Disce vivere Learne to live : a briefe treatise of learning to liue, vvherein is shewed, that the life of Christ is the most perfect patterne of direction to the life of a Christian : in which also, the well disposed may behold their orderlie passage, from the state of grace, to the state of glorie.

The Preface to the Christian READER.

IF to liue, were no other but to draw in, and to breathe out the soft ayre (as the Wise man speaketh) a needlesse labour were it (good Christian Reader) to lay downe anie instructions vnto the world of Learning to liue; for this is done naturally both of men and beasts, without a∣nie teaching, or learning at all.

If to liue, were no other

but to cast about for the fa∣uour, and riches (as some men are wont to call it, the way to liue,) then would it soone followe, the greater Machiuilians, the better li∣uers. But somewhat more there is required to liue Christianly then so, some∣what more, I say (and that all shall one day finde) then either drawing in, and brea∣thing out the soft ayre, or the plotting to compasse the pleasures and profits of the world. It was Balaams wish, Let my soule die the death of the righteous: It should haue first beene his practise first to haue liued the life of the righteous.

The time we spend as we doe for the most part, con∣suming our dayes in vanity,

and our yeeres in folly: (to say a plaine truth as in the sight of GOD) is rather a death, then life: for life is not that which is measured by the number of yeeres: It is the religious, honest, so∣ber, and harmelesse conuer∣sation, that draweth to an honourable age amongst men heere, and to eternall happines with God heere∣after.

Nowe the generall decay of this Christian course, is the generall course of these sinfull dayes, wherein so many haue iust cause to crie out, Th•…•… 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 world, a wretched world, an vn∣godly would; such as our forefathers before vs neuer saw? With •…•…he buyer, euery one ca•…•…isay, It is naught, it

is naught: but all this (saith Saint Austen) Professio est, non emendatio, A profession it is, but no amendment is seene. Religion is become nothing lesse then Religi∣on, to wit, a matter of meere talke: such politizing is there on all parts, as a man cannot tell, who is who: so little sinceritie in regard wee haue of our soules, as if wee had no soules at all.

When Plato sawe the Ar∣gentines liue so vnrefor∣medly as they did, Surelie these men, quoth hee, liue as if they should neuer die. What soeuer men for fashions sake may giue out inwords, it is to be feared, there is in some no firme beleefe of ano∣ther worlde setled in theyr

hearts. Eli sayd, this is not well.

Young men without obe∣dience, olde men without deuotion, Christians with∣out charitie, it would make ones heart to mourne, to consider seriously the cala∣mitie of our time, when there needes no more, but as Phillip saide vnto Natha∣niel, Veni & vide, come and see.

VVithout all peraduen∣ture Christianitie is much out of frame, if wee consi∣der thinges aright: vvee are generally Christians in name, but in action no∣thing lesse: farre from the olde Christianitie of the worlde, howe so euer wee are readie to controle all that euer liued, and will not

sticke to censure the blessed Saints of heauen. Our bold∣nes is great, and I pray God our security doe not marre all in the end.

Cornelius, his Almesgi∣uing and Prayers ascended vp into heauen, where are these to be found amongst vs heere in earth? In times past Christians vowed them selues to all holmes of life, they serued God in hunger and thirst, in watching and praying, night and day, they cared not to be poore vnto the world, so they might be rich vnto God: to be pil∣grimes, or as banished men vpō the earth, so they might be citizens in heauen. These holy friendes of Christ, as Confessors, Martyrs, Vir∣gins, deuout Christians of

all sorts, men fearing God, and eschewing euill, gaue euident testimonie to the world, whose seruants they were. It was once the com∣plaining wish of Caesar, That wee had such Souldiers as were in the time of Alexander the great.

