foles rather than heretickes that of one make two goddis one of the olde testament that was onely iuste nat good the other of the newe that shuld be onely good and nat iuste coude they nat at leest wise here this songe that is so often tymes rehersed in the psalme Cxvij Aknowlege to god that he is good and that his mercy is in all worldes Where is mad Manicheus that taught in his bokes that he that speketh to vs so louyngly by his prophettes and that dyd ordeyne Moyses lawe was no veray god but one of the wycked dyuels The selfe same is god of both the lawes the same trouth the same mercy by Iesu Christ our lorde saue that in Moyses lawe be shadowes in the gospell trouth in the other was promyse in this is ê‘fourmance in that was moche and great mercy towarde the Iewes here is the holle well of mercy or rather the see that hath flowen ouer all nacions of the holle worlde by whiche flode the syns of al mortal creatures are washed and skoured away Surely this was the happy flode of mercy the olde flode a fewe saued distroyed the synners this holsome flode washeth away the syns saueth al that beleue in the sonne of god He that in bokes of the olde testament promyseth the Hebrewes repeÌ„tyng ameÌ„dyng forgyuenes the same present in the gospel crieth to euery maÌ„ Come to me al that labour be loden and I wyll refreshe you Take my yocke vpon you and ye shal fynde rest for your soules For my yocke is swete my burtheÌ„ light Rede the lyfe of Christe ouer ouer what thynge els se ye therin but coÌ„tinuall mercy toward euery body He healed sicke folke frely he fed the huÌ„gry he succoured them that were in perill he made lepers holle clene he gaue the blynde their sight restored the lame theyr lymmes he droue away dyuels he reysed deed meÌ„ to lyfe he assoyled them that were repeÌ„taÌ„t Agayne serche out al his techyng what other thing doth it sauer thaÌ„ excedyÌ„g great mercy of god By howe many parables printeth he the same in our myÌ„des that we shulde slyde no wayâ— For what other thyng sheweth the parable of the shepe brought agayne on the sheperdis shulders of the pece of money lost fouÌ„de of the holle folke that nede a phisicioÌ„ of the seruant to whom all his duyte is gyuen agayne of the vserer that forgaue both the dettours of the publican pharisee of the pylgrym hurt whom the samaritan healeth of the curâ—ese stewarde to his dettours of the disceiuer of his maister of the ryottous childe receyued agayne And the very cleapynge of the gospell doth it nat by by promyse mercy What promiseth hit To blinde sight to prisoners ê‘don to the brokeÌ„ holnes shortly to speke a yere acceptable to our lorde that desireth none other thynge but mans saluacion Nowe the same name of Iesu that is of a sauiour what other thynge ê“myseth it but saluacion mercy If he had proclaymed hym selfe a iuge it had beÌ„ somwhat why one shuld haue beÌ„ afrayd nowe thou herest sauiour and despeyrest of saluacion And so forthe to th ende the truste of saluacion shuld seme more certaine bicause it wold seme vnlykely that so great a lake of synnes that all maÌ„kynde was defiled with shulde be purged cleÌ„sed with the blud of gottis calues he the son of god got vp on the auter of the crosse and for our synnes he offred hym selfe most effectuall sacrifice to cleÌ„se all our synnes And hangynge on the same crosse he prayed for them that crucified hym for them yâ— reuile rayle vpon hym thynkest thou aknowlegyng thy syn sorowfully besechyng his mercy he wyll deny the forgyuenes Trust to hym merciful thou shalt fynde mercy what thyng is it the faith opteyneth nat of Christe He that mistrusteth the phisicioÌ„ is his owne let that he can nat haue his helth agayne Truely so moche god inclyneth to the prayers of wretches cryenge to hym that he gyueth mercy at one other mans prayer if he haue a good hope with hym The Canane crieth to him and her daughter is made holle the Centurion trusteth and his seruant is restored to his helth the maister of the Synagoge prayeth his daught is reliued the father desireth his son is deliuered of a wicked dyuel The apostles crie O lorde saue vs we