WHere is the helle. full of traeuayle, payne, myschefe, and torment? Where is the pytte of cursednesse,Iob. 7. out of whych doth sprynge all desperacyon? Is there [Page 11] any helle so profounde, that is suffycyent to ponnysh the tenth part of my synnes. whych are so many in nombre, that the infynyte swarme of them so shaddoweth my darkened sences that I can not accompte them neyther yet wele se them? I am farre entered in amongest them, and (that moch wo [...]s is) I haue not the power toRoma. 7. obtayne the true knowledge of the depe daūgers of them. I perfyghtly fele, that their roote is in me. And outwardly I se non other effecte but all is eyther braūche leafe, or els frute that it bryngeth fourth all aboute me. If I thynke to loke for bet­ter, a bra [...]che cōmeth and closeth myne eyes, and in my mouthe doth fall whan I wolde speake,Psal. 94. the frute so bytter to swa­lowe downe. If my sprete be sturred for to harken, than a great multytude of lea­ues doth entre in myne eares, and my nose is all stopped with flowers.

Now beholde how in paynes cryenge & wepynge, my poore sowle, a slaue and prysoner, doth lye without lyghte, hauynge her fete bounde through her concupyscēce & also both her armes through euyll vse Yet the power to remedy it,2. Cor. [...] doth not lye in me, neyther haue I power to crye for [Page] helpe. Agayne, so far fourth as I can perceyue, I haue no hope of socour, but through the grace of God that I can not de­serue, whych maye rayse euery one from deathe. By hys bryghtnesse he geueth lyght to darkenesse. And hys power exa­mynynge my faulte, doth breake all the vayle of ignoraunce,Io [...]. 12. and geueth me clere vnderstādynge, not only that thys cometh of me, but also what thynge abydeth in me. Where I am and wherfor I do laboure. Who he is whom I haue offended, to whom I ded obeye so seldome. Therfor it is cōuenyent that my pryde be suppressyd

And humbly with wepynge harte, I do confesse that I am moch lesse thā nothynge, before my byrth myer, after a dunge­hyll, a body prompte to all euyll not wyl­lynge other stodye, also subiect to care, sorowe, and payne.Iob. 14. A short lyfe, and thende vncertayne. The whych vndre synne by Adam is solde, and by the lawe iudged to be damnyd. For I had neuer the power to obserue one only cōmaundemente of God, I do fele the strength of synne in me, therfor is my synne no whyt the lesse to be hydden. And the more he is dyssembled outwardly, so moche the more he en­creasyth [Page] within the harte. That whych God wyll,Sapi. 9. I can not wyll, and what he wolde not, I ofte tymes desyre to perfourme. Whych thynge doth constrayne me by importable sorowe, to Wyshe thende of thys myserable bodye through desyred death, bycause of my werye & ragynge life

Who shall be he than, that shall delyuer and recouer suche good for me? Alas it can not be a mortall man, for hys power and strength is not suche,Roma. 7. but it shall be the only good grace of the almyghty God whych is neuer slacke to preuent vs with hys mercye O what a master is that, with our deseruynge any goodnesse of hym? I serued hym slouthfully, and without cea­synge offended hym euery daye, yet is he not slacke in helpynge me. He doth se the euyll that I haue, what and how moche it is,Gene. [...]. and that of my selfe I can do nothynge that good is, but with hart and body so enclyned am I to the contrarye, that I feale no strength in me onles it be for to do euyll. He doth not tarry tyll I humbly praye hym, or that (seynge my helle & dāpnacyon) I do crye vpō hym. For with hys sprete he maketh a waylynge in my harte greatter than I can declare, whych [Page] asketh the gyfte wherof the vertu is vn­knowen to my lytele power.Psal. 37.

And thys the same vnknowne syghte doth brynge me a newe desyre, shewynge the good that I haue lost by my synne, & gyuē me agayne through hys grace & bo­ūtye, that whych hath ouercomē all synne O my lorde what grace and goodnesse is thys, whych doth put out so manye synnes Now maye we se that thu art full of all godly loue to make me of a synner, thy seruaūt & chyelde. Alas my God, I ded not seke the but I fled & rāne awaye frō the.Luce. 19. And here beneth thu camyst to me whych am nothynge but a worme of the earthe, all naked What do I saye, worme? I do hym wrōge, that am so naughtye, & swarme so full of pryde, deceyte, malyce & treason. The promyse whych my fryndes ma­de whā I was baptysed is such,Collo. 3. that I alwayes through faythe in thy passyō shuld fele the mortyfycacyō of my fleshe & dwelle alwayes with the ī the crosse where thu wert fast nayled (as I beleue) and yelded death dead as I also shuld yelde all synne

Thys haue I often tymes taken downe agayne, vntyed, and set at large, I haue broken, denyed, and falsyfyed my promyse [Page 13] & through pryde, I haue lyft vp my wyll in suche a maner, that through slouth. my dewtye towardes the was forgoten. And that moche more is, as wele the profyte or value of thy promyse,Ma [...]. 16. whych I had of the in the daye of my baptysme, as also thy sauynge loue and promyses folowynge, I haue all alyke neglected. What shall I saye more? Albeit that often tymes thu perceyuynge me wretched and vnhappye hast geuē me so many warnynges in fayth and in sacramētes, admonyshynge me by preachynges, and confortynge me by the recayuynge of thy worthye bodye and sa­cred bloude,Ioan. 6. promysynge also to put me in the nombre of them that are now adourned with perfyght innocencye. Yet haue I all these hygh benefyghtes, throwne into forgetfullnesse,

Often tymes haue I with the broken couenaunte. Aud partly for that my poore sowle was to moche fed with euyll breade or dāpnable doctryne of hypocrytes, I despysed such socoure and ghostly physyck in Gods worde,Hiere. 7 [...] as wolde haue holpe me And if I had bene wyllynge to loke for it yet knewe I at that tyme no teachers cō ­uenyent. For there is neyther man, saynte, [Page] nor Angell, for whome the harte of a synner without thy sprete wyll change. Alas good Iesus, thu beholdynge my blynde­nesse, and that at my neade I coulde haue no socour of men, dedyst open the waye of my saluacyon. O how great is the good­nesse,Psal 118. and how inestymable the swetnesse whych thu hast shewed therin? Is there any father so naturall to the daughter or brother to the syster, whych wolde euer haue done as he hath done? For he came into the helle to socour my sowle, where agaynst hys wyll she was, intendynge to haue peryshed, because she ded not loue

Alas swete lorde thn hast loued her yea, to the very outshedynge of thy most precyouse bloude.1. Ioā. 3. O charyte feruent and incōparable. Not slacke art thu in loue that so louest euery synner, yea, and also thyne enemyes. not only in forgeuynge their offences, but also in geuynge thy selfe for their saluacyon, lybertie, and dely­ueraunce, to the death, crosse, trauayle payne and sufferaunce. Whan I cast in mynde, what shnlde be the occasyō of thy loue towardes me. I can se nothynge els but a loue wonderfull,Ioā. 5. whych moueth th [...] to geue me that I can not deserue. Than [Page 14] my God as farre fourth as I can se, I ought to geue no thākes for my saluacyon but only vnto the, to whome I owe the prayse ther of, as to hym whych is my sa­uyour & creatoure. What a thynge is it that thu hast done so moche for me? Thu art not only contented to haue forgyuen me my synnes,Ephe. 3. but also hast gyuē vnto me the ryght fortunate gifte of grace.

For it shulde snffyse me, I cōmynge out of suche a daunger, to be lyke a straunger vsed. But thu dost handle my sowle, (if I durst so saye it) as a mother. daughter, syster and wyfe. I lorde, I am the trespaser whych am not worthy to come nere the dore of thy ryght hygh place to aske breade, where thy dwellynge is. O what grace is thys, that so sodenly thu vouchesauyst to drawe my sowle in to suche hyghnesse,Roma. 8. that she felyth herselfe ruler of my bodye. She poore, ignoraunte and lame, doth fynde her selfe wyth the, ryche, wyse, and stronge, because thu hast written in her harte the roote of thy sprete, & holy worde [...] geuynge her true fayth for to receyue it. Whych thynge made her to conceyue thy sonne, in beleuynge hym to be man, God, sauyour, and also the true [Page] remytter of synnes. Therfor dost thu as­sure her,Math. 12 that she is mother to thy sonne of whom thu art the only faither.

