enriching and adorning vs with manifolde guiftes and fauoures soe that thy name is admired in the vniuersall worlde What is man then that thou dost thus exalt him or for what cause dost thou place thine affection vppon him True it is that thou o ancient truthe hast saied My delightes are to be with the children of men But why o Lord or for what reason Is man any thing els but corruption or the sonne of man any thing els but a worme Is not euery man liuing in this vale of miserie either enclined or wholy addicted to vanity Whence is it then that thou dost vouchsafe soe grâ—ciouslie to looke vppon him and to bring him and make him sit with thee in iudgment at the day of doome Of the profounde Predestination and foreknowledge of almighty God CHAPT XXVIII O Most profounde depth o infinite wisedome that hast created all thinges vouchsafe to teache and instruct me who hast poised the mountaines and hills in a paire of weightes and the huge and heauie lumpe of the whole earthe in a paire of ballances lifting it vp with three fingers onely lift vp likewise vnto thee with the same three fingers I beseeche thee the heauie lumpe of my mortallitie that I may see and vnderstande how wonderfully thou art to be admired in the vniuersall worlde O most ancient light who before all light didst shine and giue light on the holie hills of thy ancient eternitie to whom all thinges before theire creation were knowen most apparantly O light that hatest all spot of sinne for that thou art most pure and cleane what pleasure hast thou to conuerse with man What hath light to doe with darknes Where are thy delightes in man Where hast thou prepared for thy selfe in me a sanctuarie fitting soe greate a Maiestie in which thou maiest finde pleasure and delight at thy comminge Verily we ought to prouide for thee a cleane habitation who art that vertue that makest all thinges cleane who of such as are vncleane in harte canst not soe much as be seene much lesse canst thou be contained in them Where then can there be founde in man a temple soe free from filthe as that it may be thought worthy to receiue thee who rulest the whole earthe Who is able to cleanse him that is conceiued in vncleannesse sauing thou alone who art onely free from bleamishe who can be cleansed by one thaâ— is defiled For according to the lawe which thou hast giuen to our fore-fathers speaking vnto them out of the fire burninge the mountaine and out of the darke and mistie cloude whatsoeuer he toucheth that is vncleane shal be esteemed vncleane All of vs therefore being noe better then filthie raggs takinge our beginningâ— from a loathsome masse of filthie corruption doe carrie in our foreheades the staine of our vncleannes which we cannot conceale by any meanes especially from thee that seest all thinges We therfore cannot be cleane and free from sinne vnlesse thou cleanse vs who art onelie cleane and free from the same For thou art not accustomed to cleanse all the children of men but those onely that it pleaseth thee to dwell in whom thou by the vnsearcheable profounde secrets of the incomprehensible iust yet secret iudgments of thy wisedome without any desert of theirs hast predestinated before the beginning of the worlde hast called out of the worlde hast iustified in the world meaning likewise to magnifie them after the end of the worlde Neuerthelesse thou dost not impart this inestimable fauoure to euerie one which maketh the carnall and worldly wisemen to pine away through admiration As for me I confesse o Lord that when I enter into consideration of this I cannot but tremble and be astonied at the greatnes of the riches of thy wisedome and knowledge vnto which I cannot attaine neither vnto the incomprehensible iudgments of thy iustice sithence that of the same lumpe of clay thou dost forme some vessels vnto glorie others vnto euerlasting contumelie Those therfore that thou hast chosen for thy selfe amonge so many to be thy temple and sanctuarie those thou dost washe cleare by powring vppon them the pure water of thy holy Spirit whose names and number thou knowest who onely art able to number the innumerable multitude of the starrs calling them all by their names who likewise are written in the booke of life and cannot possibly perishe towardes whose good all thinges doe cooperate euen theire verie sinnes For if they chance to fall they take noe hurte because thou dost vphold them with thy hande preseruing all their bones soe that noe one of them is broken Contrariewise the deathe of sinners is the worst of all others of those sinners I say whom according to the bottomles depthe of thy hidden yet alwaies iust iudgments thou hast foreknowen should be damned euen before heauen and earth were created the number of whose names and enormious actions remaine registred with thee who hast numbred the verie sande of the sea and measurâ—d the