perishe and they be al saued In many folkes he â—aried nat the prayers of the mouthâ— he seeth the fayth of the cariers sayth to the man sicke of the palsey Trust son thy synnes be forgyueÌ„ the. The mother only they that went with her wept the yonge maÌ„ that was deed ariseth Martha and Mary do nothyng but wepe and Lazer relyueth Mary the synner wepeth she annoynteth kysseth hym she hereth Thy synnes be forgyuen the. He prayeth inough that knowlegeth his sickenes he prayeth vehemeÌ„tly that wepeth and hopeth The womaÌ„ diseased with the blody flixe priuely toucheth the garment of Iesu and forth with she felt the power of mercy coÌ„ming forth Like wise we rede that many other were cured by touchyÌ„g the garmeÌ„tes of Iesu. So redy his mercy is euery where at euery occasioÌ„ he succoureth wretches If thou darste nat call vpon Iesus if thou canst nat touche Iesus at lest touche priuely the skyrt of his garmeÌ„t go to som holy maÌ„ in whom this vertue shyneth that with his prayers he may coÌ„mende the to our merciful lorde For by them ofteÌ„ tymes he putteth forth his power beyng redy on euery syde to gyue saluacion to euery maÌ„ For that enteÌ„t he came this was the food wherwith he was fedde that he might drawe synners to repeÌ„taÌ„ce And in the boke of Genesis also whan wicked folke by theyr mischeuous dedes ê“uoked the wrath of our lorde yet at the prayer of AbrahaÌ„ our lorde had forgyueÌ„ many cities appoynted to be distroied if he coude haue founde .x. good men amonge the people The peple of Israel had deserued to be distroied our lorde at the prayers of Moyses restrayneth the sworde of vengeaÌ„ce O blinde vnkynd folke that regarde nat the mercy of our lorde that is so metyng so redy euery where but more vnhappy be they that wyllingly despeyre of that the frely is offered them He is lightly pleased whiche nat willing is reueÌ„ged For what other thyÌ„g souneth this voyce And why dye ye the house of Israel Agayne in an other place he bewayleth that he al the day had spred abrode his handes to the people without beleue striuyng agaynst him Agayne in Micheas My people what haue I done to the or wherin haue I greued the answere me Lyke wyse in Esaie What is hit that I ought to haue done more to my vyne and haue nat done it Our lorde doth euery thynge that he myght saue vs and shal we wylfully cast away hope of saluacion In the gospell
a small faute or cause if she after the deuorce be wedded to an other maÌ„ For wedlockis loue can nat suffâ—e the coÌ„pany of an other man But yet god doth nat disdayne his spouse for whom he suffred dethe whiche for him selfe he purified with his bloud yâ— so ofte wylfully runneth away and abandoneth her selfe to so many vncleane wyghtis if she wyll returne agayne And it is no marueile if he haue ouermoche mercy that hath ouermoche charite towarde vs. Paule bassheth nat to wryte thus to the Ephesiens We were by nature the children of anger lyke as the other were but god that is riche in mercy for his ouermoche charite that he loued vs with whaÌ„ we were deed iÌ„ syns he quickened vs all to gether in Christe Iohan in his gospell expresseth more playnly the ouermoche charite of the father towarde vs. God sayth he loued so the worlde that he wolde gyue his onely begotten son that who so euer beleueth in hym shal nat perishe but haue euerlastyÌ„g lyfe with whom Paule agreeth tunably writyÌ„g to yâ— Romayns whiche also spared nat his owne son but delyuered hym for vs all howe gaue he nat vs all thynges with hym If this greaâ—â—harite this so great mercy shulde be conferred to all humayn charite mercy to our merites wolde hit nat well seme vnmoderate But â—rewly it shall appere moche more veritable if we coÌ„syder what he is that so loueth vs so sheweth his mercy on vs what we be that god vouchesafeth so great honour Let eche loke on him selfe after the name in baptisme gyuen after Satanas forsaken with his pompis howe oft he forsaketh the sacrament and yeldeth hym to thennemy of his spouse howe oft after absolucioÌ„ of his synnis receiued of the prest he slydeth into more greuous offences ye how oft the same day he