And farthermore, O my father here is a great loue. for thu art not wery of wele doynge syth that thy sonne full of dyuyny­te hath taken the bodye of a man, & ded myngle hymselfe with our ashes, whych thynge a man can not vnderstāde vnlesse he hath a true faythe. It hath pleased the to put hym so neare vs,Phil. 2. that he ded ioyne hymselfe vnto our fleshe. Than we seynge hym to be called man, we are bolde to call hym syster and brother. Now the sowle whych maye saye of her selfe. that she is the syster of God, ought to haue her harte assured. After thys dost thu declare with greate loue, how her creacyon is only of the good wyll, whych it pleaseth the alwayes to haue towardes her, geuynge assu­raunce that before her first daye, or tyme of beynge prouyded for her. thu bestowe­dest thy loue on her,Gene. 1. & how through loue thu hast made her (as alone of power thu cannyst wele do it) and also how thu dedyst put her within thys body. not for to sleape with slouth, but that both of them shulde haue non other exercyse, but only [Page 15] to thynke how to do some seruyce vnto the

Than the truthe maketh her to feale that there is in the, true paternyte. O what honoure.Tren. 2. what swetnesse, and what glory hath the sowle, whych doth alwa­yes remēber that she is thy daughter, & in callynge the fayther, she doth thy commaundement? What is there more? Is that all? No, It doth please the to gyue her an other name, to call her thy wyfe, & that she agayne do call the husbande, declarynge how thu hast frely manyfested the marryage of her. By the baptysme thu hast made a promes, to gyue her thy goodes and ryches,Colos. 2 and thu agayne to ta­ke her synnes, for she hath nothynge els by herytage of her first father Adam. All her treasures, that she hath of nature, ar [...] nothynge els but synnes, whych thu [...] ­tyed vpon the, and payed all her [...] ­debte with thy goodes and [...] landes

Thu hast made her so ryche, and with so great a ioynter endued her, that she knowynge her selfe to be thy woyd wyfe, doth beleue to be quytt of all that she oweth,Roma. 5. estemynge very lytel that she hath here beneth. She forsaketh her olde father. & all the goodes that he gyueth, for her [Page] husbandes sake. Surely (o my God) my sowle is sore hurte to be fedde with suche good, and agayne releued in leauynge the pleasure of thys worlde for that whych is eternall, [...]. Ioā. 5. where peace is without war­re. I maruayle that she, thys remembrynge, doth not lese her witt, coūtenaunce, and speache. Father, father, alas what ought I to thynke. Shall my sprete be so bolde as to take vpon hym to call the fa­ther? Yea, and also onr Father, for so hast thu taught in the Pater noster. But to call the daughter, hast thu so sayd? I besyche the,Prouer, [...]. tell me. Alas yea, whan with great swetnesse, thu saydest daughter, lend me thy harte.

O my God, in stede of lendynge, he is ready to geue hym selfe wholly vnto the [...] hym than, & do not permyt that [...] creature put hym from the, so that for euer with faythfull stedefastnesse he maye loue the with a daughterly loue, Now my lorde if thu be my father, maye I thynke that I can be thy mother? In dede I cannot wele preceyue,Apoca 13 how I shulde conceyue the that createdyst me. But thu dedyst in thys matter satisfye my doubte, whan in preachynge and in [Page 16] sreatchynge fourth thy hādes dedyst saye Those that shall do the wyll of my father they are my bretherne, also my syster and mother. I beleue than, that hearynge & readynge the wordes whych thu hast taught & vttered by thy holy prophetes. the same also whych through thy true preachers,Luc [...]. 11. thu dost dayly declare vnto mē in beleuynge it and stedefastly desyerynge to fulfyll, I cōceyue the & beare the by loue

Therfor without āye feare, wyll I take vpō me the name of a mother. What mo­ther of God? O swete vyrgyne Marye, I besyche the. be not angry that I take vp suche a tytle. I do neyther stele, nor vsurpe any thynge vpon thy pryuylege. For thu only hast aboue all womē receyued of hym so great honoure, that nomā can in hym selfe comprehende how he hath bene wyllynge to take in the our fleshe.Math. 1. For thu arte mother and pefyght vyrgyne before and after, and in hys holy byrth. In thy blessyd wombe thu dedyst beare hym and norysh hym. Thu dedyst folowe hym in hys trybulacyons, and also in hys teachynges. Now breuely to conclude. Thu hast with God founde suche grace, as the enemye through m [...]lyce and deceyte [...] [Page] had caused Adam & hys posteryte to lose By Eue and hym we had lost it,1. Cor. 15. & by thy sonne hath it bene yelded vnto vs agayne

Therfor hast thu bene ryghteously called full of grace.Luce. 1, For thu lackedyst ney­ther grace nor vertu, sith that he whych is the best amonge them that be good, also the sprynge of all goodnesse and power whych hath created in the so pure innocē cye that thu arte the example of all uertues) hath buylded in the hys dwellynge & temple. Be through loue ded conforme hymselfe with the, and thu arte transfourmed in hym. Therfor if any man shulde thynke to geuē the greatter prayse than God hymselfe hath done, it were a fule blasphemye.Luce. 1. For there is no suche prayse, as is the same whych commeth from God Thu also hast had faythe so fyrme and cō ­staunt. that (by grace) she had the power to make the godly. Wherfor I wyll not ta­ke vpon me, to geue the greatter prayse than the hououre whych thy souerayne lorde hath geuen vnto the.Acto. 1 [...] For thu arte hys corporall mother, and also thruogh fayth hys spyrytuall mother.

And I folowynge thy fayth with humblenesse, am hys spirytuall mother also [Page 17] Alas my God the brotherlynesse that thu hast towardes me throngh thy humble­nesse, in callynge me syster, is great. De­dyst thu euer saye ī it any thynge asore? Alas yea. For thu hast broken the kyndred of my olde father,Roma. 8. callynge me doughter by adopcyon. Well than, seynge that we haue both but one father, I wyll not feare to call the my brother. For so hast thu re­ported it by Salomon in hys bellet.Canti. 4. sayn­ge, My syster and spouse thu hast woun­ded my harte with the swete loke of one of thyne eyes, and with one cheyne of thy necke. Alas my brother, I wyshe for no thynge els, but that in wo [...] ̄dynge the, I myght fynde my selfe wounded with thy loue, To that wolde I geue ouer my selfe And lyke wyse thu dost call me wyfe in that place, shewynge largely that thu lo [...]yst me, saynge by these wordes amorouse

Aryse my dere doue,Cauti. 2. and come hyther­warde my dylectable spouse. Therfor shal I saye with louynge fayth, thu arte myne and I am thyne. Thu dost call me thy loue & fayre spouse. If it be so, suche hast thu made me. Alas, doth it please the, to gyue me suche names? They are truly able to breake a mannys harte, and cause it to [Page] burne through loue vnspeakeable. whan he thynketh vpon the honoure that thu dost vnto hym, whych is moche greatter than he hath deserued. A mother, a mother? Alas but of what chylde is it?Luce. 8. Truly of suche a sonne, that my harte doth breake for loue. My God, my sonne? O Iesus what speache thys is. mother, daughter. O happy kynrede. O what swetnesse doth proceade out of that paternyte. But what doughterly and reuerent feare ought I to haue towardes hym, my father, yea & my creatour. my protctour and sauer? To be thy syster, alas here is a great loue.

