[Here begynneth a lytell treatyse called, the (myrrour or lokynge glasse of lyfe) for co[m]fortyng of the soule]

¶ The fyrste chapitre contayneth the dyffynycyon of fayth, and of good warkes suffycyent for any man to lene to. The fyrste Chapytie.

FAyth accordynge to the mynde of seynt Pau∣le / is the substaunce of a thynge (whiche dothe not appere / and the founda∣cyon of thynges that can not be seen) I spe ke not of suche faythe as lawers and mar∣chauntes & suche other worldly people vse: one with an other. But of the faith that we haue in cryste Ihesu / and bycause that we may knowe hym the more parfytely by his propertye / as ye may perceyue and vnder∣stande / howe man and wyfe be coupled to gyther by loue / in lyke maner dothe fayth couple and knyt spyrytually mānes soule / stedfastly to byleue that god is omnipotent aboue all. For what a greatter pleasure or •…•…oue can any creature do vnto go•…•…: 〈◊〉〈◊〉 stedfastlye to byleue that all trewth onely

restyth in hym / & in his moste blessyd wor∣de and promyse whiche neuer fayled nor ne uer shall / as wytnessyth the Euangelyste fayeng. Lelum & terram transibunt: verba mea autē manebit. (Heuen and erthe shall fayle but my worde and promyse shall ne∣uer fayle. And contrary wyse there can be no more greatter dyshonour or blasphemy to god / then to put dystrust in hym / or thyn •…•…ynge in hym any vnstablenesse or 〈◊〉〈◊〉 rynge from any thynge that he hath promy sed vs / ye wyll say agayne that man and woman dothe seeche other and hath cōmu∣nycacyon to gyther / whiche causeth loue & encreasyth the fayth of matrymony togy∣ther in them / Forsothe in lyke maner hathe the louynge and faythfull soule or spyryte of mankynde spyrytually in god / the whi∣che fayth muste be in vs a stedfast byleue / and asure truste in the gloryous goodnesse of god the blessyd Trynyte / whiche is th•…•… Father / the sone / & the holy ghost / thre pe•…•… sones and one god / whiche is creature of •…•…∣uen and erthe / and of all thynges that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 therin / for the welth and cōmodyte o•…•… 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 / and so shall contynewe by hi•…•… 〈◊〉〈◊〉

myse vnto the world•…•… ende. ¶ Also ye shal vnderstande at the begynnynge god made Aungell in heuen / amonge the which was Lucyfermoste gloryous: whiche conceyued in his mynde to be equall with god & nexte god. And at the very same momēt or tho∣ughte / he & many other aungellys whiche offendyd with hym (fell) from that glory∣ous eternall place / in to the depest place of hell / where they shall euer cōtynew in pay ne & darkenesse intollerable without ende. ¶ Also ye shall vnderstande that in conty nent after all thynges created necessary for mankynde / god created Adam and Eue / moste lyke vnto his ymage and symylytu de / And dyd set them in a place of celestyal pleasure / and gyuynge them lybertye ouer all thynges that was therin / Except of the fruyte and tre of lyfe which had the vertue of knowlege of good and euyll.

¶ Chargynge them in no wyse to taste nor cate therof. And yf they dyd they shuld dye▪ but they taryed not there but a lytell whyle not passynge thre houre•…•… after the mynd•…•… of some Doctours / for Lucyfer whiche 〈◊〉〈◊〉 hauynge yet / great indygnacyon & power

ouer mankynde / conceyued in his mynde / agaynst Adam and his successyon a secrete malyce / •…•…tendynge to b•…•…nge •…•…hem out of the fauoure of god / tho•…•…ugh •…•…kyng o•…•… •…•…is cōmaundem•…•…nt (And so he dyd in dede) •…•…or fyrste he caused (Eue to taste and •…•…ate o•…•… the tree of lyfe / whiche was forbo•…•… 〈◊〉〈◊〉 / and she caused Adam to eate of the same) fo•…•… the whiche cause god sent Cherubyn his aun∣gell to theym with the swerde of sorowe / & trybulacyon / and banysshed them & th•…•…yr successyon out of y^• solacyous place o•…•… plea sur•…•… / in to this myserable 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…to labour and get theyr lyuynge in 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 of his bo dy / & in lyke wyse all his successyon. And Eue also in great p•…•…ynes and t•…•…auayl and dystresse / to brynge for•…•… 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 of man for her o•…•…ence. The whiche penau•…•…ce shal not fayle mankynde / whyle this wo•…•…ld en dureth. And when they were exyled out of Paradyse / they were vy•…•…ns knowynge no carnall affeccions. And. xxx. yere after they had ysshewe of a sone named Cayn. And. xxx. yere after they had▪ ysshew of a nother sone named Abell / whom Cayn slewe for his Iust sacrefyse to god / wherfo

