yf vve doe this that hath ben saied vve shall not climme vp to heauen vvithout a ladder as those doe vvhich pretend to get vp to the toppe of Perfection vvithout deâ—otion Of diuerse Temptations of those that be nevv in Religion ALBEIT this little booke is nothing â—ls but a breefe memorial of that vvhich a good maister must teache his disciple and therfore it doth but onlie point those things vvhich he must treate of neuer theles it hath seemed to me expedient besides that vvhich hath ben saied to touche heere in the end of this Rule vvith like breefenes the most ordinarie temptations that ar vvont to assault such persons as begin to serue God in Religion that by this meanes they may at lest knovv them to be temptations because this is a verie good vvaie to ouercom and vanquish them VVherfore vvho soeuer hee be that doth put on his harneis and arme him self toe fight in this kind of battail let him first of all presuppose that he must abide great incounters manie temptations of the enimie Ecclesiast 2.1 For not in vaine the vvise-man forevvarened vs saying O mie sonne vvhen thou commest to the seruice of God stand in iustice and feare and prepare thy sovvle to temptation Of Temptation in matters of faith AMONgst these Temptations the first is in Matters of faith for vvhere as a man vntil the time of his conuersion remained as it vvere in a sleepe touching the consideration of such matters as apperteine to Catholique faith novv vvhen he nevvlie beginneth to open his eyes and to see the mysteries thereof he beginneth forth-vvith like a straunger in a foraine countrye to vvauer in those things that ar laide before him And this is by reason of the little light and small vnderstanding vvhich he hath of them vntil that aftervvards perceiuing by vse to vvhat purpose eche thing doth seâ—ue he quieteth his mind and is persvvaded that such things be verie conuenient as seemed to him before verie straunge Of Temptation of Blasphemie AN other temptation there is vvhich is of Blasphemie and this representeth vnto a man the shape of certaine filthie and abominable things vvhen he is set to meditate vppon heauenlie things for as he bringeth his imagination from the vvorld being yet ful of the shapes and figures of the same he can not sodainlie cast out of his mind the figures of such things as haue ben by long continuance imprinted therein and therfore together vvith spiritual shapes and formes ar also represented vnto him certaine carnal figures vvhich doe torment him verie much that is troubled vvith them Albeit hovv much more trouble they giue him so much they be lesse daungerous because he is farther of from giuing anie consent to them and so the best vvaie that maie be to ouercom these temptations is to make no account of them for so much as they be in deede rather a kind of frighting and fearing of our enimie then anie true daunger Of temptation of Scruples AN other temptation is of Scruples vvhich doe proceede of the ignorance that young beginners haue of spiritual matters and therfore they goe as a man that vvalketh in the night vvho doubteth at euerie steppe to fal This commeth to passe especiallie for that they vnderstand not the difference betvvene a thought a consent and therfore they imagin that they giue theire consent in euerie light motion But this temptation vvith time and vnderstanding of spiritual matters is cured by little and little especiallie in those that be humble and subiect them selues to the iudgment and direction of others Of temptation of Scandales AN other temptation is to be quicklie scandalized and offended at euerie little trifle and this by reason of the smal experience vvhich they haue of things For as they conceiued in theire mindes that Religion is a most exact and perfect schoole of perfection and a life of Angels and as yet knovv not the greatnes of mans frailtie in atteining thereunto they be easilie scandalized and vvonder at euerie thing that they see These haue not yet atteined vnto the vnderstanding of that place of S. Gregorie vvhere he saieth Gregor hom 34. in câ—angel that True holines hath compassion but feined or imperfect holines is disdainefull To this temptation maie be reduced an other vvhich is vvhen a Religious person taketh scandale at the lavves and rules of his Religion making him self a Iudge and interpreter in the exposition of such things as his Rule commaundeth and geuing rash censure vvhither his rule be good or euil VVhich generallie is a teÌ„ptation of provvde and presumptuous vvittes and of such as haue more affiance in them selues then in the experience of theire forefathers vvhich ordeined these Rules The remedie is that a man submit him self to other mens aduise and gouernment and vvholie renounce his ovvne opinion Of temptation of ouermuch desire of spiritual Consolations AN other temptation is to desire ouermuch spiritual Consolations and to be ouer heauie and discomfited vvhen he vvanteth them and to esteeme him self better then others vvhen he hath them measuring