tyme is here but shorte continue thy grace lord toward me who endurest past al tyme that is for euer and euer thy remembrauÌ„ce through al generatioÌ„s Tu autem domine in â— ternum permanes et memoriale tuum in generatione generationem Thou the art eternal must saue me that am but temporal But what is thy remeÌ„brauÌ„ce through al generations It is nothinge els but thy natural propertie to be merciful which thou hast euer put in execution in all tymes from one generatioÌ„ to another Thou art more ernest in the remembrauÌ„ce therof then is the natural louyng mother of her owne natural chylde borne of her body as recordeth thy prophet Esay Esay xlix Tu exurgens domine miseteberis Sion Aryse therfore merciful God and haue mercy vpon Sion that is thy church or faythful congregation for it is tyme to haue mercy vpon her yea the tyme is come Quia tempus miseren di eius quoniam venit tempus she hath long suffered payne and persecution Nowe geue her ioye and consolatioÌ„ But what is this tyme was there euer anye tyme in whych thou diddest not shewe mercy to thy seruauntes no truely For from the fall of angelles vnto the ende of the world thy mercy hath euer bene and shal be abundaunt to al mankind But chiefly it was shewed when thy holy sonne was sent into this world to suffre death and thereby to enter the glory of his father Wherby the gates of heauen wer opened which before were fast shut that no man myght entre This tyme was the begynnynge of grace and called the tyme of grace and was certenly appoynted when the fulnes of tyme was come Galothas â–ª iiii which was before sene by the inscrutable wisdome of thi deitie wherby thou dost al thynges in most perfect ordre This tyme of grace we trust shal coÌ„tinue euer to those that are penitent for the time of penitence requireth a tyme of mercy Wherfore we pray without seasing vnto the to haue mercy on Sion the faithfull congregation Qâ—â—oniam placitos feceruÌ„t serui tui lapides cius which was made of liuely stones gathered together both of the Iewes and also of the Gentiles The faythful christians were derelye beloued of thy seruauntes the Apostles Who buylded them vpon a sure rocke Thy soÌ„ne Iesus Chryst was the foundatioÌ„ Thei buylded not vpon maÌ„ nether yet vpon angel These faire stones were hewed square and set by their preaching and were alowed and acceptable not onely to them but also to the Lorde For thy Prophete zachary witnesseth of the that thou wylte haue the stones of thy Sanctuary set vp in thy lande and wylt deliuer theÌ„ in the stormy day of thy iudgement zachari ix as the flocke of thy people whych shal be prosperous and goodlye But the earth or the dust of SioÌ„ that is the wicked worldly sort of people that haue receiued the name of thy sonne onely Et puluerem eius nuscrabilâ—m yet in liuyng are the chyldreÌ„ of Pharao that is of the Deuyl to whom they haue builded a temple such shall by the preachyng of thy seruauntes not be amended but shall remayne more wicked and myserable they sauour onely of the erth wherof thy come as dust shal be blowne away from the face of the and thy blessed sonne at the general iudgement But as the Heathen Lord and all the rulers of the earth shall tremble for feare of thy name and the iustice of thy maiestie in iudgemeÌ„t EttimebuÌ„t gentes nomen tuum domine et omnes rages terre gloriam tuam i Corh iii. so shal Sion thy faythful church or congregation buyilded by thy seruauntes in the name of the and thy sonne Chryst be glad ioyful for to them thou shalt appere in thy glory Thi noble sonne shal then shewe him selfe Quia edificauit dominus Sion et videbitur in gloria sua Esai .xxxiii. Esaie liii to them as a king of power to their great reioysing He came fyrst into this world poore and dispised hauyng no beautie in hym Then shal he appere glorious and triumphing Wherfor most louing father Resperit in orationem humilium et non spreuit precem eorum tourne the vnto the praier of vs that are pore and destitute of any helpe but only through thy mercy dispise not I beseche the our humble desyre Beholde our peticions with thy merciful eyes Gen. iiii wherwyth thou beheldest the oblasion of Abell and diddest receiue it thankfully and where with thou beheldest the prayer of the Israelites beyng in bytter bondage in Egypte and diddest deliuer them Also with whiche thou sawest the prayer of Iudith to the destruction of Holofernes and to the sauegarde of thy people Iudi vi With those same mercifull eyes vouchsafe to loke vpon vs and our praiers wherby the noble fame and prayse of thi mercies shal be written for those that come after Seribatur hoc in generatione altera et populus qui câ—cabitur laudabit dominum that the people which shal be borne in fayth by Baptisme penaunce may prayse the Lord and thy holy name sence more honour it is to the to saue those that are in bondage of synnne and in death through thy mercye takyng theyr hertie penytence in satisfaction of theyr offences then vtterly to leaue theim destitute of thy grace and straghtly to condemne theÌ„ This mercy is annexed to thy deuyne nature it is also thi wonted custome Quia resperit de ercelso sanctuario suo dominus de eclo terram contemplatus est Vt audiret gemitus compeditorum et solue ret filios mortis Hebreos .ii. for when al mankind was lost and deade in synne Then diddest thou sittyng in thy celestiall throne looke doune to the earth vpon our miserable estate theÌ„ diddest thou heare the mournyng of such as were in captiuitie thraldome of the Deuyl sendest doune thine only begotten sonne that by his death he might deliuer froÌ„ death such as worthely were the childreÌ„ of death i. Corhin xv He therby put doune him that had the lordshyp ouer death that is the Deuyl For death was coÌ„sumed into victory His venemous styng which was sinne was plucked awaye All this diddest thou Lord to geue occasion to al meÌ„ to haue remembraunce of the Vt narretur in Sion nomen domini et laudatio eius in Hierusalem thy great goodnes and to declare the glory of thy name in Sion and to set furth thy praise in IerusaleÌ„ That is in thy church wheÌ„ the people are gathered to gether in the vnitie of one faith the kingdomes also to serue the Lord Cum congregati fuerint populi et regna vt seruiant domino with one accord that arte one in substaunce .iii. in persons geuing thankes to the and thy blessed sonne for the benefite of our redemptioÌ„ Thou hast oftimes called the fyrst earthly IerusaleÌ„ and her chyldren
to receyue according to theyr deades but after diuers fashions i. Corinth vi The rightuous to be as iudges to the other the sinners to bee iudged the electe to the perfection of their glorye i. Tessalo iiii the soules beynge then vnit to their bodies The vngodly to theyr greter pain both of soules and bodyes At which greate and dreadful daye the sinners shal be seuered from the iust and shal be set the one on the ryght hande Mathew xxv the other on the left hand of thi victorious soÌ„ne as the shepherd doth disseuer his shepe from his goates And by good reason for as there is no match betwene lyght and darkenes ii Corinth vi no more is ther any equal match in company betwene the righteous and the vngodly QuoniaÌ„ nouit dominê° viam iustorum et iteâ— impiorum peribit The way of the iust is knowne to the Lorde and wel alowed of the. Wherfore to Moyses thou saidest I know the by name Exodus .xxx. Ieremy .i. Euen so diddest thou knowe Hieremy thy Prophet before he was begotten or borne And all by thy Godly approbation In lyke maner dost thou knowe the dayes of the godly and elect Psalmo xxxvii And ther inheritance shal endure for euer The other that is the vngodly thou knowest not Math. xxv nomore then thou knewest the fyue folyshe Virgyns which wer vnprouided of oyle in their lampes against the commyng of the brydgrome Thou knowest them not to their comforte or election but to theyr reprobatioÌ„ Wherfore they were shut furth of the gates of glory and departed with the workers of iniquitie whose waye is the way of death and damnation From this paynful way saue vs good Lorde and make vs to be as the fruitful trees planted by the water syde for thy blessed sonnes sake who to saue vs suffered bitter passion and deathe To whom be laude and prayse for euer Amen ¶ The Prophet Dauyd in the person of the faythful congregation which are penitent for their offences made this Psalme Psalme .vi. Domine ne in futore And declaryng his infirmitie and contricion desireth remission of his sinnes Apoca. â—i O God almyghtie Lord of heaueÌ„ and earth from whoÌ„ nothyng can be hyd or kept secret Lorde that searchest the hertes and raynes that is the thoughtes delectations of al men WheÌ„ I remeÌ„ber thi iustice in iudgement I tremble and quake for feare coÌ„sidering the burdeÌ„ weyghte and filthines of synne to be so great that for one proud thought a great noÌ„ber of Aungels fell from heauen to perpetuall payne Geâ—os â—â— For breakyng thy commauÌ„demeÌ„t Adam and his wyfe were expelled out of Paradise and purchased death to al their posterite Rome â—i xvâ— The yerth also was not able to beare the burtheÌ„ of Corah Dathan and Abyram but for theyr rebellion against the and thy seruauÌ„t Moyses and Aaron It opened and swalowed theÌ„ vp quycke wyth theyr adherentes For the synne of Dauid and for that he of a pride noÌ„bred or mustred his people puttyng trust in the multitude of them rather then in the that art the liuing God ii Reg. xâ—iiii there died of the pestileÌ„ce in Israel .lxx. thousand people within .iii. dayes This coÌ„sidered what creature liuyng can but tremble and feare Seyng that our sinnes now daily are no lesse in numbre and in haynowsnes then were theyrs but rather mooe greater And remedy haue we none but to flye from thy wrath into the bosome of thy most dearely beloued soÌ„ne Iesus Christ making him a bulworke and a shilde of defence betwene thyne anger and our offences Most humbly besechyng the for his sake and for the bitter paynes that he suffred for our redemption to be merciful vnto vs And not to rebuke vs in thine anger Domine ne in furorâ— tuo arguas me neque in ira tua corripias me nor to chasten vs in thyne heauy displeasure Let not thy sentence of euerlastyng damnation take place whyche thou gauest agaynst Adam and all his posteritie for his disobedience Thou art meke gentyl and longe sufferyng of thy selfe It is our greuous offences heaped together one vpon another that prouoke the to angre Not that thou art angry or furyous thy selfe but we felyng thy dreadful iudgemeÌ„t vpoÌ„ vs geueÌ„ to paine euerlasting or thy heauy haÌ„d in punishyng vs here in this worlde iudge the to be angry in the pronunciation of that sore seÌ„tence and in the execution of the same we speke and iudge of the after the sorte as wee that are worldely do speake and iudge one of vs by an other And with such wordes as we declare oure owne passions and affectioÌ„s we also declare the contentes of oure hertes vnto the Lorde desiryng the not to punysh vs in the rygour of thy iustice but after the swetenes of thy mercye to haue pitie vpon vs. Apoca. vi Elles shal we in that terrible day desire mountaynes and rockes to fal vpon vs to hyde vs from the face of hym that sitteth in the throne of iudgement froÌ„ the wrath of the lambe Whose wrath we are well assured wil not be then aswaged by any peticion of frindes â—ophony i. Nether shall syluer or golde be able to deliuer vs in that wrothful daye Wherefore we acknowledgyng our offences humbly desire the merciful father to haue compassioÌ„ vpon vs and to consider the weakenes and imbesilitie of our nature Aâ—â—set ete mei domine quontem infirmus suÌ„ which nature is wounded in al her powers with the dartes of concupicence Where through we are prone and redy to all vice feble to resist tentation and vnable of our selfes to aryse â—â—tio â—ue domine quoniam conturbata sunt omnia ossa mea beyng once drowned in the filthy myre of synne It is thou Lord thy blessed sonne that must heale our infirmities for al our bones are vered The strength that we haue is not able to withstande the temptations of our stiffe and sturdy enemye â—aâ—â—w xliii Thy soÌ„ne Chryst must reach vs his hande as he dyd to Peter walkynge on the water when he was in perel of drownyng TheÌ„ shall we haue strength to aryse hys Passion is our medicine and health Thy grace and his ar all the remedies in our infirmities Et anima mea turbaâ—a est valde Our soules that is our reason and our conscience are troubled through the multitude of our synnes which trouble surely is not small For we fynde an other lawe in oure meÌ„bres stryuinge wyth the law of oure mynd Roma vii subduynge vs vnto the lawe of sinne which is in our meÌ„bres We are al carnal sold vnder sinne So that what we should would do that we do not but what we sholde not and woulde not that we do And why Truely for the in vs that is in oure fleshe dwelleth no goodnes The crabbe tree can bring forth
