HEuynes hath beseged me with a greate and stronge hooste she hath enclosed me, she hath oppressed my hert w ^t clamours and ceasseth not with weapons nyghte and day to fyghte agaynst me.

My frendes be in her tentes, and are become myn ene­myes. what soeuer I se, what soeuer I heare, brynge the banners of heuines, the memorie of my frendꝭ ma­keth me sadde, the recordynge of my chyldren greueth me, the consyderyng of my cloyster and cell vexeth me, the reuoluynge of my studies maketh me pensyfe, the thynkyng of my synnes oppresseth me. For lyke as to them, whiche be sycke of the axesse, all swete thynges seme bytter, so to me all thynges be turned in to sorowe and heuynes. Vndoubtedly a great burthen vpon the herte is this heuynes. The venyme of a deadly pesti­lence grudgeth agaynste god, seaseth not to blaspheme and exhorteth to desperation. Oh vnhappy man that I am, who shall delyuer me from her cursed handes? If all y ^t I se and heare folowe her banners and fyghte agaynst me, who shalbe my ꝓtectour? who shall helpe me? whyther shall I go? whyther shall I flee? I wote what I shall do, I wyll turne me to thynges in­uisible, & brynge them agaynst the visible. And who shall be the guyde of so hyghe and terrible an hooste? Hope, whiche is of thīges inuisible. Hope, I say, shall come agaynst heuines, and vaynquyshe her. who can stande agaynst hope? Heare what the prophete sayth: Thou arte (lorde) my hope, thou haste set thy refuge moste hygh. who shall stande agaynst the lorde? who [Page] can wynne his towre of refuge, whiche is most hygh? wherfore I wyll call her, doubtles she wyll come, nor she wyll not confoundeme. Lo nowe she commeth, she hath broughte gladnes, she hath taughte me to fyghte. & she sayd to me, Crye, cease not. And I sayde, what shall I crye? Crye, quod she, boldely and with all thy whole herte, say: ‘In te domine speraui non cōfunder in eternum / et in iustitia tua libera me.’

¶ That is to saye: In the oh lorde, I haue trusted, I shall not be confounded for euermore, and in thy iustice delyuer me.

¶ Oh the wonderful power of hope, whose face heui­nes can not abyde. Nowe cōmeth conforte. Let heuy­nes cry nowe and struggle agaȳst me with her armie. Let the worlde thrust downe, let the enemies make in­surrection, I feare nothynge, for I trust (lorde) in the, for thou arte my hope, for y ^u haste put my refuge moste hygh. I haue alredy entered it, hope hath led me in, I my selfe entered not vnshamefastly, she shall excuse me before the. Beholde, ꝙ hope, o man the moste hygh re­fuge of god, open thyn iyes, and se, it is god alone, it is onely he, an infinite see of substaunce. Other thinges so be, as though they were not. For all thingꝭ depende of hym, and onelesse he sustayned them, they shulde so­deynly retourne to noughte, for of noughte were they made. Consydre the power of hym, whiche in the be­gynnyng created heuen & earthe. Doth not he worke all in all thynges? who can moue his hande without hym? who can thynke any thynge of hym selfe?

Ponder his wysedome, whiche in tranquilitie gouer­neth all, for he seeth all, and to his iyes all thynges be [Page] naked and open. This is he, whiche onely knowethe howe to delyuer the, and onely can conforte & saue the. Put not thy truste in the chyldren of men, in whom is no saluation. The herte of men is in his power, why­ther soeuer he lusteth, he wyll turne it. This is he, whiche may & can helpe the. Doest thou suspecte his wyll? Ponder his goodnes, consydre his tender loue. Is not he y ^e louer of men, which for men became man, and for synners was crucified? This is thy trewe fa­ther, whiche created the, whiche redemed the, which alwayes hath done good vnto the. Can the father for­sake his sonne? Caste thy selfe on hym, & he wyll take the vp and saue the. Serche the scriptures, and thou shalte fynde howe busely his great tender loue moueth the to truste in hym. And why dothe he that? [...] bicause he coueteth to saue. For what saythe [...] ꝓphete. Bicause he trusted in me, I wyl deliuer [...] Lo, for none other cause he wyll delyuer hym, but bi­cause he trusted in hym. And what other thyng hath the prophetes, the apostles, yea he hym selfe, the lorde of the apostles preached, but that men shulde truste in the lorde? Sacrifice therfore (ye men) the sacrifice of iustice, and truste in the lorde, and he shall delyuer you, and plucke you out of all tribulation. Oh the greate vertue of hope, truely she is spred abrode. For grace is spred abrode in her lyppes. Oh this is truely thy re­fuge, so hygh (good lorde) to whiche the euyll of heuy­nes can not approche. This I knewe and vnderstode, therfore I trusted lorde in the. For though y ^e weight of syn dothe greuously presse me, yet I can not despaire / for thy goodnes so gently prouoked me to hope, that I can not be confoūded for euermore. For a tyme I may [Page] well be confoūded, but for euermore surely I can not. For hope, whiche hath ledde me in to thy moste hyghe refuge hath taught me to hope, not temporall thyngꝭ, but euerlastynge. For hope is of thynges inuisible.

But tho thynges that be sene, are temporall. And the thȳges that be not sene, are euerlastyng. wherfore I hearyng the wordes of hope, whiche cōmeth to plucke me out from the handes of heuines, haue trusted lorde in the, couetyng before all thyngꝭ to be delyuered from my synnes, and thrugh thy mercy and grace to come to thynges euerlastynge, whiche be inuisible. This is my fyrste and chiefe desyre, for my synnes be a greate tribulation vnto me. For from this all other tribula­tion issueth. Take awaye lorde my synnes, and I am free from all tribulation. For tribulation & pensy [...]nes of mynde, procede from the fountayn of the herte. For euery heuynes cōmeth of loue. If I loue my sonne, and he dyeth, I am troubled bicause I haue loste that I loued. If I loue not my seruaunt, and he dyeth, I am not heuy, bycause I haue loste that I loued not.