profonditie of the bottomles depthe whom thou hast left in theire vncleannes all thinges likewise doe cooperate towardes their damnation and their very prayers are turned into sinne soe that albeit theâ— haue soared up to the heauens and their heade had ouched the cloudes althoughe they haue built theire nest amongst the starrs of heauen yet finally they shal be cast downe as a dunghill to eternall damnation Of those that at first are good and after Wardes become bad and contrarie Wise of those that at first are bad and after Wardes become good CHAPT XXIX GReate are these thy iudgments o Lord God o iudge most iust and mightie whose iudgments are equitie it selfe whose doings are profounde and vnsearcheable which when I consider all my bones doe tremble because man a longe as he liueth in this worlde is not assured that he shal be saued to the end that during the whole course of our life we might deuoutly and chastly with feare ferue thee and with trembling reioyce before thâ—e that our seruice might not be without feare nor our ioy without trembling that he that is yet in battaile might not boast before the victorie that no mortall man might vaunt before thee but shoulde rather stande in thy presence with great feare and dreade seeing man knoweth not before his last day whether he be worthy of loue or hatred vntillâ— which time all thinges are kept secret and as it were vndetermined For we o Lord haue seeene many ourselues and hearde of many more by the relation of our fore-fathers which is a thing which I cannot call to minde and declare without great trembling much feare who at first haue soared vp as it were to the skies and built theire nest among the starres but afterwardes they haue tumbled downe headlong and their soules haue been amazed at the euills that haue hapned vnto them We haue sâ—ene starres that haue fallen from heauen by force of the Dragons tayle striking them We haue likewise seene o Lord those
Kingdome that in these times you might be ready to erect and fortisie your brethren the Benedictins as a man gratious with both Monarchs with the Lily of FraÌ„ce for your fruitfull labours in the soules of his subiects with the Lion of England for your acknowledged faith and loyaltie to his personall right and succession But enough of the causes of dedication a word or two by your graces leaue of the reasons why this worke is translated Taking delight in reading of those heauenly conceipts of S. Augustin I purposed for the priuate intertainemeÌ„t of that time which obedience left vnto my choice to put them into English as carefully as I could and then exhibiting my labour to my superiours as an account how I spent my leasure they thought good to publishe it although it had before bene translated which I neuer knew for the translator M. Rogers insteed of giuing the deuout reader the true works of S. Augustin tooke vpon him presumptuously to mangle and maime them in all such places as the holy Doctor had writte directly contrary to Protestanticall doctrine forcing him to speake like an hereticke in all points of prayer vnto Saints merits of good workes suffrages for the faithful departed such other as ordinarily do occurre in spirituall exercises in which S. Augustin most plainely and clearelye speaking as a true Romain catholike this saucie controller M. Rogers either peruerteth his wordes to Puritanisme or els leaueth them out euen whole chapters as if he were more illuminated with the grace of God and knowledge of truth then that glorious Doctor esteemed euen by our aduersaries the learnedst maister that euer the Church had since the Apostles And where S. Augustin in the feruour of his deuotion with most eloquent and wary tearmes representeth vnto his soule and the readers thoughts the dolefull spectacle of our Sauiours passion this impious hereticke leaueth all that out or els wickedlie transformeth it censuring it as escapes and ouersights when it is most euident that they were written by Saint Augustin with full aduertisement of a farre deeper and carefuller iudgement then euer can be in the braymes of an hereticke In one thinge yet is the man to be commended that he doth not this by stelth and silently as most of that faction doe but openly and plainely professing his fact in his prefaces and yeelding particular accompt thereof but no other reason sauing the credit of his heresie But most abominablie in the first preface doth he belie the English Catholickes at home imposing vpon them their translating and printinge of diuers lewed legends of knights errants as Amadis Palmerin and the like as if they had beene published by crafty papists as he calls them to peruert Protestants whom they could not coÌ„sute with disputations wheras the world knowes the translators of those books to haue bene professed Protestants and some of them Poursuiuants and damnable Apostata's