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This Emperour betokeneth our lord Jesu Christ, according to the Psalmist. He is thy father that hath thée in posses∣sion and made thée of nought. The son betokeneth man, to whome he gaue all the Empyre of this world, accordinge to this scrpture.
Cel••m celi domino, &c. That is to saye. Heauen he hath giuen our Lorde, and earth to man. Mankind made an obli∣gation vnto our Lord Jesu Christ when he receiued the sacrament of Baptisme, where he promised him suertie to serue him truely, and to forsake the diuel and all his pomps and vaineglory.
This Emperour began to waxe sicke on a day, that is to say, our Lorde Jesu Christ is troubled as oftentimes as a christian man sinneth and breaketh his commaundements, wherefore hée thyrsteth greatly the helpe of our soule, and than he asked a draught of the first tonne, that is to saye, he asketh of man his first age of his childhood to bée spent in his seruice. But incontment the wick¦ed man answereth and saith.
I may not doe so, for my childehood is mustie, that is to saye, it is so tender and so younge, that it may not attempt so soone to serue God, which is manifest∣ly against the truth, for the child of one day is not without sin. For saint Gre∣gory in his dialogues saith, the children of v. yeeres of age put out finds from
the bosoms of their fathers. And whan God séeth that hee may not haue of the must of his childhoode, then desireth hée the wine of the second tonne. Then an∣swereth ye wicked man and sayth, that his wine is not yet cléere enough, that is to say, he is not apt to serue God, And when God may not haue of the se∣cond tonne, then asketh he of the third tonne, that is to say, of the third tonne of his youth. Then answereth ye wick∣ed man and saith, the wine is strong and mightie, and therefore his youth ought to bee spent about vertuous deeds in this world, and not in good lise, which should make him féeble and weake. When God seeth that he may not haue of this tonne, then asked hée the fourth tonne.
And then answered the wicked man and saith, that an aged man is feeble & may not fast, no doe no heard repētaunce, and if hee died, hee should be cause of his owne death. And then asked our Lord of the fift tonne, yt is to say, of his olde age when hée doth créepe and may not goe without a st••sse.
But the wicked man ••xcuseth himselfe and saith, that this Wyne is feeble to giue such a feeble man, for if hée should fast one day, it were time on ye morow to make his graue.
And when our Lord séeth that hée may not haue of the ••ift tonne, then asketh he of the sirt tonne, that is to say, when a man is b••inde •• may not goe to sinne no more, yet desireth hée of such a man drinck, yt is to say, the help of his soule. But the wretched manne lying in dis∣payre saith. Alas, alas to mée, beecause I serued not almightie God my maker & redéemer, heere in times past while I was in youth & in prosperitie, but now there is nothing left but onely the lees and the dregges of all wretchednesse, therfore what shall it auayle mée now to turne toward GOD. But for such men wee should lament.
Neuerthelesse God is so mercifull, that though he might haue no seruice of man in all his tyme, yet is hée contente to haue the lées of his tonne, that is to saye, his good will, though hee may not
serue him otherwise, & so shall his good will stand him in stéede of penitent life. For in what houre the sinner doth re∣pent him, hee shall be saued, as Ezechiel witnesseth. But there bee many that will giue no wine, ne none other thing to him wherefore god shall complaine vnto the Kinge of Ierusalem, that is to say, to his Godhead at the iudgement day, and then as hée is God & man, shall hée giue a sentence defensible against such men, saying. Esuriui & non dedistis, &c.
I haue hungred, & yée gaue me no meat, I haue thirsted, & ye gaue me no drinck. Loe, thus shall hee rehearse to thee the fruits of faith.
And when this is done then shall they be put to euerlasting payne, and ye iust men into euerlasting blisse, where they shall haue Joye withouten ende. Unto the which bring vs our lord Jesu Christ.