he may se And the Lord opened hys yies / and he dyd se / and behelde a mountaynefull of horses and charettes of fyre about Helyseus we lacke nowe nothyng but to pray / that oure yies may be opened and that we may fethe churche rounde about vs wyth the yies of the faith Then haue we noting to feare As the Psalme sayeth Mountaynes are about it and the Lord in the compasse of his people from thys tyme present and perpetually / Amen ¶ The seuenth Chapeter of the seuenth ymage which is the good aboue vs. I Speake nothyng of the euerlastyng and heuynly goodes whiche the blyssed haue in the clere syght of god Or at the lest yf I touche theyme / it is in the fayth / by the meanes wherof we may onely obteine theyme But this seuenth ymage is Iesus Chryst kyng of glorye / rysing froÌ„ deth euin as he was the seuenth ymage of euylles / sufferyng / dying / and beyng buryed / here may we se the hyghe and chief ioy of oure hart / and goodes parmanent and stable Here is none euylles at all / for Crist ones reysed from deth / dyeth no more / deth hath no more power ouer hym This is the chemney of charyte / the fire of god in Syon As Esay as sayeth cryst is borne for vs / and not that onely but also gyuen vnto vs. Wherfore his resurrection is myne / ye and all thynges whyche he wrought thorough his resurreccion And as tappostell vnto the Romayns .viij. most copyously gloryeth sayng howe shall he not wyth hym gyue vs all thynges whate wrought he by hys resurrectyon truely he dystroyed synne and raysed ryghtuousnesse confirmed deth and restored lyfe / ouercame hell and brought euerlastyng glorye These thinges are inestimable and suche as maÌ„nes vnderstonding scarce can beleue to be gyuen vnto hym No more then Iacob whyche amased eueÌ„ as though he had wakened out of a grete slepe when he herd sey that his sonne Ioseph dyd reygne iÌ„ Egipt coude not beleue it vntyll they rehersyng all did shewe hym the waynes that were sent from Ioseph So truely it had byn very harde to beleue that suche greate benefytes had byn by Iesu Chryst geuen to vs whiche were vnworthye except that bi many wordes / by many wayes and apperinges he had shewed hym selfe to hys dyscyples So that at the last by great vse and experyence of hys shewyng and teachyng as Iacob was by the waynes we be taught so to beleue Truely Chryst is to vs a true and notable sygne / and wayne whyche is made of god / oure wisdome / ryghtuousnesse / sanctifyeng and redempcion As thappostell sayeth I am a sâ—nne / but I am caryed in his rightuousnesse whiche is gyuen vnto me I am vnclene but hys holynesse is my sanctifieng / wheryn I am swetely caryed / I am folisshe / but hys wysdome caryeth me / I am synfull and dampnabyll but hys innocency is my redempcion hys goodnesse is a sure charyot that caryeth me out of perdycion Thus may euery Chrysten / this stoÌ„ding that he haue feith bost of all the goodnesse merites of Christ nether nedeth he more nor lesse to reioyse in theym then yf he had done theym hym self / and euen so are they hys owne So that nowe he may ioyfully abyde the iugement of god whyche eyles were intollerable Suche a noble thyng is faith Suche profites is getteh for vs. Suche glorious children of god it maketh vs. Nether can we be chylder except we enheryte oure fathers goodes Let then euery Cristen sey with sure trust and confydence deth / where is thy victory deth / where is thy stynge / that is to sey synne for the styng of deth is synne / aÌ„d the power of synne is the lawe Thankes be to god whyche hath gyuen vs the victory / thorough Iesu Chryst oure Lorde / fynally The lawe maketh vs synners / And synne maketh vs subiect vnto the senteÌ„ce of deth who hath ouercome these .ij. oure iustyce oure lyfe nay truely / but Iesus Chryst ryssing from deth â—ondempnyng synne deth gyuyng vs his rustyce / and distributing to vs hys merytes / whyche also by puttyng hys bond vpon vs hath healed vs and geuen vs power to fulfyll the lawe to ouercome deth / to exile synne and to bothe chyldren of god / to whome be honoure / prayse / and thankes wyth out measure / and ende Ammen Thys is the last ymage in the whyche nowe we not onely lylt vp aboue oure euylles / but also aboue oure goodes lately also sittyng in the euylles and perylles to vs purchased by the synne aÌ„d offence of an other / and encreased by oure owne nowe fitte and rest vs in the goodes gotten by the rightuousnesse of an other that is of Iesus cryst onely for vs crucfied we are iustified in his iustice and euen as he is iust ryghtuous / euen so are we that are alyed knytte / and clene vnto hym by fayth This is he that hath gyuen hym self hole to vs. This is he that pleaseth god Thys is the most chyef prest / the true bysshop / the good aduocate oure onely mediator / that continually neuer ceassing in the presence of hys father prayeth for vs. And loke howe impossible it is that he in his iustice shuld not please Euen so impossible it is that we by fayth wherby we cleue vnto his ryghtuousnesse shulde not please And bi these meanes a Chrysten is almyghty / Lord of all thynges / aÌ„d clene without all synne And yf it chaunce that he falle ynto synne yet is it necessary that they hurt not / but are forgeuen for the iustyce of Christ whyche is not a bill to be ouercome whyche dryeth vp and putteth awey all synne / on the whiche also oure fayth doth lene surely beleuyng that Christ is suche a one vnto vs as we haue spoken of hym / and moche better then we are able to declare / for he that beleueth not this / knowith not Christ nether vnderstondeth whate Chryst proufiteth / neither whate he is good for Wherfore euen this one ymage yf there were none other / may encrease suche comfort in vs yf we behold it with a good aÌ„d dylygeÌ„t hert that we shall nothing be sory in oure troubles but rather as though we felt theym not reioyse be glade in Chryst that we haue tribulacions with the whiche reioysing instruct vs chryst hiÌ„ self oure Lordes god whiche is blissed for euer And ¶ A deuoute frutefull and godlye remembraunce of the passion of oure sauioure Christ Iesu THere are certeyne which when they exercyse theÌ„ selues in the meditacion or remembraunce of the passyon which Christ suffered for man kynde / do nothynge elles but were wode and furious agenst the blinde Iues and Iudas theyr gyde thorow whom he was betrayed as an innocent lambe into theyr bloudye and cruell handes Euen as it is the comen maner of them whych are wonte to lament and bewayle the myseâ—ye of theyr
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
coÌ„fesse / that thou suffryst iustly for thy synnes / thou arte ryghtuouse and holye as the thefe on the ryghthonde The knoweleging of thy synne / because it is truthe dothe iustifye and make the holy And eueÌ„ then immediatly after this knowelegyng of thy synne thou doest not suffer for thy synne / but for thy truthe and innocency For a ryghtuous man can not suffer / but for the truthe and innocently Nowe art thou iustifyed by the knoweleginge of thy synne / and suffering pacyently Therfore and that truely and worthyly is thy passyon and suffering to de coÌ„pared to the sufferyng of the sayntes euen as the knowelegyng of thy synnes is to be coÌ„pared vnto theyrs For there is but one truthe of all men the knouwelegyng of synne / sufferyng pacyently of all euylles / and true coÌ„munyon of holy men in all and by all thinges ¶ The seuenth Chaptre of the seuenth ymage whiche is the euyll aboue vs. IN this last ymage we must lifte vp oure hart and assence vp in to the mountayne of Myrthe with the spouse Here is Iesus Chryst crucifyed the hed of all chrysten / the capteyn of all theym that suffer / of whome many haue wryten many thinges And all men as it is coÌ„uenyent haue wryten all thinges His memorye is coÌ„mended vnto the spouse / where as it is sayde Put â—e as a sygne vpon thyne arme The bloud of this lambe marked on the post doth put awey the stryking aungell The spouse of hym is commended / because her here is lyke the purpure of a kyng That is her meditacyon is redde and of purpure coloure by remembryng the passyoÌ„ of Christ This is the wodde that Moyses was commaunded to put in to the waters of Marath that is to say / the bitter passions and they were made swete There is nothiÌ„g but this passyon maketh it swere / ye deth As the spouse doth say his lyppes are lylyes distillyng the chief and pure Myrrhe What proporcyon is there bytwene lylyes and lyppes syth these are redde and they whyte Truely it is spoken mystycally / bycause his wordes are most whyte / and pure in the whiche is no bloude