A godly meditation upon twenty select and chosen Psalms of the Prophet David, as well necessary to all them that are desirous to have the dark words of the Prophet declared and made plain: as also fruitful to such as delight in the contemplation of the spiritual meaning of them.  
Compiled and set forth by S● Anthony Cope knight.  
¶ Imprinted at London in Sepulchres parish a little above Holborn Conduit at the sign of the Resurrection by John day.  
¶ Anno. M.d.xlvii.  
Cum privilegio ad imprimendum solum.   

The preface. ¶ To the most virtuous Lady and gracious princes Katherine Queen of England, France and Ireland, her humble servant Sir Anthony Cope Knight desireth long life with health and much honour to the pleasure of God.  
THe use of giving gifts by men to their friends the first day of the new year (most noble Lady and virtuous Queen) hath of long time continued within this Realm of England, with an opinion that the lucky beginning is a good token of like prosperous success during the rest of the year. Which manner of presenting gifts, as I do right well allow, if they be given as a declaration of mutual love and hearty benevolence: so the opinion thereto annexed, I think not so commendable, which is, that the gift should be a token or presage of good fortune to come: no more than mondays handsel of a penny given to a poor beggar, should be so esteemed, that the happy beginning of the week must draw to it also a fortunate end thereof.  
The good intent of the giver of the penny: is to relieve the poor man's necessity, not to be an augury of things that shall follow. So in likewise ought the new years gifts to be delivered, only as a testimony of the hearty service or loving minds of the givers. And for so much as the most numbered of the givers do search to present such things as they judge should be most acceptable to the receivers thereof: I long imagined with myself what thing I might best offer unto your grace at this present, wherein I might in some part declare my loyal and obedient heart toward you, of whose heaped goodness I have so much tasted, that I can never be able to deserve the thousand part, but only with my prayer and hearty service. At the last when I considered your gracious intent and godly purpose in the reading and study of holy scripture, and the advancement of the true word of God: I thought I could in no thing do your grace a more pleasant service, then to make an exposition of certain psalms of the noble prophet David, whose harmony is so sweet & pleasant, that the ears of the faithful, may scantly therewith be fully satisfied. The poets feign that Orpheus made so pleasant harmony on his harp that he caused the beasts and stones dancing, to follow him. Their meaning was, that his language was so pleasant, and his intent so reasonable, that he brought the people to good civility, which before were rude and beastly. But our celestial Orpheus the prophet David hath so set forth his songs that they have strength and force to cause men which be carnal and beastly, to become spiritual and heavenly. Who so will learn to give to God dew honour and praises: may in them take a perfect patron. Again to give thanks for the benefits received, to call for grace, to pray for the deliverance from all enemies spiritual and temporal, to live in the heavenly meditation of god's laws, to despise the vanities of this world, to become mere spiritual: may men, in them abundantly, be instructed. In conclusion there is nothing necessary for any christian to do, think, or say, but in them as in a mirror he may behold the perfect image thereof, beside the plain prophesying of Christ's coming our very Messiah, his nativity, passion, death, resurrection and ascension, as lively as they were in colours set forth before our eyes, with so many tropes, figures and allegories, that there is almost no word which lacketh na hid mystery, as the Apostle Paul sayeth, all things happened to them in figure, and were dark and obscure.  
But now that the things are come whereof it was spoken: the veil is taken away from the face of Moses Now are few things left undiscussed by good holy fathers, who having a good zeal to bestow their talon of knowledge given them by God, to the profit of his people have earnestly travailed in the manifestation of such secret and hid things being helped by the holy spirit of God to thachieveing of their ghostly purposes, whom I having very small learning, but only to gratify your mind and to avoided idleness have followed, setting forth a rude exposition (in our maternal tongue) upon twenty psalms which I have chosen forth, reducing the same to the kind or fashion of prayers and contemplatife meditations, which I turste your grace of your accustomed and natural goodness: will take in good part, sins there wanteth in me, not will but knowledge to do better. Nevertheless I trust (conferring the paraphrase to the text) ye shall have great light of the meaning of the Prophet, and thereby find his diffuse dark words made open and plain. To move your grace and all other of the flock of Christ to the reading of psalms, may it please you to read the Chapter of the book of Kings, where David by playing on his harp and singing thereto expelled from King Saul his father in law (for the season while he played) the wicked spirit which was entered into him and sore tormented him.  
And this thing I trust none will judge to be done by the virtue of the sound of his harp, but through the power of the noble Psalms that he sang playing thereon: which Psalms he undoubtedly being inspired with the spirit of God had before made. Much more may we think and assurdly judge that for our own deliverance from the power of our spiritual enemies, God will not fail to send his holy spirit to assist us and comfort us, expelling utterly the temptations of the wicked serpent, if we in faith earnestly and heartily praying and trusting to him read or utter the said Psalms. And I shall pray to God who is the author and giver o● all good gifts, so to illuminate the eyes of you● grace's heart, that ye may proceed in the path o● his laws wherein you are all ready entered, according to the ardent desire which ye have hitherto had to attain to the knowledge of them, so tha● when ye shall leave this transitory world (whose pleasures in all your time ye never esteemed) ye may ascend to the place prepared for Gods elect, there to receive joys perdurable world without end.  
DIEV · ET · MON · D●OVT   


An exposition upon the first Psalm. ¶ This Psalm of David is first set in the book, 
Bea●us vir.  as a Prologue to all the rest. In which he exhorteth all men to the study, following, and teaching of the law of God.  
O Most holy father of heaven, the only living God, of power inestimable, of wisdom incomprehensible, to the be honour, glory and thanks given for thy noble work in the creation of mankind, & also for his redemption out of the captivity & thraldom of the devil, by the passion of thy most dearly beloved son jesus Christ. The final cause where of was to bring him to beatitude, that is, to make him have the fruition of thy deite and there by to taste of all kinds of joy in thy heavenly mansion world without end. But to the attainment thereof, of thy godly pleasure, thou gavest him certain laws, to labour and travail in them in the present pilgrimage of this life. Which if he did observe, & continue in them, thou diddest promise him the said beatitude. And for good skill lord. For as man lost Paradyse and his original justice by disobedience, and transgression of thy commandment: so was it meet that he (willing to recover the same) should stand fast in faith and hope of thy promises, with the obedient keeping of thy laws, after the way and gate to the said heavenly place was set open by the mean of thy blessed sons death and passion. Wherefore, with the Prophet david we may well say, 
B●●tus v● qui non a●●● in concilio impiorum et in ●ea p●ccatorum non sre●●●et in ●●●h●dra pestilencis non sedit.  that blessed is the man that goeth not in the counsel of the ungodly, or unfaithful persons, that standeth, or aabydeth not in the way of sinners, and sitteth not in the chair or seat of pestilent and scornful persons. By faith we believe in thee, and in thy merciful promises, by charity we work toward our neighbour according as thou hast commanded, by the influence of thy grace we teach other truly thy laws and godly precepts and live thereafter to the good example and edifying of other. No man liveth without sin, no not the child of one days age: but happy & blessed is he to whom thou givest the grace not to abide and sleep in sin: but by penitence to come to a godly conversion. In the chair of Moses sat the Scribes and Phariseis, 
Math●●●●  to whom appertained the teaching of the true law of god, in stead whereof for the most part they taught their own traditions. But in case they preached at any time truly: yet was their evil example of living a mockage and a pestilent infection to all the beholders thereof. But what danger then merciful God, shall they run in, which neither by godly living give good example, neither yet truly teach thy holy word?  

S●● in le●● commi do 〈◊〉 eius, ● in lege eius ●●●●tabitur die at no●●●.  To all such lord we beseech the send grace to repent and to reform that they have untruly taught: and to us send a will to hear and an heart to delight in the following of thy law when it is taught us, or when we read it: so that we may exercise ourselves therein all the days of our life. In youth and in age. In prosperity and in adversity. The knowledge of thy laws, 
Psalmo xix  bringeth us to the knowledge of thy goodness and of our infirmity. The reading in them doth make us to account all worldly things to be but vain, as they are in dead, and to set all our delight in the consideration of heavenly things which be perdurable. Thy law is pure without spot, and hath a secret operation to convert the reader thereof from the evil way wherein he walked before: and teacheth him wisdom. 
Et erit tanquam lignum quod plantatum est sec● decursus aquarum quod fructum suum dabit in tempore suo.  Who so keepeth thy laws is like a tree planted by the water side, that bringeth forth his fruit in due season. All trees and herbs that are planted in barren dry grounds: be nothing fruitful. May a rush be green without moisture? or may the grass grow without water? no truly. 
job viii  It is the moisture of thy grace that maketh us fruitful in good works. And the dew season of our working is while we be in this present life. 
Mathei. iii.  The tree that bringeth not forth good fruit shallbe cut down, it serveth only to the fire. 
Mark xi  The tree also that bringeth forth but leaves, 
Proverb. xi.  that is to say fair words without works, or else hypocritical works, only to the show of the world: shall be cursed as was the fig tree that Christ cursed coming from Bethany. But the keepers of thy law lord for the fruit which they bear here in this world, shall receive the fruit of everlasting glory in another world. Ye the leaves of this tree shall not fall of. For as the fruit itself is good, that is, 
Et fursum 〈◊〉 non de●●u●.  as his works do profit his neighbour, so doth his leaves, that is, his doctrine also edify. Like as the snow and the rain cometh down from heaven & returneth not thither again, 
Esai●. ●●.  but watereth the earth, making it fruitful & green, that it may give corn and bread, to the sour: so the word that cometh out of the mouth of thy faithful, 
Et omnia quecumque ●a●●● prosperabuntur.  shall not return again void, but shall accomplish thy godly will. And what so ever he doth shall prosper. 
Roma. vi●●.  All things work for the best unto them that love God. But it worketh far otherwise with the ungodly, for they are like the dust which the wind bloweth and skaterith away from the face of the ground. 
Non ●●c impli non sic: sed tanquam pulvis quem proucit ventus a fancy 〈◊〉.  They have ever loved the world and the pleasure thereof, and that have they enjoyed, which standeth to them in stead of a reward for the good deeds which they have done (if ever they did any) They were inconstant, light and wavering with every wind of temptation, not regarding the heavenvly things which are sure and permanent. They were dry without moistur of grace, & barren of good works, wherefore like light and unprofitable people they shall be blown from the land of thee, that art the living God, 
〈…〉  & from thy holy habitation. They are put forth of the book of life by just reprobation, and shallbe blown from thy face lord at the last judgement: 
Mathe. ●●v.  when by thy blessed son shall be said to them. Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire. 
Ideo non resurgde impii in judicio, n●que peccatores in congregatione justorum.  This judgement shallbe so terrible that the ungodly shall not be able to stand there in, neither the sinners in the congregation of the righteous True it is, and we do believe that all thy reasonable creatures shall at that general day arise, 
i Corin. xv.  both, bodies & souls, 
Ezechiel vii  then to receive according to their deeds, but after divers fashions. 
i. Corinth. vi.  The righteous to be as judges to the other, the sinners to be judged the elect to the perfection of their glory, 
i. Tessalo. iiii.  the souls being then unit to their bodies. The ungodly to their greater pain both of souls and bodies. At which great and dreadful day the sinners shallbe severed from the just, and shallbe set the one on the right hand, 
Matthew. xxv  the other on the left hand of thy victorious son as the shepherd doth dissever his sheep from his goats. And by good reason, for as there is no match between light and darkness, 
two. Corinth. vi.  no more is there any equal match in company between the righteous and the ungodly. 
Quoniam novit dominus viam justorum et ite● impiorum peribit.  The way of the just is known to the Lord, and well allowed of the. Wherefore to Moses thou saidst: I know the by name. 
Exodus xxx jeremy i  Even so didst thou know Hieremy thy Prophet before he was begotten or borne. And all by thy Godly approbation. In like manner dost thou know the days of the godly and elect. 
Psalmo. xxxvii.  And there inheritance shall endure for ever The other (that is) the ungodly, thou knowest not, 
Math. xxv.  no more then thou knewest the five foolish Virgins which were unprovided of oil in their lamps against the coming of the bridegroom Thou knowest them not to their comfort or election, but to their reprobation. Wherefore they were shut forth of the gates of glory, and departed with the workers of iniquity, whose way is the way of death and damnation. From this painful way save us good Lord, and make us to be as the fruitful trees planted by the water side, for thy blessed sons sake, who to save us suffered bitter passion and death. To whom be laud and praise for ever. Amen.   

¶ The Prophet david in the person of the faithful congregation which are penitent for their offences made this Psalm. 
Psalm vi Domine ne in futore.  And declaring his infirmity and contrition, desireth remission of his sins.  

Apoca. ●i.  O God almighty, Lord of heaven and earth, from whom nothing can be hid or kept secret. Lord that searchest the hearts and reins, that is the thoughts & delectations of all men. When I remember thy justice in judgement I tremble and quake for fear, considering the burden, weight, and filthiness of sin to be so great, that for one proud thought a great number of Angels fell from heaven to perpetual pain. 
Ge●os. ●●  For breaking thy commandment Adam and his wife were expelled out of Paradise and purchased death to all their posterity. 
Rome ●i. xv●.  The earth also was not able to bear the burden of Corah Dathan, and Abyram, but for their rebellion against the and thy servant Moses and Aaron It opened and swallowed them up quick, with their adherentes. For the sin of David and for that he of a pride numbered or mustered his people putting trust in the multitude of them rather than in thee, that art the living God: 
two. Reg. x●iiii  there died of the pestilence in Israel lxx thousand people within iii days. This considered what creature living can but tremble and fear. Seeing that our sins now daily, are no less in numbered and in haynowsnes than were theirs, but rather mooe & greater. And remedy have we none but to fly from thy wrath: into the bosom of thy most dearly beloved son jesus Christ, making him a bulwark and a shield of defence between thine anger and our offences, Most humbly beseeching the for his sake, and for the bitter pains that he suffered for our redemption to be merciful unto us And not to rebuke us in thine anger, 
Domine ne in furor● tuo arguas me neque in ira tua corripias me.  nor to chasten us in thine heavy displeasure, Let not thy sentence of everlasting damnation take place which thou gavest against Adam and all his posterity for his disobedience. Thou art meek, gentle, and long suffering of thyself. It is our grievous offences heaped together one upon another, that provoke the to anger. Not that thou art angry or furious thyself: but we feeling thy dreadful judgement upon us, given to pain everlasting, or thy heavy hand in punishing us here in this world: judge the to be angry in the pronunciation of that sore sentence, and in the execution of the same, we speak and judge of thee, after the sort as we that are worldly, do speak and judge one of us by an other. And with such words as we declare our own passions, and affections: we also declare the contents of our hearts unto the Lord, desiring the not to punish us in the rigour of thy justice, but after the sweetness of thy mercy to have pity upon us. 
Apoca. vi   shall we in that terrible day, desire mountains and rocks to fall upon us to hide us from the face of him that sitteth in the throne of judgement, & from the wrath of the lamb. Whose wrath we are well assured will not be then assuaged by any petition of friends. 
●ophony. i.  Nether shall silver or gold be able to deliver us in that wrothful day. Wherefore we acknowledging our offences humbly desire the merciful father to have compassion upon us, and to consider the weakness and imbecility of our nature, 
A●●set eat mei domine quontem infirmus sum.  which nature is wounded in all her powers with the darts of concupiscence. Where through we are prone and ready to all vice, feeble to resist tentation, and unable of ourselves to arise: 
●●tio ●ue domine quoniam conturbata sunt omnia ossa mea.  being once drowned in the filthy mire of sin. It is thou Lord, & thy blessed son that must heal our infirmities, for all our bones are vere. The strength that we have is not able to withstand the temptations of our stiff and sturdy enemy. 
●a●●w. xliii.  Thy son Chryst must reach us his hand, as he did to Peter walking on the water, when he was in peril of drowning. Then shall we have strength to arise, his Passion is our medicine and health. Thy grace and his are all the remedies in our infirmities. 
Et anima mea turba●a est valde.  Our souls that is our reason and our conscience are troubled through the multitude of our sins, which trouble surely is not small. For we find an other law in our membres striving with the law of our mind, 
Roma. seven.  & subduing us unto the law of sin, which is in our membres. We are all carnal sold under sin So that what we should & would do, that we do not, but what we should not and would not, that we do. And why? Truly for the in us (that is in our flesh) dwelleth no goodness. The crab tree can bring forth none other but sour crabs, their natural fruit, unless better fruit be graffed thereon. No more can we do any good, but by the graffing of thine abundant grace in us. Consider therefore, good lord, our contrite hearts & penitent minds. 
Sed tu domine usque quo?  And let it not be long before thou do cure us, Let it not be long before thou mercifully do hear us, and amend us. We doubt not also but thou that hast made our stony hearts to be fleshy and soft, with a will in us to desire thy grace: wilt not now stay, but proceed further to the full & perfect healing of us, although for a season thou do defer the execution of thy gracious purpose: to th'intent to make us more fervent in the pursuit of our requests: and that thy goodness may be had in more estimation when it cometh: and the more surely and firmly holden when it is come. For surely, good lord, our nature is such, that we little esteem great things which are soon obtained, but things gotten with diffycultye, we do much set by. So that if thou shouldest at the first grant our petitions we would not deeply consider the greatness of our offences & the hard cure of our wounds. Wherefore hope biddeth us still to cry & call unto the for help as the woman of Canany cried still upon thy son Christ, 
Mathei. xv.  for the help of her daughter, and at length was hard to her own contentation. At the lest if we knock & call still, we doubt not but thou wilt grant our desire, as the man granted to lend his neighbour iii loves, 
Luke ●●.  who knocked fast at his door at midnight, not only for that he was his friend. But chief for his importunity in knocking. Which importunity of prayer is to thee, very acceptable. Thou didst promise by the mouth of thy blessed son, that if we would knock thou wouldst open the door. 
Mathei. seven.  If we would ask we should receive. Wherefore trusting to that infallible promise we cry, we knock & call to the. Yea we will never cease knocking & crying till thou lord turn toward us & deliver our souls. Turn, 
Cond●●te●e domine et ●ips animam meam.  we heartily beseech thee, from thy wrath to pity, from vengeance to mercy. Deliver us from the manifold troubles which we have in our consciences. 
●o Titum 〈◊〉.  Oh save us for thy mercy's sake, not for our merits, which are none, not for the works of righteousness which we have wrought. But of thy high mercy & thorough the renewing of thy holy spirit. Our debt is so great to thee, that we are never able to make just recompense. Of thy mere goodness therefore must thou acquit us there of. Else must we lie in prison perpetually without redemption. 
〈◊〉 not est in morte aut memor sit tui. In inferno ●●●e quis ●●nfitebitur tibi.  Where after our death we can have no remembrance of thy holy name, for who will give the thanks, being in hell, for the manifold benefits received of thee, both to thine honour, & to the profit of those that are living. The pains their are so intolerable, that no man can there remember god, & confess his faults to his profit, nor magnify God, but curse & blaspheme thorough his dolorous pain. 
Ecclesi. xv●.  There is no time nor place of repentance & thankfulness: but of pain & torments This knowing while we are here living we confess before the lord our offences, being very sorry for the committing of them. 
Laboravi in gems● meo lavabo per singulas noctes lectum meum lachrimis meis stratum meum rigabo.  And are weary of groninge & lamenting for them, every night we wash our beds & water our coutches with tears, not openly weapinge as hypocrites do, but in the night secretly. For that we would not be seen: and that not only with the tears of eyes, but also with tears fet from the bottom of our hearts, 
Higre. iiii.  with which water we wash our hearts from all malice that we may be saved. And as we have made our bodies, servants to uncleanness, from one iniquity to an other: 
Roma. vi.  even so will we now (by the help of thy grace) give the same body to be servant unto righteousness that we may be sanctified. In this bed of the flesh & in the couch of sensuality, did the poor soul of mankind lie, from the fall of Adam to the coming of christ, sick & sore wounded. But by his coming & lying in the same bed of our fleshy nature: he healed the said sick soul of all her infirmities. But our couch (lord) he lay not in nor midled there with. No spark of sensuality, no spot of sin was ever found in him. He never did unright, 
Esay. iiii.  neither was their ever disceptfulnes in his mouth. He left that couch of sensuality for us to lie in, to strive & wrastyl their with all the days of our life. 
Turbatus est pre me tore oculus meus.  And this causeth our countenance or mind to be changed for very inward grieff, we are so troubled with our said couch of sensuality, for when we seek in it most ease and rest: it turneth after to our greatest pain and gryeffe. It is a serpent with a fair face, but in his tail is hid a sharp & venomous sting of everlasting pain. Thus do we consume away being veryd with so many enemies, 
Inuetetavi inter oens municos meos.  as our fierce enemy the devil, who seeketh still matter of occasion to lay against us. The world draweth us to follow her delectable deceitful vanities, And the flesh ready to follow sensuality & to run headlong into all kinds of iniquity, beside the company of wicked people, able to seduce us from our godly purposes. These dreadful enemies can we never be able of ourselves to subdue, 
Apo●a●●  but the noble victorious lion of the tribe of juda, is our whole refuge who is come to our rescue and succour. He hath killed death suppressed the devil, and through his grace & power, given us power to overcome all our said enemies. Wherefore being now truly penitent for our offences, & fighting under the banner of the merits of his passion, we will boldly say. 
Disce●●te a me oens qui operamini iniqui●atem: quo●am e●audiuit dominus vocem fletus met.  Away from us all ye enemies & wicked doars, for the lord hath hard the voice of our weeping. Ye wicked spirits & evil livers, that are that membres of the devil avoid ye now from us. your great master the prince of this world, 
John ●●  the prince of darkness is now cast out & hath lost his power. Although ye have long held us in prison & captivity yet are ye now overcome & your venomous sting pulled out. 
Ephes. v.  We that were sometime darkness are now become light in the lord, who hath hard our humble petition & hath received our prayers. 
Eradivit dominue doprecationem meam: dominus orationem meam suscepit.  We prayed to the for grace, and thou full lovingly hast sent us down dews thereof in great abundance. We prayed for remission of our sins and deliverance out of all our tribulations, & thou lord most mercifully hast hard and granted our petitions. Wherefore all our enemies shall be confounded and sore vexed. 
Eruhescant & conturbentur inimici mei: convertaetur et erubescant valde velociter.  Yea they shallbe put to flight and to shame. And that right soon & suddenly. For they have lost in a short space (thorough our humble contrition) that which they have of long time had in their possession. They kept with wrong, that thy blessed son hath dearly bought. But he like a strong & mighty warrior hath thrown them all out of their possession. And through our humility granted to us that felicity, which our said enemies through their pride hath lost. Wherefore Lord we thy poor faithful creatures being through thy grace and the battle of thy son upon the cross, restored now to thy favour: and having the houses of our hearts and souls, swept and made clean from all vices which were wont to inhabit in us, we now (fearing lest the sturdy tyrant our enemy finding no rest in places where he walketh return again into the houses of our souls, 
Luke vi  from whence he is already by force of thy son cast out, and finding it clean swept, bring with him seven other such as he is himself, to dwell there, and thereby make us in worse case than we were before) we most humbly beseech the to give us strength and force to keep our said houses of our souls from every violent invasion of these wicked enemies. And sense thou hast said by thine apostle Paul, 
1. Corin. iii.  that thy faithful are the temple or habitation of god, & that the spirit of god dwelleth in them: we therefore most heartily beseech the to dwell still in us by thy continual grace, whose assistance is sufficient to put to flight all wicked spirits. 
Ephes. ●.  Make us to be of thy household, build us upon the foundation of thy blessed son jesus Christ, that is the head corner stone. In whom, every building coupled together, groweth to an holy temple in the Lord and is made an habitation for God in the spirit.   

¶ The Prophet considering the corrupt manner of living of the greatest sort of people, and foreseeing in spirit the darkening of holy scripture through men's traditions, in the person of the faithful congregation praiseth the law of God, and desireth to be delivered from all false doctrine, and from the company of the wicked.  

Psalm. ●●. Vsque quo domin●●  O Most holy, most glorious and ineffable trinity iii people in one godhead By whose goodness all creatures have their being, before whose eyes all things (as well that are passed as that are to come) are accomptid as presennt: to thy mighty majesty, we thy poor faithful subjects of thy church here militant, show forth our lamentable prayer. Beseeching thee, pitifully to behold the miserable estate thereof, which never had more need of thy godly assistance than at this present it hath. For where to Adam (father of all man kind) in his creation thou gavest a participation of thy wisdom, goodness & justice, which all by his transgression were greatly diminished, and after by the incarnation and passion of the second person in trinity, thou didst restore again mankind to his original justice, through the sacraments of baptism & penance: if he did abide in the observing of thy laws & the verity of them: It is now come to pass (most merciful lord) that not only our said father Adam being made just and holy, did fall from the verity of thy laws (in which laws, as in a mirror: thy verity, justice, & goodness are declared) but also all other (very few except) since that time have also erred & left thy said verities. 
Saluum me fac domine quoniam defect sanctus.  There is not one saint or good man left. few have continued in thy faith, and given the thy dew honour, putting all their hope, love, and trust in the as in the most chief goodness: but have fallen from thee, even from the beginning, unto this day. For as Ninus erectid an image of his father, which he caused to be honoured of all men that were under his dominion, whereby idolatry grew among all other nations, so that at length every city & country chose them a peculiar god: even so hath it been sense the coming of thy son christ unto this day. For the honour only dew unto thy majesty, hath been, & yet in most places is given to stocks & stones. Superstition & idolatry remainith yet among the professors of the christian religion. 
Diminute sunt veritatis. a fi us hominum. Michee. iii.  Whereby thy verities are diminished, and few are faithful among the children of men. The verity of justice is gone. For rewards & affection blindeth justice. The verity of good living is decayed for very few are found which give good example to other by there godly life and conversation. The verity also of doctrine hath taken her wings and is flown away. The priests & prophets preach and prophesy for lucre, & please for promotion. 
Esee. iiii.  They pervert scripture to their imaginations. Neither are men loving to their neighbours for thy sake as thou hast commanded them to be, but every man telleth lies to other. Every man is glad to deceive his neighbour in bargain. 
●lana locuti sunt unus quisque ad protimun suum.  No man dareth without gains Yea (that most pity and harm is): they lie upon the true testament of Christ, by wresting thereof making light to be darkness, 
Isaiah .v.  and darkness to be taken as light. 
Labia dolosa in cord & cordelocuti sunt.  They do flatter with their lips, being dissemblers & double of heart. They have one heart to think one thing, & an other heart, causing the mouth to utter the contrary. 
jacob i  All which sort of men that have double & changeable minds, are inconstant in all their ways. And as their hearts are double even so are their tongues. But we doubt not but that thou wilt rote up and utterly destroy such deceitful tongues and lips, 
Disperdat dominus vniuersa●●abi● dolosa & linguam magni loquam.  specially if they at any time speak proud things in contempt of thy name, as thou didst confound the building and tongues of those that builded the tower of Babel in the land of Sinear. 
Psalm. lx●●  Which tower they of pride intended to erect up to heaven. These crafty people whet their tongues as men do the edges of their swords to do mischief. Adder's poison is under their lips but their language (to the utter show) is fair painted: that thereby they may deceive & prevail. 
Qui di●●ūt linguam nostram magnificabimus labia nostra a nobis sunt, quis noster dominus est.  Yea they say their tongues are in there own power to speak therewith at their pleasure, as though they had no lord over them. They think their eloquence to be the gift of nature and not of god. All such fight against the high majesty of thy godhead, which attribute unto themselves the good gifts that thou hast sent them. 
Esay. li●●  But all tongues (that resist against thee) thou shalt overcome & condemn, as thou diddest the wicked propose & blasphemous tongue of Nichanor, whose tongue (after that he was slain) was plucked forth, cut in small pieces, & thrown to the fowls of the air. 
Psalm liii  The nature of man is so corrupt & abominable in wickedness: that few or none upon the earth do good. All men are set on mischief. 
Propter miseriam i●● opum et gemitum pauperum nunc exurgam decit dominus.  They despise God and oppress the poor. Wherefore Lord, we beseech the to arise up for the troubles sake of the oppressed: and at the complaint of the poor help them and set them at rest. 
Ponan in salutari auxilium corum.  Thy son Christ is our saving health, in whom who so trustith, restith in surety and can not be deceived. 
Psalm xliiii  Arise we pray the merciful God & sleep not over long. Cast us not away for ever. Thou slep test very long after the fall of Adam, or thou diddiste awake to send thy dearly beloved son for the redemption of mankind. 
Galathians. ●i●.  At the last when the time determined by thy godhead was full come. Thou diddest awake & send thy son borne of a maid to redeem them that were bond under the law and to relieve thine elect which abode sore longing for his coming. So now Lord, at the last arise to the comfort of thy small flock, and to the confusion of thine enemies, make us through thy grace able to keep thy laws which are pure even as the silver, 
Eloquia domini eloquia casta argentum igne examinatum probatum ter purgatum septuplun.  which from earth is tried and purified vii times in the fire. Thy law was prophesied & spoken of by the holy patriarchs & prophets long before it came. It was promised to Moses, 
Deutero. xviii. Esay. xx. Luke. i●  and prophesied by Esay. It was approved by the most holy father of heaven, willing all men to give ear, and to believe the words of thy well beloved son. The words of this law are pure and rebuke all vice. They were by thy holy ghost tried to be true. For at his coming he taught the Apostles all verity, 
John xvi  & nothing but verity. They were also confirmed with miracles. Thus have they been seven. times (that is) many times or perfectly tried as silver is tried & purged by fire, the earth and earthly things are clean consumed thereby. Concupiscences are assuaged, the old man is killed and the new man is entered in his place. The ceremonies of the old law are blown away, as is chaff by the fan of Christ's word. The holy scripture is likened to wine, 
Isaiah xu  for that it rejoiceth and comforteth the heart, and maketh men (through delight that they have therein) to drink much thereof. It is also likened to milk, for that it nourisheth the soul as milk doth the body. This precious jewel ought to be bought with out money, or any manner of other ware given by way of exchange (that is) it ought to be preached without lucre or having respect to any person. In thy godly laws (most loving father) do we (thy faithful people, by the influence of thy grace) trust to live, & to work after them at all times. 
Tu domine seruabis nos & custodies nos a generatione hac ineternum.  Not doubting but thou Lord wilt perform all that thou haste promised in them to us, for the observing of them: & that thou wilt preserve us from this wicked generation for ever. Thy blessed son jesus, said he had kept all those whom his father had given him to keep, & left not one of them, save only the son of perdition. With no less diligence we trust, 
joh. xvii.  that thou & thy blessed son will also keep, save, & defend us. Fron all evil of the devil & of all his children. Fron those the err● from thy true faith, & serve from the verity of thy word, and from all unjust persons. 
In circuitu impit ambulant, secundum altitu dinem tuam multiplicasti filios hominum.  The number of the ungodly we know to be greatly multiplied. Yea they have gotten the upper hand among the children of men: and that is the cause why the wicked walk about in surtie (as then semythe) fearing nothing, but still labouring about for honour, riches, and worldly pleasures. As the mylhors laboureth to the grinding of the corn in the mill, not ceasing (unless he be taken out) till he fall down for wearied: no more do these greedy people leave of their busy study and cure in getting: till death suddenly strike them. 
Genes. xv  They go still about, as the sodomites (being stricken with blindness) did about the house of Loath, and could not find the door. They have not grace to see their own folly, & to know their myshyef which is at hand. So blinded they be with temporal goods & pleasures. But thy faithful people regard neither the multitude of such wicked do arse, nor yet their prosperity: knowing that all though they be magnified up to the heaven, so that their heads retch up to the clouds: 
Io●. ●  yet they perish at the last like dung, they vanish as a dream, and pass away as a vision in the night, so that the eye which saw them before, getteth now no more sight of them. And why? They have oppressed the poor and not holpen them. Their bealyes could never be full, therefore shall they perish in their covetousness etc. For when they have gathered so moche that they have no more space to lay their corn and goods in, 
Luke. ●●  but are fain to build new houses: them shalt thou lord say unto them. Oh ye fools. This night shall your souls be fet from you, and then whose shall those goods be, which you with great carefulness have provided? seeing therefore that the nobility riches, and power of such endure no while, but pass away like a shadow: we thy faithful congregation, neither esteem these worldly pleasures, nor desire the company of such greedy worldly rulers. We only stick fast to thy word & promises, therein reposing our full hope & trust, and leave unto thy majesty the discussing of the cause, why thine elect are so few in number & in small estimation of the world. And on the contrary part why the ungodly do enjoy and prosper in their worldly proceeding, and are also so many in number, the cause whereof doth far pass our capacities, and are known only of the deep secret knowledge of thine incomprehensible wisdom. Wherefore with thine apostle Paul we say. Oh, 
Roma. xi.  the deepness of the abundaunte wisdom and knowledge of god, how unsearchable are his judgements, and his ways past finding out? for who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who was his conseloure? or who hath given him first, that he might be reccompensed again? for of him and through him and for him are all things. to him be glory for ever. Amen.   