te god toke vengeaunce of hym and all his p•…•…ogenye. And the hondred and. xxx. yere 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Adam a•…•…ge / he had ysshewe o•…•… another sone named Seth / of whose lynage many yeres after succeded Abraham / in whom was wrought the orygynall & pryncypall 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of fayth afore al o•…•…her creatures / of the whiche 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 Cryste as scriptur maketh mencyon. Also this Abraham by fayth stedfastly gaue cred•…•…ns to the worde of god when he cōmmaunded hym to go out of his owne coū•…•… / whiche was. in. dayes Iorney 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of Canaan / and he g•…•…ue sure fayt•…•… and truste in the promyses of god / the which were fulfylled to hym in d•…•…de. Also by fayth Sara his wyfe beyng paste a•…•…ge by course and by nature / she had ysshewe of a sone named Isaac. Also by faythe Abraham at the cōmaundement of god / wolde haue offred to god his oonlye sone ysaac in sacryfyce / wherin his faythe was reputed to hym for ryght wysnesse / & was Iustyfyed by that faythe / as Paule wytnesseth of hym & of many more in the. (xi. chapytre to the Hebreos) where he ma∣keth mencyon of fayth more at large / suffy

cye•…•…t for any Lrysten man / And also in moste parte of all his epystles for them that do grounde them in the trewe fayth of cryst out of the whiche procedeth / all vertue and grace / as paule ascrybeth in the sayd chapy tre. (That without faith it is in possyble to please god / ) for no pson may come to god / but he muste haue stedfaste truste / and sure fayth in hym onely. And after Abraham. 5099. yeres and more / the moste parte of the people of the worlde lyued in wretchednes and synne / and in the dysplasour of god / and neuer were able of our selues to haue rysen agayne. But it pleased the father of heuen / of his infynyt goodnes & mere mer∣cy and pyte to sende out of heuen in to this wretched worlde his onely sone the seconde persone in trynyte / our sauyour Thesu cryst & suffred hym to be borne of the moste pure and clene vy•…•…gyn Mary. And toke vpon hym to be a mortall man: for pure loue that he hadde vnto mankynde. And lyued heré vpon erthe. xxxiii. yere & more / both god & man / in mo•…•…he trouble and vexacyon and payne / and alway without spot of synne / and fulfylled the lawe in all thyng•…•… for vs

and made satysfaccyon for vs and our of∣fences. And in cōclucyon suffred his moste precyous and tender body to be taken in the nyght / of the scrybes and pharysees / which in contynent with great tygoure / put his moste precyous body to great paynes & tor∣mentes (so pyteously) that from the crowne of his hedde vnto the sole of his feet / there was no place hole / but •…•…ent & brused. And wyllyngly he offred his moste precyous bo dy on the crosse / vnto the deth for vs / wht∣che at that tyme was the moste shamphul∣lest deth that myght be deuysed.

¶ O / what kyndnes was shewed in hym and is dayly / & so lytell in vs / for the whi∣che cause we be all •…•…ly bounde to loue hym / and serue hym / with all our hertes / with all our myndes / and powre / & to put all our hole truste and confydence pryncy∣passy in hym onely / and not to truste in our owne merytes and werkys onely / suppo∣synge therby to obtayne the glory of heuen. The whiche truste or fayth had the Pelagy en•…•… / agaynst whom largely seynt Austyn dothe wryte / whiche were Heretykes / and helde that opynyon. God forbyd that any

crysten man shulde haue that mynde / or tru¦ste the •…•…n. ¶ Nowe albeit that no man ha∣uynge here tyme nor space in this worlde / may be saued without good werky•…•…: yet be not our good werkys the chefe cause of our saluacyon. Yet neuerthelesse must we nedes do good werkys / yf we loue god / the whi∣che loue compelleth a man to do good wer∣kye / onely for the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 all graces & gyft 〈◊〉〈◊〉 / whiche we receyue of hym & from hym daylye / by the whiche oure sp•…•…te or soule •…•…eth / and st•…•…eth vs (to do good werkys) 〈◊〉〈◊〉 our cōs•…•…yence as in example: what man a •…•…rue / that is 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and receyueth of his lorde or 〈◊〉〈◊〉 great •…•…ee and rewarde that wyll not busy / or indeuer hym selfe / to werke or do though it be to his payne / any thynge lawfull to his owne profyte / & his soueraygnes pleasure / in lyke ma•…•…er oure good werk•…•… done) for the loue & the honour of god / in fulfyllynge his comau•…•… / bryngeth vs vnto eternall lyfe / for cryste sayth yf thou wyl•…•… entre in to lyfe / obserue and do my cōmaūdemēt•…•…. Mat. 19. Iaco. 2. And seynt Iames in a pystle sayt•…•…e / that fayth without good werkys / is but deed &