Canti. 8.Now dost thu breake my harte ī the myddest to make rowme for the same so swete a brother. So that no other name be wri­tē in the same, but only my brother Iesus the sonne of God. Non other man wyll I geue place to,Acto. 4. for all the scourgynge and bea [...]ynge, that they cā do vnto me. Reape my harte then, my brother and frynde, & lete not thy enemy entre in to it. O my fa­ther, chylde, brother, and spouse, with hā des ioyned, humbly vpon my knees I yel­de the thankes and prayses, that it pleaseth the to turne thy face towardes me conuertynge my harte, and coueryng me [Page 18] with suche grace, that thu dost se nomore my euyls & synnes. So wele hast thu hydden them,Ezech 33 that it semeth, thu hast put thē in forgetfulnesse, Yea, & also they seme to be forgoten of me. whych haue cōmytted them, For fayth and loue causeth me to forget them, puttynge wholly my trust in the alone,

Than my father, in whom lyeth vnfayned loue, wherof can I haue feare in my harte? I confesse that I haue done all the euyll that one creature can do,Psal. 31 [...] and that of my selfe I am nought. Also that I haue offended the as the prodygall chylde ded,Luce. 15. folowynge the folysh trade of the fleshe, wherewith I haue spente all my substaūce, and the habundaūce of goodes whych I had receyued of the. For pouer­te had wetheryd me awaye euen as heye and yelded my sprete dead for hunger, sea kynge to eate the releafe of swyne. But I Founde very lytle sauoure [...] in suche meates. Than I seynge my lyfe to be so myserable, I ded returne vnto the my father agayne, sayenge.Ezech 18. Alas I haue synned in hea­uen and before the. I am not worthy (I tell it before euerybodye) to be called thy chylde. But O bountyfull father, do no [Page] worse to me, than to one of thy howsholde seruauntes.

Alas what loue and Zele is thys? for thu woldest not tarry my commynge and prayer but stretchynge out thy hād receyuedyst me,Luce [...] 15. whan I ded thynke that thu woldest not loke vpon me. And in stede to haue ponnyshed, thu dedyst assure me of my saluacyon. Where is he thē that shall ponnysh me, whan my father shall denye hym my synne? There is no indge that can condēpne anye creature, vnlesse God hymselfe wolde dampne hym. I feare not the want of goodnesse [...] syth I haue my God for my father. My enemye shall do me no harme,Esa. 27. for my father shall take all hys strength awaye. If I owe anye thynge, he shall paye it all for me, If I haue deserued death, he (as a kynge) shall pardō me, & delyuer me frō pryson & hāgynge.

But here is the worst. What maner of mother haue I bene? For after that I by fayth, had receyued the name of a true mother, I became very rude vnto the, by cause that after I had conceyued and brought the fourth,Roma. 7. I left reason, And beynge subiect to my wyll, not takynge heede vnto the, I fell a slepe and gaue [Page 19] place to my great enemye, The whych ī the nyght of ignoraunce, I beynge a sleape ded steale the from me craftely, and in thy place, she ded put her chylde whych was dead. So ded I lef [...] the, whych is an har­de sorowe and remorce for me. Now haue I lost the by myne owe faulte (my sonne) bycause I toke no hede to kepe the. Sen­sualyte my neyghbour (I beynge in my beastly sleape) ded steale the from me,3. Reg. 3. & gaue me, an other chylde whych had no lyfe in hym, named synne, whom I wyll not haue, for I do vtterly forsake hym.

She affirmed that he was myne owne but I knewe hym to be hers. For as sone as I came to the lyght of grace, whych thu haddest gyuē me, thā I knewe my glory to be changed, whan I sawe the dead chylde not to be myne. For the same whych was alyue (whom she had taken awaye) was myne owne.2. Cor. [...] Betwene Iesus & synne is the chaunge so apparant. But here is a straunge thynge. Thys olde woman cau­seth me to kepe hym whych is dead, whom she reporteth to be myne, and so she wyll maynteyne. O Salomō, a full true iudge, thu hast hearde thys lamentable processe and ordayned to cōtent the partyes, that [Page] the chylde shulde be deuyded in two par­tes. The false woman agreyth, it shulde be so. [...]. Reg. 3 But I remembrynge hym to be my­ne owne sonne, was rather contente to lese hym, than to se hys bodye parted in two peces. For true and pefyght loue is neuer contente with one halfe of that i [...] doth loue.

I had rather to wepe for my whole losse, than to recouer but one halfe. My mynde coulde not be satysfyed. if I had recouered one halfe without lyfe. Alas gyue her rather the chylde whych is alyue Better it is for me to dye, [...]. Cor. 4, than to se Iesus Christ dyuyded. But O my lorde, thu dedyst loke better to it than I. For thu seyn­ge the anguysh that I ded suffer, & how I ded rather forsake my ryght, than to beholde snche cruelnesse Thu saydest, thys is the true mother and so caused them to gyue me my chylde agayne, for whom my harte was so sorowfull. O swete Iesus, I founde the after,Sapi. 3. to haue proued me if I ded loue the. Yea, I whych had lost the yet dedyst thu returne vnto me, Alas dost thu vouche saue to come agayne to her, whych beynge lett with synne coulde not kepe the, my swete chylde, my sonne, my [Page 20] helper, my norysher, of whome I am a [...]ryght humble creature. Do not permytt that euer I do leaue the agayne, for I do repent my selfe of the tyme passed.Gene. 6.

Now come my sensualyte with synnes of all qualytees, for thu hast no power to make me receyue the chylde whych is de­ad. The same that I haue is stronge y­nough for to defende me, & he shall not permyt that thu take hym awaye from me, He is alredy more stronge than anye man is. Therfor I maye sleape and take rest neare hym.Esa. 32. For all thynges wele con­sydered, he shall kepe me moche better than I coulde hym. Then as I thynke I maye take rest. O swete rest of the mo­ther & the sonne togyther, my swete chylde. O my God, hononre & prayse be vnto the only, so that euery creature maye se how it hath pleased the to call me a mother, lesse than nothynge. The more that the thynge is straunge and harde to be done, the more ought thy goodnesse to haue prayse for it.Psal 118 And also I fynde my selfe more bounde vnto the than euer I ded for thys, that it pleaseth the to haue retay­ned me for thy syster.

I am syster vnto the but so naughty a [Page] syster, that better it were for me. that I were without the name, for I forgate the honoure of adopcyon in so noble a kyn­dred, & also thy so good & brotherly be­hauer towardes me. I with pryde ded ryse agaynst the and (not remembrynge my faultes, but goynge a straye from the, ded agree with my brother Aaron,Nun [...]. 12. beyn­ge in wyll to geue iudgment agaynst thy workes. Priuely I grudged agaynst the also, whych thynge causeth me to haue a great remorce in my conscyence. Alas ryght bountyfull God, brother and true Moses. whych doist all with goodnesse and Iustyce. I haue estemed thy workes to be euen synne, beynge so bolde to spea­ke euyn rashely, saynge. Wherfor hast thu marryed a straunge woman?Nume. 12 Thu gyuest vs a lawe, and ponnyshemente if we do not fulfyll it. And thu woldest not be bounde to it, forbyddynge vs the thynge whych thu thy selfe doist.Deute. 5.

For thu doist forbyd vs to kylle anye man, and thu doist kylle and sparist non of thre thousande whych thu causydest to be flayne.Exo. 32, Also God gaue vs in comm [...] undemente by the, that we shulde not marry the doughter of a straunger.Exo. 34. Yet [Page 21] thu to kest thy wyfe amonge them. Alas my dere brother, with a great meany of soche wordes (whom I knowe to be folyshe) with Aaron (whych is my owne wytte) I imbrayded the, Wherof I dore pente. For the lyuely voyce of God, rebu­kyngly toke me vp, before I wente out of the place. What woldest thu than of my synne? Alas my brother thu woldest not haue me ponnyshed. but rather woldest my saluacyon and helthe,Ezech. 18 in askynge for me, thys great benefyght, that it shulde please God to mytygate hys iudgemente The whych thynge thu couldest not obtayne. For I became a lazar,Nume 12 so that whan any body shulde loke vpō me, they myght wele se that I had not bene wyse. And so was I put ont from the tentes and tabernacles of the people, bycause that a sycke bodye maye infecte thē whych be in helthe

Oh, a sowle can not haue a greatter Pōnyshement, than to be bannyshed our of the cumpanye of them whych are holye and good. But what dedyst thu seynge my repentaunce?Ezech 33 Thu prouydedyst that my penaunce was sone at an ende,1. Ioā. 2. and with trne loue dedyst make meanes for me, wherupon I ded returne. O what [Page] a brother wolde. instede to ponnyshe hys folysh syster, so naturally cleaue vnto her? For iniurye, grudge, & great offēce, thu geuyst her grace & loue in recōpēce Alas my brother, how excedynge is thys thy loue? Moch more is it, than brother­hode is bounde to geue to so poore & wretched a woman as I am.Psal. 50. I haue done the euyll, and thu geuyst me good for it, I am thyne, and thu sayest, thu arte myne. Euē so I am, and wyll be so for euer. I feare nomore the great folyshenesse of Aaron, for nomā maye separat me frō the. Now that we are brother & syster togyther, I care very lytle for all other men. Thy landes are myne owne inherytaunce.

