lead vnto lyffe / nother wil I teach thē ōlye one waye but manie waies for manye are thy cōmaundmentes / how be it all the wayes ende in one / that is in loue charite / which doth so cōbynde the faythfull hartes / that they haue one mynde and one will in god Or els maye we vnderstāde by thy manye wayes / the diuerse maner of lyuinge / wherin euerye man walketh accordinge to his vocacyō some maryed / some lyuinge chaste in wedowhod / some virgyns and so forth / these walke after diuerse wayes vnto their heuenlye inheritaunce euerye man chosynge one in the which he maye best subdue his rebellious membres Thus will I teach the wyked thy wayes accordinge to their capacite and cōdicyon And the vngodlye shal be cōuerted vnto the for I will preach vnto them not my selfe / but Christ crucyfied and they shal be conuerted not vnto my prayse / but vnto the geuynge the all honoure and prayse / they shal leaue their awne wayes and come vnto thyne / that they may walke in them and so cōsequentlye attayne vnto the. Delyuer me from bloudes oh God the God of my hefth / and me tongue shall triumphe vppon thy ryghtwysenes I am stifled in moch bloude / and frō the depth of it shall I crye vnto the Lorde / lorde herke vnto my voyce Tarye not lorde for I am euen at the wynte of deeth / this bloude that I speake of are my synnes / for as the bodelye lyffe cōsysteth in bloude / euē so is the lyffe of a synner in his synne poure out the bloude / and the beest dyeth poure out the synne knowleginge it vnto God / the synner dyeth and is made rightwyse Nether am I wropped in bloude / but ouer whelmed drouned in bloudes / full streames of bloudes do driue me vnto helle / helpe me Lorde / lest I perysh Oh god which gouernest all thinges / which onlye cāst delyuer me / in whose hande is the sprete of lyffe / tyd and purge me frō these bloudes Delyuer me from bloudes oh God the auctor of my helth / God in whom onlye cōsysteth my saluacyō Delyuer me Lorde / as thou delyuerest Noe from the waters of the floude Delyuer me as thou delyuerest Loth from the fyre of Sodom Delyuer me as thou delyueredst the chyldren of Israell from the depth of the red see / delyuer me as thou deliueredst Ionas from the belye of the whale / delyuer me as thou deliuerest the thre children from the furnace of burninge fyre Delyuer me as thou deliueredst Peter frō the peryll of the see Deliuer me as thou deliueredst Paule frō the depe of the see Deliuer me as thou hast deliueredst infinite synners frō the power of deeth / from the gates of hell And then shall my tōgue triumphe thy ryghtwysenes / that is / for thy ryghtwysenes which I shall feale and perceaue in me thorow thy gracious fauoure For thy rightwysenes as thappostle sayeth Roma .iij. cometh by the fayth of Iesus Christ vnto all vppon all thē that beleue in hym / then shall my tōgue triūphe in praysinge this thy ryghtwysnes / cōmendinge thy fauoure / magnifyenge thy pitye knowleginge my sinnes / that thy mercye maie be declared in me which wold vouchsaffe to iustefye soch a greate synner / that all men maye knowe that thou sauest them which trust in the deliuerest thē frō extreme anguysh aduersyte o lorde oure God ¶ Lorde open thou my lyppes and then my mouth shall shewe forth thy prayse Thy prayse is a greate thinge o Lorde / for it proceadeth out of thy foūtayne wherof no synner drinketh It is no gloryous prayse that cometh of a synners mouth / deliuer me therfore frō bloude oh God the god of my helth my tōgue shall magnifye thy rightwysenes And thē shalt thou lorde open my lippes my mouth shall shew forth thy prayse / for thou hast the kaye of Dauid which shettest no mā openeth / openest and no man shetteth / therfore open thou my lyppes as thou openedst the mouthes of infantes and suckelinges / out of whose mouthes thou hast stablyshed thy prayse These trulye were thy Prophetes / Apostles and other sayntes which haue praysed the with a syngle and pure harte mouth / and not the Phylosophers and oratoures which haue sayed / We wyll magnefye oure tongue / oure lyppes be in oure awne power / who is oure god They opened their awne mouthes / and thou openedst them not / nether yet stablishedst thy prayse out of their mouthes Thy infauntes Lorde praysed the and despysed them selues The Philosophers went aboute to praise them selues and magnifye their awne name Thy suckelinges extolied thy fame glorye which they knew thorow heuenlie fauoure The philosophers knowinge the onlye by naturall creatures / coulde neuer perfeytlye expresse thy renowne Thy sayntes magnefied the with their harte / mouth good workes The Philosophers onlye with wordes and theyr awne sotle ymaginacyōs / thy chyldren haue spred thy glorye thorow out all the world The Philosophers haue enstructe but a fewe of theyr awne adherentes Thy frendes with spredinge thy glorie haue cōuerted innumerable men from synne vnto vertue and vnto true felicite The Philosophers nether knewe true vertues nether yet true felycite Thy beloued haue preached openlye thy bounteous gentlenes and merciable fauoure / which thou shewedst in thy deare sonne vnto all the worlde But the Philosophers coulde neuer attayne to knowe it Therfore out of the mouth of infauntes suckelinges hast thou stablyshed thy prayse For it hath euer pleased the to exalte the humble and bringe lowe the proude / now seynge thou dost euer resyst the proude / geue me true humilite that thou maist stablish thy prayse by my mouth Geue me a chyldes harte / for excepte I turne backe become as a chyld I can not entre in to the kyngdome of heauen / make me as one of thy infauntes or suckelinges / that I maye euer hange on the