O My moste benygne lorde Iesu Chryste / haue mercy and pite on me and forgyue thy mooste vnworthyest and vnhappy seruaunt towarde the / wyllynge with the to commune a lyttyll .

¶ who arte thou / that so lamentably complayneth .

¶ Fere thou not this horible decaye and rewen , yf thou wilt vtterly forsake thy sinnes / receyueynge penaunce / with true contricyon / makynge satysfaccyon , and neuer here after to offende . Truly I beynge the heuenly glory and inestimable swetnes / descended from my regall trone / of most highest magnyfycence , vnto vnmeasurable dolours & paynes , whiche gladly I haue suffred in my mynde / in my body & membres / with all sences & partes thereof , to delyuer thee frome eternall dampnacyon , & to gyue the my heuenlye inherytaunce & perpetuall glory ,

And also doubte thou not / but I wyll clerely forget all thyne offences / so long as thou arte in wyll & purpose vtterly to forsake thine euyll consuetude & custome therof , ye and I saye moreouer / I wyll not remembre thine inequite , but vtterly expell and cause hyt to be so farre indistans from the / as is the mornyng spryng out of the occydent , and I shall mundefye & clense thee of thy fylthy synnes , & wyll not leaue the desolate , before I haue accomplyshed these sayeynges in moost ample wyse .

¶ O crucyfyed Iesu / I knowe doubtles that I am more derely beloued with that / then I am with my selfe / For with the truely I am at all tymes tenderlye beloued / wherof it is wrytten . Diligis enim oia que sunt et nichil odisti eorum que fecisti . Sa . x Verely thou louyst all thynges and hatyst nothynge that is of thy creacyon . But for as muche as man oftentymes loueth not the / so oftentymes man louethe not hym selfe / wherof the prophet Dauid spekethe . Psal . Qui autem diligit iniquitatem odit animam suam . who that delyteh in vyce and syn abhoreth & hateth his owne soule

¶ I haue shewed thys thynge wyth contynuall dolours in all my paynfull lyfe / For truelye I receiued the crosse of my bytter passyon in the wombe of my mother / & bare hit continually in my hart & stablyshed hit in my body with great austerite / wherfore to shew the endles measure of the hydeous paynes of my soule / I wylled al my membres to haue sweten blode and water / in the fynall & instan● ende of my bytter passion / and to reuelate the same whyche before was secretly hid within me from the wombe of my mother / hit was conuenyent at the tyme of my deth openlye to be shewed by exteryor sygnes vnto my electe faythefull people .

¶ O most ientyll Iesu I besech the / beholde and take heede vnto this blody swete / with the whiche / all thy precyous membres was dyscoloured and made red , And all thy precyous soule tormented most bytterly which remayneth in all partes of thy gloryous body , and is the conseruacion & lyfe therof , But notwithstandyng my most heuenly lorde / shewe vnto me what thyng thou requerest of me / For all these inestimable paynes that for my sake thou hast so contynually suffred .

¶ Onely loue for loue I axe no more / For truly to purchase & by loue / was the cause that I suffred myne intollorable passyon .

¶ O most worthyest lorde with out doubt / thou art most pureste loue / for thou arte of thy nature good in thy selfe / for there maye none be good but thou onely god For by thy goodenes gracyous lorde , thou delyuerest man / from the seruytude & bondage of oure goostly ennemy the deuyll . And by hit thou remyttyst & forgyuest synne , which thyng no man can doo / but thou lorde god onelye . And also thou louyst theym that loueth thee , as the wyse man in his {pro}uerbes saith . ro . viii Ego diligentes me diligo . And hereist them that denoutlye prayeth & calleth vnto the , As the prophet Dauid saythe . s . cxiiii Dilexi quoniam exaudiet dominus . That is to say , I haue loued my lorde god , forbecause he wil here my prayer ye and thou good lorde / arte the brennyng charite / whiche vnto the worlde camest to inflame & moue the slouthfull & frosty colde hartes of synners , And thou sayst also . Ego veni vt vitam habeant et habundancius habeant . Ioh . x

I came for synners to haue lyfe in this worlde by grace and consequently more habundaunce of my glory , in the worlde to come .