are also so many in nomber the cause wherof doeth farre passe oure capacities and are knowne onely of the depe secret knowledge of thyne incoÌ„preheÌ„sible wisdoÌ„ Wherfore with thyne apostle Paule we saye Oh Roma xi the deepnes of the abuÌ„daunte wysdom and knowledge of god how vnsercheable are his iudgementes and his wayes past fyndynge out for who hath knoweÌ„ the mynde of the Lord or who was his conseloure or who hath gyueÌ„ him first that he myght be recoÌ„pensyd agayne for of hym and throughe hym and for hym are all thynges to hym be glory for euer Amen ¶ The Prophet beyng very sory for hys offences praieth for grace and to be deliuered from his enemyes Wherin he putteth hymselfe as an example for al true penitentes to folowe O Mercifull Lorde that arte the sure sauegarde and defence of all the earnestly trust in the The .xiii. Psalme and desyrest not the death of synners but theyr coÌ„uersyon and amendement of lyfe I acknowlege vnto thyne hyghnesse all myne offences by me commytted whych yf I woulde hyde from the Lorde I coulde not I consydre also the miserable estate wher vnto through synne I am broughte for there by I haue worthely lost thy fauoure am fallen froÌ„ thy grace whych whyle thou wythdrawest froÌ„ me I can do no good thynge nor thynke one good thoughte My synne causethe the to put me out of thy remeÌ„braunce to forget me delayinge to gyue me that which is my strength my comfort But howe loÌ„ge wilt thou forget me lord for euer How loÌ„ge wilt thou hyde thy face from me Vsâ—â— quo domine obliuiâ—â—etis nâ—â— in fineÌ„ Vsque quo auctâ—is sâ—tieÌ„ tuam a â—e How loÌ„ge wilt thou withdraw thy grace from me Thou knowest my herty coÌ„tricioÌ„ sorow for that I haue vnkyndly forsakeÌ„ thy seruice serued thyne enemy the deuyl synne But trusting assuredly in thy promis made to all meÌ„ by the mouthe of thy prophet Ezechiel Ezechiel .xviii. That is if the synner wyl turne a way froÌ„ all his sinnes that he hath coÌ„mitted kepe al thy coÌ„maundementes doubtles he shal lyue not dye As for all his synnes that he dyd before thou wylt not thynke vppon theÌ„ I moste huÌ„bly besech the that as my synnes were the cause why thou dyddest put me out of thy remeÌ„braunce euen so let my hertye penitence for them cause the to put my synnes oute of thy remembrauÌ„ce Suffer me not longe to remaine in this perplexitye of mynde Quam diu ponam consilia in anima mea dolorem in corde meo perdiam and to take sorowe inwardlye in myne herte from day to day coÌ„tinually fearing the punishmente dewe to my synne and lokynge styll for thy commynge into my soule by grace to delyuer me Hope hathe caused me longe to loke for the that arte my lyfe and my healthe Thy longe delay in commynge hathe moche encreased my desyre My feruent desyre at lengthe is now turned to a vehement payne Wherfore make haste Lorde I beseche the to helpe my syke soule Psalmo .xi. and tary not Let not myne enemy the deuyll longe tryumphe ouer me Vsqueauo craltabitur inimicus meus superme whose propertie is to treade vnder hys fete lyke a cruell prynce all those that he vanquyssheth And that treadynge is daungerous and terryble Ihon .xviii. For he treadeth them downe to the pytte of hell and to eternall deathe He dyd longe holde in captiuitye all mankynde vntyll the commynge and passion of Christe for oure redemption And sence through his crafty traynes hath broughte to vtter confusion many of those that professe thy sonnes religion Respice et eraudi me domine deus meus Illumina oculos meos ne vnquam obdormianâ— in morte Wherfore beholde Lord coÌ„syder my miserable estate heare mine huÌ„ble peticioÌ„ touchiÌ„g my delyuerauÌ„ce froÌ„ out of his dauÌ„ger Lyghten the eye of myne herte and vnderstandinge with the light of thy grace coÌ„fort therby expellinge the darknes of ignoraunce Lyghten also one other eye of my soule whych is the eye of the affection The syghte of thys eye is so dyme that it hath no perfyte and trewe iudgement Yea it is so blynded wyth the vanityes of thys worlde that one thynge in apparaunce semeth to be .xx thynges lyke the syght of disceitful eyes of glas Yea sum time the coÌ„cupisceÌ„ce therof is so great that the eye is cleane put out and the syght lost Mankynde entreth into such leage of amitie with the deuyl that he is coÌ„tented to haue one of hys eyes put out to haue his fauoure as the inhabitauÌ„tes of Iabes were agreed to haue ther ryght eyes putte oute i. Regum .xi. accordyng to the desyre of Nahas kynge of the Ammonites had not kynge Saul and the prophete Samuel saued theÌ„ ther from and ouercome the sayd Nahas his hoost Euen so most merciful God I beseche the saue my said eye of affeccyon that it be not put out by our enemy the deuyll that it slepe not in synne whyche is the cause of eternall death Man maye fall by frayltye aryse agayne Yea the custom of synne makyth a man ready often to fall But to lye styl slepyng slumbring in synne as doth the swyne in the foule myre engendreth obstynacie in ameÌ„dement delay of peniteÌ„ce tyll the later houre at which houre who caÌ„ be sure to haue thy grace at his pleasure That is onely at thy wyll Lord not at oure commaundemeÌ„t Wherfore I most lowly pray that to sende me the lyghte of thy grace whyle I haue here tyme space of repentaunce That at my latter ende myne enemies saye not reioysyng and boastynge that they had the vpperhande ouer me â—equaÌ„do dicat inimicus meus preualui aduersus eum As the Phylistians the fygure of the wycked spyrites after the deathe of kynge Saull in the mounte of Gelboe i. Reg. xxxi cut of the head of Saull sent it with hys harneis through there countrye for a shewe they bare it also into the teÌ„ple of their goddes of a pryde and ioy that they had of hys deathe in suche fasshyon wyl those cruell enemyes that trouble me Qui tribulant me erul tabunt simotus fuero reioyse yf I be caste downe or yf I do ones swarue froÌ„ the and thy fayth and so dye wythout repentaunce They assault mankinde by pleasauÌ„te suggestion to synne they wrestle wyth vs causynge delectation there in They stryke vs wounde vs wheÌ„ we consente therto They foyle vs bring vs on oure knees wheÌ„ we do the acte of synne And by the custom therof they geue vs a great fal with such violence that we haue moche to do to aryse agayne But yf we happen to dye therin impenitent theÌ„ haue they the victory ouer vs. TheÌ„ reioyse they therat as the conquerour doeth of his conquest Then wyll they cast vs into a pitte Treno .iii. lay a
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
the assisteÌ„ce of hys grace Nam et si ambulaueto in medio vmbremortis non timebo mala although we shoulde walke in the valey of the shadow of death yet we fear none euel for thou arte with vs. This lyfe is a shadowe of deathe after whych we trust by faith to dwell with the. Synne also is a shadow of death Esay .ix. and so darke a shadow that mankynde coulde not se to get oute therof tyl thy louynge soÌ„ne cam into this world geuynge hym lyght to see the way to heaueÌ„ And as synne is the shadow of death so do al synners as membres of the deuill walke in the same shadowe which cause temptacions and rayse persequutions to assault thyne electe Quoniam tu mecsi â—â— But al their coÌ„berous coÌ„pany we nothynge feare because thou arte wyth vs. If we walke in the water thou arte wyth vs that the strengthe of the floudes dryue vs nat awaye If we walke in the fyre the flame shal not burne vs. And why Because thou oure god arte wyth vs and thy sonne hath also promised to be wyth vs vnto the ende of the worlde Esay xliii Mathei vltimo Virga tua et bacuius tuus ipsa me consolata sunt His rodde of discipline and correction doeth chastise vs when we swarue at any tyme out of the ryght waye And ther in we iudge that he doeth loue vs for whoÌ„ so euer thou and he do loue Hebr. xii them do ye chasten and ye stourge euery sone that you receyue Christes stronge shepherdes staffe doeth stay vs when we ar weake as a sycke man is hoden vp by his walkyng staffe That is to say the gyftes of thy holy spyrite are oure strength our coÌ„forte in all infirmities tribulations and other encombraunces Thy rodde doeth directe vs to knowe what we shoulde dooe Thy staffe is oure streÌ„gth to stand fast therby agaynst al inuasions of oure enemies And to haue vs more sure cute of the dauÌ„ger of those that trouble vs thy sayd louinge sonne hath prepared set before our eyes the table of holy scriptures Parasti in conspectu meo meÌ„sam aduersus eos quitâ—â—bulant me wherin we maye trauayll and lerne to dryue awaye from vs all kyndes of temptacions Mathe. iiii as he hym selfe droue awaye the deuyll that tempted hym in desert by the allegations of holy scripture Impinguasti in olco caput meum Psalme .xliiii. And throughe these scriptures our heades are annoynted with oyle that is oure myndes are made ioyfull wyth spirituall gladnes Wyth thys oyle was thy sonne Christ annointed most priÌ„cipally aboue al other For in him as in the head rested that ioyful oyle from whense it ranne downe to the other membres Psalme â—xxâ—ii that is to all other faythfull people as the oyle that fel on the bearde of Aaron dropped froÌ„ thence to the skyrtes of hys garmeÌ„tes Ihon. i. i. Collos i. In Christ is the fulnes of grace from whoÌ„ distilleth all the grace Caliâ— meus mebrians quaÌ„ preâ—latus est goodnes coÌ„forte that we haue Through holy scripture also oure cup is fylled full to the brimme of pure liquor it causeth vs for ioy of heaueÌ„ly contemplacion to forget al the troubles miseries of this worlde The dregges of earthly pleasures and carnall affectioÌ„s remayne not in this cup. For as thy mercy hath gone before vs plentifully geuinge vs aboundauÌ„ce of thy great grace so we trust and doubte not but it wyll folow vs all the days of oure liues kepinge vs Et misericordia tua subsequetur me omnibus diebus vite mee that we fal not from fayth and from the good purposes and good mynde where in we are Thou lorde muste buylde oure house or els we laboure in vayne Psalme .cxxvii. yf we thynke we can buylde it Thou muste founde it vppon fayth and that is thy gyft Thou must also sende thy grace afterwarde to establysh oure worke or els it wyll fayll and fall and when it is ones erected thou must also kepe it by the continuall influence of thy sayd grace or els oure kepinge were but a yelding vp ther of to our enemies Thou must be our beginning Et vt inhabitem in domo domini in longitudinem dierum and also our endynge And then shall we be sure to dwell in the house of the lorde for euer that is in the heauenly citye of Hierusalem For we knowe surely that yf oure earthly mansion where in we nowe dwel were dissolued ii Cothin v. we haue a buildinge ordeyned of God and habitacion not made wyth mannes hande but eternall in heauen where is perpetuall ioye and beatitude wythout ende ¶ Dauyd in the person of euerye penitent Christian confesseth his offences The .xxxii. Psalme attributyng to God his coÌ„uersion but nothing to hys workes or deseruinges AMonge all the beautyfull sloures of vertue that growe in the gardyne of maÌ„nes soule one of the most pleasaunt most necessary and most acceptable is humilitie Whose power was so great that it drewe the sonne of God the seconde person in diuinitie from heauen into the wombe of the meeke virgyn Mary whom of all other he chose to be his mother specially for hyr humility Wherwith she amoÌ„ge many other vertues was syngulerly endewed In thys humblenesse of estate Chryst our sauyoure beynge lord of al the worlde walked al the dayes of hys lyfe there in ended humblynge him selfe vnto the vyle death of the crosse The wyse humilitye of Abygayll pacifyed the furye of Dauid i. Reg xxv when he was mynded to kyll all the men of the house of hyr husbande Naball The humble submission of wycked Achab asswaged the wrath of god ii Reg. xxi and kepte the plage of vengeaunce from his house al the dayes of his life The great goodnes of thys vertue is made manifest by openyng the hainousnes of the vice coÌ„trary therto whych is pryde for through it the bryghte aungelles fell from heauen Pryde of the myndes of Adam and Eue to be as godes knowynge boeth good and euell Genes â— caused them to breake the commaundementes of God and therfore were cast out of paradise Pryde caused the wycked people after the floude to take in hande the buyldynge of the tower of Babel Genes xi whose top should reatche vnto heaueÌ„ to get them therby a perpetuall name Pryde made A man to inuente a waye to destroy the people of God Hâ—ster .vi. which at leÌ„ght turned to his owne destructioÌ„ iiii Reg. xix For the proud blasphemous wordes of Sennacherib kynge of Assiria agaynst God the aungell of the Lorde slew in one nyght .clxxxv. thousand of his hoste he shortly after in hys owne countrey was slayne by two of his owne sonnes Pryde caused Nabuchodonosor to be cast by god Daniel .iiii. from his kingdom and to feade lyke an oxe wyth grasse in the feldes the space of seuen
