Kepe vs from all euyll / misshe vous / obstinate / hard / styffe / vngentill / and resisting will Gyue de we obedieÌ„ce / parsait freminde in all spiritual thinges / worldly / euerlasting transitory Kepe vs froÌ„ the most horribill synne of grugyng slaunder / accusing folisshe hardy iudgemeÌ„t / that we condeÌ„pne no man or turne any thing to rebuke Put from vs that abhominabill euyl / and most greuous stroke al suche tongues / teache vs that if we se or heare of other any thyng worthye of rebuke / whiche dyspleaseth vs / that we holde oure peace hyde it coÌ„plenyng to the onely / putting committyng it vnto thy will / so that with all oure minde we forgeue theim that offeÌ„d vs for whome also we be sory Teache vs to vnderstoud that no man may hurte vs except be do hym selfe moche more hurie in thi sighe so that we may be moued with mercy towardes hym / rather then we shuld be prouoked to wrath rather wepyng for his bliÌ„denesse / then to thinke of aduengemeÌ„t Gyue vs grace that we reioyce not in theyr trouble / whiche haue resisted oure will or hurte vs / or in what poynt so euer they re life displeasith vs / and also that we be not sory when they prosper haue welfare Of this peticion are all psalmes verses and prayers teaching vs to pray for oure enemyes / and against oure synnes ¶ The fourthe peticion Gyue vs this day oure dayly breade THe breade is oure lorde Iesus Crist whyche nourysseth / and conforteth the soule Therfore O heuenly father / gyue vs thys grace / that the lyfe of Chryst wordes / workes / and passions / may be preached / knowen / and holden / bothe of vs / of all the worlde Gyue vs grace that we may haue his wordes / worltes and all his lyfe for an affectuose example / and spectacle of all vertues Gyue vs grace that iâ— oure passyons and aduersytes / we may comfort oure selfe by hys passyon and crosse Gyue vs grace that we may with a scable faith ouercome oure deth by his deth / and folowe without feare this nobil capteyn into aÌ„other life Gyue this grace that all they that preache / may proufitably and blissedly preache thy word / and Iesu crist through all the worlde and that al whicke haue thy worde preached / may lerne Crist and so may be purified / and go forth in a better life Graunt this also mercyfull father / that all strauÌ„ge doctrynes in the whiche Christ is not lerned may be thrust out of thy churche Haue mercy on all bisschoppes / prestes and on al theym whome they call consecrated / of all officers that they maye be lyghteneth with thy grace / to teache rule well / bothe in worde also craÌ„ple of life Kepe al that are weke in the faith lest they be offended bi the myschevous exemple of heddes and rulers Kepe vs from hereyses and doctrynes of dyuision / that we may be agreyng in one mynde / syth we vse one dayly brede that is / one dayly doctryne / and worde of Chryst Teache vs by thy grace / to thynke / and haue in mynde / truely and as we ought to do the passyon of Christ / and to ioyne it happyly with oure lyfe / so that we may coÌ„me and atteyn some thing / though it be but the shadowe of it Finally gyue vs oure dayly breade / that Christ in vs we in Chryst may dwelle perpetuelly / and may worthyly bere this name / syth of Christ we are called Christen Of this peticyon are all kinde of prayers and Psalmes / with whiche we pray for oure officers / ageynst false teachers / for the Iewes / for heretikes / and all other that are out of the ryght wey And also with whiche we pray for theym that lacke â—onforte ¶ The fyft peticyon ¶ Forgyue vs oure treaspaces euen as we forgyue theym that trespas vs. THis prayer hath a certeyn coÌ„dicyon and sygne annexed with hym / whiche â—s that first we forgeue oure trespassers This done / then may we say forgeue be oure trespasses Before also in the thyrde peticyon we prayed that the will of God myght be fulfilled / whiche willeth that we suffer all thinges paciently / not quytyng euell for euell / nether sekyng auengement / but that we do good for euyll / by thexample of oure father in heuyn / whiche maketh his sonne shyne vppon good and euyll / and sendeth his rayne vppon kynd and vnkinde ¶ This is nowe oure prayer O father coÌ„forte oure coÌ„science / bothe nowe / and in the day of deth / whiche conscience nowe is abasshed seynge his synne and iniquyre / then also shal be abasshed / remembryng thy cruell iugemeÌ„t Gyue thy peace into oure hartes that we reioysing may loke for thy iugement Entre not into iudgement with thy strayte lawe / for in it shall no man be funde innocent ryghtuous Teache vs dere father not to sticke or be comforted in oure good workes or diseruynges / but to gyue and submytte oure selfe playnely and faithfully to thyne iufinite and incoÌ„parable mercy Agayne Make that we despeyre not for this oure gylty and synfull lyfe / but that we maye iudgge thy mercy more myghty and stronger then oure lyfe / howe soeuer we haue ordered it Helpe and coÌ„fort all mennes coÌ„science whiche in the poynt of deth / or in any other suche temptacyon are vexed with desperacyon Forgyue theym and vs oure deâ—ces / comfort theym / refresshe theym / and he recoÌ„ciled vnto theim Gyue vs thy goodnesse for oure malice / as thou coÌ„maundest that we shulde do Cast doune the horrible fende flaunderer / accusar / and encreasar / of our synnes nowe and in the poynt of deth and to be short / in all straytnesse of coÌ„science Gyue vs grace to auoyd that by oure diffamacyon mennes synnes appere not the more greuous Iudge vs not after the accusacyon of the deuyll and oure wretched conscience / nether heare the voyce of oure enemyes whiche accuse vs day and nyght byfore the / eueÌ„ as we wyl not heare theim whiche diffame and accuse other Take from vs the greuous hepe of the synnes in oure conscience / so that we refresshed by â—he suer trust and confidence of thy mercy in the botom of oure hart / may lyue / dye / suffer / and take all thinges pacyently In this peticyon take place all Psalmes and prayers whiche ageynst synnes crye on the mercy of God ¶ The sext peticyon ¶ And leade vs not in to temptacyon WE are assauted with thre maners of temptacyon and vexacyon / the flesshe / the worlde / the deuell Therfore we desire the most dere father to endowe vs so with thy grace that we may withstond the desires of the flesshe Make that we resyst and fyght ageynst this super fluyte of meate / drynke / slepe / slouth / and ydelnesse Make that we
whiche made heuē erth / and alone ruleth all creatures To hym hoelly I submytte my sylfe Nothing fearyng / nor regardyng the malice of the deuell / his felawes / for my god is aboue theym all Nether wolde I put thelesse cōfidence in god / though all men did forsake me and persecute me Nether will I trust hym thelesse / bycause I am wretched and poore / bycause I am rude and vnlerned / bycause I am dispised and lacke possessions Nether yet the lesse bicause I am a synner for this my faith doth sarre passe / al thīges as it is necessary ought to do what soeuer eyther be / or be not / bothe synnes and vertues to be short / all thinges So that she doth purely hoely fixe her self in God onely / as the first cōmaundement teachith and compellith me Nether desire I any signe to tempt hym I trust faythfully vnto hym / all though he differre tary at his pleasure I will not sette or prescribe to hym any ende / any tyme / measure or reason but I commit all to his will / with a pure faith and a stable For he is almyghty / what can I lacke that he can not gyue and do vnto me For he is the maker of heuen erth and lorde of all thinges / what thing can hyndre me or hurte me Howe may it be that all thinges shall not turne to myn vse and profit / when he to whome all these thynges ar subiect and obedyent fauoureth me and loueth me Nowe syth he is god he knoweth wherunto he hath ordyned me / and howe euery thinge shal be best for me and that whiche he knoweth / he may do Yf he be my father / it is sure that he wil se the best for me and that with a good will When I doubt not herof and haue suche trust in hym / then no doubt I on his seruaunt his sonne / his heyre for euer And euen as I beleue se shall it be vnto me ¶ The secunde parte of the belefe ANd in Iesu Christ / his onely sonne oure lorde Whiche was cōceyued by the holy goost / borne of Mary the virgyn Suffred vnder Pontius Pylatus / crucyfyed / deede / and buryed / descended to helle / the thyrd day rose ageyn from deth Ascended to heuen / syttith on the ryght hand of God the father almyghty / from thens he shall come to iudge quycke and deade That is / I do not only beleue / that Iesu Christ is the true only sonne of God / by euerlasting godly nature / beyng frō the begynnyng euer begotten but also that all thinges are subdued vnder hym / that he is my lorde / and the lorde of all creatures / made ruler of theym beyng man / whiche he hym self with the father in his diuynite dyd make I beleue that no man may beleue in god the father or may come vnto the father / nether by science and lernyng nether by workes / nether by they re owne reason and witte or by what thing so euer may be named in heuen or erthe / but by this and in this Iesu Chryst his onely sonne / that is to say by the sayth in the name and power of Iesu Chryst I beleue vnfaynedly / and surely / that he was conceyued for my proufit by the holy goost without all mannes and carnal worke / without a bodyly father / or mannes sede / and that to purifye / and make spirituall my synfull / flesshely / vnclene / and dampnabill conception / and all theyrs that beleue in hym moued to his mercy of his owne and fre will and the will of the almyghty father ¶ I beleue that he was begotten of the virgyn Mary without the losse of her pure and vncorrupt virgynite / so that accordyng to the prouidence of the mercyfull father he shulde blysse and clense the synnes dāpnabill byrth of all that beleue in hym that after / it myght do no hurte I beleue that he suffred passyon deth for my synnes / and all theyrs that beleue in him / that he therby blyssed all passyons / crosses deathes / so that after they myght not hurte / but be bothe holsome and merytorious I beleue that he was deade and buryed to mortifye bury all my synnes / theyrs that beleue Finally that all bodely deth bi his deth was distroyed / so that it is of no power to hurte but is rather made holesome and profitable I belefe that he went downe to hell to subdewe and make captyue / to me to all that beleue / the deuyll with all his impery / subtilite and malice / to delyuer me frō helle / takyng awey all his power that he myght not hurte me / but shulde rather be profitable vnto me I beleue that on the thyrde day he rose ageyn from deth / to bryng me and all that beleue in to a newe lyfe / and that by this dede he reysed me with hym / in grace and spryte / not to synne after / but that I endowed with all kindes of grace and vertue / myght serue hym / and so fulfull his commaundementes I beleue that he ascended vnto heuen / and that he hath receyued of the father / rule / honoure aboue all aungelles / and creatures And that he nowe sittith on the ryght honde