¶ withoute doubte there is nothyng that so kendeleth the diuine fyre of charyte , in thy harte , as doth the kepyng of my commaunddementes , & to ponder well my wordes that now thou haste spoken , And marke well these sayeynges foloweng , Ioh . ii Sic enim deus dilexit mundum vt filium suum vnigenitum daret . That is to saye , God my father , hath so tenderly loued the worlde , that for redempcyon therof , He gaue me his onely sonne , vnto the cruell and most bytter deth of Crosse .

¶ Truely lord , he is a wretched synner , in whos hart the fyre of loue wyll not kendyll , when he consydereth these thynges , wherin appereth the hygh loue and charite of god , O thou onely sonne of god , I besech the , suffer not my poore hart to be frosen or bound , with suche frosty colde , but haue pyte and mercy on me , and gyue me grace that I maye saye these wordes with the prophet Dauid . Factum est cor meum , tanquam cera liquessens . ●… s . xxi . My harte is molefyed wyth loue , & made as soft as molten waxe .

¶ O meruelous & inestymable loue / what may I recompens that my lorde god agayne / for all his bytter sorowes / that he hath suffred for me ,

¶ If thou wilt remembre howe many thinges I beyng the lorde of hygh magestie / and the onelye sonne of god / hathe suffred for the , and yf thou woldest gyue thy self to dye a thousande tymes , thou were not able ne yet suffycyent , to recompens me equallye , For the benygnyte of suche a benefyte lieth out of euery mannes power to requyte ,

O good lorde / thou saydes here before / that thou riceyued the Crosse of thy bytter passion / and bare it contynually / from the wombe of thy blessed mother , vnto the oure of deth , Therfore I beseche the / shew vnto me those reasons / that caused suche sharpe & bitter paynes , to be alwayes in thy sacred soule , that hit may be openly knowwen / howe moche I am bounde vnto the / the lorde of glory , that for my sake / thou dyd conclude thy selfe vnto deth , that I maye īioy thi heuenly beatitude / which eye neuer sawe / neere neuer harde ,

¶ Consider thou diligently / with a ceruent spryt / & a lyuely hartt / that for thy sake / and all mankinde , I haue suffred a double marterdome , One in bodye a nother in soule , that thou shulde be accept and taken for the sacrefice of god by true loue and compassyon , all inflamed with the loue of charyte / to waste and deuoure thy rusty & kankerd syn , And vnto my corporall merterdome take good hed & beholde , thou shalt se & perceyue that there was neuer passyon of any mertyr so bytter & paynfull , the whiche myght be compared vnto my passyon , and thys wyll I proue vnto thee , by auctoryte , by sygne , and by reason , Fyrst I wyll proue vnto that by auctoryte , That I my selfe crieth out of my grete and inestimable sorowes , by the mouthe of the prophet saieng , Trino . 〈…〉

O vos omnes qui transitis {per} viam attendite et videte si est dolor similis sicut dolor meus .