Viuitur nec Deo, Liue wee doe, is it to God? I would to God it were. Wee passe on for a while, More nostro, after a fashion such as it is, but is all this to liue Chri∣stianly? No verily: so a pri∣uate estate in this world be prouided for, let all sinke or swimme for the worlde to come. We respect our selues onely, neglecting all others. Christ pleased not himselfe, saith the Apostle, with vs it is otherwise, and yet wee

thinke our selues perfect Christians. In that great knowledge we haue (for we sinne not so much of igno∣raunce, as of negligence) wee knowe but little as we ought. VVhat auaileth it to haue Pharaohes glorie, and Pharaohes ignominie? Ahabs vineyard, and A∣habs destruction? The rich mans life, and the rich mans death? VVhat blindnesse is it in seeking riches or ho∣nour; wilt thou perish, say∣eth Saint Austen, for that which perisheth? Thus we goe on (and that which is worse) we cannot tell when wee shall make an ende. Thus wee liue, and thus we die.

VVhat other remedie in this estate of thinges (the

disease beeing so generall, then vvith Iairus in the Gospell, who comes vnto Christ with his Domine, ve∣ni, et impone manum, Lord, come, lay thy hand on her, and my daughter shall liue: or to renue that petition of the Prophet Dauid, It is time Lord that thou haue mercie vppon Sion, yea, the time is come. All that men can doe in this case, is to obserue the manner of lo∣uing friendes, who in visi∣ting the sicke partie, eue∣rie one bringes somewhat, by the grace of GOD to further his health: for while GOD doth afoord space of repentance, and the happie light of his Gospel amongst vs, wee may not dispayre of anie ones conuersion

to aduise men for the best, it is their care to whom God hath cōmended in his owne sted a fatherly care of soules. There is a necessitie laid vp∣pon vs all to liue well: wee runne for a wager, we fight for a garland.

In seeking to repaire de∣uotion & pietie, which this world hath welneer lost, we will be as ready as our ad∣uersaries themselues, and in honouring our Lord Iesus Christ, who hath honoured vs all, we wil goe with them hand in hand, if not before them, in cleaning to the foundation, wee hope one day to see the goodnesse of the Lord in the land of the liuing, howsoeuer vnchari∣table, vnpriestly, and vnchri∣stian Censurers in manie

spitefull Pamphlets giue out against vs. Tis true, the sinfulnes of this age is great, with sighing hearts we wish it were otherwise, and with the Publican say, Nowe God be mercifull vnto vs, for we are sinners, we are not as we should be, good God make vs better.

But sirs, are wee alone in this defect of godlinesse? Your owne Writers will tell you, no: happily, your own experience can tell you, no, seeing iniquitie like the darknesse of Egypt, hath spread it selfe ouer the face of the earth. Would to God this bitternes were left on both sides, and that conten∣tion were once laid asleepe, Moyses would not haue an Hebrew smite an Hebrew. There is a common aduersa∣rie

of vs all, let vs fight a∣gainst him vvho lieth in waite like a subtill spie, his desire is to make discorde and trouble in earth, because hee can trouble heauen no more.

VVell, let busie med∣lers content themselues, and serue GOD humbly in their calling, let them cease to trouble the peace of this Church and Common∣wealth (which Iesus Christ long continue) remem∣bring that of Gamiel, If this counsell be of men, it will come to nou•…•…ht, but if it be of God, you cannot destroy it.

VVere wee no other but plaine naturall men, God giuing vs reason and vn∣derstanding, we are thence mooued to passe our time

orderlie whilest wee are heere. It is our common saying: Better vnborne, then vntaught: but beeing Christian men, mercifull Lord, that wee should not remember the happie hope wee all haue, or ought to haue.

In the Articles of our Creede, wee mention an e∣uerlasting life after death, and acknowledge a iudge∣ment to come: O good God, that wee should liue, as if hell fire were no other but a Poeticall fiction! Assu∣redly, wee doe our calling open iniurie, acknowledg∣ing the holie Catholique Christian faith, when our profession promiseth one thing, and our practise per∣formeth another.

Is it not wonderfull, that we shold euen forget whose creatures we are? yet this we doe, all knowe their begin∣ning was from God, & that after a while in GOD they must end. Now for to spend this space betweene our be∣ginning and our end, in vn∣dutifull sort toward him, were in very reason vnrea∣sonable.

