PHIL. Take heed than, that ye do not only provide for the expurgation of vice, but also for the adornment of virtues, unless a like thing chance unto you. Blessed is he that 1watcheth, saith God, & keepeth his clothes, that he walk not naked, & men see his filthiness.
Thirdly it is requisite, y• wham ⟨image 79⟩ye have thus garnished your selves, ye trust not in your own good works, or in your own preparation, as though ye had made your selves worthy enough to come unto the eating of this inestimable treasure, but let your whole affiance be in the mercy of God, and when ye have done all that ye are able to do, grant your selves unprofitable servants, & desire more & more continually valiance and strength to do the will of God, beseeching him of his infinite goodness to supply that, which lacketh in you, & because y• ye may receive y• more grace & strength to walk in the pathways of the LORD, ye now come with all reverence unto the most heavenly meat, wherewith you being satiated, may valiantly en arm your selves & mainly fight against Satan, & his wicked army.
Fourthly, ye must give serious ⟨image 80⟩diligence, that ye come unto this table of y• LORD with a fervent desire, with an hungry stomach, with a greedy mind, & with a famelyke soul. For this Sacrament hateth a stomach that is already saturated & filled. It proponeth and setteth forth all kind of celestial dainties to the hungry soul, as the most blessed virgin saith, he hath filled the 2hungry with good things, but y• rich hath he let go empty. Blessed 3are they, that hunger & thirst righteousness, for they shall be filled. Al 4ye that are a thirst, saith Christ, come unto the waters, & ye that have no money, make haste, bye and eat. Come bye without money, & without any merchandise wine & milk. Again, I will give to him that thirsteth of the well of the water 5of life freely. And he that is a thirst let him come, & he that will, let him take the water of life freely. The ⟨image 80⟩fat Pharisee, the belied Hypocrite, 6the porkling Justiciary, which trust in their own righteousness, are no fit G•stes for this most delicious table, but the humble sinner, which knoweth his infirmity, confesseth his imbecility, desireth valiance, h•ngreth & thirsteth for strength to do the will of GOD.
PHIL. Take hede than, yt ye do not onlye prouyde for the expurgacion of vice, but also for the adourment of vertues, vnlesse a lyke thynge chaūse vnto you. Blessed is he that 1watcheth, sayth God, & kepeth his clothes, that he walke not naked, & men se his fylthines.
Thyrdely it is requisite, y• whā ⟨image 79⟩ye haue thus garnysshed youre selues, ye trust not ī your owne good workes, or in your owne preparacion, as though ye had made youre selues worthy ynough to come vnto the eatynge of thys inestimable treasure, but let youre whole affiaunce be in the mercye of God, and whan ye haue done all that ye are able to do, graunt youre selues vnprofitable seruātes, & desyre more & more continually valeaunce and strength to do the wyll of God, besechynge hym of hys infinite good nes to supplye that, which lacketh ī you, & bycause y• ye may receyue y• more grace & strengthe to walke in the pathwaies of the LORD, ye now come wt all reuerence vnto ye moost heauenly meate, wherwyth you beynge saciated, maye valeauntly en arme your selues & maynely fyght agaynst Satā, & his wicked army.
Fourthly, ye must gyue serious ⟨image 80⟩diligēce, that ye come vnto this table of y• LORD wt a feruent desyre, wt an hongry stomake, with a gredye mynd, & with a famelyke soule. For this Sacramēt hateth a stomacke that is alredy saturated & fylled. It proponeth and setteth forth all kynde of celestiall deynties to the hungrye soule, as the moost blessed virgyne saythe, he hathe fylled the 2hungry with good thynges, but y• rytch hath he let go empty. Blessed 3are they, that hunger & thyrst righ teousnes, for they shall be fylled. Al 4ye that are a thyrste, saythe Christ, come vnto the waters, & ye yt haue no mony, make haste, bye and eate. Come bye wtout mony, & wythout ony marchaundyse wyne & mylke. Agayne, I wyll gyue to hym that thyrstethe of the well of the water 5of lyfe frely. And he that is a thyrst let him come, & he that wyl, let him take the water of lyfe freelye. The
- 1•po. xvi.
- 2Luke. […]Luke. 〈…〉
- 3Mat. v.
- 4Esa. iv.
- 5Apoc. xxi.
- 6A•o. […].A•o. 〈…〉.