bytternesse of enuye or malyce / but they are swete and mylde / with the whiche neuerthelesse he doth distyll the most pure and chief myrrhe / that is to say / persuadeth most bitter death / whiche euen as the most pure and chiefe Mirrhe at one taketh awey all corrupcyoÌ„ and stynking of the body taketh awey the corrupcyon and stynking of synne Of grete power are these most swettest lyppes that are able to make the most bitter deth / swete / pure / whyte and acceptable But howe shall this be done Truely whyle thou herest that Iesu Christ the sonne of god hath by his most holy touching and passyon consecrate and halowed all oure euylles / and suffrynges / ye the deth it selfe most extremest and grettest of all other / hath blyssed the curse / glorifyed the slaunder made ryche the pouertye / so that deth is compelled to be the gate of lyfe / Curse / the begynnyng of blyssyng And slaunder the father of glorie / howe canst thou nowe be so harde vnkynde that thou wilt not both loue ye also desyre all passyoÌ„s troubles / whiche are deped purified in the most clene holy flesshe bloude of Christ / so made vnto the holy / innocent / holsome / blessed / glorifyed For yf he by the touchinge of his clene flesshe hath halowed al waters for baptesme ye al creatures Howe moche more bi the touchiÌ„ge of his moste pure flesshe bloude had he sanctified al dethes / all passioÌ„s / al iniuries all curses / al slaunders / for the baptesme of the sprete or bloude As he sayeth of the same baptesme or passyoÌ„ in the .xij. of Luke I must be baptysed with a baptesme / howe I am payned tyll it be ended Thou seest how he is payned howe he pantith / how he thirsteth to sanctifye and make loued passyon and deth For he seeth that we are feared with passyons / he seeth that deth is feared and abhorred Wherfore he as a most meke sheperd / and most faythfull phisiseoÌ„ goyng aboute to cure oure euyl / doth hast and is payned vntyll his dye that by his deth he myght make theym acceptable welcome to vs. So that the deth of a Christen is to be counted lykeÌ„ to the brasen serpent of Moses which in all poyntes had the facyon of a serpent / but it was clene without lyfe / without mouyng / without venome / without bytyng So the ryghtuous do apere to theym that a soles to dye / howe be it they lyue in peace We are like to thinges which dye / Nether is there any other face outwardly of oure deth then of the deth of other thinges Howe be it the thinges in dede are other wyse For to vs deth is deed Lykewyse all oure other troubles and vexacyons are lyke the troubles of other thiÌ„ges / but that is onely in the face outwardly For in very dede oure sufferynges at the begynning of impassibilite / euen as deth is the begynnynge of lyfe And this is it that Ihon speaketh of in the viij If a man kepe my sayenges / he shall neuer so deth How shal he not se deth Truely for dying he begynneth lyfe So that for the lyfe whiche he seeth he can not see deth / here the nyght as the day shall belyghtened / for there is moche more clere lyght of the lyfe whyche we begynne then there is of the lyfe from whyche we be exyled by deth And all these thynges are confyrmed and stablisshed to theym whiche beleue in Christ / but it is contrary to theym that beleue not Therfore if thou kysse / loue / and embrace the cote of Chryst vesselles / water pottes / and suche other that Christ did touche and vse / countyng theym grete and swete relykes / as though they were consecrated halowed by this thouchyng / whye doest thou not moche more loue / embrace and kysse / the paynes euylles of this worlde slaunder and deth whiche were not onely halowed by his touching / but also clensed and blissed in his pure bloude / ye and embraced with the will of his hert / his enfamming charyte and mercy mouing hym therunto / seyng that in these are moche greater merytes / rewardes / and goodnesse / theÌ„ in those relykes for in these are obsteyned for the / the victory of deth and heel / and of all synnes / and so is it not in the relyques O that we myght se / and beholde the hert of Chryst / when that hangyng on the crosse he was payned to make death deade and despysed howe feruently / swetely he toke vppon hym paynes and deth for vs that were feerfull and dyd abhorre paynes and deth howe gladly he began to drynk thys cuppe to vs that were dyseased / that we shulde not
