The pomander of prayer, newly madeThe pomaunder of prayer, newly made

¶ Of the trust which a soul ought to have in our Lord Jesus and in his Passion.

¶ Of the trust whiche a soule ought to haue in our Lorde Iesu and in his Passion.

I Might despair verily because of my manifold sins & negli gences without number, if it were not that thy word (O God) was made flesh, and dwelt amongst us. But I can not now despair ⟨image 77⟩because that seeing (when we were enemies) we were reconciled by the death of thy Son: how much more, are we (now reconciled) saved by him. For all the hope and the certitude & sureness of all my trust, is in his precious blood which was shed for us & for our salvation. In him do I take heartening: and trusting in him: I have a desire to come unto thee, not having mine own righteousness, but that which I have through thy Son our lord Jesus Christ. For the which (O most merciful God and most gentle lover of mankind) we give thee thanks, which through ⟨p. 76⟩Jesus Christ thy Son our lord, when we were not, didst mightily make us, and when we were lost through our sins: most marvellously didst deliver & recover us again. To thy goodness (I say) do I give thanks, & manifold praises do I show for the to the withal my hart & mind, which (through the unspeakable love) wherewith thou hast vouchsafed of thy marvellous goodness to love us wretches & (unworthy to be loved) didst send that same thine only begotten Son from thy bosom unto our common weal, to save us sinners which were at that time the children ⟨image 78⟩of perdition and damnation. I render unto thee thanks for his holy incarnation and nativity and for his blessed mother upon whom he did vouchsafe to take flesh for us and for our salvation, to the intent that like as he is very God of God: so he might be very man of man. I give thee thanks for his passion and cross, for his death and resurrection, for his ascension into heaven & his seat of his majesty on thy right hand. For he the forty day after his resurrection, ascending above all the heavens (his disciples seeing it) and sitting on thy right hand, did pour out his holy ⟨p. 77⟩spirit abundantly according to his promise, upon them whom he had chosen to be his children. I give thee thanks for that most sacred shedding forth of his precious blood, wherewith we are deemed, & also for the most holy and quickening sacrifice of his body and blood, which daily in thy church we feed of & drink of, wherewith we are washed & sanctified, and are made partakers of the only high divinity.

I Might dispaire verely because of my manifolde sinnes & negli gences without nūber, if it were not that thy wurd (O God) was made fleshe, and dwelt amongst vs. But I can not now dispaire ⟨image 77⟩because that seeing (when we were enemies) we were reconciled by the death of thy sonne: how muche more, are we (now reconciled) saued by him. For all the hope and the certitude & sure nes of all my trust, is in his precius blud whiche was shed for vs & for our saluation. In him doo I take hartening: and trusting in him: I haue a desire to come vnto the, not hauing mine owne righteousnes, but that whiche I haue through thy sōne our lorde Iesu Christe. For the whiche (O moste mercifull God and moste gentle louer of mankinde) we geue thee thāks, which through ⟨p. 76⟩Iesus Christe thy sōne our lord, when we were not, didst mighte ly make vs, and when we were lost through our sinnes: moste merucilously didst deliuer & recouer vs again. To thy goodnes (I say) doo I geue thanks, & manifold praises doo I shew for the to the withall my hart & minde, whiche (through the vnspeakable loue) wherwith thou hast vouchesafed of thy meruelous goodnes to loue vs wretches & (vnwurthy to be loued) didst sēd that same thine only begotten sōne from thy bosome vnto our cōmon weal, to saue vs sinners whiche were at that time ye children ⟨image 78⟩of perdition and damnaciō. I rendre vnto thee thāks for his holy incarnation and natiuitie and for his blessed mother vpon whom he did vouchesafe to take fleshe for vs and for our saluation, to thintent that like as he is very God of God: so he might be very man of man. I geue thee thanks for his passion and cros, for his death and resurrection, for his ascention into heauen & his seat of his maiestie on thy right hand. For he the fortie day after his resurrection, ascending aboue all the heauens (his disciples seeing it) and sitting on thy right hand, did pour out his holy ⟨p. 77⟩spirite abundantly according to his promis, vppon them whom he had chosen to be his children. I geue thee thāks for that moste sacred sheding foorth of his precious bloud, wherwith we ar re deemed, & also for the moste holy and quickning sacrifice of his body and bloud, whiche daily in thy churche we feed of & drink of, wherwith we are washed & sanctified, and are made partakers of the only high diuinitie.

¶ Of the exceeding love of the ever lasting father toward mankind.

¶ Of thexceding loue of the euer lasting father toward mankind.

OH unmeasurable pity and fatherly love, oh inestimable charity, that thou shouldest deliver thy Son to suffer death to the intent thou mightest redeem ⟨p. 78⟩and ransom a servant. God was made man, to the intent that man, being lost, might-be plucked out of the power of devils. How gentle and kind a lover of man was thy Son our God who thought it not enough to humble him self to be made man of the very virgin Mary: but also took upon him the pains of the cross in shedding his blood for us and for our salvation. He came a pitiful God, he came for his pity & goodnesses sake, he came to search and to save that which was lost. He sought the strayed sheep, he sought and found, and he being a good Lord and truly ⟨image 80⟩a very good & pitiful shepherd, brought him home upon his shoulders unto the folds of the flock. Oh charity, oh pity, who hath heard any such things? who is not astonied to consider the bowels of so great mercy? who would not marvel? who would not ho nor & worship thee for thy great charity wherewith thou lovedst us? Thou didst send thy Son into the similitude of flesh, subject to sin, that he might condemn sin for sin, that we might be made thy righteousness in him.

OH vnmesurable pitie and fatherly loue, oh inestimable charitie, that thou shouldest deliuer thy sonne to suffre death to thintent thou mightest redeem ⟨p. 78⟩and raunsom a seruaunt. God was made mā, to the intent that man, being lost, might-be plucked out of the powre of deuels. How gētle and kinde a louer of man was thy sōne our God who thought it not enough to humble him self to be made man of the very virgin Mary: but also took vpon him the paines of the cros in sheding his bloud for vs and for our saluation. He came a pitifull God, he came for his pitie & goodnesses sake, he came to serche and to saue that which was lost. He sought the straied sheep, he sought and found, and he being a good Lorde and truly ⟨image 80⟩a very good & pitifull shepherd, brought him home vpō his shulders vnto the foldes of the flock. Oh charitie, oh pitie, who hathe heard any suche things? who is not astonied to cōsider the bowels of so great mercy? who wold not meruail? who would not ho nor & wurship thee for thy great charitie wherwith thou louedst vs? Thou didst send thy sōne into the similitude of fleshe, subiect to sin, that he might condemn sin for sin, that we might be made thy righteousnes in him.

For he was the very lamb with out spot, which took away the sins of the world, which destroyed ⟨p. 79⟩our death by dying him self. But what may we render, unto thee (our God) for so great benefits of thy mercy? What praises or what thanks? Verily, if we should have that same knowledge and power that blessed Angels have: yet should we not be able to requite thy so great pity and goodness with any thing of valour. No if all our members were turned into tongues to repay unto thee due praises: yet were not our slenderness sufficient. There is one thing that exceedeth all knowledge, even thine inestimable charity, which thou didst show unto us ⟨image 81⟩unworthy persons for thy goodness & pities sake. Thy Son (O our God) did take upon him to be the seed of Abraham not of Angels, yea and he was made like unto us in all things sin only excepted. He therefore taking man's nature not angels, and glorifying it with the stole of holy resurrection and immortality: carried it above the he avens and above all the melodious companies of Angels, above Cherubin & Seraphin, placing it upon thy right hand. This human nature do Angels praise, all the powers of heaven do tremble, to see a man, to be God over them. This truly ⟨p. 80⟩is all my hope, all my trust. And this same human nature is in Jesus Christ our Lord, who is the portion of every one of us, the flesh & blood. Therefore whereas my portion reigneth: there do I believe to reign. Whereas my flesh is glorified: there do I believe to be glorified. Where my blood ruleth: there do I per ceiveme to bear rule. Although I be a sinner, yet I do not mistrust nor despair of the communion and partaking of favour. Although my sins do hinder me & in a manner forbid me: nevertheless my substance requireth it. And all be it that mine offences ⟨image 82⟩do exclude me: yet the con manion of our nature doth not expel me. For God is not so ungentle as to forget man, and not to remember that thing which him self beareth, & that which for my sake he took upon him, & that which for my sake he requireth. But truly the Lord our God is lowly and meek, & wonderful gentle, and loveth his flesh, his members and his bow else.

