¶ An exposition after the manner of a contemplation upon the li psalm called Miserere mei Deus.  
ALas wretch the I am/ comfortless & forsaken of all men/ which have offended both heaven & earth. Whether shall I go? or whether shall I turn me? To who shall I fly for succour? Who shall have pity or compassion on me? unto heaven dare I not lift up mine eyes/ 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 forbid. full merciful is god/ and my saviour is meek 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 god come I all sad and sorrowful for thou only art my hope/ and thou art only the tour of my defence. But what shall I say unto thee/ sith I dare not life 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 great mercy.  
¶ God which dwellest in light that no man can attain/ God which art 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, the which canst not be expressed do I call upon what thing so ever thou art, which art in every place. I know that thou art the most high & 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 itself? And what am I/ but very misery? Behold therefore a 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 what 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 away my misery/ take away my sins, for they are mine extreme misery. lift up me which am so miserable/ show thy work in me and exersyse thy power upon me. One depth requireth another, the depth of misery requireth the depth of mercy. The depth of sin asketh the depth of grace & favour. Greater is the depth of mercy then the depth of mserye. 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 and 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 (through him) thou haste taken away the sin of the world, by which (through his cross) thou haste lightened all men, by which (through 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, and 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 thee, that thou put out my sins, & that thou justify me by thy grace & favour.  
And according to the multitude 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 with her tears & wiped them with her here, thou forgavest her and sentest her away in peace, this was (Lord) one of thy compassions. Petre denied the and forsook the with an oath/ thou lokedste 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 & by fulfilled with the holy ghost, these are lord thy compassions. The time should fail me if I should numbered all thy merciable compassions, for look how many rightwise men there be, & so many at thy godly compassions. There is none that can glory in himself. Let them all come that at 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 and for thy truths sake. For they in their own sword possessed not the land, & their own arm or power saved them not, but thy right hand & thine arm, & the lightening of thy countenance for thou delytedste in them (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 saith: he saved me because he would have me. Sith therefore that thou art the same god with whom is no alteration or variableness, neither art thou changed unto darkness: and we thy creatures as well as our fathers which were borne under concupiscence sinners as well as we/ and sith there is but one mediator & atonement 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 and none left?  
¶ Lord our god I desire and heartily beseech thee/ to put out mine iniquity according unto the multitude of thy compassions. For many ye and infinite are thy compassions/ that according (I say) to the multitude of thy compassions thou vouchsafe to quench my sin: that as thou hast drawn and received innumerable sinners and haste made them righteous/ even so that thou wilt draw and take me and make me rightwise through thy grace and favour/ therefore according to the multitude of thy compassions wipe away mine iniquity. Cleanse and purity mine heart that (after all mine iniquity is put out & 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 and 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 haste 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 often 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 then that a man must forgive so oft shalt thou in pardoning & 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 & every man living is nothing thing 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 repête & morn for mine old privy sores festered within, & now at they broken forth for mine own foolishness. I am depressed and sore 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 and my sorrowful sighs at not unknown unto the. Mine heart trembleth and panteth for sorrow/ my strength saileth me and even the very sight of mine ties cease from their office. Wherefore then oh lord dost thou not put away mine iniquity? And if thou put it out according to the multitude of thy mercies/ yet wash me from mine iniquity. For yet am I not perfeytly purified, funished thy work, take away the hole offence and also the pain that is due unto the crune, encreate thy light with in me. Kendle mine heart with thy love & charity put out all fear/ for perfayte love sendeth away fear. Let the love of the world, the love of the flesh, the love of vain glory, & the love of myself utterly depart fro me/ yet fryll more & 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 & 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 ever lasting life. Wash me with the comfortable waters of thy holy scriptures that I may be numbered among them unto whom thou saidest. Now are ye clean for my words which I have spoken unto you Io. xiii.  
For I knowledge mine iniquity, and my sin is ever before mine eyes.  
¶ Although through the beholding of thy mercy and compassions I may be bold to fly unto thee (oh lord) yet will I not come as the Pharisee which prayed not, but rather there praised himself, & despised his neigh bower, but I come unto thee, as the publican Lu. 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 ties/ but humbeling myself with the Publican I say: God be merciful to me a sinner. My soul wavereth between hope & fear and sometime for the fear of my sins (which I feal and knowledge to be in me) I am ready to despair/ sometime through 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 compassions 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/ & how ieoperdious. I am not ignorant 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. And also my sin which I have proudly done against thee/ is ever against me/ and therefore it is against me/ because I have sinned against thee: & it is truly against me/ for it is even against my soul/ & accuseth me ever before the my judge & condemneth me ever & in every place: and it is so against me that it is ever before my face and standeth but against me that my prayer may not pierce through unto thee/ that it might take thy mercy fro me & 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 ꝑfayte faith/ & 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 the I should love the for thyself/ & should love all creatures for thy sake. But I have loved a creature more than thee/ loving it even for itself. What is sin, but to love a creature for itself? and what is that/ but to do against thee? Surely he the 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 commanded 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/ and 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/ yea that I would not in any case the men should know I feared men more than thee/ for I was blind & loved blindness/ & so did I neither see nor ones consider the. I had only fleshly eyes/ therefore did I only fear and look on men which are flesh. But thou lookedst on all my sins and numbered them/ therefore I can neither hide them from thee/ neither turn my back and fly from thy face.  
