am so often wounded through whose absence I am so grieued through whose gratious visitation so refreshed sometime Where is my God whome euen once to see is to knowe all things Where is my God in whome both mine hart and my flesh doo so earnestlie desire to reioice Where is my God for whose loue I suffer such paine and sorowe His verie remembrance is sweete but his presence is more louelie and expelleth all sadnes fro mine hart Where is mine hope and my crowne Is it not in thee my God and in thy blessed countenance Oah showe mee once thy glorie and thy face so will I cesse to complaine If I contende a little with thee ô blame mee not extreeme zeale of good will hath manie woonderfull deuises I am driuen to expect and moued still to long and so this ioiefull combat dooth continue CHAP. 21. 1. The delaieng of the happie is patientlie to be borne 2. The felicitie of the life to come 3. with a Praier for the same O Lord I haue loued the habitation of thine house and the place where thine honor dwelleth How gladlie I would be with thee thou knowest full well ô my God and how entirelie I desire the same I am not able sufficientlie to expresse I wish it not onlie when I am euill at ease but also what prosperitie soeuer I enioie my desire is to bee with thee But how shall my longing be satisfied Heere it greeueth mee to continue and yet of necessitie I must but my desire is to be with thee and I maie not yet And therefore I see no remedie but that I am with patience to endure this delaie and to refer my wishing to thine holie will For what Is it meete I should murmur when it must be so God forbid Againe I haue the examples of manie of Gods children which haue vsed long patience in this life and yet their harts were in heauen Therefore if thy will be to prolong my pilgrimage I am willing to abide and obeie your pleasure Howbeit that with lesse griefe I may beare my longing to be with thee I will till that time still meditate with my selfe of that celestiall habitation Yet I presume not to pierce into the least of those ioies which thou hast prepared for such as loue thee but of this and that I will meditate to the end that mine affection being pressed downe and infected oftentimes it maie be stirred vp and lifted into the hope of eternall blisse O that that daie had once shined whether then had the ioies of heauen rauished mee How merrie at the hart should I be then and how happie should I thinke my selfe How happie should I then bee enioieng a continuall peace From thencefoorth should I make none enquirie for anie thing seeing no secret could be hid But my life is spent in darkenes and therefore no maruell though my sight doo dazel betweene the cloudes of glorie Notwithstanding I will lift vp mine eies and though a far off behold and salute that holie citie Ierusalem builded in the heauen euen of liuelie stones namelie of holie angels and men replenished continuallie with praise mirth and magnifieng the Lord their God for euer and euer Now therefore my soule take vnto thee the wings of desire and flie vpward flie I saie from all bodelie senses ascend from the visible forme of this world vnto the holie house of God euen vnto the newe Ierusalem builded substantiallie in aie lasting peace crowned with glorie and honor and blessed with the abundance of all good things Lo wonderfull and vnspeakeable are the things of heauen which no man either can or maie vtter No sense is able to conceaue neither can the vnderstanding of man attaine to knowe howe God is in his sanctes glorious and woonderfull in his maiestie Mount thou in cogitation euen vnto the hiest things stretch thy desire into the euerlasting eternitie and saie with the Prophet Glorious things are spoken of thee ô citie of God There whatsoeuer can be wished of man is had and what is once got is kept without care God there is beheld face to face cleerelie trulie continuallie and eternallie There the blessed and all glorious Trinitie in one vnseparable vnitie which of all the blessed citizens of heauen is woorshipped praised and magnified is perfectlie knowen There is mine onlie and right singularlie beloued freend which is more pretious to mee than all riches and the treasure aboue all to bee desired euen my Lord Iesus Christ the immortall spouse of the Church in whome are hid but yet reuealed to the sanctes from the beginning of the world the whole treasure of wisedome and knowledge O how iocund are the sanctes now before the face of the most holie who is the cause and spring of their blessednes For there hee speaketh vnto them not in parables but plainlie of the Father Hee is their booke euen the woord which in the beginning was with God teaching all things and performing all things so that theie want nothing in glorie O blessed and euerlasting glorie not of small remembrance but all happie in God his presence There is also the most glorious Mother of our Sauior and constant virgine Maâ—â—e bewtiâ—â—eng the whole celestiall courte with her comlines and bewtie compassed and accompanied with troupes of virgins as with sweete roases and lilies of the valies There be the angels and archangels placed in order who moste cheerefullie sound forth the praises of God â— There bee the