A pithy EXPOsition vpon the .51. psalm entitled, Miserere mei Deus, &c.  
Also a godly meditation, vpon the .31. psalm, entitled, In te Domine speravi. Written by jerome of Ferrarie: And now newly augmented and amended, by Abraham Fleming.  
Imprinted at London, by Thomas Dawson. 1578.   

To the Right worshipful, and his special patron, master Gabriel Goodman, dean of Westminster, continuance of health, abundance of wealth, and increase of worship, &c.  
AMong all the blessings of God( Right Worshipful) wherewith he hath richly adorned his church, none is of such excellency as the pearl of his gospel: which he hath left as a pledge of his gracious goodness to his faithful flock, therein to comfort themselves, during the time of their peregrination in this world, object to so many wolves, and ravenous beasts. And because this jewel of inestimable value, may be indifferently bestowed upon his people, and in due measure and proportion partend among them, he hath appointed such Superintendents, and overseers: or rather Pastours and Sheepheardes,( to speak familiarly) as are not only instructed by divine influence, howe, where, and when, the treasure of Gods endless love,( which is his holy word) is to be communicated: but also sufficiently fortified with the spirit of power and valiantness, to protect his sheep from the bloody chaps of Coruorantes, that they be not damnified. Such Pastours we haue had of late, who to the intent they might not seem defective in their office& charge, neither see the throats of Christes tender lambs torn with Tigers tallans, fought in their profession so faithfully, that the loss of life seemed to them large lucre, and to die under the sword of the adversary, singular advantage. Can we be ignorant, unto what pleasant pastures, sweet meadows, fragrant fields, comfortable springs,& wholesome brooks, they haue brought the flock of Christ: yea, at such time as they were like to famishe for lack of stouer, and to perish for want of water? Some of these Sheepheardes( after the example of Christ, O excellent imitation,) laid down their lives for their profession, that their sheep might in them learn a president of Christian constancy: other, for whom God in his secret counsel had provided succour and refuge, in the midst of danger and destruction sat in safety: and bonfires burning round about them, felt not one sparkle of the flamme, Wherein God shewed his omnipotence, and besides that his compassion: his omnipotence in preserving them, even at the spears point: and his compassion in remembering his sheep, of whose deliverance from error he was not unmindful, being so careful for their shepherds restitution. Herein shineth the goodness of God most gloriously, and it is no small provocation unto us to be thankful. And although every pastor hath not confirmed his doctrine with the loss of life: yet is it no reason that they are not apostolical. For, in a pastor this is required, that he break the bread of life to the people purely, that he intermingle not his own imaginations with the Scriptures, that he teach the truth uprightly, and that his conversation give a testimony, amongst men, of his profession: and this take I to be apostolical, as I count the contrary apostatical. That shepherd, or that sheep, which feeleth an inward disposition and towardness thus to live,( Christianly I mean, to speak summarily) let him take into his hands the instruments which work such spiritual effects. Let him open the books of religious men, and though he be able to teach, yet let him learn: for the greatest clerk may hold it no scorn to be Christes scholar: though Nichodemus thought it a shane. whatsoever maketh for the glory of God, for the benefit of our brother, for the consolation of the soul, for the suppressing of 'vice, and for the advancing of virtue, blessed is he that embraceth it, his inheritance is in heaven. Such a pearl of price coming to my hand( Right worshipful) rough& unwrought, I took the pains( though not artificially,) to polishe and trim, making that smooth, which was rugged, and restoring that to perfection and soundness, which was before lame and maimed. The book was ill englished, and worse printed( the more pity,) considering the goodness of the matter, and the learning of the writer. I haue amended that which was amiss, and scoured away the rust from this excellent piece of metal: which glistering with a new grace, I present unto your Worship, supposing that worthy your patronage, which by so worthy a Churcheman was penned and published. Committing your worship to the tuition of the highest, whose right hand ouershadowe you in this life from all perils temporal, and in the life to come crown you with blessings eternal: Amen.  
Your usurps at pleasure to dispose, &c. Abraham Fleming.   

To the Christian Reader.  
THou hast here( Christian Reader) a comfortable discourse, wherein to exercise thyself, at such time as thou shalt feel in thyself a disposition to devotion. It is but little, yet notwithstanding pithy: and worthy to be red, marked,& learned: for therein are manifestly set down, the passions of a penitent sinner, his remorse of conscience, his sorrow for his transgression, his confession of his offence, his invocation upon God for remission, his confidence to be comforted, his hope to obtain mercy:& what good motion soever it pleaseth the spirit of God to work in such, as he vouchsafeth, of his unspeakable bounty& goodness, to stir up in the heartes of all Christian converts. And surely, as the benefit of this book, in consideration of the substance and matter therein comprised, is excellent& singular: so it ought with hotter zeal to be embraced,& as a jewel of ioy, among precious pearls and costly treasure, to be reposed. For, whereas they, serving only the delight of the eye,& the satisfying of the fancy, are esteemed( and not without desert) as things passing precious: this book, in somuch as it hath an office of more excellency,& comforteth the soul with spiritual consolation, is to be taken( as it is) for a thing much more valuable. Hath the sting of sin hurt thee? Come hither, and learn a remedy. Hath the horror& heinousness of thine offences dismayed thee? Come hither, here is a receipt to increase thy courage. Haue wicked men enticed thee to wallow with them in the filthy puddles of unclean life? Come hither, here thou shalt know at what well to fetch water, that thou mayst be cleansed. Hast thou not the power to withstand the assaults of the tempter, I mean old satan the malicious enemy of mankind? Come hither, this book will sand thee to the storehouse of the scripture, where thou shalt find furniture to fortify& make thee strong. Finally, art thou infected with any carnal venom? Hast thee hither, here thou shalt soon learn what apothecary hath the best& most sovereign Mithridatum, even Christ Iesus our saviour. wherefore, neglect not the use of this book: for as the benefit thereof is singular: so duty requireth that it be accordingly regarded. Farewell. Thine to use:  
Abraham Fleming.   

¶ An Exposition, after the maner of a contemplation, vpon the Psalm. 51. called Miserere mei Deus: which jerome of Ferrarie made, at the latter end of his dayes.  
ALas wretch that I am, comfortless, and forsaken of all men, which haue offended both heaven and earth. Whither shall I go? Or whither shall I turn me? To whom shall I flee for succour? Who shall haue pity or compassion on me? unto heaven dare I not lift up mine eyes, for I haue grievously sinned against it: and in earth can I find no place of defence, for I haue 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, therfore God only is my refuge, he will not despise his creature, neither forsake his own image. unto thee therfore most meek and merciful God come I, all sad and sorrowful: for thou only art my hope, and thou art only the door of my defence. But what shall I say unto thee, seeing I dare not lift up mine eyes? I will power out the words of sorrow, I will hearty beseech thee for mercy, and will say:  

Miserere mei Deus. psalm. 51.  
1 HAue mercy vpon me. O God, according to thy loving kindness, according to the multitude of thy compassions put away mine iniquities.  
2 Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquities,& cleanse me from my sin.  
3 For I know mine iniquities, and my sin is ever before me.  
4 Against thee, against thee onely haue I sinned, and done evil in thy sight, that thou mayst be just when thou speakest and pure when thou judgest.  
5 behold, I was born in iniquity, and in sin hath my mother conceived me.  
6 Behold, thou lovest truth in the inward affections; therefore hast thou taught me wisdom in the secret of mine heart.  
7 Purge me with hyssop,& I shalbe clean: wash me,& I shalbe whiter then snow.  
8 Make me to hear ioy and gladness, that the bones which thou hast broken, may rejoice.  
9 hid thy face from my sins, and put away all mine iniquities.  
10 Create in me a clean heart O God,& renew a right spirit within me.  
11 Cast me not away from thy presence,& take not thine holy spirit from me.  
12 Restore to me the ioy of thy salvation, and establish me with thy free spirit.  
13 Then shal I teach thy ways unto the wicked, and sinners shall be converted unto thee.  
14 deliver me from blood, O God, which art the God of my salvation, and my tongue shall sing joyfully of thy righteousness.  
15 Open thou my lips, O Lord, and my mouth shall show forth thy praise.  
16 For thou desirest no sacrifice, though I would give it: thou delitest not in burnt offering.  
17 The sacrifices of God are a contrite spirit: a contrite and a broken heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.  
18 Be favourable unto Sion for thy good pleasure: build the walls of jerusalem.  
19 Then shalt thou accept the sacrifices of righteousness, even the burnt offering& oblation, then shal they offer calves vpon thine altar.   

The Exposition.  
1 HAue mercy vpon me, O God, according to thy loving kindness: according to the multitude of thy compassions put away mine iniquities.  
God which dwellest in light that no man can attain, God which art hide& 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, the which art incomprehensible do I seek, the which canst not be expressed do I call vpon, what thing 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,& not rather the cause of all things, if I may so call thee: for I find no name, by the which I may name and express thine unspeakable majesty. God( I say) which art all things that are in thee, for thou arte even thine own wisdom, thy power, and thy most glorious felicity. Seeing therefore that thou art merciful: what arte thou but even very mercy itself? And what am I but very misery? behold therefore( O God) which arte mercy, behold misery is before thee. What shalt thou do mercy? Truly thy work? Canst thou do otherwise than thy nature is? And what is thy work? Verily to take away misery, and to lift up them that are in wretched condition. Therefore haue mercy on me( O God:) God( I say) which arte mercy, take away my misery, take away my sins, for they are mine extreme misery. Lift me up which am so miserable, show thy work in me, and exercise thy power vpon me. One depth requireth another: the depth of misery requireth the depth of mercy, the depth of sin asketh the depth of grace and of favour: greater is the depth of mercy, than the depth of misery: let therfore the one depth swallow up the other: let the bottomless depth of mercy, swallow up the profound depth of misery.  
Haue mercy on me( O 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 haue good confidence? God was made man, and crucified for men. Therfore haue mercy on me, O God, according to this thy great mercy, by the which thou hast given thy son for us, by the which through him thou hast taken away the sins of the world, by the which,( through his cross) thou hast lightened all men, by the which through him thou hast redressed all things in heaven and earth. wash me( O Lord) in his blood, lighten me in his humility, redress me in his resurrection. Haue mercy on me( O 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 forgeuest sinners, and dost raise men aloft by thy favour above the top of the earth. even so( lord) haue mercy on me, according to this thy great mercy that thou turn me unto thee, that thou put out my sins, and that thou justify me by thy grace and favour. And according to the multitude of thy compassions: wipe away mine iniquities. 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 proceedings of thy mercy. mary Magdalen came unto thy feet( good Iesu:) she washed them with her tears, and wiped them with her hair, thou forgavest her, and didst sand her away in peace. This was( Lord) one of thy compassions. Peter denied thee, and forsook thee with an oath, thou lookedst vpon 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 thief on the cross was saved with one word. paul in the furious woodness of 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 number all thy merciful compassions. For look how many righteous men there be, so many are thy godly compassions. There is none that can glory in himself. Let them all come that are righteous, either in earth, or in heaven, and let us ask them before thee, Whether they be saved by their own power and virtue? And surely, they all 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 goldsmiths sake. For they in their own sword possessed not the land,& their own arm or power saved thē not: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the lightning of thy countenance: For thou delightest in them, that is, They are not saved for their own deservings, lest any man should boast himself: but because it pleased thee so to be. Which thing the Prophet doth also more expressly witness of thee, when he saith: He saved me, because he would haue me. Sith therefore thou art the one 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 born under concupiscence, sinners as well as we. And sith there is but one mediator and atonement between God and man, that is, Christ Iesus, which endureth for ever: why dost thou not power out thy plenteous compassions vpon us, as well as thou didst vpon our fathers? hast thou forgotten us? Or are we onely sinners? Did not Christ die for us? Are all thy merits spent, and none left? lord our God, I desire and hearty beseech thee, to put out mine iniquity, according unto the multitude of thy compassions: For many, yea and infinite are thy compassions, that according( I say) to the multitude of thy compassions, thou vouchsafe to quench my sins, that as thou hast drawn and received innumerable sinners, and hast made them righteous: even so that thou wilt draw and take me, and make me righteous, through thy grace and favour. Therefore, according to the multitude of thy compassions wipe away mine iniquity. Cleanse and purify my heart, that after all mine iniquity is put out, and all my vncleannes cleansed, it may be as a clean table, in which the finger of God may writ the lawe of his love and charity, with the which can none iniquity continue.  
