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THE attonement and the recon∣ciler of Mankynd with GOD, and the authour of our salua∣tion, is IESVS CHRIST, God and man, the onely sonne of god al∣myghty, whom the father sent for the same purpose, whan it pleased hym to take pytie vppon Mankynd, whiche had made him selfe, to his owne great hynderaunce, an ennemy vnto god.
There can be no greater hurt, than by syn to be seperated from god, the fountayne of all goodnes, and to be tourned to most hurtfull myserie, to be taken from a most swete life, and left to a most bytter death.
FOR this purpose, among other thynges, Christ came, that he might teache vs the true and streight way, wherin we might stedfastly stande, and take our iourney to god warde: not swaruyng from it, the bredth of an heare. He hath shewed this way, both by wordes, and also by exam∣ple of his holy lyfe.
All humayne wisedome, compared with Christes religion, is but durte, and very folyshnes.
What soeuer graue, prudent, wise, pure, holy, or religious thing is with admiration, with exclamation, with clappyng of handes, in the bokes of the gentylles red, commended, ler∣ned by hart, praysed aboue the mone all this is found, more purely, more rightly, more openly, more easyly in our religion.
Perfect wisedom is, to know this
Religion: and to lyue accordyng to it, is perfecte Uertue. For no man knoweth it in very deede, excepte he lyue therafter.
Christes lyfe wytnesseth his per∣fect humanitie, his miracles declare the infinite power of his deytie, his law sheweth his heauenly wisedom: so that of his perfect goodnes of ly∣uing, we haue example to folow him of his power and auctority, strength to obey hym: of his wisedome, fayth to beleue hym,
Let his goodnesse prouoke the to loue hym, his maiesty to worshyp him, his wisedome to beleue him.
If a man do well consyder those thinges, which Christ commandeth, he shall fynde al done for our profit, in so moche, that who so feleth him selfe, to beleue tyghtly, shal perceiue it is to his owne great profit, good∣nes, and comforte.
As there is nothyng more pleasant to man, than to be beleued, so it is euen to god, for no man can thynke wel of him, to whom he committeth him selfe, afrayd of hurt.
The foundation of our saluation is to beleue god, to be father, and Iesus Christ his onely sonne, to be our law maker, and the holy gost to be breathed out of bothe, without whom, we do nothing, we thinke no∣thing, that can profit vs.
The true worshyppyng of god, is to clense and purifie the soule from all diseases and vnclene lustes, and to be tourned as nere to his simily∣tude as we maye, soo that we be, as he hym selfe is, cleane and holy, and that we hate no man, but rather stu∣dy, by al meanes to profit al men.
The more thou transposest thy self from thynges corporall, vnto thyn∣ges incorporate, the more godly lyfe shalt thou leade.
Thus shall it be brought to passe, that god may acknowledge our na∣ture, as of kyn, and lyke vnto hym, and may delyte in it, making it his true and ryght temple, moche more acceptable to hym, than churches made of lyme and stone.
The temple of god is holy, which are you, as wytnes saynt Paule. So
noble, so worthy a guest, must with all care, dilygence, and tendernes be reteyned.
He may not, through ye foule stinke of synnes, be dryuen to chaunge his lodgyng.
Bodely workes be vnsauery, ex∣cept they haue sauce from the harte.
Knowe, that thou hast god in the most secrete part of thy hart, as wit∣nes and iudge of all thy thoughtes, in so moche, that if thou feare his presence, thou wolt not onely auoide all naughtynes outwardly, but also thou wolt not suffre vnclene though¦tes to entre into thy mynde.
Loue towardes god, ought to be suche, that thou esteme hym aboue all thynges, and that his glory and honour be derer vnto the, then all this lyfe, all honour, and commodi∣ties therof.
And as whan one frende remēbreth an other, he is moued with a frend∣ly and honest ioye, soo let all diuine thynges seme frendly vnto the, that is most acceptable & pleasant and be thou cōuersant in them most gladly.
As ofte as thou herest God named se that a greatter, and a more excel∣lent thyng stryke thy remembrance and mynde, than mans knowledge can atteyne to.
Here the sayenges, that be spoken of him, & of his saintes, not as thou herest vaine fables, but with great admiration of mynde.
Iudge nothynge rashely, nor pro∣nounce thou any thyng of god, and his workes, but thou do it with re∣uerence and feare.
It is wickednes, to ieste vpon holy thinges, or to vse the sayinges of ho∣ly scripture, as folish toyes and trife lyng tales, and skoffynges, euen as a man shuld sprinkle durt in a medi∣cine, adorned for recouery of helth. But to apply it to fylthy communi∣cation or bawdry, is a thyng abho∣minable, & in no wise to be suffered.
It becommeth all thynges there, to ve maruayled at, and to be recey∣ued with worthy reuerence in to our hartes.
