not what to desyre as we ought to do But the spirite helpeth our infirmiries and maketh intercessiō for vs / that is maketh vs to praye with suche sorowfull groninges as can not be expressed with tungue therfore take not awaye this thy holye spirite fro me / that he maye teache me to praye / and helpe me in my laboure and maye cause me to contynue in prayers and reares / that at the lengthe I maye fynde fauoure before thy face / and maye serue the all dayes of my lyfe Make me agayne to reioyse in thy sauynge healthe / and strengthen me with a pryncypall spirite ¶ It is a great thyng that I desyre o lord / how be it sith thou art god a great Lorde / and kynge ouer all goddes / he dothe the iniurie which asketh smal thynges of the. All transytory and corruptible thynges at but small in thy syghte but spirituall and euerlastyng thynges are great precious Take away the spirite and soule from the bodye / and what remayneth but most vile dunge / duste and a vayne shadowe therfore euen so muche dyfference there is betwene the spirite and the body / as it is betwene the body and his shaw we / so maye I conclude that he whiche asketh bodely thynges asketh but vayne tryfles but he that desyreth spiritual thynges doth surelye desyre greate thynges / but specallye he that desyreth thy sauyng healthe What is thy sauynge healthe but Iesus thy sonne whiche is very god and euerlastynge lyfe / why shall I not then aske of the this thy sauyour / syth thou art a myghty and most lyberall father / whiche gauest hym vnto the deathe of the crosse for me Nowe syth thou hast so offered him for me / why shold I be a shamed to aske hym of the It is a greate and noble presente neyther am I worthy to haue suche a gyfte / how be it it becometh thy worthye lyberalite to gyue suche noble gyftes / for this therfore thyne inestable gentlenes I dare p̄ro sume to come boldely vnto the and to desyre thy sauyng healthe in whome I myght fully reioyce ¶ For yf of his carnall father ony sonne aske fyshe / wyll he reache hym a serpente And yf he aske an egge / wyll he gyue hym a scorpion or if he aske breed / wil he geue hym a stone Nowe yf carnall fathers beyng euell synners / wyll geue vnto theyr chyldre good gyftes whiche they haue receyued of the howe moche more thou heuenlye father whiche of thyne owne substance arte good / and wylte geue a good spirite to them the desyre it of the Beholde thy sonne whiche is returned from a farre cuntrey sorowyng and repentyng / asketh of the the fyshe of faythe / for as the fyshe lyeth secrete vnder the water / euen so is faythe of suche thynges as are not sene / he asketh I say a true fayth that he may reioyce in thy sauyng helth wilt thou reach him a serpent wilt thou geue hym the venome of vnfaythfulnes which procedeth frō that olde and croked serpent the deuyl I desyre of the o lorde the egge of hope the euē as out of an egge we hope for a chykē / so thrugh hope / that thou wylte graunte me to come vnto the syghte of thy sauynge healthe / that oute of my hope maye come this holsome syght / as the chycke doth out of the egge I desyre the egge of hope / that my soule throughe hope maye be sustayned in this vale of teares may reioyce in thy sauing helth wylt thou geue me the scorpyon of desperaciō the as a scorpyon hath poyson in the ende of her tayle / so I in the laste ende of my lyfe shulde reserue synne / delyrynge my selfe and takynge my pleasure with the entysementes of this worlde / whiche seme beautyful and flateryng / euen as a scorpyon doth in the face I desyre of the also o lorde the breed of Christes charite by the which he doth comunycate him selfe euen as breed vnto all men / that I maye euer reioyce in thy sauynge helthe / wylte thou geue me a stone / that is to saye hardnes of herte God forbyd Why shall I then mystrust for to desyre and obteyne great thynges of the o lorde seynge thou sturryst me vp and byddest me aske and knocke / euen tyl I seme importunate And what thyng can I aske whiche thou shalt be better cōtente with all / or els that sholde be more holsome for me then the thou sholdest make me reioyse in thy sonne our sauing helthe ¶ Now haue I tasted how swete the lord is how easy and pleasaunt his burthen is I remembre what peace and tranquilite of mynde I was in / when I ioyed in god / and reioysed in Christe my Lorde and sauyour / therfore am I now in more sorow / for I knowe what goodnes and commodicye I haue loste / therfore wyll I crye more importunatlye Make me againe to reioyse in thy sauynge helth / restore me agayne the thyng which my sinnes haue lost Restore me that whiche through my faure is perisshed in me Restore me I beseche the for his sake that euer is on thy ryghte hande and maketh intercession for vs thy gracyous fauoure / that I maye perceyue that throughe hym thou arte