An introduction to wisedome.
TRVE AND veraie wisedome is, corrupt affection set aside, truelie to iudge of thinges, & that we esteeme euery thing to be as it is, neither couetyng the vile, as thoughe they were preciouse, neither refusyng precious, as thoughe they were of no price: nor giuyng dispraise to thinges worthie praise, ne yet commendyng thinges worthie discommendacion. For, from this [Page] spryng, all errour renneth into mens mindes.
There is nothyng more hurtfull in mans lyfe, than this corrupete iudgement, this I saie, where euery thynge is not estemed as it ought to bee, and at suche price, as it is woorthe.
The opinions and common persuasions of the people are pernicious: bicause for the most parte they iudge of all thinges most fondely.
Certes the vulgar people is a great schoole maister of great errours.
There is nothynge that we ought to seke for with more studie, than to bryng hym that geueth him selfe to knowlage and wisedome, from the iudgement [Page] of the rude multiude.
First let him suspect as many thynges, as the multitude, with great assent, and consent, doth approue, vntill he hath examined them after those mens rule, whiche make vertue a measure to trie all mattiers by.
Let euery man, euen from his childhode, vse to haue right opinions of all thinges, which shal growe and encrease, lyke as his age dothe.
Let euery man desire vpright thynges, & flee the croked: chose the good, and refuse the euill, this vse and custome shal turne well doing almost into nature, and so work, that none but suche as ar cōpelled, and suche as [...]t in strife, founde the weaker, [Page] shall be brought to do euill.
The best kynde of life is (as sone as thou canst) to be chose [...] Custome shall make this, as it is best for the, so within a short space, to be most pleasant.
All the reste of our lyfe hangeth vppon our bringyng vp [...] whan we be children.
Wherfore the first grice, that men clyme vnto wysdom by, is that that so many ancient writers speake of, Seipsum nosce [...] Euery man to know him selfe [...]
A diuision of suche thynges, as ar perteignyng vnto men.
MAn is constituted and made of body & mynde: the body we haue of the [Page] earth, and those elementes that we se and touche, lyke vnto the bodies of beastes.
The mynd we haue geuen vs from heauen, lyke vnto angels, lyke to god hym selfe: by this parte man is estemed man, and as great wise men thynke, they alone are to bee taken for men, that in this haue theyr iuste porcion.
There be in the bodie, as belongyng vnto it, beautie, helth, integritee of membres, strength lightnes, delectacion, and their contraries as deformitee, sickenes, lacke of limmes, wekenes, sloth, sorowe, and other, as well commoditees of the body, as incōmoditees of the mynde, as learnyng and vertue, & their [Page] contraries, rudenesse and vice.
There be certaine thinges not geuen to all men, but chansyng to a fewe, and these be called thynges, Extra hominem, besides the nature of mā, as riches power nobilitee honour dignitee glory fauour, and their contraries, pouertee, nedinesse, ignobilitie, vile estimaciō [...] shame, obscurenesse, hatred.
A diuision of thynges and their price.
THe queene and princesse of all thynges most highest, is vertue, vnto whom all other serue, as handemaydes theyr maistresses, yf they do as by duetie they are bounden, [Page] I call vertue a reuerēt loue towardes god and man, a right seruice and woorshippynge of god, a right loue toward man, loue I saie, not endyng in wordes, but ioined with an ernest will to doo good. Other thynges, if they bee referred to this Uertu, that is if thei be sought, kepte, and spent for hir sake: and at hir commandemēt, they can not seme euill. Neither thei that call ryches, and other thinges lyke, godis, thought so of theim, as nowe the rude people do, the which hath so corrupted the true and natiue significacions of thynges, that many of theim haue lost their right estimacion, and ar changed vp set doune. For we must vnderstād [Page] where, whan, and howe farre these thynges be good.
We maie not esteeme richesse aboue theyr valu, or iudge, that preciouse stones, metals, roiall places, or gorgiouse implementes of house, are rychesse, or they ryche, that haue these: but rather richesse is, not to wante suche thynges, as are necessarily required to mans life.
True glory, is to be well spoken of, for vertues sake.
Trewe honour is to bee had in veneracion for some greatte vertue.
The grace that men obteine of princis or other people, shuld bee fauour borne to theym for their amiable vertues and qualitees, loue worthy.
[Page]Dignitee is either a rihgt opinion, whiche one man hath of an other for vertues sake, or els a certaine beautie of some inwarde vertue, outwardly expressed before mens eies.
Power and reigne is, to haue manie, whom thou maiest succour and ayde in right and honestie.
He is to bee reckened noble, that is knowen by some excellent acte, to be noble, orels cometh of an anc [...]ent stocke, and sheweth him selfe to bee in vertue and worthie qualitees lyke vnto his parentes.
A right gentilman is he, whō nature hath facioned and set, as it were in a standyng for the receipte of vertue.
[Page]Health is a temperate habitude of the body, whereby the mynd both kepeth hir strength [...] and exerciseth [...] hir power.
Beautie standeth in suche [...] niamentes, shape, and portrature of the body, as do shewe a beautifull mind to dwel therin.
Strength and valiauntnesse is, to suffise and accomplisshe the exercises of vertue [...] without werinesse.
Pleasure is a pure, sounde, hole, and continual delectacion, whiche is taken onely of those thynges that belonge vnto the mynde.
If a man do discusse and reason these thynges afore rehersed, otherwyse, that is, after the mynde and iudgemente of the [Page] ignorant people, he shall fynde them, to be thynges vnmete for men, thynges vaine, and also veraie hurtfull.
Fyrst, all outwarde thynges be either referred vnto the body, or to the mynde, as richesse ar to the maintenance of our lyfe, honour to beare witnesse of our vertue, and well doyng.
The body it selfe is no thyng els but a couerture, and a thing bound to serue the soule, where vnto bothe nature reason and comlines comnaunde the saied body to bee subiecte as a thyng brute, to that that dieth neuer, a thyng earthely, to that that hath a porcion of diuine Nature in it.
Furthermore, learnynge is [Page] sought for, and lodged in the mynde for this intente, that we maie therby bothe know sinne, and eschue the same, and know vertue, and atteine to it.
If learnyng dooe not this in hym that hath it, she leaueth hir holle duetie vndoone.
What other thyng is our life but a certaine peregrinacion, beset on euery side, with so many dangerous chances, that the ende therof, is euery houre hangyng ouer it, whiche oft tymes falleth vpon moste light occasions? Wherfore it is a great foly to do any thyng that is foule or filthy, for the loue of vncertain life, as who shoulde saie, thou were suer to liue long after thy naughty doyng.
[Page]As it is in a iourney, so is it in mans life, the lighter and les burdeine a man carieth, the easier and plesanter his iorney is.
Moreouer, the nature of man is suche, and so ordeined, that it nedeth veray fewe thynges. In so much, that if a man woll more nerely behold this thyng, doubteles he can not but vtterly condemne theym, as madde folke, whiche so gredily and so carefully accumulate gooddes vpon goodes, where as so litle suffiseth: His saiyng was prety and quicke, that thus expresed richesse: Sunt breuis vite longum viaticum, that is: Thei are great and long purueiance for a littell and shorte life.
Wherefore richesse, possessions, [Page] and apparell ought to be prepared only for our necessary vse, which vse is not holpen by vnmeasurable richesse, but rather oppressed, as shippes ouer laden with to great a fraighte.
Gold it self, if thou vse it not, differeth very little from claie, sauyng that the custody therof dothe put the to more vnquietnesse, causing the, by reason thy mynde is onely sette theron, to neglect suche thynges as ought aboue al other, to be regarded.
Money bryngeth men into a kynde of idolatrie, as ofte as for it those other thynges are set asyde, I meane godly reuerence and cleannesse, which are the great, chief, and first in nature. I lette passe, how many [Page] deceites, gynnes, and traines are laide for riches, howe many and sondry waies thei come to nought, and into howe many vices they, whan they tary, dryue menne, drawe menne, drowne men.
What other thyng is gaie apparel, but instrumētes to strike vp a daunce for pride.
Necessitee firste inuented the profitable garment, Riot and Richesse founde the preciouse, whiche Uanitee facioned vnto hir tricke. Great contencion is in varietee of apparell, whiche hath taught men many superfluous and hurtefull thynges, by reason that they seeke to bee honoured euen for that, whiche plainely declareth their infirmitee, [Page] foly, and weakenesse.
Hereby it commeth to passe, that this part of riches, gorgious buildynges, goodly householde stuffe, preciouse stones, and other riche ornamentes, be set out rather for a bragge, and to serue other mens eies, than for the vse and profite of those that possesse them.
What other thyng is nobilitee nowe but a chaunce, to bee borne of this or that gentille bloude, and an opinion grafte vpon the foolishenesse of rude and vnlerned people, which oftentymes is gotten by robbery and like waies.
True and perfecte nobilitee springeth of vertue [...] wherfore it is great madnesse for any man, [Page] to crake of his parentes, beyng naught hym selfe, dishonoryng their noble actes with his le [...]de doynges.
Truely we be all made of like elementes, and haue al one god Father to vs all, yet to contemne the birth or stocke of any man, is vnder a colour to reproue god, which is the auctour of euery mans natiuitee.
What other thyng is power, than a faire cumbrance, wherin if man knewe, what troubles and cares lie hidden, how great a sea of euils euerie daie ouerrenneth the small swetenesse of it, there is no man so ambicious, no man so gredy of honor, but he woulde flie it, as a greuous mysery, he wolde as that [Page] kynge saied, not stoupe to ta [...] vp a diademe, if it laie before him on the grounde.
Howe odiouse a thyng is it to gouerne euill men? how muche more, if thou bee euill thy selfe?
Honour, if it spryng not of Uertue, is falsely geuen and wrongefully taken, neither it can fully delite the, wher as thy conscience denieth the to serue it. Again, if it do arise of vertue, vertue teacheth the to refuse it. For that oughte not to be called or taken for Uertue, whiche is doone for desire of honour. Honour must folowe well dooyng, and is not to be craued of the well doers.
Howe can dignitees be called [Page] dignities, or worthines, whan they chaunce to most vnworthy persones, gotten by deceyte, by crauyng for money, and suche other naughty meanes, in especiall where they be geuen by the arbiterment of the rude multitude, a beaste of many heades, whiche doeth nothynge as reason and right iudgement wold. And what other thyng is glory, than as he saied, a vayne blast, that filleth fooles eares? And as honour and dignitee, are rather in hym that gyueth theym, than in hym, that is the receiuour, so glorie bryngeth lyttell or nothynge to hym, that it is geuen vnto. Certes they bothe are vncertain, wanderyng and soone gone, very lyke vnto the [Page] multitude their parent, whiche in the space of a daie, hyghely praiseth, and depely dispraiseth the same man. We see therfore that honour commonly faste [...]st fl [...]eth from hym, that moste seketh it, and goeth to theym, that least regarde it, agreyng in this point with the nature and condicion of the variable people, which oftetymes flee from him, whom thei ought soonest to folowe. I nede not to saie, that this honour and dignitee arise of causes sometyme foolisshe, sometyme very noughty. Ofte tymes he cometh vp apace, that can plaie well at tenisse, ofte tymes he waxeth honorable, that leaueth honestie, spendyng his patrimonie vppon [...]unkettes, [Page] minstrels, and scoffesr.
But warre, that is to saie, robbery without punishment, is a great a [...]auncer of men to honoure, suche is the madnesse of foolishe people.
Let euery man descend doune into him selfe, and there secretly think wel vpon this mattier, and than he shall fynde, howe littell cometh to hym, by fame, by rumours, by worship, by suche honour, as the people gyueth hym, wherein many nowe muche glory.
What difference is betweene the highest kyng that is, and the lowest slaue, whan they be both a sleepe?
What is beautee in the body? truely a well coloured skin, [Page] if the inwarde parties coulde be seene, what filthinesse shulde be espied, euen in the most beautifull body?
The fairest body is nothyng els but a dungehylle couered in white and purple.
What doeth beautie or prety feature of bodie auaile, if the mynd be vncleane? and if there be, as the greke writer saieth: In hospitio pulchro, hospes de formis, that is to saie, a fowl [...] geast in a fayre hostry.
For what pourpose seruet [...] strength of body, when thynge [...] moste greattest, and metest for man, be not gotten by strength of bodie, but by the gyftes of witte. Our strength, be it neuer so gret, can in no wise be equal [Page] with the strength of a bulle, or an elephant, it is reason, it is witte, it is policie, wherby we ouercome theim.
I let passe, I nede tell no man that beautie, strength, agilitie, and other gyftes of the bodye, shortely vanisshe awaie, euen [...]s floures.
And axes, a small feuer alone bryngeth oftentymes a veraie stronge champyon to deathes [...]ore, and soone shaketh away his fresshe colour, his beautie, and his strength.
And although sickenesse, or other mischaunce come not to theim, yet all they of necessit [...] through age, whiche euer cre [...]eth on, must nedes decaie.
No man therfore of right can [Page] count such outwarde thynges, as so sodeinlie departe awai [...] from hym, to other men, to bee his, no man can recken thynges of the bodie, to bee his, whiche flee away so faste, and so soone departe.
What wyll ye nowe saye, whan those thynges, whiche so many men doe highly desire, bee occasions of great vices, as of insolent errogancie, of luskishnesse, of fiercenesse, of enuie, of priuie hatrede, of strife, of debate, of battayle, murder, and manslauter?