Be present at redynge and prea∣chynge of goddis worde, and al that
holy is: and vnderstād, that what so euer thou either seest or herest there, is most pure, most holy, and apper∣teyneth vnto goddis maiestie, which as we may easily worship and adore so we can comprehend it by no mea∣nes. So that thou mayste alwayes iudge more hygher thinges to be hyd in that dyuyne wysedome, than the strength of mans witte is able to a∣spire vnto.
We reuerence the saienges of wise men, yea although we do not well vnderstand them, howe moche more than doth it beseme vs, to gyue con∣digne reuerēce vnto godly saienges?
As oft as thou herest Iesus Christ named, remember thou his inestima¦ble loue, toward the, and let the re∣hersall of his name be vnto the full of swetenes and veneration.
Whan thou herest any title, or pro∣per name giuen vnto Christ, lifte vp thy self vnto the contemplacion ther¦of, and pray vnto hym, that he wyll shewe hym selfe, euen suche a one to∣wardes the. As whā thou herest him called merciful, mehe or gentil, pray
that thou mayste proue him the same vnto the: whan he is called almigh∣ty, desyre, that he may shewe it, in the makynge the, of the most wret∣ched synner, a good lyuer, of an en∣nemy, his sonne, of nothyng, some thyng: whan thou herest him called terryble, intreate him, to feate them, of whom thou art feared: Whan thou callest him lord, loke that thou serue hym: Whan thou callest hym father, se thou loue hym, and se thou shewe thy selfe a chylde, worthy to haue so noble a Father.
There is nothyng in all the world, whose originall, whose beginnyng, whose power and vertue, if thou be∣holde, but it may gyue the matter, hyghly to prayse, hartily to worship god, the authour of all togyther.
Begynne nothyng, but thou first call for the helpe of god. For God in whose power are all thynges, giueth prosperous furtheraunce and fynys∣shyng vnto suche actes, as we do be∣ginne in his name.
What so euer thou shalt go about, euer haue an eye to the ende therof,
and whan thou hast taken good coū∣sell, be not carefull, but put thy trust in hym, in whose hande restith the lucke of all thinges.
All holynes remayneth in the se∣crete partes of the hartes, labour therfore to vnderstande, what thou prayest, that thou mayst lose no time in lyppe labour. And whan thou praiest: let thy hart, thy mynde, thy tongue, and all thy gesture agre to¦gither, that all thy hole action may most excellently agre in it selfe. Dy∣uine scripture accurseth hym, that doth the workes of god negligently.
If it be shame for a Mynstrell, to synge one thyng, and play an other, not consonaunt to that he syngeth, it is moche more shame for vs, to say one thynge with our mouth, and thinke an other in our hart. Let our desyres be sober, and of suche sorte, as be worthy to be axed, and mete to be gyuen of god, lest our vnmete and fond desires offende him.
Whan thou goest to meate, remem¦bre the infinite power of god, which made al thing of nought: remember
also his wisedome and benignitie, whiche susteyneth the same: and fy∣nally call vnto mynde, his mekenes, and clemencie, whiche fedith yea his extreme ennemies.
Ponder and way, howe great a thing it is to prepare diuers add suf∣ficient vitailes, to so many mouthes as be in the wold, what a thing it is, to conserue all thinges, and kepe thē from distruction, whether they fast howe, of their inclination.
No wisedome of man, nor yet of aungel, were able in any wise to per∣fourme this thinge, no nor yet ones vnderstād how it is brought to passe.
Seing therefore, that thou lyuest of his giftes, consider, what cursed vnkyndnes, and what dampnable rashenes it is, to be so bold, to fal at debate with him, by whose benefit and wyll, thou haste thy beynge, and lenger shuldest thou not be, if he wolde not.
At thy table, let al thing be chaste, pure, wyse, holy, euen as he is, whose gyftes thou art nowe in hand with. Let all bakbytyng, bytter wordes,
fierse, and cruel speking, be secluded from thy table, where thou felest the incredible swetenes and clemency of god towardes the.
Wherfore, it is more intollerable, that thou shuldest contaminate that place with sharpnes, and hatred a∣gaynst thy brother, where thou fyn∣dest moche fauour and gentle softe∣nes towardes the.
This thing the Gentylles wel per¦ceyued, which for the same skyll na∣med all thynges, dedicate and be∣longyng to the table, with names of plesantnes, & myrthe, as feastes, iun∣kettes, and gawdes, where it was counted a greuouse offence, any sad, heuy, or haynous thyng, eyther to be done or sayd.
Seynge therfore, thou hast god to thy gouernour, whiche is most in myght, wysedome, and liberalitie, put away the inordynate regarde of thy selfe, wherin thou semest, to my∣strust his goodnes, and labour only, howe thou mayst please and content hym. It is a great folyshnes, to say, or do any thyng amysse, a madnes, to
dysplease hym, for the contention of thy table, from whom all nourishe∣mentes commeth, a madnes, to get his displeasure, of whome thou la∣bourest to obteyne a benefyt, namely for as moche as the lyfe is not pre∣serued by meate, but by the wyl and pleasure of god: according to the sai∣eng of scripture, Not in Breade onely li∣ueth man, But in euery worde of god.