¶ Whether shall I go from thy spirit and whether shall I fly from thy face? What shall I then do? whether 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 without comparison all creatures in gentleness. It is one of thy chiefest properties to forgive and be merciful/ for through mercy and forgiveness thou dost most declare thy almyhgtynesse. 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. Justify 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/ dead and buried. Thou saidest also: John. iij. when I am lifted up from of the earth/ I will draw all unto myself/ verify thy words, draw me after that let us run together in the sweetness of thine ointments. Besides that thou saidest: Math. xi. Lome 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 so coure of his god. God hath forsaken him. Overcome lord these parsons when thou art thus judged of them & forsake me not at any tyme. give me thy mercy and wholesome succour/ and than are they vanquished.  
¶ They say/ that thou wilt have no mercy on me/ & that thou wilt cast me clean out of thy fanoure & no more receive me. thus art thou judged of men/ and thus do men speak of thee/ and these are their determinations/ but thou which art meek & 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 & have the victory when men do judge thee/ for men do judge the to be fierce and inflexible. Overcome their judgement with meekness & benevolence/ so that men may learn to have compassion on sinners/ and that malefatours may be inflamed unto repentance, saying in me/ thy pity and mercy.  
To I was fashioned in wickedness & my mother conceived me polluted with sin.  
¶ Behold not lord the grievousness of my sins/ wander not the multitude/ but look mercifully on me which am thy creature. Remember that I am dust/ & that all flesh is as wytherd hay/ for lo I am fashioned in wickedness & in sin hath my mother conceived me. My natural mother (I say) hath conceived me of concupiscence/ & in it am I volluted with original sin. What is original sin/ but the lack of original justice & of the right & pure innocency which man had at his creation? therefore a man conceived & borne in such sin is hole crooked & out of frame. The flesh coveteth against the spirit. Reason is slender/ the will is weak/ man is frail & like vanity/ his senses deceive him, his imagination faileth him his ignorance leadeth him out of the right way/ & he hath infinite impedimentꝭ which pluck him from goodness and drive him in to evil. Therefore original sin is the rote of all sins & the nurse of all wickedness. for all be it the in every man of own nature it is but one sin yet in powet it is all sins. Thou sayest therefore Lord what I am, and of whence I am, for in orgynall sin (which containeth all sins and iniquities in it) am I fashioned/ and in it hath my mother conceived me, sith than I am hole in sins, and environed with snares on every 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 agayneste the law of my mind/ and subduing me unto the law of sin and death. Therefore the more frail and entang led thy godly benevolêce seeth me, so much the more let it life up and comfort me, who would not pity one the is sick? who would not have compassion on him that is dysea said? Come come sweet Samaritane & take up the wounded and half dead/ cure my wounds/ pour in wine and oil, set me upon thy be'st, bring me into the houry/ commit me unto the host, take out two pence & say unto him, what so ever thou spendest above this, when I come again I will recompense thee. To thou hast, loved truth/ the unknown & secret tgyngs of thy wisdom, hast thou uttered unto me.  
¶ Come most sweet Samaritane/ for behold thou haste loved truth/ the truth (I say) of thy promises which thou hast made unto mankind/ them hast thou truly loved: for thou haste made and kept them/ so that thy love is nothing else but even to do good for in thyself thou art invartable & immutable/ thou usest not now to love & anon not to love (as men do) neither doth thy love so come & go. But thou art such a lover as do the never change for thy love is very god. Thy love therefore wherewith thou lovest a creature/ is to do it good, and whom thou most truest/ to them art thou most beneficial. Therefore what meaneth/ that thou lovest truth/ but that of thy gracious mercy thou makest us promises/ and fulfillest them for thy truths sake? Thou didst promise unto Abraham a son when he was aged/ thou fulfilledst thy promise in old and banreyn Sara/ because thou lovedst truth. Thou promisedst unto the children of Israel a land that flowed with milk and honey/ and at the last diddest give it them/ for thy truths sake.  
