oure self care for oure selfe whate do we els then goo about to let the prouisyon of God and to make also oure lyfe sadde / labourouse / bered with many feares / cares / and troubles and that in vayne / for we do nothyng profit here with / but as the Ecclesiastique sayeth This is the vanyte of all vanytyes / veryng of the sprete / For thorow his hole boke he speakith in experyence of this thiÌ„g whiche he hath moche laboured and atteÌ„pted for hym selfe Howe be it in all his laboure he founde nothyng but payne vanyte and vexacyon of the sprete / so that he coÌ„cludeth that is the gyfte of God yf a man eate / drynke / and be mery with his wyfe / that is to say yf he lyue without care and thought / and so be taketh hym selfe to god whiche caryth for all Wherfore we ought to take none other care vpon vs but this that we take no thought for oure selfe but coÌ„mytte and leue all oure care thought to God All there thinges as I sayed a maÌ„ may sone gather by the coÌ„trary ymage / and by remembraunce of his lyfe passed ¶ The fourth Chaptre of the .iiij. ymage whiche is the good beneth vs. HEtherto we haue coÌ„sydered the goodes whiche are in vs and oures / here after let vs exteme these goodes which are set without vs and in other And first theym whiche are byneth vs / that is to say deade and dampned ParadueÌ„ture ye wolde merueyle whate good thinges coude be founde in theym whiche are deade dampned / howe be it the power of the godly goodnesse is so greate in euery place that he she with vs goodnesse and his glory in the most euilles that be Let vs coÌ„pare theym vnto oure selfe then so we oure inestimable and infinite profites / and coÌ„modytyes as we may also easily perceyue by the contrary ymage of euylles For the moo euylles of death and hell we see in theym the moo profite we perceyue in vs. And the more vehement and extreme theyr euylles be the more we count oure aduauntage whiche are not lyghtly to be dispysed and set at nought for they commend to vs the hyghe and bounteous mercy of God And the ieoperdye is / lest we vnking settyng lytell by it be founde worthy to be dampned with theym or worse to be tormented Therfore the more we se theym sorowe and lament / the more we ought to reioyse in oure selfe of the goodnesse of God / accordyng to the sayng of Esay Behold my seruauntes shall eate and you shall be hungry Beholde my seruauntes shall drynke / and you shal be tristye Beholde my seruauntes shall be mery and you shall be confounded Beholde my seruauÌ„tes shall prayse for the reioysyng of they re hartes / and you shall crye for the sorowe of youre hartes and you shall howle for the contricion of your sprete / and you shall put downe youre name in an other to my elect and so furth / fynally as I sayde The examples of theym that do euyll dye and are dampned / as saynt Gregory doth shewe in a dialoge / do profyt vs to be a monysshement / and an instructyon that he may be happye whome other mennes perylles do make wise Truly this good bycause it is comenly knowen doth but litel moue vs / although it ought to be numbred amoÌ„ge the chyef / is of greate reputacyon to theym that haue good iugement / syth that a great part of holy scripture where he speaketh of the wrath iugementes / and thretenynges of God perteyne to this place These holsome instruccyoÌ„s / the examples of wretched persones do profitably coÌ„firme in vs / whiche them chyefly be of power and efficacyte / yf we put on vs the mynde of theym whiche suffer theym / and coÌ„uict oure selfe in they re stede and place / them shall they flurre vs vp and moue vs to the prayse of the goodnesse of God / whiche hath kept vs from theym Let vs also coÌ„ferre theym to God hym selfe / so that we may coÌ„fyder the iustice of god in theym Though this he harde / yet let vs go about it / for syth that god is a iust iuge / it is expedyent that his iustice be loued and praysed And so then ought we to reioyse in God / when he distroyeth euyll men both in body and soule / for in all these thinges his hyghe and ineffable iustice she wyth hym selfe Therfore verey helle also is full of god and hyghe goodnesse / no lesse then heuen / for the iustice of god is god him selfe / and god is the hyghe goodnesse Wherfore as his mercy / euen so his iustice and iugement / most hyghly are to beloued / praysed and preached This ment Dauid saying the ryghtuoê° man shall be glad when he shall se auengement / he shall wasshe his hondes in the bloude of a synner For this cause dyd the Lord forbid Samuel that he shuld no more lament Saul / saying howe loÌ„g mornest thou for Saul / syth I haue cast hym downe that he shuld not reygne ouer Israel As though he shuld say / doth my wyll so displease the / that thou wilt preferre a maÌ„nes with before myne fynally This is the voyce of prayse and gladnesse thorough all the Psalter / that the Lord is iuge of widowes / and father of fatherles chyldren / that he shall auenge the pore / that his enemyes shall be coÌ„founded the wikked shall be distroyed / and many suche other And yf that any man thorough folisshe mercy will haue pytye on that wyked bloudy nacyoÌ„ and hope of infidels whiche kylled the ryghtuous / ye the sonne of god / by by / he shal be founde to reioyce in they re iniquite / and to allowe and fauoure those thinges whiche they dyd / and so to be verey worthy to perisshe with theim whose offences he wolde not haue punysshed Let vs therfore heare this texâ— Thou â—oest loue theym that bate the and hatest theym that loue the. Aâ— Ioas sayde to Dauid when he dyd ouer moche lament his wyked son an homycyde Absalon .ij. of the kynges .xix. wherfore in this ymage we must reioyce in the pitye of holy men and in the iustice of God whiche most ryghtuously doth punisshe the pursuer of pytye / to delyuer his chosen people from theym And so thou seyst that there appereth not a lytle but a great deale of good in theym that are dede and dampned for in theym is aduenged all the iniuryes of the holy men / and thyne also yf thou be ryghtuouse emoÌ„g theyrs Whate merueyle is it then yf by thy present euyll he punysshe thyne enemye / that is to say the synne of thy body Ye thou must reioyse in this act of the most noble iustice of God / whiche though thou desire hym not doth kyll and distroye thy mischeuous enemye / that is to saye / thy synne in thy selfe / whiche yf thou fauoure thou shalt be founde a