teates of thy wysdome for thy teates are better then wyne / and thy wysdome better then all rychesse / so that nothynge can be compared vnto it / for it is to men an infinite treasure which they that vse are made parte takers of the frendshippe of God / therfore yf thou make me a child then shalt thou stablish thy prayse in mouth for then shalt thou open my lyppes and my mouth shall shewe forth thy prayse shall perfeytlye declare it euen as thou hast published it by the mouth of thyne infauntes and suckelinges If thou hadst desyred sacrifices I had suresye offered thē but thou delightedst not in burnt sacrifices My mouth lorde shall shew for thy glorious fame / for I knowe that this thingeis most acceptable vnto the / syth thou sayest by the Prophete Psalme .xlix. the sacrifice of prayse shall glorifye me / and by that meanes shall I be entysed to shew hym my sauynge helth /
masse heuyn erth are full of thy glorye / why so for there are many good thinges for the whiche he shulde be praysed / but that is onely of theym whiche se this fulnesse and replenysshyng for euyn as we sayde of the euylles in the first ymage / that euery mannes euyll was so greate as hys opynyon / and knowelege was in it Euen so good thynges though they come on vs on euery syde and in a maner suppresse vs / yet are they no gretter them they are extemed / for all that god made be verey good / howe be it they be not knowen so of all men Of this ymage / Iob gyueth vs a fayre most proufitable example / whyche when all his goodes were taken a way sayde / yf we haue taken goodnesse of the hond of the Lorde whye shall we not also suffer euylles truely it was a goodly sayng and a myghty comfort in temptacion / for he dyd not onely suffer but was also tempted by his wife to ympacyence / saying vnto hym wilt thou yet perseuer in this innocency curse the Lorde and dye / for it is manyfest that he is not god whyche so doth forsake the / why them doest thou trust in hym and not rather denye hym / and curse hym / and so to knowelege thy selfe mortall / to whome after this lyfe nothyng is remaynyng These and suche other to euery man hys owne wyfe whyche is sensualyte doth prompt and shewe in temptacyon / for the sense sauoureth not that thyng whyche perteyneth to god howebeit all these thinges are bodyly goodes / and comen to all men But a Chrysten man precelleth in other inwarde goodes which are farre better that is to say in the fayth of Chryst / of the whyche it is spoken in the .xl. Psalme All hys glorye is of the kynges doughter whyche is withyn in borderes of gold cumpassed about with varyete And as we haue spoken of the euyll of the fyrst ymage / that there can be sene no euyll so grete in a man / but there is a moche worse in hym whiche he can not se Euyn so the best of all the good thinges that be in a Christen he hym self can not se nor iudge / for yf he dyd perceyue it he shulde be then in heuen / bycause the kyngdome of heuen as sayeth Chryste is withyn vs for he that hath faith hath the truth and word of god / he that hath the worde of god hath god hym self the maker of all thinges If these goodes were reuelat vnto the soule that he myght feale the botom of theym as they be in verey dede / he wolde sone be dissolued from the bodye / for thabundaunce of that swetnesse wherfore all other goodes art as it were a monysshyng of those goodes that we haue withyn vs whiche he wolde by theyme shulde be shewed vnto vs / bycause thys lyfe is not a byll to abyde the glorye of ther yf they were shewed forth Therfore they are mercyfully hydden of god vntyll they are encreased to they re perfit state / euen as louing fathers do gyue vnto they re chyldren sometyme lytell gyftes to play wythall / wherby they may entyce the myndys of they re chyldren to trust for gretter thynges Howe be it sometyme they shewe theim selfe and come forth when that the conscience reioysing / doth coÌ„mytte hym self holly vnto got / speaketh gladly of hym / hereth his worde swetely deuoutly / is redy and glad to serue hym / to do good workes / to suffer euylles / and suche other / whiche all are tokens of an infinite and incoÌ„parabill goodnesse lying with in / whyche sendeth out theÌ„se swete droppes by a lytell at ones though sumtyme it chaunce that it be ferther reuelate to soules whyche fall to contemplacyon / in so moche that they are made dronkeÌ„ with it / and can not tell where they are As S. Augustine his mother do confesse of theym selues / and many other ¶ The secunde Chapter of the secunde ymage whiche is / the goodnesse to come / or byfore hym THey that are not Christen can take but small comfort of the goodnesse to come / bycause to theym all thynges are vncerteyn for this affect whyche is called hope by the whyche we are commaunded after mannes confortyng to trust euer for the best / bithe whiche we take greate maters in honde trustyng to bryng theym to oure purposse doth of ten tymes ye and in a maner alweyes / deceyue vs. As Chryst doth teache in the .xij. of luke of the ryche maÌ„ whiche said to his soule I wil distroy my barnes and bylde gretter / and theryn will I gadre all my frutes and all my goodes / and will saye vnto my soule Soule thou hast moche goodes leyd vp in store for many yeares / take thyne ease / eate / drinke / be mery But god said vnto hym thou sole this nyght will they fetche awey thy foule agayne froÌ„ the / then whose shall tho is thinges be whiche thou hast prouyded So is it with hym that gathereth rychesse and is not ryche in god Nether yet hath god left the sones of men so / but doth confort theym by a hole suer and perfait hope / that they shall ouer come