pacefyed towardes me that it may be as a seale vpon my herte / and that I maye saye with the Apostle Paule Galath .ij. I am crucyfyed with Christ / I liue verely / yet now not I / but Christe lyueth in me But because my frailtye is greate / strength me with a princypall spirite that no troubles or afflyctions maye seperate me frome Christe that no feare maye cause me to renye the / and that no paynes maye make me flyde from the. My strengt is not suffycyent to resist and fyghte with that olde serpent and to preuayle agaynst hym Peter hath taught me how great our infyrmitye is / he saw the with his bodely iyes Lord Iesu and was moste famylyarlye conuersaunt with the he tasted of thy glorye in the mountayne / when thou wast transfigured he herde the fathers voyce he sawe thy manyfolde and wondrous workes / yea and throughe thy power dyd hym selfe manye myracles He walked on his feate vpon the waters / and herde dayly thy mighty swete wordes he thought hym selfe most feruent hote in the faith sayde that he was ready to go with the both in to presō vnto very death And when thou toldest hym that he sholdest denye the he beleued the not he trusted in his owne strenght / and trusted more vnto him selfe beynge but a man / then vnto the beynge very god But when the hande mayden sayde vnto hym Thou art of the same companye / he was afrayde by and by and denied it There came an other mayde and sayde Surcly thou art of the same folke And he denyed the agayne ¶ He coude not stonde before wemen how shoulde he then haue stonde before kynges
¶ An exposition after the maner of a cōtemplacyon vpon the .li. psalme called Miserere mei Deus ALas wretche the I am / confortlesse forsaken of all men / which haue offended both heuen earth Whether shall I go or whether shall I turne me To who shall I flye for socoure Who shall haue pytye or cōpassion on me vnto heuē dare I not lifte vp myne eyes / for I haue greuously synned agaynst it And in the earthe can I fynde no place of defence / for I haue bene noysom vnto it What shall I nowe do shall I despayre God forbyd full mercyfull is god / and my sauiour is meke and louyng / therfore only god is my refuge he wyll not despyse his creature neither forsake his owne ymage Vnto the therfore most meke and merciful god come I all sad and sorowfull for thou onely art my hope / and thou art onely the toure of my defence But what shall I say vnto the / syth I dare not lyft vp myne eyes I wyll poure oute the wordes of sorowe / I wyll hartelye beseche the for mercye and wyll saye Haue mercy vpon me oh god accordynge to thy greate mercye ¶ God whiche dwellest in lyghte that no man can attayne / God whiche art hid and canst not be sene with bodely eyes / nor cōprehended with ony vnderstondynge that euer was made / nether expressed with the tongues of men or angels My god the / which art incomprehensible do I seke the which canst not be expressed do I cal vpon what thinge so euer thou art which art in euery place I knowe that thou art the most hye excellent thyng yf thou be a thynge / and not rather the cause of all thynge yf I may so call the for I fynde no name by the whiche I maye name or expresse thyne in enarrable maiesty God I saye whiche art all thynges that are in the for thou art euen thyne owne wysdom thy power and thy moste gloriouse felycyte Seynge therfore that thou art mercyful what art thou but euen the very mercy it selfe And what am I / but very myserye Beholde therfore a god whiche art mercye beholde myserye is before the what shalt thou do mercye truely thy worke canst thou do otherwyse then thy nature is And what is thy worke verely to take awaye mysery and to lyfte vp them that are in wretched condicyon therfore haue mercy on me oh god God I saie whiche art mercye take awaye my misery / take awaye my synnes for they are myne extreme miserye Lyfte vp me which am so miserable / shew thy worke in me and exersyse thy power vpon me One depth requireth another the depthe of myserye requireth the depthe of mercye The depthe of synne axeth the depthe of grace fauoure Greater is the depthe of mercy then the depth of mserye Let therfore the one depth swalow vp the other Let the botomlesse depthe of mercye swalow vp the profounde depth of myserye ¶ Haue mercy on me oh god according to thy greate mercye Not after the mercye of men whiche is but small but after thyne owne mercy whiche is greate which is vnmesurable which is incōprehēsible which passeth all synnes without comparison Accordynge to that thy greate mercy with the whiche thou hast so loued the world that thou woldest geue thyne only sonne What mercye can be greater What loue can be more Who can despayre Who shulde not haue good confidence God was made mā and crucyfied for men Therfore haue mercye on me oh God accordynge to this thy greate