Lete vs than kepe (if it please the) but one howsholde. Syth it haue pleased the to humble thy selfe so moche,Phil [...] 2. as to ioyne thy hart with myne, in makynge thy selfe a leuely mā, I do ryght hartely thāke the And as to do it as I ought, it lyeth not in my small power. Take my meanynge than, and excuse my ignoraunce, seynge I am of so great a kyndred as to be thy syster. O my God, I haue good cause, to loue, to prayse, & to serue the vnfaynedly and not to feare, nor to desyre any thynge [Page 22] saue the only.Hester. 14 Kepe me wele than, for I aske nō other brother nor frynde. If anye father haue had anye pytie vpon hys chylde. If anye mother haue take anye care for her sonne. If anye brother haue hyd the synne of hys syster, it is thu. I neuer sawe (or els it was kepte wōders secrete) that euer husbande wolde througly for gyue hys wyfe. after she had hym ones offended, and ded returne vnto hym.

There haue bene ynough of thē whych for to auēge their wronges. haue caused the iudges to put them to deathe.Nero [...] Other beholdynge their synnes, ded not spare their owne hādes, sodenly to kylle them. Other also seynge their faultes to apere, ded sende thē home agayne to their owne fryndes. Some perceyuynge their euyll dysposycyons, haue shut them vp faste in a pryson. Now breuely to conclude vpon their dyuerse complexyons, The ende of their pretence is ponnyshment, and the least harme that euer I coulde perceyue in pōnyshynge thē [...] is thys,Deut. 24. that they wolde neuer se thē agayne. Thu shuldest ra­ther make the skye to turne thā, so to forsake thy wyfe for her mysdoynge. Wherfor my God, I can fynde nomā to be cōpared vnto the. For of loue thu arte the perfect [Page] example. Now my God, more than eue [...] I ded, I confesse that I haue broken my othe and promyse.

Alas thu haddyst chosen me for thy wyfe, and dedyst set me vp in great state & honoure.Ioan. 15. For what greatter honoure maye one haue, than to be in the place of thy wyfe, whych swetely taketh her rest so nere the. Of all thy goodes quene, mastres. and lady, and also in suretie both of body and sowle. Of great fauoure is it, that I so vyle a creature, am so ennoblyshed by the. Now to speake it breuely. I haue more, & better than any man mortall can desyre. Wherfor my harte hath cause to sygh alwayes,Luce. 6. and with habundaunce of teares, myne eyes to come out of my heade. My mouthe can not make to many exclamacyons. For there is neyther newe nor auncyent writynges, that can shewe so pytiefull a case, as the same is whych I wyll tell now. Shall, or dare I tell it? Maye I pronounce it without shame? Alas yea. For my confusyon is it not to shewe the great loue of my husbāde. Therfor I care not, if for hys worshyp I do declare my faulte.Psal. 50.

O my sauer, whych dyed & was crucy­fyed [Page 23] on the crosse for my synnes. Thys de­de is not suche, as a father to leaue hys sonne, or as a chylde to offēde hys mother or els as a syster to grudge & chyde. Ala [...] thys is worse. For the offence is great­ter where more loue & knowledge is. For the more famylyaryte we haue with God & the more benefytes we receyue of hym the greatter is our offēce whan we with hym dyssemble.Esa. 5. Specyally that I shuld so do, whych am called hys spouse, and lo­ued of the as thyne owne sowle. Shall I tell the truthe? Yea. I haue lefte the, for­goten the, & ranne awaye from the. I ded leaue the forto go at my vayne pleasure. I forsoke the and chose other. Yea, I refused the, the welsprynge of all good­nesse and faythfull promyse. I ded leaue the. But whyther went I? Into a place where nothynge was but cursednesse.Iob. 10.

I haue lefte the my trusty frynde and louer, worthy to be loued aboue all other I haue put the asyde. o welsprynge of all helthe somnesse, by myne owne wretched wyll. Yea, I haue forsaken the, full of bewtie, goodnesse, wysdom, and power, & sought to withdrawe me from thy loue. I haue accepted thy great enemyes, that [Page] is the deuyll, the worlde, and the fleshe, agaynst whōe thu faughtest so sore on the crosse,Hebre. 12 to ouercome for my sake, to set me at lyberte, whych was by thē of lōge tyme a prysoner slaue. And so bounde, that no man coulde cause me to humble my felfe And as for the loue & charyte that I shulde haue had towardes the, they ded quē ­che it so that the name of Iesus my husbā de, whych before I had founde so swete, was to me tedyouse & hatefull. So that often tymes I ded iest at it. And if any man (I hearynge a sermon) had sayd vnto me,Luce. 8. the preacher sayth wele. I wolde afferme it but the worde went awaye from me, as a fether doth in the wynde.

I went neuer yet to the preachynge, but for maner only. All my dedes were playne hypocresye, for my mynde was in other places. I was anoyed whan I hearde speake of the, for I was more wyllynge to go at my pleasure. Now breuely to conclude, All that thu dedyst forbyd me, I fulfylled & all that thu cōmaūdedyst me to do, I ded eschewe. And thys was the cause (my God) I ded not loue the. [...]ere. 2. But yet lorde, for all thys that I ded hate the and forsake the, ranne awaye from the, & [Page 24] betrayed the, shulde I geue thy place to an other? Or hast thu suffered that I shulde be mocked, eyther yet beatē or kyl­led? Hast thu put me in darke pryson, or bannyshed me for euer, settynge nought by me? Hast thu taken awaye thy gyftes agayne from me, and precyouse iewels, to ponnysh me for my vnfaythfull frutes? Haue I lost my ioynter whych thu promysedyst me,Math. 2 [...] through my offēce agaynst the? Am I accused by the afore the eternall father, for a naughty woman? Yea, hast thu forbyd me thy presēce (as I deserued) & that I shulde neuer apere in thy howse?

O most true husbāde, & pure perfyght frynde, the most louynge yet amonge all good louers. Alas thu hast done otherwyse. For thu soughtest for me dylygenly,Luce. 15. whan I was goynge into the most depe place of helle, where all the euyls are do­ne. Whan I was fardest from the both in harte and mynde, & clerlye out of the true waye. Than dedyst thu louynglye call me backe, saynge. My dere dou­ghter harken, and se, and bowe thy hearynge towardes me.Psal. 4 Forget that straunge nacyon to whom thu dedyst ronne awaye and also the house of thyne [Page] olde father, where thu hast dwelled so longe Than shall the kynge full of all faythfulnesse, desyre thy bewtie. But whan thu sawest that thy swete & gracyouse callynge. ded not profyteme. than be gannyst thu to crye lowder.Math. 11 Come vnto me all yow whych are wearyly loaden with laboure. for I am he that shall plenteously refreshe yow and feade yow with my breade of lyfe. Alas vnto all these swete wordes wolde I not harken.

