shining If you be wise thinke where true wisedome liueth And then allow the honour to my loue If yours be kiâ—â—â—â—â—nkâ— who the comfort giueth And know the turky from the turtle doue If constant yours that truth let my loue try Who lost his life to saue his loue thereby And let me see how liueth all your loue But on desert the stay of all your sâ—â—te And in my loue a further life appâ—â—â—e Who loude indeede when he haâ— câ—â—se to hate Your fancies oft for lacke of fauour starue But my loue doth both mine and yours presarue Then truely say whom chiâ—â—e your loues doth choose To cast the counâ—â—nâ—â—ce of theyr fauours on Then who â— againe they wholly doe refuâ—e In liking thought as most to looke vpon Then doo but looke vpon my loue his choyse And whose hart most he maketh to reioyse The wealthy mighty wise and well at ease Doo fit the fansies of your Ladies best But poore and weake and simple soules best please My heauenly loue to harbour in his brest And who the world doth vtterly refuse Those doth my loue vnto his fauour chuse And see what power is in your louing natures To take or giue what ye may gayne or lose And ye shâ—ll see they are buâ— my loues creatures Whose liues are at his pleasure to disposet And while your fauours all doo fade away My sweet loues blessings neuer will decay Could ye conceiue the smallest of the sweete That doth discend from my soules dearest loue Vpon the faith that falleth at his feete That doth in prayer but his mercie proue And you will blot out euery idle line And yeeld your soules vnto this loue of mine Compare a weede vnto a holsome flower A cloudie euening to a sunnie daie A foggie miste vnto an Aprill shower Nouember blaste vnto a bloome of May And you shall easily see the difference plaine Betwixt my sunne shine and your showers of raine Compare meere follie to the finest wit The couâ—lest copper with the purest gold The healthfull bodie with an ague fit And set the youthfull age against the old The Rauens foule note to Philomelaes voice And quicklie say which is the better choice Compare foule pride to faire humilitie A kinde discretion to a dogged nature The clownish race to true gentilitie A blessed Angell to a cursed creature Fauours to frownes and smilings vnto scowleâ— And say the Phoenix makes all birds but owles Compare the earth vnto the heauen on hie The spirites treasures vnto fleshly toves The pâ—bble stone vnto the Azurde Skie The Woes of men vnto the Angels ioycâ— The lowest weaknes vnto the highest powers Then 〈◊〉 the difference twixt my loue and yours And when you see how all sweet blessings grow But from the ground of my loues liuing grace And doe againe the imperfection know Wherein you doe your fond affection place Then all your titles to this truth resigne There is no life but in this loue of mine And giue me leaue to praise my Princely loue Although my wittes are short of such a worth And let my spirite in my passions proue What his high hand in mercie will bring forth And write but truth that may be truely prooued My onely loue all onely to be loued Before all times all thoughts all things he was And â—â—er is and will be aye the â—â—me That doth iâ— wonder wonders wonder passe In truths high triumph of eternall fame Where life and loue in grace and glory crowâ—d Doo sway the Scepter of the heauens renownd Now what he was cannot be comprehended Who in himselfe dâ—th all things comprâ—hend And when that all things shall be wholly ended Himselfe his word his will shall neuer end Whose gratious life all glorious loue bâ—ginning Doth aâ—dâ— all grace and endles glory winning And oâ— his Essence this is all we finde A spirite fully incomprehensible A louing God vnto his seruants kinde And in his humane natuâ—e sensible In wisedomes wonder knowledge quintescence And in that â—sâ—â—nce highest excellence The high Creator of all creatures liuing The sweete Redeemer of his sâ—ruants lost The glorious grace all grace and glory giuing The ioy of ioyes that glads the spirit most The loue of life and liâ—e of loue indeede Gainst death and hell that stands the soule in sâ—eede His seate is heauen the earth his footstoole is His chiefest dwelling with his soules elected His ioy to loue and to be loâ—de of his His fauour life vnto his loues affected His word is truth which doth the spirit try Where fruitfull faith shall liue and neuer dye His blessing is the peace of conscience His comfort mercies contemplation His pretious gift the spirits patience His mercy vertues meditation His grâ—ce the oyle that kills the spirits euill His death the life that did subdue the diuell His garments are the sundrie sortâ—s of graces His tribute is but sinners sâ—crâ—fice His worke tâ—e planting vertues in their places His gaine the loue of humble spirites seruicâ— His musicke Psalmes that angels neuer cease To sing in glorie of the King of peace This King of peace this God of life and lâ—ue