mee onlie but also of al mankind whome I acknowledge to be begotten of the Father before al worlds God of God light of light verie God of verie God begotten not made being of one substance and coeternal with the Father and the holie Ghost by whom al things at the beginning were made Stedfastlie beleeuing trulie confessing that thou Iesus Christ the onlie begottē Sonne of God for our saluation by the consent of the whole Trinitie tookest flesh and wert conceiued by the holy Ghost of the virgin Marie and wert made verie man of a reasonable soule and humane flesh subsisting Thou forsomuch as in respect of thy Godhead being the onelie begotten Sonne of God thou couldest neither suffer nor die through thine exceeding loue wherewith thou hast loued vs thou the verie same Sonne of GOD for al that becamest subiect to sufferings mortalitie in respect of thy manhood ô onlie Sonne of God for the saluation of mankinde diddest suffer death vpon the wood of the crosse to saue vs from euerlasting death Thou the autor of light descendedst into hel and like a glorious conquerour rosest againe the third daie taking to thee againe thy sacred bodie which for our sinnes had lien in the sepulchre and quickening it according to the Scripture the third daie that thou mightest place the same at the right hand of the Father For thou the verie Sonne of God taking againe vnto thy selfe the substance of our flesh that is to saie the soule and humane bodie which thou tookest of the glorious virgin art ascended vp aboue al the heauens and mounted aboue the orders of Angels where thou sittest at the right hand of God the Father and whereas the fountaine of life is the light which none can attaine vnto the peace of God which passeth al vnderstanding There we doe worship thee there we do beleeue thee to be verie God and verie man confessing God to be thy Father and from thence we looke that thou wilt come a iudge in the end of the world to iudge both the quick and the dead and to render to al men good and bad according to their deedes which they haue don in this life either reward or punishment according as euery one is worthie rest or torment For al men euen as manie as haue receaued soules in their humane flesh which they had in this world shal rise at that daie through the sound of thy power that whole man may receaue either the glorie of heauen or the paine of hel according to their deserts Thou art our resurrection and the life it selfe whom we looke for euē y e Lord Iesus Christ our Sauior who shal change our vile bodie y t it may be facioned like vnto his glorious bodie I knowe thee the holie Spirit both of the Father and of the Sonne to be one God and a verie God proceeding alike from them both of one substance and coeternal with the Father and the Sonne our comforter and aduocate Which camest downe in the likenes of a doue vpon y e same God our Lord Iesus Christ and showedst thy selfe vpon thine Apostles in firie tongs Which also euen from the beginning hast instructed with the gift of thy grace al the saints and chosen of God and opened the mouthes of the Prophets that they might declare abrode the woonderful mysteries of the kingdome of God who also together with the Father the Sonne of al the Saints of God art worshipped and glorified Among whome I the sonne of thine handmaid do glorifie thy name because thou hast inlightened me For thou art the verie light the true light the fire of God the master of the spirits which by thine ointment teachest vs al truth the spirit of truth without which it is impossible to please God For thou thy selfe art God of God and light of light vnspeakablie proceeding from the Father of lights and from his Sonne our Lord Iesu Christ with whom thou raignest and art glorified most singularlie being of one substance coequal and coeternal with them in the essence of one and the same Trinitie I knowe thee Father Son and holie Ghost to be one a liuing and a verie God three I confesse in persons yet but one in essence whome I acknowledge worship and glorifie with mine whole hart being the true God the onelie God holie immortal inuisible vnchangeable whom no man can either attaine vnto or find out This God I acknowledge to be one light one sonne one bread one life one happines one beginning one end one creator both of heauen earth by whom al things do liue by whom al things subsist by whom al things are gouerned ruled and quickened both the things in heauen and the things in earth and things vnder the earth beside whom there is no God neither in heauen nor in earth Thus knowe I thee ô Lord God who knowest me thus knowe I thee Through thy faith which thou hast inspired to me I knowe thee ô my light the sight of mine eies ô Lord my God the hope of al the ends of the earth the ioie reioicing mine youth and the good susteining mine age For in thee ô Lord al my bones reioice saieng O Lord who is like to thee Among the gods who is like to thee Not that whome the hands of men haue made but thou who hast made the hands of men The idols of the nations are siluer gold euen the workes of mens