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REMEDIES against the tentati∣ons of the third Enemy, to wit, the Diuel, and first against PRIDE, wherto he principally induceth vs.
THE third and last enemy, a∣gainst whō we haue to fight in this worlde, is the Diuel; who in the authoritie c 1.1 of S. Iohn a∣boue alleged, is vnderstoode by the pride of life, sith this was that, that made him at the very first to be hur∣led
head-long a 1.2 out of heuen, into the bottomlesse pit of hel; and therefore, albeit he induce vs to al other sinnes, and tempteth vs with eche one; yet is this inducement to pride (the most heinous sinne of al) principally at∣tributed to him; as also the suggesti∣ons to wrath and enuie, which issue and proceede therout. Wherfore, like as I haue geuen thee wepons and re∣medies to resist the rest withal, so shal I nowe (God willing) prescribe thee some preseruatiues against these; be∣ginning first with pride, which is a * 1.3 disordinate desire and appettite of a man his owne excellencie; whereby he seeketh to be singuler aboue al o∣thers.
THE FIRST Remedie therefore, * 1.4 which thou art to vse against this diabolical sin, shalbe, to consider how greatly b 1.5 God detesteth pride, and how greeuously from the beginning of the worlde he hath punished it, as-wel in Angels, as also in menne;
in Angels, we see by a 1.6 Lucifer, & the rest of his adherentes; in men, by b 1.7 Na∣bugonosor, c 1.8 Antiochus, with manye mo (as holy writt doth witnes) that came to ruine through this vice; and were moste seuerely chastised. The same doth like-wise eftsons testifie, d 1.9 how singulerly he hath alwayes lo∣ued and exalted the humble; wherof both e 1.10 our Sauiour, and the blessed La∣dye f 1.11 his holy mother doo bear suffi∣cient testimonie.
THE SECOND remedie is the con∣sideratiō of thine own selfe, sith (as S. g 1.12 Bernard saith, thine estate being wel examined, shal teach thee what thou wantest; and prayer shal obteine thee, that thou want it not. For God lo∣ueth the soule that diligently discus∣seth * 1.13 it selfe; and that after due discus∣sion, doth without flattery and par∣tialitie iudge it selfe. Confider there∣fore what thou art, both in body and soule; and so shalt thou finde more
causes of confusion and shame, then of hawtines & arrogancie. Touching * 1.14 thy body, vnbethinke thee, what a filthie substance it was ingendred of; and howe nowe it is a sacke ful of dirt and donge; and shal ere longe be made the praye of wormes; and as for thy soule, it is fraught with heapes of folies, errours, ignorance, feares, fan∣cies, anxieties (& that which is worst of al) of so many monstrous crimes it hath committed against that diuine and dreadful Maiestie. Finally, looke howe much better thou shalt knowe thy selfe, and so much more plainely shalt thou perceaue thee to be such as Iob describeth, saying: a Man borne of a woman, liuing but a 1.15 smal time, is ful of manye miseries, who springeth vp like a floure, and wi∣thereth quickly, and vanishesh as a shadowe, and neuer continueth long in one estate: for pre∣sently thou shalt see him mery, and by and by sad; now whole, then sicke; nowe riche, nowe poore; nowe quiet,
now troubled; in fine, not in the main seas be there so many waues and di∣uers * 1.16 mutations to be seene; as man by dayly proofe findeth contrary chan∣ges and alterations in him-self. Who so therfore considereth these things, and throughly weigheth thē as they be, shal finde much more cause to be confounded, and to accuse him-selfe, then to be a boasting bragger, or anye wayes proud and insolent; and when * 1.17 he thinketh thus basely of him-selfe, then is he best at ease, and moste of al contented. Wher-vpō we read in the liues of holy fathers, howe an Abbot being asked on a time, whether it wer better dwelling alone and solitarye, then abroade in the world and in cō∣pany with others; his auswere was; that, but if a man knewe him-selfe wel, he might securely ynough dwel * 1.18 wheresoeuer him listed; but if he wer vainglorious and proude, he shoulde neuer finde any quietnes, whersoeuer
he liued. Whence thou maiest gather this note, that the disciphering of thy selfe, is a meanes to make thee lowlye * 1.19 and humble, and to liue in rest and great tranquilitie.