Who in him selfe doth all â—â—d onely â—old The highest blessings of the hâ—arts behoue That faithfull truth hath to the spirite tâ—ld This is the substance of my soules dâ—liâ—ht Vnworthie subiect of his worth to write Yet as his mercie will â—ou 〈◊〉 nâ—e grace With intâ—rcesâ—ion of his â—iâ—h â—ssiâ—â—ance Against the power that would my thoughts deface And proâ—â—dly make agâ—iâ—â—â— the soule reâ—iâ—â—aâ—ce I will a little giue his loue a â—uch Whose smallest praise is for my pen too â—uch What loue was that which made him like man best Of all the worke that euer he created What loue againe did in that liâ—ing rest To loue him so he neuer can be hated What loue was more to giue the man a wife What loue was most to die to giue him life The earth within with siluer gems and gold Without with trees and herbs and fruits and flowers The waters deepe where fishes keeps their â—old The â—lements with al their inward powerâ— These hath my loue all made for man to chuse And to his pleasure in his seruice vse The fire was made to kill the chilling cold The water made to slacke the burning heate The subtile ayre a secret bâ—eath to hold The earth too drie when moysture is too great Thâ—sâ— crosse in natures yet doe meete in one Onely to serue the vse oâ— man alone â—aâ—h byrd each beast each fowle and euery fish The flesh of man muâ—t serue to cloath and feede What eye can see or heart of man can wish But some way serues to stand poore men in steede And for that cause their being first began From mâ—râ—ies loue to serue the life of man The light was maâ—e to glad the lightsome eye The sound to please the pure attentiue eare The ayre to drawe a liuing breath thereby The earth the body anâ— the limmes to beare The clowdâ—
the staires the sunne the moone the Sâ—ye Were made for man to make him looke on high All these were made out of the mould of loue Was neuer louâ— came euer neeâ—e to this Which dâ—th â— wonder in affection prâ—uâ— Euen when we leaâ— dâ—sâ—rude that lâ—uâ— of his For when our soules did most offences doo him He came himselfe in loue to caâ—l vs to him To make redeeme preseruâ— defend and cheriâ—h His faithfull â—ouâ—es and so in loue to nourish 〈◊〉 in his loue their liueâ— shall nâ—uâ—r pâ—riâ—h But like the Lilly liue and euer flouriâ—â— Are these not points sufficient to approue The true perfection of a piereles louâ— Yet more to say that truely may be sayd In humble honour of thâ—s hâ—auenly loue In mercies sweete to mâ—ke the soule diâ—mayde To see the blessing of thiâ— God aboue The louing spirit liuely to refresh He let his seruants see him in the flesh To see him so as might not hurt their sight For none migâ—t see his high supernall power But in his loue tâ— see that glorious light That gaines that sweete that cuts off euâ—ry sower The second person of himselfe his sonne In whom are all things to his glory done And see the câ—use why so he came vnto vâ— â—is onely loue the onely cause wee liue And when we came what comfort did he doe vs To saue our liues his loue his life did giue And so to sâ—ue vs from the fire of hell That with his loue we might for euer dwell What loue was this to leaue his heauenly seate Amoâ—g his angeâ—s all in glorie serued To câ—me to mâ—n who diâ— too ill intreate The sacred loue that hath his life preâ—â—ruâ—d From being honourde praisde and gloriâ—ide To be disgraced whipte and crucifide In loue â—e lâ—st â—is highâ—st heauenly pleasures Aboue his angels in their â—eapâ— of ioyâ—s To liue on earth in soâ—rowes â—ut of mâ—aâ—ures With chaunge of nothing but the worlds annoyes In toyle and trauailâ— long in loue he sâ—ught vs And wâ—th his death at last full dearely bâ—ught vs. Oh wofull trauaile that he vndertooke To bring our liues vnto his sacred loue Which paine nor crosse nor death it selfe forsooke That to our faith might his affection proue Which lâ—fâ— the spirite of his loue beâ—inde him To â—hew the loue that seekes him how to finde him In loue hâ— came that he might comfort doe vs In loue went from vs to prouide our places In loue he sent his comforter vnto vs In loue he guides vs with his holy graces In loue he made bought keepes and guides vs thus And shall not we loue him that â—o loude vs. Yes my deare Lord be thou my dearest loue For Christ his sake let my soule neuer leâ—ue thee Who in thy loue thy liuing truth doth proue That mâ—kes me finde the world doth all decâ—iue me â—nd were there truth on earth as there is none Yet were thy loue the ioy of life alone And lâ—t these tâ—ares be witnes of my loue Which first doo begge remission of my sinne â—nd in râ—pentance doo but mercy moue To ope the gates of grace and lâ—t me in Where humble faith but at thy feete may fall With my soules seruice loue and life and all Fâ—rget O Lord my workes of wickednes Whereby my soule with sorrow is oppressed And with the finger of thy holineâ— In mercy touch my spirit so distressed And