handes so is not hee which made man Al the gods of the people are idols but the Lord made the heauens Let those gods which made not y e heauens the earth perish frō the earth from vnder these heauēs but let both heauen earth praise him which created both earth heauen Amen Chap. 33. A confession of mans wretchednes WHo is like vnto thee ô Lord among the gods who is like vnto thee so glorious in holines fearful in praises doing wonders Long was it ere I knew thee ô true light long was it ere I knew thee There was a great and darke cloude before my vane eies so that I coulde not beholde the sunne of righteousnes nor the light of the truth I a childe of darkenes was wrapped in darkenes I loued darknes because I knew not the light Blind I was and I loued blindnes after darknes I folowed through darknes Who brought mee thence where I a blinde wretch sate in darknes and in the shadowe of death Who tooke me by the hand to leade me out What was he which inlightened me I sought
A light vnmeasureable a light without bodie incorruptible incomprehensible a light which faileth not a light vnquenchable vnapprochable vncreate a true light an heauenlie light which lighteneth the eies of Angels which cōforteth y e strength of the righteous which is the light of lights and the fountaine of life which is none other things but euen thou ô Lord my God For thou art the light in which light we shal see light that is thy selfe in thy selfe in y e brightnes of thy countenance when we shal see thee face to face What is it to see thee face to face but euen as the Apostle saith To knowe euen as I am knowen to knowe thy truth and thy glorie To know thy face is to know the power of the Father y e wisedome of the Sonne the mercie of the holie Ghost and the single and simple essence of the glorious Trinitie For to see the face of the liuing God is the cheefest happines the ioie of Angels and of al Saints the reward of eternal life the glorie of the spirits euerlasting ioie y e crowne of glorie the garland of felicitie rich tranquilitie the goodlie peace inward outward delectation the paradise of God celestial Ierusalem the blessed life perfect happines the ioie of perpetuitie y e peace of God which passeth al vnderstanding This is ful happines indeede and al the glorie of man euen to see the face of his God to see him that made heauen and earth to see him that hath made man that hath saued man that hath glorified man Man shal see God in knowing him like him in louing him and praise him in possessing him For he shal be y e heritage of his people of his holie people of the people whom he hath redeemed He shal be the possession of their felicitie he shal be the reward and recompence of their hope I wil be saith he thine exceeding great reward For great things beseeme a great person In good sooth ô Lorde my God thou art much greater than al Gods and thy reward is exceeding great Neither art thou great and thy reward little but as thou art great so is thy reward great For thou art not one thing and thy reward another But thou thy selfe art exceeding great thou thy selfe art an exceeding greatreward Thou thy selfe art both the crowne and the crowner the promise and the promiser the gift and the giuer the rewarder and the reward of euerlasting blisse Thou art then the crowner the crowne ô my God and the diademe of mine honor adorned with glorie the brightnes comforting the light renuing the glorie adorning my great hope the desire and thing desired from the hart of al Saints Thy sight therefore is al the recompence al the reward al the ioie which we looke for For this is eternal life this I saie is thy wisedome This is eternal life that we knowe thee to be the onlie true God and whome thou haste sent Iesus Christ So that whē we shal see thee the onelie true God liuing almightie simple inuisible who can neither be conteined nor comprehended and thine onlie begotten Sonne of one substance with thee and coeternal euen Iesus Christ our Lord whom thou didest send into the world for our saluation in the power of the holie spirit three in persons and but one in substance an holie and God alone beside whome there is no God then we shal haue what now we seke namelie eternal life euerlasting glorie which thou hast prepared for them which loue thee and laid vp for them that feare thee and wilt giue to them which seeke thee Isaie which continualie do seeke thy face And thou ô Lord my God which didest take me out of my mothers bowels which recōmended me into thine hand suffer me not anie more I beseech thee to bee distracted so on euerie side but bring mee from outward things vnto my selfe and fro my selfe vnto thee that mine hart maie alwaie saie vnto thee My face hath sought thee out Lord I wil seeke thy face the face of the Lord of hosts wherein al the euerlasting glorie of the saints consisteth The sight whereof is eternal life and the euerlasting glorie of the saints Wherefore let mine hart reioice that it maie feare thy Name Let the hart of such as seeke the Lord reioice but much more the hart of such as find him For if there