mercye by the whiche thou hast geuen thy sonne for vs by whiche throughe hym thou haste taken awaye the synne of the worlde by whiche through his crosse thou haste lyghtened all men by whiche through hym thou hast redressed all thynges in heuen and erth Wash me oh lorde in his bloude lyghten me in his humilite / redresse me in his resurreccion Haue mercye on me oh god not after thy smal mercy for that is but thy small mercy in comparison when thou helpest men of theyr bodely euylles but it is greate when thou forgeuest synnes and dost eleuate men by thy fauoure aboue the toppe of the erth Euen so Lorde haue mercye on me accordinge to this thy greate mercye that thou turne me vnto the that thou put out my synnes that thou iustefie me by thy grace fauoure And accordinge to the multitude of thy compassions wype awaye myne iniquite ¶ Thy mercy lorde is the habundaunce of thy pytye by the whiche thou lokest gentely on the poore and wretched Thy compassions are the workes and processes of thy mercy Marie Magdalene came vnto thy fete good Iesu she wasshed thē with her teares wyped thē with her here thou forgauest her and sentest her awaye in peace this was Lorde one of thy compassions Petre denyed the and forsoke the with an othe / thou lokedste vpō hym and he wepte bitterly / thou forgaueste hym and madeste hym one of the chyef amonge thyne Apostles this was lorde a nother of thy cōpassions The these on the crosse was saued with one worde Paule in the furious wodnes of his persecution was called and by by fulfylled with the holy ghoste these are lorde thy compassions The tyme shulde fayle me yf I sholde numbre all thy merciable cōpassions for loke how many ryghtwyse men there be so many at thy godly compassions There is none that can glorye in hym selfe Let them all come that at ryghtwyse other in erth or in heauen and let vs axe them before the whether they be saued by theyr owne power and vertue And surely all they wyll answere with one herte and one mouthe sayenge Not vnto vs Lorde not vnto vs but vnto thy name geue all the prayse / for thy mercye and for thy truthes sake For they in theyr owne swerde possessed not the lande theyr owne arme or power saued thē not but thy right hande thyne arme the lyghtēing of thy coūtenaūce for thou delytedste in thē that is they are not saued for theyr owne deseruynges lest ony man shold boste him selfe / but because it pleased the so to be whiche thynge the prophet doth also more expreslye witnesse of the when he sayth he saued me because he wolde haue me Sith therfore that thou art the same god with whō is no alteration or variablenesse neyther art thou chaūged vnto darknesse and we thy creatures as well as our fathers whiche were borne vnder cōcupiscence synners as well as we / and syth there is but one mediator atonemente betwene god and man that is Christ Iesus which endureth for euer / why doste thou not poure on thy plentuous compassyons vpon vs / as well as thou didest vpon our fathers hast thou forgoten vs or are we only synners dyd not Christe dye for vs Are all thy mercies spent and none lefte ¶ Lorde our god I desyre and hertely beseche the / to put out myne iniquite accordyng
vnto the multitude of thy compassions For many ye and infinite ar thy compassions / that accordynge I saye to the multytude of thy coÌ„passions thou vouchsafe to quench my synne that as thou hast drawen and receyued iÌ„numerable synners and haste made them ryghtuous / euen so that thou wylte drawe and take me and make me ryghtwyse throughe thy grace and fauour / therfore accordyng to the multitude of thy coÌ„passions wype away myne iniquite Clense and puritie myne herte that after all myne iniquite is put out all my vnclennesse clensed it maye be as a clene table in the whiche the fynger of god may wryte the lawe of his loue and charite with the whiche can none iniquite continue Yet washe me more from myne iniquite and clense me from my synne ¶ I graunte and knowlege oh lorde thou hast ones put out myne iniquite thou hast put it out agayne and haste washed me a thousande tymes / how be it yet washe me froÌ„ myne iniquite / for I am fallen agayne Doste thou vse to spare a synfull man vntyll a certeyne numbre of his synne / whiche when Peter enquyred / how often shal my brother offende agaynst me / and I shal forgeue hym / whether seuen tymes thou answeredste I saye not seuen tymes but seuentye tymes seuen tymes takynge that certeyne nuÌ„bre / for an infinite nuÌ„bre Sith then that a man must forgeue so ofte shalt thou in pardonyng forgeuenes be passed of a man is not God more then man is he not better then man ye rather God is the great lorde euery man lyuyng is nothynge thing but all vanite And only god is good and euery man a lyar hast thou not sayed In what houre so euer the synner doth repent I wyll