also he wepeth for Hierusalem the whiche through obstinacy of syn caused distructioÌ„ of it selfe Howe oft sayth he wold I haue gethered the to gether as the henne gethereth her chekyns vnder her wynges and ye wolde nat Our most merciful lorde wepeth that he can nat lefully saue wretches mystruste we hym as though he wolde nat saue vs In the gospell all the house ruÌ„bleth for ioye that the childe that was deed relyued agayn that the perished was recouered agayn He the good father exhorteth the holle company of aÌ„gels and sainctes to reioyce al to gether that one synner is brought agayne to penaunce and thou wretche despeirest and enuiest thyn owne saluacioÌ„ and to our lorde fo passyng great ioye Beleue we that he whom the dethe of synners greueth whom the conuertyng of wicked folke gladdeth wyll deny forgyuenes to them that be sory ameÌ„de He calleth euery body to the brydale he wyl haue his house full yea he compelleth the blynd lame to entre in to his house Why tariest thou behinde wretche Why canst nat thou be drawen from the draffe of swyne Why striuest thou agayÌ„st the mercy of our our lorde Christ is the wisedome of god This wisedome as sayth Solomon departed out of her fathers house came in to this worlde preacheth opeÌ„ly and her voyce is herde in the stretes She crieth in the froÌ„te of multitudes in the wickettes of the cite gates she ê“nouÌ„seth out her wordes sayeng Howe loÌ„ge wyl ye loue childhed lyâ—tell babes and foles couet thynges noyfull to them and vndiscrete hate counnyng Turne you to my correctioÌ„ Beholde I wyl put forth my spiriâ—e to you and shall shewe you my wordes What thynge is more folishe than for vayne transitory thinges to be depriued of euerlastyÌ„g goodes What is greatter wysedome than by short sufferance to get immortalite Therfore they be all mad that coÌ„tinue in synne they be wyse that chaunge theyr lyfe in to better With what great labours serche we out the most vile thyng amonge metaâ—s and so great treasure offered and frely offered we despisen or that is more folyshe we despeyreÌ„ God is riche in mercy The treasure of humayn riches is coÌ„sumed in gyuynge away the treasure of mercy can nat be consumed And this wyll I adde that I may the more put euery body from despeyre of pardone God hath bouÌ„de his fayth to man and as Paule â—ayth he can nat deny hym â—elfe He refuseâ—h nat to be rebuked if he ê‘forme â—at that he ê“myseth For so he speketh in Esaie to the people defyled on euery syde Be ye washed be clene take away froÌ„ my syght your yl thoughtes cesse to do wickedly lerne to do well seke iugemeÌ„t succour the oppressed deale truly with the orphlin defende the wydow and come ye rebuke me saythe our lorde Thou herest â—ynner what thyng els requyreth our merciful lorde but onely chaÌ„gyng of thy lyfe And lest thenormite of synnes ouerpresse thy mynde here the forgyuenes of them all redy If your synnes sayth he were as skarlette they shall be made as white as snowe and if they were as red as oker they shal be as white as wolle If ye wil ye may here me ye shall eate the goodes of the erthe Who is so mad that wyll nat be saued What is more easy thaÌ„ to here our most louyng father nothing coÌ„mandyng but that ê‘teyneth to our felicite If â—e wyll sayth he and ye may here No man may saue hym yâ— wyl nat SaluacioÌ„ is by fayth fayth is vy hering The worde is helthfull in thy harte and in thy mouth Only shut nat the eares of thyâ— hart Nowe if a king shuld say thus to his eÌ„mies or to suche as be coÌ„uicted of high treason What so euer is done or was entended hitherto I forgyue it you al mercy is redy for al so they froÌ„ theÌ„s forth wolde absteyne froÌ„ lyke yl dedes wolde nat euery body speke of the kinges woÌ„derfull mercy that neither cruelly punisheth their bodies nor coÌ„fisketh their goodes But god yea with reward entiseth vs to ameÌ„de our life Ye shal eate sayth he the goodes of the erthe But they be vtterly vnworthy to haue the fruicion of goodes of this worlde that by theyr vngratious dedes offende the gyuer of all But o howe moche more precyous is it that the gospell