as Antony Monday and the like sworne officers and helhoundes to hunt out poore afflicted Catholicks bring them to the miseries of imprisonments and premuniries And both Rogers and Ascam his authour whom he cites were not of so little reading but in their conscience they knew that all such bookes are forbidden very strictly to be read in the Catholicke church by any of her faithfull children and condemned by the rules of the expurgatorie Index appointed by order of the great Councell of Trent and drawne out by most indicious and godly diuines to direct Catholickes how to auoid the venini and poyson of all pernicious books which Index it is a wonder how these men dare presume to find fault with because it blotteth out many vnprobable words and doctrines in late Authors where as they presume by their owne confession to blott out all words and doctrines contrarie to their false beliefe euen in the very ancient and greatest Doctors of the Church whose writinges that index for the reuerence due vnto them euen in those poincts wherin as men some of them haue missed hath left vntouched and vncoÌ„trolled All which I haue presumed to say in this speech vnto your Lordship for the better instruction of all Catholicke readers who in reading this preface I doubt not but will reioyce with me glorifie God for the great honour and blessings both temporall and spirituall powred forth abondantly vpon your grace notwithstanding the resistance made by enuie and emulation and that in your bannishment in a strange countrey though indeed France is not a strange countrey vnto the Giffords whose noble family hath its originall stock and florisheth yet at this day in little Britanie and other parts of France and from thence sent forth its branches into the greater Britany with such prosperous successe that it gaue to England the Dukes of Buckingam and remaineth as yet a principall branch of that house so that it may seeme France hath made estimation of your grace not onely prouoked thervnto by your learning and vertues but euen by the secret instinct of nature gladly embracing the good which sprung first from its owne soyle I haue added certaine verses and a deuout consideration of Blessed S. Peter Damian Cardinall of Ostia monke of our order a man in those dayes so profitablie and feruently imploied by the churches commaundment for his admirable zeale and powerful eloquence in reducing Schismatickes and Sectaries of Italie that your grace may seeme to haue placed him before your eies as a patterne of your actions and the gouernement of your Diocese The verses were heretofore namelesse in many Latin editions of these works but now adiudged by the learned to be S. Peter Damians The consideration also taken out of the same Saints works seemed to me for the profit therof to be a fitt end and conclusion of this my translation as a point most necessarie to remaine alwaies in the memorie of the faithfull reader All this I offer vnto your grace by the commaundment of my Superiours and myne owne desire in the name of all English Benedictins whose prayers vnto almighty God shall neuer be wanting for the long life health and prosperous direction of your gracious Lordshippe in all vertue and happinesse From my Cell in Dieulewart your Lordshipps beloued monasterie where by the leaue of obedience I meane to spend the remainder of my life and remaine alwaies Your graces poore bâ—ads-man B. ANTONY BATT vnworthy monke of Sâ— Bennet APPROBATIO HAE S. Augustini Meditationes Soliloquia Manuale in Anglicum sermonem fideliter translata vtiliter ad piorum vsum praelo excudentur Actum Duaci 18. Martij 1622. Georgius Coluenerius S. Th. Doctor Regins ordinariusque Professor in academia Duacena librorum censor Ego F. Rudesindus Barlo Presbyter monachus S. Benedicti Sacrae Theologiae Doctor Professor Congregationis Angliae Benedictinorum Praeses missionis Hispanicae ordinis eiusdem Vicarius Generalis habita Theologorum congregationis nostrae censura facultatem concedo vt imprimatur libellus
of his hart with spirituall ioy and most ardent desire speaking vnto God after this manner A Prayer shewing the manifolde properties and attributes of God CHAPT XXIX O God most high most good omnipotent most merciful most iust most secret most preseÌ„t most faire most foable stable and incomprehensible seeing all thinges yet inuisible changing al thinges yet immutable immortal without place prefixt without limitt without circumference altogether infinite inestimable ineffable inscrutable without motion of himselfe mouinge all thinges vnsearcheable vnspeakeable dreadefull and terrible to be honoured and feared reuerenced and respected neuer new neuer old makâ—ng all thinges new and making proude men old euen when they wot not of it alwaies doing allwaies râ—stinge heapinge vpp without hauinge neede bearinge all thinges without being burdened filling