not remeÌ„bre any of his iniquities Beholde I a synner do repête morne for myne olde preuy sores festred within now at they broken forth for myne owne folyshnesse I am depressed and sore broken I walke in continuall morninge / I am feble and very weake / I roored for the sorowe of myne herte Lorde all my desyres are before the and my sorowfull syghes at not vnknowne vnto the. Myne herte treÌ„bleth and panteth for sorow / my streÌ„gth sayleth me and euen the very syghte of myne tyes cease from theyr office Wherfore then oh lorde doste thou not put awaye myne iniquity And yf thou put it out accordinge to the multytude of thy mercyes / yet washe me from myne iniquite For yet am I not perfeytly purefyed funished thy worke take awaye the hole offence and also the payne that is due vnto the crune encreate thy lyght with in me Kendle myne herte with thy loue cherite put out al feare / for perfayte loue sendeth awaye feare Let the loue of the worlde the loue of the flesshe the loue of vayne glorye the loue of my selfe vtterly departe fro me / yet fryll more more wash me from myne iniquite by the which I haue offended agaynst my neighbour and clense me from my synne that I haue committed agaynste god I wolde haue the put away not only the faute payne that foloweth it but also the occasion and nouryshment of synne Washe me I saye with the water of thy gracyous fauoure with water of which he that drinketh shall not thyrst for euer but it shall be made in hym a fontayne of lyuynge water runnynge in to euer lastynge lyfe Washe me with the comfortable waters of thy holye scriptures that I maye be nuÌ„bred among them vnto whom thou saydest Now are ye clene for my wordes which I haue spokeÌ„ vnto you Io. xiij For I knowlege myne inyquyte and my synne is euer before myne iyes ¶ Although through the beholding of thy mercy and compassions I may be bolde to flye vnto the oh lorde yet wyl I not come as the Pharise whiche prayed not but rather ther praysed hym selfe despised his neigh boure but I come vnto the as the publican Lu. xviij which durst not lyfte vp his iyes vnto Heauen For I also do knowlege myne inyquyte / and whyles I pondre my synnes I dare not lyfte vp myne tyes / but humbelynge my selfe with the Publicane I saye God be mercyfull to me a synner My soule wauereth betwene hope feare and somtyme for the feare of my synnes whiche I feale and knowlege to be in me I am ready to despayre / somtyme throughe the hope of thy mercy / I am lyfted vp and conforted Neuerthelesse because that thy mercy is greater theÌ„ my misery I wyl euer lorde truste in the and wyll synge oute thy plentuous compassyons for euer For I knowe that thou desyrest not the deathe of a synner / but rather that he were conuerted and that he wolde knowlege his iniquite and forsake his synne / and so come to the that he maye lyue ¶ My god graunte me that I maye lyue in the / for I knowlege my wyckednesse / I knowe what a greuous burthen it is how copious / how ieoperdious I am not ignoraunt of it / I hide it not but set it eueÌ„ before myne eies / that I maye washe it with my teares and knowlege vnto the Lorde myne vnryghtwysnesse agaynste my selfe And also my synne which I haue proudly done agaynste the / is euer agaynst me / and therfore it is agaynste me / because I haue sinned agaynst the it is truly against me / for it is eueÌ„ against my soule / accuseth me euer before the my iudge condeÌ„pneth me euer in euery place and it is so agaynste me that it is euer before my face and stondeth but agaynst me that my prayer maye not perce through vnto the / that it myght take thy mercy fro me hynder thy mercye that it can not come at me therfore do I treÌ„ble and therfore do I morne besechyng thy mercy Therfore oh lorde as thou hast gyuen this grace vnto me to knowe my wickednesse and to bewayle my synne eueÌ„ so accomplysh this thy beneuolence gyuynge me a ê‘fayte fayth / drawyng me vnto thy sonne which hath made a ful satisfactioÌ„ for all my sinnes Geue me lorde this precious gyfte for euery good gyfte and euery parfeyte gyfte is from aboue comyng from the father of lyght Agaynst the only haue I synned haue done that which is euyll in thy sight that thou maist be iustified in thy wordê mayst haue the victorie when thou art iudged ¶ I haue ouermoch sinned vnto the alone / for thou coÌ„maundedst me the I sholde loue the for thy selfe / shold loue al creatures for thy sake But I haue loued a creature more then the / louynge it euen for it selfe What is synne but to loue a creature for it selfe and what is that / but to do agaynst the Surely he the loueth a creature for it selfe maketh that creature his God And therfore haue I synned agaynste the onely / for I haue made a creature my god So haue I caste the awaye /