For I doubted whether it were thu, or els a fabyllouse writynge that so sayde. For I was so folyshe, that without loue I ded reade thy worde.Esa. 5. I consydered not wele the comparyson of the vyneyearde whych brought fourth thornes & bryers in stede of good frute, that it sygnyfyed me whych had so done. I knowe it wele ynough, th [...]t whan thu dedyst call the baren wyfe, saynge. Returne Sulamyte. All thys dedyst thu speake that I.Canti, 6. shulde forsake my synne. And of all these wordes ded I, as though I had vnderstande ne­uer a whytt. But whan I ded peruse Hieremy the prophete, I confesse that I had in there adynge therof, feare in my harte and bashefulnesse in my face. I wyll [Page 25] tell it, yea with teares in myne eyes, and all for thy honoure, and to suppresse my pryde. Thu hast sayde by that holy pro­phete, if a woman hath offended her husbande.Hiere. [...]. and is so left of hym for goynge a straye with other. Namely if he therupō refuseth her for euer. is she not to be estemed poluted and of no value?

The lawe doth consente to put her in the hādes of iustyce, or to dryue her awaye & so neuer to se her or to take her agayne. Thu hast made the sepracyon from my bedde (sayth he vnto me) & placed foren louers in my roume, commyttynge with them fornycacyon.Ezech. 18 Yet for all thys thu maystreturne vnto me agayne. For I wyll not alwayes be āgrye agaynst the. Lyfte vp thyne eyes, & loke aboute the on euery syde. Thā shalte thu wele se, i [...]to what place thy synne hath led the, & how thou lyest downe in the earthe. O poore sowle, loke where thy synne hath put the. Euen vpon the hygh wayes, where thu dedyst wayte, and tarrye for to begyle thē that came by, euen as a these doth whych is hydden in the wyldernesse.Hiere. 3 [...] Therfor thu in fulfyllynge thy wicked pleasure, hast with fornycacyon infected all the earthe [Page] whych was aboute the. Thyne eye, thy fore heade, and thy face haue loste all their honest good maner. For they were suche as an harlot hath, and yet thu haddest no shame of thy synne.

And the surplus that Hieremy sayth, constrayneth me to knowe my wretched lyfe, & to wyshe with sorowfull syghes, the houre, the daye, the moneth, the tyme and the yeare,Iob. 10. that I ded leaue it, yeldynge my selfe condempned, and worthy to be for euer in the euerlastynge fyre. The same feare whych doth not of me but of the procede, and ex [...]adeth many of thy other gyftes, put me rather in hope than dyspayre, as often as I ded remembre my synne. For as sone as thu knewest my wyll bowynge vndre thy obedyence, than put­tynge in me a lyuely fayth, thu dedyst vse great clemencye. So that after I knewe the to be that lorde, master, and kynge whom I ought to haue feared.Hebre. 11 Than foū de I my feare not quenched, but mixed with loue, beleuynge that thu wert so gracyouse, gentyll, and swete, & so pytiefull an husbande, that I whych shulde rather haue hydde me, than to haue shewed my selfe, was not than in feare to go fourth [Page 26] and to loke for the. And in so sekynge I founde the.

But what dedyst thu than? Hast thu refused me? Alas my God, no, but rather hast excused me. Hast thu turned thy fa­ce from me?Psal. [...] No, for thyne eye so swete ded penetrate my harte, woūdynge it almost to the deathe, and geuynge me remorse of my synnes.Canti. [...]. Thu hast not put me backe with thy hāde, but with both thy armes and with a swete, and māly harte thu dedyst mete with me by the waye, and not ones reprouynge my faultes, enbrasydest me. I coulde not se in beholdynge thy coū tenaunce, that euer thu dedyst ones per­ceyue myne offence. For thu hast done as moche for me, as though I had beue good and honest. For thu dedyst hyde my faulte from euery body,Roma. [...] in geuynge me agayne the parte of thy bedde, and also in shewynge that the multitude of my synnes are so hyddē & ouercome by thy great vyctorye that thu wylte neuer remembre thē. So that now thu seyst nothynge in me, but the graces, gyftes and vertues whych it hath pleased thy fre goodnesse to gyue m [...]

O charyte most precyouse.Esa. 43 I do se wele that thy goodnesse doth consume [Page] my lewdenesse, & maketh me a newe godly and bewtyfull creature. The euyll that was myne, thu hast destroyed, and made me so perfyght a creature, that all the good whych a husbande can do vnto hys wyfe thu hast done it to me, in geuynge me, a faythfull Hope in thy promyses. Now haue I through thy good grace re­couered the place of thy wyfe. O happye & desyered place, gracyouse bedde, trone ryght honourable,Math. 11 s [...]ate of peace, rest from all warre, hygh steppe of honoure, separate from the earthe. So [...]st thu receyue thys vnworthy creature, geuynge her the scepture and crowne of thy empyre and gloryouse realme? who ded euer heare speake of suche a storye? as to rayse vp one so hygh, whych of her selfe was nothynge & maketh of great value, that of it selfe was naught.

Alas what is thys? for I castynge myne eyes on hygh,Ioan. 3. ded se thy goodnesse, so vn­knowne grace, & loue so incomprehēsyble that my syght is wonderfull. Than am I constrayned to loke downe, & in so lokynge downewarde, I do se what I am, and what I was wyllynge to be. Alas I do se in it, the lewdenesse, darkenesse, and [Page 27] extreme depenesse of my euyll, My dea­the whych by hāblenesse closeth myne eye The admyrable goodnesse of the, & the vnspeakcable euyll whych is in me, Thy ryght hyghnes & pure maiestie,Sapi. 14. my ryght fragyle and mortall nature, Thy gyftes, goodes, & beatytude, my malyce & great vnkyndnesse. O how good thu arte vnto me, and how vnkynde am I to the? Thys that thu wylte, and thys that I pursue. Whych thynges consydered, causeth me to maruele, how it pleasyth the to ioyne thy selfe to me, seynge there is no comparyson betwene vs both.

Thu arte my God, and I am thy worke, thu my creator, and I thy creature Now to speake breuely,Esa. 64. though I can not defyne what it is to be of the, yet knowe I my selfe to be the least thynge that may be compared vnto the. O loue, thu madyst thys agrement [...] whan thu dedyst ioyne lyfe, aud deathe togyther. But the vnyon hath made alyue deathe. Lyfe dyenge, and lyfe without ende, haue made one deathe a lyfe. Deathe hath geuen vnto lyfe a guyckenesse, Through suche deathe I beynge dead,Colos. 2. receyued lyfe, and by deathe I am ranyshed with hym whych is [Page] alyue. I lyue in the, and as for me, of my selfe I am dead. And as cōcernynge the bodyly deathe, it is nothynge els vnto me, but a cōmynge out of pryson. Deathe is lyfe vnto me. For through deathe. I am alyue. Thys mortall lyfe fylleth me full of care, and sorowe, and deathe yeldeth me content.

O what a goodly thynge it is to dye, whych causeth my sowle to lyue.Apoca 14 In dely­uerynge her frō thys mortall deathe, it exēpteth her frō the deathe myserable, & matcheth her with a most myghty louer. & vnlesse she thus dyeth, she lāguyssheth alwayes. Is not thā the sowle blameles, whych wolde fayne dye for to haue suche lyfe? Yes trulye, & she ought to call deathe her wel beloued frynde. O swete deathe, plesaunt sorowe, myghty keye dely­uerynge from all wyckednesse. Those whych trusted in the (o lorde) and in thy deathe,Roma. 8 were mortyfyed, because they ded trust in the, and in thy passyon. For with a swete slepe thu dedyst put them oute of that deathe whych causeth manye to la­mente. O how happye is the same slepe vnto hym, whych whan he awaketh, doth fynde through thy deathe, the lyfe euer­lastynge. [Page] For the deathe is no other thynge to a christen man, but a lyberte or de­lyueraunce from hys mortall bande.

