not is because it knowes thee not and it knoweth thee not because it perceaues thee not it perceaueth thee not because it comprehendeth not thy light which doth shine in darknes and the darknes cōprehendeth it not O light of y e minde ô lightsome truth ô true light which inlightnest euerie man y t commeth into this world indeede y t commeth into the world but not which loueth the worlde For whosoeuer is a friende of y e world is an enimie to God O driue awaie the darknes from the deepe of my minde that it may see thee by vnderstanding thee and know thee by comprehending thee and looue thee by knowing thee For whosoeuer knoweth thee doth looue thee hee forgets himselfe and loues thee more than himselfe yea he forsaketh himselfe and commeth vnto thee that in thee alone he may reioice Hence then is it ô Lord that I looue thee not as I ought to do euen because I knowe thee not so perfectlie as I shoulde and because I haue but little knowledge of thee I loue thee but little and for that I loue thee but little I do little reioice in thee But departing from thee the true and inward ioie vnto outwarde while I lacke thee I seeke fained comforts in these outward things And so wretch that I am that which with my whole hart and with al my mind I should haue surrendred vnto thee alone that haue I giuen to vanities and so through louing vanitie I am become vane Hence also it is that I reioice not in thee nor cleaue to thee ô Lord euen because I delight in outwarde thou in inward I in temporal thou in spiritual ioies I am in minde distracted in thought occupied in talke snarled about transitorie things and thou inhabitest the eternitie and art euerlastingnes it selfe Thou art in heauen I on earth thou louest thinges on hie I base things below thou heauenlie I terrestrial And howe then may these contraries agree together Chap. 2. Of the miserie and frailtie of man O Wretched mā that I am when shal◠my crookednes be made euen to thy straightnes Lorde thou louest solitarines and I companie thou silence I noise thou truth and I vanitie thou puritie and I folowe filthines And what more Lord Thou art perfectlie good I am euil thou art godly I am wicked thou art holie I am wretched thou art righteous I am sinful thou art the light I am blinde thou art the life I am dead thou the physicion I am sicke thou the ioie I am sorow thou the souereigne truth I nothing but vanitie as al men liuing be Alas therefore ô my Creator what shal I saie Listen ô my Creator I am thy creature and am now cast awaie I am thy creature and now doe I die I am thy creature and am now destroied Thy workmanship I am Thy hands haue made me and facioned me O Lord despise not the work of thine handes respect the woundes of thine owne hands I beseech thee Lo thou hast written me vpon the palme of thine hands ô Lord God reade that writing and saue me Behold I thy creature sigh after thee thou art my Creator oh make me new again Beholde I thy workmanship crie vnto thee thou art the life oh quicken me againe Behold I thy handie worke looke vpon thee thou art my maker oh repaire mee againe Spare me ô Lord for my daies are but vanitie What is man that he shoulde talke vnto GOD his maker Spare me ô God speaking vnto thee Be not angrie with thy seruant for presuming to talke with so mightie a Lord. Necessitie hath no law Griefe compels me to speake and the miserie which I endure enforceth me to crie out Sick I am I crie vnto the physicion blinde I am I hasten to the light I am dead and I sigh for life Thou art y e physicion thou art the light the life thou art ô Iesus of Nazareth Haue mercie vpon mec ô sonne of Dauid ô fountaine of mercie haue mercie vpon me and harken to the diseased which crieth for thine helpe O light passing by looke vpon the blinde stretch foorth thine hande vnto him that hee may come vnto thee and see the light in thy light O life liuing euerlastinglie cal againe the dead vnto life But what am I that speaketh vnto thee Wo is me Lord spare me ô Lord I alas I am euen an rotten carkas the meat of wormes a loathsome vessel euen matter for fire What am I that speaketh vnto thee Wo is me Lorde ô Lorde spare me a wretched man A man indeede borne of a woman of short continuance and ful of troble a man indeede made like to vanitie cōpared to the foolish beasts and now in verie deede like to them And what am I more a darke dungeon miserable earth the childe of wrath a vessel of dishonor begotten in vncleannes liuing in wretchednes dieng in distresse Out vpon me wretch what am I Alas what shal become of me that am a vessel of filthines a coffin of rottennes replenished with stinch loathsomnes blinde poore naked subiect to verie manie trobles ignorant both when I came into the world and when I shal depart miserable and mortal whose daies passe awaie like a shade whose life vanisheth like the moone light now growing like a flower on the tree and by and by withering florishing now fading by and by My life I saie is a fraile life a fleeting life a life that the more it lengtheneth the shorter it waxeth the more it encreaseth the nigher it draweth towardes death a life transitorie and deceitful replenished with the snares of death Now am I iocond anon sad now strong anon sicke now aliue anon dead now I seeme happie but am alwaies miserable now merie anon mourning And so are al things subiect vnto mutabilitie that nothing continueth at a staie one whole houre together Hence feare thence trembling hence hunger thence thirst thence cold hence heat hence faintnes thence sorowe springeth and after al these foloweth vntimelie death which sodainlie doth carrie miserable men awaie after a thousande waies This man it killeth with sicknes that mā it oppresseth with sorowe this man it famisheth with hunger that man with thirst it dispatcheth this man it choakes with waters that man it strangleth with an halter One man it consumeth by fire another it deuoureth by wilde beastes with sworde it slaieth another another it corrupteth with poison and with some terrible feare it dispatcheth some other miserable man And yet there is a great miserie beside al this and that is although nothing be