But thou Lorde canst not be so disceyued nor blinded Thou wilt say as Isaac sayde The handes be the handes of Esau but the voyce is the voyce of Iacob that is in apparaunce thou arte a penitente but in deade thou arte an hipocryte Some other blame the deuyll as the causer of there synne many their desteny some other say theyr complexions be such that they can not forbere to coÌ„mitte certeyne synnes But I Lord leauing all such vayne excuses do saye with thy prophete Dauid It is I Lorde ii Reg. xxiiii whiche haue offended It is I that haue wrought thys iniquitie It is I Lorde not thou nor yet the deuyll nor destenye for they maye onely entyse me but they can not enforce and compelle me Psalmo .xl. Wherfore I pray the heale cure my sycke soule for I haue offeÌ„ded the. And I doubte not but thou hast forgeuen me the wyckednes of my synne I wyll in my confession geue example to other to folowe me Pro hac orabit ad te omnis setuÌ„s in temporâ— oportuno VeruÌ„ tamen in diluuio aquarum multaruÌ„ ad euÌ„ non approximabuÌ„t Roma vii for it is necessary for euery saynte or iust man to praye daylye for the remission of hys synnes in dew season as I do Whych beynge ones obtayned the great water floudes shall not come nere him Al we are holden vnder the lawe of synne may say wyth Paule O wretch that I am who shall delyuer me from the body of synne death It is thou lorde that muste do it and wylt do it yf we call to the in dewe season whych is whyle we are in thys lyfe This is the acceptable tyme ii Cori. vi in whych thou wilt hear vs and the day of health in whych thou wylt helpe vs. In thys daye we may worke Ihon. xi but when the night cometh theÌ„ may no maÌ„ more worke after death is no time of prayinge it is then to late for thou wylt not theÌ„ here oure prayers Seke the Lord sayeth the prophet Esaye whyle he maye be founde Esaye .lv. and call vppon hym whyle he is nere you Thou arte nere Lord to all that in this lyfe call vpon the faythfully thou kepest theÌ„ from the rage of water floudes Psalm .cxlv. that they come not nere them Beyng in this worlde we are in the midle of waters of teÌ„ptacions and vices in the company of the proud and wycked people in many tribulations We see the vanities of this worlde that are able to moue men whych are worldly we suffer persequutions whiche are able to brynge some to desperacion but thy grace kepeth vs that they come not nye vs. We behold the dartes comynge vpon vs and are not wounded We are in the water and are not drowned Theyr entisemeÌ„tes we esteame not al through thy might power Tu eo refugium mesi a pressura que circuÌ„dedit me Psalm .xiii. who arte and shal be my refuge and defence in the trouble that is to come aboute me Thy sonne Christe is the stronge rocke in which all byrdes that buylde do rest out of all ieoperdy Mathei xi To this al sinners may flye for succour and confort beynge werye there haue they refreshynge beynge loden they maye laye vppon hym al theyr burdeÌ„s of sinne and be eased This rocke the deuyll can not vnder myne nor skale no water of tribulation can drownde those that dwell on thys rocke no wynde of temptacion can ouerthrowe them The deuyll and hys wycked flocke may well assaulte them but he shall neuer haue power to hurte them Pharao kynge of Egypte with a great host purshued the chyldren of Israell that wente oute of Egypt Exod. xiiii but he coulde not hurt theÌ„ Thou lord wast theyr defence and destroyedest al theyr aduersaries Eâ—ultatio mea crue me a circuÌ„daÌ„tibus me EueÌ„ so arte thou oure defence our hoope our coÌ„fort Thou wylt compasse vs aboute wyth ioyfull deliueraunce Iob .xix. The house or tabernacle of oure body is enuironed with enemyes but thy prouidence wyll defende vs deliuer vs out of al daungers Intellectum tibi dabo et instruaÌ„ te in via hac qua gradieris Thou wylt enforme vs shew vs the way wher as we shall go This lyfe is a pilgrimage and a iorney for vs to trauayle in The ende of this way arte thou lorde Thou arte the marke that we shoulde shotte at To this ende we ought to haue al our respecte and tyll we come to the ende of oure iorney whiche arte thou we must neuer reste but styll go forward merily lustely in hope to haue ioy rest wheÌ„ we come to our iorneyes ende To be able to performe our viage thou geuest vs instructions fyrst to know the countrey wherin we do trauail the maner therof with the dauÌ„gers that we must passe in the iorney that therin we caÌ„ not loÌ„ge haue our abiding although it were neuer so moch to our coÌ„teÌ„tacion but must neades procede forth to an other region TheÌ„ geuest thou vs knowledge instructioÌ„ by fayth that if we passe well through this worlde we shal haue ioy euerlastiÌ„g in an other world Wherunto all wyse and good people wyl couet and so ronne theyr course here Hebre. xâ—â—â— that they may haue one of the games for their ruÌ„ning which is thou croune of rightuousnes imortalitie The loue of this rewarde should gyue al meÌ„ courage to endure payne trauayle in theyr course At the lest let the thyrde instruction serue them â–ª that is the paynes appoynted for them that are slowe in there course and lye downe in the midle of theyr waye other by disperacion sayinge thys instructioÌ„ is to harde for vs to learne or elles louynge ease and pleasure wyll chuse to reste here welthyly for a season though they suffer intollerable paynes therfore in an other worlde contrary to the example geuen vs by thy blessed sonne Christ whose iourney here was all paynfull and at no tyme pleasaunt and the same way toke his apostle Paule sayinge that by many tribulatioÌ„s we must entre the kingdom of heauen Actu xiiii These rules or instructions of oure iourney are very good trew and perfect but oure infirmitie is suche that we can not haue theÌ„ styl in oure remembraunce The hande is sette at a crosse where diuersitie of wayes lye to dyuers townes to shew whyche is the redy way to the most vsed towne of most estimation or resort but yf the man peregryne beyng in a talke with his felowe or hauynge hys mynde earnestli set on other thinges do passe by see not his rule and his directour whych is the hande he anon erreth and goeth out of his right way And why because the eye of hys mynde or hert is fyxed on other thynges not on hys wayes ende But thou Lord wyllynge to kepe vs in the right way
he that is most iust had neade to haue his feete that is his fleshly concupisceÌ„ce washed therwyth â—ohn xiiâ— In figure wherof to teach them also humilitie thy sonne Christ washed the feet of his apostles And likewise he must do with vs to the inteÌ„t the nettes trappes that the deuyll hath set in our heeles that is in the fleshe through concupiscence myght be ouerthrowen broken and we not entangled wyth them at the latter daye â—ui contiâ—unt in virâ—te â—â—a etâ—â— muâ—â—ituâ—ine diuinarum suatuÌ„ storiantur Iâ—cob .i. whych daye shal be terrible to those that put there truste in theyr goodes and boast them selfe in the multitude of theyr ryches They are resembled to the freshe floure that kepeth his pleasaunt coloure and sauoure for a short space but the heat of the sunne maketh it to wither his beauty to perysh and the floure to fall away EueÌ„ so is it of all such as put theyr confidence in their riches They shall peryshe together wyth there great aboundaunce Their goodes may serue theÌ„ here for theyr profite but then can they serue theÌ„ to no purpose No man can with money Frater non redâ—â—it redimet homo non dabit deo placationeÌ„ suaÌ„ et precium redemptionis anime sue saue his brother from deathe or from dampnacion no not the moste holy iust man that lyueth nor make a grement wyth God offeringe great gyftes for the redemptioÌ„ of hys soule for neyther death nor hell wyll be intreated for any golde The wrathe of God wyll not be asswaged that day wyth gyftes Sopho. i Whether can the soule of man be valued with money The price of it is very great only the death of thy sonne was the redemption ther of Whych pryse if it wyll not serue the wicked for that they end in synne he wyl not paye for them by dyenge agayne for theyr redemptioÌ„ but shal leaue them to be tormented for euer Et laborabit ineternuÌ„ viuet adhuc in finem Theyr bodyes shall dye the corporal death but the soules shall lyue in coÌ„tynual fyre and payne wythout ende beynge at the generall day of iudgemeÌ„t vnited to the same bodyes and suffer euer after together Apo. ix They shal then desyre to dye shall not fynde death They shall haue theyr parte in the lake whych burneth wyth fyre brimstone which is the seconde death Ryght sore and terrible is this payne can with no tongue be expressed Mad therfore are al men Apoca. xxi and merueylously blynded that wyl more regard smal pleasure here then greate paynes there Or more esteame temporal ioyes for a season then the heauenly ioyes that are euer permanent But the worldly people are sore blynded in one thynge They se the wise man and the foole dye one kinde of temporall deathe Sapi. vii they perceyue that all men haue one entraunce into lyfe and one goyng out in like maner Wherfore they iudging al thinges carnally consyder not that foloweth that is after death the one to go to glory the other to paine none of them both shall carye they re ryches wyth them Eâ— relinqueÌ„t alienis diuitias suaâ— but leaue it here to straungers they know not to whom Yea all though they leaue them to theyr owne chyldren that be wycked as theyr fathers were they do leaue them to straungers for that they can nothynge helpe theyr fathers there wyth For the parable of the man that was robbed and wouÌ„ded in the way as he wente froÌ„ Hierusalem to Hierico Luke i declareth playnlye that none be oure neighboures or frendes but those that do vs good which after the death of the wycked person none can do to hym nother brother nor sonne frende nor kynsmaÌ„ Therfore all such mennes godes are left to straungers But the wyse men doo make frendes therwith while they are in this present lyfe Luke .xviii. as the wycked seruaunte dyd that they may haue frendes to receaue theÌ„ into euerlasting tabernacles when they are departed from hence Prouerb vi The littel Emmet hath learned to gather hir food in haruest that shall serue her in the wynter and men that haue reason are so assotted that they prouide not here for that shall serue them in winter that is in the last day of iudgemeÌ„t How fond are they that maye and yet wyll not so laye it vp here in the handes of Chryste the sure treasure house that is in the handes of the poore that they may be sure to fynde it agayne with great gayne when they are departed out of this worlde They shal lay vp in store i. Timo. vi temporall thinges and receaue againe eternal If they would be rich in good workes and ready to geue and distribute they should lay vp in store for them selues a good foundacion agaynst the tyme to come that they myghte obtayne euerlastyng lyfe But the folysh sort of people are more desyrous of honourable fame to remayne to their succession then to haue heauen after this lyfe Et sepulchra coâ—uÌ„ domus coruÌ„ in eternuÌ„ â–ª tabernacula coruÌ„ in progenie progenie vocauerunt nomina sua in terris .. They make theÌ„ costly pleasaunt and substantial tombes to be theyr houses as though they shoulde dwell in them for euer whyche are a memorial of them to their posteritie Yea their names and actes are engraued theron with solempne Epitaphes Some haue made cities and townes and called them by theyr names ii Reg. xviii to augment theyr glory as Absolom raised vp a pyllar to kepe hys name in remeÌ„braunce because he had no children and called it after hys owne name AbsoloÌ„s pyllare By these meanes they acquire to them a fame theyr soules burnynge continually in hell Hiete xvii Their names be written in the worlde as becommeth worldly people to haue but theyr names are cleane put forthe of the boke of lyfe Et homo in honore noÌ„ commorabitur assimilatus est iumentis ad equatus est eis How can these men be well esteamed of the wyse theyr honoure can not endure but they are compared to brute beastes and become lyke vnto them They were naturally made to the Image of god toutchyng the soule and the qualities ther of but now they haue made them selues by folowyng carnalitye to be lyke beastes Yea the very vilest and cruelist beastes that are As to swyn for fylthy lyinge in synne to asses for ther folly to beares for ther crueltie to fores for their craft and subtilty to horses for their inordinate desire of the pleasures of the fleshe O lorde how vnlyke is thys there facion to thy noble creation of man Hec est via insipientie câ—ruÌ„ â–ª et post eos iurta os coruÌ„ curreÌ„t semper How great folyshnes is thys waye of theyrs And yet theyr posteritie prayse it with theyr mouth and folowe the steppes Prouer xvii in which they sawe
