whiche made heuē erth / and alone ruleth all creatures To hym hoelly I submytte my sylfe Nothing fearyng / nor regardyng the malice of the deuell / his felawes / for my god is aboue theym all Nether wolde I put thelesse cōfidence in god / though all men did forsake me and persecute me Nether will I trust hym thelesse / bycause I am wretched and poore / bycause I am rude and vnlerned / bycause I am dispised and lacke possessions Nether yet the lesse bicause I am a synner for this my faith doth sarre passe / al thīges as it is necessary ought to do what soeuer eyther be / or be not / bothe synnes and vertues to be short / all thinges So that she doth purely hoely fixe her self in God onely / as the first cōmaundement teachith and compellith me Nether desire I any signe to tempt hym I trust faythfully vnto hym / all though he differre tary at his pleasure I will not sette or prescribe to hym any ende / any tyme / measure or reason but I commit all to his will / with a pure faith and a stable For he is almyghty / what can I lacke that he can not gyue and do vnto me For he is the maker of heuen erth and lorde of all thinges / what thing can hyndre me or hurte me Howe may it be that all thinges shall not turne to myn vse and profit / when he to whome all these thynges ar subiect and obedyent fauoureth me and loueth me Nowe syth he is god he knoweth wherunto he hath ordyned me / and howe euery thinge shal be best for me and that whiche he knoweth / he may do Yf he be my father / it is sure that he wil se the best for me and that with a good will When I doubt not herof and haue suche trust in hym / then no doubt I on his seruaunt his sonne / his heyre for euer And euen as I beleue se shall it be vnto me ¶ The secunde parte of the belefe ANd in Iesu Christ / his onely sonne oure lorde Whiche was cōceyued by the holy goost / borne of Mary the virgyn Suffred vnder Pontius Pylatus / crucyfyed / deede / and buryed / descended to helle / the thyrd day rose ageyn from deth Ascended to heuen / syttith on the ryght hand of God the father almyghty / from thens he shall come to iudge quycke and deade That is / I do not only beleue / that Iesu Christ is the true only sonne of God / by euerlasting godly nature / beyng frō the begynnyng euer begotten but also that all thinges are subdued vnder hym / that he is my lorde / and the lorde of all creatures / made ruler of theym beyng man / whiche he hym self with the father in his diuynite dyd make I beleue that no man may beleue in god the father or may come vnto the father / nether by science and lernyng nether by workes / nether by they re owne reason and witte or by what thing so euer may be named in heuen or erthe / but by this and in this Iesu Chryst his onely sonne / that is to say by the sayth in the name and power of Iesu Chryst I beleue vnfaynedly / and surely / that he was conceyued for my proufit by the holy goost without all mannes and carnal worke / without a bodyly father / or mannes sede / and that to purifye / and make spirituall my synfull / flesshely / vnclene / and dampnabill conception / and all theyrs that beleue in hym moued to his mercy of his owne and fre will and the will of the almyghty father ¶ I beleue that he was begotten of the virgyn Mary without the losse of her pure and vncorrupt virgynite / so that accordyng to the prouidence of the mercyfull father he shulde blysse and clense the synnes dāpnabill byrth of all that beleue in hym that after / it myght do no hurte I beleue that he suffred passyon deth for my synnes / and all theyrs that beleue in him / that he therby blyssed all passyons / crosses deathes / so that after they myght not hurte / but be bothe holsome and merytorious I beleue that he was deade and buryed to mortifye bury all my synnes / theyrs that beleue Finally that all bodely deth bi his deth was distroyed / so that it is of no power to hurte but is rather made holesome and profitable I belefe that he went downe to hell to subdewe and make captyue / to me to all that beleue / the deuyll with all his impery / subtilite and malice / to delyuer me frō helle / takyng awey all his power that he myght not hurte me / but shulde rather be profitable vnto me I beleue that on the thyrde day he rose ageyn from deth / to bryng me and all that beleue in to a newe lyfe / and that by this dede he reysed me with hym / in grace and spryte / not to synne after / but that I endowed with all kindes of grace and vertue / myght serue hym / and so fulfull his commaundementes I beleue that he ascended vnto heuen / and that he hath receyued of the father / rule / honoure aboue all aungelles / and creatures And that he nowe sittith on the ryght honde of the father / that is / that he is king and lorde ouer all the goodes of godyn heuen hell and erthe Wherfore he may helpe me and theym that bileue / yn all maner of aduersitees against all oure aduersares and ennemyes I beleue that from thens he shal retourne the last day / to iudge quycke / whome he them shall finde alyue / and deed whyche before were buried And that he shall compell all men and aungelles good and euel to come before the seate of his iudgement whome they shal se bodyly to delyuer me and all faithfull / from bodyly deth / from all euyl / and synnes And to punysshe with eternall iudgement his enemyes / and aduersaryes / so that we shal be delyuered frō they re power for euer ¶ The thirde parte of the belefe I Beleue in the holy ghoost / the holy Christen churche / the communyon of saintes / the forgeuenesse of synne / the rysing / of flesshe / and euerlasting life Amen That is to sey / I do not onely beleue that the holy goost is verey god with the father the sonne But also that no man can come to the father by ceist / by his lyfe / passiō / deth what so euer who spokē of christ or opteyne any of these thinges / without the worke of this sprete with the whiche sprece I desire the father the son / to touch me and all faithfull to sturre me vp / to call / to drawe / and by Chryst and in christ to quycken me to make me holy and spirituall and so to brynge me to
the father / for it is he / whiche with the father / bi christ in christ workith and quyckenyth all thinges I beleue that in all the we â—ide / be hit neuer so greate / there is but one comune christen church whiche is none other thing but the coÌ„gregacyon coÌ„munyon of holy men that is of ryghtuous faithfull men on the erth And that this churche by this holy sprete is gathered maintened Thorough whome also it is gouerned and encreased dayly by the sacramentes and worde of god I beleue that no man can euer be saued / whiche is not fouÌ„de agreable consenting with this congregacioÌ„ / in one faith in one worde / in one sacrament / hope and charyte And that none of the Iewes or gentyles can be saued with this cherche except they reconcyle theym self vnto it / and come in fauoure wich it / confirmyng theym selues in all poyntes therunto I beleue that in this communion or Christen te all the prayers and good workes of this congregation do necessarily helpe me / waye om my syde and comfort me in all tymes of lyfe and deth I beleue that in this congregation comeÌ„welth and in none other place is gorgeuenesse of synnes And that without this all greate and good workes / how many so euer there are of theym do nothyng profyt to forgeuenesse of synne And contrarywyse in thys congregatyon / the multytute / greatnesse / and often commyttyng of synnes / do nothyng hurte / nether lette the forgheuenesse of synne / but that this forgyuenesse doth contynue whersoeuer / and howe song / thys excellent churche doth endure To whome alsoo Cryst ghyueth hys keyes / and sayeth in the xviij of Mathewe what soeuer ye lose vppon erthe / it shal be losed in heuen lykewise he saith to Peter alone / in the name and stede of this onely one churche in the xvi of Mat. Whatsoeuer thou lose vppon erthe it shall losed in heuen I beleue that there shal be arrysing of theym that are deade / in the whiche rysing the holy gost shall sturre vppe all fleshe / that is all men concernyng the body and flesshe good onell / so that the very flesshe whyche was dead buryed and consumed or by other wayes destroyed shal retourne / and lyue agayn I beleue that after this resurrectioÌ„ shal be eternall lyfe of good men / and eternall deth of synners Of all these thinges I doubt not but euery one of theym shal come vnto me froÌ„ the father bi the sonne Iesu chryst oure lord with and in the holy goost Amen that signifieth that in good fayth wythout doubt all these thinges are trewe ¶ The prayer of the lorde called the Pater noster wheryn are conteyned .vij. peticions ¶ The preface and introduccion to arâ— these .vij. peticions is conteyned in these wordes Oure father whiche art in heuen The vnderstonding of the wordes ALmyghty god sith thou of thyne intynyte beneuolence and mercy hast not onely admytted vs / but also taught / ye and commauÌ„ded by the onely / and dere son oure lorde Iesu christ that we trusting in his meryâ—es and protection / he beyng oure intercessor shulde beleue that thou were a louig father vnto vs. And that we shulde also call the father / though worthyly and bi great ryghte thou mightest haue byn a cruell iuge agaynst vs sinners whiche so oft and abhominably haue done agaynst thy godly and most holi will / and haue gyuen the occasion of displeasure agaynst vs. Gyue vs we beseche the / by the fame beniuolence and mercy / that we may haue in oure hertes sure trust without feare of thy fatherly loue And make vs feare this acceptable smelle swetnesse / whiche the most sure / and chyldly trust doth gete vnto vs / that we may with glad mynde call the father / knowlege / loue / and crye on the in al leoperdyes kepe vs I desire the that we may contynue thy louynge chyldren / and not deserue to make the most mekest father oure horrible iudge nor suffer vs not to be thyne enemyes / whyche ought to be thy chyldren and heyres Thou wilt also / not onely symply / be called a father / but that we with a comeÌ„ voyce shuld call the oure father And so with a speciall prayer of vnyte pray for euery man Wherfore gyue vnto vs anagreyng / and brotherly loue / so that we may perceyue euery one of vs that we are truely brothers / and sisters / and may pray to the as to oure comen and mercyfull father / euery on for other / euen as kynd chyldren entreate they re father one for another Graunte / that none of vs seke that whiche is his owne or els forget other / in thy sight but that auoyding all hete / enuye / disceÌ„tion / as it becomith the trewe childreÌ„ of god we may loue to gyther with dewe fauoure so that we may say with a faithfull harte not my father but oure father Syth truely thou arte no bodyly nor erthly father / whome we may se in erthe / but art iÌ„ hauyn oure spiritual father which dyeth not / nether are vncerteyn or doubtfull / or such which art not able to helpe thy selfe as is an erthly bodyly father wherby it is euideÌ„t vnto vs howe moche thow art a better father / whiche reachist this teÌ„porall father odes cuÌ„trey / freÌ„des / rychesse / flesshe / blode / to be dispysed for the. Graunt vs dere father that we may be thy heuynly chyldren Teach vs to regard none other thing then oure foule helith / and the euerlasting heritage / so that this teÌ„porall coÌ„trey worldli heritage whiche coÌ„passeth noyeth vs / labouring to make vs erthly lyke vnto it selfe deceyue vs not so that we maye saye truely with a faithful here O oure heuynly father gyue vs thy grace that we may be thy heuynly children ¶ The first peticion Thy name be halowed O God almyghty / oure most dere heuen the father / thy godly name / euen now in this tyme / in thys vale of mysery Alas for shame so many wayes is slaundered / with checkes / and iniuryes myserably rebuked / applyed to many thynges wheryn stondyth not thy honour and glorie ye and manye abuse it / to they re greate confusion / whyche thyng is so comen often vsed / that this fylthy life may well be called a slaunder and dishonesting of thy most gloryouse name Therfore endowe vs with thy godli grace / that we may auoyde suche thinges as are agaynst the honoure prayse of thy most holy name Make thou all witther aftes and falce charmes shortly to decaye Cause all coniuringes by the whiche satan or other creatures / are enchaunced to cease by thy blyssed name Make that all false fayth by the whyche other we distrust the / or put more confydence in other then is nedefull / may quyckly be distroyed Make that all heresies and false
30 LB Decembre The nyght is .xviij. houres / the daye is .vi. houres Numerus annorum Pascha Aureê° nuÌ„erê° Iâ—aâ—o  f saynt Loye bysshop 1 xiij g saynt Lybane 2 ij A Deposicyon of s Osmundi 3 x b saynt Barbara virgyn 4  c saynt Sabbe abboâ— 5 xviij d Nycholas bysshoppe 6 vij e Octaues of saynt Andrewe 7  f Concepcyon of our lady 8 xv g saynt Cyprian abbot 9 iiij A saynt Eulalye 10  b Damase bysshoppe of Rome 11 xij c ¶ The sonne in Capricorne 12 i d saynt Lucy virgyn 13  e Othilie virgyn 14 xi f saynt Valery bysshop 15  g ¶ O sapientia 16 xviij A saynt Lazarus bysshoppe 14 vi b saynt Gratian bysshop 18  c saynt Venyce virgyn 19 xiiij d saynt Iulyan martyr 20 iij e Saynt Thomas apostle 21  f XXX martyrs 22 xi g Victory virgyn 23 xix A Vigyll 24  b Natyuite of our lorde 25 viij c Stephan prothomartyr 26  d Iohan Euangelist 27 xvi e Chyldermas daye 28 v f Thomas martyr 29  g Translacyon of saynt Iames 30 xiiij A s Syluester bysshop of Ro. 31. Note the golden nombre that is wryten after the saintes on the ryght haÌ„de in the moneth of Marche Apryll / the sonday nexte after the golden nobre for the yeare shal be Easter day ¶ Vnto the reader grace and peace in Christ EMong other innumerabill pestilent infections of bokes and lernynges / with whiche the ChristeÌ„ haue byn pytuously seduced deceyued brought vp in dyuers kiÌ„des of diffidence and false hope I may iudge / that chyefly / those to be pernycious / of whome they are wont in euery place to pray / and haue also lerned by harte / both curyously with greate scrupulosite to make rehersall of they re synnes These bokes though they abounded in euery place with infinite erroures / taught prayers / made with wicked folysshenesse / both to god / and also to his sayntes / yet by cause they were garnyshed with glorious titles and with redde lettres promisinge moche grace and pardon though it were but vanyte haue sore deceyued the vnlerned multitude one is called the garden of the soule an other the paradise of the soule / and by cause I will be short loke thou thy sylfen whate dyuers and tryfeling names be gyuen vnto theiâ— Wherfore here nedeth sharpe reformacion ye and many of theym are worthy to be vtterly distroyed The same iugement and reformation is also to be had of the bokes of passions and sayntes lyues called legendes for in these also are many thinges added wherof Satan is author howbeyt syth nether tyme sufficient is gyuen to one man nether the but thom of this reformacyon of one may be susteyned I thought it ynough / in this place a lonely to haue monysshed you trusting that god in tyme comyng shall adde to these thynges both tyme conuenient and also lyght Therfore here as entring my moter first I wil declare after a syngle playn maner by the whiche eueÌ„ as by a glasse thou shalt knowe whate the knowelege of synne is howe we ought truely to praye folowing the rehersall of the coÌ„maundementes and of the Pater noster And I doute not but this one prayer is sufficieÌ„t ynough to theym that prayer howe of them so euer it be or whate so euer they require ye yf they take but one lytell part of it whiche so euer it be / for a good prayer is not set iÌ„ the multitude of wordes as Cirst sayeth in the syxte of Mathewe But here stondith the pith that thou syghe to god ofte from the botoÌ„ of thyne hart for to haue streynght to do his wyll and to fulfyll his commaundementes And this syghe ought to endure contynually Therfore I desyre all persones that froÌ„ hensforth they forget suche prayers as ar saynt Brygittes other lyke / whiche greate promyses and perdons haue falsly auaunced from whome you shall retourne vnto this simple prayer nedefull for euery christen / whose common vse doth yet perseuer emong all men / yf they dyd vnderstond it / and applyed theyr myndes to it Suche vertue hath the Pater noster / that the lengeâ— and the more thou vse it / the swetter and more acceptable it is Which I desyre that the master of this prayer confyrme Iesus Chryst whiche is blyssed eternally Amen ¶ The symbole or Crede of the great doctour Athanasius dayly red in the Churche WHo soeuer wyll be saued / before all thinges it is necessary that he holde the trewe Catholyke fayth Which fayth / but yf euery maÌ„ will kepe hole and inuiolate / without dout he shall eternally perysshe This truly is the verye Catholyke faythe that we worsshyp one God in trinite / and the trinite in vnite Neyther confoundyng the persones / neyther seperatinge the substance The persone of the Father is one / the person of the sone an other / the person of the holye Ghoste an other But of the Father / of the sone / and of the holy ghost / there is one diuinite / equal glory / coeternall maiestye Suche as is the Father / suche is the Sonne / suche is the holy Ghoste The Father is vncreate / the Sone vncreat / the holy Ghost is vncreat The father is without measure / the Son without measure / the holy Ghost without measure The Father is euerlastynge / the sone euerlastyng / the holy Ghost euerlastyng And not with standyng there be not .iij. euerlastyng / but one euerlastyng Euyn as there be not thre vncreat nor iiâ— vnmesurate / but one vncreat / and one vnmesurate Lykewyse the father is almyghty / the son almyghty / and the holy Ghoste almyghty And yet they be not thre Almyghtes / but one God almyghty So the Father is God / the Sonne God / the holy Ghost is God And yet they be not .iij. goddes / but one God So the Father is a lorde / the Sone a lorde / the holy Ghost a lorde And yet they be not .iij. Lordes / but one Lorde For as we be compelled by the Chrysty / and veryte to confesse seperatly euery one person to be God and lorde So are we prohybite by the Catholyke relygyon of Chrystes fayth to say that there be .iij. goddes or thre lordes The father is made of none / neyther created nor gotten The Sone is from the Father alone neyther made ne create / but gotten The holy ghost is from the father / and the Sone / neyther made created nor gotten but procedynge And so there is but one Father / not thre Fathers / one Sonne / not thre Sonnes / one holy ghoste / not thre holy ghostes And in this trinyte / there is none before or after another / nothynge more or lesse but all the thre persons be coeterne / coequall to them selfe So that by always as now it hath ben aboue sayd / the trinyte in vnyte / the vnyte in
and indifferently to all men Hyther conferre all the instructyons of pacyence / gentilnesse / peace and vnite ¶ The fulfylling of the syxt is CHaslite sobernes shame fastnesse not of dedes onely but of wordes and maners / ye of thoughtes Besydes that attemperaunce / of meate / drynke / slepe / and what so euer doth helpe chastite / hether applye al places of holy scrypture cōcernyng chastite / fastyng / sobriete / attemperaunce / prayer watching / laboures / and in cōclusyon all thinges that mainteyn chastite ¶ The fulfylling of the seuenth is POuerte of spryte / kyndenesse / liberalyte / wasting of oure owne goodes to profit oure neyghboures / to lyue without couetousnesse and desyre of rychesse Here gather all that is wryten of couetousnesse of goodes vniustly gotten and possessed / of vsury / so tylte / euyll deceyte / of iniury and hurte done / of lettyng thy neyghboures profyt / or dispysing hym ¶ The fulfylling of the eyght is A Peasable and hole tongue whiche hurteth no man / but profyteth all men whiche setteth enemyes at one / whiche excuseth and defendeth theym that are noted viciose parsons and synners Suche simplicite profit is in speakyng Hereto perteyne all thinges whiche are spoken of sylence speakyng / and whate so euer toucheth the good name / honoure / ryght causes / and profyttes / of thy neyghbour ¶ The fulfilling of the last is THe perfyt and absolute purenesse dispysing in the hert of all temporal rychesse pleasures / whiche thing shal be done perfectly in the lyfe to come In all these thinges seest thou none other thinges but to loue other / that is to loue god and thy neyghbour whiche loue seketh not his owne profyt / but onely those thinges whiche belong to god / and to his neyghbour / whiche loue yeldeth gyueth hym sylf playnly to euery man grauntyng theym full rule and auctorite / to vse they re pleasure his goodes and profyttes NOwe seyst thou that in all these tenne cōmaundementes / in a good ordre and briefly are cōteyned / all kyndes of in formacions / that are expedient for mānes lyfe / whiche yf any man will do his