drincke of wherwith we are washed and sanctified and are made partakers of the only high diuinitie I geue thee thankes for thy marueilous and vnspeakable charitie and loue wherwith thou didst loue vs vnworthy persons didst saue vs by thine onely and beloued Sonne for so thou didâ—â— loue the world that thou gauest thine onely begotten sonne to the entent that none which beleeued in him should perish but haue euerlasting life This thing truly is euerlasting life to know thee also Jesus Christ whome thou sentest to be very God by an vpright fayth and workes worthy for fayth Of the exceeding loue of the euerlasting Father towarde mankinde OH vnmeasurable pitie and fatherly loue oh inestimable charitie that thou shouldest delyuer thy sonne to suffer death to the entent thou mightest redeme and ransome a seruaunte God was made man to the entent that man being lost might be plucked out of that power of deuils How gentle and kinde a louer of man was thy sonne our God who thought it not enough to humble himself to bee made man of the virgiue Mary but also toke vpoÌ„ him the paines of the crosse in shedding his bloud for vs and for our saluation He came a pitifull God he came for his pitie and goodnesses sake he came to search to saue that whiche was lost He sought the straye sheep he sought found and he being a good lord and truely a very good and plentifull shepheard brought him home vpon his shoulders vnto the foldes of the flocke Oh charitie oh pitie who heard any such thinges who is not astonied to consider the bowels of so great mercy who would not marued who would not honour and worship thee for thy great charity wherewith thou louedst vs Thou didst send thy sonne into the similitude of flesh subiect to sinne that we might condemne sinne for sinne that wee might be made thy righteousnes in him For hee was the very lamb without sporte which tooke awaye the sinnes of the worlde whiche destroyed our death by dying himselfe But what may we render vnto thee our God for so great benefites of thy mercie what prayses or what thankes Uerely if wee shoulde haue that same knowledge and power that blessed angels haue yet should we not be able to requiâ—â— thy so great pitie and goodnes with any thing of valure No if all our meÌ„bers were turned into tongues to repay vnto thee due prayses yet were not our fleÌ„dernes sufficient There is one thing that exceedeth all knowledge euen thine inestimable charitie which thou diddest shew vnto vs vnworthy persons for thy goodnes pities sake Thy Sonne our God did take vpon him to be the seede of Abraham not of Angels yea he was made like vnto vs in all thinges sinne onely excepted He therefore taking mans nature not Angels and glorifying it with the stole of holy resurrection and immortalitie caryed it aboue the heauens and aboue all the melodious companies of angels aboue Cherubin and Seraphin placing it vppon thy right hand This humane nature do Angels prayse all the powers of heauen do tremble to see a man to bee God ouer them This truely is all my hope all my trust And this same humaine nature is in Jesu Christ our Lord who is the portion of euery one of vs the flesh bloud Therfore wheras my portion raigneth there do I beleue to raigne whereas my flesh is glorified ther do I beleue to be glorified where my bloud ruleth there do I perceiue me to bear rule although I be a sinner yeâ— doâ— I not inistrust nor dispeire of the communion and partaking of fauour Although my sinnes do hinder me and in a manner forbid me neuertheles my substance requireth it And albeit that mine offences do exclude me yet the communion of our nature doth not expell me for God is not so vngentle as to forget man and not to remember that thing which himself beareth and that which for my sake he toke vpon him and that which for my sake he requireth But truly the Lord our God is lowly and meek and wonderfull gentle and loueth his flesh his members and his bowels In the very same God our Lorde Jesus Christ who is most gentle louing and merciful in whome we are risen from death that is to say from the state of pernition and eternall damnation and euen nowe by him we asccude into the heauens and now sit in the heauens in him I say our flesh loueth vs For we haue in him and by him a prerogatiue as it were a prefermence of our bloud for we are his members and his flesh and he is our head of the which dependeth the whole body as it is written a bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh they shall be two in one flesh and no man at any time hateth his owne fleshe but rather cherisheth and loueth it This is a great mistery I speak in Christ and in the church sayth the Apostle ¶ Of the double nature of Christ which hath mercy vpon vs â–ª and maketh intercession for vs. WHerefore with my lips and hart and with al the might that I may I render thankes vnto thine infinite mercy O Lord our God for all