The delectacion of the body is vile and beastly, as the body it selfe is, and beastes bee more oftener moued, and haue more pleasure, and longer also than [Page] men, the whiche pleasure not onely ouer whelmeth the bodie with many diseases, bringyng greatte damage and losse of gooddes, but also woundeth the minde with sorowfull repē taunce, and dulleth the witte, whiche is muche extenuated, abated, and broken through the delicate cherishyng of the body. Fynally there foloweth irkesomnes of it selfe, and hatred of all vertue.
It is not la [...]full for any man to vse suche pleasures openlie. For as they muche misbecome the noblenesse of mans mynde: so is there none so far paste all grace, but he bassheth to vse theim in presence of many witnesses. No because they ingeuder [Page] ignominy and shame, suche as vse theym, are driuen to seke darkenesse and secrete corners.
And furthermore these fleing shorte and soone passyng pleasures, maie neither, by any meanes be reteined and kepte, neyther yet come they pure, but are with some bitternesse intermingled. Therfore iudge not, after the consent of the common people, the greattest euell to bee, pouertee, ignobilitee, imprisonment, nakednes, worldly shame deformitee of body, sickenesse, & imbecilitee, but rather thynke vices, and their affinitees, as folisshenesse, ignorancie, amased dulnesse, and lack of brayn, the greattest euils: and theyr contraries, knowlage, quickenesse [Page] of witte, and sobrietee of mynde, to be great vertues.
If thou haue either giftes of fortune or of bodie, they shall muche profite the, if thou bestowe theym vertuosely, but if they helpe to sette out vice, they muste nedes do the muche hurt. If thou haue neyther the one nor the other, seeke theym not with the losse of honestie, for that were euen to bye a littell claye, with a greatte summe of golde: or to chaunge helthe, for peynfull sickenes.
There can be no greatter vantage to the soule, than is the increase of godlinesse, no greater gaynes to the body, than to knowe how to vse the state present, and to [...]ee content with it [Page] how simble so euer it be.
And all be it we ought to doo nothyng, to the intent, that we wolde men shuld tickle vs with fonde preises, yet we muste labour, to ke [...]pe our good nam [...] alwaies vnspotted, for the regarde therof kepeth vs ofte tymes from muche naughtines, and also is a good exaumple to sturre other to well doyng.
And hereof cometh that olde precepte of greatte wise men:
Thou shalte none euill doo, nor any thyn [...]e that longeth therto. If we can not atteyne to this well, we muste be content, that in our conscience, we feele our selues voide of secrete grudge and vnquietnesse. For whan mens iudgementes bee so corrupte, [Page] that they counte vertue to be vice, than we must be content, that God alone approue our inwarde and outwarde a [...] [...]es, thoughe menne alowe ner nother.
It is easie to tourne eyther the incommodities of the body, or mischaunces of fortune to our profite, & of euils to make them good, if thou suffer theim paciently, and the lesse that they serue the, the more endeuourest to folowe Uertue, Uertues, ofte tymes haue been excedyngly encreased by hurtes of bodie, and losse of gooddes.
Of the body.
ANd for as muche as in this our pilgrimage, we beare a sowle inclosed within our body, gret treasure in brickle vessels, we maie not vtterly refuse and caste awaie all regarde and respecte to the body. yet we must so entreate, and ordre the same, that it may not take it selfe, to be a maister or a felowe, but rather a seruaunt, and that, Bodie is not fed for his owne sake, but for Soules sake.
The more cherishyng that the carke [...] hathe, the lesse is the soule loked vpon, the more delicately the body is handled: the more stubbornely it wrasteleth [Page] against the mynde, and doothe caste it of, as an horse to well cherished, vseth to caste his rider. The heauy burdein of the body, sore oppresseth the minde, fatnesse, and ouermuche cheryshyng of the bealy, diminisheth and dulleth the quickenesse of witte.
Meate, slepe, all maner of exercise, and all the whole gouernance of the body must be vsed for the health therof, and muste not bee set vpon pleasure and delicacie. Thus it may the better serue the mynde, and not waxe wanton, through to much pamparyng: nor yet fall in decaie, for lacke of strengthe, not nourished.
There is nothyng, that doeth [Page] so muche debilitate the liuely power, the quicke vigour of the mynde, and also the strength of the body, as dothe voluptuousnesse, for as all the strengthe of the body and mynde is established, and made galliarde with exercise, and moderade labour, so by ydelnesse & wanton pleasures, their powers are wekened, their strēgthes waxe faint, and fall away.
Cleane kepynge of the bodie delicate nicenes of meates and drinkes laied aparte) doth gretly bothe mainteine the helthe of the body, and muche comforte witte.
Thou shalte wasshe thy handes & thy face ofte tymes with colde water, and drie theim agayn [Page] with a fayre towell.
Thou shalte oft [...] clense those places of the body, out of the whiche filthinesse cometh from thy inwarde parties, as thy hedde, thy eares, thy nosethrilles, thy eies, thy arme holes, and thy other secrete places, that nature hydeth, and hone [...]ie scace woulde haue named.
Let thy fecte be kepte cleane and warme.
Amonge all the partes of thy body, kepe the nape of thy neck from colde.
Eate not by & by, after thou [...]iseste, eate littell before dyner, breakefaste is gyuen to swage the gnawyng and complaintes of a yonge stomacke, or to comforte nature, and not to fill the [Page] bealy: therfore .iii. or iiii. morsels of bread be sufficient, with out any drinke, or with a littell and that very small. For suche is no lesse holsom vnto the wit than to the body.
Accustome thy selfe at dyner and supper, to feede but of one maner of meate, and if thy substance wil suffre the, let it be suche, as is moste holsome, fine, and of leaste grossenesse. Eate but of one, though there be many disshes. and if thou bee at thine own table, suffre not many to come vppon it. Uarietee of meates is veraie hurtefull, yet the diuersitee of sauces is muche wurse.
Cleane and pure diete, agreable to tēperate and chaste mindes, [Page] is a great sauer in a householde, and that alone sheweth vs, howe fewe thinges we haue nede of.
Let vs doe no notable offence eyther in hope of lu [...]er, or in truste therby to r [...]plenisshe ou [...] bealies with deyntee delicates, and farre sought dishes.
We shal dooe well, if we not onely contente our selfes with suche thynges, as we haue, but also dooe departe with some of theim, to suche as haue nede of reliefe.
Our lorde hym selfe geueth vs an exaumple of this, whiche after he had fested a multitude of people, suffered not suche [...]reade and fisshe as was lefte, to be lo [...]e.
[Page]Nature teacheth vs thynges necessary, whiche bee but fewe, and soone prepared: fa [...]shenes hath inuented thinges superfluous, whiche are without numbre, and harde to come by. If thou geue necessaries vnto nature, she is delited & made strōge as with thynges fytte for hir, but if thou gyue hir superfluouse, she is weakened and afflicted, as with gobbettes, not agreeyng vnto hir diete.
As necessaries do not suffice, where foolishenesse craueth, so superfluous thingꝭ ouer whelm rather than satisfie, where appetites are to be serued.
Thy drynke shall be that naturall lyquour, prepared of God indifferently to all lyuyng [Page] creatures, whiche is pure and cleane water, or els single bere, or, wyne alayde with the saied water.
There is nothynge that can more hurte the bodies of yonge men, than hot meat [...]s and hot drynkes, for they inflame theyr lyuers, and sette on fier their entrailes: And hereby mennes myndes are made hotte, angry, proude, impudent, and ar thens so caried with rashenesse, that lyke as they were madde, they seke to accomplishe al their [...]ustes, be they neuer so filthy.
Drynke not after supper, or if thyrste moue the, take some moiste or colde thyng, or a littell quantitee of drynke, and that of the smallest.
[Page]Betwene that and thy goyng to bedde, lette it bee at the least halfe an houre.
When you wol refreshe your mynde, with any pastance, loke you consider, howe shorte tyme is gyuen to mans life, thynke it vnlaufull, to spende this tyme, in games, in feastyng, or in any other childishe toies, folies, if ye right name theim.
The [...]ourse of our lyfe is but shorte, I saie although it were euery whitte bestomed in deckyng and adornyng the mynd.
Thinke not, that we be made of god, to gamyng, to tryfles, but rather sent, to bee occupied in sage matti [...]rs, as to atteyne vnto moderacion, modestee, temperaunce, religion, and all [Page] other kyndes of vertue.
Heale not the syckenesse of your body, with diseases of mynde. Better it is, that that be sicke, than this not hole.
Exercises of bodie shall not be to great, but vsed with a certayn regarde of helthe, wherin we must folowe the counsels of experte and counnyng phisicions, so farre as they shall not transcende the limittes of honestie neyther bid vs do any filthy thing against goddes lawe.
Also in pastimes and refresshynge of the mynde, see there be some remembrance of vertue alway.
Banisshe all arrogan [...], contencion, quarellinges, enuy and couetousnes: for what reasō or [Page] rather folishnes is it, to inquiete thy mynbe, whiles thou studiest, to delite it? you dooe as wisely as they that putte galle into that honye, whiche they wolde haue most swetest.
Slepe must be taken as a certayne medicine, and so muche only, as is sufficient to refreshe the body [...] for immoderate slepe bryngethe the bodie to manie hurtefull humours, and muche hindereth the quickenesse of the mynde.
The tyme that is spente in slepe, is scace to bee counted any parte of lyfe. Uita en [...] vigilia est, Lyfe is a watche or a wakyng.
Of the Minde.
THere bee two partes in the soule, the one that vnderstandeth, remembreth & sau [...]reth thynges as they are, vsyng reason, iudgement, and witte, and is called Mens, that is, the mynde, the superior parte, by which alone we are knowē to be men, made like vnto god, farre passyng all other liuyng creatures.
The other part, which is called will, is voyde of reason, brute, fiers, cruell, more liker a beaste, than a man, wherein dwelleth these mocions, which be named either affections, or perturbacions, arrogancy, enuy, malice, ire, feare, sorowe, [Page] desire neuer satisfied, and vain ioie. This is called the inferior and viler part, wherby we litle or nothyng do differ from beastes, at the least, we go far from god, whiche is without all sickenes and all affections.
This is the order of nature, that wisedowe gouerne al thinges, and that al creatures, whiche we see, obey vnto man, and that in man, the body be obedient to the soule, and the soule vnto god.
If any thyng breake this ordre, it offendeth.
As it is therefore a pointe of treason, that suche lewde perturbacions, as are afore rehersed, shulde, rage rebell and take vpon theim the rule of the hole [Page] man, contemtuously despisyng the auctoritee of the mynde, so it is extreme foly for the minde, to be slaue vnto fonde offect [...] ons, and to serue at a becke, the vile carkeis, neyther the dignitee of Nature, neyther the expresse lawe of god, any thynge regarded.
Therfore, as strength of intelligence is geuen to the mind, to waie euerie thyng, and to know what is good to be done and what to be lefte vndone: so is Wil of so greatte power, that ther is nothig in the mind, but it is forced to obey Wyll, if she stande at strife, and wylle yeld no parte of hir right to hi [...] [...]duersarie.
Wyt is exercised with manie [Page] and diuers feates, muche sharpened and instructed with long experien [...]es, of sundry matters, wherby it maie exactely knowe the natures and values of all thynges, and so teache mannes wyll, what is good to be folowed, and what contrarywise, is to be eschued: suche craftes must therfore be shonned, that fight against vertue, al craftes that worke by vayne coniectu [...]es, as palmestrie, pyromancy, nicromancie, hydromancie, astrologie, wherin muche pestilent vanitie lyeth hydde, inuented of the deuyll, our deceytfull ennemie: for they intreate and professe those thynges, whiche God hathe reserued vnto hym selfe alone, that is to saie, [Page] the knowelage of thynges to come. We maie not seeke to know the maiestee, and secretes of god, beyng farre from our knowlage, and suche as God wold not mā to medle withal.
He that sercheth the greatnes of goddes maiestee, shall be oppressed and ouerwhelmed with his exuperant glory. Wherfore Paule biddeth vs, to be no wiser than it becommeth vs, but moderately to be wise, saiyng: that he sawe thynges not to be spoken, that no man can vtter. Also Salomon saieth: Thou shalte not inquire of thynges aboue thy capacitee, neyther of thinges aboue thy strength, but co [...]tent thy self with the knowlage of those, that god hath cō manded [Page] the: thinke alway vppon theim, neuer beyng to curious in serchyng of his workes.
All artes inuented by the dyuell, must be refused and forsaken of vs, with whom, as with the enemies of god, we maie in no wise be conuersant, or haue any thyng to dooe. It is not expedient for vs, to knowe the opinions, either of philosophers or hereti [...]es, contrarie to our professiō, leaste that subtil and crafty marchant, the diuill, castsom scrupulous doubt īto our hertes, whiche maie muche tosse vs, and perchaunce brynge vs in to distruction.
Authors that write wantonly, wherby maie spryng occasion of hurte, muste not bee touched, [Page] least any filthines remain in the mynde thoronug the readyng of theim.
Euill communicacion oft corrupteth good maners.
Other erudicion is sincere and fruitfull, so that it be applied to his right marke, that is to Uertue and well doyng.
There is a diuine knowlage geuen of god, wherein all treasures of science and wysedome ar laied vp, & this is the very and true light of mans mynde. All other learnynges, compared vnto this, be very darknes and childishe trifles.