and haue ben miurious only to the / for I haue not offen ded agaynste ony creature in that I haue set my truste or confidence in it For it was not coÌ„maunded me that I sholde loue ony creature for it selfe Yf thou haddest coÌ„mauÌ„ded me that I sholde haue loued an aungell onely for hym selfe / and I had loued mony for it selfe / then no doubte I had offended agaynst the angell But sith that thou only art to be loued for thy selfe that is to say without ony respecte other of good or euyll and euery creature is to be loued in the for thy sake Therfore haue I surely offended onely agaynst the / for I haue loued a creature for it selfe ¶ But yet haue I worse done / for I haue synned euen iÌ„ thy syght I was nothig asshamed to synne before thy face Oh merciful god / how many synnes haue I done in thy syght which I wolde in no wyse haue done before mortal meÌ„ / yea that I wolde not in ony case the men sholde knowe I feared men more then the / for I was blinde loued blyndnes / so did I nether se nor ones coÌ„sidre the. I had only fleshly eyes / therfore did I only feare and loke on men whiche ar flesh But thou lokedst on al my synnes and numbred them / therfore I can nether hyde them froÌ„ the / nether turne my backe and flye from thy face ¶ Whether shall I go from thy spirite and whether shall I flye from thy face What shall I then do whether shall I turne me whome shall I fynde to be my defender whom I praye you but the my god who is so good who is so geÌ„tle who is so mercyfull for thou passest without comparisoÌ„ al creatures in gentlenesse It is one of thy chyefest propertyes to forgeue and be mercifull / for throughe mercy and forgeuenesse thou dost most declare thy almyhgtynesse I graunt lorde that I haue offended only agaynst the / and haue done that whiche is euyll in thy syght Haue mercy therfore on me expresse thy puysaunce in me / that thou mayst be iustified iÌ„ thy wordê / for thou hast sayde that thou camest not to cal the rightwise / but fynners vnto repentaunce Justefie me lorde accordyng to thy wordes call me / receyue me / and gyue me grace to do true workes of repentauÌ„ce For this cause wast thou crucyfied / deade and buryed Thou saydest also JohnÌ„ iij. wheÌ„ I am lyfted vp from of the earth / I wyl drawe al vnto my selfe / verefie thy wordê draw me after that let vs ruÌ„ne to gether in the swetenesse of thyne oyntmentes Besydes that thou saydeste Math. xi Lome vnto me all ye that laboure / and are laden and I wyll case you Loo I come vnto the laden with synnes / laboryng day and nyght in the sorow of myne harte refresh and ease me lorde that thou mayste be iustefied and proued true in thy wordes / and mayste ouercome when thou art iudged / for there are manye that saye he shall haue no so coure of his god God hath forsaken hym Ouercome lorde these parsones when thou arte thus iudged of them forsake me not at any tyme. Gyue me thy mercye and holesome socoure / and then are they vaynqueshed ¶ They saye / that thou wylt haue no mercye on me / that thou wylte cast me clene out of thy fanoure no more receyue me thus art thou iudged of men / and thus do men speake of the / and these are theyr determynacyons / but thou whiche arte meke merciful haue mercy on me and ouercome theyr iudgemeÌ„tes / shewe thy mercy on me and let thy godlye pytye be praysed in me Make me a vessell of thy mercye / that thou mayste be iustefied in thy wordes haue the vyctorye when men do iudge the / for men do iudge the to be firce and inflexible Ouercome theyr iudgemeÌ„t with mekenes beneuolence / so that men may lerne to haue compassion on synners / and that malefatours may be enflamed vnto repentaunce seynge in me / thy pytye and mercye To I was fasshoned iÌ„ wyckednes my mother coÌ„ceyued me poluted with synne ¶ Beholde not lorde the greuousnes of my synnes / coÌ„sidre not the multitude / but loke mercifully on me whiche am thy creature RemeÌ„bre that I am dust / that al fleshe is as wytherd hay / for lo I am fasshoned in wickednes in sinne hath my mother coÌ„ceiued me My naturall mother I say hath conceiued me of coÌ„cupisceÌ„ce / in hit am I volluted with originall synne What is originall synne / but the lacke of originall iustice of the ryght pure innoceÌ„cy which maÌ„ had at his creacyon therfore a man coÌ„ceiued borne in suche synne is hole croked out of frame The fleshe coueteth against the spirit Reason is slender / the wyl is weake / man is fraile like vanitie / his sences deceiue him his ymagynacyon fayleth hym his ignoraunce leadeth him out of the ryght way / he hath infinite iÌ„pedimentê which plucke hym frome goodnes and dryue hym in to euyll Therfore oryginall synne is the rote of all synnes the nurse of all wickednesse for all be it the in euery man of sheyr owue nature it is but one synne yet in powet it is all synnes Thou seiste therfore Lorde what I am and of