¶ Certain prayers and godsy meditations very nedefuff for every Christian.   

¶ An Almanac for xxiij years.  
Numerus annorum. Pascha Aureus nunerꝰ I●a●o. Bise●tus. m.d.xxxvij i. april xviij G  m. d.xx●viij xxi. April nineteen F  m.d.xxix vi. april i G  m.d.xl. xxviij. mar ij C D m.d.xli xvij. april iij B  m.d.xlij ix. april iiij A  m.d.xliij xxv. mar. v G  m.d.xliiij xiii. april vi E F m.d.xlv v. april seven D  m.d.xlvi xxv. april viii C  m.d.xlvij x. april ix B  m.d.xlviij ix. apryl x G A m.d.xlix xxi. april xi F  m.d.l. vi. april xii E  m.d.li. xxix. mar. xiii D  m.d.lij xv●j. april xiv B C m.d.liij ij. april xv A  m.d.liij xxv. mar. xvi G  m.d.lv xiv. april xvij F  m.d.lvi v. april xviij D E m.d.lvij xviij. april nineteen C  m.d.lviij x. april i B  m.d.lix xxvij. mar. ij A  
LB january. The night is xvi hours/ & the day is eight hours  Numerus annorum. Pascha Aureus nunerꝰ I●a●o.  A circumcision. 1  b Octaves of saint stephan 2 xi c Octaves of saint johan 3  d Octaves of Innocentes 4 nineteen e Octa. of s. Thomas martyr 5 viii f Epyphanye. 6  g saint felix and jaunuary. 7 xvi A saint Lucyane. 8 v b saint joice. 9  c saint Paul hermit. 10 xiii d ¶ The son in aquarius 11 ij e saint Archade martyr. 12  f Octa. Epyphanye. Hylary 13 ● g saint felix priest 14  A saint Maure abbot 15 xviij b saint Mercel bishop of Ro. 16 seven c saint Anthony 14  d saint Pryses virgin 18 xv e saint Wulstayn bishop 19 iiij f saint sebastian & Fabyan 20  g saint Agnes virgin. 21 xii A saint Vincent martyr 22 i b saint Emerencyane. 23  c saint Timothe 24 xi d conversion of saint Paul 25  e saint Polycarpe bishop. 26 xvij f saint Julian bishop 27 vi g saint agnes the second 28  A saint Valary bishop 29 xiv b saint Basilidis queen. 30 iiij c saint Saturnis and Victor 35 
BL February. The night is xiiij hours/ & the day is ten hours.  Numerus annorum. Pascha Aureus nunerꝰ I●a●o.  d saint Brygit virgin. 1 xi e Purification of our lady 2 nineteen f saint Blaze bishop 3 viii g saint gilbert 4  A saint Agathe virgin. 5 xvi b  6 v c saint Angule bishop 7  d saint Paul bishop 8 xiii e saint Apoline virgin 9 two f saint Scolastica virgin 10  g saint Eufrasye virgin 11 x A ¶ The son in Pisces 12  b saint Vulfran bishop 13 xviij c saint Valentyn martyr 14 seven d saint faustine and jonyte 15  e saint Julian virgin. 16 xv f saint Policrone bishop 17 iiij g saint simeon bishop 18  A saint Sabyne martyr 29 xii b saint Myldrede virgin 20 i c Lxix. martyrs. 21  d Cathedra of saint Peter 22 ix e ¶ Locus bisexti. Vigyll. 23  f Math● apostle. 24 xvij g invention of saint Paul. 25 vi A saint Nestor bishop 26  b saint Austyne 27 xiv c saint oswald bishop 28 
BL March. The night is twelve hours/ and the day is twelve hours.  Numerus annorum. Pascha Aureus nunerꝰ I●a●o. iij d saint david bishop 1  e saint Chadde bishop 2 xi f saint Martyne. 3  g saint Adryane. 4 nineteen A  5 viii b saint victor & Victoryne. 6  c saint Perpetue & Felicyte 7 xvi d deposition of saint Felix. 8 v e Xl. martyrs. 9  f saint Agape virgin. 10 xiii g saint Quirine & Candid. 11 ij A s. Gregory bishop of Rome 12  b saint Theodore matron. 13 x c The son in arie, Equinoc. 14  d saint Longinus martyr 15 xviij e saint Hylary and Tacoan 16 seven f saint Patrycke bishop. 17  g saint Edward king. 18 xv A saint joseph ●● xii b saint Cuthberte abbot 10  c saint Benet abbot xvi. 11 xii d v 12 xi e saint Theodore priest 23  f saint Agapite martyr xiii 24 xi g Annuncia. of our lady ij 25  A saint Castor martyr 26 xvi b x 24 vi c saint Dorothy virgin 28  d saint Victoryne xviij 29 xiv e saint Quirine seven 30 iij f saint Aldelme bishop. 31 
BL Apryl. The night is ten hours/ and the day is xiiij hours.  Numerus annorum. Pascha Aureus nunerꝰ I●a●o.  g saint Theodore vix. xv 1 ● A s. Marry egyptian iij 2  b saint Richard bishop 3 nineteen c saint Ambrose bis. xii 4 viii d s. Martinian and Martia. 5 xvi e s. Sy●tus bis. of Rome 6 v f saint Euphemye ix 7  g s. Egesippi & his fellows 8 xiii A saint Perpetuus bis. xvij 9 ij b Passion of seven vix. vi 10  c saint Guthlake ●● x d ¶ The son in taure xiv 12  e s. Julius bis. of Ro. 13 xviij f s. Tiburtij and Valarian 14 seven g s, Oswalde archbies. xi 15  A saint Ysodore 16 xv b s. Anicete bis. of Ro. nineteen 17 iiij c saint Eleuther bis. viii 18  d s. Alphegi bishop & mar. 20 xii e saint Victor bishop of Ro. 20 i f saint simeon bishop 21  g saint Sother. 22 ix A Saint George martyr 23  b s, Wylfryde bis. and martyr 24 xvij c Mark evangelist 25 vi d saint Clete bis. of Rome 26  e saint Anastase bishop 27 xiv f saint victual martyr 28 ii● g saint Peter of Myllon 29  A saint Eikenwalde 30 
BL May. The night is eight hours/ and the day is xvi hours  Numerus annorum. Pascha Aureus nunerꝰ I●a●o. xi b Philip and jacob apostles 1  c Athanase bishop 2 nineteen d invention of cross. 3 viii e Festum corone spinee dni 4  f saint Godarde. 5 xvi g s. johan ante portam latinam. 6 vi A saint johan of Bevarlay 7  b appearing of saint Myghel. 8 xiii c Transla. of s. Nycholas 9 ij d saint Gordine & Epinlach. 1●  e saint anthony martyr. 11  f Nerei/ achilei/ & Pancratij 12  g Seruatius confessor. 13 xviij A ¶ The son in Gemini 24 seven b saint Ysydore martyr. 25  c saint Brandyne bishop 16 xv d Transla. of s. bernard 17 iiij e saint Dyoscor martyr 18  f s. Danstani bishop & confess. 19 xii g saint Barnardine 20 i A Helyne queen 21  b Julian virgin 22 ix c saint Desyderij martyr 23  d Transla. of saint Franceys 24 xvij e saint Aldelme bishop. 25 vi f saint austin. 26  g saint Bede priest. 27 xiiii A saint Germayne bishop. 28 iij b saint Corone martyr 29  c saint felix bishop of Ro. 30 xi d Petronille virgin. 31 
B L june The night is vi hours. And the day is xviij hours.  Numerus annorum. Pascha Aureus nunerꝰ I●a●o.  e Nicodeme martyr 1 nineteen f Mercellyne and Peter 2 viii g saint Erasmus 3 xvi A saint Petroce. 4 v b Boniface and his fellows 5  c Mellone archbishop 6 xiii d Transla. of saint Wulstane 7 iij e Mederde and Gylderde. 8  f Transla. of saint Edmund 9 x g Yuon confessor 10  A Barnaby apostle 11 xviij b Basylide/ Neryne/ & Nabo. 12 seven c Anthony. The son in cancer 13  d Basyly bishop 14 xv e Viti/ Modesti/ & Crescenty. 15 iiij f Transla. of s. richard 16  g saint botulph. 17 xii A Marcelly & Marcylian 18 i b Geruasy and Prothasy 19  c Transla. of saint Edward. 20 ix d Walburge virgin. 21  e saint alban martyr 22 xvij f saint Andrye Vigyll 23 vi g The n●tiuite of Iohn bap. 24  A Transla. of s. Elegy bies. 25 xiv b Iohn and Paul 26 iij c saint Crescent. 27  d Leo bishop of Rome. 28 xi e Peter and Paul apostles 29  f commemoration of s. Paul 30 
B L july. The night is. viii. hours. And the day is xvi hours  Numerus annorum. Pascha Aureus nunerꝰ I●a●o. nineteen g Octa. Iohn baptist. 1 viii A visitation of our lady 2  b Transla. of s. Thomas awe. 3 xvi c Transla. of saint Martin. 4 v d zoe virgin and martyr 5  e Octa. apost. Peter and Paul 6 xiii f Transla. of Thomas mar 7 ij g deposition of s. Grymbalde 8  A Cyrilly bishop 9 x b Seven brother martyrs 10  c Transla. of saint Benet 11 xviij d Nabor and felix 12 seven e private martyr 13  f ¶ The son in Leo 14 xv g Transla. of s. Dwythune. 15 iiij A saint Osmunde 16  b Kenelm king 17 xii c Arnulphe bishop. 18 i d Rufyne and justine 19  e saint Margaret virgin 20 ix f Praxide virgin 21  g Mary Magdalen 22 xvij A Appollinarius bishop. 23 vi b Chrystine virgin Vigyll. 24  c james a●st. s. Christofore 25 xiv d Anne mother of our lady 26 iij e The seven sleepers 27  f Samson bishop. 28 xi g felix and his fellows 29  A Abdon and Sennes 30 nineteen b German bishop 31 
B L August. The night is ten hours and the day is. ●iiij. hours.  Numerus annorum. Pascha Aureus nunerꝰ I●a●o. viii c Lammas day. 1 xvi d s. Stephan bishop of Ro. 2 v e invention of s. Stephan. 3  f saint justine priest. 4 xiii d Festum nivis 5 ij A Transfis. of our lord 6  b The feast of jesus. 7 x c s. Ciryake and his fellows 8  d saint Roman martyr 9 xviij e saint Laurence martyr 10 seven f saint Tyburcius martyr 11  g saint Clare virgin 12 xv A saint Ypolite & his fellows 13 iiij b Eusebius. Vigyll. 14  c The assumption of our lady 15 xii d s. Roche. The son in virgo 16  e Octaves of saint Laurence. 17  f saint Agapite martyr 28  g saint Magnus martyr 19  A saint Lewis martyr 10 xvij b saint barnard abbot 21 vi c Octa. assumption. 22  d Timothe. Vigyll. 23 xiii e Barthe knew apostle ●0 iij f saint Lewis king 25  g saint Severyne 26 xi A saint Rufe martyr 27 nineteen b saint austin 28  c decollation of s. johan 29 viii d saint Felix and Audacte. 30  e saint Cuthburge virgin. 31 
BL Septembre. The night is. xi●. hours/ & the day is twelve hours  Numerus annorum. Pascha Aureus nunerꝰ I●a●o. xvi f saint Gyles abbot 1 v g saint Anthony martyr. 2  A  3 xiii b Trans. of saint Cuthberie 4 ij c Bertyne abbot. 5  d saint Eugenius. 6 x e  7  f nativity of our lady 8 xv g saint Gorgone martyr 9 vi A saint Silvius bishop 10  b  11 xv c saint Martiane bishop. 12 iiij d saint Maurilius bishop. 13  e exaltation of the holy cross 14 xii f ¶ The son in Libra 15 i g saint Edyth virgin 16  A saint Lamberte bishop 17 ix b saint Victor and Corona 18  c saint januarius martyr 19 xvij d saint Eustache, Vigyll. 20 vi e Mathewe apostle. 21  f saint maurice & his company 22 xiv g saint Ecclea virgin. 23 iij A saint andoche martyr 24  b  25 xi c saint Cyprian and justine 26 nineteen d saint Cosme and Damiane 27  e  28 viii f Michael archangel. 29  g saint Hierome priest 30 
BL Octobre. The night is xiiij hours/ and the day is ten hours.  Numerus annorum. Pascha Aureus nunerꝰ I●a●o. xvi A aynt Remyge bishop. 1 v b saint Leodegary martyr 2 xiii c saint Candidi martyr 3 ij d saint Fraunceys confessor 4  e saint appolinaris martyr. 5 x f saint faith. 6  g Mercy and Mercilliani 7 xviij A saint Pelagie. 8 seven b s. Dionisi● rustici & eleutheri 9  g saint Gereon and Victor 10 xv d saint Nichasius bishop 11 iiij e saint Wylfryde 12  f Trans. of saint Edward 13 xii g saint calyxte bishop of Ro. 14 i A saint vulfrane bishop 15  b ¶ The son in scorpio. 16 ● c saint Audery virgin. 17  d Luke evangelist 18 xvij e Frydeswyde virgin 19 vi f saint Austrebert virgin 20  g saint Vrsule with xi m. vir. 21 xiv A Matysalome 22 iij b saint Roman bishop. 23  c saint Maglore bishop. 14 xi d Crispyne and Crispiniany. 25  e saint Euaryste bis. of Ro. 26 xi● f Vigyll. 27 viii g Simon and Jude apostle. 28  A saint Narcissus bishop 29 xvi b saint Germayne capua. 30 v c saint quintine Vigyll. 31 
BL November. The nyg●● is xvi hours/ & the day is eight how.  Numerus annorum. Pascha Aureus nunerꝰ I●a●o.  d The feast of all saints 1 xiii e The feast of all souls 2 ij f saint Wenefrede virgin 3  g saint Amantius. 4 x A saint let pressed. 5  b saint Leonarde 6 xviij c saint Wylfryde archbishop 7 seven d Quatuor coronatorum 8  e saint Theodore. 9 ●● f s. Martin bishop of Ro. 10 iiij g saint Martin bishop 11  A saint Pattern martyr 12 xii b saint Bryce bishop & conf. 13 i c Transla. of s. Erkenwalde 14  d ¶ The son in sagittarius 15 ix e saint Edmund archbishop 16  f saint Hew bishop 17 xvij g Octaves of saint Martin 18 vi A saint Elyzabeth 19  b saint Edmund king 20 xiv c presentation of our lady 21 iij d s. Cicely virgin & martyr. 22  e s. Clement bishop of Ro. 23 xi f saint Grysogony martyr. 24  g saint Katherine virgin 25 viii A s. Lini bishop of Rome 24  b saint Agricole and Vital 27  c saint Rufe martyr 28 xvi d saint Saturn Vigil 29 v e Andrew apostle. 30 
LB Decembre. The night is xviij hours/ & the day is vi hours  Numerus annorum. Pascha Aureus nunerꝰ I●a●o.  f saint Loye bishop 1 xiii g saint Lybane 2 ij A deposition of s. Osmundi 3 x b saint Barbara virgin. 4  c saint Sabbe abbot 5 xviij d Nycholas bishop. 6 seven e Octaves of saint Andrew. 7  f conception of our lady. 8 xv g saint Cyprian abbot 9 iiij A saint Eulalye 10  b Damase bishop of Rome 11 xii c ¶ The son in Capricorn 12 i d saint Lucy virgin 13  e Othilie virgin 14 xi f saint Valery bishop 15  g ¶ O sapientia. 16 xviij A saint Lazarus bishop 14 vi b saint Gratian bishop 18  c saint Venyce virgin 19 xiv d saint julyan martyr 20 iij e Saint Thomas apostle 21  f XXX. martyrs. 22 xi g Victory virgin 23 nineteen A Vigyll. 24  b nativity of our lord 25 viii c Stephan protomartyr. 26  d johan Evangelist 27 xvi e Chyldermas day 28 v f Thomas martyr. 29  g translation of saint james 30 xiv A s. Sylvester bishop of Ro. 31.  
Note the golden number that is written after the saints on the right hand in the month of March, Apryll/ & the sunday next after the golden nobre for the year shall be Easter day.   

¶ Unto the reader grace and peace in Christ.  
Among other innumerabill pestilent infections of books and learnings/ with which the Christian have been piteously seduced & deceived (brought up in divers kinds of diffidence and false hope) I may judge/ & that chiefly/ those to be pernicious/ of whom they are wont in every place to pray/ and have also learned by heart/ both curiously & with great scrupulosity to make rehearsal of their sins. These books (though they abounded in every place with infinite errors/ & taught prayers/ made with wicked foolishness/ both to god/ and also to his saints/ yet by cause they were garnished with glorious titles and with red letters promising moche grace and pardon (though it were but vanity) have sore deceived the unlearned multitude one is called the garden of the soul an other the paradise of the soul/ and by cause I will be short look thou thy sylfen what divers and tryfeling names be given unto thei● Wherefore here needeth sharp reformation ye and many of them are worthy to be utterly destroyed.  
The same judgement and reformation is also to be had of the books of passions and saints lives called legends for in these also are many things added whereof Satan is author howbeyt sith neither time sufficient is given to one man neither the but thom of this reformation of one may be sustained I thought it enough/ in this place a lonely to have monished you trusting that god in time coming shall add to these things both time convenient and also light.  
Therefore here (as entering my moter) first I will declare after a single & plain manner (by, the which even as by a glass) thou shalt know what the knowledge of sin is & how we ought truly to pray following the rehearsal of the commandments and of the Pater noster. And I doubt not but this one prayer is sufficient enough to them that prayer how of them so ever it be or what so ever they require ye if they take but one little part of it which so ever it be/ for a good prayer is not set in the multitude of words as Cirst sayeth in the sixth of Mathewe. But here standeth the pith that thou sigh to god oft from the boton of thine heart for to have strength to do his will and to fulfil his commandments. And this sigh ought to endure continually.  
Therefore I desire all persons that from henceforth they forget such prayers as are saint Brygittes & other like/ which great promises and pardons have falsely advanced from whom you shall return unto this simple prayer needful for every christian/ whose common use doth yet persever among all men/ if they did understand it/ and applied their minds to it. Such virtue hath the Pater noster/ that the lenge● and the more thou use it/ the sweeter and more acceptable it is. Which I desire that the master of this prayer confirm jesus Chryst which is blessed eternally. Amen.   


¶ The symbol or Crede of the great doctor Athanasius daily red in the Church  
WHo soever will be saved/ before all things it is necessary that he hold the true catholic faith Which faith/ but if every man will keep hole and inviolate/ without doubt he shall eternally perish.  
This truly is the very catholic faith that we worsshyp one God in trinity/ and the trinity in unite.  
Neither confounding the persons/ neither seperatinge the substance.  
The person of the Father is one/ the person of the son an other/ the person of the holy Ghost an other.  
But of the Father/ of the son/ and of the holy ghost/ there is one divinity/ equal glory/ coeternal majesty.  
Such as is the Father/ such is the Son/ such is the holy Ghost.  
The Father is uncreate/ the son uncreat/ the holy Ghost is uncreat.  
The father is without measure/ the Son without measure/ the holy Ghost without measure.  
The Father is everlasting/ the son everlasting/ the holy Ghost everlasting.  
And not with standing there be not three everlasting/ but one everlasting.  
even as there be not three uncreat: nor ii●. unmesurate/ but one uncreat/ and one unmesurate.  
Likewise the father is almighty/ the son almighty/ and the holy Ghost almighty.  
And yet they be not three Almyghtes/ but one God almighty.  
So the Father is God/ the Son God/ the holy Ghost is God.  
And yet they be not three gods/ but one God.  
So the Father is a lord/ the son a lord/ the holy Ghost a lord.  
And yet they be not three lords/ but one Lord.  
For as we be compelled by the Chrysty/ and verity to confess separately every one person to be God and lord.  
So are we prohybite by the catholic religion of Christ'S faith to say that there be three gods or three lords.  
The father is made of none/ neither created nor gotten.  
The son is from the Father alone: neither made ne create/ but gotten.  
The holy ghost is from the father/ and the son/ neither made created nor gotten but proceeding.  
And so there is but one Father/ not three Fathers/ one Son/ not three Sons/ one holy ghost/ not three holy ghosts.  
And in this trinity/ there is none before or after another/ nothing more or less but all the three persons be coeterne/ & coequal to themself.  
So that by always as now it hath been above said/ the trinyte in unity/ & the unity in trinity may we worshipper.  
He therefore that will be saved/ let him understand thus of the trinity.  
But it is necessary unto everlasting health/ that every christian believe also faithfully the incarnation of our Lord jesus christ.  
It is therefore the right faith: that we be leue● confess that our lord jesus christ the son of God/ is God and man.  
He is God by the substance of the Father gotten before all worlds/ and he is man by the substance of his mother/ born in the world.  
perfit God/ perfit man/ being of a soul reasonable/ and of flesh human,  
Equal to the Father by his godhead less than the Father by his manhood.  
Which though he be God and man/ yet is there not twain but one christ.  
Truly he is one not by turning of his godhead in to manhed/ but by assumpting of his manhood in to godhead.  
Being out to all intentes/ not by confusion of substance/ but by unite of person.  
For as the reasonable soul & the fleshly body is or maketh one man/ so God and man is one christ.  
Which suffered death for our salvation descended to hell/ and rose from death the third day.  
Which ascended to heavens/ sitteth at the right hand of God the Father almighty from thence shall he come to judge the quick and dead.  
At whose coming all men must rise with their bodies: & shall give account of their own proper deeds.  
And they that have done well shall go in to everlasting life/ they that have done evil in to everlasting fire.  
This is the catholic saith/ which except every man faithfully/ and steadfastly do believe he can not be saved.  
¶ Finis.   

¶ The office of all Estates. i. Timothe three  
A bishop must be faultless/ the husband of one wife: sober discrete: honestly apparelled: herberous/ apt to teach/ not drunken not fighter: not given to filthy lucrebut gentle/ abhorring fighting/ abhorring covetousness/ and one that ruleth his own house honestly/ having children under obedience/ with all honest.  

¶ Rulers. Sapien. i.  
Ye that are rulers of the earth/ se that you love righteousness/ and that you commit none unrighteousness in judgement. Levi. ix. Thou shalt not favour the poor/ nor honour the mighty/ but shalt jug thy neighbour ryghtteously.   

¶ The commons. Levi. nineteen.  
Ye shall not deceive your brethren: neither with weight nor measure/ but shall have true balances/ and true weights/ for I am the Lord your God.   

¶ Husbands. Ephe. v  
¶ husbands love your wives even as Chryst loved the congregation/ and gave himself for it to sanctify it and cleansed it in the fountain of water thorough the word/ to make it unto himself/ a glorious congregation with out spot or wrencle/ or any such thing. So ought men to love their wives/ as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife/ loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh/ but norrysshed it, etc.   

¶ wives. Ephe. v.  
wives submit yourselves to your own husbands/ as to the lord. For the husband is te wives heed/ even as Chryst is the heed of the congregation. Therefore as the congregation is in subjection to christ likewise let the wives be in subjection to their husbands in all things.   

¶ Fathers and Mothers. Ephe. v.  
Ye fathers move not your children unto wrath but bring them up with the nurture and information of the lord.   

¶ Children. Ephe. vi.  
Children obey your fathers & mothers in the Lord: for so it is right, Honour the Father and mother (that is the first commandment that hath any promise) that thou mayst be in good estate and live long on the earth.   

Masters. coles three  
Ye masters/ do to your servants that which is just and equal putting away all bytternisse and threatenings knowing that even ye also have a master in heaven   

Servants. Collos three  
servants/ be obedient to your bodily masters in all things: not with eye service as men pleasers/ but in singleness of heart/ fearing God. And what soever ye do/ do it heartily as though ye did it unto the lord/ & not unto men: for as much as ye know that of the lord ye shall receive the reward of inheritance for ye serve the Lord Chryst.   

Widows. 1. Timo. v.  
She that is a very widow & friendless putteth heath trust in god/ and continueth in supplicasyon and prayer night and day.   

¶ The some of all.  
Love thy neighbour as thyself. And whatsoever ye would that other should do to you do you even the same to them & what ye would not that other men should do to you/ see that ye do it not to them.    

¶ A prayer for wisdom. Sapien ix chapter Deus patrum nostrorum/ et dominus misericordie.  
O The God of our father's/ god of mercy/ which hast made all with thy word/ and with thy wisdom haste constytuded man/ to have dominion upon the creature which was made of thee/ to order the world with equity and justice/ and with a direct heart for to judge judgements/ give me the assystent wisdom of thy seats and reprove me not from thy children. For thy servant am I/ & the son of thy hand maid/ a man weak & of little time & unsufficient to the understanding of thy judgement & laws. And if any shall be of most perfit wisdom among the sons of men/ if thy wisdom ones fly from him he shall be counted & regarded at nought. Send thy wisdom from thy holy heavens/ & from the seat of thy mightiness that it may be with me/ & labour with me/ and that I may know what is acceptable before the. For she knoweth all/ and understandeth all and shall conduyt me soberly in my works/ & shall ●epe me in her power. And my words shall be acceptable. So be it.  

¶ The prayer of Solomon for wisdom ij. Reg. iij. Chapter. Tu fecisti domine cum servo tuo.  
THou hast done (lord) with thy servant David my father great mercy so that he walked in thy sight in truth and justice & right heart with the. Thou savedst unto him thy great mercy/ and gavest him a son sitting upon his throne/ as it is at this day. And now lord god: thou hast made thy servant to reign in the room of David my father. I am a very babe and know not mine entering/ nor my coming out/ and thy servant is in the midst of an infinite people/ which thou hast chosen/ which can not be numbered nor counted for the m● l●ytude. Wherefore thou shalt give to thy servant an heart apt to be taught/ to the intent he may judge thy people/ and discern betwixt good and evil. For who can judge this people: this thy people so many.   

¶ For competency of living the prayer of Solomon. Prover. the xxx chapter Duo rogavi te/ ne deneges mihi.  
TWo things (lord) have I required the that thou wouldest not deny me until I die. Vanity and words of losing make far from me. Poverty or riches give me not. Only give that is necessary for my living/ lest chance being in full abundance I might be provoked to deny thee/ and say who is the lord. Or compelled by necessity I might steal and for swear the name of my God. So be it.   

¶ A prayer of the church of the faithful/ for the word of God to be spoken with boldness of heart. Acts the xiiij Chapter. Dne tu fecisti celum & terram mare. etc.  
Lord thou hast made heaven & earth/ see/ and all that be in them/ which with thy holy spirit by the mouth of our father David thy servant saidest. Why do the gentiles fume like wild bores/ and why do the people attempt things in vain. The kings of the earth be assembled & the princes be gathered together against the lord & against his Christ/ for with out sail there assembled in this city against thy holy child jesus (whom thou didst anoint) Herode and Ponce pilate with the gentiles and people of Israhel to do the things with thy power and thy council did determine before to be done.  
And now lord cast thine eye upon their manasses/ & give to thy servants with all boldness/ power to speak thy word extending thy hand io healings/ and signs/ and wonders to be wrought in the name of thy holy son jesus.   

¶ The prayer of Chryst before his passion for his church in this world. johan xviij Chapter. Pater venit hora/ clarifica filium.  
FAther the hour is come/ glorify thy son/ that thy son may glorify thee, As thou gavest him power of every flesh to the intent that all that thou gavest him he might give the everlasting life. And this is everlasting life that they know only the for the true god and whom thou sendest jesus christ. I have glorified the in earth. I have performed the work which thou gavest me to do. And new glorify thou me Father with thyself/ with the glory which I had before this world was made of the I have published thy name of the men/ whom thou gavest me of the world. They were thine/ and thou gavest them to me/ and they kept my word. Now they know that all that thou gavest me come from the. For the words which thou gavest me I have them/ & they took them/ and knew verily that they came from thee/ and they believed that thou sentest me. For them I ask/ for the world I ask not/ but for them which thou gavest me because they be thine and all mine be thine/ and thine mine/ and I am glorified in them. And I am now no longer in to world: But they be in the world still. For I come to thee/ holy Father save them for thy name's sake whom thou haste given me/ that they may be one as we be one. When I was with them in the world I did keep them in thy name, Whom thou gavest me I kept and none of them perished/ but only the son of perdition that the scripture might be fulfilled. But now I come to thee/ and these I speak in the world that they may have my joy replenished in them. I gave them thy word/ and the world hated them because they be not of the world: like as I am not of the world. I asked not that thou shouldest take them away out of the world: but that thou keep them from the wicked. They be not of the world/ like as I am not of the world. Make them holy in thy truth. Like as thou hast sent me in to the world/ so have I seem them in to the world/ and for them I do sanctify myself/ that they also may be sanctified in the truth. And I pray not only for them/ but also for them that shall believe in me through their preachings: so that all they may be one. Like as thou (father) art in me and I in thee/ that they also may be in us/ that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory/ which thou hast given me/ I gave it them that they might be one: like as we be one/ I in them/ and thou in me/ that they may be made perfit in one/ and that the world may know that thou hast sent me/ and loved them as thou loved me. Father/ they whom thou haste given me/ I will that where I be/ they may also be with me that they may see my glory/ which thou gavest me/ for thou hast loved me before the making of the world. just father/ the world knoweth the not: but I know the & these know that thou hast sent me/ & I have made known unto them thy name/ and I will make it known to the intent/ that the love wherewith thou lovest me might be in them and I in them.   