¶ The Prophet being very sorry for his offences, prayeth for grace and to be delivered from his enemies Wherein he putteth himself as an example for all true penitentes to follow.  
O Merciful Lord that art the sure safeguard and defence of all the earnestly trust in thee, 
The xiii Psalm.  and desirest not the death of sinners, but their conversion and amendment of life: I acknowledge unto thine highness all mine offences by me committed, which if I would hide from the Lord, I could not. I consider also the miserable estate, where unto, through sin I am brought: for there by I have worthily lost thy favour, & am fallen from thy grace, which while thou wythdrawest from me I can do no good thing, nor think one good thought. My sin causeth the to put me out of thy remembrance, & to forget me, delaying to give me that which is my strength & my comfort. But how long wilt thou forget me lord for ever? How long wilt thou hide thy face from me? 
Vs●● quo domine obliui●●etis n●● in finem? Vsque quo auct●is s●tiē tuam a ●e.  How long wilt thou withdraw thy grace from me? Thou knowest my hearty contrition & sorrow, for that I have unkindly forsaken thy service & served thine enemy the devil & sin. But trusting assuredly in thy promise made to all men, by the mouth of thy prophet Ezechiel. 
Ezechiel xviii  That is, if the sinner will turn a way from all his sins that he hath committed & keep all thy commandments, doubtless he shall live & not die. As for all his sins that he did before: thou wilt not think upon them. I most humbly beseech thee, that as my sins were the cause why thou didst put me out of thy remembrance: even so let my herty penitence for them, cause the to put my sins out of thy remembrance. Suffer me not long to remain in this perplexity of mind, 
Quam diu ponam consilia in anima mea: dolorem in cord meo perdiam:  and to take sorrow inwardly in mine heart from day to day: continually fearing the punishment dew to my sin, and looking still for thy coming into my soul by grace to deliver me. Hope hath caused me long to look for thee, that art my life and my health. Thy long delay in coming hath moche increased my desire. My fervent desire at length is now turned to a vehement pain. Wherefore make haste Lord (I beseech thee) to help my sick soul, 
Psalmo xi  and tarry not. Let not mine enemy the devil long triumph over me, 
Vsqueavo craltabitur inimicus meus superme.  whose property is to tread under his feet, like a cruel prince, all those that he vanquyssheth. And that treading is dangerous and terrible. 
John xviii  For he treadeth them down to the pit of hell, and to eternal death. He did long hold in captivity all mankind, until the coming and passion of Christ for our redemption. And sense, through his crafty trains, hath brought to utter confusion, many of those that profess, thy sons religion. 
Respice et eraudi me domine deus meus. Illumina oculos meos ne unquam obdormian● in morte:  Wherefore behold Lord & consider my miserable estate, & hear mine humble petition, touching my deliverance from out of his danger. lighten the eye of mine heart and understanding, with the light of thy grace & comfort, thereby expelling the darkness of ignorance. lighten also one other eye of my soul, which is the eye of the affection. The sight of this eye is so dime that it hath no perfit and true judgement. Yea it is so blinded with the vanities of this world that one thing, in appearance, seemeth to be .xx things, like the sight of deceitful eyes of glass. Yea sum time the concupiscence thereof is so great: that the eye is clean put out and the sight lost. Mankind entereth into such league of amity with the devil: that he is contented to have one of his eyes put out to have his favour: as the inhabitants of Jabes were agreed to have there right eyes put out, 
i. Regum xi  according to the desire of Nahas king of the Ammonites, had not king Saul and the prophet Samuel saved them there from, and overcome the said Nahas & his host. Even so (most merciful God) I beseech the save my said eye of affection that it be not put out by our enemy the devil: that it sleep not in sin, which is the cause of eternal death. Man may fall by frailty & arise again. Yea the custom of sin maketh a man ready often to fall. But to lie still sleeping & slumbering in sin, as doth the swine in the foul mire: engendereth obstynacie in amendment, & delay of penitence till the later hour, at which hour, who can be sure to have thy grace at his pleasure? That is only at thy will Lord not at our commandment. Wherefore, I most lowly pray that to send me the light of thy grace while I have here time & space of repentance. That at my latter end mine enemies say not (rejoicing and boasting) that they had the upperhand over me. 
●equādo dicat inimicus meus prevalui adversus eum.  As the philistians (the figure of the wicked spirits) after the death of king saul in the mount of Gelboe, 
i Reg. xxxi.  cut of the head of saul & sent it with his harness through there country for a show (they bore it also into the temple of their gods of a pride and joy that they had of his death) in such fashion will those cruel enemies that trouble me, 
Qui tribulant me erul tabunt simotus fuero  rejoice if I be cast down, or if I do one's serve from the and thy faith, and so die without repentance. They assault mankind by pleasant suggestion to sin, they wrestle with us causing delectation there in. They strike us & wound us when we consent thereto. They foil us & bring us on our knees when we do the act of sin. And by the custom thereof: they give us a great fall, with such violence: that we have moche to do, to arise again. But if we happen to die therein impenitent: them have they the victory over us. Then rejoice they thereat as the conqueror doth of his conquest. Then will they cast us into a pit, 
Treno iii  & lay a stone of obstinacy upon us, that we shall not arise again. And as there is moche joy in heaven when one sinner forsaketh his sin, and returneth to the by penance: in like manner is there joyful triumphing among the wicked spirits in hell, when one soul forsaking the dieth in deadly sin. 
Ego autem in misse●● cordia tua spetavi  But all my trust is in thy mercy. For although thou hide thyself in a cloud that my prayer should not go through it unto thine ears: yet are not thy mercies clean gone, 
Creno iii  neither doth thy loving kindness cease. Thou art therefore lord my portion, and in thy mercy still will I hope and in none other creature, knowing for certain, that (as God) thou only mayst help me, and as my loving father, thou wilt help me. 
Exultabit cor me●● i● salutari tuo.  Wherefore in the my heart shallbe joyful and in thy saving health, which is thy son Christ our saviour & redeemer. The Philistines knowing the presence of thine ark to be in the camp of the Israelites the day of their battle: 
i Reg. iiii.  were sore afraid, saying, who shall deliver us out of the hand of this mighty God? Much more will I be glad & take sure trust, having the presence and comfort of thy lively grace. And in token of the victory which thou haste given me over mine enemies: 
Cantabo domino qu● bona tribuit mihi et p●allam nomini domini altissimi,  I will not cease (as I have good cause) to sing the praise of the Lord, that so lovingly hath dealt with me, and praise the name of the most high all the days of my life.   


The xxiii Psalm Dominus regit me.  ¶ The faithful man giveth thanks to God for his manifold gifts and graces. Whereby he is governed to the heavenly Jerusalem.  
WHat living reasonable creature can give conding thanks unto thee (most gracious heavenvly father) for the manifold gifts, which thou, of thine infinite mercy and goodness, hast given him. first for his noble creation, wherein he excelleth all other earthily creatures, and then for his redemption through the bitter passion & resurrection of thy most loving son, for the which, I, as one of thy poor creatures, most humbly give the thanks For had not our redemption ensued our creation, it had been much better for us that we had never been made. This thy love was above all other most fervent, when thou didst not spare to give thine only begotten son for us: washing away all our filthiness in the blood of that meek lamb. Thy only natural son (being God) was made man, to th'intent that we (who naturally are the sons of men) by him, through grace, might be made the sons of God. And not being contended with this kindness, thou also Lord considering our weak and frail nature ready to sin: 
Dominus regit ●ut et ●idiluti●● deerit.  dost with thy grace guide us and govern us as the shepherd doth his sheep, suffering us to want nothing, defending thy poor flock from the ravening wolves, that would else devour us. 
Esay xi Esay .lxv.  Thou causest the wolves & the lambs to dwell together, & to feed together. Our enemies through thee, are made peaceable. Without this thine aid, we were no more able to govern ourselves well, than is the ship without a governor able to avoid perils, 
jacob iii  being driven where the violence of winds doth lead her, but having a wise ruler at the helm: she is turned at his pleasure. Even so lord (thou being our guide) we are more sure than the ship is in the haven.  
We can want nothing (that is necessary for us) having the with us, who art all in all things. 
i. Corhin. xv. In loco pascu● ibi m● collocavit.  Thy blessed son hath put us to feed in the pleasant, green, & bateful pasture of his holy church, making us to rest in the unity there of by a lively faith and hope in him. In which church is plentiful abundance of spiritual meat, of the word of God, which nourisheth and giveth life to the soul, as bread and other food feedeth the body. 
Mathe. v. Ezechiel iii  With this food thou didst feed thy prophet Ezechiel when thou didst cause him to eat a book where with his bowels were filled, and it seemed in his mouth sweeter than honey. 
Super aquam refecti●nis educavit me:  In this pasture also runneth a fresh and a pleasant water of godly doctrine, wherewith we ofttimes do refresh our weary souls. In this also, is a water of spiritual washing by baptism, whereby we were wonderfully refreshed in our youth when thereby our souls (being made soul through the devil and sin) were repaired & made beauteful according to their first creation, that is, to thy likeness and image. 
Ma●hei. iii.  And by this water we are replenished with thy holy spirit. This water saw thy prophet Ezechiel long ago, 
Ez●ch. xlvii.  gushinge forth of the right side of the temple, and grew to a great river that no man could wade over, to which water who so would come: was made hole and lusty. All fishes are bred and nourished in water, and without water: can no long while endure on live. Even so in the water of our baptism we were borne again, in the water of godly doctrine we are nourished, and with out these, we are but dead in sin & wickedness: and at the end, shall go to everlasting death. But these waters are to us, 
john. iiii  a well springing up into everlasting life. And in case at any time by the frailty of nature, we fall into sin: yet is thy merciful son ready to receive us to his grace, 
●●smam meam convettit:  and quicken our souls, being sorry & penitent for it. By which grace also: he maketh us to know how to love him, and not to esteem the pleasures of this world, but to have our eyes only fired upon him. 
Philip iii  In so much that, with thine apostle Paul, we account all things but dung so that we may win Chryst, and be found in him, 
Sebutit me super se●ntas justice:  not having our own righteousness, but that which springeth of the faith which is in Chryst. To walk in the paths of his justice & way of righteousness is: first to love the above all things, and that for thyself and thine only goodness, not being unkind, but to show love for love. The other path, is to love our neighbours as ourselves and according to the love, 
john iii  with the which thy son loved us, that is, to die if need be for his sake, as he died for mankind, when all men were his enemies. 
Propter nomen suum  And all this he did for his name's sake, for his own honour, & of his own goodness, for no goodness that was in us, for to be a saviour was the cause of his coming into this world, & having the assistance of his grace, 
Nam et si ambulaueto in medio umbremortis: non timebo mala.  although we should walk in the valley of the shadow of death: yet we fear none evil, for thou art with us. This life is a shadow of death, after which we trust by faith to dwell with the. Sin also is a shadow of death, 
Esay ix  and so dark a shadow that mankind could not see to get out thereof, till thy loving son came into this world giving him light to see the way to heaven. And as sin is the shadow of death, so do all sinners, as members of the devil, walk in the same shadow, which cause temptations and raise persecutions to assault thine elect. 
Quoniam tu mecsi ●●.  But all their cumbrous company we nothing fear, because thou art with us. If we walk in the water: thou art with us, that the strength of the floods drive us not away. If we walk in the fire, the flame shall not burn us. And why? Because thou our god art with us and thy son hath also promised to be with us unto the end of the world. 
Esay. xliii Mathei ultimo Virga tua et bacuius tuus ipsa me consolata sunt.  His rod of discipline and correction doth chastise us when we serve at any time out of the right way. And there in, we judge that he doth love us, for whom so ever thou and he do love: 
Hebr. xii.  them do ye chasten, and ye stourge every son that you receive. Christ's strong shepherds staff doth stay us when we are weak, as a sick man is hoden up by his walking staff. That is to say: the gifts of thy holy spirit, are our strength & our comfort in all infirmities, tribulations and other encumbrances. Thy rod doth direct us to know what we should do. Thy staff is our strength to stand fast thereby against all invasions of our enemies. And to have us more sure cute of the danger of those that trouble us: thy said loving son hath prepared & set before our eyes, the table of holy scriptures, 
Parasti in conspectu meo mensam adversus eos quit●●bulant me.  wherein we may travail and learn to drive away from us all kinds of temptations, 
Mathe. iiii.  as he himself drove away the devil that tempted him in desert by the allegations of holy scripture. 
Impinguasti in olco caput meum: Psalm xliiii  And through these scriptures: our heads are anointed with oil, that is, our minds are made joyful with spiritual gladness. With this oil was thy son Christ anointed most principally above all other. For in him, as in the head, rested that joyful oil from whence it ran down to the other members, 
Psalm ●xx●ii.  that is, to all other faithful people, as the oil that fell on the beard of Aaron, dropped from thence to the skirts of his garments. 
Ihon. i. i.  i.  In Christ is the fullness of grace, from whom distilleth all the grace, 
Cali● meus mebrians quam pre●latus est,  goodness & comfort that we have. Through holy scripture, also our cup is filled full to the brim of pure liquor: it causeth us for joy of heavenvly contemplation to forget all the troubles & miseries of this world. The dregs of earthly pleasures and carnal affections, remain not in this cup. For as thy mercy hath gone before us plentifully giving us abundance of thy great grace so we trust and doubt not but it will follow us all the days of our lives, keeping us, 
Et misericordia tua subsequetur me omnibus diebus vite me.  that we fall not from faith and from the good purposes and good mind where in we are. Thou lord must build our house or else we labour in vain, 
Psalm cxxvii  if we think we can build it. Thou must found it upon faith and that is thy gift. Thou must also send thy grace afterward to establish our work or else it will fail and fall, and when it is once erected thou must also keep it by the continual influence of thy said grace, or else our keeping, were but a yielding up, there of to our enemies. Thou must be our beginning, 
Et ut inhabitem in domo domini: in longitudinem dierum.  and also our ending. And then shall we be sure to dwell in the house of the lord for ever, that is, in the heavenly city of Jerusalem. For we know surely that if our earthly mansion, where in we now dwell, were dissolved: 
two. Cothin. v.  we have a building ordained of God, and habitation not made with man's hand but eternal in heaven where is perpetual joy and beatitude without end.   

¶ david in the person of every penitent Christian, confesseth his offences, 
The xxxii Psalm.  attributing to God his conversion, but nothing to his works or deservings  
Among all the beautiful sloures of virtue that grow in the gardyne of man's soul: one of the most pleasant, most necessary and most acceptable, is humility. Whose power was so great, that it drew the son of God, the second person in divinity, from heaven into the womb of the meek virgin Mary, whom of all other he chose to be his mother, specially for her humility. Wherewith she, among many other virtues, was singularly endued. In this humbleness of estate, Chryst our saviour, being lord of all the world, walked all the days of his life, & there in ended, humbling himself unto the vile death of the cross. The wise humility of Abygayll pacified the fury of David, 
i. Reg xxv.  when he was minded to kill all the men of the house of her husband nabal. The humble submission of wicked Achab, assuaged the wrath of god, 
two. Reg. xxi.  and kept the plague of vengeance from his house, all the days of his life. The great goodness of this virtue is made manifest by opening the heinousness of the vice contrary thereto, which is pride, for through it: the bright angels fell from heaven. Pride of the minds of Adam and Eve to be as gods knowing both good and evil: 
Genes. ●  caused them to break the commandments of God, and therefore were cast out of paradise Pride caused the wicked people after the flood, to take in hand the building of the tower of Babel, 
Genes. xi.  whose top should reach unto heaven, to get them thereby a perpetual name. Pride made A man to invent a way to destroy the people of God, 
H●ster vi  which at length, turned to his own destruction. 
iiii. Reg. nineteen  For the proud blasphemous words of Sennacherib king of Assiria, against God: the angel of the Lord slew in one night clxxxu thousand of his host, & he shortly after in his own country was slain by two of his own sons. Pride caused Nabuchodonosor to be cast by god, 
Daniel four  from his kingdom, and to feed like an ox with grass in the fields the space of seven years, till he knew and confessed that all power cometh of the Lord. This vice is yet the destruction of many christians at this day. Who think they may do good of there own power, and when they show any good works: they glory of them, not giving thanks to him that gave them the grace to work well. 
Roma. iiii  They consider not that by grace through faith, the wicked sinner is made just, for all men were found in sin, and justified by grace through faith, which both, are the gifts of God freely given, and through them: are all the works of man made good. 
Luke xviii  The proud pharesy made boast in his prayers of his good deeds, and despised his poor neighbour, which caused his prayer not to be hard, when the poor publican standing a fare of, of humility, durst not life up his eyes to heaven, but heartily knocking his breast, said, lord, be merciful to me wretched sinner, which hearty confession of his sins: was cause of his justification. Wherefore, most gracious Lord our heavenly sather, I (considering the power of humility, and the acknowledging of a man's offences with a penitent heart, to be of so great efficacy: I thy poor creature unworthy to appear before thy mighty majesty) do pour down, even here before thee, my sack that is full with sins which I have committed even from my youth. They are great and many with out number. Nevertheless trusting of thine accustomed and natural property to be merciful to all sinners, that being sorry for the committing of their offences, with all their hearts call & turn to thee, 
Marc. ●  and knowing that thou didst send thy loving son, not to call those that seem in their own conceits to be just, but to call those to repentance, which confess themselves to be sinners. I therefore lord, willing (by the help of thy grace) utterly to forsake sin and to fulfil thy holy will here after: desire the humbly of forgiveness, 
Beati quorum remiss sunt iniquitates & quo tis terta sunt peccata.  and to admit me among the numbered of those that are blessed, and their unrighteousness forgiven. I will not hide from the my sins, neither yet excusse them. But I pray the Lord to hide them in the bloody wounds of thy son Christ, where they shallbe put in perpetual oblivion. 
Ezechiel xvi  For who so covereth his own iniquity: thou wilt discover it to all the world at the day of judgement to his shame. 
Os●●●●  Thou wilt then have him striped as naked as he was borne, that is, his shame shall not be hid, but manifest to all men in that day. Wherefore I will not hide my wound myself, to th'intent that thou, my good surgeon, mayst lay a plaster thereon to cover it, that the devil mine enemy shall never espy where it was. 
Beatus vit cui non imputab●● dominus peccatum: nec est in spirituous dolu●.  Blessed is the man unto whom thou imputest no sin, and in whose spirit there is no guile. If I did fain myself to be sorrowful, and were not: them were there guile in me. But from the bottom of my heart, lord, I am sorry, and ask the forgiveness. If I think I am just, having my conscience loaded with sins: then were there guile in me, but I know, there dwelleth no goodness in me. For if ever there were any: it was thine, & thine handy work & not mine. But, sin, I know, I have had and have many, and they be mine own workmanshyp, not thine: and while I held my tongue not confessing them: my bones, that is, 
Quoniam tacui invetaraverunt ossa mea, o●clamarem tota di●  my strength: consumed away through daily complayninge. The powers of my soul waxed faint with my silence, which with declaring my sins, through penitence: are become strong and of force. I kept close the faults that I should have declared, or else I excused them, & my good deeds which I should have kept close: those, ever I published. The sins that I hid: remain still with me, but the goodness whereof I boasted: 
iiii. Reg. ●.  that I lost and the reward for it, I am there in served as was Ezechias the king of juda. Who showed to the messengers of Berodach Baladans, son to the king of Babylon: all the riches of gold, silver, jewels and all that was in his treasury. Wherefore the prophet Esay prophesied unto him, that the day should come, when all that was in his house, and all that his father, had laid up in store: should be carried to Babylon, which was found true not long after in the days of zedechiah. In likewise, I did set my good deeds (which were my treasure) forth to the sale. Wherefore I lost them, and well worthy, 
Luke xviii  for he that humbleth himself: shallbe exalted, and he that exalteth himself: shallbe brought low. But all is for the best, to those that will consider thy callings, for because thy hand was so heavy upon me both day and night, 
Quoniam die ac nocie granata est super me manus tua: connersus sum in ersina mea dum configitur sp●●a. job xix  scorging me with tribulations, my moisture was like the drought in summer: thy hand touched me causing me to take sorrow and thought, nevertheless I was thereby brought to know mine infirmities, & thy mighty power. This weight of thy hand was cause of mine humility, my conscience was pryked with the pryke of remorse, it was never quiet: till I had acknowledged my sin and all mine iniquity to thy majesty. I said in my heart and mind, I will acknowledge mine offence and accuse myself unto the lord: 

Delictum meum cognitum tibi feci● et iniusticiam meam non abscondi.  
Di●i confitebor adversum me iniusticiam meam domino et tu remisisti impietatem peccati mei.   and thou incontinently, forgavest me the wickedness of my sin. So soon as I was determined no longer to hide them: thou Lord straight way forgavest me. Thine ear was in my heart before that my voice was in my mouth. Thy mercy washed away my sin or ever my confession were in my mouth. 
Luke xvii.  The ten lepers were healed of there leprosy in the way as they were going to the priests for there judgement of the cure, as Christ commanded them to do. Thou art as ready to hear and forgive as we are to confess, so that we accuse ourselves & not thee, 
●●m. i●  as Adam did, when he said, the woman whom thou gavest me to bear me company: she took me of the fruit, and I eat it. Some of us also accuse other and boast ourselves, as the pharisei did, 
Luke. ●vi●  and as all hypocrites do. They would disguise themselves as Rebecca did her son jacob, 
Genes. xxvii  putting the skins of gootes about his neck and his hands, to make him rough, as was his brother Esau, to deceive therewith his father Isaac. But thou Lord canst not be so deceived nor blinded. Thou wilt say as Isaac said. The hands be the hands of Esau, but the voice is the voice of jacob, that is, in appearance thou art a penitent, but in dead thou art an hipocryte. Some other blame the devil as the causer of there sin, many their destiny, & some other say their complexions be such that they can not forbear to commit certain sins. But I Lord, leaving all such vain excuses: do say with thy prophet David. It is I Lord, 
two. Reg. xxiiii.  which have offended. It is I that have wrought this iniquity. It is I Lord, not thou, nor yet the devil, nor destiny, for they may only entice me but they can not enforce and compelle me. 
Psalmo xl  Wherefore I pray the heal & cure my sick soul, for I have offended the. And I doubt not but thou hast forgiven me the wickedness of my sin. I will in my confession: give example, to other to follow me, 

Pro hac orabit ad te omnis setūs in tempor● oportuno.  
Verum tamen in diluuio aquarum multarum: ad eum non approximabunt. Roma. seven.   for it is necessary for every saint or just man to pray daily for the remission of his sins in due season, as I do. Which being once obtained: the great water floods shall not come near him. Al we are holden under the law of sin, & may say with Paul. O wretch that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of sin & death. It is thou, lord, that must do it, and wilt do it, if we call to the in dew season, which is, while we are in this life. This is the acceptable time, 
two. Cori. vi  in which thou wilt hear us, and the day of health, in which thou wilt help us. In this day we may work, 
Ihon. xi.  but when the night cometh: them may no man more work, after death is no time of praying, it is then to late: for thou wilt not then here our prayers. Seek the Lord (sayeth the prophet Isaiah) while he may be found, 
Isaiah lu  and call upon him, while he is near you. Thou art near Lord, to all that in this life call upon the faithfully, & thou keepest them from the rage of water floods, 
Psalm cxlu  that they come not near them. Being in this world, we are in the middle of waters of temptations and vices, & in the company of the proud and wicked people, in many tribulations. We see the vanities of this world that are able to move men, which are worldly, we suffer persecutions, which are able to bring some to desperation, but thy grace keepeth us that they come not nigh us. We behold the darts coming upon us: and are not wounded. We are in the water and are not drowned. Their enticements we esteem not & all through thy might & power, 
Tu eo refugium mesi a pressura que circumdedit me. Psalm xiii  who art and shallbe: my refuge and defence in the trouble that is to come about me. Thy son Christ is the strong rock, in which all birds that build, do rest out of all jeopardy. 
Mathei. xi.  To this all sinners may fly for succour and comfort, being weary: there have they refreshing, being laden: they may lay upon him all their burdens of sin and be eased. This rock, the devil can not under mine nor scale: no water of tribulation can drowned those that dwell on this rock: no wind of temptation can overthrow them. The devil and his wicked flock may well assault them, but he shall never have power to hurt them. Pharaoh king of Egypte, with a great host purshued the children of Israel that went out of Egypt, 
Exod. xiiii.  but he could not hurt them. Thou, lord, waste their defence, and destroyedest all their adversaries. 
E●ultatio mea, crew me a circumdantibus me.  Even so art thou our defence, our hoop, & our comfort, Thou wilt compass us about with joyful deliverance. 
job xix  The house or tabernacle of our body, is environed with enemies: but thy providence will defend us & deliver us out of all dangers. 
Intellectum tibi dabo et instruam te in via hac qua gradieris.  Thou wilt inform us & show us the way where as we shall go. This life is a pilgrimage, and a journey for us to travail in. The end of this way, art thou lord. Thou art the mark that we should shot at. To this end, we ought to have all our respect and till we come to the end of our journey, which art thou: we must never rest, but still go forward merrily & lustily, in hope to have joy & rest when we come to our journeys end. To be able to perform our voyage, thou givest us instructions, first to know the country wherein we do travail & the manner thereof, with the dangers that we must pass in the journey, & that therein we can not long have our abiding, although it were never so much to our contentation, but must needs proceed forth to an other region. Then givest thou us knowledge & instruction by faith, that if we pass well through this world: we shall have joy everlasting in an other world. Whereunto all wise and good people will covet, and so run their course here: 
Hebre. x●●●.  that they may have one of the games for their running which is thou crown of righteousness & immortality The love of this reward should give all men courage to endure pain & travail in their course. At the lest let the third instruction serve them▪ that is the pains appointed for them that are slow in there course, and lie down in the middle of their way other by desperation saying this instruction is to hard for us to learn, or else loving ease and pleasure: will choose to rest here wealthily for a season: though they suffer intolerable pains therefore in an other world, contrary to the example given us by thy blessed son Christ, whose journey here was all painful and at no time pleasant, and the same way took his apostle Paul, saying that by many tribulations we must entre the kingdom of heaven. 
Actu. xiiii.  These rules or instructions of our journey: are very good true and perfect, but our infirmity is such: that we can not have them still in our remembrance. The hand is set at a cross where diversity of ways lie to divers towns, to show which is the ready way to the most used town of most estimation or resort, but if the man peregryne being in a talk with his fellow or having his mind earnestli set on other things, do pass by & see not his rule and his director which is the hand: he anon erreth and goeth out of his right way. And why? because the eye of his mind or heart, is fixed on other things, not on his ways end. But thou, Lord, willing to keep us in the right way and not to serve on the right hand nor on the left hand, 
Firmabo super te oculos meos.  beside these afore said instructions, hast thine eyes of protection & of mercy ever firmly upon us, to th'intent we should set the eyes of our minds earnestly upon the. For if thou shouldest turn away thy face, and not look with thy merciful countenance upon us: we should never be able to look upon the or to turn unto the. This thy gift of grace, & of understanding, holdeth us ever with in the bounds of reason, according to our first creation, when the wicked people lacking this thy loving look: 
Nolite sicti sicut equus & mulus in quibus non est intellectus.  are become like horses and mules that are unreasonable beasts, without understanding. They are proud, & take scorn to be ridden by thee, and to be ruled by thy holy laws. They are given to follow the sensual lusts of the flesh, without discretion or measure. They are hypocrites, showing a godly appearance: & are within full of iniquity. But such stubborn, wild and unrewly beasts mouths: thou must pluck in, lord, 
In cha●o & freno maxillas corum constringe qui non approximans ad te.  with a bit & a bridle if they will not obey the. The mouths that boasted their natural power and their merits, & kept close their offences, must be broken with tribulation, adversity & chastismentes to make them to know the & to humble themselves. Put a ring on their noses and a bridle in their mouths as thou didst ride that proud king of the Assyrians that set up his bristles against the. 
Esay xxxvii iiii. Regum. nineteen Multa flagella peccatoris: sperantem autem in domino misericordia circundabit.  Send among them many plagues to scourge them, to the intent by penitence they may return to thee: leaving their wickedness, their presumption and evil living, and make them to walk straight in the way of thy commandments, as thou didst of thy grace with thy punishments & scourges, call me and pluck me from my ungodliness, make them gentle and meek to the rider, as the ass was, that was brought to thy meek son Christ by his apostles, 
I●on xi●.  and then will he ride on them to Jerusalem, the city of peace & joyful rest. They shall by that means know thee, love the & put their hopes wholly in thee, & thou that gavest them plagues to their correction: wilt also give them thy mercy to their comfort & consolation. 
●et ●●●ni in domino et ●●●tate ●ust●  Be glad therefore all ye that are righteous, and rejoice in the lord. Ye were before stiffnecked & proud, now are ye made just by his grace, not by your own merits. 
Et gloriami●● omnes terti cord.  Rejoice therefore in him, not in yourself nor in your acts. Be joyful all ye that are true of heart, and put your wills to gods will, being joyful in adversity and tribulation, 
Roma. v.  as was the apostle Paul, and that is a sign of a right heart. For to be joyful, when all things have success to your mind: is an easy thing to do, given to all worldly men. But the other is a declaration of a right heart. The will of God is just and right, the will of man is froward and crooked. Wherefore it must be directed by the right rule of god, so that we may say when we sustain loss, or suffer any adversity, 
Io●●.  the Lord hath given, and the Lord hath taken away. Blessed be his name for ever. Amen.   


Th● xiii. Psalm.  ¶ This Psalm is set forth by the Prophet against those that over much love the world, exhorting all men to be ware of the deceitfulness there of, to provide wisely for themselves before their death, and to fear the last dreadful judgement.  
THe great wise clerk jesus the son of Syrach willing to instruct all men in wisdom according to that he had herd & red in the books of the law & Prophets (which no fail proceeded from the Lord of wisdom inscrutable: as from the fountain and spring of all sapience) exhorteth us to remember the end, 
Ecclesi. seven.  whereunto all mankind by the obligation of nature, must come. Which if we do: we shall never do amiss, we shall then have small pleasure in sin and wickedness, which rule, among men: is forgotten, or at the jest, little regarded. Wherefore, to put them again in remembrance thereof: I will lay before them the same lesson, taught also by the prophet david, 
Audite hec oens genies auribus percipite qui habitatis othem. Quique terrigene et filii hominum simul in vns● dives et pauper. Os meum loquetur sapientiam, et meditatio cordis mei prudentiam. Inclinabo in parabolan aurem meam, aperian in psalterio propositionem, meam, cur timebo in die mala?  who warneth all that dwell in this world, both the high and the low, the good and the bad people, the rich and the poor the one and the other, to take heed and apply the ears of their hearts to hear godly wisdom. And not to say every man within himself, what cause have I to be afraid of the spending of my time in this world to my pleasure? Or what need have I to fear the last day of judgement? Yes truly we ought to be afraid of our works, in the days of this present life. For the days be evil, 
Ephes. v.  not of themselves, but we may (if we work evil) make them evil to us. Wherefore we should buy & redeem the time. That is to say, speed it in well working, that we may buy again that, which through our wickedness was sold from us, & so to change the days from bad, making them good and to our profit, for if the wickedness of our heals, 
Iniquite● calcanes mell circumdabit me.  compass us round about: if our works be wicked to the latter end of our lives, as the heel is the nethermost part and end of our body: we shall then by them be condemned at the latter day of judgement, which day shallbe to us then an ill day, a bitter day, and a miserable day. Because the serpent deceived Eve, 
Gene. ii●  and in her all her posterity: thy sentence against him was, that the sede of her: should tread upon his head. And this was fulfilled in thy loving son Christ, who subdued him and his power. Thou saidest further that the serpent should tread upon the heel of her posterity. And that, lord is daily seen in us, for our flesh and the sensuality there of, which should be governed by reason, as the lower part of the body ought to be governed by the head: is oft trodden on by the subtle serpent. It is inflamed to wrath, it is kindled with concupiscence, it is held down by avarice and made foul with all other kinds of vices until it be washed again with the water of thy grace. Yea he that is most just: had need to have his feet (that is his fleshly concupiscence) washed therewith. 
●ohn. xii●.  In figure whereof, & to teach them also humility: thy son Christ washed the feet of his apostles. And likewise he must do with us, to the intent the nets & traps that the devil hath set in our heels (that is) in the flesh through concupiscence: might be overthrown & broken, and we not entangled with them at the latter day, 
●ui conti●unt in vir●te ●●a et●● mu●●itu●ine divinarum suatum storiantur. I●cob i  which day shallbe terrible to those that put there trust in their goods, and boast themself in the multitude of their riches. They are resembled to the fresh flower that keepeth his pleasant colour and savour for a short space: but the heat of the sun maketh it to whither, his beauty to perish and the flower to fall away. Even so is it of all such as put their confidence in their riches. They shall perish together with there great abundance. Their goods may serve them here for their profit: but then can they serve them to no purpose. No man can, with money, 
Frater non red●●it, redimet homo? non dabit deo placationem svam: et precium redemptionis anime sue.  save his brother from death or from damnation (no not the most holy & just man that liveth) nor make a grement with God, offering great gifts for the redemption of his soul, for neither death nor hell will be entreated for any gold. The wrath of God will not be assuaged that day with gifts: 
Sopho. i  Whether can the soul of man be valued with money. The price of it is very great: only the death of thy son was the redemption there of. Which prise if it will not serve the wicked for that they end in sin: he will not pay for them by dying again for their redemption, but shall leave them, to be tormented for ever. 
Et laborabit ineternum, & vivet adhuc in finem  Their bodies shall die the corporal death, but the souls shall live in continual fire and pain without end, being at the general day of judgement: united to the same bodies and suffer ever after together. 
Apo. ix.  They shall then desire to die & shall not find death. They shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire & brimstone, which is the second death. Right sore and terrible is this pain, & can with no tongue be expressed. Mad therefore are all men, 
Apoca. xxi  and marvelously blinded that will more regard small pleasure here, then great pains there. Or more esteem temporal joys for a season, than the heavenly joys that are ever permanent. But the worldly people are sore blinded in one thing. They see the wise man and the fool die one kind of temporal death, 
Sapi. seven  they perceive that all men have one entrance into life, and one going out in like manner. Wherefore they, judging all things carnally: consider not that followeth (that is) after death: the one to go to glory, the other to pain & none of them both shall carry their riches with them, 
E● relinquent alienis divitias suay.  but leave it here to strangers, they know not to whom. Yea all though they leave them to their own children that be wicked as their fathers were: they do leave them to strangers, for that they can nothing help their fathers there with. For the parable of the man that was rob and wounded in the way as he went from Jerusalem to Hierico: 
Luke i  declareth plainly that none be our neighbours or friends, but those that do us good: which after the death of the wicked person none can do to him, neither brother nor son, friend nor kinsman. Therefore all such men's gods are left to strangers. But the wise men do make friends therewith while they are in this present life, 
Luke xviii  as the wicked servant did, that they may have friends to receive them into everlasting tabernacles when they are departed from hence. 
Proverb vi  The little Emmet hath learned to gather her food in harvest, that shall serve her in the winter, and men that have reason are so assotted, that they provide not here for that shall serve them in winter (that is) in the last day of judgement. How fond are they that may and yet will not, so lay it up here in the hands of christ (the sure treasure house) that is, in the hands of the poor: that they may be sure to find it again with great gain when they are departed out of this world? They shall lay up in store, 
i Timo. vi  temporal things and receive again eternal. If they would be rich in good works and ready to give and distribute, they should lay up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they might obtain everlasting life. But the foolish sort of people, are more desirous of honourable fame to remain to their succession: then to have heaven after this life. 
Et sepulchra co●um domus corum in eternum▪ tabernacula corum in progeny & progeny vocaverunt nomina sua in terris ..  They make them costly pleasant and substantial tombs to be their houses, as though they should dwell in them for ever, which are a memorial of them to their posterity. Yea their names and acts are engraved thereon with solemn Epitaphs. Some have made cities and towns and called them by their names, 
two. Reg. xviii.  to augment their glory, as Absolom raised up a pillar to keep his name in remembrance, because he had no children, and called it after his own name, Absalon's pyllare. By these means they acquire to them a fame, their souls burning continually in hell. 
Hiete. xvii  Their names be written in the world, as becometh worldly people to have, but their names are clean put forth of the book of life. 
Et homo in honore non commorabitur, assimilatus est iumentis & ad equatus est eyes.  How can these men be well esteemed of the wise? their honour can not endure, but they are compared to brute beasts, and become like unto them. They were naturally made to the Image of god (toutching the soul and the qualities there of) but now they have made themselves (by following carnality) to be like beasts. Yea the very vilest and cruelist beasts that are. As to swyn, for filthy lying in sin, to asses for their folly, to bears for their cruelty, to fares for their craft and subtlety, to horses for their inordinate desire of the pleasures of the flesh. O lord how unlike is this there fashion to thy noble creation of man? 
Hec est via insipientie c●rum▪ et post eos iurta os corum current semper.  How great foolishness is this way of theirs? And yet their posterity praise it with their mouth, and follow the steps, 
Prover xvii.  in which they saw them walk. This way worldly men think to be right pleasant but the end thereof leadeth unto death. 
Sicut oves in inferno spositi sunt mors depas●et eos  They shall lie in hell like sheep. Death shall feed upon them. The wicked worm shall gnaw still on them, and not kill them. This is a cruel shepherd that leadeth his flock from pain to pain, as the loving shepherd leadeth his sheep from one pasture to another. 
job xxiiii  first he swylleth them in waters, colder than the snow water. Then, transportith he them to heat intolerable. A meet shepherd for the wicked persons that had no mercy nor pity on other in this world. 
John xiiii.  Death everlasting is their cruel guide, as to the faithful, thy son, that is very life, 
john i  is their merciful, loving & good shepherd: which did suffer death for his flocks sake, to make them to triumph them over the wicked, 
Et dominabuntur eis ●ens ●ec●i mane.  which now are here in great glory. And why? They are here in the night, their works are hide and appear not: but at the great judgement, when Christ (which is their life) shall show himself. 
 iii.  Then shall the just also appear with him in glory. Then shall it be clear day light, all men's works shall appear as they be. The tree that in winter showed no freshness: shall then receive sap from the rote and appear beautiful, where the flower and herb that was in sight, pleasant for a while: shall wither away and fall. 
Aurilium eorum vet● rasset, in inf●rno g●ori● eorum.  Then shall the strength of the wicked: consume. Hell shall be their dwelling. In this morning, thou wilt destroy all the ungodly of the land. In this morning: we have a sure hoop, 
Psalm xi Veruntamen deus red● met animam meam de manu inferi cum acceper● me.  that thou wilt deliver our souls from the power of hell: and receive us to thee, by thy grace here in this world, and after when thou shalt come to the last judgement, to take us to thyself into glory, 
John xiiii Ne timueris cum diue● factus fuerit homo, e● cum multiplicata fuerit gloria domus eius.  that where thou art: there we may be with the. Nother do we malign at the ungodly, nor be afraid when they are made rich and the glory of their houses increased. We know that it endureth but a small season, and vanished away as doth that smoke. They are persons whom thou regardest not, & therefore thou givest them things of small estimation. 
Gene. xxv  Abraham gave to the sons of his concubines, gifts, and sent them away: but to Isaac he gave his possession and all that he had. So Lord, to the wicked thou givest temporal things of no value, but for thy faithful: thou reservest thine everlasting & heavenly inheritance. This is a sure and a permanente reward▪ the other son slippeth away. 
Quoniam cum interierf● non sumet omnia, neq descendet cum eo gloria eius.  Their time here is but short, yet when they die they shall carry nothing away with them, neither shall their pomp follow them. Like as the smoke vanisheth away: so shalt thou lord drive them away, 
Psalm. ●xv●●.  and like as the war melteth before the fire, so shall the ungodly perish at thy presence, and then shalt thou change their honour in to shame to their confusion. While they lived, they were counted as happy men, & so long as they were in prosperity: 