When wee see a vineyard well manured and ordered, wee by and by say, It hath a good Keeper: shall wee not say the same of a life well or∣dered? It is a glory vnto the vine, when the branches are fruitfull: it is a ioy vnto the Father, when the Sonne is dutifull: we are the braun∣ches, Christ is the vine: we are his children, hee is our

Father, Father which is a∣boue all, through all, and in vs all. Being Christians, we are the Lords heritage, and the Lords heritage should be holy vnto him, wherfore the name Christian, saith an ancient Father, is a name of iustice, a name of goodnes, a name of integritie, of pa∣tience, of humility, of inno∣cencie, of pietie, and hee rightly beareth this name, who neuer beareth malice in his heart, who followeth Christes doctrine, and en∣deuoreth Christes example, that blessed patterne for i∣mitation.

The skilfull Painter, ha∣uing nowe proposed vnto himselfe some excellent worke, all his study & care is to expresse in as liuely man∣ner

as he can the forme laid out before him: the life of Christ our Sauiour accor∣ding to his humanity, is laid out before vs as a goodly ta∣ble, our best Arte and indu∣strie is required to work ac∣cording to this forme, and to labour seriouslie vntill Christ be formed in vs, as the Apostle speaketh, that is, vntill some forme or resem∣blance of him appeare in vs, vvho are his children, and beare his name.

Rude work, God knowes, make they, who neuer re∣gard the patterne set before them, nor any way respect the wel ordering of the pen∣sill, and so drawe such mon∣strous and vgly formes, as themselues may be sorie to see: should I call him a chri∣stian,

sayeth one, in whom there is no act of Christiani∣tie, no conuersation of iu∣stice, who oppresseth the miserable, who maketh ma∣nie poore to make himselfe rich, whose mouth is pollu∣ted with vntruthes, and so forth? vvhom doe proude men fashion or shadow out lesse then the sonne of God, who humbled himselfe that we might be exalted? whom doe reuenging stomackes lesse resemble thē him, who meekely prayed for his ene∣mies? Christ saith, Haue I been so long with you, and haue you not knowne me?

To call our selues a little to consideration, it cannot be denied that wee are as much (if not more) moued by good examples, as wee

are by good instructions, but what say we to that tea∣cher, who hath both exam∣ples and instructions?

Then looke wee vnto the life of Christ, sayeth Saint Chrysostome, and wee shall finde it the Philosophie of the simple, the nurse of yong men, the meate of strong men, the buckler of weake men, the phisicke of sicke men, the booke full of di∣uine instructions, sit for all men.

Those vvho applie them∣selues (saith Saint Austen) to anie of the liberall Artes or Sciences, are wont to make choice of some espe∣ciall Author, vvhose pre∣cepts before other they ob∣serue and followe: vvhat better Author then the Au∣thor

of all righteousnesse? vvhat better learning, then that of which Christ is the Teacher, his Church is the Schoole, those which learne are Christians, that which is learned is religion, and the end of this learning, is to liue eternally?

VVherefore in the set∣ting downe some plaine & briefe Treatise of Learning to liue, mee thought there was no better matter or me∣thod, then onely to menti∣on the most diuine Actions of our Redeemer, that not so much my small labours, as the life of Christ might lay downe vnto well dispo∣sed Christians, a good forme of Learning to liue. The more ample and exquisite dilating heereof, I leaue to

greater Clerks, my selfe am content for this time (being required where I might not denie) as before of Learning to die: so now to treate som∣what of Learning to liue, and in both to submit my im∣perfections to better iudge∣ment, and my meaning to the honest minded, who are wont to take good mea∣ning to the best: take there∣fore in good part, gentle Reader, this Treatise for our better Christian Learning, to Liue Christianly as wee ought, taken out of the life of Christ, the best patterne for imitation, that euer this world had.