saue my life that draweth nigh to hell Loue me a little and I shall be wâ—ll Loue no sweete Lord mercy I craue no more My sinnes are such I dare not speake of loue But in thy merâ—y to thy loue restore My hâ—mble faith that may but mercy proue And 〈◊〉 â—ppâ—â—ue that all the world may see The 〈◊〉 loue betwiâ—t my God and mee Oh call me home and make me heare thy call And heare thee so that I may runne vnto thee And hold me fast that I may neuer fall But that my soule may euer â—â—ruice doo thee Shew some good token that the world may know My soule is blest whom thou hast loued so And while I liue here in this wretched vale Of fearefull danger of inâ—ernall death Where earthly pleasures take those soules to sale Which haue their bargaiâ—e in the hâ—ll beneath Let my soules loue and lifâ— and labour bee To seeke my ioy my loue and life in thee Make me not rich lest I forget to thinke From whence I haue the comfort of my hart Nor in such want let thy poore seruant sinke That I be driuen to craue the needy part Giue me but meanes the needy to relieue To feede thy flocke and not the Wolfe to grieue Let me not listen to the sinners songes â—ut to the Psalmes thy holy saints doe sing Nor let me follow tyrants in their wronges But kisse the rocke where righteousnes doth spring Let not mine eye affect the outward part But let me loue the vertue of the hart And let my life be to behold thy loue And let my loue be but to liue in thee And so to liue that all the world may prâ—ue The gratiâ—us good my God hath done for mee To call my soule out of this world of woe In faithfull loue to serue my Sauiour so And when they see the blot of all their blame To loue the worlde but all in wretched toyes And doe confes with inward blushing shame They are but sorrowes vnto heauenlie ioyes They may with me forsake all wordly pleasure And make thy loue an euerlasting treasure For Lord by thee we are in thee we liue And in thy loue the liuing cannot die And since thy death did our liues wholy giue For thy loues sake shall we affection â—lie No my deare Lord let life be death to me So I may die to liue in loue with thee A ioyfull life were such a death indeede From earthly paine to passe to heauenly pleasure A ioyfull line for louing hearts to reade To leaue the flesh to take the spirits treasure Whose glorious sence vnto the sunne doth fall That all is nothing to that all in all And I alas of many thousand soules Vnworthie most of his high worth to write Who in his mercies true record inrowles The louing substance of the soules delight Must mercie crie for scare my loues presuming Of too high sence may be my souls consuming And with the teares of true repentant loue Looking vpon the wonders of that woâ—der That 〈…〉 pâ—â—fection may appâ—oue The 〈◊〉 â—isedâ— me of the world put vnder 〈…〉 wit as short to pâ—nâ—e his praise As 〈◊〉 nâ—ghts in light of clearest dayes And say but this in grace and glories height Wheâ—â— vertue loue doth liue fâ—r â—uer crowned Aâ—d all the Hoaâ—â— of heauen and heauens await Vppon the highe◠〈◊〉 the heauâ—â—s râ—nowned Whom Saiâ—ts and Angelâ— tâ—eâ—blâ—ng doo adore To him alone be all praise câ—eâ—more All honour pâ—aise and glory euer bee Vnto my â—ouing euerlâ—uing King This king of life who â—o hath lâ—ued mee To giue my soule thiâ— gratiouâ— power to sing In hart and mind in man and â—ngels loue All gloâ—ious glory be to God aboue FINIS Nicholas Britten
all Ages I would be loath to spend time in recounting their names which truly set downe might make a Cathalogue of worthy memorie but I speake to all beloued men women thinke it no scorne to follow Marie in her early rising to seeke Christ for to rise early is holsome for the bodie to walke to Christ is comfortable to the soule suche exercise is better than any physick such a trauail brings the best rest Now Mary came early in the morning while it was yet darke surely sin dooth much darken our eyes that wee cannot see the way to Christ yet repentaunce gaue Mary such a light that shee found the way to his sepulchre and surelye wee must haue our lampes fedde with the oylâ— of her Lords grace or we shall neuer finde the way to her soules comfort when Peeter and Iames were taken vp into the heauens saw Christ in his glory standing betwixt Moses and Eliah he could say Heer is good beeing Lord but after hee was crucified who sought him at his sepulchre Mary Many would perhaps bee glad to rise earely to go vp to heauen to him but who will goe thorough the darke to seeke him at his graue Mary did and such as Mary will Oh blessed Mary so may I well tearme thee for as the Psalmist saith in his Psalme Blessed are they that seeke him with their whole heart in that was she surely blessed for shee sought him with her whole heart by the light of her soules loue orels being in the dark she woulde haue hardlye hitte the way but now where sought she him at his sepulchre where he was buryed see