of the father / that is / that he is king and lorde ouer all the goodes of godyn heuen hell and erthe Wherfore he may helpe me and theym that bileue / yn all maner of aduersitees against all oure aduersares and ennemyes I beleue that from thens he shal retourne the last day / to iudge quycke / whome he them shall finde alyue / and deed whyche before were buried And that he shall compell all men and aungelles good and euel to come before the seate of his iudgement whome they shal se bodyly to delyuer me and all faithfull / from bodyly deth / from all euyl / and synnes And to punysshe with eternall iudgement his enemyes / and aduersaryes / so that we shal be delyuered frō they re power for euer ¶ The thirde parte of the belefe I Beleue in the holy ghoost / the holy Christen churche / the communyon of saintes / the forgeuenesse of synne / the rysing / of flesshe / and euerlasting life Amen That is to sey / I do not onely beleue that the holy goost is verey god with the father the sonne But also that no man can come to the father by ceist / by his lyfe / passiō / deth what so euer who spokē of christ or opteyne any of these thinges / without the worke of this sprete with the whiche sprece I desire the father the son / to touch me and all faithfull to sturre me vp / to call / to drawe / and by Chryst and in christ to quycken me to make me holy and spirituall and so to brynge me to
doctrine whyche pretende a coloure of thy name / may sodeynly vanisshe a wey Make that all hypocrisye or fayning of truth ryghtuousnesse or holynesse deceyue no man Make that no man swere by thy name / lye / or disseyue Kepe vs from all falce hope / whiche vnder coloure of thy name offereth it selfe vnto vs. Kepe vs from spirytuall pryde / from the vaine honoure of worldly glorie and name Graunt vs that in all perylles and hurte we may call vppon this thy holy name Graunt that in the straytenesse of conscience / and ieoberdie of deth we neuer forget thy blissed name Graunt / that in oure good wordes and workes we mai onely prayse and magnifye the / so that we nether seke nor chalenge to oure selfe any name or honoure / but to the onely whose alone are all thinges kepe vs from the most dampnabill synne of vnkindnesse Graunt that by oure lyfe / and good workes all other may be mouel to good / and that they wurshyppe and prayse nor vs / but thy name Graunt that by oure euell workes and synnes no man may take occasion to slaunder thy name / or dyminysshe thy prayse Kepe vs that we desire nothing eyther corruptyble or euerlasting / whiche shulde not retourne to the honoure / and prayse of thy name And yf we are anisuche here thou not oure folysshenesse Make that oure life be suche that we may truely be founde thy chyldren / so that this thy name father be not called in vayne or falsly in vs. To this perte of prayer specially perteyn all psalmes and prayers / with whiche we prayse / wurschippe / syng / gyue thankes to god and fynally all the prayse of god ¶ The secunde peticyon Let thy kyngdome come THis wretched lyfe is the kyngdome of all synnes / myscheffe whose lorde is the euell sprete / chief author / gruÌ„de of all malice synne / But thy kingdome is the kingdome of all grace vertue / whose lorde is thy best beloued sonne Iesus crist the heede begynnyng of all grace vertue / wherfore helpe vs most dere father / come agayn in fauoure with vs. Gyue vs bifore all thinges true and constaunte faithe in Christ hope without feare in thy mercy / agaynst all infirmytes of oure weake conscyence / and pure loue towardes the / and all men Kepe vs from infydelyte / desperatyon / and malyce / whyche at the last myght be the cause of oure destructyon Make vs to auoyde the soule desyre of lechery Gyue vs loue to virgynyte / and to all clennesse Delyuer vs from dissentions bateylles / dyscorde and stryfe Make the vertues of thy kyngdome to come and reygne withyn vs. Gyue vs peace / concorde and tranquylyte so that wrathe / or any other vytternesse haue not hys kyngdome in vs / but rather through thy grace the symple swetnesse / and brotherly fayth / all kind of frendshyppe / good maner / gentylnesse and kindnesse Graunt vs that the inordinate trouble and sykenesse of minde haue no place in vs / but make the reioysyng and pleasure in thy grace and mercy rule / and haue dominion And to be shorte / that all synne may be alienate from vs / and that we replenyssed wyth thy grace / vertue and good workes may be made thy kyngdome / that all oure hert / mynde / and sence / with all oure strength inward / and outward may suffer theym selfe to be ruled by the / to serue the / thy commaundementes and thy wyll / not theym selfe or the flesshe the worlde or the deuell Make that this thy kyngdome ones in vs begonne / may be encreasid / go forwarde dayly and growe lest the subtyll malyce / or fleuthe that we haue to goodnesse oppresse vs / lest we loke backe agayne and falle in to synne Gyue vs a stable purpose and streyngth / not onely to begynne thys good lyfe / but rather to ê“cede boldly in it and to ê‘forme it / as the prophete sayeth Lighten myn ces lest I slepe or bewery iÌ„ the good lyfe ones begonne / and so myne enemye do bryng me agayn into his power Graunt / that we may so continue And that thy kyngdome whiche shall come / may fynysshe and perfourme this kyngdome whiche is begonne by the. Delyuer vs from this parylouse / synful life Make vs desyre the other lyfe to come / and to hate this present lyfe Gyue vs grace not to feare death / but rather to desire it Put from vs the loue and desyre of