THIRDLY, if thou finde thy selfe * 1.20 puffed vp with any winde of vaine glorye, weening thee to be indued with certaine vertues that thy com∣panion hath not; thinke yet, howe he passeth thee farre in many good par∣tes thou lackest. For if thou haplye canst fast more, and take greter pains thē an-other; yet hath he more humi∣litie, more patience, & more charitie then thou haste; and these be muche more pretious vertues in the sight of God, then are thine. Finally, see thou * 1.21 folow this aduise, to consider others vertues sooner then their vices; & in thy self to weigh rather thy vices thē vertues; being more diligent to note in others such vertues as thou lackest, rather then any vertues in thy selfe,
others are deuoyde of. This conside∣ration shal keepe thee in humilitie, and inflame thy heart with desire to aduaunce from good to better; and by this meanes shalt thou be preserued from the boistrons blasts of a 1.22 Northern windes; (to wit) of ambition and vaine glory; which eftsons staye the dewes of diuine influence, and blowe ouer the shours of heauenly consolations. * 1.23
FOVRTHLY consider, that if thou remembrest thee of any good deedes thou hast done, or perceauest any cō∣mendable part in thee, consider, I say, howe al this, whatsoeuer it is, b 1.24 thou hast receaued it from God; and ther∣fore oughtest thou not to glory anye * 1.25 more therin, then in a thing of an o∣ther bodies; yea, rather oughtest thou to feare, least for thy pride al this be taken from thee, and thou by that means be contemned of such as earst commended thee.
But if in case thou art not vainglo∣rious
and proude of thy good works, but of thine honour, riches, and other temporal profites which thou posses∣sest. Remember, how these things are * 1.26 also geuē thee of his heauenly libera∣litie; to th' end that by meanes therof thou shouldest be occasioned to loue & reuerence better the good geuer & benefactour; which if thou doo not, al these thinges, whereof thou nowe braggest, shal, for thine ingratitude, occasionate thy greater punishment and condemnation. Thou art not therefore to vaunt and be proude of these thinges; but rather to be more a 1.27 humble, and to stande in greater feare and awe.
FIFTLY, to beate downe this vain * 1.28 glory and boasting (which men are commonly wont to haue through the credite and worldly wealth they en∣ioye in this life) it is a very good re∣medie to weigh wel, howe vaine, ca∣duke, and transitory al these thinges
are; like as mans life it selfe is verye short, and most vncertain: And ther∣fore marke wel the wordes that Saint Austine writeth to this purpose. If * 1.29 thou vaunt thee of thy riches (saith he) and of the nobilitie of thine aun∣cestors; * 1.30 if thou glory in thy country thy cōlines of body, & the renowm, which the worlde respecteth thee with; consider with thy selfe, howe thou art 〈◊〉〈◊〉 earth, and shalt bee come earth. Beholde where those are nowe that eaist enioyed the same ti∣tles and stiles, which thou art pre∣sently puft vp with? where be they that so ambitiously desired to rule & gouerne countreys? where be these insuperable and vnuanquished Em∣perours? where be the Generals, and chiefe captains of armies? where be those that erst ridd so proudly, moū∣ted on their stately palfreys? where be they that tooke plesure in their pom∣pes and ceremonies; now is al turned
to earth and ashes? now is the memo∣rial of their liues conteined in fewe lines: Looke nowe into their graues, and see, if thou canst knowe the ma∣ster from the man; the poore felowe from the peni-father? Discerne now, if thou canst, the bondslaue from the king; the strong man from the weak; the comly personage from the defor∣med criple? The same doth a 1.31 S. Iohn Chrisostome in a maner say, and ad∣deth: Drawe nigh to eche ones graue, and beholde their naked asshes, their stinking fleshe, and offal of wormes foode; and remember how this must be the end of al our carcases, be they neuer so curiously intreated in this life, and passe they their dayes in ne∣uer such iolitie, delicacie, and exile of al annoies: yea, I would to God (saith he) al this matter came in the end but to ashes and wormes, sith these losses should be but smal, & the condition of our nature might easily excuse thē But nowe, remoue thine eyes from
their toumbes and asshes, and lift vp thy minde to that dreadful Tribunal of diuine iudgement; where ther shal be weeping and gnasshing of teeth; where shal-be outward darknes, and the worme that neuer dieth, and the fire that neuer quēcheth. Thou canst not, if thou ponder these thinges throughly, be proude and vainglori∣ous of any earthly thing whatsoeuer.