Yet thei bee redde for this intent, that our lyght, by comparyng of the one with the other, may shine & appere more bryghter. [Page] Furthermore, that we maie vse the saied learnynges, as testimonies of menne agaynste theim, whiche can litle better abyde the diuine scripture, than sore eies can the brightnesse of the son. And where as we shall see suche excellent Uertues in Gentiles, we maie well be put in remembraunce, how muche becommeth a tr [...]we disciple of our maister Christ, which is by reason he knoweth this light, charged vppon no small bonde to liue accordingli vnto goddis commaundement. Beside those thynges, they gyue vs muche knowledge, howe we shuld liue here togither in this worlde, the experience wherof wee lacke ofte tymes.
[Page]We be framed and facioned by these three thynges, Knowlage, Wytte, and Memorie, and the diligēce, which we vse to the atteynynge of theim, is called Studie.
Wytte is quickened by exercise, and Memory encreased by diligent tylling and occupiyng therof: delicate handlyng weakeneth theim both: Good helth confirmeth and maketh theim stronge: Idelnesse and daiely Ease, putteth theym to flight: Use an [...] Exercise setteth theim at hand, and euer in a redines.
Whether thou rede or here any thyng, do it with attencion and effectiousely, lette not thy mynde wander, but constraine it to be there, and to do that [Page] thyng, whiche is in hand, and none other.
If it goe a straie, or swar [...]e a syde, call it agayne, as it were with a litle hist, defer al cogitacions, that maie bring the from that, that thou haste in hande, defer theym vntill some other time, remembring with thy selfe that thou leesest bothe time and labour, if thou be not attent vpon suche thinges as thou doest rede and here.
Be not abashed to learne and aske such thinges, as thou knomest not, forasmuche as noble clerkes, and greatte men, ha [...]e not been asshamed thereof, bu [...] rather blushe, bicause thou ar [...] ignorant, and not wyllyng to learne.
[Page]Bost not thy selfe, to haue knowlage of those thynges, wherin thou arte ignorant, but rather inquere and lerne of suche persones, as thou doest suppose, doe vnderstande theim.
If thou wilte bee taken for a lerned man, endeuour thy selfe, that thou so be: for ther is none other waie more compendiouse or nerer therunto: As thou cāst by none other meanes more easily obteyne, to bee esteemed an honest man, than if thou so bee in veraie deede. Finally, labour alwaie, to be euen such a one in dede, as thou desirest to appere vnto men, elles thou desirest it all in vaine.
False thinges fainte and fall awaie by processe of tyme, and [Page] tyme strengthneth the truthe.
Simulacion lasteth not long.
Folowe thy maister alwaies, renne not thou at any tyme before hym, beleeue hym, resyste hym not.
Loue hym, and take hym as thy father, thinking eueri thing what so euer he saieth, to be very true and sure.
Beware thou offende not in that, wherin thou beyng culpable, wast twise or thrise refourmed, fall not the fourthe tyme, that thyne amendment and refourmacion maie seme to haue profited the.
It becommeth the chiefely to haue those thynges in remembrance, that haue in tymes past deceiued the, lest thou be in like [Page] maner by them sedused ageyne.
It is naturally geuen to all men to erre, but to no man to perse [...]ere and continue therin, excepte he be vnwise, and a veraie naughty persone.
Lerne and vnderstande, that there is no sence, wherby we bee better, or more spedylie instruct and taught, than by heryng, and as there is nothynge more easy, than to here many thynges, to there is nothynge more profitable,
Here not lyght trifles, thynges to be laught at, but rather ernest, wise, and weighty.
They be both learned with like peyne and labour, all bee it the commoditee, that riseth of the one, is far vntike the other.
[Page]Seeke not to speake manie woordes, to make a longe aunswere, but rather se thou spend thy wordes in tyme, and sette theim in their place.
Adioine such companie to the at dynner and supper, as can bothe make the mery with their pleasaunt and learned communicacion, and also make the ryse wyser, than thou satteste downe.
Suffer not suche as bee scoffers, smell feastes, foolishe and filthy talkers, triflers, bibbers, fylthy and shamlesse lurkers, bealy guttes, and suche other, apte either by their woordes or deedes, to cause leude laughter, to sit at thy table, neither haue any delite in theim, but rather [Page] seke thy pastyme of suche, as can with feate, witty, and lear [...]nd talke, make the mery. Kepe not only thy mouth from foule and impudēt communicacion, but also thine eares, being as a man should saie, windowes of the mynde, remembrynge euer that olde saiynge of the Apostle, Naughty communicacion, ofte tymes corruptethe good maners.
Geue delygente [...]are, what euery man saiethe, whether it be at the table, or anie other where, for so doing, thou shalte learne of the wise, to make thy selfe better, and of the foolishe, to bee more ware and circumspecte, folowyng alwaies that that the wyse approue, eschewyng [Page] that, the foolysshe commende. And if thou perceyue any thynge taken of the wyse sorte to bee spoken quyckelie, grauelie, learnedly, wyttylie, comely, beare it in mynde, that thou mayste, whan thou shalte haue occasion, vse the same.
Thou shalte haue alwaies at hande a paper booke, wherein thou shalte wryte suche notable thynges, as thou redeste thy selfe, or hearest of other menne woorthy to be noted, bee it other feate sentence, or woorde mete for familiar speeche, that thou mayste haue in a redines, whan time requireth.
Study not so muche to gather woordes, as to vnderstand the propre significacions [Page] of them rehersyng and techyng suche thynges, as thou haste redde or herde, partely to thy scholers in latyne, partely in vulgar tongue, to other vnlerned persones. Prouidyng alwaie, that thou do reherse and teache theim with no lesse grace than thou haste herd and redde the seme before, for thus doing, thou shalt exercise both thy wit and thy tongue.
Thy style must also be exercised, whiche is the beste maister of cleane and eloquent speche.
Write, and write againe, makyng euery seconde daie, or at the leaste euery thyrde daie, an epistle vnto som man, that knoweth howe to answere therunto agayne. Howe be it, thou [Page] shalt shew it first vnto thy master, there to be refourmed, before thou presume to sende the same, noting and bearing well in mind such fautes, as he shall correcte, that thou maist not mysse in theim, or any lyke in tyme to come.
After meate, as whan thou hast dined or supt, breath for a space, before thou go to thy study, and sitie downe in somme place, where thou mayest talke and here same pleasant communicacion, or plaie at some such game, wherby thou maiste not chafe or much cumber thy body. After supper, walke with some mery company, that is lerned, whiche maie make the merier with his communicacion, and [Page] whose woordes and sentences thou maiest with honesti folow
Betwene supper and bedde, drynke not in anie wise, for there is nothyng more pernicious bothe to the body, the memory, and also the wyt. Wherfore, if thirste shall at any tyme constrayn the to drynke, go not to rest vnder the space of halfe an hour after at the least.
Thou shalte not neglecte thy memory, nor suffre it to decaie through ydelnesse: for it reioyceth aboue all thyng, to be sette a worke, and increaseth not a littell therby. Exercise it therefore daiely with some worthy busynesse.
The more ofte thou committest thynges to hir custodie, the [Page] more better & faithfuller woll she keepe theim. And contraryly, the more selde, the more vntrusty thou shalt finde hir.
Whan thou haste putte anie thyng to hir kepyng, suffer it to rest in hir handes for a season, and within a while after, require it of hir agein, as a thyng left for a time in hir custody.
If thou wylt lerne any thing perfectly, rede it with attencion [...]ower or fyne tymes ouer night, and so to bed, and whan thou risest, the nexte mornynge aske a rekenyng of thy memory for that thyng thou diddest deliuer to hir custodye, the euenyng before.
Thou must beware of surfettes, of rawnesse in the stomake, [Page] and spe [...]iallie of colde in thy necke.
As to muche wine weakeneth the sinewes in a man, so it killeth his memory.
It shuld be veraie well done, and if thou woldest a littell before thou goest to reste, calle to thy remembrance, all such thinges as thou haste seene, redde, hearde, or dooen all the day before.
And if thou hast behaued thy selfe worthily to thy commēdacion, thou shuldest reioyce, and knowlage it to come of God, purposyng to continue in lyke goodnesse: on the other syde, if thou haste doen any thyng filthily, outragiously, childishly, fondly, worthy rebuke, forgette [Page] not, to ascribe it to thyne owne leudnesse, and to be sorie therefore, neuer willyng to dooe any like trespasse againe [...]
If thou haste hearde or redde any feate, graue, or godly sentence, forget it not.
And if thou haste seene any commendable thyng, folowe it: and shonne the contrarie. Lette no daie scape the, but thou rede here or write somewhat, that maie increase, either thy knowlage, thy iudgement, or thy lyuyng.
Whan thou prepareste thy selfe to bed, reade or heare some thyng, worthy memory, and let it be suche, that thou dreamyng of it, maiest take bothe pleasure and profite, that euen by nyght [Page] visions, thou maiest learne to amende thy life.
There is no ende appointed vnto the study of wisedome in this worlde, but it muste be ended togither with life.
It behoueth man to reherse these three thynges with hym selfe, all the tyme of his lyfe, that is to saie, howe he maye thinke well, saie well, & do well.
All arrogancie muste be secluded from studies. For all that, that he knoweth, which is euen the beste learned man a lyue, is veraie lyttell or nothynge, in comparison of the infinite thynges, whyche he is ignoraunt in.
The knowlage of mā is sclender, a meruailous small thyng, [Page] and that very obscure, and vncertaine: our myndes beynge tied an [...]d bode in the prison of this body, bee oppressed with great darkenes, in so much that harde it is, for our wittes to enter euē into a meane knowlage of thynges.
Furthermore, Arrogancie muche encumbereth the profite of studies, for many myghte haue come to wisedome, if they had not thoughte theym selfes there all redy.
Also Contencion, Emulacion, Backebityng, vain desire of Glory must be eschewed. For we folow studies for this cause in special, that we may, by their helpe be deliuered from the cruell dominion of the saide vices.
[Page]Nothyng can bee imagyned more pleasant, than the knowlage of many thynges, fewe or none more fruitefull, than the intelligence of Uertue.
Studies be of suche efficacie and strength, that they temper Prosperitee, they mitigate Aduersitie, thei kepe under the hasty and rash mocions of youth, thei delite and comforte croked and peynefull age, beyng with vs at home: abrode, in publike and priaute businesse, whā we are alone, whan we bee accompanied, in ydelnesse, in labours neuer absent, but alwaies redy to helpe and aide vs.
As Erudicion, is the rightest and moste holsome foode of the mynde, so is it a thyng vnmete, [Page] that the bodie shoulde haue his nourishment, the soule beeyng kept hungry, from whens springeth out plentuously al delectacion and perfect pleasures, and as amonge these, the one bringeth in an other, and those that be present, do ren [...]e theym past, so they neuer departe, ne make any man wery, whan he hath most of theym.
Of vertue and affection.
VErtue, the moste hyghe and excellente treasure, surmountyng all worldly richesse, is not geuen by man, but cometh, only from God.
Wherfore we muste desire it of god with meke and hūble herte.
[Page]The highest amonge all liberall artes, is that phylosophie, whiche bringeth remedie and helthe for the great and peinful diseases of the mynde.
Muche diligent labour is taken, to cherisshe the bodie, muche more ought to bee geuen to the soule, for as muche as the diseases therof, be more priuy, more greuouse, and also more perillous.
These diseases be named, and not without a cause, Sharpe stormes, greuouse tourmentes, scourges, brondes, and the furies of mannes mynde, whiche bryng with them muche calamitie, and intollerable corsies, if they bee suffered to reigne: and contraryly, moste pleasaunt [Page] tranquilitee, if they be conquered and kepte doune. And to the easie accomplisshmente of this, suche documentes serue muche, as haue been of most excellente wittes, for the furtheraunce of good life, and maintenaunce of maners prescribed.
This is the great rewarde, and the very fruite, that lerned menne take of theyr longe and peinfull study, not to gather many thynges for men to wonder at, or elles suche as he him selfe maie crake of: but rather, to haue gotten, wherby he maie helpe al men, and most chiefely hym selfe, and not to lette theim lye, as in a boxe of oyntementes, where out is taken salues, to help other men, the box therwithall, [Page] neuer a dele the better.
Christen Religion loketh for nothynge so muche, as that a cleane and a pure conscience maie exhilerate the mynde, and that affections, beynge ones staied and settled, we maie bee lyke vnto god and his aungels in continuall quietnesse, and tranquilitee of mynde.
Remedies for suche diseases be gotten, eyther of outwarde thynges, either of our selues, or of god, orels of the lawe and lyfe of Christe.
The nature of thynges is suche, that as they bee all vncertayne, shorte, chaungeable, and vile, the soule onely excepted, whiche is in dede very man, or at the least, the moste preciouse [Page] parte of man: so all other thynges bee translated from one to an other, leaste men shoulde call any thyng theirs, besyde theyr soule.
Let no man thinke those thinges, which, he hath in his possession, to be geuen hym, but rather to be lent him for a season.
Wherfore it is great madnes to renne into any synne, worthy greuous punishmente, for any worldly trifles.
Let no man a [...]aunce him selfe bycause the gyftes of fortune or of Body, haue chaunced vnto hym, seyng all suche trasshe, shortly fadeth away: as beyng vncertayne, and not propre vnto vs. No no, as they be granted vs, so they shalbe required [Page] ageine, at the vttermost, whan death commeth: and oft times euen while we be aliue.