heer the â—trong effects of loue liuing or dead shee could not forget her Lord dead she saw him buryed shee knewe hee was why did she then seek for him loue could not forget him sorrowing to liue without him aliue or dead she wold be glad to se him Now stil note the force of loue in the elect A woman in nature feareful was now valiant the darknes vncomfortable shee thorow the dark sought her comfort and amongst the graues of the dead sought the comfort of her life here was loue voide of feare and faith void of doubt broght a spiritful of sorrowe to seeke her light in the darke and Mary full of griefe to seeke her Lord in his graue Now Mary came early while it was darke the first day of the weeke vnto the Sepulcher Manie will rise earely to looke to their Chickens their Geese their Duckes their Swine or such other things but al things must be looked ouer ere Christ be thought vpon and perhappes not then neyther But as it is written in Luke Chap. 10 vers 41.42 Martha was troubled much about her worke but Mary tooke the good parte so manye take earely iournies but Mary here made the good walke Now though she came to seeke him where hee was buried yet in hir hart she beheld him crucified for who sees not his death in the sorrow of his hart I am perswaded shall neuer find him liuing in the ioy of his soule But he was crucified for Maries and our redemption and shall not wee with Mary mourne for his Passion Yes let vs with Maries loue looke into his Mercie and following hir sorrow wee shall finde hir comfort and though not at the first as wee wish yet at the last as she did For if we watch the darke night of sin that wee sleepe not in sensualitie but rise early to repentance and walke with a true faith to the finding of our soules felicitie when we haue gone thorough the dark and attended the day wee shall see the stone rowled away and somewhat lest for our comforte when the hardnes is rowled from our hearts we shall enioy the blessing of our soules Which that we may the better attaine vnto let vs watch with Mary walke with Mary and weepe with Mary rise early goe thorough the darke and come to the Sepulcher to seeke Christ in his graue ere wee looke for him in his glorie and though it bee long ere wee see his Person yet shall wee quickly be partakers of hir comforte For shee as you shall hereaâ—â—â—r heare Godwilling sawe him buâ— knewe him not so shall wee bee sure of his Mercy though we see him not Will you then come to Christ Learne to imitate Mary in hir course Who hath many sinnes and findeth much remission let his loue bee great and his sorrowe not little to lacke the comforte of his loue Christ is offended Christ must forgiue Christ must be loued Christ must be sought and that early for feare wee come too late and since wee cannot behold him with our eyes of corruption let vs holde him in the heart of our regeneration let the first day of the weeke be the first beginning of our youth lest when wee growe olde either our spirites be so dull or our eyes so dimme that we shall not be able to rise or at least to walke to seeke Christ Christ dwels a great way from the worlde and â—ee that is ouerladen with sinne must shake off his burthen or hee will neuer come at heauen and hee or shee that will not in the sorrow of their sinnes rise vp to repentance and in Christ his Passion learne the power of Mortification they may perhaps heare much of him and pray much to him but I doubt whether they shall euer come neere him Learne then of Mary whom to loue Christ Why for his goodnes in forgiuenes of hir sins the feeling of his Mercy then louing Christ learne hir sorrowe to bee without him with hir sorrowe hir labour to rise early to seeke him the place where to finde him at his Sepulchre I meane in the Mortification of the flesh that you may glorifie him in the spirite who in forgiuenes of sinnes and redemptioâ— of sinners in comforting the penitent and blessing the faithfull in the perfection of loue deserueth all honour to whome sweete Iesu the blessed sonne of the euerliuing God with our heauenly father and the holy Ghost bee all Glory Honour and Prayse both now and euer Amen Mary Magdalens Loue. Vppon the seconde verse which is as followeth The Text. Then shee ran and came to Simon Peter and to the other Disciple whom Iesus loued and said vnto them they haue taken away my Lorde out of the Sepulcher and we know not where they haue laid him IN this Verse I take foure especiall notes First hir running then to whom shee ranne then how shee spake and last what shee said In the former verse it is said she came to the Sepulcher nowe in this verse it is said shee ranne from the Sepulcher Shee came thorough the darke to seeke Christ in his deade Tombe but nowe it is day shee beginnes to runne to his Disciples to tell what shee had seene hoping perhaps of them to heare somewhat of â—im Seâ— here a notable token of true Constancie in her lâ—â—e through