SIXTLY, it shal greatly helpe to * 1.32 make thee detest al pride, to consider, howe highly God hateth such as be infected with it; who (as the a 1.33 Scrip∣ture witnesseth) doth resist the proude, and geueth grace vnto the lowly. This kinde of people is likewise abhorred of other b 1.34 men, who can by no meanes awaye with their lothsome and disdainful * 1.35 conuersation; yea, to them-selues are they also very noisome and tedious, in seing them-selues enuironed with so many daungers, dreads, and suspi∣tions; hauing euery one to malice and
lye in waite for them, and to gain-say and crosse them in al their enterpri∣ses. Whervpon it is reported of a cer∣taine holy king, who hauing a mer∣uailous rich and pretious crowne ge∣uen him to be crowned withal, helde it (musing) a pretie while in his han∣des, before he would put it on his head, and at length saide openlye in this wise: O more noble then happy crown, which if any man knewe wel, how ful of cares, perils, and manifold miseries thōu art fraught, a lbeit he met thee with his feete, yet woulde he not vouchsafe to lift thee vp. What this king saide of his crowne, maiest thou wel apply to eche dignitie and pre∣tious thing which the ambitious proul after in this life; for looke how much higher and more excellent thei be, and so much more are they sub∣iect to greter casualties, cares, & more painful griefes See therfore thou take not so great toile for a thing, that so quickly fleeteth awaye, as doth the
wind of pride and vain-glory.
THE LAST Remedie to shake off * 1.36 pride withal, and to purchase that so necessary a vertue of humilitie, is; to force and accustome thy selfe (seeme it neuer so paineful and lothsome to thee) to exercise diuers actions of hu∣militie; as to doo the basest offices in the house; to conuerse with the mea∣ner sort; to a 1.37 sitt in the lowest place; to cladd thy selfe in homely attire (not b 1.38 so homely though, as to geue occa∣sion of being compted singuler, sith this should be a pride) not to doo or say any thing, wherby to make shew of excellencie and preeminence, or to cause admiration in other mens eyes; & finally, to cal eftsons to mind our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christes hu∣militie, as also that of his most holye mother the blessed virgin Marye, and of such others, as haue liued here in humble and lowly wise.
Ioan. 2. c.
Isai. 14. 〈◊〉〈◊〉
Pride. what it is.
The first re medie a∣gainst Pride.
Eccl. 10. 〈◊〉〈◊〉
Isa. 14. c Apo. 12. a. b
Dan. 4. e
1. Mac. 1. e 2. Mac. 9. c
Mat. 18 a 20. d. e. 23. b. Luc. 14. c. 18. c.
Mat. 12. d 21. a. Phil. 2. a Heb. 2. b.
Luc. 1. e.
Ber. ser. 1. in die S. Andreae, et serm. 6. in Psal. 90. Qui habi∣tat.
The 2. Re∣medie a∣gainst pride.
The mise∣rie of mās estate.
Iob. 14. a.
The 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of mans na∣ture.
When one thinketh worst of him-selfe, then is he best at quiet.
The proud man neuer quiet.
Note.
The. 3. Re∣medie against Pride.
An excel∣lent lesson.
Eccl. 43. b
The. 4. Re∣medie a∣gainst pride.
1. Cor. 4. b Eph. 2. a. b.
We ought not to be proude of that is not our owne.
Al good giftes com from God.
Luc. 18. b
The 〈◊〉〈◊〉 re∣medie a∣gainst pride.
〈◊〉〈◊〉 Austine.
〈◊〉〈◊〉 good bro∣ther.
Chrisost. hom. 43. ad Pop. An∣tioch. to. 5.
The sixt Remedie against pride.
Iac. 4. b. 2. Pet. 5. b.
Eccl. 10. a
The proud man hated both of God and man.
The. 7. Re∣medie a∣gainst Pride.
Luc. 14. b
Ber. ser. 9 de 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ben. 〈◊〉〈◊〉