Osee. ii●.  
Quia anima eius in vita ipsius benedic●tur, confitebitur tibi cum be ●efetetis ●i.  
Introsbit usque in progenies pa●rum fuorun usque in●ternum non videbit lumen.  
Mathe. xxiii.   men spoke good of them, but when they follow their father's generation: they shall never see light any more. They were the children of cain, come of a wicked progeny. They have fulfilled the measure of their father's iniquity, their deeds were evil, they loved darkness better than light, for they wrought the works of darkness and not of light, 
John iii  wherefore they shall have everlasting darkness with torments, they shall have fire, but it shall give them no comfortable light. 
Homo cum in honore esset non in●●llerit, assimu●●tus est ●umentis & ●dequ●tus est eyes.  These pains are ordained for men, such as when they were in honour & had riches in abundance: considered not their estate, & for lack of knowledge: they were led in captivity. 
Esay. v  They led a beastly life, wherefore they became like unto beasts to their utter pain & perdition.   

¶ The Prophet David; being very sorry for the adultery, 
〈◊〉 Psalm. Wise●●e mei deuns.  which he had committed with Bethsabe, & for the death of her husband Vrye: made this Psalm, in the person of the hole faithful congregation, & also in the person of every penitent sinner privately.  

two. Corhin. ●  O Lord almighty, father of mercy, and God of all comfort, 
Sapi ●●  which in the treasure of thine infinite mercy disposest all things: 
Psalm ●xv.  not only among us thy poor creatures hear on earth which is bountefully replenished therewith, 
Psalmo. cviii,  but also among thy holy angels and blessed spirits in heaven, who thereby are preserved and established in grace: Lord, whose natural property is to be merciful to all that love thee, and in faith call upon thee, in so much that thou saidest by the mouth of thy prophet Isaiah, that the mountains shall remove and the hills shall fall down, 
Esay liiii  but thy loving kindness shall not move from those that trust in thee, Lord, that of thy mercy, 
Genes. seven. Genes. xii. & ●●  savedst Noah from the general flood, Abraham, in his pilgrimage through Egypte, and through the land of Gerar, Loth, 
Genes. nineteen.  from sinking among the sinful Sodomites, joseph, 
Genes. xxxix and xii  from the danger of his wicked lady and masters▪ and after from danger, 
Exod. xii. & xiiii  when he was cast in prison, the israelites, from the boundage of Pharaoh, & from many other dangers in their long journey, 
Daniel. vi, jonas ii Daniel iii  Daniel from the cruel lions, jonas from drowning being in the belly of the whale, three days and three nights, the three young men from burning, that were put into the flaming fornaice, with many thousaundes more, whom of thy natural mercy, of thy merciful custom, of thine accustomable goodness and gentle promise thereof made: thou hast here tofore, daily dost, and never wilt cease, to draw to the through grace, unto thy high majesty, I (most miserable and wretched sin) call for mercy and grace. I do acknowledge myself grievously to have offended the eyes of thy deity, so many ways: that I am not worthy to bear the name of a man, much less of a Christian man. Mine offences are huge, and the burden of them is great. Wherefore discharge me of them, 
Mi●et mei deus secundum magnam miseri cordiam tuam.  lord, according to thy great mercy. For small offences, thy small mercy sufficeth. But my great sins, require thy great mercy. 

Et secundum multitudin●m m●serationum tuarum de●● iniquitatem me●m.  
Da●●●l two   And as mine offences are many in number: so is there of thy mercies a great multitude. Yea they can not be numbered. But of one thing, I am assured. That it lieth not in man's power so much to offend: as it is in thy merciful power to forgive. My wounds can not be so great and noisome: but thy medicines are more precious and healthesome. 
Et multum ●●name ab iniquicat● ec a pet pato meo mudame Exod nineteen.  Wherefore wash me well Lord, from my wickedness, and cleanse me from my sin. The israelites durst not come in thy sight, being once defiled with any uncleanness: till they were sanctified by washing their bodies and garments. Yea the priests among them also were washed and cleansed, or they came to thy presence, for fear, lest they should perish. How much more need than have I, to desire thee (Lord) to wash mine unclean soul, that the filthiness thereof appear no more? But as clothes, that are very foul, have need of much and often plunging in the water and great rubbing, so hath my soul need of many dews of thy grace, and many secret drawinges to the with spiritual violence or ever it can be made clean of the old spots that long have remained in it, by the old festered sores, wherewith it is grievously corrupt. 
v.  The leprosy of Naman of Syria could not be cleansed, till he had washed him seven times in the river of jordan. How many waters shall I have need to be washed in or I be fair purged of mine uncleanness? 
Ezechi. xxxvi  But thy mercy (Lord) is a fretting lie & a scouring soup. Thy grace maketh a stony heart to be a fleshy heart, in a sturdy stomach, it bredyth an humble spirit, of a fierce lion: it maketh a meek lamb, as of saul a persecutor: 
Actu. ix  it made Paul an elect apostle. Why then should I despair of thy goodness: considering that thy justice willeth me to trust in thee? Thy promiss is to have mercy on all those that are penitent for their offences, 
Ezechiel xviii Mark. xiii  so that thou wilt no more remember them. This promise (no doubt) shall stand fast and sure, when both heaven and earth shall pass away. Wherefore I offer now unto thy majesty, an heart contrite & sorry for the wickedness, by it conceived, with a body subject to the with all humility, and penitence for all the sins by it committed. 
Quoniam iniquitater meam cognosco●et pecca tum meum coram me esemper.  I acknowledge my faults, and my sin is ever before me. I punish myself with contrition: because thou shouldest give me grace and remission. I have it ever in remembrance, and set it up in my sight, because thou shoulded forget it and put it out of thy sight. Against the only, against thee, 
Tibi soli p●ccaui, & ●●lum coram te ●eci.  have I sinned, and done evil in thy sight, in whose power it is to punish at thy pleasure and from the can not mine offences be hid. But it is my sure hope that thou wilt forgive me, 
 iustificeris in se monibus tuis & vine cum iudicaris.  for thine honours sake. That all the world may know the to be a most just judge, in fulfilling that thou hast promised to me and all penitent sins. That is, to forgive us and to put our sins clean out of thy remembrance, and in condemning all those that obstinately remain in their wickedness. Thus shalt thou vanquish and stop the mouths of all such as speak evil of thee, saying. Thou regardest not the promiss that thou haste made, but art a fierce and a cruel judge. Considre, lord, I pray thee, the frayll metal whereof I am made. 
Ecce enim in iniquita●●bus conceptus sum et 〈◊〉 peccatis concepit me matter mea  Behold I was borne in wickedness & in sin hath my mother conceived me. This sin is drawn from our first father Adam, where by, I am made prone and ready to do all evil, but feeble and weak to do any good. 
●●ma seven  Yea, I am drawn sometime to do that I would not do, and to leave undone that I would do. Such is the force of my natural concupiscence, but much greater, lord, is the force of thy natural property, which is to show mercy, when thou art humbly required. Thine honour is more in saving through pity, then in condemning by justice. for what is man that thou shouldst show thy power against him? Hercules, being but a man, would have taken great scorn to wrestle with a child of twelve years old. Much more dishonour were it to thy mighty majesty, to put forth thy strong arm against me, 
job. xiii  that am of no greater force, than a leaf that is carried away with every wind, and may well be compared to dry and withered stubble. Receive me therefore (thy simple creature) into thy favour. For before the I accuse myself, to the intent thou shouldest excuse me. I show forth my misery: because thou shouldest show forth thy mercy, as thou hast promised, and I mistrust not the performing thereof: for never yet wast thou found untrue in thy words, neither mayst thou, now begin at me to be untrue in thy promises. 
Ecce enim veritatem dileristi. Psalm. cxix. Psalm. cxvii. Genes. xxii. Hebre. vi.  Thou haste ever loved truth, thou art verity itself, all thy promises are faithful, and thy verity endureth for ever. Thou didst promise to Abraham to multiply his seed as the stars of heaven and the sand upon the sea side: which promise at the last, he enjoyed. Even so didst thou promise Isaac and jacob: and hast ever been found true. 
Exod. vi.  Thou didst promise to Moses to deliver Israel by his hands, from the bondage of the Egyptians, which thou didst perform, and that in showing thy mighty power & many marvels to thy great honour. 
joshua i  Thou didist promise josua to be with him and to strengthen him as thou wast with Moses: and even so it came to pass, for he slew the inhabitants of Canaan, and divided thy land to thy people Israel. Thou madest promise to Gedeon, 
judi. vi.  to deliver Israel out of the hands of the Madianites by his hands, which also was done. When Ezechias was sick unto the death, 
iiii. Reg. ●.  thou didist promisest him health and to live yet xu years: 
Heir. xxv  & this diddest thou perform, for thy name's sake. Thou didst promise the retonrne of thy people Israel from the captivity of the babylonians, 
Daniel ix  by the mouth of thy prophet Hieremie: which after the wickedness of the people was consumed: thou broughtest to pass, with innumerable other thy merciful promises made to thine elect, which ever have been performed, because they were spoken and made by the that canst not lie. Even so, lord, keep thy promise now with me, that am one of the poor sheep of thy flock, which have long strayed away from thee, yet now, am returned to the with hearty repentance, which is of thy gracious calling. And therefore I trust, it is not begun by the in vain. 
〈…〉 occulta sapi●● 〈…〉 ●●nifestasti●●. 〈◊〉 xi.  Thou hast given me knowledge of thy laws and commandments. Thou haste showed me secret points of thy wisdom, which thou hast hid from worldly wise men and uttered them to babes. 
〈◊〉. xi.  That is, to the simple plain meaning people, and all because of humility. For where that is, 
〈…〉  there is ever wisdom. The secret mysteries, hid in thy holy scriptures: are now manifested through thy blessed son Christ and his apostles. 
〈◊〉. iv.  They have instructed me in the wisdom thereof, whereby I am fed with bread of life and I have received the water of understanding for my drink. 
〈◊〉 vviii.  Wisdom hath cast out from her, great floods, and watered the gardens of her young plants, she lyghtenyth all those lord, that put their trust in the. Of this flood, drank thine apostle Paul, 
〈◊〉 two  & uttered unto us thy wisdom, which lay secret and hid, as thou before didst open unto him by thy holy spirit, which searcheth even the bottom of thy secrets. Of these, lord, I thank thee, I have tasted some part. I am by them taught to know mine own infirmity, and thine excellent goodness, beseeching the that the good work which is begun in me, through thy grace: may take sure rote and increase in me, so that the light which is now kindled in me: become no more darkness. 
Asperges me domin● hyssopo & mūtabo●  Sprinkle me with Hyssop & I shallbe clean. This herb groweth low and betokeneth humility. It is also hoot and is a figure of charity. This herb was bound together and dipped in the blood of a sparrow or of some other clean bird upon running water, and herwith the leper was be-sprynkled in the old law, when he was clean: 
Leuiti. xiiii.  in token that our iniquities cannot be purged but by the virtue of thy son Christ's passion, whom of thy hot and fervent charity: thou diddest send down to suffer bitter death for our redemption. Wherefore, 
Lavabis meet super u●uem de albabor.  being purged with this Hyssop & washed with thy grace: I shall become more white than is the snow. If thou pour this clean water upon me: 
Ezech. xxxvi.  I shallbe purged of all mine uncleanness. Though my sins be as red as scarlet: they shallbe whiter than snow. 
Isaiah i  Though they be like purple: they shall become like white . 
Auditui meo dabis ga●dium et leticiam.  Then shall I hear words of joy & gladness, the words spoken to David by thy prophet Nathan. That is, that my sins are clean put away from me. I shall hear the words spoken by thy son to the man that was sick of the palsy. Son, thy sins are forgiven the. 
Mark ii job four  Then shall I also hear the speak sweet words inwardly in my soul by thy secret and gracious inspirations, whereby I shallbe much comforted, and the bones that thou hast broken shall rejoice, 
Et exultabunt ossa, que confregisti.  That is, the powers of my soul, which through sin, had before no power nor force to do any good thing: shall now recover their strength that was lost. The bones which were dry: receiving the quyckening of the spirit, shall live. Wherefore turn thy face away from my sins and put away clean all my misdeades. 
A●ier●● tanem tuam a peccatis juris, & oens' iniqui●●t●● m●● del●.  Turn not away thy face, good lord, from me, but from my sins, and sense I acknowledge them myself unto thee: take thou no knowledge of them thyself. Thy prophet Ezechiel saw in a vision, 
Ezechiel xi.  that in the building of the temple, should be one Cherub, that should have two faces. The one should be the face of a man, the other the face of a lion: and this truly was a figure of the two faces or of the ii lokynges of thy godhead. The one is thy face of mercy with which thou graciously beholdest thine elect. 
Psal. xviii.  This face must thou not hide from me and other poor sinners, lest thou forget our misery and oppression. 
Psal. cxxiiii  The other is thy face of justice, wherewith thou beholdest them that do evil to destroy the remembrance of them out of the earth. This face, lord, I pray the turn from my sins and of thy mercy put away all mine iniquities, so that none of them remain in me. For if thou be extreme to mark what is amiss: 
Psal. cxxv.  who can abide it? for what am I wretch being destitute of thy grace: but all carnal sold under sin, and abondman to sin? 
Roma w.  Every man destitude of thy grace: shallbe betrapped in the snares of his own sins, his heart shallbe hardened as was the heart of Pharaoh, he shall hear in dead & not understand, 
Exod. ●  he shall see plainly & not perceive, 
Esa●● vi.  his ears shallbe stopped and his eyes shut, that he shall not see nor hear, neither yet with his heart understand, for to convert & be healed. His heart shallbe as hard as any stone, it shall leave the love of the and love thy creatures. Such an hard heart, lord, have I long had in me, which can not be mollified by my natural power, 
john vi  but by the operation & drawing of the and thy grace. 
Cur mu●●●●●ea in me deus.  Wherefore I heartily pray thee, lord, to remove from me this stony heart and make in me a new heart, a fleshy heart that shallbe soft, meek and flexible. An heart to know that thou art the lord, without whose grace: I can do no goodness, 
Hieremi. xxiiii. Spiri●um rectum innova in vis ceribus meis.  neither can my wavering heart return unto the. Thy grace it is that must revive a right spirit in me. Mine own spirit is crooked through sin, and it is all inclined to worldly things. Make it therefore to be upright, and to aspire so to heavenly things: that neither adversity, neither worldly pleasure or abundance may pluck it down ward. Cast me not lord away from thy face, 
Ne proiicias me a fancy tua, et spiritum sanctum tuum ne auferas a me.  and take not thine holy spirit from me. Cast my sins away behind thee, but cast not me from thy merciful countenance as thou didst cast wicked cain, for slaying his brother Abel. 
Genes. iiii.  Neither cast me out of thy favour as thou didst cast king Saul for his disobedience. For if I lose thy gracious presence: I am then sure thou wilt also take from me thy holy spirit, as thou diddest from saul. It went into David, and in stead thereof: the wicked spirit entered into Saul and still tormented him during his life. 
Sapien. xii.  O how gracious and sweet is thy spirit in all things? It passeth the sweetness of honey. It leadeth those that love thee: 
Eccles. xxiiii. Psalm cxliii.  into the land of righteousness. With this thy spirit were thine Apostles replenished, which gave them strength to suffer patiently, all opprobries & wrongs for thy sake. This thy holy spirit I desire may remain still with me, 
john xu  to teach me all verity, to confirm me in goodness, 
Sam. viii  to make intercession for me unto the in all my necessities & infirmities. 
Red mi●i leticiam sa●utaris tui, et spiritu principal confirms me.  give me therefore again, the comfort of thy help, and establish me with thy principal spirit. Because of my sin: I lose the helping comfort of thy grace. Thy spirit also went from me, which was no small loss, for in comparison there of: all losses of worldly things are to be accounted as nothing. I lost all goodness and received all evils. Light and darkness may not at one time be in one subject. No more may grace and sin, god and the devil: dwell together. Wherefore the consideration of my great loss: causeth the greatness of my sorrow. I never delighted so much in the committing of mine iniquities: as I am now sorry and ashamed of them. Behold therefore (merciful God) the inward contrition of my heart, and restore to me, of thy great goodness, that which I have lost through my great wickedness, and for that the powers of my soul are weak and feeble: & mine enemies strong, fierce & cruel: I, most humbli beseech thee, to confirm me in grace through the power of thy principal holy spirit. Let him no more have cause to depart from me, but make me an holy temple for him to dwell in continually. 
D●●●o 〈◊〉 vias 〈◊〉 et impri an te convertinenus  Then shall I steadfastly teach unto the wicked. the way whereby they may come unto the. I will put myself to all sinners, as an example to cause them to return unto thee, by humble penitence. I will not cease to declare thy justice, to put them in fear of thy judgement. And then the abundant treasure of thy mercy: to pluck them from desperation. I will teach them thy ways, that is, thy precepts, and none other man's traditions. I will ever put them in remembrance of thy laws. This shall I be able to do, being confirmed by thy holy spirit. Moses' was afraid to go on thy message to king Pharaoh, 
Exod. iii.  till thou promisedest him to be with him, after which: he left doubting and accomplished thy commandment. 
Nun. xi.  The lxx elders of the host whom Moses chose out to bear with him, the burden of the people, were nothing able to govern there subjects: till thou hadst powered part of the spirit upon them, which before was in Moses. And then they prophesied and ruled the people in truth and justice. 
Luke xxii  Peter the apostle of thy son Chryst was afraid at the voice of a woman and denied him, he was ever ready to forsake him, till he was endued with this thy noble spirit. Yea the whole company of thy sons apostles, 
Actu. i.  were commanded to abide in jerusalem after his resurrection until they were fulfilled with thy holy spirit from above. After whose coming, the word prospered in their mouths, wheresoever they preached it: and they were after sufficient witnesses of thy sons resurrection and ascension. 
Ecclesi. xx.  A wise sentence shall not be allowed being spoken by the mouth of a fool. No more shall thy laws be regarded, being declared by me being so grievous a sinner. 
Libera me de sangumi bus deus deus salutis ●nce.  Wherefore send thy noble spirit to lighten me with thy grace, and deliver me from the gyltynes of bloods (o God the arte the God of my health) I mean deliver me, from a multitude of sins by me committed through concupiscence, 
job. xiiii  engendered of the corruption of my flesh and blood. This corruption is in me, 
job xxv  of my corrupt nature. For who can make it clean that cometh of an unclean thing? How can man be clean that is borne of a woman? the child of a day old is unclean. 
Corin. ●●  The flesh and the blood bring forth works of corruption, & can not enjoy the kingdom of God, for corruption can not inherit incorruption. Therefore, lord, from these bloods I beseech the deliver me, power forth thy grace upon my corrupt nature, and I shall be purged from all my wickedness. I am dead in sin, quicken me and give me life again, sense thou art God the author of life and health, & none can do it but thou, 
Laudabit ●ugua mea ●●●●●ciam tuam  that my tongue may praise thy righteousness. In that thou showest mercy to me, being asynner, giving me grace to be penitent for my sins, and making me just that now am unjust, wherein thou art found true in performing thy promise thereof made which is to hear all that ask forgiveness of the in faith. But before my tongue may praise this thy righteousness, thou must open my lips or else can not my mouth show forth thy praise, 
Domine labia mea aperies et os meum annunci ●b●t laudem tuam.  for sin hath stopped my mouth, and praise is unsemlye in the mouth of the ungodly. 
Ecclesi. xv.  Yea thou wouldst say unto me, 
Psalm l  why dost thou preach my laws and takest my covenant in thy mouth? 
Exod. vi.  Open therefore (oh God) my lips as thou didst the lips of Moses when thou sendest him to king Pharaoh. 
Esay. vi.  Thy prophet Esay also had unclean lips, till one of the Seraphins, with a pair of tongues, took a hot coal from the altar and touched his mouth there with: whereby his unrighteousness was taken away. Of such fashion Lord, touch my mouth that I may be worthy to set forth thy praise. To offer to thee, 
Quoniam si voluisset sacrificium dedissen. Vti que holocaustis non dilectaberis.  sacrifice or  offerings: it were in vain. For I know thou hast no pleasure in them. They were but figures of the sacrifice of thy blessed son to come for our redemption & the purging of our sins. The shadow of a thing doth cease, when the thing itself is once come. The promises cease and are gone, when the thing is come which is promised. To offer to the gold or treasure: it needeth not, sense thou art most rich thy self, lord of all the world whose contents are at thy commandment: Yet will I not come void and empty into thy presence. 
Sacrificium deo, spiritus contribulatus, cor contritum et humiliatum deus non despicies.  I will offer unto the my troubled spirit for mine offences, mine heart contrite and broken for my sins, and this sacrifice, I know, thou wilt not despise. To this sacrifice thy prophet Esay also telleth me that thou wilt look, 
Esay. lxvi.  above all other that I can give the. And for that there should nothing be left behind: I do (according to the mind of thine apostle Paul, 
Roma. xii.  offer unto the both my body and also my soul as a quick and holy sacrifice. 
three Reg. xx  This sacrifice offered Ezechias and recovered health, and had thy favour. The same offered Mary Magdalene, the thief on the cross hanging, with innumerable other and were received in to thy favour. And I (through thy grace being penitent) claim no less mercy to be showed unto me. 
Genigne fac domine in ●ona volontate tua Si●n  And not only unto me, but I desire the also to be favourable and gracious unto Zion (that is) to thy whole christian and faithful congregation, which only dependeth on the goodness of the and nothing on their power or merits. 
Esay. lxii.  Upon the walls of this thy castle thou lord must set watch men continually. Thy holy angels must have the keeping thereof or else are not the inhabitants able to defend them selves from their crafty and mighty enemies. Thou knowest Lord, how weak and of small force mankind hath been ever sense the fall of Adam. 
three Reg. xv●  We more delight in the building of Hiericho, than we do to defend the fortress of Zion. I mean we more regard the pleasure of this world and the temporal commodities thereof them we do to make us strong against our spiritual enemies and to become thy well-beloved children and servants. So weak we are, so frail and unable of ourselves to do that good is, and so prone to do that is forbidden us. Help us therefore merciful God with thy noble grace, whereby we shall so remain here in the building of Zion, beholding the by faithful hoop in this present life, that we shall through thy mercy be hewed, squared, and made meet stones for the building of thy heavenly city of Jerusalem, 
 edificetur mutt Jerusalem.  whose walls are erected and made of the lively stones of thy faithful church here militant, which thy grace hath chosen and prepared among us thy earthly congregation, for the receiving of that thy heavenly edifice, where thine elect shall offer unto that incessantly such burnt offerings as are acceptable unto thee, 
Tunc delectaberis sacrificiis justice o● lationibus et holocausti●.  which is the sacrifice of pray●e & thanks giving unto thy majesty continually. This is the sacrifice of justice, which all thy reasonable creatures of duty own to yield unto thee. This is the oblation of the bullocks of our lips (that is) the fruit of our lips, whereof the prophet Osee speaketh: 
Osee xiiii  that we shall yield unto the by confessing the praises of thy name: which shallbe to the much more acceptable than any sacrifice of fat bullocks was, in the old time. 
Tunc imponent super altare tuum vitulos  Grant us therefore Lord of thy grace to be of the number of thine elect, 
Psalm cxii  which shall present this worthy sacrifice as a precious incense of sweet savour, upon thine aultare whyh is Chryst our high priest and mediatuour unto thine highness in that glorious habitation world without end.   

¶ In this Psalm the Prophet warneth all men not to regard the prosperity of the wicked, 
The lxxiii Psalm.  and the small pleasure of the just men in this world. He showeth the first to have a short time in his prosperity, the others reward, to be eternal.  
O God eternal, the giver of all felicity, whose love is like the evening and morning reign upon the earth, 
Osee. vi  whose mercies can not be numbered, whose wisdom and divine providence is such, 
Sapi●n. v●●  that it reacheth from one end to an other mightily, and lovingly doth order all things, although through ignorance, we can not know the causes of thy said order. Yea to such as be weak: thy godly determinations seam also unreasonable and injust, as the bright son to sore eyes, seemeth noisome and unpleasant, where, to clear and hold eyes the light thereof is comfortable. Thy goodness, lord, to all mankind, is so manifest, that no reasonable creature can say but that he hath tasted thereof. 
i. Co●hin. iiii. Quam bonu● Israel 〈◊〉  For what good thing hath man that he hath not received of thee? Thou art good, I say, to all men, but specially to Israel. This people hast thou chosen for thy peculiar flock. 
Psalm. lxxvi  In jewry only wast thou known to be the living God, and in Israel great was thy name, but what is this Israel now, sense the jews have forsaken thee, and thou art converted to the gentiles? Israel verily, by interpretation is the fear or beholder of god. 
Matthew .v.  This none can do unless he have a clean and pure heart, void of malice & sin. So that in conclusion, thou art good by thy principal chief goodness to them that have an upright conscience, 
His qui tecto sunt cor●e  a straight heart, a mind not bowing down to carnal and temporal things, but aspiring to heavenly and eternal things. Now all that profess the name & religion of thy son Christ: are come in place of the jews. Yet be they not, all, Israelites. Only those that have a pure heart, are Israelites. For they shall see god as he is. The other, for their wickedness are abject, as were the jews for their incredulity. All are not the seed of Abraham that descended carnaly of him. But in Isaac only was called his seed by promission. But there is one thing, lord, 
Roma. ix.  that causeth me and other such weak persons as I am, to doubt and muse moche of. 
two. Paral. nineteen.  Thou being our god and a just god, in whose doings, none iniquity or injustice can be found: that such as are wicked and most miserable sinners: are most esteemed in this world. They have treasure at will, and pleasure beyond all measure. All things prospeare here with them, when we see thy faithful and elect people: wrapped in all kinds of misery, accounted as fools, vile and abject, yea thou puttest them to tribulation, persecution and in opprobry to all other. This being plain before our eyes: 
Mei autem pene moti sunt pedes, pene effussunt gressus mei.  causeth our feet and treadynges all most to slip. The feet of the mind: are the thoughts and imaginations, by which it is carried from place to place. These thoughts and judgements, had almost erred, saying the prosperity of the wicked. Our treadinges were unsteadfast, after the sort of them that go upon the slyppye ice. Our affections are much inclined to riches, pleasure, ease, and other vanities. Yea we judge not well of thy godly providence, we fear least thou that dwellest in heaven: takest no care of those that love thee, but that all is governed by unsteadfast fortune, 
job xxii  or that the clouds will not suffer the to look so low as the earth. On this manner, are our feet (that is) our judgements, wavering. 
Quia zelavi super m●quos, pacem peccatorum videus.  We stand in doubt whether it be best to follow their ways or not, saying them continue in such prosperity that all things, are safe and quiet about them. They live a long life in pleasure, 
Non est respectus mortreoun, et tirmamentum in plaga ●●am.  never thinking of death. And if they chance to be sick: or to be plagued any way, their affliction endureth no while. They are soon cured. All the help that may be done by man: is found out for them. Their riches causeth all men to run for the curing of them. Nother do they travail like other, 
In labore hominum non ●unt, e● cum hominibus non flagellabuntur.  but live pleasantly, in all wealth and ease, not feeling the griefs and displeasures which the most sort of men are subject unto: which causeth them to be puffed up in pride, 
Ideo tenuit supeybia, ●nperati sunt in equita●te et impletate sua  and overwhelmed with iniquity. They are odious to God, and grievous to their neighbours. Their wickedness is multiplied, it coverith them as a clock. The web of this careful garment was begun by Adam, sense whose time: every man hath put to his hand to make it up. These men have finished it and put it on their back, it hath wholly covered them no part excepted: as close as their bodies are covered with their skins. They breed coccatrices eggs and weave the spider's web. 
Isaiah ●●●.  That is, they work mischief, and imagine vain and trifling things. Who so eatheth the coccatrices egg: dieth. And of the spiders web: no man can make him a garment, 
Mathe xxii  to wear at the great wedding, in which no man is allowed, but he put on him the garment of health and the mantle of righteousness. 
Esay ●●.  The garment that the sinners have made them, 
Apoca. xvi.  will not hide them at the dreadful day of judgement: but they shallbe found naked, and all men shall see their filthiness. 
Processerunt a pirgus dine oculi corsi, transierunt in affectum cordis:  Their eyes swell for fatness, they have even what they lust. What is this fatness? the abundance of riches and long prosperity, 
Osee xiii  which maketh men so wanton, that they kick and winch at the rider, they both forget the & despise the. 
Deuter. xxxii.  The children of Israel received of thee: many great benefits, and anon became so fat: that they kicked at the. When they were fat and smouth: they let them go that made them, and despised the rock that saved them. Such is the power of abundance, that it maketh the possessors thereof, 
Cogitaverunt et locuti sunt nequitiam iniquitatem in excelso locuti sunt  to arise against God in pride and against their neighbours by cruelty and violence. The poor man oft times offendeth, driven thereto by poverty, as to steal to satisfy his present necessity. This offence, cometh of leanness and is more tolerable, than the harms or wrongs done by those that are fat through their covetise. Yea when they have done wickedly: they are not ashamed thereof, but make boast thereof. 
Posuerunt in celum os suum.  They also speak proud and presumptuous words against thy godhead, stretching forth their mouth unto heaven, as did the proud king Nabugodonosor commanding to have his image honoured as god. 
Daniel. iii  The power of such men is sore dread: 
Lingua eorum deambulavit terram.  their tongue (that is) their commandments, go through all the world. Therefore we that are poor, weak and wavering: & yet love the and believe in thee, saying the great wealth of these blasphemous and wicked people: we, I say, 
Ideo converientur populus meus huc et dies pleni invenientur in eyes.  have earnestly given our studies to know the cause of thy liberal gifts in this world, to such as they be. We have spent many days, only about the searching of thy meaning: In that thou sufferest the wicked to live their full age in such pleasant wealth. 
Et direrunt quomodo scit deus, et si est scientia in excelso.  sometime we doubt whether thou dost know and perceive their wickedness. And if thou do know it: then we marvel wherefore thou dost suffer them so long to continue. 
Ecce isti impitet abim danteom seculo multiplicaverunt divitias.  Wherefore have they riches & all pleasures that they can devise in this world, while we endure much trouble, pain and misery? 
Et diti ●●me causa iustificau● cor meum et lavi inter innocentes menus meas  In vain do we travail to cleanse dure hearts from all evil and idle thoughts, & to wash our hands in innocency from all wicked works. as long as I do serve thee: I can feel no such pleasant reward I live well & lack. They live nauhgtely and have abundance. I do the best I can to keep thy commandments, & am punished daily and chaystened every morning. 
Et tut flagellatus tota die et increpatio mea in ma●utinis.  If jones err: incontinent I am punished. Where upon I was in mind to have said even as they said. 
Si dicebam narrabo sic, ecce generationem filiorum tuorum reprobavi.  But lo, then had I condemned the generation of thy children. Then had I despised the way in which thine elect have here tofore walked, for so said not Abel, 
job. seven  No, nor Abraham, Isaac nor jacob nor any of thy prophets. Tobiah and job spoke in the trouble of their spirits and praised thy chastisement, 
Psalmo xviii.  David was troubled and called upon the & was hard, 
〈◊〉 xvii.  Paul also saith we must entre into thy kingdom by many tribulations, not with ease, pleasure and abundance. They said also that thou beholdest every man's deeds, and there after dost justly reward every man. Then thought I to have knowledge of this doubtful case by mine own reason, 
Existimab● ut cognos cerem hoc, labour est ante me.  but it was to hard for me, my wit could not comprehend it: until I went into thy sanctuary of holy scripture, and therein considered the end of these men. 
Donec intrem in sanctuarium dei et intelligam novissima eorum.  In this thy holy scripture dost thou speak and declare hid mysteries. It is thy very word what so ever is therein written, and therefore is it holy. In this I, then, searched deeply, 
Apoca. xx. Psal. xxviii.  and I found that all good deeds shallbe rewarded, and that all evil deeds shallbe punished. I found also that many times tyrants and the persecutoures of thine elect, all though they have prosperity here for a season: yet at the last, they are punissed in this world and make a miserable end, as it was proved by Pharaoh king of Egypt, 
Exod. xiiii.  that scurged the people of Israel, by Achab king of Israel, by Aman, Holofernes, Alcimus, Antiochus, 
three Regum. xxv Hester vii judi. xiii. i. Macha. ix. two. Macha. ix Actu. x.  & Herode. And this dost thou to show thy power for thine honour, to the fear of the wicked, & comfort of thine elect. I found also that thou reservest for thine elect, everlasting rewards for the short pain that they take here in thy service, and therefore dost thou not reward them here with light rewards of transitory things, but thou rewardest the wicked of thy great liberality with prosperity here and other light transitory pleasures, which endureth with them but a small season: 
Esay .lxv.  and then thou punishest them for their wickedness with pain everlasting. Thus in scripture I behold as it were in a miroure or glass: thy great justice & infinity goodness, which to thy faithful lovers & friends, wilt not turn their long and everlasting reward, into a temporal and short reward: neither from thine enemies, wilt thou withdraw those temporal rewards which worthily have lost their eternal heavenly rewards. 
●●●men in luh●sco po●●●sti co● detecisticos ad interliu●.  Thou settest these fat sinners in a slippery place: that thou mayst cast them down headlong and destroy them. The higher a man buildeth a tower, when the same through decay falleth: the greater and more terrible is the fall thereof. Even so the higher a man climmeth: the sorer is his fall, yea many times they are scarcely clomben to the height of their honour: but anon their fall is showed, not unlike to the smoke of a chynney which ascendeth high and then suddenly vanisheth away. It is a wonder to see, how suddenly they consume, 