And the deathe whych is,Roma. 7 [...] fearfull to the wycked, is plesaunt and acceptable to them that are good. Than is deathe through thy deathe destroyed. Therfor my God, if I were ryghtly taught, I shulde call the deathe lyfe, and thys lyfe deathe, ende of laboure, and begynnynge of euerlastynge ioye. For I knowe that the lōge lyfe doth lett me from thy syght. O deathe, come, and breake the same obstacle of lyfe.Psal. 3 [...] Or els loue, do a myracle now, syth that I can not yet se my spouse Transfourme me with hym both bodye & sowle, and than shall I the better tarry for the cummynge of deathe. Lete me dye that I maye lyue with hym. For there is nō that can helpe me, onles it be thu only. O my sauer,Iohn. 15 [...] through faythe I am plan­ted, and ioyned with the. O what vnyon is thys, syth that through faythe I am sure of the. And I maye call the, father brother, sonne, and husbande. O what giftes thu dost gyue, by the goodenesse of those names.

O my father, what paternyte, O my [Page] brother what fraternyte, O my chylde what dylectyon, O my spouse, what con­iunctyon is thys? Father full of humylyte Brother hauynge our symylytude,Apoca 12 Sōne engendered through faythe. & loue, Husbande louynge, and releuynge in allextr [...] myte. But whom doist thu loue? Alas is is she whom thu hast with drawen from the snare, wherin, through malyce she was bounde, and put her in place, name and offyce of a doughter, syster, mother, and wyfe. O my sauer, the same is a great sauoure of swetnesse, ryght plesaūt, and dylectable,Luce. 8. whan a man, after the hearynge of thy worde, shall call the without feare, hys father, brother, chylde, & spouse. I in hearynge that worde, do perceyue my selfe to be called there thy mother, sy­ster, doughter, & spouse. Alas the sowle whych doth fynde suche swetnesse, maye consume, and burne for loue.

Is there any loue, onles it be thys, bnt it hath some euyll condycyon? Is there anye pleasure to be herto estemed? Is there any honoure, bu [...] maye be accompted shame, to thys compared? Yea, is there any profyte equall to thys?Ioan. 14 More ouer to conclude it breuely. Is there any thynge [Page 29] that I coulde more ernestly loue? Alas no. For he that vnfaynedly loueth God, reputeth all these thynges worldly, of lesse value than the d [...] ̄ge hylle. Pleasure profyte, honoure of thys worlde, are all but vayne tryfles vnto hym whych hath founde God. Suche loue is so profytable honourable, & abundaunt, that (I dare saye) she only suffyseth the harte of a godly man,2. Cor. 3 [...] and yeldeth hym so content, that he neuer desyreth or wolde haue other. For who so euer hath God, as we ought to haue hym, accounteth all other thyn­ges superfluouse or vayne.

Now thanked by the lorde, through faythe haue I gotē the same loue, wher­for. I ought to be satysfyed and content. Now haue I the my father, for defence of my longe youth from wanton folyshnesse. Now haue I the my brother,Phil. 2. for to so­coure my sorowes wherin I fynde non ende. Now haue I the my fonne. for my feble age as an only staye. Now haue I the a true, & faythfull husbande, for the satisfyenge of my whole harte. Now syth that I haue the, I do forsake all them that are in the worlde. Syth I holde the, thu shalte escape me nomore. Seynge [Page] that I se the, I wyllloke vpon non other thynge that myght kepe me backe from the beholdynge of thy dyuynyte.Esa. 55. Seynge that I do heare the,Ioā. 10. I wyll heare nothynge that letteth me frō the fruycyō of thy voyce. Syth that I maye frely talke with the, I wyll cōmen with non other. Seyn­ge it pleaseth the to put me so nere the, I wyll rather dye than to touche any other Seynge that I serue the, I wyll serue non other master.

Seynge that thu hast ioyned thy hart [...] with myne, if he depart from thyne, lete hym be ponnyshed for euer. For the departynge from thy loue is harder,2. thes. 2. than is any dampnacyon. I do not feare the payne of ten thousande helles, so moche as I do feare the ones losynge of the. Alas my God, my father, and creator, do not fuffer that the enemy, inuentor of all synne, ha­ [...]e suche power, that he make me to lese thy presence. For who so euer hath ones felte the losse of thy loue, he shall saye that he wolde rather be bounde for euer in hel­le, Exo. 15.than to feale the payne that one shall haue by the losse of the same thy loue one momente of tyme. O my sauer, do not per­mytt that euer I departe from the. But [Page 30] if it please the, put me in suche a place, that my sowle through wantonnesse of synne be neuer separated from thy loue.

In thys worlde I can not haue perfyghtly thys my desyre. Whych thynge consydered maketh me feruently & with all my harte, to desyre the departynge from thys bodye of synne,Roma. 7. not fearynge the deathe nor yet any of her instrumen­tes. For what feare ought I to haue of my God,Hebre 9. whych through loue offered hymselfe and suffered deathe not of dett or dew­tye, bur because he wolde for my only sake vndo the power that mortall deathe had. Nowis Iesus dead, in whom we are all dead, and through hys deathe he causeth euery man to lyue agayne. I meane those whych through faythe are parta­kers of hys Passyon. For euen as the dea­the before the great mystery of the crosse, was harde to euery bodye, and there was no mā but was feared therwith. consyderynge the copulacyon of the bodye & the sowle,Eccle. 4 [...] their order, loue, and agrement, so were their sorowes extreme in the de­partynge of the one from the other.

But sens it hath pleased the swete la [...]ded offer hymselfe vpon the crosse, hys [Page] great loue hath kyndeled a fyre within the harte so vehement, that euery true beleuer estemeth the passage of deathe but a playe or pastyme, and so prouoketh other constauntly in hys truthe to dye.Sapi. 3. And euē as the feare of deathe ded retarde vs, so ought loue to gyue vs a desyre to dye. For if true loue be vnfaynedly within the harte of a man, he can fele non other thynge, because that loue is so stronge of it selfe, that she kepith all the roume, and putteth out all other desyres, not sufferynge any thynge there but God only.1. Ioā. 4. For whersoeuer true and perfyght loue is, we do neyther remēbre feare nor yet sorowe

If our owne pryde for to attayne honoure, maketh vs to seke deathe so manye straunge wayes. As if for to haue a folysh pleasure, a man putteth hym felfe in ieo­pardye of lyfe. If a merchaūte to obtayne ryches, doth daunger hymselfe, sometyme for the value of a shyllynge. If the first cōceyuynge of robery or murther, crueltie or deceyte,Deute. 16 doth so blynde a man, that he doubteth nothynge the daunger of dea­the, neyther yet mysfortune whan he se­keth to auēge hymselfe or doth any other [...]uyll. If the fury of sykenesse or the ran­kenesse [Page 31] of Mel [...]ncholy causeth a creatu­re fearcely to wyshe for deathe, & oft ty­mes to drowne, hāge, or kylle thēselues. For suche euyls are somtymes so great that they cause their payned pacyentes to chose deathe for lyberte. If it so be than that these paynes full of euyll,Ecels. 1. and imperfectyons, causeth them not to feare the hasarde of deathe, but rather to thynke that deathe tarryeth to longe.

Alas what ought true and laudable loue to do? What ought the loue of the eternall creatour to wyshe? Shulde she sturre a harte suche wyse, that he beynge transported with suche affectyon, shulde fele non other thynge in hym? Alas yea. For deathe is a plesaunt thynge to the sowle.Roma. 8. whych is in loue with God, and estemeth the passage easye, through the whych she commyth out of pryson. For the harde waye, wherthrough she com­meth, can not wearye her for to enbrace her husbande. O my sauer, how good is the same deathe, through whom we shall haue the ende of all sorowes? By whom I shall enioye thy syght without impe­dyment,2. Cor. 3. and be transfourmed into the lykenesse of thy maieste?

[Page]O deathe, through thy dede I trust to haue suche honour, as vpon my knees with cryenge and wepynge I do dayly desyre. Therfor come quyckely, a [...]d make an ende of my sorowes. O happy dough­ters, ryght holy sowles ioyned to the cy­tie hierusalem,Canti. 5. open your eyes and with pytye loke vpon my desolacyon. I beseche yow that in my name ye do shewe vnto my best beloue, my God, frynde & kynge, how at euerye houre of the daye, I do languysh for hys loue. O swete deathe, through suche loue come vnto me, and with loue brynge me vnto my lorde God. O deathe where is thy stynge and darte Alas they are bannyshed from myne eyes,1. Cor. 15. for rygour is changed into swetnesse seynge that my frynde ded suffre deathe vpon the crosse for my sake. Hys deathe doth so incourage my harte, that thu wert wonders gentyll to me, if I myght folowe hym.