they re euilles and obteyne goodnesse And though they be vncertein where goodnesse â—t is that shall come / yet they hope styll wythout doubt / by the whyche hope they are susteyned / lest by falling ynto desperatyon they shulde not be able to suffer they re present euyll / so to do worse wherfore this affect of hope whiche is in temporall thinges is gyuen the of god / not taht he wold haue the stykke therin / but to procede vnto the hole suer / and parfayt hope whiche is onely vnto hym And for thys cause god is luÌ„g sufferyng that be may briÌ„g vs to repentaunce / As paule sayeth in the ij to the Romains Nether will he suffer that all men be deceyued in this vnperfit deceytful hope whithe is in worldly maters / but that they retorne and take the parfait and vnfayned hope whiche is in hym There are bysides these goodes to the ChristeÌ„ .ij. great goodes whiche they shall suerly haue but not without deth and sufferyng for they haue also the comon hope that we spake of / concernyng the fynysâ—hing of they re present euyll encreasing of the coÌ„trary good / although they do not so gretely regard that / as they do in the increasyng of they re owne proper good / whiche is the truthe in Christ in the whiche they do procede from day to day / for the wiche they do both liue and hope But bysides these as I sayde / there ys .ij. chyef whiche shall come in deth The fyrst is that in deth is fynysshed all the tragedy of the euylles in thys lyfe / as it is wryten Precioê° is in the sight of god / the deth of his sayntes And agayn in peace I
despayre God forbid full mercyfull is god / and my souyoure is meake / and louynge / therfore onlye god is my refuge he will not despise his creature nother forsake his awne ymage vnto the therfore most meke and mercifull good come I all sad and sorowfull for thou onlye arte my hope / and thou arte on lye the toure of my defēce But whate shall I saye vnto the fyth I dare not lyfte vppe mine yies I wyll poure out the wordes of sorow / I will hartelye besech the for mercye and wyll saye Haue mercye apon me oh god accordinge to thy grace mercye God which dwellest in light that no man can attayne / God whych are hid and canst not be sene with bodelye yies / nor comprehended with any vnderstondinge that euer was made nether expressed with the tōgues of mē or angels My god the / whych arte incomprehēsible do I seke the / which cāst not be expressed do I call vppon what tinge so euer thou arte / which arte in euerye place I knowe that thou arte the most hye and excellēt thinge / yf thou be a thinge and not rather the cause of all thinge / yf I maye so calle the / for I finde no name by the which I maye name or expresse thyne inenarrable magestye God I saye which arte all thinges that are in the / for thou arte euen thyne awne wysdom / thy power and thy most gloryouse felycyte Seynge therfore that thou arte mercyfull / what arte thou but euen the verye mercye it selfe And what am I / but verye miserye Behold therfore o god which arte mercye / behold myserye is before the / what shalt thou do mercye truelye thy worke canst thou do otherwise then thy nature is And whāte is thy worke verelye to take awaye myserye / and to lifte vpp them that are in wretched condicyon / therfore haue mercye on me oh god God I saye which arte mercye take a waye my miserye / take a waye my synnes / for they are myne extreme myserye Lift vppe me which am so miserable shew thy worke in me / and exercyse thy power apon me One depth requyreth another / the depth of myserye requyreth the depth of mercye The depth of synne areth the depth of grace and fauoure Greater is the depth of mercye then the depth of myserye Let therfore the one depth swalow vppe the other Let the bottomlesse depth of mercye swalow vp the profounde depth of myserye Haue mercye on me oh god accordynge to thy greate mercye Not after the mercye of men whych is but smalle / but after thyne awne mercye which is greate / which is vnmesurable / which is incomprehensible / which passeth all synnes without comparison Accordynge to that thy greate mercye wyth the whych thou hast so loued the world / that thou woldest geue thyne onlye sonne / what mercie cā be greater what loue cā be more / who cā despayre who shuld not haue good confidence god was made man / crucefied for mē therfore haue mercye on me oh God accordynge to this thy greate mercye bi the which thou hast geuen thy sonne for vs by whych thorow hym thou hast takē awaie the synne of the worlde bi which thorow his crosse thou hast lyghtened all mē by whē thorow hī thou hast redressed all thinges in heauē and erth wash me oh Lorde in his bloude / lighten me in his humilite / redresse me in his resurreccion Haue mercie on me oh God not after thy smal mercie for that is but thy smal mercie in cōparison whē thou helpest mē of their bodelie euylles but it is great whē thou forgeuest synnes dost eleuate mē by thy fauoure aboue the toppe of the erth Euē so Lord haue mercie on me accordīge to this thi greate mercie that thou turne me vnto the that thou put out my synnes and that thou iustefie me bi thi grace fauoure And accordinge to the mustitude of thy compassiōs wype awaye myne iniquyte Thy mercye Lorde is the habundaūce of thy pytye / by the which thou lokest gentlye on the poore and wretched Thy compassyons are the workes ād processes of thy mercye Marye magdalene came vnto thy fete good Iesu she wasshed them wither teares / and wyped them with her here / thou forgauest her and sentest her a waye in peace / this was Lorde one of thy compassions / Petre denyed the ād forsoke the with an oth / thou lokedst apon him and he