Q●omodo vastati sunt subito defecerunt, consumpti sunt quasi non sint.  
1 Thesssloni. v.   perish and come to a fearful end. When they shall say, peace is, and no danger: then cometh on them sudden destruction, as the travailing of a woman with child, and they shall not escape. Luke thine evangelist, putteth to this purpose, a parable of a rich man that had gathered together great abundance of gods, and then said to his soul: O my soul, thou hast much good laid up in store for many years, take thine ease, eat, drink & be merry. But thou lord saidest unto him. O thou foul, this night will the wicked spirits fetch away thy soul from the. Then, whose shall those things be, which thou hast so painfully provided, and so carefully kept? O lord, what man that hath wit, would not be afraid to have the use of thy goods hear being bound to render account: both for the getting, keeping and bestowing of them. Considering the small time he hath pleasure in the keeping of them and how suddenly he shall leave them. The possessors of them are likened to one which dreameth that he is lift up in great honour, 
Quasi somnium egilantis.  in riches in his prince's favour, and enjoyeth all kinds of pleasures. But when he awaketh: he findeth no part of his dream true. The vanity of his dream came of his idle fantasy. It was pleasure for a while, but after he is sorry for his feigned loss. In like manner when the rich man dieth: he perceiveth he was not rich in deed, but as it were in a dream. 
Esay. xxix  He is never the richer for all that he was ruler of. When the hungry man dreameth that he hath plenty of meat & that he is eating his fill, and then awaketh: finding no food he is faint and his soul impatient. So is it of the rich man, after death he hath nothing. 
job i  He came naked into this world, so shall he departed out of it again, nothing is his of all that he had, 
Luke xii i Timo. vi.  but that which he bestowed charitabli, which lieth in store for him in heaven. The rest is vanished away from him, the glory thereof was but a shadow of glory, not glory itself, it was the image of a thing, not the thing itself. Thus their image of felicity, that is all their pomp, pride, and false prosperity: 
Domine in civitati tu● imaginem ipsorum ad nihilum rediges.  shalt thou bring to nought, and banish them out of thy city with those that took pleasure in them here. They shall not enter with their glori into thy heavenly city of jerusalem, and good cause why for in their earthly cities and mansions they nothing regarded thine image, they considered not the necessity of the poor. For this cause rightfully thou shalt shut them with their image of prosperity out of thine eternal mansion. Thus have I showed before thy majesty, how through their prosperity I was almost drawn to follow their ways, 
〈◊〉 c●u●nest comments ●● me● 〈…〉 ●um apud t● Et eram semper 〈…〉 tenebis manum de●teram m●am.  my heart being sore moved, and my reins pierced with the delectation thereof, so foolish I was and ignorant, and as it were a beast before the Nevertheless though I passed the bonds of reason: in considering thy power and divine providence: yet I thank thee, Lord, I went not from thee, but did cleave still to the by faith. Though I slipped and almost fell from thee: yet I did not forsake thee, and thou full mercifully, knowing my good will toward thee: didst hold me up by my right hand, as thou didst Peter when he was in jeopardy of drowning. Thy goodness brought me to the knowledge of mine infirmity. 
Esay ●●●.  Thy grace called me from mine error into the right way. Thou tookest me by the right hand and didst save me, 
Barteus  as thy holy angels took Loath and his wife by the hands, and led them out of the sinful city of Sodom that perished. And as the loving mother leadeth her young child by the hand to cause him to keep the most fair and easy way, and to save him from falling. 
In constitum ●uum educes me e● preterea in 〈◊〉 suscipice me.  Thou didst lead me with thy counsel, preserving my weakness in this present journey of my life, wherefore my trust is thou wilt not leave me but wilt receive me into glory. Thy favour did guide me. Thy grace did direct all my doings, 
i. Corhin. xv.  by which I am all that I am, It was not I nor mine act, but thy grace that was with me, which held me still through faith. Wherefore, my trust is, that thou wilt not leave me, but that thou wilt after this life bring me into glory, where is all joy, pleasure, rest, quietness, and all things that may be desired. What wretched fool therefore was I to desire of thee, 
Quid enim mihi est in celo, et a te quid volu●●i super terram.  temporal, frail, vain and deceitful prosperity and pleasure, knowing by faith that thou hast prepared for me and for all that faithfully love thee: such rewards as never eye hath seen, ear hath hard nor heart can imagine. But what is this that is so precious a gift ordained for me? 
i Corhin. two.  For soothe even thou thyself, Lord, and the fruition of thy perfect Godhead, wherein is included all the joy that may be devised, a treasure that is immortal, it endureth pleasant for ever. Shall I then be so mad and so beastly to desire of thee (most merciful God) worldly honour, pleasure, ease or riches temporal, more than is requisite for the necessities, of this present life? Should I desire of the that lovest me, those gifts wherewith thou rewardest thine enemies? The most wicked upon earth have these temporal trifles of thy great liberality and goodness, But there is nothing upon earth that I desire, but only the. The sweetness of thy goodness hath made my flesh, that is, 
Consumpta est cato me● et cormeum.  all carnal desires to fall and to cease in me. The worldly concupiscence which my heart desired: is gone, and thou Lord, 
Robur cordis mei & pars mea: deus in eternum  art become the strength of my heart, thou art my porsion for ever. Thou art my reward thine own self where with my heart is sufficed. For whosoever serveth thee: for to have prosperity, or temporal reward in this world: doth more love that reward then the. Of that, they make their God, and refuse the that art the living God. But, loo, all that forsake thee: shall perish. 
Quid omnes qui elongant se a te: peribunt, pedes omnes qui fornicantur abs te.  Thou wilt destroy all them that commit fornication against the. All sin putteth man from the. It maketh a division between him and thee, It causeth the to turn thy face from him for that thou wouldst not have mercy on him. 
Esay. l●.  It driveth the from man, thou wilt not approach near unto him by thy mercy to help him. Nevertheless thou art near him through thy justice, to punish him. But above all, thou obhorrest them that commit fornication against thee, that love the world better than thee, 
Sapini. ●ii●  that honour thy creature with the honour dew to thy majesty. That serve the devil and leave the. This fornication of infidelity hast thou ever punished above bodily fornication or any other offence, 
Exod. xxxii. Iudi two. iiii. and. vi  as it appeareth in all the journey of the Israelites in the desert and also when they were come into the land of Chanaan Also in Hieroboam, Achab, jesabel, Ammon, and many other. For such that run from the by infidelity: remaineth death everlasting. They perish worthily that chose death, and lean the that art very life. In whom, whosoever believeth: shall have life everlasting, 
proverb. viii ●●●n. v. Mihi autem propinquaded bonum est, ponein deo spem meam.  and shall not come into damnation. Wherefore it is good for me to hold me fast by thee, to draw near unto the by faith, from whence good works do spring toward my neighbours, and then to put my hope and trust wholly in thee, as in a sure & unmovable anchor, from whence no blast of wind of temptation shall drive me. 
Rom. viii.  Through hope I trust to be delivered out of this corruptible body into thy heavenvly glory, and this by patience, I now abide and look for. During which time of mine abiding in this present life: I will not cease, to declare and set forth all the noble works which thou hast wrought, 
 enarrem omnes laudes tuas.  to thine honour and praise and to the profit of them that shall profess thy son Christ's religion, while the world shall endure.   

¶ In this chapter are declared the joys of the heavenvly mansions to be ineffable. With the ardent desire which the prophet David, and in him, 
The lxxxiiii Psalm. Quam dilicta.  all the faithful congregation, have to attain the same.  
O Most mighty prince of power, Lord of hosts, Lord of the heavenly army of angels that are thy ministers, which after a long journey through deserts and other dangerous places by the space of xl years, wherein thou wast a guide to thy people Israel, at the last thou borough test them to a land flowing with milk and honey a land of fertility and abundance, 
Deuter. viii.  where being in rest & peassible possession thereof: thou gavest them a commandment to observe yearly a feast in remembrance of thy goodness showed to them many ways during that their dangerous peregrination. 
Deutere. xvi.  Which feast thou didst will to be called the feast of the tabernacles. For that long while of xl years they dwelled in no houses or towns, but only in tents and tabernacles. This diddest thou our love to be everlasting, & as the love shall have no end, 
Seati qui habitant tu ●o ●io tua, adhuc lauda●unt t● semper.  so shall the praise be without end. Blessed therefore are they Lord that dwell in thy house, who have occasion ever to praise the. They have none other work to do in that joyful place, but to thank & praise, and good cause why. For as in this world all our acts proceed of necessity, whereby we are enforced to work for our health, wealth, commodity profit, and pleasure, or for the commodity of our neighbour: so in thy house where no necessity or need is: thy blessed spirits & saints have none occasion to work, but to thank and praise for having the fruition of thy glorious deity, 
john iii  they are all replenished with abundance of all things that they desire. They are made like unto thee, they behold the even as thou art, of which sight they shall never be fully satisfied. Such joy and love shall they conceive of the beauty of thy glorious majesty. But to this beatitude can we never attain (merciful God) of our strength and power, but through the strength of thy gracious assistance. 
Beatus vir cuius forti●udo inte est.  Thou must engrave in our hearts thy laws. Thou must direct us in thy ways, And when we are once brought by the into the right way: thou must also by thy continual grace: stay us, keep our feet from slipping and still preserve us, else are we sure to slide & fall. 
Eccles. the last Chapt.  Who so trusteth to his own power or to the help of man: is much deceived, and leaneth to a rotten staff, which faileth when it is most trusted unto. But he that trusteth in thy gracious power: 
●scētiones in cord suo ●sposuit, in valle laeri ●arsi in loco quem posset.  wanteth never succour at need. Thou hast put us into this present world to fight, and to strive with our enemies who continually assault us. But thy grace maketh us able to repel all their invasions. Thou sufferest us not to be tempted above our strength. And for our triumph: thou rewardest us with a crown of glory and immortality. For this purpose of thy bountiful goodness haste thou appointed us this place, that is, this world to travail in, to the intent that so oft as we do fall from thee: in this place we should lament, mourn, and weep for our offences, not doubting but thou through the merits of thy son Christ, wilt mercifully receive us again into thy favour, & give the blessing of thy grace, whereby we shall have a good will and disposition to ascend up to the. 
Etenim benedictiones dabit legis lator.  And increase of strength to cleave fast unto the. 
Ibunt de fortitudine in fortitudinen.  The ungodly fall from thee, descending downwardly from one vice to another: but thy faithful elect increase daily in goodness. And of thee, Lord, cometh all our power & strength to do good, & of thy son Chryst jesus our master, our teacher & governor, 
Luke. vi  who promised that if we weep and mourn here in this vale of misery for our sins: 
Psalm cxxvi  we shall here after laugh and be joyful in eternal glori. If we do sow with heaviness, we shall reap with gladness. If we persever good & strong champions here in battle: we shall for our reward, behold thy glorious face in Zion that heavenly mansion, 
Videbitur deus deorum in Zion.  we shall see the face of thy son Chryst, who is thy wisdom and thy power, which whoso seeth, enjoyeth all joys and pleasures. To see that delectable sight, 
i Corhin. i.  our hearts do much desire of the that art the Lord of hosts. 
Domine deus virtutum exaudi orationem meam, auribus petelye deus jacob.  For this we make humble petition to the that art the God of jacob, 
Genes. xxxii  who wrestled with thine angel and prevailed, whose name thou didst change & didst call him Israel (that is) the fear or beholder of God. Even so make me of jacob, that is, of a strong and good wrestler against all mine enemies in this world, to become Israel, that is, that I may after this life see thine incomprehensible deity Lord of Lords in Zion, to the full contentation both of my soul and body. We are much unworthy to obtain any thing of thee, considering our unkindness showed to thee, and our wretched estate wherein we remain. 
Protector noster aspi●e deus.  Nevertheless, Lord, we pray the to be our defence and protection through thy grace, not for our merits, but for the merits of thy most entirely beloved son Chryst thine only anointed above all other with the oil of joy and gladness. 
 i.  He is our head, we are the membres of his body. He dwelleth in his faithful, and they in him. Who so receiveth any of his elect: 
Mathe. ●.  receiveth him. He was incarnate for us, suffered death for us, bore all our iniquities on his back, and arose again for our justification. Wherefore Lord, we doubt not but thou through the infusion of thy grace: 
Respite in faciè Christi tui. Roma. v.  wilt look upon him in us (that is) to show us mercy for his sake. So that where abundance of sin hath been there may now reign more plentifulness of grace through him, that all the works of darkness being thrown away: and all vanities of this world being cast behind our backs: we may enter into the court of thy bright heavenly jerusalem, 
Quia melior est dies una in atriis tuis super milia.  where one days abiding is better than a thousand days being in this world. For here is continual trouble and disquietness, there is perpetual rest and tranquillity, yet many there be, whom the being still here in this world, would well content and satisfy, and all for lack of faith. They think, of this life they have knowledge and experience, so have they not of the other. They are loath to lose a thing certain for a thing uncertain. But thy faithful know through faith, that when in this world the day passeth soon away, and then cometh the night and darkness according to the revolution of time: 
Apoca. xxi.  in thy celestial city is continual day and never night All is, there, but one day, a day eternal, a light everlasting. The absence of the sun in this present world: causeth the night. But in thy city: thy son Chryst, which is the son of justice, is ever continually present, causing there one continual day, which day encludeth many thousand years. Yea, it endureth for ever, sense time there hath no place, for as thou wast without beginning before time: so shalt thou Lord, 
Titus i  be without ending after time, regning with thy chosen and blessed spirits in joy everlasting in thy noble palace full of bliss and of all coumfort. In which house, 
Elegi ad limen sede● in domo dei mei, mag●quam habitare in tabernaculis impietatis. Mathe. xi.  I had rather be a door keeper then to dwell in the tents of the ungodly. Thy holy servant John the Baptist by the testimony of thy son Chryst, was the greatest & most perfect man that was upon the earth. Never theles, the lest in the kingdom of heaven, which was angel: was greater than he. 
Exod. two.  Moses' was brought up by the daughter of Pharaoh, and reputed as her son, where he might in great wealth have continued if he had would. But when he was great through faith, he refused to be called her son, and chose rather to suffer adversity with the people of God, 
●breos xi  then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season, and all for that he had respect to the reward to come in thy heavenly house. All honour, all pleasures and all things in this world are movable and transitory as are tents & tabernacles. The joys there are steadfast and perdurable, and given of thy goodness, 
●athe. v. ●uia misericordiam & ●ritatem deligit deus, ●tiam et gloriam dadominus. Non pribit bonis eos qui ●bulāt in perfectione tu●i●●athew. i●  to those that are meek and humble in spirit. Thou dost grant to thy faithful (merciful Lord) of thy great goodness: both grace and glory, so that no good thing shallbe withholden from them that live a godly life. Thou first showest thy mercy and givest grace calling sinners to repentance as thou didst call Paul from persecution, and Matthew from the receiving of custom. Then, of thy verity & justice: thou givest to those that thou hast called: the reward of immortality, which reward or crown of glory: 
Timo. vi.  thy said Apostle Paul claimed as a duty after his battle. Thou art therein debtor to all just people of thy promise, not of their deservings. Thou, of thy mere benevolence hast promised a crown of incorruptible glory, 
●eter. v. ●o. two.  to those that love the and serve thee, which thou canst not but perform, because thou canst not be but true, thou hast ever showed mercy to many that were sinners. Wilt thou then forsake and be found untrue to those that are thy servants? Wherefore most myghtifull Lord of hosts, 
●omine deus virtutū●atus homo qui spe●t tu te.  thy faithful doubt not but thou wilt ever assist them, guide them and bless than, that put their whole and sure trust in thee, who art the living God, and givest abundantly to them all things necessary in this present life, and afterward fruition of thy Godhead in heaven eternally.   

¶ The prophet, despising the vanities of this transitory and short life: 
The. lxxxx. Psalm. Domine refugium fa●tus es nobis.  desireth the merciful favour of Christ. Whereby all faithful people may be directed through the height of his grace in all their acts  
O Most benign Lord and saviour jesus Chryst, that art the very natural son of thy mighty heavenvly father, God of God, and light of light, God, that art without beginning a Lord from everlasting, before the mountains were brought forth, or ever the earth and the world were made, 
Domine refugium fa●tus es nobis a generatione in generatione● Prius quam montes fierè aut formaretur terre orbis, a seculo & usque in seculum tu es deus Philip. two  whose kingdom likewise shall endure world without end, thou Lord, I say, that art equal with thy father in power and glory, didst not disdain to become man among men, to the intent thou wouldst by suffering painful passion: be the refuge of mankind from one generation to an other. The young chickens, when the kite striketh at them: have none other refuge but to run flickering under the wings of the Hen for succour. No more hath mankind any other defence against his ravening enemies, but only the covering of thy grace, 
Psalm lxi  and shadow of thy said passion, which is unto him as a strong tour and a sure shield of defence against all invasions. 
Philip. iii.  This grace merciful Lord, we humbly beseech the to send us, that by turning thy favourable countenance toward us: we may know our own infirmities, and leaving all pleasure in vile temporal things we may turn to the that art our saviour and redeemer, 
●acha. i.  our God and our brother. Make us, Lord to know in what misery, what trouble, and in how many kinds of displeasure we lead our lives here continually unto the time that age or sickness come upon us, 
Deduces hominem usque ad contricionem, ●unc dices, revertimmi filii Adam.  at which time thou wilt call us, saying: ye children of Adam return ye now again into the earth from whence ye came. This is the debt dew unto nature. 
job xiiii  Of earth we were made, in the earth we travail, of the earth we live, and into the earth we must return, and that or ever it be long. For the days of man are but short He that lyvede the longest life of all men in this world: was Mathusalem. Who lived ix hundred lxv. years. But what is a. M. years compared to eternity? 
Quia mill anni in oculis tuis, tanquam dies hesterna que pertransiit.  For sooth as yesterday that is past, no time can be called great, that shall once have an end It is but short in comparison and aught to be regarded but as time that is past. 
Et vigilia nocturna.  The life of man, may be likened to a night watch, or to the four part of the night, according to the division of men of war in the old time. Who dividing the night in four parts: appointed to every part iii hours Which hours being past: the watchmen of that watch took their rest, and new watchmen came in their places, during other iii hours, & so passed they forth the night by quarters. So that from one to an other: the time passed away shortly. Thus fareth it by the life of man, whose first part passeth away in childhood, the second in youth, the three in manhood. The four watch beginneth in age, and vanisheth away, like the smoke that passeth out of a chimnei. All these watches are in the night that is, in death. For assoon as men begin to live: they begin to die. Assoon as thy pleasure is Lord to scatter them: 
Percutiente te eos ut somnium erunt  they are even as a sleep that passet away and is not felt. 
Mane quasi herba per tran●iens mane floruit et abiit, ad vesperum conteretur atque siccabitur.  They fade away suddenly like the grass which in the morning is green and groweth, but in the evening it is cut down and withered. In youth we are pleasant and lusti: and spring up green as doth all corn. But when harvest season cometh: it ripeth, 
Esay xviii  withereth and is felled. When age cometh the body of man drieth away, the natural moisture being consumed and spent, them age and death, overthrow all sorts of people, other to joy or to pain everlasting. This remembered: Who can take any coumfort? Who can be merry that remembreth the last end? Death is terrible, nevertheless many have died without any great fear thereof, but after death is a more terrible end to the ungodly, which is everlasting damnation. 
Consumpti enim sumus in furore tuo, et indignatione tua conturbati sumus. Posuisti iniquitates nostras coram te, negligentias nostras in lumine vultus tui. job xi  This is the sentence given by the heavenly father for the punishment of sin. Wherefore the fear of thy displeasure and wrathful indignation maketh us to consume away. We pass away our time in continual fear, knowing that thou settest our misdeds before thee, and our secret sins, which we thought should never be known: are manifest in the sight of thy countenance. Thou dost well consider them with thine eye of indignation and punishment, to put away the memory of the wicked from this life by death corporal and from the land of the living: by death spiritual. For when thou art angry: all our days are gone. We bring our years to end, assoon as a tale is told, 
Psalm xxxiiii Omnes dies nostri trā●eruni in furore tuo ●on●umpsimus annos ●ostros quasi sermonē●quens.  which delighteth for the while it is in telling, but it is soon at end, and soon forgotten of most of the hearers. The spider laboureth along season to spin him a copwebe, he weaveth his threads in good order, all the day long with great business, 
●nni nostri sicut ara: ●ea meditabuntur  and all to little purpose, for a blast of wind or a thing of small weight: defaceth all his long work. Even so fareth it by the busy worldly people. They labour for goods, for honour and dignity, for lands to leave to their succession to endure for ever, and for praise of the world. But when all is done, it is but a spider's web, gotten with labour and kept to small effect, for or it be long all is taken away, other by some unhappy chance, or else by death. Which infallibly approacheth, and unmercifully striketh, 
Dies annoram nostro um in ipsis spetuagin 〈◊〉 annis. Si autem multum oc●oginta anni, et ꝙ am●lius: labour est et dolour ●uoniam transivimus ito et avolavimus.  few men there are in this our time, which live to see lxx years, But if through the strength of their nature they attain to. ixxx. years: (which is a very rare thing seen.) Yet live they then all in pain and sorrow, and tarry but a short space after. For as the bird clippeth her wings and flieth away when she espieth an hawk coming a far of: so doth the aged at the appearing of death. These punishments by short life in these latter days of our time, which live far under the age of men that lived in the beginning of the world, & also of our miseries during the said short life, and last of all of death, of thy wrath and of pains eternal: are for that our sins he more grievous than were the sins of men in the old time. 
Matthew xxiiii  charity is more cold, iniquity is more abundance, 
Quis novit fortitis nem ire sure  which causeth thy wrathful indignation to be more fierce in punishment. Thou hast stricken us to cause us to know ourselves, but we have not repent, for in stead thereof we have murmured, and been impatient. 
Hebreos' .v.  Thou hast beaten us and we have refused to receive discipline We have nothing done our duty unto thy majesty, as we ought to have done. 
Et secundum timore tuum indignationē●am.  Whereby we have stirred up thy mighty displeasure against us, which we can by no means assuage, but by submitting of ourselves wholly unto thy great mercy and goodness. For who is able to stand with the in judgement Or can for fear, 
Heir. two  numbered or express the execution of thy displeasure against sin? Like as no eye hath seen, no ear hath hard, nor heart can imagine the joys prepared for thine elect: no more can any tongue express or mind, think, the number of the grievous torments which are ordained for the wicked sinners after this life. 
job xxxi  The wrath of God is to be feared, as are the swelling and raging waves of the sea, which cannot be numbered. 
Psalm cxxx  The weighty burden which he may lay upon us, if he will charge us according to our acts: 
 numerentur dies n●stri sic ostende et ven●emus cord sapienti.  no man can sustain. Wherefore teach us, merciful Chryst to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom, give us grace to have in remembrance, the short days of our life, with the dangerous passage of our time in this world, So that having no trust or affiance in the uncertainty thereof: we may wholly apply ourselves to the contemplation of heavenly wisdom, 
i Cori. i.  that we may consider earnestly thy goodness showed unto us, who art the power and the wisdom of God thy father, and as by thy punishing of us for our sins, 
●nuertere domine vs quo et d●precabilis e● super servos tuos  it seemed thou diddest turn thy face from us. So beholding our hearty repentance for our offences: we beseech the to turn the mercifully and lovingly unto us be gracious to us that are thy servants. For although we fall oft-times from the through the frailty of our nature: yet we forsake not the utterly, but return to thee, as the wasteful son returned to his father after long absence, 
●uke xu  and was received and much made of at his return. We are thy servants ready by thy grace to serve the. 
●hreno. iii.  Here therefore our humble prayer, and as thou wilt not here the prayers of sinners that continue in sin and provoke the to anger: so to us who are returned to the by penitence: show thy mercy and thy grace, & let thine anger assuage. 
Exod. xxxii. Imple nos matutina ●isericordia tua.  Oh satisfy us with thy mercy & that early in the morning, that is, right soon and shortly. In the night of the old law the wrath of thy father reigned upon men, by reason of his sentence given upon mankind for his inobedience. 
two. Peter. i  But when thou Lord, didst arise after thy passion, than arose also mercy and grace. Then the day appeared, and Lucifer that bright morning star began to shine in the hearts of men. With this mornings mercy, satisfy my soul gracious lord 
two. Corhin. v.  For which all thy faithful, sore hunger and thirst so long as they abide in this life. But they shallbe perfectly and fully satisfied when thy glory shallbe manifested unto them in thy heavenly habitation. 
Psalmo lxvi  
Laudabimus et letabimur cuntis diabus nostris.  Then shall we rejoice and be glad all the days of our life. The days of this world pass away like a shadow. But all our days in that glorious life are but one day of eternity. In those days the sun never setteth, night never approacheth, but all is bright day without end. With that joyful day comfort us again good lord, 
Letifica nos pro die● quibus affliristi nos, pro annis in quibus dimus mala.  in recompense of the years wherein we have suffered much aversitie & endured the manifold plagues which thou hast sent us. As after many dangrous passages & great adversity, thou broughtest at the last, thy people Israel into the pleasant land of Chanaan, let thy noble work of our redemption appear to us and take effect in us thy faithful servants, 
Appereat servis tu opus tuum, et gloria ti super filios eorum.  and suffer not the benefit of our reconciliation to be hid from our children and our posterity, but that they may know it and enjoy it to the obtaining of thine everlasting glory. cause the bright majesty of thee, Lord God: 
Et sit splendor domi, dei nostri super nos.  to be upon us, that is, let thy grace shine upon us, let it be ever assistant unto us most merciful jesus, which art the bright light of God thy father. 
Et opus manuum i● stratum dirige super nos, et opus manuu nostrarum confirms  Then shall we be sure, that what work soever we take in hand: it shall surely prosper. Our intentes shall be so directed, that nothing shallbe done for vain glori nor for any temporal reward, but all for the love of the principally, & then to the profit of our neighbour for thy sake, lord, to whom be honour & glory with the father & the holy ghost: world without end.   