diligence to kepe truely he shall neuer be ydel no / not an houre / but shall haue occasyon to do good deades / so that truely he shall neuer haue nede to chose to hym other straunge workes of mannys inuention / as are to runne hyther and thyder / and to be occupied in suche thinges / whiche in no place are cōmaunded / and whiche shal be profitable for no thing Hit is euydent that in all these preceptes there is nothing wryten / whiche teacheth vs to serue oure silues / eyther to do / leue / or require of any man / that whiche cōcernyth oure owne proufit / but onely what we are bounde to do to other / that is to sey / to god and to oure neyboure So that euen blynde men may well perceyue that the fulfylling of the commaundementes stondeth in loue towardes other / not towardes oure sylfe For man of his owne nature seketh and auoydeth sufficiently / that whiche is for or ageynst his profit / so that it nedith not to moue hym to it / but muche rather to bringe hym frō hit Ther fore he lyueth best whiche lyueth not to hym sylfe And contrary he lyueth worst whiche lyueth to hym sylf This is theffect that the tenne cōmaundementes teache Wherby it is manifest that there are but fewe that lyue well it / in that we are men / none of vs lyeuth well This knowen / we must lerne of whome to axe this excellent gyfte / to lyue well / so that we may fulfyll these cōmaundemētes ¶ The Crede or Belefe THe effect of oure fayth stondith in thre partes / as in hit are rehersed thre parsonnes of the godly trynyte The first is of the father The secunde of the sonne The thyrd of the holy goost / and to euery one of these persones is applyed his operation This is the chief article of the fayth / on the whiche all the other depend Here note .ij. maner of belefes First some there be whiche beleue that those thinges be true / whiche are spoken of god / euen as a man doth beleue those thinges to be true whiche he heareth of the Turke / of the deuyll / and of hell This fayth is rather a science / or a vayne opinyon / then a sure trust or belefe There is an other faythe towardes god / that thou do not onely beleue these thynges to be true whiche thou hearest of god / but also trust to hym / and be take cōmytte thy selfe wholy vnto hym / besydes that / to presume vppon hym / beleuyng / without doubt that thou shalt obteyn and receyue of hym / that whiche thou hardest spoken of hym / and that with suche fayth and confidence as thou wooldest gyue to no man Be it in case that the Turke or any other man be gretely preysed vnto the / and that thou beleue faythfully that some man is discrete / and wurthy prayse / yet for all that thou wilt not cōmytte thy selfe vnto hym puttyng all thy trust and confidence in hym But this fayth whiche boldly betaketh hym selfe to god / both in ieoperdye of lyfe and deth / knowelegyng that he is such as he is spoken of maketh only a Chrysten / obteyneth of god what so euer she desyreth nether is there any false herte that receyueth this faith For this is the quycke faith whiche is requyred in the first commaundement whiche sayeth thus I am thy god take no straunge goddes Wherfore this / in / is not put in vayne / but it is to be obserued with a notable sygnificacyon For we do not say / I beleue to god the father or of god the father / but I beleue in god the Father / in Iesu Christ / and in the holy goost Wherfore this fayth ought to be had in none but in one god / so that by this we cōfesse also the godhed of Christ and of the holy goost / bycause we beleue none other wise in the sonne / and the holy goost / then we do in the father hym selfe For euen as we haue one faythe in all the thre persones / so all the thre persones are onely one god ¶ The fyrst parte of the belefe I Beleue in God the father almyghty / maker of heuē erthe That is / I forsake Satan and all ydolatrye / all charmes witchecraftes false hope I put my trust in no man of all the worlde / nether yet in my sylfe / not in my power / lernyng / scyence rychesse / wysdome / or what thyng so euer it be / that I haue or possesse I put no cōfidence in any creature whether it be in heuen or in erthe But I put my suer trust onely in one god whiche can not be sene with mannes eye / whiche cannot be cōprehendend with mannes witte /
the .xxx. chapiter Duo rogaui te / ne deneges mihi TWo thinges lorde haue I requyred the that thou woldest not deny me vntyll I dye Vanite and wordes of lesynge make farre frō me Pouerty or ryches gyue me not Onely gyue that is necessary for my lyuinge / lest per chaunche beynge in full habundaunce I myght be prouoked to deny the / and saye who is the lorde Or cōpelled by necessyte I myght steale and for sweare the name of my God So be it ¶ A prayer of the churche of the faythfull / for the worde of God to be spoken with boldenes of herte Actes the .xiiij Chapter Dn̄e tu fecisti celum terram mare c. LOrde thou hast made heuyn earth / see / and all that be in them / whiche with thy holy spirit by the mouth of our father Dauid thy seruaunt saydest Why do the gentylles fume lyke wilde bores / and why do the people attempt thynges in vayne The kynges of the earth be assembled the princes be gathered togyther agaynst the lorde agaynst his Christe / for with out sayle there assembled in this cyte agaynst thy holy chylde Iesu whom thou dydest anoynt Herode and Ponce Pylate with the gentylles and people of Israhel to do the thynges with thy power and thy counseyl dydde determyne before to be done And nowe lorde caste thyne iye vpon their manasses / gyue to thy seruauntes with all boldenes / power to speake thy worde extendyng thy hande io healynges / and sygnes / and wonders to be wrought in the name of thy holy sone Iesu ¶ The prayer of Chryst before his passyon for his churche in this worlde Iohan .xviij. Chapiter Pater venit hora / clarifica filium FAther the houre is come / glorifye thy sone / that thy sone maye glorifye the As thou gauest hym power of euery flesshe to the entente that all that thou gauest hī he myght gyue the euerlastynge lyfe And this is euerlastyng lyfe that they knowe onely the for the true god and whome thou sendest Iesu Chryste I haue glorifyed the in earthe I haue perfourmed the worke whiche thou gauest me to do And new glorifye thou me Father with thy selfe / wyth the glory whiche I had before this worlde was made of the I haue publysshed thy name of the men / whome thou gauest me of the worlde They were thyne / and thou gauest them to me / and they kepte my worde Nowe they knowe that all that thou gauest me come from the. For the wordes which thou gauest me I haue them / they toke them / and knew verily that they came from the / and they beleued that thou sentest me For them I aske / for the worlde I aske not / but for theym whiche thou gauest me because they be thyne and all myne be thyne / and thyne myne / and I am glorifyed in them And I am nowe no longer in to worlde But they be in the worlde styll For I come to the / holy Father saue theym for thy names sake whome thou haste gyuen me / that they maye be one as we be one When I was with thē in the worlde I dyd kepe thē in thy name Whome thou gauest me I kepte and none of them peryshed / but onely the sone of perdicyon that the scrypture myght be fulfylled But nowe I come to the / and these I speke in the world that they may haue my ioy replenyshed in them I gaue them thy worde / and the world hated them bycause they be not of the worlde lyke as I am not of the worlde I asked not that thou shuldest take thē away out of the worlde but that thou kepe them from the wycked They be not of the worlde / lyke as I am not of the worlde Make thē holy in thy trueth Lyke as thou hast sent me in to the worlde / so haue I seme thē in to the worlde / and for thē I do sanctifye my selfe / that they also may be sanctifyed in the trueth And I pray not only for them / but also for them that shall beleue in me through theyr preachynges so that all they maye be one Lyke as thou father arte in me and I in the / that they also maye be in vs / that the worlde may beleue that thou hast sent me And the glorye / whiche thou hast gyuen me / I gaue it thē that they myght be one lyke as we be one / I in them / and thou in me / that they may be made perfyte in one / and that the worlde may know that thou hast sent me / and loued them as thou loued me Father / they whome thou haste gyuen me / I wyll that where I be / they maye also be with me that they maye se my glorye / whiche thou gauest me / for thou hast loued me before the makinge of the worlde Iuste father / the worlde knoweth the not but I know the these know that thou hast sent me / I haue made knowen vnto them thy name / and I wyll make it knowen to the entent / that the loue wherwith thou louest me myght be in thē and I in them ¶ The prayer of the church for synners Sapience the .xv. Chapiter Tu deus noster / suauis et verus es THou our God arte gentyll true pacyent with mercy orderyng al thynges For yf we synne / we be thyne knowinge thy greatnes / yf we synne not / we knowe that with the we be rekened For to know the is perfyt and consumate ryghtwysnes / and to knowe thy iustice and vertue is the rote of immortalite So be it ¶ The prayer and blyssynge of Iob in his moost tribulacyon takynge away of his goodes Iob .ij. Chapiter In tonso capite corruens in terram IOb his heade clypped fallynge flatte on the grounde worshipped god sayenge Naked I entred out of my mothers wōbe / and naked I shall retourne The lorde hath gyuen the goodes / and the lorde hath taken them away As it pleased the lorde so it is done Blyssed be the name of the lorde So be it ¶ When we be shorged of God eyther for our synnes / or that we may be proued by hym / the prayer of Thobie iiij Chapiter Iustus es domine / et omnia iudicia tua THou arte iuste lorde / and all thy iudgementes are true / and all thy wayes mercy truth and iustyce And now lorde remembre me / and take not vengeaunce of my synnes / nor thynke not on my offences / nor the synnes of my parentes Because we haue not obcyed thy preceptes therfore thou haste delyuered vs vp in to these euylles / in to confusyon and reproche an to be a fable to all people and the gentles And now lorde great be thy iudgementes / for we haue not done accordynge to that preceptes / we haue not walked purely before the. And now lorde accordynge to thy pleasure do with me cheyfly
