PHIL. One cause is to signify unto us, that they that are sinners & have a pleasure still there in to remain, are not worthy to behold the saints in heaven, which are represented by those Images, nether shall they at any time come unto that glory, whereof the Saints already have the fruition, except they repent them of their wicked living, 1rise out of sin, bring forth fruits worthy of Penance, & become new men in their conversation. Therefore when we enter in to the church and see all those Images covered, we ought to mourn & lament our sinful living, to recognise our selves sinners, to excite ⟨image 60⟩& store up our selves to bring forth fruits worthy of Penance, & to cut away by true & unfeigned Contrition our since, that we may be found worthy against Easter, that is, against the time of our passing & going out of this world clearly to behold & openly to see in the kingdom of heaven the shining 2face of God & his Saints.
Another cause is to declare the mourning & lamentation of sinners for their ungodly manners. Ye know that the custom is among us even at this day, that so long as we mourn for any of our friends departed, we use to go with close 3faces, to wear simple apparel, laying aside all gorgeous & sumptuous garments. So likewise this time of Lent, which is a time of mourning, all things that make to the adornment of the church whereof the Images are part, are ⟨image 61⟩either laid aside or else covered, to put us in remembrance that we ought now to lament & mourn for our souls dead in sin, & continually to watch, pray, fast, give alms, & do such other works of Penance as wherewith God being excited & stored unto his antique & old mercies, may call us again from death to life, from sin to godliness, from wickedness to innocency.
PHIL. One cause is to signify vnto vs, that they that are synners & haue a pleasure styl ther in to remayne, are not worthye to behold the sayntes in heauē, which are represented by those Images, nether shall they at ony tyme come vnto that glory, wherof the Sayn tes alredy haue ye fruicion, excepte they repēt them of theyr wicked lyuynge, 1ryse oute of synne, brynge forth fruytes worthy of Penaūce, & become newe men in theyr cōuer sacion. Therfore whan we enter in to the chyrche and se all those Ima ges couered, we oughte to mourne & lament our synfull lyuyng, to recognyse oure selues synners, to excyte ⟨image 60⟩& store vp our selues to bryng forth fruytes worthy of Penaūce, & to cut away by true & vnfayned Contricion our synnes, yt we maye be founde worthy agaynst Easter, that is, agaynste the tyme of oure passyng & goyng out of this world clerely to beholde & openlye to se in the kyngedome of heauen the shynynge 2face of God & his Sayntes.
Another cause is to declare the mournynge & lamentacion of synners for theyr vngodly manners. Ye knowe that ye custome is amōge vs euen at this daye, that so longe as we mourne for ony of oure frendes departed, we vse to go wt close 3faces, to weare simple apparell, layenge asyde all gorgious & sumptuous garmentes. So lykewyse this tyme of Lent, whiche is a tyme of mournyng, all thynges that make to the adournement of the chyrche wherof the Images are parte, are ⟨image 61⟩either layd asyde or els couered, to put vs in remembraūce yt we ought nowe to lament & mourne for our soules dead in sinne, & continually to watche, praye, fast, gyue almes, & do such other workes of Penasice as wherwith God beyng excited & stored vnto his antique & olde mer cies, may call vs agayne frō death to lyfe, from synne to godlynes, frō wickednes to innocencye.
- 1Mat. iii.
- 2The second cause.The secōd cause.
- 3Note:
