Oh that we would in the glass of gods word look upon our own souls when they be in the tyranny of the devil under the kingdom of sin, as this king did: we should more ⟨image 27⟩loeth and detest our own soul, & the company that our soul is accompanied with all, then if we should for all our life time be put in too sties with hogs and always be bound •urynge our life, too live with them, feed as they feed, sleep and wake as they do, and be as they be in all things.1 Look in the gospel of Saint Luke, and there shall ye see a man by sin, so foul, so disordered so accompanied with swine, so hongerbaned, so rent & torn, so beggarly, so wretched, so vile, so loathsome & so stinking y• the very swine were better for their condition then he was. But see how the heavenly shepherd beheld from his heavenly throne, the place of the everlasting joys, this poor strayed sheep, feeding not amongst sheep but amongst swine, and yet could not be satisfied therewith. And no marvel, for swine feed not upon the meat of sheep, nor yet do sheep fill them selves with hog•draffe & swillings: but ⟨image 28⟩this shepherd used his old wonted clemency, and strake the heart of this sheep, making him to weep and bewail his condition, a men to come to such dishonour to be coupled and matched with swine, too feed like swine, eat like swine such meat as swine eat, remembering that the worst in his father• house was a prince and noble king in comparison and respect of him: then also being persuaded of his fathers mercy, he returned and his father brought him in to his pleasant & sweet pastures, & gave him his old favour and accustomed apparel again as a man to keep company with men, and no more with adulterous men, and unclean swine: Howe be it be came not to his old honour • gain, till the Lord had practised in him that he practised in this prophet king David, animam meam conuertit, h• converted and turned my soul.
Oh that we would in the glasse of gods word loke vpon our own soules when they be in the tyrannye of the deuyll vnder the kingdome of synne, as this kinge dyd: we shoulde more ⟨image 27⟩loeth and detest our own soule, & the company that our soule is accompanyed with all, then if we shuld for all oure lyfe tyme be put in too styes wyth hogges and alwayes be bound •urynge oure lyfe, too lyue wyth them, feede as they feede, slepe and wake as they do, and be as they be in all thinges.1 Looke in the gospell of Sayncte Luke, and there shall ye see a man by synne, so foule, so disordered so accompanied wyth swine, so hongerbaned, so rent & torne, so beggerly, so wretched, so vile, so lothsome & so stincking y• the very swyne wer better for theyr condycion then hee was. But se how the heauenly shepeherd beheld frō his heauenly throne, the place of the euerlastynge ioyes, thys poore strayed sheepe, feedinge not emonges sheepe but emonges swyne, and yet coulde not be satysfyed therewyth. And no maruayle, for swyne feede not vppon the meate of shepe, nor yet do shepe fyl thē selues with hog•draffe & swillings: but ⟨image 28⟩this shepehearde vsed his olde wonted clemencye, and strake the harte of this sheepe, making him to weepe and bewayle his condicion, a men to come to suche dishonour to be coupled and matched with swyne, too feede like swyne, eate lyke swyne suche meate as swyne eate, remembringe that the worste in his father• house was a prince and noble kynge in comparyson and respecte of hym: then also beinge perswaded of his fathers mercy, he returned and his father brought him in to his pleasant & swete pastures, & gaue him his old fauour and accustomed apparell again as a manne to keepe companye with men, and no more wyth adulterou• men, and vncleane swyne: Howe be it be came not to his olde honoure • gayne, tyll the Lorde had practysed in him that he practised in thys prophet kynge Dauid, animam meam conuertit, h• conu•rted and tourned mysoule.
- 1Luc. 15.