al thinges without being included creatinge protectinge nourishing and doing good to all thinges seekingâ— albeit nothinge is wanting vnto thee louinge without being afflicted iealouâ— yet restinge assured It repenteth thee and yet thou art not greâ—ued thou art angrie and yett art quiet alteringe what thou hast donne but not thy determination Thou takest what thou doâ—t not finde hauing neuer lost any thing Thou reâ—oycest in gaine although thou were neuer needy Albeit thou were neuer couâ—tous yett thou exactest vsurie To whom we remaine allwaies indebted euen when we giue more then is required But who is there that hath any thing not thine Thou paiest debtes beinge indebted to noe man and forgiuest debtes thereby losing nothing Who alone giuest life to all thinges who hast created all thinges who art euery where and wholy euerie where who maiest be felt but canst not be seene who art noe where wanting and yet art farre distant from the thoughtes of wicked men Who art not there absent where thou art farre distant because where thou art absent by grace thou art present by râ—uenge Who dost touche all thinges but not all a like For some thou dost touche thereby onely giuing them a being without giuing them either life feelinge or reason Others thou dost touche therby giuinge them beinge and life yet without either feelinge or reason Others againe thou dost touche therby giuinge them being life and feeling yet without the vse of reason And lastly thou dost touche others giuinge them being life feeling and reason And albeit thou art neuer contrarie to thy selfe yet neuertheles thou dost touche thinges of a contrarie nature after a contrarie manner who at all times art euery where present and yet canst hardly be founde Whom we followe standing still and cannot ouer take Who dost containe all thinges fill all thinges enuiron al thinges surmounte all thinges and sustaine all thinges Neither dost thou sustaine on one side to be surmounted on another neither dost thou fill on one side to be enuironned on an other but by enuiâ—onninge thou dost fill and by filling thou dost enuiron surmountinge by sustayning and sustaining by surmounting Who teachest the hartes of the faithfull without sounde of wordes Who reachest from one end to an other forcibly and disposest all thinges sweetely Who art not extended by places nor changed by times Neither doth thou comâ— and goe but dwellest in that inaccessible light which neither is not can be seene by any mortall wight And thus remaining quiett in thy selfe thou dost enuâ—â—on the whole world euery where beinge absolutelie whoâ—e euerie where Thou canst not be cuâ—t or cleaâ—t because thou art trulie one nor deuided into paâ—tâ—s because thou dost wholy rule sill beautifie and possesse euery thinge contained in the whole worlde Soo great is the vnmeasurable depth of this immeÌ„se mysterie as that the haite of man cannot conceiue it nor tongue of Oratour declare it neither are all the huge sermons and ample volumes of innumeraâ—le libraries able to expresse it If soe manye bookes were written as with them euen the whole worlde might be filled yett thy maruaâ—lous knowledge coulde not be vnfolded because thou art altogether vnspeakeable and noe way to be descâ—ibed either in wordes or writtinge who art the fountaine of diuine brightnes and the Sunne of eternall happines For thou art great without quantitie therfore infinitelie great thou art good without qualitiâ— and therefore truly and cheifelie good neither is any one good but thou alone whose very will is as the deede donne whose pleasure is reputed for power Who hast created all thinges of nothing by thine one worde makinge them voluntarilie of thine owne accorde Who hast all creatures in thy possession hauing noe neede of theÌ„ and dost rule and gouerne then without any wearines neither is there any thing whatsoeuer either in thinges aboue or thinges beneath that can disturbe the setled order of thine Empire Who art in aâ—l places without situation of plâ—ce and art euery where present without situation and motion Who art not the author of any euill neither art thou able to doe euill although thou art able to doe all thinges It neuer repenteth thee of any thing which thou hast donne neither art thou at any time moued with any perturbatioÌ„ of minde neither would it be any losse vnto thee although the whole worlde should runne to ruine Thou dost not approue or commande to be donne any sinfull or abominable actioÌ„ neither dost thou euer lie because thou art the eternall verâ—tie By whose onely goodnes we are created by whose iustice we are chastiâ—ed by whose mercy we are redeemed For neither any of the celestiall orbes or the element of fire or the globe of the earth or any other sensible creature ought to be adored with diuine honour which is onely due to thy diuine power who art that which