ioyes and the fulfyllynge of all desires whiche passeth farre the capacitie of man to expresse Neuertheles yet art not thou noble Syon the churche of Christe here militant voyed of many godly gyftes which should sterre the also to synge prayses vnto God i. Corthin vi We I say moste merciful father of heauen that are of thy faythful congregation as membres of the bodye wherof Christe is the heade althoughe we do not perfectly feale the ioyes of thy heauenly Hierusalem for that we be ioyned here in the mortal bodye whose grossenes is suche that it letteth the speculatiffe syghte of the soule Sap. ix yea it is heauy to the soule for the earthly mansion keepeth downe the vnderstandyng Yet do we abyde for the dissolution of that whiche is corruptible remaynynge in hope afterwarde to enioye those ioyes whiche are perdurable and for an earneste therof Qui emittit verbum suum terre thou haste sent vs thy blessed sonne Iesus into thys worlde beynge thy very worde wherby thou madest al thynges to be a meane of our introduction into those eternall beatitudes Act. ii Thou dyddeste also sende thy holye spirite visibly in the lykenes of fyry tonges amonge thine apostles after the ascentioÌ„ of Christ as a further earneste or rather as a confirmation of thy promyse before made to thyne electe Veioelier curtii sermo cuis who as speedy messengers conueyed thy holy worde and doctrine swiftly in to al the partes of the worlde hauynge power to confirme the same by straung signes or miracles Where vpon it ensewed that the snowe whiche before was congeled in the region of the ayre aboue vs Qui bat niuem sicut tanam Esay .i. is fallen downe vpon the earth and is be come as wolle that is a greate numbre whiche were harde herted synners before the manifestation of the gospel are nowe not onely from theyr foule colour of wickednes become whyte as wolle and beautiful in syght but also they haue receyued the good propertie of wolle to make of them a goodly and a warme garment of Christe wyth out spot or wryncle to the ornameÌ„t of his churche here militant and to make warme suche predestinate persons as before were cold in sinne for lacke therof So that through that garment they shal shyne in brightnes as dyd the garmeÌ„tes of Christ at the tyme of his transfiguration before his apostles Math. vii Peter Iames and Ihon on the mountaine Thou scatterest also the hore froste which is somwhat harder then snowe vpoÌ„ the earth lyke ashes that is to the synner whiche is frosen and wanteth the heat of charitie Pruinem â—icut tinerâ—m dispergit thou of thy grace by the hearyng of thy worde gyuest repentaunce which in olde tyme was shewed outwardly in wearing of her cloth and sittyng downe in ashes castynge them vpon theyr heades by which thy grace Luce .x. they leauyng theyr olde vitious lyuing are made new men and folowers of the doctrine whiche they haue learned Ione iii. as of the kynge of Niniuie and his people is manifest and of many other But for a further declaration of thy mercifull goodnes shewed to Syon thy welbeloued churche Mittit ChrystalluÌ„ suuÌ„ sicut buccellas thou also sendest forth as it were morselles of harde I se the hayle fallyng vpon the grounde wherby is ment the indurate and obstinate synners who longe haue remayned in theyr acustomed sinne and yet Lorde of thy goodnes euen vnto many of them thou gyuest suche grace and callest them by suche violence that of cruel persecutours they become meke folowers bolde setters forth of thy worde and commaundementes as of Paule and other hath ben playnely shewed Sap. xvi It is thy grace Lorde that is the nourse of all good thynges It is thy worde whiche preserueth theÌ„ that put theyr trust in the. Thys thy grace and thys thy holy worde beinge taken awaye from vs wherby we shoulde be made hote in fayth and rytche in al good workes Ante faciem frigoris eius quis sustinebit what creature is able to abyde the coldenes of the sayed froste If thou wylt suffre the synner to remayne in hym selfe and not cal him to the he can be none otherwyse but accursed and abiecte as was Cain Bene. iiii Exod. xiiii Nume xvi Iudic. ii v. indurate as was Pharao rebellious as were Corah Dathan and Abiram Idolaters as were the chyldreÌ„ of Israel diuers times after the death and chaunge of theyr Iudges and kynges â— Regum .xiii. disobedient as was Saule