Take away therfore lord my sinnes thrugh thy grace, what remayneth, but that I shall loue the with al my whole herte, & despise all temporal thynges as vayne? If than I haue the by fayth, of whom also I hope to haue, that, whiche neither iye hath sene, nor eare hath herde / nor hath not ascended in to the herte of man.

what thynge can trouble me? That, whiche I haue loste besyde god, I haue loste that I loue not. In the oh lorde I haue trusted, lyke as my hope hath taught me to truste / therfore I shall not be confoūded for euer, for thou shalte gyue me euerlastynge thynges. who trusteth not in the, but in his owne vanitie, shalbe con­founded [Page] for euermore. For he shall descende to eternall confusion. I may be confounded temporally, bothe of the, & of all men, but I shall not be confounded for euermore. For of the I may be confoūded, whyle I desyre to be delyuered from temporal vexation, and perauen­ture thou wylte not heare me. Truely than I am con­founded temporally. For it is not expedient for me, sith that vertue is made ꝑfecte in infirmitie. And of men I am temporally confounded, & they preuayle agaynst me, whā they pursue me. But this also thou suffrest them to do, y ^t I shulde not be confounded for euermore. wherfore, yf before y ^t a thousāde yeres be but as yesterday, whiche is passed away, I wyll gladly suffre tem­poral cōfusions, that I be not confoūded for euermore. I wyll truste in the lorde, for hope hath taughte me to truste, and shortely I shalbe delyuered from all tribulation. By what merites shall I be delyuered? Not by myn, lord but by thy iustice deliuer me. By thy iustice I say not by min. I seke mercy, I offre not my iustice. But yf by thy grace thou wylte make me ryghtwyse, nowe I haue thy iustice. For thy grace in vs is thy iu­stice. The pharisees trusted in workes of iustice, they trusted in theyr owne iustice / and therfore they were not subiecte to the iustice of god. For of the workes of the lawe shall no creature be iustified with the. But the iustice of god appered by the grace of Iesu Christ, yea w ^tout the workes of the lawe. The philosophers gloried in theyr iustice, and therfore they foūde not thy iustice, bicause they entred not in at y ^e dore. They were theues and robbers, whiche came not to saue, but to destroy and sley the sheepe. wherfore thy grace is thy iustice lorde, & it were no lenger grace, yf it were giuen [Page] of the merites. wherfore not in my iustice, but in thy iustice delyuer me from my synnes, Or surely delyuer me in thy iustice, that is to wit, in thy sonne, whiche onely amongest men is founde iuste. what is thy son, but the very iustice, in whiche men be iustified? wher­fore in thy iustice iustifie me and delyuer me from my synnes, that I may be also delyuered from other affli­ctions, whiche I suffre therfore, so that y ^e cause taken away, the effecte myghte also be taken away.

Lo, the, oh lorde, haue I besoughte, & I am conforted, hope hath so taught me, I am replenyshed with ioye, bicause I truste in the, therfore I shall not be cōfoūded for euermore. Heuynes cōmeth agayne with greate purueyaunce, she is returned with swerdꝭ and speres on euery syde, she is defended with greate violence, she walketh, she hath beseged our citie. The crye of her horsemen hath feared me. Standynge without, she cōmaunded silence, and a farreof, she spake, sayenge: Oh, ꝙ she, lo, yonder is he y ^e trusted in the lorde, which sayde, I shall not be confounded for euermore, whiche hath folowed hope, his confortatrice. And whan she perceyued me at these wordꝭ to waxe ashamed, appro­chyng me nyghe, she sayde, where be the promyses of thy hope? where is the conforte? where is the delyue­raunce? what haue thy teares ꝓfited the? what haue thy prayers brought y ^t from heuen? Thou hast cryed, and no man hath answered the, thou haste wepte, and no man hath ben moued with pitie vpon y ^t, thou haste called vpon thy god, & he holdeth his peace, thou haste desyred the helpe of the saintes, and none of them hath regarded the. Lo, what profite haue the wordes of hope brought the? Thou haste laboured, and y ^u fyndest [Page] nothynge in thy handes. Thynkest thou y ^e god regar­deth the inhabitantes of the earthe? Nay he walketh aboute the limittes of heuen, and consydereth not our maters. Thus she blasphemynge spake. And whan I shoke for feare at her wordes, approchyng, she spake in myn eare, sayenge: Trowest thou tho thynges be trewe that faythe sheweth? wylte thou se that they be but mennes fantasies? Thou shalte knowe hereby.

For if god became man (as they say) and was crucified for men, it coulde not be, but that so greate loue shulde cōforte a man, neuer so moche oppressed with heuines, wepynge & cryenge vnto hym, yf (as they say) infinite goodnes caused him to come downe from heuen to take vpon hym the crosse, howe shulde he not nowe come downe to miserable men, that he myght cōforte them? Surely this is more easie, and with lyke loue oughte to be holpen. why do not the angelles and sayntes, yf they be so pitefull, come to conforte the? Howe many men trowest thou, wolde, if they myghte, come to the? and with theyr wordes and workꝭ (as moche as they myght) wolde conforte the, whiche wolde also delyuer the from all vexation? why do not the sayntes this, whiche are thoughte to be farre better than men?

Beleue me, all thingꝭ are gouerned by casualte. There be no thynges, but tho that be sene, your spirite shall vanishe away like smoke. who euer came agayn from helle or heuen and tolde vs suche thynges as they saye do chaūce to soules after this lyfe? These are but fa­bles of folyshe women. Aryse therfore and flee to the mānes helpe, that thou mayst be losened from prison, and lyue in pleasure, and not be deceyued falsely of this thy hope, and alwayes be in payne and trouble.