perfection by consolation vvhereas in deede this is not the true measure but the profit in mortification and vertue is the touchstone of perfection Som others there be likevvise vvhich vvhen they vvant spiritual consolations doe seeke for sensual consolations the vvhich is no lesse inconuenience then the former Of temptation of vttering Gods sauours AN other temptation is not to keepe secreate such visitations and fauours as they receaue of almightie God but to publish and disclose that to others vvhich they ought to keepe secrete and to make them selues preachers and doctors before the time and begin to be maisters before they be good schollers And al this they doe vnder a pretence of goodnes vvith the shadovve of vertue not considering that the fruitefull tree must yeeld his frute in time and that the proper office of a beginner is to laie his finger on his mouthe and to keepe silence Of temptation to flitte from place to place AN other temptation and that verie common is to be disquieted vvith the desires of chaunging from place to place seeming to them that they maie be in som other place much more quiet and deuout or els vvith greater profit and more close recollection of their minde Nether doe they consider that by chaunging the place the ayer is chaunged but not the hart and that to vvhat place soeuer a man goeth he
carieth him self alvvaies vvith him that is to saie a mind rent and torne vvith sinne vvhich is a continual store-house of miserie and trovvbles and that this is not remedied vvith chaunging of places but vvith the fiar of mortification and vvith the ointment of deuotion VVhich deuotion as hath ben saied before doth alter the mind of a man in such sort that for the time that it dureth the stincking filth vvhich issueth from the sinke of our flesh is not perceiued VVherfore the best remedie that a man can take to flie from him self is to approche neere vnto almightie God to comunicate vvith him for by dvvelling in him by actual loue he remaineth forthvvith separated and absent from himself Of temptation of vndiscretion and of too much discretion AN other temptation is vvhen men ar in this nevv tast and feruour of spirite to giue them selues to vndiscreete vvatchings praiers abstinences vvhereby they com to destroie their sight their heads and stomakes and to remaine in a manner al theire life aftervvards vnable for spiritual exercises as I my self haue seene in manie Religious persons and others fall thereby into grieuous diseases and so vvhat vvith the cherisshing in time of theire sicknes vvhat vvith vvant of spiritual exercises vvhich they omit enforced by theire disease theire temptations begin to increase in such sort as that they maie easilie cast dovvne vertue being so abandoned of the aide and strength of deuotion Others againe being accustomed to delicate cherisshing in theire infirmitie doe continue in such euil customs as they vsed in the same and others as S. Bonauenture saieth doe fall by this occasion to loue them selues aboue al measure and to liue not onlie more delicatelie then before but also more dissolutelie making theire sicknes a pretended colour to giue licence to al theire appetites and delicate cherisshings Som others contrarievvise doe offend through ouermuch discretion and slacknes refusing to doe euerie honest vvoork for feare of peril saying that it is sufficient for theire saluation to keepe them selues from deadlie sinnes albeit other austerities and smal things be not obserued Of these men S. Bernard de vita solit ad frat de monte Dei. Bernard saith thus The man vvhoe is nevvlie entred into Religion and being as yet sensual is becom discreete and being but a nouice is becom vvise and being but a beginner is alreadie prudent can not possiblie perseuer anie long time in Religion Of temptation of forsaking a mans first vocation BVT the most common temptation of young nouices is to forsake the vvaie that they haue begonne and to turne backe againe to the vvorld to vvhich purpose the diule vseth a thovvsand deuises For som times vvith temptations of pusillanimitie and vveakenes he putteth into theire head that they shalneuer be able to endure and goe through vvith this kind of austere life Other times vvith strong temptations of the flesh he representeth vnto them the state of mariage as a sure hauen and quiet life vvhich is neuertheles to saie the truthe a goolf of continual troubles and torments alleaging for this purpose the examples of manie Patriarches vvhoe being maried vvere Saincts and bearing them in hand that they shal finde for that state of life a meete companion that shal be of the same intention and mind that they be of and that they shal bring vp theire children in the feare of God And here he also representeth vnto them vvhat almes they maie bestovve in this state vvhich they can not doe remaining in Religion telling them moreouer that this giuing of almes is a greate meane to be assured of the kingdom of heauen at the daie of iudgment Other times contrarie