2 Yet wash me more from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.  
I grant and aclowledge( O Lord,) thou hast once put out mine iniquity, thou hast put it out again, and hast washed me a thousand times: Howbeit, yet wash me from mine iniquity: for I am fallen again. dost thou use to spare a sinful man, until a certain number of his sins? Which when Peter enquired, How oft shall my brother offend against me,& I shall forgive him: whether seven times? Thou answeredst, I say not seven times, but seuentie times seven times? Taking the certain number for an infinite number. Sith then that a man must forgive often, shalt thou in pardoning and forgiving be passed of man? Is not God more then man. Yea, rather God is the great Lord, and every man living is nothing but vanity. And only God is good, and every man a liar. Hast thou not said? In what hour soever the sinner doth repent, I will not remember any of his iniquities. Behold, I a sinner do repent and mourn for mine old privy sores festered within, and now are they broken forth for mine own foolishness. I am sore bruised& broken, I walk in continual moourning, I am feeble and very weak, I roared for the sorrow of my hart. Lord all my desires are before thee, and my sorrowful sighs are not unknown unto thee. Mine heart trembleth and panteth for sorrow, my strength faileth me, and even the very sight of mine eyes cease from their office. wherefore then( O 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 perfectly purified. finish thy work, take away the whole offence, and also the pain that is due unto the crime, increase thy light within me. Kindle my heart with thy love and charity, put out all fear, for perfect love sendeth away fear. Let the love of the world, the love of the flesh, the love of vain glory, and the love of myself utterly depart from me. Yet still more and more wash me from mine iniquity, by the which I haue offended against my neighbour,& cleanse me from my sin, that I haue committed against thee. I would haue thee put away, not onely 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, of which water he that drinketh, shall not thirst for ever, but it shall be made in him a fountain of living water, running into everlasting life. wash me with the comfortable waters of thy holy Scriptures, that I may be numbered among thē, unto whom thou saidst, now are ye clean, for my words which I haue spoken unto you.  
3 For I knowledge mine iniquities, and my sin is ever before mine eyes.  
Although, through the beholding of thy mercy& compassions, I may be bold to flee unto thee( O lord,) yet will I not come as the pharisee which prayed not, but rather praised himself, and despised his neighbour: but I come unto thee, as the publican, which durst not lift up his eyes unto heaven. For I also do aclowledge mine iniquity, and whiles I ponder my sins, I dare not lift up mine eyes, but humbling myself with the publican, I said: God be merciful unto me a sinner. My soul wavereth between hope and fear, and sometime for the fear of my sins, which I fear 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 thy mercy is greater than my misery, I will ever( lord) trust in thee, 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,& that he would aclowledge his iniquity, and forsake his sin, and come to thee, that he may live. My God, grant me that I may live in thee, for I aclowledge my wickedness, I know what a grievous burden it is, how heavy& daungerous? I am not ignorant of it, I hid it not, but set it even before mine eyes, that I may wash it with my tears, and knowledge unto thee( Lord) mine unrighteousness against myself. And also my sin, which I haue proudly done against thee, is ever against me:& therefore it is against me, because I haue sinned against thee: it is truly against me, for it is even against my soul, and accuseth me ever before thee my judge, and condenmeth me ever, and in every place, and it is so against me, that it is ever before my face, and standeth against me, that my prayer may not pierce through unto thee, that it might take thy mercy from me, and hinder thy mercy, that it cannot come at me. Therefore do I tremble, and therefore do I meurne, beseeching thy mercy. Therefore( O lord) as thou hast given this grace to me, to know my wickedness, and to bewail my sin, even so accomplish this thy benevolence, giving me perfect faith,& drawing me to thy son, which hath made a full satisfaction for all my sins. give me( lord) this precious gift: For every good gift, and every perfect gift is from above, coming from the father of light.  
4 Against thee onely haue I sinned, and haue done that which is evil in thy sight, that thou mayst be justified in thy words, and haue the victory when thou hast judged.  
I haue overmuch sinned unto thee alone, for thou commandest me that I should love thee for thyself, and should love all creatures for thy sake: but I haue 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 that loveth a creature for itself, maketh that creature his God. And therefore haue I sinned against thee only, for I haue made a creature my God. So haue I cast thee away, and haue been injurious onely to thee: for I haue not offended against any creature, in that I haue put 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 haue loved an Angel onely for itself, 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 of good and evil,)& every creature is to be loved in thee, for thy sake: Therefore haue I surely offended onely against thee, for I haue loved a creature for itself.  
But yet haue I worse done, for I haue sinned even in thy sight, I was nothing ashamed to sin before thy face. O merciful God, how many sins haue I done in thy sight, which I would in no wise haue done before mortal men, yea that I would not in any case that men should know? I feared men more then thee, for I was blind, and loved blindness, and so did I never see nor once consider thee. I had onely fleshly eyes, therefore did I onely fear and look on men which are flesh. But thou lookest on all my sins, and numberest them, therfore I can neither hid them from thee, neither turn my back, and flee from thy face. Whither shall I go from thy spirit? And whither shall I flee from thy face? What shall I then do? Whither shall I turn me? Whom shall I find to be my defender? Whom I pray thee, but thee 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 to be merciful: for through mercy and forgiveness, thou declarest thy almightiness. I grant( lord) that I haue offended onely against thee, and haue done that which is evil in thy sight. Haue mercy therefore on me, and express thy pvissance in me, that thou mayst be justified in thy words: for thou hast said, that Thou camest not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. justify me( lord) according to thy words: call me, receive me,& give me grace to do true works of repentance. For this cause wast thou crucified, dead, and butted. Thou sayedst also, John. 3. When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all unto myself. verify thy words, draw me after thee, let us run together in the sweetness of thine ointments. Besides that thou saidst. Matthaewe 11. Come unto me all ye that labour, and are laden, and I will ease you. lo I come unto thee laden with sins, labouring day and night in the sorrow of mine heart, refresh and ease me( lord) that thou mayst be justified& proved true in thy words, and mayst overcome when thou arte judged: for there are many that say: He shall haue no succour of his God, God hath forsaken him. overcome( lord) these persons, when thou arte thus judged of them, and forsake me not at any time. give me thy mercy, and wholesome succour, and then are they vanquished.  
They say that thou wilt haue no mercy on me, and that thou wilt cast me clean out of thy favour, and no more receive me. Thus arte thou judged of men, and thus do men speak of thee,& these are their determinations: but thou which art meek& merciful, haue mercy on me,& overcome their judgements. show thy mercy on me,& let thy godly pity be praised in me. Make me taste of thy mercy, that thou mayst be justified in thy words, and haue the victory when men do judge thee to be fierce and inflexible. overcome their iudgement with meekness and benevolence, so that men may learn to haue compassion on sinners, and that malefactours may be inflamed unto repentance, seeing in me thy pity and thy mercy.  
5 Lo I was begotten in wickedness: 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 lo, I am fashioned in wickedness,& 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 iustice, and of the right and pure innocency which man had at his creation? Therefore, a man conceived and born in such sort, is all crooked and out of frame.  
The flesh coveteth against the spirit. Reason is slender, and the will is weak: man is frail and like vanity, his senses deceive him, his imaginations do fail him, his ignorance leadeth him out of the right way, and he hath infinite impediments, which pluck him from goodness, and drive him into evil.  
Therefore, original sin is the roote of all sins, and the nurse of all wickedness: for albeit, that in every man, of his own nature, it is but onely sin, yet in power it is all sins. Thou seest therefore( lord) what I am, and whence I am: for in original sin( which containeth all sins and iniquities in it) I am fashioned, and in it hath my mother conceived me. Seing then I am whole 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 lawe in my members, rebelling against the lawe of my mind, and subduing me unto the lawe of sin and death. Therefore the more frail and entangled thy godly benevolence seeth me, so much the more let it lift up and comfort me. Who would not pity one that is sick? Who would not haue compassion on him that is diseased? Come, come( sweet samaritan,) and take up the wounded and half dead, cure my wounds, power in wine and oil, set me vpon thy beast, bring me into the hoastrie, commit me unto the host, take thou twopence, and say unto him, whatsoever thou spendest above this, when I come again, I will recompense thee.  
6 lo thou hast loved truth, the unknown and secret things of thy wisdom, hast thou uttered unto me.  
Come( most sweet samaritan,) for behold thou hast loved truth, the truth I say of thy promises, which thou hast made unto mankind, them 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 and immutable. Thou usest not now to love, and anon not to love( as men do) neither doth thy love so come and go: but thou arte such a lover, as doth never change: for thy love is very God. Thy love therefore, wherewith thou lovest a creature, it is to do it good, and whom thou most lovest, to them art thou most beneficial. Therefore, what meaneth this, that thou lovest truth, but that of thy gracious mercy thou makest us promises, and fulfillest them, for thy goldsmiths sake? Thou didst promise unto Abraham a son, when he was aged: thou fulfilledst thy promise in old barren Sara, because thou lovest truth. Thou promisedst unto the children of Israel a land that flowed with milk and honey, and at the last didst give it them, for thy goldsmiths sake. Thou madest a promise to david, saying: I shall set vpon thy seat royal, one of the fruit of thy body. And it came even to pass, because thou wouldest be found true. There are other innumerable promises, in the which thou hast ever been faithful, because thou lovest truth. Thou hast promised to sinners, which will come unto thee, forgiveness and favour, and thou hast never defrauded any man, for thou hast loved truth. That vnthriftie son, Luke. 15. that took his journey into a far country,& wasted all his goods with riottous living, when he came to himself, he returned unto thee, saying: Father, I haue sinned against heaven,& before thee, now am not I worthy to be called thy son, make me as one of thy hired servants.  
When he was yet a great way off, thou sawest him, and hadst compassion on him, and rannest unto him, falling vpon his neck, and kissing him: thou broughtest forth the best garment, and puttest a ring on his finger, and shoes on his feet: thou killedst that fat 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 didst thou all this( lord God?) Surely, because thou lovedst truth. love therefore( O father of mercies( this truth in me, which return unto thee from a far country: run towards me, and give me a kiss of thy mouth: give me those chief garments, draw me into thy house, kill the fat calf, that they all which trust in thee, may rejoice in me: and let us eat together in spiritual feasts. O lord, wilt thou exclude me alone? And wilt thou not keep this truth unto me? If thou shouldst look narrowly on our wickedness( O Lord,) lord who might abide thee? But( lord) thou wilt not be so streight unto us: for thou lovest truth, yea and that with a fervent& incomprehensible love. Which is the truth that thou so lovest? Is it not thy son that thou so lovest? Is it not thy son that said, John. 14. I am the way, the truth,& the life? He is the very truth, of whom all truth is name in heaven and earth. This is it that thou hast loved, and in it onely hast thou delighted: for thou didst find it pure, and without spot, and wouldest that it should die for sinners. keep therefore( O 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 Christ, and whom thou mayst redeem through his passion. Why( O lord) hast thou given me this knowledge of thy son, and this faith of him? Because I should see my redemption, and not attain to 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 Christes blood, and so by his grace may obtain it.  
Purge me therefore, and redeem me( O lord:) for thou hast uttered to 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 to them: and no man knew these things( except a few, whom thou lovest entirely, before thy sons incarnation). The curious searchers of the world( I mean the wise men of the world) lifted up their eyes above heaven, and yet could not find this thy wisdom: For thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast opened them unto babes: That is, to humble Fishers, and to thy holy Prophets, which also haue uttered them unto us: and so hast thou uttered the unknown& 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 waxed full of vanities in their imaginations,& their foolish harts were blinded, when they counted themselves wise they became fools. Wilt thou suffer me( lord) to be of their number? 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 number of thy babes, that the unknown secrets of thy wisdom, which thou hast opened to him, may led him to the fountain of wisdom, which is on 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 thee.  
