A godly me­ditacion vpon .xx. select and chosen Psalmes of the Prophet Dauid, as wel necessary to al them that are de­sirous to haue ye darke wordes of the Prophet declared and made playn: as also fruit­full to suche as delyte in the contemplatiō of the spiritual meanyng of them.

Compiled and setfurth by S [...] Anthony Cope knight.

¶ Imprinted at London in Sepulchres paryshe a lytle aboue Holborne Conduit at the sygne of the Resurrection by Ihon Daye.

¶ Anno. M.d.xlvii.

Cum priuilegio ad impri­mendum solum.

The preface. ¶ To the mooste vertuous Ladie and gratious princes Katherine Quene of Englāde, Fraūce and Irelande, her humble seruaunte Sir Anthonie Cope Knyght desyreth longe lyfe wyth health and muche ho­nour to the pleasure of God.

THe vse of gyuyng gyftes by men to theyr frendes the fyrst day of the newe yere (mooste noble La­die and vertuous Quene) hath of longe time continewed with­in thys Realme of Englande, wyth an opinion that the luckie beginning is a good token of lyke prosperous suc­cesse duryng the rest of the yere. Which maner of presentyng gyftes, as I do ryghte well alowe, if they be gyuen as a declaration of mutuall loue and hertie beneuolence: so the opinion therto an­nexed, I thynke not so commendable, whiche is, that the gyft should be a token or presage of good fortune to come: no more then mondayes handsel of a peny gyuen to a poore begger, shoulde be so esteamed, that the happy begynnyng of the weke muste drawe to it also a fortunate ende therof.

The good intent of the gyuer of the peny: is to releue the poore mans necessitie, not to be an au­gurie of thinges that shal folowe. So in likewyse ought the newe yeres gyftes to be deliuered, one­ly as a testimony of the hertie seruice or louynge myndes of the gyuers. And for so muche as the mooste numbre of the giuers do search to present [Page] suche thynges as they iudge shoulde be moste ac­ceptable to the receyuers therof: I longe imagi­ned wyth my selfe what thynge I myght best of­fre vnto your grace at thys present, wherein I myght in some parte declare my loyall and obedi­ent herte towarde you, of whose heaped goodnes I haue so muche tasted, that I can neuer be able to deserue the thousande parte, but onely wyth my prayer and hertie seruice. At the laste when I consydered your gracious entent and godly pur­pose in the readynge and studie of holy scripture, and the auauncement of the trewe worde of God: I thought I coulde in no thynge do your grace a more pleasaunt seruice, then to make an expositi­on of certeyne psalmes of the noble prophete Da­uid, whose harmonie is so swete & pleasaunt, that the eares of the faythfull, maye scantly therwith be fully satisfied. The poetes faine that Orpheus made so pleasaunt harmonie on his harpe that he caused the beastes and stones dauncing, to folow hym. Theyr meanynge was, that his language was so plesaūt, and his entent so reasonable, that he brought the people to good ciuilitie, whiche before were rude and beastly. But our celestial Or­pheus the prophete Dauid hath so sette forth his songes that they haue strength and force to cause men which be carnall and beastly, to become spi­ritual and heauenly. Who so wyll learne to geue to God dewe honoure and prayses: maye in them take a perfecte patron. Agayne to gyue thankes for the benefites receyued, to cal for grace, to pray for the deliueraunce from all enemies spirituall [Page] and temporall, to lyue in the heauenly meditati­on of goddes lawes, to dispise the vanities of this worlde, to become mere spirituall: maye men, in them abundauntly, be instructed. In conclusion there is nothynge necessarie for any christian to do, thynke, or saye, but in them as in a myrroure he maye beholde the perfecte image therof, bisyde the playne prophecienge of Christes cōmyng our very Messias, his natiuitie, passion, death, resur­rection and ascention, as lyuely as they were in colours set forth before oure eyes, wyth so many tropes, figures and allegories, that there is al­moste no worde whiche lacketh na hidde misterie, as the Apostle Paule sayeth, all thynges happed to them in figure, and were darke and obscure.

But nowe that the thynges are come whereof it was spoken: the vayle is taken awaye from the face of Moyses Now are fewe thinges leaft vn­discussed by good holy fathers, who hauynge a good zeale to bestowe theyr talent of knowledge gyuen them by God, to the profite of his people haue earnestly trauayled in the manifestation of suche secrete and hidde thynges beinge holpen by the holy spirite of God to thachiuing of their gostly purposes, whom I hauing very smal learning, but onely to gratifie your mynde and to auoyed idlenes haue folowed, settyng forth a rude expo­sition (in our maternal tonge) vpon twentie psal­mes whiche I haue chosen forth, reducynge the same to the kynde or fashion of prayers and con­templatife meditations, whiche I turste your grace of your accustomed and naturall goodnes: [Page] wyl take in good part, sinse there wanteth in me, not wyll but knowledge to do better. Neuerthe­les I trust (conferring the paraphrase to the text) ye shal haue greate lyghte of the meanyng of the Prophete, and therby fynde his diffuse darke wordes made open and playne. To moue your grace and al other of the flocke of Christ to the reading of psalmes, maye it please you to reade the Chap­ter of the boke of Kynges, where Dauid by play­inge on his harpe and syngynge therto expelled from Kynge Saule his father in lawe (for the season whyle he played) the wycked spirite which was entred into hym and sore tourmented hym.

And thys thynge I truste none wyl iudge to be done by the vertue of the sounde of his harpe, but through the power of the noble Psalmes that he sange playinge theron: whiche Psalmes he vn­doubtedly being inspired with the spirite of God had before made. Muche more maye we thynke and assurdly iudge that for our owne deliueraūce from the power of oure spiritual enemies, God wyl not fayle to sende his holy spirite to assist vs and comforte vs, expellynge vtterly the tempta­tions of the wycked serpent, if we in fayeth er­nestly and hertely prayinge and trustyng to hym reade or vtter the sayed Psalmes. And I shal praye to God who is the authoure and geuer o [...] all good gyftes, so to illuminate the eyes of you [...] graces herte, that ye maye proceade in the path o [...] his lawes wherin you are al readye entred, acco [...] dyng to the ardent desyre which ye haue hithert [...] had to atteyne to the knowledge of them, so tha [...] [Page] whē ye shall leaue thys transitorie worlde (whose pleasures in al your time ye neuer esteamed) ye maye ascende to the place prepared for Goddes electe, there to receyue ioyes perdurable worlde wythout ende.

DIEV · ET · MON · D [...]OVT

An exposicion vpon the fyrst Psalme. ¶ This Psalme of Dauid is fyrst set in the booke,Bea [...]us vir. as a Prologue to all the rest. In whiche he exhorteth al men to the study, folowyng, and teachyng of the lawe of God.

O Most holye father of heauen, the onely ly­uyng God, of power inestimable, of wys­dom incomprehensi­ble, to the be honour, glorye and thākes geuē for thy noble work in the creation of mā kynde, & also for hys redemption out of the captiuite & thraldome of the deuyl, by the passion of thy most derely belo­ued sonne Iesus Christ. The final cause wher of was to brynge hym to beatitude, that is, to make him haue the fruition of thi deite and ther by to tast of all kyndes of ioye in thy heauenlye mansion worlde without ende. But to the atteinement therof, of thy godly pleasur, thou gauest hym certayne lawes, to laboure and trauayle in theim in the presente pilgremage of thys lyfe. Whych if he did obserue, & continue in thē, thou didest promyse him the sayde beatitude. And for good skyl lord. For as man lost Paradyse and his originall iustice by disobedience, and transgressi­on of thy commaundement: so was it mete that he (wyllyng to recouer the same) shoulde stande fast in fayth and hope of thy promises, with the obedient kepynge of thy lawes, after the waye [Page] and gate to the sayde heauenlye place was set open by the meane of thy blessed sonnes death and passion. Wherfore, wyth the Prophet Da­uyd we maye well saye,B [...]tus v [...] qui non a­ [...] in concilio impiorū et in [...]ea p [...]ccatorū non sre [...]et in [...]h [...]dra pe­stilencis non sedit. that blessed is the man that goeth not in the counsayle of the vngodly, or vnfaythfull personnes, that standeth, or a­abydeth not in the waye of synners, and sitteth not in the chayre or seat of pestilent and skorne­full persons. By fayth we beleue in the, and in thy mercifull promyses, by charite we worke towarde oure neyghboure accordynge as thou hast cōmaunded, by the influēce of thy grace we teach other truly thy lawes and godly preceptes and lyue therafter to the good example and edi­fyinge of other. No mā lyueth wythout synne, no not the chylde of one dayes age: but happy & blessed is he to whom thou geueste the grace not to abyde and slepe in synne: but by penitence to come to a godly cōuersion. In ye chayre of Moy­ses satte the Scribes and Phariseis,Math [...] [...] to whome apperteyned the teachinge of the true lawe of god, in stede wherof for ye most part they taught theyr owne traditions. But in case they prea­ched at ony tyme truly: yet was theyr euyll ex­ample of lyuinge a mockage and a pestilent infe­ction to all the beholders thereof. But what daunger then mercifull God, shall they runne in, whych neither by godly lyuing geue good example, neither yet truly teach thy holy worde?

S [...] in le [...] commi do [...] eius, [...] in lege e­ius [...]tabitur die at no [...].To all suche lorde we beseche the sende grace to repēt and to refourme that they haue vntru­ly taught: and to vs sende a wil to heare and an [Page] hert to delyght in the folowinge of thy law whē it is taught vs, or whē we reade it: so yt we may exercise oure selfes therin all the dayes of oure lyfe. In youthe and in age. In prosperitie and in aduersite. The knowlege of thy lawes,Psalmo .xix. brin­geth vs to the knowlege of thy goodnes and of our infirmite. The readyng in them doth make vs to accōpt all wordly thinges to be but vaine, as they are in deade, and to set all oure delyght in the consideracion of heauenly thinges which be perdurable. Thy lawe is pure wythout spot, and hath a secret operation to conuerte the rea­der therof from the euyll way wherin he walked before: and teacheth him wysedome.Et erit tanquā lignum quod plantatū est sec [...] decursus aquarū quod fructū suum dabit in tempore suo. Who so ke­peth thy lawes is lyke a tree plāted by ye water side, that bringeth forth his fruite in dew seasō. All trees and herbes that are planted in bareyn drye groundes: be nothynge fruiteful. Maye a rushe be grene wythout moysture? or maye the grasse grow without water? no truly.Iob .viii. It is the moisture of thy grace that maketh vs fruiteful in good workes. And the dewe season of our workynge is whyle we be in this present lyfe.Mathei. iii. The tree that brīgeth not forth good fruit shalbe cut downe, it serueth only to the fyer.Marke .xi. The tree also that bringeth forthe but leaues,Prouerb. xi. that is to saye fayre wordes without workes, or els hipocritical workes, onely to the showe of the worlde: shal be curssed as was the figge tree that Christ cursed comming from Bethany. But the kepers of thy law lorde for the fruit which they beare here in this world, shal receyue the fruit of euerlasting [Page] glory in another world. Ye the leaues of this tre shal not fall of. For as the fruite it selfe is good, that is,Et fursum [...] non de­ [...]u [...]. as hys workes do profyt hys neighbour, so doth his leues, that is, his doctrine also edifie. Lyke as the snow and the rayne cōmyth downe from heauē & retourneth not thither again,Esai [...]. [...]. but watereth the earth, making it fruitful & grene, that it may geue corne and breade, to the sower: so the worde that commeth oute of the mouth of thy faythfull,Et omnia quecumque [...]a [...] prosperabūtur. shall not retorne agayne voyde, but shall accomplishe thy godly wyll. And what so euer he doth shall prosper.Roma. vi [...]. All thynges worke for the beste vnto them that loue God. But it worketh fare otherwyse wyth the vngodlye, for they are like the dust which the wynde bloweth and skaterith away from the face of the groūde.Non [...]c impli non sic: sed tanquā puluis quē proucit ventus a facie [...]. They haue euer loued the worlde and the plea­sure therof, and that haue they inioyed, whyche standeth to them in steade of a rewarde for the good deades which they haue done (yf euer they dyd anye) They were inconstant, lyght and wa­uerynge wyth euery wynde of temptacion, not regardinge the heauēly thynges which are sure and permanent. They were drye wythout moi­stur of grace, & bareyn of good workes, wherfore lyke lyght and vnprofitable people they shall be blowne frome the lande of the, that arte the ly­uynge God, [...] & frō thy holy habitacion. They are put forth of the boke of lyfe by iust reprobation, and shalbe blowne from thy face lorde at the last iudgemēt:Mathe. [...]v. when by thy blessed sonne shal be sayd to thē. Depart frō me ye cursed into euerlasting [Page] fyer.Ideo non resurgde im­pii in iudicio, n [...]que pe­ccatores in congregati­one iustorum. Thys iudgemēt shalbe so terrible that the vngodly shal not be able to stand ther in, nether the sinners in the congregaciō of the rightuous True it is, and we do beleue that al thy resonable creatures shall at that generall daye aryse,i. Corin. xv. both, bodyes & soules,Ezechiel .vii. then to receyue according to theyr deades, but after diuers fashions.i. Corinth. vi. The rightuous to be as iudges to the other, the sin­ners to bee iudged the electe to the perfection of their glorye,i. Tessalo. iiii. the soules beynge then vnit to their bodies. The vngodly to theyr greter pain both of soules and bodyes. At which greate and dreadful daye the sinners shalbe seuered from ye iust, and shalbe set the one on the ryght hande,Mathew. xxv the other on the left hand of thi victorious sōne as the shepherd doth disseuer his shepe from his goates. And by good reason, for as there is no match betwene lyght and darkenes,ii. Corinth. vi. no more is ther any equal match in company betwene the righteous and the vngodly.Quoniā nouit dominꝰ viam iustorum et ite [...] impiorum peribit. The way of the iust is knowne to the Lorde, and wel alowed of the. Wherfore to Moyses thou saidest: I know the by name.Exodus .xxx. Ieremy .i. Euen so diddest thou knowe Hieremy thy Prophet before he was begotten or borne. And all by thy Godly approbation. In lyke ma­ner dost thou knowe the dayes of the godly and elect.Psalmo. xxxvii. And ther inheritance shal endure for euer The other (that is) the vngodly, thou knowest not,Math. xxv. nomore then thou knewest the fyue folyshe Virgyns which wer vnprouided of oyle in their lampes against the commyng of the brydgrome Thou knowest them not to their comforte or e­lection, [Page] but to theyr reprobatiō. Wherfore they were shut furth of the gates of glory, and departed with the workers of iniquitie, whose waye is the way of death and damnation. From this paynful way saue vs good Lorde, and make vs to be as the fruitful trees planted by the water syde, for thy blessed sonnes sake, who to saue vs suffered bitter passion and deathe. To whom be laude and prayse for euer. Amen.

¶ The Prophet Dauyd in the person of the faythful congregation which are penitent for their offences made this Psalme.Psalme .vi. Domine ne in futore. And declaryng his infirmitie and contricion, desireth remission of his sinnes.

Apoca. [...]i. O God almyghtie, Lord of heauē and earth, from whō nothyng can be hyd or kept secret. Lorde that searchest the hertes and raynes, that is the thoughtes & delectations of al men. Whē I remēber thi iustice in iudgement I tremble and quake for feare, cōsidering the burdē, weyghte, and filthines of synne to be so great, that for one proud thought a great nō ber of Aungels fell from heauen to perpetuall payne.Ge [...]os. [...] For breakyng thy commaūdemēt Adam and his wyfe were expelled out of Paradise and purchased death to al their posterite.Rome [...]i.xv [...]. The yerth also was not able to beare the burthē of Corah Dathan, and Abyram, but for theyr rebellion against the and thy seruaūt Moyses and Aaron It opened and swalowed thē vp quycke, wyth theyr adherentes. For the synne of Dauid and [Page] for that he of a pride nōbred or mustred his people puttyng trust in the multitude of them ra­ther then in the, that art the liuing God:ii. Reg. x [...]iiii there died of the pestilēce in Israel .lxx. thousand peo­ple within .iii. dayes. This cōsidered what crea­ture liuyng can but tremble and feare. Seyng that our sinnes now daily, are no lesse in num­bre and in haynowsnes then were theyrs, but rather mooe & greater. And remedy haue we none but to flye from thy wrath: into the bosome of thy most dearely beloued sōne Iesus Christ, ma­king him a bulworke and a shilde of defence be­twene thyne anger and our offences, Most humbly besechyng the for his sake, and for the bitter paynes that he suffred for our redemption to be merciful vnto vs And not to rebuke vs in thine anger,Domine ne in furor [...] tuo arguas me ne (que) in ira tua corripias me. nor to chasten vs in thyne heauy displeasure, Let not thy sentence of euerlastyng dam­nation take place whyche thou gauest agaynst Adam and all his posteritie for his disobedience. Thou art meke, gentyl, and longe sufferyng of thy selfe. It is our greuous offences heaped to­gether one vpon another, that prouoke the to angre. Not that thou art angry or furyous thy selfe: but we felyng thy dreadful iudgemēt vpō vs, geuē to paine euerlasting, or thy heauy hād in punishyng vs here in this worlde: iudge the to be angry in the pronunciation of that sore sē ­tence, and in the execution of the same, we speke and iudge of the, after the sorte as wee that are worldely, do speake and iudge one of vs by an o­ther. And with such wordes as we declare oure [Page] owne passions, and affectiōs: we also declare the contentes of oure hertes vnto the Lorde, desi­ryng the not to punysh vs in the rygour of thy iustice, but after the swetenes of thy mercye to haue pitie vpon vs.Apoca. vi Elles shal we in that terri­ble day, desire mountaynes and rockes to fal v­pon vs to hyde vs from the face of hym that sitteth in the throne of iudgement, & frō ye wrath of the lambe. Whose wrath we are well assured wil not be then aswaged by any peticion of frindes. [...]ophony. i. Nether shall syluer or golde be able to de­liuer vs in that wrothful daye. Wherefore we acknowledgyng our offences humbly desire the merciful father to haue compassiō vpon vs, and to consider the weakenes and imbesilitie of our nature,A [...]set ete mei domine quontem infirmus sū. which nature is wounded in al her po­wers with the dartes of concupicence. Where through we are prone and redy to all vice, feble to resist tentation, and vnable of our selfes to aryse: [...]tio [...]ue domine quoniam conturbata sunt omnia ossa mea. beyng once drowned in the filthy myre of synne. It is thou Lord, & thy blessed sonne that must heale our infirmities, for al our bones are vered. The strength that we haue is not able to withstande the temptations of our stiffe and sturdy enemye. [...]a [...]w. xliii. Thy sōne Chryst must reach vs his hande, as he dyd to Peter walkynge on the water, when he was in perel of drownyng. Thē shall we haue strength to aryse, hys Passion is our medicine and health. Thy grace and his ar all the remedies in our infirmities.Et anima mea turba­ [...]a est valde. Our soules that is our reason and our conscience are trou­bled through ye multitude of our synnes, which [Page] trouble surely is not small. For we fynde an o­ther lawe in oure mēbres stryuinge wyth ye law of oure mynd,Roma. vii. & subduynge vs vnto the lawe of sinne, which is in our mēbres. We are al carnal sold vnder sinne So yt what we should & would do, that we do not, but what we sholde not and woulde not, that we do. And why? Truely for ye in vs (that is in oure fleshe) dwelleth no good­nes. The crabbe tree can bring forth none other but sower crabbes, theyr naturall fruite, onles better fruite be graffyd theron. No more cā we do any good, but by the graffynge of thine abundaunt grace in vs. Consider therfore, good lord, oure contrite hertes & penitēt myndes.Sed tu domine vsque quo? And let it not be lōge before thou do cure vs, Let it not be longe before thou mercifully do heare vs, and amende vs. We doubte not also but thou that haste made oure stony hertes to be fleshye and softe, wyth a wyl in vs to desyre thy grace: wilt not now staye, but procede further to the full & perfect healinge of vs, although for a seasō thou do defer the execution of thy graciouse purpose: to thintent to make vs more feruent in the pursuyte of oure requestes: and that thy goodnes maye be had in more estimatiō when it cōmeth: and the more surely and fermely holden when it is cōme. For surely, good lorde, oure nature is such, that we lyttel esteme great thynges which are sone obteyned, but thinges gotten wyth diffycultye, we do moch set by. So yt yf thou shouldest at the fyrst graūte oure peticiōs we woulde not depely consyder the greatnes of oure offen­ces [Page] & the hard cure of our woūdes. Wherfore hope biddeth vs styl to cry & cal vnto the for helpe as the womā of Canany cried styl vpō thy sōne Christ,Mathei. xv. for the help of her daughter, and at lēgth was hard to her owne cōtentatiō. At the lest if we knock & cal styl, we doute not but thou wilt graunte our desyre, as the man graūted to lend his neyghboure .iii. loues,Luke [...]. who knocked faste at his dore at mydnight, not onely for that he was his frynde. But chiefly for his importunitie in knockinge. Whyche importunitye of prayer is to the, very acceptable. Thou dydest promis by ye mouth of thy blessyd sōne, that yf we woulde knocke yu wouldest open the dore.Mathei. vii. Yf we woulde aske we should receyue. Wherfore trusting to yt infallible promis we crye, we knock & cal to the. Yea we wil neuer cease knocking & crying tyl yu lorde turne towarde vs & delyuer oure soules. Turne,Cond [...]te [...]e domine et [...]ips animā meā. we hertely beseche the, frō thy wrath to pitye, frō vengeaūce to mercye. Deliuer vs frō the manifold troubles which we haue in our cō sciēces. [...]o Titum [...]. Oh saue vs for thy mercies sake, not for our merites, which are none, not for ye workes of rightuousnes which we haue wrought. But of thy high mercy & thorowe the renuing of thy holy spirite. Our dette is so great to the, yt we are neuer able to make iust recōpense. Of thy meere goodnes therfore must yu acquite vs ther of. Els must we lye in prison perpetually without redē ption. [...] no est in mor­te aut memor sit tui. In inferno [...]e quis [...]nfitebitur tibi. Where after oure death we cā haue no remēbraunce of thy holy name, for who wyll geue the thākes, beyng in hel, for the manyfold bene­fites [Page] receyuyd of the, both to thine honoure, & to the profyte of those that are liuyng. The paynes their are so intollerable, that no man can ther re­mēber god, & confesse his faultes to hys profyte, nor magnify God, but curse & blaspheme thorow his dolorouse payne.Ecclesi. xv [...]. Ther is no time nor place of repētaūce & thākfulnes: but of payne & tormētes This knowyng while we are here lyuinge we cō fesse before the lorde our offences, beynge very so­ry for the cōmittinge of thē.Laboraui in gems [...] meo lauabo per singulas noctes lectū meū lachrimis meis stratū meum rigabo. And are wery of groninge & lamēting for thē, euery nyght we washe our beddes & water oure coutches wyth teares, not opēly weapinge as hypocrites do, but in the night secretly. For that we woulde not be sene: and that not onely with the teares of eies, but also with teares fet frō the botome of our hertes,Hi [...]re. iiii. wyth whiche water we washe oure hertes frō al malice yt we may be sauid. And as we haue made our bodies, seruaūtes to vnclēnes, frō one iniquity to an other:Roma. vi. euen so wyl we now (by the helpe of thy grace) geue the same body to be seruaunte vnto rightuousnesse that we may be sanctifyed. In this bedde of the fleshe & in the coutche of sensualitie, dyd the poore soule of mankynde lye, frō the fall of Adam to the cōmyng of Chryste, syck & sore woūded. But by his cominge & lying in the same bedde of oure fleshy nature: he healed the saide sycke soule of all her infirmityes. But oure coutche (lord) he lay not in nor midled ther with. No sparke of sensualitie, no spot of synne was e­uer foūde in him. He neuer dyd vnryght,Esay. iiii. nother was ther euer disceptfulnes ī his mouth. He left [Page] yt coutch of sensualitie for vs to ly in, to stryue & wrastyl ther wt al the dayes of our life.Turbatus est pre me tore oculus meus. And this causeth our countenaūce or mind to be chaūged for very inward grieff, we are so troubled with oure sayd coutch of sensualitie, for when we seke in it most ease and reste: it tourneth after to our greatest payne and gryeffe. It is a serpēt wyth a fayre face, but in his tayle is hydde a sharpe & venomous stynge of euerlastynge payne. Thus do we consume awaye beynge veryd wt so many enemyes,Inuetetaui inter oēs municos meos. as oure fyerse enemy the deuyl, who seketh stil matter of occasiō to lay against vs. The world draweth vs to folow her delectable deceptfull vanities, And the flesh ready to folow sensuality & to runne headlong into al kindes of ini­quity, besyde the cōpany of wycked people, able to seduce vs from oure godly purposes. These dreadfull enemyes can we neuer be able of oure selues to subdue,Apo [...]a [...] but the noble victorious lyon of the trybe of Iuda, is oure whole refuge who is cōme to oure reskew and succoure. He hath killed death suppressyd ye deuyll, and through hys grace & power, geuen vs power to ouercōme all oure sayde enemyes. Wherfore beyng now truely penitēt for our offences, & fightinge vnder the baner of the merites of his passiō, we wyl boldly say.Disce [...]te a me oēs qui operamini iniqui [...]atē: quo [...]ā e [...]audiuit do­minus vocē fletꝰ met. Away frō vs al ye enemyes & wycked doars, for the lord hath hard the voice of oure weping. Ye wicked spirites & euyl lyuers, that are yt mē ­bres of the deuyl auoyde ye nowe frō vs. Youre great maister ye prince of this world,Ihon [...] the prince of darknes is now cast out & hath lost his power. Although [Page] ye haue lōg holdē vs in prisō & captiuite yet are ye now ouercōme & your venomous stinge pulled oute.Ephes. v. We yt were sōtime darcknes are now become light in ye lord, who hath harde our hūble peticiō & hath receyued our prayers.Eradiuit dominue do­precationē meā: domi­nus orationē meā sus­cepit. We prayed to the for grace, and thou full louynglye hast sent vs downe dewes therof in great abun­daunce. We prayed for remission of oure synnes and delyueraunce out of all our tribulations, & thou lorde most mercifully hast harde and graunted our peticiōs. Wherfore al our enemyes shall be cōfoūded and sore vexed.Eruhescāt & conturbē tur inimici mei: cōuer­taetur et erubescāt valde velociter. Yea they shalbe put to flyghte and to shame. And that ryght sone & sodenly. For they haue lost in a shorte space (tho­rowe oure humble contricion) that whiche they haue of longe tyme had in theyr possession. They kept wyth wronge, that thy blessed sonne hath dearely boughte. But he lyke a stronge & mygh­ty warriour hath throwen them all out of theyr possession. And throwgh our humilitie graūted to vs that felicitie, whiche oure sayde enemyes throwgh theyr pryde hath loste. Wherfore Lord we thy poore faythful creatures beyng through thy grace and the battayle of thy sonne vpō the crosse, restored now to thy fauour: and hauynge the houses of our hertes and soules, swepte and made cleane from all vices whiche were wont to inhabit in vs, we now (fearynge lest ye sturdy ty­raunte oure enemye fyndynge no reste in places where he walketh returne agayne into the houses of oure soules,Luke .vi. from whence he is already by force of thy sonne cast out, and fyndyng it cleane [Page] swept, brynge wyth hym seuen other suche as he is him selfe, to dwell there, and therby make vs in worse case then we were before) we most hum­bly beseche the to gyue vs strengthe and force to kepe our sayde houses of our soules from euerye violent inuasion of these wycked enemyes. And sence thou hast said by thine apostle Paule,1. Corin. iii. that thy faythfull are the tēple or habitaciō of god, & that ye spirite of god dwelleth in thē: we therfore moost hertely beseche the to dwell styll in vs by thy continuall grace, whose assistence is suffici­ent to put to flyghte all wycked spirites.Ephes. [...]. Make vs to be of thy householde, buylde vs vppon the foundacyon of thy blessyd sonne Iesus Christe, yt is the head corner stone. In whō, euery buyl­dynge coupled together, growyth to an holy tē ­ple in the Lorde and is made an habitacyon for God in the spiryte.

¶ The Prophet considering the corrupt maner of ly­uing of the greatest sort of people, and forseyng in spirit the darknyng of holy scripture through mēs tradicions, in the person of the faythfull congre­gation prayseth the lawe of God, and desyreth to be deliuered from all false doctryne, and from the company of the wycked.

Psalme . [...]. Vs (que) quo domin [...] O Most holy, most glorious and ineffable trinitie .iii. persōs in one godhed By whose goodnes al creatures ha­ue theyr beyng, before whose eies all thynges (as well that are paste as yt are to come) are accōptid as presēnt: to thi mighty maiestye, we thy poore faythfull subiectes of [Page] thy churche here militant, shewe forth oure la­mētable prayer. Beseching ye, pitifully to behold the miserable estate therof, whyche neuer had more neade of thy godly assistēce thē at this pre­sent it hathe. For where to Adam (father of all man kynde) in his creaciō thou gauest a participacion of thy wisdom, goodnes & iustice, whyche all by his transgressiō were greatly diminished, and after by the incarnacion and passion of the seconde person in trinite, thou dyddest restore a­gayne mākynde to his originall iustice, through the sacramentes of baptisme & penaunce: yf he dyd abyde in the obseruynge of thy lawes & the veritie of thē: It is now come to passe (most mercifull lorde) that not onely oure sayd father Adā beynge made iust and holy, dyd fall frō the veritie of thy lawes (in which lawes, as in a mirour: thy veritie, iustice, & goodnes are declared) but also all other (very fewe except) since that tyme haue also erred & left thy sayd verities.Saluum me fac domi­ne quoniam defecte sā ­ctus. There is not one saynte or good man left. few haue conti­nued in thy faith, and giuē the thy dewe honor, puttinge all theyr hope, loue, and trust in the as in the most chief goodnes: but haue fallē frō the, euen from the begynninge, vnto this daye. For as Ninus erectid an ymage of his father, which he caused to be honoured of all mē that were vnder his dominiō, wherbye ydolatry grew amōge al other nacions, so that at length euery cytie & contrye chose thē a peculiar god: euen so hath it ben sence the cōmynge of thy sonne Chryste vn­to this day. For the honoure only dew vnto thy [Page] maiestie, hath ben, & yet in most places is geuen to stockes & stones. Superstition & ydolatry re­mainith yet amōge ye professoures of ye christē religiō.Diminute sunt veritatis. a fi us hominum. Michee. iii. Wherby thy verities are diminished, and few are faythful amōge ye childrē of men. The veritie of iustice is gone. For rewardes & affection blyndeth iustice. The veritie of good lyuinge is decayed for verye fewe are founde whiche gyue good example to other by there godly lyfe and cō uersation. The veritie also of doctrine hath takē her wynges and is flowen away. The priestes & prophetes preach and prophecy for lucre, & please for promotion.Ese [...]. iiii. They peruerte scripture to theyr imaginations. Neither are men louing to theyr neighbours for thy sake as thou hast cōmaūded them to be, but euery man telleth lyes to other. Euery man is glad to deceyue his neighbour in bargayne. [...]lana loquuti sunt v­nus quis (que) ad protimū suum. No man lendeth wythoute gaynes Yea (that most pitie and harme is): they lye vpō the trew testament of Christ, by wrestynge ther­of makynge lyght to be darkenes,Esaye .v. and darkenes to be taken as lyght.Labia dolosa in corde & cordeloquuti sūt. They do flatter wt theyr lyppes, beyng dissēblers & double of hert. They haue one hert to thincke one thynge, & an other hert, causing the mouth to vtter the cōtrary.Iacob .i. Al whi­ch sorte of men yt haue double & chaungeable mindes, are incōstant in al their waies. And as thier hertes are double euē so are their tōges. But we doubte not but that thou wilt rote vp and vterly destroy such deceptfull tōgues and lyppes,Disperdat dominus vniuersa [...]abi [...] dolosa & linguā magni loquam. spe­cially if they at any tyme speake proude thinges in contēpt of thy name, as thou diddest cōfounde [Page] the building and tongues of those that buylded the tower of Babel in the land of Sinear.Psalme. lx [...] Whiche tower they of pryde intended to erecte vp to heauē. These crafty people whet theyre tongues as men do the edges of theyr swerdes to do my­schyef. Adders poyson is vnder their lyppes but their language (to the vtter shewe) is fayr painted: yt therby they maye deceyue & preuayle.Qui di [...]ūt linguā nostrā magnificabimus labia nostra a nobis sunt, quis noster dominus est. Yea they say theyr tongues are in there owne powre to speake therwith at their pleasure, as though they had no lorde ouer them. They thynke their eloquēce to be the gyft of nature and not of god. All such fyght agaynst the hyghe maiestie of thy godhed, whych attribute vnto thē selues ye good gyftes that thou hast sent thē.Esay. li [...] But all tongues (that resyst agaynst the) thou shalt ouercōme & condēpne, as thou dydeste the wyckid propose & blasphemous tongue of Nichanor, whose tōgue (after that he was slayne) was pluckyd forth, cut in small pieces, & throwen to the fowles of ye ayer.Psalme .liii. The nature of man is so corrupt & abhominable in wyckednes: that fewe or none vpon the earth do good. All mē are set on mischyef.Propter miseriam i [...] opum et gemitum pauperum nunc exurgā decit dominus. They despyse God and oppresse the poore. Wherfore Lord, we beseche the to aryse vp for the troubles sake of the oppressed: and at the cōplaynt of the poore helpe them and set them at rest.Ponā in salutari auxilium corum. Thy sōne Christe is oure sauinge health, in whom who so trustith, restith in suertie and can not be decey­uid.Psalme .xliiii. Aryse we pray the mercifull God & slepe not ouer lōge. Cast vs not away for euer. Thou slep test very lōge after the fal of Adam, or thou did­diste [Page] awake to sende thy derely beloued sonne for the redemption of mankynde.Galathians. [...]i [...]. At the laste when the time determined by thy godhed was full co­me. Thou didest awake & sende thy sōne borne of a mayde to redeame thē yt were bonde vnder the law and to releaue thyne electe which abode sore longinge for hys cōming. So now Lord, at the last aryse to the cōfort of thy small flock, and to the confusion of thyne enemies, make vs thorough thy grace able to kepe thy lawes whyche are pure euen as the syluer,Eloquia domini elo­quia casta argentū ig­ne examinatū probatū ter purgatū septuplū. which frō earthe is tryed and purifyed .vii. tymes in the fyre. Thy law was prophecyed & spoken of by the holy pa­triarches & prophetes longe before it came. It was promised to Moyses,Deutero. xviii. Esay. xx. Luke. i [...] and prophecyed by E­say. It was approuid by the most holy father of heauen, willinge all men to geue eare, and to beleue the wordes of thy well beloued sonne. The wordes of this law are pure and rebuke al vyce. They were by thy holy goost tryed to be trewe. For at hys cōminge he taughte the Apostles all veritie,Ihon .xvi. & nothinge but veritie. They were also confirmed with miracles. Thus haue they ben vii. tymes (that is) many tymes or perfectly tryed as syluer is tryed & purgyd by fyre, the earth and earthly thīges are cleane consumed therby. Concupiscēces are asswagyd, the olde mā is kyl­lyd and the new mā is entryd in his place. The ceremonies of the olde lawe are blowē away, as is chaffe by the fanne of Christes worde. The holy scripture is lykened to wyne,Esaye .xv. for that it reioyseth and comforteth the herte, and makyth men [Page] (through delyght yt they haue therin) to drynke moch therof. It is also likened to mylke, for yt it norysheth the soule as mylke doeth the body. This preciouse iewel oughte to be bought with out money, or any maner of other ware geuē by waye of exchaunge (that is) it ought to be preached withoute lucre or hauynge respecte to any person. In thy godly lawes (most louing father) do we (thy faythful people, by the influēce of thy grace) trust to lyue, & to worke after thē at al times.Tu domine seruabis nos & custodies nos a generatione hac ineternum. Not doubtinge but thou Lorde wylt per­forme all that thou haste promysed in thē to vs, for the obseruynge of thē: & that thow wilt pre­serue vs frō this wicked generatiō for euer. Thy blessyd sōne Iesus, said he had kept al those whō his father had geuē him to kepe, & left not one of thē, saue onely ye sonne of perdiciō. With no lesse dilygēce we trust,Ioh. xvii. that yu & thy blessyd sonne wyll also kepe, saue, & defēde vs. Frō all yuel of ye dyuel & of al his childrē. Frō those ye err [...] frō thy trewe faith, & swarue frō the veritye of thy worde, and from al vniust persons.In circuitu impit am­bulant, secundū altitu dinem tuā multiplica­sti filios hominum. The nōber of the vngodly we knowe to be greatly multiplied. Yea they haue gotten the vpper hande amonge the chyl­dren of men: and that is the cause why the wyc­ked walke about in surtie (as thē semythe) fea­rynge nothynge, but styl labourynge aboute for honour, ryches, and worldly pleasures. As ye mylhors laboureth to the gryndynge of the corne in the myll, not ceasinge (onles he be taken out) tyl he fall downe for weryed: nomore do these gredy people leaue of their busy study and cure in get­tynge: [Page] tyll death sodenly stryke thē.Genes. xv They go stil about, as the sodomites (beynge stryken wt blindnes) dyd aboute the house of Lothe, and coulde not fynde the dore. They haue not grace to see theyr owne folly, & to know theyr myshyef why­che is at hāde. So blynded they be wyth temporall goodes & pleasures. But thy faythful people regarde nother the multitude of such wycked do ars, nor yet their prosperitie: knowynge that all though they be magnifyed vp to the heauē, so yt theyr heades retche vp to the cloudes:Io [...]. [...] yet they perysh at the last lyke dounge, they vanysh as a dreame, and passe away as a vision in the night, so that the eie whych sawe them before, getteth now no more syght of thē. And why? They haue oppressed the poore and not holpē thē. Their bealyes coulde neuer be full, therfore shall they pe­ryshe in theyr couetousnes &c. For when they haue gatherid so moche that they haue nomore space to laye theyr corne and goodes in,Luke. [...] but are fayne to buylde new houses: thē shalt thou lorde say vnto them. Oh ye fooles. This nyght shall your soules be fet from you, and then whose shal those goodes be, which you wt great carefulnes haue prouidid? Seinge therfore that the nobili­tie riches, and power of suche endure no whyle, but passe awaye lyke a shadowe: we thy faithful congregation, nother esteme these worldely pleasures, nor desyre the company of such gredy worldely rulers. We onely styck faste to thy worde & promises, therin reposyng oure full hope & trust, and leaue vnto thy maiestye the dyscussynge of [Page] ye cause, why thyne elect are so fewe in nōber & in smale estimatiō of the worlde. And on the cōtra­ry part why the vngodly do enioye and prosper in theyr worldely procedinge, and are also so ma­ny in nomber, the cause wherof doeth farre passe oure capacities, and are knowne onely of the de­pe secret knowledge of thyne incōprehēsible wis­dō. Wherfore with thyne apostle Paule we saye. Oh,Roma. xi. the deepnes of the abūdaunte wysdom and knowledge of god, how vnsercheable are his iud­gementes, and his wayes past fyndynge out? for who hath knowē the mynde of the Lord? or who was his conseloure? or who hath gyuē him first, that he myght be recōpensyd agayne? for of hym and throughe hym and for hym are all thynges. to hym be glory for euer. Amen.

¶ The Prophet beyng very sory for hys offences, praieth for grace and to be deliuered from his enemyes Wherin he putteth hymselfe as an example for al true penitentes to folowe.