thou art truly and really not any way subiect to mutabilitie To whom cheifely doth belong that which the Grecians doe call On the Latines Ens which is asmuch as if they should say That thou art now the same which thou were heretofore and shall be still the same both now and euermore These and many other thinges hath our holy mother the Church taught me of whom by help of thy grace and fauour I am become a member Shee indeed hath taught me that thou who art the one onely true God art neither corporall nor passible And that noe parte of thy substaÌ„ce or nature is either made or composed or able by any meanes to be violated or chaÌ„ged wherfore it is most certaine that thou canst not be perceiued by corporall eies neither was it euer possible for any mortall creature to beholde thee in thy proper essence and nature Hence it appeareth painely that we after this life is ended shall by the same meanes see thee by which the Angells doe now beholde thee although indeede euen they themselues cannot compreheÌ„d thee as thou art In conclusion the omnipotent Trinitie is not entirely knowen to any other sauing to thee alone Of the vnitie and pluralitie of personnes in God CHAPT XXX BVt thou o God who art one in diuinitie multiplied by pluralitie of
of me a poore distressed orphant I am as a poore fatherlesse childe and my soule is as a woman bereaued of her husbande Vouchsafe gratiouslie to behold the teares of my distressed orphancie and widowhoode which I offer vnto thee vntill thou returne o my God May it please thee therfore may it please thee o Lord to manifest thy selfe to me and I shall be comforted Graunt that I may see thee and I shall obtaine what I desire Make manifest thy glorie and my ioy wil be accomplished My soule hath thirsted after thee soe hath likewise my fleshe exceedingly My soule hath thirsted after God the liuinge fountaine when shall I come and be presented before the face of my Lord When wilt thou come o my comforter for whome I will wishe and earnestly waite for O that I might once behold my delight which I doe soe muche desire O howe truly shall I be satisfied when thy glorie shall appeare which I doe greatlie hunger to beholde When shall I become drunke through the plentie of thy heauenlie habitation for which I sighe soe often When wilt thou make me to drinke of the riuer of thy pleasure which I soe greâ—tely thirst and desire In the interim o Lord let my teares be my continual foode vntill it be saied vnto me Beholde thy God vntill it be saied vnto my soule Beholde thy bridegroome In the interim feede me with my sobbs and weepinges nourishe me with my sorrowes and lamentations Peraduenture my redeemer will come and visit me because he is full of mercie yea he will not be long in comminge because he is full of pittie To him be glorie during all eternitie Amen The end of the Meditations of S. Augustin A TABLE OF THE Meditations of S. Augustin Bishop of Hyppon A Prayer vnto almighty God for the amendment of our life and manners Chapt. I. Mans acknowledging his miserie his commendation likewise of Gods mercie Chapt. II. Mans complainte who for his disobedience is not hearde of God Chapt. III. The dreade of the iudge comming to iudgment Chapt. IV. The healpe of God the Father is desired by the mentts of God the soÌ„ne Chapt. V. Hâ—ere man doth represent to God the Father the passion of his sonne Chapt. VI. Heere man doth acknowledge himselfe to haue beene the cause of Christs passion Chapt. VII Heere man for his reconciliation doth propose to God the Father the passion of his sonne Chapt. VIII A Prayer to desire the assistance of the holie Ghost Chapt. IX A Prayer for one seruing God and thinking humblie of himselfe Chapt X. A Prayer to the holie Trinitie Chapt. XI The acknowledging of God almighty and of his Maiestie Chapt. XII After what manner it pleased God the Father to succoure mankinde of the incarnation of the diuine Worde and thanks for the same Chapt. XIII Of the confidence which a Christian soule ought to haue in lesus Christ and in his Passion Chapt. XIV Of the surpassing greate charitie of the eternall Father towardes mankinde Chapt. XV. Of the two-folde nature of Christ who pittieth vs and prayeth for vs Chapt. XVI Of the greate thanks giuing which maÌ„ ought to render to God for the benefit of his redemption Chapt. XVII A deuoute Prayer to our Sauiour Iesus Christ Chapt. XVIII The distinction and difference betwene that wisedome which is Gods house and that which is diuine Chapt. XIX Heere man desireth that this house of God will likewise prâ—y for him Chap. XX. Of the manifolde miseries with which mans life is replenished Chapt. XXI Of the happines of that life which God hath prepared for those that loue him Chapt. XXII Of the happines of a holie soule departing out of this worlde Chapt. XXIII A Prayer to the Saincts to succoure vs in our necessities