Neither we ought to mourne if that thyng, whiche was lent vs, and as a man would saie, geuen vs to keepe, bee asked againe, but it rather becommeth vs, to render thankes, for bycause we haue so longe enioied the same.
It is to muche vnkyndenes, to thynke, if thou haddest a longe season a benefite, that thou takest wronge, if it do not alway continue. Thou doest rather wronge, not to consider, what thou hast had, and howe longe, then still to thynke what thou haste not had, or howe longe thou hast not had it.
[Page]Thou oughtest not, to muche to reioyce, whan thynges taken from thy ennemies, come to the o [...] thy frendes: for suche is the spede of fortune, & such doubtfulnesse is in all thynges, that bitter wailynge oftentymes foloweth vaine mirthe.
Lette not thy herte fayle the, all thoughe fortune tourne hir face: for merye euen tydes doo often tymes folowe carefull mornynges.
Now what condicion be our bodies in, what life cā we loke for, whiche be made of so vyle and so brickle a mettall, our ly [...]es beyng with so many perils besieged on euery syde?
And all thoughe it seeme sure for a tyme, yet it wyll not longe [Page] indure. Therfore, what haue we, wherupon we shuld (chiefly in such vncertaintee of lyfe [...] bee highe mynded, or fierce of herte?
And for asmuch, as this life is none other thyng but a certaine pilgremage, whereby we still be entryng into an other life eternall, and seeyng also, we neede verie fewe thynges, for the performance of the saide iourneie, what hath this worlde worthy longe suite? What folie, to seke suche thynges by peynefull seruitude, as we see tossed and tourned in a momente hyther and thither.
For what ende or pourpose shuld we serue our neuer satisfied desyre and appetite, whan [Page] thynges to come be vncertaine, and we at this present nede very few thynges?
He is a veraie free man, whiche desireth only those thinges, as be in his owne handes. On the other syde, he a bondeman & slaue that dothe the contrary.
Now I praie you, what other thyng is it to bee replenyshed with the giftes of fortune than a foote man to bee cumbe red with diuers and many fardelles?
There is no man so dulle, no suche lacke witte, but he rather prepareth and fitteth hym selfe for the citee, where he purposeth to dwel, than still seketh things for his iourney:
Sithens this our lyfe is of [Page] nature droupyng and fleeyng, the moste parte therof, and almoste all, is spent in perturbacion, in troubles, in fantasies: we can not saie, we liue all the while, that we bee tossed with affections, and in especiall, whan the feare of deathe troubleth vs. And where as deathe maie come to vs, by an infinite sort of waies, it is great foly, to feare, that it shuld come this waie or that waie: and seynge that it shall of necessitee come, we may not cōmit any gret mischiefe or wickednes, to auoyde it, nor we oughte to mourne, though it chaunce.
Our life beyng oppressed with so many diuers miseries. what nede we to kepe it with such anxietie? [Page] to set so much by it, seing also we go to an other, whiche is a life euerlastyng. Let vs so order our selues, that we haue redy passage to that lyfe, which is replenished with al goodnes, ful of ioy eternall, full of mirth euerlastyng.
Our errours oppresse vs, rather than thynges theim selfe: where as we ofte tymes thynke theym to bee great euylles, that are none in deede, and greatte gooddes, that of trouthe are worthe nought.
The nature, condicion, and true value of thynges be those, whiche I haue rehersed in the begynnynge: whereby it may be playnly gathered, that there is nothynge fayre, nothynge [Page] of price, fynally nothynge to be accounted ours, but onely vertue.
Where as deliberacion is taken, we beyng in doubt, to whiche parte we maie moste incline the loue of our body, and the desire of thinges here in this lyfe, that is to saie, the loue of our selfe, is chiefe counsellour, and one that we all togither folowe.
This weakeneth the strength and manhod of our myndes so muche, that nothyng can be so lyttell, but it is easely able to penetrate theym, nothynge so sklender or smalle, but it maie be able to disturbe theym.
This blindeth the eies of the mynde: and whan affections, [Page] haue ones gotten the vpper hād, we flatter, we yelde, we obeie them, as our lordes and rulers.
Thus we holde thynges with tooth and naile, that are alien from vs, as they were ours: and if they be withdrawē from vs, we lamente, tourmentyng our selfes, as though wee had great losse.
We neglecte our owne, as none of ours, and doe shonne thynges profitable, as veraie hurtfull to vs, enbracyng thinges hurtful, as very profitable.
The harmes of other folkes seme small, but we thynke our owne, beyng nothyng so great as theyrs, intollerable: neither content with that we wishe our selues, nor yet pleased, if we [Page] myght obteine that that other men muche desire. We lyke not our selues, this worlde, the condicion and estate thereof, doeth not satisfie vs, we wolde haue the natures of all thynges turned, such is the impaciēcie, that grow [...]th of deintie fantasies.
What punishment maie bee compared with these? trewely the tormentes amonge damned spirites be none other. The dyuels theym selues haue none other punyshment, than that they bee vexed with enuie, hatred, and wroth.
A man maie see the countenaunce of theim, that be inquieted with these affections, howe variable, how careful, how pa [...] tyng, how cruell, how fearefull [Page] thei be, and in like trade be these mindes racked and tourmented within theim.
Angre, whiche is the sorest of all other perturbacions, and worste of all other becommeth a man, for it tourneth his nature into a cruell b [...]aste, and although euery trouble dothe obscure and darken the iudgement of the mynde, yet moste of all yre ouerwhelmeth it with darknes so sore, that it seeth neither Truth, profit [...]e, nor comlinesse. It eateth vp the hert, and drinketh vp the holsom bloud of the body, constrainyng man to doe that thyng, wherof Repentance shortly ensueth.
How shamefull a chaunge is there in the face, what sodeine [Page] tempestes arise there, what burnyng eies, what snuffyng of the nose, what grennynge of the teethe, what fomynge of the mouthe, what palenesse, what stuttyng of tong, finally, what terrible and vncomely criynges bee there in hym, that is inflamed with this fury? Truly suche, that some, whiche haue in theyr angre beholden theim selfe in a glasse, haue not knowen theim selfe.
The angrie man for his grim countenaunce, his sharpe wordes, and cruell deedes, ofttimes loseth muche of his auctoritee, muche beneuolencie is taken from hym, his friendes forsake hym, no man wyll mete hym, he is lefte all alone, all men hate [Page] and abhorre hym. Wherefore great wise men neuer eschewed thynge more, or cloked thynge with greatter diligence, than they dyd Ire, and the woorkes, of Ire, An so muche, that they not only wrastled against theyr owne nature, but in spite of hir bearde gaue hir the fall.
What is more worthy to be scorned, than so littell and so weake an animall, to rage and stere vp so greatte and so fierce tragedies, for vile trifles, and thynges of no value? as some tyme for the giftes of the body, or of fortune, yea and somtime, wysely a goddes name, for one littell worde.
Thou shalte sone subdue angre, if thou hold and fasten this [Page] thynge in thy mynde, that is to saie: No iniurie to be done, excepte whan the mynde taketh hurte, whiche no man can corrupte, but onely he that possesseth it, and that by defilyng it with sinne.
We haue spoken hitherto of thynges comyng from man to mā, we wol now talke of high [...]r matters, as comyng of god. Howe bee it those thinges also before rehersed were of god: but these that folow, come somwhat more expressely and properly from hym.
Of Religion.
THere coulde nothyng be geuen vnto mankynde, more greatter or better [Page] than Religion, which is knowlage, loue, and veneracion of the prince & maker of the world.
God is so beneficiall to no man as he is to them, whom he teacheth, howe they shall truly worship hym. Therfore Dauid the yrophete reherseth this amonge the great giftes of god, shewed to the people of Israel: Qui anuunciat verbum suum Iacob. &c. that is, whiche sheweth his woorde vnto Iacob: his iustice and iudgementes to Israell. He hath not so doone to all nacions, nor hath he opened his indgmētes vnto al mē.
God is knowen by religion, and beynge knowen, he muste neede [...] be beleued and woorshipped [...]
[Page]Onely God is prince, maker, and lorde of all thynges, which alone is able to do all thinges, and knoweth howe to dooe all thynges.
This worlde, is in maner as it were an house, or a temple of God, whiche of noughte is brought forth into this shappe and ornacie, that it nowe is in. Therefore it hath receiued this name Cosmos among the Grekes, and is called Mundus, of the Latines, whiche both ar as much to saie, as a comely Ornament, a beautiful thing: whiche he so ruleth and gouerneth, that we maie no lesse wonder at the conseruaciō, than at the creacion of it.
And like as in the house of a [Page] most prudent gouernour, nothyng is done without his commaundement, so in this world is there nothing done, without his will or bydding: the which as he can all thynges do, so he knoweth how to do al thinges.
Angels, diuels, men, and beastes, trees, stockes, and stones, the heauens, the elementes, and to be shorte, all thinges are gouerned by him, and obey him.
There is nothyng made, nothing that moueth, nothīg that chaunceth, nother stocke nor strawe, maie bee lifte from the grounde, neither flocke ne fether maie flee further, than his prescript or cōmaundement is.
In this lawe standeth the vniuersall world, neither is there [Page] in thynges any other chaunce, fortune, or lotte.
He doeth al thynges with his equitee and wisdome, not withstandyng by waies to vs vnknowen.
What so euer happeneth to any man, that same tourneth to his profit, if he bee good: but not to profite of wretched money, or of worldly thinges trans [...]orie, but of eternall felicitee.
What so euer thynges therefore chance in this world, they must be [...]acientli taken and allowed, as commyng of god the author, lest we in our fonde affection and foolishe iudgement seme to condemne and improue the will of that moste ryghtu [...]se and wise gouernour of al [Page] thynges, God.
And because we bee not able to compasse, for what purpose he doothe suche thynges: We, as children and ignorant, what is beste for vs, doe lament, that thynges moste hurtfull, bee not geuen vs, takyng them as most profitable: on the other syde, abhorryng thynges most profitable, as moste hurtfull. In so muche, that oftetymes our enemie can wisshe no more hurte, than that wee maie haue our owne desires. And seyng we be drowned in so great darkenes of Ignorance, goddes wyll is, that we avoide al that is blame worthy, and commit all the rest to his gouernance.
We must execute, whether we [Page] will or no, that thynge, which the gouernour of this so great a worke hath appointed vs to. What madnesse is it therfore, rather to be drawen agaynste our wil, with weping and wailyng, than to be led merily and willyng to that we ar called to.
Truely euery frende of god will gladly obey the lawes and wyll of god his frende.
This is the chiefe maner of louyng god, as Christe saieth, you shall be my frendes, if you wyll doe that I command you.
Of Christe.
THe attonemente and the reconciler of Mankynd, with God, and the authour [Page] of our saluacion, is Iesus Christe, God and man, the onely sonne of God almighty, whom the father sente for the same purpose, whan it pleased hym to take pitie vppon Mankynde, whiche had made hym selfe, to his owne great hynderance, an ennemy vnto god.
There can be no greater hurt than by synne to bee separated from god, the fountayne of all goodnesse, and to be tourned to moste hurtful myserie, to be taken from a most swete life, and lefte to a moste bitter deathe.
For this purpose, amonge other thynges, Christe cam, that he might teache vs the true and streight waie, wherin we might stedfastly stand, and take our [Page] iourney to god ward: not swa [...] [...]yng from it the breadth of an heare. He hath shewed this wai bothe by wordes, and also by example of his holy life.
All humaine wisedome compared with Christis religiō, is but durt, and very foolyshnes.
What so euer graue, prudent, wise, pure, holy, or relegiouse thing is with admiraciō, with exclamacion, with clappyng of handes, in the bokes of the gentytles red, commended, learned bi hert, praised aboue the mone, all this is founde more purely, more rightly, more openly, more easily in our religion.
Perf [...]ct wisdome is, to know this Religion: and to liue accordinge to it, is perfecte Uertue [...] [Page] for no mā knoweth it in very dede, except he liue therafter.
Christes life witnesseth his perfecte humanitee, his myracles declare the infinite power of his deitie, his lawe sheweth his heauenly wisedome: so that of his perfect goodnesse of lyuing, we haue exāple to folowe him, of his power and auctoritee, strength to obey hym: of his wisedome, faith to beleue hym.
Let his goodnes prouoke the to loue him, his maiestie to worshyp hym, his wisedome to beleue him.
If a man dooe well consider those thinges, which Christ cō mandeth, he shall find all done for our profite, in so muche, that who so feeleth him selfe to [Page] beleue rightli, that perceiue it is to his own great profite, goodnesse, and comforte.
As there is nothyng more plesant to mā, than to be beleued, so it is euen to god, for no man cā thinke wel of him, to whom he committeth hym selfe, afraid of hurte.
The foundacion of our saluacion is to beleue god, to be [...] father, and Iesus Christe his onely sonne, to be our law maker, and the holy goste to bee breathed out of bothe, without whom, we do nothīg, we thinke nothing, that can profite vs.
The true woorshyppyng of god, is to clense and purify the soule from all diseases and vnclene lustes, & to be tourned as [Page] neere to his similitude as wee maie, so that we bee, as he him selfe is, clene and holy: & that we hate no man, but rather studie, by all meanes to profitte all men.
The more thou transposest thy self from thynges corporal, vnto thynges incorporate, the more godly life shalt thou leade.
