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
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
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
groninges as can not be expressed with tongue therfore take not awaye this thi holye sprete fro me / that he maye teach me to praye / and helpe me in my laboure and may cause me to continue in prayers and teares / that at the lengh I maye finde fauoure before thy face and maye serue the all dayes of my lyffe Make me agayne to reioyse in thy sauynge helth and strengthen me with a pryncypall sprete he is a greate thinge that I desyre o Lorde Iow be it sith thou arte god a greate Lorde / and kynge ouer all goddes / he doth the iniurye which asketh small thinges of the. All transitorye and corruptible thinges are but small in thy syght but spyrytuall euerlastynge thinges are greate / and precyous Take awaye the sprete / and soule from the bodye / and what remayneth but most vyle dounge dust a vayne shadowe therfore euē so moch difference is betwene the sprete and the bodye / as is betwene the bodye his shadowe / so maye I conclude that he which asketh bodelye thynges asketh but vayne tryfles but he that desyreth spyrituall thynges doth surelye desyre great thinges / but speciallye he that desyreth thy sauinge helthe / what is thy sauīge helth but Iesus thy sonne which is verye god / euerlastinge liffe / why shall I not then aske of the this thy sauyoure / sith thou arte amyghtye and most liberall father / whych gauest hym vnto the deeth of the crosse for me Now sith thou hast so offered hym for me / why shuld I be ashamed to aske hym of the It is a great and noble present nether am I worthie to haue such a gift how be it it becometh thy worthy lyberalyte to geue such noble gyftes / for this therfore tyne ineffable gentlenesse I dare presume to come boidlye vnto the and to desyre thy sauinge helth in whom I myght fullye reioyce For yf of his carnal father any sonne aske fysh / will he teach him a serpent And yf he aske an egge / will he geue hym a scorpion or yf he aske breed / will he geue hym a stone Now yf carnall fathers beynge euell and synners / wil geue vnto theyr childer good gyftes whych they haue receaued of the how moch moare thou heuenlye father whych of thyne awne substance arte good / wilt geue a good sprete to thē that desyre it of the Beholde thy sonne whych is retourned from a farre countre sorowinge and repentinge / asketh of the the fish of fayth / for as the fish lyeth secrete vnder the water / euen so is fayth of such thynges as are not sene / he asketh I saye a true fayth that he maye reioyce in thy sauinge helth wilt thou reath hym a serpent wilt thou geue hym the venome of vnfaythfulnes which proceadeth from that old and croked serpent the deuell I desyre of the o Lorde the egge of hope / that euen as out of an egge we hope for a chyken / so thorow hope / that thou wilt graunte me to come vnto the syght of thy sauynge health that out of my hope maye come this holesome sight as the chicke doth out of the egge I desyre the egge of hope / that my soule thorow hope maye be sustayned in this vale of teares and may reioyce in thy sauinge helth Wilt thou geue me the scorpion of desperacyon that as a scorpion hath poyson in the ende of her taile / so I in the last ende of miliffe shulde reserue synne / delytinge my selfe and taking he my pleasure with the entisemētes of this worlde which seme beautifull and flateringe / euē as a scorpion doth in the face I desyre of the also o Lorde the breed of Christes cherite by the which he doth communycate hym selfe euen as breed vnto all men / that I maye euer reioyce in thy sauynge / helth / wilt thou geue me a stone / that is to saye hardnes of harte God forbid / why shall I them my struste for to desyre and / and optayne greate thinges of the o Lorde / seinge thou sturrest me vpp / and byddest me aske and knocke / euen tyll I se me importunate And what thynge can I aske whych thou shalt be better content with all / or els that shuld be moare holesome for me them that thou shuldest make me reioyse in thy sonne oure sauinge helth Now haue I tasted how swete the Lorde is / how easye / and pleasaunte hys burthen is I remember whate peace and tranquilite of mynde I was in / when I ioyed in god And reioysed in Chryst my Lorde and sauyoure / therfore am I now in moare sorow / for I know what goodnes And commodylye I haue loste / therfore will I crye more importunatlye Make me agayne to reioyse in thy sauīge helth restore me agayne that thynge whych my sinnes haue lost Restore me that whych thorow my faute is perysshed in me Restore me I besech the for his sake that euer is on thy ryght hande and maketh intercession for vs thy gracious fauoure / that I maye perceaue that thorow hym thou art pacefyed towardes me / that it maye be as a seale vppon my harte / and that I maye saye wyth the Apostle Paule Gala. ij I am crucefyed with Chryst / I lyue verelye / yet now not I / but Chryst lyueth in me But because my frayltye is greate / strēght me wyth a pryncypall sprete that no troubles or afflyctions maye seperate me from Chryst / that no feare may cause me to renye the and that no paynes maye make me slyde from the. My strength is not suffycyent to resyst / and fyght wyth that olde serpent / and to preuayle agenst hym Peter hath taught me how greate oure infirmitye is / he sawe the with his bodely yies Lorde Iesu was most familiarlye conuersaunt wyth the he tasted of thy glorye in the mountayne / whē thou wast trāsfigured he harde the fathers voyce he sawe thy manifold and wondrous workes / yee and thorow thy power dyd hym selfe many miracles He walked on his fete vppon the waters / and harde daylye thy mightye and swete wordes he thought hym selfe most feruent and hote in the faith and sayde that he was readye to go with the both in to preson vnto verye deeth And when thou toldest hym that he shuld denye the he beleued the not the trusted in his awne strength / and trusted more vnto hym selfe beynge but a man / then vnto the beynge verye god But when the handmayden sayde vnto hym Thou arte of the same cōpanye / he was afrayde by and by and denyed it There came a nother mayde and sayed Surelye thou arte of the same folke And he denyed the agayne He coude not stande before wemē / how shuld he then haue stonde before kynges tyrauntes And when he was yet once moare enquired of the bystanders and was accused to be one of his disciples / he beganne to curse and to swere that
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