ê“miseth I wyl gyue you a newe hart I wyl gyue you a newe spirite wherby of the dyuels thrals ye shall be made the chyldren of god wherby yâ— shal be made meÌ„bres of myn only begotten sonne wherby ye shal entre into the heretage of the heuenly kyngdome This is saythe he my welbeloued sonne here hym O thou Iewe why turnâ—st thyn eares froÌ„ trouth turnest to the tales of the Talmudicens Deuterotis Thou vnwyse philosopher why shuttest thyn eares against this techer herkenest to Plato and Aristotel Why herest thou vnhappy progeny of Eue the serpent with vayne promises entisynge the to distruction herest nat the sonne of god callyng the to the company of euerlastynge felicite Do penance sayth he the kyngdome of heuen is at hande The son promiseth the father pledgeth it the holy gost in the mean while is gyuen as an ernest peny and doutest thou to take eÌ„brace so great felicite offred the And there is none other voice of thapostles thaÌ„ of our lorde Do penance let eche of you be baptised in the name of Iesu Christ in remissioÌ„ of your synnes ye shal receyue the gyft of the holy gost And a litel aft Kepe you froÌ„ this vngratious nacion that ye may be saued leaue the spotted fylthy wretched lyfe and take euerlastyng lyfe Souldiours publicans harlottes idolworshippers maÌ„kyllers nigromaÌ„cers baudes aduoutrers ruÌ„ne hither None is shut without the passage to mercy lyeth egally open to all The lyfe past is nat regarded so one be repeÌ„tant Nor thou shuldest nat suppose this mercy of our lorde to stretche no farther thaÌ„ batisme thoughe MoÌ„tanus shut the churche dores against them that slyde after baptisme our lorde neuer shutteth the dore of the heueÌ„ly kingdome The entraÌ„ce in to the churche by baptisme is ones gyuen the figure wherof the arke of Noâ— beareth but by the mercy of god the seconde bourde is left to eche after the shyp wracke yea to come agayne in to the arke by penaÌ„ce For baptyme is nat twise takeÌ„ as the deth of Christe is nat renewed but the water of teares doth remayne wherwith now the fylthy sinnes ben washed away the sope of holsome contricion remaineth the herbe of Boâ—ith Truly they ought to whom ones all synnes were frely forgyuen and that buried with Christe by baptisme rose with hym agayne in a newe life to coÌ„tynue with hym in that great gyft that they receiued But our pitefull mercifull lorde knowyng the weakenes of mans nature he wylled remedy of penance to be redy for eche euen to the lyues ende But bicause the day of deth is certayne to
in whiche is no membre that doth his dewty Most part of all other beastis as soone as they be brought forth emplie the gyftes of their nature Some are swyft as horses As soone as the buterflie cometh out of the skyn it fleeth It is no sure wrastling with a leons whelpe As soone as fyshes be spaumed they swymme Tadpolles rollen them selfe with great swyftnes before they may be called or haue any shap of frogges onely what other thynge can mankynde do by course of nature but wepe Howe longe lerneth he to go Whan he hath lerned to go on .11 feet howe longe must he lerne to speke ye he can nat fede outcept he be taught Adde nowe yâ— many kyndes of sickenessis that vneth can be rehersed and specially the newe that it is harde to heale them howe be it amoÌ„ge the olde many be vncurable Som take maÌ„kinde soone after the byrth som also in the byrth as lepre fallyÌ„g yuel wherby many dye or they begyn to lyue And this whyle I speke nothynge of them that be borne with many defautis of nature mysshapen Nowe let eche coÌ„syder this by hym selfe what doÌ„mages he hath suffred iÌ„ youth how fugitiue youth is howe carefull mans state how wretched olde age and so forth howe short the holle lyfe though one hap to be olde whiche yet chanceth to very fewe Who so euer of you is at maÌ„nes state let hym rekeÌ„ the course of the life past couÌ„t fro what sickenessis froÌ„ what great perils he is escaped let him thanke the mercy of god Uerily I wolde reken amoÌ„ge bodily yuels as principal the sedes of all maner vicis faste routed in vs howe greatly to aÌ„ger to bodily pleasure to riot