and not to swarue on the ryght hande nor on the left hande Firmabo super te oculos meos besyde these afore said instructioÌ„s hast thyne eyes of protection of mercye euer firmely vppon vs to thyntent we shoulde set the eyes of oure myndes earnestly vppon the. For if thou shouldest turne away thy face and not loke wyth thy mercifull countenaunce vppoÌ„ vs we shoulde neuer be able to loke vppon the or to tourne vnto the. This thy gyft of grace of vnderstandinge holdeth vs euer with in the bouÌ„des of reason accordinge to our fyrst creation when the wycked people lackinge this thy louinge loke Nolite sicti sicut equê° mulus in quibus non est intellectus are become like horses and mules that are vnreasonable beastes without vnderstanding They are proude take scorne to be rydden by the and to be ruled by thy holy lawes They are geuen to folow the sensual lustes of the flesh without discretioÌ„ or measure They are hipocrites shewynge a godly apparauÌ„ce are within full of iniquitie But such stobburne wylde and vnrewly beastes mouthes thou must plucke in lord In chaâ—o freno maxillas coruÌ„ constringe qui non approximans ad te wyth a byt a brydle if they wyl not obey the. The mouthes that bosted theyr naturall power and theyr merites kepte close their offences must be broken wyth tribulacion aduersitie chastismentes to make them to knowe the to huÌ„ble them selues Put a rynge on their noses and a brydle in theyr mouthes as thou dyddest ryde that proud kynge of the Assyrians that set vp his brystels agaynst the. Esay .xxxvii. iiii ReguÌ„ xix Multa flagella peccatoris speranteÌ„ autem in domino misericordia circundabit Send amonge theÌ„ many plages to scourge them to the inteÌ„t by peniteÌ„ce thei may retourne to the leauing theyr wyckednesse theyr presumption and euyll lyuinge and make them to walke streyght in the way of thy commaundementes as thou dyddest of thy grace with thy punishmentes scourges call me and plucke me froÌ„ my vngodlynes make them gentle and meke to the rider as the asse was that was brought to thy meke soÌ„ne Christ by his apostles Iâ—on xiâ— and then wyll he ryde on them to Hierusalem the citye of peace ioyfull rest They shall by that meanes knowe the loue the put theyr hopes wholy in the thou that gauest theÌ„ plages to theyr correctioÌ„ wilt also giue theÌ„ thy mercye to their coÌ„fort consolatioÌ„ â—et â—â—â—ni in domino et â—â—â—tate â—ustâ— Be glad therfore all ye that are rightuouse and reioyse in the lorde Ye were before styfnecked proude nowe are ye made iust by his grace not by your owne merytes Et gloriamiâ—â— omnes terti corde Reioyse therfore in him not in your selfe nor in your actes Be ioyfull all ye that are trewe of herte and put your wylles to gods wyll beynge ioyful in aduersitie and tribulation Roma v. as was the apostle Paul and that is a signe of a ryght hert For to be ioyful wheÌ„ all thinges haue successe to your mynde is an easy thynge to do geuen to all worldly men But the other is a declaration of a ryght hert The wyll of God is iust and ryghte the wyll of man is frowarde and croked Wherfore it muste be directed by the ryght rule of god so that we may say when we susteyne losse or suffre any aduersitie Ioâ—â— the Lorde hath geuen and the Lorde hath taken away Blessed be hys name for euer Amen Thâ— xiii Psalme ¶ This Psalme is set forthe by the Prophet agaynste those that ouer much loue the worlde exhortinge al men to be ware of the deceytfulnes there of to prouide wisely for them selues before theyr death and to feare the last dreadfull iudgement THe great wyse clarke Iesus the sonne of Syrach willyng to instruct all men in wisedome according to that he had herd redde in the bokes of the lawe Prophetes which no fayle proceaded from the Lorde of wysedome inscrutable as from the fountayne and spring of al sapience exhorteth vs to remembre the ende Ecclesi vii wherunto al mankynde by the obligation of nature must come Which if we do we shall neuer doo amysse we shall then haue smale pleasure in synne and wickednes whyche rule among men is forgotten or at the lest litle regarded Wherfore to put theÌ„ agayn in remembrauÌ„ce therof I wyl lay before theÌ„ the same lessoÌ„ taught also by the prophet Dauyd Audite hec oeÌ„s genies auribus percipite qui habitatis othem Quique terrigene et filii hominuÌ„ simul in vnsâ— diues et pauper Os meuÌ„ loquetur sapientiaÌ„ et meditatio cordis mei prudentiam Inclinabo in parabolaÌ„ aureÌ„ meam aperiaÌ„ in psalterio propositioneÌ„ meaÌ„ cur timebo in die mala who warneth al that dwell in this worlde both the high and the lowe the good and the bad people the rich and the pore the one and the other to take hede and apply the eares of theyr hertes to heare godlye wisdoÌ„ And not to say euery man within hymself what cause haue I to be afrayed of the spendyng of my tyme in this world to my pleasure