awaie myne iniquyte Clense purefye myne harte after all myne iniquyte is put out / and all my vnclennesse clensed it maye be as a clene table in the whych the fynger of god may wryte the lawe of his loue aÌ„d cheryte wyth the whych can none inyquyte contynue Yet wash me more from myne iniquite clense me froÌ„ my synne I graunte and knowlege oh Lorde thou hast once put out myne iniquyte thou hast put it out agayne / And hast wasshed me a thousande tymes / how be it yet wash me from myne inyquyte / for I am fallen agayne Dost thou vse to spare a synfull man vntyll a certayne numbre of his synne / whych when Peter enquyred / how of then shall my brother offende agenst me and I shall forgeue hym / whether seuen tymes thou answeredst I saye not seuen tymes but seuentye tymes seuen tymes takynge that certeyne numbre / for an infynyte numbre / syth then that a man must forgeue so often / shalt thou in pardoninge and forgeuenesse be passed of a man is not god more then man is he not better then man yee rather god is the greate Lorde / and euerye man lyuynghe is nothynge but all vanyte And onlie god is good and euerye man a lyar / hast thou not sayed In what houre so euer the synner doth repent I will not remeÌ„bre any of his iniquities Behold I a synner do repent and morne / for myne old preuye sores festred within and now are they brokeÌ„ forth for myne awne folyshnesse I am depressed and fore broken / I walke in contynuall mornynge I am feble / and verye weake / I roored for the sorow of myne harte Lord all my desyres are before the my sorowfull syghes are not vnknowne vnto the. Myne harie trembleth and panteth for sorow / my strength fayleth me and euen the verye sight of myne yies cease from theyr office / wherfore them oh Lord dost thou not put awaye mine iniquitie And yf thou put it out accordinge to the multitude of the multitude of thy mercyes / yet wash me more from myne iniquyte for yet am I not perfeytlye purefyed / finysh thy worke / take awaye the hole offence and also the payne that is due vnto the cryme encrease thy lyght with in me / kendle myne harte with thy loue and cheryte put out all feare Let the loue of the worlde / the loue of the flesh the loue of vayne glorye / and the loue of myselfe vtterlye departe fro me / yet styll more and more wash me from mine iniquite by the whych I haue offended agenst my neyghbour / and clense me from my synne that I haue commytted agenst god I wold haue the put awaye not onelye the faute and payne that foloweth it / but also the occasion and nourishmeÌ„t of synne wash me I saye with the water of thy gracyous fauoure / with water of which he that drinketh shall not thirst for euer / but it shall be made in hym a fontayne of lyuinge water runninge in to euerlastynge lyfe Wash me with the water of my teares Wash me with the comfortable waters of thy holye scriptures that I may be enumbred amonge theÌ„ vnto whom thou saydest Now are ye clene for my wordes which I haue spoken vnto you / Ioan. xiij For I knowlege mine iniquite my synne is euer before mine yies Although thorow the beholdinge of thy mercye and coÌ„passyons I maye be bolde to flye vnto the oh Lord yet will I not come as the pharise which prayed not but rather praysed hym selfe and despysed his neyghboure but I come vnto the as the publicane Luc. xviij which durst not lyfte vppe his yies vnto heauen For I also do knowlege myne iniquite / and whyles I poÌ„dre my synnes I dare not lyfte vppe myne yies / but humblinge my selfe with the publicane I saye God be mercyfull to me a synner My soule wauereth betwene hope and feare / and somtyme for the feare of my synnes which I feale and knowelege to be in me I am ready to despayre / somtyme thorow the hope of thy mercye / I am lifted vp and comforted Neuerthelesse because that thy mercye is greater then my myserie I wyll euer Lorde trust in the and wil singe out thy plentuous coÌ„passyons for euer / for I know that thou desyrest not the deth of a synner / but rather that he were coÌ„uerted and that he wold 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 wykednesse / I know what a greuous burthen it is / how copyous / and how ieoperdyous I am ignoraunce of it / I hyde it not but sette it eueÌ„ before myne yies / that I maye wash it with my teares and knowlege vnto the Lorde myne vnrightwysnes agenst my self also my synne which I haue proudlye done agenst the / is euer agenst me / therfore is it agenst me / because I haue synned ageÌ„st the And it is trulye agenst me / for it is euen agenst my soule accuseth me euer before the â—â—y iudge condemneth me euer in euery place and it is so agenst me that it is euer before my face and stondeth butte agenst me that my prayer maye not perce thorow vnto the / that it myght take thy mercye frome and hynder thy mercye that it can not come at me therfore do I tremble and therfore do I morne besechinge thy mercye Therfore oh Lord as thou hast geueÌ„ this grace vnto me to knowe my wykednesse and to bewayle my synne euen so accomplysh this thy beneuolence geuynge me a parfayte fayth / and drawynge me vnto thy sonne which hath made a full satisfaccyon for all my synnes Geue me Lord this precyous gyfte / for euerye good gyfte and euerye parfeyte gyfte is from aboue comynge from the father of lyght Agenst the only haue I synned haue done that which is euell in thy sight that thou mayst be iustefyed in thy wordes mayst haue the victorie wheÌ„ thou arte iudged I haue ouermoch synned vnto the alone for thou coÌ„maundedst me that I shuld loue the for thy selfe / and shuld loue all creatures for thy sake But I haue loued a creature more then the / louinge it euen for it selfe Whate is synne / but to loue a creature for it selfe what is that / but to do ageynst the Surelye he that loueth a creature for it selfe maketh that creature his god And therfore haue I synned agenst the onlye / for I haue made a creature my god So haue I cast the awaye / and haue bene iniurious onlye to the / for I haue not offended agenst any creature in that I haue set my trust or coÌ„fidence in it For it was not coÌ„maunded me that I shuld loue anye creature for it self Yf thou haddest coÌ„maunded me that I shuld haue loued an angell onlye for hym self / I had loued monye for