Chapt. XXIV The soules desire to attaine to the heauenlie Cittie Hierusalem Chapt. XXV A hymne of the glorie of Paradice composed by the blessed S. Peter Damian Cardinall of Ostia monke of the holy order of S. Benneâ— taken out of the sayings of S. Augustine Chapt XXVI The continuall prayse of the soule through the contemplation of God Chapt XXVII What it is after a certaine manner to see and comprehend God and what opinion we ought to haue of him Chapt. XXVIII A Prayer shewing the manifold properties and attributes of God Chapt. XXIX Of the vnitie and pluralitie of personnes in God Chapt XXX A Prayer to the sacred Trinitie Chapt. XXXI That God is the true and soueraigne life Chapt. XXXII The prayses of Angells and men Chapt. XXXIII Heere man doth lament for that when he thinketh of God he is not moued to compunction seing the verie Angells tremble and quake when they beholde him Chapt. XXXIV A Prayer greately mouing the harte to deuotion and to the loue of God Chapt. XXXV A most deuoute prayer demaunding grace of God to prayse him as we ought Chapt XXXVI A Prayer greately stirring vp the minde to compunction if it be saied in silence with attention Chapt. XXXVII A Prayer to be saied in time of tribulation Chapt. XXXVIII A verie deuoute prayer to God the sonne Chapt XXXIX A profitable Prayer Chapt. XL. A deuoute Prayer in memorie of Christs passion Chapt. XLI FINIS THE BOOKE OF S. AVGVSTIN BISHOPP OF HYPPON Commonlye called his Soliloquies that is the secret discourses and conferences of his soule with God AT S. OMERS For IOHN HEIGHAM Anno 1624. THE BOOKE OF S. AVGVSTIN BISHOPP OF HYPPON Commonlye called his Soliloquies that is the secret discourses and conferences of his soule with God Of the vnspeakeable sweetnes of God CHAPT I. O Lord the strength of my soule graunt me grace I beseech thee that like as thou knowest me I may knowe thee O my comforter manifest thy selfe vnto me O light of mine eies graunt that I may see thee Come o ioy of my spirit Let me see thee o delight of my harte O life of my soule giue me grace to loue thee O Lord my God my cheife delight and sweetest solace vouchsafe to appeare vnto me for thou art my life and all the glorie of my soule O desire of my harte lett me finde thee O loue of my soule let me touche thee O heauenly bridegroome my cheife delight both without and within me let me embrace thee Let me possesse thee o euerlasting blisse lett me possesse thee in the middst of my hatte blessed life and soueraigne sweetnes of my soule Let me loue thee o Lord my fortitude my force my refuge and my deliuerer Let me loue thee o my God my helper my stronge fortresse and my swâ—ete hope in all time of distresse Let me embrace thee the onely true good let me â—nioy thee the onely best thinge Open mine eares by vertue of thy worde more peircing theÌ„ a two edged sworde to the end I may heare thy voyce Let the greatnes of thy voyce be hearde as a thunder from aboue Let the sea roare and the fulnes thereof let the earth be moued and all thinges
but canst not be seene Woe art noe where wanting and yet art farre distant from the thoughtes of wicked men Who art not there absent wher thou art farre distant because where thou art absent by grace thou art present by reuenge Who art euerie where present yet canst hardly be found Whom we followe standing still and cannot ouertake Who dost containe all thinges fill all thinges enuiron all thinges surmounte all thinges sustaine all thinges Who teachest the harts of the faithfull without sounde of wordes Who art not extended by places nor changed by times neither dost thou come and goe Whose dwellinge is in that inaccessible light which neither is nor can be seene by any mortall wight Remaininge quiet in thy selfe thou dost on euerie side enuiron the whole worlde Thou canst not be cut or cleft because thou art trulie one nor deuided into partes because thou dost who lie fill beatifie aud possesse whatsoeuer is contained in the whole worlde Of the vnspeakeable knowledge of God CHAPT II. IF soe many bookes were written as with them euen the whole worlde might be filled yet thy vnspeakeable knowledge coulde not be vnfolded And for that thou art vnspeakeable thou canst not by any meane be described or defined either with wordes or writing who art the fountaine of diuine brightnes and the sunne of eternall happines Thou art greate without quantitie and therfore infinitely greate thou art good without qualitie and therfore truly and chiefely good neither is any one good but thou alone whose verie will is as the deede donne whose pleasure is reputed for power Who hast created all thinges of nothing by thine onely worde making theÌ„ voluntarily of thine own accord Who hast all creatures in thy possession hauing noe neede of them dost rule and gouerne theÌ„ without either trouble or laboure neither is there any thinge whatsoeuer