Or what nede haue I to feare the last day of iudgement Yes truely we ought to be afraied of our workes in the dayes of this present lyfe For the dayes be euyll Ephes v. not of theÌ„selues but we may if we worke euel make them euell to vs. Wherfore we shoulde bye redeame the time That is to say spede it in wel workinge that we may bye agayne that which through our wickednes was solde from vs so to chauÌ„ge the dayes from badde makinge them good and to our profyte for if the wyckednes of our heales Iniquiteâ— calcanes mel circumdabit me coÌ„passe vs rounde aboute if our workes be wycked to the latter ende of our lyues as the heele is the nethermost parte and ende of oure body we shall then by them be condempned at the latter day of iudgement which day shal be to vs theÌ„ an yl day a bitter day and a miserable day Because the serpent deceaued Eue Gene. iiâ— and in her all her posteritie thy sentence agaynst hym was that the sede of her shoulde tread vpon his head And thys was fulfylled in thy louynge sonne Christ who subdewed him and his power Thou saydest further that the serpent shoulde tread vppoÌ„ the heele of her posteritie And that lorde is dayly sene in vs for oure fleshe and the sensualitie ther of whych shoulde be gouerned by reason as the lower parte of the body ought to be gouerned by the head is oft trodeÌ„ on by the subtyll serpeÌ„t It is enflamed to wrath it is kindled wyth coÌ„cupiscence it is holdeÌ„ downe by auarice and made foule with all other kyndes of vyces vntyll it be washed agayne wyth the water of thy grace Yea
the holy gost world without ende ¶ The prophet Dauid beholdynge the fall of Adam beynge for synne caste oute of Paradise The Cii Psalme and his sorowfull penaunce made after to God therfore set forth this psalme of penaunce in the person of AdaÌ„ mete to be sayd by all his posteritie that are penitent inwardly for theyr offences to his hyghnes coÌ„mitted and desyre to be restored to the fauoure of God whych through synne they haue lost O moste blessed father of heauen the fouÌ„tayne of al grace and goodnes Ephes ii â—mans .x. that art rych in mercie and plentifull in geueyng the same to al that faythfully cal vpon thy name lorde that haueuyng a sonne no lesse rich in powre wisdome knoledge and mercy theÌ„ thou art thy selfe didest not spare to seÌ„d hym from thy heaueÌ„ly palaice downe to the earth eueÌ„ into the wombe of a virgin for the saluacion of mankynd to declare thyne abouÌ„dauÌ„t loue towardes vs thou didest make him pore whiche before was riche Corin. viii to the intent that we whyche before were very poore should by hys pouertie be made ryche that he who before was all one wyth the in thi diuine substaÌ„ce might now be made one with vs that are membres of the body wherof he is the head Domine exaudi oratiâ—nem meam et clamor deus ad te ueniat HarkeÌ„ good lord geue eare vnto my praier Let my cry and hertie peticion ascende vp before the sight of thy maiestie The comyng of thy mercifull soÌ„ne did make me veri rich But the vilenes of myne owne actes hath cast me downe and made me veri pore and miserable The greatnes of mine offences hathe caused the to tourne awaie thi face from me withdrawing thi grace whiche was the cause of al my good wyl good workes Thou caÌ„st fynde no good thing in me worthy of thy fauour Wherfore Lorde beholde the face of Christe thy dearly beloued sonne my brother my mediatour For his sake geue me that which of my selfe I am much vnworthi to obteine of the. Ne abscondas faciem tuam a me In die tribulationis mee inclina ad me aurè â—uam Shewe thy delectable couÌ„tenaunce vnto me Loke on me with thy pitiful eie And in the time of my trouble encline thyne eare to me I am neuer withoute trouble Myne olde enimies daylye assaulte and ver me Wherefore I wyll not cease daylye to call vppon the. But specially at the hour of my death Lord heare me and defend me at whych tyme my sayd enimies wyll most busilye inuade me Roman ii Indignacion wrath tribulacion and anguishe shall then come vpon the soule of euery man that doth euyl Before that troublous tyme lord heare me But wyth which of thine eares With the eare of thy iustice No I besech the. For that eare must hear myne accusers to my condemnation My prayer must be hard by thyne ear of mercy from whense coÌ„meth forgeuenes to those that are gilty so that penitence folowe the iniquitie Wyth this eare Inquacumque die innocauero te uelociter exaudi me Isaye heare me when I call vnto the and that with spede So that accordynge to the greatnes and multitude of my tribulations maye be the spedye receiuing of my peticion Which shal not be to craue of the aboundauÌ„ce of earthlye goodes aboue that honest necessitie dooth require But the abundaunce of thy grace in this lyfe and for thy glorye euerlastinge in another life This hast thou of thy mere liberalitie promised