thy mercy wherwith marueilously thou hast vouchsafed to helpe and succour vs that were lost by the same thy sonne our sauiour and recouerer which dyed for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification and liuing without ende sitteth on thy right hande and entreateth for vs together with the taketh pitie mercy vpon vs because he is God thorow thee O father euer lasting and of one substance with thee in all thinges wherby alway he may saue vs but forasmuch as he is man in which thing he is lesse inferiour vnto thee all power both in heauen in earth was geuen vnto him that in the name of Jesu euery knee should bowe both of celestiall and earthlye creatures and also of infernall that all tongues may confesse that oure Lorde Jesus Christ is in thy glory O Father almighty Hee verely was constituted of thee and ordayned to be a iudge of the quicke and dead for thou truely iudgest no man but hast geuen all thy iudgement to thy Sonne in whose brest al treasures of wisdome and knowledge ar hid He truely is both a witnes and a Judge a Judge and a witnesse whome no sinneful conscience can flye or auoyd for all things be they neuer so secret are open euen naked and vncouered vnto him He verily which was vnrighteously iudged himselfe shall iudge the whole worlde in equitie and the people in righteousnes and according to iustice Therfore do I blesse thy name euerlasting and glorifie the same with al my hart O almighty and mercifull Lord for that vnspeakable and maruellous coniunction of Godhead manhood together in the vnitie of a person and not after this sort that y one should be God and the other man but one the same was
both God and man man and god Neuerthelesse although by thy marueilous will the word was made flesh yet neither of both the natures was chainged into others substance In the misterie of the Trinitie there is not a fourth person added for y substance of the word of God and of man was vnited and knitte together but not confused and mixed that that thing which was taken of vs should be turned into God and that whiche neuer had bene before that time that his flesh manhoode should be the same that had bene euer without any beginning that is his Godhead Oh marueilous mistery Oh vnspekable felowship Oh marueilous meeknes of thy heaueÌ„ly mercifulnes which is euer worthy marueiling and euer to be loued we were but vile seruantes and beholde we are made the sonnes of God yea and heyres of God together with Christ From whence came this goodnes who brought vs vnto this state But I require thee O most mercifull father by thine inestimable pitie goodnes and charity to make vs worthy of these many and great promises of the same thy sonne our Lord Jesu Christ Send forth thy strength O God establish the thing that thou hast wrought in vs Make perfect that which thou hast begun that we may be able to come vnto the fulnesse perfectnes of thy pitie Make vs through y holy ghost to vnderstand and through thy Sonne to deserue with due honor alway to worship this great misterie of thy pitic whiche is manifest in our fleshe iustified in the spirite did appeare vnto Angels was preached vnto nations was beleeued to be in the world was taken vp into heauen Amen ¶ Of the thankes which man ought to geue vnto God for the benefite of his redemption LOoke how much O Lord our God we ar in debt vnto thee euen for so great a price were we redeemed with such a great gift were we saued and with so great a benefite helped Howe much ought we wretehes to loue dread bles praise honour and glorifie thee which hast so loued vs after such fashion saued vs after such a sort sanctified vs to set vs on hie To thee truly do we owe and are bound as much as we are able euen our life and all our study and endeuour But who hath any thing that is not thine But do thou O Lorde our God from whom al goodnes procedeth euen for thy holy names sake geue vs of thy goodnes that we may serue thee of thine owne goodes and giftes and that we may please thee in truth and repay vnto thee daily due prayses for so great benifites of thy mercie For by none other meanes raÌ„ we serue the but by thine owne giftes that thou hast lent vs while we be in this world For euery good gift and euery perfect gift is from aboue commeth down from the father of light with whome there is none alteration or variablenes neyther yet is hee chainged vnto darcknes O Lorde our God and a pitifull god a good God and almighty God an vnspeakable God and incompreÌ„sible of such a nature that can not be contayned as in a place O God which art the beginner of all thinges and the father of our Lord Jesu Christ which diddest send the same thy beloued sonne our Lord foorth of thy bosome to our common profite to take vpon him our life to the entent he might geue vs his life and that hee might be perfect and very God of thee his father and very perfect man of his mother a whole and a