it selfe / then no doute I had offended agenst the angell But syth that thou only art to be loued for thy selfe that is to saye without any respecte other of good or euell and euerye creature is to be loued in the for thy sake / therfore haue I surelye offended onlye agenst the / for I haue loued a creature for it selfe But yet haue I worse done / for I haue synned euen in thy syght I was nothinge ashamed to synne before thy face Oh mercyfull god / how manye synnes haue I done in thy syght which I wold in no wise haue done before mortall men / yee that I wold not in any case that men shuld knowe I feared men more then the / for I was blynde and loued blyndnesse / and so dyd I nother se nor once coÌ„sydre the I had onlye fleshlye yies / therfore dyd I onlye feare loke on men which are flesh But thou lokedst on all my synnes numbred theÌ„ / therfore I can nother hyd them froÌ„ the / nether turne my backe and flye from thy face Whother shall I go from thy spryte and whother shall I flye from thy face what shall I then do whother shall I turne me whom shall I fynde to be my defender whom I praye you but the my God who is so good who is so gentle who is so mercyfull for thou passest with out coÌ„parison all creatures in gentlenesse It is one of thy chefest propertyes to forgeue be mercyfull / for thorow mercye and forgeuenesse thou dost most declare thy almyghtinesse I graunte Lorde that I haue offended onlye agenst the / and haue done that which is euell in thy syght / haue mercye therfore on me expresse thy puysaunce in me / that thou mayst be iustefyed in thy wordes for thou hast sayed that thou camest not to calle the rightwyse / but synners vnto repentaunce Iustefye me Lorde accordinge to thy wordes call me / receaue me / and geue me grace to do true workes of repentaunce For this cause wast thou crucifyed / deed and buryed Thou saydest also Ioan .iij. When I am lyfted vp from of the erth / I will drawe all vnto my selfe / verefye thy wordes / drawe me after the let vs runne to gether in the swetenesse of thyne oyntmentes Besides that thou saydest Mat. xi Come vnto me al ye that laboure / and are laden / and I will ease you Loo I come vnto the laden with synnes / labouringe daye and nyght in the sorow of myne harte refresh and ease me lorde that thou mayste be iustefyed and proued true in thy wordes / and mayst ouercome when thou art iudged for there are manye that saye he shal haue no socoure of his god God hath forsaken hym Ouercome lorde these persones wheÌ„ thou arte thus iudged of them and forsake me not at anye tyme. Geue me thy mercye and holesome socoure / then are they vaynqueshed They saye / that thou wilt haue no mercye on me / and that thou wilt cast me clene out of thy fauoure and no more receaue me / thus art thou iudged of men / thus do men speake of the / these are their determinacyons / but thou which arte meke and mercyfull haue mercye on me / and ouercome their iudgementes / shewe thy mercye on me and let thy godlye pitye be praysed in me Make me a vessell of thy mercye / that thou mayst be iustefyed in thy wordes and haue the victorye when men do iudge the for men do iudge the to be firce and inflexible Ouercome their iudgement with mekenesse and beneuolence / so that men maye lerne to haue compassyon on synners / and that malefactours maye be enflamed vnto repentaunce / seynge in me / thy pytye and mercye Loo I was fashoned in wekednes and my mother conceaued me polluted with synne Behold not Lorde the greuousnesse of my synnes / consyder not the multitude / but loke mercyfullye on me which am thy creature ☞ Remembre that I am dust / and that all flesh is as wythred haye / for Loo I am fashoned in wekednes in synne hath my mother coÌ„ceaued me My naturall mother I saye hath coÌ„ceaued me of coÌ„cupiscence / in her am I polluted with original sinne What is original synne / but the lacke of originall iustice of the ryght and pure innocencye which man had at his creacyon therfore a man coÌ„ceaued borne in suche sinne is hole croked and out of frame The flesh coueteth agenst the sprete Reason is slender / the wyll is weake / man is frayle and lyke vanite / his senses deceaue hym / his ymaginacyon fayleth hym his ignoraunce leadeth him out of the right waye / he hath infinite impedymeÌ„tes which plucke hym froÌ„ goodnes and dryue hym in to euel Therfore original synne is the roote of all synnes and the nurse of all wikednesse / for all be it that in euerye man of the awne nature it is but one synne yet in power it is all synnes Thou seyst therfore Lorde what I am / and of whence I am for in originall synne which coÌ„teyneth al synnes and iniquites in it am I fashoned / in it hath my mother conceaued me / syth then I am hole in synnes and enuyroned with snares one â—erye syde how shall I escape for what I wold that do I not / but the euell that I wold not that do I / for I fynde a nother lawe in my membres rebellinge agenst the lawe of my mynde / subduynge me vnto the lawe of synne deth Therfore the more frayle and entangled thy godlye beneuolence seeth me / so moch the more let it lyft vppe coÌ„fort me Who wold not pitye one that is syke who wold not haue coÌ„passyon on hym that is dyseased Come / come thou swete Samaritane and take vppe the wounded and halfe deed cure my woundes / poure in wyne and oyle sette me vppon thy beest / bringe me in to the hostrye / coÌ„mitte me vnto the host / take out two pence and saye vnto him what so euer thou spendest aboue this / when I come agayne I wyll recompence the. Loo thou hast loued truth / the vnknowne secrete thinges of thy wysdoÌ„ / hast thou vttered vnto me Come most swete Samaritane / for behold thou hast loued truth / the truth I saye of thy promyses which thou hast made vnto mankynde / then hast thou trulye loued for thou hast made and kepte them / so that thy loue is nothinge els but euen to do good for in thy selfe thou arte inuaryable immutable / thou vsest not now to loue and a none not to loue as men doo nether doth thy loue so come goo / but thou art such a louer as doth neuer chaunge for thy loue is verye god Thy loue therfore wherwith thou louest a creature / is to do it good / whom thou most louest / to them arte thou most beneficyall Therfore what meaneth that thou louest truth /