Thou of thi mere beneuoleÌ„ce hast promysed a crowne of incorruptible glory â—eter v. â—o ii to those that loue the and serue the which thou canst not but perfourme because thou canst not be but true thou hast euer shewed mercy to manye that were sinners Wylt thou theÌ„ forsake and be found vntrue to those that are thy seruauntes Wherefore most myghtifull Lorde of hostes â—omine deus virtutuÌ„â—atus homo qui speâ—t tu te thy faythfull dout not but thou wilt euer assist them guyde theÌ„ and blesse theÌ„ that put their whole and sure trust in the who art the liuyng God and geuest aboundauntly to them all thynges necessary in thys present life and afterward fruition of thi Godhed in heauen eternally ¶ The prophet despising the vanities of this transitorie and short lyfe The lxxxx Psalme Domine refugium faâ—tus es nobis desyreth the mercifull fauoure of Christ Wherby all faythfull people maye be directed through the hight of his grace in al their actes O Most benyng Lorde and sauiour Iesu Chryst that arte the very naturall sonne of thy myghtie heaueÌ„ly father God of God and lyght of lyght God that art without begynnyng a Lord from euerlastynge before the mountaynes were brought furthe or euer the earthe and the worlde were made Domine refugium faâ—tus es nobis a generatione in generationeâ— Prius quam montes fierè aut formaretur terre orbis a seculo vsquâ— in seculum tu es deus Philip. ii whose kingdome likwise shal endure worlde without ende thou Lorde I saye that art equal with thy father in power and glory dydest not disdayne to become man amonge men to the intent thou wouldest by sufferynge paynfull passion be the refuge of mankynd from one generation to an other The yonge chickens when the kyte striketh at them haue none other refuge but to runne flickeryng vnder the winges of the Hen for socour No more hath mankynd anye other defence agaynst his rauenyng enemyes but onely the coueryng of thy grace Psalme .lxi. and shaddowe of thy sayde passion whiche is vnto him as a strong toure and a sure sheld of defence agaynst al inuasions Philip. iii. This grace merciful Lord we humbly besech the to send vs that by tourning thi fauourable countenance toward vs we may knowe our owne infirmities and leauing al pleasure in vyle temporal thinges we may turne to the that art our sauiour and redemer â—acha i. our God and our brother Make vs Lorde to knowe in what myserye what trouble and in howe manie kindes of displeasure we leade our liues here continually vnto the tyme that age or sicknes come vpon vs Deduces hominem vsque ad contricionem â—unc dices reuertimmi filii Adam at which tyme thou wylte call vs saiyng ye children of AdaÌ„ returne ye now againe into the earth from whence ye came This is the debte dewe vnto nature Iob .xiiii. Of earth we were made in the earth we trauayl of the earth we liue and into the earthe we must returne and that or euer it be long For the daies of man are but short He that lyuede the longest lyfe of all men in thys world was Mathusalem Who liued .ix. hundred lxv yeres But what is a M. yeares compared to eternitie Quia mille anni in oculis tuis tanquam dies hesterna que pertransiit For soth as yesterday that is past no tyme can be called great that shal once haue an end It is but short in comparison and ought to be regarded but as tyme that is past Et vigilia nocturna The lyfe of man may be likned to a nyght watch or to the .iiii. part of the nyght accordyng to the deuision of men of warre in the olde tyme. Who deuiding the nyght in .iiii. partes appointed to euery part .iii. houres Whyche houres being past the watchmen of that watch toke theyr rest and newe watchmen came in their places duryng other .iii. houres so passed thei furth the night by quarters So that froÌ„ one to an other the tyme passede awaye shortlye Thus fareth it by the lyfe of maÌ„ whose fyrst part passeth away in chyldhod the second in youth the iii. in manhod The .iiii. watch begynneth in age and vanisheth away lyke the smoke that passeth out of a chimnei Al these watches are in the night that is in death For assone as men begin to lyue they begyn to dye Assone as thy pleasure is Lord to skatter them Percutiente te eos vt somnium erunt they are euen as a slepe that passet away and is not felt Mane quasi herba per tranâ—iens mane floruit et abiit ad vesperum conteretur atque siccabitur They fade away sodenly like the grasse which in the morning is grene and groweth but in the euenyng it is cut doune and withered In youth we are pleasant and lusti and spryng vp grene as doth all corne But when heruest season commeth it rypeth Esay .xviii. withereth and is felled When age commeth the body of man drieth away the naturall moysture beyng coÌ„sumed and spent theÌ„ age and death ouerthrowe all sortes of people other to ioye or to payne euerlasting This remembred Who can take any couÌ„fort Who can be mery that remembreth the last ende Death is terrible neuertheles many haue dyed without ani great feare therof but after death is a more terrible ende to the vngodly whiche is euerlastynge dampnation Consumpti enim sumus in furore tuo et indignatione tua conturbati sumus Posuisti iniquitates nostras coram te negligentias nostras in lumine uultus tui Iob .xi. This is the sentence geuen by the heauenlye father for the punyshement of synne Wherfore the feare of thy displeasure and wrathfull indignation maketh vs to coÌ„sume away We passe away our tyme in continual feare knowing that thou settest our misdeds before the and our secret synnes which we thought should neuer be knowne are manyfest in the syght of thy countenaunce Thou dost well consider them with thine eye of indignation and punyshment to put away the memory of the wicked from this lyfe by death corporal and from the land of the liuing by death spiritual For when thou art angry al our daies are gone We bryng our yeres to ende assone as a tale is tolde Psalme .xxxiiii. Omnes dies nostri traÌ„â—eruni in furore tuo â—onâ—umpsimus annos â—ostros quasi sermoneÌ„â—quens whych delighteth for the whyle it is in tellyng but it is sone at ende and sone forgotteÌ„ of most of the hearers The spyder laboureth aloÌ„g season to spynne hym a copwebe he weueth hys thredes in good ordre all the day long with great busines â—nni nostri sicut ara â—ea meditabuÌ„tur and al to lytle purpose for a blast of wind or a thyng of smale weight defaceth all hys long worke Euen so fareth it by the busy worldly people Thei
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
synne The voyce of thy terrible sentence geuen to all mankynd for his transgression caused me to lament mourne and to grone for feare therof so that my bones wyll scarse cleaue to my flesh A voce gemitê° met uix ossibê° heret pellis mea Thy displesure defaceth al my strength and al my powre I haue no comfort nor ioy of any thing that I was wont to haue comfort of But lyke the Pellicane I draw me to solitary places Similis factus sum pellicano solitudinis bewayling the euyl which I haue done against thi highnes The Pellicane as some reporte kylleth her owne byrdes For which vnnatural act she mourneth .iii. daies after then with her beke plucketh away the flesh of her owne brest tyl it blede whych bloude she letteth droppe vpon her dead birdes With the heat wherof they reuiue agayn Thus do I lord wyth my birdes that is with the good workes whych by thy grace I haue brought furthe my synne afterward commytted hath caused theim to be dead and of no valure But yet by peniteÌ„ce and humble praier for thi grace which commeth of grace the sayed dead workes are quickened agayne receiue their pristine force Job iii This thinge to bring better to passe I learnyng of the Pellicane do a voyd the companye of worldlye people which should draw me backe from my good purpose I banysh also from myn hert or mynd all delightes all pleasures the troble also of worldly busines desyryng quietnes in body and mynde Our fyrst father Adam was a PellicaÌ„ toutching some part of that birdes properties For through his dissobedience he slewe all his birdes that is all vs that came of his progenie in whiche death we had still remained had not one other gentle louyng and natural Pellicane thy blessed sonne Iesus Chryst shed hys bloud for our viuication wherby he hath restored vs to thi fauour mercy through the sacrameÌ„te of baptisme through the hertie repentaunce and quickned vs agayne who were before dead in synne He sleyth and caÌ„ rayse agayne Deute xxxii He striketh and after healeth as he dyd Paul in his persecution Howe much therefore are we bound to his grace that without any of our deseruynges willingly offred hym self to the death for our redemptioÌ„ and to thi maiestie also Who diddest not spare thyne onelye begotten sonne but of thy pure pitie sendest him doune to suffre all opprobry and vile death on the crosse for our sakes Wherfor I am much ashamed to hold vp myne eyes to heauen towarde thy hyghnes beyng so vnkynd to the agayne so many wayes Shame causeth me to withdrawe me from al coÌ„pany as doth the nyght crow or the shricke oule Factus sum quasi â—ubo solitudinum to olde for letten houses sekyng my food out of al lyght and sight of men And if I could I would also hyde me from the as dyd Adam when he had trespased against the in paradise Genes .iii. I loued the workes of darkenes therfore I fled froÌ„ the lyght of the bryghte sonne of iustice For this cause do I sygh sorowe and bewayle my wretchednes So that I can take no slepe in the nyght Vigilaui factus sum sicut passet solitarius ie tecto Tota die exprobrabaÌ„t mihi intenici mei Et qui laudabant me aduersum me iurabaÌ„t I mourne as doth the sparrow that sitteth alone vnder the eues of the house wantyng her comforte And to augment my griefe myne enemyes reuile me al the day long with open rebukes and slanders Agayn my fayned fryndes laugh me to scorne and are sworne together against me Many geue me fayre wordes and yet intend my distruction As dyd the Pharises and the Herodians to thy blessed sonne Christ Mathew .xxiiii. when they sayed vnto him they knewe hym to be true and to teache the waye of God truly Wherfore thei wold know his mynd whether it were lauful to pay tribute vnto Ceasar Thei praised hym first but that was to trap hym in his answer by the liberal shewyng of his mynde Such false fained frendes are more dangerous and also more odible then open enemyes Esai iii. But both these sortes are a plage sente vnto me for mine iniquities I am neuer quiet but in coÌ„tinual feare Quia cinete tanquam palem maÌ„ducabam I eate ashes with my bread that is I consider that I was made of yearth and there vnto I shall returne In the bitternes of suche thoughtes I eate my breade and I myngle my drynke with the teares that fall from myne eyes and all because I perceiue the to be angry wyth me Et potum meum cum â—leru miscebam Knowyng that at the tyme of thy commyng to the dredful general iudgemente the storme of thyne indignation shall go furthe and shall fall doune vpoÌ„ the heades of the vngodly A facie ite indignacionis tue Iermie xxiii Quia eleuasti me et elisisti me Thou hast lyfted me vp of a great hyght in that thou madest me lyke vnto thyn image toutching my reasonable soule hast geuen me power by thi grace to inherit the euerlastyng ioyes of heauen bothe body and soule if I did liue here after thy commaundementes What greater gyft canst thou gyue me Lorde then to haue the fruition of the that art al in all thynges Howe canst thou lyfte me hygher then to eternall beatitude But then alas Sapien. ix thou hast letten me fall doune agayne For thou hast ioyned my noble soule with an earthli heauye and a frayle bodye the weight and burden wherof draweth doune my mynde and hert from the consideration of thi goodnes and from wel doyng vnto al kindes of vices and to the regardyng of temporall thynges accordyng to his nature The earthly mansion kepeth downe the vnderstandyng Iob .xxx. Thus settyng me vp as it were aboue the wynd thou hast geueÌ„ me a very great fal I am in creation aboue al other kind of earthly creatures and almost equal with angels But beyng in this estate thou hast knyt a knot there to that for breakyng the lest of thy commaundementes I shal suffre dampnatioÌ„ So that with out thi continual mercye and helpe I am in far worse case herein then any brute brast whose life or soule dieth with the body And what is the time of the abydyng of mankynde in this worlde Of truthe but shorte All though we haue not the grace earnestly to thinke theron My daies passe awaye lyke a shaddowe and I am withered like grasse GrauÌ„t me therfore Lorde Dies mei sicut vmbra declinauerunt et ego sicut fenum atui that in the shadowe of this lyfe I may haue grace to se light I meane to haue knowledge of the of thy wayes and of thy holy worde Psalm C.xviii Which geueth light vnderstandyng vnto babes For after this lyfe ther is no place nor tyme left of repentauÌ„ce and sence my