O all ye people that walketh by the way beholde and se , yf theyr be any sorowes lyke vnto my dolorous passyon , as I maye well verefy there is none . Secondely I wil proue by sygne and token , for theyr was neuer suche sygnes or tokens sene in the merterdome of any other / as was sene in my passion / and to shew the harde & defficultnes therof / the sone waxed obscure and darke / and the erth trymled and quaked / as yf they had taken {per}ceueraunce of a meke compassyon / wyth lamentable cryenges / they bewayled me the / sonne of god / hangyng then on the crosse / for there may no creature suffer or abide my iniury and damage done vnto me his creatour wherī tho wyked & cursed hartes maye be reproued / that wyll not be moued vnto compassion / and sorow of my deth . Thrydly I wyll proue the bytternes of my passyon vnto thee by reason / For thou shalt vnderstande / that my complexcyon / was most noblest in nature / my fleshe vncorrupt / and the foure elementes that was ioyned vnto it / was most equally deuyded / and moreouer then that / I receyued my pure & clene fleshe of a virgin immaculate / for to avoyde and expell orygynall synne , that is to say / the inordynate concupycence , & with suche a complexcyon / the swete amyable beute / & the fersnes of strenght alway dothe agre , & in as moche as the quantytye of euery element / is the more {pro}porcyonably ioyned to gyther / wherof man is made & create / so moche more difficult & harder is their seperacyon / by this yt apereth by reason / that the seperacion of my body and soule , was moch more paynfuller then all other dethes , also how moche more as my fleshe and body was preserued and clere from all orygynall synne , so moche was hyt lykewyse the more paynfuller to be tormented . And as toucheynge my spyrytuall merterdome what I haue suffered in my soule , thou shalt take good hede / as I haue shewed vnto the before / that yt began in me / when my soule was fyrste vnyed vnto my body wythin the wombe of the blessed vyrgyn my mother & so alwayes continued from hour to hour and neuer ceased the space of .xxxiii. yeres and aboue / to the tyme my soule was seperate from my body . And therfore was I constituted & ordeyned a martyr in the wombe of my blessed mother / wherfore was I neuer without the bytter martyrdome of my soule not one moment of an houre / for what so euer I suffred / the nyght when I was taken / and in the daye folowyng when I was slayn / of mockes : and scorninges / despisinges and blasfemynges / spyttynges & defyinges / the cronyng of thorne the bitter drynke of eysel and gal the naylynge and stratchynge of my bodye vppon the crosse / all these thynges my blessed sowle susteyned and bore in all my lyfe dayes before / but specially thou oughtest to ponder well in thy mynde and take good hede that the most sharpest darte and most bitter anguyssh of the blessed virgyn my mother was an excessiue cause of all my dolorous paynes in the respecte of all my sorowes For as moche as the degre of her motherly excellency it besemed to be in perfyte charite / with a feruent loue towarde me her owne chylde / so moche dyde she sorowe and bewayle my bitter paynes & passion / as moche and more then ony liuynge woman myght so do wherfore her most paynfull herte contynually wounded my mynde / in gyuynge newe and fyers bytter tourmentes vnto my soule / throughe her motherly crosse or sorowe . Another cause of my continuall sorowes was all the martyrdomes that euer was / or herafter this shall come vnto my louyng frendes for my sake . wherfore I wyll tell thee of trueth that all tho paynes that euery martyr hath suffred in body and soule for my sake / from Adam vnto the laste man / which at the worldes ende shall be borne / all these paynes I suffred in my soule without measure / and of very compassion thei wounded and subpressed my hert more deper then all tho corporal paynes that euer they haue or shall actually suffre in their owne bodyes / and for to verifie the trueth hereof there ben .ii. causes . One is that I behelde presently all thynges that hath ben created and is created / or shall be created in the clere glasse of my deite . wherfore as soone as my soule was ioyned vnto my body / vnto the tyme I gaue vp my spryt , I began alwayes to beholde all tho paynes that were for to come , bothe vnto me and vnto my louyng frendes whiche mooste cruelly dyde alwayes tourment the inferioure partes of my soule / and of this thynge specially I was greatly and more greuously payned in my spryt , then euer was or shallbe any of them in their owne propre persons .