7 Sprinkle me( lord) with hyssop,& so shall I be clean. Thou shalt wash me, and then shall I be whiter then snow.  
Because( lord) thou hast loved the truth, and 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 that thou wilt 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 Iesus Christ, which humbled himself unto the 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& righteousness replenished the whole world. Therefore with thy hyssop shalt thou sprinkle me, when thou dost power vpon me the virtue of his precious 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 my uncleanness, then shalt thou wash me with my own tears, which flow out of the love of Christ, then shal I sigh until I be weary:& shall water my bed every night with my tears, so that it shal swim in them: and then shalt thou wash me,& I shall be whiter than snow. Snow is white& could, but( Lord) if thou sprinkle me with hyssop, I shall be whiter than snow: for I shall be thoroughly endowed with thy bright light, which passeth al bodily whiteness. And when I am inflamed with thy light, I shal forsake all my carnal concucupiscences, cold unto worldly things, and hot unto heavenly.  
8 unto my hearing shalt thou give ioy and gladness, and my bruised bones shall be refreshed.  
Then( lord) shall I pray unto thee early,( that is in the beginning of light,) then shalt thou here my voice,& I shal hear what the Lord God shall speak in me: for he shall speak peace for his people, and shal give me peace: for I haue trusted in thee. unto my hering shalt thou give ioy& gladness, when I shal hear those comfortable words that mary heard. And what hard mary,( I speak of that mary which sate at the feet of Iesus) Matth. 26. What heard shee? Thy faith hath saved thee, go thy ways in peace. Let me also here that the thief heard: This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise. Then shall I haue ioy 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 things, and shall say with the Prophet, How great& plentiful is that sweetness( lord) which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee? Then shall I rejoice and be glad, and my bruised bones shall be refreshed. What are the bones that sustain the flesh, but the powers of our soul, and reason, that bear up the frailty of our flesh, that it run not headlong into all vices, that a man fall not wholly into vanity, and so consume away? These bones( I say) are sore bruised, for our reason is very weak, and our will is prove and ready to all mischief: for even now the flesh obeyeth not reason, but reason must obey the flesh, so that I cannot resist 'vice, for my bones are bruised. And why are they bruised? For They haue forsaken thee, the fountain of living water, and haue digged for themselves cisterns full of chinks, which can hold no water. For they are not filled with thy grace, with out which no man can live well: for without thee wee can do nothing. They trusted in their own power, which is no power, and therefore decayed they in their own foolishenesse. Therefore let thy power come( O lord,) and then shall thief bruised bones be refreshed. Let thy grace come,& that faith which worketh through love. Let thy powers and gifts assist me, and then my bruised bones shall be refreshed: for my reason shall be merry, my memory glad, and my will full of ioy. And thus shal they al rejoice far above their own natural strength: when they go about any good work, they shall proceed,& prosper well, neither shall they leave it unperfect, but through thy help shall they bring it to good pass and effect.  
9 turn thy face from my sins, and wipe away all my wickedness.  
Why lookest thou( lord) vpon my sins? Why numberest thou them? Why considerest thou them so diligently? dost thou not know, that man is even as a flower of the field? Why dost thou not rather look on the face of Christ? Alas wretch that I am, why see I thee angry against me? I grant I haue sinned. Howbeit, for thy gentleness haue mercy on me. turn thy face from my sins. Thy face is nothing but thy knowledge, turn away therefore thy knowledge, from my sins: I mean not that knowledge, wherewith thou seest and perceivest all things: but that whereby thou approuest, and disallowest all things: whereby thou allowest the acceptable works of the righteous, and condemnest the reprovable deeds of the wicked. know not my sins on that maner, 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 hast made, look vpon thine own image: for I poor wretch haue put vpon me the image of the divell,( that is sin.) turn away thy face from the image of the divell, and be not angry with me, and behold thine own image, that thou mayst haue mercy on me. O merciful Lord, remember that thou lookedst vpon Zache, which did climb up into a wild fig three to see thee,& thou enterdst into his house: which thou wouldest never haue done, if thou hadst looked on the image of the divell, which he had put on him: but because thou sawest thine own image in him, thou hadst compassion on him, and healedst him. He promised to give one half of his goods to the poor,& if he had falsely deceived any man, to restore it fourfold,& be obtained mercy and health. lo I bequeath myself even wholly unto thee, nothing reserved or kept back,& I promise to serve thee for ever, with a pure heart,& will fulfil my promise all the dayes of my life. Wherefore then( lord) dost thou not look on me thine image also? Why dost thou yet consider my sins? turn( I beseech thee) thy face from my sins, and wipe away all my wickedness. Wipe away all( I pray thee) that none remain. For it is written, He that keepeth the whole lawe, and offendeth in one point, is guilty in the whole, 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 thee, which should bring me to condemnation.  
10 A pure heart create in me( O 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 into strange countries, and followeth after vanities, and the eyes thereof are in the uttermost coasts of the world. I called it again, but it answered me not. It is gone, lost, and sold under sin. What now lord? What shall I say? A pure heart create in me O God. An humble heart, a courteous heart, a peaceable heart, a gentle heart, a devout heart, such an heart as will neither do another man hurt, neither aduenge himself, when he is offended, but rather do good against evil: and such an heart, as will love thee above all things, which will speak of thee, and thank thee, which will delight in hymns and spiritual songs, and be wholly conversant in heavenly things. Create this heart in me( O God) create it of nothing, that it may be of such efficacy, through grace, as nature is able to make it. This grace cometh onely of thee into the soul, through thy creation, it is the beauty of a pure heart, it draweth unto it all virtue, and expelleth all 'vice: therefore create in me( O God) a pure heart, through thy grace, and make a new and upright spirit in my bowels. For thy spirit shall lead me into a right way, which shall purge me from all earthly affections, 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. give me a spirit, that I may love thee, and worship thee, the most high spirit: For God is a spirit, and they that worship him, must worship him in the spirit, and in verity. give me therefore an upright spirit, not seeking his own praise and profit, but the honour and glory of God. Renew an upright spirit within me. Renew it: for my sins haue quenched the first that thou gavest me. give me now a new spirit, that it may redress that thing which is inveterate and old. My soul is also a spirit, and so made of thee, that of herself she is right: for of her own nature she loveth thee 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 it is inveterate, old, and polluted, causing her natural love to decay. Make new therefore this spirit, and 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 thee continually, and never to forsake thee.  
11 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 away confounded from thy face. Who came ever( lord) unto thee, and went away confounded? Who ever desired thy favour, and went without it? Surely thou passest in thine abundant pity, both the deservings, and also the desires of them that pray unto thee: for thou givest more than men can desire, yea, or understand when they haue it. It was never heard, that thou didst cast away from thy face any man that ever came unto thee. Shall I( O lord) be the first then that shal be cast away from thy face, and utterly confounded? Wilt thou begin at me, to confound them that come unto thee? Wilt thou nevermore haue mercy and compassion? God forbid. The woman of Chanaan followed thee: she cried,& made a piteous noise, she moved thy Disciples to compassion, and thou heldest thy peace, she continued knocking, she worshipped thee, and said: lord help me: Neither yet wouldest thou answer. Thy disciples entreated for her, saying, Let her go, for she crieth after vs. But what was thine answer( lord) I pray thee? What didst thou answer? Forsooth, that she did weep in vain, and labour for nought: for thou sayedst, 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 despaired she not, but trusting in thy mercy, prayed yet again, saying: lord help me. unto whose importunity( lord) thou aunswearedst, It is not good to take the childrens bread, and cast it unto hounds. As though thou shouldst haue given her a full answer, and said, depart from me, you Chanaanites are dogges, you are Idolaters: the precious gifts of heavenly favour pertain not unto you, I ought not to take them away from the Iewes, which worship the true and living God, and to give them to such dogges as ye are, which worship idols, and diuelles. What shalt thou now do, thou woman of Chanaan? Thou mayest be ashamed, and get thee away: for the lord is not angry with thee alone, but also thy whole nation. O lord God, who would not haue been confounded, and haue peaked away at these words? Who would not haue mumbled and grudged against thee? Who would not haue judged thee to be cruel? And yet did this woman continue still in prayer. She cast not away her confidence, she took not these words heavily, she was not angry, but she humbled herself the more, and abode still in her petition, and said with good affiaunce? It is truth lord that thou sayest, but I ask no bread, I ask not the favour that the children should haue: I am a little whelp, and desire the crumbs which fall from the childrens table. Let them flourish, and abound with miracles and other gracious favours: but let not me be destitute of this crumbe of grace, that my daughter may be delivered from the fiends possession: for the whelps do eat of the crumbs which fall from their maisters table. behold, what faith, what trust, and what humility was in this woman. Therefore, thou being not displeased with her importunate instance, but rejoicing in her excellent constancy, didst say, O woman, great is thy faith, be it unto thee as thou wilt. Why are these things written lord God? That wee 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,& they that make violence unto it, catch it. For what things so ever are written, are written for our learning, that through patience and comfort of the scriptures, we may haue hope. Cast me not therefore( lord) from thy face, which stand weeping and wailing day& night before thy face, not that thou shouldst deliver me from the bodily oppression of diuelles, but that thou wouldest deliver my soul from his spiritual power and dominion. Let me not be ashamed( O sweet Iesu:) for in thee onely haue I trusted, I haue no health nor comfort but in thee( O lord:) for all haue forsaken me: even my brethren and children haue cast me off, and mine own bowels abhor me. I haue none other helper but onely thee. Cast me not therefore away from thy face, and take not thy holy spirit from me. There is no man that can say, Iesus is the lord, but by the holy Ghost. Therefore I call vpon thee, lord Iesu, and that do I in the holy Ghost. If I be sorry for my sins, which are passed, if I ask forgiveness, this do I verily by the holy Ghost. Therefore, I beseech thee, take thou not from me thy holy Ghost, but grant that it may abide with me, and labour with me: For we wote not what to desire, as we ought. But the spirit helpeth our infirmities, and maketh us to pray with such sorrowful groninges as can not be expressed with tongue. Therefore, take not away this thy holy spirit from 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 thee all the dayes of my life.  
12 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:) howbeit, seeing thou art God, great Lord, and king over all gods, he doth thee injury, which asketh small things of thee. All transitory and corruptible things are but small in thy sight: but spiritual and everlasting things are great and precious. Take away the spirit and soul from the body, and what remaineth, but most vile dung, dust, and a vain shadow? As therefore the difference is great between the body and his shadow: so may I conclude, that he which asketh bodily things, asketh but vain trifles: but he that desireth spiritual things, doth desire great things, but specially he, that desireth thy saving health.  
What is thy saving health, but Iesus thy son, who is very GOD, and everlasting life? Why shall I not then ask of thee this my saviour, seeing thou art a mighty, and a 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 a noble present, neither am I worthy to haue such a gift: howbeit, it becometh thy liberality to give such noble gifts. For this therefore thine unspeakable gentleness, I dare presume to come boldly unto thee, and to desire thy saving health, in whom I might fully rejoice. For, If of his carnal father, any son asketh fish, will he reach him a Serpent? And if he ask an egg, will he give him a Scorpion? Or if he ask bread, will he give him a ston? now, if carnal fathers being evil, and sinners, will give unto their children good gifts,( which they haue received of thee:) howe 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 thee 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) 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 the old and crooked serpent the divell? I desire of thee( O Lord) the egg of hope, that even as out of an egg we hope for a chicken: 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. And as the chicken cometh out of the egg: so I desire the egg of hope, that my soul through hope being stayed in this vale of tears, 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 my life, should reserve sin, delighting myself therein, and taking my pleasure in the intisementes of this world, which seem beautiful and flattering, even as a scorpion doth in the face. I desire of thee( O lord,) the bread of Christes charity, by the which he doth communicate himself( even as bread) unto all men, that I may ever rejoice in thy saving health. Wilt thou give me a ston, that is to say, hardness of heart? GOD forbid. Why shall I then mistrust to desire and obtain great things of thee( O lord,) seeing thou stirrest me up, and biddest me ask, and knock, even till I seem importunate? And what thing can I ask, which thou shalt bee better content withall, or else that should be more wholesome to me, than that thou shouldst make me rejoice in thy son my saving health. now haue I tasted howe sweet the lord is, howe easy and pleasant his burden is. I remembered what peace and tranquillitie of mind I was in, when I joyed in GOD, and reioyced in Christ my lord and saviour. Therefore am I now in more sorrow, for I know what goodness and commodity I haue lost, therefore will I cry more importunately. Make me again to rejoice in thy saving health. Restore me again the thing which my sins haue lost. Restore me that which through my fault is perished in me.  