to graunt to all that in stedfast fayth call vppon the. Iaco. i This hastie callyng vpon the doste thou delite in Esaye .lviii. and as thy prophet Esay sayth thou art as redye to answere me as I am redy to cal vnto the. Wherfore make spede in hearynge as I am dryuen by necessitye to be hastye in callynge considering the short tyme of myne abidyng in thys worlde Thou diddest indue man in his creation with immortalitie but synne brought in death to al that bere lyfe Consumpti sunt sicut fuinâ—dies mei so that my dayes are consumed awaye lyke smoke Age ouertaketh youth before I am aware of him youth stealeth from me preuely as the smoke doth vanysh away after it is once out of the chymney Yea many tymes before age coÌ„meth death priuely woundeth keaping none order in his arresting but al according to the time onely to the before knowne Iob .ix. Thus my time passeth away more swyftly then a runner or then a ship that is good vnder sayle and as an Egle that hasteth to get his pray For this cause I haue more neade of thy spedi helpe Also my bones are brent vp as it were a fyre brand Ossa mea quasi frira contabuerunt or as meat ouer dried that sticketh to the friyng panne As my bones do sustayne or vpholde the flesh of my body so do the powres of the soule susteine the soule Which beyng moysted and mayntained by the fat moysture of thy grace are liuelye and quicke able to work acceptably But thy grace being once with drawne all remayneth drye burned to the panne Thei haue no powre of them selues to worke any good worke or to thynke any good thought And if that whiche is of most force in me be of so small force efficasie Alas in what case then is the corrupt flesh bred naturally in concupisceÌ„ce What goodnes caÌ„ we loke to fynd therin of it selfe more then we would loke for a throne to brynge furthe pleasaunt apples Percussus sum quasi tenum et arefactum est cor meum Ful well may mankynd be like ned to grasse For so loÌ„g as he through thy grace worketh the workes of iustice so long is he grene florishing and liuely But so sone as sinne which is the sythe or sickle of our enemy the deuyl doth cut of the grasse by the roote causyng man to fall from the obedience dewe vnto thy maiestie and from thy lawes he theÌ„ waxeth dry withered and with euery temptation falleth from vice to vice and becommeth very barreÌ„ of good workes The cause is for that wheÌ„ maÌ„ leauith the fouÌ„datioÌ„ which should be his norishyng his strength and his life he must nedes consume wast and dry Quia oblitus sum coÌ„medere panem meum I haue left thy holy word and commaundemeÌ„tes which are as bread to the soule geuing nutriture and moysture by fayth and charite and haue eaten of the fruit of the tree which thou forbadest me I haue with our father Adam folowed the illusion of the serpent and tasted of sinne Wherfore my leaues wyther my fruyt is destroied Ecclesi vi and I am left as a dry and a barreÌ„ tre without any goodnes Wherfore I left the liuely food of thi holy word that semed bitter at the first tast and in steade therof receiued swete poysen that is death of both bodye and soule throughe the desolation of
stone of obstinacye vppon vs that we shal not aryse agayne And as there is moche ioye in heauen wheÌ„ one synner forsaketh his synne and returneth to the by penaunce in lyke maner is there ioyfull triumphynge amonge the wycked spirites in hel when one soule forsaking the dyeth in deadly synne Ego autem in misseâ—â— cordia tua spetaui But all my trust is in thy mercy For although thou hyde thy selfe in a cloude that my prayer shoulde not go through it vnto thyne eares yet are not thi mercies cleane gone Creno .iii. neyther doth thy louynge kyndnes ceasse Thou arte therfore lorde my porcyon and in thy mercy styll wyl I hope and in none other creature knowynge for certaine that as God thou only mayste helpe me and as my louynge father thou wylte helpe me Exultabit cor meâ—â— iâ— salutari tuo Wherfore in the my hert shal be ioyful and in thy sauynge healthe whych is thy sonne Christ our sauiour redeamer The Philistines knowinge the presence of thyne arke to be in the campe of the Israelites the day of theyr battell i. Reg. iiii were sore afrayed sayinge who shall delyuer vs out of the haÌ„de of this mightye God Moch more wyll I be glad take sure trust hauyng the presence and coÌ„fort of thy lyuely grace And in tokeÌ„ of the victory whyche thou haste geuen me ouer myne enemyes Cantabo domino quâ— bona tribuit mihi et pâ—allam nomini domini altissimi I wyl not ceasse as I haue good cause to synge the prayse of the Lorde that so louingly hath delte with me and prayse the name of the most hygh all the dayes of my lyffe The .xxiii. Psalme Dominus regit me ¶ The faythfull man geueth thankes to God for hys manifolde gyftes and graces Whereby he is gouerned to the heauenly Hierusalem WHat