falleth in to them that he aborred Lette no body most dere bretherne dissemble with hym selfe who so euer stealeth or coÌ„mitteth auoutry who so euer eÌ„uieth or sklandreth his brother who so euer coueteth wordly honors leaueth his spouse Christe turneth away from his father forsaketh his king and fleeth away far froÌ„ his lorde But ê‘auenture we shall haue a littell after a more conuenient place to speke of these thynges ¶ Nowe to th ende ye may more fully vnderstand howe largely the exceding mercy of god spredeth ye must vnderstaÌ„de that in holy writte the cleapyng of mercy signifieth somtyme liberalyte somtyme grace preueÌ„tyng somtyme auaÌ„synge other while coÌ„fortyng agayne other where healyng but very ofteÌ„ forgyuyng orels also punyshynge For surely after my mynde that the our lorde spekâ—th in Luke Be mercifull like as your father is mercifull perteyneth specially to liberalite For ê‘fecte liberalite is if one do good to his eÌ„nemes Mattheus saith hit more playnly in a lyke sayeng of our lorde Be ye sayth he ê‘fect lyke as your father celestiall is perfect that maketh his son to shyne on good and yll and sendeth rayne to iuste and vniuste But bicause we haue nothyng that we ne receyued frely of god what euer we maye or be what so euer we possesse it is the mercy of god Yea that he created angels and this worlde is the mercy of god If he had created hit for hym selfe the power or wisedome myghte be preysed Nowe seynge he hath wroughte all these thynges for vs knowe nat we the excedyng great mercy of god For whom mouen the celestiall bodies aboue For whom shyneth the sonne by daye The moone and the sterres by nyght but for maÌ„ For whose profit were all these thynges wrought whaÌ„ they were nothyng For whom make the hangyng cloudes shadowe and moyst the feldes For whom bloweth the wynde For whom runne the ryuers the welles sprynge the see ebbe and flowe the pondis staÌ„de stylle For whom engendreth the pleÌ„tifull erthe so many beastis and bryngeth forthe so moche ryches but for man For he subdued euery thynge vnto man he wold man shulde onely be subiect to hym lyke as wytnesseth Paule writyng to the Corinthies All thynges be yours but ye be of Christe Christe is of god And it that Moises sheweth in Genesis the .viij. psalme repeteth marueylyng at the goodnes of god that of his mercy hath gyuen to man so many benâ—fites What is man saythe he that thou remembrest hym or the sonne of man that thou visetest hym Thou haste made hym lyttell lâ—sse thaÌ„ angels thou hast crowned hym with glory and honour and hast set hym aboue the warkes of thy handes Thou haste subdued all vnder his feet shepe and oxen euerichone yea and more beastes of the felde byrdes of the ayre and fyshes of the see I wyll say yet that is higher We be bouÌ„d to the mercy of god for the heueÌ„ly angels Beleue nat my worde without Paule teache it playnly writyng to the Hebrewes and speking of angels Be nat saythe he all spirites seruantes in seruice sent for theyr sake that receyue the inheritance of saluacion And bothe in the olde and newe testameÌ„t we ofteÌ„ rede that by ministracion of angels the huÌ„gry were refreshed prisoners dâ—liuered couÌ„tres ouerroÌ„ne the good folke coÌ„forted with ioyfull tydynges More ouer our lorde hym selfe in the gospel sayth Theyr angels beholde alway the face of the father that is in heuen What is more marueilous than this worthynes angels gyuen to sely men as gouernours to children Therfore what so euer thou hast man truely thou hast all thinges while thou remaynest in Christe thou shuldest reken to haue it al of his mercy Otherwise Paule wyll stampe crie out vpon the What hast maÌ„ that thou hast nat receyued And if thou haste receyued it why magnifiest thy selfe as thou dyddest nat receyue hit Farther what yuell so euer thou seest in other aknowlege the mercy of god preueÌ„tyng yâ— Wherof Dauid nat in one place sayth And his mercy shal preueÌ„t me Thou art no bastarde borne nor lame nor blynde thou art nat poore nor dulwitted like as many be borne gyue thaÌ„kes to the mercy of god preueÌ„tynge the. What so euer hurtes happeÌ„ to an other maÌ„ myght haue chanced to the nere that the mercy of god had defended the. Agayne thou art none aduoutrer no false forswereâ— no mankyller no churche robber lyke as alas ouer many be aknowlege the mercy of god for thou shuldest haue ben and the mercy of god had nat kepte the. A man on a tyme that coude good skele in phisnomy iuged Socrates to his disciples to be a man desirous of ryot ouermoche gyuen to lechery they knowyng theyr maisters incredible teÌ„peraÌ„ce ê‘tly laughed him to scorne and partly disdained hym Socrates blamed them praysed hym sayenge He hath diuined truly all this had I ben if phylosophie had nat taught me teÌ„peraÌ„ce But moche more southly yâ— right holy man Francis asâ—riueth vnto diuine mercy that Socrates yeldeth to philosophie For on a tyme whaÌ„ his felowe of him coÌ„manded so to do had reuiled hym with what so
nat so but whan he was called to confession he laide the blame on his wife Like wise she called to coÌ„fessioÌ„â— blamed the serpent If they coude haue song the songe of Dauid God haue mercy on me they had nat ben banished paradise Cain nat goyng out of kynde what sayth he prouoked of our lorde to repent Am I my brothers keper If he had sayd I haue synned haue mercy and if he had sayde hit with al his harte the mercy of god was redy There is a carnall sorowe that engendreth deth suche as Iudas had but agayne there is a godly sorowe that bryngeth forth saluacion and sure ioye Paule tenderly louedde all his yet he reioyseth that he had caste the Corinthies in suche a sorowe he damned that had a do with his fathers wyfe as out of suche sorow as after a bytter playster foloweth continual ioye And in the mean while sure hope of saluacion mynglâ—d with repentance teÌ„pereth the bitternes of the sorowe So Dauid whan he had simply confessed his synne and the deserued wreache of god herke howe moche hope he conceyued of the mercy of god O lorde sayde he spryncle me with isope and I shal be clensed thou shalt washe me and I shal be made whiter than the snowe Nat of his owne good dedes but by sprinâ—lyng of the iÌ„maculate laÌ„bes blud he promiseth hym selfe purenes and whan he aknowleged hym selfe froÌ„ his mothers wombe with spottes defylâ—d yet out of that washing he hopeth to haue fairenes of innocency that shulde passe the snowe in whitenes And he dothe nat only hope to opteyne innoceÌ„cy agayne but also that the wo of penaÌ„ce shuld turne in â—o spiritual ioye He sayth Thou shalt gyue ioy gladnes to my heryÌ„g my huÌ„ble bones shal lepe for ioye Yelde to me the gladnes of thy saluacion and coÌ„fyrme me with thy principal spirite O woÌ„derfull trust of a synner yet more largely he promyseth hym selfe somwhat And my tonge sayth he shal shewe outwarde with great mirth thy iustice O lorde thou shalt open my lyppes and my mouth shal shewe thy preyse Whan he hath proued the mercy of our lorde so great he wyl eke exhort other that they shuld repent amende So our lorde sayd to Peter And thou coÌ„uerted somtyme confirme thy bretherne Dauid shulde haue perished if he had coÌ„mytted hym selfe to Iustice but he in that part to weake called vpoÌ„ mercy therfore the mercies of our lorde he syngeth for euer They that plede matters amoÌ„ge men as ofte as theyr cause is in ieoê‘dy if they may they remoue it in to an other courte all though they be in dout whether they shall fynde there a more egall iuge And truly may hap other while he that appeleth may appele to his daÌ„mage But to vs moost dere bretherne hit is a thynge fer fer more sure nat to stryue with the iustice of god that is nat to caste vp our heles agaynst the pricke but by and by to calle vpon his mercy And truly in mennes iugementes they say there is nothynge surer than iâ— we may by some colour clene deny the cryme that is layde agaynst vs and the rhetoriciens teache the most miserable state of a cause to be whiche they cleape deprecacion whan the defendant sayth I haue offeÌ„ded forgyue me Here coÌ„trary wise there is nothynge surer for vs than wylfully to aknowlege what so euer we haue myswrought and to beseche the iuge of mercy Hither syth the