Restore me( I beseech thee, 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 unto my heart, that I may say with the Apostle Saint paul, Galat. 2. I am crucified with Christ: I live verily, yet now not I, but Christ liveth in me. But because my frailty is great, strengthen me with a principal spirit, that no troubles or afflictions may separat me from Christ, that no fear may cause me to deny thee, and that no pains may make me slide from thee. 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 thee with his bodily eyes( lord Iesu,) and was most familiarly conversant with thee, he tasted of thy glory in the mounteine, when thou wast transfigured, he heard thy fathers voice, he saw thy manifold and wondrous works: yea, and through thy power he wrought many miracles. He walked on his feet vpon the waters, and heard daily thy mighty and sweet words, he thought himself most fervent and hot in faith, and said, that he was ready to go with thee both into prison, and unto very death. And when thou toldest him, that he should deny thee, he believed thee not: he trusted in his own strength, and trusted more unto himself, being but a man, than unto thee, being very God. But when the handmaid cast out these words, and 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 flock: And he denied it again. He could not stand before the women, howe should he then stand before kings, and ancients? And when he was yet once more inquired of the standards by, and was accused to be one of thy Disciples, he began to curse, and to swear, that he knew thee not.  
What said he think you? I suppose that he swore by God, and by the lawe of Moses, that he knew thee not, adding such words of the flesh:  
think you that I am a disciple of this samaritan, which deceiveth the people, which is inspired with the devil,& destroyeth our law? I am the disciple of Moses,& know not whence this fellow is. Blessed be God, that they ceased enquiring any further, for else would he never haue ceased denying thee, so that a thousand interrogations would haue made a thousand flat negations: yea, a thousand curses and perjuries: yet were these interrogations but words. What would he haue done( I pray thee) if they had scourged him, and buffeted him well? truly he would haue sought and proved all means, of denying, forswearing, cursing, and blaspheming, until that he had escaped their hands. But thou( most meek lord) lookedst back vpon him, and by and by he acknowledged his offence. Neither durst he yet leap into the midst of them, and confess thee to be the son of God: for he was not yet strengthened with power from above, so that without doubt he would haue denied thee again, if he had seen any jeopardy at hand. Therefore, as it was most meet for him, he went forth, and wept bitterly. But thou, after thy resurrection, appearedst unto him, and comfortedst him, and yet hide he himself for fear of the Iewes. He saw thee gloriously ascending into heaven, and was strengthened by the sight, and comforted of Angels, and yet durst he not go abroad: for he had learned by experience, to know his own fragility, and had proved his weakness. Therefore did he tarry and wait for the holy Ghost, which was promised. When he was come, and had filled Peters heart with grace, then stepped he forth, then began he to speak, and then with great power and signs bare he witness of thy resurrection. Then feared he neither the high Priests, neither yet kings, but reioyced in tribulations, and received the cross with all ioy 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 prevailing against me. The flesh coveteth contrary to the spirit. The world assaileth me on every side. The divell sleepeth not. give me the strength of thy spirit, that there may fall by my side a thousand, and by my right hand ten thousands: that I may both constantly and Christianly bear witness of thy faith. For, if Peter, whom thou enduedst with so many notable gifts, did fall so wretchedly: what should I do( Lord) which haue neither seen thy natural presence, neither haue tasted of thy glory in the mounteine, neither haue seen thy gracious miracles? Yea, and scarcely perceived thy marvelous works, and never heard thy voice, but haue been ever subdued under sin? Therefore, strengthen me with a principal spirit, that I may persevere in thy service, and give my life for thy sake.  
13 I will instruct the wicked, that they may know thy ways: and the ungodly shall be converted unto thee.  
Ascribe not this( lord) unto presumption, if I go about to teach the ungodly thy ways: for I desire not to teach, as I am unrenewed and 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,& 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 an impediment to thee, if thou wilt do this: but rather where sin aboundeth, there aboundeth grace. paul yet breathing out thretnings and slaughter against the Disciples of the Lord, received commission, that if he found any, whether they were men, or women, which followed thee,& professed thy faith, he should bring them prisoners to jerusalem. And forth was he going, like a mad harebrain, and as a ravening wolf, ranging abroad to ravish and kill thy sheep. But whiles he was yet in his journey, even in the heat of his persecution, and in actual doing of his sin: whiles he was persecuting thee, and would haue slain thy chosen, having no maner of preparative unto grace, neither yet knowledge of his sin, when with his heart and will he was thine adversary, blasphemed,& cursed thee: behold, the voice of thy merciful pity unto him, saying, Saule, Saule, why persecutest thou me? By the which voice he was immediately both laid along, and raised up: he was laid along, and overthrown, as concerning his body: but he was raised up with the mind. Thou raisedst him up that was in dark ignorance, and pouredst thy glorious light into those eyes, which were oppressed with blind sleep, thou haddest him thy favourable face, and enduedst him with thy gracious mercy. Then was he raised, as it had been from death, he opened his eyes, he saw thee, and said: lord, what wilt thou that I do? And after didst thou sand a sheep to this wolf: for thou commaundedst 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 without delay he entred into the Synagogues, and preached thy name stoutly, affirming that thou are Christ: he disputed, prevailed, and confounded the Iewes. behold ( Lord,) even streight of a persecutor, thou madest him a preacher, and such a preacher, that laboured more than all the other Apostls. O how great is thy power? If thou wilt of a wicked man, make a righteous: or of a persecutor a preacher: who shall deny thee? who shall resist thee? who may say unto thee, Why dost thou so? All things that thou wouldest haue, thou madest, in heaven, and in Earth, in the Sea, and in all bottomless deeps. Therefore impute it not to arrogancy, if I covet through thy power, and not 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, and also for my singular prosite. Now if thou change me into another man, then will I teach the wicked thy ways: not the ways of Plato, and Aristotle not the intricate and subtle propositions of mans wit, not the instructions of philosophy, not the painted words and vain colours of the Rhetoricians, not worldly matters and policies, not unfruitful ways of vanity, not ways that lead men into death. But thy ways will I teach them, and thy precepts, which lead unto life: neither will I teach them onely one way, but many ways: for many are thy commandments: howbeit, all these ways do end in one, that is to say, in love and charity, which doth so unite and knit the faithful hearts, that they haue 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 chased in widowhood, some virgines, and so forth. These walk after diverse ways, into their heavenly inheritance, every man choosing one, in the which he may best subdue his rebellious members. Thus will I teach the wicked thy ways, according to their capacity and condition. And the ungodly shal be converted unto thee, for I will preach unto them, not myself, but Christ crucified: and they shalbe converted, not unto my praise: but unto thee, giving thee all honor and praise: they shall leave their own ways, and come unto thine, that they may walk in them, and so consequently attain unto thee.  
14 deliver me from blood( O God,) the GOD of my health, and my tongue shall exalt thy righteousness.  
I am stifled in much blood, and from the depth of it shall I cry to thee O lord, harken 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 the blood: even so is the life of a sinner in his sin. power out the blood, and the beast death: power out the sin, acknowledging it unto GOD, and the sinner death, and is made righteous. Neither am I wrapped in blood, but overwhelmed and drowned in blood: full streams of blood do drive me unto Hell, help me( Lord,) least I perish. O God which gouernest all things, which onely canst deliver me, in whose hand is the spirit of life, rid and purge me from this blood. deliver me from blood( O GOD) the author of my health, God in whom onely consisteth my salvation. deliver me( lord) as thou deliveredst Noe, from the waters of the flood. deliver me, as thou deliveredst Lot, from the fire of sodom. deliver me, as thou deliveredst the children of Israel, from the depth of the red sea. deliver me, as thou deliveredst jonas, from the belly of the whale. deliver me, as thou deliveredst the three children, from the furnace of burning fire. deliver me, as thou deliveredst Peter, from the peril of the Sea. deliver me, as thou deliveredst Paul, from the depth of the Sea. deliver me, as thou hast delivered infinite sinners, from the power of death, and from the gates of Hell. Then shall my tongue triumph in thy righteousness, that is, for thy righteousness, which I shall feel and perceive in me, through thy gracious favour. For thy righteousness( as the Apostle saith, romans. 3.) cometh by faith of Iesus christ, unto all, and vpon all them that beleeue in him. Then shall my tongue triumph in praising this thy righteousness, commending thy favour, magnifying thy pity,& acknowledging my sins that thy mercy may be declared in me, which wouldest vouchsafe to justify such a great sinner, and that all men may know, that thou savest them, which trust in thee, and deliverest them from extreme anguish and adversity( O lord our God.)  
15 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( O lord,) the God of my health, and my tongue shall magnify thy righteousness. Then shalt thou lord open my lips, and my mouth shall show forth thy praise. For thou hast the key of david, which shutest, and no man openeth: and openest, and no man shutteth. Therefore open thou my lips, as thou openedst the mouths of infantes, and suckelinges, out of whose mouths thou hast established thy praise. These truly were thy Prophetes, Apostles,& other Saints, which haue praised thee with a single& pure heart& mouth:& not the Philosophers& Orators, which haue 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 infantes( lord) praised thee, and despised themselves: The Philosophers went about to praise themselves, and magnify their own name. Thy sucklings extolled thy famed and glory, which they knew through heavenly favour: The Philosophers knowing thee onely by natural creatures, could never perfectly express thy renown. Thy saints magnified thee with their heart, mouth, and good works: The Philosophers only with words,& their own subtle imaginations. Thy children haue spread thy glory throughout all the world: The Philosophers haue instructed but a few of their own adherents. Thy friends, with spreading thy glory, haue converted innumerable men from sin unto virtue, and from misery unto true felicity: The Philosophers neither knew true virtue, neither yet true felicity. Thy well-beloved haue preached openly thy bountiful gentleness& merciful favour, which thou haddest in thy deere son unto all the world: but the Philosophers could never attain to know it. Therefore, out of the mouth of infantes and sucklings hast thou established thy praise: for it hath ever pleased thee to exalt the humble, and to bring low the proud. Now, seing thou dost ever resist the proud, give me true humility, that thou mayst stablish thy praise by my mouth. give me a childes heart: For, except I turn back, and beecome as a child, I can not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Make me as one of the infantes, or suckelinges, that I may ever hang on the teats of thy wisdom: for thy teats are better than wine, and thy wisdom better than all riches: so that nothing can be compared unto it, for it is to men an infinite treasure: and they that use it, are made partakers of the friendship of God. Therefore, if thou makest me a child, then shalt thou stablish thy praise in my mouth: for then shalt thou open my lips, and my mouth shall show forth thy praise, and shall perfectly declare it, even as thou hast published it by the mouth of thine infantes, and suckelinges.  
16 If thou hadst desired sacrifices, I had surely offered them: but thou delightest not in burnt sacrifices.  
My mouth( lord) shall show forth thy glorious famed. For I know, that this thing is most acceptable to thee, sith thou sayest by the Prophet, psalm. 49. 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 infantes and sucklings, for my sins. And why shall I offer for my sins rather praise, than sacrifice? For if thou hadst desired sacrifice, I had surely offered them: but thou delightest not in burnt sacrifices. Canst thou be pacified with the blood of calves or Goates? Wilt thou eat the flesh of bulls: or drink the blood of Goates? Either dost thou desire gold, which possessest heaven and Earth? Either wilt thou that I sacrifice my body unto thee, 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, and 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 shalbe imputed unto me for sin. Let your serving of God be reasonable, saith the Apostle, Romans 12. And thou hast said also by the prophet, I require mercy,& not sacrifice. Osee. 6. Therfore shall my mouth show forth thy praise: For this oblation doth honour thee, and sheweth us the way unto thy saving health. My heart is ready( O GOD) my heart is ready. It is ready, through thy grace, to do all things, which are pleasant unto thee: this one thing haue I found most acceptable to thee, that will I offer to 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 haue given it thee, for my heart is ready( through thy grace) to fulfil thy will: but in such burnt 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: proverbs, 14. My son give thine heart unto me. This is the heart that pleaseth thee. Let us offer unto thee 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.  
17 A sacrifice to God, is a broken spirit, a contrite and humble heart thou shalt not despise( O 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 vnquieted for his fault, because he hath offended against God whom he loveth. He soroweth, that he hath sinned against his maker and redeemer, that he hath despised his blood, that he hath not regarded such a good and loving father. This broken and sorrowing spirit, is unto thee 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, into the mortar of the heart, beaten with the pestle of compunction, made into powder of repentance,& watered with tears: thereof is made an ointment and sacrifice most sweet, which redolent offering thou wilt not despise, namely, a contrite& humble heart. Therefore, he that breaketh his stony heart, which is made hard with the ston 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, and an humble heart, thou wilt not despise( O God.) mary 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 into the pharisees house, she humbled herself flat before thy feet, she was not ashamed to weep at meal time, 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 hair, annoynted them with ointment,& ceased not kissing them.  