be ioie in seeking how great shal bee the ioie in finding Wherefore I wil alwaie earnestlie seeke thy face yea vncessantlie wil I seeke the same if happilie the gate and doore of righteousnes maie bee opened vnto me that I maie enter into my maisters ioie This is the gate of the Lord the righteous shal enter through the same Chap. 37. A praier vnto the holie Trinitie O BLESSED Trinitie three coëqual and coëternal persons one verrie God Father Sonne and the holie Ghost which alone inhabitest the eternitie and the light that no man can attaine vnto who hast made the earth by thy power and rulest the world by thy wisedome Holie holie holie Lord God of hostes dreadful and mightie and righteous and merciful and wonderful who art to be praised and to beloued One God three persons one essence power wisedome goodnes and one vndiuided Trinitie Open to me which cal vnto thee the gate of righteousnes and when I am come in I wil praise the Lord. Lo most honorable housholder I a poore begger knocke at thy doore cōmand the doore to be opened to me which knocke who hast said Knock it shal be opened For doubtles y e grones of my paned bowels the crie of the teares of mine eies knock at thy gate ô most merciful Father O Lord my whole desire is before thee and my sighing is not hid from thee O Lord hide thy face no longer fro me neither cast thy seruant away in displeasure Most merciful Father heare the complaint of thy sonne and reach him thine helping hande that it may bring me out of the horrible pit out of the lake of miserie and from the miry clay that I perish not in the sight of thy pitiful eies and in the presence of thy bowels of mercie but may escape vnto thee my Lord God that I may see the riches of thy kingdome and euermore behold thy face and sing praises to thine holy name O Lord which dost woonderous thinges comfortest mine hart through the remembrance of thee and inlightenest mine youth cast mee not off in the time of mine age but reioice al my bones and renue my strength like the
the Vniuersities for learning and London for resort which ought to be the Lanternes of godlines vnto al the land beside Preachers euen the grauest for wisedome and yeeres and the greatest for zeale and knowledge not the smallest for auctoritie euerie-where crie out vpon them so zealouslie with such griefe of hart that they are euen tyred againe with crieng Doctors condemne them By shops write against them yea the best auctors in these daies of those wanton yea wicked toies are quite out of loue with them ashamed of their doings Oh that the Magistrate our soueraigne Magistrate I meane would vtterlie forbid them publikelie to be vsed that the common people might not haunt them and al should be wel But to returne to my purpose from which I haue digressed these errors I feare mee haue caused manie to doubt whether S. Augustine were y e auctor of this booke but being left out as nowe they are I cannot see why S. Augustine might not make the same the matter is so heauenlie praiers the words so holie Scripture euerie thing so wiselie orderlie excellentlie done by the auctor that he must needes be a most excellent man whosoeuer made the same and a more excellent than S. Augustine among the Doctors I thinke was neuer none Which being so I trust I shal â—â—t neede to request your Honor 〈◊〉 accept this booke in good part 〈◊〉 to request your Honor to parâ—â—n my boldnes in dedicating my â—â—ple doings obscure as I am 〈◊〉 person vnknowne to your Hoâ—â—r and to beare with my rude â—diousnes and tedious rudenes â—aue great neede and so I humâ—â—ie doe The Lord almightie and King 〈◊〉 glorie who hath cast the eies 〈◊〉 his gratious countenance vpon â—â—u abide with you for euermore and with this new yeere powre vpon your Honor a newe increase of his heauenlie blessings Amen The first of Ianuarie An. 1581. At your Honors commandement Tho. Rogers A pretious Booke of holie Meditations written by that reuerend Father S. Augustine which he calleth his priuate talke with GOD. Chap. 1. Of the vnspeakable sweetenes of God O Lorde which knowest mee giue me grace to knowe thee to know thee euen â—he strength of my soule O my comforter showe me â—hy selfe let mee see thee ô â—â—ght of mine eies Come ô thou mirth of my â—pirit let me see thee the ioie â—f mine hart loue thee the â—erie life of my soule Come in my presence ô my souereigne delight my sweeâ— solace ô my Lord God my life and the whole glorie oâ— my soule Let me finde thee ô minâ— harts desire let me hold thee whome my soule doth loue 〈◊〉 O celestial bride-groome leâ— me embrace thee ô my souâ—â— reigne comfort both inward and outwarde let me possessâ— thee ô euerlasting blisse yeâ— in the middes of mine hart 〈◊〉 me possesse thee ô blessed liâ—◠ô surpassing sweetenes 〈◊〉 my soule Let me loue thee ô Lord 〈◊〉 strength my fortresse my refuge and my Sauior Let me loue thee ô my GOD 〈◊〉 helper mine hie tower aâ—â— mine hope in al my troble Let me embrace thee euâ—â— goodnes it self without whom nothing is good let me enioie thee the verie best without whome nothing is best O