These thynges sayde, so greate crye was herde in her tentes, so greate dynne of the harneis, and noyse of the trompettes, that vnneth I coulde stande on my feete. And yf my welbeloued hope had not the soner holpen, heuines had led me boūde with chaines to her region. wherfore hope came shynynge with a certayne diuine bryghtnes, and smylyng, sayd: O souldiour of Christ, what herte, what mynde haste thou in this batayle? whiche I hearyng, forthwith was ashamed. And she sayde, feare thou not, this euyll shall not take the, thou shalte not peryshe, lo, I am with the to delyuer the.

Knowest thou not that it is wryten, The vnwyse man sayd in his herte, there is no god. This heuines hath spoken lyke one of y ^e folysshe women. Can she ꝑswade the that there is no god, or that god hath not the proui­dence of all thynges? Canst y ^u doubte of fayth, whiche with so many argumētes and reasons hast confirmed it? I wonder that thou arte so felled to the grounde at her wordes. Tell me, I praye the, begannest thou to doubte in thy herte of faythe? O my swete mother, the lyuynge god is my witnesse and also my cōscience, that I felte no maner prycke of infidelitie, for by the grace of Christe, I beleue no lesse tho thīges to be true, whiche be appertaynyng to faythe, than tho thinges, whiche I beholde with my bodely iyes. But heuines so pressed me, that rather I shulde haue ben broughte to disperation than to infidelitie. Son, thou knowest that this is a greate gyfte of god, and cōmeth not of workꝭ, that no man shulde glorie. Wherfore aryse and feare not, but rather knowe hereby that the lorde hath not forsaken the, which although he heareth not forth with, ye oughte not despayre. If he make tariaunce, [Page] abyde hym, for he wyll surely come, and not carye.

The ploughman abydeth paciētly the frute in the due tyme. Nature not forthwith gyueth the ꝑfecte shappe whan she bryngeth forthe a thynge, but fyrste she pre­pareth the mater, and disposeth it by lytle and lytle, vntyll she maketh it apte to receyue y ^e shappe. Yet knowe thou that the lorde always heareth hym that prayeth deuoutely & mekely, for they neuer departe voyde from hym. Nor I wyll not labour to proue this w ^t reasons, bicause thou felest it in thy selfe. Tell me, who lyfted vppe thy herte to god? who induced the to praye? who made the to sorowe for thy synnes, and to wepe? who gaue the hope? who made the cherefull in thy prayer, and after thy prayer? And also what is he that dayly confirmed the in thy holy purpose? Is it not the lorde, whiche worketh all in all thynges? Yf he than gyueth the continually these gyftes, why dothe that cursed woman saye, where be thy prayers? where be thy teares, & the other wordꝭ of blasphemie? Knowest thou not that the heuēly Hierusalem is distincted from this terrestral? Knowest thou not y ^t it is not cōuenient nor necessarie, nor profitable, that god or his angelles shulde descende visibly to men, and speake familiarlye to them. Fyrst it is not cōuenient, so vnworthy be our merites. For howe can lyghte and darkenes agree?

Diuerse cities haue citezens of contrary and dyuerse natures. Howe be it to some for theyr excellēt holynes, for asmoche as theyr lyfe was heuenly, it was graun­ted to se angelles, and to speke w ^t them. But a speciall priuilege belongeth not to all. It is not necessarie, by­cause that syth blessed angelles inuisibly gouerne vs, illuminate & cōforte vs. It nedeth not to shewe visible [Page] apparancies. Howe be it our lorde is so good, that also visible visiōs, whan he seeth nede, he doth not omitte. For what thynge myghte he haue done for our salua­tion, and hath not done it? Finally it is not profitable, for ouermoche familiaritie engendreth cōtempte. For to the Iues myracles both greate and many, nothyng auayled. For rare be precious. wherfore let the inui­sible visitation suffice the / for the lorde knoweth what thou hast nede of. Hath not he conforted the? I knowe what thou thynkest in thy herte. Aryse than and re­tourne to prayer. Crye, aske, seke, ꝑseuer / for yf he wyl not gyue bicause thou art his frende, yet for thy importunitie he wyll gyue all that be necessarie. with these wordes conforted, I arose, and prostrate before god, I proceded in my prayer, sayenge: ‘Inclina ad me aucem tuam acceleta vt e­ruas me.’

¶That is to say. Bowe downe thyn eare vnto me, hasten the to plucke me out.

¶Oh lorde my god, to the I returne, hope hath sente me vnto the, I do not come by myn owne presūption.

Thy goodnes prouoketh me, thy mercy draweth me.