lyuinge reasonable creature can gyue condynge thankes vnto the most gracious heaueÌ„ly father for the manifolde gyftes whyche thou of thyne infinite mercy and goodnes hast gyueÌ„ him Fyrste for hys noble creation wherin he excelleth all other earthely creatures and then for his redemption through the bytter passion resurrection of thy most louinge sonne for the whyche I as one of thy poore creatures most huÌ„bly gyue the thaÌ„kes For had not our redemptioÌ„ ensewed oure creation it had ben moch better for vs that we had neuer ben made This thi loue was aboue al other most ferueÌ„t when thou diddest not spare to geue thyne onely begotten sonne for vs washynge away al our fylthines in the bloude of that meeke lambe Thy onely naturall sonne beynge God was made man to thinteÌ„t that we who naturally are the sonnes of men by him through grace myghte be made the sonnes of God And not beynge contended with thys kyndnes thou also Lord consyderyng our weake and frayle nature ready to synne Dominus regit â—ut et â—idilutiâ—â— deerit doest with thy grace guyde vs and gouerne vs as the shepherde doeth his shepe sufferynge vs to want nothyng defending thy poore flocke froÌ„ the rauenyng wolues that would els deuoure vs. Esay .xi. Esay .lxv. Thou causest the wolues the laÌ„bes to dwel together to fede together Our enemyes through the are made peaceable Without this thine aide we were no more able to gouerne our selues wel theÌ„ is the shyp wythout a gouernour able to auoyde perylles Iacob .iii. beyng dryuen where the violence of wyndes doth leade her but hauyng a wyse ruler at the helme she is turned at his pleasure Euen so lorde thou beynge oure guyde we are more sure then the shyppe is in the hauen We can want nothing that is necessary for vs hauynge the with vs who arte al in all thinges i. Corhin xv In loco pascuâ— ibi mâ— collocauit Thy blessed soÌ„ne hath put vs to feade in the pleasaunte grene bateful pasture of his holy churche makynge vs to rest in the vnitie ther of by a lyuely fayth and hope in him In whych churche is plentifull abundaunce of spirituall meat of the worde of God which nourisheth and giueth lyfe to the soule as bread and other foode feadeth the body Mathe. v. Ezechiel .iii. With this foode thou diddest feade thi prophet Ezechiel wheÌ„ thou dydest cause hym to eate a booke where with his bowels were fylled and it semed in his mouth sweter theÌ„ hony Super aquaÌ„ refectiâ—nis educauit me In this pasture also runneth a fresh and a pleasauÌ„t water of godly doctryne wherwith we ofttimes do refresh our wery soules In this also is a water of spirituall washynge by baptysme wherby we were wonderfully refreshed in oure youth when therby oure soules beynge made soule throughe the deuyl and synne were repayred made beauteful according to theyr fyrst creation that is to thy lykenes and image Maâ—hei iii. And by thys water we are replenyshed wyth thy holy spirite This water saw thy prophet Ezechiel loÌ„ge ago Ezâ—ch xlvii gushinge forth of the right syde of the temple and grew to a great ryuer that no man coulde wade ouer to which water who so would come was made hole and lustye All fyshes are bred and nouryshed in water and wythoute water can noo longe whyle endure on lyue Euen so in the water of oure baptysme we were borne agayne in the water of godly doctrine we are nourished and with out these we are but dead in synne wickednes and at the ende shall go to euerlastinge deathe But these waters are to vs Iohn iiii a wel springinge vp into euerlasting lyfe And in case at any tyme by the frayltye of nature we fall into synne yet is thy mercifull sonne ready to receyue vs to hys grace â—â—smam meaÌ„ coÌ„uettit and quicken oure soules beynge sory penitent for it By whych grace also he maketh vs to know howe to loue him and not to esteme the pleasures of thys worlde but to haue oure eies onely fyred vppoÌ„ hym Philip iii In so moch that with thine apostle Paull we accoÌ„pt al thinges but dounge so that we may wynne Chryst and be founde in him Sebutit me super seâ—ntas iusticie not hauynge oure owne rightuousnes but that which springeth of the faythe whyche is in Chryst To walke in the pathes of hys iustice way of ryghtuousnes is fyrste to loue the aboue all thynges and that for thy selfe and thyne only goodnes not beyng vnkinde but to shew loue for loue The other pathe is to loue oure neyghboures as oure selues and according to the loue Iohn .iii. with the which thy sonne loued vs that is to dye yf nede be for hys sake as he dyed for mankynde when all men were his enemyes Propter nomen suum And all thys he dyd for his names sake for his owne honoure of hys owne goodnes for no goodnes that was in vs for to be a sauyoure was the cause of hys comming into this worlde hauing