¶ Thou madest a promise to David saying: I shall set up thy seat regal one of the fruit of thy body. and it came even to pass/ because thou wouldest be found true. There are other iunumerable promystes in which thou hast ever been faithful because thou lovedst truth. Thou haste 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 Luce. xv. that took his journey in to a far country and wasted all his goods with royatous living/ when he came to himself/ he returned 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 garment 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 and be merry/ for this my son was dead and is alive again/ he was lost and is now found.  
¶ Why diddest 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 〈◊〉 wardis me & give me a kiss of thy mouth/ give me those chief garments/ draw me in to thy house/ kill the fatted calf that all which trust in the may rejoice in me/ and let us eat together in spiritual feasts. On lord wilt thou exclude me alone & wilt thou not keep this truth unto me? if thou shouldest look narrowly on our wickedness a 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 and incomprehensible love.  
¶ Which is the truth that thou so lovest? is it not thy son that said johan 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 haste loved and in it only haste thou delighted for thou diddest find it pure and with out spot and wouldst 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/ and whom thou mayst redeem through his passion why (Oh Lord) hast thou given me this knowledge of thy son/ and this saith 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 & redeem me oh lord (for thou hast uttered unto me the unknown and secret points of thy wisdom) that this knowledge may help me and bring me unto health/ for truly the Philosophers never knew these things they were unknown unto them/ yea and utterly hid from them. And no man knew these things (except a few whom thou lovedste entirely) before thy sons incarnation.  
¶ The most curious searchers of the world (I meanet the wise men of this world) lifted up their eyes above heaven & yet could not find this thy wisdom/ for thou haste hid these things from the wise and prudent/ and hast opened them unto babes/ that is/ to humble fishers and thy holy propehtes which also have vittered them unto us. And so hast thou uttered the unknown and secret things of thy wisdom and 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 vexed full of vanities in their imaginations and their foolish hearts were blinded. When they counted themselves wise/ they became tolls. Wilt thou suffer me lord to be or 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 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 I be clean/ thou shalt wash me/ and than shall I be white than snow.  
¶ Because lord that thou haste loved the truth and haste 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 wilt sprinkle me with hyssop and so shall I be etensed. Ysope is a low herb/ it is hore 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 through faith shall dwell in me: when through love I am joined with him: when I shall counterfeit 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 weeye/ I shall water my bed every night with my tears/ so that it shall swim in them/ & then shalt thou wash me and I shall be white than snow.  
snow is white and cold/ but lord if thou sprinkle me with hyssop, I shall be more whiter than snow/ for I shall be throughly endued with thy splendent light which passeth all bodily witness. And when I am inflamed with the light I shall forsake all my carnal concupiscences/ cold unto worldly things/ & inflamed unto heavenly  
Unto my hearing shalt thou give joy and gladness & my bruised bones shall be refreshed. ¶ Then lord shall I pray unto thee/ early (that is in the beginning of thy light) shalt thou hear my voice and I shall hear what the lord god shall speak in me for he shall 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 glagdnesse/ When I shall hear that comfortable words that marry herd. And what heard marry (I speak of that mary which sat at the fere of Jesus mat xxuj) what heard she? Thy faith hath saved the to thy ways in peace. Let me also hear that the these herd: 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? then shall I begin to taste how sweet the lord is/ then shall I learn to be conversant in heavenly thigꝭ and shall say with the prophet: how great and copious is that sweetness lord which them haste laid up for they in that fear the Then shall I rejoice and be glad and my bruised bones shall be 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 & ready to all mischief/ for even now the flesh obeyeth not reason/ but reason must obey the flesh/ so that I can not resist vice/ for my bones at bruised. And why are they bruised? for they have forsaken thee/ the fountain of living water/ and have digged for themselves cisterns full of chins which can hold no waters/ for they are not filled with thy grace without which no man can live well/ for without the we can do nothing. They trusted in their own power which is no power and therefore decayed they in their own folysshnesses. Therefore let thy power come (oh lord) and then shall these bruised bones be refreshed/ let thy grace come & that faith which worketh through love. Let thy powers and gifts assist me/ and than my bruised bones shall be refreshed/ for my reason shall be mercy/ my memory glad and my will full of joy. And thus shall they all rejoice/ for above their own natural strength/ when they go about any good work they shall proceed and prosper well/ neither shall they leave it unperfeyte but through thy help shall they bring it to good pass and effect.  
Turn thy face from of my sins and wipe away all my wickedness.  