Oh howe greate a gentlenes is this? Surely I ioye in my herte / nor I desire none other cōsolation. Happy truely is this necessitie, which compelleth me to come vnto the, whiche constrayneth me to speake with the, whiche forseth me to praye. wherfore I speake to my god, though I be my selfe but duste and asshes. Bowe to me thyn eare. what sayst thou my soule? Hath god eares? Thynkest thou that he is a bodely thyng? No certenly. For sythe the spirite is farre better than the body, who wolde say that god were a body, onelesse he [Page] be madde? But stāmeryng (as well as we may lorde) we sowne thy celestiall and moste hyghe thynges. we knowe the by thy creatures / we speake to the / & of the by the similitudes of them. Thy eare than what is it lorde? Is it thy knowlege? For by the eares we vnder­stande tho thynges, whiche be spoken vnto vs. Thou knewest from the begynnyng all thinges y ^t men speake and thynke. May we than vnderstande by thyn eare thy knowlege? Truely thyn eare doth insinuate some what vnto vs, whiche is not comprehended in y ^e name of thy simple knowlege. For vnto some y ^u boweste thyn eare / vnto other y ^u turnest it awaye. But thy knowlege alwayes abydeth one. what other thyng than is thyn eare / but the notice of thy alowaunce & disalowaunce. Thou bowest thyn eare, & hearest the wordes of good men, bicause they please the, and thou allowest them. Contrarywyse thou turnest awaye thyn eare from the wordes of the wycked / bicause they wyll not departe from theyr wyckednes / therfore the wordes please the not / but thou disalowest them. what is than to encline thyn eare to them, which speke vnto the / but to alowe theyr prayers, and to beholde them w ^t the countenaūce of pitie and mercy, to enlyghten and kyndle them, that w ^t a trust & a feruēt charite they may pray & desyre the. For thou wylte gyue them y ^t they aske hūbly. For yf the kynge sheweth to a poore man, whiche cōmeth to speake with hym, a mery coūtenaūce and turneth his iyes vnto hym, shewȳg hym selfe redy to heare y ^e poore mannes cause / wyll not the poore man be glad? Doth not the coūtenaūce & the attentifenes of the kyng cause the poore man y ^e more boldely to speake his mater, and minister wordꝭ & eloquēce vnto hym? yes vndoutedly? [Page] So lykewyse (lorde) we ꝑceyue the, than to bowe thyn eare to our prayers, whan thou grauntest vs in our prayers, to be feruēte in spirite. I beseche the therfore (o mercyful lorde and father) bowe vnto me thyn eare, alowe (I beseche the) my prayer, enlighten me, kyndle me, and teache me that I ought to axe and desyre, illu­minate and lyfte vp my herte, that at laste also thou mayste heare my prayer. Haste the (o mercyfull lorde) to plucke me out, shorten the dayes, cutte of the tyme. So bowe vnto me (oh lorde) thyn eare, that shortely I may be herde of the. For vnto the, whiche abydest for euer, euery tyme is shorte. For eternitie cōprehendeth all, and excedeth euery tyme. But vnto me, euery day is longe, for tyme is a numbrynge of the mouynge, so that he, which feleth no motion, feleth no tyme, but he that feleth mouynge, feleth tyme / and he moste of all feleth mouyng, whiche numbreth the partes therof.

I therfore, whiche numbre the dayes and the houres do moste of all fele the tyme. And therfore lyke as vnto the a thousāde yeres are but as yesterday, that is past, so vnto me one day is a thousande yeres, whiche are to come. wherfore hasten the lorde to plucke me out from synnes, & myn aduersaries. For deathe hasteneth and in euery place awayteth for me. Hye the lorde, lest per­chaūce I preuented of it, haue no space of repentaūce. Plucke me out lorde from the hande of the maliciouse, delyuer me from the bondes of sunne, take me from the snare of death, leade me out of the depnes of helle, saue me from oppression, and y ^e harde bondage of heuynes, that my mynde may ryse vp and ioye in the / and that I may blysse the all the days of my lyfe. I thanke the lorde in Iesu my sauiour, for accordyng to y ^e multitude [Page] of my sorowes in my herte, thy cōfortes haue reioysed my soule. wherfore I wyll alwayes truste in the / and I wyll for my parte adde vnto all thy prayse. Thou lord bowe thin eare vnto me, hasten y ^t to plucke me out. Alas wretche that I am, lo, agayne heuynes cōmeth instructed with terrible armours. The banner of iu­stice goeth before her / an innumerable hooste foloweth her feete / eche hath a spere in his hande. I beholde on euery syde instrumentes of deathe. wo be to me, I am vndone / with an hyghe and horrible voyce she cryeth, O wretche, that same thy hope hath deceyued the.

Lo, thou haste laboured in vayne, for y ^u saydest. Bowe thyn eare to me, hasten the to plucke me out. Hath god bowed his eare vnto the? Is thy prayer herde? where is the delyueraunce? where is the conforte? Hath god hastened to plucke the out? Yet arte thou bounde and a prisoner, nothynge is altered. If thou beleuest faythe to be trewe, why doest onely enbrace hope? Knoweste thou not that god is iuste? Knowest not his iustice?

He spared not his angels / he pitied not them / nor wyll pitie them / but for one only synne they be condempned for euermore. Adam synned, and the iustice of god pu­nyshed the whole mankynde with deathe. Thynkest that god doth not as wel loue rightwisenes as mercy? Chyldren deꝑtynge in original synne, shall neuer se the face of god / so rygorous is y ^e iustice of god, that for the synne, whiche they dyd not, but receyued by nature, they shall be punyshed with euerlastynge payne. For in helle is no redēption. Knowest not that god spareth not the offender? Dyd he not destroy in y ^e tyme of Noe, almoste all mankynde? Dyd he not consume with fyre Sodoma, and the other cities adioynynge vnto it?

Nor the diuine iustice hath not so moche as taken compassion of infauntes and innocentes. Howe ofte puny­shed he the Iewes offendynge? was not Hierusalem vtterly destroyed by the handes of Nabugodonosor?

Neyther spared he his owne temple / for it was also destroyed of Titus themperour of Rome / where y ^e Iues were so cruellye punyshed / that there is no man that heareth of it, but quaketh for feare. But se how sharpe the iustice of god is / the children for the fathers are punyshed euyn to this day. Beholde, the Iues be slaues and captiues in euery place / and dyenge in theyr blyndnes, are punyshed w ^t euerlastynge paynes. Troweste thou the mercye of god is greatter than his iustice?