Psal xxviii and I founde that all good deades shal be rewarded and that all euyll deades shal be punished I founde also that many tymes tirauntes and the persequutoures of thyne electe all thoughe they haue prosperitie here for a ceasoÌ„ yet at the last they are punissed in thys worlde and make a miserable ende as it was proued by Pharao kyng of Egypt Exod. xiiii that scurged the people of Israel by Achab kynge of Israell by Aman Holofernes Alcimus Antiochus iii. ReguÌ„ xxv Hester .vii. Iudi. xiii i. Macha ix ii Macha ix Actu x. Herode And this doest thou to shewe thy power for thyne honoure to the feare of the wycked comfort of thyne electe I founde also that thou reseruest for thyne elect Euerlastinge rewardes for the short payne that they take here in thy seruice and therfore doeste thou not rewarde them here with light rewardes of transitory thynges but thou rewardest the wycked of thy great liberalitie wyth prosperitie here and other lyght traÌ„sitory pleasures which endureth wyth them but a smale season Esay .lxv. and then thou punishest them for theyr wickednes with payne euerlastinge Thus in scripture I beholde as it were in a miroure or glas thy great iustice infinitie goodnes which to thy faythfull louers frendes wilt not turne theyr longe and euerlastynge rewarde into a teÌ„poral and short rewarde neither from thyne enemies wilt thou withdrawe those temporall rewardes which worthely haue loste their eternall heauenly rewardes â—â—â—men in luhâ—sco poâ—â—â—sti coâ— detecisticos ad interliuâ— Thou settest these fatte synners in a slyppery place that thou mayst cast theÌ„ downe hedlonge and destroye them The hygher a man buyldeth a towre when the same through decay falleth the greater and more terrible is the fall therof Euen so the hygher a man climmeth the sorer is his fal yea many times they are skarcely clomben to the hyght of theyr honoure but anone theyr fall is shewed not vnlyke to the smoke of a chynney which ascendeth highe and theÌ„ sodeÌ„ly vanisheth away It is a wonder to se how sodenly they consume Qâ—omodo vastati suÌ„t subito defecerunt consumpti sunt quasi non sint 1 Thesssloni v. perish and come to a fearfull ende When they shal say peace is and no daunger then comethe on them sodayne destruction as the trauaylynge of a woman with chyld and they shall not escape Luke thyne euangelist putteth to this purpose a parable of a rych man that had gathered together greate aboÌ„dauÌ„ce of godes and then sayd to his soule O my soule thou hast muche goode layde vp in store for manye yeares take thyne ease eat drynke be mery But thou lorde saydest vnto hym O thou foule this night wyll the wycked spirites fetche awaye thy soule froÌ„ the. TheÌ„ whose shall those thynges be which thou hast so paynfully prouided and so carefully kept O lord what man that hath wytte would not be afrayd to haue the vse of thy goodes here beyng bound to render accompt both for the gettyng kepyng and bestowyng of theÌ„ Considering the smale tyme he hath pleasure in the keping of them and howe sodenly he shal leaue them The possessours of them are likened to one whych dremeth that he is lift vp in great honour Quasi somnium egilaÌ„tis in riches in his princes fauour and enioyeth all kyndes of pleasures But when he awaketh he fyndeth no part of his dreame true The vanitie of his dreame came of his idle fantasie It was pleasure for a whyle but after he is sorye for his fayned losse In lyke maner when the riche man dieth he perceyueth he was not ryche in dede but as it were in a dreame Esay xxix He is neuer the rycher for all that he was ruler of When the hungrye man dreameth that he hath plentie of meat that he is eatynge his fyll and then awaketh fyndyng no food he is faynt and his soule impatient So is it of the rych maÌ„ after death he hath nothyng Iob .i. He came naked into this worlde so shal he depart out of it again nothyng is his of all that he had Luke .xii. i. Timo. vi but that which he bestowed charitabli which lieth in store for him in heauen The rest is vanished away from hym the glory therof was but a shadowe of glory not glory it selfe it was the image of a thyng not the thing it self Thus their image of felicitie that is all their pompe pride and false prosperitie Domine in ciuitati tuâ— imaginem ipsorum ad nihilum rediges shalte thou bryng to naught and banyshe them out of thy citie with those that toke pleasure in theym here Thei shal not entre with their glori into thi heauenly citie of Ierusalem and good cause why for in their earthly cities and mansions they nothyng regarded thyne image they considered not the necessite of the poore For this cause rightfully thou shalt shut them with their image of prosperitie out of thine eternal mansion Thus haue I shewed before thy maiestie how through their prosperite I was almost drawne to folowe theyr wayes 〈◊〉 câ—uâ—nest coâ—mâ—â—ts â—â— me◠〈…〉 â—uÌ„ apud tâ— Et eram semper 〈…〉 tenebis manum deâ—teram mâ—am