Page:Goldentreatiseof00pete.djvu/179

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ing open to our heavenly physician, all the wounds of our diseased souls, that with the ointment of holy grace he would heal them.

Then, let us ask, for the most excellent virtues wherein the whole perfection of a Christian man consisteth; for example, faith, hope, charity, fear, humility, patience, obedience, fortitude in adversity, poverty of spirit, contempt of the world, true discretion, purity of intention, and other like to these, which are placed in the supreme top of a spiritual building. Faith, is the prime root and foundation of a Christian; hope, is a staff to defend us from all tribulations of this present life; charity, the end of all perfection; fear of God, the beginning of true wisdom; humility, is the basis and ground work of all virtues; patience, is the strongest armor against the fury of our enemies; obedience, is the most grateful oblation to God, wherein man offereth himself for a sacrifice; discretion, is the eye of the soul; fortitude, the hand thereof, wherewith it bringeth all works unto perfection; purity of intention, directeth all her actions unto God. We must after pray for other virtues, which may help us forward in the way of perfection; as sobriety in meat and drink, moderation of the tongue, custody of the senses, modesty and composition of the outward man, sweetness in giving good example to our neighbors, rigor and severity towards ourselves, and the like. Last of all, we must conclude this petition,