is within me prayse his holye name Enforce the with al thi strength to deuyse and to set furth hys noble praises Thou hast within the many goodly gyftes of nature and of grace which geue the occasion neuer to cease from geuyng thankes and speakyng of prayses Benedic anima mea dominum et noli oblinisci omnes retributiones eius Forget not these benificial gyftes which he hath geuē the. For of forgetfulnes commeth vntankfulnes whyche vnkyndnes maketh the not worthy to enioye that is frely geuen the. Consider my soule first the bare and miserable estate wherein thou wast broughte by synne Thou wast the enemy of God Qui propiciatur omnibus iniquitatibus tui◠the bondseruaunt of the deuyl and subiect to death euerlastyng From these hath thy mercifull brother Iesus Chryst beyng both God and man deliuered the satisfiyng for thy synne through his vile death and paynfull passion What more loue coulde he shew to the then to dye for the wherby he driueth away thyne offences as the wynde doth the cloudes and thy synnes as the mystes Esaye xliiii If thou set before thyne eyes the multitude and abhomination of thine owne sinnes then shalt thou also behold the benefites and the goodnes of thy redemer Euery synne hath death annexed as stipend Rmans vt wherfore so oft as thou offēdest remembre no lesse but that so oft he geueth the a newe life vpō thine hūble and hertie penaunce Gyue hym therefore the sacrifice of praises and glorifye him for therin he deliteth not for his profyte but for thyne not for that he is anye thynge thereby auaunced But that doing thi dutie by faith thou mayst be made partaker of ioye euerlastyng with hym Agayne after that he hath forgeuen the thy synnes yet remayne there in thy weke fleshe many perturbations manye redye inclinations to synne and no powre to do good Many perilles through violēt temptations and pleasaunt suggestions yea and many concupiscences which drawe toward eternal death But al these sores and infirmities the good Samaritane Christ expelleth through the preparaciō of his grace and geueth health by the vertue of his passion with the medicine of Baptisme and penaunce Et sanar omnes infirmitates tuas No soore is vncurable but when thou refusest to shewe thy gryfe and to receiue his salue Sometyme thy festred olde sore requireth sharpe incision or a bytyng corsyfe that is thyne accustomed synne wyl not be refrayned onles he violentlye scourge the wyth syckenesses losse of goodes losse of wyfe chyldren faythful seruauntes or by many other tribulations and persecutiōs Yet I say refuse not hys hand though it seme heauye to the at the fyrst for all is for thy health and welth Thynk that if he loued not the he would not chasten the but leaue the to syncke in thyne owne synne to thyne vtter losse both of bodye and soule But he hath saued thy lyfe from euerlasting destructiō Hui redimit de interitu vitam tuam Roman .iiii. He hath redemed the with his precious bloude He dyed for thy synnes and rose agayn for thy iustification Loue hym therefore my soule and magnifie him all the dayes of thy lyfe Put thyne hole affiance in him and feare no violence of enemies For although thei assault the yet can they not vanquyshe the. For he that throughe his greate mercy and louyng kyndnes hath geuen the powre by hym to vanquish thine enemyes Qui coronat te in misericordia et miserationibus wyl not fayle after thy fyght and victory to rewarde the with a crowne of ioye and immortalitie i Corhin xv When death thy last and fierse enemy shal be ouercome then shalte thou as a ruler or prince receiue thy sayde croune or garlande Thē shal al thy desires be satisfied with good thynges thou shalt be admitted to the ioyfull company of saintes in the heauenli Hierusalem Qui replet in bonis de sidetium tuum there to haue more ioye and comforte then thy herte can wishe When the glory of the Lorde shall appeare then shalt thou be fully satisfied to thyne assured contentation His countenaunce shall replenysh the with all ioye Wherfore my soule Psal xvii Psalm .xvi. while thou art in this present lyfe ioyned with the frayle and heuy carkas geue thankes louinglye to thy gentle redemer for his vnspeakable kyndnes His grace is redy at hande at thy call Fyght therfore mightely agaynst al synful concupiscences and vices Put of the olde man and leaue all the workes of darkenes Rom. xiii Ephesians .iiii. Put on the a newe man and arme the with the armour of light begin a new life Learne of the Eagle whose propertie is to restore hymself to youth and strength agayn after he hath liued a great age Renouabitur vt aquile iuuentus tua The meane of his recouerye is thys His ouer beeke through age is growne so longe that it letteth his fedyng So that what for age and for lacke of foode he is become leane and feble and almost vnable to flye Then of nature beyng also driuen thereto by necessitie he flyeth to the rocke of stone and theron knocketh his sayd long beke and wheteth it styll tyl it be broken made handsome to fede wyth Then falleth he earnestly to feding Wherbi in short space he recouereth hys strēgth hath poure to flye as high sa euer he did waxeth lusty and in apperaūce semeth yonge againe So thou my soule that art olde and withered in synne flye vp to Christ the strong and sure rocke Leaue al worldly pleasures and vanities yea leaue the trust of thyne owne selfe and thy powre cal for hys grace And therby on him stryke of thyne olde beke thyne owne cancred liuyng not doubtyng but he wyl make the able to lyue a newe spiritual lyfe renuynge thy mouthe whych was stopped for age i. Corhi iiii He wyl open it again making the able to eate the liuely food of Goddes worde yea through fayth thou shalte eate hym who sayde Iohn vi I am the liuely breade that discended from heauen Who shal so comfort the that thou shall not onelye in lyfe be endued with the grace of the holy gost to thy strength and comfort and power to resyst all thyne enemyes but also when thou shalt put from the the burthen of this miserable body which before was heauy and oppressed the thou shalte flye to that sure rocke Chryst by whose resurrection thou shalt obteine immortalitie bothe of soule and bodye in heauen euerlastyngly Sapien. ix Beholdyng continuallye the pleasaunte face of God to the fulnes of all thy ioye and contentacion of all thy desyres and to the intente thou shouldest stande fast in hope of that I haue sayde and not mystrust the mercyes of God that are ineffable call to thy remembraunce the auncient goodnes of the father of heauen Faciens misericordias donimus Whych is all one with the mercye of his sonne and
the holy gost Beholde howe mercifull and benificiall he hathe euer bene to those that beleued and trusted in hym As to Noe to Abraham Isaac and Iacob to Ioseph Moyses Iosue Gedeon Dauid Solomon Hezechias and to other innumerable in the olde tyme to whom was plentifullye shewed the experience of his mercy and goodnes And as he hath declared his pitie in helpyng his seruauntes Et iudicium omnibus iniuriam patientibus so hath he expressed his power in reuengyng them on theyr enemyes whyche oppressed theÌ„ As of Pharao kyng of Egypt Of Achab kynge of Israell Senacherib kynge of the Assirians Haman the Macedonian Herod and manye other it hath bene playnely shewed Wherefore thincke surely that the same mercifull God that was so benificiall to his fryndes in the olde tyme is nether wylbe lesse benificiall almaner of wayes to theym that beleue and haue a sure trust in hym beynge of hys Churche here militauÌ„t He shewed to Moyses his waies Notas fecit Moysi vias suas Filiis Israel voluntates suas his lawes his preceptes and to the children of Israel he she-his power and declared his wyll But by Christ his only sonne he manifested to vs his deuine plesure in the euangelical lawe And as great wonders hath he shewed to the declaration of his power confirmation of hys lawes and to the punishment of the enemies of his spouse the church Howe full of compassioÌ„ mercye is the Lorde to all those that are synners Howe great is his patience howe riche is his goodnes howe gratious is his sufferance so long to abyde the conuersion of sinners from theyr iniquities Roma ii Esaye xxx He suffereth and abydeth to the intent he myghte haue mercye on them If thei amend not he then gently scourgeth them to cal theim vnto hym Aunswere therefore when he calleth Roma ii Take no day for thy conuertyng least thou rayse his wrath in the daye of hys angre and iust iudgemeÌ„t Trust not so much to his mercy that thou despeyse his iustice Let not his long sufferyng of the for thy conuersion turne to thyne vtter destruction Repente in tyme. Aske grace and mercy earnestlye and he wyll not fayle to geue them vnto the. He cannot do agaynst his nature Non imperpetuum ita sectur neque meternum comminabitur His angre endureth not for euer His thretenynges cease in a short whyle if thou cease froÌ„ thyne iniquitie A lytle while doth he forsake the Isaye .liiii. but with great mercifulnes wyll he take the vp to hym When he is angrye he hideth hys face from the for a seasoÌ„ But through his euerlasting goodnes wyl he pardon the sayth the prophet Esaye Non secundum peccata nostra fecit nobis neque secundum iniquitates nostras tetribuet nobis Nother doth he deale with vs accordynge to the quantitie of our synnes nor rewarde vs accordyng to the multitude of oure iniquities for our sinnes excede the numbre of the sandes of the sea ii Paral. xxxiii in oracione Manasses regis Iude. and our iniquities are multiplied very sore but God in place of great plages sendeth smale punishmentes And where our infinit synnes requyre paynes infinite yet to call vs to penaunce he sendeth manye temporall afflictions in thys worlde to kepe oure soules from destruction and to cause vs to enioy the lyght of the lyuyng Iob .xxxiii. The lyght of euerlastynge bryghtnesse and the trewe light that neuer shal be dimmyd How canst thou therfore my soule gyue coÌ„dyngne thaÌ„kes or prayses to God for his inestimable goodnes and grace to the shewed Quantum enim excelsius est celum terra taÌ„tum coÌ„firmata est misericordia eius super timentes cum For loke howe hygh the heauen is from the earth so great is his mercy also to them that feare hym God hath appoynted the heauen to couer and compasse the earth on al partes and to sende downe somtyme wynde somtyme rayne somtyme heate sometyme colde sometyme fayre somtyme foule weather accordyng to the necessities of man And as it is impossible but the heaueÌ„ shoulde couer the earth and cause the benefites thereof to be shewed so is it impossible but that God wyll couer defende gouerne his seruauÌ„tes whyche lyue in the feare of him For he doth euer compasse hys people and saueth them Psalm Cxxiiii as the ball of hys eye from all daunger And he sayeth by his prophete Hieremie Hierem. xxxiii may the couenaunt be broken which I haue made wyth the day and the nyght that there shoulde not be daye and nyght in dew season Then maye my couenaunte also be broken whyche I made wyth my seruaunt Dauyd that is wyth all that well and trewlye serue and feare me The sonne also of God the seconde person in diuinitie being in heauen eternally ineffable impassible and equall in power wyth hys father vouchsaffed to come downe from hys celestial throne into the base region of this worlde to be incarnate of the virgyn Marie and to suffer death for the redemption of mankynde so dyd his mercy stretche from heauen to earth and raysed vs vp to lyfe agayne whyche before were dead in synne Quantum distat orieÌ„s â—b occidente longe feâ—t iniquitates nostras â— nobis â–ª And as the wynde dryueth awaye thycke mystes from the face of the earth so by hys death he droue away our synnes settyng them as farre from vs as the East is from the weste Lykewyse as when the sunne aryseth the worlde receyueth lyghte Agayne when it is auayled darkenes of the nyght approcheth Euen so when grace commeth Ephe. â— the soule is made bryghte and shynynge whiche by sinne agayne is made foule and darke Remembre therfore my soule what displeasure it is for the mortal body to liue in darkenes lacking the syght of the carnall eye in thys worlde Tobie ii as dyd blinde Tobie And therby thou shalt know what hurte the spiritual darknes of sinne bryngeth to the soule of maÌ„ Eccle. â— Wherof in figure the stoborne Egyptians had one plage of darkenes thycke and palpable accordynge to the darknes of theyr synnes and disobedience agaynst God WheÌ„ the children of Israell that is the faythful beholders of God had in the same countrey lyght in al places where they dwelled The grace of God expelled from them all suche darknes of synne They feared God and serued hym faythfully in theyr hertes durynge the tyme of theyr oppression by the Egyptians but after beyng at libertie they waxed wanton and kycked agaynste the Lorde that had delyuered them Be thou therfore glad wheÌ„ aduersitie commeth For that is the mooste soueraigne medicine for the soule gyuen by the hygh phisition to suppresse the proude fleshe that rebelleth agaynst the spirite and therby to make man call for hys grace Sicut miscretur pateâ— filiorum misertus est dominus timentibê° se Hebre. xii And herein thynke the mooste bounde to the father