word more sharper than â—nie two edged sword open â—hou the secreat partes of mine eares that I may heare thy voice Thunder ô Lord from heaâ—en with a loude and mightie voice Let the sea roare and al â—hat therein is let the earth be mooued and al that is in it Lighten mine eies ô inâ—omprehensible light cast â—orth thy lightning and scatter â—hem that they regard no vaâ—itie Encrease thy lightning and â—â—atter them that the fountains â—f water may appeere and the â—â—undations of the worlde be â—â—scouered O light inuisible giue mee sight to see thee Create a new smelling ô fauor of life that I may runne after thee through the sauor of thy ointments Heale my tasting that I may taste know and discerne how great thy goodnes is ô Lord which thou hast laide vp for them who are filled with thy looue Giue mee an hart that may thinke on thee a minde that may loue thee a soule that may remember thee an vnderstanding to knowe thee and reason alwaies to sticke fast vnto thee the most souereigne delight Let wise loue fauor thee wiselie O life for whome al things liue ô life which giuest me life ô life which art my life by which I liue without which I die O life which raisest me to life without which I perish ô life whereby I reioice without which I am pensiue ô liuelie sweet and louelie life alwayes to be thought vpon where art thou I beseech thee where may I finde thee that I may faint in my selfe and depend on thee O my loue be thou nigh in my minde nigh in mine hart nigh in my mouth nigh in mine eares nigh to aide me For I languish through looue for without thee alas I die but when I thinke on thee I reuiue againe Thy sauor refresheth mee thy remembrance healeth me yet shal I not be satisfied til thy glorie appeereth ô thou life of my soule My soule longeth yea and fainteth through the remembrance of thee when shal I come and appeere before thy presence ô my ioie Wherefore hydest thou thy face ô my delight by whome I reioice O thou faire on whome I so desire where hast thou hid thy selfe Thy sent I feele therefore doe I liue and am somwhat comforted but thee I see not I heare thy voice and I take hart againe But wherfore hidest thou thy face Happilie thou wilt saie No man shal see me and liue Oh then Lord ô that I were dead so I might see thee ô let me see thee that I may die euen here I wil not liue die I would yea I desire to be loased to be with Christ I desire to die that I may see Christ I refuse to liue that I may liue with Christ O Lord Iesu receiue my spirite ô my life take my soule my ioie drawe my hart vnto thee my sweete foode let me eate thee mine head direct me light of mine eies inlighten me ô my comfort reioice me my sauior quicken me ô Word of God refresh me my praise comfort the soule of thy seruant Enter therinto ô my ioie that it also may ioie in thee Enter therinto ô souereigne sweetenes that it may sauor those thinges which are sweet ô light eternal shine thou ouer it that it may vnderstande thee knowe thee and loue thee For the cause ô Lord why it loueth thee
of mine hart and of my soule let me loue thee with al mine hart with al my soule with al my strength and with al my bowels Because thou didst loue me first And whence is it ô Creator of heauen and of earth and of the sea which needest no good thing of mine whence is it that thou hast loued me O wisedome which openest the mouth of the dumme ô worde by whome al thinges were made open my lips giue me a voice of thankesgiuing that I may vtter out al the benefits which thou Lord hast bestowed vpon mee euen from the beginning For lo I am because thou hast created mee And the cause whie thou didst create number me among thy creatures was thy predestination from euerlasting before thou madest anie thing frō the beginning before thou didst spread abrod the heauens when there were no depthes neither hadst thou made the earth nor setled the mountaines before the fountaines abounded with water Before al these things which by thy worde thou didst create thou in thy most certaine prouidence of truth didst foresee that I should be yea thy minde was to make me thy creature And whence then is it ô my Lord ô gratious and most hie God whence is it ô most merciful Father most mightie Creator alwaies louing What deserued I at thy hands what goodnes sawest thou in me that mooued thy most glorious maiestie to create me When I was not thou didest create me I was nothing and of nothing thou didst make me somewhat And what kind of somwhat Not a drop of water not fire not a birde nor a fishe nor a serpent nor a brutish beast nor a stone nor a stock nor of that kinde of thinges which haue onelie but beeing nor of that whose nature is onlie to be and to growe nor of that which haue onelie being growing and sense But aboue al these things it is thy wil that I should consist both of those thinges which haue but onelie being for I am and of those thinges which aswel growe as be for I am and growe and of those things also which haue being growing and sense for I am growe and perceiue And yet more than this thou hast made me a litle inferior