whence I am for in orgynall synne which conteyneth al synnes and iniquites in it am I fashoned / and in it hath my mother coÌ„ceaued me syth then I am hole in synnes and enuyroned with snares on euery side howe shall I escape for what I wolde that do I not / but the euyll that I wolde not that do I. For I finde a nother lawe in my membres rebellynge agayneste the lawe of my mynde / and subduynge me vnto the lawe of synne and deth Therfore the more frayle and entang led thy godly beneuolêce seeth me so much the more let it lyft vp and confort me who wolde not pytye one the is syke who wolde not haue compassion on hym that is dysea sed Come come swete Samaritane take vp the wounded and halfe deade / cure my woundes / poure in wyne and oyle set me vpon thy beest bringe me into the houry / coÌ„mytte me vnto the hoste take out two pence saye vnto hym what so euer thou spendest aboue this when I come agayne I wyll recoÌ„pence ye. To thou hast loued truth / the vnknowne secrete tgyngs of thy wysdome haste thou vttered vnto me ¶ Come most swete Samaritane / for beholde thou haste loued truthe / the truthe I saye of thy promyses whiche thou hast made vnto mankynde / theym haste thou truly loued for thou haste made and kepte them / so that thy loue is nothynge els but euen to do good for in thy selfe thou art inuartable immutable / thou vseste not now to loue anon not to loue as meÌ„ do neyther doth thy loue
colde / but lorde yf thou spryncle me with ysope I shall be more whyter then snowe / for I shall be thrughly endued with thy splendent light whiche passeth all bodelye wytnesse And when I am enflamed with the lyght I shall forsake all my carnall coÌ„cupiscences / colde vnto worldly thiÌ„gê / eÌ„flamed vnto heueÌ„ly Unto my hearynge shalte thou geue ioye and gladnes my brosed bones shall be refreshed ¶ Then lorde shall I pray vnto the / erly that is in the begynnyge of thy lyght shalt thou heare my voyce and I shal heare what the lorde god shall speake in me for he shall speake peace for his people and shall geue me peace Lorde thou shalte geue me peace for I haue trusted in the / vnto my hearyng shalt thou geue ioy and glagdnesse / When I shall heare that confortable wordes that marie herde And what herde marie I speake of that marye which sate at the fere of Jesus mat .xxvj. what herde she Thy fayth hath saued the to thy wayes in peace Let me also heare that the these herde this daye shalte thou be with me in paradyse / then shall I haue ioye for the remyssyon of my synnes / and gladnesse for thy bounteous and lyberall promyses / shall I not reioyce and be glad / when thou shalt gyue me two folde for all my synnes then shall I begynne to taste how swete the lorde is / then shall I lerne to be coÌ„uersant in heuenly thigê and shall saye with the prophete how great and copious is that swetenesse lorde which thom haste layde vppe for they in that feare the Then shall I reioyse and be glad and my brosed bones shall be refresshed What are the bones whiche sustayne the flesshe but the powers of oure soule and reason that bere vp the fraylte of oure flesshe that he runne not hedlonge in to all vyces / that a man fall not hole in to vanite and so consume awaye These bones I saye are sore brosed / for the reason is very weake / and the wyll is prone ready to all myschyef / for euen nowe the fleshe obeyeth not reason / but reason muste obaye the flesshe / so that I can not resist vyce / for my bones at brosed And why are they brosed for they haue forsaken the / the fountaine of liuyng water / and haue dygged for them selues cesterns full of chynnes whiche can holde no waters / for they are not filled with thy grace withoute whiche no man can lyue well / for without the we can do nothyng They trusted in theyr owne power which is no power and therfore decayed they in theyr owne folysshnesses Therfore let thy power come oh lorde and then shal these brosed bones be refresshed / let thy grace come that faith which worketh through loue Let thy powers and giftes assist me / and then my brosed bones shall be refreshed / for my reason shall be mercy / my memorye glad and my wyll full of ioye And thus shall they all reioyse / for aboue theyr owne naturall strenghte / when they goo aboute ony good worke they shall procede and prospere well / neither shall they leaue it vnperfeyte but through thy helpe shall they brynge it to good passe and effecte Turne thy face from of my synnes and wype awaye all my wyckednes ¶ Why lokest thou lorde vpon my sinnes why nuÌ„brest thou them why considerest them so dilygeÌ„tlye doste thou not knowe that man is euen as a floure of the felde why doste thou not rather loke in the face of thy Christe Alas wretche that I am why se I the angry agaynst me I graunt I haue synned / howe be it for thy gentlenesse haue mercye