¶ The prophet David beholding the fall of Adam, being for sin cast out of Paradise, 
The. Cii. Psalm.  and his sorrowful penance made after to God therefore: set forth this psalm of penance, in the person of Adam meet to be said by all his posterity, that are penitent inwardly for their offences to his highness committed, and desire to be restored to the favour of God, which through sin they have lost.  
O most blessed father of heaven, the fountain of all grace and goodness, 
Ephes. two. ●mans ten  that art rich in mercy and plentiful in giving the same to all that faithfully call upon thy name, lord, that haveuing a son no less rich in power, wisdom, knowledge and mercy then thou art thyself, diddest not spare to sand him from thy heavenvly palace down to the earth even into the womb of a virgin for the salvation of mankind, to declare thine abundant love towards us: thou diddest make him poor which before was rich, 
Corin. viii.  to the intent that we which before were very poor: should by his poverty, be made rich, that he who before was all one with the in thy divine substance: might now be made one with us that are members of the body whereof he is the head. 
Domine exaudi orati●nem meam et clamor deus ad te veniat.  hearken good lord, & give ear unto my prayer Let my cry and hearty petition ascend up before the sight of thy majesty. The coming of thy merciful son did make me veri rich. But the vileness of mine own acts hath cast me down and made me veri poor and miserable. The greatness of mine offences hath caused the to turn away thy face from me, withdrawing thy grace which was the cause of all my good will & good works. Thou canst find no good thing in me worthy of thy favour. Wherefore, Lord, behold the face of Christ thy dearly beloved son my brother & my mediator For his sake, give me that, which of myself I am much unworthy to obtain of the. 
Ne abscondas faciem tuam a me. In die tribulationis mee inclina ad me aurè ●uam.  Show thy delectable countenance unto me. Look on me with thy pitiful eye. And in the time of my trouble, incline thine ear to me. I am never without trouble. Mine old enemies daily assault and for me. Wherefore I will not cease daily to call upon the. But specially at the hour of my death, Lord, hear me and defend me, at which time, my said enemies will most busily invade me. 
Roman. two.  Indignation, wrath, tribulation and anguish shall then come upon the soul of every man that doth evil. Before that troublous time, lord, hear me. But with which of thine ears? With the ear of thy justice? No I beseech the. For that ear must hear mine accusers to my condemnation. My prayer must be hard by thine ear of mercy, from whence cometh forgiveness to those that are guilty, so that penitence follow the iniquity. With this ear, 
Inquacumque die innocavero te: velociter exaudi me.  isaiah, hear me when I call unto thee, and that with speed, So that according to the greatness and multitude of my tribulations: may be the speedy receiving of my petition. Which shall not be to crave of the abundance of earthly goods above that honest necessity doth require. But the abundance of thy grace in this life, and for thy glory everlasting in another life. This hast thou, of thy mere liberality promised to grant to all that in steadfast faith, call upon the. 
jaco. i,  This hasty calling upon thee, dost thou delight in, 
Isaiah lviii  and (as thy prophet Esay saith) thou art as ready to answer me, as I am ready to call unto the. Wherefore make speed in hearing, as I am driven by necessity to be hasty in calling, considering the short time of mine abiding in this world.  
Thou didst endue man in his creation with immortality, but sin brought in death to all that bear life, 
Consumpti sunt sicut fuin●dies mei.  so that my days are consumed away like smoke. Age overtaketh youth before I am aware of him, youth stealeth from me privily as the smoke doth vanish away after it is once out of the chimney. Yea, many times before age cometh, death privily woundeth, keeping none order in his arresting, but all according to the time only to the before known. 
job ix  Thus my time passeth away more swiftly than a runner, or then a ship that is good under sail, and as an Eagle that hasteth to get his prey. For this cause I have more need of thy spedi help. Also my bones are brent up as it were a fire brand, 
Ossa mea quasi frira contabuerunt  or as meat over dried that sticketh to the frying pan. As my bones do sustain or uphold the flesh of my body: so do the powers of the soul, sustain the soul. Which being moisted and maintained by the fat moisture of thy grace: are lively and quick, able to work acceptably. But thy grace being once with drawn: all remaineth dry burned to the pan They have no power of themselves to work any good work, or to think any good thought. And if that which is of most force in me, be of so small force & efficasie: Alas, in what case then is the corrupt flesh, bred naturally in concupiscence? What goodness can we look to find therein of itself, more than we would look for a throne to bring forth pleasant apples? 
Percussus sum quasi tenum et arefactum est cor meum.  Full well may mankind be likened to grass. For so long as he through thy grace, worketh the works of justice: so long is he green, flourishing and lively. But so soon as sin (which is the sith or sickle of our enemy the devil) doth cut of the grass by the root, causing man to fall from the obedience dew unto thy majesty, and from thy laws: he then waxeth dry withered and with every temptation falleth from vice to vice, and becometh very barren of good works. The cause is, for that when man leaveth the foundation which should be his nourishing, his strength and his life he must needs consume, waist and dry, 
Quia oblitus sum commedere panem meum.  I have left thy holy word and commandments which are as bread to the soul giving nutriture and moisture by faith and charity, and have eaten of the fruit of the tree which thou forbadest me. I have with our father Adam followed the illusion of the serpent and tasted of sin. Wherefore my leaves wither, my fruit is destroyed, 
Ecclesi. vi.  and I am left as a dry and a barren tree without any goodness. Wherefore I left the lively food of thy holy word that seemed bitter at the first taste and in stead thereof received sweet poison (that is) death of both body and soul, through the desolation of sin. The voice of thy terrible sentence given to all mankind for his transgression: caused me to lament, mourn and to groan, for fear thereof, so that my bones will scarce cleave to my flesh. 
A voce gemitus met vix ossibus heret pellis mea  Thy displeasure defaceth all my strength, and all my power. I have no comfort nor joy of any thing that I was wont to have comfort of. But like the Pelican I draw me to solitary places, 
Similis factus sum pellicano solitudinis.  bewailing the evil which I have done against thy highness. The Pelican (as some report) killeth her own birds, For which unnatural act: she mourneth iii days after, & then with her beke, plucketh away the flesh of her own breast till it bleed, which blood she letteth drop upon her dead birds. With the heat whereof: they revive again. Thus do I lord with my birds, that is with the good works, which (by thy grace) I have brought forth, my sin afterward committed, hath caused them to be dead and of no valour. But yet by penitence and humble prayer for thy grace: which cometh of grace: the said dead works are quickened again & receive their pristine force. 
Job. iii  This thing to bring better to pass: I, learning of the Pelican do a void the company of worldly people, which should draw me back from my good purpose. I banish also from mine heart or mind: all delights, all pleasures, & the trouble also of worldly business, desiring quietness in body and mind. Our first father Adam was a Pelican, touching some part of that birds properties. For through his dissobedience, he slew all his birds (that is) all us that came of his progeny, in which death we had still remained, had not one other gentle, loving, and natural Pelican, thy blessed son jesus Chryst, shed his blood for our vivication whereby he hath restored us to thy favour, & mercy through the sacrament of baptism & through the hearty repentance, and quickened us again who were before: dead in sin. He slayeth and can raise again. 
duty. xxxii.  He striketh and after healeth, as he did Paul in his persecution. How much therefore are we bound to his grace that without any of our deservings, willingly offered himself to the death for our redemption, and to thy majesty also. Who didst not spare thine only begotten son, but of thy pure pity sendest him down to suffer all opprobry and vile death on the cross for our sakes. Wherefore, I am much ashamed to hold up mine eyes to heaven toward thy highness, being so unkind to the again so many ways. Shame causeth me to withdraw me from all company, as doth the night crow or the shricke owl, 
Factus sum quasi ●ubo solitudinum.  to old for let houses, seeking my food out of all light and sight of men. And if I could, I would also hide me from the as did Adam when he had trespassed against the in paradise. 
Genes iii  I loved the works of darkness & therefore I fled from the light of the bright son of justice. For this cause do I sigh, sorrow and bewail my wretchedness. So that I can take no sleep in the night. 

Vigilavi & factus sum sicut passet solitarius ie tecto.  
Tota die exprobrabant mihi intenici mei.  
Et qui laudabant me: adversum me iurabant   I mourn as doth the sparrow that sitteth alone under the eves of the house wanting her comfort. And to augment my grief: mine enemies revile me all the day long with open rebukes and slanders. Again, my feigned friends laugh me to scorn and are sworn together against me. Many give me fair words, and yet intent my destruction. As did the Pharisees and the Herodians to thy blessed son Christ, 
Matthew xxiiii  when they said unto him they knew him to be true and to teach the way of God truly. Wherefore they would know his mind whether it were lawful to pay tribute unto Ceasar. They praised him first but that was to trap him in his answer by the liberal showing of his mind. Such false feigned friends are more dangerous and also more audible than open enemies. 
Esai. iii.  But both these sorts are a plague sent unto me for mine iniquities. I am never quiet but in continual fear. 
Quia cinete tanquam palem manducabam.  I eat ashes with my bread, that is I consider that I was made of earth and there unto, I shall return. In the bitterness of such thoughts I eat my bread, and I mingle my drink with the tears that fall from mine eyes and all because I perceive the to be angry with me. 
Et potum meum cum ●leru miscebam.  Knowing that at the time of thy coming to the dreadful general judgement: the storm of thine indignation shall go forth and shall fall down upon the heads of the ungodly. 
A fancy ite indignacionis tue. jermie. xxiii. Quia elevasti me et elisisti me.  Thou hast lifted me up of a great height in that thou madest me like unto thine image touching my reasonable soul, & hast given me power by thy grace to inherit the everlasting joys of heaven both body and soul, if I did live here after thy commandments. What greater gift canst thou give me Lord, then to have the fruition of the that art all in all things? How canst thou lift me higher than to eternal beatitude? But then alas, 
Sapien. ix.  thou hast let me fall down again. For thou hast joined my noble soul with an earthli, heavy, and a frail body: the weight and burden whereof: draweth down my mind and heart from the consideration of thy goodness, and from well doing, unto all kinds of vices and to the regarding of temporal things according to his nature. The earthly mansion keepeth down the understanding. 
job xxx  Thus setting me up as it were above the wind: thou hast given me a very great fall. I am in creation, above all other kind of earthly creatures, and almost equal with angels. But being in this estate: thou hast knit a knot there to, that for breaking the lest of thy commandments: I shall suffer damnation. So that with out thy continual mercy and help: I am in far worse case herein then any brute braced, whose life or soul dieth with the body. And what is the time of the abiding of mankind in this world? Of truth but short. All though we have not the grace earnestly to think thereon. My days pass away like a shadow, and I am withered like grass. Grant me therefore, Lord, 
Dies mei sicut umbra declinaverunt, et ego sicut fenum atui.  that in the shadow of this life, I may have grace to see light (I mean) to have knowledge of thee, of thy ways, and of thy holy word. 
Psalm. C.xviii.  Which giveth light & understanding unto babes. For after this life, there is no place nor time left of repentance, and sense my time is here but short: continue thy grace, lord, toward me, who endurest passed all time, that is for ever and ever & thy remembrance through all generations? 
Tu autem domine in ● ternum permanes et memoriale tuum in generatione & generationem.  Thou the art eternal must save me that am but temporal. But what is thy remembrance through all generations? It is nothing else but thy natural property to be merciful, which thou hast ever put in execution in all times from one generation to another. Thou art more earnest in the remembrance thereof: then is the natural loving mother of her own natural child, borne of her body, as recordeth thy prophet Esay. 
Esay. xlix Tu exurgens domine miseteberis Zion  Arise therefore, merciful God, and have mercy upon Zion, that is thy church or faithful congregation, for it is time to have mercy upon her, yea, the time is come, 
Quia tempus miseren di eius quoniam venit tempus.  she hath long suffered pain and persecution. Now give her joy and consolation. But what is this time? was there ever any time in which thou didst not show mercy to thy servants? no truly. For from the fall of angels unto the end of the world, thy mercy hath ever been and shallbe abundant to all mankind. But chief it was showed, when thy holy son was sent into this world to suffer death and thereby to enter the glory of his father. Whereby the gates of heaven were opened, which before were fast shut, that no man might enter. This time was the beginning of grace and called the time of grace, and was certainly appointed when the fullness of time was come, 
Galothas▪ iiii  which was before seen by the inscrutable wisdom of thy deity, whereby thou dost all things in most perfect order. This time of grace we trust shall continued ever to those, that are penitent, for the time of penitence requireth a time of mercy. Wherefore, we pray without seizing, unto the to have mercy on Zion, the faithful congregation, 
Q●●oniam placitos fecerunt servi tui lapides cius.  which was made of lively stones gathered together both of the jews and also of the Gentiles. The faithful christians were dearly beloved of thy servants the Apostles. Who builded them upon a sure rock. Thy son jesus Chryst was the foundation. They builded not upon man, neither yet upon angel. These fair stones were hewed square and set by their preaching, and were allowed and acceptable not only to them, but also to thee, Lord. For thy Prophet zachary witnesseth of the that thou wilt have the stones of thy Sanctuary set up in thy land and wilt deliver them in the stormy day of thy judgement, 
zachari. ix.  as the flock of thy people which shallbe prosperous and goodly. But the earth or the dust of Sion, that is, the wicked worldly sort of people that have received the name of thy son only. 
Et pulverem eius nuscrabil●m.  yet in living are the children of Pharaoh (that is) of the devil, to whom they have builded a temple: such shall by the preaching of thy servants not be amended, but shall remain more wicked and miserable, they savour only of the earth whereof thy come, & as dust, shallbe blown away from the face of the and thy blessed son at the general judgement. But as the Heathen, Lord, and all the rulers of the earth shall tremble for fear of thy name and the justice of thy majesty in judgement: 
Ettimebunt gentes nomen tuum domine, et omnes rages terre gloriam tuam. i Corh. iii.  so shall Zion thy faithful church or congregation buyilded by thy servants in the name of the and thy son Chryst: be glad & joyful, for to them thou shalt appear in thy glory. Thy noble son shall then show himself, 
Quia edificavit dominus Sion et videbitur in gloria sua. Esai xxxiii isaiah. liii.  to them as a king of power to their great rejoicing He came first into this world poor and despised having no beauty in him. Then shall he appear glorious and triumphing. Wherefore, most loving father: 
Resperit in orationem humilium et non sprevit precem eorum.  turn the unto the prayer of us that are poor and destitute of any help, but only through thy mercy, despise not I beseech the our humble desire. Behold our petitions with thy merciful eyes, 
Gen. iiii  wherewith thou beheldest the oblasion of Abel, and didst receive it thankfully, and where with thou beheldest the prayer of the Israelites, being in bitter bondage in Egypte and didst deliver them. Also with which thou sawest the prayer of judith to the destruction of Holofernes and to the safeguard of thy people. 
judi vi.   
With those same merciful eyes vouchsafe to look upon us, and our prayers, whereby the noble fame and praise of thy mercies shallbe written for those that come after, 
Seribatur hoc in generatione altera, et populus qui c●cabitur: laudabit dominum.  that the people which shall be borne in faith by Baptism & penance: may praise thee, Lord, and thy holy name, sense more honour it is to the to save those that are in bondage of synnne and in death through thy mercy taking their hearty penitence in satisfaction of their offences, then utterly to leave them destitute of thy grace and straghtly to condemn them This mercy is annexed to thy divine nature, it is also thy wont custom, 
Quia resperit de ercelso sanctuario suo, dominus de eclo terram contemplatus est.  audiret gemitus compeditorum et solve ret filios mortis. Hebreos' ii  for when all mankind was lost and dead in sin: Then didst thou, sitting in thy celestial throne, look down to the earth upon our miserable estate, then didst thou hear the mourning of such as were in captivity & thraldom of the devil, & sendest down thine only begotten son, that by his death he might deliver from death such as worthily were the children of death. 
i. Corhin. xv  He thereby put down him that had the lordship over death (that is) the devil. For death was consumed into victory. His venomous sting which was sin: was plucked away. All this didst thou Lord, to give occasion to all men to have remembrance of thee, 
 narretur in Zion nomen domini et laudatio eius in Jerusalem.  & thy great goodness, and to declare the glory of thy name in Zion, and to set forth thy praise in Jerusalem. That is, in thy church when the people are gathered together in the unity of one faith & the kingdoms also to serve the Lord, 
Cum congregati fuerint populi et regna ut seruiant domino.  with one accord that art one in substance & iii in persons, giving thanks to the and thy blessed son for the benefit of our redemption. Thou hast oftimes called the first earthly Jerusalem and her children to know the as their Lord and creator, 
Mathe. xxiii  and thy son as their redeemer, and that with a great loving affection as the hen calleth her chickens to creep under her wings, but she refused the. She would not answer unto thy call, She followed strange Gods. She did not work according to thy laws. But thy second jerusalem thy holy church our mother, gathered of thy faithful believers: doth answer, Lord, unto thy call. 
Respondit ei.  Thou sendest the dews of thy grace upon us, and we bring forth the fruit of good works to thine honour and the help of our neighbours. But whereby else, Lord, 
In via fortitudinis sue.  but in the power & strength of thy grace not of our own power, neither for any our merits, but freely of thy gift. We kept thy laws through thy might, not of our infirmity, which of itself, is strong to nothing but to sin. 
Paucitatem dierum meorum nuncia mihi.  This thy church desireth to know how long it shall abide here in this world suffering great tribulation and temporal afflictions, by antichrist and his complices the enemies of thy faith. To whom thou hast made answer by the mouth of thy blessed son, that thy power and his assistance shallbe with her unto the end of the world but she and her children being desirous with thine apostle Paul to be loosed and to be with the and thy son Chryst, 
Philip. i  knowing surely that if this earthly mansion wherein they now dwell were destroyed: that they have a building ordained of the for them, 
two Corhi. v  an habitation not made with hands, but eternal in heaven. They (I say) account all the time from Adam unto the end of the world to be a short time, as it is in deed, to be compared to eternity. It is as a drop of water is in comparison of the sea. 
Ne revoces me in dimi●io dierum incorum.  The desire of thy sight in this joyful eternity causeth all us that are her children to desire thee, to bring us to the end of this short time, of the abiding in this world, & till that hour to continue thy grace and loving favour unto us, and not to leave us at any time in the middle of our age. But bring all our time by thy gracious assistance to an end, that after our short temporal days: 
In generatione et generationem anni tui.  we may see thine eternal years, which endure through all generations. All times pass away quickly, but eternity abideth for ever This must of reason be true, for eternity is thy very substance which suffereth no mutability but abideth ever without alteration. Which substance whoso seeketh to know: it is the same that it is. 
Exod. iii.  Wherefore to Moses' desiring (when thou sendest him to the Israelites) to know thy name that he might declare it unto them: thou didst answer him that thou art even the same which thou art, 
Initio tu domine terram fundasti & opera manuum tuarum sunt celi.  & that is thy name. Thou wast before the earth was made. Thou, Lord, hast laid the foundation thereof, and the heavens are the work of thy hands, thy word made them, thy hands (that is) thy power created them, 
Ipsi peribunt ii Peter iii Luke xxi  and all they shall perish. The earth and all creatures here in this base region: shall at the last perish by fire. The heavens shall also perish not in substance, but in that they shall leave their motions and natural operations. For there shallbe no need of the use or service of them when the numbered of thine elect shallbe fulfilled for whom they were made. The bodies also of thy reasonable creatures shall perish and shallbe raised again clean of another sort, so that all things shall perish according to thy godly institution. The order and fashion whereof: to us is unknown. But thou, Lord, 
Tu autem permanes et omnes quasi vestimentum, atterentur.  shalt endure in thy glory everlasting, almighty, eternal and omnipotent God, having knowledge of all & power to do all things, they shall wax old and wear as doth a garment. And as a vesture shalt thou change them and they shallbe changed. As clothes are a garment to cover the body: 
Et sicut pallium mutabis eos & mutabuntur  so are the bodies garments, to the souls. This garment of the body, will in short space, wear away & perish, & shallbe changed from corporal to spiritual, 
i Cori. xv  from mortality to immortality. But the soul being made like thine image touching the spiritual qualities of them: 
Tu autem idem ipse es ei anni tui non deficient.  shall remain as membres of the & of thy son that is their head. That is to say, as thou lord art immortal and invisible and abidest still the same which thou wast in the beginning and as thy years shall not fail but abide eternal: so shall the souls of thine elect enjoy pleasant immortality. The souls of the wicked be also immortal, but in pain. Thy lovers and servants shallbe immortal in joy and felicity. The rising of thy son jesus Chryst their head, from death to life everlasting: is an assured token of their resurrection at the last day to joy everlasting. 
Filii scruotum tuorum habitabunt et semen eorum ante faciem tuam permanebit.  And the children, of thy servants shall continue and their seed shall prosper in thy sight. Thy servants were the prophets and the Apostles of thy son Chryst, of whom all that sense their time have been faithful: have been engendered through faith by their holy preaching, which children with their fathers the Apostles abide fast in the hope of thy promises to receive at the last: joy everlasting, and why? truly for their seed (that is) their faithful works, are allowed of thy majesty. The barren tree is not allowed of the but the fruitful. joseph the son and the good seed of Jacob, went before his father into Egypt, 
Denai. xiv  to prepare for him (by thy providence) all that should serve for the advancement of him and his succession. So Lord, we beseech the send us thy grace, that we may so sow the seed of our good works in this world, that they may declare us to be thy faithful servants and that they may be acceptable fruit in thy sight, for that they are planted in faith, for which thou hast prepared a place for us in heaven where thou abidest still as thou art with thy blessed son and the holy spirit proceeding from you both, in everlasting beatitude, world without end.   

¶ The prophet exhorteth every faithful person to give praises and thanks to Christ for the manifold benefits of him received. 
The. Liii. Psalm   
Praise the Lord, o my soul, 
Benedit anima mea dominum et omnia in teriora mea, nomen sanctum eius.  and all that is within me, praise his holy name. Enforce the with all thy strength to devise and to set forth his noble praises. Thou hast within the many goodly gifts of nature and of grace, which give the occasion never to cease from giving thanks and speaking of praises. 
Benedic anima mea dominum et noli oblinisci omnes retributiones eius  Forget not these beneficial gifts which he hath given the. For of forgetfulness, cometh untankfulnes, which unkindness maketh the not worthy to enjoy that is freely given the. Consider my soul, first the bare and miserable estate, wherein thou wast brought by sin, Thou wast the enemy of God, 
Qui propiciatur omnibus iniquitatibus tui●  the bondseruaunt of the devil, and subject to death everlasting. From these hath thy merciful brother jesus Chryst, being both God and man, delivered thee, satisfying for thy sin through his vile death and painful passion. What more love could he show to the then to die for thee, whereby he driveth away thine offences as the wind doth the clouds, and thy sins as the mists. 
Isaiah. xliiii  If thou set before thine eyes the multitude and abomination of thine own sins: then shalt thou also behold the benefits and the goodness of thy redeemer. Every sin hath death annexed as stipend, 
Rmans. ut.  wherefore, so oft as thou offendest: remember no less, but that so oft he giveth the a new life, upon thine humble and hearty penance. give him therefore the sacrifice of praises and glorify him, for therein he delighteth, not for his profit, but for thine, not for that he is any thing thereby advanced. But that doing thy duty by faith thou mayst be made partaker of joy everlasting with him. Again, after that he hath forgiven the thy sins: yet remain there in thy week flesh, many perturbations, many ready inclinations to sin, and no power to do good. Many perils through violent temptations and pleasant suggestions: yea, and many concupiscences, which draw toward eternal death. But all these sores and infirmities, the good Samaritane Christ expelleth through the preparation of his grace and giveth health by the virtue of his passion with the medicine of Baptism and penance. 
Et sanar omnes infirmitates tuas.  No sore is uncurable, but when thou refusest to show thy gryfe and to receive his salve. Sometime thy festered old sore requireth sharp incision or a biting corsyfe, that is, thine accustomed sin will not be refrained, unless he violently scourge the with sicknesses, loss of goods, loss of wife, children, faithful servants, or by many other tribulations and persecutions, Yet (I say) refuse not his hand though it seem heavy to the at the first, for all is for thy health and wealth. think that if he loved not the he would not chasten thee, but leave the to sink in thine own sin, to thine utter loss both of body and soul. But he hath saved thy life from everlasting destruction. 
Hui redimit de interitu vitam tuam. Roman four  He hath redeemed the with his precious blood. He died for thy sins and rose again for thy justification. Love him therefore my soul and magnify him all the days of thy life. Put thine hole affiance in him and fear no violence of enemies. For although they assault thee: yet can they not vanquish the. For he that through his great mercy and loving kindness hath given the power by him to vanquish thine enemies: 
Qui coronat te in misericordia et miserationibus.  will not fail after thy fight and victory to reward the with a crown of joy and immortality. 
i Corhin. xv  When death thy last and fierce enemy shallbe overcome: then shalt thou as a ruler or prince, receive thy said crown or garland. Then shall all thy desires be satisfied with good things thou shalt be admitted to the joyful company of saints in the heavenly Jerusalem, 
Qui replet in bonis de sidetium tuum.  there to have more joy and comfort: then thy heart can wish. When the glory of the Lord shall appear: then shalt thou be fully satisfied to thine assured contentation. His countenance shall replenish the with all joy. Wherefore, my soul, 
Psal. xvii. Psalm xvi  while thou art in this present life joined with the frail and heavy carcase: give thanks lovingly to thy gentle redeemer, for his unspeakable kindness. His grace is ready at hand at thy call. Fight therefore mightily against all sinful concupiscences and vices, Put of the old man and leave all the works of darkness. 
Rom. xiii Ephesians four  Put on the a new man and arm the with the armour of light, begin a new life. Learn of the Eagle, whose property is to restore himself to youth and strength again after he hath lived a great age. 
Renovabitur ut aquile juventus tua.  The mean of his recovery is this His over beeke through age, is grown so long that it letteth his feeding. So that what for age, and for lack of food, he is become lean, and feeble and almost unable to fly. Then of nature being also driven thereto by necessity: he flieth to the rock of stone, and thereon knocketh his said long beke, and wheteth it still till it be broken & made handsome to feed with. Then falleth he earnestly to feeding. Wherbi in short space, he recovereth his strength, hath pour to fly as high sa ever he did, waxeth lusty and in appearance, seemeth young again. So thou, my soul, that art old and withered in sin: fly up to Christ the strong and sure rock. Leave all worldly pleasures and vanities: yea, leave the trust of thine own self and thy power, call for his grace. And thereby on him, strike of thine old beke, thine own cankered living, not doubting but he will make the able to live a new spiritual life, renewing thy mouth which was stopped for age. 
i. Corhi. iiii  He will open it again making the able to eat the lively food of God's word: yea, through faith thou shalt eat him, who said, 
john. vi  I am the lively bread that descended from heaven. Who shall so comfort the that thou shall not only in life be endued with the grace of the holy ghost, to thy strength and comfort, and power to resist all thine enemies: but also when thou shalt put from thee, the burden of this miserable body, which before was heavy and oppressed thee: thou shalt fly to that sure rock Chryst, by whose resurrection thou shalt obtain immortality both of soul and body in heaven everlastingly. 
Sapien. ix.  Beholding continually the pleasant face of God to the fullness of all thy joy, and contentation of all thy desires, and to the intent thou shouldest stand fast in hope of that I have said, and not mistrust the mercies of God that are ineffable: call to thy remembrance the ancient goodness of the father of heaven. 
Faciens misericordias donimus.  Which is all one with the mercy of his son and the holy ghost. Behold how merciful and beneficial he hath ever been, to those that believed and trusted in him. As to Noah, to Abraham, Isaac and, jacob, to joseph, Moses, joshua, Gedeon, David, Solomon, Hezechias, and to other innumerable in the old time to whom was plentifully showed the experience of his mercy and goodness. And as he hath declared his pity in helping his servants: 
Et judicium omnibus iniuriam patientibus.  so hath he expressed his power in revenging them on their enemies which oppressed them. As of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Of Achab king of Israel. Senacherib, king of the Assyrians. Haman the Macedonian, Herod and many other, it hath been plainly showed. Wherefore, think surely that the same merciful God, that was so beneficial to his friends in the old time: is, neither willbe less beneficial almaner of ways to them that believe and have a sure trust in him, being of his Church here militaunt. He showed to Moses his ways, 
Notas fecit Moysi vias suas. Filiis Israel voluntates suas.  his laws his precepts, and to the children of Israel he she-his power and declared his will. But by Christ his only son he manifested to us his divine pleasure, in the evangelical law. And as great wonders hath he showed to the declaration of his power, confirmation of his laws and to the punishment of the enemies of his spouse the church How full of compassion, & mercy, is the Lord to all those that are sinners? How great is his patience? how rich is his goodness? how gracious is his sufferance? so long to abide the conversion of sinners from their iniquities. 
Roma. two. Isaiah. thirty.  He suffereth and abideth to the intent he might have mercy on them. If they amend not: he then gently scourgeth them to call them unto him. Answer therefore when he calleth. 
Roma. two.  Take no day for thy converting lest thou raise his wrath in the day of his anger and just judgement. Trust not so much to his mercy that thou despeyse his justice. Let not his long suffering of the for thy conversion turn to thine utter destruction. Repent in time. Ask grace and mercy earnestly and he will not fail to give them unto the. He cannot do against his nature. 
Non imperpetuum ita sectur neque meternum comminabitur.  His anger endureth not for ever. His threatenings cease in a short while, if thou cease from thine iniquity. A little while doth he forsake thee, 
isaiah liiii  but with great mercifulness will he take the up to him. When he is angry: he hideth his face from the for a season. But through his everlasting goodness will he pardon the saith the prophet Isaiah. 
Non secundum peccata nostra fecit nobis, neque secundum iniquitates nostras tetribuet nobis.  Nother doth he deal with us according to the quantity of our sins, nor reward us according to the multitude of our iniquities, for our sins exceed the numbered of the sands of the sea, 
two. Paral. xxxiii. in oracione Manasses regis jude.  and our iniquities are multiplied very sore, but God, in place of great plagues: sendeth small punishments, And where our infinite sins require pains infinite, yet to call us to penance, he sendeth many temporal afflictions in this world, to keep our souls from destruction and to cause us to enjoy the light of the living. 
job xxxiii  The light of everlasting brightness, and the true light that never shallbe dimed. How canst thou therefore, my soul, give condyngne thanks or praises to God for his inestimable goodness and grace to the showed. 
Quantum enim excelsius est celum terra: tantum confirmata est misericordia eius super timentes cum.  For look how high the heaven is from the earth: so great is his mercy also to them that fear him. God hath appointed the heaven to cover and compass the earth on all parts, and to send down sometime wind sometime rain, sometime heat, sometime cold, sometime fair, sometime foul weather, according to the necessities of man. And as it is impossible but the heaven should cover the earth, and cause the benefits thereof to be showed: so is it impossible but that God will cover, defend & govern, his servants which live in the fear of him. For he doth ever compass, his people and saveth them, 
Psalm. Cxxiiii.  as the ball of his eye from all danger. And he sayeth by his prophet Hieremie, 
Hierem. xxxiii.  may the covenant be broken which I have made with the day and the night: that there should not be day and night in due season? Then may my covenant also be broken which I made with my servant david, that is, with all that well and truely serve and fear me. The son also of God the second person in divinity being in heaven eternally, ineffable, impassable, and equal in power with his father: vouchsaffed to come down from his celestial throne, into the base region of this world to be incarnate of the virgin Marie and to suffer death for the redemption of mankind: so did his mercy stretch from heaven to earth and raised us up to life again which before, were dead in sin. 
Quantum distat oriens ●b occidente: long fe●t iniquitates nostras ● nobis.  And as the wind driveth away thick mists from the face of the earth: so by his death he drove away our sins, setting them as far from us as the East is from the west. Likewise as when the sun ariseth: the world receiveth light. Again when it is availed: darkness of the night approacheth. Even so when grace cometh: 
Ephe. ●  the soul is made bright and shining, which by sin again is made foul, and dark. Remember therefore my soul, what displeasure it is for the mortal body to live in darkness lacking the sight of the carnal eye in this world, 
Toby. two.  as did blind Toby. And thereby thou shalt know what hurt the spiritual darkness of sin bringeth to the soul of man. 
Eccle. ●.  Whereof in figure the stubborn Egyptians had one plague of darkness thick and palpable, according to the darkness of their sins and disobedience against God. When the children of Israel (that is) the faithful beholders of God: had in the same country light in all places, where they dwelled. The grace of God expelled from them all such darkness of sin. They feared God and served him faithfully in their hearts during the time of their oppression by the Egyptians, but after being at liberty: they waxed wanton and kycked against the Lord that had delivered them. Be thou therefore glad when adversity cometh. For that is the most sovereign medicine for the soul, given by the high physician to suppress the proud flesh that rebelleth against the spirit, and thereby to make man call for his grace. 
Sicut miscretur pate● filiorum: misertus est dominus timentibus se. Hebre. xii.  And herein think the most bound to the father of heaven, and think that he loveth the then as the natural father loveth and pitieth his son. For every good son that he loveth he will beat and correct to cause him to stand in fear of him. Nother think that he hath forgotten the because he punisheth the. For sooner will the mother forget the child borne of her womb, 
Isaiah. xlix  than the Lord will forget those that fear him. His merciful eyes never depart from them. When need requireth: 
Psalm. thirty.  he appeareth unto them. He knoweth the weakness of his frail metal whereof man is made. 
Quoniam ipse cognovit figmentum nostrese recordatus est, quia pulvis sumus.  He considereth that he is but dust made of the earth, and to earth shall return again. And for that he would have the perfect knowledge and experience of our nature: he sent down his son jesus Christ to take upon him the same nature. Who hath proved and seen the frailty thereof, 
Hebre. two.  he was in all things tempted as we are, and made like unto man (sin & ignorance excepted) he feared the approaching of death that was contrary to the nature of his flesh, and in all other our infirmities he had the experience. Wherefore, think not that he doth or will forget it, 
Homo quasi herba, dies eius sicut flos agri si● florebit, quia spiritus per ransiet eum et non subsistet et non cognoscet eum ultra locus ei-  but doth consider that our strength is like the grass. Our jolly time is like the flower of the field, which being touched with a blast of cold wind withereth & is gone, and the place where it grew, knoweth it no more. All the prosperity of this world all honour, riches, nobility, yea the very life of man endureth but a while, in comparison of eternity, and shortly after death: all is put in oblivion. 
Ezech. xxxvii.  The place of the soul in this world is the mortal body, which after death, goeth to corruption, and is no more known of the soul, till the last and general resurrection, when by the almighty power of God the same body shall be joined to the same soul & go to joy or to pain everlasting. God I say, considering the body of man to be frail and subject to corruption, his age or his life to be like the grass which shortly withereth, also all his prosperity and his glory to be as the beauty of a flower: that soon fadeth away: hath in his godly prescience established his merciful goodness, 
Misericordia autem domini ab eterno et usque ineternum super timēces eum.  to endure for ever and ever upon them that fear him, he hath sent down his only son to take upon him our mortal nature, to become grass as we are. His godhead that is eternal, is become partaker of man's mortality to make man partaker of his joyful immortality, to make grass that will soon wither: to endure green and pleasant for ever. But be not thou proud of this my soul, but humble thyself and thank him of his great grace and mercy. 
i. Corhinth. iiii.  Whereby thou art that thou art, for what good thing hast thou that thou haste not received? it is not of thyself, wherefore glory not in thyself. 
Osee xiii  Thou canst work none other but only thy perdition, it is his grace that worketh thy salvation. exalt therefore his mercy and praise his righteousness, which is showed on his faithful servants and upon their chyldernes children such as keep his covenant and think upon his commandments to do them, 
Et justicia eius in filios filiorum: His qui custodiunt pactum eius ● recordantur preceptor●cius ad faciendum ea.  of his mere liberality: he promised rewards to the fulfyllers of his laws. Which of his truth & justice: he will not fail to perform, but to whom? only to the doers of his commandments, not to the only hearers, or the reasoners thereof, or to them which only have them in remembrance. 
jacob i  For such are like to a man that beholdeth his bodily face in a glass & immediately goeth away and forgetteth anon what his fashion was. But the faithful followers of his precepts are dearly beloved of him. And not they only, but also their children's children, the whole congregation of elect persons. Such as have applied their hearts to be faithful followers of the good steps and example of their faithful parents. 
Psalm. Cxxviii.  This is the blessing of God, whereon David speaketh, that they which fear the Lord: shall see their chyldernes children, and peace upon Israel (that is) peace everlasting in heaven, for the reward of their good works. There can no good deed be unrewarded: Neither any sin be left unpunished. For Christ the judge of the quick and also of the dead hath prepared his seat, 
Dominus in celo pa●uit sedem suam, et re●num ipsius, omnibus dominabitur.  in heaven and his kingdom ruleth over all. In this seat shall he judge every man according to his acts, without having respect to any person. 
Apo. v.  To him that sitteth on this seat shall all creatures which are in heaven and on the earth and under the earth give honour and glory for evermore. 
Benedicite domino ●geli eius fortes robo● facientes verbum cius obedientes voci sermonis eius.  To him the holy angels that be mighty in strength give laud and praise, they fulfil his commandment, they obey the voice of his words, they acknowledge him to be their Lord and their maker, and that by him they have all the power that they have. 
Benedicite domino omnes exercitus eius, ministri eius qui facitis voluntatem etus.  To him all the hosts of heavenly spirits give thanks and praise, they are his servants, and do his pleasure. As did the angel that went before the children of Israel out of Egypte and went between them & the host of Pharaoh, 
Exod. xiiii.  which followed to have destroyed them. An angel also was sent to Balaam & stood in his way as he went with the Lords of Moab. 
Numeri. xxii.  An angel of the Lord, 
three Regum. nineteen.  ministered unto Elias in the wilderness. 
Danie. xiiii.  Did not an angel of the Lord carry Abacuk the prophet by the here of his head from jury to Babylon with meat and drink for Daniel who was in the den of the lions? They are all ministering spirits sent to minister for their sakes which shallbe heirs of salvation. 
Hebre. 1  They bring knowledge of the Lords will to his faithful here upon earth, and are desirous that we should as surely and obediently do his said will here on earth as they do it in heaven. 
Benedicite domino omnia opera eius in omni loco dominationis eius.  Yea all the works of the Lord, magnify and speak good of the Lord, in every place of his dominion. His power & his dominion extendeth to all places: 
Isaiah lxiiii  wherefore in all places ought he to be honoured & praised. Man is the handy work of God, and that the most chief work next to angel. Wherefore sense angels the most excellent creatures of God do not cease to praise him day and night: much more thou my soul and all mankind are bound to magnify him in all places. 
Benedic anima mea domino.  By whom thou hast & daily dost receive so many benefits. Let the inward love of thy heart break forth to praises & thanks, by thy mouth. Say unto him that sitteth upon the seat and unto the lamb that opened the book which had seven seals. As the four beasts and the four & twenti elders with the whole company of saints sing and say (that is) worthy is the lamb that was killed to receive power and riches wisdom and strength, 
Apoca. two.  honour glory and blessing to him being revived again & liveth for evermore, & to the lord that sitteth upon the seat: be honour & praise for evermore Amen.   