We haue by indenture of Iesu lord of all, in heauen and earth, that they shal lacke nothing, which seke accor∣dingly the kyngdome of god, and rightuousnes alowed before hym.
Seynge therfore, that god is so boūteful towardes the, in his giftes be not thou vnkinde to thy brother, accompting him no lesse to be the son of god, than thou thy selfe: and that god is no more bounde to the, than to hym: and that he hath only made the a minister of his giftes, of whom nexte vnto god, thy brother shulde aske relyefe.
Neyther is there any thyng more truly giuen to Christ, then that that is bestowed vpon the poore.
Whan thou hast with meates and drinkes refresshed thy selfe, consider whose prouidence and power it is, to susteyne the lyfe with suche thyn∣ges as thou hast receyued, and gyue thankes therfore to god, not as thou woldest to hym, whyche hath prepa∣red sustenance for the, with his mo∣ney, but suche thankes as are mete for hym, which hath made both the, and also the meate susteining the life not by the strēgth of the sayd meate, but by his diuine power, and inesty∣mable goodnes.
At thy downe lyenge and vpry∣synge, remember the benefittes of god, not onely towardes the, but to∣wardes all mankynde: yea and all the hole worlde.
Consider, in what dangers man is, whyle he lyeth lyke a deade car∣kas, hauyng no power of him selfe. Wherfore Christe must so moche the more instantly be sought vpon, that he may vouchsafe to defende vs syl∣ly wretches.
Hede ought to be taken, that we prouoke not hym to wrothe, and an∣gre,
by any our synne, seyng he is our keper, and our gouernour.
Arme thy forhead and thy breaste with the sygne of the crosse, and the secrete parte of thy harte with de∣uout praiers, and holy meditations.
And whan thou shalte go to thy bed, loke that thou thinke euery day resembleth ye hole life of man, whom the night succedeth, and slepe a very expresse token of death.
We must therfore pray vnto Christ, that he vouchesafe, to be with vs euer fauourable, both in tyme of life and death, and that he vouchesafe to graunt that to be pleasaunt and quiet vnto vs.
We must pray hym, that straunge dreames feare vs not, but that euen sleaping, we may haue him in mynd: and that refreshed with his comfort we may ryse merily in the mornyng, remembring his blessed deth, ye price wherby he redemed mankynd.
Thou shalt kepe thy bed chast and pure, so that thy enemy, the authour and head of al fylthynes, may haue no claime ne right therin.
And with the sygne of the crosse, and Inuocatiō of the name of God, but specially through holy though∣tes, cogitations, and stedfast pur∣pose, neuer after to offende, shalte thou dryue al the power of the feend from it.
Whan thou rysest in the mornyng, commit thy selfe to Christe, rendryng thankes vnto hym, that he hath pre∣serued the, that night, through his helpe and tuition, from the deceytes and enuy of that cruell ennemy.
As thou hast fyrst slept the nyght tyme, and are nowe rysen ageyne: so remember, that our bodyes shall fyrst slepe by deathe, and after be re∣stored to life by Christ, whan he shal appere, and come to iuge both quick and deade.
Beseche hym, that it may be his wyll, and that he cause the to spende the day folowyng in his seruice, so that thou mayst nother hurt, nor yet be hurt of any man, and that thou so compassed on euery syde, and defen∣ded with christian godlynes, mayst safely escape the nettes and snates,
whiche the deuyll, moste deceytfull ennemy, neuer ceasseth to laye for mankynde.
Worshyp Mary the blessed mother of God, and other holy saintes, the deere beloued frendes of Christ dwel¦ling with him in life euerlasting.
Rede and here ofte times the lyfe and actes of them, that thou mayst folowe the same.
Let thy thought and reporte of them be, not as of men, but as of persons, that by the goodnes of god, haue transcended all nature and hu∣mayne excellency, and nowe nygh conioyned with god.
Where as there is so great likenes of men, both in body and mynd, they being al brought in to this world by one ryght and tytle, made and ap∣poynted to a certayne communion and societie of life, to the preseruati∣on wherof, nature hath proclaymed this lawe, Let no man to an other do, that that he wold not haue done to him self He that restored nature decayed, hath professed this one doctrine to be his, but yet expressyng the same
more at larg, and settyng it out more plainely, for to make the nature of man perfect in euery condition, and as lyke vnto god as it may be, he cō∣maunded vs, not only to loue one an other, but also to loue our ennemies, that we may be like the father of he∣uen, whiche syncerely loued his ene∣mies, as he declareth by his great be¦nefittes shewed vnto them.
And howe is it to be marked, that the nature of man is suche, that we wold them to be our frendes whom we our selfes can in no wise loue.