¶ Why lookest thou lord upon my sins? why numbrest thou them? why considerest them so diligently? dost thou not know that man is even as a flower of the field. 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 of my sins. Thy face is nothing but thy knowledge/ turn away therefore thy knowledge wherewith thou scest & perceivest all things/ but that whereby thou approvest and disalowest all things/ whereby thou allowest the works of the rightwise and condemp●●st 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 through thy mercy they may be quenched/ look lord on the creature whom thou haste wrought/ look upon thine own image/ for I poor wreath have put upon me the image or 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 lokedste upon Zacheum which did climb up in to a wild fig tree to see the. Lu. xix 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 sawest thine own image on him/ thou hadst compassion on him & heledst him. He promised to give that half of his goods to the poor/ and if he had falsely deceived any man to restore it four fold & 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 & will fulfil my promise all days of my life wherefore then Lord dost thou not look in thine image in me also? Why dost thou yet consider my sins? Turn, I beseech the thy face from my sins and wipe away all my wickedness/ wipe away a: I pray the that none remain. For it is written he the keepeth the hole law & offendeth in one point is guilty in the hole/ that is to say, hath desetued damonation/ which is the pain of all sins that lead unto death. Put out therefore all my wickedness/ that none offend thee/ which should bring me to condemnation.  
A pure depart create in me oh god & an upright spirit make a new within me.  
¶ For my heart hath forsaken me & goeth astray utterly forgetting his own health: it is wandered in to strange countries & ensueth vanities/ & his eyes/ be in the utmust costs of the world. I called it again/ but it aswerd me not. It is gone/ lost/ & sold under sin. what now lord? what shall I say? A pure heart create in me go/ a humble heart/ a courteous heart/ a peaceable heart/ a genrie heart/ a devout heart/ such an heart as will neither do an other man hurt/ neither yet avenge himself when he is offended/ but rather do good against evil, & such an heart as will love that above all thing/ which will think of that, speak of thee, & thank yt. which will delight in hymynes & spiritual songs and be hole conversant in heavenly things Treat this heart in me (oh God) created is of nothing/ that it may be of such effecacite through grace/ as nature is never able to make it. This grace cometh only from the in to the soul through 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 through thy grace and make a new an upright spirit in my 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 and the thing that is loved are both of one nature. He that loveth bodily things is worldly/ but he that loveth spiritual things is spiritual. Beve me aspirite that may love the and worship thee/ the most high spirit/ for god is a spirit and they which worship him, must worship him in the spirit and verity. Beve me an upright spirit not seeking his own spirit profit and glory/ but the will and glory of god renew an upright spirit within me/ renew it/ for my sins have quenched the first that thou gavest me. Beve me now a new spirit that it may redress that thing which is inveterate/ my soul is also a spirit and 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 the but of her own froward will it is inveterate and polluted causing her natural love to decay. Make new therefore this spirit & this love through 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 heavenly 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/ caste me not confused from thy face. who came ever lord unto thee/ and went away confused? who ever desired thy favour/ and went without it. Surely thou passest in thy aboundamte 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 herd that thou didst cast away from thy face any man that ever came unto th● 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 piteous noise she moved the 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: forsooth that she wept in vain & 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 heard these words? verily even despair as concerning the grace that she required: and yet dispeyred she not/ but trusting in thy meercye prayed yet 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 hounds as though thou shouldest have given her a full answer and said depart from me/ you Canaanites at wages/ ye are idolaters/ the precious gifts of heavenly favour pertain not unto you/ I ought not to take them away from the jews which worship tho true and living god/ and to give them to such dogs as ye are which worship 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 confound & have picked him away at these thy words? who would not have mumbled and grudged agaygst 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 not 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 no breed/ I axe not the favour that the children should have. I am a little whelp and desire the crumbs which fall from the children's table. Let them flourish & aboundde with miracles & other gracious favours/ but let not me be destitute of th● crumb of grace, that my daughter may be delivered from the fiends possession for the whelps do eat of the crumbs which fall from their master's tables/ Behold what faith/ what trust, and what humility was in this woman/ 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 we may humbly and devoutly continue in prayer/ for thou wilt give it if men be greedy. But the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence/ and they the make violence unto it catch it/ for what things so ever are written are written for our learning the through patience and comfort of the scriptures we may have hope. last me not therefore lord from thy face/ which stand weeping and wailing day and 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 and dominion. Let me not be shamed (O swear jesus) for in the only have I trusted I have no health nor comfort but in the o lord: for all have forsaken me/ even my brethren & children have cast me of/ & mine own bowels abhor me. I have none other helper/ but only thee/ Last me not therefore away from thy face/ and take not thy holy spirit fro me. There is no man which can say the jesus is the lord but 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 wore not what to desire as we ought to do. But the spirit helpeth our infirmiries 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 rears/ 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.  