¶ The soul of every faithful christian, beholding the goodness of God, 
The ciiii Psalm.  daily showed without ceasing to all his servants: ceaseth not to praise God again expressing his marvelous power and wisdom by the show of his marvelous works.  
OH. How much is my soul desirous to praise the noble power, 
Benedic anima mea domino.  wisdom and goodness of thee, most mighty Lord, that art my God & my king, my hope and my comfort? who hast by so great providence created and ordained all thy creatures, 
Domine deus meus magnificatus ea vehementer.  that the beauty and excellency of them declare thy mighty magnificence to all us, which are thy reasonable creatures. The power of thy majesty before to us unknown, is by the contemplation of them made manifest, causing us to praise and magnify the with all our possible powers. We acknowledge thy power, 
Confessionem et decorem induisti, amietus luce ut vestimento.  thy wisdom, thy honour also and thy great glory wherewith with thou art garnished on all parts. Thou deckest thyself with light as it were with a garment. 
●. Timo. vi.  Yea thou dwellest in the midst of lygyte whereunto no man can attain. Which passeth far the brightness of the sun in this world. 
Esay. lt.   
And if we consider it well: Thou thyself Lord, art the everlasting light, 
Sapi. seven.  and thy wisdom is the brightness thereof, which shall never be quenched. Thou art compassed about with bright angels and with the saints shining in clearness, 
 i.  whose inheritance, is to enjoy light. Thou spreadest out the heaven as a pavilion. 
E●●endens celum ut ten ●ortum.  It covereth the whole earth as a rent covereth those that are lodged within it. 
Qui regis aquis supe●iora eius.  Nevertheless it is set so that, as the elemental waters are under it: so are the celestial waters above it. Thou hast spread abroad thy holy scripture over all the world by the preaching of thine apostles. The mysteries whereof were hid and covered with the curtain or veil of the letter: but now to thy faithful they are uncovered.  

Ezechiel two.  This is the book which the hand delivered to Ezechiel closed and fast clasped before to the unfaithful. But to the Prophet it was opened: and the privities thereof disclosed. These mysteries are also the waters wherewith thou coverest the heaven. The deep secrets are in the scripture so low hid that few have nets to retch the deepness thereof. Only, they, can attain thereto, to whom thou givest the gift thereof, and such as have it: are charged to utter the same to the unlearned. 
Qui penis nubem astensum tuum.  The preachers are the clouds that fly in the air, where upon thy honour, & thy faith are carried as it were in a chariot, to all parts of the world. Thy grace maketh them apt to power forth the sweet dews of thy holy word, to water therewith the vineyard of our souls, 
Isaiah .v.  that it may bring forth right and pleasant grapes: not brambles, thorns or wild grapes. For lack of which watering: the ground must needs be baryne and unfruitful. Like to the land of king Achab: king of Israel, 
three Reg. v.  which lacked rain during the absence of the prophet Elye. How miserable are they Lord, from whom thou takest away thy holy word? 
Mathe. xxi.  There can be no greater plague in this world sent to men for the punishment of their offences, than the withdrawing thereof from them. But as thy punishments of the wicked are many and secret: even so, also are thy mercies past numbered to those that love the.  
Thou bestowest them according to thy holy will beside all expectation of men. 
Qui ambulas sup●● pennas venti. Qui angelos tuos spiritus et ministros tuos ignem urentem.  Thy power in bringing of them quickly to pass: exceedeth the swiftness of the wind. The angels whom thou hast created spirits: are thy messengers to execute thy will with all speed. Thou hast made them thy ministers: like to the flame of fire. To some they bring ponishmentes. To some they bring secret inspiration to know thy pleasures and to work thereafter. In some they burn clean and consume up their sinful and carnal desires, causing them to be new men by the infusion of thy merciful grace. Such is thy mighty power to work, when where, and how so ever it liketh the. 
Qui fundasti terram super stabilitatem su●●, non commovebitur in seculum secul●.  Thou hast laid the earth, her foundation which shall never move at any time. Where the foundation is sure: all that is set thereon is sure and stable. The church or congregation of thy faithful earthly people here upon the earth, is founded upon a sure rock and a sure foundation, 
i. Corhinth. iii.  which is thy son Christ, beside whom no man can put any other foundation. Wherefore it must needs abide immovable: as the whole earth is immovable. Not able to be hurt with the waves of the water of temptation, neither with the stormy tempests of cruel persecution. Thus is thy power showed to all things which thou takest under thy protection. 
Abisto quasi vestimento operuisti eam.  The deep waters naturally are a coverture to the earth, as is a garment to the body of man. 
Super montes stabunt aquc Hierem. v.  Yea they should surmount the height of all hills. But through thy word they fall to their appoynteed places. They flee as things rebuked and dare not do contrary to thy commandment. 
Ab increpatione tua fugient a voce to nitrui tui formidabunt ascendunt montes et descendunt campi ad locum quem fundasti eyes. Terminum posuisti quem non transgredientur: nec revertentur ut operiant terram.  They are a feared thereof as we mortal men are a feared of the noise of thunder. The hills and the valleys appear according to thine appointment. And the waters dare not pass their bounds to turn again to cover the earth. Of this thy power the experience was showed at the general flood when the waters covered the highest hills the height of fifteen cubits. Nevertheless when thy pleasuse was they returned again thither from whence they came, so would the sea now drown all creatures living upon the earth, if thy pleasure were not to stay it. 
Genes. ix.  But thou merciful God haste made a covenant with thy servant Noah to the contrary: That thou wilt no more destroy all the world by water. In token whereof thou hast put thy rain bow in the clouds. And as the sea and the waters would cover the earth unless thou didst stay them with thy word: Even so would the tyrants heathen and unfaithful people cypress and utterly destroy thy church, and thy servants. If thou Lord didst not keep and defend them. But when thy church seemeth most oppressed: yet dost thou reserve unto the a great numbered of faithful that to the world are unknown: 
three Regum xix  as thou diddest in the days of Elias thy prophet, preserve seven thousand which never bowed their knees to idols. Thou makest them strong against all persecutions. Thy word maketh their enemies afraid. They have no further power to hurt thy faithful then thou permittest them to have. Wherefore although the waters (that is to say) the wicked, swell never so high: yet we fear not a general floulde. They may invade thy church and hurt many of thine elect members of the same church. But they shall not utterly destroy it. For thou, Lord, 
Matthew xxviii  haste promised to abide with thy faithful people to the worlds end. Thy grace will not leave them that love and serve the. They are the valleys low through humility, 
Qui emittis foutes in convallibus.  but great in virtue and mighty in operation. Among which the wells of the word of God do springe. They preach and declare thy holy scripture among all, that will hear them. 
Inter medium montium pertransibunt aque.   
The waters of these wells have their original among the hills, and from thence descend to the valyes. These hills be the two testaments from whence all scriptures which declare thy will: are derived. And who so ever uttereth any other law contrary to that is contained in thy said testaments: 
Genes. xxvi.  diggeth new wells with the servants of Abimaleche, and stoppeth the wells of Abraham which contain the water of life. With these waters of holy scripture is the ground of thy faithful christians watered, and it bringeth forth good fruit in dew season. Of these waters all the beasts of the fields may drink. 
Sotabunt omnes be●ie agri & reficiat ona●et sium suam.  Of these also the great wild asses may quench their thirst. The gentiles, the jews, the christians, all men, of all countries, and all degrees may quench their thirst in the reading of thy holy word. Which if they do with good intent: thy grace shall be ready to work in them their salvation. Thy grace is locked from none but from such as will remain thrusty, dry and barren of good will & good works. The strong and the weak, the wise and the folly she may refresh them at these waters to make them able to perform their journey in the pilgrimage of this life. Who so will with the woman of Samaria, ask of Christ drink: 
john iiii.  He will not fail to give him water of life. Which, who so drinketh: shall never be thirsty after. O noble waters. O clear fountains. Send us Lord of thy grace that we may fervently desire, 
Psalm xxiii  greadely receive, and plentiouslye be fulfilled. Yea that we may be drunk, with the much receiving of this noble drink. Whereby we may forget all our wanton and idle lives that we have hitherto led: & now begin to lead a new life, a spiritual and a godly life, building our nests in the rocks of the fayed hills, 
Super ea volucres celi morabuntur: de medio petrarum dabunt vocem.  and over these delectable waters, leaving all base and earthly places, resting in them as in a sure habitation. The precepts of these two testaments are fast and surely grounded upon the strong rock which is Christ. What soul so ever dwelleth or bideth on this rock: will sing and put forth his voice, as he hath learned in the scriptures, contained within these two testaments. Christ did refer his sayings to the scriptures: so did his apostles and other holy men build upon the same foundation. Their songs were ever agreeable to the scriptures. 
Mathe. xiii.  They were like the good householder, that bringeth forth of his treasure, things both new and old. 
Rigans montes de renaculis tuis, de fructu operum tuorum satiabitur terra.  Wherefore the dews of thy grace came down from above and watered their hearts. They were first earthly men, and savoured nothing but that was earthly and temporal. But thy grace made them become spiritual, and so wrought in them, that they brought forth good works. For the which, they gave to thee: the honour & the praise. They accounted all their good deeds to be thy works, and all their good thoughts to come of thy gift and goodness. When the glory redounded to thy majesty: then were they satisfied, and but reason. For what goodness had they that they had not received, 
i Corin. iiii. Roma. iii.  and that freely without any of their deservings? Wherefore to the Lord be all honour and praise world without end, who haste so mercifully declared thy great goodness to mankind in ordering all things in this world to his most comfort that could be devised, and to do him service. All beasts thou madest subject unto him and for his use. 
Producens fenum iu●●is. Et berbam ser●●● hominum.  Which to nourish and to feed: thou causest the ground, naturally to bring forth grass, and all kinds of other herbs. Thou bryngeste through the travail of man: 
●ducens panem de ter●●.  food out of the earth, both for man, beasts and fowls. But to exercise him in labour thou requirest his industry to be put to thy power. O how great is thy liberality daily showed herein? No time can be found wherein the earth bringeth not fruit, to serve man. But specially Lord, thou hast ordained the earth to bring forth three kinds of things, much to his strength, comfort and relief. Which are corn for bread to make him strong and able to travail. 
Et vinum letificet cor●ominis, ad exhilaran●um faciem in oleo, et ●anis cor hominis cor●oboret.  Wine to quench his thirst and to make his heart glad. And oil to make him to have a cheerful countenance, to make his body fat and his limbs nimble. These are liberal and very necessary gifts to the body: But much more noble spiritually to the soul. For man liveth not only with material bread, but also with the word of God. 
Luc. iiii.  Whereby the soul is made strong and comforted, against all his enemies. It is able to do good and to avoided evil. It receiveth spiritually thy blessed son that lively bread, 
john vi  which descended from heaven, and by him receiveth after this life, life everlasting in heaven. By the wine is signified the passion of thy loving son our master Christ. For which man thirsted full sore a long season. But when the time determined by thy godhead, was come: he came & suffered for our redemption. He then quenched our thirst. He thereby made mankind merry, that before was sad & out of all comfort. And where he sat in darkness: 
Esay xiii  he thereby received light. He was before in captivity, & then was made free and his ransom paid. But the frailty of his nature is so great that unless he be still holden & helped up he must needs fall again to sin. Wherefore lord the oil of thy grace is ever ready to anoint him, thereby to make him able to resist through thee, which of himself is weak & cannot stand This oil of gladness, this oil of comfort, springeth in thy deity, as in the head, and from thence descendeth first to the manhood of Christ as from the head to the beard. 
Psalm. Cxxxiii. Psalm xlv  Whom thou hast specially anointed above all other, to the intent he should therewith anoint all other faithful people. Which are the garments of Christ, when leaving all vice, they put on them the garment of his faith & live according to his laws. 
Saturabuntur lign● campi et cedri libani.  The moisture of the oil is of the sap wherewith the common sort of trees of the field are fulfilled: & also the high trees of the mount of libanus: that is aswell the common & base sort of people as also the noble high & mighty lords & princes of the world are replenished with this oil of thy grace & gladness, such as thy deity hath planted, 
quas plantasti.  & pndestinate to salvation. For all other plants which are not of thy planting: 
Mathei. xv. Illit aves nidificabi  must be plucked up by the roots. In these high trees of libanus the birds do breed Such as are spiritual persons & live after the spirit: are sucoured, brought up & defended by the princes & nobility of the world. The holy devout persons sow to them their spiritual seed and reap therefore temporal things necessary for their living. For who will mosel the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. 
i Corhint. ix.  Nevertheless, so many as are spiritual: 
Deut. xv. i Timo. vi.  are contented with food and raiment. For such of them as will be rich, fall into temptations, snares, and into many fooly she and noisome lusts: which draw them unto perdition and destruction. But so many as are very spiritual: 
Herodit domus dux est eorum.  learn of the falcon to breed in the rock which is Christ. Although they have their necessaries of the nobility for their true preaching of thy word: yet do they not preach to please men, but to please and do their duty to thy majesty. 
●. Corin. ix.  For woe be unto them if they preach not. The rock which is the house of the falcon, that is to say Christ, is their leader, their guide and their governor, 
Montes excelsi ceruis, petra refugium hexina ●tis.  to whom only they have respect. To this rock in the mountains: flee the hearts for succour. To it fleeth the hedgehog: a beast with pricks for refuge. The perfect man and the sinner that is loaded with the pricks of sin in his conscience, run all to this rock for succour. The one to be preserved in the grace & goodness that is given him: the other to discharge himself on this rock of all his burden of sins. 
Isaiah xxxviii  For behind on Christ's back doth he lay all the heavy burden of his iniquities, and is then become a new creature. So soon as man is weary of his burden: Christ is ready to receive it, 
Matthew xi  and to ease and refresh him. As the moon receiveth her bright light by the approaching of the sun, 
Fecit luna per tempora.  and a gain by the far departing of the sun from her, she loseth her light: so doth thy church here militant and the members thereof knit together in faith, by the approaching of the son of justice thy son Christ jesus and the influence of his grace, receive light of true knowledge and power to work well to the example of other. But if thy grace and his be once withdrawn for their iniquities, 
Sol cognovit occas●● suum.  then remain they in darkness not able to do or think any good thing. To the just elect people, this son ariseth, from the wicked, 
Sapi. v. john iii  it setteth and hideth itself, showing them no light. And why? for they love darkness and the works thereof, better than light. Wherefore they shall seek light and not find it. The night and darkness shall environ them, 

Posuisti tenebras & facta est nox, in ipsa movibuntur omnes bestie sylue.  
Catuli leonis rugientes ad predam, et querē res a des es●am sibi.   wherein all the beasts of the forest do move. The young lions roaring then seek their pray and ask their food of God. The wicked spirits greadely gape to devour the wretched sinners, being destitute of the light of grace. The iniquities of men are their most pleasant food. Nevertheless they have no further power to tempt nor to hurt than, then thy power Lord, doth permit them to do. For if Satan might have done his will on thy servant job: he had at the last slain and devoured him. 
Luc. xxii.  So had he done to the apostles of thy blessed son. So would he and his wicked complices destroy all mankind were they not by thy Godly power and wisdom restrained.  
Some men thou sufferest to be tempted for their probation and coronation. Some for their punishment and damnation. But specially in the night where sin raineth, there our enemy triumpheth, 
orient sole: retedent et in sp●luncis suis cu●abunt.  and in the hearts of the wicked: he maketh his den or resting place. For where the son of justice by grace doth arise in the hearts of thy faithful: they anon depart and flee away. 
Egredietur homo adopus suum et ad servitutem suam usque ad vesperam.  The man may safely go to his works and till the land unto the evening. The faithful may without danger work all works, by the commanded to be done, increasing in virtue and good living all the time of his life unto the evening. That is, unto the time of death, and the last end when every true labourer in thy vineyard shall receive of the for his wages a penny for his days work, 
Math. ●●.  that is, the kingdom of heaven for his reward, what time so ever he begin to work in thy work: as thou hast promised of thy mere liberality and free goodness. O merciful Lord, 
Quam multa sunt opera tua domine? ommi● in sapientia fecisti.  how noble and manifest be thy works, passing far the capacity of all thy creatures to comprehend. But thou full wisely hast wrought all things by the same wisdom that hath been with the before any thing was created, and before all time, by the which thou haste numbered the sands of the sea, the drops of the rain, and the days of time, by which also thou haste measured the height of heaven the breadth of the earth and the deapnesse of the sea. 
Eccles. i.  This wisdom is thy very son the second person in trinity, 
i Corhin i Coloss, two.  he is thy power and thy wisdom, in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. By him haste thou wrought thine own work according to thy nature, which is to have mercy and not to show cruelty. By him hast thou wrought the work of our redemption, and delivered us from eternal damnation. And although thou be sometime angry with us for our wickedness: yet is it to the intent to show thy mercy after, which is thy proper and natural work. 
Esai. xxviii. Impleta est term possessione tua.  On this manner dost thou fill the earth full of thy riches. Not only by the order and disposition of thy earthly creatures thereof: but chiefly in that thou causest man by thy help, to leave the inordinate love of the world and the wanton pleasures thereof, and to become a new man, aspiring to the heavenly things. In this thou causest him to be just and perfectly thy possession, to be of thy peculiar flock, of which thou takest great cure. Thou haste ordained thine elect to walk and travail in this great and wide world, 
Hoc mare magnum 〈◊〉 spaciosum. Illic reptilia innumerabilia, animalia pa●●ua cum magnis.  which may well be compared to the great sea. For as in it are innumerable things creaping, both great and small beasts. Even so in this world are many terrible dangers, and dangerous temptations. Sometime by flattering pleasures. Sometime by cruel displeasures, which appear therein.  
Sometime by prosperity. Sometime by adversity. Sometime by cruel manifest enemies. Sometime by subtlety of false feigned friends. So that there are many more dangers to men that live here on earth, then be in those which pass over the seas. Yet for all these fearful dangers, let the faithful never be afraid. 
Ibi naves per transibunt  For as the sure ships fliete in the sea under their sails: and pass through the stormy tempests without drowning: so do thine elect pass through the fearful perils of all their enemies in this world by the means of the ship of thy church and the true faith thereof. Of which ship, Christ is the sternes man the guide and the sure ancour to be cast in all necessities. Who so trusteth in him shallbe brought to the fair haven of perfect beatitude. Who so keepeth him within the bourdes of this faithful ship, needeth not to fear the great whales or other monsters, much terrible to shipmen, neither yet the dreadful dragon that sturdy strong leviathan whose sporting place is in the deep of the sea. 
Deaco iste quem formasti ad illudendum ei. job xli  To whose power, no power on earth may be compared. For he is so mad that he feareth nothing, and is the king over all the children of pride. 
Esay xiiii Luc. x. Genes. iii.  This is that lucifer which fell from heaven. This is the serpent that deceived in paradise, and brought death to all mankind. He was first made by thy majesty a bright angel, but through sin he is become a cruel devil. And hath power, through thy sufferance to illude, to tempt and to deceive mankind. Nevertheless when thy faithful people are penitent for their offences, resist his temptations, follow thy laws, put their whole trust in thee, & thy blessed son: 
job xi  than do they mock & discern him. They put a ring through his nose and boar his chaftes through with an awl, and as Christ mocked him laying an hook for him baited with his humanity, which when he thought to devour causing him to be put to death of the jews: he was trypped in his own turn, & taken with the hook of his divinity. In like manner do the faithful members of Christ also mock & deceive him. For when he thinketh them surely in his danger: they turn to their head Christ for refuge, 
i. Corhinth. x.  and by his help do vanquish him. Great therefore good Lord is thy mercy & goodness, that sufferest not thy faithful to be tempted above their strength. But in the mids of their temptation makest away for them to escape out. The enemy hath no power of himself but such as thou sufferest him to have. He with all other creatures hang all upon thy will and commandment. 
Omnia a te expectan ut des illis escam in t●pore suo, dante te eye colligent.  All wait on the that thou mayst give them meat in due season, when thou givest it them: they gather it. The meat appointed to that serpent which deceived Eve: was earth. Of the earth therefore & of earthly men that love better earthy things then heavenvly, 
Genes. iii.  is the food of that fierce leviathan. Such as are left destitute of thy grace & departed from thee: are left to be the food of this serpent or dragon. But I heartily beseech thee, most merciful & mighty God, keep this dragon long empty. Let him not devour those, for whose redemption & salvation, thou voutchsafedest to send thy most entirely beloved son to suffer death & passion. They have (the more pity) to great plenty of food of infideles. Bring them also lord, I beseech the into the true faith of thy holy church, that they may know the & him that thou hast sent, 
Io. x.  for the salvation of all the world. That there may be on both sorts one shepherd & one flock, and send us all lord, 
Aperiente te manum tuam replehuntur honitate: abscondes vultum tuum ●et turbabuntur.  thy merciful favour. Open thy liberal hand & fill us all with thy goodness. Hide not thy face from us for our offences. For then have we cause of sorrow & mourning continually. No creature can live without the nourishing of corporal substance, but must die & turn to earth & corruption. Neither can the soul of man abide in life spiritual with out the influence of thy grace: 
Auferes spiritum corū●t deficient et in pulue●em suum revertentur.  but it must needs die the death through sin. When thou didst command thy prophet Elias to departed from Achab, there ensued in all jury great drought & barrenness. 
jacob .v. iii. Regum xviii  It rained not by the space of iii years & vi months. But when thou didst turn thy face toward the country again sending thy said prophet thither: 
Emitte spiritum tuum ●et creabuntur.  they had plenty of rain, & great fertility. Send forth therefore merciful God thy sweet breath upon us, make us new again, that we may leave our old naughtiness & become new creatures. 
Genes. xviii.  We knowledge ourselves to be dust & ashes. 
Et renovabis faciem terte.  Send therefore thy holy spirit to renew the face of our souls, making it confirmable to thine image, according as thou didst first create it, which through sin we have made very foul, 
Sit gloria domini in sempiternum. ●etabitur dominus in operibus suis.  and deformed. Then shall we give glory unto thy majesty, which endureth for ever. And thou Lord, shalt rejoice in thine own works. Our work is iniquity, thy work is mercy & for gyvenes. 
Esay xxviii  Thou art our justice, whereby thou makest us just, which before were wicked sinners. Thou makest us, 
Qui respicit terram et facit eam tremere.  thine earthly creatures, to tremble for fear of thy mighty power & thy justice. Our pride is thereby abated. We account the good deeds which we have done to be of thy gift & goodness, nothing presuming of our own frail power. 
Esoy. lxvi.  For we know that thy holy spirit resteth upon those that have a lowly troubled spirit & stand in awe of thy words. But the great hills dost thou touch & they smoke. 
Qui tangit moutes ei fumigant.  The proud & stiff-necked people dost thou touch by scourging & punishing them, & then they come to the knowledge of the & of thy mighty majesty. 
Daniel four  Then will they say as Nabuchodonosor said after his punishment, honour and praise be to the God of heaven whose power endureth always, & his kingdom from one generation to an other. In comparison of whom all that dwell upon the earth, are to be reputed as nothing. Then will they send forth a smoke of sacrifices & praises to thee, confessing their weakness & thy mighty magnificence. 
Psalm. Cxli  Their prayer shall ascend up into thy sight as an incense & the lifting up of their hands shallbe an evening sacrifice. 
i. Corhinth. xv.  Cruel Saul was touched of thy hand and became Paul a well-beloved apostle & through the help of thy grace, laboured more abundantly than all tother apostles. Such is the power of thy gracious influence. This thy noble grace send me (most merciful god) whereby I shall have a loving desire to honour thee, lord, & to praise thee, my god. 
Cantabo domino in d●ta mea psalam deo meo ꝙdiu sum.  So long as I have any being, I will not cease to confess my sins to thee, & to lament mine iniquities, & then shall my words be pleasant & acceptable to thee. 
Placeat ei eloquium meum. Ego vero letabor in domino,  And as I joy wholly in the the art my creator, & in thy son which is my redeemer: so shalt thou also delight in me the am thy poor creature & handy work: granting me the fruit of thy son Christ's passion, 
●uc. xv.  which he suffered for my redemption. And sense, lord, the thou & all thy heavenvly company, rejoice so much in the conversion of sinners: that it is more joy in heaven of the turning of one sinner to penance them it is of lxxx & xix just men which need no repentance. I most humbly require the to consume the upgodly & all sinners out of the earth, 
Deficient peccatores a ●erra. Et impli ultra ●on sint.  not that thou shouldest destroy them: but consume their sins through the power of thy grace, so that from hence forth they be no more sinners, but return to the through hearty repentance. Let their ungodliness be brought to an end. That they and we in perfect unity of thy faith: may praise and magnify the with thy son Christ & the holy ghost, 
Benedic anima mea ●omino.  from you both proceeding, world without end. Amen.   


The Cxvi. Psalm.  ¶ The faithful man considering the benefits by God to him given: breaketh forth to giving of praises, and working good works: and, for the love which he beareth to God, is contented gladly to suffer all persecutions. Yea very death: So that the honour of God be thereby increased.  
WHo so ever intendeth to be the son of thee (most merciful God) that art so good and so loving a father, and to inherit the kingdom of heaven as heirs together with thy blessed son jesus Christ: it is above all things first requisite, that he believe truly in the & in th'articles of thy faith: 
Roma. xiiii. Hebre xi.  which thou hast in holy scripture, commanded. For what so ever is not of faith: that same is sin. Faith is the sure and perfect foundation of all christian religion, whereby thy faithful, hope surely that all thy promises made to them of thy mere liberality, shall surely and undoubtedly, be fulfilled. 
Luc. xxi.  So the heaven and earth shall perish, rather than one of thy words or promises should be unperformed, By faith Abraham was justified, and by faith, 
Gens. xv. Genes. xx. Exod. iiii. Exod. xiiii.  he was ready to make sacrifice of his only begotten son Isaac. By faith Moses under took to do message unto Pharaoh king of Egypte, and by faith he entered the red sea, with all the Israelites Faith saved all the holy patriarchs, Prophets and the good judges of thy people. Upon the faith full only, did thy son Chryst work his miracles. In so much that in his country of Galilee, 
Mathw. xiii.  he did not many miracles because of their unbelief And by this faith with the help of thy grace, at this day and to the end of the world are and shall, all Thy chosen people, besaved, 
Ephes. two.  and that freely without any deserving. Of this being fully persuaded by thy holy scripture, I believe in thee, my most mighty God, three persons in one essence, 
Credidi.  and in all things contained within the limits of thy said holy scripture. And the same thy faith I will not let to confess before all the world. I will not do as many of the princes of the jews did, which believed in thy son, yet durst they not boldly confess him, neither be acknown of their faith lest they should have been expelled out of the synagogue. 
john. xii.  They more esteemed the glory of this world than they did the glory of God, but through the help of thy grace, Lord, I will nothing speak but that I firmly believe. 
Propter quod locutus sum.  And that which I do believe: I can by no means hide, but have and will boldly speak. 
Mathw. x.  For I know that who so doth confess the before men: him wilt thou confess before thy father which is in heaven. Faith causeth me to love the for thine own sake above all creatures. Love causeth me to confess the before all the world, and for thy sake to work toward my neighbour, as thou hast commanded me, trusting for my so working, to have the reward which thou freely hast promised & annexed to my work. But as the uttering of verity, commonly breedeth envy: so doth envy breed much trouble. 
Ego autem humiliatus sum nimis  To the true confession of thy godly word is annexed persecution, trouble, & vexation, with out which few good men have escaped sense the beginning of the world. 
Act. xiiii.  The faithful must entre heaven by many tribulations. Paul suffered much trouble as an evil door, 
two. Timoth. two.  and was in bonds for the Gospel's sake. But the word of God was not bound. It is a true saying (sayeth thine Apostle Paul) that if we die with Christ: we shall live with him. If we suffer patiently adversities for him: we shall also reign with him. Adversity is the right way to the kingdom of Christ. Who so take not their cross on their backs and follow him: 
Lu. xiiii  cannot be his disciples. Persecution and trouble, bring the fear of God, & the knowledge of man's own infirmity, and lead him as it were a man rapt in a trance, 
Ego dixi in excessu meo.  to the only contemplation of heavenly things, whereby he shall know & boldly confess, that all his power and sufficiency cometh of God. All vice & naughtiness cometh of his own corrupt nature. God only, 
Rom. iii. Omnis homo menda●. Math. xxvi.  of himself is good and true, but all men are liars, the children of sin & damnation. Peter presumed of himself to stand fast by his master Christ, but soon after he denied him & was found a liar. It is thy grace that maketh man to be true and to be good. 
Sapen. xvi.  Thy grace is the nurse of all good things. It leadeth man from one virtue to another. It keepeth us from falling & helpeth us up again when we are fallen. Thy loving kindness hath been from everlasting, & endureth for ever. 
Quid reddam domino pro omnibus que re●erbuit mihi?  What shall I therefore give again unto the Lord, for the manifold benefits, that thou hast done unto me? when I remember thy tender love showed to man in his noble creation, next in power wisdom, knowledge, & understanding, to the nature of angels: made also, touching the soul, like to thine own image, whom thou didst plant in that most pleasant garden of Eden a place of pleasure where he might have lived ever if he would have kept thy commandment. 
Genes. two.  I cannot but still lament his frailty in that he so shortly did break it, for which he deserved death everlasting, yet of thy mercy & gentleness, thou didst not strait, execute thy sore sentence upon him, throwing him down to hell as thou diddest the angels for their offence. But thou diddest suffer him to dwell in this world to lament his fall, & to abide the time by thy majesty, appointed, for his reconciliation. Thou diddest gently consider his frail nature & substance, wherefore thou didst more pity him than thou diddest angel whose nature was made pure and excellent and therefore, of presumption, minded to be equal with the Then, Lord, at length thou sendest thine own only son to become man, and wylledest him to suffer death for man's redemption. What more love might be showed to him then thou hast showed. What more could be done to thy vinyeard than thou hast done. Thy charity was fervent to us when we were all sins, 
isaiah. v  Few men would now gladly die for their righteous friend, 
Rom v  but thou sendest thy son to suffer death for thine enemies, that were sinners. Yea, when we daily now do fall still from the by committing all kinds of vices: yet dost thou mercifully suffer us, & gently receive us so oft as we do return again to the by penance. We forgive our neighbours scarcely one or two displeasures, that they do to us But thou Lord forgivest us not vii times only, but seventy times seven times, that is, so often as we fall, and even so willest thou us to forgive one another. 
Mathw. xviii.  Wherefore, to the intent I would not be found unthankful: nor unkind: I do search busily to find some mean to recompense part of thy loving gentleness oft showed to me, & the more I search the more I find myself unable. I find in me nothing that is good. I am environed with misery, vanity, and sin, having no good thing but that I have received of the. So that if I yield to the any goodness, 
i. Corhin. iiii.  it is a rendering of that thou gavest me before. The most pleasant things that I may do to thy majesty: is first to receive the cup of salvation, 
Colicem salutaris accipiam.  that is, to give the hearty thanks for thy great benefits, and to be inwardly sorry that ever I did any thing which should offend thee, 
Ephes. iiii. Rom. xiii.  then to mortify the concupiscences of the flesh, to put of the old Adam and put on Christ, to leave to be carnal, & become spiritual, Yea, I will not love the frail flesh so much, but that as thou hast caused thy son Chryst to die for me: so will I not let (taking example of him) to suffer all kinds of pains and persecutions, yea & death (if need require) for thine honours sake, But I know right well that I am much unable this to do and suffer of mine own self. 
Et nomen domini invocabo.  Wherefore I will call on thy name for thy grace, for thine aid and assistance, to help me and to strength me in this my good purpose, 
Psal. l.  not doubting but thou wilt graciously hear me in the day of my trouble and deliver me, my heart and all my hole body I offer willingly to thy service, which all though it be of small valour in deed: yet I do not mistrust but that it shallbe as acceptable in thy sight, as was the offering of two minutes which the poor woman threw into the treasury at Jerusalem. Which small some of her poverty: 
Mar. xii.  thou didst more esteem and praise, than thou didst all the great gifts of the rich men. Beseeching thy highness to accept this gift of my poor soul and body, not for that thou shalt any thing be advanced thereby. But for the declaration of my loving mind toward thee, 
Vota mea domino reddam.  & that thou mayst vouch safe, so to work in them by thy grace that they may will and work that may be acceptable in thy sight, that I may truly perform my vows before made unto thee, that is, to keep thy laws and commandments, which I and every true christian profess to keep, which if I observe faithfully: thou haste promised me thy kingdom of heaven as my reward. 
jacob. si.  And if I break but one of them, I am guilty of breaking them all. Great is the vow that I have made and far passing the possibility of man's power, to fulfil. 
Marc. x.  But that is impossible to men is not impossible to the. 
Marc. x.  Wherefore, thy helping hand Lord reach unto me, as thou didst reach it to Peter, and as he was thereby made able to walk upon the waters: so shall I be able thereby to perform all thy holy laws, 
Math. xliii.  which my heart is desirous to do in the presence of all thy congregation, 
Coram omni populo eius.  that other may take example of my doings and glorify thy majesty for thy noble gift. strengthen me with thy holy spirit, give me an heart and will rather to choose to suffer death then to break any of them, 
Preciosa in conspectu domini, mors sanctorum cius. Rom. viii.  knowing that the death of thy Saints is right dear and precious in thy sight. Thy faithful servants which suffer with thy son Christ: shall also be glorified with him. In this they show themselves to be thy sons and shallbe therefore heirs together with Chryst in his reign. 
Sapien. iiii.  Although they be overtaken with death yet shall they be in rest. O how excellent a reward is this, a joy eternal for a small pain temporal. But as thy power is inestimable: so are thy rewards, ineffable, to those that are thy true servants, of which company my desire and trust is to be one. 
O domine quia ego servus tuus. ego servus tuus et filius ancille tue.  I am received into thy service, by thy loving son Christ. I have the badge of his faith and the livery of Charity, whereby his servants be known from the servants of his enemy, and all is of thy gift and his mere goodness. Not of mine own merits. For I have long served the devil and sin, following the desires of the flesh, and the world, in so much that I was bond servant unto them, fast locked and chained in their bonds. 
Dirup●ti vincula me  But I thank thee, Lord, of thy mercy. Thou hast broken all my fetters wherewith I was tied, and made me free through the death of thy loving son. Who hath paid my ransom and redeemed me out of captivity. Wherefore he may claim me to be his servant. But I am farther in thy bondage and his. For I am also the child borne of your handmaid which is the holy church, thy faithful congregation. Who is now thy servant, and thy handmaiden. She hath doth, and will serve the from the beginning of the world to the end thereof. 
Psalm. Cxxiii.  She hath her eyes as ready waiting upon thee, as the eyes of servants are to their masters or as the eyes of a handmaiden is upon the hands of her masters. She knoweth only thy voice, as the sheep do know the voice of the right shepherd and follow him. 
john viii  But to any stranger: she giveth none ear. She receiveth no laws nor commandments but only thine, Lord, that art the very good shepherd. All this doth she hear in her pilgrimage, in this world. But after the latter day of judgement: them shall she be the well-beloved spouse of Christ, she shall then rest in his arms. jacob served for Rachel vii years to get her to be his wife. Thy son served above xxx years to have her to his pure wife, 
Ephes. v.  & to make her with out spot, or wrinkle. This is that bright heavenly Jerusalem the wife of the lamb so pleasant to behold. Whereof in revelation thou didst show a figure to the blessed Apostle of thy son, saint John, 
Apo xxi.  she shall then never after sustain sorrow or pain, but all joy and perfect beatitude. This thy great and merciful goodness considered: I do acknowledge me many ways to be bond servant to the and thy gentle son. first by nature for my creation, then by birth, for that I am borne of thy handmaiden, and also by redemption: for that I was dearly bought with the blood of thy son, 
i. Corhin. vi.  and reademed at a high ransom, where else I had gone to everlasting damnation. For all these thy benefits, I can no more yield again to thee, but the sacrifice of thanks giving, which I know is to the very acceptable. 