O Mercifull Lorde that arte the sure sauegarde and defence of all ye ear­nestly trust in the,The .xiii. Psalme. and desyrest not the death of synners, but theyr cō ­uersyon and amendement of lyfe: I acknowlege vnto thyne hyghnesse all myne offences by me commytted, whych yf I woulde hyde from the Lorde, I coulde not. I consydre also ye miserable estate, wher vnto, through synne I am broughte: for there by I haue wor­thely lost thy fauoure, & am fallen frō thy grace, whych whyle thou wythdrawest frō me I can do [Page] no good thynge, nor thynke one good thoughte. My synne causethe the to put me out of thy re­mēbraunce, & to forget me, delayinge to gyue me yt which is my strength & my comfort. But howe lōge wilt thou forget me lord for euer? How lōge wilt thou hyde thy face from me?Vs [...] quo domine obliui [...]etis n [...] in finē? Vs (que) quo auct [...]is s [...]tiē tuam a [...]e. How lōge wilt thou withdraw thy grace from me? Thou knowest my herty cōtriciō & sorow, for that I haue vnkyndly forsakē thy seruice & serued thyne enemy the deuyl & synne. But trusting assuredly in thy promis made to all mē, by the mouthe of thy pro­phet Ezechiel.Ezechiel .xviii. That is, if the synner wyl turne a way frō all his sinnes yt he hath cōmitted & kepe al thy cōmaundementes, doubtles he shal lyue & not dye. As for all his synnes that he dyd before: thou wylt not thynke vppon thē. I moste hūbly besech ye, that as my synnes were the cause why thou dyddest put me out of thy remēbraunce: e­uen so let my hertye penitence for them, cause the to put my synnes oute of thy remembraūce. Suffer me not longe to remaine in this perplexitye of mynde,Quam diu ponam consilia in anima mea: do­lorem in corde meo perdiam: and to take sorowe inwardlye in myne herte from day to day: cōtinually fearing the punishmente dewe to my synne, and lokynge styll for thy commynge into my soule by grace to delyuer me. Hope hathe caused me longe to loke for the, that arte my lyfe and my healthe. Thy longe delay in commynge hathe moche en­creased my desyre. My feruent desyre at lengthe is now turned to a vehement payne. Wherfore make haste Lorde (I beseche the) to helpe my sy­ke soule,Psalmo .xi. and tary not. Let not myne enemy the [Page] deuyll longe tryumphe ouer me,Vs (que)auo craltabitur inimicus meus superme. whose propertie is to treade vnder hys fete, lyke a cruell prynce, all those that he vanquyssheth. And that trea­dynge is daungerous and terryble.Ihon .xviii. For he trea­deth them downe to the pytte of hell, and to eternall deathe. He dyd longe holde in captiuitye all mankynde, vntyll the commynge and passion of Christe for oure redemption. And sence, through his crafty traynes, hath broughte to vtter con­fusion, many of those that professe, thy sonnes religion.Respice et eraudi me domine deus meus. Illumina oculos me­os ne vn (quam) obdormian [...] in morte: Wherfore beholde Lord & cōsyder my mi­serable estate, & heare mine hūble peticiō, touchīg my delyueraūce frō out of his daūger. Lyghten the eye of myne herte and vnderstandinge, with the light of thy grace & cōfort, therby expellinge the darknes of ignoraunce. Lyghten also one o­ther eye of my soule, whych is the eye of the affe­ction. The syghte of thys eye is so dyme that it hath no perfyte and trewe iudgement. Yea it is so blynded wyth the vanityes of thys worlde that one thynge, in apparaunce, semeth to be .xx thynges, lyke the syght of disceitful eyes of glas. Yea sum time the cōcupiscēce therof is so great: that the eye is cleane put out and the syght lost. Mankynde entreth into such leage of amitie wt the deuyl: that he is cōtented to haue one of hys eyes put out to haue his fauoure: as the inhabi­taūtes of Iabes were agreed to haue ther ryght eyes putte oute,i. Regum .xi. accordyng to ye desyre of Nahas kynge of the Ammonites, had not kynge Saul and the prophete Samuel saued thē ther from, and ouercome the sayd Nahas & his hoost. Euen [Page] so (most merciful God) I beseche the saue my said eye of affeccyon that it be not put out by our enemy the deuyll: that it slepe not in synne, whyche is the cause of eternall death. Man maye fall by frayltye & aryse agayne. Yea the custom of synne makyth a man ready often to fall. But to lye styl slepyng & slumbring in synne, as doth the swyne in the foule myre: engendreth obstynacie in amē dement, & delay of penitēce tyll the later houre, at which houre, who cā be sure to haue thy grace at his pleasure? That is onely at thy wyll Lord not at oure commaundemēt. Wherfore, I most lowly pray yt to sende me the lyghte of thy grace whyle I haue here tyme & space of repentaunce. That at my latter ende myne enemies saye not (reioysyng and boastynge) that they had the vp­perhande ouer me. [...]equādo dicat inimi­cus meus preualui ad­uersus eum. As the Phylistians (the fy­gure of the wycked spyrites) after the deathe of kynge Saull in the mounte of Gelboe,i. Reg. xxxi. cut of ye head of Saull & sent it wt hys harneis through there countrye for a shewe (they bare it also into the tēple of their goddes of a pryde and ioy that they had of hys deathe) in suche fasshyon wyl those cruell enemyes that trouble me,Qui tribulant me erul tabunt simotus fuero reioyse yf I be caste downe, or yf I do ones swarue frō the and thy fayth, and so dye wythout repentaunce. They assault mankinde by pleasaūte suggestion to synne, they wrestle wyth vs causynge delectation there in. They stryke vs & wounde vs whē we consente therto. They foyle vs & bring vs on oure knees whē we do the acte of synne. And by the custom therof: they geue vs a great fal, with [Page] such violence: that we haue moche to do, to aryse agayne. But yf we happen to dye therin impenitent: thē haue they the victory ouer vs. Thē re­ioyse they therat as the conquerour doeth of his conquest. Then wyll they cast vs into a pitte,Treno .iii. & lay a stone of obstinacye vppon vs, that we shal not aryse agayne. And as there is moche ioye in heauen whē one synner forsaketh his synne, and returneth to the by penaunce: in lyke maner is there ioyfull triumphynge amonge the wycked spirites in hel, when one soule forsaking ye dyeth in deadly synne.Ego autem in misse [...] cordia tua spetaui But all my trust is in thy mer­cy. For although thou hyde thy selfe in a cloude that my prayer shoulde not go through it vnto thyne eares: yet are not thi mercies cleane gone,Creno .iii. neyther doth thy louynge kyndnes ceasse. Thou arte therfore lorde my porcyon, and in thy mercy styll wyl I hope and in none other creature, knowynge for certaine, that (as God) yu only mayste helpe me, and as my louynge father, thou wylte helpe me.Exultabit cor me [...] i [...] salutari tuo. Wherfore in the my hert shalbe ioyful and in thy sauynge healthe, whych is thy sonne Christ our sauiour & redeamer. The Philistines knowinge the presence of thyne arke to be in the campe of the Israelites the day of theyr battell:i. Reg. iiii. were sore afrayed, sayinge, who shall delyuer vs out of the hāde of this mightye God? Moch more wyll I be glad & take sure trust, hauyng the presence and cōfort of thy lyuely grace. And in tokē of the victory whyche thou haste geuen me ouer myne enemyes:Cantabo domino qu [...] bona tribuit mihi et p [...] allam nomini domini altissimi, I wyl not ceasse (as I haue good cause) to synge the prayse of the Lorde, that so lo­uingly [Page] hath delte with me, and prayse the name of the most hygh all the dayes of my lyffe.

The .xxiii. Psalme Dominus regit me.¶ The faythfull man geueth thankes to God for hys manifolde gyftes and graces. Whereby he is go­uerned to the heauenly Hierusalem.

WHat lyuinge reasonable creature can gyue condynge thankes vnto the (most gracious heauēly father) for the manifolde gyftes, whyche thou, of thyne infinite mercy and goodnes, hast gyuē him. Fyrste for hys noble creation, wherin he excelleth all other earthely creatures, and then for his redemption through the bytter passion & resurrection of thy most louinge sonne, for the whyche, I, as one of thy poore creatures, most hūbly gyue the thākes For had not our redemptiō ensewed oure creati­on, it had ben moch better for vs that we had ne­uer ben made. This thi loue was aboue al other most feruēt, when thou diddest not spare to geue thyne onely begotten sonne for vs: washynge a­way al our fylthines in the bloude of that meeke lambe. Thy onely naturall sonne (beynge God) was made man, to thintēt that we (who natu­rally are ye sonnes of men) by him, through grace, myghte be made the sonnes of God. And not be­ynge contended wt thys kyndnes, thou also Lord consyderyng our weake and frayle nature ready to synne:Dominus regit [...]ut et [...]idiluti [...] deerit. doest with thy grace guyde vs and go­uerne vs as the shepherde doeth his shepe, suffe­rynge vs to want nothyng, defending thy poore [Page] flocke frō the rauenyng wolues, that would els deuoure vs.Esay .xi. Esay .lxv. Thou causest the wolues & the lābes to dwel together, & to fede together. Our enemyes through ye, are made peaceable. Without this thine aide, we were no more able to gouerne our selues wel, thē is the shyp wythout a gouernour able to auoyde perylles,Iacob .iii. beyng dryuen where the violence of wyndes doth leade her, but hauyng a wyse ruler at the helme: she is turned at his pleasure. Euen so lorde (thou beynge oure guyde) we are more sure then the shyppe is in the hauen.

We can want nothing (that is necessary for vs) hauynge the with vs, who arte al in all thinges.i. Corhin. xv. In loco pascu [...] ibi m [...] collocauit. Thy blessed sōne hath put vs to feade in the pleasaunte, grene, & bateful pasture of his holy chur­che, makynge vs to rest in the vnitie ther of by a lyuely fayth and hope in him. In whych churche is plentifull abundaunce of spirituall meat, of ye worde of God, which nourisheth and giueth lyfe to the soule, as bread and other foode feadeth the body.Mathe. v. Ezechiel .iii. With this foode thou diddest feade thi pro­phet Ezechiel whē thou dydest cause hym to eate a booke where with his bowels were fylled, and it semed in his mouth sweter thē hony.Super aquā refecti [...] ­nis educauit me: In this pasture also runneth a fresh and a pleasaūt wa­ter of godly doctryne, wherwith we ofttimes do refresh our wery soules. In this also, is a water of spirituall washynge by baptysme, wherby we were wonderfully refreshed in oure youth when therby oure soules (beynge made soule throughe the deuyl and synne) were repayred & made beauteful according to theyr fyrst creation, that is, to [Page] thy lykenes and image.Ma [...]hei. iii. And by thys water we are replenyshed wyth thy holy spirite. This wa­ter saw thy prophet Ezechiel lōge ago,Ez [...]ch. xlvii. gushinge forth of the right syde of the temple, and grew to a great ryuer that no man coulde wade ouer, to which water who so would come: was made hole and lustye. All fyshes are bred and nouryshed in water, and wythoute water: can noo longe whyle endure on lyue. Euen so in the water of oure baptysme we were borne agayne, in the water of godly doctrine we are nourished, and with out these, we are but dead in synne & wickednes: and at the ende, shall go to euerlastinge deathe. But these waters are to vs,Iohn. iiii a wel springinge vp into euerlasting lyfe. And in case at any tyme by the frayltye of nature, we fall into synne: yet is thy mercifull sonne ready to receyue vs to hys grace, [...]smam meā cōuettit: and quicken oure soules, beynge sory & pe­nitent for it. By whych grace also: he maketh vs to know howe to loue him, and not to esteme the pleasures of thys worlde, but to haue oure eies onely fyred vppō hym.Philip iii In so moch that, wt thine apostle Paull, we accōpt al thinges but dounge so that we may wynne Chryst, and be founde in him,Sebutit me super se­ [...]ntas iusticie: not hauynge oure owne rightuousnes, but that which springeth of the faythe whyche is in Chryst. To walke in the pathes of hys iustice & way of ryghtuousnes is: fyrste to loue the aboue all thynges, and that for thy selfe and thyne on­ly goodnes, not beyng vnkinde, but to shew loue for loue. The other pathe, is to loue oure neygh­boures as oure selues and according to the loue,Iohn .iii. [Page] with ye which thy sonne loued vs, that is, to dye yf nede be for hys sake, as he dyed for mankynde, when all men were his enemyes.Propter nomen suum And all thys he dyd for his names sake, for his owne honoure, & of hys owne goodnes, for no goodnes that was in vs, for to be a sauyoure was the cause of hys comming into this worlde, & hauing the assistēce of hys grace,Nam et si ambulaue­to in medio vmbremortis: non timebo mala. although we shoulde walke in ye va­ley of ye shadow of death: yet we fear none euel, for yu arte with vs. This lyfe is a shadowe of deathe, after whych we trust by faith to dwell with the. Synne also is a shadow of death,Esay .ix. and so darke a shadow that mankynde coulde not se to get oute therof, tyl thy louynge sōne cam into this world geuynge hym lyght to see the way to heauē. And as synne is the shadow of death, so do al synners, as membres of the deuill, walke in the same sha­dowe, which cause temptacions and rayse perse­quutions to assault thyne electe.Quoniam tu mecsi [...]. But al their cō berous cōpany we nothynge feare, because thou arte wyth vs. If we walke in ye water: thou arte wyth vs, that the strengthe of the floudes dryue vs nat awaye. If we walke in the fyre, the flame shal not burne vs. And why? Because thou oure god arte wyth vs and thy sonne hath also promised to be wyth vs vnto the ende of the worlde.Esay. xliii Mathei vltimo Virga tua et bacuius tuus ipsa me consola­ta sunt. His rodde of discipline and correction doeth cha­stise vs when we swarue at any tyme out of the ryght waye. And ther in, we iudge that he doeth loue vs, for whō so euer thou and he do loue:Hebr. xii. them do ye chasten, and ye stourge euery sone that you receyue. Christes stronge shepherdes staffe doeth [Page] stay vs when we ar weake, as a sycke man is hoden vp by his walkyng staffe. That is to say: the gyftes of thy holy spyrite, are oure strength & our cōforte in all infirmities, tribulations and other encombraunces. Thy rodde doeth directe vs to knowe what we shoulde dooe. Thy staffe is oure strēgth to stand fast therby agaynst al inuasions of oure enemies. And to haue vs more sure cute of ye daūger of those that trouble vs: thy sayd lo­uinge sonne hath prepared & set before our eyes, the table of holy scriptures,Parasti in conspectu meo mēsam aduersus eos quit [...]bulant me. wherin we maye trauayll and lerne to dryue awaye from vs all kyn­des of temptacions,Mathe. iiii. as he hym selfe droue awaye the deuyll that tempted hym in desert by the al­legations of holy scripture.Impinguasti in olco caput meum: Psalme .xliiii. And throughe these scriptures: our heades are annoynted with oyle, that is, oure myndes are made ioyfull wyth spi­rituall gladnes. Wyth thys oyle was thy sonne Christ annointed most prīcipally aboue al other. For in him, as in the head, rested that ioyful oyle from whense it ranne downe to the other mem­bres,Psalme [...]xx [...]ii. that is, to all other faythfull people, as the oyle that fel on the bearde of Aaron, dropped frō thence to the skyrtes of hys garmētes.Ihon. i. i. Collos. i. In Christ is the fulnes of grace, from whō distilleth all the grace,Cali [...] meus mebrians quā pre [...]latus est, goodnes & cōforte that we haue. Through holy scripture, also oure cup is fylled full to the brimme of pure liquor: it causeth vs for ioy of heauēly contemplacion to forget al ye troubles & mi­series of this worlde. The dregges of earthly pleasures and carnall affectiōs, remayne not in this cup. For as thy mercy hath gone before vs plentifully [Page] geuinge vs aboundaūce of thy great grace so we trust and doubte not but it wyll folow vs all the days of oure liues, kepinge vs,Et misericordia tua subsequetur me omni­bus diebus vite mee. that we fal not from fayth and from the good purposes and good mynde where in we are. Thou lorde muste buylde oure house or els we laboure in vayne,Psalme .cxxvii. yf we thynke we can buylde it. Thou muste founde it vppon fayth and that is thy gyft. Thou must also sende thy grace afterwarde to establysh oure worke or els it wyll fayll and fall, and when it is ones erected thou must also kepe it by the conti­nuall influence of thy sayd grace, or els oure ke­pinge, were but a yelding vp, ther of to our ene­mies. Thou must be our beginning,Et vt inhabitem in domo domini: in longitu­dinem dierum. and also our endynge. And then shall we be sure to dwell in the house of the lorde for euer, that is, in the hea­uenly citye of Hierusalem. For we knowe surely that yf oure earthly mansion, where in we nowe dwel, were dissolued:ii. Cothin. v. we haue a buildinge ordey­ned of God, and habitacion not made wyth man­nes hande but eternall in heauen where is per­petuall ioye and beatitude wythout ende.

¶ Dauyd in the person of euerye penitent Christian, confesseth his offences,The .xxxii. Psalme. attributyng to God his cō ­uersion, but nothing to hys workes or deseruinges

AMonge all the beautyfull sloures of vertue that growe in ye gardyne of mānes soule: one of the most pleasaunt, most necessary and most acceptable, is humilitie. Whose power was so great, yt it drewe the sonne [Page] of God, the seconde person in diuinitie, from heauen into the wombe of the meeke virgyn Mary, whom of all other he chose to be his mother, specially for hyr humility. Wherwith she, amōge many other vertues, was syngulerly endewed. In thys humblenesse of estate, Chryst our sauyoure, beynge lord of al the worlde, walked al the dayes of hys lyfe, & there in ended, humblynge him selfe vnto the vyle death of the crosse. The wyse humilitye of Abygayll pacifyed the furye of Dauid,i. Reg xxv. when he was mynded to kyll all the men of the house of hyr husbande Naball. The humble sub­mission of wycked Achab, asswaged the wrath of god,ii. Reg. xxi. and kepte the plage of vengeaunce from his house, al the dayes of his life. The great goodnes of thys vertue is made manifest by openyng the hainousnes of the vice cōtrary therto, whych is pryde, for through it: the bryghte aungelles fell from heauen. Pryde of the myndes of Adam and Eue to be as godes knowynge boeth good and e­uell:Genes. [...] caused them to breake the commaundementes of God, and therfore were cast out of paradise Pryde caused the wycked people after the floude, to take in hande the buyldynge of the tower of Babel,Genes. xi. whose top should reatche vnto heauē, to get them therby a perpetuall name. Pryde made A man to inuente a waye to destroy the people of God,H [...]ster .vi. which at lēght, turned to his owne destructiō.iiii. Reg. xix For the proud blasphemous wordes of Sennacherib kynge of Assiria, agaynst God: the aun­gell of the Lorde slew in one nyght .clxxxv. thousand of his hoste, & he shortly after in hys owne [Page] countrey was slayne by two of his owne sonnes. Pryde caused Nabuchodonosor to be cast by god,Daniel .iiii. from his kingdom, and to feade lyke an oxe wyth grasse in the feldes the space of seuen yeares, tyll he knewe and confessed that all power com­meth of the Lorde. This vyce is yet the destruction of many christians at thys day. Who thynke they may do good of there owne power, and whē they shew any good workes: they glory of them, not geuinge thankes to him that gaue them the grace to worke well.Roma. iiii They consyder not that by grace through fayth, the wycked synner is made iust, for all men were founde in synne, and iusti­fied by grace through fayth, which boeth, are the gyftes of God frely geuē, and through thē: are all ye worckes of mā made good.Luke .xviii. The proude pharesy made boast in his praiers of his good deades, and dispysed his poore neyghboure, which caused hys prayer not to be harde, whē the poore publicane standinge a fare of, of humilitie, durst not lyft vp his eyes to heauen, but hertely knockynge hys brest, sayd, lorde, be mercifull to me wretched syn­ner, whyche herty confession of his synnes: was cause of his iustification. Wherfore, most graci­ouse Lorde our heauenly sather, I (considering ye power of humilitie, and the acknowledginge of a mannes offences wyth a penitent herte, to be of so great efficacy: I thy poore creature vnworthy to appeare before thy mighty maiestie) do poure downe, euen here before the, my sacke that is ful wyth synnes which I haue cōmitted euen from my youth. They are great and many with oute [Page] number. Neuertheles trustyng of thyne accustomed and naturall propertie to be mercifull to all synners, that beynge sory for the committinge of theyr offences, wyth all ther hertes call & turne to the,Marc. [...] and knowinge that thou diddest send thy louynge sonne, not to call those that seme in ther owne conceytes to be iust, but to call those to re­pentaunce, which confesse themselues to be syn­ners. I therfore lorde, wyllynge (by the helpe of thy grace) vtterly to forsake synne and to fulfyll thy holy wyl here after: desyre the humbly of for­geuenes,Beati quorum remisse sunt iniquitates & quo tis terta sunt peccata. and to admitte me amōge the nūbre of those that are blessed, and theyr vnrightuousnes forgeuen. I wyll not hyde from the my synnes, neyther yet excusse them. But I pray the Lorde to hyde them in the bloudy woundes of thy sōne Christe, where they shalbe put in perpetual obli­uion.Ezechiel xvi For who so couereth his owne iniquitie: yu wylte dyscouer it to all the worlde at the daye of iudgement to hys shame.Os [...] Thou wilt then haue him striped as naked as he was borne, that is, his shame shall not be hyd, but manifest to al men in that day. Wherfore I wyl not hyde my wounde my selfe, to thentent that thou, my good surgeō, mayst lay a plaister theron to couer it, that ye de­uyll myne enemy shal neuer espy where it was.Beatus vit cui nō im­putab [...] dominus pec­catū: nec est in spiritu [...]s dolu [...]. Blessed is the mā vnto whom thou imputest no synne, and in whose spirite ther is no gyle. If I dyd fayne my selfe to be sorowfull, and were not: thē were there gyle in me. But from the botome of my hert, lord, I am sory, and aske the forgeue­nes. If I thynke I am iust, hauing my cōscience [Page] loded wyth synnes: then were there gyle in me, but I knowe, ther dwelleth no goodnes in me. For yf euer ther were any: it was thyne, & thyne handy worke & not myne. But, synne, I know, I haue had and haue many, and they be myne owne workmāshyp, not thyne: and whyle I held my tongue not cōfessynge thē: my bones, that is,Quoniā tacui inueta­rauerunt ossa mea, o [...] clamarem tota di [...] my strength: consumed awaye through dayly cō ­playninge. The powers of my soule waxed faynt with my silence, which with declarynge my syn­nes, through penitence: are become strong and of force. I kept close the faultes that I should haue declared, or elles I excused them, & my good dea­des which I shoulde haue kepte close: those, euer I publyshed. The synnes that I hidde: remayne styll with me, but the goodnes wherof I boasted:iiii. Reg. [...] ▪ that I lost and the rewarde for it, I am there in serued as was Ezechias the king of Iuda. Who shewed to the messengers of Berodach Baladās, sonne to the kynge of Babilon: all the ryches of golde, syluer, iewels and all that was in his trea­sorye. Wherfore the prophet Esay prophecied vn­to him, that the day shoulde come, whan all that was in his house, and all that his father, had laid vp in store: shoulde be caryed to Babilon, whych was foūde trew not long after in ye dayes of zede­chiah. In lykewyse, I dyd set my good deades (which were my treasoure) forth to ye sale. Wher­fore I lost thē, and well worthy,Luke .xviii. for he that hum­bleth him selfe: shalbe exalted, and he that exal­teth him selfe: shalbe brought lowe. But al is for the beste, to those that wyll consyder thy callyn­ges, [Page] for because thy hande was so heauye vppon me both day and night,Quoniam die ac nocie granata est super me manus tua: connersus sum in ersina mea dū configitur sp [...]a. Iob .xix. scorging me wyth tribulatiōs, my moysture was lyke the drought in so­mer: thy hande toutched me causyng me to take sorowe and thought, neuertheles I was therby brought to know myne infirmities, & thy migh­ty power. This weyght of thy hande was cause of myne humilitie, my conscience was pryked wt the pryke of remorse, it was neuer quiet: tyll I had acknowleged my synne and all myne iniqui­tie to thy maiesty. I sayd in my hert and mynde, I wyll acknowledge myne offence and accuse my selfe vnto the lorde:Delictū meum cogni­tū tibi feci [...] et iniusticiam meam non abscon­di. Di [...]i confitebor aduersum me iniusticiam meam domino et tu remi­sisti impietatem pecca­ti mei. and thou incontinently, for­gauest me the wyckednes of my synne. So soone as I was determined no longer to hyde them: yu Lorde streyghte waye forgaueste me. Thyne eare was in my hert before that my voyce was in my mouth. Thy mercye washed awaye my synne or euer my confessiō were in my mouth.Luke xvii. The ten le­pers were healed of there leprosie in the waye as they were goynge to the priestes for there iudge­ment of the cure, as Christe commaūded them to do. Thou arte as ready to heare and forgyue as we are to confesse, so that we accuse oure selues & not the, [...]m. i [...] as Adam dyd, when he sayd, the woman whom thou gauest me to beare me company: she toke me of the fruite, and I eate it. Some of vs also accuse other and boast our selues, as the pharisei dyd,Luke. [...]vi [...] and as al hipocrytes do. They woulde disguyse them selues as Rebecca dyd her sonne Iacob,Genes. xxvii puttyng the skynnes of gootes about his necke and his hādes, to make him rough, as was [Page] his brother Esau, to disceiue therwith his father Isaac. But thou Lorde canst not be so disceyued nor blinded. Thou wilt say as Isaac sayde. The handes be the handes of Esau, but the voyce is the voyce of Iacob, that is, in apparaunce thou arte a penitente, but in deade thou arte an hipocryte. Some other blame the deuyll as the causer of there synne, many their desteny, & some other say theyr complexions be such that they can not forbere to cōmitte certeyne synnes. But I Lord, leauing all such vayne excuses: do saye with thy prophete Dauid. It is I Lorde,ii. Reg. xxiiii. whiche haue of­fended. It is I that haue wrought thys iniqui­tie. It is I Lorde, not thou, nor yet the deuyll, nor destenye, for they maye onely entyse me but they can not enforce and compelle me.Psalmo .xl. Wherfore I pray ye heale & cure my sycke soule, for I haue offēded the. And I doubte not but thou hast for­geuen me the wyckednes of my synne. I wyll in my confession: geue example, to other to folowe me,Pro hac orabit ad te omnis setūs in tempo­r [...] oportuno. Verū tamen in diluuio aquarum multarū: ad eū non approximabūt. Roma. vii. for it is necessary for euery saynte or iust man to praye daylye for the remission of hys synnes in dew season, as I do. Whych beynge ones obtay­ned: the great water floudes shall not come nere him. Al we are holden vnder the lawe of synne, & may say wyth Paule. O wretch that I am, who shall delyuer me from the body of synne & death. It is thou, lorde, that muste do it, and wylt do it, yf we call to the in dewe season, whych is, whyle we are in thys lyfe. This is the acceptable tyme,ii. Cori. vi in whych thou wilt hear vs, and ye day of health, in whych thou wylt helpe vs. In thys daye we [Page] may worke,Ihon. xi. but when the night cometh: thē may no mā more worke, after death is no time of pray­inge, it is then to late: for thou wylt not thē here oure prayers. Seke the Lord (sayeth the prophet Esaye) whyle he maye be founde,Esaye .lv. and call vppon hym, whyle he is nere you. Thou arte nere Lord, to all that in this lyfe call vpon the faythfully, & thou kepest thē from the rage of water floudes,Psalm .cxlv. yt they come not nere them. Beyng in this worlde, we are in the midle of waters of tēptacions and vices, & in the company of the proud and wycked people, in many tribulations. We see ye vanities of this worlde that are able to moue men, whych are worldly, we suffer persequutions, whiche are able to brynge some to desperacion, but thy grace kepeth vs that they come not nye vs. We behold the dartes comynge vpon vs: and are not woun­ded. We are in the water and are not drowned. Theyr entisemētes we esteame not & al through thy might & power,Tu eo refugium mesi a pressura que circūde­dit me. Psalm .xiii. who arte and shalbe: my re­fuge and defence in the trouble that is to come a­boute me. Thy sonne Christe is the stronge rocke, in which all byrdes that buylde, do rest out of all ieoperdy.Mathei. xi. To this al sinners may flye for succour and confort, beynge werye: there haue they refre­shynge, beynge loden: they maye laye vppon hym al theyr burdēs of sinne and be eased. This rocke, the deuyll can not vnder myne nor skale: no wa­ter of tribulation can drownde those that dwell on thys rocke: no wynde of temptacion can ouer­throwe them. The deuyll and hys wycked flocke may well assaulte them, but he shall neuer haue [Page] power to hurte them. Pharao kynge of Egypte, with a great host purshued the chyldren of Israell that wente oute of Egypt,Exod. xiiii. but he coulde not hurt thē. Thou, lord, wast theyr defence, and de­stroyedest al theyr aduersaries.E [...]ultatio mea, crue me a circūdātibus me. Euē so arte thou oure defence, our hoope, & our cōfort, Thou wylt compasse vs aboute wyth ioyfull deliueraunce.Iob .xix. The house or tabernacle of oure body, is enuiro­ned with enemyes: but thy prouidence wyll de­fende vs & deliuer vs out of al daungers.Intellectum tibi dabo et instruā te in via hac qua gradieris. Thou wylt enforme vs & shew vs the way wher as we shall go. This lyfe is a pilgrimage, and a iorney for vs to trauayle in. The ende of this way, arte thou lorde. Thou arte ye marke that we shoulde shotte at. To this ende, we ought to haue al our respecte and tyll we come to the ende of oure ior­ney, whiche arte thou: we must neuer reste, but styll go forward merily & lustely, in hope to haue ioy & rest whē we come to our iorneyes ende. To be able to performe our viage, yu geuest vs instructions, fyrst to know the countrey wherin we do trauail & the maner therof, wt the daūgers that we must passe in ye iorney, & that therin we cā not lōge haue our abiding, although it were neuer so moch to our cōtētacion, but must neades procede forth to an other region. Thē geuest yu vs know­ledge & instructiō by fayth, that if we passe well through this worlde: we shal haue ioy euerlastīg in an other world. Wherunto all wyse and good people wyl couet, and so ronne theyr course here:Hebre. x [...]. yt they may haue one of ye games for their rūning which is yu croune of rightuousnes & imortalitie [Page] The loue of this rewarde should gyue al mē cou­rage to endure payne & trauayle in theyr course. At the lest let the thyrde instruction serue them▪ that is the paynes appoynted for them that are slowe in there course, and lye downe in the midle of theyr waye other by disperacion sayinge thys instructiō is to harde for vs to learne, or elles lo­uynge ease and pleasure: wyll chuse to reste here welthyly for a season: though they suffer intolle­rable paynes therfore in an other worlde, contra­ry to the example geuen vs by thy blessed sonne Christ, whose iourney here was all paynfull and at no tyme pleasaunt, and the same way toke his apostle Paule, sayinge that by many tribulatiōs we must entre the kingdom of heauen.Actu. xiiii. These ru­les or instructions of oure iourney: are very good trew and perfect, but oure infirmitie is suche: yt we can not haue thē styl in oure remembraunce. The hande is sette at a crosse where diuersitie of wayes lye to dyuers townes, to shew whyche is the redy way to the most vsed towne of most esti­mation or resort, but yf the man peregryne beyng in a talke with his felowe or hauynge hys mynde earnestli set on other thinges, do passe by & see not his rule and his directour whych is the hande: he anon erreth and goeth out of his right way. And why? because the eye of hys mynde or hert, is fyx­ed on other thynges, not on hys wayes ende. But thou, Lord, wyllynge to kepe vs in the right way and not to swarue on the ryght hande nor on the left hande,Firmabo super te ocu­los meos. besyde these afore said instructiōs, hast thyne eyes of protection & of mercye euer firmely [Page] vppon vs, to thyntent we shoulde set the eyes of oure myndes earnestly vppon the. For if yu shoul­dest turne away thy face, and not loke wyth thy mercifull countenaunce vppō vs: we shoulde ne­uer be able to loke vppon the or to tourne vnto the. This thy gyft of grace, & of vnderstandinge, holdeth vs euer with in the boūdes of reason, ac­cordinge to our fyrst creation, when the wycked people lackinge this thy louinge loke:Nolite sicti sicut equꝰ & mulus in quibus non est intellectus. are become like horses and mules that are vnreasonable bea­stes, without vnderstanding. They are proude, & take scorne to be rydden by the, and to be ruled by thy holy lawes. They are geuen to folow the sen­sual lustes of the flesh, without discretiō or mea­sure. They are hipocrites, shewynge a godly ap­paraūce: & are within full of iniquitie. But such stobburne, wylde and vnrewly beastes mouthes: thou must plucke in, lord,In cha [...]o & freno ma­xillas corū constringe qui non approximans ad te. wyth a byt & a brydle if they wyl not obey the. The mouthes that bosted theyr naturall power and theyr merites, & kepte close their offences, must be broken wyth tribula­cion, aduersitie & chastismentes to make them to knowe the & to hūble them selues. Put a rynge on their noses and a brydle in theyr mouthes as thou dyddest ryde that proud kynge of the Assy­rians that set vp his brystels agaynst the.Esay .xxxvii. iiii. Regū. xix Multa flagella pecca­toris: sperantē autem in domino misericordi­a circundabit. Send amonge thē many plages to scourge them, to the intēt by penitēce thei may retourne to ye: leauing theyr wyckednesse, theyr presumption and euyll lyuinge, and make them to walke streyght in the way of thy commaundementes, as thou dyddest of thy grace with thy punishmentes & scourges, [Page] call me and plucke me frō my vngodlynes, make them gentle and meke to the rider, as ye asse was, that was brought to thy meke sōne Christ by his apostles,I [...]on xi [...]. and then wyll he ryde on them to Hierusalem, the citye of peace & ioyfull rest. They shall by that meanes knowe the, loue the & put theyr hopes wholy in the, & thou that gauest thē pla­ges to theyr correctiō: wilt also giue thē thy mer­cye to their cōfort & consolatiō. [...]et [...]ni in domino et [...]tate [...]ust [...] Be glad therfore all ye that are rightuouse, and reioyse in ye lorde. Ye were before styfnecked & proude, nowe are ye made iust by his grace, not by your owne mery­tes.Et gloriami [...] omnes terti corde. Reioyse therfore in him, not in your selfe nor in your actes. Be ioyfull all ye that are trewe of herte, and put your wylles to gods wyll, beynge ioyful in aduersitie and tribulation,Roma. v. as was the apostle Paul, and that is a signe of a ryght hert. For to be ioyful, whē all thinges haue successe to your mynde: is an easy thynge to do, geuen to all worldly men. But the other is a declaration of a ryght hert. The wyll of God is iust and ryghte, the wyll of man is frowarde and croked. Wher­fore it muste be directed by the ryght rule of god, so that we may say when we susteyne losse, or suf­fre any aduersitie,Io [...] [...]. the Lorde hath geuen, and the Lorde hath taken away. Blessed be hys name for euer. Amen.

Th [...] xiii. Psalme.¶This Psalme is set forthe by the Prophet agaynste those that ouer much loue the worlde, exhortinge al men to be ware of the deceytfulnes there of, to pro­uide wisely for them selues before theyr death, and to feare the last dreadfull iudgement.