¶ The prayer of the church for sinners Sapience the xu Chapter. Tu deus noster/ suavis et verus es.  
THou our God art gentle & true patient & with mercy ordering all things. For if we sin/ we be thine knowing thy greatness/ & if we sin not/ we know that with the we be reckoned. For to know the is perfit and consummate rightwiseness/ and to know thy justice and virtue is the rote of immortality. So be it.   

¶ The prayer and blessing of job in his most tribulation & taking away of his goods. job two Chapter. In tonso capite corruens in terram.  
IOb (his head clipped) falling flat on the ground worshipped god saying. Naked I entered out of my mother's womb / and naked I shall return. The lord hath given the goods/ and the lord hath taken them away. As it pleased the lord so it is done. blessed be the name of the lord. So be it.   

¶ When we be shorged of God either for our sins/ or that we may be proved by him/ the prayer of Thobie. iiij. Chapter. justus es domine/ et omnia judicia tua.  
THou art just lord/ and all thy judgements are true/ and all thy ways mercy truth and justice. And now lord remember me/ and take not vengeance of my sins/ nor think not on my offences/ nor the sins of my parents. Because we have not obcyed thy precepts therefore thou haste delivered us up in to these evils/ in to confusion and reproach an to be a fable to all people and the gentles. And now lord great be thy judgements/ for we have not done according to that precepts/ & we have not walked purely before the. And now lord: according to thy pleasure do with me & chiefly receive my spirit in peace/ for it is better for me to die then to live   

¶ Another prayer of Hieremie the Prophet/ Hieremie te xviij. Chapter. Sana me domine et sanabor.  
heal me good lord/ and I shall be healed/ save me & I shall be saved/ for my praise art thou. Be not thou a fear unto me my hope art thou in the day of affliction/ let them be confounded that preserve me/ and let not me be confounded/ let them fear/ and let not me fear put on them the day of affliction/ and with double trouble/ trouble them.    


¶ The Preface.  
IT was never ordained without the singular providence of God/ that the multitude of Christian should learn be heart the ten commandments/ the Credo/ and the Paternoster. For truly he that understandeth these/ hath the pith of all those things/ which holy scripture doth contain or what so ever may be taught necessary unto the Christian/ and that purely and copiously/ besides that so briefly & clearly/ that no man can complain or excuse himself justly/ sith that (which is required to the blessed life) is neither over tedious/ nor yet so hard but it may be performed. Three things there are necessary to be known to obtain eternal life.  
¶ The first is that thou know what is expedient to be done/ and what to be undone. The second/ when thou perceivest that thou of thy noun strength canst neither do/ neither yet avoid that/ which thou art bound to do/ or to eschew/ that then thou know of whom to seek/ find and receive this strength. The third is/ how thou shouldest seek/ and obtain it. And hereunto I will give the an ensample to th'intent that thou mayst the more evidently perceive it. A man which is diseased with any manner of sickness/ first inquireth with what kind of sickness he is infect/ and than considereth he what strength he hath what he is able to do and what he can not do them searcheth he for a me dicyne to lay to his decease so that by this means he may get his health/ and that he may afterward be able to do and leave undone all things as the hole. Finally when he hath found this medicine he wilt take it & use it. Likewise the commandments of God do teach a man to know his infirmity that he may understand and seal what he can do & what he can not/ what he can leave & what he can not so that he may knowledge hinsylf a vicious person & a sinner. After he hath knoweleged himself/ so that then he may learn by faith where to find remedy & grace whereby he may be restored & justified and so may be abil to fulfil the commandments. For faith plainly declareth god and his mercy showed & given in Christ. But the pater noster doth teach how we should desire faith/ and obtain this bounteous favour as in a well ordered meek and faithful prayer which getteth all these things so that fulfilling the commandments of god we may be saved and made blessed. Wherefore (as I have said) in these three consisteth the hole scripture.  
Wherefore it is expedient to begin at the commandments so that we may by them learn to knowledge our sin and malice (as the spiritual infirmity) which maketh us feeble and weak so that we can neither do neither leave that which we are bound to do or to leave.   

¶ The ten commandments.  
THe first and most excellent table of Moses containeth three commandments/ and doth show unto us what we own to God/ that is to say/ what we ought to do or to eschew/ concerning those things which specially pertyne unto God. Therefore in the first of all the commandments/ we are taught what god requireth in every man's heart/ and what man ought to judge & think of him/ that is that he look ever for the best of him/ even as of a father or of a special friend/ & that with out doubting or any mistrust/ with constant faith/ trust/ & love ever fearing to displease him/ even as kind children fear to displease their natural fathers. For very nature doth teach that there is one God/ of whom all our goodness springeth which is our succour in all adversity for this did the heathen grant unto their idols.   

¶ The words of this commandment are these. ¶ Thou shalt have no strange gods.  
THe second precept teacheth us how we ought to order ourself towards god/ as concerning our outward works before men/ or else inwardly in our own conscience/ which is that we honour the name of god/ for no man can she we God as he is in his own nature/ neither to himself/ neither yet to any other but by his only name.   

¶ The words of this commandment are these. Thou shalt not take the name of god in vain.  
THe third precept doth show how we ought to behave oure self towards god in outward works/ and in wurschipping him. The words are these.   

¶ Thou shalt keep holy the Sabbath day.  
HEre mayst thou see how in these three precepts a man is taught to order himself towards God in his understanding/ thoughts of the heart words and works that is to say through out all his life.   

¶ The second Table.  
¶ The second and last Table of Moses containeth vij precepts following and this showeth us how we ought to behave our silues unto our neighbour both in doing and leaving undone.  
THe first of these doth teach us what we are bound to do to the high of officers and such as are in authority/ the which saying that they are set to rule here in stead of god it is according that this precept be set next in place after those three which do pertain to god him silft. The examples of this commandment are father/ mother/ lord/ lady/ master/ and mastresse. The words are these.   

¶ Thou shalt honour thy father and mother.  
IN the second precept of this table we learn how we ought to live with our equals & neighbours & this doth chief concern the person of man that we should hurt no man but rather with our labour and diligence to secure & promote them. Which is contained in these words.   

¶ Thou shalt not kill.  
THe third passeth thy neighbours person & showeth what thou shouldest do concerning his chief possessions as wife children and kinsmen that thou neither defile nor the them but that thou do thy diligence as much as lieth in the to save their honour & dignity the words are   

¶ Thou shalt not commit adultery.  
THe fourth treatyth of thy neighbours other movabyll goods teaching that thou take no thing from him/ nor diminyshe nor hurt any thing that he hath/ but rather to profit/ and increase it. The words are.   

¶ Thou shalt not steal.  
IN the fift we are taught how to order ourself concerning the name & good fame of our neighbour/ never to slander him but to help and defend him as much as lieth in us. These are the words of it.   

¶ Thou shalt bear no false witness against thy neighbour.  
Therefore it is foreboden us to hurt any kind of our neighbours goods/ but contrary wife commanded that we should increase them. Now if we look on the law of nature/ we shall soon perceive how marvelous/ equal/ good and righteous these precepts are. For there is nothing commanded in all these that pertain either to god or to our neigh bower/ but that every man would that it should be performed touward himself if he were in the stead of god or of his neighbour,  
THe two last precepts do reprove & condemn us for the wickedness & malice of our nature/ & teach us how pure we ought to be/ from all desyringes of the flesh/ & goods carnal. Here is the strife/ the war/ & labour/ wherein we ought to be exercised all our life/ which two commandments are given in these words.   

Thou shalt not desire thy neighbours house.  
THou shalt not desire thy neighbours wife/ servants/ maidens/ cattle and what so ever he possessith.   

¶ A short conclusion of the ten commandments.  
¶ Christ himself sayeth on this manner what so ever ye would that men should do to you/ the same do you to them. In this is comprehended the law and all the Prophets. Mat vij  
THere is no man that for his great benefits loveth to receive unkindness. There is no man will gladly suffer his name to be evil spoken of by an other There is no man which willbe content to be despised of a proud man. Besides that there is no man that loveth the disobedience/ wrath or unchasteness of his wife. There is no man which would be despoiled of his possessions defrayded/ deceived/ slandered oppressed. But rather all men are of this nature/ that they had liefer be favoured loved kindly entreated helped & trusted of their neighbours which all are commanded in these ten precepts.   

¶ Of the transgression of the commandments.  
against the first precept offend they which in adversity use charms and withcecraftes or at any time do trust to their help.  
They that have vowed their faith to the devil.  
They which abuse letters/ signs/ herbs/ words/ blessings/ or such like.  
THey that exercise any other kind of witchcraft (as there are many kinds) some use rods/ some crystal stones some clothes/ and some there be that burn milk/ some with charms do dig up threasures. These and all such other are contrary to the first commandment. They that confer their life and works to the signs of heaven/ and to the conjecturing of sooth sayers/ putting observation and difference betwixt time and tyme. They that defend either themself or their cattles house children or other goods/ from wolves/ weepen/ fire/ or watherwith any precript charm or prayer.  
THey that ascribe their trouble and adversity/ to the devil/ or other evil men. They that not lovingly & with glad heart will accept prosperity and adversity/ good and evil/ and all things even as he hath received them of god to whom we ought to give all thanks what so ever chance unto us.  
They that tempt god without any cause to prove what he will do for them putting them silues in jeopardy of body or soul.  
They that wax proud of righteousness/ cunning or other spiritual gift.  
They that worship god or his saints/ for temporal goods/ forgettyn the profits of their souls.  
They that trust not ever and in every place putting their confidence only in the mercy of God thorough out all their lives and works.  
They that doubt in faith of the favour of God.  
They that regard not the unbelief and mistrust of other neither bringeth them to his power to believe and trust in the mercy of God.  
Of this place are all kinds of unbelief mistrust and desperation.   

¶ against the second offendeth.  
HE that without a cause or of a custom sweareth foolishly.  
He that forswerith himself/ or keepeth not his promise.  
¶ He that sweareth/ or voweth to do any mischief.  
He that by the name of god doth curse or ban other. He that foolishly trifelyth with god wrestyth/ though it be in sport/ the words of scripture.  
He that in trouble doth not call on the name of God not●her thanket him in all things/ sweet/ sour/ good and evil/ welfare and trouble. He that seeketh to be oppressed and honoured for his virtue & wisdom. He that falsely doth call on the name of God as heretics do/ and which be pride have feigned themselves holy.  
He that praiseth not the name of God in all things that chance unto him. He that withstandith not all such things as do slander the name of god and they that my suse his holy name/ or by th'occasion of it do evil deeds. Add hereunto/ vain glory/ honour and pride of spiritual things.   

¶ against the third offendeth.  
HE that heareth not/ or teacheth not the word of god.  
He that prayeth not/ and server not god in spirit.  
He that will not suffer God to have the glory of all his works.  
¶ He that putteth any trust in his works/ affections or desires/ and is not content to suffer all things that god will put unto him.  
He that helpeth not other that they may fulfil these precepts/ and forbiddeth not other that would transgress them.   

¶ against the fourth offendeth.  
HE that is ashamed of the poverty or any other wretchedness/ misery or/ slander of his parents.  
He that provedeth not such things as are necessary for them/ as food and raiment And moche more they which curse/ ban and beat them/ which say evil by them slander them hate and disobey them.  
¶ He that in his heart setteth not moche by them for god's commandments.  
He that doth not honour them/ though thy be cruel and unrightful.  
He that obeyeth not to masters and officers/ is not trusty and faithful to them whether they be good or evil.  
¶ He that maintaineth not this commandment/ nor resisteth not them which do the contrary. Hither confer all the kinds of pride of disobedience.   

¶ against the fift offendeth.  
HE that is angry with his neighbour He that sayeth unto his neighbour/ Racha in which word are contained all kinds of wrath & hatred. He that calleth an other sole of which word spring checkys/ rebukes/ cursings/ sclaunderinges/ judgements/ mocks/ and such other,  
He that doth publish his neighbours offences/ & doth not cover & excuse them.  
He that forgiveth not his enemies. He that prayeth not for his enemies. He that will not love & do his duty to his enemy.  
Under this precept are contained all the sins of wrath/ hatred/ manslaughter/ battle/ pylage/ burnings/ finally/ of contention strife/ chidings/ envy in the welfare of our neighbours & rejoicing of his hurt or trouble. He that doth not exercise the works of mercy/ & that unto his enemies. He that setteth other together by the cares & enticeth them to hath the one the other. He that stirreth up discord among other. He that doth not reconcile than which are at defiance. He that withstandeth not nor presseth wrath/ and debate/ if he may.   

¶ against the sixth offendeth.  
HE that hath to do with any single woman or is an adulterer. He that taketh any of his own kin or committeth any such vice. He that useth persons against nature which are called dumb sins. He that doth nourish and flurryth up his lust/ with unclenely words stories/ songs and images. He that desyleth & corrupteth himself with looking touching/ or other wanton thoughts whereunto he casteth favour.  
He that avoideth not the causes of surseting/ sloth/ idleness/ sleep/ the company of such men and women. He that with over gorgeous apparel and decking himself/ or with evil manners enticeth other/ o the lust of the flesh.  
He that doth minister house/ licence/ place time/ or help/ to the works of this abominable lust. He that defendeth not an other man's chastity with all his council & diligence.   

¶ against the seventh offendyth.  
HE that useth theft pillage or usury. He that useth false weights & measures/ or that selleth unlawful merchandise for other than they be.  
He that taketh any heritage unjustly or other exaction.  
He that delayeth or denieth the reward of works/ or his debt.  
He that dareth not to his poor neighbour/ neither helping him without taking any advantage.  
All covetous men & that labour to be rich/ & they that by any other means keep and withhold other men's goods.  
He that letteth not an other man's loss.  
He that warneth not an other to avoid his hurt. He that letteth his neighbours pre-eminence. He that envieth his neighbours advantage.   

¶ against the eight offendeth.  
HE that in judgement doth hide and suppress the truth. He that with lies and deceits do the hurt.  
They which hurt with their flattering double tongues/ and are all ready to please such as are glad to here complaints.  
He that bringeth in jeopardy his neighbours life or goods or falsely judgeth & expoundeth his words and works.  
He that giveth hearing to such evil tongues and helpeth them and doth not resist them.  
He that useth not his own tongue to defend and excuse his neighbours name He that reproveth not aslaunderer.  
¶ He that spreadeth not a broad all men's virtues hiding their vices.  
He that holdeth his peace knowing the truth & withstondith not them that so do.   

¶ against the last two.  
THe last two precepts are these very mark set before us unto the which we must strive to come by daily labour & penance trusting in the help of god/ 〈◊〉 in his favour/ for our evil desires will ●euer be utterly destroyed until our flesh be brought & be renewed with another generation. The .v. wits are comprehended in the fift and sixth commandment. The ●i. works of mercy in .v. and vij The vij ●edly sins. Pride in the first and secun●e/ lechery in the sixth/ wrath & envy in the ●yft/ gluttony in the sixth/ slewth in the third 〈◊〉 and in all the other.  
Likewise the sins which are touwar●es other/ show themselves through ●ll the commandments/ for a man may offend against all the precepts/ by commanding/ councelinge or helping other.  
The sins which are called dummy and cry for vengeance to god are contrary to the sixth & seventh commandments. In all these works we see none other thī● but the love of ourself/ which seeketh hi● own & taketh from God/ that which i● god's/ & from men those things that p●teyne to men/ it giveth no thing that it hath to god nor to man. Wherefore it may well 〈◊〉 true that (s. Augustyn sayeth) the head o● all sin is the love of ourself. Of thi● followeth that the precepts command ●●ne other thing but love. again forbid n●thing but love. And that he that keepeth th● commandments fulfilleth/ nothing b● love. again nothing but love breaketh t● commandments. And that is it that P●le saith love is the fulfilling of all the co●maundementes. Even as wicked love (th● is to say the love of thyself) is the breaking of all the commandments.   

¶ The fulfilling of the cōmaundemēt●  
THe fulfilling of the first commandment is fear & love towards G● with an untayned faith to trust cōstau●ly unto god in all things to betake ourself plainly & purely unto god in all points to mistrust and deny ourself utterly in all things whether they be good or bad. Here put in what so ever is written in ●he hole scripture of faith hope and love ●owardes god which are shortly contained in this first precept.   

¶ The fulfilling of the second is.  
TO praise to honour to bliss & call on the name of god. Utterly to dispi●e and forsake our own name and glory so that god only have the praise which ●lone worketh all things. Here taketh ●lace what thing so ever is written in ho●y scripture of the praise of God/ of giving ●hankes to him/ of the name of god/ of joy ●nd gladness.   

¶ The fulfilling of the third is.  
TO betake ourself holy to god that he alone may work in us and do all things. This commandment requireth ●ouertye of sprite/ which should offer him ●elfe to god/ as deed & not living in this world that he may be his god/ which on himself may take both his name & work according to the meaning of the two for said commandments. hereunto pertaineth what so ever is commanded unto us of worsshypping god/ of hearing gods word of good works/ be which we may subdue the flesh to the spirit/ so that all our life/ and all our works be gods and not our own.   

THe fulfilling of the fourth is wilful obedience and meekness to submit himself to all officers/ because it pleaseth god so (as writeth th'apostle Peter) without contradiction/ without complaint and without any grudging. hereunto apply what so ever things are written in scripture of obedience/ humility/ subjection/ and reverence.   

¶ The fulfilling of the fift is.  
SVffraunce/ meekness/ goodness/ peace/ mercy/ a heart that is full purified with love and sweetness/ clean without hate/ wrath and bitterness/ not to his friends only/ but also to his enemies/ ye and indifferently to all men. Hither confer all the instructions of patience/ gentleness/ peace and unite.   

¶ The fulfilling of the sixth is.  
CHaslite soberness shame fastness not of deeds only but of words and manners/ ye & of thoughts. Besides that attemperance/ of meat/ drink/ sleep/ and what so ever doth help chastity/ hither apply all places of holy scripture concerning, chastity/ fasting/ sobriety/ attemperance/ prayer watching/ labours/ and in conclusion all things that maintain chastity.   

¶ The fulfilling of the seventh is.  
poverty of sprite/ kindness/ liberality/ wasting of our own goods to profit our neighbours/ to live without covetousness and desire of richesse. Here gather all that is written of covetousness of goods unjustly gotten and possessed/ of usury/ so tilt/ evil deceit/ of injury and hurt done/ of letting thy neighbours profit/ or despising him.   

¶ The fulfilling of the eight is.  
A peaceable and hold tongue which hurteth no man/ but profiteth all men which setteth enemies at one/ which excuseth and defendeth them that are noted viciose parsons and sinners. Such simplicity & profit is in speaking. Hereto pertain all things which are spoken of silence & speaking/ and what so ever toucheth the good name/ honour/ right causes/ and profits/ of thy neighbour.   

¶ The fulfilling of the last is.  
THe perfit and absolute pureness & despising (in the heart) of all temporal richesse & pleasures/ which thing shall be done perfectly in the life to come.  
In all these things seest thou none other things but to love other/ that is to love god and thy neighbour which love seeketh not his own profit/ but only those things which belong to god/ and to his neighbour/ which love yieldeth & giveth himself plainly to every man granting them full rule and authority/ to use their pleasure his goods and profits.  
Now sayst thou that in all these ten commandments/ in a good order and briefly are contained/ all kinds of in formations/ that are expedient for man's life/ which if any man will do his diligence to keep truly he shall never be idle no/ not an hour/ but shall have occasion to do good deeds/ so that truly he shall never have need to choose to him other strange works of man's invention/ as are to run hither and thither/ and to be occupied in such things/ which in no place are commanded/ and which shallbe profitable for no thing.  
Hit is evident that in all these precepts there is nothing written/ which teacheth us to serve our silues/ either to do/ leave/ or require of any man/ that which concerneth our own profit/ but only what we are bound to do to other/ that is to say/ to god and to our neighbour. So that even blind men may well perceive that the fulfilling of the commandments standeth in love towards other/ not towards ourself. For man of his own nature seeketh and avoideth sufficiently/ that which is for (or against) his profit/ so that it needeth not to move him to it/ but much rather to bring him from it. There fore he liveth best which liveth not to himself.  
And contrary he liveth worst which liveth to himself. This is th'effect that the ten commandments teach. Whereby it is manifest that there are but few that live well it/ in that we are men/ none of us lyeuth well.  
This known/ we must learn of whom to axe this excellent gift/ to live well/ so that we may fulfil these commandments    

¶ The Crede or belief.  
THe effect of our faith standeth in three parts/ as in it are rehearsed three parsons of the godly trinity. The first is of the father. The second of the son. The third of the holy ghost/ and to every one of these persons is applied his operation. This is the chief article of the faith/ on the which all the other depend.  
Here note two manner of belefes. First some there be which believe that those things be true/ which are spoken of god/ even as a man doth believe those things to be true which he heareth of the Turk/ of the devil/ and of hell. This faith is rather a science/ or a vain opinion/ then a sure trust or belief. There is an other faith towards god/ that thou do not only believe these things to be true which thou hearest of god/ but also trust to him/ and be take & commit thyself wholly unto him/ besides that/ to presume upon him/ believing/ without doubt that thou shalt obtain and receive of him/ that which thou hardest spoken of him/ and that with such faith and confidence as thou wooldest give to no man. Be it in case that the Turk (or any other man) be greatly praised unto thee/ and that thou believe faithfully that some man is discrete/ and worthy praise/ yet for all that thou wilt not commit thyself unto him putting all thy trust and confidence in him.  
But this faith which boldly betaketh himself to god/ both in jeopardy of life and death/ knoweleging that he is such as he is spoken of maketh only a christian/ & obtaineth of god what so ever she desireth neither is there any false heart that receiveth this faith. For this is the quick faith which is required in the first commandment which sayeth thus: I am thy god take no strange gods. Wherefore this/ in/ is not put in vain/ but it is to be observed with a notable signification. For we do not say/ I believe to god the father or of god the father/ but I believe in god the Father/ in jesus Christ/ and in the holy ghost.  
Wherefore this faith ought to be had in none but in one god/ so that by this we confess also the godhead of Christ and of the holy ghost/ because we believe none other wise in the son/ and the holy ghost/ than we do in the father, himself. For even as we have one faith in all the three persons/ so all the three persons are only one god.  

¶ The first part of the belief.  I Believe in God the father almighty/ maker of heaven & earth. 
That is/ I forsake Satan and all idolatry/ all charms witchcrafts & false hope. I put my trust in no man of all the world/ neither yet in myself/ not in my power/ learning/ science richesse/ wisdom/ or what thing so ever it be/ that I have or possess.  
I put no confidence in any creature whether it be in heaven or in earth. But I put my sure trust only in one god which can not be seen with man's eye/ which cannot be comprehendend with man's wit/ which made heaven & earth/ and alone ruleth all creatures, To him hoelly I submit myself. Nothing fearing/ nor regarding the malice of the devil/ & his fellows/ for my god is above them all. Nether would I put the lesse confidence in god/ though all men did forsake me and persecute me.  
Nether will I trust him the/ because I am wretched and poor/ because I am rude and unlearned/ because I am despised and lack possessions.  
Nether yet the less because I am a sinner for this my faith doth far pass/ all things (as it is necessary & aught to do) what soever either be/ or be not/ both sins and virtues & to be short/ all things. So that she doth purely & hoely fix herself in God only/ as the first commandment teacheth and compelleth me.  
Nether desire I any sign to tempt him I trust faithfully unto him/ all though he differre & tarry at his pleasure I will not set or prescribe to him any end/ any time/ measure or reason but I commit all to his will/ with a pure faith and a stable. For he is almighty/ what can I lack that he can not give and do unto me?  
For he is the maker of heaven & earth and lord of all things/ what thing can hinder me or hurt me? How may it be that all things shall not turn to mine use and profit/ when he to, whom all these things are subject and obedient favoureth me and loveth me?  
Now (sith he is god) he knoweth whereunto he hath ordained me/ and how every thing shallbe best for me and that which he knoweth/ he may do. If he be my father/ it is sure that he will see the best for me and that with a good will.  
When I doubt not hereof and have such trust in him/ then no doubt I on his servant his son/ & his heir for ever. And even as I believe so shall it be unto me.   

¶ The second part of the belief.  ANd in jesus Christ/ his only son our lord. Which was conceived by the holy ghost/ born of Mary the virgin. Suffered under Pontius Pylatus/ crucified/ deed/ and buried/ descended to hell/ the third day rose again from death. Ascended to heaven/ syttith on the right hand of God the father almighty/ from thence he shall come to judge quick and dead, 
That is/ I do not only believe/ that jesus Christ is the true & only son of God/ by everlasting & godly nature/ & being from the beginning & ever begotten: but also that all things are subdued under him/ & that he is my lord/ and the lord of all creatures/ made ruler of them being man/ which he himself with the father in his divinity did make.  
I believe that no man may believe in god the father or may come unto the father/ neither by science and learning neither by works/ neither by their own reason and wit or by what thing so ever may be named in heaven or earth/ but by this and in this jesus Chryst his only son/ that is to say by the saith in the name and power of jesus Chryst.  
I believe unfeignedly/ and surely/ that he was conceived for my profit by the holy ghost without all man's and carnal work/ without a bodily father/ or man's seed/ and that to purify/ and make spiritual my sinful/ fleshly/ unclean/ and dampnabill conception/ and all theirs that believe in him: moved to his mercy of his own and fire will and the will of the almighty father.  
¶ I believe that he was begotten of the virgin Mary without the loss of her pure and uncorrupt virginity/ so that (according to the providence of the merciful father) he should bliss and cleanse the sins & dampnabill birth of all that believe in him that after/ it might do no hurt.  
I believe that he suffered passion & death for my sins/ and all theirs that believe in him/ & that he thereby blessed all passions/ crosses & deaths/ so that after they might not hurt/ but be both wholesome and meritorious.  
I believe that he was dead and buried to mortify & bury all my sins/ & theirs that believe. Finally that all bodily death by his death was destroyed/ so that it is of no power to hurt but is rather made wholesome and profitable.  
I belief that he went down to hell to subdue and make captive/ to me & to all that believe/ the devil with all his empery/ subtilite and malice/ to deliver me from hell/ taking away all his power that he might not hurt me/ but should rather be profitable unto me.  
I believe that on the third day he rose again from death/ to bring me and all that believe in to a new life/ and that by this deed he raised me with him/ in grace and sprite/ not to sin after/ but that I endowed with all kinds of grace and virtue/ might serve him/ and so fulful his commandments.  
I believe that he ascended unto heaven/ and that he hath received of the father/ rule/ & honour above all angels/ and creatures. And that he now sitteth on the right hand of the father/ that is/ that he is king and lord over all the goods of godyn heaven hell and earth.  
Wherefore he may help me and them that believe/ yn all manner of adversities against all our adversaries and enemies.  
I believe that from thence he shall return the last day/ to judge quick/ whom he them shall find alive/ and deed which before were buried. And that he shall compel all men and angels good and evil to come before the seat of his judgement (whom they shall see bodily) to deliver me and all faithful/ from bodily death/ from all evil/ and sins. And to punish with eternal judgement his enemies/ and adversaries/ so that we shallbe delivered from their power for ever.   

¶ The third part of the belief.  I Believe in the holy ghost/ the holy Christian church/ the communion of saints/ the forgiveness of sin/ the rising/ of flesh/ and everlasting life. Amen. 
That is to say/ I do not only believe that the holy ghost is very god with the father & the son. But also that no man can come to the father by ceist/ by his life/ passion/ death & what so ever who spoken of christ or obtain any of these things/ without the work of this spirit with the which sprece I desire the father & the son/ to touch me and all faithful to stir me up/ to call/ to draw/ and by Chryst and in christ to quicken me to make me holy and spiritual and so to bring me to the father/ for it is he/ which with the father/ by christ & in christ workith and quyckenyth all things.  
I believe that in all the we ●ide/ be it never so great/ there is but one common christian church which is none other thing but the congregation & communion of holy men that is of righteous & faithful men on the earth And that this church by this holy spirit is gathered & maintained. Through whom also it is governed and increased daily by the sacraments and word of god.  
I believe that no man can ever be saved/ which is not found agreeable & consenting with this congregation/ in one faith in one word/ in one sacrament/ hope and charity And that none of the jews or gentiles can be saved with this church except they reconcile themself unto it/ and come in favour which it/ confirming themselves in all points thereunto.  
I believe that in this communion or Christian te all the prayers and good works of this congregation do necessarily help me/ way am my side and comfort me in all times of life and death.  
I believe that in this congregation & comenwelth (and in none other place) is gorgevenesse of sins. And that without this all great and good works/ how many so ever there are of them do nothing profit to forgiveness of sin. And contrariwise in this congregation/ the multytute/ greatness/ and often committing of sins/ do nothing hurt/ neither let the forghevenesse of sin/ but that this forgiveness doth continue wheresoever/ and how song/ this excellent church doth endure. To whom also christ ghyveth his keys/ and sayeth in the xviij. of Mathewe what soever ye lose upon earth/ it shallbe loosed in heaven: likewise he saith to Peter alone/ in the name and stead of this only one church in thee, xvi. of Mat. Whatsoever thou lose upon earth it shall loosed in heaven.  
I believe that there shallbe arrysing of them that are dead/ in the which rising the holy ghost shall stir up all flesh/ that is all men concerning the body and flesh good & onell/ so that the very flesh which was dead buried and consumed or by other ways destroyed shall return/ and live again.  
I believe that after this resurrection shallbe eternal life of good men/ and eternal death of sinners.  
Of all these things I doubt not but every one of them shall come unto me from the father by the son jesus christ our lord with and in the holy ghost. Amen that signifieth that in good faith & without doubt all these things are true.    