wepte bitterlye / thou forgauest him and madest hym one of the chefe amonge thyne Apostles this was lorde another of thy compassyons The these on the crosse was saued with one worde Paule in the furious wodnes of his persecution was called ād by and by fulfylled wyth the holye goste / these are Lorde thy compassyons The tyme shuld faile me yf I shuld enumbre all thy merciable compassyons / for loke how manye ryghtwyse men there be / ād so manye are thy godlye compassions / There is none that can glorye in hym selfe Let them all come that are ryghtwyse other in erth or in heauen and let vs axe them before the whether they be saued by theyr awne power and vertue And surelye all they will answere with one harte / and one mouth sayenge Not vnto vs Lorde not vnto vs / but vnto thi name geue all the prayse / for thy mercye for thy truthes sake for they in theyr awneswerde possessed not the lande / and theyr awne arme or power saued them not but thy right hande and thyne arme ād the lighteninge of thy councenaunce for thou delitedst in the / that is / they are not saued for their awne deseruynges lest any man shuld boste him selfe / but because it pleased the so to be whych thynge the Prophete doth also more expresselye witnesse of the whē he sayeth he saued me because he wold haue me Sith therfore that thou arth the me god wyth whome is no alteracyon or variablenesse nether art thou chaūged vnto darknesse and we thy creatures as wel as oute fathers whych were borne vnder concupyscence synners as well as we and sith there is but one mediatore and a tonement betwene god and man that is chryst Iesus whych endureth for euer / why dost thou not poure on thy plentuous compassions vppon vs / as well as thou didest vppon oure fathers hast thou forgotē vs or are we onelye synners did not crist die for vs Are all thy mercyes spent none lefte Lorde oure god I desyre hartelye besech the / to put out myne iniquite accordinge vnto the multitude of thy compassions for manye yee infinite are thy compassiōs that accordynge I saye to the multytude of thy cōpassions thou vouchsafe to quēch my synne that as thouhast draune receaued innumerable synners / hast made thē rightuous euen so that thou wilt drawe take me make me rightwyse thorow thy grace fauoure / therfore accordinge to the multitude of thy compassions wype
groninges as can not be expressed with tongue therfore take not awaye this thi holye sprete fro me / that he maye teach me to praye / and helpe me in my laboure and may cause me to continue in prayers and teares / that at the lengh I maye finde fauoure before thy face and maye serue the all dayes of my lyffe Make me agayne to reioyse in thy sauynge helth and strengthen me with a pryncypall sprete he is a greate thinge that I desyre o Lorde Iow be it sith thou arte god a greate Lorde / and kynge ouer all goddes / he doth the iniurye which asketh small thinges of the. All transitorye and corruptible thinges are but small in thy syght but spyrytuall euerlastynge thinges are greate / and precyous Take awaye the sprete / and soule from the bodye / and what remayneth but most vyle dounge dust a vayne shadowe therfore euē so moch difference is betwene the sprete and the bodye / as is betwene the bodye his shadowe / so maye I conclude that he which asketh bodelye thynges asketh but vayne tryfles but he that desyreth spyrituall thynges doth surelye desyre great thinges / but speciallye he that desyreth thy sauinge helthe / what is thy sauīge helth but Iesus thy sonne which is verye god / euerlastinge liffe / why shall I not then aske of the this thy sauyoure / sith thou arte amyghtye and most liberall father / whych gauest hym vnto the deeth of the crosse for me Now sith thou hast so offered hym for me / why shuld I be ashamed to aske hym of the It is a great and noble present nether am I worthie to haue such a gift how be it it becometh thy worthy lyberalyte to geue such noble gyftes / for this therfore tyne ineffable gentlenesse I dare presume to come boidlye vnto the and to desyre thy sauinge helth in whom I myght fullye reioyce For yf of his carnal father any sonne aske fysh / will he teach him a serpent And yf he aske an egge / will he geue hym a scorpion or yf he aske breed / will he geue hym a stone Now yf carnall fathers beynge euell and synners / wil geue vnto theyr childer good gyftes whych they haue receaued of the how moch moare thou heuenlye father whych of thyne awne substance arte good / wilt geue a good sprete to thē that desyre it of the Beholde thy sonne whych is retourned from a farre countre sorowinge and repentinge / asketh of the the fish of fayth / for as the fish lyeth secrete vnder the water / euen so is fayth of such thynges as are not sene / he asketh I saye a true fayth that he maye reioyce in thy sauinge helth wilt thou reath hym a serpent wilt thou geue hym the venome of vnfaythfulnes which proceadeth from that old and croked serpent the deuell I desyre of the o Lorde the egge of hope / that euen as out of an egge we hope for a chyken / so thorow hope / that thou wilt graunte me to come vnto the syght of thy sauynge health that out of my hope maye come this holesome sight as the chicke doth out of the egge I desyre the egge of hope / that my soule thorow hope maye be sustayned in this vale of teares and may reioyce in thy sauinge helth Wilt thou geue me the scorpion of desperacyon that as a scorpion hath poyson in the ende of her taile / so I in the last ende of miliffe shulde reserue synne / delytinge my selfe and taking he my pleasure with the entisemētes of this worlde which seme beautifull and flateringe / euē as a scorpion