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
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
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
it selfe / then no doute I had offended agenst the angell But syth that thou only art to be loued for thy selfe that is to saye without any respecte other of good or euell and euerye creature is to be loued in the for thy sake / therfore haue I surelye offended onlye agenst the / for I haue loued a creature for it selfe But yet haue I worse done / for I haue synned euen in thy syght I was nothinge ashamed to synne before thy face Oh mercyfull god / how manye synnes haue I done in thy syght which I wold in no wise haue done before mortall men / yee that I wold not in any case that men shuld knowe I feared men more then the / for I was blynde and loued blyndnesse / and so dyd I nother se nor once coÌ„sydre the I had onlye fleshlye yies / therfore dyd I onlye feare loke on men which are flesh But thou lokedst on all my synnes numbred theÌ„ / therfore I can nother hyd them froÌ„ the / nether turne my backe and flye from thy face Whother shall I go from thy spryte and whother shall I flye from thy face what shall I then do whother shall I turne me whom shall I fynde to be my defender whom I praye you but the my God who is so good who is so gentle who is so mercyfull for thou passest with out coÌ„parison all creatures in gentlenesse It is one of thy chefest propertyes to forgeue be mercyfull / for thorow mercye and forgeuenesse thou dost most declare thy almyghtinesse I graunte Lorde that I haue offended onlye agenst the / and haue done that which is euell in thy syght / haue mercye therfore on me expresse thy puysaunce in me / that thou mayst be iustefyed in thy wordes for thou hast sayed that thou camest not to calle the rightwyse / but synners vnto repentaunce Iustefye me Lorde accordinge to thy wordes call me / receaue me / and geue me grace to do true workes of repentaunce For this cause wast thou crucifyed / deed and buryed Thou saydest also Ioan .iij. When I am lyfted vp from of the erth / I will drawe all vnto my selfe / verefye thy wordes / drawe me after the let vs runne to gether in the swetenesse of thyne oyntmentes Besides that thou saydest Mat. xi Come vnto me al ye that laboure / and are laden / and I will ease you Loo I come vnto the laden with synnes / labouringe daye and nyght in the sorow of myne harte refresh and ease me lorde that thou mayste be iustefyed and proued true in thy wordes / and mayst ouercome when thou art iudged for there are manye that saye he shal haue no socoure of his god God hath forsaken hym Ouercome lorde these persones wheÌ„ thou arte thus iudged of them and forsake me not at anye tyme. Geue me thy mercye and holesome socoure / then are they vaynqueshed They saye / that thou wilt haue no mercye on me / and that thou wilt cast me clene out of thy fauoure and no more receaue me / thus art thou iudged of men / thus do men speake of the / these are their determinacyons / but thou which arte meke and mercyfull haue mercye on me / and ouercome their iudgementes / shewe thy mercye on me and let thy godlye pitye be praysed in me Make me a vessell of thy mercye / that thou mayst be iustefyed in thy wordes and haue the victorye when men do iudge the for men do iudge the to be firce and inflexible Ouercome their iudgement with mekenesse and beneuolence / so that men maye lerne to haue compassyon on synners / and that malefactours maye be enflamed vnto repentaunce / seynge in me / thy pytye and mercye Loo I was fashoned in wekednes and my mother conceaued me polluted with synne Behold not Lorde the greuousnesse of my synnes / consyder not the multitude / but loke mercyfullye on me which am thy creature ☞ Remembre that I am dust / and that all flesh is as wythred haye / for Loo I am fashoned in wekednes in synne hath my mother coÌ„ceaued me My naturall mother I saye hath coÌ„ceaued me of coÌ„cupiscence / in her am I polluted with original sinne What is original synne / but the lacke of originall iustice of the ryght and pure innocencye which man had at his creacyon therfore a man coÌ„ceaued borne in suche sinne is hole croked and out of frame The flesh coueteth agenst the sprete Reason is slender / the wyll is weake / man is frayle and lyke vanite / his senses deceaue hym / his ymaginacyon fayleth hym his ignoraunce leadeth him out of the right waye / he hath infinite impedymeÌ„tes which plucke hym froÌ„ goodnes and dryue hym in to euel Therfore original synne is the roote of all synnes and the nurse of all wikednesse / for all be it that in euerye man of the awne nature it is but one synne yet in power it is all synnes Thou seyst therfore Lorde what I am / and of whence I am for in originall synne which coÌ„teyneth al synnes and iniquites in it am I fashoned / in it hath my