¶ The prayer of the lord called the Pater noster wheryn are contained vij petitions.  
¶ The preface and introduction to ar● these vij petitions is contained in these words.  

Our father which art in heaven. The understanding of the words.  
almighty god sith thou of thine intynyte benevolence and mercy hast not only admitted us/ but also taught/ ye and commanded by the only/ and dear son our lord jesus christ that we (trusting in his mery●es and protection/ he being our intercessor) should believe that thou were a loving father unto us. And that we should also call the father/ though worthily and by great right thou mightest have been a cruel judge against us sinners which so oft and abominably have done against thy godly and most holy will/ and have given the occasion of displeasure against us. give us we beseech thee/ by the fame benevolence and mercy/ that we may have in our hearts sure trust (without fear) of thy fatherly love And make us fear this acceptable smell & sweetness/ which the most sure/ and childly trust doth get unto us/ that we may with glad mind call the father/ knowledge/ love/ and cry on the in all leoperdyes keep us (I desire thee) that we may continue thy loving children/ and not deserve to make the most meekest father our horrible judge nor suffer us not to be thine enemies/ which ought to be thy children and heirs. Thou wilt also/ not only simply/ be called a father/ but that we with a comen voice should call the our father. And so with a special prayer of unity pray for every man Wherefore give unto us anagreing/ and brotherly love/ so that we may perceive every one of us that we are truly brother's/ and sister's/ and may pray to the as to our comen and merciful father/ every on for other/ even as kind children entreat their father one for another. Grant/ that none of us seek that which is his own or else forget other/ in thy sight: but that (avoiding all heat/ envy/ & dissension/ as it becometh the true children of god) we may love together with dew favour so that we may say with a faithful heart not my father but our father. Sith truly thou art no bodily nor earthly father/ whom we may see in earth/ but art in havyn our spiritual father which dieth not/ neither are uncertain or doubtful / or such which art not able to help thyself as is an earthly & bodily father (whereby it is evident unto us how moche thou art a better father/ which reachist this temporal father odes country/ friends/ richesse/ flesh/ & blood/ to be despised for the. Grant us dear father that we may be thy heavenly children. Teach us to regard none other thing than our foul healeth/ and the everlasting heritage/ so that this temporal country & worldly heritage (which compasseth & noyeth us/ labouring to make us earthly & like unto itself) deceive us not so that we may say truly & with a faithful here O our heavenly father give us thy grace that we may be thy heavenly children.   

¶ The first petition.  Thy name be hallowed. 
O God almighty/ our most dear heaven the father/ thy godly name/ even now in this time/ in this vale of misery (Alas for shame) so many ways is slandered/ with checks/ and injuries miserably rebuked/ applied to many things wheryn standeth not thy honour and glory ye and many abuse it/ to their great confusion/ which thing is so comen & often used / that this filthy life may well be called a slander and dishonesting of thy most glorious name. Therefore endow us with thy godly grace/ that we may avoid such things as are against the honour & praise of thy most holy name. Make thou all witther aftes and false charms shortly to decay. cause all conjurings by the which satan or other creatures/ are enchaunced to cease by thy blessed name, Make that all false faith by the which other we distrust thee/ or put more confidence in other than is needful/ may quickly be destroyed Make that all heresies and false doctrine which pretend a colour of thy name/ may suddenly vanish a weigh. Make that all hypocrisy or feigning of truth righteousness or holiness deceive no man. Make that no man swear by thy name/ lie/ or deceive. Keep us from all false hope/ which under colour of thy name offereth itself unto us. Keep us from spiritual pride/ from the vain honour of worldly glory and name. Grant us that in all perils and hurt we may call upon this thy holy name. Grant that in the straightness of conscience/ and ieoberdie of death we never forget thy blessed name. Grant/ that in our good words and works we may only praise and magnify thee/ so that we neither seek nor challenge to ourself any name or honour/ but to the only whose (alone) are all things keep us from the most dampnabill sin of unkindness.  
Grant that by our life/ and good works all other may be movel to good/ and that they worship and praise nor us/ but thy name. Grant that by our evil works and sins no man may take occasion to slander thy name/ or diminish thy praise. Keep us that we desire nothing either corruptible or everlasting/ which should not return to the honour/ and praise of thy name And if we are anisuche here thou not our foolishness. Make that our life be such that we may truly be found thy children/ so that this thy name father be not called in vain or falsely in us.  
To this part of prayer specially pertain all psalms and prayers/ with which we praise/ wurschippe/ sing/ give thanks to god and finally all the praise of god.   

¶ The second petition.  Let thy kingdom come. 
THis wretched life is the kingdom of all sins/ & mischief whose lord is the evil spirit/ chief author/ & grunde of all malice & sin/ But thy kingdom is the kingdom of all grace & virtue/ whose lord is thy best beloved son jesus christ the heed & beginning of all grace & virtue/ wherefore help us most dear father/ & come again in favour with us. give us before all things true and constant faith in Christ hope (without fear) in thy mercy/ against all infirmytes of our weak conscience/ and pure love towards thee/ and all men. Keep us from infidelity/ desperation/ and malice/ which at the last might be the cause of our destruction,  
Make us to avoid the soul desire of lechery. give us love to virginity/ and to all cleanness. deliver us from dissensions bateylles/ discord and strife. Make the virtues of thy kingdom to come and reign within us. give us peace/ concord and tranquillity so that wrath/ or any other vytternesse have not his kingdom in us/ but rather (through thy grace) the simple sweetness/ and brotherly faith/ all kind of friendship/ good manner/ gentleness and kindness. Grant us that the inordinate trouble and sickness of mind have no place in us/ but make the rejoicing and pleasure in thy grace and mercy rule/ and have dominion. And to be short/ that all sin may be alienate from us/ and that we (replenyssed with thy grace/ virtue and good works) may be made thy kingdom/ that all our heart/ mind/ and sense/ with all our strength inward/ and outward may suffer themself to be ruled by thee/ to serve thee/ thy commandments and thy will/ not themself or the flesh the world or the devil. Make that this thy kingdom once in us begun/ may be encreasid/ go forward daily and grow lest the subtle malice/ or fleuthe that we have to goodness oppress us/ lest we look back again and fall in to sin.  
give us a stable purpose and strength/ not only to begin this good life/ but rather to proceed boldly in it and to perform it/ as the prophet sayeth. Lighten mine ces jest I sleep or bewery in the good life once begun/ and so mine enemy do bring me again into his power. Grant/ that we may so continue. And that thy kingdom which shall come/ may fynysshe and perform this kingdom which is begun by the. deliver us from this parylouse/ & sinful life. Make us desire the other life to come/ and to hate this present life. give us grace not to fear death/ but rather to desire it Put from us the love and desire of this life/ that so thy kingdom may fully be perfect in us. Of this petition are all psalms/ verses/ and prayers in the which grace and virtue is desired of god.   

¶ The third petition.  ¶ Thy will be fulfilleth in earth as it is in heaven. 
IF our will be compared with thine it can never be good/ but is ever evil. Thy will is ever best specially/ and much to be loved and desired: wherefore have compassion upon us most dear father/ and suffer nothing to be as we would have it. give us/ and teach us/ true and stable patience/ when our will is let and broken. Grant us that when any man speaketh/ holdeth his peace/ doth/ or leaveth undone/ any thing contrary to our will/ that therefore we be not wroth or angry/ neither curse/ compleyn/ cry/ or murmur neither judge/ nor condemn/ ye that we defend not ourself. Grant that we may meekly give place to our adversaries/ & them which let our will/ and so to disanul our will/ that we may praise/ say well/ and do to them/ as to choose which do perform thy godly and best will against ours. Endow us with thy grace that we may gladly suffrer all diseases/ poverty despisings/ persecutions/ cross/ and adversities: knoweleging that it is thy will to crucify our wil give us grace that we may suffer injury and that gladly. Keep us from avengement. Make us that we quite not evil for evil/ neither to avoid violence/ by violence. But rather that we delight in thy will (which bringeth us all these things) praise thee/ and give the thanks. Make us that we impute it not to the devil or evil men/ when any adversity chanceth: but that we attribute all unto thy godly will/ which ordyneth all such things/ that our will may belief/ and that blessedness may increase in thy kingdom, give us grace that we may be glad/ & merit to die/ & that for thy will we may take our death gladli so that by fear nor infirmity we be not made disobyent unto the Make that all our membres eyes/ tongue/ heart/ hands and feet/ be not suffered to follow their desires neither that we be at any time subdued under them but that we (even as taken and imprisoned) may be broken in thy will & pleasure. Keep us from all evil/ mischievous/ obstinate/ hard/ stiff/ ungentill/ and resisting will.  
give the we obedience/ parsait & freminde in all spiritual things/ worldly/ everlasting & transitory. Keep us from the most horrible sin of gruging slander/ accusing & foolish hardy judgement/ that we condemn no man or turn any thing to rebuke Put from us that abominable evil/ and most grievous stroke all such tongues/ & teach us that if we see or hear of other any thing worthy of rebuke/ & which displeaseth us/ that we hold our peace & hide it complening to the only/ putting & committing it unto thy will/ so that with all our mind we forgive them that offend us for whom also we be sorry. Teach us to understoud that no man may hurt us except be do himself much more hurie in thy sigh so that we may be moved with mercy towards him/ rather than we should be provoked to wrath rather weeping for his blindness/ then to think of advengement. give us grace that we rejoice not in their trouble/ which have resisted our will or hurt us/ or in what point so ever their life displeaseth us/ and also that we be not sorry when they prosper & have welfare.  
Of this petition are all psalms verses and prayers teaching us to pray for our enemies/ and against our sins.   

¶ The fourth petition.  give us this day our daily bread. 
THe bread is our lord jesus Crist which nourysseth/ and comforteth the soul. Therefore: O heavenly father/ give us this grace/ that the life of Chryst words/ works/ and passions/ may be preached/ known/ and holden/ both of us/ & of all the world. give us grace that we may have his words/ worltes and all his life for an affectuose example/ and spectacle of all virtues. give us grace that i● our passions and adversities/ we may comfort ourself by his passion and cross. give us grace that we may with a scable faith overcome our death by his death/ and follow without fear this noble capteyn into another life. give this grace that all they that preach/ may proufitably and blissedly preach thy word/ and jesus christ through all the world and that all which have thy word preached/ may learn Crist and so may be purified/ and go forth in a better life. Grant this also merciful father/ that all strange doctrines in the which Christ is not learned may be thrust out of thy church. Have mercy on all bisschoppes/ priests and on all them whom they call consecrated/ & of all officers that they may be lighteneth with thy grace/ to teach & rule well/ both in word & also crample of life. Keep all that are week in the faith lest they be offended by the myschevous example of heads and rulers. Keep us from hereyses and doctrines of division/ that we may be agreeing in one mind/ sith we use one daily breed that is/ one daily doctrine/ and word of Chryst. Teach us by thy grace/ to think/ and have in mind/ truly (and as we ought to do) the passion of Christ/ and to join it happily with our life/ so that we may come and attain some thing/ though it be but the shadow of it. Finally give us our daily bread/ that Christ in us & we in Chryst may dwell perpetually/ and may worthily bear this name/ sith of Christ we are called Christian. Of this petition are all kind of prayers and Psalms/ with which we pray for our officers/ against false teachers/ for the jews/ for heretics/ and all other that are out of the right weigh. And also with which we pray for them that lack monforte.   

¶ The fift petition,  ¶ forgive us our treaspaces even as we forgive them that trespass us. 
THis prayer hath a certain condition and sign annexed with him/ which ●s that first we forgive our trespassers. This done/ then may we say forgive be our trespasses. Before also in the third petition we prayed that the will of God might be fulfilled/ which willeth that we suffer all things patiently/ not quyting evil for evil/ neither seeking avengement/ but that we do good for evil/ by th'example of our father in heaven/ which maketh his son shine upon good and evil/ and sendeth his rain upon kind and unkind   

¶ This is now our prayer.  
O father comfort our conscience/ both now/ and in the day of death/ which conscience now is abashed saying his sin and iniquyre/ & then also shallbe abashed/ remembering thy cruel judgement. give thy peace into our hearts that we (rejoicing) may look for thy judgement. enter not into judgement with thy straight law/ for in it shall no man be fund innocent & righteous. Teach us dear father not to stick or be comforted in our good works or diseruynges/ but to give and submit ourself plainly and faithfully to thine infinite and incomparable mercy. Again. Make that we despair not for this our guilty and sinful life/ but that we may iudgge thy mercy more mighty and stronger than our life/ how soever we have ordered it. Help and comfort all men's conscience which in the point of death/ or in any other such temptation are vexed with desperation. forgive them and us our deuces/ comfort them/ refresh them/ and he reconciled unto them. give us thy goodness for our malice/ as thou commandest that we should do. Cast down the horrible fiend flaunderer/ accuser/ and encreasar/ of our sins now and in the point of death and to be short/ in all straightness of conscience. give us grace to avoid that by our diffamation men's sins appear not the more grievous, judge us not after the accusation of the devil and our wretched conscience/ neither hear the voice of our enemies which accuse us day and night before thee/ even as we will not hear them which diffame and accuse other. Take from us the grievous heap of the sins in our conscience/ so that we refreshed by ●he sure trust and confidence of thy mercy in the bottom of our heart/ may live/ die/ suffer/ and take all things patiently. In this petition take place all Psalms and prayers which against sins cry on the mercy of God.   

¶ The sext petition.  ¶ And lead us not in to temptation. 
WE are assaulted with three manners of temptation and vexation/ the flesh/ the world/ & the devil. Therefore we desire the most dear father to endow us so with thy grace that we may withstand the desires of the flesh. Make that we resist and fight against this superfluity of meat/ drink/ sleep/ sloth/ and idleness. Make that we may bring him in to bondage and subjection/ with fasting/ temperate diet/ clothing/ sleep/ rest/ watch & labour/ so that he may be meet/ and apt to good works. Make that with Chryst we may fastyn on the cross and mortify his evil desires to lechery/ all his affections and instigations: so that we never consent or follow any his temptations. ☞ Make that if by chance we look on a well made or fair man or woman/ or any other beautiful image or creature/ that they be not to us a cause of temptation: But that the rather of them we may take occasion to love chastity/ and to praise the in thy creatures. Make that when we hear any glad or pleasant thing/ or feal any sweet thing that we seek not therein our delight and pleasure/ but thy praise and glory. Keep us from this great sin of covetousness/ & desire to worldly richesse. give us grace that we sick not the rule and honour of this world/ or consent to such desires. Keep us that the false subtlety of this world the counterfeit brightness/ & enticements of the same persuade us not to follow it. Keep us that we be not drawn by the evils and miseries of this world to impatience/ avengement/ wrath/ or to other such vices. give us grace that we may despise the lies of the world/ colours/ deceits/ promises/ and falsehood. And to be short/ that we may forsake all that belongeth to him good & evil/ as we have promised in baptism/ and that we may continue in this purpose going forward daily more and more. Keep us from the enticements of the devil/ that we consent not to ●ryde/ which would cause us to set mo●he by ourself (and despise other) for ry●hesse kin power/ science learning/ beauty or any other gifts or goodness. Keep us that we fall not in the sin of hate/ and envy/ what occasion so ever we have gylen unto us. Keep us that we doubt not ●n thy faith/ neither fall in desperation/ no we/ nor in the point of death. Put thy helping had our best heavenly father to them that fight and labour against this hard and manifold temptation. comfort them that now do stand/ and lift them up that lie and are fallen. Finally fulfil us all with thy grace/ that in this miserabyll and perilous life (which is compassed with so many continuell enemies that never cease) we may fight boldly with stable and noble faith/ & obtain the everlasting crown   

¶ The seventh petition.  But deliver us from evil. 
¶ This petition prayeth for all the evils of pains and punishments as doth the church in the litany.  
O Father, deliver us from thy ever lasting wrath and punish mences of hell. deliver us from thy straight judgement in death/ and 〈◊〉 the last day of judgement. deliver us from sondayne death. Keep us from the violence of water and fire from lightning and hail Keep us from hunger and dearth/ keep us from war and manslaughter. Keep us from thy most grievous strokes/ the pestilence/ french pocks/ and such other diseases. Keep us from all evil and perils of the body. Reserved that in all these things/ be the glory of thy name/ increase of thy kingdom/ and fulfilling of thy will.   

¶ Amen.  
¶ Grant us good lord that all these prayers may be obtained of us withouten douthe. Nether suffer that we my strust any thing/ but that in all these things we shallbe heard/ ye be herd all ready. And let all these things be sure and with out any doubt. So may we with glad here say/ amen/ that is to say stable/ constant/ true and s●er.    

¶ The salutation of our Lady called ave Maria.  
HEre take heed no man put his sure trust and hope in the mother of god or her merits/ for this sure trust is dew to god only/ as the chief & only worship with which we are commanded to honour only god. The favour which was given to her of god/ giveth us an occasion to praise god/ & give him thanks, We ought none otherwise to praise & love her/ them one which hath received such goodness without her own deserving of the pure liberality & favour of God/ even as she herself doth knowledge in the song Magnificat. For as I am moved by the sight of heaven/ the son/ or other creatures to commend and praise the maker/ and put them in to my praise/ and prayer/ saying. O good lord which hast made such a bright and goodly creature give I pray the. etc.  
¶ So in this place in our prayer we fet the mother of god/ and say. O glorious god what a noble virgin haste thou made/ blessed and praised be she. And thou lord which haste so glorified and exalted her/ grant I desire the also to me. etc.  
So that our heart consist not in her/ but may go forth by her to Chryst and to god him self. Wherefore the prayer is also made on this manner that it giver all to god when we say/ hail Marry full of grace/ the lord is with thee/ blessed art thou among women and blessed is the trute of thy womb jesus Christ. Here thou sayst that in these words no petition but pure praises and honours are contained/ like as in the beginning & first words of the Pater noster is no petition/ but only praise and declaring of the godly favour and majesty that he is our father and in heaven. Therefore we can not call this salutation a petition or any prayer/ because it is not lawful for us/ to expound these words for there then they sound/ and then the holy ghost did make them. How be it we may entreat of this salutation divers manner of ways. First as a meditation/ that we may in this remember the grace which god gave/ her. secondly that we may desire also that she may be known and exalted of all men/ for she was full of grace/ whereby it is known that she had no sin imputed to her/ and this was a special favour of God/ to be full of all goodness and void of all evil Thirdly/ that she is blessed among all women/ not for that alone that she brought forth her child without labour and pain/ otherwise than Eva/ and other women but also because she conceived fruit without sin/ and that bodily fruit by the holy ghost/ which was given to none other woman. ¶ Fourthly that her fruit was blessed and preserved against the curse which did fall upon all the children of Eve because they were all conceived in sin/ & borne guilty of death and damnation. But this only fruit of her womb alone be blessed/ in the which fruit all we are blessed. fifthly here may be added a petition and desire/ that we may pray for them which say evil by this fruit & mother. But who are these that say evil by them? truly they which persecute and curse/ his word (which is the gospel) and the faith of Christ/ as now a days do the jews and papists. Of the which it followeth/ that in this season/ no man doth so much blaspheme this mother and his son: as they that mumble up so many rosaryes'/ & ever have in their mouth/ ave Maria. For these be the chief captains which curse and blaspheme the word of God/ and the faith of Christ.  
Wherefore note/ that this mother & her son be said well by two manner of ways carnally and spiritually. Carnally with the mouth only and words of this salutation which are ave Maria. And these be they which thiefly of all do curse and blaspheme them. Spiritually with the heart when we do praise her son jesus Christ in all his words/ works & passion/ & say well by him. When we are gladly content to suffer persecution/ for his truths sake/ rather than to forsake it. When for his sake we are content to love our neighbour as ourself But this can no man do except he be inspired with pure & true faith. For without this faith can no heart be good/ but rather of nature full of curses & rebukes/ towards god & all his saints. Therefore I would council him that lacketh this faith to abstain from this salutation ye and from all manner prayers/ for of them it is written in the hundred & eight Psalm/ his prayer be turned in to sin.   

¶ consolation for troubled consciences.  
THappostel Paul in the xu to the romans (going about to describe the comforts of Christian) saith Whatsoever things are written a fore time are written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the scripture should have hope whereby he teacheth plainly that we must seek our comfort out of the holy scripture.  
Now doth his scripture use two figures of comfort/ setting forth and declaring unto us two images of evil and good things mixed in a dew and most wholesome temperature. As the wise Ecclesiastic saith. In the day of evils remember good things and in the day of good things remember evil things. Well knoweth the holy ghost that every thing is of such value and power to a man/ as his mind & opinion is in it. For that which in his oppinyonie vile & of no reputation/ he casteth but little love unto it/ if it chance to him and little regardeth if it fall from him, Therefore his labour is to pluck and call away a man from this mind and opinion of this worldly possessions. This done: now are all things indifferent/ how be it sith this calling away is chief done by the word of God (whereby thopinion is revocate from the thing which presently is desired/ to the thing which is absent & not desired) of very right we shall have comfort of nothing but scripture/ which in the day of evils calleth us to look for goodness which other is present or to come/ and in the day of goodness to look for evil. How be it that we may know these visions & images the better we shall divide each of them in to vij parts. The first image shall have evils which shallbe considered: first with in himself. secondly before him/ thirdly/ after him/ four byside him in the life hand/ fifthly on his right hand. sixthly/ beneath him, Sevently/ above him.  


¶ The first chapter of the first image which is the inward evil.  
THis is sure stable & most true (whether man believe it or not) that there can be no vexation and punishment so great in man/ but that there is him both evil and iniquity moche worse. So abundant & copious are his evils which he feeleth not. If truly he did feal his evil/ he should feal very hell/ for he hath hell in him self. Thou wilt are how? The prophet sayeth every man is a liar. And again/ Every man living is all vany●e. To be vain and a liar is to be void of truth/ and to be void of truth is to be with out god/ and to be nothing. And that is to be in hell/ & dampened. Therefore God chastyning us mercifully doth open and put on us our casier and lighter offences knowing that if he should lead and bring man to know his hole misery/ he should perish within a little space/ howebeyt he hath caused some to feal & taste their own of whom it is written/ he leadeth down to hell/ and bringeth again. Wherefore they say well/ which call the bodily passions certain warnings and monisshementes of the evil/ which lieth with in. And thapostle in the twelve to the hebrews calleth them the fatherly instructions of God ●ayng/ he scourgeth every son that he rece●ueth/ which he doth that by these scourgy●ges & little evils/ he may expel the great evils/ lest after he be compelled to feel them/ as it is written in the xxij of the proverbs/ folisshenesse is bound together in the heart of the child/ but the rod of correction shall avoid it. Do not kind father's more lament their childer if they be thieves or evil them if they be wounded, eyes/ they themselves do beat them & wound them that they should not be evil. Whace then letteth that this abominable evil with in us is not felt? truly as I said/ the providence of god that man (considering his inward corruption & vice) should not perish. For he hideth them/ willing that by only faith they should be seen perfectly though he doth show some part of them by a sensible evil. Therefore in the day of evils remember goodness. Consider how good it is/ not to know thine hole evil. Remember well this goodness/ and thy sensible evil shall the less vex the.  
And contrary in the day of goodness remember evils/ that is/ when thou dost not feal thy true evils/ yet see thou be not unkind/ but remember thy true evils/ and so shalt thou feal the less thy sensible evils. Therefore it is evident that in man there is rather lack of sorrow then sufficient sorrow in this life/ not because that his evil is not present before him/ but because the affection/ opinion and mind of it is not present which thorough the goodness of god is hidden.  
For we may see them to whom it is given to know their hold iniquity/ how fierce & cruel they are against themself how they regard not to suffer through all their life/ what thing so ever it were/ so that they felt not their hell and misery.  
even so would every man do/ if he either knew or did believe surely his inward evil he would of his own will call unto him outward evils/ ye/ rejoice in them/ and be no more sad for them/ then though he were in all prosperity and felt no tribulation as some holy men have done/ among the which David was ●●e Psalm. C.vi.  
Therefore the first comfortable image ●s/ to say unto himself. O thou man yet thou feelest not thine evil/ be glad & give th●nkes that thou act not compelled to feel 〈◊〉 so thine evil in comparison of that g●●●t evil is but light and easy/ & that it is t●●t some say, I have deserved much wors●●e hell/ which is soon said/ but it is intolerable to felt. And this evil/ though it ●e●ruer so hid and secret/ yet he bringeth forth his fruit sensibly/ which is fear●●● & wavering of the fearful consciences/ by ●●e which faith is fore besieged and assaulted while that man doubteth and is uncertain whether god be merciful unto him or not and the weaker this fruit is/ the more ●●tter is this fruit.  
And this only infirmity/ if he be well considered and looked on/ sith it is spiritual doth far pass all bodily trouble/ and maketh it to seem but a trifell/ if that they be well compared together.  
Besides this all that the church speaketh of when she rehearseth so oft vanity & affliction of the spirit/ pertain to the inward evils. What counsels do we take in vain show many of our purposes are mocke●? how many things see we? how many hear we: that we would neither see nor hear/ & these things that some time make for our purpose some time are against it 〈◊〉 so moche that nothing is hole & perfait Furthermore/ the more honour & dignity ● man is set in the more and greater are his transgressions/ & the more is hes vexed with heats/ waves/ and other storms above all other/ so that the. C.iij psalm may well say The rear in the see of this world 〈◊〉 beasts/ and great/ and treaping wor●●●/ without number that is to say/ infinite ●indes of temptations/ so that for this cause job in the vij calleth a man's life no thing but temptation.  
And these are not therefore the less evils because they be but little felt but because they are so in use and familiar with us we set the less by them. And therefore (as god would also it should be) they move & trouble us but said/ all though we can not fully despise & forget them. And true it is that we feal & perceive scant the thousand part of dure evils. And yet we feal not those according to the truth and grievousness of them/ but measure them by our opinion/ affection/ and mind.   

¶ The second chapter of the second image/ which is the evil to come or before a man.  
IT shall not a little easy thy present evil what soever it be if thou turn thy mind to consider things to come/ which are so many & of such efficacyte/ that unto them is only ascribed the great & grievous passion of mind called fear. For thus some define it. Fear is a passion of the mind about evil to come in so much that cappostel sayeth/ go not about to sa favour hyge things but fear. And the more uncertain this evil is/ the greater it is/ in so much that it is a common proverb there is none age passed the stable altough this disease belong to childer and babes.  
Do that by this ye may gather/ that there is no man sure & free/ from any other man's infirmity. But what soever one man suffereth the same may an other suffer also. To this pertain all stories & tragedies of all worlds/ & all the complaints of this world. To this also may be applied that certain men have observed more than iij. hundredth diseases with the which man's body may be vexed If then there be so many diseases/ how many accidents thinkest thou are there that may chance upon our goods & upon our friends? How many encombraunces & torments of the soul which is the princpall ground wherein consist all these evils/ & the only receiver of sorrow & sadness. And the greater a man is & in the more dignity/ the more the strength & feeling of this evil increaseth And were raineth poverty/ slander & such other (sith they may soon chance) it is needful that they be feared every hour/ even as though they did hang over us/ by a little thread. Like as the sword which dyonisius the tyrant did hang over his geestes hedes Of all these things whatsoever doth not chance unto the count it for a vanurage / and as it were for a comfort of the evil which thou art stricken with all/ that also here thou mayst be compelled to say with Hieremas. It is the merci of god that we are not consumed For which so ever doth not come unto us/ it is kept of by the strong hand of god/ which compasseth us with such power and might (as it is showed in job) that Satan and other evils are wroth that they are kept from us Therefore we see how sweetly god shuldt be loved when any thing chanceth to us For this most loving father warneth us) b● this one evil) to behold how many evils are about to subdue us/ if he did not defend us as though he should say/ sathan and the hole hell of evils pursue to subdue thee/ but I have prescribed & set the end of the see/ & have said unto him/ hither shall thy swelling waves and come here shall they ceate/ and be broken/ as he sayeth in the xxxviij of job.  
But be it peradventure that god will that none of them shall come/ yet at the lest that which is called most fearful of all (that is death) shall surely come and nothing so unsuer as his time and hour/ which evil truly is so great, that we may see many men which had liefer live and continue with all those evils/ them ones do die to have them all finished. And to this one (contemning all other) scripture putteth fear/ saying/ remember thy last end & thou shalt never sin. To this see how many meditations: how many books: how many means: how many remedies: are imagined/ that by the memory of this one evil they may fear us from sin/ make us despise the world/ alleviate our passions/ & evils/ and comfort them that are vexed/ by the comparison of this horrible & great evil/ which for all that is necessary. There is no man which would not desire to suffer all evils/ if he might by those avoid death/ for death holy men did fear ye Chryst himself went to his death with fear and bloody drops of sweat. Finally so horrible is this evil that the mercy of god never took more diligence/ then to comfort our weakness in this matter/ as we shall see hereafter.  
All those things are common and indifferent to all men/ even as the benefits of health are common to them that are vexed. How be it to the christian there is a new and special cause/ to fear this evil to come which doth far pass all other evils. And this is it that thapostle deschry●eth i Corin ten saying. Let him that thinketh that he standeth take heed/ lest he fall The weigh is so sliper and our enemies so mighty/ armed with out own powers (that is to say with the succour of our own flesh and of all our evil desires) accompanied with the infinite multitude of the world/ with devities' and pleasure's on the reght hand/ with fierceness/ cruelty of men & displeasures on the lift hand/ besides the craft of subtlety & a thousand ways to hurt/ deceive and destroy/ which he is instruct with all himself. Thus live we/ being not sure to continue one minute of an hour in our good mind & purpose.  
Saint Cipriane remembering many of these things in a pistle which he made of mortality/ doth teach that it is good to desire death/ as a quick helper to scape these evils. And truly when these men were in a good mind/ and did entreat of these infinite jeopardies/ we do see them (despising life and death that is to say all these foresaid evils) desire to die and to be dissolved/ so that they might be loosed from the multitude of sins/ that are in them (as we have said in the first image) & into which they may fall of the which we speak now. And truly these two things are very righteous both to desire death/ & also to set light by all these evils/ ye utterly to despise them/ if god strike the or move the with one of them/ for it is the gift of god to be moved with them. What true christian is there which would not desire to be diseased/ ye and to die/ which saith and feeleth himself while he is hole to be in sin/ and that he may continually run into more and daily fall in them/ and so to transgress the special and good will of his most dear father.  
With this here and indignation was Paul vexed and stirred up (in the unto the romans) when he had complained that he could not do to good wicht he would have done/ but that he did the evil which he would not have done/ he cried out. O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death the grace of god (he said) by jesus christ/ he doth little love god his father which doth not hate more the evil of sin than he doth death/ sith that god did ordain death for this purpose/ that it might at the length finish this evil of sin/ so that death may be the minister of life and righteousness/ of the which we shall speak hereafter.   