Patriarches and Prophets euen theie which beeing filled long ago with the holie Ghost did foretell of Christ his comming whome nowe theie both knowe and euermore confesse to be their Lord and Sauior the King of kings and perfect God There theie behold eie to eie their Redeemer whome long theie looked for and for whose comming theie longed There be the Lordes Apostles and Disciples those most reuerend and renowmed Fathers which were filled with holines and grace and laide a strong foundacion of the Catholique faith There especiallie shineth that reuerend man Iohn which baptized our Sauior Christ and was a speciall freend of my Spouse There is Peter and Paule and Andrewe and Philip and Thomas and Iames and Iohn and all the other Apostles and Euangelistes pillers of the Church To keepe the faith and to follow the example of these men is the readie waie vnto euerlasting life Moreouer there be the valiant Martyrs enriched with their proper blood and euerlastinglie blessed with Christ whose bodies though theie were most cruellie flean yet could not their soules by anie torments be seuered from Christ. Also there be the noble Confessors which contemned this present life that theie might be in heauen There be the great and glorious Doctors that were so carried aloft in contemplation of which many haue left a liuelie image of holines in their wrightings There be yong men and
I punished and pinched at the verie harte euen because I am vnable to answere thy benefits so great and so manifold Oah that I could euen but once worthelie and thoroughlie thanke thee for all these things But what maie proceede from him in whome nothing is An emptie vessell can minister no drinke What then shall I doo Something I must giue For it is not lawfull to come before God with an emptie hand Because the Lord abhorreth the vngratefull man Oah that I could finde something in this world to giue you that might be acceptable in your sight Oah my Lord whome in hart I loue what would you that I should giue you As for anie good thing of mine you neede it not And whie then exact you a gift at mine hands For riches none is comparable to you and yet require you some-what of mee L. That which I demaunde is euen your selfe wholie For so it is expedient if you would purchase my fauour I will giue grace to you and you shall showe grace to mee and so loue shall be continued betweene vs. Giue mee your selfe and you haue giuen euen all S. O good Iesus the fountane of all goodnes the fountane of life the fountane of grace the fountane of sweetenes the verie fountane of aie lasting wisdome powre vpon mee euen at this instant I beseech thee the gift of thy celestiall grace and teach mee to be gratefull and to giue my selfe before all thinges wholie vnto you for this is the deerest thing that I can render This I doo knowe and acknowledge Therefore receaue mee lo I am wholie thine and all that mine is is thine Onlie one thing there is which I cannot giue and that is my sin which is mine indeede properlie and therefore not to be imputed vnto thee Sinne mine is and all defaultes within me are to be ascribed to me onlie but glorie and for all thy benefits thankes be vnto thee But nowe in calling thy benefits into minde of manie I gather onlie a fewe and those which doo most of all moue mee and appeere in my mind For neither wil the time suffer to recite neither can my thoughtes comprehend them all Because for number theie are infinite for greatnes incomprehensible and inestimable for goodnes For bought theie cannot bee because theie are freelie giuen And therefore onlie thankes be required for them otherwise all shall be taken awaie as from that vngratefull one First therefore and afore all things I thanke thee ô Lord my God creator of all things for making mee a man after thine image and similitude and for placing mee ouer the workes of thine hands This is the great and first benefit bestowed vpon mee and that of thy meere goodnes For I made not my selfe but thine handes did fashion mee theie brought me into this world through my parents whome thy will was should serue thee herein And lo I am better than other creatures exalted aboue the beastes of the fielde and birdes of the aër in that I am facioned after thine image endued with eternall wisedome and naturallie participate of the light vncreate and of the vnchangeable truth Wherefore for my beeing liuing and vnderstanding I giue thee euerlasting praise wishing and desiring herewithall that all creatures both in heauen and earth maie euerlastinglie commend thy glorious and most excellent name I blesse thee ô Father Lord of heauen and earth who of nothing through thy onlie begotten Sonne Iesus Christ in the holie Ghost hast created all things Yea al things thou hast made not of necessirie compelled but of pure and special loue moued therunto therby to showe thy power vnto the sons of men and by thine inuisible and coëternall wisedome with thee thou hast most perfectlie disposed this visible world Let all thy creatures subiect in all things to thee and ordeined for the vse of man blesse thee For at thy commandement both raine falleth from heauen and fructe springeth from the earth The sunne shineth brightlie in the daie time