Kepe vs from all euyll / misshe vous / obstinate / hard / styffe / vngentill / and resisting will Gyue de we obedieÌ„ce / parsait freminde in all spiritual thinges / worldly / euerlasting transitory Kepe vs froÌ„ the most horribill synne of grugyng slaunder / accusing folisshe hardy iudgemeÌ„t / that we condeÌ„pne no man or turne any thing to rebuke Put from vs that abhominabill euyl / and most greuous stroke al suche tongues / teache vs that if we se or heare of other any thyng worthye of rebuke / whiche dyspleaseth vs / that we holde oure peace hyde it coÌ„plenyng to the onely / putting committyng it vnto thy will / so that with all oure minde we forgeue theim that offeÌ„d vs for whome also we be sory Teache vs to vnderstoud that no man may hurte vs except be do hym selfe moche more hurie in thi sighe so that we may be moued with mercy towardes hym / rather then we shuld be prouoked to wrath rather wepyng for his bliÌ„denesse / then to thinke of aduengemeÌ„t Gyue vs grace that we reioyce not in theyr trouble / whiche haue resisted oure will or hurte vs / or in what poynt so euer they re life displeasith vs / and also that we be not sory when they prosper haue welfare Of this peticion are all psalmes verses and prayers teaching vs to pray for oure enemyes / and against oure synnes ¶ The fourthe peticion Gyue vs this day oure dayly breade THe breade is oure lorde Iesus Crist whyche nourysseth / and conforteth the soule Therfore O heuenly father / gyue vs thys grace / that the lyfe of Chryst wordes / workes / and passions / may be preached / knowen / and holden / bothe of vs / of all the worlde Gyue vs grace that we may haue his wordes / worltes and all his lyfe for an affectuose example / and spectacle of all vertues Gyue vs grace that iâ— oure passyons and aduersytes / we may comfort oure selfe by hys passyon and crosse Gyue vs grace that we may with a scable faith ouercome oure deth by his deth / and folowe without feare this nobil capteyn into aÌ„other life Gyue this grace that all they that preache / may proufitably and blissedly preache thy word / and Iesu crist through all the worlde and that al whicke haue thy worde preached / may lerne Crist and so may be purified / and go forth in a better life Graunt this also mercyfull father / that all strauÌ„ge doctrynes in the whiche Christ is not lerned may be thrust out of thy churche Haue mercy on all bisschoppes / prestes and on al theym whome they call consecrated / of all officers that they maye be lyghteneth with thy grace / to teache rule well / bothe in worde also craÌ„ple of life Kepe al that are weke in the faith lest they be offended bi the myschevous exemple of heddes and rulers Kepe vs from hereyses and doctrynes of dyuision / that we may be agreyng in one mynde / syth we vse one dayly brede that is / one dayly doctryne / and worde of Chryst Teache vs by thy grace / to thynke / and haue in mynde / truely and as we ought to do the passyon of Christ / and to ioyne it happyly with oure lyfe / so that we may coÌ„me and atteyn some thing / though it be but the shadowe of it Finally gyue vs oure dayly breade / that Christ in vs we in Chryst may dwelle perpetuelly / and may worthyly bere this name / syth of Christ we are called Christen Of this peticyon are all kinde of prayers and Psalmes / with whiche we pray for oure officers / ageynst false teachers / for the Iewes / for heretikes / and all other that are out of the ryght wey And also with whiche we pray for theym that lacke â—onforte ¶ The fyft peticyon ¶ Forgyue vs oure treaspaces euen as we forgyue theym that trespas vs. THis prayer hath a certeyn coÌ„dicyon and sygne annexed with hym / whiche â—s that first we forgeue oure trespassers This done / then may we say forgeue be oure trespasses Before also in the thyrde peticyon we prayed that the will of God myght be fulfilled / whiche willeth that we suffer all thinges paciently / not quytyng euell for euell / nether sekyng auengement / but that we do good for euyll / by thexample of oure father in heuyn / whiche maketh his sonne shyne vppon good and euyll / and sendeth his rayne vppon kynd and vnkinde ¶ This is nowe oure prayer O father coÌ„forte oure coÌ„science / bothe nowe / and in the day of deth / whiche conscience nowe is abasshed seynge his synne and iniquyre / then also shal be abasshed / remembryng thy cruell iugemeÌ„t Gyue thy peace into oure hartes that we reioysing may loke for thy iugement Entre not into iudgement with thy strayte lawe / for in it shall no man be funde innocent ryghtuous Teache vs dere father not to sticke or be comforted in oure good workes or diseruynges / but to gyue and submytte oure selfe playnely and faithfully to thyne iufinite and incoÌ„parable mercy Agayne Make that we despeyre not for this oure gylty and synfull lyfe / but that we maye iudgge thy mercy more myghty and stronger then oure lyfe / howe soeuer we haue ordered it Helpe and coÌ„fort all mennes coÌ„science whiche in the poynt of deth / or in any other suche temptacyon are vexed with desperacyon Forgyue theym and vs oure deâ—ces / comfort theym / refresshe theym / and he recoÌ„ciled vnto theim Gyue vs thy goodnesse for oure malice / as thou coÌ„maundest that we shulde do Cast doune the horrible fende flaunderer / accusar / and encreasar / of our synnes nowe and in the poynt of deth and to be short / in all straytnesse of coÌ„science Gyue vs grace to auoyd that by oure diffamacyon mennes synnes appere not the more greuous Iudge vs not after the accusacyon of the deuyll and oure wretched conscience / nether heare the voyce of oure enemyes whiche accuse vs day and nyght byfore the / eueÌ„ as we wyl not heare theim whiche diffame and accuse other Take from vs the greuous hepe of the synnes in oure conscience / so that we refresshed by â—he suer trust and confidence of thy mercy in the botom of oure hart / may lyue / dye / suffer / and take all thinges pacyently In this peticyon take place all Psalmes and prayers whiche ageynst synnes crye on the mercy of God ¶ The sext peticyon ¶ And leade vs not in to temptacyon WE are assauted with thre maners of temptacyon and vexacyon / the flesshe / the worlde / the deuell Therfore we desire the most dere father to endowe vs so with thy grace that we may withstond the desires of the flesshe Make that we resyst and fyght ageynst this super fluyte of meate / drynke / slepe / slouth / and ydelnesse Make that we
that are in the worlde So the coÌ„gregacyon of christeÌ„ areth in they re prayers / that they prouoked be the examples of holy men / maye folowe the vertue of they re passyons / and syngeth solemply / that the holye men haue suffered turmentes / that they myght suerly come to the victorye of martyrdome By the which wordes and songes of the church we must vnderstoÌ„d that the passyons and victoryes that God hath gyuen to his martyres and holy sayntes / ought to be had in memory / that by they re example we may be quykened and bolded to suffer those euylles whiche they suffred And yf they re commemoracyon be by vs done to any other entent / whatsoeuer it be / then is it medled with supersticyon hypocrisie As is theyrs that honoure theym to thintent that they shulde not suffer the trouble vexacyoÌ„ / whiche the sayntes by theyr example memory do teache to be suffred / so that they desire to be made vnlyke vnto theym / whose feastes they celebrate Right excelleÌ„tlye doth thappostle entreate this place of coÌ„fort in the .xij to the Heb. sayeÌ„ge ye haue not yet resysted vnto bloud shediÌ„ge striuiÌ„ge ageynst synne And ye haue forgotten the consolacyon / whiche speaketh vnto you as vnto chyldern My sonne despyse not the chastenynge of the lorde / nether saynt when thou art rebuked of hym for whoÌ„ the lorde loueth hym he chasteneth If ye shall endure chastenynge god offereth hym selfe vnto you / as vnto sonnes / what sonne is that whome the father chasteneth not Yf ye be not vnder correccyoÌ„ wherof al ar parte takers them are ye bastardes and not sonnes Moreouer seyng we haue fathers of oure flesshe whiche corrected vs / and we gaue theyme reuerence shall we not moch rather be in subieccyon vnto the father of spirituall gyftes / and lyue No maner lernynge for the present tyme semych to be ioyous but greuous / neuerthelesse afterward it bryngeth forthe the quyet frute of ryghtuousnesse vnto theym / whiche there in are exercysed These were the wordes of saynt Paule Who wolde not be abasshed of these wordes / where he diffyneth playnely / that they are not the sonnes of god / whiche are not vnder his lernyng and correccyon Who can more strongly be coÌ„firmed / more effectuouslye be coÌ„forted / then he that heareth that they are loued of god whiche are chastened / and that they are the sonnes of god / and endued with the coÌ„munyon of holy men / ye they onely are holy whiche suffer and are chastened This vehement exhortscyoÌ„ shulde make sufferaunce and correccyon to be loued and desyred Here is no place to excuse oure selfe / that some suffer lesse some more for to euery man is gyuen temptatioÌ„ by measure / not aboue oure streynght as it is wrytten in the .lxxix. psalme Thou shalt fede vs with the brede of teares / and geue vs drinke in th eares / in measure / whiche Paule doth also saye God is faithfull whiche suffereth you not to be tempted / for ther theÌ„ ye be able ye he wyll put such chaunce vnto the temptacyon that ye may be able to resyst Therfore where as the gretter euyll and temptacyoÌ„ is / there is the more coÌ„fort and helpe of god So that the inequalyte of trouble and temptacyoÌ„ is but onely in the face outwardly and not in the verey thinge When we nowe at this daye remembre Iohn Baptist shamefully slayne behedded of Herode / doth it not coÌ„found vs and make vs abasshed that he beyng suche one as emoÌ„g the chyldren of wymen there arose not a greâ—ter the onely frende of the spouse the prepare of christes waâ—e / gretter them all the prophetes / was nether slayne by any open iugement / nether yet for any fayned cause as Christ was accused nether for to auoyd insurreccyon of the people But was beheded in pryson at the appetyte of a dauncetesse / the doughter of a wretched aduoutrous woman Let then the shameful deth / of suche an holy persone suche an holy lyfe of suche a Prophete / so wretchedly and vilaynously delyuered into the cruell hoÌ„des of a rybaud that was angry with hym swage and pacyfye al our euyll / where was god whiche suffered eueÌ„ before his eyes such an horrible dede Where was Christ whiche hearyng of it spake neuer a worde He dyed as though he had