¶ The third chapter of the thyrdey mage/ which is the evil that is passed or behind us.  
IN this chief/ above all other doth the sweet mercy of god our father shine and set forth itself which is abil to comfort us in all veration/ and ieoperdyes. Nether is there any man which feeleth the hand of god more ready with him then when he doth rehearse & meditate the years of his life past. Saint Austin sayeth/ if that the choice were given to a man/ that he should other die or else to live his life passed again/ as he hath lived it/ that he would choose rather to die: seeing his great jeopardies & evils whice (scarcely and with great peril) he hath escaped which opinion is very true if it be well esteemed. Here he may see how often he hath done many things with out study and regard/ ye clean contrary to his purpose. And hath also suffered many things with out council and provision before they were done and when they were done/ in so much that (marveling with himself) he is compelled to say how are these things come to pass/ which I never thought to do but rather contrary. So that the proverb is found very true/ man purposeth/ & god disposeth/ that is to say bringeth to pass other things than man doth purpose. So that by this one text it is more evident than we can deny/ that our life and goods are governed by the high and marvelous power/ provision/ and goodness of god/ and not by our own wisdom.  
Here we may perceive how oft god hath been with us/ when we have neither seen nor felt him. And how true it is that Petre sayeth he taketh the charge and provideth for all us. Wherefore if there were neither books nor preachings/ yet our life herself which is led through so many perils and jeopardies may abundantly testify and commend us the godly goodness/ most ready and swetist/ which hath taken up and borne us in his bosom far beyond all our provision and wit. And as Moses in the xxxij Deuteronomyon sayeth. The lord hath kept him as the ball of his eye he hath led him about and borne him on his shoulders.  
And of this spring all the exhortations in the psalter/ I have remembered the old days. I have considered in meditation all these works & creatures. I shall remember from the beginning all thy marvels. And I have remembered thy judgements & am comforted. These & such other pertain hereunto that we may surely know sith that he was them present with vo when we saw him not/ nor thought it/ that he is also now present with us/ while he seemeth to us to be absent For he that took us in such necessity with out our consent will not forsake us in a little trouble though he seem to leave us/ as he sayeth in isaiah. I have forsaken the for a mynytte & little space/ & in great mercy will gather the again & receive the. Here mayst thou put in these things/ who was he that took the charge of us/ so many nights while we were sleeping. Who was he that took thought for us as oft as we laboured/ played/ & did in the other infinite things/ in the which we look no thought for ourself. Or how long is the time/ in the which we ●ake regard to ourself The Covetous man taketh thought to seek money/ yet in the seeking & labouring for it/ it is necessary that he put a part his though. So we may so that all our care (weather we will or not) returneth only to god/ & very seldom it is that we are left in our own provision/ which yet sometime god doth suffer/ that he may learn us to know his goodness that at the length we may perceive what great difference there is between his provision and ours. So it chanceth/ that he will suffer us sometime te be stricken with some light disease/ or other evil feigning as though he holp us not (how be it in deed he doth ever help us) but yet he forbiddeth that those which are about us/ assault us not so fiercely that they suppress us/ so to tempt us as his dear children/ whether we will commit to his provision all the residue of our life and to see how week & unprofitable our care and provision is/ what do we? y●/ or what can we proufit ourself in all our life? which are not a bill to heal shortly a little ache in the thigh: why then are we so hasty to berydde in a moment from our perils and evils? and leave not rather to him the charge & cure of it/ fyth that by him we are delivered (our own self bearing witness) from so many evils and kept without our own provision. To know these things is to know the works of god/ to consider and remember his works/ and by that remembrance to be comforted in all adversities. They that know not this shall run into the danger that there is spoken of in the Psalm xxviij Because they have not understand the works of god and the works of his hands thou shalt destroy them/ and not edify them. For they are unkind to the hole provision of god given them in all their life/ which in all little minycte commit not to him the hole charge and provision.   

¶ The fourth chapiter of the fourth image which is the evil beneath us.  
YEt we see none other thing in all the evils that we suffer them that the goodness of god is so great & so ready with us that among the innumerabyl evils with which we are compassed on every side/ ye & in which we are fulli prisoned scanta few (nor they at all times) are suffered to assail us/ in so much that the evil wherewith we are suppnssed is but a warning of a great advantage with which god endueth us/ while that he suffereth us not to be oppressed with the multitude of evils with the which we are besieged.  
What a miracle is it for a man to bestryken at on every side with infinite strokes/ and chance at the length to be touched but with one? ye it is a great grace that he is not stricken with them all/ and a miracle that he is not touchet with many. Therefore the first of those evils which are byneth is death The second is hell/ if we should consider the divers and vile death of other men/ wherewith sinners are stricken/ we shall seen perceive with how great lucre we suffer less than our deservings. How many are strangled with halter's/ gallows/ and water/ or die with sword/ which peradventure have done much less sins than we have done.  
In so much that their ●●th and misery may be laid before us of Christ for an image & glass wherein we may perceive/ what we have deserved For so he answered in the xiij of like/ when there were present that showed him of the galyleans whose blood pilate mingled with their own sacrifice. Suppose ye that these galyleans were greater sinners than all other galyleans because they suffered such punishment? I tell you nay/ but except ye repent/ ye shall all in like wise perish. Or think ye that those xviij Upon whom the coure in Siloe fill and slew them/ were sinners above all men that dwell in jerusalem? I tell you nay/ but except ye repent ye all shall like wise perish.  
Nether can we think that we aught less to be punished/ which have committed as great or greater crimes. Nether the justice & truth of god will be for our cause other unequal or false/ which hath or dined to give to every man according to his deeds/ if we do not prevent and at the lest suffer some little evil patiently that is given us of god most mercifully for a warning/ to eschew the greatest evil.  
How many thousands are there in hell/ and everlasting damnation which have not the thousand part of our sins: how many virgins? children? and which we call innocentes? how many religious priests? and married men? which seemed thorough all their life to serve god/ & peradventure/ falling into one sin are dampened perpetually. We will not dissemble. There is one righteousness of god in every sin. He hateth equally & condemneth sin in who so ever it be found. May we not here see the inestimable and bounteous mercy of god/ which hath not dampened us that so oft have offended? how moche I pray the is it that we can suffer in all our life? to be compared to everlasting pain/ which they suffer/ deserving it b●one transgression. And yet we which have so oft transgressed are saved. Truly it is a great unkindness and extreme hardness of unbelief/ that we so little regard and so coldly magnify these high benefits of god. besides this hither thou mayst apply/ so many infidels/ nations / Jews/ infants'/ though whom if the grace had been given which is given to us/ they should not be in hell but in heaven and should much less have sinned than we have. For Crist in the xi of Mathewe s●t●●●h this image before our yes saying/ woe be to the Chorosaym/ woe be thou. Both said for if the miracles which were showed in you had been showed in tire & Sydon they had repent long a gone in sack-cloth & ashes. Nevertheless I say to you it shall be easier for tire and Sidon at the day of judgement then for you. And thou Caphernaum wyiche art life up unto heaven/ shalt bethruft down unto hell for if the miracles which have been done in the had been showed in zodom: they had remained to this day. Nevertheless I say unto you/ it shallbe easier for zodom in the day of judgement/ then for the. We see therefore how moche praise & love we own unto our merciful god in all the evils of this life/ because it is scant one drop of that we have deserved. Which job compareth to the see and the gravel of the see.   

¶ The fift Chapter of the fift image which is the evil on the life hand.  
HEre set before thine eyes the hole keep and multitude of adversaries and evil men. And first consider in them how many evils they have not done/ to our body/ goods/ name and soul/ which they would have done/ except (by the provision of god) they had been letted. And the higher any man is in tale & authority the more ready at hand he is to be vexed/ with the deceits/ soutteltyes flanders & temptations of his adversaries. And in all these things we may understand and prove the hand of god most ready to deliver us. And what marvel is it though sometime we be vexed with one of these evils? After this consider the evils which are appropriate unto our adversaries: not to be glad or rejoice in them/ but rather to suffer with them/ and to be sorry for they are subject indifferently to these evils as well as we/ as we have showed before.  
¶ But in this they are more wretched that they are separate from our company both bodily and spiritually. This evil which we suffer is nothing to theirs/ for they are in sin in unbelief/ under the wrath of god unto the power of the devil wretched bondmen of ungodliness and sin in so much that if the hole world would curse & ban them: they can desire no worse unto them. This well considered/ we shall love perceive with how much greater love we ought to suffer this little disease of the body/ in the faith/ in the kingdom of Christ/ and in the service of God/ which in th'abundance of these commodities and virtues ought scant to be felt. their misery also so ought to be so rowed in a Christian and meek heart/ that his sorrow seem not to be painful/ but rather pleasure unto him. For so commandeth Paul in the second to the Philippians/ let every man consider not what is in himself/ but what is in other men/ let the same mind be in you which was in Christ jesus which being in the shape of god/ took on him the shape of a servant/ that is to say with a meek and a low mind put on him our shape/ ordering himself none otherwise in our evils then if they had been his own. So forgetting his godhead and other pleasures he made himself of no reputation/ that he might be found in every point like man/ separating nothing that man had from him/ but only sin/ submitting himself to all other infirmities. The holy men (streyngthed with this mind and stirred up with this image) were wont to pray for evil men/ ye and for their enemies. And to do all things accordding to the example of Christ forgetting their own injuries or righteousness/ taking thought how they should deliver them from their evils. And with this were moth more trouble/ than with their own bodily evils.  
As Saint Petre writeth of lot in the second chapiter of the second Epistle he being righteous/ and dwelling among them/ in seeing and hearing/ vexed his righteous soul from day/ to day with their unrighteous deeds.  
Here thou sayst what a depth of evils appeareth and what occasion is given to be merciful and to suffer with them/ & utterly to despise our little incommodity/ if the charity of god be in ve/ and how God will let us suffer nothing in comparison to these that they suffer. The cause that these things do b●● title move us is this  
The lie of our heart is not pure enough where with we should see how great shame and misery it is for a man to lie under sin/ that is to say to be forsaken of God/ & possessed of the devil. Who is so hard hearted that will not pity the myserabyll condition of them which lie before the church/ and in the streets with deformed faces/ their noses eaten of/ their eyes out/ & other of their membres consumed with matter/ filth/ and corruption/ in so much that the sense can not only abide to behold it/ but also the mind doth abhor to remember it. And what meaneth god by these lamentable monsters of our flesh & likeness but to open the eyes of our mind that we may perceive with what en horrible fashion the soul of a sinner showeth out his matter and corruption/ though he him self walk in purple and in gold/ covered with roses/ and lilies/ as though he were all ready in paradise. But how many sinners are there in the world in comparison of one of these deformed persons: Truly these infinite evils/ both in greatness & in number despised in our neighbours do cause ours (though, it be but one and that very small) to seem to us very great & detestable. How be it also in bodily tribulations they are in worse condition them we are. For I pray ye what thing can be to them sweet and acceptable (though they had & might obtain all things that they desired) seeing that their conscience can not be quiet: is there any thing more abominable than a grudging or biting conscience For Isaiah sayeth in the lvij chapter: the wicked are as the boiling see/ which can not be quiet and his floods do abound into subjection and mourning. And the lord god sayeth/ there is not peace (which is the very tranquyllite of conscience) unto the wicked. Therefore thou mayst see that verefyen in them which is written in the xxviij. of Deuteronomyon. The lord shall give the a fearful heart/ & deceiving eyes and a soul consumed with sorrow/ & thy life shall be hanging before thee/ & thou shalt fear day and night/ & thou shalt not trust thy life/ in the morning thou shalt say who shall give me the eventide. And in the evening/ who shall give me the morning? Because of the fear of thy heart/ for thou wal● be feared/ & for those things which thou shalt see with thine eyes. Finally he that did consider with a good mind the uttermost point of evils/ other of his enemies or of his friends/ he would not only forget his own troubles thinking himself that he suffered no thing/ but would also with Moses and thapostle Paul break out and desire that it might be leeful for him to die for them and to be made cursed from Christ/ & to be put out of the book of life (as it is written in the ix to the romans) that they might be delivered and saved. Christ burning with this sire and love both died and went down to hell for us leaving us an example that we also should take thought for other men's harms/ forgetting our own/ ye rather desiring our own.   

¶ The sixth chapiter of the sixth image which is the evil on the right hand.  
ON our right hand are our friends by whose evils and vexations our troubles are mitigated and assuaged as saint Petre teachet in the fift of the first Pistol saying. resist the devil stedefast in the faith/ remembering that ye do but fulfil the same afflictions/ which are appointed to your brethren that are in the world. So the congregation of christian ar in their prayers/ that they provoked be the examples of holy men/ may follow the virtue of their passions/ and singeth solemnly/ that the holy men have suffered torments/ that they might surely come to the victory of martyrdom. By the which words and songs of the church we must understand that the passions and victories that God hath given to his martyrs and holy saints/ aught to be had in memory/ that by their example we may be quykened and bolded to suffer those evils which they suffered. And if their commemoration be by us done to any other intent/ whatsoever it be/ than is it meddled with superstition & hypocrisy. As is theirs that honour them to th'intent that they should not suffer the trouble & vexation/ which the saints by their example & memory do teach to be suffered/ so that they desire to be made unlike unto them/ whose feasts they celebrate. Right excellently doth th'apostle entreat this place of comfort in the xij to the Heb. saying: ye have not yet resisted unto bloodshedding striving against sin  
And ye have forgotten the consolation/ which speaketh unto you as unto children. My son despise not the chastening of the lord/ neither saint when thou art rebuked of him: for whom the lord loveth him he chasteneth. If ye shall endure chastening god offereth himself unto you/ as unto sons/ what son is that whom the father chasteneth not? If ye be not under correction (whereof all are part takers) them are ye bastards and not sons. Moreover seeing we have fathers of our flesh which corrected us/ and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the father of spiritual gifts/ and live? No manner learning for the present time semych to be joyous but grievous/ nevertheless afterward it bringeth forth the quiet fruit of righteousness unto them/ which there in are exercised. These were the words of saint Paul. Who would not be abashed of these words/ where he diffyneth plainly/ that they are not the sons of god/ which are not under his learning and correction Who can more strongly be confirmed/ & more effectuously be comforted/ than he that heareth that they are loved of god which are chastened/ and that they are the sons of god/ and endued with the communion of holy men/ ye they only are holy which suffer and are chastened. This vehement exhortscyon should make sufferance and correction to be loved and desired. Here is no place to excuse ourself/ that some suffer less some more for to every man is given temptation by measure/ not above our strength as it is written in the lxxix psalm. Thou shalt feed us with the breed of tears/ and give us drink in th'ears/ in measure/ which Paul doth also say. God is faithful which suffereth you not to be tempted/ for there then ye be able: ye he will put such chance unto the temptation that ye may be able to resist. Therefore where as the greater evil and temptation is/ there is the more comfort and help of god. So that the inequalyte of trouble and temptation is but only in the face outwardly and not in the very thing. When we now at this day remember john Baptist shamefully slain & beheaded of Herode/ doth it not confounded us and make us abashed? that he being such one (as among the children of women there arose not a gre●ter) the only friend of the spouse the prepare of Christ's wa●e/ greater them all the prophets/ was neither slain by any open judgement/ neither yet for any feigned cause (as Christ was accused) neither for to avoid insurrection of the people. But was beheaded in prison at the appetite of a danceress/ the daughter of a wretched adulterous woman. Let then the shameful death/ of such an holy person such an holy life of such a Prophet/ so wretchedly and villainously delivered into the cruel hands of a rybaud that was angry with him suage and pacify all our evil/ where was god which suffered even before his eyes such an horrible deed? Where was Christ which hearing of it spoke never a word? He died as though he had been unknown to god/ men and all creatures. What suffer we in the which we may rejoice? and not rather be utterly confounded and ashamed if it be compared unto this man's death. Or how shall we be bold to show our faces/ if we will suffer nothing/ sith such holy men have suffered such vile death without deserving/ ye and their bodies after their death hath been made a laughing stock to their enemies. Behold (sayeth jeremias) they which had no judgement to drink of the cup/ drinking shall drink of it/ & shalt thou be lest innocent? thou shalt not be left innocent/ but drinking thou shalt drink of it. Therefore the hermit did well which because he was wont every year to have sickness/ and scaped one hole year without sickness/ was very sad & wept/ saying that God had forgotten him/ & had denied him his grace. So necessary and wholesome is the correction of the lord to all christian Here we see how it is nothing that we suffer/ if we compare it to the prisons/ Iron/ fire/ beasts/ water/ and other infinite torments/ ye if we ponder well the grievous persecutions of them which suffer the temptations of the devil being present with us in this life. For there are many which are suffer more sharply and grievously them we do/ both in spirit and body. Here some man will say in this I complain/ that my passion cannot be compared to the passions of holy men/ because I am a sinner/ not worthy to be compared unto them.  
They suffered gylties and for innocency but I suffer for my sins/ therefore it ●s no marvel though they suffered all things patiently and gladly. This saying is very foolish/ for if thou suffer for thy sins thou mayst rejoice that thy sins be purged. Where not the holy men also sinners? but thou fearest lest thou be like unto Herode or to these which hung on the left hand.  
Thou art not if thou be patient/ what thing maketh the difference between the thief on the right hand & the thief on the left hand? but only patience & impatient? If thou be a sinner/ well/ the thief was also a sinner/ how be it his patience obtained the glory of righteousness and holiness.  
So do thou like wise/ for thou canst not suffer but other for thy sins/ or for righteousness/ and both these suffrynges make the holy & blessed/ if thou love them. Wherefore thou hast none excuse left. Finally as thou dost confess/ that thou sufferest justly for thy sins/ thou art righteous and holy as the thief on the ryghthonde. The knoweleging of thy sin/ because it is truth doth justify and make the holy. And even then immediately (after this knoweleging of thy sin) thou dost not suffer for thy sin/ but for thy truth and innocency For a righteous man can not suffer/ but for the truth and innocently. Now art thou justified by the knoweleginge of thy sin/ and suffering patiently. Therefore (and that truly and worthily) is thy passion and suffering to be compared to the suffering of the saints even as the knoweleging of thy sins is to be compared unto theirs. For there is but one truth of all men the knouweleging of sin/ suffering patiently of all evils/ and true communion of holy men in all and by all things,   

¶ The seventh chapter of the seventh image which is the evil above us.  
IN this last image we must lift up our heart and assence up in to the mountain of Mirth with the spouse. Here is jesus Chryst crucified the head of all christian/ the capteyn of all them that suffer/ of whom many have written many things And all men (as it is convenient) have written all things. His memory is commended unto the spouse/ where as it is said. Put ●e as a sign upon thine arm. The blood of this lamb marked on the post doth put away the striking angel. The spouse of him is commended/ because her here is like the purpur of a king. That is her meditation is red and of purpur colour by remembering the passion of Christ. This is the wood that Moses was commanded to put in to the waters of Marath (that is to say/ the bitter passions) and they were made sweet. There is nothing but this passion maketh it swear/ ye death. As the spouse doth say his lips are lilies distilling the chief and pure Myrrh. What proportion is there between lilies and lips? sith these are red and they white. Truly it is spoken mystycally/ because his words are most white/ and pure in the which is no blood bitterness of envy or malice/ but they are sweet and mild/ with the which (nevertheless) he doth distill the most pure and chief myrrh/ that is to say/ persuadeth most bitter death/ which (even as the most pure and chief Myrrh at one taketh away all corruption and stinking of the body) taketh away the corruption and stinking of sin. Of great power are these most sweetest lips that are able to make the most bitter death/ sweet/ pure/ white and acceptable. But how shall this be done? Truly while thou hearest that jesus Christ the son of god hath (by his most holy touching and passion) consecrate and hallowed all our evils/ and suffrynges/ ye the death itself most extremest and greatest of all other/ hath blessed the curse/ glorified the slander made rich the poverty/ so that death is compelled to be the gate of life/ Curse/ the beginning of blessing.  
And slander the father of glory/ how canst thou now be so hard & unkind? that thou wilt not both love ye & also desire all passions & troubles/ which are deped & purified in the most clean & holy flesh & blood of Christ/ & so made unto the holy/ innocent/ wholesome/ blessed/ & glorified. For if he (by the touching of his clean flesh) hath hallowed all waters for baptism ye all creatures. How moche more by the touching of his most pure flesh & blood had he sanctified all deaths/ all passions/ all injuries all curses/ all slanders/ for the baptism of the spirit or blood? As he sayeth of the same baptism or passion in the twelve of Luke. I must be baptized with a baptism/ & how I am pained till it be ended? Thou seest how he is pained how he pantith/ how he thirsteth to sanctify and make loved passion and death. For he seeth that we are feared with passions/ he seeth that death is feared and abhorred. Wherefore he (as a most meek shepherd/ and most faithful phisiseon) going about to cure our evil/ doth haste and is pained until his die that by his death he might make them acceptable & welcome to us. So that the death of a Christian is to be counted liken to the brazen serpent of Moses which in all points had the fashion of a serpent/ but it was clean without life/ without moving/ without venom/ without biting. So the righteous do apere to them that a soles to die/ how be it they live in peace. We are like to things which die/ Nether is there any other face outwardly of our death then of the death of other things. How be it the things in deed are other wise. For to us death is deed. Likewise all our other troubles and vexations are like the troubles of other things/ but that is only in the face outwardly. For in very deed our sufferings at the beginning of impassibilite/ even as death is the beginning of life.  
And this is it that John speaketh of in the viii. If a man keep my sayings/ he shall never so death. How shall he not see death Truly for dying he beginneth life. So that for the life which he seeth he can not see death/ here the night as the day shall belyghtened/ for there is moche more clear light of the life which we begin then there is of the life from which we be exiled by death. And all these things are confirmed and stablished to them which believe in Christ/ but it is contrary to them that believe not Therefore if thou kiss/ love/ and embrace the cote of Chryst vessels/ water pots/ and such other that Christ did touch and use/ counting them great and sweet relics/ as though they were consecrated & hallowed by this thouching/ why dost thou not much more love/ embrace and kiss/ the pains & evils of this world slander and death? which were not only hallowed by his touching/ but also cleansed and blessed in his pure blood/ ye and embraced with the will of his heart/ his enfamming charity and mercy moving him thereunto/ seeing that in these are much greater merits/ rewards/ and goodness/ then in those relics for in these are obsteyned for thee/ the victory of death and heel/ and of all sins/ and so is it not in the relics. O that we might see/ and behold the heart of Chryst/ when that hanging on the cross he was pained to make death dead and despised how fervently/ & sweetly he took upon him pains and death for us that were fearful and did abhor pains and death how gladly he began to drink this cup to us that were diseased/ that we should not fear after him to drink sith we do so that there chanced none evil to him but only good by rising again.  
No doubt chat chief & pure myrrh (Crystes lips distilling it and his words commending it) should be most acceptable and sweet even as the smell of lylses So writeth Petre in the first pistle for asmuch as Chryst hath suffer for us in flesh Arm yourselves likewise with the same mind Paul also in the twelve to the hebrews. Consider how that he endured such speaking against him of sinners/ lest ye should be wearied end saint in your minds. Therefore if we have learned in the images before (which were beneath us and near unto us) to suffer evils patiently/ cruelly in this last image which is set above us we (being ravished in christ life up and set higher them all evils) ought not only to suffer them/ but also to love/ desire and seek them. And the further of that a man is from this mind & desire/ the less he hath of Christ's passion. As they which use the signs and armure of Christ against evils and death/ that they might neither suffer neither die/ which desires are clean contrary to the cross and death of Christ wherefore it is necessary that what evils so ever we suffer be consumed & clean brought to nought in this seventh image/ so that it should not grieve us but rather delight us and make us glad if this image pierce and enter in to our her●s/ or do remain and sure in our inward desire and mind.    

¶ This moth have we spoken of the first table. Now followeth the second.  
TO the second table we shall also assign seven images contrary to they me that were made before. The first shall be of the inward goodness. The second of the goodness to come. The third of the goodness passed, The fourth of the goodness beneath us. The fift of the goodness on the life hand. The sixth of the goodness on the right hand. The says venthe of the goodness above us.  

¶ The first chapter of the first image which is the goodness with in us.  
WHo is a bill to numbered the goodness which every man possesseth in his own person? first how great are the gifts of the body? as beauty strength helt/ qcknesse/ wit & besides these in the male the most ꝑfai● & noble kind & nature/ by the which he is meet to exercise and take upon him many things private/ comune and other excellent acts/ which woman is nothing meet nor apt to/ whathe marvel is it/ if thou using these gifts (through the favour of god) cenne twenty/ or thirty year with pleasure should suffer & be pained in one of them for the space of ten days? what shall we do which have had many good hours/ and will not be content to suffer one evil? here may we see how we be endued by heap with the goodly gifts of god. And again with how few evils many of us be oppressed or touched.  
How be it god almighty (not thinking it sufficient to have done this moche for us) did also cast unto us richesse & plenteous abundance of all things/ though not to all men yet truly to many/ & to them specially that are impotent & weak to suffer evil for (as I said before) to them he giveth more of the spirit/ to whom he gave less worldly & bodily goods that there should be a certain equalite in all things & he the righteous judge of all things. Nether do great richesse so much comfort a man as a merry & glad spirit. Besides this/ to some he giveth issue & children (which is a great pleasure) power/ impery/ honour a name/ glory/ favour/ and such other which if a man use a long season (ye though he use them but a small season) they shall soon declare unto him what he shall do in a little evil.  
The gifts of the soul are more excelenc than all these as wit/ cunning judgement eloquence/ wisdom/ and these also (as he did the other) he divideth after an equality so that he hath recompensed it in the other/ by giving them more quietness and gladness of mind.  
In all these things the most liberal hand of god must be considered with giving thanks and our infirmity must be comforted that in this multitude and greatness of goods we marvel not/ though some sourness be admyxt/ for unto voluptuous men/ there is no meat acceptable which of his nature hath not other some sharp taste/ or else his sauce prepared for him/ so that continual and only sweetness is a thing intolerable. Therefore it was well said every pleasure by his perseverance maketh a man full of it/ and to disdain it. And again/ it is said. Even pleasure herself is a pain: because this life is to week and impotent to suffer continually goodness without the temperature of evil for the abundant copy of the goodness whereof springeth this proverb. their bones must be strong which shall suffer good days which proverb I have often considered marveling at the marvelous true sentence of it/ & how all the purposes and desires of men are clean contrary unto it/ which seek nothing but good days/ ye when they have got them they can worse bear them than the evil. For whante doth god commend unto us in those things/ but that the cross should be marvelous/ even in the enemies of the cross: insomuch that we ought to tempore and hallow all things by it/ even as we powder flesh with salt that it do not putrefy & wareful of worms wherefore then do not we receive with a glad heart/ this temperature sent of god/ which if he did not sent/ yet our life which is not able to endure with this continual pleasure and goodness/ would desire it of his own will. Now we perceive how truly the wise man said of god he that continueth from the one end to the other strongly/ and disposeth all things sweetly/ for if we consider these good things/ it shall appear that it is also true which is spoken of Moses in the.  
xxxij. of Deuteronomyon/ he bore him Upon his shoulders/ he led him about and kept him as the ball of his eye with this saying we may stop their mouths which unkindly chatter that there are more evils in this life them good things for surely/ we never lack goodness nor pleasures/ full of profit & sweetness: but we do moche lack such people as should understand it with the Prophet saying. The Earth is full with the mercy of god. And again: the earth is full of his praise/ & in the ciij psal. The earth is replenished with thy possession/ thou hast delighted me Lord in tese creatures for this cause we sing daily in the mass: heaven & earth are full of thy glory/ why so? for there are many good things for the which he should be praised/ but that is only of them which see this fullness and replenishing for even as we said of the evils in the first image/ that every man's evil was so great as his opinion/ and knowledge was in it. Even so good things though they come on us on every side and in a manner suppress us/ yet are they no greater them they are esteemed/ for all that god made be very good/ how be it they be not known so of all men.  
Of this image/ job giveth us a fair & most profitable example/ which (when all his goods were taken a way) said/ if we have taken goodness of the hand of the Lord why shall we not also suffer evils? truly it was a goodly saying and a mighty comfort in temptation/ for he did not only suffer but was also tempted by his wife to ympacyence/ saying unto him wilt thou yet persever in this innocency? curse the Lord and die/ for it is manifest that he is not god which so doth forsake thee/ why them dost thou trust in him and not rather deny him/ and curse him/ and so to knowledge thyself mortal/ to whom after this life nothing is remaining. These and such other to every man his own wife (which is sensuality) doth prompt and show in temptation/ for the sense savoureth not that thing which pertaineth to god howbeit all these things are bodily goods/ and comen to all men. But a christian man precelleth in other inward goods which are far better that is to say in the faith of Chryst/ of the which it is spoken in the xl Psalm. All his glory is of the kings daughter which is within in borderes of gold cumpassed about with varyete. And as we have spoken of the evil of the first image/ that there can be seen no evil so great in a man/ but there is a moche worse in him which he can not see. even so the best of all the good things that be in a Christian he himself can not see nor judge/ for if he did perceive it he should be then in heaven/ because the kingdom of heaven (as sayeth christ) is within us for he that hath faith hath the truth and word of god/ & he that hath the word of god hath god himself the maker of all things. If these goods were revelate unto the soul that he might feal the bottom of them as they be in very deed/ he would soon be dissolved from the body/ for th'abundance of that sweetness. wherefore all other goods art as it were a monishing of those goods (that we have within us) which he would by them should be showed unto us/ because this life is not a bill to abide the glory of there if they were showed forth. Therefore they are mercifully hidden of god until they are increased to their perfect state/ even as loving fathers do give unto their children sometime little gifts to play withal/ whereby they may entice the minds of their children to trust for greater things.  
How be it sometime they show themself and come forth when that the conscience (rejoicing/ doth commit himself wholly unto got/ speaketh gladly of him/ heareth his word sweetly & devoutly/ is ready and glad to serve him/ to do good works/ to suffer evils/ and such other/ which all are tokens of an infinite and incomparabill goodness lying with in/ which sendeth out thence sweet drops by a little at one's though sometime it, chance that it be ferther revelate to souls which fall to contemplation/ in so much that they are made drunken with it/ and can not tell where they are. As S. Augustine & his mother do confess of themselves/ and many other.   

