coÌ„ passyon on his neyghboures necessytie Why the phariseis are painâ—…d sepulchres wickidâ—…s bodies sepulchres of carions As disspysynge the gospel and the trewe preachers therof 〈◊〉 â—…nge blasphemy fyl thy talke such like God is the life of the sowle The sowle departing from the bodye in sin is past recouerye 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 coÌ„ forte to enter the feld against 〈◊〉 By chryste we may do all thyngs â—…he useâ—…y of a christia an hys battel dependeth not on tortuâ—… Christyâ—… may not be idle A measure to be vsidâ—… in this battell we muste knowe our â—…r and haue it in a redines In the spirituall bat tell is no rest but coÌ„ tinuâ—… fight as long as we bee in this life The crafty nes of our enemie the deuil in his fight Two 〈◊〉 of armoure meete for 〈◊〉 Christian. The vertu and effecte of praier the operaâ—… of trew knowledg We cannot walke oure longe and dangerous Iorneye to heaueÌ„ with out our two capitains 〈◊〉 ron 〈◊〉 woy ses that is praier and knowledg wante of knowledge is the occa syon that praier is abused what maner of prai er Christ te cheth vs. It is not the noise or voice that cawserhe god to heare vs. what wee ought to do when wee are enâ—…d to sinne what infynitt treasures shalbe foâ—…d in the holy scriptuers by hi which com meth wâ—… a pure mid what expo syteres of the scriptu res are me teste to be red The maÌ„eâ—… of the 〈◊〉 â—…his of the holy scryptures we must indeuer oure selues to 〈◊〉 from milke to stronge meates howe we ought to be stowe oure wittes The profit â—…t commeth of the knowledge of holy scri ptures what armo ure must be cast awaie if we al haue the armoure of a very Chrisan Our enemy the deueâ—… is to be ouerthrows and resisted by the scripture whiche be the perticu lar armoures of a christian The 〈◊〉 of this armoure and comforte to hym that weareth it The strengthe holye scryptuere geuethe to suche as de light there in The vncer tayntye of the peac of this world is 〈◊〉 The onely waye to ob tayne the parfecte trew peace The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 betwen trewe wisdome and folishenes The deuill the Capita ine of myschefe the fountayn of wisdome Christ. Christe our redempcioÌ„ iustificatioÌ„ wisdome â—…hat wisdome wee ought to fo lowe â—…here Chr iste is folowede the worlde is strayghte way angry The folish nes of worl delye wise dom descri bid It is commendable to be dispâ—… sed of the wicked worldly wis dome worthely haâ—… of god and why what the wisdom of Christe is the 〈◊〉 â—…e therof A quâ—…et coÌ„â—… a prin cipall fruit of 〈◊〉 lyfe where god ly wisdome 〈◊〉 to be soughte To knowe our selues is the begi ninge of godly wise dome â–ª Wanne a monstruouâ—… beast The bodie of man a bruite and â—…be beast The great dyfferâ—…nce betwâ—… the soule the bodie whearein the bodie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The delight of the sowle Sinne soweth the discord betwene the sowle end bodie â—…an comâ—…arid to a factious sedycious Cittie and the maner of the gouernement of the same â—…dytâ—…one and disobe dience the vtter ruine of any com 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Reason 〈◊〉 king 〈◊〉 who the nobleâ—… and ancientes Riot enuy and suche like be the 〈◊〉 moâ—… The one 〈◊〉 perfecte waie to felicitie is first to know our selues â–ª next to subdue our 〈◊〉 â—…tes Excelent commenda ble thinges â—…llwayes dauÌ„gerous to be prose â—…d 〈◊〉 of his owne pow er can not subdue his owne 〈◊〉 but is ouer come by Christ and bowe Many christians bondâ—… seruaun tes to sin The peace Christ caâ—… to breake 〈◊〉 to set healthefull â—…tell The difference betwene â—…au les doctriâ—… the philo sopherâ—… 〈◊〉 contrarye to maâ—…s reason gods woâ—…king to oure 〈◊〉 iâ—… The contraâ—…es of plato and paules dâ—… trine The difference betwene the bodie and soule Of the frui tes of the spirite and the fleshe S. Paule could clere lie be ridd of fleshlie mocions he that wil be stronge in god must fyrste be weke in the fleshe Sin to bee driueÌ„ away by praier â–ª Temptacion profitable to chris tians â–ª Pryde and vaine glory assaulteth the good â–ª â—…hoo shall see god trust in him Noâ—… The deuision origen maketh of man by iii. partes wherof the fyrst is the flesshe The secoÌ„d part is the sprite The third part is the â—…le The feshâ—… an 〈◊〉 The diuers workinges of the sprite the soul the flesh what workes we do of nature The battel betweene the soule the fleshe An error to