doth in the face I desyre of the also o Lorde the breed of Christes cherite by the which he doth communycate hym selfe euen as breed vnto all men / that I maye euer reioyce in thy sauynge / helth / wilt thou geue me a stone / that is to saye hardnes of harte God forbid / why shall I them my struste for to desyre and / and optayne greate thinges of the o Lorde / seinge thou sturrest me vpp / and byddest me aske and knocke / euen tyll I se me importunate And what thynge can I aske whych thou shalt be better content with all / or els that shuld be moare holesome for me them that thou shuldest make me reioyse in thy sonne oure sauinge helth Now haue I tasted how swete the Lorde is / how easye / and pleasaunte hys burthen is I remember whate peace and tranquilite of mynde I was in / when I ioyed in god And reioysed in Chryst my Lorde and sauyoure / therfore am I now in moare sorow / for I know what goodnes And commodylye I haue loste / therfore will I crye more importunatlye Make me agayne to reioyse in thy sauīge helth restore me agayne that thynge whych my sinnes haue lost Restore me that whych thorow my faute is perysshed in me Restore me I besech the for his sake that euer is on thy ryght hande and maketh intercession for vs thy gracious fauoure / that I maye perceaue that thorow hym thou art pacefyed towardes me / that it maye be as a seale vppon my harte / and that I maye saye wyth the Apostle Paule Gala. ij I am crucefyed with Chryst / I lyue verelye / yet now not I / but Chryst lyueth in me But because my frayltye is greate / strēght me wyth a pryncypall sprete that no troubles or afflyctions maye seperate me from Chryst / that no feare may cause me to renye the and that no paynes maye make me slyde from the. My strength is not suffycyent to resyst / and fyght wyth that olde serpent / and to preuayle agenst hym Peter hath taught me how greate oure infirmitye is / he sawe the with his bodely yies Lorde Iesu was most familiarlye conuersaunt wyth the he tasted of thy glorye in the mountayne / whē thou wast trāsfigured he harde the fathers voyce he sawe thy manifold and wondrous workes / yee and thorow thy power dyd hym selfe many miracles He walked on his fete vppon the waters / and harde daylye thy mightye and swete wordes he thought hym selfe most feruent and hote in the faith and sayde that he was readye to go with the both in to preson vnto verye deeth And when thou toldest hym that he shuld denye the he beleued the not the trusted in his awne strength / and trusted more vnto hym selfe beynge but a man / then vnto the beynge verye god But when the handmayden sayde vnto hym Thou arte of the same cōpanye / he was afrayde by and by and denyed it There came a nother mayde and sayed Surelye thou arte of the same folke And he denyed the agayne He coude not stande before wemē / how shuld he then haue stonde before kynges tyrauntes And when he was yet once moare enquired of the bystanders and was accused to be one of his disciples / he beganne to curse and to swere that
he knew the not / what thinke you he sayed I suppose that he sware by god and by the lawe of Moses that he knewe the not / addiÌ„ge such wordes Thinke you that I am the disciple of this Samaâ—â—ane which / deceaueth the people which is inspired with the deuil and destroyeth oure lawe I am the disciple of Moyses / and knowe not froÌ„ whenâ—â— this felowe is Blissed be God that they acused enquyriÌ„ge any further / for els wold he neuer haue ceased denyenge the / so that a thousande interrogacyons wolde haue made a thousand staite negacyons yee a thousand curses and periuryes yet were these interrogacyons but wordes / what wold he haue done I praie the yf they had scourged hym buffeted hym well Trulye he wold haue sought proued all meanes / denyenge / forsweringe / cursinge / and blaspheminge vntyll that he had escaped their handes But thou most meke Lorde lokedst backe vppon hym and by and by he knowleged his offence Nether yet durst he lepe in to the myddes of them and confesse the to be the sonne of God / for he was not yet strengthed with power from aboue / so that with our doute he wold haue denyed the agayne / yf he had sene any ieopardye at hande / therfore as it was most mere for hym / he wentâ— forth and wepte bitterlye But thou after thy resurrecyon appearedst vnto hym and confortedst hym / yet kyd he hym selfe for feare of the Iues he sawe the so gloryouslye assendynge vnto heaueÌ„ was strengthed by the syght and comforte of Angels / yet durst he not go abroade / for he had lerned by experyence to knowe his awne fragilite / and had proued his wekenesse ¶ Therfore dyd be tarye and wayte for the holye ghost which was promysed / wheÌ„ he was come and had fylled Peters harte with grace / then stepte he forth then beganne he to speake / and then with greate power and sygnes bare he wytnesse of thy resurreccyon Then feared he nether the hyt preastes nether yet kynges / but reioysed in tribulacyons receaued the crosse with all mâ—â—th and gladnes Therfore strengthen me Lorde with a principall sprete that I maye contynuallye reioyce in thy sauynge helth / or els can I not beare so manye assautes agenst me The flessh coueteth contrarye to the sprete The worlde assayleth me on eueryesyde The deuell slepeth not Geue me the strenght of thy sprete that the there maye fallely my syde a thousand anâ— then thousande by my right hande that I maye be a sure and stronge witnesse of thy sayth For yf Peter whom thou enduedst with so manye fauourable gyftes / dyd fall so wretchedlye / what shuld I doo Lorde which haue nether sene thy naturall presence nether haue tasted of thy