Thus shall it bee broughte to passe, that God maie acknowlage our nature, as of kynne, and lyke vnto hym, and maie delite in it, makyng it his true and right temple, muche more acceptable to hym, than churches made of lyme and stone.
The temple of god is holye, which are you, as witnesseth saynt Paule. So noble, so worthy [Page] a guest, mu [...] with alcare, diligence, & tendernes be reteined.
He may not, through the foule [...]ynke of synnes, be driuen to chaunge his lodgeyng.
Bodily workes be vnsauery, except they haue sauce from the herte.
Knowe, that thou haste god in the moste secrete parte of thy hert, as witnesse and iudge of all thy [...]houghtes, in so muche that if thou feare his presence, thou wilt not onely auoyde all naughtinesse outwardely, but also thou wilte not suffre vncleane thoughtes to enter into thy minde.
Loue towardis god, ought to be suche, that thou esteme hym aboue all thinges, and that his [Page] glory and honour be derer vnto the, then all this lyfe, all honour, and commodit [...]es therof.
And as whan one frende remembreth another, he is moued with a frendly and honest ioye, so let all diuine thynges seeme frendly vnto the, that is moste acceptable & pleasant, & be thou conuersāt in them most gladly.
As ofte as thou hearest God named, see that a greater and a more excellent thyng strike thy remembrance and mynde, than mans knowlage can attein to.
Heare the saiynges, that bee spoken of him, and of his faintes, not as thou hearest vayne fables, but with great admiration of mynde.
Iudge nothynge rasshely, nor [Page] pronounce thou any thynge of god, and his workes, but thou do it with reuerence and feare.
It is wickednesse, to [...]este vpon holy thynges, or to vse the saiynges of holy scripture, as foolyshe toies and triflinge tales and scoffynges, euen as a man shoulde sprinkle durte in a medicine, adorn [...]d for recouery of helth. But to apply it to filthy communicacion or baudry, is a thynge abhominable, and in no wise to be suffred.
It becometh all thynges there, to bee meruai [...]ed at, and to [...]ee receiued with worthy reuerence into our hertes.
Bee presente at readyng and preachyng of goddis woorde, and all that holy is: and vnderstande, [Page] that what so euer thou either seest or hearest there, is moste pure, most holy, and apperteigneth vnto goddes maiestee, whiche as we may easyly worship and adore, so we can comprehen [...]e it by no meanes.
So that thou maieste alwaies iudge more higher thinges to be hydde in that diuine wisedome, than the strength of mānes wit is able to aspire vnto.
We reuerence the saiynges of wyse men, ye although we doe not will vnderstande them, howe muche more than dothe it beseme vs, to geue condigne reuerence vnto godly saiynges?
As ofte as thou herest Iesus Christe named, remembre thou his inestimable loue towarde [Page] the, and let the rehersall of his name be vnto the full of swetenesse and veneracion.
Whan thou hearest any title or propre name gyuen vnto Christe, lifte vp thy selfe vnto the contemplacion therof, and praie vnto hym, that he wyll shewe hym selfe, euen suche a one towardes the. As whā thou herest him called merciful, meke or gentill, praie that thou maist proue hym the same vnto the: whē he is called almighti, desire that he maie shewe it, in the makynge the, of the most wretched sinner, a good lyuer, of an ennemie, his soonne, of nothyng, some thyng: whan thou hearest him called terrible, intreate him to feare theym, of whom thou [Page] art feared: Whan thou callest hym lorde, loke thou thou serue hym: Whā than callest him father, see thou ioue hym, and see thou shew thy self a child, worthy to haue so noble a Father.
There is nothynge in all the worlde, whose originall, whose begynnyng, whose power and vertu, if thou behold, but it may giue the matter, highly to praise hertely to worshyppe god, the autour of all together.
Begyn nothynge, but thou firste call for the helpe of God. For God, in whose power art all thynges, geueth prosperous furtherance and finyshyng vnto suche actes, as we doe begyn in his name.
What so euer thou shalt go a [Page] boute, euer haue an eye to the ende thereof, and whan thou haste taken good counsell, be not carefull, but put thy truste in hym, in whose hande resteth the lucke of all thynges.
And holinesse remaineth in the secrete partes of the hertes, labour therfore to vnderstande, what thou praiest, that thou maiest lose no tyme in lippe labour. And whan thou praieste: lette thy herte, thy mynde, thy tongue, and all thy gesture agree together, that all thy hole action maie moste excellentely agre in it self. Diuine scripture accurseth him, that dooeth the workes of god negligently.
If it bee shame for a mynstrell to synge one thynge, and plai [...] [Page] an other not consonant to that he syngeth, it is muche more sh [...]me for vs, to saie one thyng, with our mouth, and thynke an other in our herte. Let our desyres be sober, and of such sort, as be worthie to bee asked, and meete to be geuen of god, leaste our vnmeete and fonde desyres offende hym.
Whan thou goest to meate, remembre the infinite power of god, whiche made all thynge of nought: remembre also his wisedom and benignitee, which susteygneth the same: and finally call vnto mynde, his mekenesse, and clemencie, whiche feedeth yea his extreme ennemies.
Ponder and way, how great a thyng it is, to prepare diuers [Page] and sufficient v [...]tay [...]es, to so many mouthes, as be in the worlde, what a thing it is to cō serue al thynges, and kepe them from distruction, whyther they fast bowe, of theyr inclinacion.
No wisdom of man, nor yet of angel, were able in any wise to perfourme this thynge, [...]o nor yet ones vnderstande howe it is brought to passe.
Seyng therfore, that thou lyuest of his giftes, consider what cursed vnkyndnesse, and what damnable rashnesse it is, to be so bolde, to fall at debate with hym, by whose benefite and wyll, thou haste thy beynge, and lenger shouldest thou not be, if he wolde not.
At thy table, let all thyng be [Page] chast, pure, wise, holy, euē as he is, whose giftes thou art nowe in hande with. Let all backbytyng, bitter wordes, fierce and cruell speakyng, bee seeluded from thy table, where thou felest the incredible swetenes and clemency of god towardes the.
Wherfore it is more intollerable, that thou shouldest contaminate that place with sharpnesse, and hatrede againste thy brother, where thou findest muche fauour and gentill softnesse towardes the.
This thyng the Gentiles wel perceiued, whiche for the same skill named al thinges, dedicate and belōging to the table, with names of pleasauntnesse and myrth, as feastes, iūkettes, and [Page] ga [...]des, where it was counted a greuouse offence, any sadde, heuy, or heynous thyng, eyther to be done or saide.
Seynge therfore, thou haste god to thy gouernour, whiche is most in might, wisedom, and liberalitee, put awaie the inordinate regarde of thy selfe, wherin thou semest, to mistrust his goodnes, and labour only, howe thou maiest please and content hym. It is a great foolyshnes, to say, or do any thyng amisse: a madnesse to displease hym, for the contentacion of thy table, from whome all nourishmentes comme: a madnesse, to get his displeasure, of whome thou la [...]orest to obteyne a benefite: namely for asmuche as [Page] the life is not preserued by meat but by the wyll and pleasure of god: according to the saiyng of scripture, Not in bread onely lyueth man, but in euery word of god.
We haue by indenture of Iesu lorde of all, in heauen and earth, that they shall lacke nothyng, which seke accordyngly the kyngdom of god, and rightuousnesse allowed before hym.
Seyng therfore, that god is so bountifull towardes the, in his giftes, be not thou vnkynd to thy brother, accomtyng hym no lesse to be the sonne of god, than thou thy selfe: and that god is no more bounde to the, than to hym: and that he hathe only made the a mynister of his [Page] giftes, of whom next vnto god, thy brother shoulde aske reliefe.
Neyther is there any thynge more truely geuen to Christe, than that that is bestowed vppon the poore.
Whan thou haste with meates and drynkes refresshed thy self, consider whose prouidence and power it is, to susteyne the lyfe with such thynges as thou hast receiued, and giue thankes therefore to god, not as thou wouldest to hym, whiche hathe prepared sustenaunce for the, with his money, but such thankes as are mete for hym, whiche hath made bothe the, and also the meate susteinynge the lyfe, not by the strenthe of the saide meate, but by his diuine [Page] power, & inestimable goodnes.
At thy downe liyng and vprisyng, remembre the benefites of god, not only towardes the, but towardes all mankynde: yea and al the whole worlde.
Consider, in what dangers man is, while he lieth lyke a deade carcas, hauyng no power of hym selfe. Wherefore Christe must so muche the more instantly be sought vpon, that he maie voucsafe to defende vs silly wretches.
Hede ought to be taken, that we prouoke not hym to wrot [...]e and anger, by any our synne, seyng he is our keper, and our gouernour.
Arme thy foreheade and thy breaste with the signe of the [Page] crosse, and the secrete parte of thy herte with deuoute praiers, and holy meditacions.
And whan thou shalte goe to thy bed, loke that thou thynke euery day resembleth the whole lyfe of man, whome the nighte succedeth, and slepe a very expresse token of death.
We must therfore praie vnto Christe, that he vouchesafe, to bee with vs euer fauourable, both in tyme of lyfe and death, and that he vouchsafe to grant that to bee pleasant and quiete vnto vs.
Wee muste praie hym, that straunge dreames feare vs not, but that euen sleapyng, we may haue hym in mynde: and that refreshed with his comforte, we [Page] may rise merily in the mornyng remembryng his blessed deathe, the price whereby he redeemed mankynde.
Thou shalte keepe thy bedde [...]haste and pure, so that thy enemie, the authour and headde of all filthynesse, may haue n [...] clayme ne right therin.
And with the signe of the crosse, and inuocacion of the name of god, but specially thorough holy thoughtes, cogitacions, and stedfast purpose, neuer after to offende, shalte thou driue all the power of the [...]eend from it.
Whan thou risest in the morning, commit thy selfe to Christ, rendryng thankes vnto hym, that he hath preserued the that [Page] night, through his helpe and tuicion, from the deceites and enuy of that cruell ennemie.
As thou haste firste slepte the night tyme, and art nowe risen ageyne: so remembre that our bodies shal first slepe by death, and after be restored to lyfe by Christe, whan he shall appere and come to iudge bothe quicke and deade.
Beseeche hym, that it may be his wyll, and that he cause the to spende the daie folowyng in his seruice, so that thou mayste nother hurte, nor yet bee hurte of any man, and that thou so compassed on euery syde, and defended with christian godlynesse, mayst safely escape the [...]ettes & snares, whiche the deuill, [Page] most deceitful enemy, neuer ceasseth to laie for mankynde.
Woorship Mary the blessed mother of God, and other holy sayntes, the deere beloued frendes of Christe, dwellyng with hym in lyfe euerlastynge.
Rede and here ofte tymes the life and acts of them, that thou maist folowe the same.
Let thy thoughte and reporte of theym bee, not as of m [...]nne, but as of persones, that by the goodnesse of God, haue transcended al nature and humaine excellencie, and nowe nigh conioyned with god.
Where as there is so greatte lyknesse of men, hothe in body & mind, they being all brought into this world by one right and [Page] title, made and appointed to a certaine communion and societee of lyfe, to the preseruacion wherof, nature hath proclaymed this lawe, Let no man to an other do, that that he wolde not haue doone to hym [...]elfe.
He that restored nature decaied hath professed this one doctrine to be his, but yet expressyng the same more at large, and settyng it out more plainly, for to make the nature of man perfecte in euerie condicion, and as lyke vnto god as it maie be, he commaunded vs, not onely to loue one an other, but also to loue our enemies, that we maie bee like the father of heauen, which sincerely loued his enemies, as [...]e declareth by his great benefites [Page] shewed vnto them.
And howe is it to be marked, that the nature of man is such, that we woulde them to be our frendes, whome we our selues can in no wise loue.
Of Charitee.
THis moste wyse maister and guyde of our lyfe, hathe geuen vs this one document, to xnle our lyfe by, that is, to loue one an nother: knowyng, that by this onely rule, we myghte leade a blessed lyfe, without neede of any moe lawes.
There is not a more blessed thyng than to loue. And therefore god and his aungelles, bee [Page] moste blessed, as they that loue all thynges.
Nothynge is more wretched, than to hate, by the whyche affecte, the diuelles bee moste miserable.
Trewe loue weieth all a like: where true loue reygneth, no man seketh preferment, no man stealeth from his well beloued, accomptyng all suche thynges, to be with hym selfe, which are with his frende.
Loue contendeth not with his dere brother, nor thynketh not, that he doothe hym any iniurie at any tyme, and therfore he neither remembreth displesure, ne enuyeth hym, because he loueth hym: no man reioyceth in the mysfortunes of his frende, neither [Page] is greeued at his prosperitee, but contrarywise, he ioyeth with them that reioyce, and wepeth with theim that wepe, accordyng to the saying of the Apostle. And this dooeth he not fayntly, but with all his herte, for as muche as he esteemethe those thynges, whyche appertayne to hym, whom he loueth, as his owne.
The moste sure, sounde, and true example of this maner of lyuyng are the actes of Christ, set before aur eies.
For the sonne of God came downe from d [...]auen, to teache [...]s the right trade of liuing, not onely in worde, but also by exaumple of lyfe that we might, our hertes being illuminate by [Page] that his clere soonne beame of veritee discerne the truthe of euery thyng.
First he beyng exercised in all kyndes of paciencie, what mo [...]eracion of mynd dyd he shew, notwithstandyng his infinite power and myght? and albeit he was assauted with so many and greuous iniuries, yet neuer gaue he any euil worde agayn, teachyng all onely the waye of God, and abhorryng the contrary.