this lyfe / that so thy kyngdome may fully be perfect in vs. Of this peticion are al psalmes / verses / and prayers in the whiche grace and vertue is desyred of god ¶ The thirde petycion ¶ Thy wyll be fulfylleth in erth as it is in heuen IF oure will be compared with thyne it can neuer be good / but is euer euell Thy wyll is euer best specially / and muche to be loued and desyred wherfore haue compassion vppon vs most deare father / and suffer nothing to be as we wolde haue it Gyue vs / and teache vs / true and stable pacyence / when oure wyll is let and broken Graunt vs that when eny man speaketh / holdeth his peace / doth / or leueth vndone / any thyng contrary to oure will / that therfore we be not wrothe or angry / nether curse / compleyn / crye / or murmure nether iudge / nor condeÌ„pne / ye that we defend not oure selfe Graunt that we may mekely gyue place to oure aduersaryes / theym whiche let oure wyll / and so to dysanull oure will / that we may prayse / say well / and do to theym / as to chose whiche do perfourme thy godly and best will against ours Endowe vs with thy grace that we may gladly suffrer all diseases / pouertie dispysinges / persequutions / crosse / and aduersites knoweleging that it is thi wil to crucyfye oure wil. Gyue vs grace that we may suffer iniury and that gladly Kepe vs from auengement Make vs that we quyte not euyll for euyll / nether to auoyde violence / by violence But rather that we delyte in thy will whiche bryngeth vs al these thinges prayse the / and gyue the thankes Make vs that we impute it not to the deuell or euell men / when any aduersyte chaunseth but that we attrybute all vnto thy godly will / whiche ordyneth all suche thynges / that oure will may beleefe / and that blissednesse may encrease in thy kyngdome Gyue vs grace that we may be glad / meryte to dye / that for thi wyll we may take oure deth gladli so that by feare nor infirmyte we be not made disobyent vnto the Make that all oure membres eyes / tongue / herte / handes and fete / be not suffred to folowe they re desyres nether that we be at any tyme subdewed vnder theym but that we eueÌ„ as takeÌ„ and emprysoned may be brokeÌ„ in thy will pleasure
may bryng hym in to bondage and subiectyon / with fasting / temperate dyete / clothing / slepe / rest / watche laboure / so that he may be mete / and apte to good workes Make that with Chryst we may fastyn on the crosse and mortifye his euell desires to lechery / all his affectioÌ„s and instigations so that we neuer consent or folowe any his temtations ☞ Make that yf by chaunce we loke on a well made or fayre man or woman / or any other beutyfull ymage or creature / that they be not to vs a cause of temptacyon But that the rather of theym we may take occasyon to loue chastite / and to prayse the in thy creatures Make that wheÌ„ we heare any glad or plesaunt thinge / or feale any swete thiÌ„g that we seke not theryn oure delyte and pleasure / but thy prayse and glory Kepe vs from this greate synne of couetousnesse / desyre to worldly rychesse Gyue vs grace that we syke not the rule and honoure of this worlde / or coÌ„sent to suche desyres Kepe vs that the false subtiltie of this worlde the counterfayt bryghtnesse / entisementes of the same persuade vs not to folowe it Kepe vs that we be not drawen by the euylles and myseries of this worlde to impatience / auengement / wrathe / or to other suche vices Gyue vs grace that we may despyse the lyes of the worlde / coloures / deceytes / promyses / and falshod And to be shorte / that we may forsake all that belongyth to hym good euell / as we haue promysed in baptesme / and that we may continue in this purpose goynge forward dayly more and more Kepe vs from the entysementes of the deuyll / that we coÌ„sent not to â—ryde / whiche wolde cause vs to sette moâ—he by oure selfe and despyse other for ryâ—hesse kynne power / science lernyng / beuty or any other gyftes or goodnesse Kepe vs that we fall not in the synne of hate / and â—nuye / whate occasyon so euer we haue gyâ—en vnto vs. Kepe vs that we doubte not â—n thy fayth / nether falle in desperation / no we / nor in the poynt of deth Put thy helping hade oure best heuenly father to theim that fyght and laboure ageynst this harde and manyfolde temptacyon CoÌ„fort theim that nowe do stoÌ„de / and lyfte theym vppe that lye and are fallen Finally fulfyll vs all with thy grace / that in this miserabyll and perilous lyfe whiche is coÌ„passed with so many coÌ„tinuell enemyes that neuer cease we may fyght boldly with stable and noble fayth / obteyn the euerlasting crowne ¶ The seuenth peticyon But delyuer vs from euell ¶ This peticyon prayeth for all the euylles of paynes and punysshemeÌ„tes as doth the churche in the letany O Father delyuer vs from thy euer lasting wrathe and punishe mences of helle Delyuer vs from thy strayte iugement in dethe / and 〈◊〉 the last day of iudgement Delyuer vs froÌ„ sondayne dethe Kepe vs from the violence of water and fyre from lyghtnyng and hayle Kepe vs from hunger and derthe / kepe vs from warre and manslaughter Kepe vs from thy most greuous strokes / the pestilence / frenche pockes / and suche other diseases Kepe vs from all euyll and perilles of the body Reserued that in all these thinges / be the glory of thy name / encreace of thy kingdome / and fulfylling of thy will ¶ Amen ¶ Graunt vs good lorde that all these prayers may be obteyned of vs with outeÌ„ douthe Nether suffer that we my strust any thing / but that in all these thinges we shal be herde / ye be herd all redy And let all