glorie in the mountayne nether haue sene thy gracious myracles ye and haue scarcelye perceaued thy meruelous workes / haue neuer hard thy voyce / but haue bene euer subdued vnder synne therfore strength me with a principall sprete that I maye perseuer / in thy seruyce and geue my lyffe for thy sake I will enstructe the wyked that they maye knowethy wayes / and the vngodlye shal be conuerted vnto the. Ascribe not this oh Lorde vnto presumcyoÌ„ / yf I go aboute to the teach the vngodlye thy wayes / for I desyre not to teach theÌ„ as I now am wyked / vngodlye / and vnder the boÌ„des of synne / but yf thou make me agayne to reioyce in thy sauiÌ„ge helth yf thou strenghten me with a principal sprete and yf also thou sette me fre / then shall I teach the vngodlye thy wayes ¶ Nether is this harde vnto the / which of verye stones canst rayse vp chyldren vnto Abraham / nether can my synnes be impedimeÌ„t vnto the yf thou wilt do this / but rather where sinne is so abundaunte / there aboundeth grace Paule yet brethinge out threateninges and slaughter agenst the disciples of the lorde receaued coÌ„missyon that yf he founde any whether they were men or wemeÌ„ which folowed the professed thy fayth / he shuld bringe them presoners to HierusaleÌ„ And forth was he goynge lyke a mad harebrayne and as a raueninge volfe / for to straye abrode / rauysh and kylle thy shepe But whylles he was yet in his iorney euen in the hete of his persecucyon / and in actuall doynge of his synne / whyles he was persecutinge the and wold haue slayne thy chosen / hauynge no maner of preparatyue vnto grace / nether yet knowlege of his synne / when with harte and will he was thyne aduersarye / blasphemed and cursed the. Behold the voyce of thy merciable pitye vnto hym sayeng Saute / Saule why persecuteâ—â— me by the which voyce he was immedyatlye both sayed alonge and raysed vp he was layede alonge and ouerthrowne as concernynge his bodye / but he was raysed vppe with the mynde thou raysedst hym vp that was in the slepe of darke ygnorauncye and pouredst in thy gloryous lyght in to those yies which were oppressed with this blynde slepe thou shewedst hym thy sauourable face and endued hym with thy gracyous mercye Then was he raysed as it had bene from deeth / he opened his yies / he sawe the and sayed Lorde what wilt thou that I doo And after dydst thou sende a shepe to his wolfe / for thou commaundedst Ananias to go vnto hym And then was he baptysed and anon was he replenyshed with the holye ghoste and was made a chosen vessell to beare thy name before kynges / nacyons and the childer of Israel And with out delaye he entred in to the synagoges preached thy name stoutelye / affirmiÌ„ge that thou arte Christe / He disputed / preuayled and confounded the Iues. Behold Lorde euen streyte of a persecutoure / thou madest hym a preacher and such a preacher that laboured more theÌ„ all the other apostles O / how greate is thy power / yf thou wylt of a wyked man make a ryght wyse / or of a persequntoure a preacher / who shall forbyd the who shall resyst the who maye saye vnto the / why dost thou so All thinges that thou woldest haue thou made in heauen and in erth / 〈◊〉 these and in all bottomlesse depth Therfore impute it not to arrogaÌ„cye yf I couete thorow thy power not thorow myne awne to teach the wyked thy wayes for I knowe that I can offer nothynge which caÌ„ be so acceptable iÌ„ thy godlye sight this is the most pleasaunte sacrifice / also for my singulare profite / now yf thou chauÌ„ge me in to a nother man / theÌ„ wyll I teach the wyked thy wayes / not the wayes of Plato Aristotle / not the intricate soâ—le proposycyoÌ„s of maÌ„nes witte / not the instructions of philosophie / not the paynted wordes vayne coloures of the rethoricyans Not wordlye maters policyes / not vnfrutefull wayes of vanitye / not wayes that lâ—ad men iÌ„to deeth but thy wayes thy pÌ„ceptes which
the holye gost beholdeth a farre off the glorye of God accordynge to the capacite of this lifte / and therfore sayed the Apostle .ij. Corinth .iij. all we with an vncouered face beholdynge as in a glasse the glorye of the Lorde / after the same ymage are transformed from glorye to glorye as by the sprete of the Lorde Lord god how small is thy church at thys daye almost the hole world is fallen from the there are many mo myscreauntes then christen And yet emonge the chrysten how many are there which forsake worldlie thīges seke the glorie of the Lorde Surulye ye shal finde fewe / in comparyson of them which are addicte to wordlye thīges whose god is theyr belye glorye to theyr shame and confusyon / Deale gentlye Lorde of thy fauourable beneuolence wyth zyon that it maye be encreased both in multitude in good lyuynge Beholde frō heauē deale gentlye as thou arte wont to do that thou wilt send emonge vs the fyre of thy cheryte / whych maye consume all oure sunnes Deale Lorde accordynge to thy fauourable beneuolence / and do not with vs after oure deseruinge / nether yelde thou vs agayne accordynge to oure iniquytyes but ordre vs accordinge to thy greate mercye Thou arte Lorde oure father and redemer / thou arte oure hope / and euerlastynge helth Euerye man desyreth goodnes of he / yf thou geue it them / then shall they gather it yf thou open thy hande all shal be fylled wyth plentye / when thou turnest awaye thy face / then are they astōnyed whē thou gatherest in theyr breth then are they deed and returne in to erth And agayne when thou brethest on them / then are they created a new and thus renuest thou the face of the erth Psalme .ciiij. Lorde I praye the whate profyte is there in the damnacyon of so manye