THe great wyse clarke Iesus the sonne of Syrach willyng to instruct all men in wisedome according to that he had herd & redde in the bokes of the lawe & Pro­phetes (which no fayle proceaded from the Lorde of wysedome inscrutable: as from the fountayne and spring of al sapience) exhorteth vs to remem­bre the ende,Ecclesi. vii. wherunto al mankynde by the obli­gation of nature, must come. Which if we do: we shall neuer doo amysse, we shall then haue smale pleasure in synne and wickednes, whyche rule, a­mong men: is forgotten, or at the lest, litle regar­ded. Wherfore, to put thē agayn in remembraūce therof: I wyl lay before thē the same lessō, taught also by the prophet Dauyd,Audite hec oēs genies auribus percipite qui habitatis othem. Qui (que) terrigene et filii hominū simul in vns [...] diues et pauper. Os meū loquetur sapientiā, et meditatio cor­dis mei prudentiam. Inclinabo in parabolā aurē meam, aperiā in psalterio propositionē, meā, cur timebo in die mala? who warneth al that dwell in this worlde, both the high and the lowe, the good and the bad people, the rich and the pore the one and the other, to take hede and apply the eares of theyr hertes to heare godlye wisdō. And not to say euery man within hymself, what cause haue I to be afrayed of the spendyng of my tyme in this world to my pleasure? Or what nede haue I to feare the last day of iudgement? Yes truely we ought to be afraied of our workes, in the day­es of this present lyfe. For the dayes be euyll,Ephes. v. not of thēselues, but we may (if we worke euel) make them euell to vs. Wherfore we shoulde bye & re­deame ye time. That is to say, spede it in wel workinge, yt we may bye agayne that, which through our wickednes was solde from vs, & so to chaūge the dayes from badde, makinge them good and to our profyte, for if the wyckednes of our heales,Iniquite [...] calcanes mel circumdabit me. cō ­passe [Page] vs rounde aboute: if our workes be wycked to the latter ende of our lyues, as the heele is the nethermost parte and ende of oure body: we shall then by them be condempned at the latter day of iudgement, which day shalbe to vs thē an yl day, a bitter day, and a miserable day. Because the ser­pent deceaued Eue,Gene. ii [...] and in her all her posteritie: thy sentence agaynst hym was, that ye sede of her: shoulde tread vpon his head. And thys was ful­fylled in thy louynge sonne Christ, who subdewed him and his power. Thou saydest further that ye serpent shoulde tread vppō the heele of her poste­ritie. And that, lorde is dayly sene in vs, for oure fleshe and the sensualitie ther of, whych shoulde be gouerned by reason, as the lower parte of ye bo­dy ought to be gouerned by the head: is oft trodē on by the subtyll serpēt. It is enflamed to wrath, it is kindled wyth cōcupiscence, it is holdē downe by auarice and made foule with all other kyndes of vyces vntyll it be washed agayne wyth ye wa­ter of thy grace. Yea he yt is most iust: had neade to haue his feete (that is his fleshly concupiscēce) washed therwyth. [...]ohn. xii [...]. In figure wherof, & to teach them also humilitie: thy sonne Christ washed the feet of his apostles. And likewise he must do with vs, to the intēt the nettes & trappes that the de­uyll hath set in our heeles (that is) in the fleshe through concupiscence: myght be ouerthrowen & broken, and we not entangled wyth them at the latter daye, [...]ui conti [...]unt in vir­ [...]te [...]a et [...] mu [...]itu­ [...]ine diuinarum suatū storiantur. I [...]cob .i. whych daye shalbe terrible to those yt put there truste in theyr goodes, and boast them selfe in the multitude of theyr ryches. They are [Page] resembled to ye freshe floure that kepeth his plea­saunt coloure and sauoure for a short space: but the heat of the sunne maketh it to wither, his be­auty to perysh and the floure to fall away. Euē so is it of all such as put theyr confidence in their riches. They shall peryshe together wyth there great aboundaunce. Their goodes may serue thē here for theyr profite: but then can they serue thē to no purpose. No man can, with money,Frater non red [...]it, re­dimet homo? non dabit deo placationē suā: et precium redemptionis anime sue. saue his brother from deathe or from dampnacion (no not the moste holy & iust man that lyueth) nor make a grement wyth God, offeringe great gyftes for the redemptiō of hys soule, for neyther death nor hell wyll be intreated for any golde. The wrathe of God wyll not be asswaged that day wyth gyf­tes:Sopho. i Whether can the soule of man be valued wt money. The price of it is very great: only ye death of thy sonne was the redemption ther of. Whych pryse if it wyll not serue the wicked for that they end in synne: he wyl not paye for them by dyenge agayne for theyr redemptiō, but shal leaue them, to be tormented for euer.Et laborabit ineternū, & viuet adhuc in finem Theyr bodyes shall dye the corporal death, but the soules shall lyue in cō ­tynual fyre and payne wythout ende, beynge at the generall day of iudgemēt: vnited to the same bodyes and suffer euer after together.Apo. ix. They shal then desyre to dye & shall not fynde death. They shall haue theyr parte in the lake whych burneth wyth fyre & brimstone, which is the seconde death. Ryght sore and terrible is this payne, & can with no tongue be expressed. Mad therfore are al men,Apoca. xxi and merueylously blynded that wyl more regard [Page] smal pleasure here, then greate paynes there. Or more esteame temporal ioyes for a season, then the heauenly ioyes that are euer permanent. But ye worldly people are sore blynded in one thynge. They se the wise man and the foole dye one kinde of temporall deathe,Sapi. vii they perceyue that all men haue one entraunce into lyfe, and one goyng out in like maner. Wherfore they, iudging al thinges carnally: consyder not that foloweth (that is) af­ter death: ye one to go to glory, the other to paine & none of them both shall carye theyre ryches wyth them,E [...] relinquēt alienis diuitias sua [...]. but leaue it here to straungers, they know not to whom. Yea all though they leaue them to theyr owne chyldren that be wycked as theyr fa­thers were: they do leaue them to straungers, for that they can nothynge helpe theyr fathers there wyth. For the parable of the man that was rob­bed and woūded in the way as he wente frō Hie­rusalem to Hierico:Luke i declareth playnlye that none be oure neighboures or frendes, but those that do vs good: which after the death of the wycked per­son none can do to hym, nother brother nor sonne, frende nor kynsmā. Therfore all such mennes go­des are left to straungers. But the wyse men doo make frendes therwith while they are in this pre­sent lyfe,Luke .xviii. as the wycked seruaunte dyd, that they may haue frendes to receaue thē into euerlasting tabernacles when they are departed from hence.Prouerb vi The littel Emmet hath learned to gather hir food in haruest, that shall serue her in the wynter, and men that haue reason are so assotted, that they prouide not here for that shall serue them in win­ter [Page] (that is) in the last day of iudgemēt. How fond are they that maye and yet wyll not, so laye it vp here in the handes of Chryste (the sure treasure house) that is, in the handes of ye poore: that they may be sure to fynde it agayne with great gayne when they are departed out of this worlde? They shal lay vp in store,i. Timo. vi temporall thinges and receaue againe eternal. If they would be rich in good workes and ready to geue and distribute, they should lay vp in store for them selues a good foundacion agaynst the tyme to come, that they myghte ob­tayne euerlastyng lyfe. But the folysh sort of peo­ple, are more desyrous of honourable fame to re­mayne to their succession: then to haue heauen af­ter this lyfe.Et sepulchra co [...]ū do­mus corū in eternū ▪ ta­bernacula corū in pro­genie & progenie voca­uerunt nomina sua in terris.. They make thē costly pleasaunt and substantial tombes to be theyr houses, as though they shoulde dwell in them for euer, whyche are a memorial of them to their posteritie. Yea their names and actes are engraued theron with solemp­ne Epitaphes. Some haue made cities and tow­nes and called them by theyr names,ii. Reg. xviii. to augment theyr glory, as Absolom raised vp a pyllar to kepe hys name in remēbraunce, because he had no chil­dren, and called it after hys owne name, Absolōs pyllare. By these meanes they acquire to them a fame, theyr soules burnynge continually in hell.Hiete. xvii Their names be written in the worlde, as becom­meth worldly people to haue, but theyr names are cleane put forthe of the boke of lyfe.Et homo in honore nō commorabitur, assimi­latus est iumentis & ad equatus est eis. How can these men be well esteamed of the wyse? theyr honoure can not endure, but they are compared to brute beastes, and become lyke vnto them. They were [Page] naturally made to the Image of god (toutchyng the soule and the qualities ther of) but now they haue made them selues (by folowyng carnalitye) to be lyke beastes. Yea the very vilest and cruelist beastes that are. As to swyn, for fylthy lyinge in synne, to asses for ther folly, to beares for ther crueltie, to fores for their craft and subtilty, to horses for their inordinate desire of the pleasures of the fleshe. O lorde how vnlyke is thys there facion to thy noble creation of man?Hec est via insipientie c [...]rū ▪ et post eos iurta os corū currēt semper. How great folyshnes is thys waye of theyrs? And yet theyr posteritie prayse it with theyr mouth, and folowe the step­pes,Prouer xvii. in which they sawe them walke. This waye worldly men thynke to be ryght pleasaunt but ye ende therof leadeth vnto death.Sicut oues in inferno spositi sunt mors depas [...]et eos They shall lye in hell lyke shepe. Death shall fede vppon thē. The wycked worme shall gnawe styll on thē, and not kyll thē. This is a cruell shepherde that leadeth his flocke frō payne to payne, as the louyng shep­herde leadeth his shepe from one pasture to ano­ther.Iob xxiiii Fyrste he swylleth them in waters, colder then the snow water. Then, transportith he thē to heat intollerable. A mete shepherd for the wicked persons that had no mercy nor pitie on other in this worlde.Ihon xiiii. Death euerlastinge is theyr cruel guyde, as to the faythfull, thy sōne, that is very lyfe,Iohn .i. is their mercifull, louynge & good shepherde: whyche dyd suffre deathe for hys flockes sake, to make thē to triumphe thē ouer ye wycked,Et dominabuntur eis [...]ēs [...]ec [...]i mane. whiche now are here in great glory. And why? They are here in the night, theyr workes are hyde and ap­peare not: but at the greate iudgemente, when [Page] Christ (which is theyr lyfe) shall shewe hym selfe.Collos. iii. Then shall the iust also appeare with him in glo­ry. Then shall it be cleare day lyghte, all mennes workes shal appeare as they be. The tree that in wynter shewed no freshenes: shall then receyue sappe from the rote and appeare beautiful, where the floure and herbe that was in sight, pleasaunt for a whyle: shall wyther away and fall.Aurilium eorum vet [...] rasset, in inf [...]rno g [...]ori [...] eorum. Thē shal the strength of the wycked: consume. Hell shall be theyr dwellyng. In this morninge, thou wilt de­stroy all the vngodly of the lande. In thys mor­nynge: we haue a sure hoope,Psalm .xi. Verūtamen deus red [...] met animā meā de manu inferi cum acceper [...] me. that thou wylt de­lyuer oure soules frō the power of hell: and re­ceyue vs to the, by thy grace here in thys worlde, and after when thou shalte come to the laste iud­gemēt, to take vs to thy selfe into glory,Ihon .xiiii. Ne timueris cū diue [...] factus fuerit homo, e [...] cum multiplicata fuerit gloria domus eius. yt where thou arte: there we may be wyth the. Nother do we malygne at the vngodly, nor be afrayed when they are made ryche and the glorye of theyr hou­ses encreased. We know that it endurethe but a small season, and vanished away as doth yt smoke. They are personnes whom thou regardest not, & therfore thou geuest them thynges of small esti­macion.Gene. xxv Abraham gaue to the sonnes of hys con­cubines, giftes, and sent them away: but to Isa­ac he gaue his possession and all that he had. So Lord, to the wycked thou geuest temporall thyn­ges of no value, but for thy faythfull: thou reser­uest thyne euerlastynge & heauenly enheritaūce. This is a sure and a permanente rewarde▪ the o­ther sone slyppeth away.Quoniā cum interierf [...] nō sumet omnia, neq descendet cum eo glori­a eius. Theyr tyme here is but short, yet when they dye they shal cary nothinge [Page] awaye with thē, nother shall theyr pompe folow them. Like as the smoke vanisheth away: so shalt yu lord dryue them awaye,Psalme. [...]xv [...]. and lyke as the war melteth before the fyre, so shall the vngodly perysh at thy presence, and then shalt thou chaunge theyr honoure in to shame to theyr confusion. Whyle they lyued, they were counted as happy men, & so longe as they were in prosperitie:Osee. ii [...]. Quia anima eius in vita ipsius benedic [...]tur, confitebitur tibi cum be [...]efetetis [...]i. Introsbit vs (que) in pro­ge [...]s pa [...]rū fuorū vs­que in [...]ternū non vide­bit lumen. Mathe. xxiii. men spake good of them, but when they folowe theyr fathers ge­neratiō: they shal neuer se lyght any more. They were the chyldren of Cayn, come of a wycked pro­geny. They haue fulfylled the measure of theyr fathers iniquitie, theyr deades were euyl, they lo­ued darknes better then lyght, for they wrought the workes of darknes and not of lyght,Ihon .iii. wherfore they shall haue euerlastynge darkenes wyth tor­mentes, they shall haue fyre, but it shal gyue thē no comfortable light.Homo cū in honore es­set non in [...]llerit, assi­mu [...]tus est [...]umentis & [...]dequ [...]tus est eis. These paynes are ordeyned for men, such as when they were in honour & had riches in aboundaūce: considered not their estate, & for lack of knowledge: they were led in captiui­ty.Esay. v They led a beastly lyfe, wherfore they became like vnto beastes to theyr vtter payne & perdiciō.

¶ The Prophet Dauid; beyng very sory for the adul­tery, [...] Psalme. Wise [...]e mei deūs. which he had committed wyth Bethsabe, & for the death of her husbāde Vrye: made this Psalme, in the person of the hole faythfull congregation, & also in the person of euery penitēt sinner priuately.

ii. Corhin. [...] O Lorde almighty, father of mercy, and God of all cōforte,Sapi [...] whych in the trea­sure of thine infinite mercy disposest all thinges:Psalme [...]xv. not onely amonge vs thy poore creatures heare on earth which [Page] is bountefully replenished therwyth,Psalmo. cviii, but also a­monge thy holy aungelles and blessed spirites in heauen, who therby are preserued and established in grace: Lord, whose naturall propertie is to be mercifull to all that loue the, and in faith cal vp­pon the, in so moch that thou saydest by ye mouth of thy prophet Esaye, that the mountaines shall remoue and the hylles shall fall downe,Esay .liiii. but thy louynge kyndnes shall not moue from those that truste in the, Lorde, yt of thy mercy,Genes. vii. Genes. xii. & [...] sauedest Noe from the generall floude, Abraham, in hys pilgri­mage through Egypte, and through the lande of Gerar, Loth,Genes. xix. from synkynge amonge the synfull Sodomites, Ioseph,Genes. xxxix and .xii. from the daūger of his wic­ked ladye and mastres▪ and after from daunger,Exod. xii. & .xiiii. when he was cast in pryson, the Israelytes, from the boundage of Pharao, & frō many other daun­gers in theyr longe iourney,Daniel. vi, Ionas .ii. Daniel .iii. Daniell from ye cru­ell lyons, Ionas from drownynge beynge in the bealy of the whalle, thre dayes and thre nightes, the thre yonge men from burning, that were put into the flammynge fornaice, wyth many thou­saundes mo, whom of thy naturall mercy, of thy mercyfull custom, of thyne accustomable goodnes and gentle promes therof made: thou hast here to fore, dayly doest, and neuer wilt ceasse, to draw to the through grace, vnto thy hyghe maiestye, I (most miserable and wretched synne) call for mer­cy and grace. I do acknowledge my selfe greuou­sly to haue offended the eyes of thy deitie, so ma­ny wayes: that I am not worthye to beare the name of a man, much lesse of a Christē mā. Myne [Page] offences are huge, and the burden of thē is great. Wherfore discharge me of them,Mi [...]et mei deus se­cundū magnam miseri cordiam tuam. lorde, according to thy great mercy. For smale offences, thy smale mercie suffiseth. But my greate synnes, require thy great mercie.Et secundū multitudi­n [...]m m [...]serationū tua­rum de [...] iniquitatē me [...]m. Da [...]l ii And as myne offences are ma­ny in nombre: so is there of thy mercies a greate multitude. Yea they can not be nombred. But of one thynge, I am assured. That it lieth not in mannes power so much to offende: as it is in thy mercifull power to forgyue. My woundes cā not be so greate and noysome: but thy medicines are more preciouse and healthesome.Et multum [...]name ab iniquicat [...] ec a pet pato meo mudame Exod xix. Wherfore washe me well Lorde, from my wyckednes, and clense me from my synne. The Israelytes durste not come in thy syght, beynge ones defyled wyth any vncleānes: tyll they were sanctified by was­shynge theyr bodyes and garmentes. Yea ye prie­stes amonge them also were washed and clensed, or they came to thy presence, for feare, leste they shoulde perysh. Howe much more nede thē haue I, to desyre the (Lorde) to washe myne vncleane soule, that the fylthines therof appeare no more? But as clothes, that are verye foule, haue neade of muche and often plungynge in the water and great rubbyng, so hath my soule neade of manye dewes of thy grace, and many secrete drawinges to the wyth spirituall violence or euer it can be made cleane of the olde spottes that longe haue remained in it, by ye olde festred sores, wherwith it is greuously corrupt. [...] v. The leprosy of Namā of Syria coulde not be clensed, tyll he had wasshed him seuen tymes in the ryuer of Iordayne. How [Page] many waters shall I haue neade to be wasshed in or I be fayre purged of myne vncleanes?Ezechi. xxxvi But thy mercy (Lorde) is a frettinge lye & a scouringe soope. Thy grace maketh a stony herte to be a fle­shy herte, in a sturdy stomake, it bredyth an hū ­ble spirite, of a fyerse lyon: it maketh a meke lābe, as of Saull a persequutor:Actu. ix it made Paule an e­lecte apostle. Why then should I dispayre of thy goodnes: consideringe that thy iustice willeth me to trust in the? Thy promisse is to haue mercy on all those that are penitente for theyr offences,Ezechiel .xviii. Marke. xiii so that thou wylt no more remembre thē. This promes (no doubt) shal stand fast and sure, whē both heauen and earth shall passe awaye. Wherfore I offre now vnto thy maiestye, an herte contrite & sory for the wyckednesse, by it conceyued, wyth a body subiect to the wyth all humilitie, and peni­tence for all the synnes by it cōmitted.Quoniam iniquitater meā cognosco [...]et pecca tum meum corā me esemper. I acknowledge my faultes, and my sinne is euer before me. I punysh my selfe with contrition: because thou shouldest geue me grace and remission. I haue it euer in remembraunce, and set it vp in my sight, because thou shoulded forget it and put it out of thy syght. Agaynst the only, against the,Tibi soli p [...]ccaui, & [...] lū coram te [...]eci. haue I synned, and done euell in thy syghte, in whose po­wer it is to punysh at thy pleasure and from the can not myne offences be hydde. But it is my sure hope that thou wylt forgyue me,Vt iustificeris in se monibus tuis & vine cum iudicaris. for thyne honoures sake. That all the worlde maye knowe the to be a most iust iudge, in fulfyllynge that yu hast promised to me and all penitēt synnes. That is, to forgyue vs and to put oure synnes cleane [Page] out of thy remembraunce, and in condempninge all those that obstinately remayne in theyr wyc­kednes. Thus shalt thou vanquysh and stop the mouthes of all such as speake euyl of the, saying. Thou regardest not the promisse that thou haste made, but arte a fyerse and a cruell iudge. Con­sidre, lorde, I pray the, the frayll metall wherof I am made.Ecce enim in iniquita­ [...]bus conceptus sum et [...] peccatis concepit me mater mea Beholde I was borne in wyckednes & in synne hathe my mother conceyued me. Thys synne is drawen frō our fyrst father Adam, wher by, I am made prone and ready to do al euill, but feable and weake to do any good. [...]ma vii Yea, I am dra­wen sumtyme to do that I woulde not do, and to leaue vndone that I woulde do. Such is the force of my natural concupiscēce, but much grea­ter, lorde, is the force of thy naturall propertye, which is to shewe mercy, when thou art humbly required. Thyne honoure is more in sauynge through pytie, then in condempninge by iustice. for what is man that thou shouldeste shewe thy power agaynst hym? Hercules, beynge but a mā, woulde haue taken great skorne to wrestle wyth a chylde of twelue yeares olde. Muche more dis­honoure were it to thy mighty maiesty, to putte forth thy stronge arme against me,Iob. xiii that am of no greater force, then a leaf that is caryed away wt euery wynde, and maye well be compared to drye and withered stoble. Receiue me therfore (thy simple creature) into thy fauoure. For before ye I ac­cuse my selfe, to the intent thou shouldest excuse me. I shew forth my miserie: because thou shouldest shewe forth thy mercye, as thou hast promi­sed, [Page] and I mistrust not the perfourminge therof: for neuer yet wast thou foūde vntrew in thy wordes, neyther mayst thou, nowe begynne at me to be vntrewe in thy promisses.Ecce enim veritatē di­leristi. Psalme. cxix. Psalm. cxvii. Genes. xxii. Hebre. vi. Thou haste euer lo­ued trueth, thou arte veritie it selfe, all thy pro­mises are faythfull, and thy veritie endureth for euer. Thou dyddest promise to Abraham to mul­tiplie his sede as the starres of heauen and ye sand vppon the sea syde: whiche promise at the laste, he enioyed. Euen so dyddest thou promise Isaac and Iacob: and hast euer ben found trew.Exod. vi. Thou did­dest promise to Moyses to deliuer Israell by hys handes, frō the bondage of the Egiptians, which thou diddest perfourme, and that in shewing thy mightye power & many maruailes to thy greate honoure.Iosue .i. Thou didist promise Iosua to be wt him and to strēgthē him as thou wast with Moyses: and euē so it came to passe, for he slew the inhabi­tantes of Canaan, and deuided thy lande to thy people Israell. Thou madest promise to Gedeon,Iudi. vi. to delyuer Israell out of the hādes of the Madia­nites by hys handes, whych also was done. Whē Ezechias was sycke vnto ye death,iiii. Reg. [...]. yu didist promi­sest hym health and to lyue yet .xv. yeares:Hiere. xxv & this didest thou perfourme, for thy names sake. Thou dyddest promyse the retonrne of thy people Isra­ell from the captiuitie of the Babiloniās,Daniel .ix. by the mouth of thy prophet Hieremie: whych after the wickednes of the people was cōsumed: yu brough­test to passe, wyth innumerable other thy merci­full promises made to thyne electe, whyche euer haue ben perfourmed, because they were spoken [Page] and made by the that canst not lye. Euen so, lord, kepe thy promyse now with me, that am one of ye pore shepe of thy flocke, which haue longe strayed away from the, yet now, am retourned to the wt hertie repentaunce, which is of thy graciouse callynge. And therfore I truste, it is not begone by the in vayne. [...] occulta sapi [...] [...] [...]nifestasti [...]. [...] xi. Thou hast geuen me knowledge of thy lawes and commaundementes. Thou haste shewed me secrete poyntes of thy wysdom, which thou hast hyd from worldly wyse men and vtte­red them to babes. [...]. xi. That is, to the symple playne meanynge people, and all because of humilitye. For where that is, [...] ther is euer wysdom. The se­crete misteries, hyd in thy holy scriptures: are now manifested through thy blessed sonne Christ and his apostles. [...]. iv. They haue enstructed me in the wisdome therof, wherby I am fedde wyth breade of lyfe and I haue receyued the water of vnder­standing for my drynke. [...] vviii. Wisdome hath cast oute from her, greate floudes, and watered the gardi­nes of her yonge plantes, she lyghtenyth al those lorde, that put theyr trust in the. Of thys floude, drāke thyne apostle Paul, [...] ii & vttered vnto vs thy wysdom, whych lay secrete and hydde, as thou be­fore dyddest open vnto hym by thy holye spirite, whych sercheth euen the botome of thy secretes. Of these, lorde, I thanke the, I haue tasted some part. I am by them taught to knowe myne owne infirmitie, and thine excellent goodnes, beseching the that the good worke whych is begonne in me, throughe thy grace: maye take sure rote and encrease in me, so that the lyght which is now kind­led [Page] in me: become no more darkenes.Asperges me domin [...] hyssopo & mūtabo [...] Sprinkle me wyth Hyssope & I shalbe cleane. Thys herbe groweth lowe and betokeneth humilitie. It is also hoote and is a figure of charitie. This herbe was bounde together and dypped in the bloude of a sparow or of some other cleane byrde vppon runninge water, and herwith the leper was be-sprynkled in the olde lawe, when he was cleane:Leuiti. xiiii. in token that oure iniquities cannot be purged but by the vertue of thy sonne Christes passion, whom of thy hotte and feruent charity: thou di­dest send downe to suffre bytter death for our re­demption. Wherfore,Lauabis meet super u [...] uem de albabor. beynge purged wyth thys Hyssope & wasshed with thi grace: I shal become more white thē is the snowe. If thou poure this cleane water vppon me:Ezech. xxxvi. I shalbe purged of all myne vncleannes. Though my synnes be as red as skarlet: thei shalbe whiter thē snow.Esaye .i. Though they be lyke purple: they shall become like whyte wollen.Auditui meo dabis ga [...] diū et leticiam. Then shall I heare wordes of ioy & glad­nes, the wordes spoken to Dauid by thy prophet Nathan. That is, that my synnes are cleane put away from me. I shall heare the wordes spoken by thy sonne to the man that was sycke of ye pal­sey. Sonne, thy synnes are forgeuen the.Mark .ii. Iob .iiii. Then shall I also heare the speake swete wordes in­wardly in my soule by thy secrete and gracious inspirations, wherby I shalbe much comforted, and the bones that thou hast broken shal reioyse,Et exultabūt ossa, que confregisti. That is, the powers of my soule, whych through synne, had before no power nor force to do anye good thynge: shall nowe recouer theyr strengthe [Page] that was lost. The bones which were drye: recey­uinge the quyckenynge of the spirite, shall lyue. Wherfore turne thy face awaye from my synnes and put awaye cleane all my misdeades.A [...]ier [...] tanem tuā a peccatis iuris, & oēs iniqui [...]t [...] m [...] del [...]. Turne not away thy face, good lorde, from me, but from my synnes, and sence I acknowledge thē my selfe vnto the: take thou no knowledge of thē thy selfe. Thy prophet Ezechiel sawe in a vision,Ezechiel xi. that in ye buyldinge of the temple, should be one Cherub, yt shoulde haue twoo faces. The one shoulde be the face of a man, the other the face of a lion: and this trewly was a figure of the two faces or of the .ii. lokynges of thy godhed. The one is thy face of mercy wt whych thou graciously beholdest thyne elect.Psal. xviii. This face must thou not hyde frō me and o­ther pore synners, lest thou forget our misery and oppression.Psal. cxxiiii The other is thy face of iustice, wher­with thou beholdest thē yt do euyll to destroye the remembraunce of thē out of the earth. This face, lorde, I pray the turne from my synnes and of thy mercy put away al myne iniquities, so that none of thē remayne in me. For if thou be extreame to marke what is amisse:Psal. cxxv. who can abyde it? for what am I wretche beynge destitute of thy grace: but all carnall soulde vnder synne, and abondman to synne?Roma vv. Euery man destitude of thy grace: shalbe betrapped in the snares of his owne synnes, hys hert shalbe hardened as was the hert of Pharao, he shall heare in deade & not vnderstand,Exod. [...] he shall se playnly & not perceyue,Esa [...] vi. hys eares shalbe stop­ped and hys eyes shutte, that he shall not se nor heare, nother yet wyth hys hert vnderstand, for [Page] to cōuert & be healed. His hert shalbe as hard as any stone, it shall leaue the loue of the and loue thy creatures. Such an harde hert, lorde, haue I longe had in me, whyche can not be mollifyed by my naturall power,Iohn .vi. but by the operacion & dra­wynge of the and thy grace.Cur mu [...] [...]ea in me deus. Wherfore I hertely pray the, lorde, to remoue frō me thys stony herte and make in me a newe herte, a fleshy herte that shalbe soft, meeke and flexible. An hert to knowe that thou art the lorde, wythout whose grace: I can do no goodnes,Hieremi. xxiiii. Spiri [...]um rectum innoua in vis ceribus meis. neyther can my wauerynge herte retourne vnto the. Thy grace it is that must reuiue a ryghte spirite in me. Myne owne spirite is croked through synne, and it is al incli­ned to worldlye thynges. Make it therfore to be vpryght, and to aspire so to heauenly thynges: that neyther aduersity, neither worldly pleasure or aboundaunce maye plucke it downe warde. Cast me not lorde away from thy face,Ne proiicias me a facie tua, et spiritum sanctū tuum ne auferas a me. and take not thyne holy spirite from me. Caste my synnes away behynd the, but cast not me from thy mer­cifull contenaunce as thou dyddest caste wycked Cayn, for sleaynge his brother Abel.Genes. iiii. Neither cast me out of thy fauoure as thou dyddest cast kinge Saul for hys disobedience. For if I lose thy gra­ciouse presence: I am then sure thou wylte also take from me thy holye spirite, as thou dyddeste from Saull. It went into Dauid, and in steade therof: the wycked spirite entred into Saul and styll tormented hym durynge hys lyfe.Sapien. xii. O howe gracious and swete is thy spirite in all thynges? It passeth the swetnes of hony. It leadeth those [Page] that loue the:Eccles. xxiiii. Psalme cxliii. into the lande of ryghtuousnes. Wyth thys thy spirite were thyne Apostles re­plenished, whych gaue them strengthe to suffer paciently, all opprobries & wronges for thy sake. This thy holy spirite I desyre may remayne styl wyth me,Iohn .xv. to teache me all veritie, to confirme me in goodnes,Sam. viii to make intercession for me vnto the in all my necessities & infirmities.Redde mi [...]i leticiam sa [...]utaris tui, et spiritu [...]rincipall cōfirm [...] me. Geue me ther­fore agayne, the conforte of thy helpe, and esta­blysh me wyth thy principall spirite. Because of my synne: I lose the helping confort of thy grace. Thy spirite also went from me, whyche was no small losse, for in comparison there of: all losses of worldly thynges are to be accōpted as nothinge. I lost all goodnes and receiued all euylles. Light and darcknes may not at one time be in one sub­iecte. No more may grace and sinne, god and the diuell: dwel together. Wherfore the consideraci­on of my great losse: causeth the greatnes of my sorowe. I neuer delited so muche in the commit­tyng of myne iniquities: as I am nowe sory and asshamed of thē. Behold therfore (merciful God) the inward contricion of my hert, and restore to me, of thy great goodnes, that which I haue loste through my greate wyckednes, and for that the powers of my soule are weake and feable: & myne enemyes stronge, fierse & cruell: I, moste humbli beseche the, to confirme me in grace through the power of thy principalle holy spirite. Let hym no more haue cause to departe frome me, but make me an holi temple for him to dwel in cōtinually.D [...]o [...] vias [...] et impri an te cō ­uertinenus Then shall I stedfastly teache vnto the wycked. [Page] the way wherby they may come vnto the. I wyl put my self to all synners, as an example to cause them to retourne vnto the, by humble penitēce. I wyll not ceasse to declare thy iustice, to put thē in feare of thy iudgement. And then the aboun­daunte treasour of thy mercy: to pluck thē from desperation. I wyll teach them thy wayes, that is, thy preceptes, and none other mannes tradi­cions. I wyll euer put them in remembraunce of thy lawes. Thys shall I be able to do, beynge cō ­firmed by thy holy spirite. Moyses was afrayed to go on thy message to kynge Pharao,Exod. iii. tyll thou promisedest hym to be wyth hym, after whyche: he left doubtyng and accomplished thy commaū ­dement.Nume. xi. The .lxx. elders of the host whom Moy­ses chose oute to beare wyth hym, the burthen of the people, were nothynge able to gouerne there subiectes: tyll thou haddest powred parte of the spirite vppon them, whych before was in Moy­ses. And then they prophecied and ruled the peo­ple in truth and iustice.Luke .xxii. Peter the apostle of thy sonne Chryst was afrayd at the voyce of a womā and denyed hym, he was euer ready to forsake hī, tyll he was endewed with this thy noble spirite. Yea the whole companye of thy sonnes apostles,Actu. i. were commaunded to abyde in Ierusalem after hys resurrection vntyll they were fulfylled with thy holy spirite frō aboue. After whose cominge, the worde prospered in theyr mouthes, whersoe­uer they preached it: and they were after suffici­ent wytnesses of thy sonnes resurrection and as­cention.Ecclesi. xx. A wyse sentence shall not be alowed be­ynge [Page] spokē by the mouth of a foole. No more shall thy lawes be regarded, beyng declared by me be­yng so greauous a sinner.Libera me de sangumi bus deus deus salutis [...]nce. Wherfore send thy no­ble spirite to lyghten me wyth thy grace, and de­lyuer me from the gyltynes of bloudes (o God ye arte the God of my health) I meane delyuer me, frome a multitude of synnes by me commytted through concupiscence,Iob. xiiii engendred of the corrup­tion of my fleshe and bloude. Thys corruption is in me,Iob .xxv. of my corrupt nature. For who cā make it cleane that cometh of an vncleane thynge? How can man be cleane that is borne of a woman? the chylde of a day olde is vncleane.Corin. [...] The fleshe and ye bloude brynge forth workes of corruption, & can not enioy the kyngdom of God, for corruption cā not inherit incorruptiō. Therfore, lord, frō these bloudes I beseche the delyuer me, powre forthe thy grace vppon my corrupt nature, and I shall be purged from all my wyckednes. I am dead in synne, quycken me and geue me life agayne, sence thou art God the authoure of lyfe and health, & none can do it but thou,Laudabit [...]ugua mea [...]ciam tuam that my tongue maye prayse thy ryghtuousnes. In that thou shewest mercy to me, beynge asynner, geuynge me grace to be penitente for my synnes, and makynge me iust that nowe am vniust, wherin thou art foūd trew in perfourminge thy promise thereof made whych is to heare all that aske forgeuenes of the in fayth. But before my tongue may prayse this thy ryghtuousnes, thou must open my lyppes or els can not my mouth shewe forth thy prayse,Domine labia mea ape ries et os meū annunci [...]b [...]t laudem tuam. for synne hath stopped my mouth, and prayse is vn­semlye [Page] in ye mouthe of the vngodlye.Ecclesi. xv. Yea thou wouldest say vnto me,Psalm .l. why doest thou preach my lawes and takest my couenaunte in thy mouthe?Exod. vi. Open therfore (oh God) my lyppes as thou dyd­dest the lippes of Moyses when thou sendest him to kyng Pharao.Esay. vi. Thy prophet Esay also had vn­cleane lyppes, tyll one of the Seraphins, wyth a payre of tonges, toke a hote cole from the aulter and toutched his mouth there with: wherby hys vnryghtuousnes was taken away. Of such faciō Lorde, toutche my mouth that I may be worthy to set forthe thy prayse. To offre to the,Quoniam si voluisset sacrificiū dedissē. Vti que holocaustis non dilectaberis. sacrifice or burnt offringes: it were in vayne. For I know yu hast no pleasure in thē. They were but figures of the sacrifice of thy blessed sonne to come for our redēption & the purginge of our synnes. The sha­dow of a thynge doth ceasse, whē the thyng it self is ones come. The promises ceasse and are gone, when the thynge is come whych is promised. To offre to the golde or treasoure: it neadeth not, sēce thou arte most ryche thy felfe, lorde of all ye world whose contentes are at thy commaundemēt: Yet wyll I not come voyde and emptye into thy pre­sence.Sacrificium deo, spūs contribulatus, cor con­tritū et humiliatū deus non despicies. I wyll offre vnto the my troubled spirite for myne offences, myne hert contrite and broken for my synnes, and this sacrifice, I knowe, thou wylte not despyse. To thys sacrifice thy prophet Esay also telleth me that thou wylte loke,Esay. lxvi. aboue all other that I can gyue the. And for that there shoulde nothynge be left behynd: I do (according to the mynde of thyne apostle Paull,Roma. xii. offre vnto ye both my body and also my soule as a quycke and [Page] holy sacrifice.iii. Reg. xx This sacrifice offred Ezechias and recouered health, and had thy fauoure. The same offred Mary Magdalene, the theffe on the crosse hangynge, wyth innumerable other and were re­ceaued in to thy fauoure. And I (throughe thy grace beynge penitent) clayme no lesse mercye to be shewed vnto me.Genigne fac domine in [...]ona volōtate tua Si­ [...]n And not only vnto me, but I desire the also to be fauourable and gracious vn­to Sion (that is) to thy whole christen and faith­full congregacion, which onely dependeth on the goodnes of the and nothynge on theyr power or merites.Esay. lxii. Vppō the walles of thys thy castel thou lord must sette watch men continually. Thy ho­ly aungels must haue the kepynge therof or elles are not the inhabitaūtes able to defende thē sel­ues from theyr craftye and myghtye enemyes. Thou knowest Lorde, howe weake and of smale force mankynde hathe ben euer sence the fall of Adam.iii. Reg. xv [...] We more delyte in the buyldynge of Hie­richo, then we do to defende the fortresse of Sion. I meane we more regarde the pleasure of thys worlde and the temporall cōmodities therof thē we do to make vs stronge agaynst oure spirituall enemyes and to become thy welbeloued chyldren and seruauntes. So weake we are, so frayle and vnable of oure selues to do that good is, and so prone to do that is forbyddē vs. Helpe vs therfore mercifull God wyth thy noble grace, wherby we shall so remayne here in the buyldyng of Syon, beholdynge the by faithful hoope in thys present lyfe, that we shall through thy mercye be hewed, squared, and made mete stones for the buyldinge [Page] of thy heauenly citye of Hierusalē,Vt edificetur mutt Hierusalem. whose walles are erected and made of the lyuelye stones of thy faythful church here militant, whyche thy grace hath chosen and prepared amonge vs thy earthly congregacion, for the receyuynge of that thy hea­uenly edifice, where thyne elect shall offer vnto yt incessauntly such burnte offrynges as are accep­table vnto the,Tunc delectaberis sa­crificiis iusticie o [...] lati­onibus et holocausti [...]. whyche is the sacrifice of pray [...]e & thankes geuynge vnto thy maiestie continually. This is the sacrifice of iustice, whych all thy rea­sonable creatures of dewtie owe to yelde vnto ye. This is the oblation of the bullockes of our lyp­pes (that is) the fruyte of oure lyppes, wherof the prophet Osee speaketh:Osee .xiiii. that we shall yelde vnto the by confessinge the prayses of thy name: which shalbe to the much more acceptable then any sa­crifice of fatte bullockes was, in the olde tyme.Tunc imponent super altare tuū vitulos Graunte vs therfore Lorde of thy grace to be of the nōbre of thyne elect,Psalme .cxii. whych shall present thys worthy sacrifice as a preciouse incense of swete sauour, vppon thyne aultare whyh is Chryst oure hygh priest and mediatuour vnto thyne hyghnes in that glorious habitaciō worlde wythout ende.

¶ In thys Psalme the Prophet warneth all men not to regarde the prosperitie of the wycked,The .lxxiii. Psalm. and the smale pleasure of the iuste men in thys worlde. He sheweth the fyrst to haue a short tyme in his prospe­rity, the others rewarde, to be eternall.