He suffered hym selfe to bee bounde, whiche myght haue ouerturned the hole worlde with a becke. How paciently suffred he his false accusers.
Finally, he so behaued hym selfe, that no man myghte perceiue, [Page] he had any power, b [...] all o [...]ely to helpe other.
The king and lorde of all, by whom the Father made this worlde, how lowlye suffered he hym selfe, to bee made equall with the vilest sorte of men, ha [...]yng no ther house for him self, nor sustenance for his beloued ministers.
The maker and gouernour of nature, was partaker, and felt all the miseries of the same: he hungred, he thyrsted, he was weried, and ofte dyd mourne.
Why suffered he these infirmities, but onely for our instruction? So greatly loued hepeace, concorde, and charitee, that he pursued no synne, more than pryde, arrogancye, ambycion, [Page] contencion, striues, and priuy hatredes, whiche springe out of the sayde pryde, shewynge that there is nothynge, why a man shoulde take any thynge vppon hym arrogantly, by reason of these outwarde, or el [...]es bodyly gyftes, seyng they are comyng and going not of our owne nature, neither are these thynges deriued from the inwarde powers of man, or of vertue, but geuen and taken awaie by god: because no man shuld auaunce hym selfe for suche gyftes, or forget from whens they come, neglectyng those menne, for whose reliefe he receyued them of God.
And to subdue the synne of pride, and that no man shoulde [Page] stande in his owne conceite, though he had been obedient in all pointes of religion, and fully obserued the lawe of the gospell, Christe saieth these wordes: Whan ye haue doone all that I haue commaunded you, saie that ye are but vnprofitable seruantes.
Howe great therfore is their foolishnes, which glory, as perfecte Christians, preferryng thē selues, as concernyng the obseruacion of the law, before all other, wher as oft times, he whō thou thinkest very naughty, in comparison of thy selfe, is muche richer in vertue than thou, & destinate to saluacion, whan thou shalt be appoynted to eternall miseries.
[Page]God, that hath taken all iudgement of men from manne, because the one is blynde and ignorant in the secretes of an others hert, reseruyng the knowlage of hertes only to hym self.
The outward thinges, whiche the eye of man onely beholdeth, are b [...]t weake and vncertayn tokens of the inwarne secretes.
Wherfore it is not la [...]ful to giue full sentence of any mans vertue, vice, or disposicion, by cause ye haue twise or thrise bē in his company, ye can geue no sentence of him, though ye haue ben with him a hundred times, No, though ye haue ben of longest familiaritee togither.
Uery depe and darke are the [Page] dennes of mās hert, and what mans sight is so quick to perse thorough so greatte a myste of darkenes?
And se [...]yng, that god hath redemed all mankynde, and that with so great a price from the seruitude of the deuill, lette no man be so bold to contemne or deceiue his owne soule, whiche god so entierly loued, that he shronke not, to giue his life therfore.
The lorde was crucified, for vs all, and for eche one of vs.
Thinke not, that thou canste please god, if thou hatest hym, whom god loueth. For he requireth none other thankes, but that we do loue and shewe our selues frendli to our felow [Page] seruantes, as he being our lord loued vs, whan we were leude and naughty, and deserued muche euill.
Here beganne he the mutuall bonde of loue betwene manne and man, and men towardes god, that is to saie, here he laid the fondacion of mans felicitee and fenisheth the same in heuē.
This is the lyfe and grace of Christ, wisedom exceding mannes capacitee, agreyng in equitee to theym, that haue vnderstanding, and alluryng all men to goodnesse.
Let no man thynke hym selfe a right christian, or to be in the fauoure of god, yf he hate any person, seing that Christe hath commended al men to our loue [Page] and frendeshyp.
Be frendely to man, whom god wi [...]leth the to fauour: if he bee woorthy, loue hym for his worthynes: if he be vnworthy, yet loue hym because god is worthy to be obeied.
Neyther fastynges, nor yet great richesse bestowed amonge poore folkes make a man acceptable to god. Only Charitee toward mā bringeth this to passe, as the Apostle hath taughte vs.
Thou oughtest to loue euery man as thy naturall brother, reioycynge of his prosperitee, and sorowyng for his aduersitee, being alwaie ready to helpe him to thy power,
Lette neyther nacion, citee, nor kinrede, let not profession, [Page] state, ne condicion of lyuyng, let not wyt dimynisshe this affecte of loue: for there is one father of all, God, whom thou art taught of Christ, to call father daily: which wol acknowlage the to be his childe, if thou in lyke maner knowlage al his children to be thy brethern.
Be not ashamed, to take him for thy brother, whom Christe disdeigneth not to take for his sonne.
God brought peace, concord, and loue into the worlde, the diuell, as moste experte artificer, inuented partakynges, quarelling, priuate profit, dissenciōs, debate, and warre.
God, willyng our saluacion, sprinkeleth amonge vs beneuolence: [Page] the diuell, willynge one distruction, soweth hatred and enmitee.
Small substance encreaseth, where concorde reygneth: by discorde, great thynges ar scatered, and come to naught.
They that studie, to make peace and concorde betwene mā and man, stablishyng the same with all theyr myght, shall he called the children of god: and they that dooe the contrary, the children of the diuel, as Christe him selfe plainly testifieth.
The highest poynt, wherin a man passeth the fiersenesse of all wylde beastes, is battell, a thyng more agreyng to beastes vnreasonable, than to manne, whiche is well declared by the [Page] name, that the latin [...]s haue geuen it.
Howe muche dooeth nature hir selfe abhorre from warre, which brought forthe man into this worlde, naked without armure, shapyng hym to mekenes and louely societee of lyfe?
God also abhorreth the same, which wol and cōmādeth mutuall loue betwene man & man.
One of vs maye not warre with an other, ne hurte one the other, without greuous offence
If thou suspecte any man, to beare grudge or displeasure in his mind towardes the, labour with hand and fote, reconcile and pacify him, spare thou not in this behalf to pray to flatter and to bestowe thy goodes, so [Page] that thou mayst therby obteyn [...] the fauour of all men: For this is the moste readye and compendious waie, to come to goddis fauour.
Thou shalte scorne no man, remembryng, that what so eu [...]r chanceth to one, maie happe to an other. No, rather giue thankes to god, that he hath kepte the from suche daunger, and praie partly, that no lyke thing may fortune to the, partely for remedy vnto hym that is thus afflicted, or at the lest that god wyll geue hym grace, to take it thankefully, and helpe hym yf thy power wyl extend therto.
It is a token of a dogged her [...] to reioyce in an other mannes [Page] misfortune, and not to pitie the common course of nature.
Bee mercyfull to man, and God wol haue mercy vpō the.
The fortune and chance, that foloweth mankind, is common to euery man, thretnyng dayly all men, and hanging ouer euery mans head.
Thynke it not possible, that thou canst doo any thing more agreyng to this loue, dewe vnto manne, than if thou brynge theim to the greattest good of this worlde, Uertue.
Agayn, tho [...] canst dooe nothyng more repugnant to loue, than to bryng any man by euill counsaile, exaumple, or otherwise vnto synne.
The chiefest and happiest of [Page] all other thynges, is for a man to loue, yea although he be not loued ageine, yet that not withstanding to be loued, is the swetest and the surest thyng.
No treasure is of so great certaintee: as perfecte loue and amitee: no garde so stronge, as faithfull frendes.
He taketh the son out of the world that taketh loue frō lyfe.
Trewe loue, sure and stable frendshyp resteth in theym only that bee good and vertuous, amonge whom, loue lyghtly increaseth.
Euyll men are so farre from louyng the good, that they can not one loue an other.
The rediest waie to be loued, is first to loue. For loue is allured [Page] by nothynge so muche as by loue.
Loue is gotten also by Uertue, whiche of hir selfe is so amyable, that ofte tymes she inuiteth, and in maner constrayneth men to loue hir, which neuer knew hir.
Loue is also allured by tokens of vertue, as by demure softnesse, by comely shamefastnesse, by humanitee, by gentill and faire speeche, specially yf thou neyther saye ne dooe any thynge, that sauoreth of arrogācy, insolency, or malapert vnciennesse. Let all thy actes be swete, softe, gentill, and pure.
The venome of loue and amitee is, to loue thy friende so, that thou yeldest vppon occasion [Page] to hate hym, or so to take hym thy frende, that thou thynkest he maie be thyne enemy.
This saiyng is godly, I hate as one redy to loue.
Let no remembraunce of displeasure be, where loue is, nother thynk, that he, whom thou takest for thy frende, can be thy ennemie, for els shall thy loue be veray weake and brickle.
In frendshyp muste be suche faith, constancy, and simplicite that in no wyse thou haue any suspicion in thy frende, or geue [...]are vnto theym that suspecte hym, or shall euill reporte hym.
Lyfe is no lyfe, to suche as lyue in suspicion or feare, but rather such lyfe is a continuall death.
[Page]Be not inquisitiue, howe other men liue: for thei that passe to much of other mennes affayres, ofte tymes loke vpon theyr owne businesse but sklenderly. It is a point of great foly, well to knowe other men, and not to know thy [...]elfe.
Of this thyng rise many priuy grudges, and suche as vse these thynges, be most cōmonly they, whiche can spie a smalle mote in an other mans eye, and not see a greatte beame in their owne. It is great foolishnesse, to know other men so well, and to know them selfe neuer a dele
Thou mayst not alonely loue men, but also reuerence suche as becommeth the, honestly behauyng thy selfe amonge them, [Page] wherin consisteth the office and duetie of our hole lyfe. To the better accomplishment wherof, thy part is, diligently to marke, where, whan, and with whom thou doest or spekest any thyng. Whan thou arte in presence of men, so order all the partes of thy body, & in speciall thy eies and countenance, that ther may be no token of disdeine or contempt perceiued.
Use no wanton gesture, but let quietnesse and pleasant serenitee, tokens of a quiete and clere minde, alwaies temper thy countenaunce.
The fayre and most fauourable couerture of mans face, is modesty and shamefastnes, whiche so sette forth mans countenaunce, [Page] that without the same, it seemeth a thyng veraie deformed and detestable.
All hope of recouery to pas [...]e in hym, whiche now is no more ashamed of euill doyng.
Shewe not to muche seueritee or g [...]mnesse in thy countenaunce. For therby men coniecture, the mynd to be cruell and vnruly.
Laugh not to ofte, nor out of mesure, laugh not to loude, nor that thy body shake withall, lest thou be mock [...] & laught to scorn for suche thy foolishe laughter.
Ther mai be a cause of laughter, but there can be no cause of scornfull laughter.
To scorne good thynges is wickednesse, to mocke euyl, crueltee, [Page] and to iest at other meane thinges great folyshnesse: to scorne good men, wickednesse, leude men cruelnesse, familiarly acquainted, immanitee, vnknowen men, madnesse: to be short, a man to scorne a man inhumanitee.
Let thy eies bee quiet and stedy, plaie not with thy [...]yngers as iuglers vse to doe.
Accustom not thy selfe to strike [...] for oft times after a fillyp foloweth a blow, and from blowes men com to clubbes & swordes.
Giue only good men true and right honour, whiche commeth from the reuerence of the mind.
Honour suche as bee in office and auctoritee, and bee obedient vnto theym, although they [Page] commaund greuous and peynfull thynges, for god willeth it so to be, for a publike quietnes.
Geue place vnto riche men, leste they stered to anger, hurte bothe the & other good men to.
Arise vnto age, and reuerence it, as in whome consisteth ofte tymes great experience & knowlage of godly lyuyng and worldely polycie.
Be not onely euen with theim that honour the, but accordyng to the apostles precepte, preuent theym whan thou mayst.
It is an argument of greatte rudenesse, not to salute hym, that saluteth the, a great poynt of barbarousnesse, not to wishe wel ageine to him, that wisheth well to the.
[Page]Howe small thynges, and of how light cost are salutacion, fayre speeche, gentylnesse, reuerence? And yet how great frendshyp engendre they, yf they bee vsed? What amitees do they dissolue, if ye omyt theym?
What peruerse ignorance is it, not to reconcile and gette ageyne the good wyll of many, whan ye maie haue it with so small a trifle.
The more gentilman, and the better a man is brought vp, the more lowly and curteis [...]y he behaueth hym selfe: the more villayne, the more disdeinfull and fiers. Somtime these vicis com of dulnesse and lacke of knowlage, and for this cause, good lernyng is called humanitee.
[Page]If thou salute, and be not saluted ageine, ascribe it to negligence rather thā to contempt If thou be spoken to vnmanerly, attribute it to lacke of good maners, or to nature, and not to malice or hatred, bee not so lyghte, to bee moued with the breath of mans mouth.
By suche and other lyke holsom interpretacions thou shalt leade an holy and plesant lyfe, for so shalt thou loue euery mā, and not thynke thy selfe offended or hurte of any persone. It is an olde prouerbe, Ut ve [...]ax ne suspicax, that thou bee true, be not suspicions: these wordes may be new, the sentence is old. Ut quietus ne suspicax, that, thou be qui [...]t, be not suspicious
[Page]Loke that thou shewe not thy selfe to contemne any man in coūtenance, in gesture, word, or dede. If thou beyng of lowe degree, dispise suche as be thy superiours, howe shall thy inferiours obey the.
If thou bee the greatter, thou by thy proude contemnynge of hym, tournest thyne inferiours hert from the.