thousande men Hell is fylled and thy church doth daylye decrease Aryse Lorde / why slepest thou so longe Aryse / and differe not vnto the ende / Deale gentlye of thy fauourable beneuolence with zyon / that the walles of Hierusalem maye be buylded agayne / what is Hierusalem whych by interpretacyon signifieth the vysion of peace but the holye congregacion and citye of the blessed whych is oure mother Her walles were decayed whē Lucifer with his aungels fell / in to whose places are the rightwyse men receaued Deale therfore gentlye oh Lorde with zyon / that he numbre of thy chosen maye shortlye be fulfylled / that the walles of Hyerusalē maye be edefyed and finyshed with newe stones whych shall euer prayse the and endure euerlastinglye Then shalt thou accepte the sacrifice of ryghtwysnes / obsaeions burnt offeringes them shal they laye vppon thyne altare wanton casues When thou hast delt gentlye of thy fauourable will beneuolence with zyon / then shalt thou accepte the sacrifice of rightwisnes / for thou shalt consume it with burninge fyre of thy loue cheryte / so acceptedst thou the sacryfyces of Moses and Helias And then acceptest thou the sacrifyces of rightwysnes / whē thou fattenest with thy grace the soules which endeuoure them selues to lyue ryghtwyslye / what profiteth to offer sacrifices vnto the whē thou acceptest thē not oh Lorde How many sacryfices offer we now a dayes whych are not pleasaunte vnto the but rather abhominable for we offer not the sacrifices of ryght wysnes / but oure awne ceremonyes and therfore are they not accepted Where is now the glorye of the Apostlee where is the valyaunte perseueraunce of martyrs where is the frute of preachers where is that holye simplycyte of them that vsed to lyue solitarye where are the vertues and workes of the Chrysten which were in olde tyme Then shalt thou accepte theyr sacrifyces / when thou shalt decke and garnish them with thy grace and vertues Also yf thou deale gentlye with zyon of thy fauourable beneuolēce / then shalt thou delight in sacrifices of ryghtwysnes / for the people shall beginne to lyue well / to kepe thy cōmaundemētes to deale iustlye so shall thy people be endued wyth thy benefyted blessinge Thē shall the oblacious of the preastes of the clergye be acceptable vnto the / for they shal forsake their carnall affeccyon endeuoure thē selues vnto a more perfeyte liffe / so shall the oyntmēt of thy blyssinge descende vppon theyr heddes Then shall the burnt offerynges of the relygious be pleasaunt to the / for they shall cast out all drousye sluggeshnes and false confidence / and be hoellye enflamed and made perfayte with the burninge fyre of goddes loue Thē shall the bisshoppes and preachers put calues vppon thyne altare / for after they are consummate in all kynde of vertue and replenysshed wyth thy holye sprete / they shall not feare to geue theyr lyues for theyr shepe what is thyne altare swete Iesu but thy crosse where vppō thou wast offered what sygnifyeth a wanton calfe / but oure bodye Therfore thē shall they put calues on thyne altare / whē thei shal offer theyr awne bodies vnto the crosse / that is vnto all afflictions euē vnto the verye deeth for thy names sake Then shall the church florish and dilate her coostes / then shall thy prayse be noysed from the last ende of the worlde / then shall ioye / and gladnesse fulfyll the hole worlde Then shall thy sayntes reioyce in glorye shall make mirth in their māciōs waytinge for vs in the loude of the lyuynge Accōplish in me euē now Lorde that thē / which I so ofte name / that thou maist haue compassiō on me accordinge to thy greate mercye / that thou mayst receaue me for aburnt sacrifice of rightwisnes for a holie oblaciō for a sacrifice of good lyuinge / and for a calfe to be offered on thyne altare or crosse / by the which I maye passe from thy vale of miserye vnto that ioye which thou hast prepared for them that loue the. Amen ¶ To fyll vp the leffe we haue touched certayne places which we thou most necessarye to edefie the congregacion of Christ ¶ Of fayth FIrst dere brethren ye ought to geue diligent hede that you maye purelye vnderstonde what fayth is and what frutes procede out of her / And to cōclude the summe in fewe wordes / fayth is a sure persuasyon full knowlege that God for his truth and ryghtwysnes sake wyll fulfyll such promyses / as he hath made vnto vs of his mercye and sauoure / which sure persuasyon must be geuen from god .i. Corin. xij For it can nother be goien by mannes power / nether yet retayned Therfore with feare and tremblinge performe that helth which is begōne in you / for it is God that worketh in you both the wyll and also the deed / euē at his awne pleasure And se that with all mekenes ye submitte youre selues vnto the vocacyon of god / not sekynge the libertye of the flesh / nether yet despysinge good workes / for