O God eternall, the geuer of al felicitie, whose loue is lyke the euenynge and mornynge raygne vppon the earthe,Osee. vi whose mercies can not be nombred, whose wysdō and deuine prouidence [Page] is suche,Sapi [...]n. v [...] yt it reacheth from one ende to an other myghtyly, and louingly doeth ordre all thynges, although through ignoraunce, we can not know the causes of thy sayde ordre. Yea to suche as be weake: thy godly determinatiōs seame also vnre­asonable and iniust, as the bryghte sonne to sore eyes, seameth noysom and vnpleasaunte, where, to cleare and hole eyes the lyght therof is confor­table. Thy goodnes, lorde, to all mankynde, is so manifest, that no reasonable creature can say but that he hath tasted therof.i. Co [...]hin. iiii. Quam bonu [...] Israell [...] For what good thyng hath mā that he hath not receyued of the? Thou arte good, I say, to all men, but specially to Isra­ell. This people hast thou chosen for thy peculiar flocke.Psalme. lxxvi In Iewry only wast thou knowē to be the liuynge God, and in Israel great was thy name, but what is this Israell nowe, sence the Iewes haue forsaken the, and thou arte conuertid to the gentiles? Israell verely, by interpretacion is the feare or beholder of god.Mathew .v. Thys none can do onles he haue a cleane and pure herte, voide of malice & synne. So that in conclusion, thou arte good by thy principal chyefe goodnes to thē that haue an vpryght conscience,His qui tecto sunt cor­ [...]e a streyght hert, a mynde not bowynge downe to carnall and tēporall thinges, but aspiringe to heauenly and eternall thynges. Nowe all that professe the name & religion of thy sōne Christ: are come in place of the Iewes. Yet be they not, all, Israelites. Only those that haue a pure herte, are Israelites. For they shall se god as he is. The other, for theyr wyckednesse are ab­iect, as were the Iewes for theyr incredulitie. Al [Page] are not the sede of Abraham that descended car­naly of hym. But in Isaac onelye was called hys sede by promission. But there is one thynge, lord,Roma. ix. that causeth me and other such weake persons as I am, to doute and muse moche of.ii. Paral. xix. Thou beynge our god and a iuste god, in whose doynges, none iniquitie or iniustice can be foūd: that such as are wycked and most miserable sinners: are most esteamed in this worlde. They haue treasure at wyll, and pleasure beyōde all measure. All thinges pro­speare here wyth thē, whē we se thy faythful and elect people: wrapped in all kyndes of miserie, ac­compted as fooles, vile and abiecte, yea thou put­test them to tribulation, persequutiō and in op­probrie to all other. Thys beynge playne before oure eyes:Mei autem pene moti sunt pedes, pene effus­sunt gressus mei. causeth oure feete and treadynges all most to slyp. The feete of the mind: are ye thoughtes and imaginations, by whych it is caryed frō place to place. These thoughtes and iudgemen­tes, had almost erred, seynge the prosperitie of ye wycked. Oure treadinges were vnstedfast, after the sorte of them that go vppon the slyppye yse. Oure affections are muche inclined to ryches, pleasure, ease, and other vanities. Yea we iudge not well of thy godly prouidence, we feare leaste thou that dwellest in heauen: takeste no care of those that loue the, but that all is gouerned by vnstedfast fortune,Iob .xxii. or that the cloudes wyll not suffre the to loke so lowe as the earthe. On thys maner, are our feete (that is) oure iudgementes, waueringe.Quia zelaui super m [...] ­quos, pacem peccatorū videus. We stande in doubte whether it be best to folowe theyr waies or not, seynge thē con­tinew [Page] in such prosperitie yt all thynges, are safe and quiete aboute them. They lyue a longe lyfe in pleasure,Non est respectus mortreoū, et tirmamentū in plaga [...]am. neuer thynkynge of deathe. And yf they chaūce to be sycke: or to be plaged any way, theyr affliction endurethe no whyle. They are soone cured. All the helpe that maye be done by man: is founde out for them. Theyr ryches cau­seth all men to ronne for the curynge of thē. No­ther do they trauayle lyke other,In labore hominū non [...]unt, e [...] cum hominibꝰ non flagellabuntur. but lyue plea­sauntly, in all wealth and ease, not fealynge the grieffes and displeasures which the most sorte of men are subiect vnto: whych causeth them to be puffed vp in pryde,Ideo tenuit supeybia, [...]nperati sunt in equita­ [...]te et impletate sua and ouerwhelmed wyth ini­quitie. They are odious to God, and greuous to theyr neyghboures. Theyr wyckednes is multi­plyed, it couerith them as a clooke. The webbe of thys careful garmēte was begon by Adam, sense whose tyme: euery man hath put to hys hande to make it vp. These men haue finished it and put it on theyre backe, it hath wholy couered them no part excepted: as closse as theyr bodyes are coue­red wyth theyr skynnes. They brede coccatrices egges and weue the spiders webbe.Esaye [...]. That is, they worke mischefe, and imagyne vayne and tryfling thynges. Who so eatheth the coccatrices egge: dieth. And of the spyders web: no man can make hym a garment,Mathe .xxii. to weare at the great weddynge, in whyche no man is alowed, but he put on hym the garment of healthe and the mantle of rygh­tuousnes.Esay [...]. The garmente that the synners haue made them,Apoca. xvi. wyll not hyde them at the dreadfull day of iudgement: but they shalbe founde naked, [Page] and all men shall se theyr fylthynes.Processerunt a pirgus dine oculi corsi, transi­erunt in affectū cordis: Theyr eyes swell for fatnes, they haue euen what they lust. What is thys fatnes? the aboundaunce of ry­ches and longe prosperitie,Osee .xiii. whyche maketh men so wanton, that they kycke and wynche at the ri­der, they both forget the & despyse the.Deuter. xxxii. The chyl­dren of Israel receyued of the: many great bene­fites, and anone became so fatte: that they kicked at the. When they were fat and smouth: they let thē go that made thē, and despysed the rock that saued them. Such is the power of aboundaūce, that it maketh the possessoures therof,Cogitauerunt et locuti sunt nequitiā iniquita­tē in excelso locuti sūt to aryse a­gaynst God in pride and agaynst ther neighbou­res by crueltie and violence. The poore man ofte times offendeth, dryuen therto by pouertie, as to steale to satisfie hys presente necessitie. This of­fence, comethe of leannes and is more tollerable, thē the harmes or wrōges done by those that are fatte through theyr couetise. Yea whē they haue done wyckedly: they are not ashamed therof, but make boaste therof.Posuerunt in celum os suum. They also speake proude and presumptuous wordes against thy godhed, stret­chynge forth theyr mouth vnto heauen, as dyd ye proude kynge Nabugodonosor commaunding to haue hys image honoured as god.Daniel. iii The power of suche men is sore dredde:Lingua eorum deambu­lauit terram. theyr tongue (that is) theyr commaundemētes, go through all ye world. Therfore we that are pore, weake and wauerīg: & yet loue the and beleue in the, seynge the great wealth of these blasphemous and wycked people: we, I saye,Ideo conuerientur po­pulus meus huc et dies pleni inueniētur in eis. haue earnestly gyuen oure studies to knowe the cause of thy liberall gyftes in thys [Page] worlde, to such as they be. We haue spente many dayes, onely about the serching of thy meaning: In that thou sufferest the wycked to lyue theyr full age in such pleasaūt wealthe.Et direrunt quomodo scit deus, et si est scien­tia in excelso. Sumtyme we doute whether thou doeste knowe and perceyue theyr wyckednesse. And yf thou do know it: then we meruayle wherfore thou doeste suffre them so longe to continew.Ecce isti impitet abim danteom seculo multi­plicauerunt diuitias. Wherfore haue they ryches & all pleasures that they can deuise in this worlde, whyle we endure much trouble, payne and mise­rie?Et diti [...]me causa iustificau [...] cor meum et laui inter innocentes menꝰ meas In vayne do we trauayle to clense dure her­tes from all euyll and ydle thoughtes, & to wash our hādes in innocencie from al wycked workes. Aslonge as I do serue the: I can fele no such pleasaunt reward I lyue wel & lack. They lyue nau­hgtely and haue aboundaunce. I do the best I can to kepe thy cōmaundementes, & am punished dayly and chaystened euery mornyng.Et tut flagellatus tota die et increpatio mea in ma [...]utinis. If Iones erre: incontinent I am punished. Wher vppō I was in mynde to haue sayd euē as they said.Si dicebā narrabo sic, ecce generationem filiorum tuorum reproba­ui. But lo, then had I condempned the generation of thy chyldren. Then had I despysed the way in which thyne elect haue here tofore walked, for so sayde not Abell,Iob. vii Noe, nor Abrahā, Isaac nor Iacob nor anye of thy prophetes. Tobiah and Iob spake in the trouble of theyr spirites and praysed thy cha­stisement,Psalmo xviii. Dauid was troubled and called vppō the & was harde, [...] xvii. Paull also sayth we must entre into thy kyngdō by many tribulations, not with ease, pleasure and aboundaunce. They sayd also that thou beholdest euerye mannes deades, and ther after doeste iustly rewarde euery man. Thē [Page] thoughte I to haue knowledge of this doubtfull case by myne owne reason,Existimab [...] vt cognos cerem hoc, labor est an­te me. but it was to hard for me, my wytte coulde not comprehende it: vntyll I went into thy sanctuary of holy scripture, and therin consydered the ende of these men.Donec intrem in san­ctuarium dei et intelli­gam nouissima eorum. In thys thy holy scripture doest thou speake and declare hydde misteries. It is thy very worde what so e­uer is therin wrytten, and therfore is it holy. In thys I, thē, searched deapely,Apoca. xx. Psal. xxviii. and I founde that all good deades shalbe rewarded, and that all e­uyll deades shalbe punished. I founde also that many tymes tirauntes and the persequutoures of thyne electe, all thoughe they haue prosperitie here for a ceasō: yet at the last, they are punissed in thys worlde and make a miserable ende, as it was proued by Pharao kyng of Egypt,Exod. xiiii. that scurged the people of Israel, by Achab kynge of Isra­ell, by Aman, Holofernes, Alcimus, Antiochus,iii. Regū. xxv Hester .vii. Iudi. xiii. i. Macha. ix. ii. Macha. ix Actu. x. & Herode. And this doest thou to shewe thy power for thyne honoure, to the feare of the wycked, & comfort of thyne electe. I founde also that thou reseruest for thyne elect, Euerlastinge rewardes for the short payne that they take here in thy ser­uice, and therfore doeste thou not rewarde them here with light rewardes of transitory thynges, but thou rewardest the wycked of thy great libe­ralitie wyth prosperitie here and other lyght trā sitory pleasures, which endureth wyth them but a smale season:Esay .lxv. and then thou punishest them for theyr wickednes with payne euerlastinge. Thus in scripture I beholde as it were in a miroure or glas: thy great iustice & infinitie goodnes, which [Page] to thy faythfull louers & frendes, wilt not turne theyr longe and euerlastynge rewarde, into a tē ­poral and short rewarde: neither from thyne ene­mies, wilt thou withdrawe those temporall re­wardes which worthely haue loste their eternall heauenly rewardes. [...]men in luh [...]sco po [...]sti co [...] detecistic­os ad interliu [...]. Thou settest these fatte syn­ners in a slyppery place: that thou mayst cast thē downe hedlonge and destroye them. The hygher a man buyldeth a towre, when the same through decay falleth: the greater and more terrible is ye fall therof. Euen so the hygher a man climmeth: the sorer is his fal, yea many times they are skar­cely clomben to the hyght of theyr honoure: but anone theyr fall is shewed, not vnlyke to ye smoke of a chynney which ascendeth highe and thē sodē ­ly vanisheth away. It is a wonder to se, how so­denly they consume,Q [...]omodo vastati sūt subito defecerunt, con­sumpti sunt quasi non sint. 1 Thesssloni. v. perish and come to a fearfull ende. When they shal say, peace is, and no daun­ger: then comethe on them sodayne destruction, as the trauaylynge of a woman with chyld, and they shall not escape. Luke thyne euangelist, putteth to this purpose, a parable of a rych man that had gathered together greate abōdaūce of godes, and then sayd to his soule: O my soule, thou hast muche goode layde vp in store for manye yeares, take thyne ease, eat, drynke & be mery. But thou lorde saydest vnto hym. O thou foule, this night wyll the wycked spirites fetche awaye thy soule frō the. Thē, whose shall those thynges be, which thou hast so paynfully prouided, and so carefully kept? O lord, what man that hath wytte, would not be afrayd to haue the vse of thy goodes here [Page] beyng bound to render accompt: both for the gettyng, kepyng and bestowyng of thē. Considering the smale tyme he hath pleasure in the keping of them and howe sodenly he shal leaue them. The possessours of them are likened to one whych dre­meth that he is lift vp in great honour,Quasi somnium egilā ­tis. in riches in his princes fauour, and enioyeth all kyndes of pleasures. But when he awaketh: he fyndeth no part of his dreame true. The vanitie of his drea­me came of his idle fantasie. It was pleasure for a whyle, but after he is sorye for his fayned losse. In lyke maner when the riche man dieth: he per­ceyueth he was not ryche in dede, but as it were in a dreame.Esay. xxix He is neuer the rycher for all that he was ruler of. When the hungrye man dreameth that he hath plentie of meat & that he is eatynge his fyll, and then awaketh: fyndyng no food he is faynt and his soule impatient. So is it of ye rych mā, after death he hath nothyng.Iob .i. He came naked into this worlde, so shal he depart out of it again, nothyng is his of all that he had,Luke .xii. i. Timo. vi. but that which he bestowed charitabli, which lieth in store for him in heauen. The rest is vanished away from hym, the glory therof was but a shadowe of glory, not glory it selfe, it was the image of a thyng, not the thing it self. Thus their image of felicitie, that is all their pompe, pride, and false prosperitie:Domine in ciuitati tu [...] imaginem ipsorum ad nihilum rediges. shalte thou bryng to naught, and banyshe them out of thy citie with those that toke pleasure in theym here. Thei shal not entre with their glori into thi heauenly citie of Ierusalem, and good cause why for in their earthly cities and mansions they no­thyng [Page] regarded thyne image, they considered not the necessite of the poore. For this cause rightful­ly thou shalt shut them with their image of pro­speritie out of thine eternal mansion. Thus haue I shewed before thy maiestie, how through their prosperite I was almost drawne to folowe theyr wayes, [...] c [...]u [...]nest co [...]m­ [...]ts [...] me [...] [...] [...]ū apud t [...] Et eram semper [...] tenebis manum de [...] ­teram m [...]am. my hert being sore moued, and my reynes perced with the delectation thereof, so foolyshe I was and ignorāt, and as it were a beast before the Neuertheles though I passed the bondes of rea­son: in consideryng thy power and diuyne proui­dence: yet I thanke the, Lorde, I wente not from the, but dyd cleaue styll to the by fayth. Though I slipped and almost fell from the: yet I dyd not forsake the, and thou ful mercifully, knowyng my good wyll toward the: diddest holde me vp by my ryght hand, as thou diddest Peter whan he was in ieoperdy of drownyng. Thy goodnes brought me to the knoledge of myne infirmitie.Esay [...]. Thi grace called me from myne errour into the right waye. Thou tokest me by the ryghte hande and diddest saue me,Barteus as thy holy angelles toke Lothe and hys wyfe by the handes, and led them oute of the syn­full citie of Sodome that perished. And as the lo­uyng mother ledeth her yong chylde by the hand to cause hym to kepe the most fayre and easy way, and to saue him from fallyng.In constitum [...]uum e­duces me e [...] preterea in [...] suscipice me. Thou diddest leade me with thy counsell, preseruyng my weakenes in this present iourny of my lyfe, wherfore my trust is thou wilt not leue me but wilt receiue me into glorye. Thy fauour did guyde me. Thy grace dyd direct all my doynges,i. Corhin. xv. by whych I am all that I [Page] am, It was not I nor myne acte, but thy grace that was with me, whych helde me styll through fayth. Wherfore, my trust is, that thou wylt not leaue me, but that thou wilt after thys lyfe bring me into glory, where is al ioye, pleasure, rest, qui­etnes, and al thynges that may be desired. What wretched foole therfore was I to desire of the,Quid enim mihi est in celo, et a te quid volu [...]i super terram. tē ­poral, frayle, vayne and deceytfull prosperite and pleasure, knowyng by faith that thou hast prepa­red for me and for al that faithfully loue the: such rewardes as neuer eye hath sene, eare hath harde nor hert can imagin. But what is this that is so precious a gyfte ordeyned for me?i Corhin. ii. For soth euen yu thy selfe, Lorde, and the fruition of thy perfecte Godhed, wherin is encluded al the ioye that may be deuised, a tresure that is immortal, it endureth pleasant for euer. Shall I then be so mad and so beastly to desyre of the (most merciful God) world­ly honour, pleasure, ease or riches temporall, more then is requisit for the necessities, of this present lyfe? Should I desyre of the that louest me, those giftes wherwith thou rewardest thine enemies? The most wycked vpō earth haue these temporal trifles of thy great liberalitie and goodnes, But there is nothyng vpon yearth that I desire, but only the. The swetnes of thy goodnes hath made my fleshe, that is,Consūpta est cato me [...] et cormeum. all carnall desyres to fall and to ceasse in me. The worldly concupiscēce which my hert desired: is gone, and thou Lorde,Robur cordis mei & pars mea: deꝰ in eternū arte become the strength of my hert, thou arte my porsion for euer. Thou art my reward thyne owne self wher wyth my hert is suffised. For whosoeuer serueth [Page] the: for to haue prosperite, or temporal reward in this world: doth more loue that reward then the. Of that, they make theyr God, and refuse the that art the liuyng God. But, loo, all that forsake the: shall perysh.Quid omnes qui elon­gant se a te: peribunt, pedes omnes qui forni­cantur abs te. Thou wylt destroy all them that cō ­myt fornication agaynst the. All synne putteth man from the. It maketh a deuisiō betwene him and the, It causeth the to turne thy face frō him for that thou wouldest not haue mercye on hym.Esay. l [...]. It driueth the from man, thou wylt not approch nere vnto hym by thy mercy to helpe hym. Neuertheles thou art nere hym throughe thy iustice, to punysh hym. But aboue all, thou obhorrest them that commyt fornication against the, that loue the world better then the,Sapini. [...]ii [...] that honoure thy creature with the honour dewe to thy maiestie. That serue the deuyl and leaue the. This fornication of infi­delitie hast thou euer punished aboue bodely for­nication or any other offence,Exod. xxxii. Iudi ii.iiii. and. vi as it appeareth in al the iourney of the Israelites in the desert and al­so when thei were come into the land of Chanaan Also in Hieroboam, Achab, Iesabel, Ammon, and many other. For such that runne from the by in­fidelite: remaineth death euerlasting. They perish worthely that chose death, and leane the that arte very lyfe. In whō, whosoeuer beleueth: shal haue lyfe euerlastyng, [...]rouerb. viii [...]n. v. Mihi autē propinqua­ded bonum est, pone­in deo spem meam. and shall not come into damna­tion. Wherfore it is good for me to holde me fast by ye, to draw nere vnto the by fayth, from whence good workes do spryng towarde my neyghbours, and then to put my hope and trust wholy in the, as in a sure & vnmoueable anchour, from whence [Page] no blast of wynde of temptation shall dryue me.Rom. viii. Through hope I trust to be deliuered out of this corruptible body into thy heauēly glory, and this by patience, I nowe abyde and loke for. Duryng whych tyme of myne abyding in this present life: I wyl not ceasse, to declare and set furthe all the noble workes whych thou hast wrought,Vt enarrem omnes laudes tuas. to thine honour and prayse and to the profyt of them that shall professe thy sonne Christes religion, whyle the worlde shall endure.

¶ In thys chapter are declared the ioyes of the heauē ly mansions to be ineffable. With the ardent desyre whych the prophet Dauid, and in him,The .lxxxiiii. Psalme. Quam dilicta. all the faythfull congregation, haue to atteyne the same.

O Most mightie prince of powre, Lord of hostes, Lorde of the heauenly ar­my of angels that are thi ministers, which after a long iourney through desertes and other daungerous pla­ces by the space of .xl. yeares, wherein thou wast a guide to thi people Israel, at the last thou brough test them to a land flowyng with mylke and hony a land of fertilitie and abundance,Deuter. viii. where being in rest & peassible possession therof: thou gauest them a commaundement to obserue yerly a feast in re­membraunce of thy goodnes shewed to them ma­ny waies during that their daungerous peregri­nation.Deutere. xvi. Whych feast thou diddest wyl to be called the feast of the tabernacles. For that long whyle of .xl. yeres thei dwelt in no houses or tounes, but only in tentes and tabernacles. This didest thou [Page] our loue to be euerlastyng, & as the loue shal haue no ende,Seati qui habitant tu [...]o [...]io tua, adhuc lauda [...]unt t [...] semper. so shal the praise be without ende. Blessed therefore are they Lord yt dwell in thy house, who haue occasion euer to prayse the. They haue none other worke to do in that ioyful place, but to thāk & praise, and good cause why. For as in this world all our actes procede of necessitie, whereby we are enforsed to worke for oure health, wealth, cōmodite profit, and pleasure, or for the commoditie of oure neighboure: so in thy house where no necessitie or nede is: thy blessed spirites & saynctes haue none occasion to worke, but to thanke and prayse for hauyng the fruition of thy glorious deitie,Iohn .iii they are all replenished with aboūdance of al thynges that thei desire. They are made lyke vnto the, they be­holde the euen as thou arte, of whyche syghte they shall neuer be fully satisfied. Such ioye and loue shall they conceiue of the beautie of thy glo­rious maiestie. But to this beatitude can we ne­uer atteine (merciful God) of our strength and po­wer, but through the strength of thy gratious as­sistēce.Beatus vir cuius forti [...]udo inte est. Thou must engraue in our hertes thi law­es. Thou must direct vs in thy wayes, And when we are once brought by the into the ryghte waye: thou must also by thy cōtinual grace: stay vs, kepe our fete from slippyng and styl preserue vs, els are we sure to slide & fal.Eccles. the last Chapt. Who so trusteth to his owne power or to the helpe of mā: is much deceiued, and leaneth to a rotten staffe, which faileth when it is most trusted vnto. But he yt trusteth in thi grati­ous powre: [...]scētiones in corde suo [...]sposuit, in valle laeri [...]arsi in loco quem po­ [...]it. wanteth neuer socoure at nede. Thou hast put vs into this present worlde to fyght, and [Page] to striue with our enemies who cōtinually assault vs. But thi grace maketh vs able to repel al their inuasions. Thou sufferest vs not to be tempted a­boue our strength. And for our triumph: thou re­wardest vs with a crowne of glory and immorta­litie. For thys purpose of thy bountefull goodnes hast yu appoynted vs this place, that is, this worlde to trauayle in, to the intēt that so oft as we do fall from the: in this place we should lament, mourne, and wepe for our offences, not doubting but thou through the merites of thy sonne Christ, wilt mercifully receyue vs agayne into thy fauour, & geue the blessyng of thy grace, whereby we shall haue a good wyl and disposition to ascende vp to the.Etenim benedictiones dabit legis lator. And encrease of strēgth to cleaue fast vnto the.Ibunt de fortitudine in fortitudinen. The vn­godlye fal from the, descendyng douneward frome one vice to another: but thi faithful elect increace dayly in goodnes. And of the, Lord, cōmeth al our power & strength to do good, & of thy sonne Chryst Iesus our maister, our teacher & gouernour,Luke. vi who promised that if we wepe and mourne here in this vale of myserye for our synnes:Psalme .cxxvi. we shall here after laugh and be ioyful in eternal glori. If we do sowe with heuines, we shall reape with gladnes. If we perceauer good & strōg champions here in battel: we shal for our reward, behold thi glorious face in Sion that heauenly mansion,Videbitur deus deorū in Sion. we shall se the face of thy sonne Chryst, who is thy wysedome and thy power, whych whoso seeth, enioyeth all ioyes and pleasures. To se that delectable syght,i Corhin. i. oure hertes do much desyre of the that art the Lord of hostes.Domine deus virtutū exaudi orationem meā, auribus petelye deus Iacob. For thys we make humble peticion to the that art [Page] the God of Iacob,Genes. xxxii who wrestled with thyne angell and preuayled, whose name thou diddest chaūge & diddest call hym Israel (that is) the fear or beholder of God. Euē so make me of Iacob, that is, of a strōg and good wrestler against al myne enemies in this worlde, to become Israel, that is, that I may after this lyfe se thyne incomprehensible deitie Lorde of Lordes in Sion, to the full contentation bothe of my soule and body. We are much vnworthy to ob­tayne any thyng of the, consideryng our vnkynd­nes shewed to the, and our wretched estate wher­in we remayne.Protector noster aspi­ [...]e deus. Neuertheles, Lord, we pray the to be our defēce and protectiō through thy grace, not for our merites, but for the merites of thy most en­tierly beloued sonne Chryst thyne only annoynted aboue all other with the oyle of ioye and gladnes.Collos. i. He is our head, we are the mēbres of hys body. He dwelleth in his faythful, and thei in hym. Who so receiueth any of hys electe:Mathe. [...]. receiueth him. He was incarnate for vs, suffered death for vs, bare all our iniquities on his backe, and arose agayne for oure iustification. Wherefore Lord, we doubte not but thou through the infusion of thy grace:Respite in faciè Chri­sti tui. Roma. v. wylt looke vpon hym in vs (that is) to shewe vs mercy for his sake. So that where aboūdance of synne hath bene there may nowe reigne more plentifulnes of grace through hym, that all the workes of darkenes be­ing throwne away: and all vanities of this worlde beyng cast behynd our backes: we maye enter into the court of thy bryght heauenly Ierusalem,Quia melior est dies vna in atriis tuis su­per milia. wher one dayes abydyng is better then a thousand dai­es being in this world. For here is continual trou­ble [Page] and disquietnes, there is perpetual rest and trā quillitie, yet many there be, whō the being still here in this world, woulde wel content and satisfie, and all for lacke of fayth. Thei thinke, of this life they haue knowledge and experience, so haue they not of the other. They are loth to lose a thyng certayn for a thyng vncertayne. But thy faythfull knowe through fayth, that whē in this world the day pas­seth sone away, and then commeth the nyghte and darknes accordyng to the reuolution of tyme:Apoca. xxi. in thi celestial citie is continual day and neuer night All is, there, but one day, a day eternal, a lyghte e­uerlastyng. The absence of the sunne in this prea­sent world: causeth the night. But in thy citie: thy sonne Chryst, whiche is the sonne of iustice, is euer continually present, causyng there one continuall day, whych day encludeth many thousande yeres. Yea, it endureth for euer, sence tyme there hath no place, for as thou wast without begynnyng before tyme: so shalt thou Lord,Titus i be without endyng after tyme, regning with thy chosen and blessed spirites in ioye euerlastyng in thy noble palace ful of blysse and of al coūfort. In which house,Elegi ad limen sede [...] in domo dei mei, mag [...] (quam) habitare in tabernaculis impietatis. Mathe. xi. I had rather be a dore keper then to dwell in the tentes of the vn­godly. Thy holy seruaunt Ihon the Baptist by the testimony of thy sonne Chryst, was the greatest & most perfect man that was vpon the earth. Neuer theles, the lest in the kyngdome of heauen, whiche was angel: was greater thē he.Exod. ii. Moyses was brou­ght vp by the daughter of Pharao, and reputed as her sonne, where he myghte in great wealth haue continued if he had would. But whē he was great [Page] through fayth, he refused to be called her sōne, and chose rather to suffer aduersitie with the people of God, [...]breos xi then to enioy the pleasures of synne for a sea­son, and al for that he had respect to the reward to come in thy heauenly house. All honour, al pleasu­res and all thynges in this world are mouable and transitory as are tentes & tabernacles. The ioyes there are stedfast and perdurable, and geuen of thy goodnes, [...]athe. v. [...]uia misericordiam & [...]ritatem deligit deus, [...]tiam et gloriam da­dominus. Non pri­bit bonis eos qui [...]bulāt in perfectione tu [...]i [...] [...]athew. i [...] to those that are meke and humble in spi­rit. Thou dost graunt to thy faythfull (mercifull Lord) of thy great goodnes: both grace and glorye, so that no good thing shalbe witholden from them that lyue a godly lyfe. Thou fyrst shewest thy mer­cy and geuest grace calling sinners to repentaunce as thou diddest call Paull from persequution, and Mathew from the receiuyng of custome. Then, of thy verite & iustice: thou geuest to those that thou hast called: the reward of immortalitie, whyche re­ward or crowne of glorye:Timo. vi. thy sayed Apostle Paull claymed as a dutie after hys battayle. Thou arte therin dettour to al iust people of thy promyse, not of theyr deseruinges. Thou, of thi mere beneuolēce hast promysed a crowne of incorruptible glory, [...]eter. v. [...]o. ii. to those that loue the and serue the, which thou canst not but perfourme, because thou canst not be but true, thou hast euer shewed mercy to manye that were sinners. Wylt thou thē forsake and be found vntrue to those that are thy seruauntes? Where­fore most myghtifull Lorde of hostes, [...]omine deus virtutū [...]atus homo qui spe­ [...]t tu te. thy faythfull dout not but thou wilt euer assist them, guyde thē and blesse thē, that put their whole and sure trust in the, who art the liuyng God, and geuest aboun­dauntly [Page] to them all thynges necessary in thys present life, and afterward fruition of thi Godhed in heauen eternally.

¶ The prophet, despising the vanities of this transito­rie and short lyfe:The .lxxxx. Psalme. Domine refugium fa [...] tus es nobis. desyreth the mercifull fauoure of Christ. Wherby all faythfull people maye be dire­cted through the hight of his grace in al their actes

O Most benyng Lorde and sauiour Ie­su Chryst, that arte the very naturall sonne of thy myghtie heauēly father, God of God, and lyght of lyght, God, that art without begynnyng a Lord from euerlastynge, before the mountaynes were brought furthe, or euer the earthe and the worlde were made,Domine refugium fa [...] tus es nobis a generatione in generatione [...] Prius (quam) montes fierè aut formaretur terre orbis, a seculo & vsqu [...] in seculum tu es deus Philip. ii whose kingdome likwise shal endure worlde without ende, thou Lorde, I saye, that art equal with thy father in power and glory, dy­dest not disdayne to become man amonge men, to the intent thou wouldest by sufferynge paynfull passion: be the refuge of mankynd from one gene­ration to an other. The yonge chickens, when the kyte striketh at them: haue none other refuge but to runne flickeryng vnder the winges of the Hen for socour. No more hath mankynd anye other de­fence agaynst his rauenyng enemyes, but onely ye coueryng of thy grace,Psalme .lxi. and shaddowe of thy sayde passion, whiche is vnto him as a strong toure and a sure sheld of defence agaynst al inuasions.Philip. iii. This grace merciful Lord, we humbly besech the to send vs, that by tourning thi fauourable countenance toward vs: we may knowe our owne infirmities, and leauing al pleasure in vyle temporal thinges [Page] we may turne to the that art our sauiour and re­demer, [...]acha. i. our God and our brother. Make vs, Lorde to knowe in what myserye, what trouble, and in howe manie kindes of displeasure we leade our li­ues here continually vnto the tyme that age or sicknes come vpon vs,Deduces hominem vs­que ad contricionem, [...]unc dices, reuertimmi filii Adam. at which tyme thou wylte call vs, saiyng: ye children of Adā returne ye now againe into the earth from whence ye came. This is the debte dewe vnto nature.Iob .xiiii. Of earth we were made, in ye earth we trauayl, of the earth we liue, and into the earthe we must returne, and that or euer it be long. For the daies of man are but short He that lyuede the longest lyfe of all men in thys world: was Mathusalem. Who liued .ix. hundred lxv. yeres. But what is a .M. yeares compared to eternitie?Quia mille anni in o­culis tuis, tan (quam) dies hesterna que pertran­siit. For soth as yesterday that is past, no ty­me can be called great, that shal once haue an end It is but short in comparison and ought to be re­garded but as tyme that is past.Et vigilia nocturna. The lyfe of man, may be likned to a nyght watch, or to the .iiii. part of the nyght, accordyng to the deuision of men of warre in the olde tyme. Who deuiding the nyght in .iiii. partes: appointed to euery part .iii. houres Whyche houres being past: the watchmen of that watch toke theyr rest, and newe watchmen came in their places, duryng other .iii. houres, & so pas­sed thei furth the night by quarters. So that frō one to an other: the tyme passede awaye shortlye. Thus fareth it by the lyfe of mā, whose fyrst part passeth away in chyldhod, the second in youth, the iii. in manhod. The .iiii. watch begynneth in age, and vanisheth away, lyke the smoke that passeth [Page] out of a chimnei. Al these watches are in ye night that is, in death. For assone as men begin to lyue: they begyn to dye. Assone as thy pleasure is Lord to skatter them:Percutiente te eos vt somnium erunt they are euen as a slepe that pas­set away and is not felt.Mane quasi herba per tran [...]iens mane floruit et abiit, ad vesperum conteretur at (que) siccabitur. They fade away sodenly like the grasse which in the morning is grene and groweth, but in the euenyng it is cut doune and withered. In youth we are pleasant and lusti: and spryng vp grene as doth all corne. But when her­uest season commeth: it rypeth,Esay .xviii. withereth and is felled. When age commeth the body of man drieth away, the naturall moysture beyng cōsumed and spent, thē age and death, ouerthrowe all sortes of people, other to ioye or to payne euerlasting. This remembred: Who can take any coūfort? Who can be mery that remembreth the last ende? Death is terrible, neuertheles many haue dyed without a­ni great feare therof, but after death is a more terrible ende to the vngodly, whiche is euerlastynge dampnation.Consumpti enim su­mus in furore tuo, et indignatione tua con­turbati sumus. Posuisti iniquitates nostras coram te, ne­gligentias nostras in lumine uultus tui. Iob .xi. This is the sentence geuen by the heauenlye father for the punyshement of synne. Wherfore the feare of thy displeasure and wrath­full indignation maketh vs to cōsume away. We passe away our tyme in continual feare, knowing that thou settest our misdeds before the, and our secret synnes, which we thought should neuer be knowne: are manyfest in the syght of thy counte­naunce. Thou dost well consider them with thine eye of indignation and punyshment, to put away the memory of the wicked from this lyfe by death corporal and from the land of the liuing: by death spiritual. For when thou art angry: al our daies [Page] are gone. We bryng our yeres to ende, assone as a tale is tolde,Psalme .xxxiiii. Omnes dies nostri trā [...]eruni in furore tuo [...]on [...]umpsimus annos [...]ostros quasi sermonē [...]quens. whych delighteth for the whyle it is in tellyng, but it is sone at ende, and sone forgottē of most of the hearers. The spyder laboureth alōg season to spynne hym a copwebe, he weueth hys thredes in good ordre, all the day long with great busines, [...]nni nostri sicut ara: [...]ea meditabūtur and al to lytle purpose, for a blast of wind or a thyng of smale weight: defaceth all hys long worke. Euen so fareth it by the busy worldly peo­ple. Thei labour for goodes, for honour and dignitie, for landes to leaue to theyr successiō to endure for euer, and for prayse of the world. But when al is done, it is but a spiders webbe, gotten with la­bour and kept to smale effect, for or it be long al is taken awaye, other by some vnhappy chaunce, or elles by death. Whych infallibly approcheth, and vnmercifully striketh,Dies annoram nostro um in ipsis spetuagin [...] annis. Si autem multum oc­ [...]oginta anni, et ꝙ am­ [...]lius: labor est et dolor [...]uoniam transiuimus ito et auolauimus. fewe men there are in thys our tyme, which liue to se .lxx. yeares, But if tho­rough the strength of theyr nature they attayne to .ixxx. yeres: (which is a very rare thyng sene.) Yet lyue thei then all in payne and sorow, and ta­ry but a short space after. For as the bird clippeth her wynges and flieth away when she espyeth an hauke commyng a farre of: so doth the aged at the appearing of death. These punishmentes by short lyfe in these latter dayes of our tyme, whych lyue far vnder the age of men that liued in the begyn­nyng of the worlde, & also of our myseries during the sayde shorte lyfe, and last of all of death, of thy wrath and of paynes eternal: are for that our sin­nes he more greuous then were the sinnes of men in the old time.Mathew .xxiiii. Charite is more colde, iniquitie is [Page] more aboundaunce,Quis nouit fortitis nem ire suer whych causeth thy wrathfull indignatiō to be more fierse in punishmēt. Thou hast strycken vs to cause vs to knowe oure selues, but we haue not repented, for in stead thereof we haue murmured, and bene impatient.Hebreos .v. Thou hast beaten vs and we haue refused to receiue disciplin We haue nothyng done our dutie vnto thy maie­stie, as we ought to haue done.Et secundum timore tuum indignationē [...] am. Whereby we haue stirred vp thi mightie displesure against vs, which we can by no meanes asswage, but by submyttyng of our selfes wholy vnto thi great mercy and goodnes. For who is able to stand with the in iudgemēt Or can for feare,Hiere. ii numbre or expresse the execution of thy displeasure agaynst synne? Lyke as no eye hath sene, no eare hath hard, nor hert can imagine the ioyes prepared for thyne elect: no more can any tong expresse or mynde, thynke, the number of the greuous turmentes whyche are ordayned for the wycked synners after this lyfe.Iob .xxxi. The wrath of God is to be feared, as are the swellyng and raging wa­ues of the sea, whyche cannot be noumbred.Psalm .cxxx. The weightie burden which he maye lay vpon vs, if he wyl charge vs accordyng to our actes:Vt numerētur dies n [...] stri sic ostende et ven [...] emus corde sapienti. no man can sustayne. Wherefore teach vs, mercifull Chryst to noumber our daies, that we may apply our hertes vnto wisedome, Geue vs grace to haue in remem­braunce, the short dayes of our lyfe, wyth the daū ­gerous passage of our time in this world, So that hauynge no trust or affiaunce in the vncerteintie thereof: we may wholy apply our selues to the contēplation of heauenly wysedome,i. Cori. i. yt we may cōsidre ernestly thy goodnes shewed vnto vs, who art the [Page] powre and the wysedome of God thy father, and as by thy punishynge of vs for oure synnes, [...]nuertere domine vs quo et d [...]precabilis e­ [...] super seruos tuos it semed thou didest turne thy face from vs. So beholdyng our hertie repentaunce for our offences: we besech the to turne the mercifully and louyngly vnto vs be gratious to vs that are thy seruauntes. For al­though we fall oftymes from the through the frail­tie of our nature: yet we forsake not the vtterlye, but returne to the, as the wastful sonne returned to his father after long absence, [...]uke .xv. and was receiued and much made of at his returne. We are thy ser­uauntes redy by thy grace to serue the. [...]hreno. iii. Here ther­fore our humble prayer, and as thou wilt not here the prayers of synners that continue in synne and prouoke the to anger: so to vs who are returned to the by penitence: shew thy mercy and thy grace, & let thyne anger asswage.Exod. xxxii. Imple nos matutina [...]isericordia tua. Oh satisfie vs wyth thy mercy & that early in the mornyng, that is, righte sone and shortly. In the nyght of the olde law the wrath of thy father reigned vpon men, by reason of hys sentence geuen vpon mankynde for his ino­bedience.ii. Peter. i But when thou Lord, diddest arise after thy passion, then arose also mercy and grace. Then the day appered, and Lucifer that bright morning sterre began to shyne in the hertes of men. With this mornynges mercy, satisfie my soule gratious Lord.ii. Corhin. v. For which all thy faythful, sore hungre and thryst so long as they abyde in thys lyfe. But thei shalbe perfectly and fully satisfied when thy glory shalbe manyfested vnto them in thy heauenly ha­bitation.Psalmo .lxvi. Laudabimus et letabi­mur cuntis diabus no­stris. Then shall we reioyce and be glad all the dayes of our lyfe. The daies of this worlde passe a­way [Page] lyke a shadow. But all our dayes in that glo­rious life are but one day of eternitie. In those daies the sūne neuer setteth, night neuer approcheth, but al is bright day wtout end. With yt ioyful day cōfort vs again good lord,Letifica nos pro die [...] quibus affliristi nos, pro annis in quibus dimus mala. in recōpēce of the yeres wherin we haue suffred much auersitie & endured the manifold plages which yu hast sēt vs. As after many dangrous passages & great aduersitie, thou broughtest at the last, thy people Israell into the pleasaunt land of Chanaan, let thy noble worke of our redēption appeare to vs and take effect in vs thy faythful seruauntes,Appereat seruis tu opus tuū, et gloria ti super filios eorum. and suffre not the beni­fit of our reconsiliation to be hid from our chyldrē and our posteritie, but that they may know it and enioy it to the obteining of thyne euerlasting glo­ry. Cause the bryght maiestie of the, Lorde God:Et sit splendor domi, dei nostri super nos. to be vpon vs, that is, let thy grace shyne vpon vs, let it be euer assistent vnto vs most merciful Iesu, which art the bright light of God thy father.Et opus manuum i [...] stratum dirige super nos, et opus manuu nostrarum confir [...] Thē shall we be sure, that what worke soeuer we take in hande: it shal surely prosper. Our intentes shal be so directed, yt nothyng shalbe done for vain glori nor for any temporal reward, but al for the loue of the principally, & then to the profit of our neigh­bour for thy sake, lord, to whō be honoure & glorye with ye father & the holy gost: world without ende.

¶ The prophet Dauid beholdynge the fall of Adam, beynge for synne caste oute of Paradise,The .Cii. Psalme. and his so­rowfull penaunce made after to God therfore: set forth this psalme of penaunce, in the person of Adā mete to be sayd by all his posteritie, that are peni­tent inwardly for theyr offences to his hyghnes cō mitted, and desyre to be restored to the fauoure of God, whych through synne they haue lost.

O moste blessed father of heauen, ye foū ­tayne of al grace and goodnes,Ephes. ii. [...]mans .x. that art rych in mercie and plentifull in geueyng the same to al yt faythfully cal vpon thy name, lorde, that haue­uyng a sonne no lesse rich in powre, wisdome, kno­ledge and mercy thē thou art thy selfe, didest not spare to sēd hym from thy heauēly palaice downe to the earth euē into the wombe of a virgin for ye saluacion of mankynd, to declare thyne aboūdaūt loue towardes vs: yu didest make him pore whiche before was riche,Corin. viii. to the intent yt we whyche before were very poore: should by hys pouertie, be made ryche, that he who before was all one wyth the in thi diuine substāce: might now be made one with vs that are membres of the body wherof he is the head.Domine exaudi orati­ [...]nem meam et clamor deus ad te ueniat. Harkē good lord, & geue eare vnto my praier Let my cry and hertie peticion ascende vp before the sight of thy maiestie. The comyng of thy mer­cifull sōne did make me veri rich. But the vilenes of myne owne actes hath cast me downe and made me veri pore and miserable. The greatnes of mine offences hathe caused the to tourne awaie thi face from me, withdrawing thi grace whiche was the cause of al my good wyl & good workes. Thou cāst fynde no good thing in me worthy of thy fauour. Wherfore, Lorde, beholde the face of Christe thy dearly beloued sonne my brother & my mediatour For his sake, geue me that, which of my selfe I am much vnworthi to obteine of the.Ne abscondas faciem tuam a me. In die tribulationis mee inclina ad me aurè [...]uam. Shewe thy de­lectable coūtenaunce vnto me. Loke on me wt thy pitiful eie. And in the time of my trouble, encline [Page] thyne eare to me. I am neuer withoute trouble. Myne olde enimies daylye assaulte and ver me. Wherefore I wyll not cease daylye to call vppon the. But specially at the hour of my death, Lord, heare me and defend me, at whych tyme, my sayd enimies wyll most busilye inuade me.Roman. ii. Indigna­cion, wrath, tribulacion and anguishe shall then come vpon the soule of euery man that doth euyl. Before that troublous tyme, lord, heare me. But wyth which of thine eares? With the eare of thy iustice? No I besech the. For that eare must hear myne accusers to my condemnation. My prayer must be hard by thyne ear of mercy, from whense cōmeth forgeuenes to those that are gilty, so that penitence folowe the iniquitie. Wyth this eare,Inquacum (que) die inno­cauero te: uelociter ex­audi me. Isaye, heare me when I call vnto the, and that with spede, So that accordynge to the greatnes and multitude of my tribulations: maye be the spedye receiuing of my peticion. Which shal not be to craue of the aboundaūce of earthlye goodes aboue that honest necessitie dooth require. But the abundaunce of thy grace in this lyfe, and for thy glorye euerlastinge in another life. This hast thou, of thy mere liberalitie promised to graunt to all that in stedfast fayth, call vppon the.Iaco. i, This hastie callyng vpon the, doste thou delite in,Esaye .lviii. and (as thy prophet Esay sayth) thou art as redye to answere me, as I am redy to cal vnto the. Wherfore make spede in hearynge, as I am dryuen by necessitye to be hastye in callynge, considering the short tyme of myne abidyng in thys worlde.