goodnes of god in all holy scripture so louyngly prouoketh vs sith the exaÌ„ples of so many noble men exhorte vs hither why shuld any be fouÌ„de whiche despeâ—ryng of hym selfe had leauer waxe olde in synnes There is nothyng iÌ„ god that is of simple nature that shulde striue with other and yet if we behold those thynges that chance vs a stryfe shulde seme to be betwene goddes iustice and his mercy Iustice calleth to punyshement but mercy as saynth Iames sayth leapeth vp agaynst iugement as a conquerour Who dyd euer crye Iesu haue mercy but by and by he opteined mercy The Cananee crieth Good lorde haue mercy her daughter is made holle Euery synner eke shulde crye Good lorde haue mercy and his soule shal be healed He the blinde begger crieth O son of Dauid haue mercy and his cloke cast away he receyued his sight Let vs eke crye Iesu the sonne of god haue mercy on vs let vs crye strongely coÌ„staÌ„tly euen amydmoÌ„ge the hourlynge multitudes of yl imaginacions he of this worldly beggers shall make vs enheritours of the heuenly kyngdome Who so euer seketh coÌ„modites of this life is blyÌ„d is a begger iÌ„ a patched cloke beggeth a halfe peny of the people They that seke to get a kyngdome yea though they seme to go about a great thyng they do noâ—hyng els but wretchedly begge a half-peny of a multitude They that hunte for honours and dignites be they neuer so great they crie to the people Take pite gyue an halfepeny But if any wylerie Iesu lorde haue mercy he is redy to gyue vs hym selfe Our lorde tarieth he calleth yâ— to hym art nat vnhappy but if thou ruÌ„ne why tariest in thyne vnhappy clothes The alter of mercy is open and thou tournest thy selfe to the bondes oâ— madnes The sainctuary of goddis mercy is opened and thou fliest in to the hurlepyt of vnhappy despeyre Thy sauiour recheth the his haÌ„de and thou turnest away thy face Heuen is open vnto the and thou ruÌ„nest downe heedlynge in to helle The lappe of goddis goodnes is hold open to the and thou fliest to the vnhappy halter The thefe on the crosse hereth This day thou shalte be with me in paradise and thou gyueste and byndest thy selfe to hell But now it is tyme to fulfyl that I lastely promised by what meanes the mercy of god may be soonest got For of prayers wepynge fastyng wearing of heare ashes that is of a contrite hart is nowe spokeÌ„ here and there through al the sermoÌ„ And truly these thynges opteyne mercy of god But well doyng to our neyghbour wresteth it out if I may so say Suche as euery man wyll haue god be to him let him shewe him selfe suche to his neyghbour The grekes prouerbe saythe Fauour getteth fauour But with vs mercy getteth mercy Luce .vj. Gyue and to you shal be gyuen Forgyue ye shal be forgyueÌ„ And by what measure ye haue met to your neyghboure by the same god shall met to you And I call mercy or pite nat only whan vengeance is forgyuen or nede of our neighbur eased but what so euer good dede is done to our brother with a good myÌ„de He that teacheth him that erreth that correcteth the misdoer and other while he that with strokes chastifeth one synnyng if he do it with a christeÌ„ affectioÌ„ he doth the warke of mercy vpon his neyghbour he that exhorteth them yâ— shrynke from their good purpose that coÌ„fort the wofull that bring the
All the couÌ„sayle of redemynge mankynde Christis lyfe Christis teachynge Christis miracles afflictioÌ„ crucifieng resurrection aperyng ascention the sendyng of the holy goste by a fewe sely poore idiote meÌ„ ennewed the worlde this couÌ„sayle I say is it nat on euery syde full of miracles yea that the very aÌ„gels cun nat serche out Wycked spirites se and vnderstaÌ„de the reason of the worldis creacion but the counsayle of the worldes restoryng was hyd froÌ„ them and in this poynt crafte disceyued crafte the craft of mercy begyled the crafte of malice The creatioÌ„ of the worlde was the warke of puissance the worlde so restored was the warke of mercy Thendis of the crosse saythe Abacuc in his handes there is his strength hyd What is more vyle than the crosse What is weaker thaÌ„ the crucified Yet vnder that weakenes excedyng