to eÌ„uy to aÌ„bicion to couetousnes to robbery froÌ„ our mothers wombe we be enclined where all other beastis lyuen lowably wiâ—h in the desyres of natureâ— What a labour is it to vs all to wrastâ—ll with these leauynges of olde AdaÌ„ to howe fewe lucky The soule is ouer loded with the weyght of that erthy body and whether it wyll or wyl nat is drowned in these thynges that it aloweth nat Farther more coÌ„sydre what rout of yuels â—nuiâ—on vs without and ye shal fynde that many mo perishe by chaÌ„ce thaÌ„ sickenes Howe many be distroyed by lyghtnyng erth quakes grouÌ„de openynges lakes floddes of the see and ryuers infectous aer venom wyld beastis fallyng of huge thinges yll phisicioÌ„s but no way greatter distruction than through warres But all these myscheues thretten to distroye but the body Howe many daÌ„gers hange ouer the soule fro the fleshe a houshold eÌ„nemy fro the worlde nowe flattryng that it may strangle nowe ragyng that it may oppresse fro wicked spirites that oâ—her whyle transfigure them selfe lyke angels of lyght Who dredeth nat of these the multitude powers disceit malyce and vnsaciable desyre to distroye Nowe who amoÌ„ge these yuels wold it nat nere slee deth certayne to eche the day vncertayne the rigorousnes of thextreme dome the peynes of hell euerlastynge I se you tremble at thonly remeÌ„brynge of these so great myscheues and no wronge but the more ye here of yuels and daÌ„gers the more ye be bouÌ„de to the mercy of god whiche amoÌ„ge al these yls nat onely defeÌ„deth those that trust theron but also turneth all these thynges to vs in occasion of more felicite What so euer calamite we haue here we may wyte it the syn of olde Adam but for the felicite in stede of calamite to vs yelden more pleÌ„tifully we ought to thaÌ„ke the newe Adam that is Christ Iesu of all creatures preysed the world without ende Satanas expelled vs out of Paradyse Christe for therthly paradise opened vs the heueÌ„ly kyngdome The serpent droue vs to dyuers sorowes of this life Christ restored vs to ioyes euerlasting of lyfe iÌ„mortall Satanas by his gyle got vs bodily deth Christ by his mercy rewarded vs lyfe etnal to whom who so euer with a pure harte yeldeth hym nedeth to drede no kinde of eÌ„nemies He ouercame the worlde he vanquished all Satanas tyraÌ„ny he turned the fleshe in to spirite That he ouercame is of his power that he ouer came for vs is of his mercy Let vs honour his mercifull myght and take fruicion of his myghtyfull mercy All thynges we may do by hym that maketh vs mighty if we abide with hym al thinges we possesse by hyÌ„ iÌ„ whom is al goodnes euery where vs defendyng aydyng coÌ„fortyng encresyng by his mercy lyke as the prophet sayth in the psalme Mercy wyll enuiron them that truste in our lorde To what great ils are they subiect that put their trust in bodily gyftes in riches in chares in horses in worldly prudeÌ„ce in theyr merites dedes But by what succours is the iuste man out of care Truly sayth he I trust in the multitude of thy mercy And a lytell after Lorde as with the bucler of thy good wyll hast crowned vs. Whan ye here Of thy good wyll ye vnderstaÌ„de the hope of your owne merites to be excluded Where the streÌ„thes of nature fayle vs where our merites forsake vs there mercy succoureth vs. The warriours shyldes couâ—r but one part of the body the buccler of diuine mercy dothe fensiuely couer vs all aboute aboue agaynst the fyrie dartes of wycked spirites that hange ouer vs froÌ„ the celestiens beneth agaynst the slâ—ight of the serpent that wayteth to attrap vs afore lest thinges present greue vs behynde lest thinges past eÌ„uade vs agayne on the right haÌ„de lest prosperite make vs insolent on the lyft hande lest aduersite ouer throwe vs. TrustyÌ„g in this bucler Dauid crieth out Our lorde is my helper I wyll not drede what a man can do to me And in another place I wyll nat feare a thousande people coÌ„passyng me about But Paule thapostle cryeth out yet more boldly writyng to the Romayns If god be with vs sayth he wâ—o shal be agaynst vs That noble warriour armed hym with al the harneis of the faith