¶ The second Chapter of the second image which is/ the goodness to come/ or before him.  
THey that are not christian can take but small comfort of the goodness to come/ because to them all things are uncertain for this affect which is called hope (by the which we are commanded after man's comforting to trust ever for the best/ bithe which we take great matters in hand trusting to bring them to our purpose (doth of ten times) ye and in a manner alweyes/ deceive us. As Chryst doth teach in the twelve of luke of the rich man which said to his soul. I will destroy my barns and build greater/ and therein will I gather all my fruits and all my goods/ and will say unto my soul: Soul thou hast moche goods laid up in store for many years/ take thine ease/ eat/ drink/ & be merry. But god said unto him: thou sole this night will they fetch away thy foul again from thee/ then whose shall tho is things be which thou hast provided? So is it with him that gathereth richesse and is not rich in god.  
Nether yet hath god left the sons of men so/ but doth comfort them by a hole sure and perfait hope/ that they shall over come their evils and obtain goodness And though they be uncertain where goodness ●t is that shall come/ yet they hope still without doubt/ by the which hope they are sustained/ lest (by falling into desperation) they should not be able to suffer their present evil/ & so to do worse wherefore this affect of hope which is in temporal things is given the of god/ not taht he would have the stykke therein/ but to proceed unto the hole sure/ and parfayt hope which is only unto him. And for this cause god is lung suffering that be may bring us to repentance/ As paul sayeth in the ij. to the Romans. Nether will he suffer that all men be deceived in this unperfit & deceitful hope whithe is in worldly matters/ but that they return and take the parfait and unfeigned hope which is in him.  
There are besides these goods to the Christian two great goods which they shall surely have but not without death and suffering for they have also the common hope that we spoke of/ concerning the fynys●hing of their present evil & increasing of the contrary good/ although they do not so greatly regard that/ as they do in the increasing of their own proper good/ which is the truth in Christ in the which they do proceed from day to day/ for the which they do both live and hope. But besides these as I said/ there is two chief which shall come in death. The first is that in death is finished all the tragedy of the evils in this life/ as it is written Precious is in the sight of god/ the death of his saints. And again in peace I shall both sleep and rest. And a righteous man if he be subdued of death he shall be in colenesse. And contrary to them that are wicked/ death is the beginning of evil. As it is said the death of sinners is worst/ and evils shall take an evil man in his death. So Lazarus shall be comforted which hath received here his evils/ where as the glutton shall be punished because he hath received here his goods.  
So it feloweth that a christian whether he die or live is ever in better taking/ such a blessed thing is it to be a christian and to believe in christ wherefore as Paul saith To live it is Chryst to me/ and to die it is advantage/ and in the xiiij to the Roma. he that liveth he liveth to god/ and he that dieth he dieth to god/ whether we live therefore or die we are the lords.  
This sureness hath christ obtained for us because that he died and rose again/ that he should be lord both of quykke and deed which was a bill to make us sure● both in life & death as the prophet sayeth in the, xxij. psalm: If I walk in the mids of the shadow of death I will not fear evils because thou art with me. And if that this adavauntage of death do but little move us/ it is a sign that our faith in Christ is very week with us/ for he that doth not well esteem the price and value of a good death/ or else that death is good/ he doth not yet believe but is over moche letre by the old adam/ and the wisdom of the fllesshe yet reigning in him/ we must therefore labour that we may be promoted to know and love this benefit of death. It is a great thing that death (which is to other the greatest evil) is made to us the greatest advantage/ and except that christ had gotten that for us/ what great thing had he done by giving himself for us.  
Truly it was a godly work that he did therefore it was no marvel to him to make the evil of death most profitable for us Therefore death is now deed to faithful men/ and hath nothing to be feared for/ but his visar and outward face.  
And is even like to a serpent which is killed for he hath the fearful shape that he had before/ how be it in very deed there is nothing left but the figure/ the evil is deed/ and can do no more harm. And as in the xxi of Numery God commanded the brazen serpent to be life up by whose sight the quykke serpents did perish. Likewise our death by the faithful beholding of the death of Christ doth perish and doth not now appear but a certain figure of death. So the mercy of God hath figured all things to us that are week/ that he hath destroyed the power of death/ and (because it can not be utterly put away) hath made it but a very figure/ for the which cause it rather called sleep inscripture then death.  
The second goodness of death is that it doth not only finish the evils & pains of this life/ but also (which is letter) it maketh an end of all vice and sin the which to them that be good faithful maketh death much more to be desired then these present goods whereof we have spoken/ for the evils of the soul (which are sins) are without comparison worse than the evils of the body. These only sins (if we did savour them) would make death very acceptable and loved unto us/ which thing if they do not/ it is a sign that we do not well perceive nor hate the evils of our soul. Therefore sith this life is full of perils/ and that sin doth besege us on every side/ and sith we can not live without sin/ death is best and most expedient which loseth us from the seperilles/ and cutteth sin clean away from us therefore in the praise of a righteous man it is spoken/ in the four of Sapience. He that pleased god is made beloved/ & he (living among sinners) is translated & ravished/ that malice should not change his understonding/ neither that feigning should deceive his soul for the bewitching of tryfeling doth darken goodness/ & the unstableness of concupiscence doth overwhelm the wit with out malice (O how true these words are and daily e'en) it is fone rooted and hard to be destroyed. But his soul pleased god and for that he hasted to bring him out from the mids of iniquity. Even so (through the mercy of god) death which was to man the pain of sin made to the christian the end of sin and the beginning of life and righteousness wherefore it is necessary that he which loveth life and righteousness should not abhor death (which is the minister & gate of them both) but rather to love it/ or else he can never come to life & righteousness/ and he that can not love it/ let him pray god that he may. For therefore are we taught to say/ thy will be fulfilled/ because we (which fearing death do rather favour & love sin then justice) of our power be not abyl to fulfil it. And that god did ordain death to be the destruction of sin/ it maybe gathered of this/ that after sin he put death upon Adam by and by/ ye before he cast him for the of Paradise/ to th'intent to show us that death should work none evil but all goodness toward us sith it was put on him (as a penance and satisfaction) in paradise.  
Truth it is that by the envy of the devil death entered into all the world/ but in this was declared the high and godly goodness toward us/ that it was ordained even at his first beginning/ not to hurt us but to be the pain and destruction of sin to our great profit. This was signified when be had told Adam before in the precept/ that what hour so ever he did taste of that fruit he should die/ yet after the transgression he did moderate the extremity and rigour of the precept/ neither did he speak one syllable of death/ but said only. Thou art earth/ and shalt return into earth/ until thou come again into the lond● out of the which thou art taken. And (as though he had hated death) would not vouthesaus ones to name it/ according to the Prophet laying/ for there is wrath in his indignation and life in his will. And seemed so to speak/ that except death had been necessary to the destruction of sin he would never have put it upon man/ no/ neither yet have named it. ☞ Even so against sin which brought forth death/ the provision of God did so arm death/ that here thou mayst see fulfilled the saying of the Poet. The maker of death/ did perish by his own work/ and sin was destroyed and killed by his own proper fruit (that is to say death) which he begat he himself/ even as a viper by her own you fruit.  
This is a goodly sight to see how death is destroyed/ not by an others work/ but by his own. As Goliath had his he destroy ●en of wih his own sword For Goliath was the figure of sin/ a terrybill giant to all men/ except to little David (that is to say to Christ) which alone did over throw him/ and cutting of his heed with his own sword said: there can not be after sword then goliath hath himself. If then we do remember these joys of the virtue of Christ and the gifts of his grace/ what shall a little evil vex us? sith in that great evil to come we see so great profits and commodities.   

¶ The third chapter of the three image which is the good that is passed or behind us  
THe consideration of this good which is passed may soon be gathered by his contrary image which we spoke last of how be it we will help (in this also) him that desireth to look on it. Saint Austyne in this thing is a great door/ in his confessions/ where he doth well recite the benefits of god towards him/ from the womb of his mother. That doth also the excellent psalm. Lord thou hast proved me/ where among all other he marveling at the providence of god sayeth Thou hast understand my thoughts a far of my path/ and my down lyings thou hast searched/ as though he would say/ what so ever thing I have thouht/ and what so ever I have wrought/ or how moche so ever I should obtain and possess/ now I perceive that it is not done by my wit and policy/ but that they were ordained by thy provision long before this time/ finally. Thou hast seen before all my ways/ & there is no word in my tongue. Wherein then? in thy power.  
This we learn by our own experience/ for if we remember our life which is passed/ shall we not marvel/ that we have thought/ willed/ done and said such things as we could not see before? how should we have brought them to pass/ if we had been left to our own will and power? And now first we perceive and see that his care was so ready with us/ and his provision so constant upon us/ that we could neither speak/ will/ nor think/ but that which he had given us. As it is spoken Sapience vij for in his hand are both we & our works. And Paul/ which worketh all things in all men/ why then are not we (so insensible and hard ●arted) a shamed? which (though by our own experience) do ●e how careful the lord hath been for us unto this day/ and hath given us all goods: and yet cannot find in our hearts to give unto him the same charged over us in a little tryfill/ but order our self so foolishly as though he had forsaken us/ or else might forsake us/ doth not the Psalm say on this manner? I truly am ●edy and poor/ the lord taketh thought for me. Saint Austyne sayeth. Let him take charge on the which made thee/ which provided for thee/ before thou were. How can it be that he shall not provide for the which art a man/ sith he provided for the to be a man. But thou wilt say we have the rule of ourself as well as god/ we grant unto him that he made us (and that scarcely) but we have in our power the charge of ourself/ as who sayeth: he made us/ & and by and by went his weigh/ leaving us in our own power to rule and order ourself. ☞ And if that our wisdom and provision do let us/ that we can not perceive this working of God/ while that peradventure many things do chance after our purpose/ yet ones turn thine eye and look upon the Psalm which sayeth: My bone is not hid from the/ which thou madest in secret/ that is to say. Thou didst see and fashion my bones in my mother's belly when I was not/ when my mother did not yet know what was made in her/ and my substance in the nether parts of the earth/ that is to say/ the figure and fashion of my body in the lowest bowels of my mother was not hid from thee/ for thou diddest make it. Whate meaneth he by these words? but to show us by this great example/ what care god hath ever taken for us? who can glory that he wrought with god and holy to make himself in his mother's belly? Who gave the mother charge to give us myske/ to nourish us/ to love us/ and to exercise all motherly dewetyes to us when that we did not yet feal our life? Of this should we know nothing except we had seen it done in other/ and so thereby believe that we were even so ordered, Nether should we have any memory of them that they were done to us/ no more them if they had been done to them that sleep/ ye or be deed/ and rather not yet borne/ for asmuch as concerneth our knowledge and memory.  
Here we see that without our help the goodly mercies and comforts be ministered unto us. Do we yet doubt and despair to commit the cure and custody of us unto him. If this experience do not move & instruct man/ I wot not what will move him/ for we do see this commonly in all young children set before our eyes/ so that so many examples may make us a shamed of our foolishness and hardiness. If we should think that the lightest good and evil should chance unto us without the singular provision of God. Saint Petre sayeth. Cast all your care to him for he careth for you And the Psalm, Cast all thy care upon the Lord and he shall nourish the. And S. Augustyne in his confessions to his soul/ why standest thou upon thyself and dost not stand? Cast thyself to him/ he will not pluck away his hand that thou mayst fall. And again S. Petre sayeth. Let them that suffer according to the will of God/ commit their souls to him with well doing/ as unto a faithful creator.  
O if any man did know his god after this manner/ how sure/ how quiet/ how merry should he live? be truly should have God/ knowing surely that whatsoever thing do come or chance unto him/ it is by the disposition and ordinance of his sweet will. The sentence of Petre is sure and stable/ he careth for you/ what can we hear sweeter than these words? Therefore cast all your care (he sayeth) to him/ which if we do not (but will oure self care for ourself) what do we else then go about to let the provision of God? and to make also our life sad/ labourouse/ bere with many fears/ cares/ and troubles and that in vain/ for we do nothing profit here with/ but as the Ecclesiastic sayeth. This is the vanity of all vanities/ & vering of the spirit/ For thorough his hole book he speaketh in experience of this thing which he hath moche laboured and attempted for himself. How be it in all his labour he found nothing but pain vanity and vexation of the spirit/ so that he concludeth that is the gift of God if a man eat/ drink/ and be merry with his wife/ that is to say if he live without care and thought/ and so be taketh himself to god which careth for all. Wherefore we ought to take none other care upon us but this that we take no thought for ourself but commit and leave all our care & thought to God. All there things (as I said) a man may soon gather by the contrary image/ and by remembrance of his life passed.   

¶ The fourth chapter of the four image which is the good beneath us.  
Hitherto we have considered the goods which are in us and ours/ here after let us esteem these goods which are set, without us and in other. And first them which are beneath us/ that is to say dead and dampened. Peradventure ye would marvel what good things could be found in them which are dead & dampened/ how be it the power of the godly goodness is so great in every place that he she with us goodness and his glory in the most evils that be. Let us compare them unto ourself then so we our inestimable and infinite profits/ and commodities as we may also easily perceive by the contrary image of evils. For the more evils of death and hell we see in them the more profit we perceive in us. And the more vehement and extreme their evils be the more we count our advantage which are not lightly to be despised and set at nought for they commend to us the high and bounteous mercy of God. And the jeopardy is/ lest we unking (setting little by it) be found worthy to be dampened with them or worse to be tormented.  
Therefore the more we see them sorrow and lament/ the more we ought to rejoice in ourself of the goodness of God/ according to the saying of Esay. Behold my servants shall eat and you shall be hungry. Behold my servants shall drink/ and you shallbe tristye. Behold my servants shall be merry and you shall be confounded. Behold my servants shall praise for the rejoicing of their hearts/ and you shall cry for the sorrow of your hearts: and you shall howl for the contrition of your spirit/ and you shall put down your name in an other to my elect and so forth/ finally as I said. The examples of them that do evil die and are dampened/ as saint Gregory doth show in a dialogue/ do profit us to be a monysshement/ and an instruction that he may be happy whom other men's perils do make wise.  
Truly this good (because it is commonly known) doth but little move us/ although it ought to be numbered among the chief/ & is of great reputation to them that have good judgement/ sith that a great part of holy scripture where he speaketh of the wrath judgements/ and threatenings of God pertain to this place. These wholesome instructions/ the examples of wretched persons do profitably confirm in us/ which them chiefly be of power and efficacyte/ if we put on us the mind of them which suffer them/ and convict ourself in their stead and place/ them shall they flurre us up and move us to the praise of the goodness of God/ which hath kept us from them. Let us also confer them to God himself/ so that we may confyder the justice of god in them. Though this he hard/ yet let us go about it/ for sith that god is a just judge/ it is expedient that his justice be loved and praised. And so then ought we to rejoice in God/ when he destroyeth evil men both in body and soul/ for in all these things his high and ineffable justice she with himself. Therefore very hell also is full of god and high goodness / no less than heaven/ for the justice of god is god himself/ and god is the high goodness. Wherefore as his mercy/ even so his justice and judgement/ most highly are to beloved/ praised and preached.  
This meant David saying the righteous man shall be glad when he shall see avengement/ he shall wash his hands in the blood of a sinner. For this cause did the Lord forbidden Samuel that he should no more lament Saul/ saying how long mornest thou for Saul/ sith I have cast him down that he should not reign over Israel?  
As though he should say/ doth my will so displease thee/ that thou wilt prefer a man's with before mine? finally. This is the voice of praise and gladness through all the Psalter/ that the Lord is judge of widows/ and father of fatherless children/ that he shall avenge the poor/ that his enemies shall be confounded the wicked shall be destroyed/ and many such other. And if that any man through foolish mercy will have pity on that wicked bloody nation and hope of infidels which killed the righteous/ ye the son of god/ by & by/ he shallbe found to rejoice in their iniquity/ and to allow and favour those things which they did/ and so to be very worthy to perish with them whose offences he would not have punished. Let us therefore hear this text. Thou ●oest love them that bate the and hatest them that love the. A● joas said to David when he did over moche lament his wicked son an homicide Absalon two of the kings xix wherefore in this image we must rejoice in the pity of holy men and in the justice of God which most righteously doth punish the pursuer & of pity/ to deliver his chosen people from them. And so thou sayst that there appeareth not a little but a great deal of good in them that are deed and dampened for in them is avenged all the injuries of the holy men/ and thine also if thou be righteous among theirs. Whate marvel is it then if (by thy present evil) he punish thine enemy/ that is to say the sin of thy body? Ye thou must rejoice in this act of the most noble justice of God/ which (though thou desire him not) doth kill and destroy thy mischievous enemy/ that is to say/ thy sin in thyself/ which if thou favour thou shalt be found a friend of sin and an enemy of justice which worketh in the. So that thou mayst fere lest this be also spoken to the. Thou dost love them that hate thee/ and hatest them that love the. Therefore even as thou must rejoice with all thy heart in the justice which is fierce and cruel against thy sin. Even so must thou be glad when it pursueth and punisheth sinners which are the enemies of god and all good men. Thou seest no we that principal goods appear sometime in extreme evils/ not for the evils but for the great goodness of justice/ which doth avenge us,   

¶ The .v. chapter of the fift image which is the evil on the life hand.  
SOme adversaries we have here in this life (besides them of whom we have spoken in the chapter next before which are dampened and made like unto finds) whom we must consider with an other mind/ & we shall perceive two profits that come of them. First that they habunde with temporal goods/ in so much that the Prophets where almost moved unto envy by their goods/ as in the Psalm lxxvij My feet be almost moved/ my steps be dispersed/ for I have favoured the wicked/ seeing the peace and prosperity of sinners. And after/ Behold the very sinners have obtained the abundauntry chess in the world. And in Hieremye xii Truly lord thou art just/ if I should dispute with thee/ how be it. I will speak righteous things unto thee/ why doth the weigh of wicked men prosper? for they are all well/ which transgress thy commandments and live wickedly. Why doth he pour so many benefits upon them for nothing and loseth them? but to comfort us/ and show how good he is to them that are ryghtevous/ as the psalm sayeth: he that is so good to evil how moche more shall he be good to the good? reserved that he punisheth the evil with no vexation/ and tempteth the good with many troubles/ that they may knowledge him to be good to them/ not only in these present goods/ but also in the secret goods which be to come/ and may say with the same Psalm it is good for me to cleave to the lord/ and to put my hope in god: As though he should say/ be it/ that I suffer some things which I see they suffer not/ yet I trust that god is moche better unto me them unto them and so these visible evils are an argument of invisible goodness/ that we should trust for goods invisible/ and despise the evils that we suffer: Even as Chryst in the gospel/ biddeth us to behold the fowls of the air/ & the lie yes of the field saying/ if god so cloth the grass which is to day in the field & to morrow shall be cast into the furnace shall he not much more do the same unto you/ o ye of little faith/ wherefore by conferring the goods with which the evil abound/ unto the evils which we suffer our faith is exercised/ and our comfort (which only is holy) is stablished in god so that it is necessary that all things work for the best unto them that love god. The second profit (much more marvelous) is that all their evils are good unto us/ god so provydeht for us/ for although their offences be evil occasions unto the weak/ yet to them that be strong they be an exercise of virtue/ an occasion of resisting of sin/ and a great merit.  
Blissed is that man which suffereth temptation/ for when he is proved/ he shall receive a crown of life/ where is a greater temptation than the multitude of myschevous examples? finally for this cause the world is called one of the enemies of the elect people of god because that saith his enticements/ and wicked works/ he ●●●reth us up provoketh us/ & entysith us from the weigh of god into his weigh/ As it is written in Gen. vi The children of god did see the daughters of men that they were fair/ and they were made carnal. And in the. ●xv. of Numeri/ The children of Israel did fall with the daughters of the Moabites/ so that it is wholesome that we ever be suppressed by some incommodyte/ lest that we (as they that are week) offended by the evil occasions of the world should fall and sin. So lot is commended of S. Petre in the second of his second epistle/ because that he suffered much evil by the w●ked examples of the sodomites/ and nevertheless continued in his righteousness. Necessary it is therefore that evil occasions be given/ which should be the occasysion that we should resist sin & have victory/ how be it woe be unto the world because of evil occasions. Dyth then in the transgressions of other god procureth for us so great goods: how moche more ought we to believe/ with all our heart that he will turn over own offence to our profits/ though the with & flesh judge otherwise. Nether any less doth the would profit us by his other evil which is called adversity/ for them that he cannot, devour by his enticements/ nor incorporate to him by evil occasions/ he laboureth to drive them from him by troubles and passions and to vex and inquyet them by pains and punishments/ ever intending other deceits through the example of sin/ or else to avert men's mindes by pains and torments. This is the monster thymera whose heed is flattering/ and like a virgins this belie devouring and like a lions and his tail full of death and like a serpents/ for the end of the world/ both of pleasure and tyranny is venom and death everlasting.  
Therefore as in the sins of the world god hath made us to find profits.  
Even so (that his persecutions should not be idle and in vain) they are ordained to us for the increasing of our goods in so much/ that in that they hurt us/ they are compelled to profit us. As saint Augustyne doth say/ concerning the little children which were killed of Herode/ he could never have done so great profit & good by his benefits/ as he did by his hate & envy. And saint Agatha went rejoicing to the prison as though she had gone to a dinner saying on this manner without thou make my body to be well handled of thy tormentors/ my soul can not with victory enter into Paradyse, as the corn without he be thrust out of his husk/ and be strongly beaten in the barn flower shall not belayed up in the garner. But what need us to speak so moche of this/ sith the hole scripture/ all the writings and sayings of the father's/ and all the deeds and acts of the holy men are consenting unto this that those things which are most noisome are most profitable to them that believe/ so that they be well suffered. As S. Petre sayeth/ who is he that will harm you if ye follow that which is good. And the Psalm lxxxviij his enemy shall nothing prevail against him. And the son of iniquity shall have no power to hurt him/ how shall he not hurt him sith that many times he killeth him. cruelly for in hurting him he doth him most profit. Therefore we se that we dwell in the mids of goodness on every side/ if we be wise/ and also in the mids of evils. So are all things tempered marvelously by the high providence of the goodness of god.   

¶ The sixth Chapter of the sixth image which is the good on the right hand.  
THis is the congregation of holy men the new creature of god/ our friends and brothers in whom we see nothing but good nothing but comfort/ if we behold them with a spiritual eye for unto the carnal eye many times it appeareth all otherwise/ as we have declared in the contrary image of evils. And yet these goods which we say them with our carnal eye are not to be despised. But in these we may perceive that we are comforted of god/ for the Psalm durst not presume to condemn all them which possessed richesse in this world/ saying/ If I did say thus. Behold I have reproved the generation of thy children. If I would have send that all which are rich/ hole and honoured be evil. I should have condemned thy holy men for many of them are ●o Chappostell also teacheth tymothe that he command the rich men of this world) that they be not proud/ not to forbid them to be rich. The scripture also doth testify that Abraham Isaac and jacob were rich. And Danyell with his companions/ were also honoured in Babylon. Besides this many kings of jury were rich The Psalm therefore considering them sayeth/ If I did say thus: I have reproved the nation of thy children. for (I say) god hath given to his elect the abundance of these richesse to comfort them/ and other with all Howe beit these are not their special goods/ but they are a sign and a shadow of the true goods which are faith/ hope/ charity/ and other graces and gifts which all are common by charity.  
This is the communion of holy men in the which we rejoice.  
And who will not here rejoice/ ye though he be in great sorrows which doth believe (as it is in deed) that all the goods of holy men are his goods and that his evil is also theirs. This image is most sweet and pleasant/ which Chappostel to the Galathians vi doth describe/ saying bear ye one an others burden and so fulfil ye the law of Christ.  
Is it not good for us to be here where if one member do suffer (as it is said unto the Corinthians) all suffer with him. If one member be had in honour/ all membres be glad also Therefore/ while I suffer/ I suffer not alone/ for Chryst and all christian suffer with me. As he sayeth himself/ he that toucheth you toucheth the ball of mine eye. Thus/ do other here my burden/ and there virtue is mine. The faith of the congregation succoureth my fearfulness. The chastity of other healeth the temptation of my lust. The fasting of other is mine advantage.  
The prayers of other taketh thought for me. And to be short/ so all the members help one an other that the most honest parts do cover/ keep & honour the less honest.  
As it is well described unto the Corinthians twelve And a swell I may delight in the goods of other as in mine own/ and then truly they are mine if I be glad and rejoice in them. I am foul and filthy/ but they whom I love and in whom I rejoice are fair and beautiful. By the which love I do not only make their goods mine/ but also themselves/ wherefore under their glory mine ignominy shall easyli●e honoured their richesse shall fulfil my poverty. their good deeds shall heal my sins/ what man can now despair in sin? who will not rejoice in pains? which now doth not bear his sins or at the lest if he bear them/ he beareth them not alone/ but is holp with so many children of god/ ye with Chryst himself Such a thing is the communion of holy men/ and the Church of Chryst. If any man do not believe that this is true he is an infidel/ and hath denied Chryst & his church: for though this be not felt/ yet it is so done/ ye who is he that feeleth not this who is in the cause that thou disperyest not that thou art not ympacyent? Thy virtue na● truly/ but the feloushyppe of holy men or else thou were not abil to bear the  sin that is/ nor yet abide one word of man against thee/ so nigh is Chryst and the church unto the.  
This is it that we say/ I believe in the holy ghost/ the holy and pure church what is it to believe the holy church/ but the communion of holy? wherein do the holy men common? Truly in good and evil and all things. As the sacrament of Christ'S body doth figure it in breed and wine whereof th'apostle speaketh saying/ we are one breed and one body/ who offendeth any little part of the body/ and hurteth not the hole? what suffereth the ferthest part of the foot that the hole body suffereth not? wait benefit is done to the feat in the which all the body rejoiceth not. But we are one body: therefore what so ever another suffereth I suffer & what so ever benefit is done to an other/ it is done to me. even so Chryst sayeth that what so ever is done to one of his left is done unto him what man taking a little peace of bread of the altar will not say that he hath taken breed/ or dyspysing any little part of hy shall not be named to despise breed.  
Wherefore if we sorrow/ if we suffer/ if we die/ let our eye look hitherward/ and let us believe strongly and besure/ that not we or at the lest not we alone: But christ also and his church doth sorrow/ suffer/ and die with us. So good is Chryst unto us that he would not the way of our death should be solitary which every man doth abhor: But (all the church bearing us company) we enter the weigh of passions and death and the church doth mare strongly suffer it then we do/ so that we may well apply unto us the words of Helyseus which he spoke to his forefull servant saying: fear not/ there are more with us then with them. And when Helyseus had prayed he said Lord open this child's eyes that he may see. And the Lord opened his eyes/ and he did see/ and beheld a mountaynefull of horses and charettes of fire about Helyseus we lack now nothing but to pray/ that our eyes may be opened and that we may fethe church round about us with the eyes of the faith. Then have we noting to fear. As the Psalm sayeth: Mountains are about it and the Lord in the compass of his people from this time present and perpetually/ Amen.   