to the Angels For I haue receaued reason at thine handes to knowe thee aswel as they A litle inferior I confesse For they haue an happie knowledge of thee euen as thou art but I knowe through hope they face to face but I dark-lie through a glasse they fullie but I in part Chap. 8. The happie state of man in the life to come BVt when y ◠which is perfect is come that in part shal be abolished when with open face wee shal see thy face Then what shal let vs to be as good euen as Angels seeing thou Lorde hast bedecked vs with y e crowne of hope which is adorned with glorie and honor and seeing thou hast exceedinglie aduanced vs as thy verie friendes Yea euerie waie as good then and equal to Angels For so saith thy truth They are equal vnto the Angels and are the sonnes of God What are they else but the sonnes of God if they be equal vnto Angels Indeed they shal be the sonnes of God because the sonne of man is made the sonne of God So that considering this thing I dare boldlie saie Man is not a litle inferior vnto Angels Man is not onelie equal vnto Angels but man is aboue Angels Beeause a man is God and God is a man but not an Angel And because the word which was in y e beginning God with God the word whereby God saide Let there be light and light was made the worde by which al things in the beginning were made became flesh and dwelt among vs and wee haue seene the glorie thereof I saie man is the most excellent creature of al other Behold my glorie in which I glorie at what time soeuer I doe glorie Lo my ioie wherein I reioice when I doe reioice ô Lord my God my life and the whole glorie of my soule Therefore ô Lord my God I confesse that creating mee a reasonable creature thou didst create me after a sort as good as Angels For by thy word I may be made perfect so that I may attaine vnto the verie state of Angels and haue the adoption of sonnes by thine onelie begotten sonne ô Lord thy wel-beloued sonne in whom thou art wel pleased by thine onelie and right heire of one substance with thee and coeternal euen Iesus Christ our onelie Lord our redeemer our inlightener our comforter our Aduocate with thee and the light of our eies who is our life and our Sauior and our onelie hope who hath loued vs more than himselfe by whome wee haue an assured trust laid vp in store with thee and free accesse vnto thee Because he gaue them power to be the sonnes of God to them I saie that beleeue in his Name I wil praise thy name ô Lord who by creating me after thine owne image and similitude hast made mee capable of so great glorie as in time to become the sonne of God This condition neither trees nor stones nor generalie those things which either mooue or encrease in the aire or in the sea or in the earth attaine vnto because he gaue them no power by thy word to become the sonnes of God for they haue no reason For in reason consisteth the power whereby wee knowe God And this power he hath giuen to men whome he hath made reasonable after his owne image and likenes I also ô Lord am a man thorough thy grace and by thy grace may be thy sonne which they cannot be Whence haue I it ô Lord the souereigne truth and true souereigntie euen the first borne of euerie creature whence haue I it that I may be y e sonne of God which they cannot be Thou art the same God for euer thou madest al things thou didst create both man and beasts and stones and al greene things vpon the face of the earth For no merits went before nor desertes Because onlie of thy goodnes thou createdst al thinges Al creatures were like in merits For none at al deserued ought How is it then that thy mercie doth more appeere in this thy reasonable creature than in al the rest which haue no reason Why am not I as al they be or else al they as I or I alone as they What merites had I what had I deserued that thou shouldest create me of power to become the sonne of God and denie the same to al thy other creatures Be it fro me ô Lorde that I shoulde thinke I had anie merits It was onlie thy
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
him not yet sought he me out I called him not but he called me What was he Euen thou it was ô Lord my God pitiful and merciful euen thou Father of mercies and God of al comfort Euen thou it was my Lord GOD most holie whom I confesse with al mine hart praising thy Name I sought not thee yet thou soughtest me I called not vpon thee but thou calledst mee For thou hast called mee by thine owne Name With a mightie voice thou hast thundred from aboue into the inward eare of mine hart saieng Let there be light and light was made insomuch as y e great cloude vanished awaie and the darke mist which had couered mine eies melted whereby I sawe thy light and knewe thy voice and said Of a truth Lord thou art my God which brought me out of darknes and from the shadow of death and hast called me into thy woonderful light so that now I see thanks to thee mine inlightener therefore And I looked backe and saw the darknes wherein I had ben and the darke dungeon wherein I had lien wherat I trembled was afraide and vttered these