these thinges be sure and with oute any doute So may we with glad here say / amen / that is to say stable / constant / trewe and sâ—er ¶ The salutacyon of our Lady called Aue Maria. HEre take hede no man put his sure trust and hope in the mother of god or her merytes / for this sure trust is dewe to god onely / as the chiefe onely worship with whiche we are coÌ„mauÌ„ded to honoure onely god The fauoure whiche was gyuen to her of god / gyueth vs an occasyon to prayse god / gyue hym thaÌ„kes We ought none otherwise to prayse loue her / theÌ„ one whiche hath receyued suche goodnesse without her owne deseruyng of the pure liberalyte fauoure of God / euen as she her selfe doth knowelege in the songe Magnificat For as I am moued by the syght of heuen / the sonne / or other creatures to coÌ„mende and preyse the maker / and put theym in to my prayse / and prayer / saying O good lord whiche hast made suche a bryght and goodly creature gyue I pray the. c. ¶ So in this place in oure prayer we fette the mother of god / and say O gloriouse god what a noble virgyn haste thou made / blessed and preysed be she And thou lorde whiche haste so glorifyed and exalted her / graunte I desyre the also to me c. So that oure herte consyst not in her / but maye go forth by her to Chryst and to god hiÌ„ selfe Wherfore the prayer is also made on this maner that it gyuer all to god wheÌ„ we say / hayle Mary full of grace / the lorde is with the / blyssed art thou among wymeÌ„ and blyssed is the trute of thy woÌ„be Iesus Christ Here thou seyst that in these wordes no peticyon but pure prayses and honoures are coÌ„teyned / lyke as in the begynnynge first wordes of the Pater noster is no peticyon / but onely prase and declaring of the godly fauour and maiestye that he is oure father and in heuen Therfore we can not call this salutacion a peticyon or any prayer / because it is not laufull for vs / to expounde these wordes for ther then they sounde / and then the holy gost dyd make theym Howe be it we may entreate of this salutacyon dyuers maner of wayes First as a meditacyoÌ„ / that we may in this remembre the grace whiche god gaue / her Secundly that we may desyre also that she may be knowen and exalted of al men / for she was full of grace / wherby it is knoweÌ„ that she had no synne imputed to her / and this was a speciall fauoure of God / to be full of all goodnesse and voyde of al euell Thirdly / that she is blyssed emong all wymen / not for that alone that she brought forth her chylde without laboure and payne / otherwyse then Eua / and other wymeÌ„ but also bycause she coÌ„ceyued frute without synne / and that bodyly frute by the holy ghost / whiche was gyuen to none other woman ¶ Fourthly that her frute was blyssed and preserued ageynst the curse whiche dyd fall vppon all the chyldren of Eue bycause they were all coÌ„ceyued in synne / borne gylty of deth and dampnacyon But this onely frute of her woÌ„be alone be
for deth holy men did feare ye Chryst hym self went to his deth with feare and bloudy droppes of swette Finally so horryble is this euyll that the mercie of god neuer toke more diligence / then to comfort oure weaknesse in this mater / as we shall se hereafter All those thinges are comyn and indifferent to all men / euen as the benefytes of helth are comyn to theym that are vexed Howe be it to the christen there is a newe and speciall cause / to feare this euyll to come which dothe ferre passe all other euylles And this is it that thappostel deschryâ—eth .i. Corin .x. sayenge Let him that thynketh that he stondeth take hede / lest he fall The wey is so slypper and oure enemyes so myghty / armed with out owne powers that is to sey with the socoure of oure owne flessh and of all oure euyll desyres accoÌ„panyed with the infinite multitude of the worlde / wyth deuities and pleasures on the reght honde / with fearsnesse / crueltye of meÌ„ displeasures on the lift honde / besydes the craft of subtiltie a thousaÌ„d weyes to hurte / deceyue and destroye / whiche he is instructe wyth al hym selfe Thus lyue we / beynge not sure to contynue one mynute of an houre in our good mynd purpose Saint Cipriane remembring many of these thynges in a pistle whyche he made of mortalyte / doth teache that it is good to desyre deth / as a quycke helper to scape these euylles And trulye when these men were in a goode mynde / and dyd entreate of these infinyte ieopardyes / we do se theym dispysynge lyfe and death that is to saye al these foresaid euylles desyre to dye and to be dyssolued / so that they myghte be loosed frome the multytude of synnes / that are in theym as we haue sayde in the fyrst image into whiche they may fall of the whiche we speake nowe And truly these .ij. thiÌ„ges are verey ryghtuouse both to desire deth / also to set lyght by all these euylles / ye vtterly to dispyse theym / yf god stryke the or moue the with one of theym / for it is te gyft of god to be moued wyth theym What true Chrysten is there whiche wold not desyre to be diseased / ye and to dye / whyche seyth and fealeth hym selfe whyle he is hole to be yn synne / and that he may continuelly runne into more and dayly fall in theym / and so to transgresse the specyall and good wil of his most dere father With thys here and indygnation was Paule vexed and sturred vppe in the vnto the romayns when he had compleyned that he coud not do to good wicht he wolde haue done / but that he dyd the euyll whiche he wolde not haue done / he cryed out O wretched maÌ„ that I am who shal delyuer me froÌ„ this bodi of death the