shall bothe slepe and rest And a ryghtuous man yf he be subdewed of deth he shall be in colenesse And contrary to theyme that are wyked / deth is the begynnyng of euyll As it is saide the death of synners is worst / and euylles shall take an euell man in hys deth So Lazarus shall be comforted whyche hath receyued here his euylles / where as the gloton shall be punysshed bycause he hath receyued here his goodes So it feloweth that a chrysten whether he die or lyue is euer in better takyng / suche a blissed thyng is it to be a chrysten and to beleue in chryst wherfore as Paule saieth To lyue it is Chryst to me / and to dye it is auauntage / and in the .xiiij. to the Roma he that lyueth he lyueth to god / and he that dyeth he dyeth to god / whether we lyue therfore or dye we are the lordes This surenesse hath christ obteyned for vs bycause that he died and rose agayn / that he shulde be lorde both of quykke and dede whiche was a bill to make vs sureâ— bothe in life deth as the prophete sayeth in the xxij psalme If I walke in the myddes of the shadowe of deth I will not feare euilles bicause thou art with me And yf that this adauauÌ„tage of deth do but lytell moue vs / it is a signe that oure faith in Christ is verey weke with vs / for he that doth not well exteme the pryce and value of a good deth / or elles that deth is good / he doth not yet beleue but is ouer moche letre by the olde adam / and the wysdome of the fllesshe yet reynyng in hym / we must therfore laboure that we may be promoted to knowe and loue thys benefyte of deth It is a greate thyng that death whiche is to other the greatest euyll is made to vs the greatest auauntage / and except that Cryst had gotten that for vs / whate grete thyng had he done by gyuyng hym selfe for vs. Truely it was a godly worke that he dyd therfore it was no merueyle to hym to make the euyll of deth most proufitable for vs Therfore deth is nowe dede to faythfull men / and hath nothyng to be feared for / but hys visar and outward face And ys euyn lyke to a serpent whyche ys kylled for he hath the ferefull shape that he had byfore / howe be it yn verey dede there is nothing left but the figure / the euil is dede / and can do no more harme And as in the .xxi. of Numery God coÌ„maunded the brasen serpent to be lyft vp by whose sight the quykke serpentes dyd perisshe Lykewise oure deth by the faithfull beholdyng of the deth of Christ doth perisshe and doth not nowe appere but a certeyn figure of deth So the mercy of God hath figured all thinges to vs that are weke / that he hath destroyed the power of deth / and bycause it can not be vtterly put awey hath made it but a verey figure / for the whiche cause it rather called slepe inscripture then deth The secunde goodnesse of deth is that it doth not onely fynisshe the euilles paynes of this life / but also whyche is letter it maketh an ende of all vice and synne the whiche to theym that be good faithful maketh deth moche more to be desyred then these present goodes wherof we haue spoken / for the euilles of the soule whiche are synnes are without coÌ„parison worse theÌ„ the euylles of the body These onely sinnes yf we dyd sauoure theyme wolde make deth verey acceptable and loued vnto vs / whiche thyng yf they do not / it is a sygne that we do not wel perceyue nor hate the euylles of oure soule Therfore sith thys lyfe is full of perylles / and that synne doth besâ—ge vs on euery syde / and sith we can not lyue without synne / deth is best and most expedient whiche loseth vs from the seperilles / and cutteth synne clene awey from vs therfore in the prayse of a ryghtuouse man it is spokeÌ„ / in the .iiij. of Sapience He that pleased god is made beloued / he lyuing emong synners is translated rauysshed / that malice shulde not chaunge his vnderstoÌ„ding / nether that fayning shulde deceyue his soule for the bewitching of tryfeling doth darken goodnesse / the vnstablenesse of concupisceÌ„ce doth ouerwhelme the witte wyth out malyce O howe true these wordes are and dayly â—ene it is fone roted and hard to be dystroyed But his soule pleased god and for that he hasted to bryng hym out from the myddes of iniquite Euen so thorough the mercy of god deth