Contempte is a thyng intollerable, for as much as no man can thinke him selfe so vile, that he ought to be dispised.
Many labour, to deliuer them selues from contempte, but mo study to be reuenged therof.
There is no man so great, but fortune maie driue hym to nede the helpe of the poorest, and [Page] seeke succour of the simplest.
Besydes all this, there is no man, whom god is content to take for his son, that can iustly be contemned, excepte thou also in hym contemne goddes iudgement.
Use no doggisshe eloquence, seke not preyse of cunnyng by contumelious speche agaynste thy brother, as touchyng whose reproche, better it were for the to be tounge tied.
Ofte tymes men vnknowen & dispised, are after founde worthy muche reuerence.
Of speche and communicacion.
GOd gaue man a tounge, to be an instrument, to set forwarde, keepe and [Page] preserue the societee of mannes lyfe: for the maintenance wherof nature bindeth man to man.
This toung is cause of many cōmodities, if thou vse it well: cause of many myschieues, yf thou misuse it. Therfore Iames the Apostle doth resemble it veraie well to the sterne of a shyp.
Tounge muste be brideled and kepte in, that she neyther hurte her selfe, nor any other.
Sinne is wrought by no instrument so easily, ne so oft, as by the tounge.
Thou shalt not rayle, curse, ne hurte any man: thou shalte saie nothing, either to the losse of his goodes or good name.
Thou shalte not dishonestly, proudely, or malopertely rage [Page] agaynste any man, thou shalte immoderately inuey agaynst no man, although thou be thereto prouoked: for so doynge, thou shalt more hurte thy selfe before god, and men of wisdom, than him, ageinst whom thou railest.
To giue one euill word for an other, is as muche as to wype awaie one durte with an other.
To threatten, is a poynte of naughty packes, of dwellers on the other syde of the water. Be not of so weake a mynde, of so tender an hert, that a few wordes be able to wounde the.
Be not to curiouse, in reprehendyng other men, but rather labour, that they may not finde in the any thyng reprouable.
And if thou chance, to rebuke [Page] any persone worthyly, yet vse no crueltee in thy wordes, but myngle thy sharpe checkes with som mild cōmunicacion, that if thou make any wounde, it may be swaged therby: but euer takyng hede, that the fruite of reprehencion be not loste, whiles that thou studiest ouer much to mitigate the matter.
Beware thou slyde not into flattery.
Assentacion is a foule vice, [...] bringeth the saier to dishonesty, and the hearer to great hurte.
Thynke nothyng so precious, that thou oughteste for it, to swerue from right and truthe.
Let neither ryches ne frendshyp, neither intreatie, ne thretenynges, let no feare of deathe [Page] obteyne this of the.
Thus doyng, thou shalt be regarded and trusted, al thy saiynges shall be as gospelles: yf thou do contrary wise, thou shalte nothynge be estemed, ne thought worthy to be hearde.
Let thy communicacion be sobre, ciuile, gentyll, and nothyng rough, rusticall, or rude, nor yet ouer much curious, lest he shuld haue nede of an interpretour, that wolde vnderstande the.
Use no contumeliouse nor obstinate langage, vse not to flater with nice and minced wordes.
There is a certaine meane, whiche neither leeseth his owne dignitie, nor taketh awaie an other mans.
Wanton vncleannes, is as [Page] well to be refused in our talke, as is poyson in our meate,
Be not hasty, whan thou spekest, let not thy toung go before thy wyt, make no aunswere before thou perfectly vnderstandest, what the matter meaneth.
This saiyng, What so euer fyrst cometh to the tonges end [...], whiche Cicero spake vnto T [...] ius of Athenes, ought selde or neuer to be admitted, forasmuche as nothing ought to be spoken among frendes, wherby amitie myght be appeyred?
Howe foule, how perillous a thyng is, Lingua quo vadis? Eoung whether goest thou.
Christe our lorde, knowynge howe many and diuers mischefes [...]prange of, vayne communicacion, [Page] as quarellynges, discordes, & priuie hatredes, to the entent he wolde, that men shuld be circumspecte in theyr speche, thretned al men, that they haue to make a counte of euery ydell word at the daie of iudgement.
Therfore the prophete sayth. Set thou a watch vnto mi mouthe, and a doore before my lips.
Be not to busie in talkyng or to ful of woordes: haue not al thy cōmunicacion alone. There is a certain ordre and course in talkyng, although thou cōmon with moste vnlerned and vilest persones. And yet drawe not thy wordes soo, that thou mayst seme to harkē to thy self, and to dooe so, because euery woorde that cometh from the, [Page] semeth a rose.
It is more better for the, amonge wyse men, to harken than to speake: yet sometime it is no lesse faute, for a man to holde his peace, than it is at an other tyme to speake, whan it behoueth hym not.
There is no pleasure to bee compared to the communicacion of a man, that is wise and well lerned.
Be neuer to inquisitiue, for it is peinfull, and causeth hatrrd. Thou knowest, what Horace saieth, Eschue [...]a busy demaunder, For the same is commonly a babbler.
Be not contencious or obstinate in resoning, but whā thou herest truthe, reuerence it with [Page] s [...]lence, and arise vp there at, as to a di [...]me and godly thyng.
If thou here no suche thyng, yet take it feendly, and that namely, if ther be nothing said, wherby honestee, man [...]rs, and good liuing may bee hyndered.
Contencion is nought worth, where is no hope of amendmēt
Men can hardly bear [...] arrogancy, pryde, or disdaynful auctoritee, no not in men of great power, and all praise worthy.
Bragge not in woordes, but shewe in deede what thy counnyng is, think not other men delyted in al thyng, that thou takest pleasure of in thy talke.
Beware alwaies, that tho [...] doe nothyng, that may disquiet the, excepte it be closely kept.
[Page]How be it, if by chance tho [...] haue done any suche thyng, disclose it to no man, or at the lest if thou dooe vtter it, take good hede to whom
Whan thou committest any thing of counsaile to thy frende which thou woldest haue secretly kept, beware thou vse therin no maner of bordynge, leaste he at sometyme hauyng a mind to ieste, as thou diddest reuele and open the same.
Kepe the secret counsaile commytted vnto the more warely, than the money that is committed vnto thy custody.
Nothyng shoulde be safe and sure in mannes lyf [...], if secrete counsell should want faith.
It thou promyse any thyng, [Page] perfourm [...] the same, although [...] it be veraie harde and daungerous, and thoughe it were but for this only cause, to discharge thy faith and promise.
If any thyng be promised the, exact it not, being alway streghter in iudgment to thy selfe thā to other men,
Thou must consider, that mē haue wytte, reason, and iudgement, thynke not, that thou cāst persuade them, to take euill dedes for thynges wel doen, or to be deceiued by thinges counterfaited, cloked, or coloured, whiche at length bewraie theim selues, and the more craftilier thei were hyd, the more foule and hatefull they are.
Truely a mans mynd [...]riseth [Page] fore against those things, wher with he hath ben deceiued.
Therfore it is better, that all thynges be open, plaine, vnclo [...]ed and symple.
For although Ueritee sometymes at the firste displeaseth, yet at the length it is very amiable and louely accepted.
The truth mai wel be peined, it wil not be oppressed. It maie be blamed, it wil not be shamid.
As the profit gotten by liyng, is nothing sounde nor durable, euen so the damage that commeth by truthe tellyng, hyndereth not long.
Absteyne from liyng, as from a cōmon rot. For there is no viler thyng in man, whiche therby separateth hym selfe from [Page] god, and becometh the dyuels bondeman. And come the lie out early or late, Shamefull ignominie is sure the liers part.
What is counted more vile? what worse than a lier? If mē knowe the for a lyer, no man will beleue the, although thou speakest neuer so truely.
Contrary wyse, if thou bee true of worde, thy becke shalbe better beleued than other mens holy othes and great sweryng.
If thou speakest nothyng rep [...]gnant, and if thy wordes agree one with an nother, thou greatly nedest neyther force of memory, nor any other art, but alwaies to saie that thou thinkest truthe.
Truthe euer consenteth to [Page] truthe, falsehode neither with truthe, nor yet with falsehod.
But if thou wilt thyne opinion to be true, beleue nothyng lightly, but thynges approued, or els thynges that haue greate lykelyhod of veritee.
He is in misery, and very miserable, whiche hath so intangled hym selfe, that he can not be losed, but by a leasyng.
Accustome not thy self in swetyng. For the wise man saieth. That he, which swereth much, is replenished with wickednes, and the plage of vengeāce shall not be longe from his house.
Christ in his gospell vtterly forbyddeth vs swearyng, and teachyng vs to affirme, al that truth is, with yea yea, & to dedy [Page] all that [...]als is with, nay nay.
[...]ur r [...]uerence to god oughte to bee greate, w [...]ought not to calle hym to wytnesse in euerye place for euery trif [...]e.
No, we ought to call hym to recorde neuer, but againste our wilies, and whan we are compelled.
He that sweareth in serious mattiers, wyll also sweare in boord for his pleasure. And he that w [...]ll sweare for a test, will not stycke for an othe, whan he li [...]th.
They that beleue the, wol as well trust the without an othe, as with all thy swearyng: and they that woll not beleue the, the more thou swerest, the more they mistrust the.
How men oughte to bee vsed.
THere is a certayne difference to be had, betwene man and man. For some of theym be of household, some only of acquentance, and some be strangers vnknowen.
I calle theym of householde, that bee of kyn, or of affinitee, or with whom we lyue togither in one family.
Thou must loue all men, and so behaue thy selfe towardes theym, that euen they, whome thou knowest not, may perceiue the to be a frend vniuersally to all mankynde, and to wyll and wishe well vnto all men.
And yet thou shalte not, as a white lyne vpon a white stone, [Page] shewe thy selfe a lyke toward is all wen: but som thou shalt admit to counsell, to some be obedient, and some thou shalte reuerence, and to some thou shalt render thākes, if thou haue receiued any benefit at theyr handes, forgetting not those, whos diligence and, faithfull seruice thou haste vsed to thy commoditee or profite.
Where as a mans good will is to be taken and reputed for the deede there he semeth to deserue not muche lesse thankes, whiche endeuoureth hym selfe to dooe pleasure, than he that hath doone in dede.
And he that hath vsed a mans frendship or labour after this maner, is no lesse bounde to recompence [Page] hym, than if he had borowed money of hym: thinke hym no lesse thanke woorthy, which hath to his power, with syncere herte, bestowed his labour, than he that lendeth his money. Thynke him I saie, so muche more thankes woorthy, as is the bodie derer to a man thā his monei, or any outward thyng.
Tary not, while thy familiar [...]rend open his pouertee and necessitees to the, but herken rather, and smelle theym out thy selfe, helpyng him of thy owne accorde, tary not, but arise and meete a rightuouse petycion in the teethe, that [...]hou be entreated before thou be axed.
Thou shalt not only loue thy [Page] parētes, but also honour them next vnto god, and shalt be obedient vnto their cōmandementes, euen as at Goddis owne bydding, throughly persuaded, that they bee in goddis steede vnto the here in earthe, and that noo manloueth the more intier [...]i, nor more regardeth thy wealthe.
Next vnto these be scholemasters, bryngers vp of chyldren, tutours, fynally all suche as haue taught the any good maners, which are of so great value, that mā can haue nothinge more precious.
Loue these menne, and haue theim in reuerence as thy secōd parētes, and [...]owly obey them, countyng what so euer thei do, [Page] that they dooe, it not for theyr owne cōmoditee, but for thyne. And seīg the mattier i [...] so, thou shouldest make selender recompence, yf for suche kyndenesse, thou wouldest obstinately disobey them.
Thynke not, but he loueth the tenderly, that reprehendeth the frendly: he seldom hurteth, that reprou [...]th the, although he bee thy enn [...]my, for if he saie truth, he sheweth the, in what thou oughtest to refourme thy selfe, yf he saie false thynges against the, he teacheth the, what thou maiest schue: so that other he maketh the better, or at the least more circumspect.
Serche first the maners and cōdicions of them, whom thou [Page] dooest purpose to make thy familiars, and enquire, howe thei haue ordered them selues, with their other frendes, leste it mai after repent the of such acqueintance.
Refuse the acqueyntaunce of hym, whose familiaritee thou seest honest men to eschew.
Also shon theim, whom thou perceyuest to loue thy gooddes be [...]r than thy selfe, as smelle feastes, or suche, by whose conuersacion thou mayest eyther waxe worse, or falle into danger and perill.
Shonne all suche, as can not suffre theyr frendes to haue better fortune than they haue.
Chose no suche frendes, as littell passe to ieste of thy lyfe, to [Page] borde at such thynges, as thou woldest haue kepte secrete, but most of all, auoyde theim, that for a thyng of nought, woll bee at vtter defiance with their best frende, reuengeynge theym selfe more vpon suche, as they haue loued before, than vpon those, whom they alwaies hated, barbarousely perswadynge theym self, the iniurie done of a frend, lesse to be forborne, than the iniurie done of theyr enmy, wherin they plainely declare [...], that they neuer loued: For yf they had, they woulde not so soone haue ben offended. It were better to haue suche persones for enemies, than for frendes.
Be slow in res [...]iuyng a frend, be constaunt in reteinyng hym. [Page] Chose a frende, that wyll not onely please th [...], [...]ut also profit the. Auoyde hym, that speaketh al for fauour: aud enbrace thou hym, that will truly and plainly admonishe the of thy [...]au [...]e.