¶ It 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 at but small in thy sight: but spiritual and everlasting things are great & precious. Take away the spirit and soul from the body/ and what remaineth but most vile dung/ dust and a vain shadow? therefore even so much difference there is between the spirit and the body/ as it is between the body and his shaw we/ 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 specallye he that desireth thy saving health. What is thy saving health but jesus thy son? which is very god and everlasting life/ why shall I not then ask of the this thy saviour/ sith thou art a mighty 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 a shamed 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 thine inestable gentleness I dare pro; sum to come boldly 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 reach 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 & sinners/ will give unto their children good gifts which they have received of thee: how moche more thou heavenly father which of thine own substance art good/ and wilt give a good spirit to them the desire it of thee? Behold thy son which is returned from a far country sorrowing and repenting/ asketh of thee, 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 reach 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 the even as out of an egg we hope for a chyken/ so through 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 through hope may be sustained in this vale of tears & may rejoice in thy saving health: wilt thou give me the scorpion of desperation? the as a scorpion hath poison in the end of her tail/ so I in the last end of my life should reserve sin/ delyring myself and taking 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 comunycate 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 forbid. Why shall I then mistrust for to desire and obtain great things of the o lord, saying thou stirrest me up and biddest me ask and knock/ even till I seem importunate? And what thing can I ask which thou shalt be better content with all/ or else that should be more wholesome for me then the 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 Christ my Lord and saviour/ therefore am I now in more sorrow/ for I know what goodness and commodicye I have lost/ therefore will I cry more importunatlye: Make me again to rejoice in thy saving health/ restore me again the thing which my sins have lost. Restore me that which through my faure 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 through 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 Galath two I am crucified with Christ/ I live verily/ yet now not I/ but christ liveth in me. But because my frailty is great/ strength me with a principal spirit that no troubles or afflictions may separate me from Christ that no fear may cause me to renay thee/ and that no pains may make me flyde from the. My strengt 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) and was most famylyarlye conversant with the he tasted of thy glory in the mountain/ when thou wast transfigured: he heard the father's voice: he saw thy manifold and wondrous works/ yea and through thy power did himself many miracles. He walked on his feat upon the waters/ and heard daily thy mighty & sweet words: he thought himself most fervent & hot in the faith & said that he was ready to go with the both in to prison & unto very death. And when thou toldest him that he shouldest deny the he believed the not: he trusted in his own strength/ and trusted more unto himself being but a man/ than unto the being very god. But when the hand maiden said unto him. Thou art of the same company/ he was afraid by and by and denied it. There came an other maid and said: Surcly 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 and tyrants? And when he was yet once more inquired of the by standers and was accused to be one of his disyples/ he began to curse & 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 Samaritane which/ deceiveth the people which is inspired with the devil/ and destroyeth our law? I am the disciple of Moses'/ and know not from whence this fellow is. blessed be God that they ceased enquiring any further/ for else would he never have ceased denying thee/ so that a thousand interogations would have made a thousand flat negations: yea a thousand curses and periuryes/ yet were these interogations but words. What would he have done (I pray thee) if they had scourged him and buffeted him well? truly he would have sought and proved all means/ denying/ for swearing/ cursing and blaspheming until that he had escaped their hands. But thou most meek Lord lookedst back upon him & by and by he knowledged his offence: Neither yet durst he leap in to the mids of they in and confess the to be the son of God/ for he was not yet strengthened with power from above/ so that without doubt he would have denied the again if he had seen any jeopardy at band/ therefore as it was woste meet for him/ he went forth & wept bitterly. But thou after thy resurrection appearedst unto him & comfortedst him & yet hid he himself for fear of the jews? he saw the so gloriously ascending unto heaven and was strengthened by the sight & and comfort of angels/ and yet durst he not go abroad/ for he had learned by experience to know his own fragylite & had proved his weakness. Therefore did he tarry and wait for the holy ghost which was promised. When he was come and had ●uled Peter's heart with grace/ then siep●e he forth: then began he to speak/ and then with great power & signs bore he witness of thy resurrection. Then feared he neither the high priests neither yet kings/ but rejoiced in tribulations & received the cross with all mirth 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 every side. The devil siepeth not. give me the strength of thy spirit that there may fall by my side a thousand and ten thousand by my right hand that I may be a sure and strong witness of thy faith/ for if Peter whom thou enduedste with so many favourable gifts/ did fall so wretchelye/ 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: yea and have scarcely perceived thy marvelous works/ and have never heard 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 know thy ways: and the ungodly shall be converted unto the.  