byn vnknowen to god / men and all creatures What suffer we in the whiche we may reioyce and not rather be vtterly confounded and asshamed yf it be compared vnto this mannes dethe Or howe shall we be bold to shewe oure faces / yf we wyll suffer nothynge / syth suche holye men haue suffered suche vyle deth without deseruyng / ye and they re bodyes after they re deth hath ben made a laughing stocke to they re enemyes Behold sayeth Ieremyas they whiche had no iugement to drynke of the cuppe / drinkyng shall drynke of it / shalt thou be lest innocent thou shalt not be lefte innocent / but drynking thou shalt drinke of it Therfore the heremyte dyd well whiche because he was wont euerye yere to haue sykenesse / and scaped one hole yere without sykenesse / was very sadde wepte / sayng that God had forgotten hym / had denyed hym his grace So necessary and holsome is the correccyon of the lorde to all christeÌ„ Here we se howe it is nothing that we suffer / yf we coÌ„pare it to the prisons / Iron / fyre / bestes / water / and other infynite tormentes / ye yf we ponder well the greuous persecutyons of theym whiche suffer the temptacyons of the deuell beynge present with vs in this lyfe For there are manye whiche are suffer more sharply and greuouslye them we do / bothe in sprete and bodye Here some man wyll say in this I coÌ„pleyne / that my passyon cannot be compared to the passyons of holy men / bycause I am a synner / not worthy to be compared vnto theym They suffered gylties and for innocencye but I suffer for my synnes / therfore it â—s no merueyle though they suffered all thynges pacyently and gladly This saying is verey folisshe / for yf thou suffer for thy synnes thou mayst reioyce that thy synnes be purged Where not the holy men also synners but thou fearest lest thou be lyke vnto Herode or to these whiche honge on the left honde Thou art not yf thou be pacyent / what thiÌ„g maketh the differeÌ„ce bytwene the thefe on the ryght hoÌ„de the thefe on the left hoÌ„de but onely pacieÌ„ce impacieÌ„t Yf thou be a synnar / well / the thefe was also a synner / howe be it his pacyence obtayned the glory of ryghtuousnesse and holynesse So do thou lyke wyse / for thou caÌ„st not suffer but other for thy synnes / or for ryghtuousnesse / and bothe these suffrynges make the holy blessed / yf thou loue theym Wherfore thou hast none excuse left Finally as thou doest
frendes to accuse and crye out on those persones whych do the deade but they nothynge consider them which are the chefe causes of his better deeth and passion So that surely thys maye better be called a remembrauÌ„ce of the Iues wyckednes then of Chrystes passion There are other that haue gathered to gether diuerse coÌ„modityes which sprynge thorow the diligent beholdynge of thys passyon / wherof is the sayenge of Albert in euerye maÌ„s mouth that it is better to remembre the passyon of Christ once in oure lyfe all though it be but slenderlye / the to fast euerye daye a hole yere to gether or to reade ouer the hole psalter of Dauid / how he it for all theire politike meanes and studyouse ymaginacyoÌ„s they coude neuer attayne the verye vse and profyte of the passyoÌ„ of Christ Nether sought they any thynge theryn but their awne priuate welth / For some caryed aboute theÌ„ ymages / paynted papers / carued tables / crosses and soch other trifles / yee some felle to soch madde ignoraunce that they thought them selues thorow soch beggerrye to be safe froÌ„ fyre / water and all other perylous ieoperdyes As though the crosse of Christ shuld delyuer them froÌ„ soch outward troubles and not rather the coÌ„trarye These doo pytuouslye sorowe and morne for Christ and coÌ„playne that he was innocent and gylties put to deeth / euen lyke as the wemen of Hierusalem whom Christ hym self dyd reprehende aduertisynge them that they shuld lament them selues theyr awne children Nether is it anye meruell for the preachers them selues are sycke of the same disease / which for the most parte when they encrease this mater / lepe out of the frutefull and holesom storye in to these theyr comen places how Iesus toke his leaue of his disciples I Bethania And with what dolorous syghes his mother Marye pityed hym and soth other thinges / on se these that table at length and discant at these plesures rather to the wereynge then edefyenge of the audience / vnto this sorte maye we also adnumbre them which haue defyned and enstructe other what excelleÌ„t commodytyes are in the masse / in so moch that the rude ignoraunte people persuaded theÌ„ selues that it was sufficient yf they had herde a masse / and that they shuld haue good lucke what so euer mischefe they went a boute And there are some which runne so farre hedlinge that they affirme stoutelye that the masse which they call a sacrifice is accepte of god for the worke it selfe not for his sake that doeth the masse They consider not that god loketh first on the person that worketh / and then after on the worke as thou hast a goodlye ensample Geue the fourth of Abell and Cayn They consyder not that an euell tre can not brynge forth good frute Matth. xil And that on a bromble men can gether no fygges Matth. vij They consider not that the masse was institute of Christ to make vs more holye thorow the deuoure remembraunce of his passyon with a pure fayth / and not for any other worthynesse that it hath in it self How be it though we shuld graunte them that the masse in it self were as good and holye as their couetousnes and belyes haue fayned it / yet trulye can it nothinge profyte vs excepte we vse it for the same purposse that Christ dyd institute it For what doth it profitte vs that meate and drincke are good and holesom yf we abuse them corruptinge oure nature / yee or what doth it auayle vs that god is God / that is to saye almightye / most mercyfull / good righte wille and alone sufficieÌ„t yf we abuse his goodnes and beleue not in him It is therfore to be feared lest yf thou be ignoraunte in the true vse of the masse that the moo thou hearest the more thou offendest god abusinge his institucyon and ordinaunce ¶ But these are the verye ryght beholders of Christes passyon / which coÌ„syder marcke in his passyon their awne synnes enormityes which were the cause grounde of his passyon and deeth / for they are feared / and their coÌ„sciences tremble as sone as they remembre the passyoÌ„ which feare and tremblynge ryeseth of this that they maye se in the passyon the vehement wrath and ryghtuous punyshement of god the father ageynst synners which wold not for al the abundaunt fauoure that he had vnto his â—oÌ„ne suffer malefactoures to go fre vnpunyshed but that he must redeme them with his awne deeth / which thinge Esayas .liij. doth also coÌ„firme sayenge in the person of god the father for the synnes of my people haue I wounded hiÌ„ What then shall be come of vs / syth his most deare and onlye sonne is so cruellye entreated It must nedes be a meruelous and inenartable wrath towardes vs which coude not be pacefyed but thorow the deeth / yee and that thorow the deeth of Christ his best beloued sonne And verelye yf a man do marke diligentlie that the verye sonne of God / the ymage and wysdoÌ„ of the father did suffer for oure traÌ„sgressyons / to recoÌ„cyle vs vnto his father / there is no doute but he shall tremble and abhorre his greuous iniquityes Further more emprent this thinge surelye graue it in thy harte thou thy selfe / art one of them which on this maner doest torment and crucefye Christ For thy synnes haue cast hym in to those tormentes accordinge to the wordes of Peter Actes .ij. where he amased the Iues as with a thonder clappe sayenge vnto al that where present you haue crucyfyed hym At which voyce thre thousande men were astoyned sayed vnto the Apostles What shall we now do brethren therfore when thou seyst the nayles fastened in the handes of Christ / thynke that those sharpe nayles are thy euyll deades When thou beholdest his brayne perced with the ceoune of thornes / thinke that those thornes are thy wycked thoughtes and setle ymaginacyons And where thou seyst Christ pricked with one thorne / remeÌ„bre that thou hast deserued to be pricked a thousand folde moare of the and greuouslye Where thou seyst his handes and fete thrust thorow with nayles / remembre that thou hast deserued with out coÌ„parison moare cruell payne And surelye they that despise the passyon of Christ / shal without ende suffre most greuous tormentes For the vehement wrath and rightuouse punishement of god which he well declared in that he wold his onlye sonne to dye for oure transgressions is no ioyned trifle / but the wyked and vnfaithfull shall proue it in deade This sorow and tremblinge founde saynte Barnarde out of Christes passyon / sayinge in the thirde sermone of the birthe of oure lorde Brethren / the teares of christ do engender in me both shame and sorowweth feare I was playenge with out in chastyante / and in the kinges secrete chaumbre there passed ageynst me a sentence of dâ—th The kinges â—eare and onlye sonne harde of this and