power of diuyne mercy laye hyd that brake ouer came and clene distroyed all the tyraÌ„ny of the dyuell The same prophet whan he had eares erudite whan he had eies very clere by faythe he herde the holle frame of the worlde on euery parte shewe the great myght of god and he was afrayde he considered his warkes and was amased And yet as though in all these thyngis the great might of god was nat playn inough he added that shulde ouercome all these warkes In the myddes of two beastis thou shalt be knowen In the meare of the olde newe testameÌ„t he become man opened playnely that most bashefull miracle of his mercy Undouted hit is that the prophet soone after addeth Whan thou woldest be angry thou shalte remeÌ„bre thy mercy Of them that do thynges wonderfull we be wont to say In those he ouercame al iÌ„ this he ouercame hym selfe Of god some thyng lyke may well be sayd God is incomparable in all his dedes can nat be folowed In mercy he excedeth hym selfe Holy scripture extolleth no vertue in god so moche as mercy whiche some tyme calleth it great some tyme ouermoche and somtyme augmenteth the plentifull abuÌ„daÌ„ce therof by nombre of multitude Kyng Dauid the prophet in the same place coÌ„plecteth the largenesse and multitude of diuyne mercy Miserere mei deâ—â— secuÌ„duÌ„ c. O god haue mercy on me after thy great mercy and after the multitude of thy mercyes do away my wickednes Where is great misery there is nede of great mercy If ye coÌ„sidre how horrible the synne of Dauid was ye knowe the largenesse of mercy If ye caste howe many maner wyse he offended in one trespas ye maye se the multitude of his mercies An excedyng great offeÌ„ce is neuer commytted alone a faute draweth a faute as one lynke doth an other in a cheyne Fyrst he ioyned together two most deedly synnes maÌ„slaughter and aduoutry eche of them was more greuous in the kynge whose office is to punyshe other that so offende For the more princis do amys vnpunysshed amonge men the more they offende god He bare a â—worde to punysshe manslaughter and he hym selfe coÌ„mytted manslaughter By hym women takeÌ„ in aduoutri were deliuered to be stoned to deth and he hym selfe compelled to do aduoutry He also peculierly augmented the same aduoutry that whan he had flockes of wyues and concubyns at home yet nat for nede but for waÌ„toÌ„nes he coueted an other maÌ„s wyfe that he wolde seme delite rather iÌ„ rauysshyng thaÌ„ in simple fornication For he offeÌ„dethe nat so moche that nede coÌ„strayneth to steale somewhat from the riche maÌ„ as he that hath his house plentifully stouffed taketh his gowne froÌ„ hym that hath no mo to his backe This cruel offeÌ„ce Nathan the ê“phet dyd obiect agaynst hym vnder the parabol of the ryche thefe and poore maÌ„ robbed Nowe no kynde of maÌ„slaughter is more cruell than that that is nat by chance or sodayne mouyÌ„g of the mynde but by a dryft before driuen wayting coÌ„uenient tyme is coÌ„mitted Urias had nothyng deserued the kynge knewe hym ryght trusty and he abused the same trustynes of the man to his distructioÌ„ He wolde in no wise eÌ„tre within his owne house to lye with his wyfe bycause the arke of god was lyenge in the tentes and Ioab capytayne of the warre with the people slept vpon the grouÌ„de and al that great worthines of the man coude nat turne the kynges mynde from the iuell dede The morowe after he had hym to supper made hym droÌ„ke sekyÌ„g occasion to distroy him if he through dronkeÌ„nes shuld hap to speke ought vndiscretely yet Urias beyÌ„g droÌ„ke wold nat come iÌ„ his house to take his pleasure with his wyfe An other gyle was added wherby the stroÌ„ge trusty warriour muste perisshe A lettre of murther to hym suspectyng no suche thyng was delyuered for the kynge knewe his faythfulnes so perfecte that he had no dout he wolde open and rede it In the offence of manslaughter he made Ioab the capitayne partner lyke as he had Bersabee of aduoutrye And Urias perished nat alone but to couer the gyle many were broughte in to the same daunger a great nombre of people was set in the open shot of theyr ennemyes to th ende one innoceÌ„t myght be