In the very same God our lord Jesus Christ, who is most gentle, loving and merciful, in whom we are risen from death, (that is to say) from the state of perdition and eternal damnation, & even now by him we ascend ⟨p. 81⟩into the heavens, & now sit in the heavens (in him I say) our flesh loveth us. For we have in him, & by him a prerogative and as it were a preferment of our blood. For we are his members & his flesh. And he is our head, of the which dependeth the whole body (as it is written) a bone of my bones & flesh of my flesh & they shall be two, in one flesh, & no man at any time hateth his own flesh but rather cherisheth and loveth it. This is a great mystery, I speak in Christ, & in the church saith the apostle.

In the very same God our lord Iesus Christe, who is moste gentle, louing and mercifull, in whom we are risen from death, (that is to say) from the state of perdition and eternall damnation, & euen now by him we ascend ⟨p. 81⟩into the heauens, & now sit in the heauēs (in him I say) our flesh loueth vs. For we haue in him, & by him a prerogatiue and as it were a preferment of our bloud. For we are his mēbres & his flesh. And he is oure head, of the whiche dependeth the whole body (as it is written) a bone of my bones & flesh of my flesh & thei shalbe two, in one flesh, & no mā at ani time hateth his owne flesh but rather cherisheth and loueth it. This is a great mistery, I speak in Christe, & in the churche saith the apostle.

Of the double nature of Christ, which hath mercy upon us, and maketh intercession for us.

Of the double nature of Christ, whiche hath mercy vpon vs, and maketh intercession for vs.

Wherefore with my lips & hart, and with all the might that I may, I render thanks unto thine infinite mercy. o Lord our god) for all thy mercy, wherewith marvellously thou vouchsafed to help & succour us that were lost, by the same thy Son our saviour and recoverer, which died for our sins, & rose again for our justification, and living, without end sitteth on thy right hand and entreateth for us, and together with thee, taketh pity and mercy upon us, because he is God through thee (O father) everlasting and of one substance with thee in all things. Whereby alway ⟨p. 82⟩he may save us, but for as much as he is man in which thing he is less and inferior unto thee, all power both in heaven and in earth, was given unto him, that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow both of celestial, earthly creatures, and also of infernal, that all tongues may confess that our lord Jesus Christ is in thy glory (O father almighty He verily was constituted of thee and ordained to be a judge of the quick and dead, for thou truly judgest no man, but all thy judgement hast given to thy Son, in whose breast all treasures of wisdom & knowledge ⟨image 84⟩are hid. He truly is both a witness and a judge, a judge & a witness, whom no sinful conscience can flee or avoid for all things be they never so secret, are open and even naked and uncovered unto him. He verily which was unrighteously judged himself: shall judge the whole world in equity, and the people in righteousness, and according to justice. Therefore do I bless thy name everlasting and glorify the same with all my hart (O almighty & merciful Lord) for that unspeakable and marvellous coniuntiō of godhead and manhood together in the unity of a person, & not ⟨p. 83⟩after this sort, that the one should be God, and the other man: but one and the same was both God & man, man and God. Nevertheless although by thy marvellous will, the word was made flesh, yet nether of both the natures was changed into others substance. In the mystery of the Trinity, there is not a fourth person added. For the substance of the word of god and of man was united and knit together, but not confused & mixed, that that thing which was taken of us: should be turned into god, & that which never had ben before that time, that is his flesh & manhood should ⟨image 85⟩

Oh unspeakable fellowship. Oh marvellous meekness of the heavenly mercifulness, which is ever worthy marvelling and ever to be loved. We were but vile servants & behold we are made the sons of god. Yea, and heirs of god together with christ. From whence came this goodness? and who brought us unto this state? But I require the (O most merciful father (by thine inestimable pity, goodness & charity: to make us worthy of these many and great promises of the ⟨p. 84⟩same, thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ. Send forth thy strength (O God) and establish the thing that thou hast wrought in us.

Oh vnspeakeable felowship. Oh merueilous meeknes of the heauenli mercifulnes, which is euer wurthy merueiling and euer to be loued. We were but vile seruants & beholde we are made the sōnes of god. Yea, and heires of god together wt christe. From whence came this goodnes? and who broughte vs vnto this state? But I require the (O moste mercifull father (by thine inestimable pitie, goodnes & charitie: to make vs wurthy of these many and great promisses of the ⟨p. 84⟩same, thy Sonne our Lord Iesu Christe. Send forth thy strength (O God) and establish the thing that thou hast wrought in vs.