Another cause there is that my spyryte was so tormented wyth suche paynes / and that was the abundaunce and superfluite of loue , for loue euer encreaseth and gendreth sorowe and heuines in the spryt / for lyke as mans loue is the more stedfastly and feruently fyxed toward me / so moche more is mans soule tormented with the sorowe of my deth and passion / & for be cause I haue loued thee and all men more incomperable then possible ony man may loue him self , therfore I haue suffred more paine in my spryt of all tho thynges then euer any martir hathe suffred or dothe suffre and shal to the worldes ende . And thou knowest very well that when Paule consented vnto the stonyng & deth of Stephen , & {per}secuted my christen people , I said vnto him . Saule Saule Quid me persequeris . Act. ix Saule Saule why dost thou {per}secute me , and yet did not he persecute me in myn owne propre person , but in the persons of my electe and chosen frendes . For what so euer is done vnto my frende , be it good or euill , it is done vnto me . And this procedeth of a speciall loue / that I haue vnto man . So therfore thou mayst consider for what cause my passion excelleth in paynes al other that euer hath suffred , or hereafter shall suffre , for because I was tormented bothe in body and in soule , being pure without sinne / and in a pleasaunt nature , and suffred bothe myne owne martirdome , and also the martirdome of all my elect people al daies of my lyfe . For al suche paines neuer dide perisshe ony of them in their owne propre bodies as it crucified my soule for the space of .xxxiii. yeres and odde wherof the prophet ysay lamently complaineth , crieth and saieth . Esa . liii . Vere langores nostros ipse tulit et dolores not̄s ipse portauit . Doubtles he hath taken on him oure sorowes , and borne on his precious body oure moste greuous paines , and therfore I might neuer laugh , but oftimes wepe , and appered as thoughe I had ben of the age of fyfty yeres and aboue , where I was but xxxiii . yeres and odde , and al caused the incessant tourmentes and continual dolors that was for to come , both towarde my selfe and my elect people , whiche alwaies clerely I beheld & painfully bore in the strength of my remembraunce wherfore I said oftentimes to my fader Multi enim gemit{us} & cor meum merens . Trino . i My sorowes ben great & my harte is full heuy , and these thinges I shewe vnto the wherby thou shuldest be moued to the more loue & compassion towarde me , for as moche as my life and yeres wasted & comsumed with sorowes & payne .

¶ O good Iesu I here very wel perceyue ther is no mans reason may compas & sufficiently deserne the profounde depnes of sorowes & vnmesurable heuines that alwaies remained in thy sacred soule and most painful passion , likewise folowed thy moost holy & deuoute body . But natwithstandyng vnderneth my most humble obedience & thy holy wyll nat displesed I moue vnto the one question meruaylyng moche how any such extreme sorowes or paynes myght in any wyse come to thy blessed soule , when all glory , all ioy & heuenly felicite to it was present & fast knyt & vnyed vnto thy deite / whose amiable beuty & most gloryous countenaunce is so ioyful & aboue all comparisons in gladnes that if al the dampned soules of hel myght ones behold as doth the blessed sprytes alway assystyng before the high maiesty of thy godhed coud neuer suffre tormentes or paynes of any sorow or heuynes by syght of deuilles , or crucifieng in the most sharpest fyre of hell .

¶ Euen as thou sayst ther is no doubte , but my soule was & allway is gloryfyed , howe be it my body was mortall & ordeyned to deth . Natwithstandyng my soule after the superior powers & partes therof was in as hygh glory and ioy from the sodeyn moment or instant tyme that it was ioyned to my body bothe then & afterwarde , as well at the tyme when I honge on the crosse , as when I descended to hel as I am at this day syttyng at the ryght syde of my father . But as touching the inferior powers of my soule was in a contynuall {per}ceuerans with an extreme sorow , for the fore said causes / but by course of nature / suche a meruaylous thynge myght neuer be sene the ioy & gladnes was euer acompanyed togider in one soule , but this thyng was done by meruayl{us} deuine power & miracul{us} {pro}uision of my godhed , for after natural cours both ioy & sorow may neuer agre togyther / but euer the one expelleh the other / so that they bothe may neuer remayne in one place . And for because thou mayst vnderstand these thynges more euidently , I wold thou {per}ceuydest / that the wel & fountayne of al my sorowes / was the hyghe & in estimable despensacion & pardon / of my father , whiche dyd prohibyt and forbed the influence or fluxe of the glorye of my deite , whiche remayned in the superiour powers of my soule / that in no wyse shuld redowne vnto the inferioure partes therof . For without suche prouision / it were vnpossible my soule coulde euer haue suffred any payne or sorow but because this fluxe or influence was clerely prohibyt in me / therfore I dyde parfetely rest in Ioye and glorye / after the superiour partes . And after the inferiour partes therof / I was most vehemently crucified with intollerable paynes , And so the paternall power of my father conioyned miraculously the moste depest sorowe / with moste highest swetnes / & the most highest power with the most wekest infirmite / forbecause this flux or influence was {pro}hibit in me / & that passed the course of nature / for by natural course the superior powers of the soule ought to norysshe & fede the inferiour partes . And in as moche as this despensacion and pardon was the more marueylous ordeyned / my payn and sorowes was the more sharpe and bytter . Also thou shalte vnderstande , that in all my feruent paynes & passion I obserued & kept my natural course vnto my last ende of deth , wherby I suffred the more paynes and sorowes .