lead vnto lyffe / nother wil I teach thē ōlye one waye but manie waies for manye are thy cōmaundmentes / how be it all the wayes ende in one / that is in loue charite / which doth so cōbynde the faythfull hartes / that they haue one mynde and one will in god Or els maye we vnderstāde by thy manye wayes / the diuerse maner of lyuinge / wherin euerye man walketh accordinge to his vocacyō some maryed / some lyuinge chaste in wedowhod / some virgyns and so forth / these walke after diuerse wayes vnto their heuenlye inheritaunce euerye man chosynge one in the which he maye best subdue his rebellious membres Thus will I teach the wyked thy wayes accordinge to their capacite and cōdicyon And the vngodlye shal be cōuerted vnto the for I will preach vnto them not my selfe / but Christ crucyfied and they shal be conuerted not vnto my prayse / but vnto the geuynge the all honoure and prayse / they shal leaue their awne wayes and come vnto thyne / that they may walke in them and so cōsequentlye attayne vnto the. Delyuer me from bloudes oh God the God of my hefth / and me tongue shall triumphe vppon thy ryghtwysenes I am stifled in moch bloude / and frō the depth of it shall I crye vnto the Lorde / lorde herke vnto my voyce Tarye not lorde for I am euen at the wynte of deeth / this bloude that I speake of are my synnes / for as the bodelye lyffe cōsysteth in bloude / euē so is the lyffe of a synner in his synne poure out the bloude / and the beest dyeth poure out the synne knowleginge it vnto God / the synner dyeth and is made rightwyse Nether am I wropped in bloude / but ouer whelmed drouned in bloudes / full streames of bloudes do driue me vnto helle / helpe me Lorde / lest I perysh Oh god which gouernest all thinges / which onlye cāst delyuer me / in whose hande is the sprete of lyffe / tyd and purge me frō these bloudes Delyuer me from bloudes oh God the auctor of my helth / God in whom onlye cōsysteth my saluacyō Delyuer me Lorde / as thou delyuerest Noe from the waters of the floude Delyuer me as thou delyuerest Loth from the fyre of Sodom Delyuer me as thou delyueredst the chyldren of Israell from the depth of the red see / delyuer me as thou deliueredst Ionas from the belye of the whale / delyuer me as thou deliuerest the thre children from the furnace of burninge fyre Delyuer me as thou deliueredst Peter frō the peryll of the see Deliuer me as thou deliueredst Paule frō the depe of the see Deliuer me as thou hast deliueredst infinite synners frō the power of deeth / from the gates of hell And then shall my tōgue triumphe thy ryghtwysenes / that is / for thy ryghtwysenes which I shall feale and perceaue in me thorow thy gracious fauoure For thy rightwysenes as thappostle sayeth Roma .iij. cometh by the fayth of Iesus Christ vnto all vppon all thē that beleue in hym / then shall my tōgue triūphe in praysinge this thy ryghtwysnes / cōmendinge thy fauoure / magnifyenge thy pitye knowleginge my sinnes / that thy mercye maie be declared in me which wold vouchsaffe to iustefye soch a greate synner / that all men maye knowe that thou sauest them which trust in the deliuerest thē frō extreme anguysh aduersyte o lorde oure God ¶ Lorde open thou my lyppes and then my mouth shall shewe forth thy prayse Thy prayse is a greate thinge o Lorde / for it proceadeth out of thy foūtayne wherof no synner drinketh It is no gloryous prayse that cometh of a synners mouth / deliuer me therfore frō bloude oh God the god of my helth my tōgue shall magnifye thy rightwysenes And thē shalt thou lorde open my lippes my mouth shall shew forth thy prayse / for thou hast the kaye of Dauid which shettest no mā openeth / openest and no man shetteth / therfore open thou my lyppes as thou openedst the mouthes of infantes and suckelinges / out of whose mouthes thou hast stablyshed thy prayse These trulye were thy Prophetes / Apostles and other sayntes which haue praysed the with a syngle and pure harte mouth / and not the Phylosophers and oratoures which haue sayed / We wyll magnefye oure tongue / oure lyppes be in oure awne power / who is oure god They opened their awne mouthes / and thou openedst them not / nether yet stablishedst thy prayse out of their mouthes Thy infauntes Lorde praysed the and despysed them selues The Philosophers went aboute to praise them selues and magnifye their awne name Thy suckelinges extolied thy fame glorye which they knew thorow heuenlie fauoure The philosophers knowinge the onlye by naturall creatures / coulde neuer perfeytlye expresse thy renowne Thy sayntes magnefied the with their harte / mouth good workes The Philosophers onlye with wordes and theyr awne sotle ymaginacyōs / thy chyldren haue spred thy glorye thorow out all the world The Philosophers haue enstructe but a fewe of theyr awne adherentes Thy frendes with spredinge thy glorie haue cōuerted innumerable men from synne vnto vertue and vnto true felicite The Philosophers nether knewe true vertues nether yet true felycite Thy beloued haue preached openlye thy bounteous gentlenes and merciable fauoure / which thou shewedst in thy deare sonne vnto all the worlde But the Philosophers coulde neuer attayne to knowe it Therfore out of the mouth of infauntes suckelinges hast thou stablyshed thy prayse For it hath euer pleased the to exalte the humble and bringe lowe the proude / now seynge thou dost euer resyst the proude / geue me true humilite that thou maist stablish thy prayse by my mouth Geue me a chyldes harte / for excepte I turne backe become as a chyld I can not entre in to the kyngdome of heauen / make me as one of thy infauntes or suckelinges / that I maye euer hange on the teates of thy wysdome for thy teates are better then wyne / and thy wysdome better then all rychesse / so that nothynge can be compared vnto it / for it is to men an infinite treasure which they that vse are made parte takers of the frendshippe of God / therfore yf thou make me a child then shalt thou stablish thy prayse in mouth for then shalt thou open my lyppes and my mouth shall shewe forth thy prayse shall perfeytlye declare it euen as thou hast published it by the mouth of thyne infauntes and suckelinges If thou hadst desyred sacrifices I had suresye offered thē but thou delightedst not in burnt sacrifices My mouth lorde shall shew for thy glorious fame / for I knowe that this thingeis most acceptable vnto the / syth thou sayest by the Prophete Psalme .xlix. the sacrifice of prayse shall glorifye me / and by that meanes shall I be entysed to shew hym my sauynge helth /