Who ever saw such another thing? Yea, who hath ever heard of a thing like unto this? Surely, her sacrifice pleased thee well, and was so acceptable, that thou preferredst it above the pharisee which in his own sight was righteous. Luke. 7. For it may be gathered by thy words, that there was so much difference between the righteousness of mary, and the pharisee, as there is difference between these two things: namely, 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,& to anoint the feet with most precious ointment: yea, much more excelled she the pharisee: for he neither gave thee water, kiss, nor oil. O great is thy power( Lord) great is thy might, which declareth itself most bountifully, in sparing sinners,& having compassion on them. Now see I well, that a contrite& meek heart thou wilt not despise( O lord:) and therefore endeavour I myself to offer such an heart unto thee. Neither is it enough that I say so outwardly: for thou art a God, which searchest our heartes and reins. accept therefore this my sacrifice: and if it be unperfect, amend thou the default, which onely art of power so to do: that it may be a burnt sacrifice, wholly inflamed with the heat of thy comfortable 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, either in heaven, or in Earth, despise me.  
18 deal gently of thy favourable benevolence with Sion, that the walls of jerusalem may be built again.  
Because it is written, 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 overthwartly, I am very desirous that 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, exhortations, and examples, I might rise from this filthy sin, and be provoked daily to proceed unto better. I beseech thee therefore( O lord,) although I be a sinner, that thou of thy favourable benevolence wouldest deal gently with Sion, that the walls of jerusalem may be built again. Sion is thy Church. For Sion, by interpretation, signifieth an high hill, 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 off the glory of God, according to the capacity of this life. And therefore said S. paul, All we with an vncouered 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, howe small is thy church at this day? Almost the whole world is fallen from thee, there are many more miscreants, than Christians: and yet among the Christians, how many are there that forsake worldly things, and seek the glory of the lord? Surely, ye shall find few, in comparison of them which are addicted to worldly things, whose God is their belly, and glory to their shane and confusion. deal gently, lord, of thy favourable benevolence, with Sion, that it may be increased, both in multitude, and in good living. Behold from heaven,& deal gently, as thou art wont to do, that thou wilt sand among us the fire of charity, which may consume all our sins, deal( lord) according to thy favourable benevolence,& do not with us after our deservings, neither control us in iudgement, but chasten us in mercy. Thou art our lord, our Father,& Redeemer. Thou art our hope,& everlasting health. every man desireth goodness of thee. If thou give it them, then shall they gather it: if thou open thy hands, all shalbe 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 into earth. again, when thou breathest on them, they are created again: and thus renewest thou the face of the Earth. lord, I pray thee, what profit is there in the damnation of so many thousand men? Hell is full, and thy Church daily decreaseth. Arise( lord,) why sleepest thou so long? Arise, and defer not unto the end. deal gently of thy favourable benevolence with Sion, 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, into whose place the righteous are received. deal therefore gently( O lord) with Sion, that the number 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 thee, and endure everlastingly.  
19 Then shalt thou accept the sacrifice of righteousness, oblations, and burnt offerings, then shall they lay upon thine altar fat calves.  
When thou hast dealt gently, of thy favourable will& benevolence with Sion, then shalt thou accept the sacrifice of righteousness: for thou shalt consume it with the burning fire of thy love and charity. And so acceptedst thou the sacrifices of Moses, and Helias. And then acceptest thou the sacrifices of righteousness, when thou fattenest( with thy grace) the souls which endeavour themselves to live righteously. What profiteth to offer sacrifices unto thee, when thou acceptest them not? O lord, howe many sacrifices offer wee now adays, which are not pleasant unto thee, but rather abominable? For we offer not the sacrifices of righteousness, 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 simplicity of hermits, which used to live solitarily? Where are the virtues and works of true Christians, which were in old time? Then shalt thou accept their sacrifices, when thou shalt deck and garnish them with thy grace and virtue.  
Also, if thou deal gently, of thy favourable benevolence with Sion, then shalt thou delight in sacrifices of righteousness. For the people shall begin to live well, to keep thy commandments, and to deal justly: and so shall thy people be endowed with thy benefits, and blessings. Then shall the oblations of the Priestes, and of the clergy, he acceptable unto thee: for they shall forsake their carnal affection, and endeavour themselves unto a more perfect life, and so the ointment of thy blessing shall descend vpon their heads. Then shall the burnt offerings of good men be pleasant unto thee: for they shall cast out all brousie sluggishness, and false confidence, and bee wholly inflamed, and made perfect, with the burning fire of Gods love. Then shall the bishops, and Preachers, lay calves vpon thine altar: for after they are consummate& made perfect in all kind of virtues, replenished with thy holy spirit, and endued with true christianity, they shall not fear to give their lives for their sheep. What is thine altar( sweet Iesu,) but the cross whereupon thou wast offered? What signifieth a wanton calf, but our body? Therefore, then shall they lay calves upon thine altar, when they shall offer their own bodies upon the cross, that is, when they shall prepare their bodies to suffer all afflictions, yea, even very death, for thy names sake. Then shall thy Church flourish, and enlage her coasts. Then shall thy praise be noised from the last end of the world. Then shall ioy and gladness fulfil the whole world. Then shall the 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) and then, that thing which I so often name, that thou mayst haue compassion on me according to thy great mercy, that thou mayst receive me 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 the vale of misery, unto that ioy, which thou hast prepared for them that love thee. Amen.    

¶ A meditation of the same jerome, upon the 31. psalm, entitled, In te Domine speravi: which( prevented by death) he could not finish.  
heaviness hath besieged me, with a great and a strong host, she hath enclosed me, she hath oppressed my heart with clamours, and ceaseth not with weapons night and day to fight against me. My friends be in her tentes, and are become mine enemies. whatsoever I see, whatsoever I hear, bring banners of heaviness before me. The memory of my friends maketh me sad, the recording of my children grieveth me, the considering of my charge& duty vexeth me, the revolving of my studies maketh me pensive: finally, the thinking on my sins oppresseth me. For like as to them which be sick of the Axesse, all sweet things seem bitter: so to me all things be turned into sorrow& heaviness. undoubtedly, a great burden vpon the heart is this heaviness. It is the venom of serpentes, it is a deadly pestilence, it grudgeth against God, it ceaseth not to blaspheme,& it provoketh to desperation. O vnhapie man that I am, who shall deliver me from her cursed hands? If all that I see& hear, follow her banners, and strongly fight against me, who shal be my protector? Who shall help me? Whether shall I go? Whether shall I flee? What shall I do? I will turn me to things invisible. And who shal be the guide of so high& terrible an host? Hope, which is of things invisible. Hope( I say) shall come against heaviness, and banquish her. Who can stand against hope? hear what the Prophet saith, Thou( lord) art my hope, thou hast set thy refuge most high. Who shall stand against the Lord? Who can win his tower of refuge, which is most high? Wherefore I will call her, doubtless she will come,& she will not confound me. lo, now she cometh, she hath brought gladness, she hath taught me to fight, and she said to me, cry, cease not. And I said, What shall I cry? Say,( quoth she) boldly and with all thy heart.  

In te Domine speravi. psalm. 31.  
IN thee, O lord, haue I put my trust: let me never be confounded, deliver me in thy righteousness:  
2 bow down thine ear to me: make hast to deliver me: be unto me a strong rock, and an house of defence to save me.  
3 For thou art my rock, and my fortress therefore for thy names sake direct me& guide me.  
4 draw me out of the net, that they haue laid privily for me: for thou arte my strength.  
5 Into thine hand I commend my spirit: for thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.  
6 I haue hated them that give themselves to deceitful vanities: for I trust in the lord.  
7 I willbe glad and rejoice in thy mercy: for thou hast seen my trouble: thou hast known my soul in adversities,  
8 And thou hast not shut me up in the hand of the enemy, but hast set my feet at large.  
9 Haue mercy upon me, O Lord: for I am in trouble: mine eye, my soul, and my belly, are consumed with grief.  
10 For my life is wasted with heaviness, and my yeeres with mourning: my strength faileth for my pain,& my bones are consumed.  
11 I was a reproach among all mine enemies, but specially among my neighbours: and a fear to mine acquaintance, who seeing me in the street, fled from me.  
12 I am forgotten, as a dead man out of mind: I am like a broken vessel.  
13 For I haue heard the railing of great men: fear was on every side, while they conspired together against me,& consulted to take my life.  
14 But I trusted in thee, O lord: I said, Thou art my God.  
15 My times are in thine hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies,& from them that persecute me.  
16 Make thy face to shine upon thy seruant, and save me through thy mercy.  
17 Let me not be confounded, O Lord: for I haue called vpon thee: let the wicked be put to confusion, and to silence, in the grave.  
18 Let the lying lips be made dumb, which cruelly, proudly, and spitefully, speak against the righteous.  
19 Howe great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them, that fear thee: and done to them, that trust in thee: even before the sons of men?  
20 Thou dost hid them privily in thy presence from the pride of men: thou keepest them secretly in thy tabernacle from the strife of tongues.  
21 Blessed be the lord: for he hath shewed his marvelous kindness toward me in a strong city.  
22 Though I said in mine hast, I am cast out of thy sight, yet thou heardest the voice of my prayer, when I cried unto thee.  
23 love ye the lord all his saints, for the Lord preserveth the faithful, and rewardeth abundantly the proud doer.  
24 All ye that trust in the lord, be strong, and he shall establish your heart.   
1 IN thee, O Lord, haue I put my trust: let me never be confounded: deliver me in thy righteousness.  
O the wonderful power of hope, whose face heaviness can not abide. O the lovely looks which she casteth vpon such as offer their arms to embrace her at her coming. O the unspeakable joys which shee kindleth in the heartes of them that give her incerteinment. now cometh comfort. Let heaviness cry now, and struggle against me, with her army. Let the world arise and rebel, let the enemies make insurrection, I fear nothing: for I trust( lord) in thee. Thou art my hope, for thou hast put thy refuge most high. I haue already entered it, hope hath lead me, I myself entered in boldly, she shall excuse me before thee. behold,( quoth hope) O man, the most comfortable refuge of God, open thine eyes. God is alone, he onely is an infinite Sea of substance. Other things be so, as though they were not: for all things depend upon him, and unless he sustain them, they should soudenly return to nought: for of nought were they made. Consider the power of him, which in the beginning made heaven and Earth. doth not he work all things in all men? Who can move his hand without him? Who can think any thing of himself? Ponder his wisdom, which in tranquillitie governeth all: for he seeth all, and to his eyes all things be naked and open. This is he, which onely knoweth how to deliver thee, and onely can comfort and save thee. do not trust in the children of men, in whom is no salvation. The heart of man is in his power, whither so ever he lusteth he will turn it. This is he, which knoweth the way how to help thee. Suspect not his power. Mistrust not his mercy. Ponder his goodness. Consider his tender love. Is not he the lover of men, which for men became man, and for sinners was crucified? This is thy true father, which created thee, which redeemed thee, which doth good to thee. Whether can the father forsake his son? Cast thyself on him, and he will take thee up, and save thee. Search the scriptures, and thou shalt find howe his great and tender love should move thee to trust in him. And why doth he that? Verily, because he coveteth to save thee. For what saith he, by the Prophet, Because he trusted in me, I will deliver him. lo, for none other cause he will deliver him, but because he trusted in him. And what other thing haue the Prophetes, the Apostles: yea, the lord himself of the Apostles preached, but that men should trust in the Lord? Sacrifice therfore( O man) the sacrifice of iustice, and trust in the lord, and he shall deliver thee, and pluck thee out of all tribulation. O the great virtue of hope. truly she is spread abroad: for grace is powred into her lips. O this is the true refuge( good lord,) to which the evil of heaviness can not approach. These I know and understand: therefore I trusted in thee, O lord. For though the weight of sin doth grievously press me, yet I cannot despair: for thy goodness so gently provoketh me to hope, that I can not be confounded for evermore. For a time I may bee confounded, and put to silence, but evermore sure I can not be left succourless.  