on me Turne thy face from of my synnes Thy face is nothynge but thy knowlege / turne awaye therfore thy knowlege wherwith thou scest perceyuest all thynges / but that wherby thou approuest and disalowest al thinges / wherbye thou alowest the workes of the ryghtwyse and condempâ—â—st the reprouable synnes of the wycked / knowe not my synnes on that maner that thou woldest impute them vnto me and laye theym to my charge But rather turne awaye thy face frome my synnes that throughe thy mercy they may be quenched / loke lord on the creature whom thou haste wroughte / loke vpon thine owne ymage / for I poore wrethe haue put vpon me the ymage or the deuyll that is synne turne away thy face from the ymage of the deuyll and be not angry with me / and beholde thyne owne image that thou maist haue mercy on me ¶ O mercyfull lorde / remembre that thou lokedste vpon Zacheum whiche dyd clym vp in to a wylde figge tre to se the. Lu .xix. And thou entredst in to his house whiche thou woldest neuer haue done if thou haddest loked on the ymage of the deuyll whiche he had put on hym / but because thou sawest thyne owne ymage on hym / thou haddest compassion on hym heledst him He promysed to geue that halfe of his goodê to the poore / and yf he had falsly deceyued ony man to restore it foure folde he obtayned mercy and healthe And I bequeth my selfe euen hole vnto the nothynge reserued And promyse to serue the for euer with a pure herte wil fulfil my ê“myse al daies of my lyfe wherfore then Lorde dost thou not loke in thyne ymage in me also Why dost thou yet consâ—dâ—â— my synnes Turne I beseche the thy face froÌ„ my synnes and wipe away al my wickednes / wype away a I praye the that none remayne For it is wryten he the kepeth the hole lawe offendeth in one poynte is gyltye in the hole / that is to say hath desetued damonatioÌ„ / which is the payne of all synnes that leade vnto deathe Put out therfore all my wyckednesse / that none offende the / whiche sholde brynge me to condempnacyon A pure herre create in me oh god an vpryghte spiryte make a newe within me ¶ For my herte hath forsaken me goeth astraye vtterly forgettyng his owe helthe it is wandred in to strauÌ„ge cuntres ensueth vanities / his eies / are in the vtmust costes of the worlde I called it againe / but it aswerd me not It is gone / lost / solde vnder sinne what now lord what shal I say A pure hert create iÌ„ me go / an huÌ„ble herte / a curteous herte / a peaceable herte / a geÌ„rie herte / a deuout herte / such an herte as wyl nether do an other maÌ„ hurte / nether yet auenge him selfe wheÌ„ he is offended / but rather do good agaynst euyl suche an hert as wyll loue that aboue all thyng / which wil thinke of that speke of the thanke yt. which wyll delyte in hymynes spiritual songes and be hole conuersaunt in heueÌ„ly thyngê Treate this herte in me oh God create is of nothyng / that it may be of suche effecacite throughe grace / as nature is neuer
agayn Syon is thy chyrche / for syon by interpretacyon sygnyfyeth a tootehyll / or a place where a man maye se farre aboute hym And euen so thy chyrche thrughe the grace of the holy ghoste beholdeth a farre of the glorye of god accordynge to the capacyte of this lyfe / and therfore sayed the apostle ij Corynth .iij. all we with an vncouered face beholdyng as in a glasse the glorye of the lorde / after the same ymage ar transformed from glorye to glorye as by the sprete of the lorde Lorde god howe small is thy Chyrche at this daye almost the hole worlde is fallen frome the for there are manye mo myscreauntes then chrysten / and yet amonge the chrystē how many are there which forsake worldly thynges and seke the glory of the lorde surely ye shall fynde very fewe in cōparyson of theym whiche are addycte to worldye thynges / whose god is thyr belye and glorye to theyr shame and confusyon Deale gentelye Lorde of thy fauourable beneuolence with Syon that it maye be encreased bothe in multytude and also in good lyuyng Beholde frome heauen and deale gentelye as thou arte wonte to do that thou wylte sende amonge vs the fyer of thy charyte / whiche maye consume all our synnes Deale lorde accordynge to thy fauourable beneuolence / and do not with vs after our deseruyng / nether yelde thou vs againe according to our iniquities / but ordre vs accordynge to thy greate mercye Thou art Lorde our father and redemer / thou art our hope and euerlastyng helche Euery man desyreth goodnes of the / yf thou geue it them / then shall they gather it yf thou open thy hande all shall be fylled with plenty / when thou turnest away thy face / then are they astonyed whē thou gatherest in theyr breth then are they dead and returne in to erthe And agayne when thou brethedst on them / then are they created anew and thus renuest thou the face of the earth Psalme