whiche was to man the payne of synne made to the chrysten the ende of synne and the begynning of lyfe and ryghtuousnesse wherfore it is necessary that he whiche louith lyfe and ryghtuousnesse shulde not abhorre deth whiche is the minyster gate of theym both but rather to loue it / or elles he can neuer come to lyfe ryghtuousnesse / and he that can not loue it / let hym pray god that he may For therfore are we taught to say / thy will be fulfilled / because we whiche fearing deth do rather fauoure loue synne then iustice of oure power be not abyl to fulfil it And that god dyd ordeyn deth to be the destruccyon of synne / it maybe gathered of this / that after synne he put deth vppon Adam by and by / ye byfore he cast hym for the of Paradise / to thinteÌ„t to shewe vs that deth shuld worke none euyl but all goodnesse toward vs syth it was put on hym as a penaunce and satisfaction in paradice Truth it is that by the enuy of the deuil deth entered into al the worlde / but in this was declared the hyghe and godly goodnesse toward vs / that it was ordyned euen at his first begynnyng / not to hurte vs but to be the payne and destruction of synne to oure grete proufit This was signyfyed when be had tolde Adam byfore in the precept / that what houre so euer he dyd tast of that frute he shulde dye / yet after the traÌ„gression he dyd moderate the extremyte and rygoure of the precept / nether dyd he speke one syllable of deth / but sayde onely Thou art erth / and shalt retourne into erth / vntyll thou come ageyne into the londâ— out of the whiche thou art taken And as though he had hated deth wolde not vouthesaus ones to name it / according to the Prophete layng / for there is wrathe in his indignacyon and lyfe in his wyll And semed so to speke / that except deth had byn necessary to the distruction of synne he wolde neuer haue put it vpon man / no / nether yet haue named it ☞ Euen so ageynst synne whiche brought forth deth / the prouysyon of God dyd so arme deth / that here thou mayst se fulfylled the saying of the Poete The maker of deth /
old man of synne that rayneth / in oure membres to caste out all hope and coÌ„forte that we haue in creatures / so depe to brynge a man in to the knowlege of his synne that he shall come euen to the brincke of desperacyon and thinke that he is forsaken of god Yet it leaueth hiÌ„ not there but it briÌ„geth hym agayne with all coÌ„solacyon and coÌ„forte sheweth hym that al his outragyous enormityes are crucifyed with Christ and thorow his deeth put out of the waye that they can neuer accuse hym more / and that the fathers wrath is pacefyed by his sonnes deeth / and we al as manye as beleue that Christes deeth hath payed the raunsome of oure synne are set at one with god and are become his childer so that he is no more oure iudge which shuld punishe vs for oure inquityes / but wyll he called oure mercyful father which forgeueth his childrens transgressyons Now syth we can not thus frutefullye remembre Christes passyon excepte we be enspired with grace from aboue for oure impotent viciate nature can do no good without the sprete of god the next remedye to obteyne this frutefull gyftes is to praye and desyre it of god oure father / and all be it he geue it vs not in the same tyme and moment that we wold haue it / yet let vs not despayre and cease from prayer paraduenture he holdeth it from the to make the more desyrous of it and to sette the more by it when it cometh / and that thou maist knowe that it is not in thy power and wil to haue it at thy pleasure / but this is a clere case that he wyl surelye geue it the wheÌ„ it shall be most expedyent for his glorye thy welth / which tyme no man knoweth but he alone Therfore let vs prescribe hiÌ„ no tyme / but euer submytte oure wâ—lles to his and praye that his wyll be fulfylled And contrarye wise sumtyme he geueth vs this gyfte before we praye or axe it / nether gâ—ueth he vs aâ— al tymes the sprete to praye / but distributeth that gyfte also / eueÌ„ aâ— his awne godlye pleasure nether wyll he that it be bounde other to tyme place or any person When he hath ones receaued the sprete which mollesyeth the harre and bryngeth hym in to the remembraunce of the passyon / fly and by his harte trembletâ— he lotheth hym selfe and knowlegeth his