of heauen and thynke that he loueth the then as the naturall father loueth and pitieth hys sonne For euery good sonne that he loueth he wyl beate and correcte to cause hym to stande in feare of hym Nother thynke that he hath forgotten the bycause he punisheth the. For soner wyll the mother forget the chylde borne of her wombe Esaye xlix then the Lorde wyl forget those that feare hym His merciful eyes neuer departe from them When nede requireth Psalm xxx he appeareth vnto them He knoweth the weaknes of hys frayle metall wherof man is made Quoniam ipse cognouit figmentum nostrese recordatê° est quia puluis sumus He coÌ„sidereth that he is but dust made of the earth and to earth shall retourne agayne And for that he woulde haue the perfect knowledge and experience of our nature he sent downe hys sonne Iesus Christ to take vpon hym the same nature Who hath proued and sene the frailtie therof Hebre. ii he was in al thinges tempted as we are and made lyke vnto man synne ignoraunce excepted he feared the approchynge of death that was contrarye to the nature of hys fleshe and in all other our infirmities he had the experience Wherfore thinke not that he doth or wyll forget it Homo quasi herba dies eiê° sicut flos agri siâ— florebit quia spiritus per ransiet eum et non subsistet et noÌ„ cognoscet eum vltra locus ei but doth coÌ„syder that our strength is lyke the grasse Our ioly tyme is like the floure of the felde whiche beynge toutched wyth a blast of colde wynde wythereth is gone and the place where it grewe knoweth it no more All the prosperitie of thys worlde all honour ryches nobilitie yea the very lyfe of maÌ„ endureth but a whyle in coÌ„parison of eternitie and shortly after death all is put in obliuion Ezech. xxxvii The place of the soule in this world is the mortal body which after death goeth to corruptioÌ„ and is no more knowen of the soule tyll the last and general resurrection when by the almighty power of God the same body shal be ioyned to the same soule go to ioy or to peyne euerlastynge God I saye consyderynge the body of man to be fraile and subiecte to corruption his age or hys lyfe to be lyke the grasse whyche shortly wythereth also all hys prosperitie and hys glory to be as the beauty of a floure that sone fadeth awaye hath in hys godlye prescience establyshed his merciful goodnes Misericordia auteÌ„ domini ab eterno et vsque ineternum super timeÌ„ces eum to endure for euer and euer vpon them that feare hym he hathe sent downe his onely sonne to take vpon hym our mortal nature to become grasse as we are Hys godheade that is eternall is become partaker of maÌ„nes mortalitie to make man partaker of hys ioyfull immortalitie to make grasse that wyll sone wyther to endure grene and pleasaunte for euer But be not thou proud of this my soule but humble thy selfe and thanke hym of hys great grace and mercie i. Corhinth iiii Whereby thou arte that thou arte for what good thynge hast thou that thou haste not receyued it is not of thy selfe wherefore glorye not in thy selfe Osee .xiii. Thou canst worke none other but onely thy perdicion it is his grace that worketh thy saluation Exalte therfore his mercie and prayse his ryghtuousnes whyche is shewed on hys faythful seruauntes and vpon theyr chyldernes chyldren such as kepe hys couenaunt and thynke vpon his commaundementes to do them Et iusticia eius in filios filioruÌ„ His qui custodiuÌ„t pactum eius â— recordaÌ„tur preceptorâ—cius ad faciendum ea of hys mere liberalitie he promised rewardes to the fulfyllers of hys lawes Whiche of his truth iustice he wyll not fayle to perfourme but to whom only to the doers of hys commaundementes not to the onely hearers or the reasoners therof or to them which onely haue them in remembraunce Iacob .i. For such are lyke to a man that beholdeth hys bodely face in a glasse immediatlye goeth awaye and forgetteth anone what hys fashyon was But the faythfull folowers of hys preceptes are dearely beloued of him And not they onely but also their childerns chyldren the whole coÌ„gregacion of elect persons Suche as haue applyed theyr hertes to be faythfull folowers of the good steppes and example of theyr faythfull parentes Psalm Cxxviii Thys is the blessyng of God wheron Dauid speaketh that they whyche feare the Lorde shal se theyr chyldernes children and peace vpon Israell that is peace euerlasting in heauen for the rewarde of theyr good workes There can no good dede be vnrewarded Neither any sinne be lefte vnpunished For Christ the iudge of the quycke and also of the deade hath prepared hys seate Dominus in celo paâ—uit sedem suam et reâ—num ipsius omnibus dominabitur in heauen and hys kyngdome ruleth ouer all In thys seate shall he iudge euery man accordyng to his actes without hauyng respecte to any person Apo. v. To hym that sitteth on thys seate shall all creatures whyche are in heauen and on the earth and vnder the earth gyue honoure and glorie for euermore Benedicite domino â—geli eius fortes roboâ— facientes verbum cius obedientes voci sermonis eius To hym the holy angels that be myghty in streÌ„gth gyue laude and prayse they fulfyl his coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t they obey the voyce of his wordes they acknowledge hym to be theyr Lorde and theyr maker and that by hym they haue all the power that they haue Benedicite domino omnes exercitus eiê° ministri eius qui facitis voluÌ„tatem etê° To hym all the hostes of heauenly spirites gyue thaÌ„kes and prayse they are his seruauntes and do his pleasure As dyd the angell that went before the children of Israel out of Egypte and went betwene them the host of Pharao Exod. xiiii whych folowed to haue destroyed theÌ„ An angel also was sent to Balaam stode in hys waye as he went wyth the Lordes of Moab Numeri xxii An angell of the Lorde iii. Regum xix ministred vnto Elias in the wyldernes Danie xiiii Dyd not an angell of the Lorde carye Abacucke the prophete by the heer of his head froÌ„ Iury to Babilon with meate and drinke for Daniel who was in the denne of the lions They are al ministring spirites sent to minister for theyr sakes which shal be heyres of saluatioÌ„ Hebre. 1 They bringe knowledge of the Lordes wyl to his faithful here vpon earth and are desirous that we shoulde as surely and obedientlye do hys sayed wyll here on earth as they do it in heaueÌ„ Benedicite domino omnia opera eius in omni loco dominationis eiê° Yea al the workes of the Lorde magnifie and speke good of the Lorde in euery place of hys dominion Hys
locutus sum And that whych I do beleue I can by no meanes hyde but haue and wyll boldlye speake Mathw x. For I knowe that who so dothe confesse the before men hym wylte thou confesse before thy father which is in heaueÌ„ Faith causeth me to loue the for thyne owne sake aboue al creatures Loue causeth me to confesse the before al the world and for thy sake to worke towarde my neighbour as thou hast commaunded me trustyng for my so workyng to haue the reward which thou frely hast promised annexed to my worke But as the vtteryng of veritie coÌ„monly bredeth enuy so dothe enuye brede muche trouble Ego autem humiliatus sum nimis To the true confession of thy godly word is annexed persecution trouble vexation with out which fewe good men haue escaped sence the beginnyng of the world Act. xiiii The faythful must entre heaueÌ„ by many tribulatioÌ„s Paule suffred much trouble as an euyll doar ii Timoth. ii and was in bondes for the Gospels sake But the worde of God was not bounde It is a true saiyng sayeth thyne Apostle Paule that if we dye with Christ we shall lyue with him If we suffre patientlye aduersities for hym we shall also reigne with hym Aduersitie is the right way to the kingdome of Christ Who so take not theyr crosse on theyr backes and folow hym Lu. xiiii cannot bee hys dysciples Persecution and trouble bringe the feare of God the knowledge of maÌ„s owne infirmitie and lede him as it were a maÌ„ rapt in a traunce Ego dixi in excessu meo to the only conteÌ„plation of heauenly thinges wherby he shall know boldly confesse that all hys power and sufficiencie commeth of God All vyce naughtinesse cometh of his owne corrupte nature God only Rom. iii. Omnis homo meÌ„daâ— Math. xxvi of him selfe is good and true but al men are liars the childreÌ„ of sinne damnation Peter presumed of him self to staÌ„d fast by his master Christ but sone after he denied him was fouÌ„d a liar It is thi grace that maketh maÌ„ to be true and to be good Sapen xvi Thy grace is the nurce of al good thinges It ledeth maÌ„ froÌ„ one vertue to another It kepeth vs from falling helpeth vs vp again when we are falne Thi louing kindnes hath bene froÌ„ euerlasting endureth for euer Quid reddam domino pro omnibus que reâ—erbuit mihi What shal I therfor geue again vnto the Lord for the manifold benifites that thou hast done vnto me when I remembre thi tendre loue shewed to maÌ„ in his noble creation next in power wisdom knoledge vnderstanding to the nature of angelles made also touchyng the soule like to thine owne image whoÌ„ thou diddest plaÌ„t in that most pleasauÌ„t garden of Eden a place of pleasure wher he might haue liued euer if he woulde haue kept thi coÌ„maundement Genes ii I cannot but stil lameÌ„t his frailte in that he so shortly did breke it for which he deserued death euerlasting yet of thy mercy gentlenes thou diddest not straight execute thy sore sentence vpon him throwyng hym doune to hel as thou didest the angels for their offence But thou didest suffre him to dwel in this world to lament his fall to abide the tyme by thy maiestie apointed for his reconcilatioÌ„ Thou didest geÌ„tly coÌ„sidre his fraile nature substaunce wherfore thou dydest more pitie him theÌ„ thou didest angel whose nature was made pure and excellent and therfore of presuÌ„ption minded to be equal with the Then Lorde at length thou sendest thyne owne onely sonne to become man and wylledest him to suffre death for mannes redemption What more loue myght be shewed to him then thou hast shewed What more could be done to thy vineyarde then thou hast done Thi charitie was feruent to vs when we were all synnes Esaie v Fewe men woulde nowe gladlye die for their ryghteous frende Rom v but thou sendest thy sonne to suffre deathe for thyne enemyes that were synners Yea when we dayly nowe do fall styl from the by commyttyng al kindes of vices yet doest thou mercifully suffre vs gently receiue vs so oft as we do returne agayne to the by penaunce We forgeue our neighbours scarsely one or two displeasures that thei do to vs But thou Lorde forgeuest vs not .vii. tymes onely but seuentie times seuen tymes that is so ofteÌ„ as we fal and eueÌ„ so willest thou vs to forgeue one another Mathw xviii Wherfore to the intent I would not be found vnthankful nor vnkynd I do search busely to fynd some meane to recompence part of thy louyng gentlenes oft shewed to me the more I search the more I fynde my selfe vnable I fynde in me nothing that is good I am enuironed with mysery vanitie and sinne hauing no good thing but that I haue receiued of the. So that if I yeld to the any goodnes i. Corhin iiii it is a rendryng of that thou gauest me before The moost pleasaunt thynges that I may do to thy maiestie is fyrst to receiue the cup of saluatioÌ„ Colicem salutaris accipiam that is to geue the hertie thaÌ„kes for thy great benefites and to be inwardlye sorye that euer I dyd any thyng whych shoulde offend the Ephes iiii Rom. xiii then to mortifie the concupiscences of the fleshe to put of the olde Adam and putte on Christ to leaue to be carnal become spiritual Yea I wyl not loue the frayl fleshe so much but that as thou hast caused thy sonne Chryst to dye for me so wyl I not let takyng example of hym to suffre al kyndes of paines and persecutioÌ„s yea death if nede require for thyne honoures sake But I knowe ryght wel that I am much vnable this to do and suffre of myne owne selfe Et nomen domini inuocabo Wherefore I wyl cal on thy name for thi grace for thine ayde and assistence to helpe me and to strengthe me in thys my good purpose Psal l. not doubtyng but thou wilte graciously here me in the daye of my trouble and deliuer me my herte and all my hole bodye I offre willyngly to thy seruyce whiche al though it be of smale valure in dede yet I do not mystrust but that it shal be as acceptable in thy syght as was the offryng of two minutes which the poore woman threw into the treasury at Hierusalem Which smale some of her pouertie Mar. xii thou diddest more esteme and prayse then thou dydest al the great gyftes of the ryche men Besechyng thy highnes to accept this gyft of my poore soule and body not for that thou shalt anye thynge be auaunced therby But for the declaration of my louyng mynde toward the Vota mea domino reddam that thou mayst vouch safe so to worke in theym by thy grace that they may wil and worke that may be acceptable in