whiche fortifieth vs nat by hope of our warkes but of diuine mercy He beyÌ„g bold on this armour dyd nat only dispise grefe huÌ„ger pouerte peril ê‘secutioÌ„ but also the tyraÌ„s sword thretning to sle hym by and by The humayn cruelnes may do nothing where the mercy of god is redy at hande to defende yea this is stronger he dispised beside deth and lyfe aÌ„gels principalites vertues thinges present to come fortitude altitude depthe so forth if any other creature were in the heueÌ„s or in erth or in hellâ— And this is he whiche knowing his weakenes calleth hyÌ„ selfe an ertheÌ„ pot We haue sayth he this treasure iÌ„ ertheÌ„ pottes Fro whens thaÌ„ hath this britell ertheÌ„ pot so moche strength By the grace of god sayth he I am it that I am What is the grace of god but the mercy of god Let vs gladly glorify with Paule in our infirmites that the vertue of Christe may dwelle in vs for so it
our lordes voyce stoppe theyr eares lyke the deâ—â—e edder that stoppeth her eares for the noneâ— lest a shulde here the voyce of the enchanter wysely To day sayth the psalme if ye here his voyce be nat harde harted To day is ours as longe as we be in this lyfe whiche all the while hit lasteth our lorde cesseth nat to speke to vs steryÌ„g vs to do penance offryng forgyuenes ppared What sayd I forgyuenes The mercy of god is more whiche promiseth to them that returne a precious gyfte For thus we rede in Iob If thou wylt returne to almyghty god thou shalte be edifyed and shalte voyde wickednes far froÌ„ thy tent for erth he shall gyue the a flynt stone for a flint stone golden ryuers Let vs here the mercy of our lorde in Esaie steryng vs to repentaÌ„ce If ye seke saith he seke returne and come if ye seke th ende of yuels seke hit nat in children of men in whom is no saluacion nor of eÌ„chantours nor by hangyng your selfe but aske it of me that alone both may and am redy to forgyue Only returne from those thynges that ye fylthily haue loued turned come to me Agayne in the same ê“phet eÌ„tysyng al mankynde to hym he sayth Am nat I a lorde and there is no more god but I God iuste and holy is none besyde me returne to me and ye shal be â—aued al the costis of the erth for I am god and there is none other These wordes our lorde speketh to gentils idolworshippers to maÌ„kyllers churche robbers â—echers blasphemers thou wretche by dispeyre woldest turne away from our lorde In olde tyme whan synne vnpunished rayned amoÌ„ge folke the merry of god semed to be drawen within the narow bouÌ„des of Iudee But by the gospell mercy spred ouer all costes of the worlde In Ieremye also he thretneth the obstinate but he offereth them forgyuenes prepared that repent ameÌ„de If that folke sayth he wyll do penaÌ„ce for theyr synne that I haue spokeÌ„ agaynst them I wil also do penaÌ„ce vpon the harme that I thought haue done them And he that a lyttel before thretned distruction pluckyng vp by the rotes sparklyng about promyseth thynges coÌ„trary and sodaynly sayth I wylâ— speke of the people realme that I may edifie it and that I may plant it Like wyse in Ezechiel he nat only ê“miseth hym ê‘doÌ„ that turneth agayne but also that he wold forget all the synnes that he had done before For whan he had afore remeÌ„bred euery kynde of myschefes and daÌ„nable dedes he addeth If the wicked man wyl do penaÌ„ce for al the synnes that he hath wrought and wil kepe al my coÌ„mandementes and wyl do iugemeÌ„t and iusticeâ— he shal lyue and shall nat dye I wyll nat remeÌ„bre al the iniquitees that he hath wrought Is it my wyll sayth our lorde that a synner shulde dye and nat rather that he shulde be coÌ„uerted froÌ„ his sinnes lyue And a lytell lower Be ye coÌ„uerted and do penaÌ„ce for all your synnes and your wickednes shal nat distroye you throwe away all your offences wherby ye haue traÌ„sgressed and make you a new hart and a newe spirite And why die ye the house of Israel Bicause I will nat the deth of the dyeng treature sayth our lorde turne agayne and come Why despeyrest thou wretche sith god for this seÌ„t downe his son in to this worlde yâ— yâ— shuldest haue good hope He hym