Truely in god it is neyther greater nor lesse. For what soeuer is in god is his substaunce. But let vs consydre the workes of iustice & mercy / and we shall euidently espie, that the workes of iustice do excede the workes of mercy. God hym selfe is witnesse, sayenge: Many be called, fewe elected. Marke howe many infidels be dampned / how many euyl christen men there be / howe fewe lyue christianly / and thou shalte perceyue anone, that there be farre more vessels of iustice thā of mercy. The electe are the vessels of mercy / the refuse y ^e vessels of iustice. Let not Mary Magdalen make the truste / nor the thefe / nor Peter / nor Paule / for there was but one Mary / one thefe / one Peter / one Paule. Trowest thou to be accompted amongest so fewe? whiche haste cōmitted so many and so hughe synnes / whiche haste ben a sclaunder in the churche / whiche haste offended heuen and erthe? Lo, thyn iyes hath wepte / thy herte hath besought mercy / and as yet thou haste obteyned none. So many prayers of them y ^t loued the / be they [Page] herde? no, and why so? Surely bicause thou arte re­puted amonge the vessels of yre. Thy hope hath made the to labour in vayne. Folowe my coūsell, heuen hath caste the vp, the earth receyue the not. who can suffre this greate confusion? Better it is for the to dye, than to lyue / chose deathe, whiche, yf no man wyll brynge vpon the, lay handes vpon thy selfe, sley thy selfe.

These wordꝭ she with wonderfull importunitie layde on / and all the whole hooste with loude voyces dyd re­herse the same, sayenge: Deathe onely is thy refuge. But I hearynge this was sore afrayde, and sodeynly felle downe vpon my face, cryenge out, and sayenge: Lorde helpe me, lorde forsake me not, come my hope, come my hope. Lo, sodeynly hope glysterynge from heuen came downe, and touched my syde, and lifted me vp, and dyd set me on my feete, and sayde: Howe longe yet shalte thou be a babe? Howe longe wylte thou be anouice, and a yonge souldier? So ofte thou hast ben in batayle, and haste walked in the myddes of the darke­nes of deathe, and hast not yet lerned to fyght? Be thou not dismayed of the greate iustice of god / be thou con­forted y ^u fayntherted felowe. Let them feare, whiche be not cōuerted to y ^e lorde, whiche walke in theyr owne ways, whiche folowe vanities, whiche knowe not the way of peace. Let the wycked tremble, whiche do greuously synne and saye, what haue I done? whiche be not conuerted to the herte, whiche be called and refuse to come / they knowe not god, and wyll not vnderstāde that they may do well. Let these feare. what saythe the apostle? It is a dredefull thynge to falle in to the handꝭ of the lyuynge god. Suche, doubtles y ^e iustice of god punysheth / suche men ꝑteyne to her. But synners, [Page] whiche returnynge agayne to them selues do ryse a­gayne, and runne to the father of mercies, sayenge: Father, Luc. xv. I haue synned agaynst heuen & towardes the, but be thou mercyfull vnto me synner. Let suche haue truste in the lorde, for he that hath drawen them, vn­doubtedly wyll receyue them & iustifie them. Let he­uynes brynge forthe, yf she can, one synner, were he neuer so greate, whiche conuerted to the lorde, was not receyued of hym, & iustified. For although it be writen of Esau, that he founde no place of repentaūce, though he soughte it with teares. This maketh nothynge a­gaynst vs / for Esau dyd not wepe for his synnes that he had cōmitted / but for his temporall goodes that he had loste, whiche he coulde not recouer. Nor thynke not that iustice doth so pertayne to the wycked, that it is clene seperate from mercy. Nor agayne that mercy doth so belonge to ryghtwyse men, that it is clene seue­red from iustice. For all the ways of the lorde is mercy and veritie. For he sheweth mercy also to sinners in gyuynge them for the good dedes that they do tēporally, temporall rewardes / and after this lyfe in punyshyng them not so moche as they deserued. Lyke wyse his electe he pursueth with his iustice in punyshyng them temporally for theyr synnes, that they be not punyshed euerlastyngly. Thou therfore suffre paciētly the lorde, thou hast synned, be sory for it / be content that thrugh his grace thy synnes is forgyuen the. My sonne de­spise not the correction of the lorde / neyther faynt thou whan thou arte checked of hym / for whom the lorde loueth, he chastiseth / he scourgeth euery chylde that he receyueth. Continue than in affliction / god shewethe hym selfe to the, as vnto his sonne. And though there [Page] be fewe chosen chyldren of god, hauynge regarde to the disalowed, yet there be innumerable that shalbe saued. Nor there is not only one Mary Magdalen / one thefe / one Peter / one Paule / for innumerable haue folowed theyr steppes, doinge penaūce / and are receyued of the lorde, rewarded with many and great gyftes of grace / nor mercye is no lesse in her workes, than iustice. For mercy gyueth so great good thyngꝭ to rightwyse men, that her workes do farre excede the workes of iustice. Knowest not that the earthe is ful of the mercy of god? what creature can glorie y ^t he hath receiued any thȳg, whiche hath not taken it of the mercy of god? And yf thou haste greuouslye offended god, yet his mercye is greater than all the sinnes of the worlde. Trouble not thy selfe for the multitude & greuousnes of thy sinnes. Hath not mercy now come rēnyng & met the? Hath she not taken the vp and kyssed the? Lo, thou dydest falle, and thou werte not hurte. And why so? Arte thou not afrayle vessell, whiche, yf it fall muste nedes be brou­sed, onles some body put vnder his hande? why than whan thou fellest, werte thou not hurte? who dyd put vnder his hande? who? but the lorde. This is a great signe y ^t thou arte electe / for the electe whan he falleth, shall not be broused / for the lorde wyll put vnder his hande. Dothe not the apostle write, that to them that loue god, all thynges worke to good? In so moche that the very synne worketh them to good. Dothe not that falle worke them to good, wherby they be made bothe humbler, and warer. Doth not the lorde receiue hym, whiche is receyued of humilitie? Thou hast loued the lorde many yeres / for his loue y ^u haste laboured. After thou dydest lyfte vp thy herte, and walke in the vanite [Page] of thy wytte / the lorde withdrewe his hande, and thou fell / and in to the depnes of the see thou dydest descēde. Howe be it the goodnes of the lorde forthwith put vn­der his hāde / and thou werte not broused. Say than, whan I was violently shoued forthe, I was ouerturned that I mought fall, and the lorde toke me vp. Not so the wycked not so / whom god hath reiected. whan they falle they ryse not agayne / but eyther with greate shame they excuse theyr synnes / or elles they haue the boldenes of an harlot / and after they neyther feare god nor man. Aryse than & be of a stronge herte / be myghttie and valiaunt / abyde the lorde and do manfully / and let thy herte be enstrēgthed, and suffre the lorde. Thou hast proued thyn owne prowesse howe it is of no force. Than humble nowe thy selfe vnder the puissaūt hande of god / and henseforth be more ware. Pacience is ne­cessarie to the / w ^tout ceassynge pray / and the lorde shall heare the in due tyme. Aryse than and lay away al he­uines from thy selfe / embrace the feete of the lorde, and he shall saue and delyuer the. These wordes sayd, she was rauyshed in to heuen / leauynge me enstrengthed and wonderfully conforted / whom forthwith with all my herte ensuenge, I stode before god. & fallyng downe before my sauiours feete, I sayd w ^t a bolde confidence, ‘¶ [...]to mihi in deum ꝓtectorem & in domuni retugii vt saluum me facias.’