mother conceaued me / syth then I am hole in synnes and enuyroned with snares one â—erye syde how shall I escape for what I wold that do I not / but the euell that I wold not that do I / for I fynde a nother lawe in my membres rebellinge agenst the lawe of my mynde / subduynge me vnto the lawe of synne deth Therfore the more frayle and entangled thy godlye beneuolence seeth me / so moch the more let it lyft vppe coÌ„fort me Who wold not pitye one that is syke who wold not haue coÌ„passyon on hym that is dyseased Come / come thou swete Samaritane and take vppe the wounded and halfe deed cure my woundes / poure in wyne and oyle sette me vppon thy beest / bringe me in to the hostrye / coÌ„mitte me vnto the host / take out two pence and saye vnto him what so euer thou spendest aboue this / when I come agayne I wyll recompence the. Loo thou hast loued truth / the vnknowne secrete thinges of thy wysdoÌ„ / hast thou vttered vnto me Come most swete Samaritane / for behold thou hast loued truth / the truth I saye of thy promyses which thou hast made vnto mankynde / then hast thou trulye loued for thou hast made and kepte them / so that thy loue is nothinge els but euen to do good for in thy selfe thou arte inuaryable immutable / thou vsest not now to loue and a none not to loue as men doo nether doth thy loue so come goo / but thou art such a louer as doth neuer chaunge for thy loue is verye god Thy loue therfore wherwith thou louest a creature / is to do it good / whom thou most louest / to them arte thou most beneficyall Therfore what meaneth that thou louest truth /
/ it draweth vnto hym all vertue and expelleth all vyce / therfore create iÌ„ me Oh god a pure harte thorow thy grace / make a newe an vpryght sprete in mi bowels For thy sprete shall leade me in to a right waye / which shal purge me from all erthy affectes and shall lyfte me vpp vnto heueÌ„lie thynges The louer the thynge that is loued are both of one nature He that loueth bodelie thinges is wordlye but he that loueth spretuall thiÌ„ges is spretuall Geue me a sprete that maye loue the worshyppe the / the most hye sprete / for god is a sprete they whych worshyppe hym / must worshyppe hym in the sprete verite Geue me an vpright sprete not schinge his awne profyte and glorye / but the will and glorie of god renewe an vpryght sprete wyth in me renewe it For my synnes haue qwenched the fyrst that thou gauest me Geue me now a new sprete that it maye redresse that thinge whych is inueterate my soule is also a sprete so made of the that of her selfe she is ryght for of her awne nature she loueth the aboue her selfe and desyreth all thynges for thy glorye / so that her awne naturall loue is ryght / for it cometh of the / but of her awne frowarde will is it iÌ„ueterate polluted causinge her natural loue to decaye Make new therfore this sâ—te this loue thorow thy grace that it maye walke iÌ„ the right waye accordiÌ„ge to his nature renue it I saye that it maye euer enflame me with heueÌ„lye loue that it maye euer cause me to sighe vnto the / to enbrace the continuallye and neuer to forsake the. Cast me not awaye from thy face / and thy holye goste take not from me Behold Lorde I stande before thy face that I maye fynde mercye I stonde before thy benigne goodnes lokinge for thy fauourable aÌ„swere cast me not coÌ„fused froÌ„ thy face who came euer Lorde vnto the and went awaye confused Who euer desyred thy fauoure / and went wyth out it Surelye thou passest in thy aboundant pytye both the deseruinges and also the desires of theÌ„ that praye vnto the / for thou geuest more then men can desyre yee or vnderstonde wheÌ„ they haue it It was neuer harde that thou dydst cast awaye from they face any man that euer came vnto the Shall I Oh Lorde be the first that shall be cast awaye from thy face and vtterlye confouÌ„ded wilt thou beginne at me to confounde them that come vnto the wilt thou neuer more haue mercye and coÌ„passion God forbidde The woman of Canane folowed the / she cryed and made a pytuous noyse / she moued thy dysciples / vnto compassion / and thou hyldest thy peace / she contynued knockynge / she worshipped the and sayd Lorde helpe me / nether yet woldest thou answere Thy dyscyples entreated for her sayenge let her goo for she cryeth after vs. But what was thyne answere Lorde I praye the / what dydst thou answere for south that she wepte in vayne / and laboured for nought / for thou saydst that thou wast not sent but vnto the shepe that were perysshed of the house of Israel What shuld this woman do when she hade these wordes verelye euen despayre as concerninge the grace that she requyred yet despayred she not / but trustynge in thy mercye prayed agayne sayenge Lorde helpe me / vnto wose importunite Lorde thou answeredst / it is not good to take the chyldrens brede and cast it to hondes as though thou