feare after hym to drynke syth we do so that there chaunced none euyll to hym but onely good by rysing agayn No doubt chat chyef pure myrrhe Crystes lyppes distillyng it and his wordes coÌ„mending it shulde be moste acceptable aÌ„d swete euen as the smell of lylses So writeth Petre in the fyrste pystle for asmuche as Chryst hath suffer for vs in flesshe Arme your selues lykewyse with the same mynde Paule also in the .xij. to the Hebrues Consyder howe that he endured suche speaking agaynst hym of synners / lest ye shulde be weryed eÌ„d saynt in your myndes Therfore yf we haue lerned in the ymages byfore whiche were byneth vs and nere vnto vs to suffer euylles paciently / cruely in this last ymage which is set aboue vs we being rauysshed in christ lyft vp and set hygher them all euylles ought not onely to suffer theym / but also to loue / desyre and seke theym And the ferther of that a man is frome this mynde desyre / the lesse he hath of Christes passion As they which vse the sygnes and armure of Christ against euylles and deth / that they might nether suffer nether dye / whyche desires are clene contrary to the crosse and deth of Christ wherfore it is necessary that what euylles so euer we suffer be consumed clene brought to nought in this seuenth ymage / so that it shulde not greue vs but rather delite vs and make vs glad yf this ymage perse and entre in to oure herâ—s / or do remayn and sure in oure inward desire and mynde ¶ This mothe haue we spoken of the fyrst table Nowe foloweth the secunde TO the secunde table we shal also assygne seueÌ„ ymages contrarye to they me that were made bifore The first shall be of the inward goodnesse The secunde of the goodnesse to come The thyrd of the goodnesse passed The fourth of the goodnesse beneth vs. The fyft of the goodnesse on the lyft honde The syxt of the goodnesse on the ryght honde The ses venthe of the goodnesse aboue vs. ¶ The first chapter of the fyrst ymage whiche is the goodnesse with in vs. WHo is a bill to numbre the goodnesse whyche euery man possesseth in his owne person fyrst howe grete are the gyftes of the bodie as beutye streinght helt / qÌ„cknesse / witte besydes these in the male the most ê‘faiâ— noble kynde nature / by the whyche he is mete to exercyse and take vpon hym many thinges priuate / comune and other excelleÌ„t actes / whiche woman is nothing mete nor apt to / whathe merueyle is it / yf thou vsing these giftes thorough the fauoure of god cenne twenty / or thyrty yere with pleasure shuld suffer be payned in one of theym for the space of teÌ„ne dayes whate shal we do whiche haue had manye good houres / and will not be coÌ„tent to suffer one euell here may we se howe we be endued by hepe with the goodly giftes of god And agayn with howe fewe euylles many of vs be oppressed or touched Howe be it god almyghtye not thynking it sufficieÌ„t to haue done this moche for vs dyd also cast vnto vs rychesse plenteous abundaunce of all thinges / though not to all men yet truely to many / to theym specially that are impotent weake to suffer euyll for as I sayde bifore to theym he gyueth more of the sprete / to whome he gaue lesse worldly bodyly goodes that there shuld be a certeyn equalite in all thynges he the ryghtuouse iuge of al thinges Nether do grete rychesse so moche comfort a man as a mery glad sprete Bisides this / to some he gyueth yssue children whiche is a grete pleasure power / imperye / honour a name / glory / fauoure / and suche other whyche yf a man vse a longe season ye though he vse theym but a smal season they shall sone declare vnto hym whate he shal do in a lytell euyll The gyftes of the soule are more exceleÌ„c then all these as witte / connyng iudgemeÌ„t eloquence / wysdom / and these also as he dyd the other he deuideth after an equalyte so that he hath recompensed it in the other / by gyuing theym more quietnesse and gladnesse of mynde In all these thynges the most liberall hond of god must be considered with gyuyng thankes and oure infirmite must be comforted that in this multitude and gretnesse of goodes we merueyl not / though some sowernesse be admyxt / for vnto voluptuous men / there is no meate acceptable whiche of his nature hath not other some sharpe tast / or elles hys sawce prepared for hym / so that contynuall and onely swetnesse is a thing intollerabill Therfore it was well sayd euery pleasure by his perseueraunce maketh a man full of it / and to disdayn it And agayn / it is said Euen pleasure hir self is a payne bycause this lyfe is to weke and impotent to suffre coÌ„tinually goodnesse without the temperature of euyll for the abuÌ„dant copie of the goodnesse wherof spryngeth thys prouerbe They re bones must be strong whyche shall suffer good dayes whiche prouerbe I haue often considered merueyling at the merueylous true sentence of it / howe all the purposes and desires of men are clene contrary vnto it / whyche seke nothyng but good dayes / ye when they haue gotte theym they can worse bere theym theÌ„ the euyll For whaÌ„te doth god coÌ„mend vnto vs in those thinges / but that the crosse shulde be merueylous / euen in the enemyes of the crosse Insomoche that we ought to tempore and halowe all thynges by it / euen as we powdre flesshe with salte that it do not putrifie wareful of wormes werfore theÌ„ do not we receyue with a glad hert / thys temperature sent of god / whyche yf he dyd not sente / yet oure lyfe whiche is not able to endure with thys contynuall pleasure and goodnesse / wolde desire it of his owne will Nowe we perceiue howe truely the wise maÌ„ sayed of god he that contynueth from the one ende to the other strongly / and dysposeth all thynges swetely / for yf we consider these good thynges / it shall appere that it is also true whiche is spoken of Moses in the. xxxij of Deuteronomyon / he bare hym Vppon hys shulders / he ledde hym about and kept hym as the balle of hys eye wyth thys saying we may stoppe they re mouthes whyche vnkyndly chatter that there are mo euilles in this lyfe them good thynges for surely / we neuer lacke goodnesse nor pleasures / full of proufit swetnesse but we do moche lacke suche people as shuld vnderstond it with the Prophete saying The Erthe is full with the mercy of god And agayn the erth is full of hys prayse / in the .ciij. psal The erth is replenysshed with thy possession / thou hast delyted me Lorde in tese creatures for this cause we syng dayly in the