Vota mea domino reddam.  
Tibi immolabo hostiam laudis.   Thou wouldst have none unkindness showed to the on our parties. Thy name therefore will I call upon and honour it all the days of my life, 
Et nomen domini invocabo.  I will also (as I promised) fulfil my vows which I made unto the. I will give up myself to the as an oblation which is due to thee, seeing it is thine image, as the coin of Caesar, 
Mathw. xx.  or of any prince, is due to him because his figure and inscription is therein. I will also keep thy precepts so near as thou wilt give me grace, and that openly in the sight of all thy people, 
Coram omni populo eius.  thereby to allure them to serve the faithfully, and to win them to the. I will not cease to declare unto them, how merciful thou hast been, and daily art in receiving us to thy grace, forgeveinge all our offences, if we repent. I will still acknowledge all the goodness that I have: to come of the. And all naughtiness, to come of my naughty corrupt nature. Thus thine honour will I ever magnify in the courts of the lords house, that is, before all thy faithful congregation, 
In atriis domus dom●ni.  before thine elect people in the mids of thy church, that is, my mother: and in the mids of thy City of jerusalem, whereof we are now Citizens. 
In medio tui Hieruslem. Ephes. two.  Not foreigners or strangers, but of thy holy household through the means of thy son Christ jesus   

¶ The faithful person desireth the help of God against all his enemies: 
The. Cxxi. Psalm.  and therein only putteth his sure trust.  
O Father of heaven, of power almighty, which with thine only word, 
Genes. i.  didst create & make all the whole world with the goodly contents thereof. And all for the profit and service of man whom thou didst create, of all other a most noble and perfect creature, gyveing him power upon the earth, and in the waters, & of all the fowls and birds of the air. Thou madest him also after thine own similitude, or likeness. Endewing him with a reasonable soul: & the noble powers thereof. Thou also diddest put him into that pleasant garden of paradise, nothing excepting from him but the eating of the only tree of knowledge of good and bad: 
Genes. two  & further for his help, comfort and company, of a rybe of his side, thou madest for him a woman, and gavest her to him to be his wife. There had they instructions given them and the law of life for an heritage. Before them were laid both life and death, 
ecclesiast. xv.  good and evil, with a free will given them to take whether so ever liked them. But their frailty was such that they through a small enticement, chose the evil and least the good, they left life and chose death. Thus, Lord, through sin and breaking thy commandment: man lost the free will that was given him in his creation, and purchased death to all his posterity. In the way as he went from Jerusalem to Hiericho: he fell in the hands of thieves, 
●ic 1  who hurting and wounding him sore: departed leaving him half dead, there could he of none, have help, but only of the good Samaritane who passed by the same way. He poured wine & oil into his wound and took the cure of him. This Samaritane was thy most loving son Christ, which took upon him all the iniquities of mankind, and laid them on his back, 
●say i●●  by his death, purging and cleansing him not only from the sin original of our forfather Adam: but also from all our actual sins by us committed, from time to time, by the virtue of his passion and the Sacrament of Baptism and penance. For as by one, 
Roma. ●.  that is, our first Adam was death sent in to all mankind, so by one other our second Adam Christ, was mankind restored to life. For the which great and high benefit of thy sons blessed passion for our redemption, we thy poor creatures most humbly praise and thank thee, and acknowledge his inestimable love toward us. In that he vouchsaffed to die for us being then sinners, and in that we were sinners: we were both thine and his mortal enemies. Nevertheless (most merciful father) the sparkles of the fire kindled in us by our old father Adam: and the dregs or remnauntes of his sin remain in us, that we are become so frail and weak, that we can do no good of ourselves, no not once think a good thought. And in case we by thine assistance will do any good act: 
Roma. seven.  yet are we not able of ourselves to perform it. But the will and the pefourming of the same, 
Philip. two.  doth wholly depend upon thee, and the help of thy most kind son our loving brother, it lieth not in us now, to choose and take what way shall be best, but all our steps and proceedings toward goodness, must be directed by the. We wander here miserably in the valeis and low parts, our strength will not serve us to climb to the height of the hills where thou dwellest, Lord, in the mount of Zion, a place prepared for thine elect, a chosen inheritance of thy faithful servant Abraham and his seed, wherefore sense we being burdened with the affects of worldly pleasures, and also with other cares and troubles, can by no means ascend to thee, that art on the top of so high a mountain, accompanied with so many legions of angels that still attend upon thee: we have no remedy, but with thy prophet David now to list up the eyes of our hearts & minds toward thee, 
●enaui oculus meos ●u montes.  and to cry for help to come down from the to us thy poor and wretched servants, we wander here allow as lost sheep, having no shepherd. We are assailed on every side with manifold enemies. 
●. Petri. v.   
The devil ravening and hungry seeketh whom he may devour. The world blandishing and alluring us to her deceitful vanities. The flesh also which we carry about with us being a domestical enemy ready and prone to draw us to all vices and pleasures, from these, can we by no mean be defended, but by the Lord. Send us therefore thy help from the high hills. 
unde veniet autilium 〈◊〉  Send us thy holy angels to assist and strengthen us, by whose help we may by steps of virtues climb up to thee, to inhabit among these noble hills, the country of all fertility and abundance.  
To these hills after long labour thou broughtest the Israelites, among these hills: thou causedest thy chosen City of jerusalem to be built, to be through them the stronger and more sure against all assaults of enemies. From these hills descended the sweet springs and fountains of water, to overflow the low valyes, and make them both pleasant and profitable. Thus of thee, most merciful father, 
Au●●●m meum a domino qui fecit eclum et terram.  floweth all bounty and goodness. Thou madest heaven and earth for thine own honour and man's commodity. Establish therefore, good lord, the choose work of thine hand with thy eternal help from heaven, send us down the well spring of thy grace. Send thy strong angels to aid us, by whose help, no assault of our spiritual enemies, 
Non dei in commotinem pedem tuum.  may prevail against us. No not once be able to remove our feet or thoughts from the observing of thy godly will and pleasure. The bright angels stood not fast, but through pride, slipped and sustained a great fall. Our father Adam also broke thy precept, and his foot slipped. He fell from paradise of pleasure into this world a place of travail. He fell from immortality to mortality. Take away therefore from us, Lord, that proud slyppy feet so that no temptation of sin remove us, causing us to fall from the. Make us to be true Israelites, 
Roma. ix.  that is, sears of God. Make us the true seed of Abraham by faith, and of Isaac by promission.  
So that by the help of angels: we may dwell here in the City of Jerusalem, that is, in thy true church, here militant, continuing in thy true faith, without swarueving, abiding in hope of thy promise made to all thy faithful, and working by ardent charity, 
Math. v.  as thou hast commanded us, to the good example of other, and to the glorifying of thine excellent majesty. And then need we not to be afraid of any power of enemies. Thou being our keeper and our watchman we are sure from all sudden invasions. Thine eyes are and ever will be open upon us, 
Neque dormitet qui custodit te. Ecce non dormitabit neque dormiet qui custodit Israel.  thou never sleepest nor none of thy holy angels, but intentiffely do attend to the saffekeping of thine elect, and choose people that are the lively stones of thy church or congregation. All men be they never so holy do sleep and slumbre, but Christ sleepeth not, he slept once & arose again from his sleep, so that he will never more sleep but preserve the true Israelites, 
i. Corhinth. xiii. i Io. iii  from all perils. They shall see him here by faith as it were in a glass, & after this life: they shall see him, 
〈…〉 ●it te do 〈…〉 ●o tua ●u 〈◊〉 ●num dexteram cu●●.  even as he is. Thy strong defence is much more sure for us than we ourselves can wish or devise. All the works that we can do are nothing worth to our protection. Those we clearly refuse & appeal to thy mercy, & call for the help of thy grace. Through the which we shallbe (as it were under the shadow of thy wings defended) from the heat of the son in the day time, 
Per diem sol non v●et temeque suna per nocien.  that is, from vainglory & all other temptations in prosperity, and also from the coolness of the moan by the night, that is, from slackness & not doing at all times those things which we ought and are commanded. The first would move us to the contempt & forgetfulness of the & thy wil The second would lead us to desperation. But from all these evils Lord, thy word defendeth us, both touching the body & also the soul, that the temptations of our enemies shall not prevail against us. Thou hast been our protector, 
Dominus custodit te ab omni malo, custodiat animam tuam dominus.  even from the breasts of our mother hitherto, & our trust is that thou wilt no less do all the rest of our life, and specially in the hour of death. So that when we shall put of this sack of mortality this body corruptible: 
Dominus custodiat in tronum tuum, ex hoc nunc et usque in seculum.  we shall put on the garment of immortality, & ascend to thy heavenly City of Jerusalem, where we should rest in the bosom of our father Abraham, the father of all faithful believers, in joy that may not with the tongue be expressed, nor with the heart be comprehended. There praising the with thy loving son and the holy ghost proceeding from you both world without end. Amen.   

¶ The sinner being drowned in the bloods of sin, crieth to God for his help, 
The. Cxxx. Psalm.  and prayeth to be delivered from the danger thereof.  
When I do earnestly behold mine own estate whereunto I am brought thorough sin: (that is) not only to be naked & bare of all goodness, but also to be overwhelmed & drowned in the depth of all filthy iniquity. I cannot but lament, 
Isaiah xxvi  mourn & cry for help as doth a woman whose time draweth near of the birth of her child. She can take no rest till she be discharged of her burden. No more can I Lord, so long as I feal myself looded with my heavy burden of sin: The weight whereof draweth me down to the deep bottom of all misery from whence I can by none be delivered, but only by the that art the guide and the eye to those that are blind through ignorance the succour of the oppressed, 
Io. x.  the comfort of the weak & the life of those that are dead, so that they repent & call unto the. It is not the long distance of us from thy highness, which keepeth our prayers from the.  
Thine ears are ready in the hearts of all that are ready to cry for the help of thy grace. 
jone. two.  jonas was in the bottom of the sea, in the belly of a fish iii days, from which low depth, he cried unto thee, & thou mercifully hearing him didst deliver him. who so is made far from the through sin: by repentance is made near unto the. He that is in the bottom of the sea of misery (if he begin to call for thy help) incontinent beginneth to arise and float from that depth, and can not be suffered to sink. There is no thing that draweth a man down so much as doth continual prosperity and fal●e felicity, which seam to hold a man up by the chin, but at length by them he doth sink, & not swim to the banks of assured health. 
De profundis clama●i ad te domine, domi●e eraudi vocem meā●iant aures tue inten●entes in voce depreca●ionis me.  Fron all these deep dangers (most merciful God) I cry and call piteously unto thee, which art only able to help me. Here therefore (I heartily pray thee) my sorrowful prayers, and let my poor petition pierce the ears of thy Godhead, and sense thy son Christ died for to release us of sin, let not my sins be a stay whereby my prayers should not be hard, but wipe them clean away that they never more appear. For if thou, Lord, wilt behold the iniquities of mankind which abound in us as flowers do in the fields at the springe time of the year: 
Si iniquitates obseruaveris domine: domine quis sustinebit?  no creature shall be able to abide the hardness of thy judgement. No eye may endure the sharpness of thy countenance. 
Malach. iii. job xxvi Psal. Cxliii.  The thunder of thy sentence none can sustain. The most just man shall not be able to entre with the into judgement. Who so ever presumeth of his own justice to endure the violence of thy justice: shall be as soon, overthrown, as one that standeth in the rage of a fierce water flood in a straight place, his own conscience will shortly accuse him and condemn him. Leaving therefore the rigour of thy true justice, I most vile & miserable sinner, do flee to the gentleness of thy favourable mercy, 
Quia apud te propiatio est  whose natural property is to have pity & compassion. Fron the (as from the wellspring) floweth all mercy & grace, which was so great that it caused the to send thine only son to die for our redemption. Wherein thy justice was satisfied, and thy mercy found that which it sought. Oh how fervent was this thy noble charity to us vile wretches. It took root and original beginning in thy mighty deity, and from thence is derived to mankind. 
Et propter legem tuen sustinui te domine.  To this charity thou didst bind him first by the law of nature, written in the hearts of men, and then by the law written in tables, and after approved by Christ and his Apostles in the evangelical law which was that one of us should bare the burden of another, 
Galathi. vi.  and thereby fulfil thy holy will and precept. Knowing this thy godly law: I am gladly contented to remit all injuries done to me as it hath pleased thy goodness to forgive me much greater offences committed against thee, Yea, when soever it pleaseth the to scourge and punish me, I gladly receive thy chastisement, knowing that it proceedeth of love, for my wealth and surety. Trusting that after my long abiding and suffering in this life, 
Sustinuit anima mea in verbum tuum.  I shall surely obtain the reward by the promised to me after my travail. Such sure hope have I ever had in the Lord, 
Speravit anima mea in dominum. Psalm xxii Rom. viii.  even from the breasts of my mother, and by the same hope I trust firmly to be saved. The good husband man ploweth his ground, soweth it, reapith and thresheth his corn, and all upon hoop of the profit, 
i Corhint. ix.  which thereon ariseth. Even so Lord, will I abide in hope and trust of thy glory that is to come and that not only in youth, 
A custodia matutina usque ad noctem.  or one time only of my life, but continually, from the morning watch unto the night, from the time of youth in which thou gavest me first my discretion, unto the last end of my life. For whosoever casteth away his hope before the night of death come, loseth all that he watched for before. 
Genes. xii.  The wife of Loth kept well her way of a great while still looking on forward, but at the last she could not forbear but looked back upon her country wherein she before had pleasure, and was turned into a saltston. It was not without a great mystery that the Levites were commanded to offer unto thee Lord, 
levit. i  both the head and the tail of the beast offered for sacrifice. Whereby is meant that thou dost not allow a good beginning unless there follow also a good end, For he that continueth to the end: shallbe saved. This hope in thy promise hath my poresoule firmly reposed in her bosom or breast, 
Matthew xxiiii  and this hope, it is meet that all Israel, 
Speret Israel in dominum.  that is, all christian men (which by faith see God) should have. For blessed is the man which trusteth in the merciful God, and cursed are they that put their trust in man. Of thy grace and mercy only cometh all our goodness Thy mercy forgiveth daily our sin, 
Quia apud dominum misericordia.  & the painful death of thy son Christ, delivered us from all the pains dew for our offences. 
Et copiosa apud eum redemptio.  Thou boughtest us not with gold and silver or any such vile price neither yet with the blood of a goat or any other beast. 
1. Peter i  But with the precious blood of that lamb without spot, thy blessed son. Whose death had been sufficient for a hundredth thousand such worlds. The greatness of thy love caused the plentiful payment of the price of our redemption. 
Ecclesi. xxxix.  Thy blessing did flow upon us as a mighty flood, whose great inundations do moisten all the ground. The charity of thy son hath brent up and consumed by his death, all our iniquities. Wherefore the faithful, being thus delivered from all dangers by thine only goodness, may now give praises and thanks unto thy mighty majesty, resting in hope to have after this life the thing for which they so long have hoped, which is joy everlasting through the perfect vision of thy blessed deity, even as it is. Which who so seeth: enjoyeth all things that his heart can desire. 
The. C.xxxviii. Psal.    

¶ The faithful man giveth praise to God with thanks for his mercy showed to him, and exhorteth all other to do the same.  
THe mighty power of thy divine majesty O Lord of Lords and God of all Gods with the plentiful abundance of thy goodness daily declared to all mankind, 
duty. ●.  enforceth me to consider mine own weakness and insufficiency in yielding to the any recompense. Thou Lord art omnipotent and madest all things of naught. I am thy simple creature made with thy hand and without thy help, 
iiii. Reg. v.  I am able to do no good thing. Thou art the God eternal beside whom there is no God. I am a worm of the vile earth not worthy to bear the name of a Christian man for that through mine own act of sin I have defaced the beauty of the principal part of man which is my soul made to thy godly image. Nevertheless, since thou art the refourmer of men's hearts and the inspiratour of all grace and goodness, I most humbly beseech the to correct by thy power that which through my frailty is a miss. Redress by thy pity, that which I have marred through my folly, make me able to yield unto the that which thou requirest of me, (that is) to acknowledge mine own insufficiency, 
Cōfit●bor tibi domine  and to render unto the noble praises and loving thanks for thy manifold gifts of grace, wherewith thou hast of thy mere leberalitie endued both my soul and my body. Make me worthy to laud thee, which by no means may be but by wiping away all mine iniquities. 
Ecclesi. xv. In toto cord meo.  For thy praises be not seemly in the mouth of a sinner. Yea, Lord I pray thee, inflame my heart with the love of the. So that from the bottom thereof, I may speak them, and thine honour to extol, not mine nor to love any thing in this world but the and for the. Thou art the true God and saviour, and there is none else but thou. 
Isaiah xlv  Out of thy mouth cometh the word of righteousness which no man may turn. Wherefore all other Gods set a side, to the only will I sing praises, and confess the only to be the living God, and that will I knowledge before the hole congregation of the faithful. 
two. Corin. vi. Adorabo conversus ad templum sanctum tuum.  Thou knowest the inwards of the heart of man and in the hearts of the faithful is thy seat or resting place. The souls of the just are the temples wherein thou dost inhabit. To this temple will I turn myself by considering the estate of mine own soul, which when by thy grace I make clean of vices: then am I meet to receive thee, to honour thee, & to give praises to thy high majesty. 
Acts xvii  Since that thou being Lord of heaven and earth, and of all that therein is contained: delightest not to dwell in temples made with man's hands. David would have made the a temple and was forbidden by the Prophet Nathan to whom thou saidest thou wast not used to dwell in any house. 
two. Regum vii iii. Regum .v.  And although thou didst afterward cause Solomon his son to build the a material house for the congregation to assemble in, and therein to honour thee: yet chiefly Lord the heart or soul of man is thy pleasant habitation. Wherefore, Christ thy son said to the woman of Samarie, 
john four  that neither on that mountain nor yet in Jerusalem should men worship thee, but that the true worshippers should worship the in spirit and in truth. The true worshippers must leave earthly affections, and inwardly behold the spiritual heavenly joys desiring to be the partakers of them with the angels. So shall they being thy holy temple here on earth, behold thy noble spiritual temple in heaven. 
Et confitebor nomin● tuo super misericordia tua et veritate tua  Thus shall we worthily praise thy name for two, the most special benefits that thou hast showed us (that is) for thy great mercy whereby thou hast forgiven & put away all our sins, and then for thy verity of justice, whereby thou wilt undoubtedly perform thy gentle promises made to us, in rewarding us for the observing of thy precepts. And as these be the ways by which thou showest thyself to us and dost approach near us: even so grant us (Lord) that we showing the same to our neighbours may also approach near unto the. I mean that thou wilt give us grace to have compassion on those that have need of our help and succour and also to be indifferent and upright in judgement to all men. So that these two virtues may appear to be planted by the in us. O how plentiful is thy goodness to all that love the. 
Marc. xiii.  Thy promises to them made are marvelous great, yet never was one jot of them unperformed, although to men they seem unpossible. As for example among many I will only take Abraham the father of all faithful, to whom was a child promised to be borne of his old wife Sara, 
Genes. xvii. Genes. x●i.  which against the course of nature thou didst perform. Thou didst also promise him that his seed should be increased to the multitude of the stars of the firmament or as the sands of the sea banks (that is) to a number past numbering which after beside all men's expectation thou broughtest to pass, 
Genes. xxii.  And all this Lord didst thou for thy name's sake: 
Quo niam magnificasti super omne, nomen sanctum tuum.  thou wilt ever have thy word found true and also magnified, for thine own honour and glory, and for our commodity. Upon the therefore will I still call, 
In quacunque die inuotau●ro te exaudi me.  trusting that thou wilt shortly hear me. I will also call upon the mighty name of thy son jesus Chryst. 
Marc. xvi.  In whose name the faithful have and daily do cast out devils from the possessed, they have spoken and do speak with new tongues. They kill the serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them, that is, they leave their wicked minds and devilish works, in which they before led their lives, they speak thy holy word and set forth the verity, leaving all lies and deceit. They do suppress the suggestions of the old serpent Satan: plucking out the sting of his tail wherewith he was accustomed to wound them, and if at any time they have consented to sin and received his poison: it shall not hurt them. For Chryst, on whose name they made invocation, purgeth them clean thereof after their hearty repentance. So that, to the good faithful people, their fall into sin is now turned to good to them, and to their profit. 
Multiplicabis in anima mea virtutem.  Their souls thereby receive greater force and strength ever after. For this strength of the powers of my soul, I call most humbly unto thee (merciful God) whereby I may be able to vanquish the said subtle Serpent and all his illusions. Perform in me that which thou hast promised, 
Farebuntur te esse dominum omnes reges terre, ubi audierunt omni● verba otis tui.  whereby all people, yea, the mighty Kings Princes and rulers of the earth hearing of thy merciful promises and power in performing them, shall take occasion to praise thee, and to magnify thy name. Yea, 
Et cantent in viis domini ꝙ magna est gloria homini.  with songs and harmony they shall set fourth, and praise thy ways, and bear witness of thy high majesty. Al thy ways are mercy and truth. 
Phal. xxv.  Thy mercy reacheth to the heaven and thy faithfulness to the clouds, 
Psalmus xxxvi  and thy righteousness standeth like the strong mountains.  
This considered, needs must all the rulers of the earth confess that great is thy might and thy glory. 
Excelsus dominus et humilia respicit & alta eminus agnoscit.  Nevertheless although thou dwellest above the heavens, yet hast thou a loving respect unto the lowly and meek of spirit, 
Psal. xxxiiii.  thou beholdest them as one looketh on his friend. Thou drawest near unto them to hear their prayers. Yea, thou art their shield and protection in all their necessities But what shall we then think? Dost thou not behold also those that are proud and work iniquities? Yes truly. Thou seest them perfectly. But it is a far of. Thou seest them with a fierce look to their confusion, 
Psalm xxxiiii  to destroy and rote forth the memory of them cleave out of the land of ever lasting beatitude. Who so therefore will have thy majesty come near unto him: 
Mathw. xv Si ambulavero in medio tribulationis vivirabis me.  must pull down his high mind and become low in heart. The meek and humble people be those that shall enjoy the heavenly country. And though they walk in the mids of trouble: yet shalt thou refresh them and quicken them. This world is a place ordained for trouble, not for rest. Here we are appointed to travail. In this place no man wanteth tribulation. But thou ever, graciously refreshest and comfortest thy faithful. Thou sufferest them not to be overcome in any tribulation. Yea, although they be committed by tyrants to temporal death: yet through the shall they vanquish all their enemies. 
Psal. Cxvi.  The death of thy saints is right dear & precious in thy sight. 
Mathwe. x.  They need not to fear those that have power only to kill the body. But let them fear thy mighty hand, Lord, which hast power to slay both body and soul. The temporal death is a way to bring us from much trouble, to the haven of everlasting health, into the land of livers. Yet let the unjust & cruel enemies of the faithful, stand in dread of thy stretched forth arm, 
Supet iram inimicorum meorum extendisti manum tuam.  wherewith in thine anger thou wilt strike them. Of thine infinite goodness thou sufferest long, abiding their conversion, but at length after long tarrying, thou strykest very sore, throwing both soul & body into the pit of hell, there to be tormented with plagues and receive double asmuch to be poured forth to them of the same cup, which they filled to other: 
Apoca. xvii.  such measure of cruelty as they showed to other: such measure of punishment and sorrow shall be measured to them again, which shall never cease nor be diminished. This knowing and believing (most merciful God) what reasonoble creature would not tremble and quake? who will continue in sin, considering the pains dew to sin? wherefore, Lord, power out thy mercies I beseech the upon thy flock, deliver us from all our enemies spiritual and temporal. 
Salu● me fecit dextera tua.  Let thy right hand save us (that is) lead us through thy grace, into eternal felicity. As for riches, ease, honour, or any kind of temporal pleasure, which be thy gifts also (but of thy lift hand) we nothing esteem. These, many times thou bestowest upon thine enemies. The other thou reservest for thine elect to receive after many their tribulations. And the same, Lord, I humbly beseech to keep in store for me thy poor servant. Regard not the wickedness, which I daily commit, but thine own goodness, whereby thou freely dischargest such as offend against the. At the least, behold the merits of thy son jesus Christ my God, and my Saviour, 
Dominus retribuet prom●.  who hath made good for me that I was not able to make good myself. He hath paid my debt. And upon my repentance therefore thou, Lord, haste sealed mine acquittance. The only cause thereof was thy mercy and mere liberality, which, as it hath been from everlasting: even so will it endure without end for ever. 
Domine misericordia tua in seculum.  And as through thy said great mercy thou didst send thy son to die for thine enemies: so I trust that thou wilt not leave to save us that are thy faithful servants. Consiore I pray the that whether we be sinners, or else by thy help, made new men and justified, yet always are we thy creatures, the work of thine hand, which thy work, 
Opera manuum tua●um ne despi●ias.  we beseech the mercifully to behold, and not our own work, which we have added thereto. Thy work was made good, but the works of our hands have made foul that thou hast wrought. May it therefore please thy majesty of thine abundant goodness to take away that we have wrought, and let nothing remain, but that is only of thy creation. So shalt thou acknowledge us as thine own, & receive us to thee, and call us to thine everlasting glory through Christ jesus. So be it.   