more certaine than death yet woteth not man when he shal depart and then takes he a fal and leeseth his hope when in his owne iudgement he stoode ful sure For man cannot tel either when or where or how he shal die yet is it appointed that he shal die Now see Lord how great is mans wretchednes wherein I am yet feare not how much the miserie that I endure and yet neither am trobled therat nor dooe crie vnto thee But Lorde I wil crie vnto thee before I passe away if happilie I may abide in thee not passe awaie I wil tel then I wil tel my miserie yea I wil confesse my vilenes before thee and not be ashamed O my fortitude by whome I am vpholden helpe me assist me ô my strength by whom I am sustained Come light through which I se appere glorie through which I reioice and life wherein I shal liue manifest thy selfe ô Lord my God Chap. 3. Of Gods wonderful light O Light which Tobit sawe when though blinde he taught his sonne the waie of life O light which Izhak sawe inwardlie when though outwardlie blind he tolde his sonne what was to come O light I saie inuisible to which al y e depth of mans hart is visible O light which Iacob saw when according to thine inward instruction he foretolde what outwardlie should happen to his sonnes Beholde darknes is vpon the face of the deepe of my mind y ◠art light Lo a mistie dimnes is vpon the waters of mine hart but thou art the truth O word by whome al things were made without which nothing was made O worde which art before al things before which was nothing O word creating al things without which al things are nothīg O word gouerning al things without which al thinges are naught woorth O word which in the beginning didst saie Let there be light and there was light say likewise to me Let there be light and light shalbe made and I shal see light and discerne al that is not light For without thee I put darknes for light and light for darknes And so without thee there is present for truth error for wisdome foolishnes confusion ignorance for knowledge for sight blindnes by-pathes for the right waie for life death Chap. 4. The frailtie of mans nature BEholde my Lorde because there is no life there is death naie rather there is no death because death is nothing For thereby wee come vnto naught while we dread not to make our selues naught through sinne And y t deseruedlie ô Lord. For when we come to naught like the running water we are recompenced according to our works because without thee nothing was done and we by dooing nothing are made nothing For without thee by whome al things are made and without whome nothing was made ô Lord y ◠word ô God the word by whome al things were made without which was made nothing that was made we are nothing Wo is mee wretch so often blinded because thou art the light and I am not with thee Woe is mee wretch so often wounded because thou art saluation I am not with thee Wo is me wretch so often infatuated because thou art the truth and I am not with thee Wo is mee wretch so often wandering because thou art y e waie and I am not with thee Wo is me wretch so oftē dead because thou art life I am not with thee wo is me wretch so often brought to nothing because thou art the worde by which al things were made yet I am not with thee without whom nothing was made O Lord the word ô God the word who art the light by whome light was made who art the waie the truth and the life in whom there is neither darknes error vanitie nor death The light without which al is darknes the waie without which all is but by-pathes the truth without which al is but falshoode the life without which euery thing is death Speake the worde Lord let there be light that I may see the light and shun darknes see the waie shun by-paths see the truth and shun falshood see life and shun death Inlighten me ô Lord my light my glorie my saluation whome I wil feare my Lord whom I wil praise my God whō I wil worship my Father whome I wil honor my spouse for whom I wil keepe my selfe Inlighten ô light inlighten me poore soule sitting in darknes in the shadow of death direct my feete into the way of peace y ◠I may enter therby into the place of thy glorious tabernacle euē to the house of God with the voice of ioie thanksgiuing For true confession is the verie way whereby I may come vnto thee the way by which I may come out of by-pathes and go againe vnto thee the waie For thou art the true waie vnto life Chap. 5. VVhat is ment by becomming nothing I Wil confesse therfore ô Father LORD of Heauen and Earth vnto thee wil I cōfesse my wickednes that so I may attaine vnto thy mercie I became wretched and was broght vnto nothing yet knew I not so much for thou art