perfect God a whole and perfect man and yet but onely Christ both euerlasting and enduring but for a space both immortal and mortall both a creator and a creature strong and weake an ouercommer and one ouercommed a nurse and one that was nursed him selfe a shepheard and a sheepe dead for a time and liuing with the euerlasting promising to theÌ„ that loued him the freedome of life who sayd to his disciples what thing soeuer ye aske the Father in my name he will geue it vnto you For that hie priestes sake which was also a Bishop indeede a good shephearde that offred himselfe in a sacrifice to thee putting his life in ieoperdie for his flock for his sake I say I besech thee which sitteth on thy right hand maketh intercession for vs being our redeemer and our aduocate that thou wouldest graunte vnto me that together with thy Sonne and the holy Ghost I may in all thinges blesse glorifie thee with much contrition of hart and a fountaine of teares with much reuerence and feare For the gift of them that be all of one substance is all one But because a bodie that is corrupted doth aggranate burden the soule stir vp and awake I beseech thee my sluggishnes with thy prickes and prouokinges and make me boldly to perseuer continue in thy coÌ„manndements and lawes day and night Graunt mee that my harte may waxe warme within me and that many meditation prayer I may be feruent And for as much as thy onely sonne sayd No maÌ„ can come to me excepte my Father that sente me shall draw him again No man commeth to the Father but by me I â—â—quire and humbly besech thee drawe me alwayes vnto him that he at the length may bring me to thee thether I meane whereas he is sitting on thy right hand whereas is euerlasting life continuall blessednes wheras is perfect loue without all kinde of feare wheras is one day euerlasting and one spirite of al men whereas is most sure securitie safety sure quietâ—es and quiet plesantnes pleasant felicitie and happines happy eternitie continuall and eternall seeing praising of thee without end wheras thou with him and he with thee in the communion and vnity of the holy Ghost euerlastingly continuallye liuest and raignest throughout all worldes of worldes Amen ¶ A deuout prayer vnto Christ O Christ God which art my hope and the true and gentle louer of mankinde the light the way the life the health the honour and worship of them that be thine I besech thee call to thy remembraunce all thinges that thou willingly didst suffer for theÌ„ both bands crosse woundes death and sepulcher which after three dayes death being ouercommed diddest rise wast seene of thy disciples reforming theyr hartes and establishing them that were almost declining from thee the fortie day after didst ascend vp to heauen which liuest euerlastinly now and raignest throughout worldes Thou art my God both louing true my father and my God both holy and pitiful my mighty king my good shepheard mine onely maister my best helper one whome I am most bound to loue my liuing bread mine euerlasting priest my guide vnto my coutry my true light my holy sweetnes my right and straight way mine excellent wisedome my sure and vnfayned simplicitie my peaceable coÌ„cord my safe garison my good portion mine euer lasting health my great mercy my strongest
of nothing els Happy are they whose onely hope thou art which haue no trust but in thee onely all theyr whole worke is prayer Blessed is he that sitteth solitarely alone holdeth his peace standeth vpon his ward that he is set to keep continually day and night that yet while he is in this fraile body he may be able to taste somwhat thy pleasantnes I require thee by those thy wounds which bring health vnto vs which wounds thou suffredst vpon the crosse for our health out of the which thy precious bloud wherewith thou redeemedst vs did distill and drop downe wound this my sinnefull soule for the whiche also thou diddest vouchsafe to die Wound it I say with the fiery mighty dart of thy great charitie for the worde of God is liuely and effectuous and more pearcing and sharpe then any two edged sworde Thou O chosen dart most sharp sword which art able by thy power to pearce thorough the hard shielde or buckler of mans hart fasten and stick the shaft of thy loue in my hart that my soule may say vnto thee I am wounded with thy charitie so that forth of that same woūd of thy loue teares may flowe most plēteously both day night Strike o Lord strike I befech thee this most indurated and hardened mynde of myne with the sharpe dart of thy loue and pearce it deper and deper into the innermost partes thereof by thy mightie power and so bring out of my head aboundance of water and out of myne eyes a very well of teares continually running thorowe the great affect merueilous desire to see thy glory that I may mourne day and night without taking any comfort in this lyfe vntill in thy heauenly weddyng chamber I may