for deth holy men did feare ye Chryst hym self went to his deth with feare and bloudy droppes of swette Finally so horryble is this euyll that the mercie of god neuer toke more diligence / then to comfort oure weaknesse in this mater / as we shall se hereafter All those thinges are comyn and indifferent to all men / euen as the benefytes of helth are comyn to theym that are vexed Howe be it to the christen there is a newe and speciall cause / to feare this euyll to come which dothe ferre passe all other euylles And this is it that thappostel deschryâ—eth .i. Corin .x. sayenge Let him that thynketh that he stondeth take hede / lest he fall The wey is so slypper and oure enemyes so myghty / armed with out owne powers that is to sey with the socoure of oure owne flessh and of all oure euyll desyres accoÌ„panyed with the infinite multitude of the worlde / wyth deuities and pleasures on the reght honde / with fearsnesse / crueltye of meÌ„ displeasures on the lift honde / besydes the craft of subtiltie a thousaÌ„d weyes to hurte / deceyue and destroye / whiche he is instructe wyth al hym selfe Thus lyue we / beynge not sure to contynue one mynute of an houre in our good mynd purpose Saint Cipriane remembring many of these thynges in a pistle whyche he made of mortalyte / doth teache that it is good to desyre deth / as a quycke helper to scape these euylles And trulye when these men were in a goode mynde / and dyd entreate of these infinyte ieopardyes / we do se theym dispysynge lyfe and death that is to saye al these foresaid euylles desyre to dye and to be dyssolued / so that they myghte be loosed frome the multytude of synnes / that are in theym as we haue sayde in the fyrst image into whiche they may fall of the whiche we speake nowe And truly these .ij. thiÌ„ges are verey ryghtuouse both to desire deth / also to set lyght by all these euylles / ye vtterly to dispyse theym / yf god stryke the or moue the with one of theym / for it is te gyft of god to be moued wyth theym What true Chrysten is there whiche wold not desyre to be diseased / ye and to dye / whyche seyth and fealeth hym selfe whyle he is hole to be yn synne / and that he may continuelly runne into more and dayly fall in theym / and so to transgresse the specyall and good wil of his most dere father With thys here and indygnation was Paule vexed and sturred vppe in the vnto the romayns when he had compleyned that he coud not do to good wicht he wolde haue done / but that he dyd the euyll whiche he wolde not haue done / he cryed out O wretched maÌ„ that I am who shal delyuer me froÌ„ this bodi of death the grace of god he sayde by Iesus chryst / he doth lytel loue god his father whiche doth not hate more the euill of synne then he doth death / sith that god dyd ordeyn death for this purpose / that it myght at the length fynysshe this euyll of synne / so that deth may be the mynistre of lyfe and ryghtuousnesse / of the whiche we shall speke hereafter ¶ The thirde chapiter of the thyrdey mage / whiche is the euyl that is passed or behind vs. IN thys chiefly / aboue all other doth the swete mercy of god oure father shyne and set forth it selfe whiche is abyll to comforte vs in all veracyon / and ieoperdyes Nether is there any man whiche fealeth the hand of god more ready with hym then when he doth reherse meditate the yeares of his lyfe past Saynt Austine sayeth / yf that the choyse were gyuen to a man / that he shulde other dye or elles to lyue hys life passed agayn / as he hath liued it / that he wolde chose rather to dye seyng his greate ieoperdies euilles whice scarcely and with great peryll he hath escaped whiche opynyon is verey true if it be well extemed Here he may se howe often he hath done many thinges with out studie and regard / ye clene coÌ„trary to his purpose And hath also suffred many thynges with out counceyll and prouision byfore they were done and when they were done / in so moche that merueyling with hym self he is coÌ„pelled to saye howe are these thinges come to passe / whiche I neuer thought to do but rather contrary So that the prouerbe is founde verey true / man purposeth / god dysposeth / that is to sey bryngeth to passe other thinges then man doth purpose So that by this one text it is more euideÌ„t then we can denye / that oure life and goodes ar gouerned by the hyghe and merueillous power / prouision / and goodnesse of god / and not by oure owne wysdome Here we may perceyue howe oft god hath byn with vs / when we haue nether sene nor felt hym And howe trewe it is that Petre sayeth he taketh the charge and prouydeth for al vs. Wherfore yf there were nether bokes nor preachinges / yet oure lyfe hir selfe whiche is ledde thorough so mani perylles and ieoperdies may abundauntly testyfie and comend vs the godly goodnesse / most ready and swetist / whiche hath taken vp and borne vs in his bosom farre beyond all oure prouision and witte And as Moses in the .xxxij. Deuteronomyon sayeth The lorde hath kept hym as the ball of hys eye he hath ledde hym about and borne hym on hys shulders And of this spring all the exhortacions in the psalter / I haue remeÌ„bred the olde dayes I haue coÌ„sidered in meditacion all these workes creatures I shall remembre froÌ„ the beginnyng all thy merueilles And I haue remeÌ„bred thy iugemeÌ„tes am comforted These suche other perteyne herunto that we maye surely knowe sith that he was them present with vo wheÌ„ we sawe hym not / nor thought it / that he is also nowe present with vs / while he semith to vs to be abseÌ„t For he that toke vs in suche necessite with out oure consent wil not forsake vs in a lytell trouble though he seme to leaue vs / as he sayeth in Esaie I haue forsaken the for a mynytte lytell space / in greate mercy will gather the agayn receyue the. Here maist thou put in these thinges / who was he that toke the charge of vs / so many nyghtes whyle we were slepyng Who was he that toke thought for vs as oft as we laboured / played / dyd in the other infinyte thynges / in the whyche we loke no thought for oure selfe Or howe long ys the tyme / in the whiche we â—ake regard to oure selfe The Couetous maÌ„ taketh thought to seke money / yet in the seking labouring for it / it is necessary that he put a part hys though So we may so that all oure care wether we wil or not retourneth onely to