grace of god he sayde by Iesus chryst / he doth lytel loue god his father whiche doth not hate more the euill of synne then he doth death / sith that god dyd ordeyn death for this purpose / that it myght at the length fynysshe this euyll of synne / so that deth may be the mynistre of lyfe and ryghtuousnesse / of the whiche we shall speke hereafter ¶ The thirde chapiter of the thyrdey mage / whiche is the euyl that is passed or behind vs. IN thys chiefly / aboue all other doth the swete mercy of god oure father shyne and set forth it selfe whiche is abyll to comforte vs in all veracyon / and ieoperdyes Nether is there any man whiche fealeth the hand of god more ready with hym then when he doth reherse meditate the yeares of his lyfe past Saynt Austine sayeth / yf that the choyse were gyuen to a man / that he shulde other dye or elles to lyue hys life passed agayn / as he hath liued it / that he wolde chose rather to dye seyng his greate ieoperdies euilles whice scarcely and with great peryll he hath escaped whiche opynyon is verey true if it be well extemed Here he may se howe often he hath done many thinges with out studie and regard / ye clene coÌ„trary to his purpose And hath also suffred many thynges with out counceyll and prouision byfore they were done and when they were done / in so moche that merueyling with hym self he is coÌ„pelled to saye howe are these thinges come to passe / whiche I neuer thought to do but rather contrary So that the prouerbe is founde verey true / man purposeth / god dysposeth / that is to sey bryngeth to passe other thinges then man doth purpose So that by this one text it is more euideÌ„t then we can denye / that oure life and goodes ar gouerned by the hyghe and merueillous power / prouision / and goodnesse of god / and not by oure owne wysdome Here we may perceyue howe oft god hath byn with vs / when we haue nether sene nor felt hym And howe trewe it is that Petre sayeth he taketh the charge and prouydeth for al vs. Wherfore yf there were nether bokes nor preachinges / yet oure lyfe hir selfe whiche is ledde thorough so mani perylles and ieoperdies may abundauntly testyfie and comend vs the godly goodnesse / most ready and swetist / whiche hath taken vp and borne vs in his bosom farre beyond all oure prouision and witte And as Moses in the .xxxij. Deuteronomyon sayeth The lorde hath kept hym as the ball of hys eye he hath ledde hym about and borne hym on hys shulders And of this spring all the exhortacions in the psalter / I haue remeÌ„bred the olde dayes I haue coÌ„sidered in meditacion all these workes creatures I shall remembre froÌ„ the beginnyng all thy merueilles And I haue remeÌ„bred thy iugemeÌ„tes am comforted These suche other perteyne herunto that we maye surely knowe sith that he was them present with vo wheÌ„ we sawe hym not / nor thought it / that he is also nowe present with vs / while he semith to vs to be abseÌ„t For he that toke vs in suche necessite with out oure consent wil not forsake vs in a lytell trouble though he seme to leaue vs / as he sayeth in Esaie I haue forsaken the for a mynytte lytell space / in greate mercy will gather the agayn receyue the. Here maist thou put in these thinges / who was he that toke the charge of vs / so many nyghtes whyle we were slepyng Who was he that toke thought for vs as oft as we laboured / played / dyd in the other infinyte thynges / in the whyche we loke no thought for oure selfe Or howe long ys the tyme / in the whiche we â—ake regard to oure selfe The Couetous maÌ„ taketh thought to seke money / yet in the seking labouring for it / it is necessary that he put a part hys though So we may so that all oure care wether we wil or not retourneth onely to
went forthe layenge a syde his costlye â—oches and precious diademes and clothed hym self in sacke cloth sprink kynge asshes on his hed / goynge baâ—efâ—te / wepinge and sobbinge that his seruaunte was condemned vnto death I behold hym as he hasted out wondred what now thinge that might be I enquired the cause he shewed it me What shal I now doe shall I playe stille nothinge regarde his teares Trulye excepte I be mad or out of my witte I ought to folow hym / a morne with hym fith he moorneth for me / Behold the cause of shame / froÌ„ whence spriÌ„geth the sorow and feare verelye when I considre the medecyne and remedye / then of that maye I esteme the quaÌ„titye depth of my synne I was clene ignoraunt and thought myself hole beholde the tender chyld of a virgyn sonne of God almyghtye was delyuered into the handes of the vngodlye coÌ„maunded to be stayne / that he myght cure with the precyouse baume of his bloude my festred wondes corrupte nature / we must nedes knowleges grauitte that those were greuouse woundes / for the which oure Lorde Christ must suffer and be wounded yf they had not bene to deeth / yee and that euerlastinge / the sonne of God shuld neuer haue suffered to haue healed them c. Euen to dyd Christ monishe the wemen of Hierusalem wepe not for me / but for youre awne selues and chylder He added a cause / for quod he yf this be done in moyst wodde / What shal be done in drye / as though he shuld saye yf this be done in me which anâ— pure innocenâ—â— / what shall be done in you which are hoellye corrupt and vicyatte ye maye lerne by this my passyon what ye haue deserued which payne except ye beleue ye can not escape / here to maye we well applye the prouerbe men smyte the whelpe to feare the greate baÌ„ dogge christ was smyteÌ„ innoceÌ„t to geue vs warnynge of oure outragyous vices enormityes To