Ascribe not this oh Lord unto presumsion/ if I go about to teach the ungodly thy ways for I desire not to teach them as I now am wicked/ ungodly and under the bonds of syfie/ but if thou make me again to rejoice in thy saving health: if thou strengthen me with a prynecip all spirits and if also thou set me free/ then shall I teach the ungodly thy ways. Neither 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 breathing out threatenings and slaughter agayyste the disciples of the lord received commission that if he found any whether thy 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 harebrayn and as a ravening wolf/ for to stray a broad/ 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 fin/ 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 adversarte/ blasphemed and cursed the. Behold the voice of thy merciable pity unto high saying: Saul Saul why perscuteste me? by the which voice he was immediately both laid a long and raised up: he was laid a long and overthrown as concerning his body/ but he was taysed up with the mynnd/ thou raysedste him up that was in the sleep of dark ignorancy and pouredst in thy glorious light in those yets which were oppressed with this blind sleep: thou showedst him thy favourable 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? & after didst thou send a sheep to this 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 & the childer of Israel. And without delay he entered in to the synagogues and preached thy name stoutly/ affirming that thou art christ/ He disputed/ prevailed and confounded the Jues. Behold lord even straight of a persecutor/ thou madest him a preacher & such a preacher that laboured more than all the other Apostles. O how great is thy powere/ if thou wilt of a wicked man make a rightwise/ or of a ꝑsecurtoure a preacher/ who shall forbid thee? Who shall rysyst thee? who may say unto thee, why dost thou so? All things that thou wouldest have thou made in heaven and in earth/ in the see and in all bottomless depth. Therefore impute it not to arrogancy if I covet through thy power and not through 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 for my singular profit/ now if thou chafige me in to an other man/ than will I teach the wicked thy ways/ not the ways of Plato and Aristole/ not the intricate and soot propositions of man's wit/ not the iustructions of philosophy/ not the painted words and vain colours of the rethorycans. Not worldly matters and policies/ not unfruitful ways of vanue/ not ways that lead men in to death: But thy ways and thy precepts which lead unto life/ neither will I teach them only one way but many ways for many are thy commandments/ how be it all these 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 divers 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 in to their heavenly inheritance he may best subdue his rebellious members. Thus will I teach the wicked thy ways according to their capacity and condition: And the ungodly shall be converted unto thee/ for I will preach unto them not myself/ but Christ crucified: and they shall be converted not unto my praise/ but unto thee/ giving the all honour & praise/ they shall leave their own ways & 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 health/ and my tongue shall triumph upon thy rightwiseness.  
¶ I am styfled in much blood/ and from the depth of it shall I cry unto the lord/ Lord hearken unto my voice. Tarry not lord for I am even at the very point 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 beast dieth: pour out the sin knowledging it unto god/ and the sinner dieth and is made rightwise. Neither am I wrapped in blood/ but overwhelmed and drowned in bloods/ full streams of bloudʒ do drive me in to hell/ help me lord less I perish. Oh God which governest all things/ which only canst deliver me/ in whose hand is the spirit of all life/ rid 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 deliverdest Noah from the waters of the flood. deliver me as thou deliverdest 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 deliverdst jonas from the belly of the whale/ deliver me as thou deliverdest the three children from the furnace of burning fire. deliver me as thou deliverdest Peter from the peril of the see. deliver me as thou deliveredst Paul from the depth of the see. deliver me as thou hast delivered infinite sinners from the power of death and from the gates of hell. And then shall my tongue triumph thy rightwiseness/ that is, for thy rightwiseness which I shall feel one perceive in me through thy gracious favour. For thy rightwiseness (as th'apostle say the Ro. iij.) cometh by the faith of jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe in him/ then shall my tongue triumph in praising this thy rightwiseness/ commending thy favour/ magnifying thy pity/ knowledging my sins/ that thy mercy may be declared in me which would vouch safe to justify such a great sinner/ and that all men may know that thou savest them which trust in the and deliverest them from extreme anguish and 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 lord) 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 & no man shutteth/ therefore open thou my lips as thou openest the mouths of infants & sucktlynges/ 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 and mouth/ & not the Philosophers & 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/ & thou openedst them not/ neither yet stablished thy praise out of thyr 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 through heavenly fa●oure. The philosophers knowing the only by natural creatures/ could never perfeytlye exprove thy renown. Thy saints magnified the with their heart/ mouth and good works. The philosophers only with words and their own soot imaginations, thy children have spread thy glory throughout all the world: The philosophers have instruct but a few of their own adherentꝭ. Thy fredes wi●h spreading 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 well-beloved have preached openly thy bounteous gentleness & 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 and sucklings haste thou stablished thy praise/ for it have ever pleased the to exalt the humble and bring low the proud/ now saying thou dost ever resist fist the proud/ give me true humility that thou mayst stablish thy praise by my mouth. give me a child's heart/ for excepre 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 pertetakers of the friendship of god/ therefore if thou make me a child then shalt thou stablish thy praise in my mouth. for then shalt thou open my lips & my mouth shall show forth thy praise & shall ꝑfeytly declare it even as thou hast published it by the mouth of thine infantis and sucklings. If thou hadst desired sacrifices I had surely offered them but thou delyghtedst nor in brent sacrifices.  