Thou diddest indue man in his creation with im­mortalitie, [Page] but synne brought in death to al that bere lyfe,Consumpti sunt sicut fuin [...]dies mei. so that my dayes are consumed awaye lyke smoke. Age ouertaketh youth before I am aware of him, youth stealeth from me preuely as the smoke doth vanysh away after it is once out of the chymney. Yea, many tymes before age cō ­meth, death priuely woundeth, keaping none or­der in his arresting, but al according to the time onely to ye before knowne.Iob .ix. Thus my time passeth away more swyftly then a runner, or then a ship that is good vnder sayle, and as an Egle that hasteth to get his pray. For this cause I haue more neade of thy spedi helpe. Also my bones are brent vp as it were a fyre brand,Ossa mea quasi frira contabuerunt or as meat ouer dried that sticketh to the friyng panne. As my bones do sustayne or vpholde the flesh of my body: so do the powres of the soule, susteine the soule. Which beyng moysted and mayntained by the fat moy­sture of thy grace: are liuelye and quicke, able to work acceptably. But thy grace being once with drawne: all remayneth drye burned to the panne Thei haue no powre of them selues to worke any good worke, or to thynke any good thought. And if that whiche is of most force in me, be of so small force & efficasie: Alas, in what case then is the corrupt flesh, bred naturally in concupiscēce? What goodnes cā we loke to fynd therin of it selfe, more then we would loke for a throne to brynge furthe pleasaunt apples?Percussus sum quasi tenum et arefactum est cor meum. Ful well may mankynd be like ned to grasse. For so lōg as he through thy grace, worketh the workes of iustice: so long is he grene, florishing and liuely. But so sone as sinne (which [Page] is the sythe or sickle of our enemy the deuyl) doth cut of the grasse by the roote, causyng man to fall from the obedience dewe vnto thy maiestie, and from thy lawes: he thē waxeth dry withered and with euery temptation falleth from vice to vice, and becommeth very barrē of good workes. The cause is, for yt whē mā leauith the foūdatiō which should be his norishyng, his strength and his life he must nedes consume, wast and dry,Quia oblitus sum cō ­medere panem meum. I haue left thy holy word and commaundemētes which are as bread to the soule geuing nutriture and moy­sture by fayth and charite, and haue eaten of the fruit of the tree which thou forbadest me. I haue with our father Adam folowed the illusion of the serpent and tasted of sinne. Wherfore my leaues wyther, my fruyt is destroied,Ecclesi. vi. and I am left as a dry and a barrē tre without any goodnes. Wherfore I left the liuely food of thi holy word that se­med bitter at the first tast and in steade therof re­ceiued swete poysen (that is) death of both bodye and soule, throughe the desolation of synne. The voyce of thy terrible sentence geuen to all man­kynd for his transgression: caused me to lament, mourne and to grone, for feare therof, so that my bones wyll scarse cleaue to my flesh.A voce gemitꝰ met uix ossibꝰ heret pellis mea Thy disple­sure defaceth al my strength, and al my powre. I haue no comfort nor ioy of any thing that I was wont to haue comfort of. But lyke the Pellicane I draw me to solitary places,Similis factus sum pellicano solitudinis. bewayling the euyl which I haue done against thi highnes. The Pel­licane (as some reporte) kylleth her owne byrdes, For which vnnatural act: she mourneth .iii. dai­es [Page] after, & then with her beke, plucketh away the flesh of her owne brest tyl it blede, whych bloude she letteth droppe vpon her dead birdes. With ye heat wherof: they reuiue agayn. Thus do I lord wyth my birdes, that is with the good workes, whych (by thy grace) I haue brought furthe, my synne afterward commytted, hath caused theim to be dead and of no valure. But yet by penitēce and humble praier for thi grace: which commeth of grace: the sayed dead workes are quickened a­gayne & receiue their pristine force.Job. iii This thinge to bring better to passe: I, learnyng of the Pelli­cane do a voyd the companye of worldlye people, which should draw me backe from my good pur­pose. I banysh also from myn hert or mynd: all delightes, all pleasures, & the troble also of worldly busines, desyryng quietnes in body and mynde. Our fyrst father Adam was a Pellicā, toutching some part of that birdes properties. For through his dissobedience, he slewe all his birdes (that is) all vs that came of his progenie, in whiche death we had still remained, had not one other gentle, louyng, and natural Pellicane, thy blessed sonne Iesus Chryst, shed hys bloud for our viuication wherby he hath restored vs to thi fauour, & mer­cy through the sacramēte of baptisme & through the hertie repentaunce, and quickned vs agayne who were before: dead in synne. He sleyth and cā rayse agayne.Deute. xxxii. He striketh and after healeth, as he dyd Paul in his persecution. Howe much there­fore are we bound to his grace yt without any of our deseruynges, willingly offred hym self to the [Page] death for our redemptiō, and to thi maiestie also. Who diddest not spare thyne onelye begotten sonne, but of thy pure pitie sendest him doune to suffre all opprobry and vile death on the crosse for our sakes. Wherfor, I am much ashamed to hold vp myne eyes to heauen towarde thy hyghnes, beyng so vnkynd to the agayne so many wayes. Shame causeth me to withdrawe me from al cō pany, as doth the nyght crow or the shricke oule,Factus sum quasi [...]u­bo solitudinum. to olde for letten houses, sekyng my food out of al lyght and sight of men. And if I could, I would also hyde me from the as dyd Adam when he had trespased against ye in paradise.Genes .iii. I loued the wor­kes of darkenes & therfore I fled frō the lyght of the bryghte sonne of iustice. For this cause do I sygh, sorowe and bewayle my wretchednes. So that I can take no slepe in the nyght.Vigilaui & factus sum sicut passet solitarius ie tecto. Tota die exprobrabāt mihi intenici mei. Et qui laudabant me: aduersum me iurabāt I mourne as doth the sparrow that sitteth alone vnder the eues of the house wantyng her comforte. And to augment my griefe: myne enemyes reuile me al the day long with open rebukes and slanders. Agayn, my fayned fryndes laugh me to scorne and are sworne together against me. Many geue me fayre wordes, and yet intend my distruction. As dyd the Pharises and the Herodians to thy bles­sed sonne Christ,Mathew .xxiiii. when they sayed vnto him they knewe hym to be true and to teache the waye of God truly. Wherfore thei wold know his mynd whether it were lauful to pay tribute vnto Ceasar. Thei praised hym first but that was to trap hym in his answer by the liberal shewyng of his mynde. Such false fained frendes are more dan­gerous [Page] and also more odible then open enemyes.Esai. iii. But both these sortes are a plage sente vnto me for mine iniquities. I am neuer quiet but in cō ­tinual feare.Quia cinete tan (quam) pa­lem māducabam. I eate ashes with my bread, that is I consider that I was made of yearth and there vnto, I shall returne. In the bitternes of suche thoughtes I eate my breade, and I myngle my drynke with the teares that fall from myne eyes and all because I perceiue the to be angry wyth me.Et potum meum cum [...]leru miscebam. Knowyng that at the tyme of thy commyng to the dredful general iudgemente: the storme of thyne indignation shall go furthe and shall fall doune vpō the heades of the vngodly.A facie ite indignacio­nis tue. Iermie. xxiii. Quia eleuasti me et elisisti me. Thou hast lyfted me vp of a great hyght in that thou ma­dest me lyke vnto thyn image toutching my rea­sonable soule, & hast geuen me power by thi grace to inherit the euerlastyng ioyes of heauen bothe body and soule, if I did liue here after thy com­maundementes. What greater gyft canst thou gyue me Lorde, then to haue the fruition of the that art al in all thynges? Howe canst thou lyfte me hygher then to eternall beatitude? But then alas,Sapien. ix. thou hast letten me fall doune agayne. For thou hast ioyned my noble soule with an earthli, heauye, and a frayle bodye: the weight and bur­den wherof: draweth doune my mynde and hert from the consideration of thi goodnes, and from wel doyng, vnto al kindes of vices and to the re­gardyng of temporall thynges accordyng to his nature. The earthly mansion kepeth downe the vnderstandyng.Iob .xxx. Thus settyng me vp as it were aboue the wynd: thou hast geuē me a very great [Page] fal. I am in creation, aboue al other kind of earthly creatures, and almost equal with angels. But beyng in this estate: thou hast knyt a knot there to, that for breakyng the lest of thy commaunde­mentes: I shal suffre dampnatiō. So that with out thi continual mercye and helpe: I am in far worse case herein then any brute brast, whose life or soule dieth with ye body. And what is the time of the abydyng of mankynde in this worlde? Of truthe but shorte. All though we haue not the grace earnestly to thinke theron. My daies passe awaye lyke a shaddowe, and I am withered like grasse. Graūt me therfore, Lorde,Dies mei sicut vmbra declinauerunt, et ego sicut fenum atui. that in the sha­dowe of this lyfe, I may haue grace to se light (I meane) to haue knowledge of the, of thy wayes, and of thy holy worde.Psalm .C.xviii. Which geueth light & vnderstandyng vnto babes. For after this lyfe, ther is no place nor tyme left of repentaūce, and sence my tyme is here but shorte: continue thy grace, lord, toward me, who endurest past al tyme, that is for euer and euer & thy remembraūce through al generatiōs?Tu autem domine in [...] ternum permanes et memoriale tuum in ge­neratione & generatio­nem. Thou ye art eternal must saue me yt am but temporal. But what is thy remēbraūce through al generations? It is nothinge els but thy natural propertie to be merciful, which yu hast euer put in execution in all tymes from one ge­neratiō to another. Thou art more ernest in the remembraūce therof: then is the natural louyng mother of her owne natural chylde, borne of her body, as recordeth thy prophet Esay.Esay. xlix Tu exurgens domine miseteberis Sion Aryse ther­fore, merciful God, and haue mercy vpon Sion, that is thy church or faythful congregation, for [Page] it is tyme to haue mercy vpon her, yea, the tyme is come,Quia tempus miseren di eius quoniam venit tempus. she hath long suffered payne and perse­cution. Nowe geue her ioye and consolatiō. But what is this tyme? was there euer anye tyme in whych thou diddest not shewe mercy to thy ser­uauntes? no truely. For from the fall of angelles vnto the ende of the world, thy mercy hath euer bene and shalbe abundaunt to al mankind. But chiefly it was shewed, when thy holy sonne was sent into this world to suffre death and thereby to enter the glory of his father. Wherby the ga­tes of heauen wer opened, which before were fast shut, that no man myght entre. This tyme was the begynnynge of grace and called the tyme of grace, and was certenly appoynted when the fulnes of tyme was come,Galothas▪ iiii which was before sene by ye inscrutable wisdome of thi deitie, wherby thou dost al thynges in most perfect ordre. This tyme of grace we trust shal cōtinue euer to those, that are penitent, for the time of penitence requireth a tyme of mercy. Wherfore, we pray without seasing, vnto the to haue mercy on Sion, the faithfull congregation,Q [...]oniam placitos fe­cerūt serui tui lapides cius. which was made of liuely sto­nes gathered together both of the Iewes and al­so of the Gentiles. The faythful christians were derelye beloued of thy seruauntes the Apostles. Who buylded them vpon a sure rocke. Thy sōne Iesus Chryst was the foundatiō. Thei buylded not vpon mā, nether yet vpon angel. These faire stones were hewed square and set by their prea­ching, and were alowed and acceptable not onely to them, but also to the, Lorde. For thy Prophete [Page] zachary witnesseth of the that thou wylte haue the stones of thy Sanctuary set vp in thy lande and wylt deliuer thē in ye stormy day of thy iud­gement,zachari. ix. as the flocke of thy people whych shalbe prosperous and goodlye. But the earth or ye dust of Siō, that is, the wicked worldly sort of people that haue receiued the name of thy sonne onely.Et puluerem eius nu­scrabil [...]m. yet in liuyng are the chyldrē of Pharao (that is) of the Deuyl, to whom they haue builded a tem­ple: such shall by the preachyng of thy seruauntes not be amended, but shall remayne more wi­cked and myserable, they sauour onely of the erth wherof thy come, & as dust, shalbe blowne away from the face of the and thy blessed sonne at the general iudgement. But as the Heathen, Lord, and all the rulers of the earth shall tremble for feare of thy name and the iustice of thy maiestie in iudgemēt:Ettimebūt gentes no­men tuum domine, et omnes rages terre glo­riam tuam. i Corh. iii. so shal Sion thy faythful church or congregation buyilded by thy seruauntes in the name of the and thy sonne Chryst: be glad & ioyful, for to them thou shalt appere in thy glo­ry. Thi noble sonne shal then shewe him selfe,Quia edificauit domi­nus Sion et videbitur in gloria sua. Esai .xxxiii. Esaie. liii. to them as a king of power to their great reioysing He came fyrst into this world poore and dispised hauyng no beautie in hym. Then shal he appere glorious and triumphing. Wherfor, most louing father:Resperit in orationem humilium et non spre­uit precem eorum. tourne the vnto the praier of vs that are pore and destitute of any helpe, but only through thy mercy, dispise not I beseche the our humble desyre. Beholde our peticions with thy merciful eyes,Gen. iiii wherwyth thou beheldest the oblasion of A­bell, and diddest receiue it thankfully, and where [Page] with thou beheldest the prayer of the Israelites, beyng in bytter bondage in Egypte and diddest deliuer them. Also with whiche thou sawest the prayer of Iudith to the destruction of Holofer­nes and to the sauegarde of thy people.Iudi vi.

With those same mercifull eyes vouchsafe to loke vpon vs, and our praiers, wherby the noble fame and prayse of thi mercies shalbe written for those that come after,Seribatur hoc in generatione altera, et populus qui c [...]cabitur: lau­dabit dominum. that the people which shal be borne in fayth by Baptisme & penaunce: may prayse the, Lord, and thy holy name, sence more honour it is to the to saue those that are in bon­dage of synnne and in death through thy mercye takyng theyr hertie penytence in satisfaction of theyr offences, then vtterly to leaue theim desti­tute of thy grace and straghtly to condemne thē This mercy is annexed to thy deuyne nature, it is also thi wonted custome,Quia resperit de ercelso sanctuario suo, do­minus de eclo terram contemplatus est. Vt audiret gemitus compeditorum et solue ret filios mortis. Hebreos .ii. for when al mankind was lost and deade in synne: Then diddest thou, sittyng in thy celestiall throne, looke doune to the earth vpon our miserable estate, thē diddest thou heare ye mournyng of such as were in captiuitie & thraldome of the Deuyl, & sendest doune thine only begotten sonne, that by his death he might deliuer frō death such as worthely were the chil­drē of death.i. Corhin. xv He therby put doune him that had the lordshyp ouer death (that is) the Deuyl. For death was cōsumed into victory. His venemous styng which was sinne: was plucked awaye. All this diddest thou Lord, to geue occasion to al mē to haue remembraunce of the,Vt narretur in Sion nomen domini et lau­datio eius in Hierusa­lem. & thy great good­nes, and to declare the glory of thy name in Si­on, [Page] and to set furth thy praise in Ierusalē. That is, in thy church whē the people are gathered to gether in the vnitie of one faith & the kingdomes also to serue the Lord,Cum congregati fue­rint populi et regna vt seruiant domino. with one accord that arte one in substaunce & .iii. in persons, geuing than­kes to the and thy blessed sonne for the benefite of our redemptiō. Thou hast oftimes called the fyrst earthly Ierusalē and her chyldren to know the as their Lord and creatour,Mathe. xxiii and thi sonne as their redemer, and that with a great louyng af­fectiō as the henne calleth her chickens to crepe vnder her winges, but she refused the. She wold not answer vnto thy call, She folowed straung Gods. She did not work accordyng to thy law­es. But thy second Ierusalem thy holy churche our mother, gathered of thy faythfull beleuers: doth answer, Lorde, vnto thy call.Respondit ei. Thou sendest the dewes of thy grace vppon vs, and we brynge furth the fruit of good workes to thyne honour and the helpe of our neighbours. But whereby els, Lord,In via fortitudinis sue. but in ye power & strength of thy grace not of our owne power, nether for any our me­rites, but frely of thy gyft. We kept thy lawes through thy myght, not of our infirmitie, which of it selfe, is strōg to nothing but to sinne.Paucitatem dierum meorum nuncia mihi. This thy churche desireth to knowe howe long it shal abyde here in this worlde sufferynge greate tri­bulation and temporal afflictions, by antichrist and his complices the enemyes of thy fayth. To whom thou hast made answere by the mouth of thy blessed sonne, that thy power and his assi­stēce shalbe with her vnto the ende of the world [Page] but she and her chyldren beynge desirous wythe thine apostle Paul to be losed and to be with the and thy sōne Chryst,Philip. i knowyng surely that if this earthly mansion wherin they now dwel were de­stroyed: that thei haue a buyldyng ordayned of the for them,ii Corhi. v an habitacion not made with han­des, but eternall in heauen. They (I say) accōpte all the tyme frō Adam vnto the ende of the world to be a short tyme, as it is in dede, to be compared to eternitie. It is as a droppe of water is in com­parison of the sea.Ne reuoces me in dimi [...]io dierum incorum. The desyre of thy syght in this ioyful eternitie causeth al vs that are her childrē to desire the, to bryng vs to the ende of this short tyme, of the abyding in this world, & tyll yt houre to continue thy grace and louyng fauoure vnto vs, and not to leaue vs at any tyme in the mydle of our age. But bryng all our tyme by thy grati­ous assistaunce to an ende, that after oure shorte temporal dayes:In generatione et generationem anni tui. we may se thyne eternall yeres, which indure through all generations. Al tymes passe away quickly, but eternitie abideth for euer This must of reason be true, for eternitie is thi very substaunce which suffreth no mutabilitie but abydeth euer wythout alteration. Whiche sub­staunce whoso seketh to knowe: it is the same that it is.Exod. iii. Wherfore to Moyses desirynge (when thou sendest hym to the Israelites) to knowe thi name that he myght declare it vnto them: thou diddest answer hym that thou art euen the same whiche thou arte,Initio tu domine terrā fundasti & opera manuum tuarum sunt celi. & that is thy name. Thou wast before the erth was made. Thou, Lord, hast layd the foū dation thereof, and the heauens are the worke of [Page] thy handes, thy word made them, thy handes (that is) thi powre created thē,Ipsi peribunt .ii. Peter .iii. Luke .xxi. and al they shall perysh. The earth and al creatures here in this base region: shall at the last perishe by fyre. The heauens shall also peryshe not in substance, but in that they shall leaue theyr mocions and na­turall operations. For there shalbe no nede of the vse or seruyce of theim when the numbre of thyne elect shalbe fulfylled for whom they were made. The bodies also of thy reasonable creatu­res shall perish and shalbe raysed againe cleane of another sort, so that all thynges shall peryshe accordyng to thy godlye institution. The order and fashyon wherof: to vs is vnknowne. But thou, Lorde,Tu autem permanes et omnes quasi uesti­mentum, atterentur. shalte endure in thy glorye euerla­sting, almyghtie, eternall and omnipotent God, hauyng knowledg of all & power to doo al thyn­ges, they shall waxe olde and weare as dooth a garment. And as a vesture shalt thou chaunge them and they shalbe chaunged. As clothes are a garmēt to couer ye body:Et sicut pallium mu­tabis eos & mutabūtur so are the bodyes gar­mētes, to the soules. Thys garment of the body, wyl in short space, weare away & perish, & shalbe chaūged frō corporal to spiritual,i. Cori. xv frō mortalitie to immortalitie. But the soule being made lyke thine image touching the spiritual qualities of thē:Tu autem idem ipse es ei anni tui non deficient. shal remayne as mēbres of the & of thy sōne that is theyr head. That is to say, as thou lord art immortal and inuisible and abydest styl the same which thou wast in the beginnyng and as thy yeares shall not fayle but abyde eternall: so shall the soules of thyne elect enioye pleasaunt [Page] immortalitie. The soules of the wycked be also immortal, but in paine. Thy louers and seruaū ­tes shalbe immortall in ioye and felicitie. The risyng of thy sonne Iesus Chryst their heade, from death to lyfe euerlastyng: is an assured to­ken of their resurrection at the last daye to ioye euerlastyng.Filii scruotum tuorū habitabunt et semen e­orum ante faciem tuā permanebit. And the chyldren, of thy seruaun­tes shall continue and their sede shall prosper in thy syght. Thy seruauntes were the prophetes and the Apostles of thy sonne Chryst, of whom al that sence their time haue bene faithful: haue bene engendered throughe fayth by their holye preachyng, whyche chyldren with their fathers the Apostles abyde fast in the hope of thy promi­ses to receyue at the last: ioye euerlastynge, and why? truely for their sede (that is) theyr fayth­ful workes, are alowed of thy maiestie. The bar­ren tree is not alowed of the but the fruitfull. Ioseph the sonne and the good seede of Jacob, went before his father into Egipt,Denai. xiv to prepare for hym (by thy prouidence) all that should serue for the auauncemēt of hym and his succession. So Lord, we besech the sende vs thy grace, that we may so sowe the sede of our good workes in this worlde, that they may declare vs to be thy faithful seruauntes and that they maye be accepta­ble frut in thy sight, for that thei are planted in fayth, for whych thou hast prepared a place for vs in heauen where thou abidest styll as thou arte wyth thy blessed sonne and the holye spirit proceadyng from you both, in euerlastyng bea­titude, worlde wythout ende.

¶ The prophet exhorteth euerye faythfull person to geue prayses and thankes to Christ for the manifold benefites of hym receaued.The .Liii. Psalme

PRayse the Lorde, o my soule,Benedit anima mea dominum et omnia in teriora mea, nomen sanctum eius. and all that is within me, prayse his holye name. Enforce the wt al thi strength to deuyse and to set furth hys noble praises. Thou hast within the many goodly gyftes of nature and of grace, which geue the occasion neuer to cease from geuyng thankes and speakyng of prayses.Benedic anima mea dominum et noli oblinisci omnes retributiones eius Forget not these benifi­cial gyftes which he hath geuē the. For of forget­fulnes, commeth vntankfulnes, whyche vnkynd­nes maketh the not worthy to enioye that is fre­ly geuen the. Consider my soule, first the bare and miserable estate, wherein thou wast broughte by synne, Thou wast the enemy of God,Qui propiciatur omnibus iniquitatibus tui [...] the bondser­uaunt of the deuyl, and subiect to death euerla­styng. From these hath thy mercifull brother Ie­sus Chryst, beyng both God and man, deliuered ye, satisfiyng for thy synne through his vile death and paynfull passion. What more loue coulde he shew to the then to dye for the, wherby he driueth away thyne offences as the wynde doth the clou­des, and thy synnes as the mystes.Esaye. xliiii If thou set be­fore thyne eyes the multitude and abhomination of thine owne sinnes: then shalt thou also behold the benefites and the goodnes of thy redemer. E­uery synne hath death annexed as stipend,Rmans. vt. wher­fore, so oft as thou offēdest: remembre no lesse, but that so oft he geueth the a newe life, vpō thine hū ­ble and hertie penaunce. Gyue hym therefore the [Page] sacrifice of praises and glorifye him, for therin he deliteth, not for his profyte, but for thyne, not for that he is anye thynge thereby auaunced. But that doing thi dutie by faith thou mayst be made partaker of ioye euerlastyng with hym. Agayne, after that he hath forgeuen the thy synnes: yet remayne there in thy weke fleshe, many perturba­tions, manye redye inclinations to synne, and no powre to do good. Many perilles through violēt temptations and pleasaunt suggestions: yea, and many concupiscences, which drawe toward eter­nal death. But al these sores and infirmities, the good Samaritane Christ expelleth through the preparaciō of his grace and geueth health by the vertue of his passion with the medicine of Bap­tisme and penaunce.Et sanar omnes infir­mitates tuas. No soore is vncurable, but when thou refusest to shewe thy gryfe and to re­ceiue his salue. Sometyme thy festred olde sore requireth sharpe incision or a bytyng corsyfe, that is, thyne accustomed synne wyl not be refrayned, onles he violentlye scourge the wyth syckenesses, losse of goodes, losse of wyfe, chyldren, faythful seruauntes, or by many other tribulations and per­secutiōs, Yet (I say) refuse not hys hand though it seme heauye to the at the fyrst, for all is for thy health and welth. Thynk that if he loued not the he would not chasten the, but leaue the to syncke in thyne owne synne, to thyne vtter losse both of bodye and soule. But he hath saued thy lyfe from euerlasting destructiō.Hui redimit de interitu vitam tuam. Roman .iiii. He hath redemed the with his precious bloude. He dyed for thy synnes and rose agayn for thy iustification. Loue hym therefore [Page] my soule and magnifie him all the dayes of thy lyfe. Put thyne hole affiance in him and feare no violence of enemies. For although thei assault the: yet can they not vanquyshe the. For he that throughe his greate mercy and louyng kyndnes hath geuen the powre by hym to vanquish thine enemyes:Qui coronat te in mi­sericordia et miserati­onibus. wyl not fayle after thy fyght and victory to rewarde the with a crowne of ioye and im­mortalitie.i Corhin. xv When death thy last and fierse enemy shalbe ouercome: then shalte thou as a ruler or prince, receiue thy sayde croune or garlande. Thē shal al thy desires be satisfied with good thynges thou shalt be admitted to the ioyfull company of saintes in the heauenli Hierusalem,Qui replet in bonis de sidetium tuum. there to haue more ioye and comforte: then thy herte can wishe. When the glory of the Lorde shall appeare: then shalt thou be fully satisfied to thyne assured con­tentation. His countenaunce shall replenysh the with all ioye. Wherfore, my soule,Psal. xvii. Psalm .xvi. while thou art in this present lyfe ioyned with the frayle and heuy carkas: geue thankes louinglye to thy gentle redemer, for his vnspeakable kyndnes. His grace is redy at hande at thy call. Fyght therfore mightely agaynst al synful concupiscences and vices, Put of the olde man and leaue all the workes of darkenes.Rom. xiii Ephesians .iiii. Put on the a newe man and arme the with ye armour of light, begin a new life. Learne of the Eagle, whose propertie is to restore hymself to youth and strength agayn after he hath liued a great age.Renouabitur vt aqui­le iuuentus tua. The meane of his recouerye is thys His ouer beeke through age, is growne so longe that it letteth his fedyng. So that what for age, [Page] and for lacke of foode, he is become leane, and feble and almost vnable to flye. Then of nature beyng also driuen thereto by necessitie: he flyeth to the rocke of stone, and theron knocketh his sayd long beke, and wheteth it styll tyl it be broken & made handsome to fede wyth. Then falleth he earnest­ly to feding. Wherbi in short space, he recouereth hys strēgth, hath poure to flye as high sa euer he did, waxeth lusty and in apperaūce, semeth yonge againe. So thou, my soule, that art olde and wi­thered in synne: flye vp to Christ the strong and sure rocke. Leaue al worldly pleasures and vani­ties: yea, leaue the trust of thyne owne selfe and thy powre, cal for hys grace. And therby on him, stryke of thyne olde beke, thyne owne cancred li­uyng, not doubtyng but he wyl make the able to lyue a newe spiritual lyfe, renuynge thy mouthe whych was stopped for age.i. Corhi. iiii He wyl open it again making the able to eate the liuely food of Goddes worde: yea, through fayth thou shalte eate hym, who sayde,Iohn. vi I am the liuely breade that discended from heauen. Who shal so comfort the that thou shall not onelye in lyfe be endued with the grace of the holy gost, to thy strength and comfort, and power to resyst all thyne enemyes: but also when thou shalt put from the, the burthen of this miserable body, which before was heauy and oppressed the: thou shalte flye to that sure rocke Chryst, by whose resurrection thou shalt obteine immorta­litie bothe of soule and bodye in heauen euerla­styngly.Sapien. ix. Beholdyng continuallye the pleasaunte face of God to the fulnes of all thy ioye, and con­tentacion [Page] of all thy desyres, and to the intente thou shouldest stande fast in hope of that I haue sayde, and not mystrust the mercyes of God that are ineffable: call to thy remembraunce the aun­cient goodnes of the father of heauen.Faciens misericordias donimus. Whych is all one with the mercye of his sonne and the holy gost. Beholde howe mercifull and benificiall he hathe euer bene, to those that beleued and tru­sted in hym. As to Noe, to Abraham, Isaac and, Iacob, to Ioseph, Moyses, Iosue, Gedeon, Da­uid, Solomon, Hezechias, and to other innume­rable in the olde tyme to whom was plentifullye shewed the experience of his mercy and goodnes. And as he hath declared his pitie in helpyng his seruauntes:Et iudicium omnibus iniuriam patientibus. so hath he expressed his power in re­uengyng them on theyr enemyes whyche oppre­ssed thē. As of Pharao kyng of Egypt. Of Achab kynge of Israell. Senacherib, kynge of the Assi­rians. Haman the Macedonian, Herod and ma­nye other, it hath bene playnely shewed. Where­fore, thincke surely that the same mercifull God, that was so benificiall to his fryndes in the olde tyme: is, nether wylbe lesse benificiall almaner of wayes to theym that beleue and haue a sure trust in hym, beynge of hys Churche here mili­taūt. He shewed to Moyses his waies,Notas fecit Moysi vias suas. Filiis Israel volun­tates suas. his lawes his preceptes, and to the children of Israel he she-his power and declared his wyll. But by Christ his only sonne he manifested to vs his deuine plesure, in the euangelical lawe. And as great won­ders hath he shewed to the declaration of his po­wer, confirmation of hys lawes and to the pu­nishment [Page] of the enemies of his spouse the church Howe full of compassiō, & mercye, is the Lorde to all those that are synners? Howe great is his pa­tience? howe riche is his goodnes? howe gratious is his sufferance? so long to abyde the conuersion of sinners from theyr iniquities.Roma. ii. Esaye. xxx. He suffereth and abydeth to the intent he myghte haue mercye on them. If thei amend not: he then gently scourgeth them to cal theim vnto hym. Aunswere therefore when he calleth.Roma. ii. Take no day for thy conuertyng least thou rayse his wrath in the daye of hys an­gre and iust iudgemēt. Trust not so much to his mercy that thou despeyse his iustice. Let not his long sufferyng of the for thy conuersion turne to thyne vtter destruction. Repente in tyme. Aske grace and mercy earnestlye and he wyll not fayle to geue them vnto the. He cannot do agaynst his nature.Non imperpetuum ita sectur ne (que) meternum comminabitur. His angre endureth not for euer. His thretenynges cease in a short whyle, if thou cease frō thyne iniquitie. A lytle while doth he forsake the,Isaye .liiii. but with great mercifulnes wyll he take the vp to hym. When he is angrye: he hideth hys face from the for a seasō. But through his euerlasting goodnes wyl he pardon the sayth the prophet E­saye.Non secundum peccata nostra fecit nobis, ne (que) secundum iniqui­tates nostras tetribu­et nobis. Nother doth he deale with vs accordynge to the quantitie of our synnes, nor rewarde vs ac­cordyng to the multitude of oure iniquities, for our sinnes excede the numbre of the sandes of the sea,ii. Paral. xxxiii. in ora­cione Manasses regis Iude. and our iniquities are multiplied very sore, but God, in place of great plages: sendeth smale punishmentes, And where our infinit synnes re­quyre paynes infinite, yet to call vs to penaunce, [Page] he sendeth manye temporall afflictions in thys worlde, to kepe oure soules from destruction and to cause vs to enioy the lyght of the lyuyng.Iob .xxxiii. The lyght of euerlastynge bryghtnesse, and the trewe light that neuer shalbe dimmyd. How canst thou therfore, my soule, gyue cōdyngne thākes or pray­ses to God for his inestimable goodnes and grace to the shewed.Quantum enim excel­sius est celum terra: tā ­tum cōfirmata est mi­sericordia eius super timentes cum. For loke howe hygh the heauen is from the earth: so great is his mercy also to them that feare hym. God hath appoynted the heauen to couer and compasse the earth on al partes, and to sende downe somtyme wynde somtyme rayne, somtyme heate, sometyme colde, sometyme fayre, somtyme foule weather, accordyng to the necessi­ties of man. And as it is impossible but the heauē shoulde couer the earth, and cause the benefites thereof to be shewed: so is it impossible but that God wyll couer, defende & gouerne, his seruaūtes whyche lyue in the feare of him. For he doth euer compasse, hys people and saueth them,Psalm .Cxxiiii. as the ball of hys eye from all daunger. And he sayeth by his prophete Hieremie,Hierem. xxxiii. may the couenaunt be broken which I haue made wyth the day and the nyght: that there shoulde not be daye and nyght in dew season? Then maye my couenaunte also be bro­ken whyche I made wyth my seruaunt Dauyd, that is, wyth all that well and trewlye serue and feare me. The sonne also of God the seconde per­son in diuinitie being in heauen eternally, ineffa­ble, impassible, and equall in power wyth hys fa­ther: vouchsaffed to come downe from hys cele­stial throne, into the base region of this worlde to [Page] be incarnate of the virgyn Marie and to suffer death for the redemption of mankynde: so dyd his mercy stretche from heauen to earth and raysed vs vp to lyfe agayne whyche before, were dead in synne.Quantum distat oriēs [...]b occidente: longe fe­ [...]t iniquitates nostras [...] nobis▪ And as the wynde dryueth awaye thycke mystes from the face of the earth: so by hys death he droue away our synnes, settyng them as farre from vs as the East is from the weste. Lykewyse as when the sunne aryseth: the worlde receyueth lyghte. Agayne when it is auayled: darkenes of the nyght approcheth. Euen so when grace com­meth:Ephe. [...] the soule is made bryghte and shynynge, whiche by sinne agayne is made foule, and darke. Remembre therfore my soule, what displeasure it is for the mortal body to liue in darkenes lacking the syght of the carnall eye in thys worlde,Tobie. ii. as dyd blinde Tobie. And therby thou shalt know what hurte the spiritual darknes of sinne bryngeth to the soule of mā.Eccle. [...]. Wherof in figure the stoborne E­gyptians had one plage of darkenes thycke and palpable, accordynge to the darknes of theyr syn­nes and disobedience agaynst God. Whē the chil­dren of Israell (that is) the faythful beholders of God: had in the same countrey lyght in al places, where they dwelled. The grace of God expelled from them all suche darknes of synne. They fea­red God and serued hym faythfully in theyr her­tes durynge the tyme of theyr oppression by the Egyptians, but after beyng at libertie: they waxed wanton and kycked agaynste the Lorde that had delyuered them. Be thou therfore glad whē aduersitie commeth. For that is the mooste soue­raigne [Page] medicine for the soule, gyuen by the hygh phisition to suppresse the proude fleshe that rebelleth agaynst the spirite, and therby to make man call for hys grace.Sicut miscretur pate [...] filiorum: misertus est dominus timentibꝰ se. Hebre. xii. And herein thynke the mooste bounde to the father of heauen, and thynke that he loueth the then as the naturall father loueth and pitieth hys sonne. For euery good sonne that he loueth he wyl beate and correcte to cause hym to stande in feare of hym. Nother thynke that he hath forgotten the bycause he punisheth the. For soner wyll the mother forget the chylde borne of her wombe,Esaye. xlix then the Lorde wyl forget those that feare hym. His merciful eyes neuer departe from them. When nede requireth:Psalm. xxx. he appeareth vnto them. He knoweth the weaknes of hys frayle me­tall wherof man is made.Quoniam ipse cogno­uit figmentum nostrese recordatꝰ est, quia pul­uis sumus. He cōsidereth that he is but dust made of the earth, and to earth shall re­tourne agayne. And for that he woulde haue the perfect knowledge and experience of our nature: he sent downe hys sonne Iesus Christ to take v­pon hym the same nature. Who hath proued and sene the frailtie therof,Hebre. ii. he was in al thinges tem­pted as we are, and made lyke vnto man (synne & ignoraunce excepted) he feared the approchynge of death that was contrarye to the nature of hys fleshe, and in all other our infirmities he had the experience. Wherfore, thinke not that he doth or wyll forget it,Homo quasi herba, di­es eiꝰ sicut flos agri si [...] florebit, quia spiritus per ransiet eum et non subsistet et nō cognos­cet eum vltra locus ei- but doth cōsyder that our strength is lyke the grasse. Our ioly tyme is like the floure of the felde, whiche beynge toutched wyth a blast of colde wynde wythereth & is gone, and the place where it grewe, knoweth it no more. All the pro­speritie [Page] of thys worlde all honour, ryches, nobili­tie, yea the very lyfe of mā endureth but a whyle, in cōparison of eternitie, and shortly after death: all is put in obliuion.Ezech. xxxvii. The place of the soule in this world is the mortal body, which after death, goeth to corruptiō, and is no more knowen of the soule, tyll the last and general resurrection, when by the almighty power of God the same body shal be ioyned to the same soule & go to ioy or to peyne euerlastynge. God I saye, consyderynge the body of man to be fraile and subiecte to corruption, his age or hys lyfe to be lyke the grasse whyche short­ly wythereth, also all hys prosperitie and hys glo­ry to be as the beauty of a floure: that sone fadeth awaye: hath in hys godlye prescience establyshed his merciful goodnes,Misericordia autē do­mini ab eterno et vs (que) ineternum super timē ­ces eum. to endure for euer and euer vpon them that feare hym, he hathe sent downe his onely sonne to take vpon hym our mortal na­ture, to become grasse as we are. Hys godheade that is eternall, is become partaker of mānes mortalitie to make man partaker of hys ioyfull im­mortalitie, to make grasse that wyll sone wyther: to endure grene and pleasaunte for euer. But be not thou proud of this my soule, but humble thy selfe and thanke hym of hys great grace and mer­cie.i. Corhinth. iiii. Whereby thou arte that thou arte, for what good thynge hast thou that thou haste not recey­ued? it is not of thy selfe, wherefore glorye not in thy selfe.Osee .xiii. Thou canst worke none other but onely thy perdicion, it is his grace that worketh thy saluation. Exalte therfore his mercie and prayse his ryghtuousnes, whyche is shewed on hys faythful [Page] seruauntes and vpon theyr chyldernes chyldren such as kepe hys couenaunt and thynke vpon his commaundementes to do them,Et iusticia eius in filios filiorū: His qui custodiūt pactum eius [...] recordātur preceptor [...] cius ad faciendum ea. of hys mere libe­ralitie: he promised rewardes to the fulfyllers of hys lawes. Whiche of his truth & iustice: he wyll not fayle to perfourme, but to whom? only to the doers of hys commaundementes, not to the onely hearers, or the reasoners therof, or to them which onely haue them in remembraunce.Iacob .i. For such are lyke to a man that beholdeth hys bodely face in a glasse & immediatlye goeth awaye and forgetteth anone what hys fashyon was. But the faythfull folowers of hys preceptes are dearely beloued of him. And not they onely, but also their childerns chyldren, the whole cōgregacion of elect persons. Suche as haue applyed theyr hertes to be fayth­full folowers of the good steppes and example of theyr faythfull parentes.Psalm .Cxxviii. Thys is the blessyng of God, wheron Dauid speaketh, that they whyche feare the Lorde: shal se theyr chyldernes children, and peace vpon Israell (that is) peace euerlasting in heauen, for the rewarde of theyr good workes. There can no good dede be vnrewarded: Neither any sinne be lefte vnpunished. For Christ ye iudge of the quycke and also of the deade hath prepared hys seate,Dominus in celo pa [...] uit sedem suam, et re [...] num ipsius, omnibus dominabitur. in heauen and hys kyngdome ruleth ouer all. In thys seate shall he iudge euery man accordyng to his actes, without hauyng respecte to any person.Apo. v. To hym that sitteth on thys seate shall all creatures whyche are in heauen and on the earth and vnder the earth gyue honoure and glorie for euermore.Benedicite domino [...] geli eius fortes robo [...] facientes verbum cius obedientes voci sermonis eius. To hym the holy angels that [Page] be myghty in strēgth gyue laude and prayse, they fulfyl his cōmaūdemēt, they obey the voyce of his wordes, they acknowledge hym to be theyr Lorde and theyr maker, and that by hym they haue all the power that they haue.Benedicite domino omnes exercitus eiꝰ, ministri eius qui fa­citis volūtatem etꝰ. To hym all the hostes of heauenly spirites gyue thākes and prayse, they are his seruauntes, and do his pleasure. As dyd the angell that went before the children of Israel out of Egypte and went betwene them & the host of Pharao,Exod. xiiii. whych folowed to haue destroyed thē. An angel also was sent to Balaam & stode in hys waye as he went wyth the Lordes of Moab.Numeri. xxii. An angell of the Lorde,iii. Regum. xix. ministred vnto Elias in the wyldernes.Danie. xiiii. Dyd not an angell of the Lorde carye Abacucke the prophete by the heer of his head frō Iury to Babilon with meate and drinke for Da­niel who was in the denne of the lions? They are al ministring spirites sent to minister for theyr sa­kes which shalbe heyres of saluatiō.Hebre. 1 They bringe knowledge of the Lordes wyl to his faithful here vpon earth, and are desirous that we shoulde as surely and obedientlye do hys sayed wyll here on earth as they do it in heauē.Benedicite domino omnia opera eius in omni loco dominationis eiꝰ. Yea al the workes of the Lorde, magnifie and speke good of the Lorde, in euery place of hys dominion. Hys power & hys dominion extendeth to all places:Esaye .lxiiii. wherfore in all places ought he to be honoured & praysed. Man is the handye worke of God, and that the mooste chiefe worke nexte to angel. Wherefore sence an­gelles the most excellent creatures of God do not ceasse to prayse hym daye and nyght: muche more thou my soule and all mankynde are bounde to [Page] magnifie hym in al places.Benedic anima mea domino. By whom thou hast & dayly doest receyue so many benefytes. Let the inwarde loue of thy herte breake forth to prayses & thākes, by thy mouth. Say vnto him that sitteth vpon the seate and vnto the lambe that opened the boke whych had seuē seales. As the foure bea­stes and the foure & twenti elders with the whole company of sayntes synge and saye (that is) wor­thy is the lambe that was killed to receiue power and ryches wysdome and strength,Apoca. ii. honour glorie and blessyng to him beynge reuiued agayne & ly­ueth for euermore, & to the lorde that sitteth vpō the seate: be honour & prayse for euermore Amen.