¶That is to say. Be vnto me a god protectour, and an house of refuge, that thou mayst saue me.

¶For thou god arte of all the greatest and y ^e strongest, thou the redemer, & sauiour of all / thou the ꝓtectour of the faythfull / to the I flee boldely. Hope hath brought me in / hope, whiche thou so dearely doste loue / whom thou haste alwayes cōmended vnto vs / with her haue [Page] I not feared to come before thy face. I graunte I am vnworthy / but she drew me. I feared to approche nere for my manyfolde sinnes, but she hath encouraged me. Lo, she standethe before the / she beareth wytnesse / I speake to my lorde, being my selfe flesshe, and a synner / hope taughte me, and sayd to me, that boldely I shuld open my mouthe. Swete and gentle, ꝙ she, is the lord, he wyll not dryue the away / he wyll not be angrye / he wyl gladly heare / what soeuer y ^u desirest he wyl gyue. I beleued / for whiche cause I spake. But cōsyderyng thy maiestie, I was greately humbled / and I sayd in my traunce / euery man is a lyar / I wyll neuer more truste in man, but in the onely / thou onely arte faythe­full in all thy wordes / and euery man is a lyar. what shall I yelde the, oh lorde, for all that thou hast gyuen vnto me? The cuppe of saluatiō I wyll take / for from henseforthe I wyll lyue not vnto me, but vnto the / do­inge good for thy loue / I wyll suffre all euyls / I wyll not do this thrugh myn owne myghte / but I wyll call on the name of the lorde. My vowes I wyll yelde to all thy people. For in the syght of god the deathe of his sayntes is precious. Be than vnto me a god ꝓtectour, defende me from myn enemies. Myn enemies are my synnes, whiche ꝓuoke thy ryghtwysenes agaynst me. I shall not be able to stande agaynst them / yf y ^u dost not protecte me. Let thy mercy be my shylde lorde, & w ^t the shylde of thy good wyll crowne me. I haue nothing to offre vnto him, wherw ^t I may tēpre his furour, al y ^t I bryng w ^t me accuse me. wherfore I wyl offre thy pas­sion lorde. Be not displeased lord god, but rather be vn­to me god ꝓtectour, vnder thy wyngꝭ ꝓtecte me, w ^t thy shulders shadow me / & vnder thy fethers I wyl trust. [Page] what shal iustice do to me, if thou kepest me vnder thy protection? She wyll holde her peace lorde, and put vp the swerde of her furie / she shall be made tame and gentle, seinge y ^e goodnes of thy incarnation / beholdyng the woundes of thy passion / consyderyng the bloude of thy charitie / she wyll departe fro me, & say: Be mery sonne thou haste founde me / eate in peace / slepe & reste together with me. Be therfore lorde to me a god, pro­tectour, an house of refuge, that in y ^e tyme of rayne and storme, in tyme of tēptations, I may flee vnto the / for in the onely is my helth / be thou vnto me a house of re­fuge / open vnto me thy syde persed with y ^e speare, that I may entre the breste of so tender loue / in whiche I may be safe from the feblenes of spirite, & from tēpest / hyde me in thy tabernacle / in the day of euyls protecte me in an angle of thy tabernacle / let it be the house of my refuge, that thou mayste make me safe / for I can not be but safe in the house of thy refuge / for thou hast put thy refuge moste hyghe / this place is well fensed / no enemyes is there feared / wolde god I myghte al­ways abyde in it / who dwelleth in it can not be woun­ded. wherfore at all temptations, at all tribulations, at all necessities, open lorde vnto me the house of thy refuge / spreade abrode the bosome of thy tender loue / shewe forthe the bowels of thy mercy / that thou mayst make me safe / let not the tempter come thyther / let not the sclaunderer clyme vp / let not that noughtie accuser of his brethern approche / I shalbe than sure without cure / yea alredye me thynketh I am excedyngly well and quiete. I thanke the good Iesu, that y ^u hast sente thy hope vnto me / whiche hath raysed me of duste and of donge, lyfte me vp, and set me before the, that thou [Page] shuldest be god, my protectour, and the house of my re­fuge, to thentent thou shuldest saue me. My mynde is troubled: Lo, heuynes is at hande, she cōmeth with the banner of iustice / from yesterdays conflicte / she de­parteth not / but she is defended with other weapons / for this nyghte she hath stolen away my weapōs / and with my swerdꝭ she hath gyrded her souldiers. wher­fore vnweapened & weyke, what shall I do? Lo howe bytterly she cryethe / w ^t what assaute she setteth vpon me / what a trust she hath of y ^e victorie. where, ꝙ she, is thy protectour? where is thy house of refuge? wher is thy helthe? Continuest styll in thy vayne hope? Thy confortes procede but of imagination. Thou ymagy­nest god mercyfull / and thy protectour / and the house of thy refuge / and thou thynkest thou clymmest vp to heuen. Surely thou arte illuded of thy fantasye / and cōforted with vayne hope. Thynkest that thou werte rauished vp to y ^e thyrd heuen? These are but dreames, Recoūte with thy selfe howe greuous an offence is in­gratitude. Doth not this drye vp y ^e foūtayn of