the truth and I was not with thee Mine iniquities did wound me yet was I not trobled for thou art the life and I was not with thee They brought mee vnto nothing for thou art the word I was not with thee by whom al things were made without whome nothing was made And therefore being without thee I became nothing For it is nothing which bringeth vnto nothing By the worde al things were made whatsoeuer was made after what forme soeuer they were made And God saw al that he had made lo it was exceeding good Al things y t were made were made by the worde then whatsoeuer things were made by the worde are exceeding good Wherefore be they good Because al things were made by the word and without it was made nothing y t was made For nothing is good without the souereigne good But wheras good is not there is euil which indeede is nothing because euil is nought else but the want of good euen as blindnes is naught else but the want of sight Euil then is nothing because it was made without the word without which nothing was made And that is euil which is depriued of that good wherby al thinges that are were made But those things which be not are not made by him And therefore they are nothing Then whatsoeuer was not made are euil Because al things that were made were made by the worde And al which were
grace it was of thy meere goodnes that I shoulde be partaker of that sweetnes Wherfore through that grace which mooued thee to create me of nothing ô Lord giue mee this grace I beseech thee that I may thanke thee for this thy goodnes Chap. 9. Of Gods Omnipotencie THine Almightie hande ô GOD which is one and the same alwaies hath created both the Angels in heauen and the litle wormes in earth no whit more glorious in them nor inferior in these For as none other hand could create an Angel so none other could make the vilest worme as none other could lay abrode the heauens so none other facion the smalest leafe of a tree as none other coulde make a bodie so none other make one heare white or black But onlie thine almightie hande to which al things are alike possible For it is no more possible for thee to create a worme than an Angel nor more impossible to spreade out the Heauen than a leafe It is no easier for thee to facion a smal heare than a bigge bodie nor harder to build the earth vpon the water than to lay the waters vppon the earth For thou God didest what thou wouldest in Heauen and in earth in the sea and in al the depthes and me among other things thou didst make euen as thou wouldest couldest and knewest best Thine hand ô Lorde coulde haue made mee a stone or a bird or a Serpent or some brute beast it knew as much but it would not for thy mercie sake Wherefore then am I not a stone or a tree or a beast Because thy goodnes hath so ordained Yet did not anie merites of mine preuent thee that thou shouldest appoint it so Chap. 10. The incomprehensible praise of God WHere shal I get ô my Lord where shal I get sufficient praises to extol thee For as thou madest me as it pleased thee without mine help so canst thou magnifie thy self as it pleaseth thee without me Before thee ô Lord thy praise is thy selfe Let al thy workes prayse thee according to thine excellent greatnes Thy praise ô LORD is incomprehensible It is neither in heart conceiued nor vttered by mouth nor perceiued by care For these things doe passe away but thy praise ô Lord endureth for euer The thought hath a beginning it hath an end the voice hath a sounde and the voice doth vanish the eare doth heare and hearing cesseth but thy praise ô Lord endureth for euer Who then can praise thee what man can shew forth thy praise Thy praise is not transitorie it endureth for euer He doth praise thee who beleceueth thee to be thine owne praise He doth praise thee who knoweth himselfe vnable to attaine vnto thy praise O perpetual praise neuer vanishing in thee is our praise in thee shal my soule reioice We praise thee not but thou praisest thy selfe by thy selfe and in thy selfe and our praise also is in thee Then haue wee true praise when we haue praise of thee when the light doth allow the light For thou the true praise giuest due commendation And as often as wee seeke praise of anie other besides thee so oftē do we leefe thy praise Because that is transitorie but thine is eternal If we go after transitorie wee forgo eternal and if we loue eternal we must loath y ◠praise that is transitorie O Lord my God praise eternal of whome al praise without whome there is no praise without thee I am vnable to praise thee let me haue thee and I wil praise thee For what am I Lord of my selfe that I should praise thee dust and ashes am I a dead and stincking dog am I a worme and verie rottennes am I. What am I to praise thee ô Lord God most mightie in whose hand is the breath of al mankind which inhabitest the eternitie Shal darkenes praise the light or death life Thou art light I am darkenes thou life and I am death Shal vanitie commend the truth Thou art the truth but I a man become like to vanitie Why then Lord shal I praise thee Shal my miserie praise thee shal stincke commende sweetenesse shal mans mortalitie who is heere to daie and gone to morrow praise thee Shal man who is verie rottennes or the sonne of man a verie worme praise thee O Lord shal he that is conceiued borne and brought vp in wickednes praise thee no my God Praise is not semelie in the mouth of a sinner