coÌ„fesse / that thou suffryst iustly for thy synnes / thou arte ryghtuouse and holye as the thefe on the ryghthonde The knoweleging of thy synne / because it is truthe dothe iustifye and make the holy And eueÌ„ then immediatly after this knowelegyng of thy synne thou doest not suffer for thy synne / but for thy truthe and innocency For a ryghtuous man can not suffer / but for the truthe and innocently Nowe art thou iustifyed by the knoweleginge of thy synne / and suffering pacyently Therfore and that truely and worthyly is thy passyon and suffering to de coÌ„pared to the sufferyng of the sayntes euen as the knowelegyng of thy synnes is to be coÌ„pared vnto theyrs For there is but one truthe of all men the knouwelegyng of synne / sufferyng pacyently of all euylles / and true coÌ„munyon of holy men in all and by all thinges ¶ The seuenth Chaptre of the seuenth ymage whiche is the euyll aboue vs. IN this last ymage we must lifte vp oure hart and assence vp in to the mountayne of Myrthe with the spouse Here is Iesus Chryst crucifyed the hed of all chrysten / the capteyn of all theym that suffer / of whome many haue wryten many thinges And all men as it is coÌ„uenyent haue wryten all thinges His memorye is coÌ„mended vnto the spouse / where as it is sayde Put â—e as a sygne vpon thyne arme The bloud of this lambe marked on the post doth put awey the stryking aungell The spouse of hym is commended / because her here is lyke the purpure of a kyng That is her meditacyon is redde and of purpure coloure by remembryng the passyoÌ„ of Christ This is the wodde that Moyses was commaunded to put in to the waters of Marath that is to say / the bitter passions and they were made swete There is nothiÌ„g but this passyon maketh it swere / ye deth As the spouse doth say his lyppes are lylyes distillyng the chief and pure Myrrhe What proporcyon is there bytwene lylyes and lyppes syth these are redde and they whyte Truely it is spoken mystycally / bycause his wordes are most whyte / and pure in the whiche is no bloude bytternesse of enuye or malyce / but they are swete and mylde / with the whiche neuerthelesse he doth distyll the most pure and chief myrrhe / that is to say / persuadeth most bitter death / whiche euen as the most pure and chiefe Mirrhe at one taketh awey all corrupcyoÌ„ and stynking of the body taketh awey the corrupcyon and stynking of synne Of grete power are these most swettest lyppes that are able to make the most bitter deth / swete / pure / whyte and acceptable But howe shall this be done Truely whyle thou herest that Iesu Christ the sonne of god hath by his most holy touching and passyon consecrate and halowed all oure euylles / and suffrynges / ye the deth it selfe most extremest and grettest of all other / hath blyssed the curse / glorifyed the slaunder made ryche the pouertye / so that deth is compelled to be the gate of lyfe / Curse / the begynnyng of blyssyng And slaunder the father of glorie / howe canst thou nowe be so harde vnkynde that thou wilt not both loue ye also desyre all passyoÌ„s troubles / whiche are deped purified in the most clene holy flesshe bloude of Christ / so made vnto the holy / innocent / holsome / blessed / glorifyed For yf he by the touchinge of his clene flesshe hath halowed al waters for baptesme ye al creatures Howe moche more bi the touchiÌ„ge of his moste pure flesshe bloude had he sanctified al dethes / all passioÌ„s / al iniuries all curses / al slaunders / for the baptesme of the sprete or bloude As he sayeth of the same baptesme or passyoÌ„ in the .xij. of Luke I must be baptysed with a baptesme / howe I am payned tyll it be ended Thou seest how he is payned howe he pantith / how he thirsteth to sanctifye and make loued passyon and deth For he seeth that we are feared with passyons / he seeth that deth is feared and abhorred Wherfore he as a most meke sheperd / and most faythfull phisiseoÌ„ goyng aboute to cure oure euyl / doth hast and is payned vntyll his dye that by his deth he myght make theym acceptable welcome to vs. So that the deth of a Christen is to be counted lykeÌ„ to the brasen serpent of Moses which in all poyntes had the facyon of a serpent / but it was clene without lyfe / without mouyng / without venome / without bytyng So the ryghtuous do apere to theym that a soles to dye / howe be it they lyue in peace We are like to thinges which dye / Nether is there any other face outwardly of oure deth then of the deth of other thinges Howe be it the thinges in dede are other wyse For to vs deth is deed Lykewyse all oure other troubles and vexacyons are lyke the troubles of other thiÌ„ges / but that is onely in the face outwardly For in very dede oure sufferynges at the begynning of impassibilite / euen as deth is the begynnynge of lyfe And this is it that Ihon speaketh of in the viij If a man kepe my sayenges / he shall neuer so deth How shal he not se deth Truely for dying he begynneth lyfe So that for the lyfe whiche he seeth he can not see deth / here the nyght as the day shall belyghtened / for there is moche more clere lyght of the lyfe whyche we begynne then there is of the lyfe from whyche we be exyled by deth And all these thynges are confyrmed and stablisshed to theym whiche beleue in Christ / but it is contrary to theym that beleue not Therfore if thou kysse / loue / and embrace the cote of Chryst vesselles / water pottes / and suche other that Christ did touche and vse / countyng theym grete and swete relykes / as though they were consecrated halowed by this thouchyng / whye doest thou not moche more loue / embrace and kysse / the paynes euylles of this worlde slaunder and deth whiche were not onely halowed by his touching / but also clensed and blissed in his pure bloude / ye and embraced with the will of his hert / his enfamming charyte and mercy mouing hym therunto / seyng that in these are moche greater merytes / rewardes / and goodnesse / theÌ„ in those relykes for in these are obsteyned for the / the victory of deth and heel / and of all synnes / and so is it not in the relyques O that we myght se / and beholde the hert of Chryst / when that hangyng on the crosse he was payned to make death deade and despysed howe feruently / swetely he toke vppon hym paynes and deth for vs that were feerfull and dyd abhorre paynes and deth howe gladly he began to drynk thys cuppe to vs that were dyseased / that we shulde not