my hert being sore moued and my reynes perced with the delectation thereof so foolyshe I was and ignoraÌ„t and as it were a beast before the Neuertheles though I passed the bondes of reason in consideryng thy power and diuyne prouidence yet I thanke the Lorde I wente not from the but dyd cleaue styll to the by fayth Though I slipped and almost fell from the yet I dyd not forsake the and thou ful mercifully knowyng my good wyll toward the diddest holde me vp by my ryght hand as thou diddest Peter whan he was in ieoperdy of drownyng Thy goodnes brought me to the knoledge of myne infirmitie Esay â—â—â— Thi grace called me from myne errour into the right waye Thou tokest me by the ryghte hande and diddest saue me Barteus as thy holy angelles toke Lothe and hys wyfe by the handes and led them oute of the synfull citie of Sodome that perished And as the louyng mother ledeth her yong chylde by the hand to cause hym to kepe the most fayre and easy way and to saue him from fallyng In constitum â—uum educes me eâ— preterea in 〈◊〉 suscipice me Thou diddest leade me with thy counsell preseruyng my weakenes in this present iourny of my lyfe wherfore my trust is thou wilt not leue me but wilt receiue me into glorye Thy fauour did guyde me Thy grace dyd direct all my doynges i. Corhin xv by whych I am all that I am It was not I nor myne acte but thy grace that was with me whych helde me styll through fayth Wherfore my trust is that thou wylt not leaue me but that thou wilt after thys lyfe bring me into glory where is al ioye pleasure rest quietnes and al
thynges that may be desired What wretched foole therfore was I to desire of the Quid enim mihi est in celo et a te quid voluâ—â—i super terram teÌ„poral frayle vayne and deceytfull prosperite and pleasure knowyng by faith that thou hast prepared for me and for al that faithfully loue the such rewardes as neuer eye hath sene eare hath harde nor hert can imagin But what is this that is so precious a gyfte ordeyned for me i Corhin ii For soth euen thou thy selfe Lorde and the fruition of thy perfecte Godhed wherin is encluded al the ioye that may be deuised a tresure that is immortal it endureth pleasant for euer Shall I then be so mad and so beastly to desyre of the most merciful God worldly honour pleasure ease or riches temporall more then is requisit for the necessities of this present lyfe Should I desyre of the that louest me those giftes wherwith thou rewardest thine enemies The most wycked vpoÌ„ earth haue these temporal trifles of thy great liberalitie and goodnes But there is nothyng vpon yearth that I desire but only the. The swetnes of thy goodnes hath made my fleshe that is ConsuÌ„pta est cato meâ— et cormeum all carnall desyres to fall and to ceasse in me The worldly concupisceÌ„ce which my hert desired is gone and thou Lorde Robur cordis mei pars mea deê° in eternuÌ„ arte become the strength of my hert thou arte my porsion for euer Thou art my reward thyne owne self wher wyth my hert is suffised For whosoeuer serueth the for to haue prosperite or temporal reward in this world doth more loue that reward then the. Of that they make theyr God and refuse the that art the liuyng God But loo all that forsake the shall perysh Quid omnes qui elongant se a te peribunt pedes omnes qui fornicantur abs te Thou wylt destroy all them that coÌ„myt fornication agaynst the. All synne putteth man from the. It maketh a deuisioÌ„ betwene him and the It causeth the to turne thy face froÌ„ him for that thou wouldest not haue mercye on hym Esay lâ— It driueth the from man thou wylt not approch nere vnto hym by thy mercy to helpe hym Neuertheles thou art nere hym throughe thy iustice to punysh hym But aboue all thou obhorrest them that commyt fornication against the that loue the world better then the Sapini â—iiâ— that honoure thy creature with the honour dewe to thy maiestie That serue the deuyl and leaue the. This fornication of infidelitie hast thou euer punished aboue bodely fornication or any other offence Exod. xxxii Iudi ii iiii and. vi as it appeareth in al the iourney of the Israelites in the desert and also when thei were come into the land of Chanaan Also in Hieroboam Achab Iesabel Ammon and many other For such that runne from the by infidelite remaineth death euerlasting They perish worthely that chose death and leane the that arte very lyfe In whoÌ„ whosoeuer beleueth shal haue lyfe euerlastyng â—rouerb viii â—â—â—n v. Mihi auteÌ„ propinquaded bonum est ponein deo spem meam and shall not come into damnation Wherfore it is good for me to holde me fast by the to draw nere vnto the by fayth from whence good workes do spryng towarde my neyghbours and then to put my hope and trust wholy in the as in a sure vnmoueable anchour from whence no blast of wynde of temptation shall dryue me Rom. viii Through hope I trust to be deliuered