this well agreeth the Prophete which sayeth that all the nacyoÌ„s of the erth shall bewayle them selues vpon hym He sayeth not that they shall bewayle hym / but that they shall bewayle them selues vpon hym Euen so were they dismayed Actes .ij. as is before rehersed And the church syngeth I shall surelye remembre it my soule shal melt with in me And in this sorowfull bewaylinge of them selues ought the faythfull diligentlie to exercyse them selues / for on this haÌ„geth the hole profyte and vse of Christes passion / that a man maye knowe him selfe / that he myght tremble and repent in beholdinge his greuous enormytes / for trulye excepte he come to this poynte / the passyon of Christ doth nothinge awayle hym This is the pure and perfecte operacyon that the passyoÌ„ of Christ worketh with in vs / that we maye be made lyke vnto hym that as Christ was greuouslye vexed both in bodye and soule for oure synnes / euen so that oure coÌ„science maye scourge and torment vs for oure awne wykednesses which are so many and so greate that they are sone called to memorye excepte we wylbe wyl fullye blynde not se that which is most present familyar with vs. Let vs vse an ensample to make the thinge more euydent Be it in case that a certayne kynges sonne were slayne And the murther ar taken and brought to the sessyoÌ„s and accused before the iudge of this capitall cryme / which coÌ„fesseth openlye that he hath done the dead / addinge that he dyd it at thy requeste and thou wast the chefe auctor setter a worke Yf thou in the meane ceason were takinge thy pastyme and recreacyon / and sodenlye were arested and cast in pryson as accessorye of this murther yee or rather as principall the other beynge but thy mynyster and instrument of thy meschefe / wold not euen shortlye thy myrth abate / the coloure apale / thy flesshe faynte and tremble Now yf thy coÌ„science dyd also accuse the iustefyâ— ageynst the that thou were iustlye â—npresâ—ned / what ragingâ— hell vnquietnesse shuldest thou then feale with in thy haâ—â—â— Euen so 〈◊〉 not he more shall he be altered which do dyd remembreth the passyon of Christ For the Iude although executyon be done on 〈◊〉 as malefactours and they abiecte fâ—â— the face of god yet were they but the ministres of thy synne / For in verye dead thy synnes nayled him to the crosse and were the hole cause of his payne and doeth / as we haue shewed before Now yf there be anye so harde and insenseâ—â—e that they can nother tremble nother yet begynne to knowe them selues in the remeÌ„braunce of this bitter passion they stoÌ„de surelye in shrode case For it is necessarye that we be made conformable vnto the sonne of god / that is to saye / that we feale the depth and burthen of synne other in this worlde or in tyme to come / yee and that wee quake / tremble and taste of the deadlye panges which Christ suffered on the crosse But surelye it is a miserable and pytuous thinge to begynne then to feale them / when we are in the extremite and poynts of deeth Therfore let euerye man praye vnto God that he wold vouchsaffe to geue vs his sprete grace / which maye mollifye oure indurate hartes that we maye with some frute call vnto remembraunce the passyon of Christ / for I thinke no man is so mad to suppose that we of oure awne power with out the sprete of God can do other this or any other thinge acceptable to God / for al goodnesse is of god and not of vs. Nether do we teach the this or anye other thinge to th entent that thou shuldest thynke that thou were able to accomplish it of thyne awne power / but onlye to monyshe the of thy duetye that when thou fealest thyne awne imbecyllite thou mayst desyre this grace of God / and thorow his helpe fulfyll that which is required of the. For the cause why those men a fore sayde dyd vnprofytablye handle this passioÌ„ / was this they sturke hoellye vnto their awne power natural imaginacioÌ„s nether ones desired the grace of god / so coude they attayne to no profyte But he that remembreth the passioÌ„ of Christ on this maner as we haue shewed all though it be but one houres space maye well haue the sayenge of Albarte verefyed vpon hym that he hath bene better occupyed / then yf he had fasted euerye daye a hole yere to gether or els had red ouer the hole Psalter of Dauid / yee I dare boldlye adde that he hath better bestowed his tyme then yf he had harde a huÌ„dreth massee / for this gooâ—lye remembraunce doth euen renue a man and doth testifye vnto his coÌ„science that he is regenerate and borne ageyne / euen in a maner as wel as baptyme So that this is the pure and naturall worke of Christes passion to mortifye the
therfore will I offer prayse vnto the / euen the prayse of infauntes and suckelynges for my synnes And why shall I offer for my synnes rather prayse then sacrifice for yf thou haddest desyred sacrifices I had surelye offred them / but thou delyghtedst not in burnt sacrifices / caÌ„st thou be pacefyed with the bloude of calues / or gootes will thou eate the flesh of bulles / or drinke the bloude of gootes Other dost thou desyre golde which possessest heauen and erth other wilt thou that I sacrifyce my bodye vnto the which desyrest not the deeth of a synner / but rather that he were conuerted and lyue Neuerthelesse I wyll chasten my flesh in a measure that thorow thy grace it maye be subdurd vnto reason and obey it / for in this poynte also yf I passe measure and bringe my bodye so lowe that it is on apte to serue my neyghboure and to do that office which is apoynted me of god / it shall be imputed vnto me for