C. iiij Lorde I praye the what profyt is there in the dampnacyon of so many thousande men Hell is fylled and thy churche doth daylye decrease Aryse Lorde / why sleapest thou so longe Aryse / and dyffer not vnto the ende / Deale gently of thy fauourable beneuolēce with Syon / that the walles of Ierusalem may be buylded agayne / what is Ierusalem whiche by interpretacyon signyfyeth the vysyon of peace but the holye congregacyon and cytye of the blessed whiche is our mother Her walles were decayed when Lucyfer with his aungels fel / in to whose places are the ryghtwyse men receyued Deale therfore gentlye Oh Lorde with Syon / that the numbre of thy chosen may shortlye be fulfylled / and that the walles of Ierusalem may be edefied and fynisshed with newe stones whiche shal euer prayse the and endure euerlastynglye Then shalte thou accepte the sacryfyce of ryghtwysnes / oblacyons and brente offerynges then shall they laye vpon thyne altare wanton calues ¶ When thou haste delt gentlye of thy fauourable will beneuolence with Syon / then shalte thou accepte the sacryfyce of ryghtwysnes / for thou shalte consume it with burnyng fier of thy loue and charite / so acceptedst thou the sacrifices of Woyses and Helyas And then acceptest thou the sacryfices of ryghtwysnes / when thou fattenest with thy grace the soules whiche endeuoure them selues to lyne rightwisly What profiteth to offer sacryfices vnto the when thou acceptest them not oh Lorde Howe manye sacryfyces offer we nowe a dayes whiche are not pleasaunt vnto the but rather abhomynable for we offre not the sacryfyces of ryghtwysnes / but oure owne ceremonyes and therfore are they not accepted nor regarded of the where is nowe the glorye of the Apostles where is the valyaunt perseueraunce of martyrs where is the frute of preachers where is that holye symplicyte of them that vsed to lyue solitarye where are now the vertues and workes of the christen whiche were in olde tyme Then shalt thou excepte theyr sacryfices / when thou shalt decke and garnyshe them with thy grace and vertues ¶ Also yf thou deale gently with Syon of thy fauourable beneuolence / then shalte thou delyght in sacryfyces of ryghtwisnes / for the people shall begynne to lyue well / to kepe thy cōmaundementes and to deale iustlye and so shall thy people be endued with thy benefytes and blessynge Then shall the oblacyons of the preestes and of the clargie be acceptable vnto the / for they shall forsake theyr carnal affection and endeuoure them selues vnto a more perfeyte lyfe / and so shall the oyntment of thy blyssynge descende vpon theyr heades Then shall the brente offerynges of the relygyous be pleasaunte to the / for they shal cast out all drousye sluggyshnes and false confydence / and be hooly enflamed and made perfayte with the burnynge fyer of goddes loue Then shall the bysshoppes and preachers put calues vpō thyn altare / for after they at cōsummate in al kynde of vertue replenysshed with the holye spiryte / they shal not feare to geue theyr lyues for theyr sheepe What is thyne altare swete Iesu / but thy crosse where vpon thou wast offered What signifyeth a want on calfe / but our bodye Therfore / then shall they put calues on thyne altare / when they shal offer their owne bodies vnto the crosse / that is vnto all afflyctions and euen vnto the verye deathe for thy names sake ¶ Then shall the churche flory she and dilate her coostes / then shall thy prayse be noysed from the laste ende of the worlde / then shal ioye and gladnes fulfyll the hole worlde Then shall thy sayntes reioyce in glorye and shal make myrth in theyr mancyons waytynge for vs in the londe of the lyuynge Accomplyshe in me euen nowe Lorde that / then / whiche I so ofte name that thou mayste haue compassion on me accordīg to thy great mercy / the thou mayst receyue me for a sacryfice of ryghtwysnes / for a holy oblacyon for a brente sacryfyce of good lyuynge / and for a calfe to be offered on thyne altare or crosse / by the which I maye passe from this vale of miserye vnto that ioye whiche thou hast prepared for them that loue the. Amen ¶ To fyll vp the lefe we haue touched certeyne places whiche we thought most necessary to edefye the congregaciō of Christ ¶ Of faythe FIrst dere dretherne ye ought to geue dylygent hede that you maye purelye vnderstonde what faythe is and what frutes procede out of her / And to conclude the summe in fewe wordes / fayth is a sure perswasyon and full knowlege that god for his truthe and ryghtwysnes sake wyll fulfyll suche promyses / as he hathe made vnto vs of his mercye and fauoure / which sure perswasion must be geuen from god i. Corin .xij. For it can neither be goten by mannes power / nether yet retayned / therfore with feare and tremblynge performe that helthe whiche is begonne in you / for it is god