shall bothe slepe and rest And a ryghtuous man yf he be subdewed of deth he shall be in colenesse And contrary to theyme that are wyked / deth is the begynnyng of euyll As it is saide the death of synners is worst / and euylles shall take an euell man in hys deth So Lazarus shall be comforted whyche hath receyued here his euylles / where as the gloton shall be punysshed bycause he hath receyued here his goodes So it feloweth that a chrysten whether he die or lyue is euer in better takyng / suche a blissed thyng is it to be a chrysten and to beleue in chryst wherfore as Paule saieth To lyue it is Chryst to me / and to dye it is auauntage / and in the .xiiij. to the Roma he that lyueth he lyueth to god / and he that dyeth he dyeth to god / whether we lyue therfore or dye we are the lordes This surenesse hath christ obteyned for vs bycause that he died and rose agayn / that he shulde be lorde both of quykke and dede whiche was a bill to make vs sureâ— bothe in life deth as the prophete sayeth in the xxij psalme If I walke in the myddes of the shadowe of deth I will not feare euilles bicause thou art with me And yf that this adauauÌ„tage of deth do but lytell moue vs / it is a signe that oure faith in Christ is verey weke with vs / for he that doth not well exteme the pryce and value of a good deth / or elles that deth is good / he doth not yet beleue but is ouer moche letre by the olde adam / and the wysdome of the fllesshe yet reynyng in hym / we must therfore laboure that we may be promoted to knowe and loue thys benefyte of deth It is a greate thyng that death whiche is to other the greatest euyll is made to vs the greatest auauntage / and except that Cryst had gotten that for vs / whate grete thyng had he done by gyuyng hym selfe for vs. Truely it was a godly worke that he dyd therfore it was no merueyle to hym to make the euyll of deth most proufitable for vs Therfore deth is nowe dede to faythfull men / and hath nothyng to be feared for / but hys visar and outward face And ys euyn lyke to a serpent whyche ys kylled for he hath the ferefull shape that he had byfore / howe be it yn verey dede there is nothing left but the figure / the euil is dede / and can do no more harme And as in the .xxi. of Numery God coÌ„maunded the brasen serpent to be lyft vp by whose sight the quykke serpentes dyd perisshe Lykewise oure deth by the faithfull beholdyng of the deth of Christ doth perisshe and doth not nowe appere but a certeyn figure of deth So the mercy of God hath figured all thinges to vs that are weke / that he hath destroyed the power of deth / and bycause it can not be vtterly put awey hath made it but a verey figure / for the whiche cause it rather called slepe inscripture then deth The secunde goodnesse of deth is that it doth not onely fynisshe the euilles paynes of this life / but also whyche is letter it maketh an ende of all vice and synne the whiche to theym that be good faithful maketh deth moche more to be desyred then these present goodes wherof we haue spoken / for the euilles of the soule whiche are synnes are without coÌ„parison worse theÌ„ the euylles of the body These onely sinnes yf we dyd sauoure theyme wolde make deth verey acceptable and loued vnto vs / whiche thyng yf they do not / it is a sygne that we do not wel perceyue nor hate the euylles of oure soule Therfore sith thys lyfe is full of perylles / and that synne doth besâ—ge vs on euery syde / and sith we can not lyue without synne / deth is best and most expedient whiche loseth vs from the seperilles / and cutteth synne clene awey from vs therfore in the prayse of a ryghtuouse man it is spokeÌ„ / in the .iiij. of Sapience He that pleased god is made beloued / he lyuing emong synners is translated rauysshed / that malice shulde not chaunge his vnderstoÌ„ding / nether that fayning shulde deceyue his soule for the bewitching of tryfeling doth darken goodnesse / the vnstablenesse of concupisceÌ„ce doth ouerwhelme the witte wyth out malyce O howe true these wordes are and dayly â—ene it is fone roted and hard to be dystroyed But his soule pleased god and for that he hasted to bryng hym out from the myddes of iniquite Euen so thorough the mercy of god deth whiche was to man the payne of synne made to the chrysten the ende of synne and the begynning of lyfe and ryghtuousnesse wherfore it is necessary that he whiche louith lyfe and ryghtuousnesse shulde not abhorre deth whiche is the minyster gate of theym both but rather to loue it / or elles he can neuer come to lyfe ryghtuousnesse / and he that can not loue it / let hym pray god that he may For therfore are we taught to say / thy will be fulfilled / because we whiche fearing deth do rather fauoure loue synne then iustice of oure power be not abyl to fulfil it And that god dyd ordeyn deth to be the destruccyon of synne / it maybe gathered of this / that after synne he put deth vppon Adam by and by / ye byfore he cast hym for the of Paradise / to thinteÌ„t to shewe vs that deth shuld worke none euyl but all goodnesse toward vs syth it was put on hym as a penaunce and satisfaction in paradice Truth it is that by the enuy of the deuil deth entered into al the worlde / but in this was declared the hyghe and godly goodnesse toward vs / that it was ordyned euen at his first begynnyng / not to hurte vs but to be the payne and destruction of synne to oure grete proufit This was signyfyed when be had tolde Adam byfore in the precept / that what houre so euer he dyd tast of that frute he shulde dye / yet after the traÌ„gression he dyd moderate the extremyte and rygoure of the precept / nether dyd he speke one syllable of deth / but sayde onely Thou art erth / and shalt retourne into erth / vntyll thou come ageyne into the londâ— out of the whiche thou art taken And as though he had hated deth wolde not vouthesaus ones to name it / according to the Prophete layng / for there is wrathe in his indignacyon and lyfe in his wyll And semed so to speke / that except deth had byn necessary to the distruction of synne he wolde neuer haue put it vpon man / no / nether yet haue named it ☞ Euen so ageynst synne whiche brought forth deth / the prouysyon of God dyd so arme deth / that here thou mayst se fulfylled the saying of the Poete The maker of deth /