kylde to gyue place to the kynges foule bodily pleasure Therfore in one sinne how many are the offences If hit were one only synne and excedynge great hit nedeth great mercy Nowe Dauid seynge his â—yn so many folde dyuers he calleth on the multitude of mercies But howe largely the mercy of god is opened the .xxxv. psalme declareth sayenge O good lorde thou shalt saue men and beastis like As thou haste multiplyed thy mercy God saueth nat only man but also he vouchesafeth for maÌ„nes behoâ—e to saue bestis Againe iÌ„ an other place how reioyseth the prophettes spirite whan he saythe I wyll syng the mercies of god perpetually And therfore in the heuens the mercy of god is worshipt honoured like as sayth an other psalme Knowlege your selfe to god bycause he is good bycause his mercy is in al worldes The preising of the mercy of god semed to haue ende after the ende of all wretchednes came except the same felicite that good folkes haue in heuen were the gyft of mercy and the punishement of the wicked tempered with the great mercy of god But what shall we say whan all the lyfe with a thousande syns and all the stynkyng see of vices is corrupted Truly we must cry with Asaph O lorde remeÌ„bre nat our olde iniquitees but let thy mercy preuent vs quickely for we be made ouer poore Againe in an other place Many be thy mercyes lorde after thy pleasant speche quicken me Agayne in an other place Dauid as he coÌ„playned with god crieth out Where be thy olde mercyes good lorde Agayne in the psalme Cvj. Let the mercies of our lorde be coÌ„fessed his maruayles of the sons of men Whiche verse as enterlyned is oft repeted iÌ„ the same psalme In the psalme also that goeth nexte before And he gaue vs
our lordes voyce stoppe theyr eares lyke the deâ—â—e edder that stoppeth her eares for the noneâ— lest a shulde here the voyce of the enchanter wysely To day sayth the psalme if ye here his voyce be nat harde harted To day is ours as longe as we be in this lyfe whiche all the while hit lasteth our lorde cesseth nat to speke to vs steryÌ„g vs to do penance offryng forgyuenes ppared What sayd I forgyuenes The mercy of god is more whiche promiseth to them that returne a precious gyfte For thus we rede in Iob If thou wylt returne to almyghty god thou shalte be edifyed and shalte voyde wickednes far froÌ„ thy tent for erth he shall gyue the a flynt stone for a flint stone golden ryuers Let vs here the mercy of our lorde in Esaie steryng vs to repentaÌ„ce If ye seke saith he seke returne and come if ye seke th ende of yuels seke hit nat in children of men in whom is no saluacion nor of eÌ„chantours nor by hangyng your selfe but aske it of me that alone both may and am redy to forgyue Only returne from those thynges that ye fylthily haue loued turned come to me Agayne in the same ê“phet eÌ„tysyng al mankynde to hym he sayth Am nat I a lorde and there is no more god but I God iuste and holy is none besyde me returne to me and ye shal be â—aued al the costis of the erth for I am god and there is none other These wordes our lorde speketh to gentils idolworshippers to maÌ„kyllers churche robbers â—echers blasphemers thou wretche by dispeyre woldest turne away from our lorde In olde tyme whan synne vnpunished rayned amoÌ„ge folke the merry of god semed to be drawen within the narow bouÌ„des of Iudee But by the gospell mercy spred ouer all costes of the worlde In Ieremye also he thretneth the obstinate but he offereth them forgyuenes prepared that repent ameÌ„de If that folke sayth he wyll do penaÌ„ce for theyr synne that I haue spokeÌ„ agaynst them I wil also do penaÌ„ce vpon the harme that I thought haue done them And he that a lyttel before thretned distruction pluckyng vp by the rotes sparklyng about promyseth thynges coÌ„trary and sodaynly sayth I wylâ— speke of the people realme that I may edifie it and that I may plant it Like wyse in Ezechiel he nat only ê“miseth hym ê‘doÌ„ that turneth agayne but also that he wold forget all the synnes that he had done before For whan he had afore remeÌ„bred euery kynde of myschefes and daÌ„nable dedes he addeth If the wicked man wyl