¶ without doubt good lorde / he is worthy of deth that refuseth to lyue with the eternally , whiche hathe gyuen thy lyfe for vs / and he that lyuethe is but a deed man , that wyll not bothe represent in hym selfe the remembraunce of thy moste bytter and contynuall passyon and alwaye bere on his body thy sore & greuous woundes , by doyenge sharpe & strayte penaunce / and also wyll not crucifye hym selfe in hys paynefull harte / and prepayre & make vnto hym selfe a tourment of depressyng carnall affeccion & voluptuous pleasure .

¶ Si quis vult venire post me abneget semet ipm & tollat crucē suam quotidie & sequat̄ me . Ma. xv that is to say / he that wyll come after me / let hym take on him his crosse & always folow me .

¶ O mercifull Iesu that arte the profounde wisdom & excellent vertue of god / illumyne my soule with the gyft of vnderstandyng , that I may perceyue thy wordes .

¶ In this my words thou shalt vnderstande , that vnto reasonable man which is made as the ymage of god , I haue prouided .iii. thynges / that is bondshyp / vyle & sharpe sorow , in forsaking him self apereth bondshyp / in beryng of his crosse is vilete & shame / in folowing me betokeneth bytt̄ sorow . who that falleth by inobedience from the state of iii . felicites must humbly aryse by the obedience of .iii. miserable afflyctions . Treuly he falleth from the associacion and felyshyp of angelles & from the clere vision & fruicion of my deite & from the heuenly btintude , therfore let him here my counsell & folowe the same , that in forsakynge him selfe / whiche dothe sygnifye his propre wyll , he shall recouer his free lyberte . And in takynge on him his crosse , that is for to suffre gladly to be contempned and despised of other / he shal recouer the heuenly felyshyp and company of angelles / and in folowyng me that is the steppes of my passion by chastning of his body , he shal recouer the clere vision of my godhed .

¶ Verily good lorde , it is mete and conuenient ye and also necessary , who that wyll reygne with thee in glory and ioye , they shuld with the lykewise suffre sorowe & tribulacion , and tho that wyl be norysshed with thy moost blessed countenaunce ought to folow thy bytter passion .

Happye is this sentence or Iudgement of thy mouth , but blessed & more happyer is he that always doth reuolue in his mynde & remembre perfytly how strayt and narowe and how bitter and sharpe is the waye that conducet man to eternall lyfe , whenne it besemed me for too suffre suche sorowes before I my selfe myght entre my glory , yf I in suche wyse bought myne owne propre glory , who is he that may or shall haue it frely by due ryght and tytle , with pastyme & pleasure . wherfore there is none otherway vnto the kyngdome of heuen , but by payne & labour . And that ryche man which wyll not chasten his body here , with labour & payne , in the respect of penaunce : he shall be associat with the deuyll in paynes . And the poore man truly with payne and labour in this myserable lyfe : seketh the crowne of eternall glorye .

¶ Alas & wo be vnto me moste synful man , that more delited in carnall affection and more was deceyued by vanyte of this worlde then to folow the , whiche oftentymes for pyte of me , dydest very bytterly wepe & wayle / & as I haue rede thy blessed mother & virgyn immaculate / dyd ones ioye / in syngyng her canticle . Luce . i●… But o how oftentymes dyd the sharpe sworde of sorowe wounde and perce her holy soule . Luc . i●… And also Iohn Baptyst the exempler & leder of penauns ones dyd ioy within the wombe of his moder which oftentymes is to be supposed / dyd lamentably sorowe with an heuy harte .