they re hell and mysery Euyn so wolde euery man do / yf he eyther knewe or did beleue suerly his inward euyll he wolde of his owne wyll call vnto hym outward euylles / ye / reioyse in theym / and be no more sadde for theym / then though he were in all prosperyte and felt no tribulacyon as some holy men haue done / emong the whiche Dauid was â—â—e Psalme C.vi Therfore the fyrst coÌ„fortable ymage â—s / to say vnto hym self O thou man yet thou fealest not thyne euyll / be glad gyue thâ—nkes that thou act not coÌ„pelled to feale 〈◊〉 so thyne euyll in comparyson of that gâ—â—â—t euyll is but lyght and easy / that it is tâ—â—t some say I haue deserued moche worsâ—â—e helle / whiche is sone sayd / but it is intoâ—erable to felt And this euell / though it â—eâ—ruer so hydde and secret / yet he bryngâ—â—h forth his frute sensibly / whiche is fearâ—â—â— wauering of the fearfull coÌ„sciences / by â—â—e whiche faythe is fore beseged and assaâ—â—â—ed whyle that man douteth and is vncertâ—â—n whether god be mercyful vnto hym or not and the weaker this frute is / the more â—â—tter is this frute And this onely infyrmite / yf he be well coÌ„sydered and loked on / syth it is spirituall doth ferre passe al bodyly trouble / and maketh it to seme but a trifell / yf that they be well compared to gither Besides this all that the churche speaketh of when she reherseth so oft vanite afliction of the sprete / perteyne to the inward euilles What counseyles do we take in vayn â—howe many of oure purposes are mockeâ— howe many thinges se we howe many heare we that we wolde neither se nor heare / these thynges that some tyme make for oure purpose some time are agaynst it 〈◊〉 so moche that nothing is hole perfait Furthermore / the more honoure dignite â— man is set in the more and greater are his traÌ„sgressions / the more is hes vexed with hetes / waues / and other stormes aboue all other / so that the C.iij. psalme may wel say The reare in the see of this world 〈◊〉 bestes / and greate / and treapyng worâ—â—â— / without nombre that is to say / infinite â—indes of temptations / so that for this cause Iob in the .vij. calleth a mannes lyfe no thing but temptacyon And these are not therfore the lesse euilâ— bicause they be but lytel fealt but bicause they are so in vse and familier with vs we sette the lesse by theym And therfore as god wold also it shuld be they moue trouble vs but seide / all though we can not fully dispyse forget theym And trewe it is that we feale perceaue scaÌ„t the thousand part of dure euylles And yet we feale not those accordyng to the truth and greuousnesse of theym / but measure theym by oure opinion / affection / and mynde ¶ The secunde chaptre of the secuÌ„de image / whiche is the euyll to come or bifore a man IT shall not a lytell easy thy present euyll what soeuer it be if thou turne thy mynde to consyder thynges to come / whiche are so manye of suche efficacyte / that vnto them is onlye ascribed the greate greuous passyoÌ„ of mynde called feare For thus some diffine it Feare is a passyoÌ„ of the mynde about euyll to come iÌ„ so moche that cappostel sayeth / go not about to sa fauoure hyge thynges but feare And the more vncerteyn this euil is / the greater it is / in so moche that it is a comon prouerbe there is none age paste the stable altough this disease belonge to chylder and babes Do that by this ye may gather / that there is no maÌ„ sure fre / from any other mannes infirmyte But what soeuer one man suffereth the same may an other suffer also To this pertayne all storyes tragedyes of all worldes / all the compleyntes of this worlde To this also maye be applyed that certeyn men haue obserued more then iij. hundreth diseases with the whiche maÌ„nes bodi mai be vexed If theÌ„ there be so mani diseases / how many accydentes thinkest thou are there that may chauÌ„ce vpoÌ„ oure goodes vpoÌ„ oure freÌ„des Howe many encoÌ„brauÌ„ces turmeÌ„tes of the soule whiche is the princpall grouÌ„de wherin consist all these euylles / the onely receauer of sorowe sadnesse And the greater a man is in the more dignite / the more the streyngth fealinge of this euyll encreaseth And were rayneth pouertie / slaunder suche other syth they may sone chaunce it is nedefull that they be feared euery houre / euen as though they did hang ouer vs / by a lytell threde Lyke as the swerde whyche dyonisius the tiraunt dyd haÌ„ge ouer his geestes hedes Of all these thiÌ„ges whatsoeuer doth not chaunce vnto the count it for a vanurage / and as it were for a comforte of the euil whiche thou art striken with al / that also here thou mayst be compelled to say with Hieremas It is the merci of god that we are not consumed For whiche so euer doth not come vnto vs / it is kept of by the strong hond of god / whiche compasseth vs with suche power and might as it is shewed in Iob that SataÌ„ and other euylles are wroth that they are kept from vs Therefore we se howe swetely god shuldt be loued when any thyng chaunceth to vs For this most louing father warneth vs bâ— this one euyll to beholde howe many euylles are aboute to subdue vs / if he dit not defend vs as though he shulde say / sathan and the hole hell of euylles persue to subdue the / but I haue prescribed set the ende of the see / haue sayd vnto hym / hyther shall thy swelling waues and come here shal they ceate / and be broken / as he sayeth in the .xxxviij. of Iob. But be it paraduenture that god wil that none of them shall come / yet at the lest that which is called most fearfull of all that is death shall suerlye come and nothing so vnsuer as hys tyme and houre / whyche euyll truely is so greate that we may se many meÌ„ whiche had leuer lyue and continue with al those euilles / them ones do dye to haue theym all fynisshed And to thys one contempnyng all other scripture putteth feare / saying / remembre thy last ende thou shalt neuer synne To this se howe many meditacyons howe many bokes howe many meanes howe many remedies are ymagined / that by the memorye of this one euil they may feare vs from synne / make vs dispyse the world / alleuiate oure passyons / euylles / and coÌ„fort theym that are vexed / by the comparyson of this horrible greate euyll / whyche for all that is necessarye There is no man whiche wolde not desyre to suffer all euylls / yf he myght by those auoyde death /