To them who are passing through darke places, anie light bee it neuer so little, may stand them in sted: To

him who wandreth in vn∣knowne wayes, any smal di∣rection is acceptable, be it neuer so small, so it point him towards the way wher∣in he should passe: The tra∣uailer in a forraine Country, meeting with some bodie that speakes his naturall lan∣guage, though it bee but harshly, yet it is some com∣fort vnto him: Wee often passe in the darknes of our sensuall desires, and are som∣times blinded in the mists of worldly vanities: wee stray we knowe not whither, any small light, the least directi∣on may in this case somwhat helpe vs: Wee are strangers in this world and frō home, as the Apostle speaketh, to heare somewhat of our na∣tiue language, that is to say,

of heauen, and heauenlie thinges, though it be in the meanest manner, yet it may somewhat affect vs, especi∣ally, our affections beeing homeward.

If it be saide, how should our weakenes come neere Christ his perfection, to whom all thinges were pos∣sible by reason of his diuine power? The answere is, our good endeuours are ac∣ceptable. If wee fancie vn∣to our selues a secure estate in that wee are called Chri∣stians, it is shewed wee are farre wide, and how, (if in deuotion we would see our spirituall passage from the life of grace, to the life of glory, and obserue that hap∣pie Christian course which tendeth vnto a thrise happie

end) wee are directed vnto his vertues all along, from vertue, to vertue.

Assuredly we honour him who hath so much honored vs, (for of Christ are wee christians, to haue part with him) When our light doth so shine before men, as we glorifie our Father which is in heauen. VVhich light sheweth that our happines is folded vp in the bosome of hope.

And this is briefelie the summe (good Christian Rea∣der) of that which is menti∣oned more at large in the Treatise following, of Lear∣ning to liue, which learning onely teacheth to become good men by the grace of God. It now remaineth that wee all apply our selues to the practise of this learning.

Time will away, Hippocra∣tes exhorting some to the study of that learning which doth concerne the health of the body, would haue them make all possible expedition they could, his reason was, Ars longa, vita breuis: Art is long, life is short. The same may be saide of that Arte which cōcerneth the health of the soule. Should we wax white before we begin? God forbid.

Would to GOD men would more often meditate of the life of Christ, then or∣dinarily they doe: The birds of the aire haue nests, and the Foxes haue dennes, but the Sonne of man hath not where to lay his head: Whats that, saith Saint Austen? Marie ambitious, and soaring de∣sires,

subtil and vngodly de∣uices, haue nests and dennes in our hearts, but a remem∣braunce of our Lord Iesus, which should take peacea∣ble possession of our soules, can haue no entrance at all, in vvhich case vvee rather want teares, then cause of teares.

That euery well disposed christian, who keepes a care∣full watch ouer his soule, & is desirous to liue worthie of his calling heere, vntil he come to liue eternally, wold begin with the best attenti∣on, his best deuotion can yeeld, to take a dilicent sur∣uay of the life of his life, whose soule-sauing loue, is the Loadstone of our harts: whose sayings & doings are a lawe vnto our actions, a

Lanthorn to light our steps, the guide to direct our iourney, a Compasse to steere our Shippe, and last of all the Iudge, for to end our controuersies. As the iust liue by faith, so the iust liue the life of faith. Nowe they liue the life of grace, one day they shall liue the life of glory.

It is Christ, and Christ alone, who hath made a full and ioyfull satisfaction for our sinnes.

The God of patience and consolation, make vs follo∣wers of God, as deare chil∣dren: and graunt that wee

be like minded one towards another, after the exam∣ple of Christ Iesus, Amen.

If ought be worthie of thy ob∣seruation, good Christian Reader, remember it is Gods: if otherwise, it is mine owne.

Christopher Sutton.

Notes

• Num. 23. 10.
• Aug. de Temp. Na. Serm. 30.
• Iohn. 1. 47.
• Mat. 8. 18.
• Psal. 102. 13.
• Act. 5. 38.
• Ephe. 4 6.
• Aug. de vit Christ.
• Iohn. 14. 9.
• 2, Cor. 5. 9.
• Mat. 5, 16.
• Ephe. 5. 1.
• Rom. 15 5.