The following of Christ translated out of Latin into Englishe, newlie corrected and amended. VVherento also is added the golden epistle of Sainct Bernarde. And nowe lastelie the rules of a Christian lyfe, made by Iohn Picus the elder earle of Mirandula.

THE RVLES OF A CHRISTIAN lyfe, made by Iohn Picus the elder Erle of Mirandula.

FIrst, if to man or woman the waye of vertue doth seeme harde or painefull, bycause we must nedes fight against the fleshe, diue••l, and the worlde, let him or hir call to remembraunce, that whatsoeuer life they will chose accordinge to the world, many aduersities, incommodities, muche hea∣uines and labour are to be suffred.

Moreouer let them haue in remem∣braunce, that in wealth and worldlye possessions is muche and longe conten∣cion, laborious also, and therwith vn∣fruitfull, wherein trauaile is the con∣clusion or ende of labour, and finallye paine euerlasting, if those thinges be not well ordered and charitablie disposed.

Remembre also, that it is very folishe∣nes, to thinke to come vnto heauen by any other meane than by the sayed bat∣taile, consideringe that our heade and maister Christe did not ascende vnto hea∣nen but by his passion: And the seruaunt ought not to be in better estate or condi∣cion than his mayster or soueraine.

Furthermore consider that this bat∣tayle

ought not to be grudged at, but to be desired and wished for, all though thereof no price or rewarde myght en∣sue or happen, but onelie that thereby we might be comfourmed or ioyned to Christ out God & maister. VVherefore as often as in resistinge any tȳptacion thou doest withstande any of thy sences or wittes, thinke vnto what part of Christes passiō thou mayest applie thy selfe or make thy selfe like: As resistinge glotonie, whiles thou doest punishe thy tast or appetite: remembre that Christe receyued in his drinke, aysell mixte with the gall of a beaste, a drinke most vnsauerie and loth∣some.

VVhan thou withdrawest thy hand from vnlawfull takinge or keepinge of any thinge, which liketh thine appetite, remembre Christes handes as they were faste nayled vnto the tree of the Crosse. And resistinge of pride, thinke on hym, who beinge verie God almightie, for thy sake receyued the fourme of a subiecte, and humbled hym selfe vnto the moste vile and reprochefull death of the Crosse. And whan thou arte tēpted with wrath: Remembre that he, whiche was God, and of all men the most iust or righteous, whan he behelde him selfe mocked, spitte on, scourged, and punished with all dis∣pites and rebukes, and set on the Crosse amonge errant theues, as if he hym selfe

were a false harlot, he not withstandinge shewed neuer token of indignation, or that he were greeued, but sufferinge all thinges with wonderfull pacience, aun∣swered all men moste gentillie. In this wise, if thou peruse all thinges one after an other, thou mayest finde, that there is no passion or trouble, that shall not make the in some parte conformable or lyke vnto Christe.

Also put not thy truste in mans helpe, but in the onelie vertue of Christe Iesu, which sayed: Trust well, for I haue vain∣quished the worlde. And in an other place he sayth: The prince of this worlde is caste out therof. VVherfore lette vs trust by his onelie vertue, to vainquishe the worlde, and to subdue the diuell. And therefore ought we to aske his helpe by our owne prayers and by the prayers of his blessed Sainctes.

Remembre also, that as sone as thou hast vainquished one temptacion, alwaye an other is to be loked for: The diuell goeth alwaye about and seeketh for hym whom he would deuoure. VVherefore we ought to serue diligentlie and be euer in feare, and to saye with the prophete: I will stande alwaye at my defence.

Take heede moreouer, that not onely thou be not vainquished of the diuell, that tēpteth the, but also that thou vain∣quishe and ouercome him. And that is not

onelie whan thou doest no sinne, but also whan of that thinge wherein he tempted thee, thou takest occasiō for to doe good. As if he offreth to the some good acte to be done to the intent that thereby thou mayest fall into vainglorie: forthwith thou thinkynge it, not to be thy deede or worke, but the benefite or rewarde of God, humble thou thy selfe, and iudge the to be vnkinde vnto God in respecte of his manifolde benefites.

As often as thou doest fight, fight as in hope to vainquishe, and to haue at the last perpetuall peace. For that paraduen∣ture God of his abundant grace shall gyue vnto the, and the diuell beinge con∣fused of thy victorie, shall retourne no more againe. But yet whan thou haste vainquished, beare thy selfe so as if thou shouldest fight againe shortelie. Thus alwaye in bataile, thou muste thinke on victorie: & after victorie, thou must pre∣pare the to bataile immediatlie againe.

Allthough thou feelest thy selfe well armed and readie, yet flee (not withstan∣dinge) all occasions to sinne. For as the wise man saith: VVho loueth perille, shal therein perishe.

In all temptacions resist the begin∣ninge, and beate the Children of Babilon against the stone, whiche stone is Christe, and the children be euill thoughtes and imaginacions. For in longe continuynce

of sinne, seldome worketh any medicine or remedie.

Remembre, that although in the saied conflict of temptacion the bataile semeth to be verie daungerous: yet consider how muche sweter it is to vainquishe temp∣tacion, than to folowe sinne, whereto she inclineth the, whereof the ende is re∣pentaunce. And herein many be foule de∣ceiued, whiche compare not the swetenes of victorie to the swetenes of sinne, but onelye compareth bataile to pleasure. Notwithstandinge a man or woman, whiche hath a thousande times knowen what it is to gyue place to temptacion, shoulde ones assaie, what it is to vain∣quishe temptacion.

If thou be tempted thinke thou not therefore that God hath forsaken the, or that he setteth but littell by the, or that thou arte not in the sight of God, good or perfecte: but remēbre, that after Saint Paule had seene God, as he was in his diuinitie, and suche secreate misteries as be not lawfull for any man to speake or reherce, he for all that suffred temptacion of the flesh, wherewith God suffred him to be tempted, least be shoulde be assaul∣ted with pride. VVherein a man ought to consider, that Saint Paule, whiche was the pure vessell of election, and rapt into the thirde heauen, was notwithstādinge in perill to be proude of his vertues, as

he sayth of him selfe. VVherfore aboue all temptacions man or woman ought to arme thē moste stronglie against the tēp∣tacion of pride, since pride is the rote of all mischiefe, against the which the onelie remedie is to thinke alwaye that God humbled him selfe for vs vnto the Crosse. And moreouer that death hath so hum∣bled vs whether we will or no, that our bodies shall be the meate of wormes loth∣some and venimouse.

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FINIS.