either in thinges aboue or thinges beneathe that can disturbe or alter the setled order of thine Empire Who art in all places without place and art euerie where present without situation or motion Who art not the author of any euill neither art thou able to doe euill who art able to doe whatsoeuer thou wilt neither doth it repent thee after thou hast donne it By whose onely goodnes we are created by whose iustice we are chastised by whose mercie we are redeemed Whose omnipoteÌ„t power doth gouerne rule and replenish all thinges which it hath created Neuerthelesse we doe not say that thou doost fill all thinges as if they did containe thee seing they are rather contained in thee neither doe we say that thou dost fill them all particularlie neither is it lawfull to thinke that euery creature according to the greatnes of his capacitie doth containe thee that is the greatest more and the least lesse sithence thou art in them all or they all in thee Whose omnipotencie comprehendeth all thinges whatsoeuer neither can any one finde meanes to escape thy power soe that he with whom thou art not appeased will not be able to get away when thou art offended Of the desire of the soule thinking of God CHAPT III. WHerfore I inuite thee o most mercifull God to come into my soule which thou hast made readie to receiue thee by meanes of those holy desires with which thou hast inspired the same Enter into it I beseeche thee and make it fitting for thee that thou mayest possesse it which thou hast created and redeemed that as a seale I may alwayes haue thee fixed vpon my soule Forsake me not o most mercifull Lord I beseeche thee calling vpon thee for that thou hast called me before I called vpon thee and hast sought me to the end that I thy poore seruaunt shoulde seeke thee by seeking shoulde finde thee and being founde should loue thee I haue sought thee o Lord and haue founde thee and doe desire to loue thee Encrease my desire and graunt me that which I doe desire for that vnlesse thou giue me thy selfe I thy poore seruaunt cannot be satisfied albeit thou shouldest giue me whatsoeuer thou hast created Giue me thy selfe therefore o my God giue me thy selfe Beholde I loue thee and if it be but a little I will loue thee more Verilie o Lord I doe loue thee I doe desire thee exceedinglie I am much delighted with the sweete remembrance of thee For during the time that my minde doth sigh after thee whilest it meditateth of thy vnspeakeable mercie the burden of my flesh is lesse burdensome vnto me the hurly burly of my cares and cogitations doe then cease the weight of my mortalitie and manifolde miseries doth not according to its wonted manner dull me all thinges are quiet and at peace My hart burneth my minde reioâ—ceth my memorie flourisheth my vnderstanding shineth yea my whole soule is as it were rauished with the loue of thinges that are heauenlie being inflamed with a desire of seeing thee Let my soule therfore take as it were the winges of an Eagle and flie and not faile let it flie vntill it come to the beautie of thy house and to the throne of thy glorie that there in the place of thy pasture which is enuironned with pleasant riuers it may be fedd with the foode of thine internall consolation sitting at the same table on which those heauenly citâ—izens are wonte to take their refection Be thou o Lord our ioy and exultation who art our hope saluation and redemption Be thou our mirthe and gladnes who art our future happines Let my soule alwaies seeke thee and graunt that it may not fainte in seeking thee Of the miserable estate of that soule that doth neither loue nor seeke our Lord Iesus Christ CHAPT IV. WOe be to that vnhappie soule which doth neither seeke nor loue Iesus Christ our Lord for that it remaineth withered and wretched He that loueth not thee o God liueth but in vaine He that desireth to loue o Lord but not for thee is as it were a meere nothing and not worthy of any estimation He that liueth not to thee is alreadie deade He that knoweth not thee is a foole To thee therefore o most mercifull Lord I commend and commit my selfe from whom I haue receiued my being life and wisedome In thee is my hope trust and confidence by whome I hope to arise liue and obtaine euerlastinge rest and quietnes I desire loue and adore thee with whom I shall remaine raigne and be happie during all eternity That soule doubtlesse loueth the worlde which doth not seeke and loue thee it is a seruaunt to sinne a slaue to all manner of iniquitie being neuer at rest neuer in securitie Graunt o sweete Sauiour that my soule may alwaies serue thee Let my pilgrimage heere vppon earthe continually sigh after thee let my harte be enflamed with the loue of thee Let my soule o my God repose in thee let it contemplate thee in excesse of minde let it with ioyfullnes singe and sounde forthe thy prayses and let this be my