whiche folowed his owne imaginations leauyng thy preceptes and commaundementes ii Regum .xi. he shall fall into auoutrie murder as dyd kynge Dauid through the loue that he had to Bethsabe into pryde and crueltie as dyd Aman to his owne destruction Hester .v. To vntrueth treason as did Iason to his frendes and countrey ii Machab. v. To couetousnes as dyd Symon Magus Act. viii Laste of al into desperation as dyd Iudas as one of the twelue apostles of thy sonne Iesus Act. i. and consequently into al kyndes of vices Neades muste he be frosen to eternall death that hath no heate of thy gracious goodnes Neades muste the grounde be barreyne of good workes where the coÌ„fortable bryghte and warme beames of thy grace shewe not theyr heate So sone as thy pleasure is to cal the hardest frosen synner anone he aryseth wyth Leuy the customer and foloweth the. Luce .v. Emitter verbum suuÌ„ et liqui saciet ea Sende out therfore mooste myghtie God thy holy worde to melt the sayed snowe and harde congeled I se poure forth vpon vs miserable wretches the abundauÌ„ce of thy noble grace wherby the stony hertes are made softe and fleshy Cal vs secretly vnto the through thy heauenly inspiration speakyng to vs inwarde in our hertes or outwardlye by the manifeste declaration of thy worde Hierem. xxiii whiche is a consumyng fyre dryinge vp in vs all colde humours the breders of many diseases in oure soules It is also a great hammer that breaketh to pieces the harde frostie I se of our hertes reducing vs wholy to repentaunce amendemeÌ„t of lyfe Spirabit spiritus eiê° et fluent aquae Blow also Lorde and breath vpon vs thy holy spirite proceadynge frome the and thy sonne Christe to be oure comforte and staye after oure sayd amendement that we maye growe and encrease dayly in vertue by meane of his spiritual gyftes sent into oure soules Io. vii wherby the harde I se maye be tourned to floudes of water whiche maye flowe out of oure bealies beinge faythfull as ryuers of water of lyfe Cause the warme sotherne wynde to melte al the hardenes of our iniquities so that the moystnes whiche before was frosen in vs being resolued through the breath of the warme wynd of thy grace Psalm Cxxvi. may arise to great imindations wherof oure drye soules as a barreyne grounde maye receyue comfortable moysture Qui annunciat verbi suum Iacob This grace Lorde thou gauedste pleÌ„tefully to Abraham Isaac and then to Iacob whoÌ„ thou madest stronge to wrastle wyth thine angell and calledst hym Israell that is one that had sene god face to face Gene. xxxii With hym dyddyst thou make a couenauÌ„t touching his sede in fayth whiche sede now we are merciful God of thy faithful church creapte through thy grace in the place of the Iewes into the possibilitie of thy noble promes WheÌ„ they refused the thou dyddest sende into the high wayes to call vs to thy feast Iusticias et iudicia 〈◊〉 a Israel we gladly came vnto the. To vs therfore thy faythful hast thou giuen thy lawes and coÌ„maundementes prescribing vnto vs rules whiche we muste obserue if we wil auoyed the terriblenes of thy iudgement and thy sonne when he shall come to rewarde all reasonable creatures accordynge to theyr desertes Roma ii Thou haste made vs priuy of thy wyll and haste gyuen vs thy lawes wyth a promyse of eternall lyfe in thy kyngdome of heauen if we order our life therafter Non fecit taliter omâ—i nationi et iudicia â—ua non manifestauit â—s whiche lawes Lorde the heathen nations knowe not wherefore they remayne in infidelitie and can not atteyne to saluation For as at the rysynge of the waters of the generall floude Gene. vii no man nor beast was saued but onely such as were wythin the shyppe of Noe no more is any saluation promised by thy worde but onely to the membres of Christe thy sonnes churche Prayse therfore be to thy highe maiestie Lorde of all Lordes who haste of thy mercy sent vs thy holy wyll and worde as a rule and a directoure of oure lyues which excellent token of thy loue towarde vs byndeth vs to magnifie thy mightie and incomprehensible deitie â—po i. beynge three persons in one essence to whome be honoure glorie and dominion for euermore So be it