¶ I hangyng on the crosse / dyd promyse {per}adice to none but vnto theym beynge on the crosse with me . Gala . 〈…〉 They hangeth on the crosse that crucifieth their flessh with vice & concupiscens Also I prayed on the crosse only for neglygent synners & not for wylfull synners , truely as longe as theye be so theye be crucified , without clyppynge or brasinge of me , for I the whiche instretched myne armes on the crosse / enbrased & byclypped all those for whom I suffred my passyon . if therfore thou wilt ascend after me / and in heuen with me to be resident / it besemeth thou folowe me by the way of the crosse / by the which I haue entred into my glorye . Thou canst not trust vnto a better way then to folowe the same wherin I haue gone before . Truly yf thou stray or wander from my steppes / thou shalte peryssh for euermore . Take diligent hede that thou perceyue in what way thou mayst ascende in to heuen . I without dout comyng vnto this worlde descended by a ladder hauyng .iii. steppes & that is humilite / pouerte & payne / wherof it is rede in holy scripture .

¶ Inuenietis infantem pannis inuolutum et positum in precepio . Luc . ii That is to saye / ye shal fynde a lytel chyld ful poore & nedy / wrapped with clothes of sorowe / & lyinge in a maunger / & by these .iii. degrees I returned afterwarde vnto heuen agayne . These steppes my valiant apostell Paule considereth & noteth in me / where as he writeth . Phi . ii Exinaniuit semet ipm . That is to say / he hath forsaken him selfe . Here mayst thou beholde in me / the degre of pouerte , Phi . ii Formam accipiens And taken on hym the offyce of a seruaunt . Here mayst thou beholde in me the degree of humilitie . Phi . ii Factus obediens vsque ad mortem . And made obedient vnto dethe . Beholde here is in me the degree of bytter sorowe / but whyther dothe this ladder of thre steppes conduce and lede me harken what foloweth . ●… hi . ii . Propter {quod} et deus illum exaltauit et dedit illi nomen : {quod} est super omne nomen . For because of that , god hath bothe exalted hym and gyuen vnto hym suche name that passeth al names . Therfore they be fooles and worse then madde that wyll ascende vnto heuen after me , by a ladder hauynge contrary degrees or steppes / that is to saye / by ryches / honours / and pleasures of the worlde / for as these thynges ledeth man vnto infernall paynes : soo dothe the fyrst conduce man vnto heuen .

¶ who that deuoutly wyll remembre my passyon / let hym be a shamed to folowe the pleasure and voluptuousnes of the body , for the remembraunce of my passyon dothe torment and expell al vice and synne / for in my passion all men may contempne the pleasure of the worlde and the flesshe whiche yf thou wylte ouercome without laboure thou oughtest deuoutly remembre my passyon / and in the same ioyously to delyte and styck surely to my woundes ye and yf thou wylte ouercome & resyst the deuyll / whiche syngulerly dothe persecute vertuous & well disposed people / and to subpresse him from his crafty wylynes / thou oughtest alwayes to remembre my heuy passion . But it is necessary and conuenyent / that they imprynt and marke the carecter and similitude of my passyon in their maners and conuersacyon / the whiche dothe imprynt or marke for theyr defence , the sygne and token of my passion in their forehedes , & that they lyue vnderneth the lawe of me , with whose fayth they be armed Otherwyse suche falsely bereth the carecter of my father , whose commaundementes they wyll not folowe ne yet obserue . And also suche be not safely defended by the crosse of me , whose sorofull paynes they wyll not consyder .

¶ O meke Iesu be thou mercyfull and gracyous / in geuynge a more larger confort or ioye vnto my herynge , by shewynge vnto me moste wretched synner / the profytes & frutes that cometh by dayly remembraunce of thy moste holy passyon .