¶ The soule of euery faythful christian, beholdyng the goodnes of God,The .ciiii. Psalm. daylye shewed wythout ceassynge to all his seruauntes: ceasseth not to prayse God agayne expressing his merueylous power and wysdome by the shewe of his merueylous workes.

OH. Howe much is my soule desirous to prayse the noble power,Benedic anima mea domino. wysdome and goodnes of the, moste myghtie Lorde, that arte my God & my king, my hope and my comforte? who hast by so greate prouidence created and ordeyned all thy creatures,Domine deꝰ meꝰ mag­nificatus ea vehemen­ter. that the beautie and excellencie of them declare thy myghtie magnificence to al vs, whyche are thy reasonable creatures. The power of thy maiestie before to vs vnknowen, is by the contemplacion of them made manifest, causynge vs to prayse and magnifie the wyth al oure possi­ble powers. We acknowledge thy power,Confessionem et deco­rem induisti, amietꝰ lu­ce vt vestimento. thy wisdome, thy honour also and thy great glory wher­with [Page] with thou art garnished on al partes. Thou dec­kest thy selfe wyth lyghte as it were wyth a gar­ment. [...]. Timo. vi. Yea thou dwellest in the middest of lygyte wherunto no man can atteyne. Whiche passeth farre the bryghtnes of the sunne in thys worlde.Esay. lt.

And yf we consider it wel: Thou thy selfe Lorde, art the euerlasting lyght,Sapi. vii. and thy wisdome is the brightnes therof, whiche shal neuer be quenched. Thou art compassed about wyth bright angelles and with the sayntes shynyng in clearnes,Collos. i. whose enherytaunce, is to enioye lyght. Thou spreadest out ye heauē as a pauilion.E [...]endens celū vt ten [...]ortum. It couereth the whole earth as a rent couereth those yt are lodged with­in it.Qui regis aquis supe­ [...]iora eius. Neuertheles it is set so that, as the elemen­tal waters are vnder it: so are the celestial waters aboue it. Thou hast spreade abrode thy holy scripture ouer al the worlde by the preachyng of thine apostles. The misteries whereof were hydde and couered wyth the curteyne or vayle of the letter: but nowe to thy faythfull they are vncouered.

Ezechiel ii.Thys is the boke whiche the hande delyuered to Ezechiel closed and faste clasped before to the vn­faythfull. But to the Prophete it was opened: and the priuities therof disclosed. These misteries are also the waters wherwyth thou couerest the heauē. The deape secretes are in the scripture so lowe hydde that fewe haue nettes to retche the deapnes therof. Onely, they, can atteyne therto, to whom thou gyuest the gyft therof, and such as haue it: are charged to vtter the same to the vn­learned.Qui penis nubem as­tensum tuum. The preachers are the cloudes that flye in the ayre, where vpon thy honoure, & thy fayth [Page] are caryed as it were in a charet, to all partes of the world. Thy grace maketh them apte to powre forth the swete dewes of thy holy worde, to wa­ter therwyth the vyneyarde of our soules,Esaye .v. that it may brynge forth right and pleasaunt grapes: not brambles, thornes or wylde grapes. For lacke of whyche waterynge: the grounde muste neades be baryne and vnfruitefull. Lyke to the lande of kynge Achab: kyng of Israel,iii. Reg. v. whych lacked rayne durynge the absence of the prophete Elye. Howe miserable are they Lorde, frō whom thou takeste awaye thy holy worde?Mathe. xxi. There can be no greater plage in thys worlde sent to men for the ponish­ment of theyr offences, then the wythdrawynge therof from them. But as thy punishmentes of the wycked are many and secrete: euen so, also are thy mercyes past numbre to those that loue the.

Thou bestowest them accordynge to thy holy wyl beside al expectation of men.Qui ambulas sup [...] pennas venti. Qui angelos tuos spi­ritus et ministros tuos ignem vrentem. Thy power in brin­gyng of thē quyckly to passe: exceadeth the swift­nes of the wynde. The angelles whom thou hast created spirites: are thy messengers to execute thy wyl wyth al spede. Thou hast made them thy ministers: lyke to the flame of fyre. To some they brynge ponishmētes. To some they brynge secret inspiration to knowe thy pleasures and to worke therafter. In some they burne cleane and cōsume vp theyr synful and carnal desyres, causing them to be newe men by the infusion of thy mercifull grace. Such is thy myghtie power to worke, whē where, and howe so euer it lyketh the.Qui fundasti terrā su­per stabilitatem su [...], non commouebitur in seculum secul [...]. Thou hast layed the earth, her foundation whyche shall ne­uer [Page] moue at anye tyme. Where the foundation is sure: all that is sette theron is sure and stable. The churche or congregation of thy fayethfull earthly people here vpon the earth, is founded vpon a sure rocke and a sure foundation,i. Corhinth. iii. whyche is thy sonne Christ, besyde whom no man can put any other foūdation. Wherfore it must nedes abyde immoueable: as the whole earthe is im­moueable. Not able to be hurt with the waues of the water of temptation, neyther wyth the stor­my tempestes of cruell persecution. Thus is thy power shewed to al thynges whyche thou takeste vnder thy protection.Abisto quasi vestimen­to operuisti eam. The deape waters natu­rally are a couerture to the earth, as is a garmēt to the bodye of man.Super montes stabūt aquc Hierem. v. Yea they shoulde surmount the heyghte of all hylles. But through thy worde they fall to theyr appoynteed places. They flee as thinges rebuked and dare not do contrary to thy commaūdement.Ab increpatione tua fugiēt a voce to nitrui tui formidabunt ascendūt montes et descendunt campi ad locum quem fundasti eis. Termi­num posuisti quem nō transgrediētur: nec re­uertentur vt operiant terram. They are a fearde thereof as we mortall men are a fearde of the noyse of thunder. The hylles and the valleys appeare accordyng to thyne appoyntmente. And the waters dare not passe theyr boūdes to tourne agayne to couer the earth. Of this thy power the experience was she­wed at the general floude when the waters coue­red the hyghest hylles the heyght of fyftene cubi­tes. Neuertheles when thy pleasuse was they re­tourned agayne thyther from whence they came, so woulde the sea nowe drowne all creatures ly­uyng vpon the earth, yf thy pleasure were not to staye it.Genes. ix. But thou mercyful God haste made a co­uenaunt wyth thy seruaunt Noe to the contra­ry: [Page] That thou wylt no more destroye al the world by water. In token whereof thou haste put thy rayne bow in the cloudes. And as the sea and the waters woulde couer the earth onles thou dyd­dest staye them wyth thy worde: Euen so woulde the tyrantes heathen and vnfaythfull people cy­presse and vtterly destroye thy churche, and thy seruauntes. If thou Lorde diddest not kepe and defende them. But when thy church semeth most oppressed: yet doest thou reserue vnto the a greate numbre of faythfull that to the worlde are vn­knowen:iii. Regum .xix. as thou dyddeste in the dayes of Elias thy prophete, preserue seuen thousande whyche neuer bowed their knees to ydolles. Thou makest them stronge against al persecutions. Thy worde maketh theyr enemyes afrayed. They haue no further power to hurte thy faythfull then thou permittest them to haue. Wherfore althoughe the waters (that is to saye) the wycked, swell neuer so hygh: yet we feare not a generall floulde. They maye inuade thy churche and hurte ma­ny of thyne electe membres of the same churche. But they shall not vtterly destroye it. For thou, Lorde,Mathew .xxviii. haste promysed to abyde wyth thy fayth­full people to the worldes ende. Thy grace wyl not leaue thē that loue and serue the. They are the valeys lowe throughe humilitie,Qui emittis foutes in conuallibus. but greate in vertue and myghtye in operation. A­monge whyche the welles of the worde of God dooe springe. They preache and declare thy holy scripture amonge all, that wyll heare them.Inter medium monti­um pertransibūt aque.

The waters of these welles haue theyr originall [Page] amonge the hylles, and from thense discende to the valyes. These hylles be the two testamentes from whens al scriptures which declare thy wyl: are deriued. And who so euer vttereth any other lawe contrarye to that is conteyned in thy sayed testamentes:Genes. xxvi. dyggeth newe welles wyth the ser­uauntes of Abimaleche, and stoppeth the welles of Abraham whyche conteyne the water of lyfe. With these waters of holy scripture is the groūd of thy faythfull christians watered, and it bryn­geth forth good fruite in dewe season. Of these waters all the beastes of the feldes maye drynke.Sotabunt omnes be­ [...]ie agri & reficiat ona­ [...]et sium suam. Of these also the great wylde asses may quenche theyr thyrst. The gentiles, the Iewes, the christi­ans, all men, of al countreyes, and al degrees may quenche theyr thyrst in the readynge of thy holye worde. Which yf they do wyth good entent: thy grace shal be ready to worke in them theyr salua­tion. Thy grace is locked from none but frō such as wil remaine thrusty, drye and bareyne of good wyll & good workes. The stronge and the weake, the wyse and the foly she maye refreshe them at these waters to make thē able to perfourme their iourney in the pylgrimage of thys lyfe. Who so wyl wyth the woman of Samaria, aske of Christ drynke:Iohn iiii. He wyll not fayle to gyue hym water of lyfe. Which, who so drynketh: shal neuer be thir­sty after. O noble waters. O cleare fountaynes. Sende vs Lorde of thy grace that we maye fer­uently desyre,Psalm .xxiii. greadely receyue, and plentiouslye be fulfylled. Yea that we may be dronke, with the muche receyuyng of thys noble drynke. Wherby we may forget al our wanton and ydel liues that [Page] we haue hytherto ledde: & nowe begyn to leade a newe lyfe, a spiritual and a godly lyfe, buyldynge our nestes in the rockes of the fayed hylles,Super ea volucres ce­li morabuntur: de me­dio petrarum dabunt vocem. and ouer these delectable waters, leauyng al base and earthly places, restynge in them as in a sure habi­tation. The preceptes of these two testamētes are faste and surely grounded vpon the stronge rocke whyche is Christ. What soule so euer dwelleth or bydeth on thys rocke: wyll synge and put forth his voyce, as he hath learned in the scriptures, cō teyned wythin these two testamentes. Christ did referre his sayinges to the scriptures: so dyd his apostles and other holy mē buylde vpon the same foundacion. Theyr songes were euer agreable to the scriptures.Mathe. xiii. They were lyke the good houshol­der, that bryngeth forth of his treasure, thynges both newe and olde.Rigans montes de re­naculis tuis, de fructu operum tuorum satia­bitur terra. Wherfore the dewes of thy grace came downe from aboue and watered their hertes. They were fyrst earthly men, and sauored nothynge but that was earthlye and temporall. But thy grace made them become spirituall, and so wrought in thē, that they broughte forth good workes. For the whyche, they gaue to the: the ho­nour & the prayse. They accompted al their good dedes to be thy workes, and al their good thoughtes to come of thy gyfte and goodnes. When the glory redounded to thy maiestie: then were they satisfyed, and but reasone. For what goodnes had they that they had not receyued,i. Corin. iiii. Roma. iii. and that frely wythout any of theyr deseruynges? Wherfore to the Lorde be al honoure and prayse worlde wyth­out ende, who haste so mercifully declared thy[Page] great goodnes to mankynde in orderyng al thin­ges in thys worlde to hys mooste comforte that coulde be deuysed, and to do hym seruice. All bea­stes thou madest subiecte vnto hym and for hys vse.Producens fenum iu­ [...]is. Et berbam ser [...] hominum. Whiche to noryshe and to feade: thou causest the grounde, naturally to brynge forth grasse, and all kyndes of other herbes. Thou bryngeste throughe the trauayle of man: [...]ducens panem de ter [...]. foode out of the earth, both for man, beastes and foules. But to exercise hym in laboure thou requirest his indu­strie to be put to thy power. O howe great is thy liberalitie dayly shewed herin? No tyme can be founde wherin the earth bryngeth not fruite, to serue man. But specially Lorde, thou hast ordey­ned the earth to bringe forth thre kindes of thyn­ges, muche to his strength, comforte and reliefe. Which are corne for breade to make hym stronge and able to trauayle.Et vinum letificet cor [...]ominis, ad exhilaran­ [...]um faciem in oleo, et [...]anis cor hominis cor­ [...]oboret. Wyne to quenche his thyrst and to make his hert glad. And oyle to make hym to haue a cheareful coūtenaunce, to make his bo­dy fatte and his limmes nimble. These are liberal and very necessary gyftes to the body: But much more noble spiritually to the soule. For mā lyueth not onely with material bread, but also wyth the worde of God.Luc. iiii. Wherby the soule is made stronge and comforted, agaynste al his enemyes. It is a­ble to do good and to auoyed euyll. It receyueth spiritually thy blessed sonne yt lyuely bread,Iohn .vi. which descended frō heauen, and by him receyueth after this life, lyfe euerlasting in heauen. By the wyne is signified the passion of thy louynge sonne oure maister Christe. For whiche mā thyrsted ful sore a [Page] longe season. But when the tyme determined by thy godhead, was come: he came & suffered for our redemption. He then quēched our thirst. He ther­by made mākynde mery, that before was sadde & out of al cōforte. And where he satte in darkenes:Esay .xiii. he therby receiued light. He was before in captiuitie, & then was made fre and his raunsome payed. But the frailtie of his nature is so great yt onles he be styll holden & holpen vp he must nedes fal a­gaine to sin. Wherfore lorde the oyle of thy grace is euer ready to annoint him, therby to make him able to resiste throughe the, whiche of him selfe is weake & cānot stande Thys oyle of gladnes, this oyle of cōfort, springeth in thy deitie, as in ye head, and from thence descēdeth first to the manhode of Christ as frō the head to the beard.Psalm .Cxxxiii. Psalm .xlv. Whom thou hast specially annointed aboue al other, to the in­tent he shoulde therwt annoint al other faythful people. Which are ye garmētes of Christ, whē lea­uing al vice, they put on them the garmēt of hys faith & liue according to his lawes.Saturabuntur lign [...] campi et cedri libani. The moisture of ye oyle is of the sap wherwt the comō sort of trees of the felde are fulfylled: & also ye high trees of the moūt of libanꝰ: yt is aswel the comō & base sort of people as also ye noble high & mighty lordes & princes of ye worlde are replenished wt this oyle of thy grace & gladnes, such as thy deitie hath plāted,quas plantasti. & p̄destinate to saluatiō. For al other plātes which are not of thy plāting:Mathei. xv. Illit aues nidificabi must be plucked vp by ye rootes. In these hye trees of libanꝰ ye birdes do brede Such as are spiritual ꝑsons & liue after ye spirite: are sucoured, brought vp & defēded by ye prīces & [Page] nobilitie of the worlde. The holy deuout persons sowe to them theyr spirituall sede and reape ther­fore temporal thinges necessary for theyr lyuing. For who wyll mosell the mouth of the oxe that treadeth out the corne.i. Corhint. ix. Neuertheles, so many as are spiritual:Deut. xv. i. Timo. vi. are contented wyth foode and ray­ment. For suche of them as wyl be ryche, fal into temptations, snares, and into many fooly she and noysome lustes: whyche drawe them vnto perdi­tion and destruction. But so many as are very spiritual:Herodit domus dux est eorum. learn of the faucon to brede in the rocke whyche is Christe. Although they haue theyr ne­cessaries of the nobilitie for theyr trew preaching of thy worde: yet do they not preach to please mē, but to please and do theyr deutie to thy maiestie. [...]. Corin. ix. For wo be vnto thē yf they preache not. The rocke whyche is the house of the faucon, that is to say Christ, is theyr leader, theyr guyde and theyr go­uernoure,Mōtes excelsi ceruis, petra refugium hexina [...]tis. to whom onely they haue respecte. To thys rocke in the mountaynes: flee the hartes for succour. To it fleeth the hedgehogge: a beast with prickes for refuge. The perfecte man and the syn­ner that is loded wyth the prickes of synne in his conscience, runne al to this rocke for succour. The one to be preserued in the grace & goodnes that is gyuen hym: the other to discharge hym selfe on this rocke of al his burden of sinnes.Esaye .xxxviii. For behynde on Christes backe doth he laye al the heauy bur­den of his iniquities, and is then become a newe creature. So sone as man is wery of his burden: Christe is ready to receyue it,Mathew .xi. and to ease and re­freshe hym. As the moone receyueth her bryghte [Page] light by the approching of the sunne,Fecit luna per tēpora. and a gaine by the farre departyng of the sunne from her, she loseth her lyghte: so doth thy churche here mili­tant and the membres therof knytte togyther in fayeth, by the approchynge of the sonne of iustice thy sonne Christ Iesus and the influence of hys grace, receyue lyght of trewe knowledge and po­wer to worke wel to the example of other. But yf thy grace and hys be ones wythdrawen for theyr iniquities,Sol cognouit occas [...] suum. then remayne they in darkenes not a­ble to do or thynke any good thynge. To the iuste electe people, this sonne aryseth, from the wicked,Sapi. v. Iohn .iii. it setteth and hydeth it selfe, shewynge them no lyght. And why? for they loue darkenes and the workes therof, better then lyght. Wherfore they shall seke lyghte and not fynde it. The nyght and darkenes shal enuirone them,Posuisti tenebras & facta est nox, in ipsa mo­uibuntur omnes bestie sylue. Catuli leonis rugien­tes ad predam, et querē res a des es [...]am sibi. wherin al the bea­stes of the foreste do moue. The yonge lyons ro­ring then seke theyr praye and aske theyr foode of God. The wycked spirites greadely gape to de­uoure the wretched synners, beynge destitute of the lyghte of grace. The iniquities of men are theyr mooste pleasaunte foode. Neuertheles they haue no further power to tempt nor to hurt thē, thē thy power Lorde, doth permitte them to do. For yf Sathan myght haue done his wyl on thy seruaunte Iob: he had at the laste slayne and de­uoured hym.Luc. xxii. So had he done to the apostles of thy blessed sonne. So woulde he and his wycked complices destroye all mankynde were they not by thy Godlye power and wysdome restrayned.

Some men thou sufferest to be tempted for theyr[Page] probation and coronation. Some for theyr pu­nyshment and dampnation. But specially in the nyghte where synne rayneth, there oure enemye tryumpheth,Oriente sole: retedent et in sp [...]luncis suis cu­ [...]abunt. and in the hertes of the wycked: he maketh hys denne or restynge place. For where the sonne of iustice by grace doth aryse in the her­tes of thy faythfull: they anone departe and flee awaye.Egredietur homo ad­opus suum et ad seruitutem suam vs (que) ad vesperam. The man maye sauely go to hys workes and tyll the lande vnto the euenyng. The fayth­ful maye wythout daunger worke al workes, by the commaunded to be done, encreasynge in ver­tue and good lyuyng all the tyme of hys lyfe vn­to the euenyng. That is, vnto the tyme of death, and the laste ende when euery trewe labourer in thy vyneyarde shall receyue of the for hys wages a peny for hys dayes worke,Math. [...]. that is, the kyngdom of heauen for hys rewarde, what tyme so euer he begynne to worke in thy worke: as thou hast promised of thy mere liberalitie and free goodnes. O mercyfull Lorde,Quam multa sunt opera tua domine? ommi­ [...] in sapientia fecisti. howe noble and manifest be thy workes, passynge farre the capacitie of all thy cre­atures to comprehende. But thou ful wysely hast wrought all thynges by the same wysedome that hath bene wyth the before any thynge was crea­ted, and before al tyme, by the whyche thou haste numbred the sandes of the sea, the dropes of the rayne, and the dayes of tyme, by which also thou haste measured the heyght of heauen the breadth of the earthe and the deapnesse of the sea.Eccles. i. Thys wysedome is thy very sonne the seconde person in trinitie,i Corhin i Coloss, ii. he is thy power and thy wysedome, in whom are hydde all the treasures of wysedome [Page] and knowledge. By hym haste thou wroughte thine owne worke according to thy nature, which is to haue mercye and not to shewe crueltie. By hym hast thou wrought the worke of our redem­ption, and delyuered vs from eternall dampna­tion. And althoughe thou be sometyme angrye wyth vs for oure wyckednesse: yet is it to the en­tent to shewe thy mercie after, whiche is thy pro­per and naturall worke.Esai. xxviii. Impleta est term possessione tua. On thys maner doest thou fyll the earth full of thy ryches. Not onely by the order and disposition of thy earthly crea­tures thereof: but chiefelye in that thou causest man by thy helpe, to leaue the inordinate loue of the worlde and the wanton pleasures therof, and to become a newe man, aspirynge to the heauen­ly thynges. In thys thou causest hym to be iuste and perfectly thy possession, to be of thy peculiar flocke, of whyche thou takest greate cure. Thou haste ordeyned thyne electe to walke and trauayle in thys greate and wyde worlde,Hoc mare magnum [...] spaciosum. Illic reptilia innume­rabilia, animalia pa [...] ua cum magnis. whiche may wel be compared to the greate sea. For as in it are in­numerable thynges creapyng, both greate and small beastes. Euen so in thys worlde are many terrible daūgers, and daungerous temptations. Sometyme by flatteryng pleasures. Somtyme by cruell displeasures, whyche appeare therin.

Somtyme by prosperitie. Sometyme by aduer­sitie. Somtime by cruel manifest enemies. Som­time by subteltie of false fayned frendes. So that there are many mo daungers to men that lyue here on earth, then be in those whyche passe ouer the seas. Yet for all these fearfull daungers, let [Page] the fayethfull neuer be afrayed.Ibi naues per trāsibūt For as the sure shyppes fliete in the sea vnder theyr sayles: and passe through the stormy tēpestes without drow­nynge: so do thyne electe passe throughe the fear­ful perelles of all theyr enemies in this worlde by the meanes of the shyppe of thy churche and the trewe fayth therof. Of whiche shyppe, Christe is the sternes man the guyde and the sure ancour to be caste in all necessities. Who so trusteth in hym shalbe broughte to the fayre hauen of perfecte be­atitude. Who so kepeth hym wythin the bourdes of this faythfull shyppe, neadeth not to feare the greate whales or other monstres, muche terrible to shyppemen, neyther yet the dreadfull dragon that sturdy stronge leuiathan whose sportynge place is in the deape of the sea.Deaco iste quem for­masti ad illudendū ei. Iob .xli. To whose power, no power on earth may be compared. For he is so madde that he feareth nothynge, and is the kynge ouer al the chyldren of pryde.Esay .xiiii. Luc. x. Genes. iii. Thys is that luci­fer whiche fel from heauen. Thys is the serpent that deceyued in paradyse, and brought death to al mankynde. He was fyrste made by thy maiestie a bryght angel, but through synne he is become a cruel deuyl. And hath power, through thy suffe­raunce to illude, to tempte and to deceyue man­kynde. Neuertheles when thy faythful people are penitent for theyr offēces, resist his temptations, folowe thy lawes, put theyr whole truste in the, & thy blessed sōne:Iob .xi. thē do they mocke & discerue him. They put a ringe through his nose and boare his chaftes through with an awle, and as Christ mocked him layenge an hoke for him bayted wt his humanitie, [Page] whiche when he thought to deuour cau­sing hym to be put to death of the Iewes: he was trypped in his owne turne, & takē with the hooke of his diuinitie. In lyke maner do the fayethful membres of Christ also mocke & deceyue him. For whē he thinketh them surely in his daunger: they turne to theyr head Christ for refuge,i. Corhinth. x. and by his helpe do vāquish him. Great therfore good Lorde is thy mercie & goodnes, yt sufferest not thy fayth­ful to be tēpted aboue theyr strength. But in the middes of theyr temptation makest away for thē to escape out. The enemy hath no power of hym self but such as thou suffrest him to haue. He with al other creatures hange al vpon thy wyl and cō ­maūdemēt.Omnia a te expectan vt des illis escam in t [...] pore suo, dante te eis colligent. Al waite on the that thou maist geue them meate in dew season, whē thou giuest it thē: they gather it. The meate appoynted to that ser­pent which deceyued Eue: was earth. Of ye earth therfore & of earthly men that loue better earthy thinges then heauēly,Genes. iii. is the foode of yt fierse leui­athan. Such as are lefte destitute of thy grace & depart frō the: are lefte to be the foode of this ser­pent or dragon. But I hertely beseche the, moste merciful & mightie God, kepe thys dragon longe emptie. Let hym not deuoure those, for whose re­dēption & saluation, thou voutchsafedest to sende thy most entierly beloued sonne to suffre death & passion. They haue (the more pitie) to great plētie of foode of infideles. Bring thē also lorde, I besech the into the true fayth of thy holy churche, yt they may knowe the & him yt thou hast sent,Io. x. for the sal­uatiō of al the world. That there may be on both [Page] sortes one shepeherde & one flocke, and sende vs al lorde,Aperiente te manū tuā replehuntur honitate: abscondes vultū tuum [...]et turbabuntur. thy merciful fauour. Open thy liberal hāde & fyl vs all wyth thy goodnes. Hyde not thy face frō vs for oure offēces. For then haue we cause of sorowe & mourning cōtinually. No creature can lyue wtout the nourishing of corporall substaūce, but must dye & tourne to earth & corruptiō. Nei­ther cā the soule of mā abide in lyfe spiritual with out the influence of thy grace:Auferes spiritum corū [...]t deficient et in pulue­ [...]em suum reuertentur. but it must nedes dye the death through sinne. When thou dyddest cōmaūde thy prophet Elias to depart frō Achab, there ensued in all Iurie great drought & barrē ­nes.Iacob .v. iii. Regum .xviii. It rayned not by the space of .iii. yeres & .vi. monethes. But whē thou dyddest tourne thy face towarde the coūtrey agayne sēding thy sayd pro­phet thither:Emitte spiritum tuum [...]et creabuntur. they had plētie of rayne, & great fer­tilitie. Sende forth therfore mercyfull God thy swete breath vpon vs, make vs new againe, that we may leaue our olde naughtines & become new creatures.Genes. xviii. We knowledge our selues to be dust & ashes.Et renouabis faciem terte. Sende therfore thy holy spirite to renewe the face of oure soules, makinge it confirmable to thyne image, according as thou diddest fyrst cre­ate it, whiche through synne we haue made very foule,Sit gloria domini in sempiternum. [...]eta­bitur dominus in o­peribus suis. and defourmed. Then shal we gyue glorie vnto thy maiestie, whiche endureth for euer. And thou Lorde, shalte reioyse in thine owne workes. Our worke is iniquitie, thy worke is mercy & for gyuenes.Esay .xxviii. Thou art our iustice, wherby thou ma­kest vs iuste, whiche before were wycked sinners. Thou makest vs,Qui respicit terram et facit eam tremere. thine earthly creatures, to tremble for feare of thy myghtie power & thy iustice. [Page] Our pride is therby abated. We accōpte the good dedes which we haue done to be of thy gift & goodnes, nothinge presuminge of our owne frayle po­wer.Esoy. lxvi. For we know yt thy holy spirite resteth vpon those that haue a lowly troubled spirite & stande in awe of thy wordes. But the greate hylles doest thou toutche & they smoke.Qui tangit moutes ei fumigant. The proud & stiffenec­ked people doest thou toutche by scourging & pu­nishinge them, & thē they come to the knowledge of the & of thy myghtie maiestie.Daniel .iiii. Then wyll they say as Nabuchodonosor sayed after his punishe­ment, honour and prayse be to the God of heauen whose power endureth alway, & his kingdom frō one generatiō to an other. In cōparisone of whō al that dwel vpon the earth, are to be reputed as nothing. Thē wyl they sende forth a smooke of sa­crifices & prayses to the, cōfessing theyr weakenes & thy mightie magnificēce.Psalm .Cxli. Their prayer shal as­cende vp into thy sight as an incense & the lifting vp of theyr handes shalbe an euenynge sacrifice.i. Corhinth. xv. Cruel Saule was toutched of thy hande and be­came Paule a welbeloued apostle & throughe the helpe of thy grace, laboured more aboūdaūtly thē al thother apostles. Such is the power of thy gracious influēce. This thy noble grace sēde me (most merciful god) wherby I shal haue a louing desire to honour ye, lorde, & to praise ye, my god.Cantabo domino in d [...] ta mea psalā deo meo ꝙdiu sum. So longe as I haue any beinge, I wyll not ceasse to cōfesse my sinnes to ye, & to lamēt mine iniquities, & then shal my wordes be pleasaūt & acceptable to ye.Placeat ei eloquium meum. Ego vero leta­bor in domino, And as I ioy wholy in the ye art my creatour, & in thy sōne which is my redemer: so shalt yu also delite in [Page] me ye am thy poore creature & hādy worke: graunting me ye frute of thy son christes passiō, [...]uc. xv. which he suffred for my redēptiō. And sence, lorde, ye thou & al thy heauēly cōpany, reioyse so much in ye cōuersiō of siners: yt it is more ioy in heauē of ye turning of one siner to penaūce thē it is of .lxxx. & .xix. iust mē which nede no repētaūce. I most hūbly require ye to cōsume ye vpgodly & al siners out of ye earth,Deficien [...] peccatores a [...]erra. Et impli vltra [...]on sint. not yt thou shuldest destroy thē: but cōsume their sines through ye power of thy grace, so yt frō hence forth they be no more sinners, but returne to the through herty repētaūce. Let their vngodlines be brought to an ende. That they and we in perfect vnitie of thy fayth: may prayse and magnify the wt thy sonne Christ & the holy gooste,Benedic anima mea [...]omino. frō you both proceadynge, worlde wythout ende. Amen.

The Cxvi. Psalme.¶ The faythfull man consideryng the benefytes by God to him gyuē: breaketh forth to geuing of pray­ses, and workynge good workes: and, for the loue whiche he beareth to God, is contented gladly to suffre al persecutions. Yea very death: So that the honour of God be therby encreased.

WHo so euer entēdeth to be the sonne of the (most merciful God) that art so good and so louyng a father, and to enheryte the kyngdome of hea­uen as heyres togyther wyth thy blessed sonne Iesus Christe: it is a­boue all thynges fyrste requisite, that he beleaue trewly in the & in tharticles of thy fayth:Roma. xiiii. Hebre xi. whiche thou hast in holy scripture, cōmaunded. For what so euer is not of fayth: that same is synne. Fayth [Page] is the sure and perfect foundation of all chrysten religion, whereby thy faythfull, hope surely that all thy promises made to them of thy mere libera­litie, shal surely and vndoutedly, be fulfilled.Luc. xxi. So ye heauen and erth shal perysh, rather then one of thy wordes or promises should be vnperfourmed, By fayth Abraham was iustified, and by fayth,Gens. xv. Genes. xx. Exod. iiii. Exod. xiiii. he was redy to make sacrifice of his onelye begot­ten sonne Isaac. By fayth Moyses vnder toke to do message vnto Pharao kyng of Egypte, and by fayth he entred the red sea, wyth al the Israelites Fayth saued all the holy Patriarkes, Prophetes and the good Iudges of thy people. Vpō the faith ful onely, dyd thy sonne Chryst worke his mira­cles. In so much that in his country of Galile,Mathw. xiii. he dyd not many miracles because of their vnbelefe And by this fayth with the helpe of thy grace, at thys daye and to the ende of the worlde are and shal, al Thy chosen people, besaued,Ephes. ii. and that frely without any deseruyng. Of this beyng fully perswaded by thy holy scripture, I beleue in the, my most myghtie God, three persones in one essence,Credidi. and in all thynges conteined within the limittes of thi sayd holy scripture. And the same thy fayth I wyll not let to confesse before all the worlde. I wyll not do as many of the prynces of the Iew­es did, which beleued in thy sonne, yet durst they not boldlye confesse hym, nother be acknowne of their faith lest thei should haue bene expelled out of the sinagoge.Iohn. xii. They more estemed the glorye of this worlde then they dyd the glorye of God, but through the helpe of thy grace, Lorde, I wyll no­thing [Page] speake but that I fermely beleue.Propter quod locutus sum. And that whych I do beleue: I can by no meanes hyde, but haue and wyll boldlye speake.Mathw. x. For I knowe that who so dothe confesse the before men: hym wylte thou confesse before thy father which is in heauē. Faith causeth me to loue the for thyne owne sake aboue al creatures. Loue causeth me to confesse the before al the world, and for thy sake to worke towarde my neighbour, as thou hast commaun­ded me, trustyng for my so workyng, to haue the reward which thou frely hast promised & annexed to my worke. But as the vtteryng of veritie, cō ­monly bredeth enuy: so dothe enuye brede muche trouble.Ego autem humiliatus sum nimis To the true confession of thy godly word is annexed persecution, trouble, & vexation, with out which fewe good men haue escaped sence the beginnyng of the world.Act. xiiii. The faythful must entre heauē by many tribulatiōs. Paule suffred much trouble as an euyll doar,ii. Timoth. ii. and was in bondes for the Gospels sake. But the worde of God was not bounde. It is a true saiyng (sayeth thyne Apostle Paule) that if we dye with Christ: we shall lyue with him. If we suffre patientlye aduersities for hym: we shall also reigne with hym. Aduersitie is the right way to the kingdome of Christ. Who so take not theyr crosse on theyr backes and folow hym:Lu. xiiii cannot bee hys dysciples. Persecution and trouble, bringe the feare of God, & the knowledge of mās owne infirmitie, and lede him as it were a mā rapt in a traunce,Ego dixi in excessu meo. to the only contēplation of heauenly thinges, wherby he shall know & boldly confesse, that all hys power and sufficiencie com­meth of God. All vyce & naughtinesse cometh of [Page] his owne corrupte nature. God only,Rom. iii. Omnis homo mēda [...]. Math. xxvi. of him selfe is good and true, but al men are liars, the childrē of sinne & damnation. Peter presumed of him self to stād fast by his master Christ, but sone after he denied him & was foūd a liar. It is thi grace that maketh mā to be true and to be good.Sapen. xvi. Thy grace is the nurce of al good thinges. It ledeth mā frō one vertue to another. It kepeth vs from falling & helpeth vs vp again when we are falne. Thi louing kindnes hath bene frō euerlasting, & endu­reth for euer.Quid reddam domino pro omnibus que re [...]er­buit mihi? What shal I therfor geue again vnto the Lord, for the manifold benifites, yt thou hast done vnto me? when I remembre thi tendre loue shewed to mā in his noble creation, next in power wisdom, knoledge, & vnderstanding, to the nature of angelles: made also, touchyng the soule, like to thine owne image, whō thou diddest plāt in that most pleasaūt garden of Eden a place of pleasure wher he might haue liued euer if he woulde haue kept thi cōmaundement.Genes. ii. I cannot but stil lamēt his frailte in yt he so shortly did breke it, for which he deserued death euerlasting, yet of thy mercy & gentlenes, thou diddest not straight, execute thy sore sentence vpon him, throwyng hym doune to hel as thou didest ye angels for their offence. But thou didest suffre him to dwel in this world to lament his fall, & to abide the tyme by thy maiestie, apointed, for his reconcilatiō. Thou didest gētly cōsidre his fraile nature & substaunce, wherfore thou dydest more pitie him thē thou didest angel whose nature was made pure and excellent and therfore, of presūption, minded to be equal wt the [Page] Then, Lorde, at length thou sendest thyne owne onely sonne to become man, and wylledest him to suffre death for mannes redemption. What more loue myght be shewed to him then thou hast she­wed. What more could be done to thy vineyarde then thou hast done. Thi charitie was feruent to vs when we were all synnes,Esaie. v Fewe men woulde nowe gladlye die for their ryghteous frende,Rom v but thou sendest thy sonne to suffre deathe for thyne enemyes, that were synners. Yea, when we dayly nowe do fall styl from the by commyttyng al kin­des of vices: yet doest thou mercifully suffre vs, & gently receiue vs so oft as we do returne agayne to the by penaunce. We forgeue our neighbours scarsely one or two displeasures, that thei do to vs But thou Lorde forgeuest vs not .vii. tymes one­ly, but seuentie times seuen tymes, that is, so of­tē as we fal, and euē so willest yu vs to forgeue one another.Mathw. xviii. Wherfore, to the intent I would not be found vnthankful: nor vnkynd: I do search buse­ly to fynd some meane to recompence part of thy louyng gentlenes oft shewed to me, & the more I search the more I fynde my selfe vnable. I fynde in me nothing that is good. I am enuironed with mysery, vanitie, and sinne, hauing no good thing but that I haue receiued of the. So that if I yeld to the any goodnes,i. Corhin. iiii. it is a rendryng of that thou gauest me before. The moost pleasaunt thynges that I may do to thy maiestie: is fyrst to receiue the cup of saluatiō,Colicem salutaris ac­cipiam. that is, to geue the hertie thā ­kes for thy great benefites, and to be inwardlye sorye that euer I dyd any thyng whych shoulde [Page] offend the,Ephes. iiii. Rom. xiii. then to mortifie the concupiscences of the fleshe, to put of the olde Adam and putte on Christ, to leaue to be carnal, & become spiritual, Yea, I wyl not loue the frayl fleshe so much, but that as thou hast caused thy sonne Chryst to dye for me: so wyl I not let (takyng example of hym) to suffre al kyndes of paines and persecutiōs, yea & death (if nede require) for thyne honoures sake, But I knowe ryght wel that I am much vnable this to do and suffre of myne owne selfe.Et nomen domini in­uocabo. Where­fore I wyl cal on thy name for thi grace, for thine ayde and assistence, to helpe me and to strengthe me in thys my good purpose,Psal. l. not doubtyng but thou wilte graciously here me in the daye of my trouble and deliuer me, my herte and all my hole bodye I offre willyngly to thy seruyce, whiche al though it be of smale valure in dede: yet I do not mystrust but that it shalbe as acceptable in thy syght, as was the offryng of two minutes which the poore woman threw into the treasury at Hierusalem. Which smale some of her pouertie:Mar. xii. thou diddest more esteme and prayse, then thou dydest al the great gyftes of the ryche men. Besechyng thy highnes to accept this gyft of my poore soule and body, not for that thou shalt anye thynge be auaunced therby. But for the declaration of my louyng mynde toward the,Vota mea domino reddam. & yt thou mayst vouch safe, so to worke in theym by thy grace that they may wil and worke that may be acceptable in thi sight, that I maye truely perfourme my vowes before made vnto the, that is, to kepe thy lawes and commaundementes, which I and euery true[Page] Chrystyan professe to kepe, whyche if I obserue faythfullye: thou haste promysed me thy kynge­dome of heauen as my rewarde.Iacob. si. And if I breake but one of theim, I am gyltie of breakynge theim all. Greate is the vowe that I haue made and far passinge the possibilitie of mannes power, to fulfyll.Marc. x. But that is impossible to men is not im­possible to the.Marc. x. Wherefore, thy helpynge hande Lorde reache vnto me, as thou dyddest reache it to Peter, and as he was thereby made able to walke vpon the waters: so shall I be able thereby to perfourme all thy holye lawes,Math. xliii. whiche my hert is desireous to do in the presence of al thy congregation,Coram omni populo eius. that other maye take example of my do­inges and gloryfye thy maiestie for thy noble gyfte. Strenghthen me wyth thy holye spirite, geue me an herte and wyll rather to chose to su­ffre deathe then to breake anye of them,Preciosa in conspectu domini, mors sanctorū cius. Rom. viii. knowyng that the deathe of thy Sainctes is righte deare and precyous in thy sighte. Thy faythfull ser­uauntes whyche suffre wyth thy sonne Christ: shall also be glorified wyth hym. In thys they shewe theym selues to be thy sonnes and shalbe therefore heires together whyth Chryst in hys reigne.Sapien. iiii. Although they be ouertaken wyth death yet shall they bee in reaste. O howe excellente a rewarde is thys, a ioye eternall for a smale paine temporal. But as thy power is inestimable: so are thy rewardes, ineffable, to those that are thy true seruauntes, of whyche companye my desyre and trust is to be one.O domine quia ego seruus tuus. ego seruus tuus et filius ancille tue. I am receiued into thy seruice, by thy louyng sonne Christ. I haue the badge of [Page] his fayth and the liuery of Charitie, wherby hys seruauntes bee knowne from the seruauntes of hys enemye, and all is of thy gyfte and hys mere goodnes. Not of myne owne merytes. For I haue longe serued the Deuyl and synne, folowyng the desires of the fleshe, and the worlde, in so muche that I was bonde seruaunte vnto theim, fast lo­cked and cheyned in theyr bondes.Dirup [...]ti vincula me But I thanke the, Lorde, of thy mercye. Thou hast broken al my fetters wherewyth I was tyed, and made me fre throughe the deathe of thy louynge sonne. Who hathe payed my raunsome and redemed me oute of captiuitie. Wherefore he maye claime me to be hys seruaunt. But I am farther in thy bondage and hys. For I am also the chylde borne of youre handmayde whyche is the holy churche, thy faithfull congregation. Who is nowe thy seruaunte, and thy handmayden. She hathe dothe, and wil serue the from the begynnynge of the worlde to the ende therof.Psalm. Cxxiii. She hathe her eyes as redy wai­tyng vppon the, as the eyes of seruauntes are to theyr masters or as the eyes of a handemayden is vppon the handes of her maistres. She know­eth onelye thy voyce, as the shepe doo knowe the voyce of the ryghte shephearde and folowe hym.Iohn .viii. But to anye straunger: she geueth none eare. She receiueth no lawes nor commaundementes but onelye thyne, Lorde, that art the very good shephearde. All thys dothe she heare in her pyl­gremage, in thys worlde. But after the latter day of iudgement: thē shal she be the welbeloued spouse of Christ, she shall then rest in hys armes. [Page] Iacob serued for Rachel .vii. yeares to get her to be his wyfe. Thy sonne serued aboue .xxx. yeares to haue her to his pure wyfe,Ephes. v. & to make her with out spot, or wrinckle. This is that bryght heuēly Hierusalem the wyfe of the lambe so pleasaunt to behold. Wherof in reuelation thou diddest shew a figure to the blessed Apostle of thy sonne, saynct Ihon,Apo xxi. she shal then neuer after sustayne sorowe or payne, but al ioye and perfect beatitude. This thy great and merciful goodnes considered: I do acknowledge me many wayes to be bond seruaūt to the and thy gentle sonne. Fyrst by nature for my creation, then by byrthe, for that I am borne of thy handmaiden, and also by redemption: for that I was dearly bought with the bloud of thy sonne,i. Corhin. vi. and reademed at a hyghe raunsome, where elles I had gone to euerlasting dampnation. For al these thy benifites, I can no more yelde again to the, but the sacrifice of thankes geuing, which I knowe is to the verye acceptable.Vota mea domino reddam. Tibi immolabo hostiā laudis. Thou woul­dest haue none vnkindnes shewed to the on our parties. Thy name therfore wyl I cal vpon and honour it al the dayes of my lyfe,Et nomen domini in­uocabo. I wyl also (as I promysed) fulfyl my vowes whiche I made vnto the. I wyl geue vp my selfe to the as an oblation which is due to the, seing it is thine image, as the coyne of Ceser,Mathw. xx. or of anye prynce, is due to hym because his figure and inscription is therein. I wyl also kepe thy preceptes so nere as thou wylt geue me grace, and that openly in the syght of al thy people,Coram omni populo eius. therby to allure thē to serue the faith­fully, and to winne them to the. I wyl not cease [Page] to declare vnto them, howe mercyfull thou haste ben, and dayly art in receyuyng vs to thy grace, forgeueinge al our offēces, if we repēt. I wyl styl acknowledge all the goodnes yt I haue: to come of the. And al naughtines, to come of my naugh­tie corrupte nature. Thus thyne honoure wyl I euer magnify in the courtes of the Lordes house, that is, before all thy faythful congregation,In atriis domus dom [...] ni. be­fore thine electe people in ye middes of thy church, that is, my mother: and in the myddes of thy Ci­tie of Ierusalem, whereof we are nowe Citizins.In medio tui Hieruslem. Ephes. ii. Not foreners or straungers, but of thy holy hous­holde through ye meanes of thy sōne Christ Iesus