esteme that on absolute vertu whiche procedeth of nature Wherin the lawde of vertue con sistethe Praier and fastiÌ„g how to be vsâ—…d The carnâ—… vsynge of prayer â—…we we oughte to loue oure children Rules wherby we may learne earelye tâ—… crepe owe frome the blinde errors of the worlde too the puerâ—… light of spi ritual life Note here The vertu of baptim Thre princi pal euils in man Blindenes the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The secoÌ„d euyll the flesshe The third euyll is â—…firmitie The firste remedie to know good from euill The third remedie to contynewe in vertue after the same knowne Faithe the oneâ—…e gaâ—…e eâ—…nce to Christe The estimâ—… cyone wee oughte too haue of chri ste the holy scriptures The more part not to be folowed â—…ow faith 〈◊〉 tobe 〈◊〉 â—…ed we must be redy bothe with body and minde to lose all for the gos pell what impe dimentes mans nature hathe to plucke hym frome god we muste fly from 〈◊〉 bilon good adâ—… uysementâ—… ought to be taken in woildely afayres But to 〈◊〉 no deâ—…ught to be made Against suche as wol de please bothe god 〈◊〉 the world Then purâ—… gaâ—… 〈◊〉 gonne he that wâ—… lyue with Christ must dye with Christe The fondâ—… 〈◊〉 of fleshe It is euery christen ma nâ—… dutie to knowe the scripturs 〈◊〉 to confesse Christe â—…ow 〈◊〉 â—…ord 〈◊〉 ought to be taken The crosse what it is we may not desyre to reign with the â—…ed iâ—… we will take no pains wyth the â—…ed we mai not hange our fayth on other men The straight lyfe al Christyans are bounde vnto no estate excepâ—…ed we muste endeuoure our selues to folowe our â—…dde Christe Thoughe the way to saluatyon semeth sha rpe yet it oughte not to be feared â–ª No kind of life in this world with out troble The misera ble lyfe of courtyers The trauel some life of the marchaunte Trobles in mariage Dysommodyties in this life indifferent to good bad The trauel som life of thâ—…se that follow the worlde The waye to eternall life compa red to the trauel some lyfe of the worldâ—… maÌ„ iâ—… exceding 〈◊〉 Comparisones betwene the lyfe of a trewe christian and a worldling â–ª â—…hat â—…uste cause we haue to 〈◊〉 â—…yse the world and to imbrace Christe Note thys for thy com forte â—…e that foloweth chr iste muste not loke for reputacion of
the sowle for that he dieth impeniteÌ„t Here you maye perceyue and euidentely see that the mother and rote of al mis chefe is wordely and carnall wisdome But of the wysedome of Christe whyche the worlde reputeth as folishenes It is red in the xi chapiter of Esay wher he saith in the persone of those to whome this godly wisdom hath hapened all goodnes hathe hapened to me withe her and by her helpe great vertu and honesty and I haue reioyced in al my actes For asmuch as this wysedome was euer my guide and captain vpon this wisdome waiteth continually humili tyâ—… and sobernes Humility maketh vs apte and mete vessels to receaue the spyryte of god For vpon lowly and meke parsoÌ„s his pleasure is to rest And after that of his infinite goodnes he hath dis stylled in oure soules his vii speciall gyfts Sodenly rootith and buddethe in vs the plesant rype corne of al vertue with their blessed and ioyfull fruits Of the whiche the chefe is a quiet and peacified concience with god whiche is called inwarde ioye The secrete ioye the ioye vnknowne but to suche as hathe assayed and tasted it The ioye which vanishyth not ne can be taken away as the ioye of this world but groweth and in creasythe to eternall ioye This wisdome according to the aduisement of S. Iames must by conti nual feruent praier be desired of god and delygentlye laborid for â–ª in the secrete vaines of holy scripture The hed and begynnynge of this wysdome is suerely and substancially to know your self The which prouerbe our auncient and forefathers hath honored and taken as the voyce of god decsendiÌ„g from heauen and good authours delyted so much in it that they extemed the hole some and efficacye of wysdome to be conteyned in it But the saienges of Infedels and Pagans may be of smal autority among christen men vnlesse they agree with holye scripture Here therfore what the heauenly louer in the booke of cantycles sayth to his spowse threteninge and commaunding her to auoyd his house onles she knewe her selfe O most bewtifull of all women goe from me and walke the waies of youre fleshe or kynsefolke in case youe know not your self it is no trifle a man to knowe hym self I cannot well thinke