For hope, which hath led me into thy sovereign refuge, hath taught me to hope, and that not in temporal things, but in everlasting things. For hope is of things invisible: but those things that be seen, are temporal: and those things that be not sene, are everlasting. wherefore I hearing the words of hope, which cometh to pluck me out from the hands of heaviness, haue trusted( lord) in thee, coveting before all things, to be delivered from my sins, and through thy mercy and grace to attain to things everlasting, which be invisible. This is my first and chiefest desire: for my sins be a great tribulation unto me: for from it all other tribulations issue. Take away( lord) my sins, and I am free from all tribulation: for tribulation and selfishness of mind proceedeth from the fountain of the heart: for all heaviness cometh of love. If I love my son, and he death, I am troubled: because I haue lost that I loved. Or if I love not my seruant, and he death: I am not heavy: because I haue lost that I loved not. Take away therefore( Lord) my sins, through thy grace, what remaineth but that I shall love thee with all my heart, and despise all temporal things as vain? If then I haue thee by faith, of whom also I hope, that which neither eye hath sene, nor ear hath heard, nor hath not ascended into the heart of man, what thing can trouble me. That which I haue lost, that I love not. In thee( lord) haue I trusted, like as my hope hath taught me to trust: therefore I shall not be confounded for ever: for thou shalt give me everlasting things. whosoever trusteth not in thee, but in his own vanity, shalbe confounded for evermore: for he shall descend to eternal confusion. I may be confounded temporally, both of thee& of all men: but I shall not be confounded for evermore. For of thee I may be confounded, while I desire to be delivered from temporal vexation,& peradventure thou wilt not here me: truly then I am confounded temporally, but not for evermore: for it is not expedient, sith virtue is made perfect in infirmity. And of men I am temporally confounded: and they prevail against me, when they pursue me: but this also thou sufferest them to do, that I should not be confounded for ever more. Wherefore, if before thee a thousand yeres be but as it were yesterday, which is passed away, I will gladly suffer temporal confusion, that I be not confounded for evermore. I will trust in thee( O lord:) for hope hath taught me so to trust, and shortly I shal be delivered from all tribulation. By what merites shall I be delivered? Not by mine( O Lord,) but by thy iustice and righteousness deliver me. By thy iustice, I say, not by mine. I seek mercy, I offer not iustice. But if by thy grace, thou wilt make me righteous, then I haue thy iustice: for thy grace in us is thy righteousness. The pharisees trusted in works of iustice, they trusted in their own iustice, and righteousness: therefore they were not subject to the iustice of God: for of the works of the Lawe shall no creature be justified with thee. But the iustice of God appeared by the grace of Iesu Christ: yea, without the works of the Lawe. The Philosophers gloried in their iustice, and therefore they found not thy iustice: because they entered not in by the door; they were theeues and robbers, which came not to save, but to destroy and slay thy sheep. Wherefore thy grace is thy iustice( O lord:) and it were no longer grace, if it were given of merites. Wherefore, not in my iustice, but in thy iustice, deliver me from my sins: or else deliver me in thy righteousness, that is to wit, in thy son, which onely amongst men is found just. What is thy son, but the very iustice in which men be justified? Wherefore in thy iustice justify me, and deliver me from my sins, that I may be also delivered from other afflictions, which I suffer. Therefore, so that the cause be taken away, the effect will likewise follow. lo, thee O Lord I haue sought, and I am comforted, hope hath so taught me: I am replenished with ioy, because I trust in thee, therefore I shall not be confounded for evermore.  
heaviness cometh again with great purueiance, she is returned with swords& spears, on every side she is defended, with great violence she marcheth, she hath besieged our city, the cry of her horsemen hath feared me, standing without she commandeth silence, and a far off she speaketh, saying: O( saith she) lo, he that trusted in the lord, which said, I shall not be confounded for evermore, which hath followed hope, is comforted. And when she perceived me, at these words, to wax ashamed, approaching nigh me, she said: Where be the promises of thy hope? Where is thy comfort? Where is thy deliverance? What haue thy tears profited thee? What haue thy prayers brought thee from heaven? Thou hast cried, and no man hath answered thee. Thou hast wept, and no man hath been moved with pity on thee. Thou hast called vpon thy God, and he holdeth his peace. Thou hast desired help from heaven, but thou art not regarded. lo, what profit haue the words of hope brought thee? Thou hast laboured, and findest nothing in thine hands. Thinkest thou that God careth for the inhabitants of the earth? Nay, he walketh about the limits of heaven, and considereth not the matters of men. Thus she blaspheming spake,& when I shooke for fear at her words, approaching, she spake in mine ear saying: Trowest thou those things be true which faith sheweth? Wilt thou see they be but mens fantasies? Thou shalt know hereby: for if God became man( as they say) and was crucified for men, could not so great a love comfort man, which is brought in so great distress, crying unto him,& weeping? If( as they say) infinite goodness cause him to come down from heaven, to take vpon him the cross, how should he not now come down to miserable men, that he might comfort them? Howe many men( trowest thou) if they might come to thee, with their words and works, as much as they might, would comfort thee, and also deliver thee from all vexation? Why art thou not succoured from above by heavenly aid and comfort? Beleeue me, all things are governed by casualty. There is nothing but that that is seen, your spirit shall vanish away like smoke. Who ever came again from Hell or heaven, and told us such things as do chance to souls after this life? These are but fables of foolish women: arise therefore and flee to the helps of men, that loose and set free from imprisonment and bondage. Thou maiest live in pleasure: be not deceived falsely of this thy hope, always to be in pain and trouble.  
These things said, so great cry was heard in her tentes, so great din of the harness, and noise of the trumpets, that I could scarcely stand on my feet. And if my well-beloved hope had not the sooner holpen, heaviness had lead me bound with chains to her region. Wherefore hope came shining with a certain divine brightness, and smiling, said: O soldier of Christ, what heart, what mind hast thou, in this battle? Which I hearing, forthwith was ashamed. And she said, fear thou not, this evil shall not take thee, thou shalt not perish, lo, I am with thee to deliver thee. Knowest thou not that it is written: The unwise man said in his heart, There is no God. This heaviness hath spoken, like an enemy of thy souls health. Can she persuade thee, that there is no God, or that God hath not the providence of all things? Canst thou doubt of faith, which with so many arguments and reasons hath confirmed it? I wonder that thou art so felled to the ground at her words. Tell me( I pray thee) whether begannest thou to doubt in thy heart of faith? Then said I, The lord liveth, and my soul liveth. O my most sweet mother, I never felt the least prick of infidelity in my heart: for by the grace of Christ I beleeue no less those things to be true, which be appertaining to faith, than those things which I behold with my bodily eyes. But heaviness so oppressed me, that I should rather haue been brought to desperation, than to infidelity. son( said she) thou knowest, that this is a great gift of God: For faith is the gift of God, not of works, that no man should glory. Wherefore arise, and fear not, but rather know hereby, that the lord hath not forsaken thee, who although he heareth not forthwith, yet oughtest not thou to despair, If he make tarriaunce, tarry thou his leisure: for coming he will come, and will not linger. The Ploughman abideth most patiently the fruit and increase of his land in due time. Nature not forthwith putteth on the form, but first she prepareth the matter, and disposeth it by little and little, until she maketh it apt to receive the shape of the thing which is to be created: yet know thou, that the Lord always heareth him that prayeth devoutly and meekly: for they never depart void from him. I will not labour to prove this with reasons, because thou feelest it in thyself. Tell me, who lifted up thy heart to God? Who induced thee to pray? Who was it that made thee to sorrow for thy sins, and to weep? Who gave thee hope? Who made thee cherfull in thy prayer, and after thy prayer? What is he that daily confirmed thee in thy holy purpose? Hath not the lord God, which worketh all in all, done this? If he then giveth thee continually these gifts, why doth that cursed fiend say, Where be thy prayers? Where be thy tears, with other words of blasphemy? Knowest thou not, that the heavenly jerusalem differeth from this terrestrial tabernacle? Knowest thou not, that it is not convenient, necessary, or profitable, that God, or his Angels, should descend visibly to men,& speak familiarly to them? First it is not convenient: for how can light and darkness agree? diverse cities haue Citizens of contrary and diverse natures. Howbeit, to some( for their excellent holinesse, for that they be almost near heaven their country) it was granted to see Angels, and to speak with them: but this special privilege belongeth not to all. It is not necessary: because that, sith God doth invisibly govern us, illuminate and comfort us, it needeth not to show visible appearauncies: howbeit, our Lord is so good, that also visible signs( when he seeth good) are shewed: For what thing might he haue done for our salvation, and hath not done it? Finally, it is not profitable, for overmuch familiarity engendereth contempt: For to the Iewes, miracles both great and many, nothing availed. For rare things be royal and precious, according to the proverb. Wherefore, let the invisible visitation suffice thee, for the lord knoweth what thou hast need of. Hath not he comforted thee? I know what thou thinkest in secret in thine heart. Arise then and return to prayer. cry, ask, seek, persevere, For if he will not give, because he is thy friend, yet for thy importunity he will give all that be necessary. With these words comforted, I arose, and prostrate before God, I proceeded in my prayer, saying:  