If thou take delite, to beare them that flatter the, thou shalt neuer here the truthe.
Among the wild beastes, there is none more pernicious than enuy: among the [...]ame, none so hurtefull as flattery.
As wisedome and vertue bee muche worthy all mens loue, so is affentacion to be cursed, hated abhorred, whiche letteth vs to come to the sayde vertue and wisdome, by reason it persuadeth, that we haue now all redy obteined it.
[Page]Morou [...]r plein admoniciōdoth not a litle profit, which brigeth a man to vertu, by techyng him, what remaineth yet behind, and how it must be brought to passe
If it greue the to be reproued, do nothyng reproche worthy.
He is in a veraie miserable case, that nedynge a frende to warne hym, hath none.
Flee from the company of euill men, as fr [...]m men infected with the pestilence. For contagion is to be feared no lesse at the one, than at the other: Except thou thinke thi selfe able to bryng them to goodnesse.
And yet thou muste not truste thy selfe herein to much, still remēbryng, that as our nature of [...] selfe is prone to vice, that so [Page] the gate and passage to Uertue is veraie high, and with muche trauaile and difficultee finished
Also serche, of what degree and condicion thou arte, what place fortune hath sette the in: and thynke, what so euer estate thou be in, no mo thinges be lefull for the, than for other men.
No, the more custom maketh lefull, the lesse let lust longe for, luste staied by moderacion.
Be gentill to thy inferiours, lowly to thy betters, easy and tractable to thy peres and companions.
But yet so, that thou be alwaies hard, stiffe, and inexorable to theym, that intice the to [...]ice.
Disdayne not to bee cont [...] ned [Page] of thy superiors, but thinke that thing, to come by course of fortune, rather than by the faut of the man.
If any thynge bee done vnto the of thy inferiour, whiche displeaseth the, thinke it not forthwith, to be done of contumely, but rather of a certayne lybertie: reckenyng also, that thou art veraie delicate and inpacient, if thou counte small [...]ickelynges, great woundes. Thou muste not suppose thy selfe a man, and other men beastes, and that it is not leful for them so muche as to speake.
Thou art a man, lyue vnder lyke lawe, as other men do.
And if thou haue more wisedome, or bee a better liuer, than [Page] other men be, shewe thy selfe fauourable vnto theim, as to men vnlerned and weake. Pardon not vice [...]n thy selfe, whom wisedome and vertue hathe so e [...] strengthned.
If thou excelle not in vertue, why requirest thou to be better, estemed than an other? if thou passe other, why moderateste thou thine affections no better, than the cōmon sorte of people.
It is better to take wronge, than to do wronge, better to be deceiued, than to deceiue, whiche thynge naturall wysedome taughte many, as Socrates, Plato, Arist [...]teles, Cicero, Seneca, and suche other.
Remembre, it is a point of humain imbecillitie, to be deceiued [Page] and wander in blindnesse. Le [...] not therfore other mens offences, and chiefly such as be done agaynst thy selfe, ouermuch offende the.
It is a token of a gentill and noble hert, to forgyue: of a cruell, fierce, vnnaturall, and vile stomacke, to retayne anger, whiche thinge euen very nature sheweth in dombe beastes.
And seyng god is redy to doo nothinge more oft, or more gladly than to forgeue, who is so mad to deny, but that the same thyng is both moste godly and most excellent, by whiche we so much resēble the nature of that high and mighty god?
Deale thou with other men, as thou woldest Christ shuld deale [Page] with the.
And truely, it is meete, that thou graunt lyke forgeuenesse to thy neyghbour, as thou nedest at goddes hande either for the same, or other lyke offences.
There is no prayer more acceptable, or of more efficacy afore god, than that his soonne Iesus Christe our lorde, hathe taught vs, whiche is therfore named, Our lordes prayer: Nowe thou canst not saie that praier with a pure mynde, except thou vtterly, and with all thy herte, forgeue thy brother, what so euer thou woldest god to forgeue the [...]. A great faute is forgeuen vs, vnder this condicion, that we forgyue a lyghte offence.
[Page]What so euer one man offendeth an other in, it is nothyng, in comparison of that, wherin we all offende god euery houre: whiche is to be estemed & waied euen so muche the greuouser, as god is great & higher than man.
If thou bee discontente with any man, folowe the counsayle of the apostles saiynge: Lette not the sonne go downe vppon thy wrothe. Whan thou goest to bedde, cast out of thy mynde, all debate, all angre, all displesures, all desires and pensiuenesse, that thy minde beyng quiete and settled, thou maiest addresse thy selfe to quiete slepe.
Lette hym, whom thou haste ones forgeuen, perceiue by som token, that thou haste forgyuen [Page] hym vnfe [...]nedly, that bothe he ma [...]e see, thou hast forgotten iniuries paste, and finde the frendly, where thou maist helpe or do hym pleasure.
Beware whan thou arte moued, that thou auenge not thyne owne quarel, either by thy selfe, or any other persone. For thou hast none auctoritee ouer an other mans seruant, much lesse in thy felow seruant. Thou art iniuriouse to thy lorde, if thou leaue not the correction of thy felow vnto hym.
God is lorde ouer al men, we be all his seruauntes, be thou contēt to haue complained to hym, yea, complaine not at al: for the eye of god seeth all thynge, and as scripture testifieth, he knoweth [Page] bothe hym that doothe the wronge, and hym that suffereth it. Therfore geueth he this commandement, Leaue the reuengemente of thyne ennemies to me, and I wyll see th [...]im paied. For seeing the iniurie is in the herte, and not in the deede, onely god knoweth, what thy herte was, and what belongeth therto.
It behoueth th [...], not onely to loue thy selfe, but also to shewe thy selfe worthy to be had in reuerence, so that thou maiest bee ashamed of thy selfe whan thou goest about to do any thyng vngodly, wickedly, filthily, impudently, foolishly.
We ofte take that for an iniury, whiche in very dede is none, folowynge in suche wise our [Page] parciall affections, that we can by no meanes ritely examin the truthe of matters, but are dryuen to geue such sentence and iudgement, as they wyll.
what a mans behauiour ought to be towardes hym selfe.
ESteeme and beleue more the iudgemēt of thine own conscience, than the gloriouse reporte of the multitude, whiche commonly is bothe tude and ignorant, and vnaduisedly both approueth and condemneth thynges vnknowen.
A troublesom conscience tu [...] menteth the mynde, a quiet conscience is high felicitee, passing al worldly tresure and dignitee.
[Page]This is it, that god promyseth in the gospel vnto his welbeloued children, that they shall receyue, euen in this lyfe, much more pleasure, than they haue forsaken for his sake.
Fame shall nether profite the wicked person, ne infamy hurte the good. What p [...]ofite shalte thou haue more of thy greatte fame, whan thou arte ones departed hense, than the preysed picture of Apelles, or the horse that hathe the victorie in Olympia?
The sayde fame littell profyteth any man in his lyfe time, if that he knowe [...] not, and yf he knowe it, what profite I praie you, bryngeth it? a wyse man will despise it, and it causeth [Page] fooles more to embrace foly.
The witnesse of Conscience is true, sound, and permanent, and shall be of great auctoritee, whan God shall syt in that his dredful iudgement, [...] is a maistresse of great gouernance, euen in this life. This conscience is, as the poet featly nameth it, a brason wal to stand betwixt vs and all dangers of this worlde, neither is there any thynge so terrible, that can shake hym whom this wall defendeh, beyng coupled and knit vnto god with herte and mynde, puttyng his trust in him only, knowyng that he hath taken the peculiar charge of hym, to whome all thynges obey.
It is great shame for the, to [Page] be better knowen of other men than of thy selfe.
Is it not enough for the, to be knowen of thy selfe and of god?
They that caste away the regarde of god, and lie still without feare in sinfulnes, artwise to be condemned: because they regarde neyther god nor man.
All suche are iniurious to theyr owne conscience, der [...]dyng and deludyng the same, as thoughe they had therefore dispysed the fame of the worlde, bycause they wold the more freely frame and facion theym selfes vnto theyy owne conscience, whiche nowe renneth at large in synfulnes, bycause it is not bridled with feare.
He loueth hym selfe, that with [Page] all his endeuour and feruente praier, desyreth of god, that he vouchesafe to garnysshe the mynde, the moste excellent part [...] of man, with her true and naturall ornamentes, that is to wite, with Religion & godlines.
He loueth not hym selfe [...] whiche setteth his mynde, vpon rychesse, honours, & worldly pleasures, or any other bodily thīg: for so muche as the moste precious part of man, is the mynde.
Neither loueth he hym selfe [...] whiche for lacke of knowlage of his owne misery, deceiueth hym selfe, or suffereth other to deceiue hym: beyng glad as hauynge those giftes, whereof in very dede, he hath none at all.
Suche loue in a man is not [Page] to bee counted the loue of hym selfe, but a blynde, beastly, and inordinate loue of the bodye, hurtfull both to hym selfe, and to other. The whyche loue Socrates conplained, to bee the originall beginnyng of all mischeues. For in dede this taketh away frendshyp betweene man and man, wherby aryse all, myserye, all mischiefes amonges men. He that ouermuche loueth hym selfe after this maner, he loueth no man, & no man hym.
The proude man agreeth not with the meke, and muche lesse with men of his owne disease.
Our sauiour, by his heauenly wisedome, briefly declareth vnto vs, bothe what it is, a man to loue, and what it is, a mā to [Page] hate him selfe, saiyng after this maner: He that hat [...]th his soule and dothe not suffer it to be intangled with the pleasaunt intisementes of the worlde, he trewely loueth his soule, and willeth it to be saued Contrary wise, he that loueth his soule, settyng it vppon voluptuousenesse, the same hateth his soule, and woll it com to nought.
Who, excepte he be madde, woll refuse labour and peynes, to obteine the rewarde eternall in heauen, seing that these wretched and transitorye thynges, without great labour and peynes can not be obteind?
The lawe of Adams children is to lyue in labor, and the cur [...] due belongyng to babes borne [Page] of Eue is to suffer affliction [...] and trouble.
Therfore we must ned is labor what waie so euer we turne vs,
How much better than is it, to endeuor with all our power, to haue for our labor an ample reward, as eternall ioy, than to haue a sklender and a vile recō pence, that shortly vanysheth, & sorowe euerlastyng? What also, that it is an easier surer qui [...]ter and much more pleasanter, a lighter thyng to do well, than to doo euill, wherin is so muche feare sorowe and care.
Syn is the deaeth of man, so that he mai well seme to sle him selfe, whiche falleth to syn, for he withdraweth hym selfe from God, our lyfe, and from the [Page] quietnes of conscience, a thyng moste blessed, most full of comforte and ioye.
Thou shalt wasshe awaie the spottes of synne with teares, with repentance, and by the inuocacion of the mercy of god, cleauyng & holly trustyng to it.
Lette all maner of occasions of synnes bee cut awaie and eschued with all diligence. For the wise man sayeth: He that loueth peril, shal perishe therin.
And the dyuell alwayes wayteth vppon all occasions, that we can neuer be carelesse. We muste warre with hym stylle: mannes lyfe vpon earthe is, as Iob truely seyeth, a continuall warfare.
And for as muche as our ennemy [Page] is so mighty, so stronge, so subtyll, so craftye, and of so great experience, hauyng so many policies of warre agaynste vs, that we can by no meanes, craft, ne power, matche him: let vs, castyng away all affiaunce of our owne nature and power flee vnto god for succour. For this cause, our lorde ofte commandeth his disciples to pray, and desyre their holy Father, with pure herte & mynde, that they may not be ledde into temptacion, that is to saie, into fight, into hande grypes with their aduersarie.
And in the praier, that he taught vs, this is the last point, which knitteth vp all togyther, Ne nos inducas in tentationē, [Page] Leade vs not into temptacion, but deliuer vs from our aduersary, that stille lieth in wayte for vs.
Let vs therfore alwaies dooe as men armed in warre, keping diligent watche and ward, not lettyng occasions slip away by slepe and sluggishenes.
And where as this lyfe fl [...]eth so fast awaie, being of such vncertayntee, that no man lyuyng to daie, can make sure promise of to morow, it is a great point of foolyshenesse, and very dangerous, in hope of long life, not to prepare vs to our finall iorneie, seyng that we ar called vpon euery houre, and yet know nothyng of the tyme, whan we shalbe compelled to this iorney, [Page] whether we woll or no. Let vs therfore hast, to prepare vs tresure vnto the lyfe to com, beyng alwaies redy with diligent attendance, that whan we shalbe called, we be not founde vnredye, oppressed with heauy and dull sluggisshenes, that we depart not sad and sorowful, but as men beyng ful satisfied, and wery of this worlde, reioicyng in hope through faith in Christ: wherby we knowe god, and as far forth as the power of man maie, we imitate, folowe, and fynde hym: without this thyng what is a man, but a beast immortall?
As one day of mās life is worthy to be preferred before the lō gest age of Rauen or Hart: so [Page] one daie, spent after the example of Christ, is better than to lyue eternally, not folowynge right religion.
This is eternall lyfe, sayeth Christe our lorde, to knowe the father, and whō he sent among vs, Iesus christe his soonne,
This is the course of moste absolute wisedome, wherof the first steppe is, To know thy [...]elfe, and the laste of all To knowe God. To the immortall and inuisible kyng of the world, to God onely be all honour and glory. Amen,