that any man in this worlde can sufficiently be assured of the knoweledge of hys bodye Howe showld man then parfytly know the qualites and behauiors of the sowle Saint Paul whom it pleasyd god to rauishe into the third heauen and teache the secret misteris therof durst not presume to iudge him selfe which he wold haue done noo dought therof if he perfetlye had knowne him selfe If so godly and perfit a man durst not affirme that he parfitly knew him self shal we carnalmen assure oure selues so boldly to the knowledge of our selues He is thought a verye vnprofytable and vnwise soldiour whiche neither knoweth his owne power and strengthe ne the might company of his enemies But man hath not batel one ly with other men but also wyth him selfe And suerelye the moste daunger of oure battell is contained in oure selues And oftyn tymes there is so smal dyfference be twene our frendes and our fooes That it is to be feared leste we by necligence defende our foe for our frend and hurte our frend for our foo Then forasmuche as this spirituall battell is moste withe our selues and the first hope of victorie is to know our selues I shall breuely as in battell depeinte and 〈◊〉 to you an Image of youre 〈◊〉 by the which you maye the 〈◊〉 attayne the knowledge of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of the exterior man and the interior MAn therfore is a certaine monstruous beast compact or formyd of ii or iii. partes muche dyuers and contrary that is to saye of the sowle whiche is spirituall and the image of god And of the body whiche is in maner a bruite and domme beaste for in the bodely part we doo not excell the other kinde of beastes but are in al the giftes and condicions therof muche inferyoure and worse then they But by the sowle and spyrituall part we be partakers of the highe godhed diuinytie and in that behalfe not onelye excell the angelicall creatures but also are adioyned and made one with god If the bodye had not bene addyd and anexyd to the sowle man had ben all spirituall and godly And if the sowle had not ben geuen to the body man had ben al beastely These two natures so contrary disagreinge the highe workman and maker of all thinges ioyned and knytte together in ioyful and quiet amitie and concord But the false deceiuable and crafty serpeÌ„t vtter and extreme enemye to oure quietnes by mischeuous and vnhappy subtilti set such enmity and discord betwne them that thei can not be deuyded or departed wyth out greate vexation and payne ne continue and dwel together with out continuall stryfe and battell The body as it is it selfe visible deliteth in thinges that be visible as it is mortal and traÌ„sytory and of no goodnes so it foloweth vain and transitory thinges as it is he â—…ye and ponderous so it synkethe and slydyth alway downewarde Contrarye the sowle as it is in kynde heauenlye so it alwaye enforsyth vpwarde and contendyth alway with this earthely parte dispiseth these visible thinges for that it knowith them transitorye and of no goodnes As she is immortal so she loueth thinges that be euerlastyng for lyke hathe alway pleasure in thinges that be like onles she be vtterly drouned in the filthynes and poyson of the body and by them greuously infec ted do declyne from her naturall gentilnes and clenes It was not the fyrst state and condicyon wher in man was created that caused thys deuisyon But that whyche was formid and created good and puer was by sinne corrupted and defiled And synne dyd sowe thys dyscorde and discentyon betwene them which were in quietnes and agreed as one For before man was by synne infected the sowle without busines commaundid the body and the body gladly and willing obeyed the imperye and commaundement of the sowle Nowe that thys good order and quyetenes is distroubled it is contrary for the carnall affection striuethe and enforâ—…the to haue preminence aboue reason And often reason by blyndenesse obeythe sensualytie wherfore man maye well be compared to a faccious or sedicious citie which for as muche as it consistethe of dyuers kindes of men diuersly mindid and disposed must nedes be troublid with diuers mo cions and sedicions onles the hole rule and empiere bee in one and that he be suche as will nothinge commaund but that shalbe verye profitable and holsom for the com mon wealth and safty of the same And therfore it is very necessaryâ—… in euery region and communialte that thei rule which be most wise and discrete and the other obey The common people for the moste parte be of smale corage