harde our huÌ„ble peticioÌ„ hath receyued our prayers Eradiuit dominue doprecationeÌ„ meaÌ„ dominus orationeÌ„ meaÌ„ suscepit We prayed to the for grace and thou full louynglye hast sent vs downe dewes therof in great abundaunce We prayed for remission of oure synnes and delyueraunce out of all our tribulations thou lorde most mercifully hast harde and graunted our peticioÌ„s Wherfore al our enemyes shall be coÌ„fouÌ„ded and sore vexed EruhescaÌ„t conturbeÌ„tur inimici mei coÌ„uertaetur et erubescaÌ„t valde velociter Yea they shal be put to flyghte and to shame And that ryght sone sodenly For they haue lost in a shorte space thorowe oure humble contricion that whiche they haue of longe tyme had in theyr possession They kept wyth wronge that thy blessed sonne hath dearely boughte But he lyke a stronge myghty warriour hath throwen them all out of theyr possession And throwgh our humilitie grauÌ„ted to vs that felicitie whiche oure sayde enemyes throwgh theyr pryde hath loste Wherfore Lord we thy poore faythful creatures beyng through thy grace and the battayle of thy sonne vpoÌ„ the crosse restored now to thy fauour and hauynge the houses of our hertes and soules swepte and made cleane from all vices whiche were wont to inhabit in vs we now fearynge lest the sturdy tyraunte oure enemye fyndynge no reste in places where he walketh returne agayne into the houses of oure soules Luke .vi. from whence he is already by force of thy sonne cast out and fyndyng it cleane swept brynge wyth hym seuen other suche as he is him selfe to dwell there and therby make vs in worse case then we were before we most humbly beseche the to gyue vs strengthe and force to kepe our sayde houses of our soules from euerye violent inuasion of these wycked enemyes And sence thou hast said by thine apostle Paule 1. Corin. iii. that thy faythfull are the teÌ„ple or habitacioÌ„ of god that the spirite of god dwelleth in theÌ„ we therfore moost hertely beseche the to dwell styll in vs by thy continuall grace whose assistence is sufficient to put to flyghte all wycked spirites Ephes â— Make vs to be of thy householde buylde vs vppon the foundacyon of thy blessyd sonne Iesus Christe that is the head corner stone In whoÌ„ euery buyldynge coupled together growyth to an holy teÌ„ple in the Lorde and is made an habitacyon for God in the spiryte ¶ The Prophet considering the corrupt maner of lyuing of the greatest sort of people and forseyng in spirit the darknyng of holy scripture through meÌ„s tradicions in the person of the faythfull congregation prayseth the lawe of God and desyreth to be deliuered from all false doctryne and from the company of the wycked Psalme â—â— Vsque quo dominâ—â— O Most holy most glorious and ineffable trinitie .iii. persoÌ„s in one godhed By whose goodnes al creatures haue theyr beyng before whose eies all thynges as well that are paste as that are to come are accoÌ„ptid as preseÌ„nt to thi mighty maiestye we thy poore faythfull subiectes of thy churche here militant shewe forth oure lameÌ„table prayer Beseching the pitifully to behold the miserable estate therof whyche neuer had more neade of thy godly assisteÌ„ce theÌ„ at this present it hathe For where to Adam father of all man kynde in his creacioÌ„ thou gauest a participacion of thy wisdom goodnes iustice whyche all by his transgressioÌ„ were greatly diminished and after by the incarnacion and passion of the seconde person in trinite thou dyddest restore agayne maÌ„kynde to his originall iustice through the sacramentes of baptisme penaunce yf he dyd abyde in the obseruynge of thy lawes the veritie of theÌ„ It is now come to passe most mercifull lorde that not onely oure sayd father AdaÌ„ beynge made iust and holy dyd fall froÌ„ the veritie of thy lawes in which lawes as in a mirour thy veritie iustice goodnes are declared but also all other very fewe except since that tyme haue also erred left thy sayd verities Saluum me fac domine quoniam defecte saÌ„ctus There is not one saynte or good man left few haue continued in thy faith and giueÌ„ the thy dewe honor puttinge all theyr hope loue and trust in the as in the most chief goodnes but haue falleÌ„ froÌ„ the euen from the begynninge vnto this daye For as Ninus erectid an ymage of his father which he caused to be honoured of all meÌ„ that were vnder his dominioÌ„ wherbye ydolatry grew amoÌ„ge al other nacions so that at length euery cytie contrye chose theÌ„ a peculiar god euen so hath it ben sence the coÌ„mynge of thy sonne Chryste vnto this