2 Bow down thine ear unto me, hasten thee to pluck me out.  
O Lord my God, to thee I return, hope hath sent me to thee: I come not by mine own presumption, thy goodness provoketh me, thy mercy draweth me. O how gracious and bountiful a receiving is this? Surely, I ioy in my heart, and I desire none other consolation. happy truly is this necessity, which compelleth me to come unto thee, which constraineth me to speak with thee, which forceth me to pray. wherefore I speak to my God, though I be myself but dust, and ashes, bow to me thine ear. What sayest thou? Hath God ears? Thinkest thou that he is a body. No certainly? For seeing the spirit is far better than the body, who would say that God were a body, unless he be mad? But stammaring( as well as we may lord) we sow celestial seeds, and most high and holy things. We know thee, by thy creatures. We speak to thee,& of thee, by the similitudes of them. Thine ear, what is it Lord? Whether is it thy knowledge? For by the ears we understand those things which be spoken unto vs. Thou knowest from the beginning all things, that men speak think& do. May we then understand by thine ear thy knowledge? truly thine ear doth insinuate& note somewhat unto us, which is not comprehended in the name of thy simplo knowledge: for unto some thou bowest thine ear, from other some thou turnest it away: but thy knowledge always abideth one and also the same. What other thing then is thine ear, but the notice and understanding of thine allowance& disallowance? Thou dost bow thine ear,& hearest the words of good men, because they please thee,& thou allowest them: contrariwise, thou turnest away thine ear from the words of the wicked, because they will not depart from their wickedness: therefore their words please thee not, but thou disallowest them. What is then to incline thine ear to them which speak unto thee, but to allow their prayers, and to behold them with the countenance of pity and mercy: to enlighten and kindle them, that with a sure trust& a fervent love, they may pray unto thee? For thou wilt give them that they ask humbly. If a King sheweth to a poor man, which coveteth to speak with him, a courteous and cheerful countenance, and turneth his eyes unto him, showing himself ready to hear the poor mans cause: will not the poor man be glad? Doth not the amiable look and the attentifnesse of the King cause the poor man the more boldly to declare his suit, and minister utterance and eloquence unto him? Yes undoubtedly. So likewise( O lord) we perceive thee then to bow down thine ear to our prayers, when thou grauntest us in our prayers to be fervent in spirit. I beseech thee therefore( O most merciful Lord and Father) bow down to me thine ear, allow( I beseech thee) my prayer, enlighten me, kindle me, and teach me, what things I ought to ask& desire of thee: illuminate& lift up my heart, that at last also thou mayst hear my prayer. Hast thee( O most merciful lord) to pluck me out, shorten my dayes, cut off my time. So bow down to me( O lord) thine ear, that I may quickly be heard: for unto thee, which dwellest for ever in eternity, ever livest, and always continuest, no time seemeth short. For eternity comprehendeth all, and exceedeth all times: but unto me( O merciful lord) every day is long. For time is a numbering of the moving so, that he which feeleth no motion, feeleth no time: but he that feeleth moving, feeleth time: and he most of all feeleth moving, which numbereth the partes thereof. I therefore, which number the dayes, and the houres, do most of all feel the time: and therefore like as unto thee, a thousand yeeres are but as yesterday that is past: so unto me, one day is a thousand yeares, which are to come. Wherefore, hasten thee( lord) to pluck me out from sin and adversity. For death hasteneth, and in every place awaiteth for me. high thee( lord,) least I perchance being prevented, haue no space to embrace repentance. pluck me out( lord) from the hand of the malicious, deliver me from the bonds of sin, take me from the snare of death, lead me out of the depth of hell, save me from oppression, and the hard bondage of heaviness, that my mind may be raised up, and rejoice in thee,& that I may praise thee all the dayes of my life. I thank thee( lord) in Iesu my saviour: for according to the multitude of the sorrows in my heart, thy comforts haue reioyced my soul. Therfore I will always trust in thee,& I will( for my part) ascribe all to the praise of thy name. lord bow down thine ear unto me, hast thee to pluck me out. Alas wretch that I am: lo, yet again heaviness cometh armed with terrible harness and weapons. The banner of iustice goeth before her, an innumerable host followeth her, and each hath a spear in hand. I behold on every side vessels of death. Woe is me, I am undone. With an high and horrible voice she crieth, saying: O wretch thy hope hath deceived thee. lo, thou hast laboured in vain: for thou saidst, Bow thy ear to me, hasten to pluck me out. Whether hath God bowed his ear unto thee? Where is thy prayer herd? Where is thy deliverance? Where is thy comfort? Hath God hastened to pluck thee out? Nay, yet art thou in bonds, as a prisoner, thy case is nothing altered. If thou believest faith to be true, why dost thou onely nourish hope? Knowest thou not that God is just? Knowest thou not his iustice? He spared not his Angels: he pitied them not, but for one onely sin, he cast them into condemnation everlasting. Adam sinned, and the iustice of GOD punished all mankind with death. Thinkest thou that GOD doth not as well love iustice, as mercy? Children departing in original sin, deserve never to see the face of GOD: so rigorous is the iustice of God, that for the sin, which they did not commit, but received by Nature, they shall bee punished: Gods iustice delivereth the sinner to torments past recovery: for in Hell there is no redemption,  
Knowest thou not, that God spareth not the offender? Did he not destroy, in the time of Noe, almost all mankind? Did he not consume with fire Sodom,& the other cities adjoining unto it? Gods iustice hath been so rigorous, that no compassion hath been taken of infantes and innocents? Howe oft punished he the Iewes for their offences? Was not jerusalem utterly destroyed by the hands of Nabuchodonosor? Neither spared he his own temple: for it was also destroyed of Titus the Emperour of Rome, where the Iewes were so cruelly punished, that there is no man that heareth of it, but quaketh for fear. But see how sharp the iustice of God is, The children of the fathers are punished, even to this day. behold, the Iewes be slaves, runagates, and captives in every place,& dying in their blindness, are punished with everlasting pains. Thinkest thou the mercy of God is greater than his iustice? truly in God it is neither greater nor lesser: for what soever is in God, is in his substance. But let us consider the works of iustice, and mercy, and we shall evidently espy, that the works of iustice do exceed the works of mercy. God himself is witness, saying: Many be called, but few chosen. Mark how many Infidels be damned, howe many evil Christians there be, howe few live within the compass of a clear& uncorrupt conscience: and thou shalt perceive anon, that there be many more vessels of iustice, than of mercy. The elect are of mercy, the reprobate of iustice. Let not mary Magdalene, nor the thief, nor Peter, nor paul, make thee confident and trustfull: for there was but one mary, one thief, one Peter, one paul. Thinkest thou to be accounted amongst so few, which hast committed so many, and so great sins, which hast been a slander to the church, which hast offended heaven and Earth? lo, thy eyes haue wept, thine heart hath sorrowed,& thou hast sought mercy, but as yet thou hast obtained none. The prayers of them that loved thee, were they heard? No: And why so? Surely, because thou art reputed among the vessels of wrath. Thy hope hath made thee to labour in vain. follow my counsel. heaven hath cast thee up, the Earth receiveth thee not. Who can suffer this great confusion? Better it is to die, than to live. Choose death, which if no man will bring& offer unto thee, then lay violent hands vpon thyself.  
These words, with wonderful importunity, she laid on, and all the host with loud voices did rehearse the same, saying: Death onely is thy refuge. But I hearing this, was sore afraid, and soudenly fell down vpon my face, crying out, and saying: Lord help me, lord forsake me not: come, come, come my hope. lo, soudenly hope came glistering down from heaven, she touched my side, she lifted me up, and she set me on my feet, saying: How long yet wilt thou be a babe? How long wilt thou be a novice and a young soldier? So oft hast thou been in battle, and hast walked in the midst of the darkness of death, and hast not yet learned to fight? Be thou not dismayed at the great iustice of God, but rather comforted. Let them fear which be not converted to the Lord, which walk in their own ways, which follow vanities, which know not the way of peace. Let the wicked tremble, which do grievously sin, and say, What haue I done? which be flinty hearted, which be called and refuse to come: they know not God, neither will they understand the rule whereby to live well: let these people fear. What saith the Apostle? It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living GOD. Surely, such offenders doth the iustice of God punish, such are subject to his malediction and curse. But sinners, which returning to themselves, do rise again, and run to the father of mercies, saying: Father, I haue sinned against heaven, and against thee: yet notwithstanding, be merciful unto me a sinner: let such haue trust in the lord. For he that hath drawn them, undoubtedly will receive them, and justify them. Let heaviness bring forth( if she can) but one sinner, were he never so great, which converted& turned to the lord, who was not received& justified. For though it be said of Esau, that He found no place of repentance, though he sought it with tears: yet this maketh not against us: for Esau did not weep for his sins that he had committed, but for his temporal goods which he had lost, because they were past all hope of recovery. Neither think thou, that iustice doth so pertain to the wicked, that it is clean separated from mercy: and again, that mercy doth so belong to the righteous, that it is clean severed from iustice: For all the ways of the lord are mercy and truth: For he sheweth mercy also to sinners, in giving them, for the good deeds that they do temporally, temporal rewards: and specially in that he doth not punish them so much as they deserve. Likewise, his elect he pursueth with his iustice, in punishing them temporally for their sins, that they be not punished everlastingly. Thou( therefore) suffer patiently the correction of the lord. Thou hast sinned: repent, let remission of thy sins suffice thee by his grace. My son, despise not the correction of the lord, and disdain not when thou art checked of him: for whom the lord loveth, him he chasteneth: and he scourgeth every child that he receiveth. Continue then in affliction, God sheweth himself to thee, as unto his son. And though there be few chosen children of God, in respect and comparison of reprobates and castaways: yet there be innumerable that shalbe saved. There is not onely one mary Magdalene, one thief, one Peter, one paul: but innumerable haue followed their steps, repented, and received of the lord many and great gifts of grace. mercy is no less valiant in her works, than iustice: for mercy giveth so many good things to righteous men, that her works do far exceed the works of iustice. Knowest thou not, that the earth is full of the mercy of God? What creature can glory that he hath received any thing, which hath not proceeded from the mercy of God? And although thou hast grievously offended God, yet his mercy is greater than all the sins of the world. Trouble not thyself for the multitude and grievousness of thy sins. Hath not mercy now come running and met thee? Hath not she taken thee up, and kissed thee? lo, thou didst fall, and thou wast not hurt. Why, art not thou a frail vessel, which if it fall, it must needs be bruised, unless some body put under his hand? Why then, when thou didst fall, wast thou not hurt? Who did put under his hand to stay thee? Who, but the lord? This is a great sign that thou art elect: for the elect, when he falleth, shall not be bruised: for the lord will put under his hand, and support him. Doth not the Apostle writ? To them that love God all things work to good: in so much that, even sin itself worketh to them good. doth not that chance work to them good, whereby they be made both humbler and heedfuller? Doth not the lord receive him, which is received, of humility. Thou hast loved the lord many yeares, for his love thou hast laboured: after thou didst lift up thy heart,& walkedst in the vanity of thy wit, the lord withdrew his hand, and thou didst fall,& into the depth of the Sea thou didst descend: howbeit, the goodness of the lord forthwith put under his hand, and thou wast not bruised. Say then, I was driven away, I was turned over, that I should fall, yet the lord took me up: but it happened not so to the wicked nor to them whom God hath rejected. When they fall, they rise not again, but even with great shane they excuse their sins, so that they haue the boldness of an harlot, and by that means they neither fear God nor man. Arise then, and be of a strong heart, be mighty and valiant, attend on the lord, and do manfully: let thy heart be strengthened,& suffer the lords chastisement. Thou hast proved thine own power, that it is of no force: then humble thyself under the puissant hand of God, and henceforth be more circumspectly. Patience is necessary to thee, prayer without ceasing is convenient: embrace the one, refuse not the other, then the lord shall hear thee in due time. Arise, and set aside all sorrow, kiss the feet of the Lord with meekness& lowliness, then shall he save and deliver thee. These words said, she was taken up into heaven, leuing me substantially strengthened,& wonderfully comforted. Then I having my heart armed with the helmet of hope, confidently came before God my saviour,& prostrate, I said:  