O deathe, I beseche the come to put the frynde with hys loue, Now syth that deathe is so plesaunt a lyfe, that she pleasith me more than feareth me,Io [...]. 1. than ought I to feare nothynge but the ryght iudgement of God, All my synnes with hys iust [Page 32] balaūce shall be wayed & shewed opēly.Apoca 2 [...] Thys that I haue done. also my thought and worde shall be better knowne, than if they were written in a rolle. And we maye not thynke that charyte wolde offē de iustyce & truthe. For whoso euer doth lyue vnfaythfully, shall be ponnyshed in euerlastynge payne. God is iust and hys iudgemēt is ryghteouse.Psal. 118 All that he doth is perfyght in all thynges. Alas what am I consyderynge my ryghtousnesse, I wretched and poore creature?

I knowe that all the workes of iust mē are so full of imperfectyon, that afore God they are more fylthye than myer or any other vylenesse.Efa. 64 What wyll it be than cō cernynge the synnes whych I do cōmyt, wherof I feale the burden importable? I can saye nothynge els but that I haue wonne by them dampnacyon. Is thys the ende? Shall dyspayre than be the conforte of my greate ignoraūce? Alas my God no.Hebre. 18 For the inuysyble faythe causeth me to beleue, that all thynges whych are impossyble to men,Luce. 18. are possyble vnto the. So that thu do conuerte my worke, whych is nothynge, into some good worke of thyne in me, whych is specyally faythe.Ioan. [...] Than my [Page] lorde, who shall condempne me, & what iudge wyll dāpne me, syth that he whych is geuen me for a iudge, is my spouse, my father, and refuge? Alas what father? Suche as doth neuer condempne hys chy [...]lde, but alwayes doth excuse and de­fende hym.

Than I perceyue to haue non other accuser but Iesus Christ, whych is my re­demer, whose deathe hath restored vs our lost inherytaunce.1. Ioa. 2 For he made hym selfe our man of lawe, shewynge hys so wor­thye merytes afore God, wherwith my great debte is so habundauntly recōpen­ced, that in iudgement it is accompted for nothynge. O redemer, here is a great lo­ue? We fynde but fewe suche mē of lawe. Swete Iesus Christ, it is vnto the that I am a detter, yet dost thu both praye, and speake for me.Math. 18 And moreouer whan thu dost se that I am poore, with the abūdaū ce of thy goodes thu dost paye my debte O incomprehensyble see of all goodnesse. O my father, dost thu vouchesaue to be my iudge, not wyllynge the deathe of a synner? O Iesus Christ, true fysher, and sauer of the sowle, frynde aboue all fryndes. Fo thu beynge my man of lawe de­dyst [Page 33] excuse and speake for me. where thu couldest iustly haue accused me.Colo [...]. 2.

I feare nomore to be vndone by any man for the lawe is satisfyed by the for all. My swete spouse hath made the payment so habundaunt, that the lawe can aske no­thynge of me but is payed of hym. For as I beleue,Esa. 5 [...] he hath taken all my synnes vpō hym, and hath geuē me in place of them [...] hys owne goodes in habundaunce. O my sauer, presentynge thy ver [...]ues, thu dost content the lawe. Whan she wyll reproche me of my synnes, thu dost shewe he [...] how willyngly in thyne owue fleshe, thu hast taken the dyscharge of thē, through the coniunctyon of our marryage. Also vpon the crosse through thy passyon, thu hast made satisfactyon for it.1. Pet. 2. Moreouer thy only charyte hath geuē me thys,1. Ioā. 4. that thu hast for me deserued. Therfor seynge thy meryte to be myne, the lawe can aske nothynge of me. Than wyll I feare nomore the iudgement, but with desyre rather than parforce. I do tarry for the tyme that I shall se my iudge, and heare a iust iudgemente of hym.

Yet I knowe that thy iudgemēte [...] so iust,Psal. 11 [...] that there is no faulte therin, & [Page] that my infydelyte is worthye to suffer the cruelnesse of helle. For if I do only consydre my deseruynge. I can se nothynge in it that can keape me from the fyre of helle. True it is, that the torment of helle was neuer prepared but for the de­uyll, and not for reasonable men. Neuerthelesse if any man haue set in hys mynde to be lyke to the deuyll,Math. 25 than ought he as the deuyll to be payed with a lyke rewar­de. But if a man through cōtemplacyon of the sowle, do holde of the, hys Angell of coūsell, vertue, goodnesse & perfectyō, he is sure to obtayne heauen, whych is a place of thy deseruynge for hym. Than shall [...]he vycyouse be ponnyshed with the same,Luce. 13 to whom they ioyned themselues. For sith that they folowed Sathan, they must holde suche place as is for hym and hys angels prepared.

Now I consyderynge the dyuersyte of both the sortes, am lytle conforted in spre [...]t by thys. For I can not denye but I am more lyke the deuyll than the Angell of lyght, wherfor I feare and tremble. For the lyfe of the Angell is so pure & myn [...] so vnpure,Hebre. 1. that I am nothynge lyke vnto hym, thys do I confesse. But to the other [Page 34] I am so lyke in my doynges, and so accustomed in hys wayes, that of hys payne & tormente I ought to be partaker. For the cruell synne whych hath bounde me in helle, is so great and hys force so stron­ge, that it leteth nothynge to come from it, neyther feareth it the cōtrary assaulte of any man.Luce. 22.31.32 But he whych is in thys kyn­de stronge, knoweth not how hys strength goth awaye, whan a stronger than he cō ­myth. Synne is stronge whych bryngeth vs to helle.

And I coulde neuer yet se, that anye man by meryte or payne takynge, coulde euer yet vanquyshe that helle, saue only he whych ded the great assaulte throngh hys vnspeakable charyte,Phil. 2. whan he hum­bled hym selfe to the crosse.1. Cor. 13 Wherby he hath ouercomen hys enemye, broken helle and hys power so that it hath no farther strength to keape anye sowle prysoner, that hath put her trust in God. Than be leuynge in the great strength that he hath, I do not set by helle and synne, No not so moche as a strawe. So that synne can neuer haue holde of me, vnlesse it be for to shewe how my God is mercyfull, stronge,Roma. [...] myghtie, & a pusaūt vanquysher [Page] of all the euyls whych were within my harte. If my synne forgyuē, is the glorye of my most louynge sauer, I ought also to beleue, that my glorye is encreased ther­with, seynge that I am planted or en­grafted in hym.

Hys honoure only doth honoure all hys, and hys ryches doth replenysh euery one of hys with hys goodes. Than deathe helle and synne are ouercome by hym [...] Apoca. 5. O glottonouse helle, where is thy defence? Thu cruell vyllayne synne,1. Cor. 15. where is thy tyrannouse power? O deathe where is thy stynge & vyctorye, whych are so moche spoken of? In steade of deathe, thu dea­the geuyst vs lyfe, and so dost thu contrary to thy wyll. Also thu synne which coueryst to drawe yche creature to dāpnacyon thu geuest vs a ladder to reache therby that goodly cytie Hierusalem.Apoca. [...]1. Yet wol­dest thu of thy cursed nature that our eternall maker shulde lose hys creature. But through hys loue aud grace, the sorye remēbraunce of thy vncomelynesse, doth cause her by repentaunce to come a­gayne, and submyt her selfe vnto God more than euer she dyd. Hys inest [...]mable goodnesse causeth the to lose the whole [Page 35] labour whych thu takest all the weke.