Make perfect that which thou hast begun, that we may be able to come unto the fullness and per fectnes of thy pity. Make us tho row the holy ghost to understand and through thy Son to deserve, and with due honour alway to worship this great mystery of thy pity, which is manifest in our flesh. Justified in the spirit, did appear unto Angels, was preached unto nations, was believed to be in the world, was taken up into heaven.

Make perfect that whiche thou hast begun, that we may be able to come vnto the fulnes and per fectnes of thy pity. Make vs tho row the holy ghost to vnderstād and thorow thy sōne to deserue, and with due honor allway to wurship this great mistery of thy pitie, whiche is manifest in our fleshe. Iustified in the spirit, did appeere vnto Angels, was preched vnto nations, was bele ued to be in the world, was takē vp into heauen.

Amen.

¶ Of the thanks which man ought to give unto God for the benefit of his redemption.

¶ Of the thankes whiche man ought to geue vnto God for the benefite of his redemption.

Look how much (O Lord our God) we are in debt unto thee even for so great a price were we redeemed, with such a great gift were we saved, and with so great a benefit helped. How much ought we wretches to love, dread, bless, praise, honour and glorify thee which hast so loved us, after such fashion saved us, after such a sort sanctified us, so set us on high. To the truly do we owe, & are bound, in as much as we are able, even our life and all our study or endeavour. ⟨p. 85⟩But who hath any thing that is not thine? But do thou (O Lord our God) from whom all goodness proceedeth, even for thy holy names sake) give us of thy goodness, that we may serve thee of thine own goods and gifts & that we may please thee in truth, & repay unto the daily due praises for so great benefits of thy mercy. For by none other means can we serve or please thee, but by thine own gifts, that thou hast lent us, while we be in this world. For every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, & cometh down from the father of light, with whom there ⟨image 87⟩is none alteration or variableness neither yet is he changed unto darkness. O Lord our God, & a pitiful God, a good God, and almighty God, an unspeakable God, and incomprehensible, of such a nature that can not be contained as in a place, o god which art the beginner of all things & the father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which diddest send the same thy beloved Son our lord, forth of thy bosom to our common profit, to take upon him our life, to the intent he might give us his life, & that he might be perfect and very God of thee his father, and very and perfect ⟨p. 86⟩man of his mother, a whole and a perfect God, and a whole and perfect man: and yet but one only Christ, both everlasting: & enduring but for a space, both immortal and mortal, both a creator: and a creature, strong: & weak, an overcomer: and one overcome, a nurse: and one that was nursed him self, a shepherd: and a sheep, dead for a time: and living with the everlasting, pro missing to them that loved him the freedom of life. Who said to his disciples, what thing so ever ye ask the father in my name: he will give it unto you. For that hie Priests sake, which was all ⟨image 88⟩so a bishop in deed, & a god shepherd, that offered him self in a sacrifice to thee, putting his life in jeopardy for his flock:

for his sake I say (I beseech thee) which sitteth on thy right hand & maketh intercession for us, being our redeemer & our advocate, that thou wouldest grant unto me that together with thy Son & the holy ghost I may in all things bless and glorify thee with much contrition of hart, and a fountain of tears, with much reverence & fear: For the gift of them that be all of one substance: is all one. But because a body that is corrupted doth aggravate & burden ⟨p. 87⟩the soul: stir up and awake I be seche thee) my sluggishness, with thy pricks and provokings, and make me boldly to persevere and continue in thy commandments and laws day and night Grant me that my hart may wax warm within me, and that in my meditation and prayer I may be fervent. And for as much as thy only Son said.

for his sake I say (I beseche thee) whiche sitteth on thy right hand & maketh intercession for vs, being our redemer & our aduocate, that thou woldest graunt vnto me that to gether with thy sonne & the holy ghost I may in al things bles and glorify thee with muche cō triciō of hart, and a fountain of teares, with muche reuerence & fear: For the gift of them that be all of one substaunce: is all one. But because abody that is corrupted doth aggrauate & burden ⟨p. 87⟩the soule: stir vp and awake I be seche thee) my sluggishnes, with thy pricks and prouokings, and make me boldly to perseuer and continue in thy commaundements and lawes day and night Graunt me that my hart may waxe warme within me, and that in my meditation and praier I may be feruent. And for as muche as thy only sonne said.