Certain prayers and godly meditations very needful for every ChristenCerteine prayers and godly meditacyons very nedefull for euery Christen

These do piteously sorrow and morn for Christ and complain that he was innocent and guiltless put to death / even like as the women of Jerusalem whom Christ him self did reprehend advertising them that they should lament them selves & their own children. Nether is it any marvel ⟨image 92⟩for the preachers them selves are sick of the same disease / which for the most part when they increase this matter / leap out of the fruitful and wholesome story in to these their common places: how Jesus toke his leave of his disciples I Bethany. And with what dolorous sighs his mother Mary pitied him and sooth other things / on see these that table at length and discant at these pleasures rather to the wearying then edifying of the audience / unto this sort may we also adnumbre them which have defined and instruct other what excellent commodities are in the mass / in so much that the rude & ignorant people persuaded them selves that it was sufficient if they had heard a mass / and that they should have good luck what so ever mischief they went a boute. And there are some which run so far headlong that they affirm stoutly that the mass which they call a sacrifice is accept of god for the work it self & not for his sake that doeth the mass They consider not that god looketh first on the person that worketh / and then after on the work as thou hast a goodly ensample Give, the fourth of Abel and Cain. ⟨image 92⟩They consider not that an evil tree can not bring forth good fruit. Matth. xil. And that on a bramble men can gather no figs. Matth. vij. They consider not that the mass was institute of Christ to make us more holy through the devour remembrance of his passion with a pure faith / and not for any other worthiness that it hath in it self. How be it though we should grant them that the mass in it self were as good and holy as their covetousness and belies have feigned it / yet truly can it nothing profit us except we use it for the same purpose that Christ did institute it. For what doth it profit us that meat and drink are good and wholesome if we abuse them corrupting our nature / ye or what doth it avail us that god is God / that is to say almighty / most merciful / good right will and alone sufficient if we abuse his goodness and believe not in him?

These doo pytuouslye sorowe and morne for Christ and cōplayne that he was innocent and gylties put to deeth / euen lyke as the wemen of Hierusalem whom Christ hym self dyd reprehende aduertisynge them that they shuld lament them selues & theyr awne children. Nether is it anye meruell