old man of synne that rayneth / in oure membres to caste out all hope and coÌ„forte that we haue in creatures / so depe to brynge a man in to the knowlege of his synne that he shall come euen to the brincke of desperacyon and thinke that he is forsaken of god Yet it leaueth hiÌ„ not there but it briÌ„geth hym agayne with all coÌ„solacyon and coÌ„forte sheweth hym that al his outragyous enormityes are crucifyed with Christ and thorow his deeth put out of the waye that they can neuer accuse hym more / and that the fathers wrath is pacefyed by his sonnes deeth / and we al as manye as beleue that Christes deeth hath payed the raunsome of oure synne are set at one with god and are become his childer so that he is no more oure iudge which shuld punishe vs for oure inquityes / but wyll he called oure mercyful father which forgeueth his childrens transgressyons Now syth we can not thus frutefullye remembre Christes passyon excepte we be enspired with grace from aboue for oure impotent viciate nature can do no good without the sprete of god the next remedye to obteyne this frutefull gyftes is to praye and desyre it of god oure father / and all be it he geue it vs not in the same tyme and moment that we wold haue it / yet let vs not despayre and cease from prayer paraduenture he holdeth it from the to make the more desyrous of it and to sette the more by it when it cometh / and that thou maist knowe that it is not in thy power and wil to haue it at thy pleasure / but this is a clere case that he wyl surelye geue it the wheÌ„ it shall be most expedyent for his glorye thy welth / which tyme no man knoweth but he alone Therfore let vs prescribe hiÌ„ no tyme / but euer submytte oure wâ—lles to his and praye that his wyll be fulfylled And contrarye wise sumtyme he geueth vs this gyfte before we praye or axe it / nether gâ—ueth he vs aâ— al tymes the sprete to praye / but distributeth that gyfte also / eueÌ„ aâ— his awne godlye pleasure nether wyll he that it be bounde other to tyme place or any person When he hath ones receaued the sprete which mollesyeth the harre and bryngeth hym in to the remembraunce of the passyon / fly and by his harte trembletâ— he lotheth hym selfe and knowlegeth his infirmitye / so that the effecte of the passyon is fulfylled in hym in a maner before he be aware But they that falle to their meditacyons and behold this passyoÌ„ beynge voyd of this sprete which openeth the harte / take greate laboures and are diligentlye occupied but all aboute nought for they can not her repent not yet perceaue their awne infirmitye / which is the verye ende and effect of Christes passyon So mayst thou se that the first with our laboure attayne the frute and profyte of Christes passyon all though it appeare not outwardlye And the other for all their diligent studye haue nothynge profyted / although they seme outwardlye to haue God by the fote And thus doth God turne topse turne a / that they which are all daye occupyed in hearinge masses and in remembringe Christes passyon get none auantage / and the other which seme to do none of both / do both in deade and obtayne the hole profyte Hetherto haue we entreated the crosse and passyon of Christ by the remembraunce wherof we knowe oure infirmityes / abhorre oure vices and are clene ouerthrowne readye to falle in to the pitte of desperacyon / and now will we touch how oure coÌ„sciences thus wounded and cast doune must be lyfte vppe agayne ¶ When a man begynneth on this maner to knowe and feale his synnes trembleth at the hydeous syght of them / let him take good hede that those tremblinge mocyons sticke not to longe in his coÌ„science for so shuld he falle in to vtter desperacyoÌ„ But euen as that feare knowlege of synne dyd springe out of Christes passyon / so must oure conscience vnlade her selfe agayne and laye all on Christes backe But beware that thou do not as the vnfaithfull doo / for they when they feale their synne / that their coÌ„science biteth theÌ„ / they runne to their awne good workes / to satisfactioÌ„s pilgrimages and pardoÌ„s / and so vexe theyr meruelouslye their vnquiet myndes to rid them froÌ„ theyr burden / but their laboure is in vayne And yet hath that false coÌ„fidence trust in satisfactioÌ„s so spred it selfe / that it hath founded manye religious cloystres in christendom / to the vtter destruccyoÌ„ of all christianite for yf I can make satisfactioÌ„ for my synnes / the is christes bloude shed in vayne Therfore on this maner shalt thou vnlade thy mynde and cast thy synnes on Christ First thou must faithfullye beleue / that Christ suffered for thy sake euen to redeme thy synnes / and that he toke theÌ„ on his awne backe and made full satisfaccyoÌ„ for theÌ„ vnto his father / as Esa sayeth liij the lorde layed on hym all oure iniquityes .i. Pet. ij he bare oure synnes in his awne bodye vpon the crosse And Paule .ij Corin. v. God made him that knewe no sinne / synne for vs that is to saye a sacrifice for oure synne that we thorow him might be that ryghtuousnes which before god is alowed Now the more that thy coÌ„science boyleth ryseth ageynst the / the more shalt thou cleaue to these and soch other coÌ„fortable sentences / and put thy hole fyaunce in Christ an they teach the / for yf thou god aboute thorow thy contricyon / and satisfaccyon to pacefye and aswage thy ragynge conscience / thou shalt neuer be in suretye / but after intollerable laboure and toylinge thou shalt falle in to vtter desperacion / for the conscience can not be quyet wheÌ„ he fealeth his synne / but estemeth is greater theÌ„ that we of oure awne power shuld be able to qwench it Not with stondinge yf he sawe that Chryst which is both god and man had taken them vppon hym and had vaynquesshed them by his deth / yee aÌ„dtyesinge agayne had triumphed vpon deth hell and the deuell then shuld he sone perceaue how weake the stinge and power of synne is / for euen as the paynes of his woundes and panges of hys deth do now no more remayne in his bodye euen so are all oure synnes vanysshed awaye like smoke to this well agreeth the sayinge of Paule Rom .iiij. that Christ dyed for oure synnes and is rysen agayne to iustifie vs. That is the passyon / and deth of Chryst doth open / and declare oure synnes vnto vs and so doth take them awaye / but thorow hys rysinge agayne are we iustefyed and made fre from all oure synnes / yf we beleue How be it yf we feale oure vnbelefe that we can not be surelye persuaded that these thinges are true / them is the next remedye to
falle vnto prayer for this also is in the hand of god nether is it geuē to euerie man but some haue it more some lesse for god distributeth all at his pleasure Not withstondinge there are certayne meanes and smale pathes by the which a mā maye haue as it were an entraunce in to this faith / fyrst turne thine eyes and beholde the hartye loue bounteous kindnes of chryst which so tenderlye loued the that he wold take on him self all thy synnes / louynglye enbrace the to hele thy wounded conscience / yf thou remembre and thinke on thys amitye thy harte shall somwhate be refreshed and so shall thy trust in Chryst be the more encreased and stablysshed After that thou hast perceaued this feruent fauoure that Christ had to wardes the then shalt thou sone marcke what good will the father owed the / for then shall it appeare that Chryst coude not endue the with such greate benefytes excepte it had bene before so decreed of hys heuenlye father / for vnto him did Chryst obey whē he suffered for thy trāsgressions And so shalt thou se the flamynge cheryte of god the father towardes the / and thorow crist shalt thou be so drawne to the father that thou mayst perceaue the sayinge of Chryst Ioā iij. God so loued the worlde that he gaue his ōlye sonne for thē tent that none which beleue in hym shuld perysh but shuld haue euerlastynge lyfe And thys is the true knowlege of god when we beholde / and magnefye not hys puysaunt mageste or his incomprehensible prudence for they make a man a frayde of God but rather his curteous and mercyefull beneuolence wherin he maye put hys confydence / and maye be hoellye in god renued ☞ And when thy harte is so confermed in Chryst that thou begynnest wyth full entent to hate thy synne not for feare of payne but for the loue that thou hast vnto god because thou woldest not displease hym whych is soch a mercyfull and louinge father vnto the then is it expediēt that thou take thys passyon for an ensample by the which thou maist ordre thy lyfe but this remembraunce is farre vnlike the first / for hetherto haue we recounted it as a secrete mysterye whych shuld worke in vs and renue vs thorow repentaūce / and whē we haue obtayned that profyte then let vs considre it as an ensample or rule to order oure lyffe and workes / euer comparinge them vnto Christes passion on thys maner as foloweth When thou art dyseased with anye sorow or maladye then thynke how smalle that payne is yf thou shuldest comparte it with Christes croune of thorne ād the nayles which perced his tendre flesh When thou art constrayned to doo or leaue vndone anye thinge which thou woldest not then remembre that Chryst was bounde and tossed from post to piller euen as it pleased his cruell enemyes Yf thou be tempted with pryde lordlynesse then marke how vnworthelye Crist was mocked / yee and crucyfyed betwene two theues / that he myght be reputed as one of theyr nombre Yf thou be assayled with wantonnesse or with the lust of the flesh then behold how cruellye the tendre flesh of Crist was scourged torne and most pituouslye woūded Yf thy harte boyle with hate or enuye be full sette to take auengeaunce then calle to thy remembraunce how Crist with a lamētable voyce did praye vnto hys father for the / and other his enemyes / whom he myght bi good right haue punisshed perpetuallye Yf thou be vexed with anye other afflictions whate so euer they are / whether secrete or open / take them on good worth be not disquieted / but thynke with thy selfe on this maner It were a great shame yf I shuld not suffre paciētlye this smal trouble / syth that Christ my Lorde and sauyoure suffered in the garden such panges that he swette droppes of bloude / for whate is more shame then that the seruaunte shuld take his ease and lye sluggeshlye in his bed what tyme his master stondeth in ieoperdye of his lyfe Behold / on this maner mayst thou cōforte and stablish thy harte with the passion of christ agenst all vexacyons And this is the true meditacyon and remembraunce of Chrystes passyon out of whych the a fore sayde commodityes sprynge Therfore they that exercyse them selues dilygentlye in it / are moch better occupyed then yf they harde a thousande tymes the storie of the passion / or sayet as manye masses And these onlye are the true Chrysten which on this wyse do expresse in theyr lyfe or manners the name and lyfe of Chryst as Saynte Paule sayeth they that belonge to chryst haue crucefyed theyr flesh and concupiscentes with Christ Nether it is ynough that we countre fayte him in oure outwarde be haue oure ād wordes / but we must do oure endeueraunce perfeytlye to expresse hys passion in all oune conuersacyon from the botom of oure hartes which thynge Paule exhorteth vs vnto Hebrew .xij.. Loke vnto Iesus the captayne of oure faith / which for the ioye that was sette before hym abode the crosse and dispised the shame / is sette dounne on the right hande of god Consider therfore how that he endured such speakinge agēst hym of synners / lest ye shuld be weryed or faynte in oure myndes And saynte Petre .i. Pet .iiij. sayeth for as moch as cryst hath suffered in the flesh / arme youre selues lykewyse wyth the same mynde How be it the maner of thys remembraunce is verye rare out of vse although Saint Paule Saint Petre make eftsones mention of it And we haue chaunged it al to gether into an outwarde apperaūce and haue thought it sufficient to behold the story of the passyon paynted vpon walles But there are verye fewe yee almost none that call it to theyr remēbraunce for thent to know theyr synnes by it / or to quyet theyr tremblynge consciences / or to ordre and cōpare their liffe to this ensample ¶ Thus endeth the meditacyon and frutefull remembraunce of Chrystes passyon which passeth the contemplacyon of Monkes / fryers and Nonnes yee and all other religious ¶ We purpossed Christen brother to haue annexed the Christian Libertye / how be it all thinges cōsidered we thought it most profitable for this present world to ioyne rather vnto the ende of this boke a deuoute exposicyon vppon the Psalme Miserere mei Deus ¶ An exposicyon after the maner of a contemplacyon vpon the .li. Psalme / called Misereremei Deus ALas wretch that I am / comfortlesse / and forsaken of all men / which haue offended both heauen / and erth / whother shall I turne me To whom shall If lye for socoure who shal haue pytye or cōpassion on me vnto heauen date I not lifte vppe myne eyts / for I haue greuouslye synned agenst it And in the erth can I fynde no place of defence / for I haue bene noysome vnto it whate shall I nowe do shall I