3 Be unto me a good protector, and an house of refuge, that thou mayst save me.  
For thou God art of all the greatest, and the strongest: thou the Redeemer, and saviour of all: thou the protector of the faithful: to thee therefore I flee boldly. Hope hath brought me in hope, whom thou so dearly lovest, whom thou hast always commended unto us, with her I haue not feared to come before thy face. I grant I am unworthy, but she drew me: I feared to approach near, because of my manifold sins: but she encouraged me. lo, she standeth before thee, she beareth witness. I speak to my lord, being myself flesh, and a sinner: Hope taught me, and said to me, that boldly I should open my mouth. sweet and gentle( said she) is the lord, he will not drive thee away, he will not be angry, he will gladly hear thy prayer, and will give thee whatsoever thou desirest: I believed, and therefore I spake. But considering thy majesty, I was greatly humbled, and I said in my trance, every man is a liar. I will never more trust in man, but in thee onely. Thou only art faithful in all thy words,& every man is a liar. What shall I yield to thee( Lord) for all that thou hast given unto me? The cup of salvation I will take, and magnify thy name. For from henceforth I will live, not unto myself, but unto thee, doing good for thy loues sake. I will suffer all evils, I will forgive mine adversary, I will be reconciled to my neighbour, I will further all men, I will hinder no man. I will not do this( lord) through mine own might, but I will call on thy name. lord my vows I will pay to all thy people, for in the sight of God, the death of his saints is precious. Be thou unto me a good protector, defend me from mine enemies. Mine enemies are my sins, which provoke thy iustice against me, I shall not be able to stand against them, if thou dost not protect me. Let thy mercy be my shield( O lord,) and with the shield of thy loving kindness crown me: I haue nothing to offer unto thee, wherewith I may assuage thy wrath& quench thy fury: all that I bring with me, indite and accuse me. wherefore I will offer unto thee the memory of thy sons death and passion. Be not displeased( Lord God,) but rather be unto me a gracious protector, under thy wings defend me, with thy shoulders shadow me, and under thy feathers let me lodge in safety. What shall iustice do to me? If thou keepest me under thy protection, she will hold her peace( Lord,) and put up the sword of her fury, she shalbe made meek and gentle, seeing thy goodness, in the benefit of thy sons incarnation, beholding the wounds of thy passion,& considering the blood of thy love and charity, she will depart from me and say: Be merry( son,) thou hast found meate, eat in peace, sleep and rest together with me? Be therefore( lord) to me a good protector, an house of refuge, that in the time of rain and storm, in the time of temptations, I may flee unto thee: for in thee onely is my health. Be thou unto me a house of refuge, open unto me thy side pierced with the spear, that I may enter the breast of thy most tender love, in which I may be safe from the feebleness of spirit, and from tempest. hid me in thy tabernacle, in the day of evils protect me in a corner of thy sanctuary, let it be the house of my refuge, that thou maiest make me safe: for I can not be but safe in the house of thy refuge. For thou hast set thy refuge most high: this place is well fenced, no enemy is there feared: would God I might always abide in it: who dwelleth in it cannot be wounded. Wherefore, in all temptations, in all tribulations, in all necessities, open( Lord) unto me the house of thy refuge, spread abroad the bosom of thy tender love, show forth the bowels of thy mercy, that thou maiest make me safe. Let not the Tempter come thither, let not the slanderer climb up, let not that naughty accuser of his brethren approach. I shalbe then sure, and without care: yea, already me think I am exceedingly well and quiet. I thank thee( good Iesu,) that of thy bountifulness thou hast sent thy hope unto me, which hath raised me out of dust, and of dung lifted me up,& hath set me before thee, that thou shouldst be my God, my protector, and the house of my refuge: to the intent thou mightest save me. My mind is troubled: lo, heaviness is at hand, she cometh with the banner of iustice from alleys conflict, she departeth not, but she is defended with other weapons: for this night she hath stolen away my warlike furniture, and with my armor she hath girded her souldiers. Wherefore, vnweaponed and weak what shall I do? lo, howe bitterly she crieth, with what assault she rusheth vpon me, what trust she hath of the victory. Where( saith she,) is thy protector? Where is thy house of refuge? Where is thy health? Continuest thou still in thy vain hope? Thy comforts proceed but of imagination. Thou imaginest God to be merciful, to be thy protector, and the house of thy refuge: and thinkest thou to climb up to heaven. Surely, thou art deluded& mocked of thy phantasy, and comforted with vain hope. Thinkest thou thyself to be rapte and taken up into the third heaven? These are but dreams. Recount with thyself howe grievous an offence is ingratitude. Doth not this dry up the fountain of mercy? Remember that Christ wept for the city of jerusalem, and told afore time the evils that should befall unto it, saying: The dayes shall come upon thee, and thine enemies shall besege thee, and compass thee about, and drive thee into streightes, and beate thee down to the ground, and thy children that be in thee, and they shall not leave in thee a ston upon a ston. The cause of which so great vengeance he kept not close, but added, saying: Because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation. lo, ingratitude deserveth not onely to be deprived of Gods benefits, but also grievously to be punished. Doth not this belong to the soul? Doth not jerusalem oftentimes in Scripture signify the soul? which when it will not know the visitation of the Lord, is besieged with divels, and with sundry temptations, wherewith it is afflicted, falleth down to earthly things, is laid along, and no virtue nor good deed is left in it, which is not destroyed: for it is spoyled of all grace, and abideth broken and vnbuilded: she knoweth not the time of her own visitation. Thou truly, thou( I say) art this city, enriched of God with many and great benefits, and thou acknowledgedst it not, but wast unkind: he created thee to his own likeness: in the midst of his church, not among Infidels, he made thee to be born: he did set thee in a flourishing city, with the water of baptism he sanctified thee, in a religious house he brought thee up. But thou huntedst after thy lusts, in the vanity of thy brain thou walkedst, thou rannest down headlong into deep sins: the lord called thee, and thou aunsweredst not: he oft advertised thee, and thou regardedst not his counsel. Howe oft did he lighten thee? How oft did he turn thy heart? Howe oft did he wake thee from sleep? He invited thee, and thou excusedst thyself: he plucked at thee,& thou didst resist him: at last, his unspeakable goodness overcame thee. Thou didst offend,& he visited thee: thou didst fall, and he plucked thee up: thou wast ignorant, and he taught thee: thou wast blind, and he lightened thee: from the tumult of the world,& from the tempest of the sea: he brought thee to quietness, and to the port of religion, he gave thee the land of holy conversation, he made thee his Priest,& he brought thee to the school of his wisdom: yet notwithstanding, thou hast always been unkind, and negligently hast done the will of the lord, albeit thou knowest, it is written: Cursed is he that doth the work of the lord negligently. moreover, the goodness of God did not so leave thee, but always brought thee gently to better& better, and( which is most of all,) garnished thee with the knowledge of Scripture, the word of the gospel he put into thy mouth, and did set thee in the midst of his people, as one of the great and famous men. Thou notwithstanding, taughtest other,& regardedst not thyself: other thou healedst, and thyself thou curedst not: thou liftedst up thy heart in thy worship, and therefore thou hast lost thy wisdom in thy worship. nought wast thou made,& nought shalt thou remain. Knowest thou not that the seruant understanding the will of his lord,& doing it not, shalbe beaten with many stripes? dost thou not know that God resisteth the proud? How falledst thou Lucifer, which didst spring up in the morning, which woundedst the Gentiles, which saidst in thy heart, I will climb up to heaven. But thou wast plucked down to Hell, into the depth of the lake. under thee lye moths, and over thee lye worms. Thinkest thou now to find mercy, which hast offended many, which so oft called and admonished of God, wouldest not answer? Where were then the iustice of God? Where were then the equity of iudgement? mercy doth not alway follow sinners, she hath her bounds. Is it not written: I haue called, but ye haue started away: I haue spread abroad my hands, and there was none that would look vpon me: ye haue despised my counsel,& neglected my corrections. I therefore in your decay will laugh,& iest when that thing that ye feared cometh vpon you. lo now, mercy giveth not always pardon to the sinner. Dost not thou consider the degrees of mercy to haue an end, which being adorned with so many benefits of God, didst fall into the Sea: and garnished with so many graces, for thy pride and vain glory, becamest a slander to the world? Let not then vain hope deceive thee, whom thou followest: live henceforth after thy lust and appetite. Wilt thou not be punished, both in this life, and in the life to come, with infernal pains? Choose then to dwell with them which lead their dayes in delight, and in the moment of an hour shall go down to hell. Let not shane hold thee back. Take the forehead of an harlot, Let us eat& drink, for to morrow we shall die. Thy wound is past hope,& thy sore is incurable. But I remembering the aduertisemences of my mother, though I was somewhat deject& broken in mind, yet to my power I plucked up myself,& stood vpon my feet, lifting up mine eyes to heaven, from whence I hoped for help: and lo, hope with a cheerful countenance, furnished with blissful beams, descended from above, and said, Who is that which uttereth sentences with unlearned words,& hath appointed bounds to mercy which is infinite? Ah fool, thinkest thou to hold the main Sea in thy hands? Hast thou not herd the Lord, saying: In what hour so ever the sinner bewaileth his sins, none of all his iniquities I will remember. What man is he that sinneth not? Who can say his heart is clean? The lords prayer belongeth to all, in which all men are compelled to say: forgive us our sins. Our lord taught his Apostles thus to pray. Doth not then this prayer belong to other? The Apostles received first the holy Ghost. And why taught he them this prayer, if they had no sin? And if they had, who can glory that he is no sinner? hear the beloved Disciple of the lord, If we say( saith he) that we haue no sin, we beguile ourselves, and the truth is not in vs.( And Saint james saith,) In many things we all offend: Wherefore, all haue sinned,& need the mercy of God, yea, the holy men of God: for it is written, seven times a day falleth the just man, and he shall rise again. Wherefore, mercy hath no limits nor bounds: but so oft as the sinner lamenteth his sins, so the obtaineth mercy: neither makes it any matter, whether we speak of great or little offences. Thou hast fallen: arise, and mercy shall take thee up. Thou shrinckest: call, and mercy shall come unto thee. again thou fallest, again thou shrinckest, turn thee to the lord, and the bowels of his pity shall open unto thee. Thou fallest the third time,& the fourth: knock, cry, and mercy will not forsake thee. As oft as thou sinnest, so oft rise again, and mercy shall haue no end. Why dost thou upbraid the benefits that man hath received, O thou wretched woman heaviness? Did not david the great Prophet receive many and great benefits, of whom the lord said: I haue found a man according to my heart: and yet he sinned, and that grievously, as well in adultery, as in murdering of a good and innocent person and yet the Lord ended not his mercy in him. What bringest thou in the sin of pride? Did not david lift up his heart, and caused to number the people of Israel? For he gloried, as though he had been a great King, and a mighty, in his own strength, and pvissance: and yet he was not rejected for this. And why? Because he did not hid his sin? He did not boast it, as Sodoma did: but he said, I will confess against myself my iustice to the Lord. Wherefore mercy hath no limits nor bounds appointed her, though wicked and damned persons do set ends to themselves, that they may not pass beyond: for she cometh to them, but they drive her away. Wherefore it is written, Thy perdition O Israel is of thyself, of me only is thy help. Open thy mouth( saith mercy) and I will fill it: hold out thy bosom, and I will give thee a good measure, heaped full, and flowing over. Continue in prayers, and weeping: for he that hath begun to love thee, and crowneth thee with daily benefits, and good graces, will not leave thee: but will give thee increase, and will perform in thee his work. What natural cause beginneth a work, and leaveth in the mid way? The virtue of seed ceaseth not, until it hath brought the fruit to perfection and ripeness. What bird leaveth her young, before they be able to rule themselves? Who doth this? What profit cometh unto them of this? None truly, but onely labour. love then compelleth the natural causes to bring their effects to perfection. goodness compelleth them, which they covet to power out: for goodness always stretcheth out itself. If then the creatures do this, what shall the Creator do? For he is the self love, he is infinite goodness. Shall not he make perfect his work? hear the lord Iesus, It is my work( saith he) to do the will of him that sent me, that I should make perfect his work. He then that began to love thee, with his gifts and benefits to 'allure thee unto him, to cleanse thee, and also to purge thee from sin: without doubt he will make perfect his work in thee. For these be the preparations to everlasting life. Why therefore now when thou didst fall, wast thou not bruised? Was it not, because the lord did put under his hand? Why did he turn thy heart from sin? Why did he provoke thee to repentance? Why did he comfort thee? Was it not, because he would make thee cleave and stick unto him, and to make thee worthy of his grace, and to bring thee to everlasting life? These be not illusions and imaginations: but divine inspirations. But be it, let them be imaginations. Are they not good? do they not come from the virtue of faith? Wherefore, sith they issue from God, undoubtedly these imaginations are divine illuminations. rejoice therefore in these words. At these words my heart was so comforted, that for ioy I began to sing, saying: The lord is mine enlightening, and my health: whom shall I fear? The lord is the protector of my life, of whom shall I be abashed? At the feet of the lord prostrate with weeping I said: lord, though a field be pitched against me, yet my heart shall not fear: for my fortitude and my refuge art thou, and for thy names sake thou shalt bring me out and nourish me, &c.   

The Conclusion.  
This meditation, thus devoutly begun, the author fell sick, as he was occupied in his godly exercise: and departing out of this miserable life, no doubt to eternal blessedness, left his work vnperfourmed, whereof he hath given us this comfortable enteraunce.  
FINIS.   

A Prayer unto the trinity, that the seed of the holy Scripture may fructify in our heartes, and that we may be found faithful hearers of the word preached, and follow the same in life and conversation.  
O God the Father, O God the son, O God the holy Ghost, most blessed, and vndiuided trinity, of all Christians to be honoured, praised, and glorified: cast vpon us miserable sinners the eyes of mercy and compassion: behold us in the bowels of love and tenderness: guide us by the spirit of wisdom and understanding: that all our cogitations and actions may be acceptable unto thee, and nothing repugnant to the prescript rule of thy commandements. And for so much as it is the seed of thy gospel, which flourishing and fructifying in us, maketh us amiable& lovely in thy presence: We beseech thee, that we may most reverently enter into thy holy Church& sanctuary, there submit ourselves before thy majesty, aclowledge our manifold transgressions, crave pardon for the multitude of our misdeeds, desire the descension of thy sanctifying spirit into our heartes, that we may attentively hear what soever is preached unto us out of the word of life, and follow the same in the whole course of our conversation. And because the nature of thy gospel is to work the regeneration of our old man, to circumcise our corrupt thoughts, and to cleanse us within from all filthiness and sensuality: We beseech thee( O gracious& glorious trinity,) that we may feel stirred up in us a certain greediness to embrace thy blessed gospel, and to esteem it( as it is) the treasure of a perfect Christian. grant also unto us by nature damnable, the illumination of a perfect perceiuerance and understanding mind: that we may with the eyes of faith& true belief, conceive the mysteries of thy sacred Scripture: that what soever is there out spoken& pronounced unto us, may tend to our comfort, and to the increase of grace, which it hath power to minister. Vouchsafe also, O most blessed trinity, that although the depravation of our flesh is such, that spiritual things seem irksome and grow out of count, yet that we may bring that wanton Heifer in subiection,& bend the neck of the same under the yoke of obedience to thy holy will. O hear our prayers, we beseech thee, and grant our requests, that we may continually thank thee for thy goodness, and extol thy majesty for evermore. Amen.  
Abraham Fleming.  
FINIS.   

Imprinted at London, at the three Cranes in the vintry, by Thomas Dawson. 1578.