synne Let youre seruynge of god be resonable sayth the apostle Roma .xli. And thou hast sayed also by the Prophete I require mercye not sacrifice Osâ—e .vi. Therfore shall my mouth shewe forth thy prayse / for this oblacyon doth honoure the / and sheweth vs the waye vnto thy sauynge helth My harte is readye Oh God my harte is readye / it is readye thorow thy grace to do all thinges which are pleasaunte vnto the this one thinge haue I founde most acceptable vnto the / that wyll I offer vnto the / that shall euer bein my harte / on that shall my lippys euer be harpinge Yf thou haddest desyred a bodelye sacrifyce I wold surelye haue geuen it the / for my harte is readye thorow thy grace to fulfyll thy wyll but in such burnt sacrifice hast thou no delyght / Thou madest the bodye for the sprete / therfore seakest thou spirituall thinges and not bodelye / for thou sayest in a certayne place Prouer. xxiij My sonne geue thyne harte vnto me / this is the sacrifice that pleaseth the. Let vs offer vnto the an harte repentinge with sorow of oure synnes and enflamed with the loue of heuenlye thynges and then wylt thou desyre no more / for with such a sacrifice wylt thou be content A sacrifice to God is a broken sprete / a contrite and humble harte thou shalt not despyse o God A broken sprete not broken flesh pleaseth the o Lorde for the flesh is broken and vexed because he hath not the carnall thinges that he desireth / or els fealeth in hymselfe such thinges as he hateth But the sprete is broken vnquyeted for his faute / because he hath offended agenst God whom he loueth He soroweth that he hath sinned agenst his maker redemer / that he hath despysed his bloude / that he hath not regarded such a good louynge father this broken and sorowinge sprete is vnto the a sacrifice of most swete sauoure which not withstondinge hath his coÌ„feccyon of most bitter spices / euen of the remembraunce of oure synnes / for whyles oure synnes are gathered to gether in to the mortoure of the harte / and beaten with the pestle of coÌ„punccyon / and made in to prouder watered with teares / therof is made an oyntment and sacrifice most swete which redolent offerynge thou wylt not despyse / for thou wilt not despyse a contrite humble harte Therfore he that breaketh his stonie harte which is made with the most harde stones of synne / that he maye therof prepare an oyntmeÌ„t of repeÌ„taunce in abuÌ„daunce of teares / not despayringe of the multitude greuousnes of his sinnes / but humbly offeringe this sacrifice vnto the he shal in no wyse be despysed of the / for a broken humble harte wilt thou not despyse oh god Marye magdalene whych was a notable synner made such an oyntment and put it in the alablaster boxe of her harte she feared not to entre in to the Pharesees house / she humbled her selfe flatte before thy fete / she was not a shamed to wepe at thy mele tyde / she coude not speake for inwarde sorow / but her harte melted iÌ„to teares / with the which she washed thy fete / she wyped theÌ„ with her here / anoynted theÌ„ with oyntmente ceased not kyssinge them who euer sawe such a nother thinge ye or who hath euer harde of a thinge lyke vnto this Surelye her sacrifice pleased the well and was so acceptable that thou preferredst it aboue the Pharyse whych in hys awne syght was ryghtewyse / for it maye 〈◊〉 gathered of thy wordes Luce. vij That there was so moch difference betwene the rightewissenes of marye and the pharise as there was difference betwene these to washe the fete with water / to wash them with teares to kysse one on the face and not to cease to kysse the fete to anoynte the hed with oyle / and to anoynte the feâ—e with most precyous oyntmeÌ„t yee moch more precelled he the pharise / for he nether gaue the water / kysse nor oyle O greate is thy power Lorde / great is thy myght which declareth it selfe most cheflye in spacinge / and hauynge compassyon Now se I well that a contrite and meke harte thou shalt not despyse oh Lorde And therfore endeuoure I miselfe to offer such am harte vnto the Neter is it ynough that I saye so outwardlye / for thou arte a god which serchest oure hartes reynes Accepte therfore thys my sacryfyce and yf it be vnperfeyte / amende thou the defaute whych onlye arte of power that to do that it maye be a burnt sacrifyce / all hole enflamed wyth the here of thy bounteous cheryte that it maye be acceptable vnto the or at the leste that thou despyse it not for yf thou despyse it not I know well that I shall finde fauoure before the / and then shall none of thy sayntes other in heauen or erth despyse me Deale gentlye of thi fauourable beneuolence with zion Let the walles of Hierusalem be bist agayne Because it is wryten Psalme .xviij. vnto the holye man thou shalt be holye / wyth the innocent shalt thou deale innocentlye with the pure and chosen shalt thou do purelye / and with the wyked shalt thou playe ouerth warte I am verye desyrous that al men were saued and that they shuld comâ— vnto the knowlege of the truth whych thiÌ„ge were verye necessarye for them and also for my profyte / for by theyr prayers exhortacyons / and examples I myght ryse from this filthye synne / and be prouoked daylye to procede vnto better I besech the therfore oh Lord although I be a synner / that thou of thy fauourable beneuolence woldest deale gentlye wyth zion that the walles of Hierusalem myght be bylt agayne / zion is thy church / for zyon by interpretacion signifieth a footehill or a place where a man maye se farre aboute hym And euen so thy church thorow the grace of