¶ The remembraunce of my dethe oft by dayly ruminacion / to flame and burne in the auter of thy remembraunce for many causes . The first cause is : thou mayst do no thynge that more delyteth or pleaseth me / then to exercyse thy hart with loue / compassyon / in honouryng & folowyng my passion of the whiche no doubt there is : but it dothe appere in many auctorytes of holy scripture . And for sothe I warne the to prynte and marke in thy soule my tender loue and amorous paynes / & for the same thou gyue me herty thankes / & as a sygne or token thou put & ioyne me vpon thy hart : as yf I sayd . Loue me as I loue the . Remembre thou not onely what thynges I haue made vnto the / but howe bytter & vyle thynges I haue suffred for the . And yf thou loue me not / thou art myne enemy . And therfore take hede & consyder thou do not me offende . who is he truely dothe loue the as I do . who is he that so desyreth to be beloued with the as I do . Therfore after this / put me on thy hart as a sygne or token thou louest me with al thy strength / & on thyne armes that thou mayst perfourme with all thy loue tho thynges which be pleasaunt vnto me . And within thy harte that thou mayst subpresse all thynges in this worlde / that vnto the is pleasaunt in thy loue / and prefer me euermore aboue al thynges / and that thou alwayes loue me more and more . The seconde is : thou oughtest feruently to remembre my passyon / for thou mayst haue by it a perfyte gyde vnto my deuyne loue . Truly by my passyon I haue shewed my quantyte of loue vnto the . wherfore thou oughtest to consyder that loue deserueth & requyreth loue agayne And more ouer take good heed what I wyll say vnto the . I neuer wylled to haue redemed man by prayer or intercessyon / for so mought man quyckely delyuer man from captiuite / ne yet also by the pryce of golde or syluer / for in suche wyse be the rewde bestes : as shepe or oxen redemed and bought . But the conclusyon of mannes redempcyon / was determined to be bought with the pryce of my precious bloode / that my loue shulde hange alwayes in the pryce of the thynge that is bought : leest therfore thou shuldest vylepend and not regarde thyne 〈◇〉 〈◇〉 Consider thou quyckely the pryce of thy selfe / for if I shulde haue redemed man with golde or syluer / it mought haue ben supposed the soule of man were to be compared with worldely ryches / for that thynge whiche is bought or redemed is farre more precious / then that thyng by the which it is bought or redemed . And therfore is thy soule more precio{us} thē my blode ¶ Thyrdely is for the excitynge of deuocion / wherof a fygure is rede / that Sampson founde a hony combe within the mouthe of a deed Lyon . This Lyon am I , of the trybe of Iude in whose mouth the swete honi combe of deuocion , was founde by that which the spiryt of man is refresshed & meruaylously conforted . O yf thou tokest good hede / thou woldest consyder / and perfytely ponder how petifully my mouth opened and semed halfe on lyue & halfe deed / and my tongue was deformed with gore bloode , ye and I dare well saye / yf thy harte were as harde as is the steele , this thynge well pondered and remembred , it shulde be made lyquyet with compassyon and deuocion . The fourth frute of the remembraunce of my passion is , because in it is founde a sure defence agaynste all enemyes . wherof my apostel Pet{er} doth say . Pet . iiii . Xpo igit̄ passo in carne et vos eadem cogitatione armamini . Christ therfore hath suffred deth & passion incarnate / that by the remembraunce therof loke ye arme your self / & as ysayas reherseth lykewise . ●… ye . ii . In gredere in petram . As a kynge that is not able to withstande his enemyes in the felde , taketh socour of the castel . So entre ye into the stone whyche am I : of whome the Prophet speketh of . For an ennemye shall neuer preuayle agaynst him in whome the dayly batayle of my passion alway delyteth .