O Lord my God let thine owne incomprehensible power thine owne vnlimitable wisedome thine owne vnspeakeable goodnes commēd thee Let thy more than excellent clemencie thy more than abundant mercie thine euerlasting virtue also and diuinitie praise thee Let thine almightie power with thy souereigne gentlenes and loue whereby thou hast created vs ô Lord God the verie life of my soule praise thee Chap. II. The hope of a Christian must be cast vpon God ANd I thy creature wil trust in the shadow of thy wings euen in thy mercie whereby thou didst create me Helpe thy creature whome of thy mercy thou hast created let me not perish through my sinne whome of thy goodnes thou hast facioned neither be confounded in my miserie whome of thy clemencie thou hast made For what profit is in creating mee if I go downe into mine owne corruption what hast thou ô God created the sonnes of men in vaine Thou hast created mee ô Lord gouerne that which thou hast created Despise not ô God y e workes of thine hands Of nothing thou didst create me and doubtles do not thou Lorde direct mee I shal come againe to nothing For as I was not sometime and thou didest make me of nothing so Lord if thou do not gouerne me I shal returne to nothing in my selfe Help me ô Lord my life lest I perish in my wickednes O Lord hadst not thou created me I had not bin at al but because thou hast created me I am And yet am I nothing if thou guide mee not For no grace neither goodnes of mine compelled thee to create me but euen thine owne most fauorable goodnes and mercie O Lord my God let that loue which compelled thee to make me compel thee also to gouerne me For to what end did thy loue compel thee to make me if I perish in my wickednes and am not guided by thy right hand Let that mercie of thine ô Lord my God compel thee to saue that which is created that compelled thee to create that which was not Let that loue winne thee to saue which wanne thee to create For it is no lesse now than it was for so much as thou art loue who art alwaies the same For thine hand is not
shortned that it cannot saue neither is thine eare heauie that it cannot heare But my sinnes haue separated betweene mee and thee betweene darkenes and light betweene the image of death and life betweene falsehood and truth betwene this vanishing state of mine and thine eternitie Chap. 12. Of the manifold snares of concupiscence THese be the shadowes of darknes wherwith I am couered in the dungeon of this darke prison wherein I lie groueling vntil the daie dawne shadowes doe depart and light be made in the firmament of thy strength The voice of y e Lord is mightie the voice of the Lord is glorious let it speake that light may be made darkenes may depart the drie land appeare and earth maye bud foorth the hud of the herbe that feedeth seede bringeth out the fruite of righteousnes of the kingdome of God O Lord father and God of my life by whom al things do liue without whome al things are as dead leaue mee not in a wicked imagination neither giue mee a proude looke Take fro mee vaine concupiscence and giue not me thy seruant ouer into an impudent mind but possesse thou mine heart that alwaies it may think on thee Inlighten mine eies that they may behold thee and neuer be lifted vp before thee ô eternal glorie but think humblie not of thy woonders aboue their reach that they may see those things which are at thy right hand not the things at thy left And alwaies let thine eie lids direct my steps For thine eie-lids do trie the sonnes of men Asswage the heate of my cōcupiscence with thy goodnes which thou hast laide vp for those that feare thee that with euerlasting desire I may couet after thee that mine inner taste may not be enticed deceiued with vaine things and so put sowre for sweete and sweete for sowre darknes for light and light for darkenes that I may be deliuered in the middes of so many snares as are laid by the enimie to take the soules of sinners wherewith the whole world is replenished Which thing S. Iohn did see and passed not ouer the same in silence when he said For al that is in the world is either the lust of the flesh the lust of the cies or the pride of life Behold ô Lord my God the whole worlde is ful of the snares of concupiscence which they haue prepared for my feete who cā escape them Euen hee doubtles from whome thou takest the loftie lookes that he be not taken by y e lust of the cies frō whome thou takest carnal cōcupiscēce that he be not taken by the lust of the flesh and from whome thou takest a bold impudent mind that the pride of life doe not slilie deceaue him O most happie man for whome thou dost these things for doubtles he shal go vnpunished Now then ô my redeemer by thy selfe I beseech thee assist me that I fal not in the sight of mine aduersaries being takē by y e traps which they haue set for my feete to bring downe my soule But deliuer mee ô strength of my saluation least thine enimies which hate thee haue me in derision Arise ô Lord my God my mightie one and let thine enimies be scattered they also that hate thee let them flie from thy face As waxe melteth before the fire so let the wicked perish at thy presence But let me be hid priuilie in thy presence and reioice with thy children abounding with al good things And thou ô Lord God father of Orphanes and thou mother of thy poore children listen vnto y e crie of thy sonnes spreade out thy wings