of the first heauenly And this I speak welbelouyd for that neither the fleshe ne the bloud shal possesse the kingedome of heauen neither thinges corruptible or incorruption Here you maye euydently se that what Paule in one place called the exteriourman and the fleshe whiche is corruptyble In another place he calleth it the earthely Adam And suerlye this is the same flesh the same body of death where with he was troubled when he sayde O vnhappye creature who shall delyuer me from the body of this death And of the fruites bothe of the spiryte and of the fleshe whiche be muche diuers he writeth saieng He that soweth in the flesshe shall gather corruption of the flesshe And he that soweth of the spiryte shall of the spirite gather euerlasting life O happy and fortunate manne in whom this earthelie Adam is so mortified and subdewed that it in no wise resysteth the spirite But whether this perfecte quietenesse and tranquilitie maye fortune to any man in this worlde I wil not affyrme Peraduenture it is not necessary to be For Paule in this lyfe not withstandinge his hyghe perfection and grace had a mocion of the fleshe to vexe and dystrou ble him And when he thryse desired god to be delyuered from the sayde mocion He onely had this aunswere Paule my grace is suf ficient for vertue is made perfite by vexation Paul was vexed by pryde that he shuld not be proud To be perfit and strong in god he was caused to be weake and feeble For he caryed the treasure of heuenly reuelation in a frayle and bryckell vessell that the honoure and victory shulde onely be in the power and mighte of God not in him selfe This one exaumple of Paule is erudition and learninge to vs in many things First when we be moued and tised to syn that we diligently cal to almighty god by prayer Furthermore that to trewe christian men temptations be not only profitable but also necessary for the preseruation of ver tue Finally that when all the other motions be subdued then the mocions of pryde and vayneglorye are most to be feared which in the myddes of vertue priuelye awayteth vs. After that man hath mortifyed the flesshe and subdued the concupicence of the same TheÌ„ shal he se god and tast god that he is swete God is not seene in the fierce and boisteous winde of temtacion but after man hath resisted and valiantlye oppressyd the suggestions of his ennemies Then foloweth a delectable smale blaste of ghostly comforte and consolacion Which when you shal perceue then quikly awayt with your inwarde eyes and you shall se god well knowe that he hathe made safe for you ¶ Of the thre partes in man the spiryte the sowle and the fleshe These myght be thought more then sufficient but that you maye the more playnlye knowe what man is I shall brieflye declare vnto you what deuision Oxygen maketh of man And to be shorte he maketh three partes in man The body or the fleshe as the lowest parte of man in the which by the offence of the firste parente Adam the cruell and subtyll serpente the deuyll sowed the lawe of synne into the sowle of man By the which he is prouokid to sinne ouercome by the deuill and bonde in sinne The spirite by the which man dothe expresse the very similitude of the nature of god In the which also the highe creatour and maker of al thinges out of the inwarde secretes of his minde with his own finger that is to say his spirite dyd write the eternal law of vertue honestie By this portion also Man is adioyned and made one with god After these he putteth the thyrde parte as a middle or a meane betwene the. ii other which is a receiuour of the naturall meuinges or felynges This parte as in a factious or sedicious cytie is moued and intysed of both partes and is at libertie to whether it wyll encline If it forsake the fleshe and folow the spirite then shall it be spirituall But if it followe the desires and â—…upidities of the fleshe it shalbe al so fleshely And that ment sayncte Paule when he sayd Know you for trouthe that he that cleaueth to an harlotte is made oone body with her and he that cleaueth to god is made one spirite with him This harlot is the slipper and vn stedfast parte of man which is the fleshe Of whom it is spoken of in the seconde booke of Prouerbes withdrawe the from the strange woman whiche maketh her wordes softe and forsaketh the capytayne of her youthe and hath forgotten the couenaunte shee made with god Her house is al