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 theÌ„ 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 militauÌ„t 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 of the enemies of his spouse the church Howe full of compassioÌ„ 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 iudgemeÌ„t 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 neque meternum comminabitur His angre endureth not for euer His thretenynges cease in a short whyle if thou cease froÌ„ 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 seasoÌ„ But through his euerlasting goodnes wyl he pardon the sayth the prophet Esaye Non secundum peccata nostra fecit nobis neque 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 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 shal be dimmyd How canst thou therfore my soule gyue coÌ„dyngne thaÌ„kes or prayses to God for his inestimable goodnes and grace to the shewed Quantum enim excelsius est celum terra taÌ„tum coÌ„firmata 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 heaueÌ„ shoulde couer the earth and cause the benefites thereof to be shewed so is it impossible but that God wyll couer defende gouerne his seruauÌ„tes 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 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 orieÌ„s â—b occidente longe feâ—t iniquitates nostras â— nobis â–ª 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. â— 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 maÌ„ Eccle. â— 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 WheÌ„ 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 wheÌ„ aduersitie commeth For that is the mooste soueraigne 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 pateâ— filiorum misertus est dominus timentibê° se Hebre. xii And herein thynke the mooste bounde to the father
the assisteÌ„ce of hys grace Nam et si ambulaueto in medio vmbremortis non timebo mala although we shoulde walke in the valey of the shadow of death yet we fear none euel for thou 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 soÌ„ne cam into this world geuynge hym lyght to see the way to heaueÌ„ 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 â—â— But al their coÌ„berous coÌ„pany we nothynge feare because thou arte wyth vs. If we walke in the 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 whoÌ„ 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 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 coÌ„forte in all infirmities tribulations and other encombraunces Thy rodde doeth directe vs to knowe what we shoulde dooe Thy staffe is oure streÌ„gth to stand fast therby agaynst al inuasions of oure enemies And to haue vs more sure cute of the dauÌ„ger of those that trouble vs thy sayd louinge sonne hath prepared set before our eyes the table of holy scriptures Parasti in conspectu meo meÌ„sam aduersus eos quitâ—â—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 priÌ„cipally aboue al other For in him as in the head rested that ioyful oyle from whense it ranne downe to the other membres Psalme â—xxâ—ii that is to all other faythfull people as the oyle that fel on the bearde of Aaron dropped froÌ„ thence to the skyrtes of hys garmeÌ„tes Ihon. i. i. Collos i. In Christ is the fulnes of grace from whoÌ„ distilleth all the grace Caliâ— meus mebrians quaÌ„ preâ—latus est goodnes coÌ„forte that we haue Through holy scripture also oure cup is fylled full to the brimme of pure liquor it causeth vs for ioy of heaueÌ„ly contemplacion to forget al the troubles miseries of this worlde The dregges of earthly pleasures and carnall affectioÌ„s remayne not in this cup. For as thy mercy hath gone before vs plentifully geuinge vs aboundauÌ„ce 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 coÌ„uersion but nothing to hys workes or deseruinges AMonge all the beautyfull sloures of vertue that growe in the gardyne of maÌ„nes soule one of the most pleasaunt most necessary and most acceptable is humilitie Whose power was so great that it drewe the sonne 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 amoÌ„ge 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 coÌ„trary 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 â— 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 heaueÌ„ to get them therby a perpetuall name Pryde made A man to inuente a waye to destroy the people of God Hâ—ster .vi. which at leÌ„ght turned to his owne destructioÌ„ 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 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
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 recordatê° est quia puluis sumus He coÌ„sidereth 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 eiê° sicut flos agri siâ— florebit quia spiritus per ransiet eum et non subsistet et noÌ„ cognoscet eum vltra locus ei but doth coÌ„syder 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 of thys worlde all honour ryches nobilitie yea the very lyfe of maÌ„ endureth but a whyle in coÌ„parison 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 corruptioÌ„ 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 auteÌ„ domini ab eterno et vsque ineternum super timeÌ„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 maÌ„nes 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 seruauntes and vpon theyr chyldernes chyldren such as kepe hys couenaunt and thynke vpon his commaundementes to do them Et iusticia eius in filios filioruÌ„ His qui custodiuÌ„t pactum eius â— recordaÌ„tur preceptorâ—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 coÌ„gregacion 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 the iudge of the quycke and also of the deade hath prepared hys seate Dominus in celo paâ—uit sedem suam et reâ—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 â—geli eius fortes roboâ— facientes verbum cius obedientes voci sermonis eius To hym the holy angels that be myghty in streÌ„gth gyue laude and prayse they fulfyl his coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t 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 eiê° ministri eius qui facitis voluÌ„tatem etê° To hym all the hostes of heauenly spirites gyue thaÌ„kes 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 theÌ„ 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 froÌ„ 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 shal be heyres of saluatioÌ„ 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 heaueÌ„ Benedicite domino omnia opera eius in omni loco dominationis eiê° Yea al the workes of the Lorde magnifie and speke good of the Lorde in euery place of hys dominion Hys
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. â—â— 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 ommiâ— 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 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 paâ—â—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 dauÌ„gers 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 the fayethfull neuer be afrayed Ibi naues per traÌ„sibuÌ„t For as the sure shyppes fliete in the sea vnder theyr sayles and passe through the stormy teÌ„pestes 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 shal be 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 illudenduÌ„ 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 offeÌ„ces resist his temptations folowe thy lawes put theyr whole truste in the thy blessed soÌ„ne Iob .xi. theÌ„ 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 with his humanitie whiche when he thought to deuour causing hym to be put to death of the Iewes he was trypped in his owne turne takeÌ„ with the hooke of his diuinitie In lyke maner do the fayethful membres of Christ also mocke deceyue him For wheÌ„ he thinketh them surely in his daunger they turne to theyr head Christ for refuge i. Corhinth x. and by his helpe do vaÌ„quish him Great therfore good Lorde is thy mercie goodnes that sufferest not thy faythful to be teÌ„pted aboue theyr strength But in the middes of theyr temptation makest away for theÌ„ 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 coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t Omnia a te expectan vt des illis escam in tâ—pore suo dante te eis colligent Al waite on the that thou maist geue them meate in dew season wheÌ„ thou giuest it theÌ„ they gather it The meate appoynted to that serpent which deceyued Eue was earth Of the earth therfore of earthly men that loue better earthy thinges then heaueÌ„ly Genes iii. is the foode of that fierse leuiathan Such as are lefte destitute of thy grace depart froÌ„ 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 redeÌ„ption saluation thou voutchsafedest to sende thy most entierly beloued sonne to suffre death passion They haue the more pitie to great pleÌ„tie of foode of infideles Bring theÌ„ also lorde I besech the into the true fayth of thy holy churche that they may knowe the him that thou hast sent Io. x. for the saluatioÌ„ of al the world That there may be on both sortes one shepeherde one flocke and sende vs al lorde Aperiente te manuÌ„ tuaÌ„ replehuntur honitate abscondes vultuÌ„ tuum â—et turbabuntur thy merciful fauour Open thy liberal haÌ„de fyl vs all wyth thy goodnes Hyde not thy face froÌ„ vs for oure offeÌ„ces For then haue we cause of sorowe mourning coÌ„tinually No creature can lyue wtout the nourishing of corporall substauÌ„ce but must dye tourne to earth corruptioÌ„ Neither caÌ„ the soule of maÌ„ abide in lyfe spiritual with out the influence of thy grace Auferes spiritum coruÌ„â—t deficient et in pulueâ—em suum