selfe vndouted is the mercy of god of whom Dauid syngeth O god we haue receyued thy mercy in the myddis of thy churche Be thou iÌ„ the churche and enbrace mercy He rysyng crieth I wyl nat the deth of a synner but rather that he shulde be coÌ„uerted lyue Here this voyce thou vnhappy synner shake of deedly slepe rise agayne with Christ that thou mayst lyue in hym For he reuiued to th ende the deth of syn shulde nat alway possesse the. And if any body suspect that this mercy of god is nat ppared nor redy but for these that coÌ„myt fewe lyght syns let hym here what our lorde with a clere voyce promiseth Whan so euer a synner bewayleth his synnes I wyll forget al his iniquitees He excepteth no kynde of synne he poÌ„dreth nat the greatnes or multitude of offences Be sory only and forgetfulnes of all thy syns past is redy For small offences without whiche maÌ„s frailte lyueth nat we call dayly vpoÌ„ the mercy of god sayeng Dimitte nobis debita nostra c. For gyue vs as we forgyue them that offeÌ„de vs And we be herde if we here our neyghbour prayenge that we shuld forgyue him And also amoÌ„ge deedly synnes is a certeyne order as amonge meÌ„ some slepe nat very souÌ„dly so that with a litel whistryÌ„g they awake there be that slepe more depely that one must speke loude to wake them there be that slepe most depely that vneth with great tuggyÌ„ge they wyl awake so with god som be lighter deed some more greuously and some moste greuously But no kynde of dethe is so desperate and deedly that he with his voyce dryueth nat awaye at whose voyce also they rise agayne that were deed iÌ„ theyr graues and no man is takeÌ„ with so depe slouÌ„bre of deth that is nat by hym reysed This threfold difference of synners the deuout interpreters of holy scriptures suppose signified to vs by thre corses that we rede were reysed from dethe to lyfe by our lorde Iesu. The maister of the sinagogis daughter a mayde .xij. yere of age he reysed in the house a fewe admytted to se it he forbade to tell abrode that was done These be they that fyrste nat of purposed malice but eyther by sleprenes of age or by mans frailnes be so slyden in to som synne that they be nat yet obstinate in yll nor yet no foule rumour ruÌ„neth of that mysdede Our lorde Iesus lightly reyseth those with his hande put for the hydynge theyr fylthynes and prouidynge for theyr shamefastnes But he reysed vppe the wyddowes sonne with more busynes Nowe the carkeys was caried to the graueâ—and in goyng our lorde met them he moued with the sely womaÌ„s weping bade them stande styl that bare the biere he reysed the yonge maÌ„ Fyrst he sittech vp soone aft he speketh shortly after he skyppeth out of the coffyn is deliuered to his mother agayne These be they vndouted that be so fer iroÌ„ne in synne that they be infamy can nat be reclaymed froÌ„ synnyng they by open penance lytell lytell be reised agayne to life He sitteth vp whiche forsakyng syn lyfteth vp hyÌ„ selfe to the purpose of a better lyfe He speketh that coÌ„fessyng his foule synnes aknowlegeth the mercy of god He is yelded to his mother a lyue that aft al remedies accomplished is restored to the coÌ„munion of the churche agayne Lazarus truly nowe stanke in his graue He is bewayled onely of his deâ—perate systers and freÌ„des here Iesus byddeth to shewe hym the graue he wepeth
none all ought to watche that they despise nat the goodnes of god but if they hap to slide agayne by and by they shulde hast to remedy before the disease by coÌ„tinuance waxe vncurable Some iÌ„ olde tyme with right great peril forbare baptisme eueÌ„ to the last day of theyr lyfe whom some called bad christiens and some yll watered as christieÌ„s nat very true but with more ieê‘dy the synner ê“loÌ„geth the remedy of penance that is euery where redy The christener is nat alway present but lyeng in thy bed thou mayst coÌ„fesse thyn vnrightousnes to our lorde and purpose to amende thy lyfe One is nat alway present to washe thy body teares be alway present with whiche thou mayst washe the fylthes of thy soule And nat without a cause a dout is whether the baptisme be effectual