¶ The faythfull person desyreth the helpe of God agaynste all his enemies:The .Cxxi. Psalme. and therin onely putteth his sure trust.

O Father of heauen, of power almightie, which wyth thyne onely worde,Genes. i. dyddest create & make all the whole worlde wyth the goodly contentes therof. And al for the profyt and ser­uice of man whom thou dyddest create, of al other a mooste noble and perfecte creature, gyueynge hym power vpon the earth, and in the waters, & of al the foules and byrdes of the ayre. Thou ma­dest him also after thyne owne similitude, or lyke­nes. Endewynge hym wyth a reasonable soule: & the noble powers therof. Thou also dyddeste put hym into that pleasaunte garden of paradyse, no­thynge exceptynge from hym but the eatynge of the onely tree of knowledge of good and badde:Genes. ii & [Page] further for his helpe, comforte and companie, of a rybe of his side, thou madest for him a womā, and gauest her to him to be his wyfe. There had they instructions gyuen them and the lawe of lyfe for an heritage. Before them were layd both lyfe and death, [...]cclesiast. xv. good and euyl, with a free wyl geuen them to take whether so euer liked them. But their frailtie was suche that they throughe a small intise­ment, chose the euyl and least the good, they leaft lyfe and chose death. Thus, Lorde, through synne and breakyng thy commaundement: man lost the free wyll that was gyuen hym in hys creation, and purchassed death to all hys posteritie. In the way as he went from Hierusalem to Hiericho: he fell in the handes of theues, [...]ic 1 who hurtynge and woundyng hym sore: departed leauyng him halfe deade, there could he of none, haue helpe, but one­ly of the good Samaritane who passed by the same way. He poured wyne & oyle into his wound and toke the cure of him. This Samaritane was thy mooste louyng sonne Christ, which toke vpon hym all the iniquities of mankynde, and layed them on his backe, [...]say i [...] by hys deathe, purgynge and cleansynge hym not onelye from the synne origi­nall of oure forfather Adam: but also from al our actuall synnes by vs committed, from tyme to tyme, by the vertue of his passion and the Sa­crament of Baptisme and penaunce. For as by one,Roma. [...]. that is, oure fyrste Adam was death sent in to all mankynde, so by one other oure seconde A­dam Christe, was mankynde restored to lyfe. For the whiche great and hygh benifite of thy sonnes [Page] blessed passion for oure redemption, we thy poore creatures mooste humbly prayse and thanke the, and acknowledge hys inestimable loue towarde vs. In that he vouchsaffed to dye for vs beynge then synners, and in that we were synners: we were both thyne and hys mortall enemyes. Ne­uerthelesse (mooste mercyfull father) the sparcles of the fyre kyndeled in vs by oure olde father A­dam: and the dregges or remnaūtes of his synne remayne in vs, that we are become so frayle and weake, that we can do no good of oure selues, no not once thynke a good thoughte. And in case we by thyne assistence wyll do anye good acte:Roma. vii. yet are we not able of oure selues to perfourme it. But the wyll and the pefourmynge of the same,Phillip. ii. doth wholye depende vpon the, and the helpe of thy mooste kynde sonne oure louynge brother, it lyeth not in vs nowe, to chose and take what waye shall be beste, but all our steppes and proce­dynges towarde goodnes, muste be directed by the. We wander here miserably in the valeis and lowe partes, our strēgth wil not serue vs to clyme to the heyghte of the hylles where thou dwellest, Lorde, in the mounte of Syon, a place prepared for thyne electe, a chosen enherytaunce of thy faythfull seruaunt Abraham and his sede, wher­fore sence we beyng burthened wyth the affectes of worldely pleasures, and also wyth other cares and troubles, cā by no meanes ascend to the, that arte on the toppe of so highe a mountayne, ac­companyed wyth so manye legions of angelles that styl attende vpō the: we haue no remedy, but [Page] wyth thy prophet Dauid now to lyst vp the eyes of our hertes & myndes towarde the, [...]enaui oculus meos [...]u montes. and to crye for helpe to come downe from the to vs thy poore and wretched seruauntes, we wander here alowe as lost shepe, hauynge no shepeherde. We are as­sayled on euery syde wyth manifolde enemyes. [...]. Petri. v.

The deuyll rauenynge and hungry seketh whom he maye deuoure. The worlde blandishynge and alluryng vs to her disceytful vanities. The fleshe also whyche we cary about wyth vs beynge a do­mestical enemie readye and prone to drawe vs to all vices and pleasures, from these, can we by no meane be defended, but by the Lorde. Sende vs therfore thy helpe from the high hylles.Vnde veniet autilium [...] Sende vs thy holy angelles to assist and strengthen vs, by whose helpe we maye by steppes of vertues clime vp to the, to enhabite amonge these noble hylles, the countrey of all fertilitie and aboundaunce.

To these hylles after longe labour thou brough­test the Israelites, amōge these hylles: thou cau­sedest thy chosen Citie of Ierusalem to be builte, to be throughe them the stronger and more sure agaynste al assaultes of enemyes. From these hyl­les discended the swete sprynges and fountaynes of water, to ouerflowe the lowe valyes, and make them both pleasaunt and profitable. Thus of the, mooste mercyful father,Au [...]m meum a do­mino qui fecit eclum et terram. floweth all bountie and goodnes. Thou madest heauē and earth for thine owne honoure and mannes cōmoditie. Establish therfore, good lorde, the chosē worke of thyne hāde wyth thy eternall helpe from heauen, sende vs downe the well sprynge of thy grace. Sende thy [Page] stronge angelles to ayde vs, by whose helpe, no as­saulte of our spiritual enemies,Non dei in commotinem pedem tuum. maye preuayle a­gaynste vs. No not once be able to remoue oure feete or thoughtes frō the obseruyng of thy god­ly wyll and pleasure. The bryghte angelles stode not fast, but through pryde, slypped and susteyned a great fal. Our father Adam also brake thy pre­cepte, and his fote slypped. He fel from paradyse of pleasure into thys worlde a place of trauayle. He fell from immortalitie to mortalitie. Take awaye therfore from vs, Lorde, that proude slyppy fete so that no temptation of synne remoue vs, causing vs to fal frō the. Make vs to be trew Israelites,Roma. ix. that is, seares of God. Make vs the trewe sede of Abraham by fayth, and of Isaac by promission.

So that by the helpe of angelles: we maye dwell here in the Citie of Ierusalē, that is, in thy trewe churche, here militant, continewinge in thy trew fayth, wythout swarueuynge, abydynge in hope of thy promyse made to al thy faythful, and wor­kyng by ardent charitie,Math. v. as thou hast commaun­ded vs, to the good example of other, and to the glorifiynge of thyne excellent maiestie. And then neade we not to be afrayed of any power of ene­mies. Thou beinge our keper and our watchmā we are sure frō al sodeyne inuasions. Thyne eyes are and euer wyl be open vpon vs,Ne (que) dormitet qui custodit te. Ecce non dormitabit ne (que) dormiet qui custodit Israel. thou neuer sle­pest nor none of thy holy angelles, but intentiffe­ly do attende to the saffekepynge of thyne electe, and chosē people that are the lyuely stones of thy churche or congregation. Al men be they neuer so holy do sleape and slumbre, but Christe sleapeth [Page] not, he sleapt once & arose agayne frō his sleape, so that he wil neuer more sleape but preserue ye true Israelites,i. Corhinth. xiii. i. Io. iii frō al perils. They shal se him here by fayth as it were in a glasse, & after thys lyfe: they shal se him, [...] [...]it te do [...] [...]o tua [...]u [...] [...]num dexteram cu [...]. euen as he is. Thy stronge defence is much more sure for vs thē we our selues cā wishe or diuise. Al the workes that we cā do are nothing worth to our protection. Those we clearly refuse & appeale to thy mercie, & cal for the helpe of thy grace. Through the which we shalbe (as it were vnder the shadow of thy winges defēded) frō the heate of the sonne in the daye tyme,Per diem sol non v [...]et teme (que) suna per nociē. that is, from vayneglory & al other tēptacions in prosperitie, and also frō the coolnes of the mone by the night, that is, frō slackenes & not doing at al times those thinges which we ought and are cōmaūded. The first woulde moue vs to the cōtempt & forgetful­nes of the & thy wil. The seconde woulde leade vs to desperation. But frō al these euils Lorde, thy worde defēdeth vs, both toutching the body & al­so the soule, yt the temptatiōs of our enemies shal not preuaile against vs. Thou hast ben our prote­ctour,Dominꝰ custodit te ab omni malo, custodiat animam tuam dominꝰ. euē frō the breastes of our mother hitherto, & our trust is that thou wilt no lesse do al the rest of our life, and specially in the houre of death. So that when we shal put of this sacke of mortalitie this body corruptible:Dominus custodiat in tronum tuum, ex hoc nunc et vs (que) in seculū. we shal put on the garmēt of immortalitie, & ascende to thy heauenly Citie of Hierusalem, where we shoulde reste in the bo­some of our father Abraham, the father of al faythful beleuers, in ioye that may not with the tonge be expressed, nor with the herte be comprehended. [Page] There praysyng the wyth thy louyng sonne and the holy gooste procedynge from you both worlde wythout ende. Amen.

¶ The synner beynge drowned in the flouddes of synne, cryeth to God for his helpe,The .Cxxx. Psalme. and prayeth to be delyuered from the daunger therof.

WHē I do ernestly behold mine owne estate wherunto I am brought tho­rowe sinne: (that is) not onely to be naked & bare of all goodnes, but al­so to be ouerwhelmed & drowned in the deapth of al fylthy iniquitie. I cānot but lamēt,Esaye .xxvi. mourne & cry for helpe as doth a womā whose time draweth nere of ye byrth of her childe. She cā take no rest til she be discharged of her burthen. No more can I Lorde, so longe as I feale my selfe looded wt my heauy burthē of sinne: The weighte whereof draweth me downe to the deape botome of al miserie frō whēce I cā by none be deliuered, but onely by the yt art the guyde and the eye to those that are blynd through ignoraūce the socour of the oppressed,Io. x. the cōfort of the weake & the life of those that are dead, so yt they repent & cal vnto the. It is not the longe distaūce of vs frō thy highnes, whiche kepeth our prayers frō the.

Thine eares are ready in the hertes of al that are ready to crye for ye helpe of thy grace.Ione. ii. Ionas was in the botome of the sea, in the bealy of a fishe .iii. dayes, frō which lowe deapth, he cryed vnto the, & thou mercifully hearing him diddest deliuer him. who so is made far frō ye through sin: by repētaūce [Page] is made nere vnto the. He that is in the botome of the sea of miserie (if he begyn to call for thy helpe) incontinent begynneth to aryse and flote from that deapth, and cā not be suffered to sinke. There is no thynge that draweth a man downe so much as doth continuall prosperitie and fal [...]e felicitie, whiche seame to holde a man vp by the chynne, but at lēgth by them he doth synke, & not swyme to the bankes of assured health.De profundis clama­ [...]i ad te domine, domi­ [...]e eraudi vocem meā ­ [...]iant aures tue inten­ [...]entes in voce depreca [...]ionis mee. Frō al these deape daungers (mooste mercifull God) I crye and call piteously vnto the, whiche art onely able to helpe me. Here therefore (I hertely pray the) my sorow­ful prayers, and let my poore peticion pearse the eares of thy Godhead, and sence thy sonne Christ dyed for to release vs of synne, let not my synnes be a staye wherby my praiers should not be hard, but wype thē cleane awaye that they neuer more appeare. For if thou, Lorde, wylte beholde the ini­quities of mankynde whiche abounde in vs as flowers do in the feldes at the springe tyme of the yere:Si iniquitates obser­uaueris domine: domi­ne quis sustinebit? no creature shall be able to abyde the hard­nes of thy iudgement. No eye maye endure the sharpnes of thy countenaunce.Malach. iii. Iob .xxvi. Psal. Cxliii. The thunder of thy sentence none can susteyne. The most iust mā shal not be able to entre wyth the into iudgemēt. Who so euer presumeth of his owne iustice to en­dure the violence of thy iustice: shal be as sone, o­uerthrowen, as one that standeth in the rage of a fierse water floude in a strayte place, his owne conscience wyl shortly accuse him and condempne him. Leauing therfore the rigour of thy trew iu­stice, I most vile & miserable siner, do flee to ye gentlenes [Page] of thy fauorable mercy,Quia apud te propia­tio est whose natural propertie is to haue pitie & cōpassiō. Frō the (as frō the welspring) floweth all mercy & grace, whiche was so great that it caused the to sende thine on­ly sonne to dye for our redemption. Wherein thy iustice was satisfied, and thy mercye founde that which it sought. Oh howe feruent was this thy noble charitie to vs vyle wretches. It toke roote and original beginning in thi mightie deitie, and from thence is deriued to mankynd.Et propter legem tuē sustinui te domine. To this cha­ritie thou diddest bynde hym fyrst by the lawe of nature, written in the hertes of men, and then by the lawe writtē in tables, and after approued by Christ and his Apostles in the Euangelical lawe whych was that one of vs shoulde bare the bur­then of another,Galathi. vi. and therby fulfyl thy holye wyll and precept. Knowyng this thi godly lawe: I am gladly contented to remit all iniuries done to me as it hath plesed thy goodnes to forgeue me much greater offences commited agaynst the, Yea, whē soeuer it pleaseth the to scourge and punyshe me, I gladly receiue thy chastisment, knowyng that it proceadeth of loue, for my wealth and suretie. Trusting that after my longe abidyng and suffe­ryng in this life,Sustinuit anima mea in verbum tuum. I shal surely obtayn the reward by the promised to me after my trauayle. Suche sure hope haue I euer had in the Lorde,Sperauit anima mea in dominum. Psalm .xxii. Rom. viii. euen frō the breastes of my mother, and by the same hope I trust fyrmely to be saued. The good husband mā ploweth his ground, soweth it, reapith and thre­sheth his corne, and al vpon hoope of the profyte,i. Corhint. ix. whyche thereon ariseth. Euen so Lorde, wyl I a­bide [Page] in hope and trust of thi glory that is to come and that not onely in youth,A custodia matutina vs (que) ad noctem. or one tyme onely of my lyfe, but continually, frō the mornyng watch vnto the nyght, from the tyme of youth in which thou gauest me fyrst my descretion, vnto the laste ende of my lyfe. For whosoeuer casteth away hys hope before the night of death come, loseth al that he watched for before.Genes. xii. The wife of Loth kept wel her way of a great whyle styll lokyng on forward, but at the last she coulde not forbeare but loked backe vpon her coūtry wherin she before had ple­sure, and was turned into a saltston. It was not without a great misterye that the Leuites were commaunded to offre vnto thee Lorde,Leuit. i bothe the head and the tayle of the beast offred for sacrifice. Wherby is mēt that thou dost not alowe a good beginnyng vnles there folowe also a good ende, For he that continueth to the ende: shalbe saued. This hope in thi promise hath my poresoule firm­ly reposed in her bosome or brest,Mathew .xxiiii. and this hope, it is mete that al Israel,Speret Israel in do­minum. that is, all chrysten menne (which by faith se God) should haue. For blessed is the man which trusteth in the merciful God, and curssed are they that put theyr trust in man. Of thi grace and mercy only cometh al our goodnes Thy mercy forgeueth dayly our sinne,Quia apud dominum misericordia. & the painful death of thi sonne Christ, deliuered vs from al the paynes dewe for our offēces.Et copiosa apud eum redemptio. Thou boughtest vs not with golde and siluer or any such vile price nether yet with the bloud of a goate or any other beast.1. Peter .i. But with the precious bloud of that lambe without spot, thy blessed sonne. Whose death had [Page] bene sufficient for a hundreth thousand such worldes. The greatnes of thy loue caused ye plentiful payment of the price of our redemption.Ecclesi. xxxix. Thi blis­sing did flow vpon vs as a mightie flodde, whose greate inundations do moysten all the grounde. The charite of thi sonne hath brente vp and con­sumed by his death, al our iniquities. Wherfore the faithful, beyng thus deliuered from all daun­gers by thyne onelye goodnes, maye nowe geue praises and thanckes vnto thy myghtie maiestie, restyng in hope to haue after this lyfe the thyng for whiche thei so long haue hoped, which is ioye euerlastīg through the perfect visiō of thi blissed deitie, euen as it is. Which who so seeth: enioyeth all thinges that his hert can desire.The .C.xxxviii. Psal.

¶ The faythfull man gyueth prayse to God wyth thākes for his mercie shewed to him, and exhorteth all other to do the same.

THe myghtie power of thi deuine ma­iestie O Lord of Lordes and God of al Gods with the plentifull aboun­daūce of thi goodnes dayly declared to al mankynd,Deute. [...]. enforceth me to con­sider myne owne weakenes and insufficiencie in yeldyng to the any recompence. Thou Lord arte omnipotent and madest all thynges of naughte. I am thy symple creature made wyth thy hande and withoute thy helpe,iiii. Reg. v. I am able to do no good thynge. Thou art the God eternall besyde whom there is no God. I am a worme of the vyle earth not worthy to beare the name of a chrystian man [Page] for that through myne owne act of synne I haue defaced the beaultie of the principall part of man which is my soule made to thy godly image. Ne­uertheles, synce thou art the refourmer of mens hertes and the inspiratour of all grace and good­nes, I mooste humblye beseche the to correcte by thy power that whyche throughe my frayltie is a mysse. Redres by thy pitie, that whiche I haue marred through my follye, make me able to yelde vnto the that whiche thou requirest of me, (that is) to acknowledge myne owne insufficien­cie,Cōfit [...]bor tibi domine and to rendre vnto the noble prayses and lo­uyng thankes for thy manifolde gyftes of grace, wherwith thou hast of thi mere leberalitie endu­ed both my soule and my body. Make me worthy to laude the, which by no meanes maye be but by wyping away al myne iniquities.Ecclesi. xv. In toto corde meo. For thy pray­ses be not semely in the mouthe of a synner. Yea, Lorde I pray the, enflame my hert with the loue of the. So that from the botome therof, I maye speake them, and thine honour to extol, not myne nor to loue any thyng in this worlde but the and for the. Thou art the true God and sauiour, and there is none els but thou.Esaye .xlv. Out of thy mouth co­meth the worde of ryghteousnes whiche no man may turne. Wherfore al other Gods set a syde, to the onelye wyll I synge prayses, and confesse the onely to be the liuyng God, and that wyl I kno­ledge before the hole congregation of the fayth­ful.ii. Corin. vi. Adorabo conuersus ad templum sanctum tuum. Thou knowest the inwardes of ye hert of man and in the hertes of the faythful is thy seat or re­sting place. The soules of the iust are the temples [Page] wherin thou dost inhabit. To this temple wyl I turne my selfe by consideryng the estate of myne owne soule, which whē by thy grace I make clene of vices: then am I mete to receiue the, to honour the, & to geue praises to thy high maiestie.Actes .xvii. Since that thou beyng Lorde of heauen and earth, and of al that therin is cōtayned: delitest not to dwel in temples made with mās handes. Dauid wold haue made the a temple and was forbidden by the Prophet Nathan to whō thou saydest thou wast not vsed to dwel in any house.ii. Regum .vii. iii. Regum .v. And although thou diddest afterwarde cause Salomon his sonne to buylde the a material house for the congregatiō to assemble in, and therin to honour the: yet chifely Lord the hert or soule of man is thy pleasaunt habitation. Wherfore, Christ thy sonne sayde to ye woman of Samarie,Iohn .iiii. that nether on that moū ­tayn nor yet in Hierusalem should men worshyp the, but that the true worshippers shold worship the in spirit and in truth. The true worshippers must leaue earthly affections, and inwardlye be­holde the spiritual heauenly ioyes desiryng to be the pertakers of them with the aungels. So shal they beyng thy holy temple here on earth, behold thy noble spiritual temple in heauen.Et confitebor nomin [...] tuo super misericordi­a tua et veritate tua Thus shal we worthely praise thy name for two, the most special benefites that thou hast shewed vs (that is) for thy great mercy wherby thou hast forgeuen & put awaye al our synnes, and then for thy verite of iustice, wherby thou wilt vndoutly perfourme thy gētle promises made to vs, in rewardyng vs for the obseruyng of thy preceptes. And as these [Page] be the wayes by whych thou shewest thy selfe to vs and dost approch neare vs: euen so graunt vs (Lord) that we shewyng the same to our neigh­bours may also approche nere vnto the. I meane that thou wilt geue vs grace to haue compassion on those that haue nede of our helpe and sucour and also to be indifferent and vpryght in iudge­ment to all men. So that these two vertues may appere to be planted by the in vs. O howe plenti­ful is thy goodnes to all that loue the.Marc. xiii. Thy pro­mises to them made are merueilous great, yet neuer was one iote of thē vnperfourmed, although to men thei seme vnpossible. As for example amōg many I wyl onely take Abraham the father of al faythfull, to whom was a chylde promysed to be borne of his olde wyfe Sara,Genes. xvii. Genes. x [...]i. whiche agaynst the course of nature thou dyddest perfourme. Thou diddest also promyse hym that his sede should be increased to the multitude of the starres of the firmamēt or as the sandes of the sea bankes (that is) to a nombre past numbring which after beside all mennes expectation thou broughtest to passe,Genes. xxii. And all thys Lorde dyddest thou for thy names sake:Quo niam magnifica­sti super omne, nomen sanctum tuum. thou wylt euer haue thy worde founde true and also magnified, for thyne owne honoure and glory, and for our comoditie. Vppon the therefore wyll I styll call,In quacun (que) die inuo­tau [...]ro te exaudi me. trustyng that thou wylt shortlye heare me. I wyl also cal vpon the myghtie name of thy sonne Iesus Chryst.Marc. xvi. In whose name the faythfull haue and dayly do cast out deuyls from the possessed, thei haue spoken and do speake with newe tonges. They kyll the serpentes, and if thei [Page] drynke anye deadly thynge, it shal not hurt them, that is, they leaue their wycked myndes and deuylyshe workes, in whiche they before led their lyues, they speake thy holye worde and set furthe the veritie, leauynge all lyes and deceyte. They doo suppresse the suggestions of the olde serpent Sathan: pluckynge oute the stynge of hys tayle wherewyth he was accustomed to wounde them, and if at anye tyme they haue consented to sinne and receyued his poysen: it shall not hurt theim. For Chryst, on whose name they made inuocati­on, purgeth theim cleane thereof after theyr her­tie repentaunce. So that, to the good faythfull people, theyr faull into synne is nowe tourned to good to theim, and to theyr profyte.Multiplicabis in ani­ma mea virtutem. Theyr sou­les thereby receyue greater force and strength e­uer after. For this strength of the powers of my soule, I cal most humbly vnto the (merciful God) whereby I maye be able to vanquyshe the sayde subtyl Serpent and al his illusions. Perfourme in me that whiche thou hast promysed,Farebuntur te esse dominū omnes reges terre, vbi audierūt omni [...] verba otis tui. whereby all people, yea, the myghtie Kynges Prynces and rulers of the earth hearynge of thy merciful pro­myses and power in perfourmynge theym, shall take occasion to prayse the, and to magnifie thy name. Yea,Et cantent in viis domini ꝙ magna est glo­ria homini. wyth songes and hermonye thei shall set fourth, and prayse thy wayes, and beare wit­nes of thy hyghe maiestie. Al thy wayes are mer­cye and truthe.Phal. xxv. Thy mercye reacheth to the hea­uen and thy faythfulnes to the cloudes,Psalmus .xxxvi. and thy righteousnes standeth lyke the strong mountai­nes.

This considered, nedes must all the rulers of the earth confesse that greate is thy myghte and thy glory.Excelsus dominus et humilia respicit & alta eminus agnoscit. Neuertheles although thou dwellest aboue the heauens, yet hast thou a louyng respect vnto the lowly and meke of spirit,Psal. xxxiiii. thou beholdest them as one loketh on hys frynde. Thou drawest nere vnto them to heare their praiers. Yea, thou arte their shylde and protection in all their necessities But what shall we then thynke? Doest thou not beholde also those that are proude and worke in­iquities? Yes truely. Thou seest them perfectlye. But it is a far of. Thou seest theim with a fyerse loke to theyr confusion,Psalm .xxxiiii. to destroy and rote furth the memory of them cleaue out of the land of euer lastyng beatitude. Who so therfore wyl haue thy maiestie come nere vnto hym:Mathw. xv Si ambulauero in medio tribulationis uiui­rabis me. must pul doune his hye mynde and become lowe in herte. The meke and humble people be those that shall enioye the heauenly country. And though thei walke in the myddes of trouble: yet shalt thou refreshe theim and quickē them. This world is a place ordained for trouble, not for rest. Here we are appoynted to trauail. In this place no man wanteth tribula­tion. But thou euer, gratiously refreshest and cō fortest thy faythful. Thou suffrest them not to be ouercome in any tribulation. Yea, although thei be commytted by tirauntes to temporall deathe: yet through the shall they vanquish al their enemyes.Psal. Cxvi. The death of thy saynctes is ryght deare & precious in thy syght.Mathwe. x. Thei nede not to fear those that haue power onely to kyll the bodye. But let them feare thy myghtie hande, Lorde, which hast [Page] power to slea both body and soule. The temporall death is a waye to brynge vs from muche trou­ble, to the hauen of euerlastynge health, into the lande of liuers. Yet let the vniust & cruel enemies of the faythfull, stande in dreade of thy stretched forth arme,Supet iram inimico­rum meorum extendi­sti manum tuam. wherwyth in thyne angre thou wylt stryke them. Of thine infinite goodnes thou suf­frest longe, abydyng theyr cōuersion, but at lēgth after longe taryinge, thou strykest very sore, thro­wyng both soule & body into the pit of hell, there to be tormented wyth plages and receyue double asmuche to be poured forth to them of the same cuppe, whiche they fylled to other:Apoca. xvii. suche measure of crueltie as they shewed to other: such measure of punishmente and sorowe shall be measured to them agayne, whyche shall neuer ceasse nor be di­minished. Thys knowyng and beleauyng (moste mercyful God) what reasonoble creature woulde not tremble and quake? who wyll continewe in synne, cōsideryng the peynes dewe to synne? wherfore, Lorde, powre out thy mercies I beseche the vpon thy flocke, delyuer vs from all oure enemies spiritual and temporal.Salu [...] me fecit dexte­ra tua. Let thy right hande saue vs (that is) leade vs through thy grace, into eter­nall felicitie. As for ritches, ease, honour, or any kynde of temporal pleasure, whiche be thy gyftes also (but of thy lyfte hande) we nothynge esteme. These, many tymes thou bestowest vpon thyne enemyes. The other thou reseruest for thine elect to receyue after many theyr tribulations. And the same, Lorde, I humbly beseche to kepe in store for me thy poore seruaunt. Regarde not the wyc­kednes, [Page] whiche I dayly cōmitte, but thyne owne goodnes, whereby thou frely dischargest such as offende agaynste the. At the least, beholde the me­rites of thy sonne Iesus Christe my God, and my Sauiour,Dominꝰ retribuet prom [...]. who hath made good for me yt I was not able to make good my selfe. He hath payed my dette. And vpon my repentaunce therfore thou, Lorde, haste sealed myne acquittaunce. The one­ly cause therof was thy mercie and mere libera­litie, whiche, as it hath bene from euerlastynge: euen so wyl it endure without ende for euer.Domine misericordia tua in seculum. And as through thy sayed great mercie thou dyddest sende thy sonne to dye for thyne enemyes: so I truste that thou wylte not leaue to saue vs that are thy faythful seruauntes. Consiore I pray the that whether we be sinners, or elles by thy helpe, made newe men and iustified, yet alwaies are we thy creatures, the worke of thyne hande, whyche thy worke,Opera manuum tua­ [...]um ne despi [...]ias. we beseche the mercifully to beholde, and not oure owne worke, whiche we haue added therto. Thy worke was made good, but the wor­kes of oure hādes haue made foule that thou hast wrought. Maye it therfore please thy maiestie of thyne abūdaunt goodnes to take away that we haue wroughte, and let nothynge re­mayne, but that is onely of thy cre­ation. So shalte thou acknowledge vs as thyne owne, & receyue vs to the, and cal vs to thine euerlasting glory through Christ Iesus. So be it.

¶ The Prophet Dauid made thys Psalme proper­ly in the person of Christ speakyng to his heauenly father (as the head of his churche).The .Cxxxix. Psalme But it maye be applied vnto the faythfull membres of his congre­gation, retourned to God from all euyll wayes in whiche they haue walked.

LOrde God almightie the creatoure and maker of all thynges, whose po­wer is an euerlasting power, which shall neuer be put downe, whose kyngdome endureth incorrupte for euer, and thy goynge out hath bene from euerla­styng, great art thou, high & vnmeasurable, thou onely knowest the wayes of wysdome,Psalm. lxxix Math. v. Baruch .iii. none other is there that seketh out her pathes but thou the mightie God, whiche haste founde her out wyth thy forknowledge, & by the same thy godly wyse­dome and prescience hast created al thinges accor­dyng to thy noble wyll and pleasure. Thys thyne omnipotent power, Lorde, I thy poore subiect do honour: and thy wonderfull wysedome I haue in great veneratiō. By the one thou madest al thin­ges. By the other thou knewest what thou woundest make longe before they were made. In both these hast thou declared thy selfe to be the lyuing God, and although our actes whiche be past, pre­sent, and to come, be al open before thyn eyes: and oure thoughtes manifest in the lyghte of thy di­uine prescience,Domine probasti me et cognouisti me. yet doest thou daly search & proue thine electe people. Somtime by aduersitie, som­time by prosperitie, not for thincrease of thy knowledge, but to cause vs to be knowen thereby to o­ther.Genes. xxii. Of thys sorte dyddest thou proue Abraham [Page] in the oblation of his sonne, to the entent his obe­dience myghte be an example to all that shoulde come after hym. [...]o [...]. xxiii. Thus also dyddest thou proue thy seruant Iob, as golde is tried by fyre in the fornaice, & he was foūde both faythful, constaunt & iust. Thou knowest what mē be before thou tri­est them, but after the tryall thou hearest them, & theyr prayers, and alowste theyr good actes and intentions. By such profe Lorde, hast thou tryed me both wythin and wythout, and although tho­row frailtie I haue erred wanderynge a lytle frō the: yet at length haue I bene found to returne agayne to the that art the perfecte way, to beleue faythfully in the as in my very God, to trust wholy in the, and to loue the as my merciful father, & all throughe the gyfte of thy grace, not of myne owne strength or wyl.Tu cognouisti sessio­ [...]em meam, et resurre­ [...]tionem m [...]am. Thou knowest my downe sitting and myne vprysinge (that is) whether I sit or stande, rise or fal, whether I go forth to tra­uayle in any worldly busynes, or els returne frō labour to take my rest: thou knowest and conside­rest al thynges better then I do my selfe, when so euer I syt restyng in synne accordyng to the mi­serable cōdition of my nature, or els aryse againe out of synne through the goodnes of thy grace: al is manifest vnto the, yet are al my euyl actes sone put out of thy godly remembraunce, so that I acknowledge my selfe to be a synner agaynste the.