but the eatynge of the onely tree of knowledge of good and badde Genes ii further for his helpe comforte and companie of a rybe of his side thou madest for him a womaÌ„ and gauest her to him to be his wyfe There had they instructions gyuen them and the lawe of lyfe for an heritage Before them were layd both lyfe and death â—cclesiast xv good and euyl with a free wyl geuen them to take whether so euer liked them But their frailtie was suche that they throughe a small intisement chose the euyl and least the good they leaft lyfe and chose death Thus Lorde through synne and breakyng thy commaundement man lost the free wyll that was gyuen hym in hys creation and purchassed death to all hys posteritie In the way as he went from Hierusalem to Hiericho he fell in the handes of theues â—ic 1 who hurtynge and woundyng hym sore departed leauyng him halfe deade there could he of none haue helpe but onely of the good Samaritane who passed by the same way He poured wyne oyle into his wound and toke the cure of him This Samaritane was thy mooste louyng sonne Christ which toke vpon hym all the iniquities of mankynde and layed them on his backe â—say iâ—â— by hys deathe purgynge and cleansynge hym not onelye from the synne originall of oure forfather Adam but also from al our actuall synnes by vs committed from tyme to tyme by the vertue of his passion and the Sacrament of Baptisme and penaunce For as by one Roma â— that is oure fyrste Adam was death sent in to all mankynde so by one other oure seconde Adam Christe was mankynde restored to lyfe For the whiche great and hygh benifite of thy sonnes blessed passion for oure redemption we thy poore creatures mooste humbly prayse and thanke the and acknowledge hys inestimable loue towarde vs. In that he vouchsaffed to dye for vs beynge then synners and in that we were synners we were both thyne and hys mortall enemyes Neuerthelesse mooste mercyfull father the sparcles of the fyre kyndeled in vs by oure olde father Adam and the dregges or remnauÌ„tes of his synne remayne in vs that we are become so frayle and weake that we can do no good of oure selues no not once thynke a good thoughte And in case we by thyne assistence wyll do anye good acte Roma vii yet are we not able of oure selues to perfourme it But the wyll and the pefourmynge of the same Phillip ii doth wholye depende vpon the and the helpe of thy mooste kynde sonne oure louynge brother it lyeth not in vs nowe to chose and take what waye shall be beste but all our steppes and procedynges towarde goodnes muste be directed by the. We wander here miserably in the valeis and lowe partes our streÌ„gth wil not serue vs to clyme to the heyghte of the hylles where thou dwellest Lorde in the mounte of Syon a place prepared for thyne electe a chosen enherytaunce of thy faythfull seruaunt Abraham and his sede wherfore sence we beyng burthened wyth the affectes of worldely pleasures and also wyth other cares and troubles caÌ„ by no meanes ascend to the that arte on the toppe of so highe a mountayne accompanyed wyth so manye legions of angelles that styl attende vpoÌ„ the we haue no remedy but wyth thy prophet Dauid now to lyst vp the eyes of our hertes myndes towarde the â—enaui oculus meos â—u montes and to crye for helpe to come downe from the to vs thy poore and wretched seruauntes we wander here alowe as lost shepe hauynge no shepeherde We are assayled on euery syde wyth manifolde enemyes â— Petri. v. The deuyll rauenynge and hungry seketh whom he maye deuoure The worlde blandishynge and alluryng vs to her disceytful vanities The fleshe also whyche we cary about wyth vs beynge a domestical enemie readye and prone to drawe vs to all vices and pleasures from these can we by no meane be defended but by the Lorde Sende vs therfore thy helpe from the high hylles Vnde veniet autilium 〈◊〉 Sende vs thy holy angelles to assist and strengthen vs by whose helpe we maye by steppes of vertues clime vp to the to enhabite amonge these noble hylles the countrey of all fertilitie and aboundaunce To these hylles after longe labour thou broughtest the Israelites amoÌ„ge these hylles thou causedest thy chosen Citie of Ierusalem to be builte to be throughe them the stronger and more sure agaynste al assaultes of enemyes From these hylles discended the swete sprynges and fountaynes of water to ouerflowe the lowe valyes and make them both pleasaunt and profitable Thus of the mooste mercyful father Auâ—â—â—m meum a domino qui fecit eclum et terram floweth all bountie and goodnes Thou madest heaueÌ„ and earth for thine owne honoure and mannes coÌ„moditie Establish therfore good lorde the choseÌ„ worke of thyne haÌ„de wyth thy eternall helpe from heauen sende vs downe the well sprynge of thy grace Sende thy stronge angelles to ayde vs by whose helpe no assaulte of our spiritual enemies Non dei in commotinem pedem tuum maye preuayle agaynste vs. No not once be able to remoue oure feete or thoughtes froÌ„ the obseruyng of thy godly wyll and pleasure The bryghte angelles stode not fast but through pryde slypped and susteyned a great fal Our father Adam also brake thy precepte and his fote slypped He fel from paradyse of pleasure into thys worlde a place of trauayle He fell from immortalitie to mortalitie Take awaye therfore from vs Lorde that proude slyppy fete so that no temptation of synne remoue vs causing vs to fal froÌ„ the. Make vs to be trew Israelites Roma ix that is seares of God Make vs the trewe sede of Abraham by fayth and of Isaac by promission So that by the helpe of angelles we maye dwell here in the Citie of IerusaleÌ„ that is in thy trewe churche here militant continewinge in thy trew fayth wythout swarueuynge abydynge in hope of thy promyse made to al thy faythful and workyng by ardent charitie Math. v. as thou hast commaunded vs to the good example of other and to the glorifiynge of thyne excellent maiestie And then neade we not to be afrayed of any power of enemies Thou beinge our keper and our watchmaÌ„ we are sure froÌ„ al sodeyne inuasions Thyne eyes are and euer wyl be open vpon vs Neque dormitet qui custodit te Ecce non dormitabit neque dormiet qui custodit Israel thou neuer slepest nor none of thy holy angelles but intentiffely do attende to the saffekepynge of thyne electe and choseÌ„ people that are the lyuely stones of thy churche or congregation Al men be they neuer so holy do sleape and slumbre but Christe sleapeth not he sleapt once arose agayne froÌ„ his sleape so that he wil neuer more sleape but preserue the true Israelites i. Corhinth xiii i. Io. iii froÌ„ al perils
in dominum Psalm .xxii. Rom. viii euen froÌ„ the breastes of my mother and by the same hope I trust fyrmely to be saued The good husband maÌ„ ploweth his ground soweth it reapith and thresheth his corne and al vpon hoope of the profyte i. Corhint ix whyche thereon ariseth Euen so Lorde wyl I abide in hope and trust of thi glory that is to come and that not onely in youth A custodia matutina vsque ad noctem or one tyme onely of my lyfe but continually froÌ„ the mornyng watch vnto the nyght from the tyme of youth in which thou gauest me fyrst my descretion vnto the laste ende of my lyfe For whosoeuer casteth away hys hope before the night of death come loseth al that he watched for before Genes xii The wife of Loth kept wel her way of a great whyle styll lokyng on forward but at the last she coulde not forbeare but loked backe vpon her couÌ„try wherin she before had plesure and was turned into a saltston It was not without a great misterye that the Leuites were commaunded to offre vnto thee Lorde Leuit. i bothe the head and the tayle of the beast offred for sacrifice Wherby is meÌ„t that thou dost not alowe a good beginnyng vnles there folowe also a good ende For he that continueth to the ende shal be saued This hope in thi promise hath my poresoule firmly reposed in her bosome or brest Mathew .xxiiii. and this hope it is mete that al Israel Speret Israel in dominum that is all chrysten menne which by faith se God should haue For blessed is the man which trusteth in the merciful God and curssed are they that put theyr trust in man Of thi grace and mercy only cometh al our goodnes Thy mercy forgeueth dayly our sinne Quia apud dominum misericordia the painful death of thi sonne Christ deliuered vs from al the paynes dewe for our offeÌ„ces Et copiosa apud eum redemptio Thou boughtest vs not with golde and siluer or any such vile price nether yet with the bloud of a goate or any other beast 1. Peter .i. But with the precious bloud of that lambe without spot thy blessed sonne Whose death had bene sufficient for a hundreth thousand such worldes The greatnes of thy loue caused the plentiful payment of the price of our redemption Ecclesi xxxix Thi blissing did flow vpon vs as a mightie flodde whose greate inundations do moysten all the grounde The charite of thi sonne hath brente vp and consumed by his death al our iniquities Wherfore the faithful beyng thus deliuered from all daungers by thyne onelye goodnes maye nowe geue praises and thanckes vnto thy myghtie maiestie restyng in hope to haue after this lyfe the thyng for whiche thei so long haue hoped which is ioye euerlastiÌ„g through the perfect visioÌ„ of thi blissed deitie euen as it is Which who so seeth enioyeth all thinges that his hert can desire The C.xxxviii Psal ¶ The faythfull man gyueth prayse to God wyth thaÌ„kes for his mercie shewed to him and exhorteth all other to do the same THe myghtie power of thi deuine maiestie O Lord of Lordes and God of al Gods with the plentifull aboundauÌ„ce of thi goodnes dayly declared to al mankynd Deute â— enforceth me to consider myne owne weakenes and insufficiencie in yeldyng to the any recompence Thou Lord arte omnipotent and madest all thynges of naughte I am thy symple creature made wyth thy hande and withoute thy helpe iiii Reg. v. I am able to do no good thynge Thou art the God eternall besyde whom there is no God I am a worme of the vyle earth not worthy to beare the name of a chrystian man for that through myne owne act of synne I haue defaced the beaultie of the principall part of man which is my soule made to thy godly image Neuertheles synce thou art the refourmer of mens hertes and the inspiratour of all grace and goodnes I mooste humblye beseche the to correcte by thy power that whyche throughe my frayltie is a mysse Redres by thy pitie that whiche I haue marred through my follye make me able to yelde vnto the that whiche thou requirest of me that is to acknowledge myne owne insufficiencie CoÌ„fitâ—bor tibi domine and to rendre vnto the noble prayses and louyng thankes for thy manifolde gyftes of grace wherwith thou hast of thi mere leberalitie endued both my soule and my body Make me worthy to laude the which by no meanes maye be but by wyping away al myne iniquities Ecclesi xv In toto corde meo For thy prayses be not semely in the mouthe of a synner Yea Lorde I pray the enflame my hert with the loue of the. So that from the botome therof I maye speake them and thine honour to extol not myne nor to loue any thyng in this worlde but the and for the. Thou art the true God and sauiour and there is none els but thou Esaye .xlv. Out of thy mouth cometh the worde of ryghteousnes whiche no man may turne Wherfore al other Gods set a syde to the onelye wyll I synge prayses and confesse the onely to be the liuyng God and that wyl I knoledge before the hole congregation of the faythful ii Corin. vi Adorabo conuersus ad templum sanctum tuum Thou knowest the inwardes of the hert of man and in the hertes of the faythful is thy seat or resting place The soules of the iust are the temples wherin thou dost inhabit To this temple wyl I turne my selfe by consideryng the estate of myne owne soule which wheÌ„ by thy grace I make clene of vices then am I mete to receiue the to honour the to geue praises to thy high maiestie Actes .xvii. Since that thou beyng Lorde of heauen and earth and of al that therin is coÌ„tayned delitest not to dwel in temples made with maÌ„s handes Dauid wold haue made the a temple and was forbidden by the Prophet Nathan to whoÌ„ thou saydest thou wast not vsed to dwel in any house ii Regum .vii. iii. Regum .v. And although thou diddest afterwarde cause Salomon his sonne to buylde the a material house for the congregatioÌ„ to assemble in and therin to honour the yet chifely Lord the hert or soule of man is thy pleasaunt habitation Wherfore Christ thy sonne sayde to the woman of Samarie Iohn .iiii. that nether on that mouÌ„tayn nor yet in Hierusalem should men worshyp the but that the true worshippers shold worship the in spirit and in truth The true worshippers must leaue earthly affections and inwardlye beholde the spiritual heauenly ioyes desiryng to be the pertakers of them with the aungels So shal they beyng thy holy temple here on earth behold thy noble spiritual temple in heauen Et confitebor nominâ— tuo super misericordia tua et veritate tua Thus shal we worthely praise thy