¶ My mouth lord shall show forth thy glorious fame/ for I know the this thing is most acceptable unto the sith thou sayest by the prophet Psal. xlix the sacrifice of praise shall glorify me/ & by the means shall I be enticed to show him my saving health/ therefore will I offer praise unto the even the praise of infants & sucklings for my symies. And why shall I offer for my sins rather praise than sacrifice? for if thou hadst desired sacrifices I had surely offed them/ but thou delightest not in brent sacrifices/ canst thou be pacified with the blood of calves or gootis? wilt 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 through thy grace it may be subdued unto reason and obey it/ for in this point also if I pass measure & bring my body so low that it is unapt 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 Ro. xii. And thou hast said also by the prophet I require mercy and not sacrifice Osee. 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 through 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 be in my heart/ on that shall my lips ever be harping/ if thou hadst desired a bodily sacrifice I would surely have given it thee/ for my heart is ready through thy grace to fulfil thy will: but in such brent sacrifice hast thou no delight/ thou madest the body for the spirit/ therefore seekest thou spiritual things and not bodily/ for thou sayst in a certain place Proverb xxiij My son give thine heart unto me/ this is the heart that pleaseth the. Let us offer unto the an heart repenting with sorrow of our fins 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 (oh god)  
¶ A broken spirit and 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 and unquiet for his fault/ because he hath offended against god whom he loveth. He sorroweth the 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 & sorrowing sprite is unto the a sacrifice of most sweet savour which notwithstanding hath his confection of most bitter spices/ even of the remembrance of our sins, for whiles our sins are gathered together in to the mortar of the heart/ and beaten with the pestle of compunction/ and made in to powder and 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 and 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 and grievousness of his sins/ but humbly offering this sacrifice unto thee: he shall in no wise be despised of thee/ for a broken & humble her● wilt thou not despise oh god. Marry magdalyn which was a notable sinner made such an ointment: and put it in the alabaster bore of her heart: she feared not to enter into 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 in to tears/ with the which she washed thy feet/ she wiped them with her here immediately/ ye & anointed them with ointment and ceased not kissing them. Who ever saw such another thing? ye or who hath ever herd of a thing like unto this? Surely her sacrifice pleased the well, and was so acceptable that thou prefarredst it above the Pharisee which in his own sight was rightwise/ for it may be gathered of thy words. Luce vij that there was so much difference between the rightwiseness of mary & the pharesee 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 feet: with most precious ointment: ye much more precelled she the pharesee/ for he neither gave the water/ kiss nor oil. O great is thy power Lord/ great is thy might which declareth itself most cheeflye in sparing and having compassion. Now see I well that a contrite & meek heart thou shalt not despise oh lord. And therefore endeavour I myself to offer such an heart unto y●. Nether 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 unperfect/ amend thou the default which only art of power that to do: that it may be a brent sacrifice/ all hold inflamed with the heat of thy bounteous charity that it may be acceptable unto thee/ or at the least that thou despise it not/ for if thou despise it not/ I know well that I shall find favour before thee, and then 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 built again.  
¶ Because it is written Psalm xviij unto the holy man thou shalt be holy/ & with the innocen shalt thou deal innocenlye, with the pure and chosen shalt thou do purely/ and with the wicked shalt thou play overthwart: I am very desirous the all men were saved/ and that they should come unto the knowledge of the truth: which thing were very necessary for them and also for my profit/ for by their prayers, exortations 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 bilt again. Zion is thy church/ for zion by interpretation signifieth a tootehyll/ or a place where a man may see far about him. And even so thy church through the grace of the holy ghost beholdeth a far of the glory of god according to the capacity of this life/ and therefore said the apostle. ij. 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 thee, for there are many more miscreants then christian/ and yet among the christen how many are there which forsake worldly things and seek the glory of the lord? surely ye shall find very few, in comparison of them which are addict to worldy things/ whose god is thyr belie and glory to their shame and confusion. Deal gentelye Lord of thy favourable benevolence with Zion: that it may be increased both in multitude and also in good living. Behold from heaven and deal gentelye as thou art wont to do: that thou wilt send among us the fire of thy charity/ which may consume all our sins. 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 helche. Every man desireth goodness of thee/ if thou give it them/ then shall they gather it: if thou open thy hand all shall be filled with plenty/ when thou turnest away thy face/ then are they astonied: when thou gatherest in their breath then are they dead and return in to earth. And again when thou breathest on them/ then are they created anew: and thus renewest thou the face of the earth Psalm. C. iiij. 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 differ not unto the end/ Deal gently of thy favourable benevolence with Zion/ 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 Zion/ that the numbered of thy chosen may shortly be fulfilled/ and that the walls of jerusalem may be edified and finished with new stones which shall ever praise the and endure everlastingly.  