words Wo wo worth the darkenes wherein I laie wo wo to that blindnes in which I could not see the light of heauen wo I saie wo to mine old ignorance when I knew not thee ô Lord. I thanke thee ô mine inlightener ô my Sauior I thanke thee for inlightening me wherby I knowe thee Late it was ere I knew thee ô ancient truth late it was ere I knewe thee ô eternal truth Thou wert in the light and I was in darknes I knewe thee not because I could not be inlightened but by thee and without thee there is no light Chap. 34. A consideration of Gods Maiestie O God most holie of inestimable maiestie God of gods Lord of lords who art most wonderful and canst neither bee conceaued in thought nor expressed by word of whome al the Angels in heauen do stand in feare whom al the dominations and thrones do adore at whose presence al powers doe shake whose might and wisdome is infinite which vpon nothing hast laid the foundation of the earth gathered the waters of the sea together in the aër as in a botle O Lord most mightie most holy most puissant God of al flesh at whose presence heauen and earth do flie and at whose becke al the elements do obeie let al thy creatures worship and praise thee And I the son of thine handmaid through thy faith doe bow the neck of mine hart vnder the feete of thy maiestie yeelding thee most humble thankes for vouchsafing of thy mercie to inlighten me ô true light ô holie light ô wonderful light which inlightenest not onelie euerie man that cometh into this world but also the eies of the Angels in heauen Lo I see now thanks to thee Lo I see the light of heauen the lightsome beames of thy countenance do now shine vpon the eies of my mind and comfort al my bones Oh that it were fullie made perfect within me O Father of light increase it increase I praie thee that light which shineth vpon me inlarge it yea do thou inlarge the same I beseech thee What is this I feele what fire is this which warmeth mine hart what light is it which spreadeth out such glorious beames vpon my mind O fire which alwaie burnest and art neuer quenched set me on fire O light which alwaie shinest and art neuer dimmed inlighten me Would to God I were inflamed by thee O sacred fire how sweetelie dost thou burne how secretlie dost thou shine how desirous be they stil to burne whom thou inflamest Wo to them whom thou dost not inflame And wo to them whom thou dost not inlighten ô true light lightening the whole world with thy light Wo to the blind eies that behold not thee the Sunne which giuest light both to heauen and earth wo to the dazeling eies which cannot see thee wo to the eies which turne aside and will not see the veritie and wo to those eies which wil not turne aside from regarding vanitie For the eies that are vsed to the darknes cannot looke directlie vpon the beames of the most glorious truth neither can they iudge of the light whose dwelling is in darknes For they see nothing but darknes they loue and allow of darkenes and going from darkenes to darkenes they know not where they fal Miserable are they which forgo they wot not what but more miserable are they which know what they loose which fal with open eies go downe quick into the pit of hel O most happie light whome none see but they which haue pure eies blessed are the pure of hart for they shal see God O purging vertue purge me heale the sight of mine eies that with a sounde sight I may behold thee whom none but such as haue pure eies can behold I beseech thee ô light vnapprochable take awaie by thy glorious beames y e scales which a long time haue dimmed the sight of mine eies that stedfastly I may behold thee and see light in thy light Thanks to thee ô my light lo I see now O Lord I beseech thee enlarge thou my sight open mine eies that I may see the woonders of thy lawe who art terrible out of thy holie places Lo thankes to thee my light I see now yet through a glasse darkelie But when shal I see thee face to face When comes that daie of gladnes and ioie wherein I shall enter into the place of thy woonderful tabernacle euen to the glorie of God that I may see thee face to face and be satisfied in desire Chap. 35. The longing and thirst of the soule after God AS the Hart braieth for the riuers of water so panteth my soule after thee ô God My soule thirsteth after thee God the wel of life when shal I come and appeere before thy presence O fountaine of life ô veine of liuing waters when shal I come vnto that water of thy sweetenes out of a desert wild and watrie land that I may see thy power and thy glorie and quench my thirst through the waters of thy mercie I thirst Lord thou art the wel of life ô fil me I thirst Lord I thirst euen for thee the liuing God Oh when shal I come appeere before thy presence Thinkest thou that I shal see that day I say that day of gladnes and ioie that day which the Lord hath made for vs to reioice and be glad therein O that is a glorious and goodlie day lasting euer neuer at an end wherein I shal heare the voice of ioie and thankesgiuing when I shal heare it said Enter into thy maisters ioie Enter into that