out of this corruptible body into thy heaueÌ„ly glory and this by patience I nowe abyde and loke for Duryng whych tyme of myne abyding in this present life I wyl not ceasse to declare and set furthe all the noble workes whych thou hast wrought Vt enarrem omnes laudes tuas to thine honour and prayse and to the profyt of them that shall professe thy sonne Christes religion whyle the worlde shall endure ¶ In thys chapter are declared the ioyes of the heaueÌ„ly mansions to be ineffable With the ardent desyre whych the prophet Dauid and in him The .lxxxiiii. Psalme Quam dilicta all the faythfull congregation haue to atteyne the same O Most mightie prince of powre Lord of hostes Lorde of the heauenly army of angels that are thi ministers which after a long iourney through desertes and other daungerous places by the space of .xl. yeares wherein thou wast a guide to thi people Israel at the last thou brough test them to a land flowyng with mylke and hony a land of fertilitie and abundance Deuter. viii where being in rest peassible possession therof thou gauest them a commaundement to obserue yerly a feast in remembraunce of thy goodnes shewed to them many waies during that their daungerous peregrination Deutere xvi Whych feast thou diddest wyl to be called the feast of the tabernacles For that long whyle of .xl. yeres thei dwelt in no houses or tounes but only in tentes and tabernacles This didest thou our loue to be euerlastyng as the loue shal haue no ende Seati qui habitant tu â—o â—io tua adhuc laudaâ—unt tâ— semper so shal the praise be without ende Blessed therefore are they Lord that dwell in thy house who haue occasion euer to prayse the. They haue none other worke to do in that ioyful place but to thaÌ„k praise and good cause why For as in this world all our actes procede of necessitie whereby we are enforsed to worke for oure health wealth coÌ„modite profit and pleasure or for the commoditie of oure neighboure so in thy house where no necessitie or nede is thy blessed spirites saynctes haue none occasion to worke but to thanke and prayse for hauyng the fruition of thy glorious deitie Iohn .iii they are all replenished with abouÌ„dance of al thynges that thei desire They are made lyke vnto the they beholde the euen as thou arte of whyche syghte they shall neuer be fully satisfied Such ioye and loue shall they conceiue of the beautie of thy glorious maiestie But to this beatitude can we neuer atteine merciful God of our strength and power but through the strength of thy gratious assisteÌ„ce Beatus vir cuius fortiâ—udo inte est Thou must engraue in our hertes thi lawes Thou must direct vs in thy wayes And when we are once brought by the into the ryghte waye thou must also by thy coÌ„tinual grace stay vs kepe our fete from slippyng and styl preserue vs els are we sure to slide fal Eccles the last Chapt. Who so trusteth to his owne power or to the helpe of maÌ„ is much deceiued and leaneth to a rotten staffe which faileth when it is most trusted vnto But he that trusteth in thi gratious powre â—sceÌ„tiones in corde suo â—sposuit in valle laeri â—arsi in loco quem poâ—â—it wanteth neuer socoure at nede
any kynde of temporal pleasure whiche be thy gyftes also but of thy lyfte hande we nothynge esteme These many tymes thou bestowest vpon thyne enemyes The other thou reseruest for thine elect to receyue after many theyr tribulations And the same Lorde I humbly beseche to kepe in store for me thy poore seruaunt Regarde not the wyckednes whiche I dayly coÌ„mitte but thyne owne goodnes whereby thou frely dischargest such as offende agaynste the. At the least beholde the merites of thy sonne Iesus Christe my God and my Sauiour Dominê° retribuet promâ— who hath made good for me that I was not able to make good my selfe He hath payed my dette And vpon my repentaunce therfore thou Lorde haste sealed myne acquittaunce The onely cause therof was thy mercie and mere liberalitie whiche as it hath bene from euerlastynge euen so wyl it endure without ende for euer Domine misericordia tua in seculum And as through thy sayed great mercie thou dyddest sende thy sonne to dye for thyne enemyes so I truste that thou wylte not leaue to saue vs that are thy faythful seruauntes Consiore I pray the that whether we be sinners or elles by thy helpe made newe men and iustified yet alwaies are we thy creatures the worke of thyne hande whyche thy worke Opera manuum tuaâ—um ne despiâ—ias we beseche the mercifully to beholde and not oure owne worke whiche we haue added therto Thy worke was made good but the workes of oure haÌ„des haue made foule that thou hast wrought Maye it therfore please thy maiestie of thyne abuÌ„daunt goodnes to take away that we haue wroughte and let nothynge remayne but that is onely of thy creation So shalte thou acknowledge vs as thyne owne receyue vs to the and cal vs