do penaÌ„ce for al the synnes that he hath wrought and wil kepe al my coÌ„mandementes and wyl do iugemeÌ„t and iusticeâ— he shal lyue and shall nat dye I wyll nat remeÌ„bre al the iniquitees that he hath wrought Is it my wyll sayth our lorde that a synner shulde dye and nat rather that he shulde be coÌ„uerted froÌ„ his sinnes lyue And a lytell lower Be ye coÌ„uerted and do penaÌ„ce for all your synnes and your wickednes shal nat distroye you throwe away all your offences wherby ye haue traÌ„sgressed and make you a new hart and a newe spirite And why die ye the house of Israel Bicause I will nat the deth of the dyeng treature sayth our lorde turne agayne and come Why despeyrest thou wretche sith god for this seÌ„t downe his son in to this worlde yâ— yâ— shuldest haue good hope He hym selfe vndouted is the mercy of god of whom Dauid syngeth O god we haue receyued thy mercy in the myddis of thy churche Be thou iÌ„ the churche and enbrace mercy He rysyng crieth I wyl nat the deth of a synner but rather that he shulde be coÌ„uerted lyue Here this voyce thou vnhappy synner shake of deedly slepe rise agayne with Christ that thou mayst lyue in hym For he reuiued to th ende the deth of syn shulde nat alway possesse the. And if any body suspect that this mercy of god is nat ppared nor redy but for these that coÌ„myt fewe lyght syns let hym here what our lorde with a clere voyce promiseth Whan so euer a synner bewayleth his synnes I wyll forget al his iniquitees He excepteth no kynde of synne he poÌ„dreth nat the greatnes or multitude of offences Be sory only and forgetfulnes of all thy syns past is redy For small offences without whiche maÌ„s frailte lyueth nat we call dayly vpoÌ„ the mercy of god sayeng Dimitte nobis debita nostra c. For gyue vs as we forgyue them that offeÌ„de vs And we be herde if we here our neyghbour prayenge that we shuld forgyue him And also amoÌ„ge deedly synnes is a certeyne order as amonge meÌ„ some slepe nat very souÌ„dly so that with a litel whistryÌ„g they awake there be that slepe more depely that one must speke loude to wake them there be that slepe most depely that vneth with great tuggyÌ„ge they wyl awake so with god som be lighter deed some more greuously and some moste greuously But no kynde of dethe is so desperate and deedly that he with his voyce dryueth nat awaye at whose voyce also they rise agayne that were deed iÌ„ theyr graues and no man is takeÌ„ with so depe slouÌ„bre of deth that is nat by hym reysed This threfold difference of synners the deuout interpreters of holy scriptures suppose signified to vs by thre corses that we rede were reysed from dethe to lyfe by our lorde Iesu. The maister of the sinagogis daughter a mayde .xij. yere of age he reysed in the house a fewe admytted to se it he forbade to tell abrode that was done These be they that fyrste nat of purposed malice but eyther by sleprenes of age or by mans frailnes be so slyden in to som synne that they be nat yet obstinate in yll nor yet no foule rumour ruÌ„neth of that mysdede Our lorde Iesus lightly reyseth those with his hande put for the hydynge theyr fylthynes and prouidynge for theyr shamefastnes But he reysed vppe the wyddowes sonne with more busynes Nowe the carkeys was caried to the graueâ—and in goyng our lorde met them he moued with the sely womaÌ„s weping bade them stande styl that bare the biere he reysed the yonge maÌ„ Fyrst he sittech vp soone aft he speketh shortly after he skyppeth out of the coffyn is deliuered to his mother agayne These be they vndouted that be so fer iroÌ„ne in synne that they be infamy can nat be reclaymed froÌ„ synnyng they by open penance lytell lytell be reised agayne to life He sitteth vp whiche forsakyng syn lyfteth vp hyÌ„ selfe to the purpose of a better lyfe He speketh that coÌ„fessyng his foule synnes aknowlegeth the mercy of god He is yelded to his mother a lyue that aft al remedies accomplished is restored to the coÌ„munion of the churche agayne Lazarus truly nowe stanke in his graue He is bewayled onely of his deâ—perate systers and freÌ„des here Iesus byddeth to shewe hym the graue he wepeth