that we may flie therevnder from the face of the enimie For thou art the tower of Israëls strength who wilt neither slumber nor sleepe keeping Israël because he that fighteth against Israël doth neither sleepe nor slumber Chap. 13. Of mans miserie and of Gods benefites O Light ô cleerenes whome none other light or clerenes doth beholde ô light which darckeneth al light ô cleerenes which dimmeth al strange light ô light from which al light ô cleerenes from which al cleerenes doth proceede ô cleerenes in respect wherof al other brightnes is but darkenes and al other light but dimnes Where thou shinest the verie darkenes is bright as daie and dimnes is light O moste souereigne light whom no blindnes can darken nor mistines dimme nor darknes obscure nor anie let close vp nor shadow keepe away O light which inlightenest al things at one time togither and alwaies swalow me vp into the depth of thy brightnes that I may on al sides beholde thee both in thy selfe and me in thee al things vnder thee Forsake mee not ô Lord least the shadowes of mine ignorance do encrease and mine offences multiplie For without thee euerie thing is darkenes to me and al things are euil because nothing is good without thee the true onlie and souereigne good This I acknowledge and this I know ô Lord my God For be I in anie place without thee euil is it with mee hauing not thee not onlie outwardlie to my bodie but also inwardlie to my soule because al abundance being not with thee my God is but beggerie but whē thy glorie apeareth I shal be satisfied And ô Lord my blessed life grant that I maie confesse my wretchednes vnto thee for from thee the souereigne and verie good it selfe and from the vnitie of thy goodnes hath the diuers kinds of temporal things separated me being fallen into sinne through carnal senses and from one it hath parted me into many things so that abundance to mee was combersome and pouertie was plentie while I haunted after this and that and yet could neuer be satisfied for in my selfe I found not thee th' vnchangable singular vnseparable and onlie good which had I once atteined I should want no more which had I once found out I should weepe no more which did I once enioie mine heart would be at rest Oh miserie vpon miserie sith my miserable soule doth flie from thee with whom she hath abundance and ioie and foloweth the world with whome she hath pouertie and sorow The world crieth I vanish ô Lord thou criest I refresh yet doth my wicked wretchednes more folowe that which vanisheth than him who refresheth This verilie is my weakenes O Physicion of the soule cure it that I may praise thee euen the saluation of my soule and that with mine whole hart for al thy benefites where with thou hast refreshed me euen fro my youth Cast me not off in the time of my age forsake me not whē my strength faileth ô Lord for thine owne sake I beseech thee Thou didest make me when I was
hardlie perceaued vnles wee receaue light from thee ô Lorde our hope that we may behold al things For he hideth subtile traps not in the workes of the flesh onlie which with no great ado may be descried nor in manifest vices only but in spiritual exercises besides vnder the colour of virtues he cloaketh vices and transformeth himselfe into an Angel of light These and many mo things doth that sonne of Belial euen Sathan himselfe enterprise against vs ô Lord our GOD And sometime like a Lion like a Dracon sometime openlie and secretlie inwardlie and outwardlie daie and night he lieth in waite to catch our soules But thou who dost saue those which trust in thee deliuer vs ô Lord that both he may haue sorow of vs and thou be glorified in vs ô Lorde our God Chap. 18. Againe of Gods manifold benefites ANd I the sonne of thy hādmaid who haue commended my selfe into thine hand in these my poore confessions wil praise thee my redeemer with mine whole heart and cal into mind al the good things which thou hast done for me al my life long euen fro my youth For I know right wel that ingratitude doth much displease thee as being the roote of al spiritual wickednes and a certaine winde drieng burning vp al goodnes and stopping the spring of thine heauenlie mercie toward man whereby dead workes now die not and liuing die out of hand are no more I then wil thanke thee ô Lord that I may not prooue vngrateful to thee my deliuerer for thou hast deliuered me How often would that Dracon haue deuoured mee but thou Lord didest plucke me out of his mouth How often haue I sinned and how often hath he bin readie to swalow me vp But thou ô Lord my God hast defended me When I did wickedlie against thee and when I brake thy commandementes then stood hee readie to plucke mee downe euen to hel but thou didest hold him backe I offended thee but thou didest defend me I feared not thee and yet thou didest keepe me I went from thee and yeelded to mine aduersarie but thou didest beate him backe that he durst not take me O Lord my God these benefites hast thou conferred vpon mee and I wretch neuer marked so much For thus thou hast saued me oftentimes from the iawes of Satan and taken me by force out of the Lions mouth and manie waies reduced me from hel although I wist not how For I descended euen to the gates of hel but that I might not go in thou didest hold me backe I drew verie nigh to deaths doore but so thou didest worke that they could not take me In like sort ô my Sauior thou