¶ O good Iesu I now perceyue and vnderstande very wel , these thynges thou hast rehersed , how be it this sentence gyuen by Pylate was very peruers and cruel towarde thee , and therfore it was detestable to be abhorred / for as moche as man hathe no power vpon god / ne yet a corrupt lyuer vpon the iust and rightuous man . Neuertheles as touchynge for mannes redempcion it was meruaylous profytable and fruteful and therfore it was through thy prouysyon very louynge & moste venerable , for as moche as it clerely reuoked the foresayde iugement or sentence pronounced and declared for the fyrst synne of man For that open sentence of excludynge or banysshynge was full of sorowe and heuynes .

wherof it is wrytten Emisit eum dominus de{us} de paradiso voluptatis . 〈…〉 . iii . &c. et collocauit ante paradisum voluptatis cherubin et flameum gladium atque versatilem ad custodiendā viam ligni vite . Our lorde expulsed man out from paradyce , of heuenly pleasure and assygned , the anugell Cherubyn , with an armyng sworde , to kepe the way vnto the tree of lyfe . But nowe happy and blessed is thy sentence wherby the exyle , man is called & restored agayne vnto the celestiall paradyce when by this sentence the sone of god wrongfully was caste out from his inherytaunce as a seruaunt : tyllyng and plowyng the vyneyarde of Moyses lawe . wherof the apostell speketh . Iesus vt scīficaret {per} suum sanguinem populum extra portam passus est . Heb . xii Because that Iesus wold halow and sanctifye his people by his precyous bloode , he suffred deth without the gate . And well it may so be said that he suffred without to brynge vs within the gate of heuen . For without doubt we haue onely oure entrynge in , by shedynge of his precyous blood But o mekest Iesu in most humblest wyse , I beseche thee with the feruent powers of my hart , and for all the bytter sorowes and in tollerable passion with the whiche thy most dulce and pleasant hart was persed and wounded : as with most kynnest and sharpest dartes / ye and also I beseche thee for all the sorowes that thy blessed mother and virgyn immaculate susteyned and suffred , in beholdynge thy tormentes and passion and in especially what tyme she harde of the cruel sentence of thy condempnacyon vnto deth / turne towarde me thy mercyfull countenaunce / and of pyte and compassyon delyuer me poore synner in the hour of deth / and in the extreme day of iugement / from the terible wordes and sentence of eternall dampnacyon / whiche thou shalt sounde out with a huge & a fereful voyce vnto al reproued synners sayinge . Descedite a me maledicti in ignem eternum : Ma. xxv qui parat{us} est diabolo & angelis eius . That is to say departe & get ye hens moste wycked & cursed synners vnto the eternal fyre of hell whiche is prepared and redy for the deuyll and all his angelles .

¶ Blessed & happy is that man whiche alway bereth in remembraunce his fynall iugement that by the fere and drede / wherof he may withdrawe his lyfe frome the deceytfull pleasures of this world / & without doubt this iugment or sentence is to be fered wherat al things shal be open & manifestly knowen without witnes & all the hole multitude & company both of angels & holy saintes shal be their {pre}sent & eūi creature shal trimble for feare before my hygh maiesty & iudiciall seate . But what shall they say then that in this lytel tyme hath so folysshly & so neglygently lyued / to whom my saying shal be in this maner . I haue truely loked for you pacyently / & haue very ientely prayed & desyred all you vnto my kingdom / & for your neclygens I now requyre of you a countes & more ouer I say vnto you / that for youre sakes I toke on me the feblenes of natur & was conuersant vpon the erth . And for you was I flagellat & scorged in my body / for you was I lykewyse mocked & scorned & al be spotted & vtterly defyed & for you I was spytefully beaten & buffed about my face with vnclene fystes & handes . For you also I was vniustly condempned vnto deth / & for you I was crucifyed in my body & hanged on the crosse / & fed with bitter gal & eysel . And al this suffred I to make you holi & blessed saintes . I haue more ouer named & called all you my dere brethren I haue offred al you vnto my father . I haue sende vnto you the spryt of god . I haue opened vnto you my paradyce of glory . what ought I more to haue don & haue not perfourmed the same in very dede for your saluacyon Answere vnto me ye wretched synners . what haue ye suffred for me your lorde & gouerner which beynge pure & clene hath suffred so moche for you . Truely these shal be the repeticions made at the dredfull day of iugement .