¶ The seventh Chapeter of the seventh image which is the good above us.  
I Speak nothing of the everlasting and heavenly goods which the blessed have in the clear sight of god. Or at the lest if I touch them/ it is in the faith/ by the means whereof we may only obtain them. But this seventh image is jesus Chryst king of glory/ rising from death even as he was the seventh image of evils/ suffering/ dying/ and being buried/ here may we see the high and chief joy of our heart/ and goods permanent and stable Here is none evils at all/ for Crist once raised from death/ dieth no more/ death hath no more power over him.  
This is the chemney of charity/ the fire of god in Zion. As Esay as sayeth christ is borne for us/ and not that only but also given unto us. Wherefore his resurrection is mine/ ye and all things which he wrought through his resurrection. And as tappostell unto the romans eight most copiously glorieth saying how shall he not with him give us all things? what wrought he by his resurrection truly he destroyed sin and raised righteousness confirmed death and restored life/ overcame hell and brought everlasting glory. These things are inestimable and such as man's understanding scarce can believe to be given unto him: No more than jacob which (amazed even as though he had wakened out of a great sleep when he herd say that his son joseph did reign in Egypt) could not believe it until they rehearsing all did show him the veins that were sent from joseph. So truly it had been very hard to believe that such great benefits had been by jesus Chryst given to us which were unworthy except that by many words/ by many ways and apperinges he had showed himself to his disciples.  
So that at the last by great use and experience of his showing and teaching (as jacob was by the wanes we be taught so to believe. Truly Chryst is to us a true and notable sign/ and wain which is made of god/ our wisdom/ righteousness/ sanctifying and redemption. As thapostle sayeth I am a s●nne/ but I am carried in his righteousness which is given unto me. I am unclean but his holiness is my sanctifying/ wherein I am sweetly carried / I am foolish/ but his wisdom carrieth me/ I am sinful and dampnabyll but his innocency is my redemption his goodness is a sure chariot that carrieth me out of perdition. Thus may every christian/ this stonding that he have faith) boast of all the goodness & merits of Christ: neither needeth he more nor less to rejoice in them then if he had done them himself/ and even so are they his own. So that now he may joyfully abide the judgement of god which eyles were intolerable. Such a noble thing is faith. Such profits is getteth for us. Such glorious children of god it maketh us. Nether can we be children except we inherit our father's goods.  
Let then every christian say with sure trust and confidence: death/ where is thy victory death/ where is thy sting/ that is to say sin? for the sting of death is sin/ and the power of sin is the law. Thanks be to god which hath given us the victory/ through jesus Chryst our Lord/ finally.  
The law maketh us sinners/ And sin maketh us subject unto the sentence of death who hath overcome these two our justice? our life? nay truly/ but jesus Chryst rising from death ●ondempnyng sin & death giving us his rustyce/ and distributing to us his merits/ which also by putting his bond upon us hath healed us and given us power to fulfil the law to overcome death/ to exile sin and to both children of god/ to whom be honour/ praise/ and thanks with out measure/ and end. Ammen.  
This is the last image in the which now we (not only lylt up above our evils/ but also above our goods lately also sitting in the evils and perils to us purchased by the sin and offence of an other/ and increased by our own) now fit and rest us in the goods gotten by the righteousness of an other that is of jesus christ only for us crucfied we are justified in his justice and even as he is just & righteous/ even so are we that are allied knit/ and clean unto him by faith This is he that hath given himself hole to us. This is he that pleaseth god. This is the most chief priest/ the true bishop/ the good advocate our only mediator/ that continually (never ceasing) in the presence of his father prayeth for us. And look how impossible it is that he in his justice should not please Even so impossible it is that we by faith whereby we cleave unto his righteousness should not please. And by these means a christian is almighty/ Lord of all things/ and clean without all sin. And if it chance that he fall into sin? yet is it necessary that they hurt not/ but are forgiven for the justice of Christ which is not a bill to be overcome which drieth up and putteth away all sin/ on the which also our faith doth lean surely believing that Christ is such a one unto us as we have spoken of him/ and moche better than we are able to declare/ for he that believeth not this/ knoweth not Christ neither understandeth what Chryst proufiteth/ neither what he is good for.  
Wherefore even this one image if there were none other/ may increase such comfort in us if we behold it with a good and diligent heart that we shall nothing be sorry in our troubles but rather (as though we felt them not) rejoice & be glade in Chryst that we have tribulations with the which rejoicing instruct us christ him self our lords god which is blessed for ever. And     

¶ A devout fruitful and godly remembrance of the passion of our saviour Christ jesus.  
THere are certain which when they exercise themselves in the meditation or remembrance of the passion which Christ suffered for man kind/ do nothing else but were wooed and furious against the blind jews and judas their guide thorough whom he was betrayed (as an innocent lamb) into their bloody and cruel hands (Even as it is the comen manner of them which are wont to lament and bewail the misery of their friends to accuse and cry out on those persons which do the dead) but they nothing consider them which are the chief causes of his better death and passion. So that surely this may better be called a remembrance of the Jews wickedness then of Christ'S passion.  
There are other that have gathered together diverse commodities which spring thorough the diligent beholding of this passion/ whereof is the saying of Albert in every man's mouth: that it is better to remember the passion of Christ once in our life all though it be but slenderly/ the to fast every day a hole year together: or to read over the hole psalter of David/ how he it for all their politic means and studious imaginations they could never attain the very use and profit of the passion of Christ. Nether sought they any thing therein but their own private wealth/ For some carried about them images/ painted papers/ carved table's/ crosses and such other trifles/ ye & some fell to such mad ignorance that they thought them selves thorough such beggary to be safe from fire/ water and all other perilous jeopardies. As though the cross of Christ should deliver them from such outward troubles and not rather the contrary.  
These do pytuouslye sorrow and morn for Christ and complain that he was innocent and gylties put to death/ even like as the women of Jerusalem whom Christ himself did reprehend advertising them that they should lament themselves & their own children. Nether is it any marvel for the preachers themselves are sick of the same disease/ which for the most part when they increase this matter/ leap out of the fruitful and wholesome story in to these their comen places: how jesus took his leave of his disciples I Bethania. And with what dolorous sighs his mother mary pitied him and soothe other things/ on see these that table at length and discant at these pleasures rather to the wereing then edifying of the audience/ unto this sort may we also adnumbre them which have defined and instruct other what excellent commodities are in the mass/ in so much that the rude & ignorant people persuaded themselves that it was sufficient if they had heard a mass/ and that they should have good luck what so ever mischief they went a bout. And there are some which run so far headlong that they affirm stoutly that the mass which they call a sacrifice is accept of god for the work itself & not for his sake that doth the mass They consider not that god looketh first on the person that worketh/ and then after on the work as thou hast a goodly ensample give, the fourth of Abel and Cayn. They consider not that an evil tree can not bring forth good fruit. Matth. xil. And that on a bromble men can gether no figs. Matth. seven. They consider not that the mass was institute of Christ to make us more holy thorough the devour remembrance of his passion with a pure faith/ and not for any other worthiness that it hath in itself. How be it though we should grant them that the mass in itself were as good and holy as their covetousness and belies have feigned it/ yet truly can it nothing profit us except we use it for the same purpose that Christ did institute it. For what doth it profit us that meat and drink are good and wholesome if we abuse them corrupting our nature/ ye or what doth it avail us that god is God/ that is to say almighty/ most merciful/ good right will and alone sufficient if we abuse his goodness and believe not in him? It is therefore to be feared lest if thou be ignorant in the true use of the mass that the more thou hearest the more thou offendest god abusing his institution and ordinance.  
¶ But these are the very right beholders of Christ's passion/ which consider & mark in his passion their own sins & enormities which were the cause & ground of his passion and death/ for they are feared/ and their consciences tremble as soon as they remember the passion which fear and trembling ryeseth of this that they may see in the passion the vehement wrath and righteous punishment of god the father against sinners which would not for all the abundant favour that he had unto his ●onne suffer malefactors to go free & unpunished but that he must redeem them with his own death/ which thing Esayas liij doth also confirm saying in the person of god the father: for the sins of my people have I wounded him. What then shall be come of us/ sith his most dear and only son is so cruelly entreated? It must needs be a marvelous and inenartable wrath towards us which could not be pacified but thorough the death/ ye and that thorough the death of Christ his best beloved son And verily if a man do mark diligently that the very son of God/ the image and wisdom of the father did suffer for our transgressions/ to reconcile us unto his father/ there is no doubt but he shall tremble and abhor his grievous iniquities.  
Further more emprent this thing surely & grave it in thy heart thou thyself/ art one of them which on this manner dost torment and crucify Christ. For thy sins have cast him in to those torments according to the words of Peter Acts two where he amazed the jews as with a thunder clap saying unto all that where present you have crucified him. At which voice three thousand men were astonied & said unto the Apostles. What shall we now do brethren: therefore when thou sayst the nails fastened in the hands of Christ/ think that those sharp nails are thy evil deeds. When thou beholdest his brain pierced with the ceoune of thorns/ think that those thorns are thy wicked thoughts and settle imaginations. And where thou sayst Christ pricked with one thorn/ remember that thou hast deserved to be pricked a thousand fold more of the and grievously. Where thou sayst his hands and feet thrust thorough with nails/ remember that thou hast deserved with out comparison more cruel pain. And surely they that despise the passion of Christ/ shall without end suffer most grievous torments. For the vehement wrath and righteous punishment of god (which he well declared in that he would his only son to die for our transgressions) is no joined trifle/ but the wicked and unfaithful shall prove it in dead.  
This sorrow and trembling found saint barnard out of Christ's passion/ saying in the third sermone of the birth of our lord. Brethren/ the tears of christ do engender in me both shame and sorowweth fear. I was playing with out in chastyante/ and in the kings secret chamber there passed against me a sentence of d●th. The kings ●eare and only son hard of this and went forth (laying a side his costly ●oches and precious diadems) and clothed himself in sack cloth sprink king ashes on his head/ going ba●ef●te/ weeping and sobbing that his servant was condemned unto death. I behold him as he hasted out & wondered what now thing that might be: I inquired the cause & he showed it me. What shall I now do? shall I play still & nothing regard his tears? truly except I be mad or out of my wit I ought to follow him/ a morn with him sith he moorneth for me/ Behold the cause of shame/ from whence springeth the sorrow and fear verily when I consider the medicine and remedy/ then of that may I esteem the quantity & depth of my sin. I was clean ignorant and thought myself hole & behold the tender child of a virgin & son of God almighty was delivered into the hands of the ungodly & commanded to be stain/ that he might cure with the precious balm of his blood my festered wounds & corrupt nature/ we must needs knowleges gravitte that those were grievous wounds/ for the which our Lord Christ must suffer and be wounded: if they had not been to death/ ye and that everlasting/ the son of God should never have suffered to have healed them. etc. Even to did Christ monish the women of Jerusalem: weep not for me/ but for your own selves and childer  
He added a cause/ for (quoth he) if this be done in moist wood/ What shallbe done in dry/ as though he should say if this be done in me which an● pure & innocen●●/ what shall be done in you which are hoellye corrupt and vicyatte? ye may learn by this my passion what ye have deserved which pain (except ye believe) ye can not escape/ here to may we well apply the proverb: men smite the whelp to fear the great bandog: christ was smitten innocent to give us warning of our outrageous vices & enormities. To this well agreeth the Prophet which sayeth that all the nations of the earth shall bewail themselves upon him. He sayeth not that they shall bewail him/ but that they shall bewail themselves upon him. Even so were they dismayed Acts two as is before rehearsed. And the church singeth: I shall surely remember it & my soul shall melt with in me  
And in this sorrowful bewailing of themselves ought the faithful diligently to exercise themselves/ for on this hangeth the hole profit and use of Christ's passion/ that a man may know himself/ that he might tremble and repent in beholding his grievous enormities/ for truly except he come to this point/ the passion of Christ doth nothing awayle him. This is the pure and perfect operation that the passion of Christ worketh with in us/ that we may be made like unto him that as Christ was grievously vexed both in body and soul for our sins/ even so that our conscience may scourge and torment us for our own wykednesses which are so many and so great that they are soon called to memory except we willbe will fully blind & not see that which is most present & familiar with us. Let us use an ensample to make the thing more evident Be it in case that a certain kings son were slain. And the murder are taken and brought to the sessions and accused before the judge of this capital crime/ which confesseth openly that he hath done the dead/ adding that he did it at thy request and thou wast the chief auctor & setter a work. If thou in the mean season were taking thy pastime and recreation/ and suddenly were arrested and cast in prison as accessory of this murder ye or rather as principal the other being but thy minister and instrument of thy meschefe/ would not even shortly thy mirth abate/ the colour apale/ thy flesh faint and tremble Now if thy conscience did also accuse the & iustefy● against the that thou were justly ●npres●ned/ what raging hell & unquietness shouldest thou then feal with in thy ha●●●. Even so 〈◊〉 not he more shall he be altered which do did remembreth the passion of Christ. For the Jude (although execution be done on 〈◊〉 as malefactors and they abject f●● the face of god) yet were they but the ministers of thy sin/ For in very dead thy sins nailed him to the cross and were the hole cause of his pain and doth/ as we have showed before.  
Now if there be any so hard and insense●●e that they can neither tremble neither yet begin to know themselves in the remembrance of this bitter passion they stand surely in shrewd case. For it is necessary that we be made conformable unto the son of god/ that is to say/ that we feal the depth and burden of sin other in this world or in time to come/ ye and that we quake/ tremble and taste of the deadly pangs which Christ suffered on the cross. But surely it is a miserable and piteous thing to begin then to feal them/ when we are in the extremity and points of death. Therefore let every man pray unto God that he would vouchsafe to give us his spirit & grace/ which may mollify our indurate hearts that we may with some fruit call unto remembrance the passion of Christ/ for I think no man is so mad to suppose that we of our own power with out the spirit of God can do other this or any other thing acceptable to God/ for all goodness is of god and not of us.  
Nether do we teach the this or any other thing to th'intent that thou shouldest think that thou were able to accomplish it of thine own power/ but only to monish the of thy duty that when thou feelest thine own imbecyllite thou mayst desire this grace of God/ and thorough his help fulfil that which is required of the. For the cause why those men afore said did unprofytablye handle this passion/ was this: they sturke hoellye unto their own power & natural imaginations neither ones desired the grace of god/ & so could they attain to no profit. But he that remembreth the passion of Christ on this manner as we have showed (all though it be but one hours space) may well have the saying of Albarte verefyed upon him that he hath been better occupied/ then if he had fasted every day a hole year together or else had red over the hole Psalter of David/ ye & I dare boldly add that he hath better bestowed his time then if he had hard a hundredth massee/ for this goodly remembrance doth even renew a man and doth testify unto his conscience that he is regenerate and borne again/ even in a manner as well as baptism. So that this is the pure and natural work of Christ's passion to mortify the old man of sin that raineth/ in our membres to caste out all hope and comfort that we have in creatures/ & so deep to bring a man in to the knowledge of his sin that he shall come even to the brink of desperation and think that he is forsaken of god. Yet it leaveth him not there but it bringeth him again with all consolation and comfort & showeth him that all his outrageous enormities are crucified with Christ and thorough his death put out of the way that they can never accuse him more/ and that the father's wrath is pacified by his sons death/ and we all (as many as believe that Christ's death hath paid the ransom of our sin) are set at one with god and are become his children so that he is no more our judge which should punish us for our inquityes/ but will he called our merciful father which forgiveth his children's transgressions.  
Now sith we can not thus fruitfully remember Christ's passion except we be inspired with grace from above (for our impotent & viciate nature can do no good without the spirit of god) the next remedy to obtain this fruitful gifts is to pray and desire it of god our father/ and all be it he give it us not in the same time and moment that we would have it/ yet let us not despair and cease from prayer peradventure he holdeth it from the to make the more desirous of it and to set the more by it when it cometh/ and that thou mayst know that it is not in thy power and will to have it at thy pleasure/ but this is a clear case that he will surely give it the when it shall be most expedient for his glory & thy wealth/ which time no man knoweth but he alone. Therefore let us prescribe him no time/ but ever submit our w●lles to his and pray that his will be fulfilled And contrary wise sometime he giveth us this gift before we pray or axe it/ neither g●ueth he us a● all times the spirit to pray/ but distributeth that gift also/ even a● his own godly pleasure neither will he that it be bound other to time place or any person. When he hath ones received the spirit which mollesyeth the heart and bringeth him in to the remembrance of the passion/ fly and by his heart trembleth he loatheth himself and knowledgeth his infirmity/ so that the effect of the passion is fulfilled in him in a manner before he be aware. But they that fall to their meditations and behold this passion being void of this spirit which openeth the heart/ take great labours and are diligently occupied but all about nought: for they can not her repent not yet perceive their own infirmity/ which is the very end and effect of Christ's passion. So mayst thou see that the first with our labour attain the fruit and profit of Christ's passion all though it appear not outwardly. And the other for all their diligent study have nothing profited/ although they seem outwardly to have God by the foot. And thus doth God turn tops turn a/ that they which are all day occupied in hearing masses and in remembering Christ's passion get none advantage/ and the other which seem to do none of both/ do both in dead and obtain the hole profit.  
Hitherto have we entreated the cross and passion of Christ by the remembrance whereof we know our infirmities/ abhor our vices and are clean overthrown ready to fall in to the pit of desperation/ and now will we touch how our consciences thus wounded and cast down must be lift up again.  
¶ When a man beginneth on this manner to know and feal his sins & trembleth at the hideous sight of them/ let him take good heed that those trembling motions stick not to long in his conscience for so should he fall in to utter desperation But even as that fear & knowledge of sin did springe out of Christ's passion/ so must our conscience unlade herself again and lay all on Christ's back. But beware that thou do not as the unfaithful do/ for they when they feal their sin/ that their conscience biteth them/ they run to their own good works/ to satisfactions pilgrimages and pardons/ and so vex their marvelously their unquiet minds to rid them from their burden/ but their labour is in vain. And yet hath that false confidence & trust in satisfactions so spread itself/ that it hath founded many religious cloystres in christendom/ to the utter destruction of all Christianity for if I can make satisfaction for my sins/ the is Christ's blood shed in vain. Therefore on this manner shalt thou unlade thy mind and cast thy sins on Christ. First thou must faithfully believe/ that Christ suffered for thy sake even to redeem thy sins/ and that he took them on his own back and made full satisfaction for them unto his father/ as Esa. sayeth liij. the lord laid on him all our iniquities & i Pet. ij. he bore our sins in his own body upon the cross. And Paul ij Corin. v. God made him that knew no sin/ sin for us (that is to say a sacrifice for our sin) that we thorough him might be that righteousness which before god is allowed. Now the more that thy conscience boileth & riseth against thee/ the more shalt thou cleave to these and such other comfortable sentences/ and put thy hole fiance in Christ an they teach thee/ for if thou god about thorough thy contrition/ and satisfaction to pacify and assuage thy raging conscience/ thou shalt never be in surety/ but after intolerable labour and toiling thou shalt fall in to utter desperation/ for the conscience can not be quiet when he feeleth his sin/ but esteemeth is greater than that we of our own power should be able to qwench it. Not with standing if he saw that Chryst which is both god and man had taken them upon him and had vanquished them by his death/ ye andtyesinge again had triumphed upon death hell and the devil: then should he soon perceive how weak the sting and power of sin is/ for even as the pains of his wounds and pangs of his death do now no more remain in his body: even so are all our sins vanished away like smoke to this well agreeth the saying of Paul Rom. four that Christ died for our sins and is risen again to justify us.  
That is the passion/ and death of Chryst doth open/ and declare our sins unto us and so doth take them away/ but thorough his rising again are we iustefyed and made fire from all our sins/ if we believe.  
How be it if we feal our unbelief that we can not be surely persuaded that these things are true/ them is the next remedy to fall unto prayer for this also is in the hand of god neither is it given to every man but some have it more & some less for god distributeth all at his pleasure. Not withstanding there are certain means and small paths by the which a man may have as it were an entrance in to this faith/ first turn thine eyes and behold the hearty love & bounteous kindness of christ which so tenderly loved the that he would take on himself all thy sins/ & lovynglye embrace the to hele thy wounded conscience/ if thou remember and think on this amity thy heart shall somewhat be refreshed and so shall thy trust in Chryst be the more increased and stablished.  
After that thou hast perceived this fervent favour that Christ had to wards the then shalt thou soon mark what good will the father owed thee/ for than shall it appear that Chryst could not endue the with such great benefits except it had been before so decreed of his heavenly father/ for unto him did Chryst obey when he suffered for thy transgressions. And so shalt thou see the flaming charity of god the father towards thee/ and thorough christ shalt thou be so drawn to the father that thou mayst perceive the saying of Chryst. joan. iij. God so loved the world that he gave his only son for th intentthat none which believe in him should perish but should have everlasting life. And this is the true knowledge of god when we behold/ and magnefye not his puysaunt majesty or his incomprehensible prudence (for they make a man afraid of God) but rather his courteous and merciful benevolence wherein he may put his confidence/ and may be hoellye in god renewed.  
☞ And when thy heart is so confirmed in Chryst that thou beginnest with full intent to hate thy sin not for fear of pain but for the love that thou hast unto god because thou wouldest not displease him which is such a merciful and loving father unto thee: then is it expedient that thou take this passion for an ensample by the which thou mayst order thy life but this remembrance is far unlike the first/ for hitherto have we recounted it as a secret mystery which should work in us and renew us thorough repentance/ and when we have obtained that profit then let us consider it as an ensample or rule to order our life and works/ ever comparing them unto Christ's passion on this manner as followeth.  
When thou art diseased with any sorrow or malady: then think how small that pain is if thou shouldest comparte it with Christ's crown of thorn and the nails which pierced his tender flesh.  
When thou art constrained to do or leave undone any thing which thou wouldest not: then remember that Chryst was bound and tossed from post to pillar even as it pleased his cruel enemies.  
If thou be tempted with pride & lordliness: then mark how unworthily Crist was mocked/ ye and crucified between two thieves/ that he might be reputed as one of their number.  
If thou be assailed with wantonness or with the lust of the flesh: then behold how cruelly the tender flesh of Crist was scourged torn and most pituouslye wounded.  
If thy heart boil with hate or envy & be full set to take avengeance: then call to thy remembrance how Crist with a lamentable voice did pray unto his father for thee/ and other his enemies/ whom he might by good right have punished perpetually.  
If thou be vexed with any other afflictions what so ever they are/ whether secret or open/ take them on good worth & be not disquieted/ but think with thy self on this manner. It were a great shame if I should not suffer patiently this small trouble/ sith that Christ my Lord and saviour suffered in the garden such pangs that he sweat drops of blood/ for what is more shame than that the servant should take his ease and lie sluggeshlye in his bed what time his master standeth in jeopardy of his life.  
Behold/ on this manner mayst thou comfort and establish thy heart with the passion of christ against all vexations. And this is the true meditation and remembrance of Christ'S passion out of which the a afore said commodities spring.  
Therefore they that exercise themselves diligently in it/ be much better occupied then if they hard a thousand times the story of the passion/ or sayeth as many masses. And these only are the true christian which on this wise do express in their life or manners the name and life of Chryst as saint Paul sayeth: they that belong to christ have crucified their flesh and concupiscentes with Christ.  
Nether it is enough that we feat him in our outward be have our and words/ but we must do our endeveraunce perfeytlye to express his passion in all own conversation from the bottom of our hearts which thing. Paul exhorteth us unto Hebrew .xii.. Look unto jesus the captain of our faith/ which for the joy that was set before him abode the cross and despised the shame/ & is set dounne on the right hand of god. Consider therefore how that he endured such speaking against him of sinners/ lest ye should be wearied or faint in our minds. And saint Petre i Pet four sayeth for as much as christ hath suffered in the flesh/ arm yourselves likewise with the same mind. How be it the manner of this remembrance is very rare & out of use although Saint Paul & Saint Petre make eftsoons mention of it. And we have changed it all together into an outward appearance and have thought it sufficient to behold the story of the passion painted upon walls. But there are very few (ye almost none) that call it to their remembrance for thent to know their sins by it/ or to quiet their trembling consciences/ or to order and compare their life to this ensample.  
¶ Thus endeth the meditation and fruitful remembrance of Christ'S passion which passeth the contemplation of Monks/ friars and nuns ye and all other religious,  
¶ We purpossed (christian brother) to have annexed the Christian Liberty/ how be it all things considered we thought it most profitable for this present world to join rather unto the end of this book a devout exposition upon the Psalm Miserere mei Deus   