to this he goeth about to deceaue them vvith higher imaginations setting before them other ordres of Religion vvhich be more straite and especiallie that of the Carthusians the vvhich thing he doeth to once allure and dravv them out of theire Religion vvith this halter that soe hauing gotten them out of the barres in the middest of the tilt he maie set vppon them and carrie them avvaie vppon his hornes Som other times he bringeth them to be in loue exceedinglie vvith solitarie life vsing therevnto the examples and liues of the holie fathers in the desert that by this meanes hauing separated them from all companie and ledde them through this solitarie vvalke vvhen they be alone vvithout the shadovve and counsel of their spiritual fathers he maie the more easilie preuaile against them Of temptation vvhich is couered vvith the cloke of vertue BVT amongst al these kinds of temptations the most dangerous ar those that com vnder pretense of goodnes and doe beare a shevv of vertue For such things as be openlie naught carrie vvith them theire ovvne filthines superscription by vvhich they be both easilie knovven and abhorred but things that haue som ovvtvvard apparence shevv of goodnes ar more perilous because vvith this colour and cloke of vertue they maie the more easilie beguile vs. And by this vvaie our aduersarie preuaileth more then by anie other in tempting the seruants of God For vvheras he knovveth right vvel that they be alredie determined to abhorre the euil and to embrace the good he procureth to giue them to drinke the poison of sinne mingled vvith this deceitful honie of the shevv of vertue VVherfore vve ought to suspect euerie excessiue and vehement affection for so much as the excesse in euerie thing is alvvaies to be feared These be the most common temptations of such as begin to serue God for vvhich the good maister must haue his medecines aforehand vvel studied and prouided for and a greate part of these medecines consisteth in this to knovve that the things before mentioned be in deede temptations because the chiefest deceite of the enimie is to make these young beginners beliue that temptations be not temptations but reasons and those also vvel grounded in theire opinion and conceite HOVV A MAN OVGHT TO BEHAVE him self tovvards God tovvards him self and tovvards his neighbours ALBEIT I haue sufficientlie spoken of vertues in general yet that euerie maÌ„ that beginneth to serue God maie more easiâ—ie put them in practise I shal applie al that hath ben said vnto three principal bounden deuties vvhich be our devvtie tovvards God tovvards oure selues and tovvards our neighbours vvhich deuties vvere signified by the Prophet Micheas vvhen he saied Mich. 6.8 I vvil teache thee o man vvherein goodnes consisteth and vvhat our lord requireth of thee to vvit to doe iudgment tovvards thy self to loue mercie tovvards thy neighbour and to vvalk carefullie vvith thy God vvhich apperteineth vnto the seruice honour and reuerence of God Of our devvtie tovvards God TO beginne vvith the chiefest of these deuties it is to be noted that amongst vertues som doe of theire ovvne nature incomparablie exceede al others such be those vertues that haue theire eye to God and be therfore called Theological as Faith Hope and Charitie vnto vvhich vve
maie adioine the feare of God and vvithal Religion vvhich consisteth in the honour seruice of God These be the most principal vertues and the stirrers vp of al others and therefore he that desireth to atteine to the perfection of Christian life must labour to increase and profit especiallie in the forsaid vertues for the more he shal profit in them the greater shal his perfection be And for this cause it is to be thought that manie of those auncient Patriarches vvere so notable in vertue and so holie men because they had these most excellent vertues as it appeared in the Faith and Obedience of Abraham and in the loue and confidence vvhich Dauid had in almightie God in that he had such recourse to him in al necessities and did put such trust in him as a child doth in his father yea and much more saying Psalm 26.10 My father and my mother haue for saken me but oure Lord is careful for me Novv to obteine these so noble vertues there is no meane more conuenient then to persvvade our selues vvith all the hope that is possible that almightie God is our true father for somuch as neither in the hart nor in the prouidence neither yet in the loue of a father there is anie comparable vnto him sith none hath created vs but he none desireth more our profit then he Let vs therfore settle this most stedfastlie in our harts and endeuour alvvaies to behold God vvith such eyes hart as a child doth his father that is vvith a hart louing tender humble reuerent obedient to his vvil ful of confidence in al aduersities and covvched vnder the vvinges of his fatherlie prouidence And because this hart and affection cannot be obteined vvith oure forces onlie therefore a man ought continuallie to desire the same of