but that of thy gracyous mercye thou makest vs promises / fulfyllest them for thy truthes sake Thou dyst promyse vnto Abraham a sonne when he was aged / thou falfylledst thy promyse in olde and baren Sara / because thou louedst truth Thou promysest vnto the children of Israell a lande that flowed with milke and honye / and at the last dydst geue it them / for thy truthes sake Thou madest a promyse to Dauid sayenge I shall set vppon thy sete regall one of the frute of thy bodye / and it came euen so to passe / because thou woldest be founde true There are other innumerable promyses in which thou hast euer bene faythfull because thou louedst truth Thou hast promysed to synners which wyll come vnto the / forgeuenesse and fauoure / and thou hast neuer defrauded man / for thou hast loued truth That vnthryftye sonne Luc. xv that toke his iorney in to a farre cōtre and wasted all his goodes with covetous lyuinge / when he came to hym self / he retouened vnto the sayenge Father I haue synned agenst heauen and before the / now am I not worthye to be called thy sonne / make me as one of thy hyred seruauntes / When he was yet a greate waye of / thou sawest hym and haddest cōpassyon on hym and rannest vnto hym / fallynge vppon his necke and kyssynge hym / thou broughtest forth the best garmenth and puttest a rynge on his fynger and showes on his fete / Thou kylledst that fatted calfe and madest all the house merye sayenge / Let vs eate be merye / for this my sonne was deed and is alyue agayne / he was lost and is now founde Why dydst thou all this Lorde God surelye because thou louedst truth Loue therfore o father of mercyes this truth in me / which retorne vnto the from a farre countre / runne towardes me geue me a kysse of thy mouth / geue me those chefe garmētes / drawe me in to thy house / kylle that fatted calfe that all which trust in the maye reioyce in me / and lette vs eate to gether in spirituall feastes Oh Lorde wilt thou exclude me alone and wilt thou not kepe this truth vnto me yf thou shuldest loke narowlye on oure wykednesse o lorde lorde who myght abyde the But Lord thou wilt not be so strayght vnto vs / for thou louest truth yee and that with a feruent incomprehensible loue Which is the truth that thou so louest is it not thy sonne that sayde Ioan .xiiij. I am the waye / truth / and lyfe he is the verye truth of whom all truth is named in heauen and in erth / this is it that thou hast loued and in it onlye hast thou delyted for thou dydest fynde it pure with out spotte and woldest that it shuld dye for synners / kepe therfore Oh God this truth / behold I am a greate synner in whom thou maist kepe it / to whom thou maist forgeue manie synnes / whom thou mayst purefye in the bloude of thy Christ / whom thou mayst redeme thorow his passyō why Oh lorde hast thou geuen me this knowlege of thy sonne / this fayth of hym Because I shuld se my redēpcyon and not to attayne it that I myght by that meanes be the more vexed with sorow God forbydde / but rather that I maye perceaue the remissyon of my synnes purchased by Christes bloude / and so by his grace maye obtayne it Purge me therfore and redeme me oh Lorde for thou hast vttered vnto me the vnknowne and secrete poyntes of thy wysdom that this knowlege maye helpe me brīge me vnto helth for trulie the philosofers neuer knew these thinges / they were vnknowne vnto hē / yee vtterlye hid frō thē and no mā knewe these thīges except a fewe whō thou lonest entyrelie before thy sonnes incarnaciō The most curyous serchers of the world / I meane the wysemen of this world lyfted vp their yies aboue heauen yet coulde not fynde this thy wysdom / for thou hast hyd these thinges from the wyse prudent / and hast opened them vnto babes / that is / to humble fishers and thy holye prophetes which also haue vttered thē vnto vs. And so hast thou vttered the vnknowne and secrete thinges of thy wysdom of thy scriptures vnto me / why do I know thē in vayne I know them surelye in vayne yf they profytte me not vnto my helth and saluacyon For the Philosophers when they knewe God by his meruelous creatures they glorifyed hym not as god nether were thākefull / but wexed full of vanityes in theyr ymaginacyons and their folish hartes were blinded / when they counted them selues wyse / they became soles / wylt thou suffer me Lorde to be of their numbre God forbyd / for thou arte euē mercye it selfe which doth neuer vtterlye forsake any man / fauoure therfore Lorde fauoure and spare thy seruaunt / and commaunde hym to be of the numbre of thy babes / that the vnknowne secretes of thy wysdom / which thou hast opened to hym maye leade hym vnto the fountayne of wysdom which is an hye / that thou mayst be praysed in the worke of thy mercye which thou dost exercyse towardes thy seruaunte Lorde which neuer forsakest them that trust in the. Sprinkle me Lorde with hysope / and so shall be clene / thou shalt wash me / and then shall I be whitther then snowe Because Lorde that thou hast loued the truth hast opened vnto me the vnknowne secretes of thy wysdome / I am well cōforted and I trust that thou wilt not cast me out of thy fauoure / but thou shalt sprinkle me with hysope and so shall I be clensed Hysope is a lowe herbe / it is hote and of a good sauoure / which sygnifyeth nothynge els / but thy onlye sonne oure lorde Iesu Christ / which humbled hym selfe vnto deeth / euen vnto the deeth of the crosse / which with the heate of his feruent charite loued vs / and washed vs from oure synnes in his bloude / which with the redolent sauoure of his beneuolence and rightuousnes replenyshed the hole worlde Therfore with this hysope shalt thou sprincle me / when thou pourest apon me the vertue of his bloude when Christ thorow fayth shal dwell in me when thorow loue I am ioyned with hym when I shall countre fayte his humylite and passyon / then shal I be clensed frō all myne vnclennesse Then shalt thou wash me with mine awne teares which flowe out of the loue of Christ / then shall I sygh vntyll I be werye I shall water my bed euerye nyght with my teares / so that it shall swymme in them and then shalt thou wash me and I shall be whyter then snowe Snowe is whyte and colde / but Lorde yf thou sprinkle me with hysope I shal be more whyte then snowe for I shall be thorowlye endued with thy splendent lyght which passeth all bodelye whytenesse And when I am enflamed
groninges as can not be expressed with tongue therfore take not awaye this thi holye sprete fro me / that he maye teach me to praye / and helpe me in my laboure and may cause me to continue in prayers and teares / that at the lengh I maye finde fauoure before thy face and maye serue the all dayes of my lyffe Make me agayne to reioyse in thy sauynge helth and strengthen me with a pryncypall sprete he is a greate thinge that I desyre o Lorde Iow be it sith thou arte god a greate Lorde / and kynge ouer all goddes / he doth the iniurye which asketh small thinges of the. All transitorye and corruptible thinges are but small in thy syght but spyrytuall euerlastynge thinges are greate / and precyous Take awaye the sprete / and soule from the bodye / and what remayneth but most vyle dounge dust a vayne shadowe therfore euē so moch difference is betwene the sprete and the bodye / as is betwene the bodye his shadowe / so maye I conclude that he which asketh bodelye thynges asketh but vayne tryfles but he that desyreth spyrituall thynges doth surelye desyre great thinges / but speciallye he that desyreth thy sauinge helthe / what is thy sauīge helth but Iesus thy sonne which is verye god / euerlastinge liffe / why shall I not then aske of the this thy sauyoure / sith thou arte amyghtye and most liberall father / whych gauest hym vnto the deeth of the crosse for me Now sith thou hast so offered hym for me / why shuld I be ashamed to aske hym of the It is a great and noble present nether am I worthie to haue such a gift how be it it becometh thy worthy lyberalyte to geue such noble gyftes / for this therfore tyne ineffable gentlenesse I dare presume to come boidlye vnto the and to desyre thy sauinge helth in whom I myght fullye reioyce For yf of his carnal father any sonne aske fysh / will he teach him a serpent And yf he aske an egge / will he geue hym a scorpion or yf he aske breed / will he geue hym a stone Now yf carnall fathers beynge euell and synners / wil geue vnto theyr childer good gyftes whych they haue receaued of the how moch moare thou heuenlye father whych of thyne awne substance arte good / wilt geue a good sprete to thē that desyre it of the Beholde thy sonne whych is retourned from a farre countre sorowinge and repentinge / asketh of the the fish of fayth / for as the fish lyeth secrete vnder the water / euen so is fayth of such thynges as are not sene / he asketh I saye a true fayth that he maye reioyce in thy sauinge helth wilt thou reath hym a serpent wilt thou geue hym the venome of vnfaythfulnes which proceadeth from that old and croked serpent the deuell I desyre of the o Lorde the egge of hope / that euen as out of an egge we hope for a chyken / so thorow hope / that thou wilt graunte me to come vnto the syght of thy sauynge health that out of my hope maye come this holesome sight as the chicke doth out of the egge I desyre the