The French academie Fully discoursed and finished in foure bookes. 1. Institution of manners and callings of all estates. 2. Concerning the soule and body of man. 3. A notable description of the whole world, &c. 4. Christian philosophie, instructing the true and onely meanes to eternall life. This fourth part neuer before published in English. All written by the first author, Peter de la Primaudaye, Esquire, Lord of Barre, Chauncellour, and Steward of the French Kings house.

1. Common and ordinarie complaints made by men, touching the miseries of their liues

WE said before, that the second kind of temptation, which shaketh the assurance that wee ought to haue of our adoption, consisteth in the common and long afflictions and miseries, which ordinarily accompany vs in this life, and to speake true, who can calcu∣late the number, or reckon the diuersities thereof? Some complaine of diseases, pouertie, reproches, slanders, hatred, contempt, losse of friends, increasing of enemies, and of diuers other kindes of disgraces, and discontentments which trouble and annoy man, and most commonly the vprightest men. Others complaine of losse of their goods, and their estates. Others are grieued to be driuen out of their natiue Countries, or that they are persecuted in other manner, and that by their neere friends and alies, they are brought into great calami∣tie and trouble of minde. But the worst is, we haue a great number (and of those speci∣ally, which take one them the name of faithfull Christians fearing God) who in their trou∣bles, say and affirme, that they haue seen and found nothing all their liues, but signes of the diuine wrath of God towards them, instead of the testimony of his loue; and conuenient blessings to his children. Therefore we must strengthen and fortifie our selues with neces∣sarie rampiers and defences against such assaults of our flesh, whrein Satan hath a great part.