shuldest haue sayed departe from me you Canaanites are dogges / ye are Idolatres / the precyous gyftes of he venâ—ye fauoure partayne not vnto you I ought not to take them a waye from the Iues whych worshyppe the true and liuynge god / and to geue theÌ„ to soch dogges as ye are which worshuppe ydolles and deuels what shalt thou now doo thou woman of Canaan thou mayst now be a shamed and gette the awaye / for the Lorde is angrye not wyth the alone / but also thy hole nacyon Oh Lorde god / who wold not haue bene confounded and haue pyked hym awaye at these thy wordes who wold not haue mumbled and grugged agenst the who wolde not haue iudged the to be cruell And yet did thys woman contynue stille in prayer She cast not away her confidence / she toke not these harde wordes heuelye / she was nâ—â— angrye / but she humbled her selfe the more and abode stylle in her petycion and sayde with good fyaunce It is truth Lorde that thou sayest / but I axe nobrred / I axe not the fauoure that thchyldren shuld haue I am a litle whe elpe and desyre the tromes whyth falle from thy chyldrens table Let them storysâ— and abounde with miracles / and other gracyous fauours / but let not me be destytute of thys trumme of grace / that my douhter maye be delyuered from the fendes possession for the whelpes do rate of the trummes whych faile from theyr masters tables Behold wat fayth / whate trust / and what humylyte was in thys women therfore thou / not dyspleased with her ymportunate instaunce but reioysinge in her excelleÌ„t constauncie dydst saye O woman greate is thy fayth / be it vnto the as thou wilt Why are these thynges wryten Lord god that we maye lerne to trust in the / that me maye humblye and deuoutlye continue in prayer / for thou wilâ— geue it yf men be greadye But the kingdome of heauen suffereth violence / and they that make violence vnto is catche it / for what thinges so euer are writen are writen for oure lerninge that thorow pacience and comforte of the scriptures we maye haue hope Cast me not therfore lorde froÌ„ thy face which stond wepinge and way linge daye night before thy face / not that thou shuldest deliuer me froÌ„ the bodelye oppression of deuyls / but that thou wilt delyuer my soule froÌ„ his spirituall power dominion Let me not be shamed O swete Iesu for in the onlye haue I trusted I haue no helth or comforte but in the o Lorde / for al haue forsakeÌ„ me / eueÌ„ my brothreÌ„ children haue cast me of and myne awne bowels abhorre me I haue no nother helper / but onlye the. Cast me not therfore awaye from thy face / take noâ— thy holye sprete for me There is nomaÌ„ which can saye that Iesus is the Lorde but by the holye gost therfore yf I call vppon the lord Iesu / that do I in the holye gost / yf I be sorye for my synnes which are passed / yf I are forgeuenesse / this do I verelye by the holye gost Therfore I besech the take not fro me thy holye gost / but that it maye be with me / and laboure wyth me / for we wote not what to desyre as we ough to do But the sprete helpeth oure infirmityes and maketh intercession for vs / that is / maketh vs to praie with such sorowfull
he knew the not / what thinke you he sayed I suppose that he sware by god and by the lawe of Moses that he knewe the not / addiÌ„ge such wordes Thinke you that I am the disciple of this Samaâ—â—ane which / deceaueth the people which is inspired with the deuil and destroyeth oure lawe I am the disciple of Moyses / and knowe not froÌ„ whenâ—â— this felowe is Blissed be God that they acused enquyriÌ„ge any further / for els wold he neuer haue ceased denyenge the / so that a thousande interrogacyons wolde haue made a thousand staite negacyons yee a thousand curses and periuryes yet were these interrogacyons but wordes / what wold he haue done I praie the yf they had scourged hym buffeted hym well Trulye he wold haue sought proued all meanes / denyenge / forsweringe / cursinge / and blaspheminge vntyll that he had escaped their handes But thou most meke Lorde lokedst backe vppon hym and by and by he knowleged his offence Nether yet durst he lepe in to the myddes of them and confesse the to be the sonne of God / for he was not yet strengthed with power from aboue / so that with our doute he wold haue denyed the agayne / yf he had sene any ieopardye at hande / therfore as it was most mere for hym / he wentâ— forth and wepte bitterlye But thou after thy resurrecyon appearedst vnto hym and confortedst hym / yet kyd he hym selfe for feare of the Iues he sawe the so gloryouslye assendynge vnto heaueÌ„ was strengthed by the syght and comforte of Angels / yet durst he not go abroade / for he had lerned by experyence to knowe his awne fragilite / and had proued his wekenesse ¶ Therfore dyd be tarye and wayte for the holye ghost which was promysed / wheÌ„ he was come and had fylled Peters harte with grace / then stepte he forth then beganne he to speake / and then with greate power and sygnes bare he wytnesse of thy resurreccyon Then feared he nether the hyt preastes nether yet kynges / but reioysed in tribulacyons receaued the crosse with all mâ—â—th and gladnes Therfore strengthen me Lorde with a principall sprete that I maye contynuallye reioyce in thy sauynge helth / or els can I not beare so manye assautes agenst me The flessh coueteth contrarye to the sprete The worlde assayleth me on eueryesyde The deuell slepeth not Geue me the strenght of thy sprete that the there maye fallely my syde a thousand anâ— then thousande by my right hande that I maye be a sure and stronge witnesse of thy sayth For yf Peter whom thou enduedst with so manye fauourable gyftes / dyd fall so wretchedlye / what shuld I doo Lorde which haue nether sene thy naturall presence nether haue tasted of thy glorie in the mountayne nether haue sene thy gracious myracles ye and haue scarcelye perceaued thy meruelous workes / haue neuer hard thy voyce / but haue bene euer subdued vnder synne therfore strength me with a principall sprete that I maye perseuer / in thy seruyce and geue my lyffe for thy sake I will enstructe the wyked that they maye knowethy wayes / and the vngodlye shal be conuerted vnto the. Ascribe not this oh Lorde vnto presumcyoÌ„ / yf I go aboute to the teach the vngodlye thy wayes / for I desyre not to teach theÌ„ as I now am wyked / vngodlye / and vnder the boÌ„des of synne / but yf thou make me agayne to reioyce in thy sauiÌ„ge helth yf thou strenghten me with a principal sprete and yf also thou sette me fre / then shall I teach the vngodlye thy wayes ¶ Nether is this harde vnto the / which of verye stones canst rayse vp chyldren vnto Abraham / nether can my synnes be impedimeÌ„t vnto the yf thou wilt do this / but rather where sinne is so abundaunte / there aboundeth grace Paule yet brethinge out threateninges and slaughter agenst the disciples of the lorde receaued coÌ„missyon that yf he founde any whether they were men or wemeÌ„ which folowed the professed thy fayth / he shuld bringe them presoners to HierusaleÌ„ And forth was he goynge lyke a mad harebrayne and as a raueninge volfe / for to straye abrode / rauysh and kylle thy shepe But whylles he was yet in his iorney euen in the hete of his persecucyon / and in actuall doynge of his synne / whyles he was persecutinge the and wold haue slayne thy chosen / hauynge no maner of preparatyue vnto grace / nether yet knowlege of his synne / when with harte and will he was thyne aduersarye / blasphemed and cursed the. Behold the voyce of thy merciable pitye vnto hym sayeng Saute / Saule why persecuteâ—â— me by the which voyce he was immedyatlye both sayed alonge and raysed vp he was layede alonge and ouerthrowne as concernynge his bodye / but he was raysed vppe with the mynde thou raysedst hym vp that was in the slepe of darke ygnorauncye and pouredst in thy gloryous lyght in to those yies which were oppressed with this blynde slepe thou shewedst hym thy sauourable face and endued hym with thy gracyous mercye Then was he raysed as it had bene from deeth / he opened his yies / he sawe the and sayed Lorde what wilt thou that I doo And after dydst thou sende a shepe to his wolfe / for thou commaundedst Ananias to go vnto hym And then was he baptysed and anon was he replenyshed with the holye ghoste and was made a chosen vessell to beare thy name before kynges / nacyons and the childer of Israel And with out delaye he entred in to the synagoges preached thy name stoutelye / affirmiÌ„ge that thou arte Christe / He disputed / preuayled and confounded the Iues. Behold Lorde euen streyte of a persecutoure / thou madest hym a preacher and such a preacher that laboured more theÌ„ all the other apostles O / how greate is thy power / yf thou wylt of a wyked man make a ryght wyse / or of a persequntoure a preacher / who shall forbyd the who shall resyst the who maye saye vnto the / why dost thou so All thinges that thou woldest haue thou made in heauen and in erth / 〈◊〉 these and in all bottomlesse depth Therfore impute it not to arrogaÌ„cye yf I couete thorow thy power not thorow myne awne to teach the wyked thy wayes for I knowe that I can offer nothynge which caÌ„ be so acceptable iÌ„ thy godlye sight this is the most pleasaunte sacrifice / also for my singulare profite / now yf thou chauÌ„ge me in to a nother man / theÌ„ wyll I teach the wyked thy wayes / not the wayes of Plato Aristotle / not the intricate soâ—le proposycyoÌ„s of maÌ„nes witte / not the instructions of philosophie / not the paynted wordes vayne coloures of the rethoricyans Not wordlye maters policyes / not vnfrutefull wayes of vanitye / not wayes that lâ—ad men iÌ„to deeth but thy wayes thy pÌ„ceptes which
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