mercy? Remembre, Christe wepte for the citie of Hierusalem / and tolde afore y ^e euyls that shulde fall vpon it, sayeng: The days shall come vpon the / and thyn enemies shall besege the, and compasse the aboute / and dryue the in to streytes / and beate the downe to the groūde / and thy chyldren that be in the / and they shall not leaue in the a stone vpon a stone. Nor the cause of so greate venge­aunce he kepte not close, but added it, sayeng: Bicause thou knewest not the tyme of thy visitation. Lo, in­gratitude deserueth not only to be depriued of benefitꝭ, but also greuously to be punyshed. Dothe not this be­longe to the soule? Dothe not Hierusalem often tymes [Page] in scripture signifieth the soule? whiche whan it wyll not knowe the visitation of the lorde, is beseged with dyuels, and with sondry temptations, wherwith it is afflicte, falleth downe to earthly thingꝭ, is ꝓstrate, nor no good vertue, nor no good dede is lefte in it, whiche is not destroyed, for it is spoyled of all grace / neyther is it buylded agayne, she knoweth not the tyme of her vi­sitation. Thou, truely, thou, I say, arte this citie, en­ryched of god with many & greate benefites, and thou acknowlegest it not, but werte vnkynde / he created the to his owne lykelynes / in myddes of his churche, not amōge the infidels he made the to be borne / he dyd set the in a floryshȳg citie / with the water of baptisme he sanctified the / in a religious house he brought the vp. But thou rannest after thy lustes, in the vanitie of thy brayne thou walkedest / thou rannest downe in to depe synnes / the lorde called the, and thou answeredest not. He ofte aduertised the, and y ^u regardedst not his coūsell. Howe ofte dyd he lyghten the? Howe ofte dyd he turne the to thy herte? How ofte dyd he awake the fro slepe? He inuited the, and y ^u excusedest thy selfe / he plucked, and thou dydest resyst hym. At last his ineffable good­nes ouercome the. Thou dydest offende, and he visited the / thou fellest, and he plucte the vp / thou werte igno­raunt, and he taughte the / thou werte blynde, and he lyghtned the / from the rumble of the worlde / from the tempest of the see, he broughte the to quietenes, and to the porte of religion / he gaue the the habite of holy conuersation / he made the his preeste / he brought y ^t to the scholes of his wysedome / and yet thou haste alwayes ben vnkynde / and negligently thou hast done the wyll of the lorde / whan yet thou knewest it wryten. Cursed [Page] is he that dothe the worke of the lorde negligētly. Nor thus the goodnes of god dyd not leaue the, but alwaye broughte the gently to better / and whiche is moste of all, garnyshed y ^t with knowlege of scripture, the worde of preachynge he put in thy mouthe / and dyd set the in the myddes of his people, as one of y ^e greate & famous men. Thou, this notwithstandyng, taughteste other, and regardest not thy selfe / other thou healedest, & thy selfe y ^u sauedeste not / thou lyftedest vp thy herte in thy worshyp / and therfore thou hast loste thy wysedome in thy worshyp. Nought werte thou made, and nought shalte thou be for euermore. Knoweste thou not that the seruaunt knowyng the wyll of the lorde, and doing it not, shalbe beaten w ^t many strypes? Dost not knowe that god resisteth y ^e proude? Howe fellest thou Lucifer / whiche dydest spring vp in y ^e mornyng / whiche dydest wounde the gentyls / whiche saydeste in thy herte, I wyll clym vp to heuen. But y ^u werte plucked downe, to helle in to the depe of the lake / vnder the lyethe the mottes / and thy hyllyng is wormes. Thynkest thou nowe to fynde mercye, whiche haste offended many / whiche so ofte called and monyshed of god, woldest not answere? where were than the iustice of god? where were than the equitie of iudgement? Mercy doth not alway folowe synners / she hath set her boundes. Is it not wryten: I haue called, and ye haue becked away / I haue spred abrode my handes, and there was none that wolde loke vpon me / ye haue despised my counsel, and neglected my increpations: I also in your decaye wyll laughe and ieste, whan that thynge that ye fea­red come vnto you?

Lo, not alwayes mercy gyueth pardone to the synner. Doest not cōsydre y ^e degrees of mercy to haue an ende / in the whiche, being adourned w ^t so many benefites of god, dydest fall into y ^e depe see / whiche garnished with so many graces / for thy pryde and vayneglory werte a sclaunder to the worlde? Let not than vayne hope de­ceyue the, whom thou folowest / lyue henseforth after thy luste & appetite / be not punyshed bothe in this lyfe and in the other with eternall paynes. Chose to dwell with them, whiche leade theyr dayes in pleasure, and in a momēt go downe to helle. Nor let not shame holde the backe. Take the foreheed of an harlot / let vs eate and drynke for to morowe shall we dye. Thy wounde is despayred on, it is made incurable. whan she had sayde these wordes, all the hooste cryed out with hor­rible voyces, and repeted her wordes, sayenge: Thy wounde is despayred on, and made vncurable.

