¶ A right fruitful monition, concerning the order of a good christian man's life, very profitable for all manner of estates, and other, to behold and look upon: Made by the famous doctor Colet, sometime Deane of Paul's.  
¶ Cum privilegio Regali.  
johan Byddell.   

Remember first of all (vertu●us reder) that it is high ●oysed on●e and great perfection to know thyself/ and than to despise thyself. As to know thou haste nothing that 〈◊〉 good of thyself, but all together of ●od. For the gifts of nature, and all other temporal gifts of this world which been lawfully and truly oprey●ed (well considered) been comen to ●he by the infinite goodness and grace ●f god, and not of thyself. And most 〈◊〉 especial it is necessary for the to ●nowe how that god of his great ●race hath made the like to his own ●m●●tude or image, having regard 〈◊〉 thy memory, understanding, and cremyll. And to know how god is thy ●aker, & thou his wretched creature. ●nd to know how thou art redeemed 〈◊〉 god by the passion of Christ jesus, ● & know how god is thy helper, thy re●…ge & thy deliverer from all evil. And consider & to know the goodly order, which god of his infinite wisdom hath ordained the to be ordered by. As to have these temporal goods for the necessity of the body/ the body and sensual appetites to be ordered by thy soul/ thy soul to be ordered by reason and grace/ by reason & grace, to know thy duty to god and to thy neighbour. And by all common reason, if thou keep this convenient order to god and his creatures, they shall keep their order to thee: But if thou break thine order to them, of likelihood they shall break their order to the. For how should thy wife, children, servants, and other creatures with whom thou haste doings, do their duties, and keep their order to thee, if thou dost not so to god and to them? And also think thou of a surety, that if thy sensual appetite be not ordered by reason and grace, thou art worse ordered than a be'st/ for than thou livest out of order, and so doth not a be'st/ which is a great shame and rebuke to the a reasonable creature/ and without the great mercy of god, it sha●… be to thine eternal damnation. And therefore think and thank god, & utterly despise thyself, and think thyself a great wretch in that, that god hath done so moche for thee/ and thou haste so oft offended his highness, and also done him so little service. Surely it is also great wisdom to think, that if it had pleased god for to have given to all other men (aswell beggars as other) like grace as he hath given to thee, that they would have served his goodness better than thyself hast done: wherefore, think thyself a wretch of all wretches, without the mercy of god. And therefore by his infinite mercy & grace, call unto thy remembrance the degree or dignity the which almighty god of his goodness hath called the unto/ and according thereunto, yield thy det, and do thy duty.  
¶ first and principally, honour god as thy maker/ love him as thy redeemer/ fear him, as thy judge. Seconeyly, thy neighbour which is thy superior, obey. Have concord and peace with them which been even with the in degree/ and have mercy and pity on thine inferiors▪ Thirdly, provide the to have a clean heart, and a good custody of thy tongue. Pray and take labour by grace to have wisdom & cunning to do thy duty to god and to thy neighbour. And in all thy words and deeds, have ever in mind that god & his angels heareth & seeth every thinger and that nothing is so privily done, but it shall be made open. And in especial have in mind that thou shalt die shortly/ & how Christ died for thee/ the subtlety & falseness of this temporal world/ the joys of heaven, and the pains of hell. And every morning among other thy meditations and prayers/ pray unto thy lord god that the day following/ thou (according to the degree/ the which of his infinite goodness and mercy hath called the unto) mayst use this temporal wretched world in thy thoughts/ words/ and deeds, that by them/ and the merit of Christis passion/ thou mayst eschew the pains of hell/ and come to the joy everlasting. And in executing thereof, keep truth in words and deeds. Defend no man/ nor no matter against the truth. In all things think and trust in god/ and he shall direct thy ways. Trust not to thine own wit, but fear god/ and he will keep the from evil. If thou trust more in thine own wit than in the grace of god/ thy policy shall be soon subverted. Be content to here good counsel, though it be contrary to thy will, for he is a very fool, that will here nothing gladly/ but that is according to his mind. Do thou no man harm, lest thou sufferest the same. As thou willest be done unto thee, so do thou unto an other. Be such to other, as thou desirest they should be to the. If thou be religious remember that the due execution of true religion, is not in wearing of the habit, but with a clean mind in very deed to execute the rules & ordinances of religion. For so it is, that to wear the habit/ and not to execute the rule and order of religion, is rather to be deemed hypocrisy or apostasy, than other wise. If thou be lay & unmarried, keep the clean unto the time thou be married. And remember the sore and terrible punishment of noah's flood, and of the terrible fire and brimstone, and sore punishment of Sodom and Gomor, done to man for misusing of the flesh. And in especial, call to remembrance the marvelous and horrible punishment of the abominable great pocks, daily appearing to our sights, growing in & upon man's flesh/ the which sore punishment (every thing well remembered) can not be thought, but principally for the inordinate misuse of the flesh. And if thou intend to mary, or being married, & haste a good wife, thank our lord therefore, for she is of his sending.  