hast deliuered mee from bodilie death when greeuous sicknes oppressed me when I haue bin in manie perils both on sea and land thou hast stood by me alwaie preseruing mee from fire and sword and from al danger sauing mee of thy great mercie Indeede Lord thou didest knowe that if death then had takē me my soule had straightwaie gone into hel and so had bene damned world without end But thy grace and thy mercy did preuent me ô Lord my God and saued both my bodie from death and my soule from damnation These and manie mo benefites thou hast bestowed vpon me but I was blind and knew not so much vntil thou inlightenedst me Now therefore ô light of my soule ô Lord my God my life through whome I liue the light of mine eies through which I see lo thou hast inlightened me so that I knowe thee for I liue through thee therefore I praise thee and giue thee thankes albeit I confesse my thankes are vile and bare and farre vnanswerable to thy benefites yet such as my frailtie can afford For thou alone art my God and my merciful creator louing our soules and hating nothing which thou hast made Lo I am of sinners which thou hast saued the chiefe that I might shew an example vnto others of thy most louing kindnes I wil acknowledge vnto thee thy great benefites for thou hast deliuered my soule from the lowest graue both once and twice and thrice and a hundred yea a thousande times I alwaies inclined downe to helwarde but thou alwaies didest bring me backe againe and iustlie thou mightest haue condemned mee a thousand times if thou wouldest But thou wouldest not for thou louest our soules and dissemblest the sinnes of men because they should amend ô Lord our God of much mercie in al thy waies Now therefore ô Lord my God I see and perceaue these things through thy light and my soule is astonished in consideration of thy great mercie poured vpon me especialie for deliuering my soule from the lowest graue and for bringing me againe to life I was wholie dead and thou hast wholie reuiued me againe Therefore let it be wholie thine that I liue and wholie I doe offer my selfe vnto thee al whole Let my whole spirit my whole hart my whole bodie my whole life liue to thee ô my sweete life For thou hast redeemed mee wholie that thou mightest possesse mee whole thou hast renued mee wholie that thou mightest haue me wholie againe Wherefore let me loue thee ô Lord my strength let mee loue thee mine vnspeakeable ioie Let my whole life hencefoorth liue not to my selfe but to thee my life I saie which had perished in my miserie had it not bin raised againe in thy mercie who art a pitiful God and a merciful of much kindnes toward thousands of them which loue thy name Hence is it ô Lord my God my sanctifier that in thy lawe thou hast commanded mee to loue thee with al mine hart with al my soule with al my mind with al my strength and with al the powers which I haue yea from the verie marow and pith of mine hart and that euerie houre and moment wherein I enioie the goodes of thy mercie For I should continualie perish if thou didest not guide me continualie I should continualie die didest thou not quicken me continualie and euerie moment thou dost bind mee vnto thee whilest euerie moment thou bestowest thy great benefites vpon me As therefore there is no houre nor minute in al my life wherein I enioie not thy blessing so ought there bee no moment wherein I should not haue thee before mine eies and loue thee with al the powers both of my bodie and mind Yet this am I not able to do without thou giue mee grace whose euerie good giuing and euery perfect gift is cōmeth downe from y e Father of lights with whome is no variablenes neither shadowing by turning For it is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but of thee which she west
resist wilt thou shew thy strength against a leafe which is caried away with the winde and wilt thou folow after drie stuble wilt thou ô eternal king of Israël wilt thou condemne a dead dog wilt thou condemne a poore flea Lord we haue heard of thy mercy how thou hast not made death nor hast pleasure in the destruction of the liuing For which cause we beseech thee ô Lord suffer not that which thou hast not made to haue dominion ouer that creature which thou hast made For if thou art sorie for our damnation what doth let thee ô Lord which canst do al things that thou maist not alwaies reioice for our saluation If thou wilt thou canst saue me but I though I would cannot Great is the multitude of the miseries which I am in For to wil is present with mee but I find no meanes to performe that which is good Wil that good is I cannot vnles thou wilt neither can I do that I would except thine arme do strengthen me Againe sometime I would that I can should not thy wil be done in earth as it is in heauen Yet know I not either what I can or would vnles thy wisedome lighten mee And though I should haue wil somtime power with my knowledge yet were my wisedome vaine and vnperfect vnles I were assisted by thy true wisedome But al things are at thy pleasure neither can anie resist thy wil ô Lord God of al flesh which dost whatsoeuer thou wilt both in Heauen and in Earth in the Sea in al deepe places Wherefore let thy wil bee done of vs who cal vpon thy name least this noble workemanship of thine doe perish which thou hast created for thine owne glorie And what man liueth and shal not see death shal he deliuer his soule