¶I remembryng the aduertisemētes of my mother, thoughe I was somwhat deiecte in mynde, yet to my power I plucked vp my selfe, and stode vpon my feete, lyftynge vp myn iyes to heuen, from whens I hoped for helpe. And lo, hope with a cherefull countenaunce furnyshed with diuine beames, descēdyng from aboue sayde, who is that that enuolueth sentences with vn­lerned wordꝭ, which setteth boūdes to infinite mercy? whiche folyshe persone thinkest to beare the waters of the see in her handꝭ. Hast y ^u not herde the lorde, sayeng: In what houre soeuer y ^e sinner bewayleth his sinnes, none of all his inquities I wyll recorde? what man is he that synneth not? who can saye my herte is clene? The Pater noster belongeth to all, in whiche all men are cōpelled to say: Dimitte nobis debita nostra. For­gyue [Page] vs our sinnes. Our lorde taught y ^e apostles thus to praye. Dothe not than this prayer belōge to other? Thapostles receyued fyrste the holy ghoste. And why taughte he them thus to praye, yf they had no synne / and yf they had, who can glorifie that he is no synner? Heare the beloued disciple of the lord. Yf we say, ꝙ he, that we haue no sinnes, we begyle our selues, & trouth is not in vs. Iames the apostle. In many thīgꝭ, ꝙ he, we all offende. wherfore all haue synned, and nede the mercy of god, yea the holy men of god. For it is writen, Seuen tymes a day fall the iuste man, and he shal ryse agayne. wherfore mercy hath no limittes nor boūdes. But so ofte as the synner lamēteth his gylte, so ofte he obteyneth mercye. Nor it skillethe not whether we speake of greate or of lytle offences. Thou hast fallen, aryse, and mercye shall take the vp. Thou shrynkest, calle, and mercy shall come vnto the. Agayne thou fal­leste, agayne thou shrynkeste / turne the to the lorde, and the bowelles of his pitie shall open to the. Thou fal­leste the thyrde tyme, and the fourthe. Knocke, crye, and mercye wyll not forsake the. As ofte as thou syn­nest, so ofte ryse agayne, & mercy shall haue none ende. why dost thou vpbrayde the benefites that thou haste taken, o thou wretched woman, heuynes? Dyd not Dauid the greate prophete receyue many & greate be­nefites? Of whom the lorde sayde, I haue founde a man accordynge to my herte: and yet he synned, & that greuously, as well in aduoutrie, as in the murderyng of a good and innocent persone / and yet the lorde ended not his mercy in hym. what bryngest thou the synne of pryde? Dyd not Dauid lyfte vp his herte, & caused to nūbre the people of Israel? For he gloried as though [Page] he had ben a greate kynge and a myghtye in his owne strengthe and puissaūce / and yet he was not reiecte for this. why? For he dyd not hyde his syn, he dyd not bost it as Sodoma dyd, but he sayd: I wyll cōfesse agaȳst my selfe, myn iniustice to the lorde. wherfore mercye hath set no limites nor boundes vnto her selfe / but the wicked & dampned ꝑsones do set endes to them selues, that they may not passe vnto it, for she cōmeth to them but they dryue her away. wherfore it is writen: Thy perdition Israel is of thy selfe / of me only is thy helpe. Open thy mouthe, saythe mercy, and I wyll fylle it. Holde out thy bosome, & I wyll gyue the a good mea­sure, and heaped full, and flowynge ouer. Continue in prayers and wepynge. For he that hath begon to loue the, and prouoke the with benefites and graces to his loue, wyl not leaue the, but gyue the encreast and per­fourme rather his worke. what naturall cause begynneth a worke, & leaueth in the myd way? The vertue of sede ceasseth not vntyll it hath broughte the frute to perfection. what byrde leaueth her yonge, before they be able to rule them selues? why do they this? what profite cōmeth vnto them of this? None truelye but onely labour. Loue than cōpelleth the natural causes to brynge theyr effectes to ꝑfection / goodnes cōpelleth them, whiche they couet to poure out / for goodnes al­wayes diffundeth it selfe. If than the creatures do this, what shall the creator do? for he is the selfe loue, he is infinite goodnes. Shall not he make ꝑfecte his worke? Heare the lorde Iesus, It is my worke, ꝙ he, to do the wyll of hym y ^e sente me, that I shulde make perfecte his worke. He than y ^t began to loue the, with his giftes and free benefites to allure the vnto hym, to [Page] [...]ense the, and also to pourge the from synne. without doubte he wyll make perfecte his worke / for these be the preparations of euerlastynge lyfe. why therfore nowe whan thou fellest, werte thou not broused? was it not bicause the lorde dyd put vnder his hande? And why dyd he put vnder his hande? why dyd he turne to the thy herte? why dyd he prouoke the to repentaūce? why dyd he conforte the? was it not bicause he wolde make the cleaue & sticke vnto hym, and make the wor­thy his grace, & brynge the to euerlastyng lyfe? These be not illusions, and thy imaginations / but diuine in­spirations. But be it, let them be imaginatiōs, be they not good? Do they not come from the vertue of fayth? wherfore syth all good issueth from god, vndoubtedly these imaginations are diuine illuminations. Reioyse therfore in these wordes. At these wordes my herte was so cōforted, that for ioye I began to syng, sayeng.

¶That is to say: The lorde is myn enlyghtnyng and my helthe, whom shall I feare?

¶The lorde is the ꝓtectour of my lyfe, of whom shall I be abashed?

¶At the feete of the lorde prostrate with wepynge I sayd, Lorde, though a felde be pytched agaynst me, my herte shall not feare / for my fortitude, & my refuge arte thou / and for thy names sake thou shalte bryng me out and nouryshe me.

¶An ende of the exsposition of Hierome of Ferrarie vpon the psalme of In te domine speraui, whiche preuented by deathe he coulde not fynyshe.