day For the honoure only dew vnto thy maiestie hath ben yet in most places is geuen to stockes stones Superstition ydolatry remainith yet amoÌ„ge the professoures of the christeÌ„ religioÌ„ Diminute sunt veritatis a fi us hominum Michee iii. Wherby thy verities are diminished and few are faythful amoÌ„ge the childreÌ„ of men The veritie of iustice is gone For rewardes affection blyndeth iustice The veritie of good lyuinge is decayed for verye fewe are founde whiche gyue good example to other by there godly lyfe and coÌ„uersation The veritie also of doctrine hath takeÌ„ her wynges and is flowen away The priestes prophetes preach and prophecy for lucre please for promotion Eseâ— iiii They peruerte scripture to theyr imaginations Neither are men louing to theyr neighbours for thy sake as thou hast coÌ„mauÌ„ded them to be but euery man telleth lyes to other Euery man is glad to deceyue his neighbour in bargayne â—lana loquuti sunt vnus quisque ad protimuÌ„ suum No man lendeth wythoute gaynes Yea that most pitie and harme is they lye vpoÌ„ the trew testament of Christ by wrestynge therof makynge lyght to be darkenes Esaye .v. and darkenes to be taken as lyght Labia dolosa in corde cordeloquuti suÌ„t They do flatter with theyr lyppes beyng disseÌ„blers double of hert They haue one hert to thincke one thynge an other hert causing the mouth to vtter the coÌ„trary Iacob .i. Al which sorte of men that haue double chaungeable mindes are incoÌ„stant in al their waies And as thier hertes are double eueÌ„ so are their toÌ„ges But we doubte not but that thou wilt rote vp and vterly destroy such deceptfull toÌ„gues and lyppes Disperdat dominus vniuersaâ—â—abiâ— dolosa linguaÌ„ magni loquam specially if they at any tyme speake proude thinges in conteÌ„pt of thy name as thou diddest coÌ„founde the building and tongues of those that buylded the tower of Babel in the land of Sinear Psalme lxâ—â— Whiche tower they of pryde intended to erecte vp to heaueÌ„ These crafty people whet they re tongues as men do the edges of theyr swerdes to do myschyef Adders poyson is vnder their lyppes but their language to the vtter shewe is fayr painted that therby
cast kinge Saul for hys disobedience For if I lose thy graciouse presence I am then sure thou wylte also take from me thy holye spirite as thou dyddeste from Saull It went into Dauid and in steade therof the wycked spirite entred into Saul and styll tormented hym durynge hys lyfe Sapien. xii O howe gracious and swete is thy spirite in all thynges It passeth the swetnes of hony It leadeth those that loue the Eccles xxiiii Psalme cxliii into the lande of ryghtuousnes Wyth thys thy spirite were thyne Apostles replenished whych gaue them strengthe to suffer paciently all opprobries wronges for thy sake This thy holy spirite I desyre may remayne styl wyth me Iohn .xv. to teache me all veritie to confirme me in goodnes Sam. viii to make intercession for me vnto the in all my necessities infirmities Redde miâ—i leticiam saâ—utaris tui et spiritu â—rincipall coÌ„firmâ— me Geue me therfore agayne the conforte of thy helpe and establysh me wyth thy principall spirite Because of my synne I lose the helping confort of thy grace Thy spirite also went from me whyche was no small losse for in comparison there of all losses of worldly thynges are to be accoÌ„pted as nothinge I lost all goodnes and receiued all euylles Light and darcknes may not at one time be in one subiecte No more may grace and sinne god and the diuell dwel together Wherfore the consideracion of my great losse causeth the greatnes of my sorowe I neuer delited so muche in the committyng of myne iniquities as I am nowe sory and asshamed of theÌ„ Behold therfore merciful God the inward contricion of my hert and restore to me of thy great goodnes that which I haue loste through my greate wyckednes and for that the powers of my soule are weake and feable myne enemyes stronge fierse cruell I moste humbli beseche the to confirme me in grace through the power of thy principalle holy spirite Let hym no more haue cause to departe frome me but make me an holi temple for him to dwel in coÌ„tinually Dâ—â—â—o 〈◊〉 vias 〈◊〉 et impri an te coÌ„uertinenus Then shall I stedfastly teache vnto the wycked the way wherby they may come vnto the. I wyl put my self to all synners as an example to cause