from the hand of the graue without thou deliuer him which art the liuelie waie of al life by whome al things doe liue Chap. 25. That mans wil is vnapt vnto al good workes without the grace of God FOr I confessed euen now how thou art the staie of my life ô Lord my God the strength of my saluation The time was when I trusted in mine owne strength which notwithstanding was no strength And so when I would haue runne where I thought I stood most sure there I tooke the greatest fal and came backward not forward And what I thought to atteine went the farther fro me Thus triest thou my strength by manie such things Now I know thou hast inlightned me for what I thought I could best doe I found I was least able for to do it of my self For I said this I wil do and that I wil bring to passe but in the end I could neither do the one nor the other Either I had wil and lacked power or had power lacked wil for I trusted to mine owne strength But now I confesse to thee ô Lord my God father of heauen and of earth that in his owne strength no man shal be strong because the vaine presumption of no flesh shal glorie in thy sight For it is not in man either to wil that he can do or to do that he would or to know what he would or can do But thou Lord it is which directest the steps of man of that man I say which confesseth that he is directed of thee not of himselfe Wherefore by the bowels of thy mercie we beseech thee saue Lord what thou hast created for if thou wilt thou canst saue vs and in thy wil resteth the strength of our saluation Chap. 26. The benefits which God hath done for vs of old O Lord remember thy mercie of old wherewithal thou hast preuented vs from the beginning by thy comfortable blessings For before I the sonne of thine handmaid was borne ô Lord mine hope euen fro my mothers breasts thou didest preuent mee preparing a way wherein I should walke and come vnto y e glory of thy house Thou knewest mee before thou didest shape me in the belie and before I came out of the wombe thou didest preordeine of me whatsoeuer pleased thee What and how much is written concerning mee in thy booke lieng in the secret place of thy consistorie I am vtterlie ignorant and therefore stand mightilie in feare but thou knowest For whatsoeuer I doe looke for by succession of daies times a thousand yeres hence in this transitorie world is alreadie accomplished in the sight of thine eternitie and that which shal be is alreadie done Now then forsomuch as I stand in this darke night ignorant of these thinges feare and trembling are come vpon me while I see manie dangers hang ouer mine head from al sides manie enimies to hunt after my soule an innumerable multitude of miseries to beset mee round about in this mortal life So that wert not thou present to assist me in these euils I shuld vtterlie despaire But I haue a great confidence in thee ô most gratious Prince my God and the consideration of the multitude of thy compassions doth comfort mine hart And the former signes of thy goodnes which before I was borne preuented me and at this time cheeflie doe shine vpon me doe assure mine hart of better and more perfect blessings to come which thou reseruest for such as loue thee so that I may reioice in thee ô Lord my GOD mine holie liuelie ioie wherby my youth is comforted Chap. 27. Of Angels appointed for the custodie of men FOr thou didest loue me entirelie ô my loue before I loued thee thou diddest create mee after thine owne image and aduance me aboue al thy creatures Which dignitie I shal then keepe when I knowe thee for whome thou hast made me Besides thou makest thy spirits messengers for my sake to whome thou hast giuen charge ouer me to keepe me in al my waies that I hurt not my foote against a stone For these are the watchmen ouer the wals of the citie new Ierusalem of the mountaines about the same which tend and keepe watch ouer thy flocke least he as a Lion make a praie of our soules while there is none to deliuer he I meane that old serpent our aduersarie the diuel who as a roaring Lion walketh about seeking whome he may deuour They are the citizens of the blessed citic Ierusalem on high aboue which is the mother of vs al sent foorth to minister for their sakes who shal be heires of saluation that they may deliuer such from their enimies and keepe them in al their waies For they loue their fellowe citizens by whome they looke to haue the breach of their destruction repared And therefore with great care and watchfulnes they doe stand about vs at al
euerlasting ioie into the house of the Lord thy God where as great things be and vnsearchable and maruelous thinges without number Enter into the ioie without sorowe conteining euerlasting ioie whereas euerie good thing is and no euil at al whereas euerie thing which thou wouldest haue is and nothing which thou wouldest not haue There shal be the liuing life the sweet life the louelie life the life alwaie to be thought vpon There shal be neither enimie to assault nor inticement to carie awaie but soueraigne and sure securitie and secure quietnes and quiet ioifulnes and ioiful blessednes and blessed euerlastingnes and euerlasting happines and the happie Trinitie and vnitie of Trinitie and deitie of vnitie and blessed sight of deitie which is y e masters ioie O ioie aboue ioie ô ioie surpassing al ioie beside which there is no ioie when shal I enter into thee that I may see my God