and my workes of darkenes be made as apparauÌ„t vnto the in the nyghte tyme as in the daye The lyghte of the sinne doth nothynge encrease thy syghte no more doth the darkenesse of the nyghte let thy syght And that more is thou Lorde doest inhabite the inwarde partes of my body my reynes are thyne My delectations were wont to be in sensuall pleasures of the fleshe but now of thy goodnes I onely ioye and delite in the thou hast so stayed me that those partes of my body whiche serued before thyne enemie are nowe become readye to serue to sanctification and are become thy proper possession Rome vâ—â— For what am I miserable wretche beinge destitute of thy helpe I do consydre thy goodnes thy godly prouidence by whiche thou waste the cause of my fyrst beinge thou dyddeste laye the foundation before I was fyrste begotten in the wombe of my mother and before I receyued any shappe of man thou dyddeste wyth thy helpe couer me In proces of tyme thou gauyst me my fourme with liniamentes of the body proportioning in me the shappe of maÌ„ that I now haue whiche a certeyne space before was a rude piece of fleshe wythout ony comly fetures at the laste thou dyddeste brathe into my bodye thy lyuelye breath thou dyddeste there nurishe me and keepe me from perilles duryng myne abydyng there Afterwarde when the tyme of my byrth was come Suscepâ—sti me de vtero matris mee thou tokest me into thy fauourable protection hast from tyme to tyme accordynge to the quantitie of my growyng and the tyme of my yeres giuen vnto me strength of body and brought me vnto the iust perfection therof The coÌ„ning maysters in the crast of grauyng caruyng payntyng or any other worldly facultie wheÌ„ they haue with diligence acheued any worke which they haue taken in hande they then set it on syde as a thynge whiche neadeth no further laboure or industrie But it fareth not so by thy worke in the makyng of me other thy reasonable creatures we haue dayly neade of thy gracious healpe thou muste euer engraue in vs thy preceptes muste frame in vs a herte desirous to keepe them thou muste laye vpon vs a coloure of thy grace whereby we shal be stroÌ„ge and able to fulfil them Greatly therfore are we bounde vnto thy maiestie for the loue CoÌ„fitebor tibi quta te ribilitet magnificasti me thou bearest vnto vs whiche is much more abouÌ„dauntly shewed in the preseruation of vs then it is in our creation muche oughte we to prayse the and to thanke the for our woÌ„derfull creation but muche more meâ—ueylouse are thy workes in oure dayly protection assistence inspiration Mitabilia opera tua redemption and reconciliation Et anima mea cognoscet ea whiche the spirituall eye of my soule doth ryght wel considre For wythout those all that was before wroughte was to lytle purpose for our profit Wherfore we must humbly praye the Lorde to regarde what shal redound to thy greatest glorie that to set forth for thyne owne honoure and also for thy profit sence thyne honour is more auaunced in sauyng of one poore miserable and sinful creature through thy mercie then in the dampnation of a thousande by the rigour of thy iustice For in hel can none prayse the but curse wayle mourne and lament theyr miserable estate incessauntly Thou knowest what is within vs to the vttermoste be it neuer so closly secretly hidde Non est occultatum oâ— meuÌ„ a te quod fecisti in occulto The bones both great and smal in al partes of my body thou haste nuÌ„bred them all although they be with the fleshe the skynne ful priuely hidde froÌ„ the syght of our carnal eyes yea thou knowest the earthly mattier wherof my body was made â—â— substáâ—la mea in inâ—rioribus terre and diddest deuise the fashion therof in the earthly place of my mothers wombe loÌ„ge time before it was made thou diddest beholde the imperfecte matteir of my bodye longe before any shappe were put therin â—mperfecâ—um meuÌ„ viâ—etunt oculi tui or any lyfe gyueÌ„ there vnto Al that euer concerneth me froÌ„ my begynnyng to the ende is wrytten in thy booke of godly forknowledge â—n libro tuo omnia scriâ—â—ntur Luce .xii. The here 's of my heade thou knowest by numbre The dayes of my lyfe of al other thy reasonable creatures both good badde are written in that thyne eternal boke which is nothinge els but thy godly mynde thyne euerlasting memorie which seeth a farre of al the actes not onely of those that haue ben or now are liuing on the earth but also of al that shal succeade vs. For wheÌ„ al that are now in lyfe shal be taken by death out of this transitorie world paying the general det dew vnto nature so that not one that is now in lyfe shal tary to see the dayes and time that here after shal come â—ies firmabuntut et â—emo in eis yet shal other encrease come in theyr places wherof none shal escape thy moste perfecte knowledge They are al writteÌ„ in thy boke of eternal prescience as we are whiche shall passe awaye before that tyme. Great therfore incoÌ„prehensible are thy wayes in my iudgement QuaÌ„ preciose mihi fueruÌ„t cogitationes rue Right precious are thy counsels declared vnto maÌ„kinde so many wayes that no tonge is able to expresse neyther hert to imagin them The summe of them is so great that when I entende to tell them Quam ingentes facte funt summe eorum they are mo in nuÌ„bre then the sandes or grauel of the sea bankes If I woulde endeuour my selfe therto al my lyfe tyme my worke were al in vaine why Si enim numerare coner eas super arenan multiplicabuntur Ecclesi i. For that thyne onely wysedome hath deuised them whose grouÌ„d no maÌ„ can seeke out No maÌ„ hast thou euer made thy councellour in thy noble proceadinges Esaye .xl. the swetnes of thy goodnes wisedome when I haue thus earnestly coÌ„sidered froÌ„ whoÌ„ nothinge can be keepte closse I determined incontinent to leaue al myne olde maner of euyl lyuing Exsurrexi et adhuc siterum to aryse out of sinne wherin I lay wallowing as doth the foule swine in the myre to cleaue vnto thy lawes to fulfyll thy preceptes And my hope strayghte sayd that taking sure holde of the of thy grace I should at the last general arising of the body ioyned with my soule enioye thy blessed presence in thy heaueÌ„ly kingdoÌ„ hauing coÌ„forte of the clearnes of thy bright maiestie being made partaker of thy ioyes perpetually These great and vnspeakeable pleasures should I haue lost if I had coÌ„tinued in synne Si occideris deus peâ—catores In steade wherof I shoulde with the wicked sort of people haue ben throwen into hell there to receiue death euerlasting both of
body and soule Wherfore most gracious God I hertely beseche the to giue me grace to flee the coÌ„panie of the cruel bloud thirsty people Viri sanguinum deâ—â— nate a me to banishe out of my coÌ„panie al such as speake vntruly of the Qui contradicunt tiâ— scelerate eleuari suÌ„t fistra aduersarii tui of thy holy wyl worde also of al suche as exalt theÌ„ selues presuÌ„ptuously against the lest by being coÌ„uersauÌ„t in theyr wicked coÌ„pany I might fall froÌ„ the froÌ„ the right waye wherin through grace thou haste directed me For who so toutcheth pytche shal be fyled withall he that is familiar with the proude Eccli xiii shall cloth him selfe with pride He the doth euyll is worthy of death not he onely but those whiche comunicate with him Roma i. â—onne qui odetunt te Domine oderam et suet inimicos tuos taescobam haue pleasure in them that do euyl I hate them therfore O Lorde that hate the I may not away with them that ryse vp agaynst the. Thou art a mighty God and a ielouse God thou wylt not haue any parte of thine honoure gyueÌ„ to any other but reseruest that to thy selfe Thou requirest our whole loue our seruice our whole hertes He that serueth thy enemie the deuyl or the worlde can not also serue the. No man can at one tyme please two maisters â—uce xvi which are so diuerse of natures and wylles Wherfore such as hate the â—efecto odio oderam â—os inmici facti sunt â—ihi I wyll hate ryghte sore Those that are thyne enemies shal also be myne enemies Al that onely hate me are myne enemies I clearly forgyue them wyl forgette the displeasures which they haue done vnto me Math. v. Yea I do pray vnto the my merciful father euen from the botome of my herte to forgyue them But those that are thy cruell enemies Lorde whiche maliciously resiste the and thy holy worde I can not but hate them Moyses seyng the idolatrie of the people of Israell in worshippyng the golden calfe while he was aboue wyth the Lorde Exod. xxxii in the mounte Sinaye waxed wonderfull angry and in his angre slewe about three thousande men wyth the helpe of the Leuites and therin he assuaged thyne angre Wherin I do marke Lorde that he loued the people as thy creatures and prayed to the for them but theyr execrable synnes agaynste the he so hated that he could not forbeare to reuenge thy quarell Euen so dyd Phinees the sonne of Eleazar beinge iealouse for thy sake Numeri xxii slea an Israelite whom he fouÌ„de openly wyth a madianitishe wife to the euyll example of his bretherne the plage ceassed from the chyldren of Israell through hys earnest punishing of the wycked Wherfore I takyng of them example do not so loue the persons of the wycked whiche are of thy creation that I shall also loue theyr vices neyther do I so hate theyr wyckednesse that I shal also hate their persons but rebukyng and punishyng to my power theyr vices I do ryght hertely praye vnto the for amendement of theyr lyues and for the saluation of theyr soules Considre Lorde the frailtie of oure nature none can stande faste in thy ryghte waye but shall slyde and fall vnlesse thou gyue hym the staffe of thy grace to leane vpon and to staye hym therby I haue wandered from the as a straye shepe from the flocke but thy goodnesse hath founde me out agayne and broughte me vnto thy folde yet I fele that I can not do my dewtie vnto the as I am bounde to do I feele my coÌ„science to be sycke and wounded wyth the dartes of coÌ„cupiscence Proba me deê° et scit cor meum explora me cognosce semitas me as Wherfore I beseehe the my mercifull God to trye me wyth all kyndes of trialles wherby thou prouest thine electe people beate me scourge me and so correcte me that thou maist refourme me searche the goound of my herte proue and examine my thoughtes and where thou findest in me to be any waye of wyckednesse hidde playe the part of a good phisition Et vide si via iniquit tis in me est purge me therof make cleane my soule of al the vnclennes therof coÌ„sume the dartes wherwyth my soule is wouÌ„ded thou Lorde I saye muste heale me and none other through the may I be holpen and by none other The waye Lorde that I of my selfe shal enterpryse to walke in is the waye of synne and the waye of death a waye whiche muche displeaseth the eyes of thy deitie But thy waye is the way of health Et dedue me in via â—â—terna the waye of euerlastyng saluation Leade me therfore Lorde out of mine owne wycked way into thy blessed waye through the merites of thy blessed sonne Christ Iâ—hn xiiii whiche is the very trew perfecte way to all beatitude by whose healpe I may so directe my steppes and so set forth my paces in the way of this life that I may keepe the streight waye into the lyfe euerlastyng ¶ Al creatures reasonable are exhorted to geue thaÌ„kes and prayses vnto God both for the erection of our earthly Syon the Christen congregation Psalm Cxlvi and also of the heauenly Hierusalem MOste mercifull God and heauenly father by whom the whole worlde all the coÌ„tentes therof are gouerned of whose heaped goodnes no man can so muche desyre as thou arte able to gyue neither is any man able by his actes to merite the hundreth parte of so much as thou of thy mere liberalitie doest rewarde hym Lorde that doest exhorte vs thy faythful to aske of the in the name of thy sonne Christe thynges expedient for oure saluation for oure worldely necessities not doubtyng but that we shoulde receyue the same at thy mercifull handes This thy great loue and charitie mooste myghtie God Laudate dominuÌ„ quoniam bonus est psalmê° moueth me and also exhorteth me to gyue to thyne highnesse moste herty thankes and prayses as the creature ought to gyue to his maker Not thankes Lorde which are spoken onely wyth the mouth outwardly the hert being wythinforth corrupte with al kyndes of concupiscences and a herte grudgynge to do good to other but an hert and mynde whiche loueth the for thy selfe aboue all creatures and for thy sake wyllyng louingly to do to other as I woulde shoulde be done vnto me knowyng that in case my workes agre not consonauntly wyth my voice Deo nostro sit to cuÌ„dade cotaque laudacio the prayse whiche should proceade forth of my mouthe were nothynge pleasaunte in thy syghte since thou delitest not in the prayses that issewe from the mouth of a synner Ecclesi xv But what so euer I honestly do in thys worlde other eatynge or drynkynge sleepyng or wakyng i. Corhinth x. working or restyng I entende to do all thinges wholy to