Then shalt thou accept the sacrifice of rightwiseness/ oblations and brent offerings: then shall they lay upon thine altar wanton calves.  
¶ When thou hast dealt gently of thy favourable will & benevolence with Zion/ then shalt thou accept the sacrifice of rightwiseness/ for thou shalt consume it with burning fire of thy love and charity/ & so acceptedst thou the sacrifices of Woyses and Helyas. And then acceptest thou the sacrifices of rightwiseness/ when thou fattenest with thy grace the souls which endeavour themselves to line rightwisly. 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 rightwiseness/ but our own ceremonies: and therefore are they not accepted, nor regarded of thee, 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 symplicyte of them that used to live solitary? where are now the virtues and works of the christian which were in old time? Then shalt thou except their sacrifices/ when thou shalt deck and garnish them with thy grace and virtues.  
¶ Also if thou deal gently with Zion of thy favourable benevolence/ then shalt thou delight in sacrifices of rightwiseness/ for the people shall begin to live well/ to keep thy commandments and to deal justly and so shall thy people be endued with thy benefits and blessing. Then shall the oblations of the priests and of the clergy be acceptable unto thee/ for they shall forsake their carnal affection and endeavour themselves unto a more perfect life/ and so shall the ointment of thy blessing descend upon their heads. Then shall the brent offerings of the religious be pleasant to thee/ for they shall cast out all drowsy sluggishness and false confidence/ and be holy 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 at consummate in all kind of virtue & replenished with the 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 want on 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 and even unto the very death for thy name's sake.  
¶ Then shall the church flory she 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 and shall make mirth in their mansions waiting for us in the land 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/ the thou mayst receive me for a sacrifice of rightwiseness/ for a holy oblation: for a brent sacrifice of good living/ and for a calf to be offered on thine altar or cross/ by the which  
I may pass from this vale of misery unto that joy which thou hast prepared for them that love the.  
Amen.   

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

¶ Of faith.  
FIrst dear drethernes 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 and full knowledge that god for his truth and rightwiseness sake will fulfil such promises/ as he hath made unto us of his mercy and favour/ which sure persuasion must be given from god. i. Corin twelve 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/ & the spirit of god which resteth in a faithful man helpeth our insurmitie and fighteth without 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 and lay them on Christis back which hath pacified the father's wrath towards us: and to endue us with an others ryhtwysnes/ that is Christis/ so that I and all my sins are Christ's/ & 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 in him and make him no liar. He that believeth that god of his mercy hath made us these promises & that for his truths sake he will fulfil them/ he setteth to his seal the god is true. But he that believeth not or doubteth of this (as much as in him is) he maketh him a liar i Iohn v. for why shouldest thou doubt in him except thou thoughtest that he were a liar & would not keep his pro; mess which he made? Now if thou count God (which is the very truth) to be a liar/ art thou not worthy a thousand dampnacyones.   

¶ The work of faith.  
Faith worketh by charity/ for when my raging conscience which feeleth her sin is pacified & set at one with God through 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 and can hate the son/ and although 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/ yea & whom he hath adopted (through Christ) to be his son and 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 & so coure him at all times. Let us therefore love him for the love that god his creature hath showed us/ & bear his infirmity/ if he fall let us life him up again/ and endue him with our mysdome & 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 Iohn 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 through charity/ & charity or love is the fulfilling of that hole law. Ro xiij   

¶ Good works.  
Among good works the chief are: to be obedient in all things unto kings/ princes/ 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 first chapiter although we should lose both our substance and life thereto: To honour rulers: To promote peace: To pray for all comynaltyes. And to apply all our studies to profit them.  
¶ The next are: to be obedient unto father & mother: To provide for our household 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 behave ourselves towards our neigh bowers knowledging that all the gyftis which are given us of god/ are not given us for our own self but for the edifying of the congregation i Corinth twelve & if we bestow them not on that manner we shall surely give a reckoning for them before the lord. among these ought we to have respect unto the preachers and mynesters of the word/ that they may be had in honour and well provided for. And above all things good brethren address yourselves unto that necessary work prayer. Remember to pray for all estates/ for that is a work that Chryst & his apostles full diligently exhorted all men unto/ promising them that they should obtain their peritions Iohn xuj also i Iohn three if they be according to the will of god and for his glory i Iohn .v.    

¶ Here endeth the exposition upon the lj. Psalm called Miserece meidens. imprinted at London in Flete street by Iohn Byddeii/ dwelling next to Flete bridge at the sign of our lady of pity/ for wyllyam Martial.  
Cum privilegio Regali.