wherby whaÌ„ ther is no hope of life and were in paÌ„ges of deth were rather spryncled with water than baptised For they shewed that they wolde a synned coÌ„tinually if they myght haue lyued styll But moche more southly great lerned men doute whether penaÌ„ce be fruteful that is ê“loÌ„ged a purpose nowe deê‘tyng heÌ„ce they take it and wold nat take it except deth coÌ„pelled them For lyke as grouÌ„de ofte moysted with heueÌ„ly raine bryÌ„geth forth naught els to his tyller than thornes wydes is cursed caste in to the fyre so god other while for his goodnes obstacly despised endueth them with a peruersed mynde Wherfore the surest way most dere brethernÌ„ is nat to ê“longe the mendyng of the lyfe but by by at the voyce of our lorde callyng vs to do of the old maÌ„ with his dedes and desyres lest our lord so oft nat herde wyll nat here vs agayne callynge to hym Dredeful is the voice wherwith he thretneth them that wyll nat here him mercifully callyÌ„g Bicause sayth he I called you ye turned away I reched forth my haÌ„de ther was none that wold se it ye despised al my couÌ„sayle and set naught by my rebukes I also wyl laugh and scorne iÌ„ your distruction whaÌ„ it shal fall on you that ye drad Whan sodayne calamite ouerthroweth ruine as a teÌ„pest dassheth downe whan trouble greffe assayleth than they wyll call on me I wyl nat here them They shal arise yerly and they shal nat fynde me bicause they hated my lernyng and wolde nat coÌ„ceyue the drede of their lorde wolde nat rest vpoÌ„ my couÌ„saile and wold withdrawe froÌ„ al my correctioÌ„ God punisheth diuers wayes that he might correct vs. At last whaÌ„ our obstaclenes hath ouercoÌ„e al remedies he forsaketh vs as desperate and leaueth vs with our owne fre wyl Like as a phisicioÌ„ assaynge al that his crafte can to put away the disease whan he seeth the pacient forsake all medicins at last he leaueth hym with his sickenes as he that wyll nat lyue Mercy sayth the psalme iugemeÌ„t I wyl synge to ye. The day of iugemeÌ„t abydeth al after they shal be departed this lyfe As longe as this lyfe lasteth there is hope of mercy Therfore while thou lyuest beseche our lorde mercy But they that lie dyeng or they that extreme olde age opresseth nowe in a maner lyue no more Here the couÌ„sayle of the wyse Hebrewe what euer thou be that from day to day drawest the lynde of wickednes and makest no ende of synnynge Turne the to our lorde saith he and forsake thy sinnes Pray the face of our lorde and mynishe thyn offences Returne to our lorde and turne away froÌ„ thyn vngratiousnes and hate cursynge and knowe the iustices and iugementes of god and stande in the lot of proposicion and speche of almyghty god go in to the partes of the iuste worlde with the lyuyng gyuyng confession to god Thou shuldest nat abyde in the errour of wicked folke coÌ„fesse yâ— before dethe The confession of one deed perisheth as nothyng Thou shalt confesse the liuyng Alyue and in helth thou shalt confesse preyse god and glorifie in his mercies o howe great is the mercy of our lorde and his fauour to them that returne to hym Thou herest the great mercy of god is redy but that is if thou aliue in heale wylt be coÌ„fessed to our lorde But what shal we say of them whose bodyes be vnable to synne yet the mynde putteth nat away the synfull appetite and whan by reason of age the body is nere deed that they can nat do wycked and fylthy actes yet they leaue nat to speke leudly Howe shulde they be confessed to our lorde alyue that leaue sooner to lyue thaÌ„ to synne But thou yonge maÌ„ in thy flowryng age why ê“loÌ„gest the meÌ„dyng of thy lyfe dayes monethes yeres If thy body were diseased with the dropsy and thou haddest before the redy a certayne sure remedy for that disease woldest thou say The next yere I wyl heale my sickenes I knowe wel thou woldest nat be so mad but thou woldest haste most gredily to be healed And iÌ„ the diseases of the soule moche more perillous tariest driuest forthe froÌ„ day to day froÌ„ that day to that yea thou defferrest thy saluacion to the day of thy dethe And who is thy surete that thou shalt lyue tyl