deadly her pathes bryngeth to hel They that folowe her shall not obteyne the pathe of lyfe And he that forsaketh her shalbe saued Then the spirite maketh manne godlye the fleshe maketh beastely The soule maketh man liuynge the spirite good and vertuouse the flesshe euyll and vngracious the soule ma keth neither good ne euyl the spirite seketh heauenly thynges the fleshe swete and pleasaunte The soule necessary the spirite lyfteth to heauen the fleshe depresseth to hel The soule of the spirit or flesh taketh merite or demerite what so euer is fleshely is vicious that which is spiritual is parfite that which is of the soule is mean and indifferent will you that I more playnly discriue to youe the difference betwixte these partes You honoure and feare your parentes you loue youre chyldren and frendes it is not so muche ver tuous to do these thinges as it is sinne not to doe them For whye should not you beynge a christian man do those thinges which infidels and beastes doo onely by instinct of nature That which man dothe of nature is not worthie rewarde But it so chauncith that other you must not regard the reue rence towardes youre parentes neglecte dispyse the loue of your children or els displease god In this case what is to be done the sowle is in dought the flesshe mouithe in the one side the spirite in the other The spirite perswadeth that god is better then thy father and more to be regardid the fleshe contrary maketh suggestion You owe your parentes your naturall being And in case you obey them not you shalbe disheritid and com moÌ„ly called vnnatural vnkind lose not your goodes disteyne not your name as for god other he seethe not or he wil not see and at the leaste he wyll sone be pleased Nowe the soule is in doubte and standethe amasyd if it inclyne to the flesshe dispise the spirite it is one bodye with it And if it folow the spyryte it is transmutyd in to the spirite It is great erroure to exteme that absolute vertu which is of nature Some of nature are little moued or intised to the pleasures of the bodye Let them not iudge theÌ„ selues verteous for that which is indifferent For the laud of
exercise your selfe after this maner It shall not much be peyneful vnto you to resist themotions of your ennemies but also you shall perceiue greate fruite and pleasure For as muche as by this holsome remembraunce you shall vnderstande that you be conformate to your head and shal so recompence him his great paynes and punishmente whiche he suffered for your sake ¶ The. xvii Rule howe greate a helpe to resyste synne is to remember howe detestable a thinge synne is And though this be the most redy and present remedye agaynste all kynde of temptation yet it shal greatly pro fyte to suche as be weake and infyrme if they diligentely remember when they are moued and inti sed to synne Howe fylthy howe pestilente howe abhomynable a thynge syn is And contrary how noble and excelent the dignytie of man is In trifles and matters of smalle valewe we councell and take good aduisemente with oure selfe And in so weightie a matter shal we not diligently remember with oure selfe before wee bynde vs to the deuyll by oure consent as by oure wrytynge and obligations Howe marueilouselie wee were created in how excelent condicion and degree set aboue other creatures Howe preciousely we are redemed frome captiuitie and tiranie of sinne and to how great ioye and felicitie we be called and ordeyned Shall we not also remember and recorde in oure myndes that man is that gentyll and honorable beaste for whose cause almighty god created made this vniuersal world that maÌ„ is the citizen of angels the sonne of god the heire of immortalitie a member of Christ. And that the bodye of a christen man is the temple of the holy ghoste and the sowle or mind of man is the similitude and image of almighty god the secret chamber of the deuinitie And contrarye that synne is the miserable destruction and pestilent infection bothe of the bodye and sowle the deadly poyson of oure moste cruel ennemie the bayte of the deuyll and the erneste and pledge of oure moste miserable and beastely seruitude and bondage and after you haue thus diligently remembryd with your selfe then take good ad uisemeÌ„t whether it be coÌ„uenyente or profytable for so disceitful poisoned short delectation of syn to fal froÌ„ so gret dignitie noblenes vnto such indygnitie and mysery from the which thou canste not at thy pleasure delyuer thy selfe ¶ The. xviii Rule to auoyde sin by and by comparing the. ii heades together videlicet God and the deuyll ANd after ye haue this substaÌ„ cially aduysed counsayled with your selfe it shalbe necessary that you coÌ„pare confer together the two disagreyng and farre vnlyke heades and capitaynes god and the deuyll by synne thou makest the one thine ennemie and the other thy lord and master By innocency and grace of godâ—… 〈◊〉 art ascrybed into the number and â—…lender of the frendes of god â–ª and adopted vnto the ryght and hâ—…ytage of the chyldren of god But by synne thou arte made and constituted the seruaunte and sonne of the deuyll The one is that eternall sprynge and fountayne verye image of the highest beautie gretest pleasure and moste excellente goodnes comynge and deuyding him selfe to all men The other is father and auctour to al vices extreme myschiefe and greatest infe licitie Remember the goodnesse and benefites of god towarde the remember also the malyce and mis chiefe of the deuyll Consyder by how great goodnes almighty god dyd create thee Howe mercyfully he redemed thee howe lyberally he hath indued thee How gentyl ly he â—…ereth and susteyneth thee dayly â—…ffendynge and displeasyng his goodnes howe ioyfully he recâ—…ueth the amending thine offen ces CoÌ„trary cal diligently to thy remeÌ„braunce howe enuiously the dyuyll hatyth thy helthe in what miserie and wretchednes he hath in time past deiected the and how he dailye labourith to bringe man to eternal dampnation And after thou haste diligentlie ponderyd comparyd these thinges in thy remembraunce thinke farther with thy selfe after this maner Shall I vnkindly and vnnaturally forgetfull of my beginning forgetful of so great benefites towards me for so little and vaine pleasure for sake so noble so louinge so beneficiall a father and geue my selfe in bondage to so enuious and cruel a master shal I not render vnto my maker creatoure almyghty god that thing whiche shame bindeth me to render vnto a man beynge good beneficial vnto me Shal I not abhorre and fiye the deuyll whiche naturally doth flie a man being hurtfull and euyll vnto me ¶ The. xix Rule for the absteining from synne is to haue in oure remembraunce the myseryes of thys worlde FUrthermore haue dilygently in your remeÌ„braunce how ful of trouble and wretchednes how fraile and vncertaine this present life is And how subtillye deathe on euerie side awaiteth man And diuers times sodenly and vnware oppresseth man when no man is suer to lyue one moment or instant of an houre howe peryllous ieoperdous it is to defer or prolonge that life that is to say to continue in sinne in the whiche if sodayne death as it many times hapneth apprehend or take thee thou diest eternally ¶ The. xx Rule to beware of Impenytencye FInally Impenitencie is gretly to be feared For asmuch as of so great a company verye fewe trewly and with all their harte ryse agayne from sin Specially such as prolonge and defer theyr contynuance in synne to the later ende of their lif The discence and fal vnto syn is very slipper and easie but it is harde and great difficulty to ascend againe from sinne And therfore it shalbe very necessary to euery christen man before he discend vnto the depe pit dungion of syn That he diligently remeÌ„ber that the returne againe froÌ„ sinne is very harde and laborous And that he cannot without speci al grace ryse againe at pleasure ¶ Here folowith certaine speciall remedies against certaine speciall vices and sinnes and first against Lechery HYtherto after my sim ple and grose maner I haue declared vnto you certaine generall remedies against all kynd of vice commonly Nowe af ter my capacitie lernyng I shal also prescrybe vnto you certayne specyall remedyes by the whyche you may be the more able to with stand the. vii pryncipall or dedly synnes And fyrst agaynst the syn of lechery for asmuch as this syn of al other so much inuadith man most sharply assautith him and is most common and bryngith moste men to dystruccyon and myschefe And therefore if this fylthy pleasure prycke or inflame thy sowle remeÌ„ber continuallye to arme thy selfe with this armoure and to re sist it First call to thy remeÌ„brance howe impuer how beastly how greatly vnbeseming and vncomly vnto man this fonde pleasure and voluptuousnes is which equalith vs the creature and unage of allmighty god vnto the vilest of the brute and vnresonable beastes as swine dogges gotes such other and not