see thee my weldeloued beutifull spouse my God and my Lorde And that there when I see thy glorious merueilous and beutifull face full of all swetenes together with them which thou hast chosen then I say I may worshippe humbly thy maiesty and there at the last being replenished with heauenly and vnspeakable reioysing of euerlasting gladnes I may euen cry out with them that loue thee saying Beholde that which I haue long desired now I haue obteined For I am ioyned in heauen vnto hym whom when I was in earth I loued with all my strength with all my charitie I embraced him vnto whom with all my loue I did stick cleaue Him do I praise blesse worship that liueth and raigneth GOD world without end Amen ☞ A prayer in tyme of tribulation HAue mercy on me o lord haue mercy on me a most wretched sinner which do commit wickedly and do suffer therfore worthely which do sinne continually and suffer thy scourge therefore dayly If thou take my dayly tribulation as a recompēce for the euils which I haue committed thē it is not so much that I suffer For it is a great deale more grieuous which I haue trespassed then that which I do suffer Thou art iust O Lord and thy iudgement is according to right Yea all thy iudgements are iust and true and thou O Lord our God art iust righteous for there is no iniquitie in thee Thou doost not vniustly nor yet cruelly scourge and punishe sinners O almightye and mercyfull God which when we had no being at all didst mightily create make vs And when we were lost by our owne faulte thou by thy pitie goodnes marueilously did dest recouer vs I know and am very certain and sure that our life is not led by sodeine motions but it is disposed and gouerned of thee O Lord our god Whereby I knowe thou takest care for all men most chieflye for thy seruauntes which haue put their whole hope in thine onely mercy Therefore do I besech and humbly require thee that thou wouldest not deale with me according to my sins wherwith I haue deserued thine anger but according to thy great mercifulnes which exceedeth the sinnes of the whole worlde Thou O Lorde which outwardly doest punish scourge graunt me inwardly a patience that will neuer fayle so that thy prayse neuer departe away from my mouth Haue mercy on me O Lord haue mercy on me and helpe me as thou thinckest best to be most necessary for my body and soule Thou knowest all things thou caust doo all thinges which liuest for euer and euer ¶ A very deuout prayer to the Sonne O Lord Jesu Christ son of the liuing God whiche being vppon the crosse with thy handes spread abroad for the redemption of all mankind didst drinke the most bitter cup of thy passion I besech thee that thou wouldest vouchsafe to geue me helpe this day and euer Lo I a poore wretch come vnto thee which art ritch a sinner vnto thee that art mercifull Let me not returne home contēned and despised with nothing I begin an hungred Let me not leaue of fasting I come vnto thee as though I were famished let me not go away vnfed Although before I eat I sigh and sorow yet after my sorow gene me somwhat to eat First of all good Jesu I acknowledge before thy maiestie mine vnrighteousnes toward thee Beholde O Lorde I was conceiued in sinne and borne in the same thou didst wash them of from mee and sanctified mee but I afterwarde defiled my selfe with bigger and more greeuous sinnes For I was born in sinne of necessitie because I coulde bee borne none otherwise but afterward I rolled my self willingly in sinnes Neuertheles thou O Lord being mindful of thy pitie didst take me out of the house of my carnall father and out of the tentes of the vngodly and hast enspired me put me in mind to follow thee with the generation of them that seeke thy face of thē that walke in the right path of them that abide and continue amongst the lilies of chastetie and of them that sit downe together with thee at supper of most scarcitie and lesse excesse But I an vnkind person forgetting so many great benefites after that I was entred into religion and holines did commit many vnlawfull thinges I did offend wonderfull vngraciously and where I should of right haue amended mine euill life left my sinnes I heaped sinnes vpon sinnes and these be the euils O Lord wherwith I haue dishonoured thee and haue spotted and defiled my selfe whom thou didst create after the similitude likenes of thine owne selfe with pride vaine-glory and other many euils wherewith myne vnlucky soule is vexed punished torne and destroyed Beholde O Lorde myne vnrighteousnes is gone ouer my heade and are lyke a sore burthen ouer heauy for me to beare And except thou whose propertie is euer to haue mercy and to forgeue doe lay vnder me the right hand of thy maiestye I shall be constrayned miserablye to sinke into the deepe and be drowned Geue heede O Lord God and behold because thou art holy loke how myne enemy assaulteth me saying God hath forsaken him I will