the starres giue light by course in the night The fountanes spring the riuers flowe and fishes of diuers kindes doo swim The birdes not onlie flie but sing also and the goates the coltes and hartes doo spring vpon the mountaines The sheep and other cattell dop ioie in good pasture and diuers other liuing creatures doo run about the groaues The ground waxeth greene the fieldes prosper and trees of the wood doo yeeld both bowes and fructe O Lord which onlie doost woonderous things euen all these are thy woorkes Another benefit which thou hast bestowed vpon mee is the mysterie of incarnation the worke of my redemption the price of our saluation euen the fructe of thy passion and death O greate worke of mercie Oah worke of moste excellent loue moste abiect humilitie of moste rare patience No man could merit nor Angel procure this thing The Prophets haue wondered at it the Apostles haue seene taught it the faithfull haue embraced it and the elect especiallie doo loue and call it into minde The due consideration of this benefit stirreth vp good desires inflameth the harte nurisheth deuotion inlighteneth the minde purgeth the affection draweth on to heauen-ward with-draweth from the world driueth vnto God and vniteth the soule with Christ. This benefit far excelleth the aboue mentioned yet there is one which gaue each and hath bestowed both of them vpon vs euen our Lord Iesus Christ. For what the better had I bin for my life if I had not bin redeemed with the pretious blood of my Sauior Christ Therefore the grace and mercie of God grewe vpon me and plenteous redemption was made for the corrupted nature of man without the aide of God his maker could neuer haue bin repared O Father of mercies and God of all comfort thou to redeeme thy damned seruant hast giuen thine onlie Sonne to the death O wonderfull I kindnes of thine to vs ward vnto which neither the wit of man nor the vnderstanding of Angels can attaine But alone sweete Christe who art the beginning and the ende of our saluation and alone couldst helpe the miserable and damned thou alone art priuie to the same For thou didest vouchsafe to appeere vnto the world in the likenes of a most vile seruant and for mortall wormes euen of meere pittie receauedst with a willing minde the iudgement of a cruell death O good Iesus thou which art the fountaine of mercie the light of aie lasting glorie the pure glasse without spot of God his maiestie kindle mine harte with the meditation of this vnspeakeable benefit bestowed vpon mee and vpon all mankinde But this as was the former is generall sufficient to saue all but not effectual in all by reason of the incredulitie and malice of manie howbeit it saueth and is profitable to all the elect for whose sake all things
and comfort is and resteth in the price of thy pretious blood wherein I doo wholie repose my selfe and deeme it requisite that I should doo so together with all which I haue doon offended deserued and omitted And therefore behold most gratious Iesu my basenes and humilitie consider the affection of mine hart which I beare toward thee not for my merits but for thy mercie sake which vouchsafest to be loued euen of the vnworthie In respect of mine vnworthines I am greatlie ashamed to come in thy presence but I am drawen-on and emboldened through your wonderfull goodnes and humilitie which hast in perfect good wil yeelded not onlie to become man but also to suffer die and to be buried for my sake and therefore vnto thee doo I make recourse for I finde no goodnes in my selfe Supplie that for my sake which of my selfe I cannot performe Thou hast giuen mee a desire to praie vnto thee to praise to blesse thee because thou art mine hope and my portiō in the land of the liuing Al my desire is to be with thee in the kingdom of heauen but inasmuch as my time is not yet come I will waite vntill the night approch In the meane while this maie bee my comfort in the place of my pilgrimage that I am mindfull of thy name and of thine exceeding great loue and that I behold thee in this life by the eies of my faith To liue in this world and yet to repose no trust in thee ô Lord were a thing intollerable to my soule I doo not consent to reioice with the world and that I maie not abide without ioie and comfort I haue determined to place my ioie in thee Much and often should I goe astraie greatlie should I be tossed in cogitations did I not reteine thee fast in my minde and thoughts And for somuch as I am vnable to sound the depth of thy diuinitie I thinke it best for mee to turne vnto the deedes and saiengs of thine humanitie because being in these cogitations I swarue not altogether from thy diuinitie Thankes bee to thee good Iesu sweete and louelie Iesu for vouchsafing to become my brother to take my flesh and bones vpon thee Thankes I saie to thee for entering into the wombe of good Marie thy Mother of whose maidenlie flesh thou tookest the holie members of thy bodie which thou didest vnite to thy diuine nature CHAP. 23. A godlie Praier and commendation of our Sauior Christ. NOtwithstanding I am wicked and guiltie of manifold sins yet haue I great hope of saluation because of thy suffering and merits whereof as I haue a good minde to consider so