to thine euerlasting glory through Christ Iesus So be it ¶ The Prophet Dauid made thys Psalme properly in the person of Christ speakyng to his heauenly father as the head of his churche The Cxxxix Psalme But it maye be applied vnto the faythfull membres of his congregation retourned to God from all euyll wayes in whiche they haue walked LOrde God almightie the creatoure and maker of all thynges whose power is an euerlasting power which shall neuer be put downe whose kyngdome endureth incorrupte for euer and thy goynge out hath bene from euerlastyng great art thou high vnmeasurable thou onely knowest the wayes of wysdome Psalm lxxix Math. v. Baruch .iii. none other is there that seketh out her pathes but thou the mightie God whiche haste founde her out wyth thy forknowledge by the same thy godly wysedome and prescience hast created al thinges accordyng to thy noble wyll and pleasure Thys thyne omnipotent power Lorde I thy poore subiect do honour and thy wonderfull wysedome I haue in great veneratioÌ„ By the one thou madest al thinges By the other thou knewest what thou woundest make longe before they were made In both these hast thou declared thy selfe to be the lyuing God and although our actes whiche be past present and to come be al open before thyn eyes and oure thoughtes manifest in the lyghte of thy diuine prescience Domine probasti me et cognouisti me yet doest thou daly search proue thine electe people Somtime by aduersitie somtime by prosperitie not for thincrease of thy knowledge but to cause vs to be knowen thereby to other Genes xxii Of thys sorte dyddest thou proue Abraham in the oblation of his sonne to the entent his obedience myghte be an example to all that shoulde come after hym â—oâ— xxiii Thus also dyddest thou proue thy seruant Iob as golde is tried by fyre in the fornaice he was fouÌ„de both faythful constaunt iust Thou knowest what meÌ„ be before thou triest them but after the tryall thou hearest them theyr prayers and alowste theyr good actes and intentions By such profe Lorde hast thou tryed me both wythin and wythout and although thorow frailtie I haue erred wanderynge a lytle froÌ„ the yet at length haue I bene found to returne agayne to the that art the perfecte way to beleue faythfully in the as in my very God to trust wholy in the and to loue the as my merciful father all throughe the gyfte of thy grace not of myne owne strength or wyl Tu cognouisti sessioâ—em meam et resurreâ—tionem mâ—am Thou knowest my downe sitting and myne vprysinge that is whether I sit or stande rise or fal whether I go forth to trauayle in any worldly busynes or els returne froÌ„ labour to take my rest thou knowest and considerest al thynges better then I do my selfe when so euer I syt restyng in synne accordyng to the miserable coÌ„dition of my nature or els aryse againe out of synne through the goodnes of thy grace al is manifest vnto the yet are al my euyl actes sone put out of thy godly remembraunce so that I acknowledge my selfe to be a synner agaynste the. Thou requirest that I shoulde accuse my selfe or euer I be iustifyed by the. Psalm Cxxvii I muste fyrste eate the breade of sorowe for that I haue so longe sitten in synne and then arte thou ready mercifully to rayse me Thou art a God in whom no ignorauÌ„ce can fal The carpeÌ„ters and masones who entende to erecte an house fyrst deuise buyld the fourme therof in theyr mynde before the foundations be layed or elles shall theyr workes sometyme be racid downe to amende that was omitted or vicious And shall I thynke the to be so ignoraunte and vndiscrete a workeman of the worke of mans bodye that thou dyddeste not in thyne eternitie conceyue and know not onely al myne actes Intellexisti cogitationes meas de longe procedynges and ende but also my thoughtes which I should at any time thinke This were as great an errour as to tâ—ynke the not to be God Since it is a parte of thy deuine nature to se thynges a farre of and to knowe my thoughtes in thy forknowledge before they come into my herte or mynde whiche who so thynketh not to be in the taketh from the in his herte a parte of thy Godheade And as the good workeman maketh hys worke perfecte and trew by his lyne and his measure so doest thou measure all my wayes that is Semitam meam et finiculum meum inuestgasti omnes vias meas preuidisti al myne actes by the lyne of myne entent conceyued in the workyng of them whiche intent is aprarent to thy Godly consyderation Nothyng can escape the vntryed neyther the dedes of thy people for to receyue therfore theyr heaueÌ„ly rewarde neyther the workes of the badde to receiue for theÌ„ dew punishment Non est sermo in lingua mea there is no worde spoken by me but it is fyrste knowen to the before it is come in to my mouth And as thy wisedome is incomprehensible in knowyng al thinges euen so is thy power ineffable in the