God And to speake somvvhat more particularlie of this Note this the holie father S. Vincentius saieth that a man ought to haue seuen sorts of affections and vertues tovvards God in his hart to vvit a most feruent loue a verie greate seare an humble reuerence a most constant zeale a grateful giuing of thankes a svveete mouthe ful of praises a readie Obedience and a pleasant tast of diuine svvetenes Of our devvtie tovvards our selues A MAN ought also to haue tovvards him self saith the same holie father seuen other affections and vertues amongst vvhich the first must be to be confounded and ashamed for his sinnes committed The second to bevvaile his sinnes and be hartilie sorovv that he hath offended God and hurt his ovvne sovvle The third that for this he desire to be despised of all men as vnvvorthie of all honour and fauour The fourth to make leane and chastice his bodie vvith al seueritie and rigour as one that hath ben the prouoker and mouer of al these sinnes The fift to conceiue an irreconciliable anger and hatred against al vices and against al inclinations and rootes of the same The sixt to be verie vigilant and attent to gouerne and direct al his vvorkes and vvordes and al his senses and passions that nothing doe vvithdravv him from the iustice and lavve of God The seuenth that he haue a most perfect modestie and discretion in keeping Temperance and measure in all things but especiallie to discerne betvveene little much betvveene lesse and more to the end that there be nothing either superfluous or to litle nor that he exceede or vvant vvhat is necessarie Of our devvtie tovvards our neighbours IN like manner as the same Saincte teacheth vs a man ought to haue seuen other special vertues affections tovvards his neighbour First he ought to haue an invvard hartie compassion of other mens miseries and to be grieued at them as yf they vvere his ovvne Secondlie he ought to haue a charitable gladnes at the prosperitie and felicitie of others as he vvould haue in case it vvere his ovvne Thirdlie he ought to haue a quiet and setled patience vvillinglie contenting him self to suffer all that shal be donne vnto him and readie to forgiue al men vvith al his hart Fourthlie he ought to haue a gentel benigne behauiour and affabilitie tovvards al men vsing him self in conuersation amongst them vvith al courtisie mildnes and gentlenes and vvisshing them al vvel Fiftlie he ought to haue an humble reuerence tovvards al men accounting them for his betters and submitting him self to all as yf they vvere his Superiours Sixtlie he must haue a perfect concord vvith al men to the end that so much as in him lieth and God shall giue him grace he maie saie one self same thing and agree vvith al men in opinion be persvvaded that al men ar euen him self Seuenthlie he ought to haue a mind to offer him self for al men that is to be readie to bestovve his life for the saluation of all men and toe praie alvvaies and to endeuour that they al may be one in Christ and Christ in them Yet must he not for this frequent the companie of naughtie persons but rather flie from them as from serpents Albeit setting this occasion aside the seruant of God ought to be simple in his conuersation vvith his neighbours and either to vvinke at theire defectes or els yf he must needes see them to beare them vvith patience or to admonish them charitablie vvhen there is hope of redresse by so dooing THE FYFT TREATISE OF THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE THE PREFACE AMONGST diuers euils that raigne in the vvorld one most to be lamented is the manner that manie Christians doe vse in making the Confession of their sinnes For som fevv excepted the most part doe com to this Sacrament vvithout anie repentance and vvithout anie examination of theire consciences Hence it ensueth that soone after their Confession they returne to their vvicked life and to the same filth in vvhich they vvallovved before This is a great contempt of God of his ministers of his Sacraments and it seemeth that these men com to confession onlie to dallie and mock vvith almightie God for in confession they desire him pardon of theire sinnes they protest an amendment of life yet out of hand beginne a fresh to offend him more then before The punishment that such persons deserue is such as God for the most part permitteth that is to leaue them in this euil state al the daies of theire life euen til the houre of death vvhen theire end vvil be such as vvas theire life that is vvithout anie fruite Yf therfore anie one haue desire to conuert him self earnestlie vnto almightie God and to doe true penance I shal heere declare vvhat he ought to obserue concerning this matter And because the Sacrament of Penance conteineth three principal parts vvhich be Contrition Confession and Satisfaction I vvil breefelie declare vvhat is to be donne in eche of these parts OF CONTRITION AND OF THE tvvo partes vvhich it conteineth CHAP. I. WHOE soeuer he be that mindeth to returne to almightie God to leaue