And remember that three things in especial been pleasant to the spirit of god/ that is to say, concord between brethren, love and charity between neighbours, and a man and his wife well agreeing. And if thou have an evil wife, take patience, and thank god, for all is for the best, well taken/ howbeit, thou art bounden to do and pray for her amendment, ●eest she go to the devil, from whom she came. And have in remembrance that the intent of marriage is not in the beastly apperyte or pleasure in the thing: but the intent thereof, is to eschew the sin of the flesh, or else to have children.  
And if thou have children, as much as thou mayst, bring them forth in virtue to be the servants of god.  
For it is better for thee, and them not to be borne, than otherwise. In thine authority, busy the rather to be beloved of thine inferiors, than to be dread. Let thy subjects and servants rather serve & obey the for love, than for dread or need. with such a sovereign goodness govern thy subjects, that they may be glad to serve the both in punishing, and also in cherishing. Keep a mannerly mean/ and be not to straight/ forgive not to soon/ keep a convenient measure in all thy works.  
Go not to meat as a be'st, but as a reasonable man, say thy grace/ & than remember that more be sick and die by superfluities of meats/ than otherwise, wherefore eat with measure; to live in health. At thy 〈◊〉, have none other but honest communication/ and such as is according to thy cunning. Backebyre no man/ be me●y in honest. for sorrow and care hath killed many▪ and no profit therein, An no wise swear, without compulsion of the law. For where as is great swearing, from thence is never the plague of god. In no wise brawl ne chide without an urgent cause. For Solomon saith, better is a little with joy, than a house full of victual with brawling. Also he saith, an evil person is ever chiding, and therefore the angel of god shall be sent against him. Be content at thy dinner, and also at other times to give part of that which god hath sent thee/ for he that will not here the cry of a poor man, he shall cry to god, & not be hard. After thy meat, thank god of that he hath sent thee, or else thou dost not as a reasonable man, but like a be'st, which in eating remembreth nothing but his meat. with good providence and discretionle the time where, when, how, why, or wherefore thou speakest, dost, or biddest any thing to be done. when thou judgest any, be he poor or rich, behold & consider the cause, and not the person. Be as meek in other men's causes and offences, as in thine own. Sit never in doom & judgement without pity or mercy. for while thou hast pity, and art merciful to other m●s offences, thou hast mercy on thyself. For in what measure thou measuresis, it shall be measured to the. yet thou must execute judgement, but it must be with pity or mercy. For (of a surety) to do mercy & justice, is more pleasant to god, than to pray or do sacrifice unto him. deem no man by light suspections. first prove, and than dame. In doubles, reie●ue the sentence to gods might. That thou knowest not, commit it unto god. Havelyttell or none affection and p●…l●●e love to these earthly & temporal things. For blessed be the rich man. that trusteth not in his money and treasure. And remember, as a man loveth, so he is/ for the lover is in the thing loved more properly, than in himself: wherefore, if a man love earthly things, he may be called an earthly man. And if he love principally heavenly things or god, he may be called an heavenly or a godly man: And therefore love god and heavenly things/ for undoubted, that is best, & most assured love/ for they be, and ever shall, permanent/ and all earthly things been soon vanished and ended/ and so the love of them is in vain. Also it is wisdom to fear god/ for as he sayeth himself: Fear not him that may kill the body, & can not hurt the soul: but fear him that can kill the body & also the soul, & commit them to everlasting pain/ wherefore, every evening ere thou go to bed, call to remembrance (as much as thou canst) thy thoughts, words, and deeds, said and done that day/ and if any have been to thine own profit, and to the pleasure of god, heartily thank him/ for by his grace it was done: And if any have been contrary to his pleasure, ask heartily mercy, and reconcile thyself shortly by repentance to eschew the everlasting and terrible pains of hell. For (as saint Augustyn saith) there is not a greater madness, than for a little temporal delectation (which is soon done) to lose the eternal joy, and to be bound to everlasting pain. From the which the almighty father of heaven, by his infinite power and mercy, and bitter passion, and infinite wisdom of jesus Christ, and by the infinite goodness and charity of the holy ghost, keep us. Amen. Deo gratias.  
¶ Use well temporal things.  
¶ Desire eternalll things.  
¶ Finis.   

¶ Imprinted at London in Flete street by Iohn Byddell other wise called Salysbury at the sign of our lady of pity next Flet-brydge, the year of our lord. M. D. xxxiiii. the xxvii day of March.