¶ The Prophet David made this Psalm properly in the person of Christ speaking to his heavenly father (as the head of his church). 
The. Cxxxix. Psalm  But it may be applied unto the faithful members of his congregation, returned to God from all evil ways in which they have walked.  
Lord God almighty the creature and maker of all things, whose power is an everlasting power, which shall never be put down, whose kingdom endureth incorrupt for ever, and thy going out hath been from everlasting, great art thou, high & unmeasurable, thou only knowest the ways of wisdom, 
Psalm. lxxix Math. v. Baruch iii  none other is there that seeketh out her paths but thou the mighty God, which haste found her out with thy forknowledge, & by the same thy godly wisdom and prescience hast created all things according to thy noble will and pleasure. This thine omnipotent power, Lord, I thy poor subject do honour: and thy wonderful wisdom I have in great veneration. By the one thou madest all things. By the other thou knewest what thou woundest make long before they were made. In both these hast thou declared thyself to be the living God, and although our acts which be past, present, and to come, be all open before thine eyes: and our thoughts manifest in the light of thy divine prescience, 
Domine probasti me et cognovisti me.  yet dost thou dally search & prove thine elect people. Sometime by adversity, sometime by prosperity, not for th'increase of thy knowledge, but to cause us to be known thereby to other. 
Genes. xxii.  Of this sort didst thou prove Abraham in the oblation of his son, to the intent his obedience might be an example to all that should come after him. 
●o●. xxiii.  Thus also didst thou prove thy servant job, as gold is tried by fire in the fornaice, & he was found both faithful, constant & just. Thou knowest what men be before thou triest them, but after the trial thou hearest them, & their prayers, and alowste their good acts and intentions. By such proof Lord, hast thou tried me both within and without, and although thorough frailty I have erred wandering a little from thee: yet at length have I been found to return again to the that art the perfect way, to believe faithfully in the as in my very God, to trust wholly in thee, and to love the as my merciful father, & all through the gift of thy grace, not of mine own strength or will. 
Tu cognovisti sessio●em meam, et resurre●tionem m●am.  Thou knowest my down sitting and mine uprysinge (that is) whether I sit or stand, rise or fall, whether I go forth to travail in any worldly business, or else return from labour to take my rest: thou knowest and considerest all things better than I do myself, when so ever I sit resting in sin according to the miserable condition of my nature, or else arise again out of sin through the goodness of thy grace: all is manifest unto thee, yet are all my evil acts soon put out of thy godly remembrance, so that I acknowledge myself to be a sinner against the.  
Thou requirest that I should accuse myself or ever I be justified by the. 
Psalm. Cxxvii.  I must first eat the bread of sorrow for that I have so long sitten in sin, and then art thou ready mercifully to raise me, Thou art a God in whom no ignorance can fall. The carpenters and masones who intend to erect an house: first devise & build the form thereof in their mind before the foundations be laid, or else shall their works sometime be racid down to amend that was omitted or vicious. And shall I think the to be so ignorant and undiscrete a workman of the work of man's body that thou diddest not in thine eternity conceive and know, not only all mine acts, 
Intellexisti cogitationes meas de long.  proceedings and end, but also my thoughts which I should at any time think? This were as great an error as to think the not to be God. Since it is a part of thy divine nature to see things a far of, and to know my thoughts in thy forknowledge, before they come into my heart or mind? which who so thinketh not to be in thee, taketh from the in his heart, a part of thy godhead. And as the good workman maketh his work perfect and true by his line and his measure: so dost thou measure all my ways, that is, 
Semitam meam et finiculum meum investgasti, omnes vias meas previdisti.  all mine acts by the line of mine intent conceived in the working of them, which intent is aprarent to thy Godly consideration. Nothing can escape the untried, neither the deeds of thy people for to receive therefore their heavenvly reward, neither the works of the bad to receive for them due punishment, 
Non est sermo in lingua mea.  there is no word spoken by me but it is first known to the before it is come in to my mouth. And as thy wisdom is incomprehensible in knowing all things: even so is thy power ineffable in the working of them, of which the more that I devise to search out the grounds, the more do I remain wrapped in ignorance If I should muse how deep dwellings are in the sea, 
●i. Esdre. iiii.  or how great waters are above the firmament, or how great water springs are in the beginning of the deep, or which are the out goings of Paradyse: I might well judge them to be far beyond my capacity. For that I never went down into the deep, nor yet climbed ever up into heaven to have knowledge of any so hid secrets. But when I only consider thy workmanship in the body of man which thou hast fashioned both behind and before, 
●etro et ante formame.  whereof I feal daily the experience: and perceive the secret operations of nature therein to be such that they pass far my capacity, I leave of to search further of that, whereof I by no means may attain the knowledge. The sinews both the hard and the soft, the gross and the fine, fetch from the head, and the brain their original, by which all other parts have their feeling and their moveinge, the veins convey the blood from the liver which is the great receptacle or store house of the blood, from one part of the body to an other, whereby the whole body is nourished. The joints are firmly knit, which join (as it were by a mutual amity) one member to an other, one part serveth the necessities of the other, the mouth feedeth the stomach, the stomach prepareth a concoction to the liver, the liver worketh it again more perfectly to the veins, the veins labour it also and bring it to all the parts of the body. The heart which is the fountain of lively heat and wherein the vital spirits do rest: hath his place in the mids of the body, as in the most assured place thereof for the safeguard of all the rest, with many other lively qualities belonging to the body, which to express passeth all men's capacities. As the eyes, through the glasye & crystalline humours with the help of the two small sinews, to see things far distant, the ears to hear any son, the mouth to taste, the nose to smelling, the hands and other parts to feel, which are wonderful to consider But nothing in comparison of the noble spiritual gifts of the soul, as of memory, imaginations, fantasy, opinion, discretion, wisdom, understanding, and above all, reason, set in the highest part of the head as indifferent judge or ruler to all the rest. All these Lord, thou which livest everlastingly hast created together. And yet when thou hast created them they could no while endure but must needs perish, if thou diddest not help them, 
Posuisti supor me m●num tuam.  keep them, and with thy migytie hand or power from time to time preserve them, the house of man's body will soon decay, unless it be repaired continually by thy merciful grace, by which thy grace sometime thou layest thy heavy hand upon me plaguing & punishing me whereby I am brought to the knowledge of the. 
Psalm xxxii Eccle. xviii.  Who can therefore be able to express thy works, 
job xxxvi Mirabilis facta est s●entia tua super me, cofortata est et non potro ad came.  or who can declare the power of thy greatness? who hath sought out the ground of thy noble acts? Such knowledge of thy handy work is so wonderful, so excellent, and of such force that I can not attain unto it. I can not but wonder at the excellency of thy works, and honour the that art the maker of them. For by the marvelous nobleness of the creatures: is set forth the honour of their maker. So much as the creature is high in worthiness: so much greater is the honour of the creature. And as thy knowledge and power exceed our understanding: so doth thy presence so largely extend that all men ought to honour and also to fear the. We thy wretched creatures which daily tresspasse against thee, fearing thy justice in judgement: 
john viii  seek ways to flee from the. We have walked in darkness leaving the which art the very light. Wherefore we search all places to hide us from thy presence, but all in vain. For thou art not local, thou canst in no place be included, yet in all places art thou present, being all one in thyself without mutability or variation. 
Quo ibo a spiritu tu●? aut quo a facre tua ●ugiam? ●. Corhinth. two. Sapi. i.  No man can go from thy spirit, neither flee from thy presence, thy spirit fulfilleth the whole world, thy hand can no man escape. Who in this world can hide himself from thee, with whom the whole world is filled full? 
Si ascendero in celum ●u illit es.  If I climb up in to heaven thou art there as in thine especial habitation, that place also is fulfilled with the and with thy glory. I know that in that thy house there are divers and many mansions, but all are so full of light and brightness, that I can by no means be there hid from the. 
Si descendero in infernum ades.  Again if I would descend down to the lower parts of the earth, yea to the deep bottom of hell, thinking there to be kept close from thy presence: I were much more deceived. For there art thou also potencially, thy power doth there extremely punish the wicked for their offences, according to the severity of thy divine justice. If it were possible for me to take me wings and to flee over the sea to the uttermost part of the world with such speed as the sun in space of one day is carried from the east unto the extreme part of the west: 
Si sumpseto penna● meas diliculo et habitavero in extremis m●ris.  yet can not I that way escape thy presence. For I shall never be carried thither but thy sufferance, thine almighty power must carry me thither, or else I shall fall and perish by the way, 
Etenim illuc manus t● a deducet me.  and if I might by any mean come thither, thy hand will there arrest me as an unfaithful traitor that seeketh to flee from his worthy master. 
Etenebit me dextera tua.  Furthermore, if I would be so unwise to think that thou being the very light of the world, 
Isaiah. ●●.  and an everlasting light dost not see things which are wrought in darkness, & for that cause I would desire to cover me with the dark clock of the night, and therein follow the concupiscences of the flesh more freely, this were surely the most fooly of al. For our darkness is no darkness unto thee, 
Quia tenebre non sunt tenebre apud te, nox s●cut dies lucet & similes sunt tenebre et lux.  thy presence causeth the night to be brighter than is the sun to us in the middle of the day, so that all my delight, all my pleasuant desires and my works of darkness, be made as apparent unto the in the night time as in the day. The light of the sin doth nothing increase thy sight, no more doth the darkness of the night let thy sight. And that more is, thou Lord dost inhabit the inward parts of my body, my reins are thine. My delectations were wont to be in sensual pleasures of the flesh, but now of thy goodness, I only joy and delight in thee, thou hast so stayed me that those parts of my body which served before thine enemy: are now become ready to serve, to sanctification, and are become thy proper possession. 
Rome. v●●  For what am I miserable wretch being destitute of thy help? I do consydre thy goodness & thy godly providence: by which thou waste the cause of my first being, thou diddest lay the foundation before I was first begotten in the womb of my mother, and before I received any shape of man, thou diddest with thy help cover me. In process of time thou gavyst me my form with lineaments of the body, proportioning in me the shape of man that I now have which a certain space before: was a rude piece of flesh without any comely features, at the last thou diddest brathe into my body thy lively breath, thou diddest there nurishe me and keep me from perils during mine abiding there. afterward when the time of my birth was come: 
Suscep●sti me de utero matris me.  thou tookest me into thy favourable protection, & hast from time to time according to the quantity of my growing and the time of my years given unto me strength of body, and brought me unto the just perfection thereof. The cunning masters in the craft of graving, carving, painting or any other worldly faculty, when they have with diligence achieved any work which they have taken in hand: they than set it on side as a thing which needeth no further labour or industry. But it fareth not so by thy work in the making of me, & other thy reasonable creatures, we have daily need of thy gracious help, thou must ever engrave in us thy precepts, must frame in us a heart desirous to keep them, thou must lay upon us a colour of thy grace, whereby we shallbe strong and able to fulfil them. Greatly therefore are we bound unto thy majesty for the love, 
Confitebor tibi quta te ribilitet magnificasti me.  thou bearest unto us, which is much more abundantly showed in the preservation of us, than it is in our creation, much ought we to praise the and to thank the for our wonderful creation, but much more me●ueylouse are thy works in our daily protection, assistance, inspiration, 
Mitabilia opera tua.  redemption and reconciliation, 
Et anima mea cognoscet ea.  which the spiritual eye of my soul doth right well consider For without those all that was before wrought, was to little purpose for our profit. Wherefore we must humbly pray the Lord, to regard what shall redound to thy greatest glory, & that to set forth for thine own honour and also for thy profit, sense thine honour is more advanced in saving of one poor miserable and sinful creature through thy mercy then in the damnation of a thousand by the rigour of thy justice. For in hell can none praise the but curse, wail, mourn and lament their miserable estate incessantly. Thou knowest what is within us to the uttermost be it never so closely & secretly hid. 
Non est occultatum o● meum a te quod fecisti in occulto.  The bones both great and small in all parts of my body thou haste numbered them all, although they be with the flesh & the skin full privily hid from the sight of our carnal eyes, yea thou knowest the earthly matter whereof my body was made, 
●● substá●la mea in in●rioribus terre.  and didst devise the fashion thereof in the earthly place of my mother's womb, long time before it was made, thou didst behold the imperfect matter of my body long before any shape were put therein, 
●mperfec●um meum vi●etunt oculi tui.  or any life given there unto. All that ever concerneth me from my beginning to the end, is written in thy book of godly forknowledge. 
●n libro tuo omnia scri●●ntur. Luce xii  The heres of my head thou knowest by numbered. The days of my life & of all other thy reasonable creatures both good & bad, are written in that thine eternal book, which is nothing else but thy godly mind & thine everlasting memory, which seeth a far of all the acts, not only of those that have been or now are living on the earth, but also of all that shall succeed us. For when all that are now in life shallbe taken by death out of this transitory world, paying the general det dew unto nature, so that not one that is now in life shall tarry to see the days and time that here after shall come: 
●ies firmabuntut et ●emo in eyes.  yet shall other increase & come in their places, whereof none shall escape thy moste perfect knowledge. They are all written in thy book of eternal prescience, as we are which shall pass away before that time. Great therefore & incomprehensible are thy ways in my judgement. 
Quam preciose mihi fuerunt cogitationes rue?  Right precious are thy counsels declared unto mankind, so many ways that no tongue is able to express, neither heart to imagine them. The sum of them is so great, that when I intend to tell them: 
Quam ingentes fact font sum eorum.  they are more in numbered then the sands or gravel of the sea banks. If I would endeavour myself thereto all my life time, my work were all in vain, & why? 
Si enim numerare coner eas: super arenan multiplicabuntur. Ecclesi. i.  For that thine only wisdom hath devised them, whose ground no man can seek out. No man hast thou ever made thy councillor in thy noble proceedings, 
Isaiah xl  the sweetness of thy goodness & wisdom, when I have thus earnestly considered, from whom nothing can be keeped close: I determined incontinent to leave all mine old manner of evil living, 
Exsurrexi et adhuc siterum.  to arise out of sin, wherein I lay wallowing as doth the foul swine in the mire, to cleave unto thy laws & to fulfil thy precepts. And my hope straight said that taking sure hold of the & of thy grace: I should at the last general arising of the body joined with my soul: enjoy thy blessed presence in thy heavenvly kingdom, having comfort of the clearness of thy bright majesty, & being made partaker of thy joys perpetually. These great and unspeakable pleasures should I have lost, if I had continued in sin. 
Si occideris deus pe●catores.  In stead whereof I should with the wicked sort of people have been thrown into hell, there to receive death everlasting both of body and soul. Wherefore (most gracious God) I heartily beseech the to give me grace to flee the company of the cruel blood thirsty people, 
Viri sanguinum de●● nate a me.  to banish out of my company all such as speak untruly of thee, 
Qui contradicunt ti● scelerate elevari sunt fistra adversarii tui.  & of thy holy will & word, & also of all such as exalt themselves presumptuously against thee, lest by being conversant in their wicked company, I might fall from the & from the right way wherein through grace thou haste directed me. For who so toutcheth pitch: shallbe filed withal, & he that is familiar with the proud: 
Eccli. xiii.  shall clothe himself with pride. He the doth evil is worthy of death, & not he only, but those which communicate with him, 
Roma. i. ●onne qui odetunt te Domine oderam et suet inimicos tuos taescobam.  & have pleasure in them that do evil. I hate them therefore (O Lord) that hate thee, & I may not away with them that rise up against the. Thou art a mighty God and a jealous God, thou wilt not have any part of thine honour given to any other, but reservest that to thyself. Thou requirest our whole love, our service & our whole hearts. He that serveth thy enemy the devil or the world: can not also serve the. No man can at one time please two masters, 
●uce. xvi.  which are so diverse of natures and wills. Wherefore such as hate thee: 
●efecto odio oderam ●os inmici facti sunt wehee.  I will hate right sore. Those that are thine enemies: shall also be mine enemies. All that only hate me & are mine enemies: I clearly forgive them, & will forget the displeasures which they have done unto me. 
Math. v.  Yea I do pray unto thee (my merciful father) even from the bottom of my heart to forgive them. But those that are thy cruel enemy's Lord, which maliciously resist the and thy holy word: I can not but hate them. Moses' seeing the idolatry of the people of Israel in worshipping the golden calf while he was above with the Lord, 
Exod. xxxii.  in the mount Sinaye: waxed wonderful angry, and in his anger slew about three thousand men with the help of the Levites, and therein he assuaged thine anger.  
Wherein I do mark Lord, that he loved the people, as thy creatures and prayed to the for them, but their execrable sins against thee, he so hated that he could not forbear to revenge thy quarrel. Even so did Phinees the son of Eleazar, being jealous for thy sake, 
Numeri. xxii.  slay an Israelite whom he found openly with a madianitishe wife to the evil example of his brethren, & the plague ceased from the children of Israel, through his earnest punishing of the wicked. Wherefore I taking of them example: do not so love the persons of the wicked, which are of thy creation, that I shall also love their vices, neither do I so hate their wickedness, that I shall also hate their persons, but rebuking and punishing to my power their vices, I do right heartily pray unto the for amendment of their lives, and for the salvation of their souls. Considre Lord, the frailty of our nature, none can stand fast in thy right way, but shall slide and fall, unless thou give him the staff of thy grace to lean upon, and to stay him thereby. I have wandered from the as a astray sheep from the flock, but thy goodness hath found me out again, and brought me unto thy fold, yet I feel that I can not do my duty unto the as I am bound to do, I feel my conscience to be sick and wounded with the darts of concupiscence. 
Proba me deus et scit cor meum explora me cognosce semitas me as.  Wherefore I beseehe thee (my merciful God) to try me with all kinds of trials whereby thou provest thy elect people, beat me scourge me, and so correct me that thou mayst reform me, search the goound of my heart prove and examine my thoughts, and where thou findest in me to be any way of wickedness hid: play the part of a good physician, 
Et vide si via iniquit tis in me est.  purge me thereof, make clean my soul of all the uncleanness thereof, consume the darts wherewith my soul is wounded, thou Lord (I say) must heal me and none other, through the may I be helped and by none other. The way Lord, that I of myself shall enterprise to walk in, is the way of sin and the way of death, a way which much displeaseth the eyes of thy deity. But thy way is the way of health, 
Et dedue me in via ●●terna.  the way of everlasting salvation. Lead me therefore Lord, out of mine own wicked way into thy blessed way, through the merits of thy blessed son Christ, 
I●hn. xiiii.  which is the very true perfect way, to all beatitude, by whose help I may so direct my steps, and so set forth my paces in the way of this life, that I may keep the straight way into the life everlasting.   

¶ All creatures reasonable are exhorted to give thanks and praises unto God both for the erection of our earthly Zion the Christian congregation, 
Psalm. Cxlvi.  and also of the heavenly Jerusalem.  
Most merciful God and heavenly father by whom the whole world & all the contents thereof are governed, of whose heaped goodness no man can so much desire as thou art able to give, neither is any man able by his acts to merit the hundredth part of so much as thou of thy mere liberality dost reward him, Lord, that dost exhort us thy faithful to ask of the in the name of thy son Christ, things expedient for our salvation for our worldly necessities, not doubting but that we should receive the same at thy merciful hands. This thy great love and charity, most mighty God, 
Laudate dominum quoniam bonus est psalmus  moveth me and also exhorteth me to give to thine highness most hearty thanks and praises as the creature ought to give to his maker. Not thanks Lord which are spoken only with the mouth, outwardly, the heart being withinforth corrupt with all kinds of concupiscences, and a heart grudging to do good to other, but an heart and mind which loveth the for thyself above all creatures, and for thy sake, willing lovingly to do to other as I would should be done unto me, knowing that in case my works agree not consonauntly with my voice, 
Deo nostro sit to cundade cotaque laudacio,  the praise which should proceed forth of my mouth were nothing pleasant in thy sight, since thou delightest not in the praises that issue from the mouth of a sinner. 
Ecclesi. xv.  But what so ever I honestly do in this world other eating or drinking, sleeping or waking, 
i. Corhinth. x.  working or resting, I intend to do all things wholly to thine honour and praise. And to extol the with my words which may spring from a pure and uncorrupt heart, as clean water doth from a clear and undefiled fountain. This am I much moved to do by the consideration of thy goodness showed after the fall of thy bright angels, whose places to fulfil in thy heavenly City of Jerusalem, 
Edificans Hierusalem dominus.  and to repair the ruin of those stones which fell from thence, thou madest mankind intending by him to restore at length the first noble building thereof. But man alas when he should have been hewed to the purpose of that noble edifice, could not endure to be squared and tried by the perfect rule of thy godly commandments, wherefore he also fell from paradise as a stone abject and not worthy to be there placed. He followed the instigation of his enemy the devil, wherefore he was cast from that pleasant place, to wander abroad in this present world as in a painful pilgrimage, here traveling long in misery both he and all his posterity, as people dispersed into all parts thereof, till thou Lord of thine exceeding charity didst send down thine only begotten son to shed his blood for the redemption of all the world who hath erected here one temporal City of Jerusalem, his City of peace, his holy and pure spouse the christian congregation calling to the erection of that, his building his faithful people from the four winds, that is from the four parts of the world, which are the lively stones gathered together as well of the gentiles as of the jews, 
john. xi Di●pertiones Israelis congregabit.  which were before as out casts dispersed and scattered into all parts of the world. He sought them of his mercy which sought not him, and found them which looked not for him. 
Qui sanat contritos contritos cuide & alligat contricion●s corum.  He healed the griefs of those that were bruised in the said perilous fall, binding up their wounds, and laid the wholesome plaster of his passion and the oil of his grace to as many of them as are contrite in heart. 
Psalm xxxiiii  To such art thou Lord near at hand, and healpest those which be of an humble spirit. Thou healest them I say of their wounds here in this world, but not to the very perfectness of health, until the resurrection of the just and elect persons, at which time they shall shine in beauty and clearness as stars in the firmament, world without end, 
David xii Math. ix.  yea they shall shine as bright as the sun in thy glorious kingdom. The sun the moan and the stars are the noble garnishing of the firmament. So are thine elect persons the glorious ornaments of thy church here militant. In which through their virtuous living, they give an example of virtue for other to follow them, and being in the mids of the perverse and crooked nations they shine as light in the world holding fast the word of life. 
Philip. two.  
Qui numerat multit●dinem stellarum om●bus eis nomina imponit.  Wherefore like as thou knowest the numbered of the stars in the firmament which were of thine own making, by thine eternal mind wherein all things are conceived and foreseen before they were created, and givest them all several names according to their distinct natures and properties: even so is the numbered of thine elect known unto thee: 
Io. xiii. Luke ten Magnus' dominus noster et magna virtus eius et sapienty eius 〈◊〉 est numerus.  & their names are written in the book of everlasting life. Great therefore art thou Lord and great is thy power, yea thy wisdom is infinite, by which thou hast made and ordered all things in measure, numbered and weight. 
Sapi. xi.  needs must thou far exceed our numbering, for among us, numbered itself can not be numbered, much less mayst thou be included in numbered. This thy wisdom is the brightness of thine everlasting light, 
Sapi. seven.  the undefiled mirror of thy divine majesty and the image of thy goodness, through which thy goodness thy said wisdom conveyeth herself into the souls of thine holy elect people, there working the riches of thy grace, 
Duscipiens mansueos dominus.  graffing in them the graff or branch of humility upon the fruitful rote of faith and making therewith all good works to spring.  
Thine apostle Paul declairng the fruits of the spirit in the good christian: 
Sala. v.  puttteth meekness to be one of the principal, saying that those, which are endued therewith are not subject to the law. Wrath and anger are in the bosom of the foul, but meekness and suffering do rest in the bosom of the wise The meek dost thou defend, 
Ecclesiast seven.  take unto thy protection, and exalt highly in the time of thy visitasion. 
●umilians autem pec●tores usque ad terram.  But the ungodly and proud people thou bryngeste down to the ground, that is to utter confusion. Grant us therefore most gentle heavenly father, thy grace to expel from us all pride of mind, whereby we are made as strangers unto the. And give us an humble will to sing unto the with praises and thanks giving, 
●audate dominum in cō●ssione.  for the exceeding goodness which we have and daily do receive of thee, whereby we may move all other to the like exalting of thy mighty magnificence, & that not only with the voice or confession of the mouth, 
●sa●●ite deo nostro in thara.  but also with the spiritual harp of good works, that as our mouths wholly be employed to the setting forth of thy godly honour, so may our hands execute thy holy precepts of charity to the comfort of our neighbours and that with a glad and a joyful heart without grudging, 
●. Corhinth ix.  knowing that thou lovest a cheirfull giver, and mercy is to be showed with cheirfulnesse, 
Roma. xii.  and love without dissimulation. Worthy art thou I say most mighty God to have honour and praise given unto thee, which coverest the heaven with clouds keeping us from the sight of the pure element for a season, 
Qui operit eclum nubibus.  through the thick darkness of the watery substance that hangeth between it and us. I mean that thou haste covered thy holy scripture with such figures and secret mysteries that without thy help no man is able to attain to the perfect beholding thereof. Thy son Christ spoke therefore to the jews in parables and similitudes, 
Luce. viii.  to the intent that when they did see they should not see, & when they did hear they should not understand. Yet have we not in that any cause of desperation, for those same clouds haste thou prepared to rain upon the earth, 
Et patat terre pluuiam  they were gathered up of a watery substance, which at the descent or falling upon the earth causeth great fertility. Thy goodness Lord hath so plentifully poured thy grace upon diverse of thy faithful servants, that by ensearching the said privy secrets, they have found the knowledge of the most of them, and with the same have so watered the hearts & minds of other thy faithful earthly people that they have received plentifulness of spiritual comfort. The earth or earthly people which before were dry, are thereby brought to pleasant fruitefullnesse, yea even the high mountains, that is the proud and high minded people have so tasted of the sweet dews of thy holy doctrine that they now bring forth the green grass and the pleasant herbs 
Qui producit in montibus fenum.  of good works. 
●ouer xxvii iii dat pecoribus es●● ipsorum.  Thus dost thou give food unto the cattle, and all beasts, fowls, fishes and generally all things that bear life, have their nurture and living of thee, but specially the beasts of thy flock. The faithful sheep of thy fold, find themselves to be liberally repasted with the words which proceed out of thy mouth, the dilicatenes thereof feedeth them very fat. The young ravens also before their black feathers do appear (as some do write) are destitute of the help or nourishing of their parents, 
●t pullis coruorum ●uocantibus eum.  for that they judge them not to be their birds, until they be more ascertained thereof by the colour of their feathers, yet dost thou not all that while leave them unholpen, when they for hungres cry in their kind and crock to the for help, thou Lord dost nourish them with the dews which fall from the air until their said parents receive the charge of feeding them. Whereby is meant that although at the time of the coming of thy son Christ into this world he found all the gentiles (that is to say) all the inhabitants of the whole earth in the service of idols (the people of the jews only except who as thy peculiar flock had knowledge of the and thy divine laws.) Nevertheless by his holy preaching and marvelous works he converted a great numble of the gentiles to believe in the & in him whom thou diddest send. So that the young ravens being the birds of the old ravens (that is) the posterity of the gentiles which were idolaters (whereof Lord we of thy faithful congregation are the seed) do now call only on thee, and thy blessed son with the holy spirit from you both proceeding, desiring of the with all humility to be replenished with the spiritual food of thy holy doctrine to the strength and comfort of our souls, knowing assuredly that thou deliteste not in the strength or power of any man, no not although he had the strength of an horse. 
Non infortitudine 〈◊〉 voluntatem habebi●  Thou neither delightest in the horse, neither yet in the rider, neither in the strength of the legs of a man, whereby the force of the body doth appear, 
Nec in tibiis virib placitum erit ei.  nor in the shape or proportion thereof. None of these are causes which may move the to save man or to give him eternal life: but thy delight is in them that fear the with a chaste, 
Beneplacitum est domino super timent eum, et in eyes qui speri super misericordia 〈◊〉  a reverent, and a loving fear, and in them that put their full hope and sure affiance in thy great and tender mercy and in thy promises made to mankind which must needs be proved true, and undoubtedly performed. Praise therefore the Lord, 
Lauda jerusalem d●minum.  O thou heavenly City of Jerusalem which by enterpretation is the vision or fight of peace (that is) all ye holy angels and blessed spirits the inhabitants thereof, give ye continual praises unto god of whom ye continually have the fruition and perfect sight, even as he is to your continual peace and peaceable enjoying in surety, without that ye shall have any need to doubt ever to be at any time moved there from. Thou also the earthly Zion which by interpretation art a seear of God a far of (that is to say) thou faithful church or congregation of christian believers which seest God a far of as it 
Lauda deum tuum ● on.  were in a mirror, yet having sure trust after this pilgrimage to be joined with the fellowship of that other heavenly Hieru●alem, thou I say haste also great cause to laud and thank God, but every one of you after his estate and condition. 
Quoniam comfortavit vetes portarum tuarum.  To the first (that is) the celestial Jerusalem, God hath locked fast thy gates and made them sure with strong bars, so that no enemy or stranger may enter into thee, to molest or by any way trouble thy noble Citizens. Neither may the children which are brought up in thee, have any cause of fear to be at any time put from thyer joyful place, 
Benedixit fillis tuis ●ui sunt in te.  but are sure there to remain perpetually enjoying their blessing given them of God, which blessing is the gift of all spiritual and heavenly beatitudes to be received in surety for ever. Thine enemies may not enter, thy friends can not get out of thy gates, which gates are not material, neither are the locks and bars of iron as are in our earthly Cities, but thereby is meant the admission of the elect persons into that heavenly company or the repelling of the slow and sinful sort from entering into that pleasant place, 
Math. xxv.  as of the ten virgins appeareth, of which numbered the five wise virgins were admitted, and the five foolish were put back as persons unknown. 
Qui fines tuos pace onat.  God also hath made peace in thy borders. tranquillity doth compass the round about as our arthlye Cities are environed with material walls: so that thy quietness shall never be perturbed. In this present life no man living can say that he hath perfect peace, the flesh lusteth contrary to the spirit, 
Gala. v  and the spirit contrary to the flesh. 
job xiii  So long as man is here living, his flesh must have travail, and while the soul is in him: he must be in sorrow. 
i. Corben. xv.  The perfect quietness never cometh till this corruptible body do put on incorruptibility, and the mortal do put on immortality. Then cease all humane passions in that thine heavenly place, there is no hunger and thirst, 
Apo. xxi.  heat or cold there is no weeping, sorrow, crying, or pain neither death, for all old things are gone. There is ever a bright light and joy without end, which passeth all joys. Thy Citizens are fed full with the beholdind of thy delectable divinity, face to face even as it is, which is a joyful satisfaction of all their desires. This is the fine flower of wheat which is delectable and feedeth fat those which are fed continually therewith. 
Ex adipe frumenti saliat te.  This joy is the consummation of all joys, and the fulfilling of all desires, which passeth far the capacity of man to express. Nevertheless yet art not thou, noble Zion, the church of Christ here militant, void of many godly gifts, which should star the also to sing praises unto God. 
i. Corthin. vi.  We I say (most merciful father of heaven) that are of thy faithful congregation as members of the body whereof Christ is the head, although we do not perfectly feal the joys of thy heavenly Jerusalem, for that we be joined here in the mortal body whose grossness is such that it letteth the speculatiffe sight of the soul: 
Sap. ix.  yea it is heavy to the soul, for the earthly mansion keepeth down the understanding. Yet do we abide for the dissolution of that which is corruptible, remaining in hope afterward to enjoy those joys which are perdurable, and for an earnest thereof, 
Qui emittit verbum suum terre.  thou haste sent us thy blessed son jesus into this world (being thy very word whereby thou madest all things) to be a mean of our introduction into those eternal beatitudes. 
Act. two.  Thou diddest also send thy holy spirit visibly in the likeness of fiery tongues among thine apostles after the ascension of Christ, as a further earnest, or rather as a confirmation of thy promise before made to thine elect, 
Veioelier curtii sermo cuis,  who as speedy messengers, conveyed thy holy word, and doctrine swiftly in to all the parts of the world, having power to confirm the same by strange signs or miracles. Where upon it ensued that the snow which before was congealed in the region of the air above us: 
Qui bat nivem sicut tanam. Esay i  is fallen down upon the earth and is be come as wool (that is) a great numbered which were hard hearted sinners before the manifestation of the gospel, are now not only from their foul colour of wickedness become white as wool and beautiful in sight, but also they have received the good property of wool, to make of them a goodly and a warm garment of Christ with out spot or wrinkle, to the ornament of his church here militant, and to make warm such predestinate persons as before were cold in sin for lack thereof. So that through that garment they shall shine in brightness as did the garments of Christ at the time of his transfiguration before his apostles 
Math. seven.  Peter james and John, on the mountain. Thou scatterest also the door frost which is somewhat harder than snow upon the earth like ashes (that is) to the sinner which is frozen and wanteth the heat of charity, 
Pruinem ●icut tiner●m dispergit.  thou of thy grace by the hearing of thy word givest repentance, which in old time was showed outwardly in wearing of her cloth and sitting down in ashes casting them upon their heads; by which thy grace, 
Luce ten  they leaving their old vicious living, are made new men and followers of the doctrine which they have learned, 
jone. iii.  as of the king of Niniveh and his people is manifest and of many other. But for a further declaration of thy merciful goodness showed to Zion thy well-beloved church: 
Mittit Chrystallum suum sicut buccellas.  thou also sendest forth as it were morsels of hard ise, the hail falling upon the ground, whereby is meant the indurate and obstinate sinners, who long have remained in their accustomed sin, and yet Lord of thy goodness even unto many of them thou givest such grace and callest them by such violence that of cruel persecutors they become meek followers & bold setters forth of thy word and commandments, as of Paul and other hath been plainly showed. 
Sap. xvi.  It is thy grace Lord that is the nurse of all good things. It is thy word which preserveth them that put their trust in the. This thy grace, and this thy holy word being taken away from us whereby we should be made hot in faith and rich in all good works, 
Ante faciem frigoris eius quis sustinebit.  what creature is able to abide the coldness of the said frost. If thou wilt suffer the sinner to remain in himself and not call him to thee: he can be none otherwise but accursed and abject as was Cain, 
Bene. iiii. Exod. xiiii. Nun. xvi. judic. two. &. v.  indurate as was Pharaoh, rebellious as were Corah, Dathan and Abiram. Idolaters as were the children of Israel divers times after the death and change of their judges and kings, 
● Regum xiii  disobedient as was Saul which followed his own imaginations leaving thy precepts and commandments, 
two. Regum xi  he shall fall into adultery & murder as did king David through the love that he had to Bethsabe, into pride and cruelty as did Aman to his own destruction. 
Hester .v.   
To untruth & treason as did jason to his friends and country. 
two. Machab. v.  To covetousness as did Simon Magus. 
Act. viii.  last of all into desperation as did judas, as one of the twelve apostles of thy son jesus, 
Act. i.  and consequently into all kinds of vices. needs must he be frozen to eternal death that hath no heat of thy gracious goodness. needs must the ground be barren of good works where the comfortable bright and warm beams of thy grace show not their heat. So soon as thy pleasure is to call the hardest frozen sinner: anon he ariseth with Levy the customer and followeth the. 
Luce .v. Emitter verbum suum et liqui saciet ea.  Send out therefore most mighty God thy holy word to melt the said snow and hard congealed ise, pour forth upon us miserable wretches, the abundance of thy noble grace whereby the stony hearts are made soft and fleshy. Call us secretly unto the through thy heavenly inspiration, speaking to us inward in our hearts, or outwardly by the manifest declaration of thy word, 
Hierem. xxiii.  which is a consuming fire drying up in us all cold humours, the breders of many diseases in our souls. It is also a great hammer, that breaketh to pieces the hard frosty ise of our hearts reducing us wholly to repentance & amendment of life. 
Spirabit spiritus eius et fluent aquae.  Blow also Lord and breath upon us thy holy spirit proceeding from the and thy son Christ, to be our comfort and stay after our said amendment, that we may grow and increase daily in virtue by mean of his spiritual gifts sent into our souls, 
Io. seven.  whereby the hard ise may be turned to floods of water which may flow out of our bealies being faithful, as rivers of water of life. cause the warm southern wind to melt all the hardness of our iniquities, so that the moistness which before was frozen in us being resolved through the breath of the warm wind of thy grace, 
Psalm. Cxxvi  may arise to great imindations, whereof our dry souls as a barren ground may receive comfortable moisture. 
Qui annunciat verbi suum jacob.  This grace Lord thou gavedste plentefully to Abraham, Isaac and then to jacob whom thou madest strong to wrestle with thine angel and called'st him Israel (that is) one that had seen god face to face. 
Gene. xxxii.  With him (dyddyst thou make a covenant touching his seed in faith, which seed now we are, merciful God, of thy faithful church crept through thy grace in the place of the jews, into the possibility of thy noble promise. When they refused the thou didst send into the high ways to call us to thy feast, 
justicias et judicia 〈◊〉 a Israel.  & we gladly came unto the. To us therefore thy faithful, hast thou given thy laws and commandments prescribing unto us rules which we must observe if we will avoided the terribleness of thy judgement and thy son when he shall come to reward all reasonable creatures according to their deserts. 
Roma. two.  Thou haste made us privy of thy will and haste given us thy laws with a promise of eternal life in thy kingdom of heaven if we order our life thereafter, 
Non fecit taliter om●i nationi et judicia ●ua non manifestavit ●s.  which laws Lord the heathen nations know not, wherefore they remain in infidelity and can not attain to salvation. For as at the rising of the waters of the general flood, 
Gene. seven.  no man nor beast was saved, but only such as were within the ship of No: no more is any salvation promised by thy word but only to the members of Christ thy sons church. Praise therefore be to thy high majesty, Lord of all Lords who haste of thy mercy sent us thy holy will and word as a rule and a directoure of our lives, which excellent token of thy love toward us, bindeth us to magnify thy mighty and incomprehensible deity, 
●po. i.  being three persons in one essence, to whom be honour glory and dominion for evermore. So be it.