who dwelleth in thee I wil go thither and behold this maruelous vision But what keepes me backe Alas that my freedom must yet longer be kept fro me O nipping sorow how long shal it be said to me Where is thy God how long shal it be said to mee Waite and waite againe And now Lord what waite I for do not we ô Lord my God waite for the Sauior euen our Lorde Iesus Christ who shal change our vile bodie that it may be facioned like vnto his glorious bodie We looke when the Lord wil returne from the bridehouse to bring vs vnto his mariage Come Lord Iesus come quickelie Come Lorde Iesu Christ com visit vs in peace come and deliuer vs out of prison that with perfect harts we may reioice in thy presence ô come Iesus our Sauior thou whom al nations do so long for showe thy face and we shal be safe O my light and my redeemer come bring my soule out of prison that I may praise thine holie Name How long shal I wretch be tossed in the fluds of my mortalnes crieng vnto thee ô Lord and yet can not be heard O Lord harken how I crie vnto thee out of this great sea and bring me vnto the hauen of euerlasting happines Blessed are they who hauing passed out of the peril of this sea haue found grace to arriue before thee the safest harbor Yea blessed are they indeede who haue escaped from sea to shore from exile to their countrie from prison to the palace enioieng their wished rest Blessed are they who being crowned with the garlande of endles glorie which in this world they sought for by manie tribulations do now ioie and reioice euerlastinglie O happie indeede yea three foure times happie are they which quite deliuered from al miseries do possesse the kingdome of honor and are sure of the vncorruptible crowne of glorie O euerlasting kingdome ô kingdome worlds without end wheras light is which alwaie lasteth and the peace of God that passeth al vnderstanding in which the soules of the Saints do rest and wheras euerlasting ioies shal be vpon their heads where they shal obteine ioie and gladnes and sorowe and mourning shal flie awaie O what a glorious kingdome is it where al thy Saints doe raigne with thee ô Lord clothed with light as with a garment hauing the crowne of pretious stones vpon their heads O kingdome of euerlasting blisse where thou God the hope of the godlie and the diademe of glorie art seene of thy Saints face to face reioicing them on al sides with thy peace which passeth al vnderstanding There comfort endles mirth without mourning health without sicknes waie without wearisomnes light without darkenes life without death and al goodnes without anie euil is There youth neuer cometh to age life dieth not beautie palleth not loue cooleth not health decaieth not ioie withereth not There neither paine is felt neither groning heard neither sadnes seene there alwaie they enioie pleasure and euil there is neuer feared Because happines is there enioied which is to see the face of the Lord of hosts for euermore Wherefore happie are they whom God hath fetched out of this writched life vnto so great ioies But vnhappie are wee which saile through the waues of this sea and by these dangerous gulfes Vnhappie I saie are wee whose life is in banishment and whose waie is perilous we continue as yet in the streames of water sighing after thee the hauen of the sea O our countrie ô our quiet countrie we ken thee a far off wee salute thee out of this sea we sigh after thee out of this vale and with teares wee tug hard to come vnto thee ô Christ God of God the hope of mankind our strength and refuge whose brightnes doth inlighten our eies a far off as the beame of the sea starre doth in the darke cloudes of the raging sea that wee may be directed vnto thee the hauen of rest O Lord with thy right hand gouerne thou our ship by the sterne of thy crosse that we perish not in the waies and that the tempest of water drowne vs not nor the deepe swallowe vs vp but with the hooke of thy crosse draw vs backe vnto thee our onlie comfort whom wee behold a far off as the morning star almost with weeping eies looking for vs vpon the shore of the celestial contrie Behold wee whom thou hast redeemed we I say thy banished as yet whom thou hast redeemed with thy precious bloud crie vnto thee Heare vs ô God of our saluation the hope of al the ends of the earth and of them that are far off in the sea We abide in the troublesome sea and thou standing vpon the shore beholdest al our dangers ô saue vs we praie thee for thy name sake Giue vs grace ô Lord among these dangers to hold keepe such a course that ech peril escaped wee maie come safe vnto the hauen both with ship and merchandise Amen Chap. 36. Againe touching the glorie of our celestial countrie WHerefore when we shal come vnto thee the wel of wisdom vnto thee the lasting light vnto thee the light which cannot be extinguished so that wee maie see thee not through a glasse darklie but face to face then shal our desire be satisfied For there shal be nothing without vs to bee wished for but thou ô Lord the soueraigne goodnes who wilt be the reward of the blessed the diaâ—â—me of their glorie and the euerlasting ioie vpon their heads bringing peace vnto them both inwardlie and outwardlie in thy peace which passeth al vnderstanding There we shal see thee loue thee and praise In thy light we shal see light For with thee is the wel of life and in thy light wee shall see light And what maner of light