Thou requirest that I shoulde accuse my selfe or euer I be iustifyed by the.Psalm .Cxxvii. I muste fyrste eate the breade of sorowe for that I haue so longe sitten in synne, and then arte thou ready mercifully to [Page] rayse me, Thou art a God in whom no ignoraūce can fal. The carpēters and masones who entende to erecte an house: fyrst deuise & buyld the fourme therof in theyr mynde before the foundations be layed, or elles shall theyr workes sometyme be ra­cid downe to amende that was omitted or vici­ous. And shall I thynke the to be so ignoraunte and vndiscrete a workeman of the worke of mans bodye that thou dyddeste not in thyne eternitie conceyue and know, not onely al myne actes,Intellexisti cogitatio­nes meas de longe. pro­cedynges and ende, but also my thoughtes which I should at any time thinke? This were as great an errour as to t [...]ynke the not to be God. Since it is a parte of thy deuine nature to se thynges a farre of, and to knowe my thoughtes in thy for­knowledge, before they come into my herte or mynde? whiche who so thynketh not to be in the, taketh from the in his herte, a parte of thy God­heade. And as the good workeman maketh hys worke perfecte and trew by his lyne and his mea­sure: so doest thou measure all my wayes, that is,Semitam meam et finiculum meum inuestgasti, omnes vias meas preuidisti. al myne actes by the lyne of myne entent concey­ued in the workyng of them, whiche intent is ap­rarent to thy Godly consyderation. Nothyng can escape the vntryed, neyther the dedes of thy peo­ple for to receyue therfore theyr heauēly rewarde, neyther the workes of the badde to receiue for thē dew punishment,Non est sermo in lingua mea. there is no worde spoken by me but it is fyrste knowen to the before it is come in to my mouth. And as thy wisedome is incompre­hensible in knowyng al thinges: euen so is thy po­wer ineffable in the workynge of them, of whyche [Page] the more that I deuise to searche out the groun­des, the more do I remaine wrapped in ignoraūce If I shoulde muse howe deape dwellynges are in the sea, [...]i. Esdre. iiii. or how great waters are aboue the firmament, or how great water sprynges are in the be­gynnynge of the deape, or whiche are the out go­inges of Paradyse: I myghte well iudge them to be farre beyonde my capacitie. For that I neuer went downe into the deape, nor yet clymed euer vp into heauen to haue knowledge of any so hyd secretes. But when I onely consyder thy worke­manshippe in the bodye of man whiche thou hast fashioned both behinde and before, [...]etro et ante forma­me. wherof I feale dayly the experience: and perceyue the secrete o­perations of nature therein to be suche that they passe farre my capacitie, I leaue of to searche fur­ther of that, wherof I by no meanes may atteine the knowledge. The sinewes both the harde and the softe, the grosse and the fyne, fetche from the heade, and the brayne theyr originall, by which al other partes haue theyr fealyng and theyr moue­inge, the vaynes conuey the bloud from the lyuer whiche is the greate receptacle or stoore house of the bloud, from one parte of the body to an other, wherby the whole bodye is norished. The ioyntes are firmely knytte, whiche ioyne (as it were by a mutual amitie) one membre to an other, one part serueth the necessities of the other, the mouth fea­deth the stomache, the stomache prepareth a con­coction to the lyuer, the lyuer worketh it agayne more perfectly to the veynes, the veynes laboure it also and brynge it to al the partes of the body. [Page] The herte which is the founteyne of liuely heate and wherein the vitall spirites do reste: hath his place in the myddes of the bodye, as in the mooste assured place thereof for the sauegarde of all the rest, with many other lyuely qualities belonging to the body, which to expresse passeth all mennes capacities. As the eyes, through the glasye & cri­stalline humours wyth the helpe of the two small sinewes, to se thinges farre distaunt, the eares to heare any soune, the mouth to taste, the nose to smellynge, the handes and other partes to feele, whiche are wounderful to considre But nothing in comparison of the noble spiritual gyftes of the soule, as of memorie, imaginations, fantasie, opi­nion, discretion, wysedome, vnderstandynge, and aboue al, reason, set in the highest part of the head as indifferent iudge or ruler to all the reste. All these Lorde, thou which lyuest euerlastingly hast created togither. And yet when thou haste crea­ted them they coulde no whyle endure but muste needes perishe, if thou dyddeste not helpe them,Posuisti supor me m [...] num tuam. keepe them, and wyth thy migytie hande or po­wer from tyme to tyme preserue them, the house of mannes bodye wyll sone decaye, vnles it be re­payred continually by thy mercifull grace, by whiche thy grace sometyme thou layest thy hea­uy hande vpō me plagyng & punishing me wher­by I am broughte to the knowledge of the.Psalm .xxxii. Eccle. xviii. Who cā therfore be able to expresse thy workes,Iob .xxxvi. Mirabilis facta est s [...] entia tua super me, cofortata est et non potro ad cam. or who can declare the power of thy greatnes? who hath sought out the groūde of thy noble actes? Suche knowledge of thy handy worke is so wounderful, [Page] so excellent, and of suche force that I can not at­teine vnto it. I cā not but wōder at the excellen­cie of thy workes, and honour the that art the maker of them. For by the merueylouse noblenesse of the creatures: is set forth the honour of theyr maker. So much as the creature is high in worthi­nes: so muche greater is the honoure of the crea­toure. And as thy knowledge and power excede oure vnderstāding: so doth thy presence so large­ly extende that all men ought to honoure and al­so to feare the. We thy wretched creatures which dayly tresspasse agaynste the, fearynge thy iustice in iudgement:Iohn .viii. seeke wayes to flee from the. We haue walked in darkenesse leauyng the which art the very lyght. Wherfore we searche all places to hyde vs from thy presence, but all in vayne. For thou art not locall, thou canst in no place be in­cluded, yet in all places arte thou present, beynge all one in thy selfe wythout mutabilitie or varia­tion.Quo ibo a spiritu tu­ [...]? aut quo a facre tua [...]ugiam? [...]. Corhinth. ii. Sapi. i. No man can go from thy spirite, neither flee from thy presence, thy spirite fulfylleth the whole worlde, thy hande can no mā escape. Who in this worlde can hyde hym selfe from the, wyth whom the whole worlde is fylled full?Si ascendero in celum [...]u illit es. If I clyme vp in to heauen thou art there as in thyne especiall ha­bitation, that place also is fulfylled with the and wyth thy glorie. I knowe that in that thy house there are diuers and many mansions, but all are so full of lyghte and bryghtnes, that I can by no meanes be there hidde frō the.Si descendero in infernum ades. Agayne if I would descende downe to the lower partes of the earth, yea to the deepe botome of hell, thynkyng there to [Page] be kepte closse frome thy presence: I were muche more deceyued. For there art thou also potencial­ly, thy power doth there extremely punishe the wycked for theyr offences, accordynge to the seue­ritie of thy deuine iustice. If it were possible for me to take me wynges and to flee ouer the sea to the vttermooste parte of the worlde wyth suche speede as the sunne in space of one daye is caryed from the east vnto the extreme parte of the west:Si sumpseto penna [...] meas diliculo et habi­tauero in extremis m [...] ris. yet can not I that waye escape thy presence. For I shal neuer be caried thither but thy sufferaūce, thyne almyghtie power must cary me thyther, or elles I shal fall and perishe by the waye,Etenim illuc manus t [...] a deducet me. and if I might by any meane come thyther, thy hand wyl there arrest me as an vnfaythfull traytoure that seeketh to flee from his worthy maister.Etenebit me dextera tua. Further­more, if I would be so vnwise to thinke that thou beinge the very lighte of the worlde,Esaye. [...]. and an euer­lastynge lyghte doest not see thynges whyche are wrought in darkenesse, & for that cause I woulde desyre to couer me wyth the darke clooke of the nyghte, and therin folowe the concupiscences of the fleshe more freely, thys were surely the moste fooly of al. For our darkenesse is no darkenes vn­to the,Quia tenebre non sūt tenebre apud te, nox s [...] cut dies lucet & similes sunt tenebre et lux. thy presence causeth the nyght to be brigh­ter then is the sunne to vs in the middle of the daye, so that al my delyte, al my pleasuant desires and my workes of darkenes, be made as apparaūt vnto the in the nyghte tyme as in the daye. The lyghte of the sinne doth nothynge encrease thy syghte, no more doth the darkenesse of the nyghte let thy syght. And that more is, thou Lorde doest [Page] inhabite the inwarde partes of my body, my rey­nes are thyne. My delectations were wont to be in sensuall pleasures of the fleshe, but now of thy goodnes, I onely ioye and delite in the, thou hast so stayed me yt those partes of my body whiche ser­ued before thyne enemie: are nowe become readye to serue, to sanctification, and are become thy proper possession.Rome. v [...] For what am I miserable wretche beinge destitute of thy helpe? I do consydre thy goodnes & thy godly prouidence: by whiche thou waste the cause of my fyrst beinge, thou dyddeste laye the foundation before I was fyrste begotten in the wombe of my mother, and before I recey­ued any shappe of man, thou dyddeste wyth thy helpe couer me. In proces of tyme thou gauyst me my fourme with liniamentes of the body, propor­tioning in me the shappe of mā that I now haue whiche a certeyne space before: was a rude piece of fleshe wythout ony comly fetures, at the laste thou dyddeste brathe into my bodye thy lyuelye breath, thou dyddeste there nurishe me and keepe me from perilles duryng myne abydyng there. Afterwarde when the tyme of my byrth was come:Suscep [...]sti me de vte­ro matris mee. thou tokest me into thy fauourable protection, & hast from tyme to tyme accordynge to the quan­titie of my growyng and the tyme of my yeres giuen vnto me strength of body, and brought me vnto the iust perfection therof. The cōning may­sters in the crast of grauyng, caruyng, payntyng or any other worldly facultie, whē they haue with diligence acheued any worke which they haue ta­ken in hande: they then set it on syde as a thynge [Page] whiche neadeth no further laboure or industrie. But it fareth not so by thy worke in the makyng of me, & other thy reasonable creatures, we haue dayly neade of thy gracious healpe, thou muste euer engraue in vs thy preceptes, muste frame in vs a herte desirous to keepe them, thou muste laye vpon vs a coloure of thy grace, whereby we shalbe strōge and able to fulfil them. Greatly therfore are we bounde vnto thy maiestie for the loue,Cōfitebor tibi quta te ribilitet magnificasti me. thou bearest vnto vs, whiche is much more aboū ­dauntly shewed in the preseruation of vs, then it is in our creation, muche oughte we to prayse the and to thanke the for our wōderfull creation, but muche more me [...]ueylouse are thy workes in oure dayly protection, assistence, inspiration,Mitabilia opera tua. redemp­tion and reconciliation,Et anima mea cognos­cet ea. whiche the spirituall eye of my soule doth ryght wel considre For wythout those all that was before wroughte, was to lytle purpose for our profit. Wherfore we must humb­ly praye the Lorde, to regarde what shal redound to thy greatest glorie, & that to set forth for thyne owne honoure and also for thy profit, sence thyne honour is more auaunced in sauyng of one poore miserable and sinful creature through thy mercie then in the dampnation of a thousande by the ri­gour of thy iustice. For in hel can none prayse the but curse, wayle, mourne and lament theyr mise­rable estate incessauntly. Thou knowest what is within vs to the vttermoste be it neuer so closly & secretly hidde.Non est occultatum o [...] meū a te quod fecisti in occulto. The bones both great and smal in al partes of my body thou haste nūbred them all, although they be with the fleshe & the skynne ful [Page] priuely hidde frō the syght of our carnal eyes, yea thou knowest the earthly mattier wherof my bo­dy was made, [...] substá [...]la mea in in [...]rioribus terre. and diddest deuise the fashion ther­of in the earthly place of my mothers wombe, lōge time before it was made, thou diddest beholde the imperfecte matteir of my bodye longe before any shappe were put therin, [...]mperfec [...]um meū vi­ [...]etunt oculi tui. or any lyfe gyuē there vnto. Al that euer concerneth me frō my begynnyng to the ende, is wrytten in thy booke of godly for­knowledge. [...]n libro tuo omnia scri [...]ntur. Luce .xii. The heres of my heade thou knowest by numbre. The dayes of my lyfe & of al other thy reasonable creatures both good & badde, are written in that thyne eternal boke, which is nothinge els but thy godly mynde & thyne euerlasting me­morie, which seeth a farre of al the actes, not one­ly of those that haue ben or now are liuing on the earth, but also of al that shal succeade vs. For whē al that are now in lyfe shalbe taken by death out of this transitorie world, paying the general det dew vnto nature, so yt not one that is now in lyfe shal tary to see the dayes and time that here after shal come: [...]ies firmabuntut et [...]emo in eis. yet shal other encrease & come in theyr places, wherof none shal escape thy moste perfecte knowledge. They are al writtē in thy boke of eternal prescience, as we are whiche shall passe awaye before that tyme. Great therfore & incōprehensible are thy wayes in my iudgement.Quā preciose mihi fu­erūt cogitationes rue? Right precious are thy counsels declared vnto mākinde, so many wayes yt no tonge is able to expresse, neyther hert to imagin them. The summe of them is so great, that when I entende to tell them:Quam ingentes facte funt summe eorum. they are mo in nūbre then the sandes or grauel of the sea bankes. [Page] If I woulde endeuour my selfe therto al my lyfe tyme, my worke were al in vaine, & why?Si enim numerare coner eas: super arenan multiplicabuntur. Ecclesi. i. For that thyne onely wysedome hath deuised them, whose groūd no mā can seeke out. No mā hast thou euer made thy councellour in thy noble proceadinges,Esaye .xl. the swetnes of thy goodnes & wisedome, when I haue thus earnestly cōsidered, frō whō nothinge can be keepte closse: I determined incontinent to leaue al myne olde maner of euyl lyuing,Exsurrexi et adhuc siterum. to aryse out of sinne, wherin I lay wallowing as doth the foule swine in the myre, to cleaue vnto thy lawes & to fulfyll thy preceptes. And my hope strayghte sayd that taking sure holde of the & of thy grace: I should at the last general arising of the body ioy­ned wt my soule: enioye thy blessed presence in thy heauēly kingdō, hauing cōforte of the clearnes of thy bright maiestie, & being made partaker of thy ioyes perpetually. These great and vnspeakeable pleasures should I haue lost, if I had cōtinued in synne.Si occideris deus pe [...] catores. In steade wherof I shoulde wt the wicked sort of people haue ben throwen into hell, there to receiue death euerlasting both of body and soule. Wherfore (most gracious God) I hertely beseche the to giue me grace to flee the cōpanie of the cruel bloud thirsty people,Viri sanguinum de [...] nate a me. to banishe out of my cōpa­nie al such as speake vntruly of the,Qui contradicunt ti [...] scelerate eleuari sūt fistra aduersarii tui. & of thy holy wyl & worde, & also of al suche as exalt thē selues presūptuously against the, lest by being cōuersaūt in theyr wicked cōpany, I might fall frō the & frō the right waye wherin through grace thou haste directed me. For who so toutcheth pytche: shalbe fyled withall, & he that is familiar wt the proude:Eccli. xiii. [Page] shall cloth him selfe with pride. He ye doth euyll is worthy of death, & not he onely, but those whiche comunicate wt him,Roma. i. [...]onne qui odetunt te Domine oderam et su­et inimicos tuos ta­escobam. & haue pleasure in them that do euyl. I hate them therfore (O Lorde) that hate the, & I may not away with them that ryse vp a­gaynst the. Thou art a mighty God and a ielouse God, yu wylt not haue any parte of thine honoure gyuē to any other, but reseruest that to thy selfe. Thou requirest our whole loue, our seruice & our whole hertes. He that serueth thy enemie the de­uyl or the worlde: can not also serue the. No man can at one tyme please two maisters, [...]uce. xvi. which are so diuerse of natures and wylles. Wherfore such as hate the: [...]efecto odio oderam [...]os inmici facti sunt [...]ihi. I wyll hate ryghte sore. Those that are thyne enemies: shal also be myne enemies. Al that onely hate me & are myne enemies: I clearly for­gyue them, & wyl forgette the displeasures which they haue done vnto me.Math. v. Yea I do pray vnto the (my merciful father) euen from the botome of my herte to forgyue them. But those that are thy cruell enemies Lorde, whiche maliciously resiste the and thy holy worde: I can not but hate them. Moyses seyng the idolatrie of the people of Isra­ell in worshippyng the golden calfe while he was aboue wyth the Lorde,Exod. xxxii. in the mounte Sinaye: waxed wonderfull angry, and in his angre slewe about three thousande men wyth the helpe of the Leuites, and therin he assuaged thyne angre.

Wherin I do marke Lorde, that he loued the people, as thy creatures and prayed to the for them, but theyr execrable synnes agaynste the, he so ha­ted that he could not forbeare to reuenge thy quarell. [Page] Euen so dyd Phinees the sonne of Elea­zar, beinge iealouse for thy sake,Numeri. xxii. slea an Israelite whom he foūde openly wyth a madianitishe wife to the euyll example of his bretherne, & the plage ceassed from the chyldren of Israell, through hys earnest punishing of the wycked. Wherfore I ta­kyng of them example: do not so loue the persons of the wycked, whiche are of thy creation, that I shall also loue theyr vices, neyther do I so hate theyr wyckednesse, that I shal also hate their per­sons, but rebukyng and punishyng to my power theyr vices, I do ryght hertely praye vnto the for amendement of theyr lyues, and for the saluati­on of theyr soules. Considre Lorde, the frailtie of oure nature, none can stande faste in thy ryghte waye, but shall slyde and fall, vnlesse thou gyue hym the staffe of thy grace to leane vpon, and to staye hym therby. I haue wandered from the as a straye shepe from the flocke, but thy goodnesse hath founde me out agayne, and broughte me vn­to thy folde, yet I fele that I can not do my dew­tie vnto the as I am bounde to do, I feele my cō ­science to be sycke and wounded wyth the dartes of cōcupiscence.Proba me deꝰ et scit cor meum explora me cognosce semitas me as. Wherfore I beseehe the (my mer­cifull God) to trye me wyth all kyndes of trialles wherby thou prouest thine electe people, beate me scourge me, and so correcte me that thou maist re­fourme me, searche the goound of my herte proue and examine my thoughtes, and where thou fin­dest in me to be any waye of wyckednesse hidde: playe the part of a good phisition,Et vide si via iniquit tis in me est. purge me ther­of, make cleane my soule of al the vnclennes ther­of, [Page] cōsume the dartes wherwyth my soule is woū ­ded, thou Lorde (I saye) muste heale me and none other, through the may I be holpen and by none other. The waye Lorde, that I of my selfe shal enterpryse to walke in, is the waye of synne and the waye of death, a waye whiche muche displeaseth the eyes of thy deitie. But thy waye is the way of health,Et dedue me in via [...]terna. the waye of euerlastyng saluation. Leade me therfore Lorde, out of mine owne wycked way into thy blessed waye, through the merites of thy blessed sonne Christ,I [...]hn. xiiii. whiche is the very trew per­fecte way, to all beatitude, by whose healpe I may so directe my steppes, and so set forth my paces in the way of this life, that I may keepe the streight waye into the lyfe euerlastyng.

¶ Al creatures reasonable are exhorted to geue thā ­kes and prayses vnto God both for the erection of our earthly Syon the Christen congregation,Psalm .Cxlvi. and al­so of the heauenly Hierusalem.

MOste mercifull God and heauenly father by whom the whole worlde & all the cōtentes therof are gouerned, of whose heaped goodnes no man can so muche desyre as thou arte able to gyue, neither is any man able by his actes to me­rite the hundreth parte of so much as thou of thy mere liberalitie doest rewarde hym, Lorde, that doest exhorte vs thy faythful to aske of the in the name of thy sonne Christe, thynges expedient for oure saluation for oure worldely necessities, not doubtyng but that we shoulde receyue the same [Page] at thy mercifull handes. This thy great loue and charitie, mooste myghtie God,Laudate dominū quo­niam bonus est psalmꝰ moueth me and al­so exhorteth me to gyue to thyne highnesse moste herty thankes and prayses as the creature ought to gyue to his maker. Not thankes Lorde which are spoken onely wyth the mouth, outwardly, the hert being wythinforth corrupte with al kyndes of concupiscences, and a herte grudgynge to do good to other, but an hert and mynde whiche lo­ueth the for thy selfe aboue all creatures, and for thy sake, wyllyng louingly to do to other as I woulde shoulde be done vnto me, knowyng that in case my workes agre not consonauntly wyth my voice,Deo nostro sit to cūdade cota (que) laudacio, the prayse whiche should proceade forth of my mouthe were nothynge pleasaunte in thy syghte, since thou delitest not in the prayses that issewe from the mouth of a synner.Ecclesi. xv. But what so euer I honestly do in thys worlde other eatynge or drynkynge, sleepyng or wakyng,i. Corhinth. x. working or re­styng, I entende to do all thinges wholy to thyne honoure and prayse. And to extolle the wyth my wordes whiche maye sprynge frome a pure and vncorrupte herte, as cleane water doth from a cleare and vndefyled foūtayne. This am I much moued to do by the consyderation of thy good­nesse shewed after the fall of thy bryght angelles, whose places to fulfyll in thy heauenly Citie of Hierusalem,Edificans Hierusalē dominus. and to repayre the ruin of those sto­nes whiche fell from thence, thou madest mākinde entendynge by hym to restore at length the fyrste noble buyldynge therof. But man alas when he shoulde haue bene hewed to the purpose of that [Page] noble edifice, could not endure to be squared and tryed by the perfecte rule of thy godly commaun­dementes, wherfore he also fell from paradyse as a stone abiecte and not worthy to be there placed. He folowed the instigation of his enemie the de­uyll, wherfore he was caste from that pleasaunte place, to wander abrode in thys present worlde as in a paynfull pilgrimage, here traueylyng longe in miserie both he and all his posteritie, as people dispersed into all partes thereof, tyll thou Lorde of thyne exceadyng charitie dyddest sende downe thyne onely begottē sonne to shedde his bloud for the redemption of al the worlde who hath erected here one temporall Citie of Hierusalem, his Citie of peace, his holy and pure spouse the christen cō ­gregation calling to the erection of that, his buylding his faythful people from the foure wyndes, that is from the foure partes of the worlde, which are the lyuely stones gathered together as well of the gentiles as of the Iewes,Iohn. xi Di [...]pertiones Israe­lis congregabit. which were before as out castes dispersed and scattered into al par­tes of the worlde. He soughte them of his mercie whiche sought not him, and founde them whiche loked not for hym.Qui sanat contritos contritos cuide & alligat contrici­on [...]s corum. He healed the grieffes of those that were brused in the sayed perillous fall, byn­dynge vp theyr woundes, and layed the holsome plaister of his passion and the oyle of his grace to as many of them as are contrite in herte.Psalm .xxxiiii. To such art thou Lorde nere at hande, and healpest those which be of an humble spirite. Thou healest them I saye of theyr woundes here in thys worlde, but not to the very perfectnes of health, vntyl the re­surrection [Page] of the iust and elect persons, at which tyme they shall shyne in beautie and clearnes as sterres in the firmament, worlde wythout ende,Dauid .xii. Math. ix. yea they shall shyne as bryght as the sunne in thy glorious kyngdome. The sunne the mone and the sterres are the noble garnishyng of the firmamēt. So are thyne electe persons the glorious orna­mentes of thy churche here militant. In whiche through theyr vertuous lyuyng, they giue an ex­ample of vertue for other to folowe them, and be­ing in the middes of the peruerse and croked na­tions they shyne as lyghte in the worlde holdyng fast the worde of lyfe.Philip. ii. Qui numerat multit [...] ­dinem stellarum om [...] bus eis nomina imponit. Wherfore like as thou kno­west the numbre of the sterres in the firmament which were of thyne owne making, by thine eter­nal mynde wherin all thinges are conceyued and forsene before they were created, and gyuest them all seueral names according to theyr distincte na­tures and properties: euen so is the nūbre of thine electe knowen vnto the:Io. xiii. Luke .x. Magnus dominꝰ noster et magna virtus eius et sapientie eiꝰ [...] est numerus. & theyr names are wryt­ten in the boke of euerlasting lyfe. Great therfore art thou Lorde and great is thy power, yea thy wysedome is infinite, by whiche thou hast made and ordered all thynges in measure, numbre and weyght.Sapi. xi. Neades muste thou farre exceade oure numbring, for among vs, numbre it selfe can not be numbred, much lesse maist thou be included in numbre. Thys thy wysedome is the bryghtnes of thyne euerlastynge lyght,Sapi. vii. the vndefyled myrrour of thy diuine maiestie and the image of thy good­nesse, through whiche thy goodnes thy sayed wisedome conueyeth her selfe into the soules of thyne [Page] holy electe people, there workynge the ryches of thy grace,Duscipiens mansue­os dominus. graffyng in them the graffe or braūche of humilitie vpon the fruitefull rote of fayth and makynge therwyth all good workes to sprynge.

Thine apostle Paule declairng the fruites of the spirite in the good christian:Sala. v. puttteth mekenesse to be one of the principal, saying that those, which are endewed therwyth are not subiect to the law. Wrathe and angre are in the bosome of the foule, but mekenesse and suffering do rest in the bosome of the wyse The meke doest thou defende,Ecclesiast vii. take vnto thy protection, and exalte highly in the tyme of thy visitasion. [...]umilians autem pec­ [...]tores vs (que) ad terrā. But the vngodly and proude peo­ple thou bryngeste downe to the grounde, that is to vtter confusion. Graunte vs therefore mooste gentle heauenly father, thy grace to expell from vs all pryde of mynde, whereby we are made as straūgers vnto the. And gyue vs an humble wyll to synge vnto the wyth prayses and thankes gy­uynge, [...]audate dominū in cō [...]ssione. for the exceadynge goodnesse whiche we haue and dayly do receiue of the, wherby we may moue all other to the lyke exaltynge of thy migh­tie magnificence, & that not onely wyth the voice or confession of the mouth, [...]sa [...]ite deo nostro in thara. but also wyth the spi­rituall harpe of good workes, that as oure mou­thes wholy be imployed to the settynge forth of thy godly honoure, so maye oure handes execute thy holy preceptes of charitie to the comforte of oure neyghbours and that with a glad and a ioy­full herte wythout grudgynge, [...]. Corhinth ix. knowynge that thou louest a cheirfull gyuer, and mercie is to be shewed wyth cheirfulnesse,Roma. xii. and loue without dis­simulation. [Page] Worthy art thou I saye moste mightie God to haue honoure and prayse gyuen vnto the, whiche couerest the heauen wyth cloudes ke­pynge vs from the syghte of the pure element for a season,Qui operit eclum nu­bibus. through the thicke darkenesse of the wa­terie substaunce that hangeth betwene it and vs. I meane that thou haste couered thy holy scrip­ture wyth such figures and secrete misteries that wythout thy healpe no man is able to atteyne to the perfecte beholdyng therof. Thy sonne Christe spake therfore to the Iewes in parables and similitudes,Luce. viii. to the entent that when they did see they should not see, & when they dyd heare they should not vnderstande. Yet haue we not in that any cause of desperation, for those same cloudes haste thou prepared to rayne vpō the earth,Et patat terre pluuiā they were gathered vp of a waterie substaunce, whyche at the descente or fallynge vpon the earthe causeth great fertilitie. Thy goodnes Lorde hath so plen­tifully poured thy grace vpō diuerse of thy fayth­full seruauntes, that by ensearchynge the sayed priuie secretes, they haue founde the knowledge of the mooste of them, and wyth the same haue so watered the hertes & myndes of other thy fayth­full earthly people that they haue receyued plen­tifulnes of spirituall cōforte. The earth or earth­ly people whiche before were drye, are thereby broughte to pleasaunte fruitefullnesse, yea euen the highe mountaynes, that is the proude and highe mynded people haue so tasted of the swete dewes of thy holy doctrine that they now bringe forth the grene grasse and the pleasaunte herbesQui producit in montibus fenum. [Page] of good workes. [...]ouer .xxvii. iii dat pecoribus es­ [...] ipsorum. Thus doest thou gyue foode vn­to the cattle, and all beastes, foules, fyshes and ge­nerally all thinges that beare lyfe, haue theyr no­riture and lyuing of the, but specially the beastes of thy flocke. The faythfull shepe of thy foulde, finde them selues to be liberally repasted with the wordes which proceade out of thy mouth, the di­licatenes therof feedeth thē very fatte. The yong rauens also before theyr blacke fethers do appeare (as some do wryte) are destitute of the healpe or nourishing of theyr parentes, [...]t pullis coruorum [...]uocantibus eum. for that they iudge them not to be theyr byrdes, vntyll they be more asserteyned therof by the colour of theyr fethers, yet doest thou not all that whyle leaue them vn­holpen, when they for hungre crye in theyr kinde and crocke to the for healpe, thou Lorde doest no­rishe them wyth the dewes whiche fall from the ayre vntyl theyr sayd parētes receyue the charge of feeding them. Wherby is ment that although at the tyme of the commyng of thy sonne Christe into thys worlde he founde all the gentiles (that is to saye) all the inhabitaūtes of the whole earth in the seruice of ydolles (the people of the Iewes only except who as thy peculiar flocke had know­ledge of the and thy diuine lawes.) Neuertheles by his holy preachynge and merueylous workes he conuerted a greate numble of the gentiles to beleaue in the & in him whō thou dyddeste sende. So that the yonge rauens beynge the byrdes of the olde rauens (that is) the posteritie of the gen­tiles whiche were ydolaters (wherof Lorde we of thy faythfull congregation are the sede) do nowe [Page] call onely on the, and thy blessed sonne wyth the holy spirite from you both proceadynge, desiryng of the wyth all humilitie to be replenished wyth the spirituall foode of thy holye doctrine to the strength and comforte of oure soules, knowynge assuredly that thou deliteste not in the strength or power of any man, no not although he had the strength of an horse.Nō infortitudine [...] voluntatem habebi [...] Thou neyther delitest in the horse, neither yet in the ryder, neither in ye strēgth of the legges of a man, wherby the force of the bo­dye doth appeare,Nec in tibiis virib placitum erit ei. nor in the shappe or proportion therof. None of these are causes which may moue the to saue man or to gyue hym eternall lyfe: but thy delite is in them that feare the with a chaste,Beneplacitum est domino super timente eū, et in eis qui speri super misericordia [...] a reuerent, and a louynge feare, and in them that put theyr full hope and sure affiaūce in thy great and tender mercie and in thy promyses made to mankynde whiche muste neades be proued trew, and vndoubtedly perfourmed. Prayse therfore the Lorde,Lauda Ierusalem d [...] minum. O thou heauenly Citie of Hierusalem whiche by enterpretation is the vision or fyght of peace (that is) all ye holy angelles and blessed spi­rites the inhabitauntes therof, gyue ye continu­all prayses vnto god of whom ye cōtinually haue the fruition and perfecte syghte, euen as he is to your continuall peace and peasible enioyinge in suretie, wythout that ye shall haue any neade to doubte euer to be at any tyme moued there frō. Thou also the earthly Syon whiche by inter­pretation arte a seear of God a farre of (that is to saye) thou fayethfull churche or congregation of christen beleuers whyche seest God a farre of as itLauda deum tuum [...] on. [Page] were in a mirroure, yet hauynge sure truste af­ter thys pilgrimage to be ioyned wyth the felow­shyppe of that other heauenly Hieru [...]alem, thou I saye haste also great cause to laude and thanke God, but euerye one of you after his estate and condition.Quoniā cōfortauit ve­tes portarum tuarum. To the fyrste (that is) the celestiall Hie­rusalē, God hath locked faste thy gates and made them sure wyth stronge barres, so that no enemie or straunger maye enter into the, to moleste or by any waye trouble thy noble Citizins. Neyther maye the chyldren whiche are brought vp in the, haue any cause of feare to be at any tyme put frō thyer ioyfull place,Benedixit fillis tuis [...]ui sunt in te. but are sure there to remayne perpetually enioyinge theyr blessing gyuen them of God, whyche blessynge is the gyfte of all spiri­tuall and heauenly beatitudes to be receyued in suretie for euer. Thyne enemyes may not entre, thy frēdes can not gette out of thy gates, whiche gates are not material, neither are the lockes and barres of yron as are in oure earthly Cities, but therby is ment the admission of the electe persons into that heauenly companie or the repellynge of the slowe and synful sorte frō enteryng into that pleasaunt place,Math. xxv. as of the tenne virgins appea­reth, of whiche nūbre the fyue wyse virgins were admitted, and the fyue folyshe were put backe as persons vnknowen.Qui fines tuos pace onat. God also hath made peace in thy borders. Tranquilitie doth compasse the rounde aboute as oure arthlye Cities are enui­roned wyth materiall walles: so that thy qui­etnesse shal neuer be perturbed. In thys present lyfe no man lyuyng can say that he hath perfecte [Page] peace, the flesh lusteth contrary to the spirite,Gala. v and the spirite cōtrarye to the fleshe.Iob .xiii. So longe as mā is here lyuynge, his fleshe muste haue trauayle, and whyle the soule is in him: he muste be in so­rowe.i. Corben. xv. The perfecte quietnesse neuer commeth tyl thys corruptible bodye do put on incorruptibi­litie, and the mortall do put on immortalitie. Thē ceasse all humaine passions in that thine heauen­ly place, there is no hungre and thirst,Apo. xxi. heate or colde there is no weepyng, sorow, crying, or peyne neither death, for al olde thinges are gone. There is euer a bryghte lyghte and ioye wythout ende, whyche passeth all ioyes. Thy Citizins are fedde ful wyth the beholdynde of thy delectable diuini­tie, face to face euen as it is, whiche is a ioyful sa­tisfaction of all theyr desyres. Thys is the fyne floure of wheate whiche is delectable and feadeth fatte those whiche are fedde cōtinually therwith.Ex adipe frumenti sa­liat te. Thys ioye is the consummation of all ioyes, and the fulfyllynge of all desires, whiche passeth farre the capacitie of man to expresse. Neuertheles yet art not thou, noble Syon, the churche of Christe here militant, voyed of many godly gyftes, which should sterre the also to synge prayses vnto God.i. Corthin. vi. We I say (moste merciful father of heauen) that are of thy faythful congregation as membres of the bodye wherof Christe is the heade, althoughe we do not perfectly feale the ioyes of thy heauen­ly Hierusalem, for that we be ioyned here in the mortal bodye whose grossenes is suche that it let­teth the speculatiffe syghte of the soule:Sap. ix. yea it is heauy to the soule, for the earthly mansion kee­peth [Page] downe the vnderstandyng. Yet do we abyde for the dissolution of that whiche is corruptible, remaynynge in hope afterwarde to enioye those ioyes whiche are perdurable, and for an earneste therof,Qui emittit verbum suum terre. thou haste sent vs thy blessed sonne Iesus into thys worlde (beynge thy very worde wherby thou madest al thynges) to be a meane of our in­troduction into those eternall beatitudes.Act. ii. Thou dyddeste also sende thy holye spirite visibly in the lykenes of fyry tonges amonge thine apostles af­ter the ascentiō of Christ, as a further earneste, or rather as a confirmation of thy promyse before made to thyne electe,Veioelier curtii sermo cuis, who as speedy messengers, conueyed thy holy worde, and doctrine swiftly in to al the partes of the worlde, hauynge power to confirme the same by straung signes or miracles. Where vpon it ensewed that the snowe whiche before was congeled in the region of the ayre a­boue vs:Qui bat niuem sicut tanam. Esay .i. is fallen downe vpon the earth and is be come as wolle (that is) a greate numbre whiche were harde herted synners before the manifesta­tion of the gospel, are nowe not onely from theyr foule colour of wickednes become whyte as wolle and beautiful in syght, but also they haue recey­ued the good propertie of wolle, to make of them a goodly and a warme garment of Christe wyth out spot or wryncle, to the ornamēt of his churche here militant, and to make warme suche predesti­nate persons as before were cold in sinne for lacke therof. So that through that garment they shal shyne in brightnes as dyd the garmētes of Christ at the tyme of his transfiguration before his apostlesMath. vii. [Page] Peter Iames and Ihon, on the mountaine. Thou scatterest also the hore froste which is som­what harder then snowe vpō the earth lyke ashes (that is) to the synner whiche is frosen and wan­teth the heat of charitie,Pruinem [...]icut tine­r [...]m dispergit. thou of thy grace by the hearyng of thy worde gyuest repentaunce, which in olde tyme was shewed outwardly in wearing of her cloth and sittyng downe in ashes castynge them vpon theyr heades; by which thy grace,Luce .x. they leauyng theyr olde vitious lyuing, are made new men and folowers of the doctrine whiche they haue learned,Ione. iii. as of the kynge of Niniuie and his people is manifest and of many other. But for a further declaration of thy mercifull goodnes she­wed to Syon thy welbeloued churche:Mittit Chrystallū su­ū sicut buccellas. thou also sendest forth as it were morselles of harde ise, the hayle fallyng vpon the grounde, wherby is ment the indurate and obstinate synners, who longe haue remayned in theyr acustomed sinne, and yet Lorde of thy goodnes euen vnto many of them thou gyuest suche grace and callest them by suche violence that of cruel persecutours they become meke folowers & bolde setters forth of thy worde and commaundementes, as of Paule and other hath ben playnely shewed.Sap. xvi. It is thy grace Lorde that is the nourse of all good thynges. It is thy worde whiche preserueth thē that put theyr trust in the. Thys thy grace, and thys thy holy worde beinge taken awaye from vs wherby we shoulde be made hote in fayth and rytche in al good wor­kes,Ante faciem frigoris eius quis sustinebit. what creature is able to abyde the coldenes of the sayed froste. If thou wylt suffre the synner [Page] to remayne in hym selfe and not cal him to the: he can be none otherwyse but accursed and abiecte as was Cain,Bene. iiii. Exod. xiiii. Nume. xvi. Iudic. ii. &. v. indurate as was Pharao, rebelli­ous as were Corah, Dathan and Abiram. Ido­laters as were the chyldrē of Israel diuers times after the death and chaunge of theyr Iudges and kynges, [...] Regum .xiii. disobedient as was Saule whiche folo­wed his owne imaginations leauyng thy precep­tes and commaundementes,ii. Regum .xi. he shall fall into a­uoutrie & murder as dyd kynge Dauid through the loue that he had to Bethsabe, into pryde and crueltie as dyd Aman to his owne destruction.Hester .v.

To vntrueth & treason as did Iason to his fren­des and countrey.ii. Machab. v. To couetousnes as dyd Sy­mon Magus.Act. viii. Laste of al into desperation as dyd Iudas, as one of the twelue apostles of thy sonne Iesus,Act. i. and consequently into al kyndes of vices. Neades muste he be frosen to eternall death that hath no heate of thy gracious goodnes. Neades muste the grounde be barreyne of good workes where the cōfortable bryghte and warme beames of thy grace shewe not theyr heate. So sone as thy pleasure is to cal the hardest frosen synner: a­none he aryseth wyth Leuy the customer and fo­loweth the.Luce .v. Emitter verbum suū et liqui saciet ea. Sende out therfore mooste myghtie God thy holy worde to melt the sayed snowe and harde congeled ise, poure forth vpon vs miserable wretches, the abundaūce of thy noble grace wherby the stony hertes are made softe and fleshy. Cal vs secretly vnto the through thy heauenly inspi­ration, speakyng to vs inwarde in our hertes, or outwardlye by the manifeste declaration of thy [Page] worde,Hierem. xxiii. whiche is a consumyng fyre dryinge vp in vs all colde humours, the breders of many disea­ses in oure soules. It is also a great hammer, that breaketh to pieces the harde frostie ise of our her­tes reducing vs wholy to repentaunce & amende­mēt of lyfe.Spirabit spiritus eiꝰ et fluent aquae. Blow also Lorde and breath vpon vs thy holy spirite proceadynge frome the and thy sonne Christe, to be oure comforte and staye after oure sayd amendement, that we maye growe and encrease dayly in vertue by meane of his spiritu­al gyftes sent into oure soules,Io. vii. wherby the harde ise maye be tourned to floudes of water whiche maye flowe out of oure bealies beinge faythfull, as ryuers of water of lyfe. Cause the warme so­therne wynde to melte al the hardenes of our in­iquities, so that the moystnes whiche before was frosen in vs being resolued through the breath of the warme wynd of thy grace,Psalm .Cxxvi. may arise to great imindations, wherof oure drye soules as a bar­reyne grounde maye receyue comfortable moy­sture.Qui annunciat verbi suum Iacob. This grace Lorde thou gauedste plētefully to Abraham, Isaac and then to Iacob whō thou madest stronge to wrastle wyth thine angell and calledst hym Israell (that is) one that had sene god face to face.Gene. xxxii. With hym (dyddyst thou make a couenaūt touching his sede in fayth, whiche sede now we are, merciful God, of thy faithful church creapte through thy grace in the place of the Ie­wes, into ye possibilitie of thy noble promes. Whē they refused the thou dyddest sende into the high wayes to call vs to thy feast,Iusticias et iudicia [...] a Israel. & we gladly came vnto the. To vs therfore thy faythful, hast thou gi­uen [Page] thy lawes and cōmaundementes prescribing vnto vs rules whiche we muste obserue if we wil auoyed the terriblenes of thy iudgement and thy sonne when he shall come to rewarde all reasona­ble creatures accordynge to theyr desertes.Roma. ii. Thou haste made vs priuy of thy wyll and haste gyuen vs thy lawes wyth a promyse of eternall lyfe in thy kyngdome of heauen if we order our life ther­after,Non fecit taliter om­ [...]i nationi et iudicia [...]ua non manifestauit [...]s. whiche lawes Lorde the heathen nations knowe not, wherefore they remayne in infidelitie and can not atteyne to saluation. For as at the rysynge of the waters of the generall floude,Gene. vii. no man nor beast was saued, but onely such as were wythin the shyppe of Noe: no more is any salua­tion promised by thy worde but onely to the membres of Christe thy sonnes churche. Prayse ther­fore be to thy highe maiestie, Lorde of all Lordes who haste of thy mercy sent vs thy holy wyll and worde as a rule and a directoure of oure lyues, which excellent token of thy loue towarde vs, byndeth vs to magnifie thy mightie and in­comprehensible deitie, [...]po. i. beynge three per­sons in one essence, to whome be ho­noure glorie and dominion for euermore. So be it.

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