¶ An exposition after the manner of a contemplation upon the li Psalm/ called Misereremei Deus.  
ALas wretch that I am/ comfortless/ and forsaken of all men/ which have offended both heaven/ and earth/ whother shall I turn me. To whom shall If lie for succour? who shall have pity or compassion on me unto heaven date I not lift up mine eyts/ for I have grievously sinned against it. And in the earth can I find no place of defence/ for I have been noisome unto it what shall I now do? shall I despair? God forbidden full merciful is god/ and my sovyoure is meake/ and loving/ therefore only god is my refuge he will not despise his creature neither forsake his own image unto the therefore most meek and merciful good come I all sad and sorrowful for thou only art my hope/ and thou art on lie the tour of my defence. But what shall I say unto the fyth I dare not lift up mine eyes? I will pour out the words of sorrow/ I will heartily beseech the for mercy and will say.  
Have mercy upon me (oh god) according to thy grace mercy. 
God which dwellest in light that no man can attain/ God which are hid and canst not be seen with bodily eyes/ nor comprehended with any understanding that ever was made neither expressed with the tongues of men or angels. My god: thee/ which art incomprehensible do I seek: thee/ which canst not be expressed do I call upon what tinge so ever thou art/ which art in every place. I know that thou art the most high and excellent thing/ if thou be a thing and not rather the cause of all thing/ if I may so call thee/ for I find no name by the which I may name or express thine inenarrable majesty. God (I say) which art all things that are in thee/ for thou art even thine own wisdom/ thy power and thy most glorious felicity. saying therefore that thou art merciful/ what art thou but even the very mercy it self? And what am I/ but very misery? Behold therefore o god which art mercy/ behold misery is before thee/ what shalt thou do mercy? truly thy work canst thou do otherwise then thy nature is? And whāte is thy work? verily to take away misery/ and to lift up them that are in wretched condition/ therefore have mercy on me oh god. God I say which art mercy take a way my misery/ take a way my sins/ for they are mine extreme misery. Lift up me which am so miserable show thy work in me/ and exercise thy power upon me. One depth requireth another/ the depth of misery requireth the depth of mercy. The depth of sin ar the depth of grace and favour. Greater is the depth of mercy than the depth of misery. Let therefore the one depth swallow up the other. Let the bottomless depth of mercy swallow up the profound depth of misery.  
Have mercy on me oh god according to thy great mercy. Not after the mercy of men which is but small/ but after thine own mercy which is great/ which is unmeasurable/ which is incomprehensible/ which passeth all sins without comparison. According to that thy great mercy with the which thou hast so loved the world/ that thou wouldest give thine only son/ what mercy can be greater? what love can be more/ who can despair who should not have good confidence? god was made man/ & crucified for men therefore have mercy on me oh God according to this thy great mercy by the which thou hast given thy son for us by which (thorough him) thou hast taken away the sin of the world: by which (thorough his cross) thou hast lightened all men by when (thorough him) thou hast redressed all things in heaven and earth wash me (oh Lord) in his blood/ lighten me in his humility/ redress me in his resurrection. Have mercy on me oh God not after thy small mercy for that is but thy small mercy (in comparison) when thou helpest men of their bodily evils but it is great when thou forgivest sins & dost elevate men by thy favour above the top of the earth.  
Even so Lord have mercy on me according to this thy great mercy that thou turn me unto the that thou put out my sins and that thou justify me by thy grace & favour.   
And according to the mustitude of thy compassions wipe away mine iniquity. 
Thy mercy Lord is the abundance of thy pity/ by the which thou lookest gently on the poor and wretched. Thy compassions are the works and processes of thy mercy. Marry magdalene came unto thy feet (good jesus) she washed them whither tears/ and wiped them with her here/ thou forgavest her and sentest her a way in peace/ this was (Lord) one of thy compassions/ Petre denied the and forsook the with an oath/ thou lookedst upon him and he wept bitterly/ thou forgavest him and madest him one of the chief among thine Apostles. this was (lord) another of thy compassions. The these on the cross was saved with one word. Paul in the furious woodness of his persecution was called and by and by fulfilled with the holy ghost/ these are Lord thy compassions.  
The time should fail me if I should enumbre all thy merciable compassions/ for look how many rightwise men there be/ and so many are thy godly compassions/  
There is none that can glory in him self. Let them all come that are rightwise other in earth or in heaven and let us axe them before the whether they be saved by their own power and virtue. And surely all they will answer with one heart/ and one mouth saying.  
Not unto us (Lord) not unto us/ but unto thy name give all the praise/ for thy mercy & for thy truths sake for they in their awneswerde possessed not the land/ and their own arm or power saved them not but thy right hand and thine arm and the lightening of thy councenaunce for thou delitedst in thee/ that is/ they are not saved for their own deservings lest any man should boast himself/ but because it pleased the so to be which thing the Prophet doth also more expressly witness of the when he sayeth he saved me because he would have me. Sith therefore that thou art the me god with whom is no alteration or variableness neither art thou changed unto darkness: and we thy creatures as well as out fathers which were borne under concupisbence sinners as well as we and sith there is but one mediatore and a tonement between god and man that is christ jesus which endureth for ever/ why dost thou not pour on thy plenteous compassions upon us/ as well as thou diddest upon our fathers? hast thou forgotten us? or are we only sinners: did not christ die for us? Are all thy mercies spent & none left.  
Lord our god I desire & heartily beseech thee/ to put out mine iniquity according unto the multitude of thy compassions for many ye & infinite are thy compassions that according (I say) to the multitude of thy compassions thou vouchsafe to quench my sin: that as thouhast draune & received innumerable sinners/ & hast made them righteous even so that thou wilt draw & take me & make me rightwise thorough thy grace & favour/ therefore according to the multitude of thy compassions wipe away mine iniquity. Cleanse & purify mine heart (after all mine iniquity is put out/ and all my uncleanness cleansed) it may be as a clean table in the which the finger of god may write the law of his love and charity with the which can none iniquity continue.   
Yet wash me more from mine iniquity & cleanse me from my sin. 
I grant and knowledge oh Lord thou hast once put out mine iniquity thou hast put it out again/ And hast washed me a thousand times/ how be it yet wash me from mine iniquity/ for I am fallen again. Dost thou use to spare a sinful man until a certain numbered of his sin/ which when Peter inquired/ how of then shall my brother offend against me and I shall forgive him/ whether seven times? thou answeredst: I say not seven times but seventy times seven times taking that certain numbered/ for an infinite numbered/ sith than that a man must forgive so often/ shalt thou in pardoning and forgiveness be passed of a man? is not god more than man? is he not better than man ye rather god is the great Lord/ and every man lyvynghe is nothing but all vanity.  
And only god is good and every man a liar/ hast thou not said: In what hour so ever the sinner doth repent I will not remember any of his iniquities Behold I a sinner do repent and morn/ for mine old privy sores festered within and now are they broken forth for mine own foolishness. I am depressed and fore broken/ I walk in continual morning I am feeble/ and very weak/ I roored for the sorrow of mine heart. Lord all my desires are before the & my sorrowful sighs are not unknown unto the.  
Mine harry trembleth and panteth for sorrow/ my strength faileth me and even the very sight of mine eyes cease from their office/ wherefore them oh Lord dost thou not put away mine iniquity. And if thou put it out according to the multitude of the multitude of thy mercies/ yet wash me more from mine iniquity for yet am I not perfeytlye purefyed/ finysh thy work/ take away the hole offence and also the pain that is due unto the crime increase thy light with in me/ kindle mine heart with thy love and charity put out all fear. Let the love of the world/ the love of the flesh the love of vain glory/ and the love of myself utterly depart fro me/ yet still more and more wash me from mine iniquity by the which I have offended against my neighbour/ and cleanse me from my sin that I have committed against god.  
I would have the put away not only the fault and pain that followeth it/ but also the occasion and nourishment of sin wash me I say with the water of thy gracious favour/ with water of which he that drinketh shall not thirst for ever/ but it shall be made in him a fountain of living water running in to everlasting life, Wash me with the water of my tears Wash me with the comfortable waters of thy holy scriptures that I may be enumbred among them unto whom thou saidest Now are ye clean for my words which I have spoken unto you/ joan. xiii.   
For I knowledge mine iniquity & my sin is ever before mine eyes. 
Although thorough the beholding of thy mercy and compassyons I may be bold to fly unto thee (oh Lord) yet will I not come as the pharisee which prayed not but rather praised himself and despised his neighbour: but I come unto the as the publican Luc. xviij. which durst not lift up his eyes unto heaven. For I also do knowledge mine iniquity/ and whiles I ponder my sins I dare not lift up mine eyes/ but humbling myself with the publican I say: God be merciful to me a sinner. My soul wavereth between hope and fear/ and sometime for the fear of my sins (which I feal and knowledge to be in me) I am ready to despair/ sometime thorough the hope of thy mercy/ I am lifted up and comforted. Nevertheless because that thy mercy is greater than my misery I will ever Lord trust in the and will sing out thy plenteous compassyons for ever/ for I know that thou desirest not the death of a sinner/ but rather that he were converted and that he would knowledge his iniquity and forsake his sin/ and so come to the that he may live.  
My god grant me that I may live in thee/ for I knowledge my wickedness/ I know what a grievous burden it is/ how copious/ and how ieoperdyous. I am ignorance of it/ I hide it not but set it even before mine eyes/ that I may wash it with my tears and knowledge unto the Lord mine unrightwiseness against myself: & also my sin which I have proudly done against thee/ is ever against me/ & therefore is it against me/ because I have sinned against the And it is truly against me/ for it is even against my soul & accuseth me ever before the ●●y judge & condemneth me ever & in every place: and it is so against me that it is ever before my face and standeth butt against me that my prayer may not pierce thorough unto thee/ that it might take thy mercy from and hinder thy mercy that it can not come at me: therefore do I tremble and therefore do I morn beseeching thy mercy. Therefore (oh Lord) as thou hast given this grace unto me to know my wickedness and to bewail my sin: even so accomplish this thy benevolence giving me a parfayte faith/ and drawing me unto thy son which hath made a full satisfaction for all my sins. give me Lord this precious gift/ for every good gift and every parfeyte gift is from above coming from the father of light.   
against the only have I sinned: & have done that which is evil in thy sight: that thou mayst be justified in thy words: & mayst have the victory when thou art judged 
I have overmuch sinned unto the alone for thou commaundedst me that I should love the for thyself/ and should love all creatures for thy sake. But I have loved a creature more than thee/ loving it even for it self. Whate is sin/ but to love a creature for itself? & what is that/ but to do against thee? Surely he that loveth a creature for itself maketh that creature his god. And therefore have I sinned against the only/ for I have made a creature my god. So have I cast the away/ and have been injurious only to thee/ for I have not offended against any creature in that I have set my trust or confidence in it. For it was not commanded me that I should love any creature for itself. If thou hadst commanded me that I should have loved an angel only for himself/ & I had loved money for itself/ then no doubt I had offended against the angel. But sith that thou only art to be loved for thyself (that is to say without any respect other of good or evil) and every creature is to be loved in the & for thy sake/ therefore have I surely offended only against thee/ for I have loved a creature for itself.  
But yet have I worse done/ for I have sinned even in thy sight. I was nothing ashamed to sin before thy face. Oh merciful god/ how many sins have I done in thy sight which I would in no wise have done before mortal men/ ye that I would not in any case that men should know. I feared men more than thee/ for I was blind and loved blindness/ and so did I neither see nor once consider thee, I had only fleshly eyes/ therefore did I only fear & look on men which are flesh. But thou lookedst on all my sins & numbered them/ therefore I can neither hid them from thee/ neither turn my back and fly from thy face.  
Whother shall I go from thy sprite and whother shall I fly from thy face? what shall I then do? whother shall I turn me whom shall I find to be my defender? whom I pray you but the my God? who is so good? who is so gentle? who is so merciful? for thou passest with out comparison all creatures in gentleness. It is one of thy chiefest properties to forgive & be merciful/ for thorough mercy and forgiveness thou dost most declare thy almyghtinesse: I grant Lord that I have offended only against thee/ and have done that which is evil in thy sight/ have mercy therefore on me & express thy puissance in me/ that thou mayst be justified in thy words: for thou hast said: that thou camest not to call the rightwise/ but sinners unto repentance. justifye me Lord according to thy words: call me/ receive me/ and give me grace to do true works of repentance. For this cause wast thou crucified/ deed and buried. Thou saidest also: joan three When I am lifted up from of the earth/ I will draw all unto myself/ verefye thy words/ draw me after the let us run together in the sweetness of thine ointments, Besides that thou saidest: Mat. xi. Come unto me all ye that labour/ and are laden/ and I will ease you. Loo I come unto the laden with sins/ labouring day and night in the sorrow of mine heart refresh and ease me lord that thou mayst be justified and proved true in thy words/ and mayst overcome when thou art judged for there are many that say: he shall have no succour of his god. God hath forsaken him. Overcome lord these persons when thou art thus judged of them and forsake me not at any tyme. give me thy mercy and wholesome succour/ & then are they vanquished. They say/ that thou wilt have no mercy on me/ and that thou wilt cast me clean out of thy favour and no more receive me/ thus art thou judged of men/ & thus do men speak of thee/ & these are their determinations/ but thou which art meek and merciful have mercy on me/ and overcome their judgements/ show thy mercy on me and let thy godly pity be praised in me. Make me a vessel of thy mercy/ that thou mayst be justified in thy words and have the victory when men do judge the for men do judge the to be fierce and inflexible. Overcome their judgement with meekness and benevolence/ so that men may learn to have compassion on sinners/ and that malefactors may be inflamed unto repentance/ saying in me/ thy pity and mercy.   
Loo I was fashioned in wekednes and my mother conceived me polluted with sin. 
Behold not Lord the grievousness of my sins/ consider not the multitude/ but look mercifully on me which am thy creature. ☞ Remember that I am dust/ and that all flesh is as withered hay/ for Loo I am fashioned in wekednes & in sin hath my mother conceived me. My natural mother (I say) hath conceived me of concupiscence/ & in her am I polluted with original sin. What is original sin/ but the lack of original justice & of the right and pure innocency which man had at his creation? therefore a man conceived & borne in such sin is hole crooked and out of frame. The flesh coveteth against the spirit. Reason is slender/ the will is weak/ man is frail and like vanity/ his senses deceive him/ his imagination faileth him his ignorance leadeth him out of the right way/ & he hath infinite impediments which pluck him from goodness and drive him in to evil. Therefore original sin is the root of all sins and the nurse of all wickedness/ for all be it that in every man of the own nature it is but one sin yet in power it is all sins. Thou sayst therefore Lord what I am/ and of whence I am for in original sin (which containeth all sins and iniquities in it) am I fashioned/ & in it hath my mother conceived me/ sith than I am hole in sins and environed with snares one ●erye side how shall I escape? for what I would that do I not/ but the evil that I would not that do I/ for I find another law in my membres rebelling against the law of my mind/ & subduing me unto the law of sin & death. Therefore the more frail and entangled thy godly benevolence seeth me/ so much the more let it life up & comfort me. Who would not pity one that is sick? who would not have compassion on him that is diseased? Come/ come thou sweet Samaritane and take up the wounded and half deed cure my wounds/ pour in wine and oil set me upon thy be'st/ bring me in to the hostry/ commit me unto the host/ take out two pence and say unto him: what so ever thou spendest above this/ when I come again I will recompense the.   
Loo thou hast loved truth/ the unknown & secret things of thy wisdom/ hast thou uttered unto me. 
Come most sweet Samaritane/ for behold thou hast loved truth/ the truth (I say) of thy promises which thou hast made unto mankind/ then hast thou truly loved: for thou hast made and kept them/ so that thy love is nothing else but even to do good for in thyself thou art invariable & immutable/ thou usest not now to love and a none not to love (as men do) neither doth thy love so come & go/ but thou art such a lover as doth never change for thy love is very god. Thy love therefore wherewith thou lovest a creature/ is to do it good/ & whom thou most lovest/ to them art thou most beneficial. Therefore what meaneth that thou lovest truth/ but that of thy gracious mercy thou makest us promises/ & fulfillest them for thy truths sake? Thou dyst promise unto Abraham a son when he was aged/ thou falfylledst thy promise in old and barren Sara/ because thou lovedst truth. Thou promisest unto the children of Israel a land that flowed with milk and honey/ and at the last didst give it them/ for thy truths sake.  
Thou madest a promise to David saying: I shall set upon thy seat regal one of the fruit of thy body/ and it came even so to pass/ because thou wouldest be found true. There are other innumerable promises in which thou hast ever been faithful because thou lovedst truth. Thou hast promised to sinners which will come unto thee/ forgiveness and favour/ and thou hast never defrauded man/ for thou hast loved truth. That unthrifty son Luc. xv. that took his journey in to a far country and wasted all his goods with covetous living/ when he came to himself/ he retovened unto the saying. Father I have sinned against heaven and before thee/ now am I not worthy to be called thy son/ make me as one of thy hired servants,/ When he was yet a great way of/ thou sawest him and hadst compassion on him and runnest unto him/ falling upon his neck and kissing him/ thou broughtest forth the best garmenth and puttest a ring on his finger and shows on his feet/ Thou kylledst that fatted calf and madest all the house merry saying/ Let us eat & be merry/ for this my son was deed and is alive again/ he was lost and is now found.  
Why didst thou all this Lord God? surely because thou lovedst truth. Love therefore (o father of mercies) this truth in me/ which return unto the from a far country/ run towards me & give me a kiss of thy mouth/ give me those chief garments/ draw me in to thy house/ kill that fatted calf that all which trust in the may rejoice in me/ and let us eat together in spiritual feasts. Oh Lord wilt thou exclude me alone and wilt thou not keep this truth unto me? if thou shouldest look narrowly on our wickedness o lord: lord who might abide thee? But Lord thou wilt not be so straight unto us/ for thou lovest truth: ye and that with a fervent & incomprehensible love.  
Which is the truth that thou so lovest? is it not thy son that said joan xiiij I am the way/ truth/ and life? he is the very truth of whom all truth is named in heaven and in earth/ this is it that thou hast loved and in it only hast thou delighted for thou didst find it pure & with out spot and wouldest that it should die for sinners/ keep therefore (Oh God) this truth/ behold I am a great sinner in whom thou mayst keep it/ to whom thou mayst forgive many sins/ whom thou mayst purify in the blood of thy Christ/ & whom thou mayst redeem thorough his passion why (Oh lord) hast thou given me this knowledge of thy son/ & this faith of him? Because I should see my redemption and not to attain it that I might by that means be the more vexed with sorrow? God forbid/ but rather that I may perceive the remission of my sins purchased by Christ's blood/ and so by his grace may obtain it. Purge me therefore and redeem me oh Lord (for thou hast uttered unto me the unknown and secret points of thy wisdom) that this knowledge may help me & bring me unto health for truly the philosophers never knew these things/ they were unknown unto hem/ ye & utterly hid from them: and no man knew these things (except a few whom thou lovest entirely) before thy sons incarnation  
The most curious searchers of the world/ I mean the wisemen of this world lifted up their eyes above heaven & yet could not find this thy wisdom/ for thou hast hid these things from the wise & prudent/ and hast opened them unto babes/ that is/ to humble fishers and thy holy prophets which also have uttered them unto us. And so hast thou uttered the unknown and secret things of thy wisdom & of thy scriptures unto me/ why do I know them in vain? I know them surely in vain if they profit me not unto my health and salvation. For the Philosophers when they knew God by his marvelous creatures they glorified him not as god neither were thankful/ but waxed full of vanities in their imaginations and their foolish hearts were blinded/ when they counted themselves wise/ they became soles/ wilt thou suffer me Lord to be of their numbered? God forbid/ for thou art even mercy itself which doth never utterly forsake any man/ favour therefore Lord favour and spare thy servant/ and command him to be of the numbered of thy babes/ that the unknown secrets of thy wisdom/ which thou hast opened to him may lead him unto the fountain of wisdom which is an high/ that thou mayst be praised in the work of thy mercy which thou dost exercise towards thy servant (Lord) which never forsakest them that trust in the.   
Sprinkle me Lord with hyssop/ and so shall be clean/ thou shalt wash me/ and than shall I be whitther then snow. 
Because Lord that thou hast loved the truth & hast opened unto me the unknown secrets of thy wisdom/ I am well comforted and I trust that thou wilt not cast me out of thy favour/ but thou shalt sprinkle me with hyssop and so shall I be cleansed. Hyssop is a low herb/ it is hot and of a good savour/ which signifieth nothing else/ but thy only son our lord jesus Christ/ which humbled himself unto death/ even unto the death of the cross/ which with the heat of his fervent charity loved us/ and washed us from our sins in his blood/ which with the redolent savour of his benevolence and righteousness replenished the hole world.  
Therefore with this hyssop shalt thou sprinkle me/ when thou pourest upon me the virtue of his blood: when Christ thorough faith shall dwell in me: when thorough love I am joined with him: when I shall feat his humility and passion/ then shall I be cleansed from all mine uncleanness. Then shalt thou wash me with mine own tears which flow out of the love of Christ/ then shall I sigh until I be weary I shall water my bed every night with my tears/ so that it shall swim in them and then shalt thou wash me and I shall be whiter then snow.  
snow is white and cold/ but Lord if thou sprinkle me with hyssop. I shall be more white than snow for I shall be thoroughly endued with thy splendent light which passeth all bodily whiteness. And when I am inflamed with that light/ I shall for sake all my carnal concupiscences cold unto wordly things/ and inflamed unto heavenly.   
Unto my hearing shalt thou give joy and gladness and my bruised bones shall be refreshed. 
Then Lord shall I pray unto thee/ etlye (that is in the beginning of thy light) shalt thou hear my voice & I shall hear what the lord god shall speak in me for he shalt speak peace for his people and shall give me peace. Lord thou shalt give me peace for I have trusted in thee/ unto my hearing shalt thou give joy/ and gladness/ when I shall hear that comfortable words that mary heard. And what herd mary (I speak of that mary/ which sat at the feet of jesus Mat. xxvi.) what heard she: Thy faith hath saved thee/ go thy ways in peace. Let me also hear that the thief heard this day shalt thou be with me in paradise/ then shall I have joy for the remission of my sins/ and gladness for thy bounteous and liberal promises shall I not rejoice/ and be glad/ when thou shalt give me two fold for all my sins? them shall I begin to taste how sweet the Lord is then shall I learn to be conversant in heavenly things and shall say with the Prophet: how great and copious is that swe●enesse Lord/ which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee/ then shall I rejoice and be glad and my bruised bones shallbe refreshed. What are the bones which sustain the flesh but the powers of our soul and reason that bear up the frailty of our flesh that he run not headlong in to all vices/ that a man fall not hole in to vanity and so consume away. These bones I say are sore bruised/ for the reason is very weak/ and the will is prone and ready to all mischief/ for even now the the flesh obeyeth not reason/ but reason must obey the flesh/ so that I can not resist vice/ for my bones are bruised. And why are they bruised for they have forsaken thee/ the fountain of living water/ and have digged for themselves casterns full of thinness which can hold no waters/ for they are not filled with thy grace with out which no man can live well/ for without the we can do no thing. They trusted in their aw●e power which is no power and therefore decayed they in their own folyshnesses Therefore let thy power come (Oh Lord) and then shall these bruised bones be refreshed let thy grace come & that faith which worketh thorough love. Let thy powers & gifts assist me/ & then my bruised bones shall be refreshed for my reason shallbe merry/ my memory glad & my will full of joy/ & thus shall they all rejoice/ for above their own natural strength/ when they go about any good work they shall proceed & prosper well/ neither shall they leave it unperfeyte/ but thorough thy help shall they bring it to good pass and effect.   
Turn thy face from off my sins/ and wipe away all my wickedness. 
Why lookest thou Lord upon my sins why numbrest thou them? why consider 〈◊〉 them so diligently? dost thou not know● that man is even as a flower of the feld●/ why dost thou not rather look in the face of thy Christ? Alas wretch that I am/ why see I the angry against me? I grant I have sinned/ how be it for thy gentleness have mercy on me. Turn thy face from off my sins. Thy face is nothing but thy knowledge turn away therefore thy knowledge from my sins I mean not that knowledge where with thou seist and perceivest all things/ but that whereby thou approvest & disalowest all things/ whereby thou allowest the works of the rightwise and condemnest the reprovable sins of the wicked/ know not my sins on that manner that thou wouldest impute them unto me and lay them to my charge. But rather turn away thy face from my sins that thorough thy mercy they may be quenched look Lord on the ceeatuere whom thou hast wrought/ look upon thine own image. For I poor wretch have put upon me the image of the devil (that is sin) turn away thy face from the image of the devil and be not angry with me/ and behold thine own image that thou mayst have mercy on me:  
O merciful Lord/ remember that thou lookedst upon zacheum which did climb up in to a wild fig tree to see the. Lu. nineteen. and thou entredst in to his house which thou wouldest never have done if thou hadst looked on the image of the devil which he had put on him/ but because thou savest thine own image in him/ thou hadst compassion on him and heledst him. He promised to give the half of his goods to the poor/ and if he had falsely deceived any man to restore it four fold and he obtained mercy and health. And I bequeath myself even hold unto the nothing reserved And promise to serve the for ever with a pure heart/ and will fulfil my promise all days of my life wherefore then Lord dost thou not look on thine image in me also? why dost thou yet consider my sins.  
Turn I beseech the thy face from my sins & wipe away all my wickedness/ wipe away all I pray the that none remain / for it is written he that keepeth the hol● law & offendeth in one point is guilty in the hole/ that is to say/ hath deserved damnation/ which is the pain of all sins that lead unto death. Put out therefore all my wickedness/ that none offend the which should bring me to condemnation.   
A pure heart create in me oh god and an upright spirit make a new within me 
For my heart hath forsaken me/ and goeth astray utterly forgetting his own health it is wandered in to strange countries & ensueth vanities & his eyes/ be in the utmost coasts of the world I called it again but it answered me not. It is gone/ lost & sold under sin. What nv lord? what shall I say. A pure heart create in me god/ a humble heart/ a courteous heart/ a peaceable heart/ a gentle heart/ a devout heart/ soch an heart as will neither do another man hurt/ neither yet avenge himself when he is offended but rather do god against evil. And such an heart as will love the above all thing which will think of thee/ speak of the and thank the which will delight in hymns & spiritual songs and be hole conversant in heavenly things. Create this heart in me (Oh God) treat it of nothing/ that it may be of such effi●acite thorough grace as nature is never able to make it. This grace cometh only from the in to the soul thorough thy creation it is the beauty of a pure heart/ it draweth unto him all virtue and expelleth all vice/ therefore create in me Oh god a pure heart thorough thy grace/ & make a new an upright spirit in mi bowels.  
For thy spirit shall lead me in to a right way/ which shall purge me from all earthy affects and shall lift me up unto heavenly things. The lover & the thing that is loved are both of one nature. He that loveth bodily things is wordly but he that loveth spiritual things is spiritual. give me a spirit that may love the & worship thee/ the most high spirit/ for god is a spirit & they which worship him/ must worship him in the spirit & verity. give me an upright spirit not schinge his own profit and glory/ but the will and glory of god renew an upright spirit with in me renew it. For my sins have qwenched the first that thou gavest me. give me now a new spirit that it may redress that thing which is inveterate my soul is also a spirit & so made of the that of herself she is right for of her own nature she loveth the above herself and desireth all things for thy glory/ so that her own natural love is right/ for it cometh of thee/ but of her own froward will is it inveterate & polluted causing her natural love to decay. Make new therefore this s●te & this love thorough thy grace that it may walk in the right way according to his nature renew it (I say) that it may ever inflame me with hevenlye love that it may ever cause me to sigh unto thee/ to embrace the continually and never to forsake the.   
Cast me not away from thy face/ and thy holy ghost take not from me 
Behold Lord I stand before thy face that I may find mercy I stand before thy benign goodness looking for thy favourable answer cast me not confused from thy face who came ever. Lord unto the and went away confused. Who ever desired thy favour/ and went with out it. Surely thou passest in thy abundant pity both the deservings and also the desires of them that pray unto thee/ for thou givest more than men can desire ye or understand when they have it. It was never hard that thou didst cast away from they face any man that ever came unto the Shall I Oh Lord be the first that shall be cast away from thy face and utterly confounded? wilt thou begin at me to confound them that come unto thee? wilt thou never more have mercy and compassion? God forbid. The woman of Canane followed thee/ she cried and made a piteous noise/ she moved thy disciples/ unto compassion/ and thou heldest thy peace/ she continued knocking/ she worshipped the and said. Lord help me/ neither yet wouldest thou answer. Thy disciples entreated for her saying: let her go for she crieth after us. But what was thine answer Lord I pray thee/ what didst thou answer: for south that she wept in vain/ and laboured for nought/ for thou saidst that thou wast not sent but unto the sheep that were perished of the house of Israel.  
What should this woman do when she had these words? verily even despair as concerning the grace that she required: & yet despaired she not/ but trusting in thy mercy prayed again saying: Lord help me/ unto whose importunity (Lord) thou answeredst/ it is not good to take the children's breed and cast it to hands as though thou shouldest have said depart from me you Canaanites are dogs/ ye are idolaters/ the precious gifts of he ven●ye favour pertain not unto you I ought not to take them a way from the jews which worship the true and living god/ and to give them to such dogs as ye are which worshuppe idols and devils what shalt thou now do thou woman of Canaan? thou mayst now be a shamed and get the away/ for the Lord is angry not with the alone/ but also thy hole nation. Oh Lord god/ who would not have been confounded and have picked him away at these thy words? who would not have mumbled and grugged against thee? who would not have judged the to be cruel? And yet did this woman continue still in prayer. She cast not away her confidence/ she took not these hard words heavily/ she was n●● angry/ but she humbled herself the more and abode still in her petition and said with good fiance. It is truth Lord that thou sayest/ but I axe nobrred/ I axe not the favour that thchildren should have. I am a little when elpe and desire the tromes with fall from thy children's table. Let them storys● and abound with miracles/ and other gracious favours/ but let not me be destitute of this trumme of grace/ that my douhter may be delivered from the fiends possession for the whelps do rate of the trummes which fail from their master's tables. Behold what faith/ what trust/ and what humility was in this women? therefore thou/ not disposed with her importunate instance but rejoicing in her excellent constancy didst say O woman great is thy faith/ be it unto the as thou wilt. Why are these things written Lord god? that we may learn to trust in thee/ that me may humbly and devoutly continue in prayer/ for thou wil● give it if men be greedy.  
But the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence/ and they that make violence unto is catch it/ for what things so ever are written are written for our learning that thorough patience and comfort of the scriptures we may have hope.  
Cast me not therefore lord from thy face which stand weeping and way linge day & night before thy face/ not that thou shouldest deliver me from the bodily oppression of devils/ but that thou wilt deliver my soul from his spiritual power & dominion.  
Let me not be shamed (O sweet jesus) for in the only have I trusted I have no health or comfort but in the o Lord/ for all have forsaken me/ even my brethren & children have cast me of and mine own bowels abhor me. I have no nother helper/ but only the. Cast me not therefore away from thy face/ & take no● thy holy spirit for me There is noman which can say that jesus is the Lord but by the holy ghost therefore if I call upon the lord jesus/ that do I in the holy ghost/ if I be sorry for my sins which are passed/ if I are forgiveness/ this do I verily. by the holy ghost. Therefore I beseech the take not fro me thy holy ghost/ but that it may be with me/ and labour with me/ for we wot not what to desire as we ought to do. But the spirit helpeth our infirmities and maketh intercession for us/ that is/ maketh us to pray with such sorrowful groanings as can not be expressed with tongue therefore take not away this thy holy spirit fro me/ that he may teach me to pray/ and help me in my labour and may cause me to continue in prayers and tears/ that at the length I may find favour before thy face and may serve the all days of my life.   