Therfor helle hath not had all the nomber that he did pretende to haue.Osee. [...]. bicause that the solacyouse shaddowe & power of hys passyon, is suche a myghtye protectyon to the sowle, that she therby nedeth neyther to doubte deathe, synne, nor helle Is there anye thynge can pull me backe if God be wyllynge through hys gyfte of faythe to drawe me to hym?Ioan. 6.44 I meane suche faythe as we must nedes haue to obtayne the hygh graces from aboue, & also suche faythe as through charyte doth ioyne the humble seruaunt to hys maker. I beynge ioyned vnto hym, ought to haue no feare of trauayle, payne, nor sorowe, For who so euer doth wyllyngly suffer anye maner of deathe or sorowe for the truthe, as ded Christ, he doth feale in suche torment great consolacyon for hys sowle, knowynge that as for my selfe,Math. [...] I am weake, and with God I am rygh [...] stronge.

Through hys confort I maye do all thynges. For hys loue is so cōstaūt & permanēt that it varyeth not for anye worldly thynge. Who can th [...] ̄ withdrawe me from hys grace? Surely the great heyth [Page] of heauen,Roma. 8. nor the deapenesse of helle, nor the breadeth of the whole earthe, neyther deathe nor synne, whych doth warie euery daye agaynst me, can separate me one mynute from the great loue & charyte, that my heauenly father through Iesus Christ hath vnto me. Hys goodnesse is suche, that he loueth me whych haue not at all tymes loued hym. And if I now loue hym, than shall I feale hys loue to increase in me. But bycause that my loue is not worthy to loue hym,Ioā. 4 I desyre hys loue to be myne the whych I feale suche as though it were myne owne, Hys desyre is to loue. and through hys loue he causith my harte to be inflamyd with loue.

And through suche loue he fyndeth hym selfe so welbeloued, that hys owne dede yeldeth hym wele content, & not my loue or strengthe.Ioan. 13. Contentynge hys selfe, hys loue doth increase more in me, than I can of hym desyre, O true louer, fountayne, or welsprynge of all charyte, and only purse of the heauēly treasure. Ought I to thynke, or dare I saye what thu art? Maye I write it, or can anye mortall man comprehende thys goodnesse & loue? And if thu prēte in anye mānys harte, cā he expresse [Page 36] it?Roma. 11 No surely. For the capacyte of no man can comprehende the vnmesurable good­nesses whych are in the, for naturall reasō doth shewe vs how there is no cōparyson betwyne an eternall & a mortall thynge But whan through loue the mortall is ioyned with the eternall, the mortall thynge is so fulfylled with the eternall, that it can not fynde the ende therof.Ephe. 1. For it hath in it more good therby, than it can contayne or holde.

Therfor doth a man thynke, whych hath the loue of God, that he hath all the goo­des in the worlde therwith.Roma. 8. Euen as we se the sūne with one only sparcle of hys lyght doth blynde the eye, and yet doth she witholde her great lyghte. But aske the eye what he hath seane, and he wyll saye that he hath beholden the whole bryghtnesse of the sunne. But that is a great lye. For he beynge dymmed with a lytle sparcle, coulde not se the whole cle­artye therof.Ecc [...]. 10. And neuertheles he is so contente, that it semith vnto hym as though he had so moche lyght as the sunne contayneth. Yet if he had more than the seyde sparcle, he were not able to suffer it. Euen so the sowle whych through [Page] faythe doth fele one sparcle of the lo [...]e of God, doth fynde therwith the heate so great and maruelouse, so swete and delycyouse, that it is impossyble to her to declare what thynge the same loue is.Psal. 118

For a lytle threof that she hath felte doth yelde her mynde satisfyed & desye­rynge of more wherof she hath ynough. So doth she lyue languyshynge & sygh­ynge. The harte doth felewele, that he hath receyued to moche, but he hath cō ­ceyued suche desyre in thys to moche, that he alwayes desyerith to receyue the thynge whych he can not haue,Phil. 1. neyther is he worthye to receyue it. He knoweth the good that he hath alredy to be vnspeakeable, and yet wolde he haue more of that wherof he can not skylle. Truly he can not fele or thynke the good whych is in hym.1 Ioā. 4. Then lyeth it not in my power, to tell what thynge the loue of God is, sith that I haue no knowlege of the feruentnesse therof. He that thynketh to haue all thys loue withyn hys harte, can not truly de­clare what thynge it is. Happye is he wych hath suche abundaūce of thys loue, that he maye saye, My God, I haue ynough of it.

[Page 37]He whych hath thys loue within hym,Iaco. [...] dare no [...] moche boaste therof, least in mo­che speakynge he lose it vnles it be to edy­fye hys neybour vnto saluacyon. The im­possybylyte than of the declaracyon of thys loue shall make me to holde my peace [...] For th [...]re is no Saynte so perfyght, if he wyll speake of the loue of the hygh God, of hys goodnesse, swetnesse, graces, and of all thynges els whych pertayneth to hym,Apoca 3 [...] but lokynge a lowe shall fynde hymselfe vnworthye, and so stoppe hys mouthe. I than a worme of the earthe, lesse than nothynge, ought to cease and not to speake of the incomparable hygh­nesse of thys loue. Yet were it to moch vn­kyndenesse to be noted in me, if I had writen nothynge, hauynge that done vnto me whych wolde satisfye a moche better wyt­te than myne is.Math. 2 [...] For he that wolde hyde the goodnesse of God, so good a mastre, shulde commytt a synne worthye to be ponnyshed with the euerlastynge payne.

Therfor come. O happye Paule, whych hast [...]asted so moche of the same swete honye, beynge blynded for the space of thre dayes,2. Cor. [...] & rapte vp vnto the thirde hauē. Now I besech the, satisfye my ignoraūce [Page] & faulte, & tel me what in suche vysyon thu hast seane.Roma. 11 33. Harkē thā what he sayth O the vnspeakeable hyghnesse of the abū daunt ryches or treasure both of the wysdome & knowledge of God.Sapi. 17 How incomprehēsyble are hys iudgemētes & how vnsearchable hys wayes vnto our weake wittes? O holye Paule, thy wordes cau­seth vs moche to maruayle, that thu ha­uynge knowledge of so heauēly secretes, woldest speake no further in them At the least yet tell vs, what thynge we maye hope to haue one daye through suche godly loue. Geue eare and ponder the wordes that he sayth.

[...]. Cor. 2.9.Neyther hath the eye seane, nor yet the eare hearde, neyther yet hath it euer en­tred into the harte of anye man, what God hath prepared for them that loue hym.Esa. 64. [...]. Aud wolde he sp [...]ake it no farther? No truly. Yet all thys that he sayeth he­re, is for non other purpose, but to prouoke vs ernestly to loue. He wylleth vs also therin to esteme, that he neyther can declare nor yet name it, & so to geue forth our hartes to pacyēce & hope of that thynge whych neuer mā yet coulde se, [...]oma. 8. neyther yet dyscerne, what though many through loue for it hath dyed. O excellent gyfte of faythe [Page 38] wherof so moche good cōmyth, that it can sith man to possede the thynge whych he can n [...]t cōprehende. Faythe ioyned with the truthe bryngeth fourth hope, wherby perfyght charyte is engēdered [...] And cha­ryte is God, as thu knowist.1, Ioā. 4. If we haue charyte, thā we haue also God therwith.

Than is God in vs, and we are in hym And all thys cometh through the benefyte of faythe. For he dwellith in all men whych haue true fayhe [...] Ioā. 1 [...] Thus haue we a greatter treasure thā we cā tell of, or yet anye man expresse vnto vs. Now to cōclude. Syth that so great an Apostle as sa­ynt Paule is, wyll speake no further of God & hys inestymable loue, accordynge to hys ryghtouse exāple and doctryne,Roma. 1 [...] I wyll holde my peace & bestylle, folowyn­ge neuerthelesse hys teachynges. Not withstādynge yet though herin I ackno­wledge my selfe but earthe and duste, yet maye I not fayle to yelde thankes vnto my eternall lyuynge God, for suche great graces, and benefytes, as it hath pleased hym to gyue me. Vnto that euerlastynge kynge of heauen immortall,1. Timo 1 [...] inuysyble incōprehensyble, myghty, and wyse only, be all honoure, prayse, glorye, magnyfy­cence, and loue for euer & euer. Amen