egge of hope / that my soule thorow hope maye be sustayned in this vale of teares and may reioyce in thy sauinge helth Wilt thou geue me the scorpion of desperacyon that as a scorpion hath poyson in the ende of her taile / so I in the last ende of miliffe shulde reserue synne / delytinge my selfe and taking he my pleasure with the entisemētes of this worlde which seme beautifull and flateringe / euē as a scorpion doth in the face I desyre of the also o Lorde the breed of Christes cherite by the which he doth communycate hym selfe euen as breed vnto all men / that I maye euer reioyce in thy sauynge / helth / wilt thou geue me a stone / that is to saye hardnes of harte God forbid / why shall I them my struste for to desyre and / and optayne greate thinges of the o Lorde / seinge thou sturrest me vpp / and byddest me aske and knocke / euen tyll I se me importunate And what thynge can I aske whych thou shalt be better content with all / or els that shuld be moare holesome for me them that thou shuldest make me reioyse in thy sonne oure sauinge helth Now haue I tasted how swete the Lorde is / how easye / and pleasaunte hys burthen is I remember whate peace and tranquilite of mynde I was in / when I ioyed in god And reioysed in Chryst my Lorde and sauyoure / therfore am I now in moare sorow / for I know what goodnes And commodylye I haue loste / therfore will I crye more importunatlye Make me agayne to reioyse in thy sauīge helth restore me agayne that thynge whych my sinnes haue lost Restore me that whych thorow my faute is perysshed in me Restore me I besech the for his sake that euer is on thy ryght hande and maketh intercession for vs thy gracious fauoure / that I maye perceaue that thorow hym thou art pacefyed towardes me / that it maye be as a seale vppon my harte / and that I maye saye wyth the Apostle Paule Gala. ij I am crucefyed with Chryst / I lyue verelye / yet now not I / but Chryst lyueth in me But because my frayltye is greate / strēght me wyth a pryncypall sprete that no troubles or afflyctions maye seperate me from Chryst / that no feare may cause me to renye the and that no paynes maye make me slyde from the. My strength is not suffycyent to resyst / and fyght wyth that olde serpent / and to preuayle agenst hym Peter hath taught me how greate oure infirmitye is / he sawe the with his bodely yies Lorde Iesu was most familiarlye conuersaunt wyth the he tasted of thy glorye in the mountayne / whē thou wast trāsfigured he harde the fathers voyce he sawe thy manifold and wondrous workes / yee and thorow thy power dyd hym selfe many miracles He walked on his fete vppon the waters / and harde daylye thy mightye and swete wordes he thought hym selfe most feruent and hote in the faith and sayde that he was readye to go with the both in to preson vnto verye deeth And when thou toldest hym that he shuld denye the he beleued the not the trusted in his awne strength / and trusted more vnto hym selfe beynge but a man / then vnto the beynge verye god But when the handmayden sayde vnto hym Thou arte of the same cōpanye / he was afrayde by and by and denyed it There came a nother mayde and sayed Surelye thou arte of the same folke And he denyed the agayne He coude not stande before wemē / how shuld he then haue stonde before kynges tyrauntes And when he was yet once moare enquired of the bystanders and was accused to be one of his disciples / he beganne to curse and to swere that
fayth doth mortefye the flesh and her workes / and the sprete of god which resteth in a faythfull man helpeth oure infirmitye and sighteth with out intermissyon agenst synne / the deuell and the worlde ¶ The power of fayth THe power of fayth is to iustefye vs that is / to dispoyle vs from all oure vices laye them on Christes backe which hath pacefyed the fathers wrath towardes vs and to endne vs with a nothers rightwysnes / that is Christes / so that I and all my synnes are Christes / and Christ with all his vertues are myne / for he was borne for vs and geuen vnto vs. Esaye ix Roma viij To obtayne this rightwisnes god the father requireth nothiÌ„ge of vs but that we beleue hym and make hym no lyar He that beleueth that God of his mercye hath made vs these promises and that for his truthes sake he will fulfylle them / he setteth to his seale that god is true But he that beleueth not or douteth of this as moch as in hym is he maketh God a lyar .i. Ioan. v. for why shuldest thou doubte in hym excepte thou thoughtest that be were a lyar and wolde not kepe his promesse which he made Now yf thou counte god which is the verye truth to be a lyar / arte thou not worthy a thousande damnacyons ¶ The worke of fayth FAyth worketh by charite / for when my raginge conscience which fealeth hâ—r synne is pacefyed and sette at one with god thorow fayth / then remembrynge the ferueÌ„t loue of god towardes me I can not but loue my neyghboure agayne / for there is no man that hartelye loueth the father can hate the sonne / and all though the sonne be naught and vnthriftye / yet for his fathers sake he will helpe to better hym and euen lameÌ„t and be sorye for the sonnes wykednesse Lykewyse yf we hartelye loue God for his infinite benefytes done vnto vs / then can we not hate that creature which he hath made after his awne lykenes / whom god the father loueth so tenderlye that he gaue his awne sonne vnto the deeth to redeme hym / yee whom he hath adopted thorow Christ to be his sonne heyre Nowe all be it we se no kindnes in this man for which we shuld loue hym / yet hath God shewed vs kindnes ynough for the which we ought to loue hym and socoure hym at all tymes Let vs therfore loue hym for the loue that god his creatoure hath shewed vs / and beare his infirmitye yf he faule let vs lyfte him vp agayne / and endue hym with oure wysdom and all oure workes / euen as Christ hath done with vs / and this is an euydent token that thou louest god / when thou louest thy brother / .i. Ioan .iiij. and seakest all meanes / to helpe hym / these are the good workes that folow fayth / and are euydent tokens that thy fayth is ryght and pure Thus seest thou how good workes / flowe out of fayth thorow cherite And cherite or loue is the fulfyllinge of the hole lawe Roma .xiij. ¶ Good workes AMong good workes the chefe are to be obedyent in all thinges vnto Kynges / Princes / Iudges / and soch other offycers as farre as they coÌ„maunde ciuyle thinges / that is to saye such thinges as are indifferent / and not contrarye vnto the coÌ„maundementes of god / for then must we rather obaye god then men / Actes in the fyfte chapter although we shuld lese both oure substaunce and lyffe therto To honoure rulers to promote peace to praye for all cominaltyes And to applye all oure studyes to profyte them The nexte are to be obedyent vnto father and mother To prouide for oure houscholde both nourishinge oure familie with bodelye sustenaunce / and also to enstruct them with the worde of God / and so to be their gouernoure carnall and spirituall Then must we loke how we ought to be haue oure selfes towardes oure neyghboures knowleginge that al the gyftes which are geuen vs of god / are not geuen vs for oure awne selfe but for the edefyinge of the congregacyon .i. Corin .xij. and yf we bestowe them not on that maner we shall surelye geue a rekenynge for then before the Lorde Emonge these ought we to haue respect vnto the preachers and mynistres of the worde / that they maye be had in honoure well prouyded for And aboue all thinges good brethren addresse youre selues vnto that necessarye worke prayer Remembre to praye for all estates / for that is a worke that Christ and his Apostles full diligentlye exhorted all men vnto / promysynge theÌ„ that they shuld obtayne their peticyons Ioan .xviii. Ioan .iij. yf they be according to the wyst of god and for his glorye .i. Ioan .v. ¶ Persecutyon AFter these and such other workes let euery man bolden and comforte his brothern to suffer the crosse that god will laye on them to proue them whether they wyll abyde in his worde or flye backe agayne And let all men cast their peniworthes before Luc .xiiij. And euerye daye that they are notvexed let them counte that woÌ„ne / and loke euerye houre when the crosse shall come / for this is a playne case / God scourgeth euerye sonne whom he receaueth Hebre .xij. and Paule sayeth .ij. Tim. iij. All that will lyue godlye in Christ Iesu must suffer persecucyon Now yf they can endure chasteninge and suffer pacyentlye / then god offereth hym selfe vnto them as vnto sonnes Hebre .xij. so that they shal be destitute in no thinge / for what can they lacke which haue god hym selfe Forgeue hartelye youre enemyes and persecutours prayenge vnto god for them that he wold vouchsaffe to open their blynde hartes and geue theÌ„ true knowlege for there is no maÌ„ so madde / cruell / furyous / and induratte / but that all other of them selues are euen as were wyde from god as he / so that euerye man which is not so wyked / maye thanke god that he kepeth hym from that impyetye / thou seest a man that is a these a whotemoÌ„gre / and a murtherar there seest thou euen thyne awne nature for yf god kepte the not out of such vices / thou shuldest be euen as euell as be / yf thou be not such glorye in god not in thy selfe Be not angrye therfore with thyne enemyes and persecutours / but the sorye for them lament their blinde ignorauÌ„cie Receaue the crosse gladly and reioyce ther in / for this fyre and tribulacyoÌ„ which is the tryinge of youre fayth bringeth for pacyence / pacyence bryngeth fealinge / fealynge bringeth hope / and hope maketh vs not ashamed Roma v. But maketh vs boldly to loke for his iudgemeÌ„t / in which the vnfaithfull shall not be able to stonde ¶ The contentes ¶ The Symbole of Athanasius ¶ The office of all Estates ¶ A prayer for wysdom ¶ The prayer of Salomon for wysdom ¶ For competency of lyuynge the prayer of Salomon ¶ A prayer of the churche of the faythfull / for the worde of God to be spoken with boldenes of herte ¶ The prayer of Christ before his passyon for his churche in this worlde ¶ The prayer of the church for synnes ¶ Another prayer of Hieremye ¶ The .x. Commaundementes of God ¶ The Credo ¶ The Pater noster ¶ The Salutacyon of the aungell ¶ A meditacyon of the passyon of Christ ¶ Confort for troubled â—â—eke coÌ„sciences ¶ An exposicyon vppon the Li. Psalme called Misere mei deus ¶ Emprented at Malborow the yeare of oure Lorde a. M. CCCCC.XXXviij yeâ— me Ioannem Philoponon