to morowe But these thinges be nat spokeÌ„ to th ende that any shulde despeyre of forgyuenes but to th enteÌ„t we wold wrest froÌ„â—che the careles continuance in synne There is synne that neither in this worlde nor in the worlde to come is forgyueÌ„ God forbyd that any of vs shulde swarue so far wyde And therfore the most sure thyng is to eschewe synne The next is that by by we put it away by penance that is wrought vnskylfully A good man falleth .vij. tymes on a day but he riseth agayne al though this be spoken by veniall syns And therfore our lorde ofte tymes thretneth vs sharply in holy scripture lest on trust of forgyuenes redy we shuld walowe in to the myer of vngratious dedes And therfore the plaister of penaÌ„ce is nat gyuen that we wylfully shulde continue in our disease but lest he whiche perchaunce falleth shuld be lost for euer In Amos our lorde oft thondreth agaynst thre or foure wyckednessis Shall nat I abhorre them It is wyckednes to thynke yll Here by by we shulde take repentance but 〈◊〉 is greatter wickednes to wyl to ê‘fourme it that thou dyddest mynde at lest froÌ„ the grice yâ— fote shuld step to better But the greuoust offence is fylthyly to ê‘fourme it that thou dyddest wickedly purpose And here we be neither sory nor amende but we put to it the fourth wickednes accustomyng vs in â—yns heapyng syns vpoÌ„ syns Nowe at this poyÌ„t may nat our lord wel abhorre vs Yes truly nere that his mercy passed his iustice Beholde what foloweth after so sharpe thretnyÌ„ges in the same ê“phet This sayth our lorde to the house of Israel Seke ye shal fynd me seke your lorde come Let vs here our lorde thretnyng
lest we shuld syn let vs here our lorde reclaymyng vs that we despeyre nat Orels wo to vs if he shuld do to vs that he thretneth by the ê“phete and after the thyrde or fourth wickednes he shulde turne away froÌ„ vs his mercy leaue vs alone to our wyl Yea with many of vs it shulde go yuel if our lorde shulde turne his face away after the thousande wickednes But by by as his rightousnes beginneth to waxe rigorous Mercy steppeth forth sayth O lord god be merciful I pray the who shal lyft vp Iacob for he is a babe And agayne O lorde god I pray the cesse who shall reyse vp Iacob for he is a babe Thus Mercy our best defender pledeth the cause of our frailnes Nowe here howe redy forgyuenes is to one repentyng amendyng Our lorde sayth he hath had pite vpon hym It shal nat be sayd our lorde Ye se howe soone he thretnynge vengeance repenteth if we truly wolde repent our misdedes It shall nat be sayd our lorde I praye you what mother is so lightly pleased with her child Therfore syth we haue a lorde so easy to please an aduocatrice so effectual what thing is there why any despeyryng of hym selfe shulde eyther coÌ„tinue in sinnes or with Iudas flee to hange hym selfe Euen for the same purpose our lorde by al meanes myndyng our saluacion suffered most excellent most approued meÌ„ to fall in greuous synnes that by theyr example he myght corage coÌ„forte vs to hope of perdone What thinge in holy scripture is more laudable thaÌ„ kynge Dauid He was a kyng he was a ê“phet he was a maÌ„ to goddes mynde of his linage Christe was ê“mised But into howe foule in to howe many folde a synne dyd so great a maÌ„ fall He hereth of Nathan the rebuke and cruell thretnynges of our lorde But Dauid with two wordes turneth all this anger of god in to mercy He sayd I haue offended agaynst my lorde And forthe with Nathan sayde Our lorde also hathe transported thy syn thou shalt nat dye The thretninges be of a length that he may correct but howe swyft is the voyce of mercy Thou shalt nat dye Like wise by Esaie Ezechias heâ—eth Thou shalt dye shalt nat lyue Ezechias wept made great lamentacion The ê“phet the messanger of dethe was nat yet gone halfe the kynges court but the mercy of our lorde called him agayne sayeng Returne backe and say to Ezechias capitayne of my people This sayth our lorde the god of Dauid thy father I haue herde thy prayers haue seen thy wepyng and I haue healed the. The thyrde day after this thou shalt go in to the teÌ„ple of our