them to retourne vnto the by humble peniteÌ„ce I wyll not ceasse to declare thy iustice to put theÌ„ in feare of thy iudgement And then the aboundaunte treasour of thy mercy to pluck theÌ„ from desperation I wyll teach them thy wayes that is thy preceptes and none other mannes tradicions I wyll euer put them in remembraunce of thy lawes Thys shall I be able to do beynge coÌ„firmed by thy holy spirite Moyses was afrayed to go on thy message to kynge Pharao Exod. iii. tyll thou promisedest hym to be wyth hym after whyche he left doubtyng and accomplished thy commauÌ„dement Nume xi The .lxx. elders of the host whom Moyses chose oute to beare wyth hym the burthen of the people were nothynge able to gouerne there subiectes tyll thou haddest powred parte of the spirite vppon them whych before was in Moyses And then they prophecied and ruled the people in truth and iustice Luke .xxii. Peter the apostle of thy sonne Chryst was afrayd at the voyce of a womaÌ„ and denyed hym he was euer ready to forsake hiÌ„ tyll he was endewed with this thy noble spirite Yea the whole companye of thy sonnes apostles Actu i. were commaunded to abyde in Ierusalem after hys resurrection vntyll they were fulfylled with thy holy spirite froÌ„ aboue After whose cominge the worde prospered in theyr mouthes whersoeuer they preached it and they were after sufficient wytnesses of thy sonnes resurrection and ascention Ecclesi xx A wyse sentence shall not be alowed beynge spokeÌ„ by the mouth of a foole No more shall thy lawes be regarded beyng declared by me beyng so greauous a sinner Libera me de sangumi bus deus deus salutis â—nce Wherfore send thy noble spirite to lyghten me wyth thy grace and delyuer me from the gyltynes of bloudes o God the arte the God of my health I meane delyuer me frome a multitude of synnes by me commytted through concupiscence Iob. xiiii engendred of the corruption of my fleshe and bloude Thys corruption is in me Iob .xxv. of my corrupt nature For who caÌ„ make it cleane that cometh of an vncleane thynge How can man be cleane that is borne of a woman the chylde of a day olde is vncleane Corin. â—â— The fleshe and the bloude brynge forth workes of corruption can not enioy the kyngdom of God for corruption caÌ„ not inherit incorruptioÌ„ Therfore lord froÌ„ these bloudes I beseche the delyuer me powre forthe thy grace vppon my corrupt nature and I shall be purged from all my wyckednes I am dead in synne quycken me and geue me life agayne sence thou art God the authoure of lyfe and health none can do it but thou Laudabit â—ugua mea â—â—â—â—â—ciam tuam that my tongue maye prayse thy ryghtuousnes In that thou shewest mercy to me beynge asynner geuynge me grace to be penitente for my synnes and makynge me iust that nowe am vniust wherin thou art fouÌ„d trew in perfourminge thy promise thereof made whych is to heare all that aske forgeuenes of the in fayth But before my tongue may prayse this thy ryghtuousnes thou must open my lyppes or els can not my mouth shewe forth thy prayse Domine labia mea ape ries et os meuÌ„ annunci â—bâ—t laudem tuam for synne hath stopped my mouth and prayse is vnsemlye in the mouthe of the vngodlye Ecclesi xv Yea thou wouldest say vnto me Psalm .l. why doest thou preach my lawes and takest my couenaunte in thy mouthe Exod. vi Open therfore oh God my lyppes as thou dyddest the lippes of Moyses when thou sendest him to kyng Pharao Esay vi Thy prophet Esay also had vncleane lyppes tyll one of the Seraphins wyth a payre of tonges toke a hote cole from the aulter and toutched his mouth there with wherby hys vnryghtuousnes was taken away Of such facioÌ„ Lorde toutche my mouth that I may be worthy to set forthe thy prayse To offre to the Quoniam si voluisset sacrificiuÌ„ dedisseÌ„ Vti que holocaustis non dilectaberis sacrifice or burnt offringes it were in vayne For I know thou hast no pleasure in theÌ„ They were but figures of the sacrifice of thy blessed sonne to come for our redeÌ„ption the purginge of our synnes The shadow of a thynge doth ceasse wheÌ„ the thyng it self is ones come The promises ceasse and are gone when the thynge is come whych is promised To offre to the golde or treasoure it neadeth not seÌ„ce thou arte most ryche thy felfe lorde of all the world whose contentes are at thy commaundemeÌ„t Yet wyll I not come voyde and emptye into