voyde in the syght of god.) Yet I may not presumptuously thynke therby my self▪ pre¦cellynge other / and therby supposyng to o•…•… tayne an excellenter place or Ioyeth heuen (so trustyng) we be deceyued (as Theoph•…•…∣lact. wryteth vpon the▪ xviii. chapytre of Luc.) sayenge there is noo man can do any good werkys / 〈◊〉〈◊〉 i•…•… pro•…•…eth fy•…•…ste from the grace of god 〈◊〉〈◊〉: so then yf th•…•… 〈◊〉〈◊〉 come onely from hym / why shall we t•…•…en glory in our werkys / then saythe 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the se•…•…onde pystle / the. x. chapytre to the •…•…o 〈◊〉〈◊〉. O•…•… 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in d•…•…o glorie∣tur. He that wyl glory or magnyfy let h•…•… glory in god / and magnyfye hym onely) as we haue aparable in the gospell of Luc. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 chapytre of the Pharase and the publycan / which ca•…•… in to the churche to pray: the holy & cerymonyall pharase / trustynge in his ho ly garmētes & his outwarde apparant per •…•…yory / sayd / I thanke the good lorde that I am not lyke yonder wretched publycan / whiche getteth his lyuynge synfully / And so forth magny•…•…yenge hym selfe / & the pore publycan •…•…elynge / and sore repentaūt for his lyuynge / cryed god mercy humbly and

repentaūtly / whom cryste accepted sayen•…•… that he reto•…•…ed home to his howse agayne moche more Iustyfyed: then the proude cery monyous pharase / sayenge there. (He that wylbe hyest: precellynge other: shalbe made •…•…o west) thus we may pceyue that our good werkys be not so merytoryous of our self•…•… to obtayne therby glory / & an hygher place in heuen for that Iudgement is reserued to the secretes of god onely (as seynt Luc. 17. sayth that when we haue done all the good dedys that we can / yet shall we fynde that we be vnprofytable seruauntes) in the Iu gement of god / for no man syns the offen∣ces of Adam vnto this day / nor that shall come vnto the ende of the worlde / was ne uer able to meryte heuen / of his owne good werkys / as apereth in scrypture they went all in to lymbo. A place of no solace / but of darknesse / no not the •…•…ayth nor perfeccyon of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Iohn̄ baptyst / coude not meryt the glory of heuen in crystes tyme / before cryste had fulfylled the Prophesyes & the redem∣p•…•…yon of mankynde. ¶ O what blyndnes & fo•…•…sshnesse then were in vs that wolde truste in our good dedys and werks (onely

for to haue the glory of heuen by them / ) for then cryst nedyd not to haue suffred for our •…•…dempcion in his humanyte wherfore tho to we fayth let vs do the beste that we can / and it shall be lytell ynough for seynt Io∣han sayth in his pystle canonycall. 1. Io. 1. yf we say or suppose that there 〈◊〉〈◊〉 no synne in vs / we seduce and daunger our selfs in so doyng / also Dauit the prophete in 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 13. there is none that is good: no not one.) wher fore I counceyll all faythfull crysten peo∣ple / to haue stronge faythe in god / that his onely sone Thesu cryste / the seconde person in trynyte / hath onely all hole and perfytly redemyd vs / with his moste precyous blo∣de in his humanyte / where one droppe had ben suffycyent yf he had pleased / yet not∣withstandynge let vs do all the good wer∣kys that we can / & suffre trybulacyons / or psecucyōs / & lyue as charytably as we can to fulfyl the lawes / & folowe the worde of god / as nere as we may / in auoydig vayn glory. De o•…•… verbo ocioso redditu•…•… 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in die iudi•…•…ii. (For euery ydle worde / or thought spoken in vayne / we shal g•…•…e a strayt accompt at the dredfull day / or 〈◊〉〈◊〉

ment generall / In lyke wyse no good dede or th•…•…t wyllyng / and ye myght or good ex ortacyon▪ or comfortable wordes / to theym that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 h•…•…ynes and paynes / or dystresse for goddes sake / but shall be rewarded an∣hondred folde. Centuplum accip•…•…es et v•…•…∣tam eter•…•…am possidebts. •…•…herfore set vs f•…•… synne / and folowe vertue / accordynge to the gospell with all our mynde anddily gence / indeuerynge our selfe to fulfyll the wyll and pleasure of god at all tymes: and specyally the werkys of mercy / as nere as god shal gyue vs grace for of our selue ha ue we no good as Paule sayth. Quid ha∣bes{que} nō accepisti. Co. 4▪ (What haue we y^t we haue not receyued / then yf we haue re∣ceyued / why do we glory in our selfe as tho ughe we haue not receyued.) Also we that do any good werkys / for fere of dampnacy on or for the truste of the saluacyon onely is not acceptable to god: For that we do must be done with pure fayth / and stedfast loue in god desyryng in our hertes / alway that we myght neuer dysplease hym agayne / & when we haue done the beste that we can. Luc. 17. to reken that we ha•…•…e done but our

duety:) and vnworthy to inheryte the kyng dome of heuen / by our merytes onely / but thorughe the infynyt goodnesse and mercy of god / and by the merytes of Crystes pas∣syon & deth on the crosse / and shedynge his moste precious and innocent blode / so pl•…•…n tuously / for our offences and vnkyndnes And thus he moste pure innocent without faute hath so kyndly done for vs / wherfor all creatures lyuynge gyue alway honour and glory to god eternall / whiche hath ma de vs inherytour•…•… / for euer in his glory eter nall / to the whiche he brynge vs all at his wyll and pleasure.

Amen.

¶ Arbitramur iustificari hominem per fi∣dem sine operibus legis.

Ro. 3