lordeâ— The thyrde boke of kynges wytnesseth the same of Achab. There was nat suche an other as Achab whiche was solde to th enteÌ„t he might do mischife in the sight of our lorde And he hereth Thou hasâ— kylde more ouer hast possessed As whaÌ„ he had slayne Na both he occupied his vineyarde but aâ— last he was so afrayde with the cruel thretnynges that he reÌ„te his clothes ware a sherte of heare he faâ—sted slept in wollen wandred haÌ„gynge downe his heed Aâ—hab was froward he had oft despiseâ— our lorde rebukyng hym he had heaped syns vpoÌ„ syns and at last he was rather feared with drede of mischefes hangyng ouer hym than myndyng to repeÌ„t amende and yet our lorde of excedynge mercy speketh to Hely Hast nat seen how Achab hath huÌ„bled hym before me bycause he hath huÌ„bled him â—elfe for my sake I wyl bringe in no mischiefe in his days If that might of false repeÌ„taÌ„ce bâ— so great that it can wrest the reueÌ„gyng sword out of the haÌ„de of god what shal the mynde do truly changed in to a coÌ„trary affection and nowe nat for drede of punishemeÌ„t but for the loue of god abhorreth that he miswrought For that entent he suffred Peter whiche he had apointed chiefe of his churche opeÌ„ly to fall He wept only opteined mercy Whan he delyuered his shepe to hym to fede for whiche he suffred deth dyd he cast in his tethe yâ— offence of thrise forsakyng our lorde No forsothe for nowe al that was so washed away with teares that there remayned nat a steppe in our mercifull lordes remeÌ„brance Paule the ê‘secuter of our lordis churche was ouerthrowen was made the teacher of nacioÌ„s We haue great examples of them that synned and eke of them that repented we ought nat by example of any to be ê“uoked to synne lest we shulde teÌ„pte our lorde but if any shulde hap to be attrapped by synne he hath examples of repeÌ„taÌ„ce lest he shuld despeire But they do waywardly that wyll nat folowe hym in repeÌ„tyng whiche they folowed in synnynge Howe many princes be ther that smyle at theyr auoutres and maÌ„slaughters for the example of Dauid Al though in Dauid were so many excellent vertues that this offence myght haue ben forgyueÌ„ in recoÌ„peÌ„ce of them but wolde to god lyke as they folowe hym offendyng they wold so folowe hym eke repentyng He spred abrode his synne through al nacioÌ„s of the worlde and despised the delectacions of the court for purpul he weareth a sherte of heare and as bread he â—ateth ashes mingleth his drinke with wepyÌ„g euery night he wassheth his bed with teares and moysteth his couerled with weping And he was nat ashamed to say and synge this verse of penaÌ„ce to al synners Haue mercy vpoÌ„ me lorde after thy great mercy And after the multitude of thy mercies put awaye my wickednes He was iuge and gaue senteÌ„ce of deth agaynst hym selfe For greatly disdaynyng he saythe Our lorde lyueth for he is the childe of dethe that hath done this thynge He coude nat more euidently be condemned than by his owne worde God was iuge and yet as the ê‘sone were changed he coÌ„mitted the iugement to hym that was gylty The iuge was taken with a trip and he ouercame that coÌ„mitted to hym the iugemeÌ„t Dauid was happily ouercome god ouercame mercifully whaÌ„ he shewed the synner to hym selfe that had forgot hym selfe Before as a coÌ„querour and droÌ„ken with vnhappy prosperite he accomplished his pleasure with the womaÌ„ that he loued he delited in his moste swete childe but whan he was conuerted to our lorde than at laste he sawe where he was and what difference was bitwene a rightous maÌ„ an vnrightous like as an other prophecy teacheth WhaÌ„ a sinner with al his hart aknowlegeth his fylthynes coÌ„fesseth hym selfe worthy of punyshemeÌ„t thaÌ„ our lorde is iustified and ouercometh whan he is iuged that is whan he offreth the iugemeÌ„t to man as to be iuged him selfe But they that ordeyne theyr owne rightousnes make god in a maner vniuste a lier whiche wyl that his mercy shuld be knowen in euery maÌ„ and reioyceth to turne our vnrightousnes iÌ„ to his glory seyng where synne was plentiful there his fre liberalite abuÌ„deth The olde Adam dyd