Make me again to rejoice in thy saving health and strengthen me with a principal spirit.  
he is a great thing that I desire o Lord how be it sith thou art god a great Lord/ and king over all gods/ he doth the injury which asketh small things of the. All transitory and corruptible things are but small in thy sight: but spiritual & everlasting things are great/ and precious. Take away the spirit/ and soul from the body/ and what remaineth but most vile dung dust & a vain shadow therefore even so much difference is between the spirit and the body/ as is between the body & his shadow/ so may I conclude that he which asketh bodily things asketh but vain trifles but he that desireth spiritual things doth surely desire great things/ but specially he that desireth thy saving health/ what is thy saving health but jesus thy son? which is very god/ & everlasting life/ why shall I not then ask of the this thy saviour/ sith thou art amyghtye and most liberal father/ which gavest him unto the death of the cross for me. Now sith thou hast so offered him for me/ why should I be ashamed to ask him of thee? It is a great and noble present neither am I worthy to have such a gift how be it it becometh thy worthy liberality to give such noble gifts/ for this therefore tyne ineffable gentleness I dare presume to come boidlye unto the and to desire thy saving health in whom I might fully rejoice. For if of his carnal father any son ask fish/ will he teach him a serpent. And if he ask an egg/ will he give him a scorpion? or if he ask breed/ will he give him a stone? Now if carnal fathers being evil and sinners/ will give unto their children good gifts which they have received of thee: how much more thou heavenly father which of thine own substance art good/ wilt give a good spirit to them that desire it of thee? Behold thy son which is returned from a far country sorrowing and repenting/ asketh of the the fish of faith/ for as the fish lieth secret under the water/ even so is faith of such things as are not seen/ he asketh I say a true faith that he may rejoice in thy saving health: wilt thou reath him a serpent? wilt thou give him the venom of unfaithfulness which proceedeth from that old and crooked serpent the devil I desire of the o Lord the egg of hope/ that even as out of an egg we hope for a chyken/ so thorough hope/ that thou wilt grant me to come unto the sight of thy saving health that out of my hope may come this wholesome sight as the chick doth out of the egg. I desire the egg of hope/ that my soul thorough hope may be sustained in this vale of tears and may rejoice in thy saving health. Wilt thou give me the scorpion of desperation that as a scorpion hath poison in the end of her tail/ so I in the last end of miliffe should reserve sin/ delighting my self and taking he my pleasure with the enticements of this world which seem beautiful and flattering/ even as a scorpion doth in the face.  
I desire of the also (o Lord) the breed of Christ's charity by the which he doth communicate himself (even as breed) unto all men/ that I may ever rejoice in thy saving/ health/ wilt thou give me a stone/ that is to say hardness of heart? God forbidden/ why shall I them my struste for to desire and/ and obtain great things of the o Lord/ seeing thou stirrest me up/ and biddest me ask and knock/ even till I see me importunate? And what thing can I ask which thou shalt be better content with all/ or else that should be more wholesome for me them that thou shouldest make me rejoice in thy son our saving health.  
Now have I tasted how sweet the Lord is/ how easy/ and pleasant his burden is. I remember what peace and tranquillity of mind I was in/ when I joyed in god. And rejoiced in Chryst my Lord and saviour/ therefore am I now in more sorrow/ for I know what goodness.  
And commodylye I have lost/ therefore will I cry more importunatlye: Make me again to rejoice in thy saving health restore me again that thing which my sins have lost. Restore me that which thorough my fault is perished in me. Restore me (I beseech the for his sake that ever is on thy right hand and maketh intercession for us) thy gracious favour/ that I may perceive that thorough him thou art pacified towards me/ that it may be as a seal upon my heart/ and that I may say with the Apostle Paul Gala. ij. I am crucified with Chryst/ I live verily/ yet now not I/ but Chryst liveth in me.  
But because my frailty is great/ strength me with a principal spirit that no troubles or afflictions may separate me from Chryst/ that no fear may cause me to renay the and that no pains may make me slide from the. My strength is not sufficient to resist/ and fight with that old serpent/ and to prevail against him.  
Peter hath taught me how great our infirmity is/ he saw the with his bodily eyes (Lord jesus) & was most familiarly conversant with thee: he tasted of thy glory in the mountain/ when thou wast transfigured: he hard the father's voice: he saw thy manifold and wondrous works/ ye and thorough thy power did himself many miracles. He walked on his feet upon the waters/ and hard daily thy mighty and sweet words: he thought himself most fervent and hot in the faith and said that he was ready to go with the both in to preson & unto very death. And when thou toldest him that he should deny the he believed the not the trusted in his own strength/ and trusted more unto himself being but a man/ than unto the being very god. But when the handmaiden said unto him. Thou art of the same company/ he was afraid by and by and denied it.  
There came another maid and said: Surely thou art of the same folk: And he denied the again.  
He could not stand before women/ how should he then have stand before kings & tyrants? And when he was yet once more inquired of the bystanders and was accused to be one of his disciples/ he began to curse and to swear that he knew the not/ what think you he said? I suppose that he swore by god and by the law of Moses that he knew the not/ adding such words. Think you that I am the disciple of this Sama●●ane which/ deceiveth the people which is inspired with the devil and destroyeth our law? I am the disciple of Moses'/ and know not from when●● this fellow is. Blissed be God that they accused enquyringe any further/ for else would he never have ceased denying thee/ so that a thousand interrogations would have made a thousand staite negations: ye a thousand curses and periuryes: yet were these interrogations but words/ what would he have done (I pray thee) if they had scourged him & buffeted him well? truly he would have sought & proved all means/ denying/ forswearing/ cursing/ and blaspheming until that he had escaped their hands. But thou most meek Lord lookedst back upon him and by and by he knowledged his offence.  
Nether yet durst he leap in to the mids of them and confess the to be the son of God/ for he was not yet strengthened with power from above/ so that with our doubt he would have denied the again/ if he had seen any jeopardy at hand/ therefore as it was most mere for him/ he went● forth and wept bitterly. But thou after thy resurrection appearedst unto him and confortedst him/ & yet kid he himself for fear of the jews? he saw the so gloriously ascending unto heaven & was strengthened by the sight and comfort of Angels/ & yet durst he not go abroad/ for he had learned by experience to know his own fragilite/ and had proved his weakness.  
¶ Therefore did be tarry and wait for the holy ghost which was promised/ when he was come and had filled Peter's heart with grace/ then stepped he forth: then began he to speak/ and then with great power and signs bore he witness of thy resurrection.  
Then feared he neither the it priests neither yet kings/ but rejoiced in tribulations & received the cross with all m●●th and gladness. Therefore strengthen me Lord with a principal spirit that I may continually rejoice in thy saving health/ or else can I not bear so many assaults against me. The flesh coveteth contrary to the spirit. The world assaileth me on everyesyde. The devil sleepeth not.  
give me the strength of thy spirit that the there may fallely my side a thousand an● than thousand by my right hand that I may be a sure and strong witness of thy saith. For if Peter whom thou enduedst with so many favourable gifts/ did fall so wretchedly/ what should I do Lord which have neither seen thy natural presence: neither have tasted of thy glory in the mountain: neither have seen thy gracious miracles: ye and have scarcely perceived thy marvelous works/ & have never hard thy voice/ but have been ever subdued under sin therefore strength me with a principal spirit that I may persever/ in thy service and give my life for thy sake.   
I will instruct the wicked that they may knowethy ways/ and the ungodly shallbe converted unto the. 
Ascribe not this oh Lord unto presumption/ if I go about to the teach the ungodly thy ways/ for I desire not to teach them as I now am wicked/ ungodly/ and under the bonds of sin/ but if thou make me again to rejoice in thy saving health: if thou strengthen me with a principal spirit: and if also thou set me free/ then shall I teach the ungodly thy ways. ¶ Nether is this hard unto thee/ which of very stones canst raise up children unto Abraham/ neither can my sins be impediment unto the if thou wilt do this/ but rather where sin is so abundant/ there aboundeth grace Paul yet brethinge out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the lord received commission that if he found any whether they were men or women which followed the & professed thy faith/ he should bring them prisoners to Jerusalem. And forth was he going like a mad harebrain and as a ravening volfe/ for to stray abroad/ ravish and kill thy sheep. But whylles he was yet in his journey even in the heat of his persecution/ and in actual doing of his sin/ whiles he was persecuting the and would have slain thy chosen/ having no manner of preparative unto grace/ neither yet knowledge of his sin/ when with heart and will he was thine adversary/ blasphemed and cursed the. Behold the voice of thy merciable pity unto him saying: Saute/ Saul why persecute●● me? by the which voice he was immediately both said along and raised up he was laid along and overthrown as concerning his body/ but he was raised up with the mind thou raysedst him up that was in the sleep of dark ygnorauncye and pouredst in thy glorious light in to those eyes which were oppressed with this blind sleep: thou showedst him thy savourable face and endued him with thy gracious mercy. Then was he raised as it had been from death/ he opened his eyes/ he saw the and said: Lord what wilt thou that I do? And after didst thou send a sheep to his wolf/ for thou commandest Ananias to go unto him: And then was he baptized and anon was he replenished with the holy ghost and was made a chosen vessel to bear thy name before kings/ nations and the children of Israel. And with out delay he entered in to the synagogues & preached thy name stoutly/ affirming that thou art christ/ He disputed/ prevailed and confounded the jues. Behold Lord even strait of a persecutor/ thou madest him a preacher and such a preacher that laboured more than all the other apostles. O/ how great is thy power/ if thou wilt of a wicked man make a right wise/ or of a persequntoure a preacher/ who shall forbid thee? who shall resist thee? who may say unto thee/ why dost thou so? All things that thou wouldest have thou made in heaven and in earth/ 〈◊〉 these and in all bottomless depth.  
Therefore impute it not to arrogancy if I covet thorough thy power & not thorough mine own to teach the wicked thy ways for I know that I can offer nothing which can be so acceptable in thy godly sight this is the most pleasant sacrifice/ & also for my singular profit/ now if thou change me in to another man/ than will I teach the wicked thy ways/ not the ways of Plato & Aristotle/ not the intricate & so●le propositions of man's wit/ not the instructions of philosophy/ not the painted words & vain colours of the rethoricyans. Not wordly matters & policies/ not unfruitful ways of vanity/ not ways that l●ad men into death: but thy ways & thy precepts which lead unto life/ neither will I teach than only one way but many ways for many are thy commandments/ how be it all the ways end in one/ that is in love & charity/ which doth so combined the faithful hearts/ that they have one mind and one will in god. Or else may we understand by thy many ways/ the diverse manner of living/ wherein every man walketh according to his vocation: some married/ some living chaste in wedowhod/ some virgins and so forth/ these walk after diverse ways unto their heavenly inheritance every man choosing one in the which he may best subdue his rebellious membres. Thus will I teach the wicked thy ways according to their capacity and condition. And the ungodly shallbe converted unto the for I will preach unto them not myself/ but Christ crucified: and they shallbe converted not unto my praise/ but unto the giving the all honour and praise/ they shall leave their own ways and come unto thine/ that they may walk in them and so consequently attain unto the.   
deliver me from bloods (oh God) the God of my hefth/ and me tongue shall triumph upon thy rightwiseness. 
I am stifled in much blood/ and from the depth of it shall I cry unto the Lord/ lord hark unto my voice. Tarry not lord for I am even at the wynte of death/ this blood that I speak of are my sins/ for as the bodily life consisteth in blood/ even so is the life of a sinner in his sin: pour out the blood/ and the be'st dieth: pour out the sin knowledging it unto God/ & the sinner dieth and is made rightwise. Nether am I wropped in blood/ but over whelmed & drowned in bloods/ full streams of bloods do drive me unto hell/ help me Lord/ lest I perish. Oh god which governest all things/ which only canst deliver me/ in whose hand is the spirit of life/  and purge me from these bloods. deliver me from bloods (oh God) the auctor of my health/ God in whom only consisteth my salvation. deliver me Lord/ as thou deliverest Noah from the waters of the flood deliver me as thou deliverest Loath from the fire of Sodom. deliver me as thou deliverdest the children of Israel from the depth of the red see/ deliver me as thou deliveredst jonas from the belie of the whale/ deliver me as thou deliverest the three children from the furnace of burning fire deliver me as thou deliveredst Peter from the peril of the see. Deliver me as thou deliveredst Paul from the deep of the see. Deliver me as thou hast deliveredst infinite sinners from the power of death/ & from the gates of hell. And then shall my tongue triumph thy ryghtwysenes/ that is/ for thy rightwiseness which I shall feel and perceive in me thorough thy gracious favour For thy rightwiseness (as th'apostle sayeth Roma three) cometh by the faith of jesus Christ unto all & upon all them that believe in him/ then shall my tongue triumph in praising this thy rightwiseness/ commending thy favour/ magnifyenge thy pity knowledging my sins/ that thy mercy may be declared in me which would vouchsafe to justify such a great sinner/ & that all men may know that thou savest them which trust in the & deliverest them from extreme anguish & adversity o lord our God.   
¶ Lord open thou my lips: and then my mouth shall show forth thy praise. 
Thy praise is a great thing o Lord/ for it proceedeth out of thy fountain whereof no sinner drinketh. It is no glorious praise that cometh of a sinners mouth/ deliver me therefore from blood (oh God) the god of my health & my tongue shall magnify thy rightwiseness. And then shalt thou lord open my lips & my mouth shall show forth thy praise/ for thou hast the kaye of David which shettest & no man openeth/ & openest and no man shutteth/ therefore open thou my lips as thou openedst the mouths of infants and sucklings/ out of whose mouths thou hast stablished thy praise. These truly were thy prophets/ Apostles and other saints which have praised the with a single and pure heart & mouth/ and not the Philosophers and orators which have said/ We will magnify our tongue/ our lips be in our own power/ who is our god? They opened their own mouths/ and thou openedst them not/ neither yet stablishedst thy praise out of their mouths. Thy infants' Lord praised the and despised themselves.  
The Philosophers went about to praise themselves and magnify their own name. Thy sucklings extolied thy fame & glory which they knew thorough heavenly favour. The philosophers knowing the only by natural creatures/ could never perfeytlye express thy renown. Thy saints magnefied the with their heart/ mouth & good works. The Philosophers only with words and their own soot imaginations/ thy children have spread thy glory thorough out all the world. The Philosophers have instruct but a few of their own adherentes. Thy friends with spredinge thy glory have converted innumerable men from sin unto virtue and unto true felicity. The Philosophers neither knew true virtues neither yet true felicity. Thy beloved have preached openly thy bounteous gentleness and merciable favour/ which thou showedst in thy dear son unto all the world. But the Philosophers could never attain to know it. Therefore out of the mouth of infants & sucklings hast thou stablished thy praise. For it hath ever pleased the to exalt the humble and bring low the proud/ now saying thou dost ever resist the proud/ give me true humility that thou mayst establish thy praise by my mouth. give me a child's heart/ for except I turn back & become as a child I can not enter in to the kingdom of heaven/ make me as one of thy infants or sucklings/ that I may ever hang on the teats of thy wisdom for thy teats are better than wine/ and thy wisdom better than all richesse/ so that nothing can be compared unto it/ for it is to men an infinite treasure which they that use are made part takers of the friendship of God/ therefore if thou make me a child then shalt thou establish thy praise in mouth for then shalt thou open my lips and my mouth shall show forth thy praise & shall perfeytlye declare it even as thou hast published it by the mouth of thine infants and sucklings.   
If thou hadst desired sacrifices I had suresye offered them but thou delightedst not in  sacrifices. 
My mouth lord shall show for thy glorious fame/ for I know that this thingeiss most acceptable unto thee/ sith thou sayest by the Prophet Psalm xlix the sacrifice of praise shall glorify me/ and by that means shall I be enticed to show him my saving health/ therefore will I offer praise unto thee/ even the praise of infants and sucklings for my sins. And why shall I offer for my sins rather praise then sacrifice? for if thou hadst desired sacrifices I had surely offered them/ but thou delyghtedst not in  sacrifices/ canst thou be pacified with the blood of calves/ or goats: will thou eat the flesh of bulls/ or drink the blood of goats? Other dost thou desire gold which possessest heaven and earth? other wilt thou that I sacrifice my body unto the which desirest not the death of a sinner/ but rather that he were converted and live?  
Nevertheless I will chasten my flesh in a measure that thorough thy grace it may be subdurd unto reason and obey it/ for in this point also if I pass measure and bring my body so low that it is on apt to serve my neighbour and to do that office which is appointed me of god/ it shall be imputed unto me for sin. Let your serving of god be reasonable saith the apostle Roma xli And thou hast said also by the Prophet I require mercy & not sacrifice Os●e vi Therefore shall my mouth show forth thy praise/ for this oblation doth honour thee/ and showeth us the way unto thy saving health. My heart is ready (Oh God) my heart is ready/ it is ready thorough thy grace to do all things which are pleasant unto thee: this one thing have I found most acceptable unto thee/ that will I offer unto thee/ that shall ever bein my heart/ on that shall my lippies ever be harping. If thou hadst desired a bodily sacrifice I would surely have given it thee/ for my heart is ready thorough thy grace to fulfil thy will: but in such  sacrifice hast thou no delight/ Thou madest the body for the spirit/ therefore seekest thou spiritual things and not bodily/ for thou sayest in a certain place Prover. twenty-three. My son give thine heart unto me/ this is the sacrifice that pleaseth the. Let us offer unto the an heart repenting with sorrow of our sins and inflamed with the love of heavenly things and then wilt thou desire no more/ for with such a sacrifice wilt thou be content.   
A sacrifice to God is a broken spirit/ a contrite and humble heart thou shalt not despise (o God). 
A broken spirit & not broken flesh pleaseth thee (o Lord) for the flesh is broken and vexed because he hath not the carnal things that he desireth/ or else feeleth in himself such things as he hateth. But the spirit is broken & unquiet for his fault/ because he hath offended against God whom he loveth. He sorroweth that he hath sinned against his maker & redeemer/ that he hath despised his blood/ that he hath not regarded such a good & loving father: this broken and sorrowing spirit is unto the a sacrifice of most sweet savour which not withstanding hath his confection of most bitter spices/ even of the remembrance of our sins/ for whiles our sins are gathered together in to the mortoure of the heart/ and beaten with the pestle of compunction/ and made in to prouder & watered with tears/ thereof is made an ointment and sacrifice most sweet which redolent offering thou wilt not despise/ for thou wilt not despise a contrite & humble heart. Therefore he that breaketh his stony heart which is made with the most hard stones of sin/ that he may thereof prepare an ointment of repentance in abundance of tears/ not despairing of the multitude & grievousness of his sins/ but humbly offering this sacrifice unto the he shall in no wise be despised of thee/ for a broken & humble heart wilt thou not despise oh god. Marry magdalene which was a notable sinner made such an ointment: and put it in the alabaster box of her heart: she feared not to enter in to the Pharesees house/ she humbled herself flat before thy feet/ she was not a shamed to weep at thy meal tide/ she could not speak for inward sorrow/ but her heart melted into tears/ with the which she washed thy feet/ she wiped them with her here/ anointed them with ointment & ceased not kissing them who ever saw such another thing? ye or who hath ever hard of a thing like unto this. Surely her sacrifice pleased the well and was so acceptable that thou preferredst it above the pharisee which in his own sight was rightwise/ for it may 〈◊〉 gathered of thy words. Luce. seven.  
That there was so much difference between the rightewissenes of mary and the pharisee as there was difference between these: to wash the feet with water/ & to wash them with tears: to kiss one on the face and not to cease to kiss the feet: to anoint the head with oil/ and to anoint the fe●e with most precious ointment: ye much more precelled he the pharisee/ for he neither gave the water/ kiss nor oil. O great is thy power Lord/ great is thy might which declareth itself most chiefly in spacing/ and having compassion. Now see I well that a contrite and meek heart thou shalt not despise oh Lord.  
And therefore endeavour I myself to offer such am heart unto the Neter is it enough that I say so outwardly/ for thou art a god which searchest our hearts & reins. Accept therefore this my sacrifice: and if it be unperfeyte/ amend thou the default which only art of power that to do: that it may be a  sacrifice/ all hold inflamed with the here of thy bounteous charity that it may be acceptable unto the or at the lest that thou despise it not for if thou despise it not I know well that I shall find favour before thee/ and than shall none of thy saints other in heaven or earth despise me.   
Deal gently of thy favourable benevolence with zion Let the walls of Jerusalem be bist again. 
Because it is written Psalm xviij unto the holy man thou shalt be holy/ & with the innocent shalt thou deal innocently with the pure and chosen shalt thou do purely/ and with the wicked shalt thou play overthwart: I am very desirous that all men were saved and that they should com● unto the knowledge of the truth: which thing were very necessary for them and also for my profit/ for by their prayers exhortations/ and examples I might rise from this filthy sin/ and be provoked daily to proceed unto better. I beseech the therefore oh Lord although I be a sinner/ that thou of thy favourable benevolence wouldest deal gently with zion: that the walls of Jerusalem might be built again/ zion is thy church/ for zyon by interpretation signifieth a footehill or a place where a man may see far about him:  
And even so thy church thorough the grace of the holy ghost beholdeth a far off the glory of God according to the capacity of this lift/ and therefore said the Apostle two Corinth three all we with an uncovered face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord/ after the same image are transformed from glory to glory as by the spirit of the Lord.  
Lord god how small is thy church at this day? almost the hole world is fallen from the there are many more miscreants than christian. And yet among the christian how many are there which forsake worldly things & seek the glory of the Lord. Surulye ye shall find few/ in comparison of them which are addict to wordly things whose god is their belie & glory to their shame and confusion/ Deal gently Lord of thy favourable benevolence with zyon that it may be increased both in multitude & in good living. Behold from heaven & deal gently as thou art wont to do that thou wilt send among us the fire of thy charity/ which may consume all our suns. Deal Lord according to thy favourable benevolence/ and do not with us after our deserving/ neither yield thou us again according to our iniquities but order us according to thy great mercy. Thou art Lord our father and redeemer/ thou art our hope/ and everlasting health. Every man desireth goodness of he/ if thou give it them/ then shall they gather it: if thou open thy hand all shallbe filled with plenty/ when thou turnest away thy face/ then are they astonied: when thou gatherest in their breath then are they deed and return in to earth. And again when thou breathest on them/ then are they created a new: and thus renewest thou the face of the earth Psalm ciiij Lord I pray the what profit is there in the damnation of so many thousand men? Hell is filled and thy church doth daily decrease Arise Lord/ why sleepest thou so long, Arise/ and defer not unto the end/ Deal gently of thy favourable benevolence with zyon/ that the walls of Jerusalem may be builded again/ what is Jerusalem (which by interpretation signifieth the vision of peace) but the holy congregation and city of the blessed which is our mother? Her walls were decayed when Lucifer with his angels fell/ in to whose places are the rightwise men received. Deal therefore gently (oh Lord) with zyon/ that he numbered of thy chosen may shortly be fulfilled/ & that the walls of Hyerusalem may be edified and finished with new stones which shall ever praise the and endure everlastingly.   
Then shalt thou accept the sacrifice of rightwiseness/ obsaeions &  offerings: them shall they lay upon thine altar wanton casues. 
When thou hast dealt gently of thy favourable will & benevolence with zyon/ then shalt thou accept the sacrifice of rightwiseness/ for thou shalt consume it with burning fire of thy love & charity/ & so acceptedst thou the sacrifices of Moses and Helias. And then acceptest thou the sacrifices of rightwiseness/ when thou fattenest with thy grace the souls which endeavour them selves to live ryghtwyslye/ what profiteth to offer sacrifices unto the when thou acceptest them not oh Lord? How many sacrifices offer we now a days which are not pleasant unto the but rather abominable? for we offer not the sacrifices of righteousness/ but our own ceremonies: and therefore are they not accepted. Where is now the glory of the Apostles? where is the valiant perseverance of martyrs? where is the fruit of preachers? where is that holy simplycyte of them that used to live solitary? where are the virtues and works of the christian which were in old time? Then shalt thou accept their sacrifices/ when thou shalt deck and garnish them with thy grace and virtues  
Also if thou deal gently with zyon of thy favourable benevolence/ then shalt thou delight in sacrifices of rightwiseness/ for the people shall begin to live well/ to keep thy commandments & to deal justly & so shall thy people be endued with thy benefited & blessing. Then shall the oblacious of the priests & of the clergy be acceptable unto thee/ for they shall forsake their carnal affection & endeavour themselves unto a more perfeyte life/ & so shall the ointment of thy blyssinge descend upon their heads. Then shall the  offerings of the religious be pleasant to thee/ for they shall cast out all drowsy sluggeshnes and false confidence/ and be hoellye inflamed and made perfect with the burning fire of god's love. Then shall the bishops and preachers put calves upon thine altar/ for after they are consummate in all kind of virtue and replenished with thy holy spirit/ they shall not fear to give their lives for their sheep what is thine altar sweet jesus but thy cross where upon thou wast offered? what signifieth a wanton calf/ but our body. Therefore then shall they put calves on thine altar/ when they shall offer their own bodies unto the cross/ that is unto all afflictions & even unto the very death for thy name's sake.  
Then shall the church flourish and dilate her coasts/ then shall thy praise be noised from the last end of the world/ then shall joy/ and gladness fulfil the hole world.  
Then shall thy saints rejoice in glory & shall make mirth in their mantions waiting for us in the loud of the living. Accomplish in me even now Lord that then/ which I so oft name/ that thou mayst have compassion on me according to thy great mercy/ that thou mayst receive me for aburnt sacrifice of rightwiseness for a holy oblation for a sacrifice of good living/ and for a calf to be offered on thine altar or cross/ by the which I may pass from thy vale of misery unto that joy which thou hast prepared for them that love the. Amen.    

¶ To fill up the leffe we have touched certain places which we thou most necessary to edify the congregation of Christ.  

¶ Of faith.  
FIrst dear brethren ye ought to give diligent heed that you may purely understand what faith is and what fruits proceed out of her/ And to conclude the sum in few words/ faith is a sure persuasion & full knowledge that God for his truth and rightwiseness sake will fulfil such promises/ as he hath made unto us of his mercy and savour/ which sure persuasion must be given from god i Corin. xii. For it can neither be gotten by man's power/ neither yet retained. Therefore with fear and trembling perform that health which is begun in you/ for it is God that worketh in you both the will and also the deed/ even at his own pleasure. And see that with all meekness ye submit yourselves unto the vocation of god/ not seeking the liberty of the flesh/ neither yet despising good works/ for faith doth mortify the flesh and her works/ and the spirit of god which resteth in a faithful man helpeth our infirmity and sighteth with out intermission against sin/ the devil and the world.   

¶ The power of faith:  
THe power of faith is to justify us: that is/ to despoil us from all our vices & lay them on Christ's back which hath pacified the father's wrath towards us: and to endne us with a nother's rightwiseness/ that is Christ's/ so that I and all my sins are Christ's/ and Christ with all his virtues are mine/ for he was borne for us and given unto us. Isaiah. ix, Roma. viii. To obtain this rightwiseness god the father requireth nothing of us but that we believe him and make him no liar. He that believeth that God of his mercy hath made us these promises and that for his truths sake he will fulfil them/ he setteth to his seal that god is true. But he that believeth not or doubteth of this (as much as in him is) he maketh God a liar i joan. v. for why shouldest thou doubt in him except thou thoughtest that be were a liar and would not keep his promise which he made? Now if thou count god (which is the very truth) to be a liar/ art thou not worthy a thousand damnations?   

¶ The work of faith.  
Faith worketh by charity/ for when my raging conscience which feeleth h●r sin is pacified and set at one with god thorough faith/ then remembering the fervent love of god towards me I can not but love my neighbour again/ for there is no man that heartily loveth the father & can hate the son/ and all though the son be nought and unthrifty/ yet for his father's sake he will help to better him and even lament and be sorry for the sons wickedness. Likewise if we heartily love God for his infinite benefits done unto us/ then can we not hate that creature which he hath made after his own likeness/ whom god the father loveth so tenderly that he gave his own son unto the death to redeem him/ ye & whom he hath adopted (thorough Christ) to be his son & heir. Now all be it we see no kindness in this man for which we should love him/ yet hath God showed us kindness enough for the which we ought to love him and succour him at all times. Let us therefore love him for the love that god his creature hath showed us/ and bear his infirmity if he fall let us lift him up again/ and endue him with our wisdom and all our works/ even as Christ hath done with us/ and this is an evident token that thou lovest god/ when thou lovest thy brother/ i joan four and seekest all means/ to help him/ these are the good works that follow faith/ and are evident tokens that thy faith is right and pure. Thus seest thou how good works/ flow out of faith thorough charity. And charity or love is the fulfilling of the hole law. Roma xiij   

¶ Good works.  
AMong good works the chief are: to be obedient in all things unto Kings/ Prince's/ judges/ and such other officers as far as they command civil things/ that is to say such things as are indifferent/ and not contrary unto the commandments of god/ for than must we rather obey god then men/ Acts in the fift chapter although we should lose both our substance and life thereto: To honour rulers: to promote peace: to pray for all cominaltyes. And to apply all our studies to profit them.  
The next are: to be obedient unto father and mother: To provide for our houscholde both nourishing our family with bodily sustenance/ and also to instruct them with the word of God/ and so to be their governor carnal and spiritual.  
Then must we look how we ought to be have ourselves towards our neighbours knowledging that all the gifts which are given us of god/ are not given us for our own self but for the edifying of the congregation i Corin twelve and if we bestow them not on that manner we shall surely give a reckoning for then before the Lord. among these ought we to have respect unto the preachers and ministers of the word/ that they may be had in honour & well provided for. And above all things good brethren address your selves unto that necessary work prayer. Remember to pray for all estates/ for that is a work that Christ and his Apostles full diligently exhorted all men unto/ promising them that they should obtain their petitions joan xviii joan three if they be according to the wist of god and for his glory i joan .v.   

¶ persecution.  
AFter these and such other works let every man bolden and comfort his brothern to suffer the cross that god will lay on them to prove them whether they will abide in his word or fly back again. And let all men cast their peniworthes before Luc xiiij And every day that they are notvexed let them count that won/ and look every hour when the cross shall come/ for this is a plain case/ God scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. Hebre twelve and Paul sayeth two Tim. iij. All that will live godly in Christ jesus must suffer persecution. Now if they can endure chastening and suffer patiently/ then god offereth himself unto them as unto sons Hebre twelve so that they shall be destitute in no thing/ for what can they lack which have god himself? forgive heartily your enemies and persecutors praying unto god for them that he would vouchsafe to open their blind hearts and give them true knowledge for there is no man so mad/ cruel/ furious/ and induratte/ but that all other of themselves are even as were wide from god as he/ so that every man which is not so wicked/ may thank god that he keepeth him from that impyetye/ thou seest a man that is a these a whotemongre/ and a murtherar: there seest thou even thine own nature for if god kept the not out of such vices/ thou shouldest be even as evil as be/ if thou be not such glory in god & not in thyself. Be not angry therefore with thine enemies and persecutors/ but the sorry for them & lament their blind ignorauncie? Receive the cross gladly and rejoice there in/ for this fire and tribulation (which is the trying of your faith) bringeth for patience/ patience bringeth feeling/ feeling bringeth hope/ and hope maketh us not ashamed Roma. v. But maketh us boldly to look for his judgement/ in which the unfaithful shall not be able to stand.     

¶ The contents.  

¶ The Symbol of Athanasius.  
¶ The office of all Estates.  
¶ A prayer for wisdom.  
¶ The prayer of Solomon for wisdom.  
¶ For competency of living the prayer of Solomon.  
¶ A prayer of the church of the faithful/ for the word of God to be spoken with boldness of heart.  
¶ The prayer of Christ before his passion for his church in this world.  
¶ The prayer of the church for sins.  
¶ Another prayer of Hieremye.  
¶ The ten Commandments of God.  
¶ The Credo.  
¶ The Pater noster.  
¶ The salutation of the angel.  
¶ A meditation of the passion of Christ.  
¶ comfort for troubled & ●●eke consciences.  
¶ An exposition upon the. Li. Psalm called Misere mei deus.    

¶ Emprented at Malborow the year of our Lord a. M. CCCCC.XXXviij. ye● me joannem Philoponon.