infirmitye / so that the effecte of the passyon is fulfylled in hym in a maner before he be aware But they that falle to their meditacyons and behold this passyoÌ„ beynge voyd of this sprete which openeth the harte / take greate laboures and are diligentlye occupied but all aboute nought for they can not her repent not yet perceaue their awne infirmitye / which is the verye ende and effect of Christes passyon So mayst thou se that the first with our laboure attayne the frute and profyte of Christes passyon all though it appeare not outwardlye And the other for all their diligent studye haue nothynge profyted / although they seme outwardlye to haue God by the fote And thus doth God turne topse turne a / that they which are all daye occupyed in hearinge masses and in remembringe Christes passyon get none auantage / and the other which seme to do none of both / do both in deade and obtayne the hole profyte Hetherto haue we entreated the crosse and passyon of Christ by the remembraunce wherof we knowe oure infirmityes / abhorre oure vices and are clene ouerthrowne readye to falle in to the pitte of desperacyon / and now will we touch how oure coÌ„sciences thus wounded and cast doune must be lyfte vppe agayne ¶ When a man begynneth on this maner to knowe and feale his synnes trembleth at the hydeous syght of them / let him take good hede that those tremblinge mocyons sticke not to longe in his coÌ„science for so shuld he falle in to vtter desperacyoÌ„ But euen as that feare knowlege of synne dyd springe out of Christes passyon / so must oure conscience vnlade her selfe agayne and laye all on Christes backe But beware that thou do not as the vnfaithfull doo / for they when they feale their synne / that their coÌ„science biteth theÌ„ / they runne to their awne good workes / to satisfactioÌ„s pilgrimages and pardoÌ„s / and so vexe theyr meruelouslye their vnquiet myndes to rid them froÌ„ theyr burden / but their laboure is in vayne And yet hath that false coÌ„fidence trust in satisfactioÌ„s so spred it selfe / that it hath founded manye religious cloystres in christendom / to the vtter destruccyoÌ„ of all christianite for yf I can make satisfactioÌ„ for my synnes / the is christes bloude shed in vayne Therfore on this maner shalt thou vnlade thy mynde and cast thy synnes on Christ First thou must faithfullye beleue / that Christ suffered for thy sake euen to redeme thy synnes / and that he toke theÌ„ on his awne backe and made full satisfaccyoÌ„ for theÌ„ vnto his father / as Esa sayeth liij the lorde layed on hym all oure iniquityes .i. Pet. ij he bare oure synnes in his awne bodye vpon the crosse And Paule .ij Corin. v. God made him that knewe no sinne / synne for vs that is to saye a sacrifice for oure synne that we thorow him might be that ryghtuousnes which before god is alowed Now the more that thy coÌ„science boyleth ryseth ageynst the / the more shalt thou cleaue to these and soch other coÌ„fortable sentences / and put thy hole fyaunce in Christ an they teach the / for yf thou god aboute thorow thy contricyon / and satisfaccyon to pacefye and aswage thy ragynge conscience / thou shalt neuer be in suretye / but after intollerable laboure and toylinge thou shalt falle in to vtter desperacion / for the conscience can not be quyet wheÌ„ he fealeth his synne / but estemeth is greater theÌ„ that we of oure awne power shuld be able to qwench it Not with stondinge yf he sawe that Chryst which is both god and man had taken them vppon hym and had vaynquesshed them by his deth / yee aÌ„dtyesinge agayne had triumphed vpon deth hell and the deuell then shuld he sone perceaue how weake the stinge and power of synne is / for euen as the paynes of his woundes and panges of hys deth do now no more remayne in his bodye euen so are all oure synnes vanysshed awaye like smoke to this well agreeth the sayinge of Paule Rom .iiij. that Christ dyed for oure synnes and is rysen agayne to iustifie vs. That is the passyon / and deth of Chryst doth open / and declare oure synnes vnto vs and so doth take them awaye / but thorow hys rysinge agayne are we iustefyed and made fre from all oure synnes / yf we beleue How be it yf we feale oure vnbelefe that we can not be surelye persuaded that these thinges are true / them is the next remedye to