graunt ô my Lord Christ that I maie with good leaue so doo For who am I to approch nigh vnto thee vnlesse I haue licence I knowe mine vnwoorthines to appeare in his presence whome the verie angels doo worship with great reuerence saieng Who is this that commeth out of the wildernes of this world so abunding in pleasure Therefore ô moste blessed Sauiour I am far vnmeete to thinke of thy glorie and honor of thy bewtie and magnificence because I am earth and ashes yea more base am I then earth and ashes because I am sinfull and proane vnto all wickednes But thou beeing made hier than heauen hast the whole world vnder thy feete and art worthie to be praised and honored for euermore Howbeit of thine vnspeakeable goodnes which passeth all vnderstanding I am drawen in affection vnto thee because thou art the comfort of the comfortlesse and vsest most willinglie to helpe most miserable sinners I acknowledge how I am not onlie destitute of all comforrt especiallie of thy fauor but also verie vnable to doo good vnto my selfe But mercifull Iesus wouldest thou vouchsafe to consider my basenes then should I both be aided and comforted most plentifullie in this my trooble Therefore I see well whensoeuer I am compassed about with affliction and tentation I am straight-waie and without feare to flie vnto thee for where mercie is moste readie there grace is in greatest plentie And when I haue a good minde to consider of thy most glorious estate and to commend thee in moste honorable manner I must come foorth with a much purer affection and maie not goe forwarde with-out the conduction of Gods heauenlie light Assuredlie he shall haue no glorie but shame that presumeth without all reuerence to approch vnto thy gate And he which commeth thereinto must proceede with all reuerence and humilitie ioined with good hope that hee maie finde grace to be admitted Wherefore both humblie and reuerendlie and deuoutlie and boldlie I goe to thee-ward Let the godlie louer of thy name listen then what I saie The heauen reioiceth the earth woondereth when by faith mine hart saith Christ is my Sauior Satan flieth hell trembleth when my conscience crieth Christ is my Sauior The world waxeth vile and the flesh humble when as a Christian dooth saie Christ is my Sauior Sorowe departeth newe comfort approacheth when my minde pronounceth Christ is my Sauior Slothfulnes vanisheth mine hart through loue fainteth when zelouslie I can saie Christ is my Sauior Zeale encreaseth compunction ariseth hope groweth comforte waxeth strong when my soule soundeth Christ is my Sauior Mine harte is iocund mine affection becommeth sounde when in truth I do saie Christ is my Sauior For such is the force of these words vttered of a faithfull soule that no man is able to expresse the same in wordes but still it resteth more hie and excellent than maie be reached vnto by the wit of man Which maketh mee once againe most humblie to bowe my knees vnto thee ô blessed Sauior and still I saie ô Christ my Sauior O most gratious Iesu receaue my praier and mee with it that I maie finde some-what that maie like thee well and embolden mee and kindle my zeale and keepe mee euermore in continuall praising of thine holie Name Oah that for the satisfieng my desire to praise and to praie vnto thee from the verie bottome of mine hart both all my members were forthwith conuerted into tongues and those tongues into firie voices that I might finde a waie to glorifie thee my Sauiour world without ende Oah that for all my sins wherewith I haue deserued thine indignacion offended greeuouslie thy Father and dishonored thee with all the hoste of heauen I might once so thoroughlie bewaile and repent that I might heereafter take a newe trade of life to thy glorie and the comforte of my soule Oah that thou woldest assist mee in well doing seeing my life fraile and I all subiect to offending Oah pardon and forgiue all my sins either wilfullie or negligentlie committed all my vaine thoughtes my vngodlie speech my abhominable deedes O most gratious Iesu I saie doo thou both defend mee from doing anie wickednes hereafter and forgiue I praie thee all my sins forepast so shall I be both the more deuout the more
as to be accepted into thine holie warfare Thou canst ô almightie and all mercifull God who hast of nothing created mee and foreseest the fall and infirmitie of man thou art able I saie and that thou wilt I beseech thee forgiue the sins which I haue committed supplie what I haue omitted restore what I haue lost heale what is sick cleanse what is vncleane lighten what is darke assuage that which swelleth inflame what is quenched repaire that is broken recouer that is neglected amende what is awrie make plaine what is rouged restraine what is curious call home that which wandereth place what is out of order yea and alter the whole state of my minde that nothing be wanting to my former purpose and let all occasion of euill worke for the best vnto mee I moste humblie desire thee This change is made by the right hand of God this is God his visitation this is the manifolde conference of the diuine goodnes In steede of all thankes accept the deuoute seruice of thine holie Church where-so-euer with the sweete praises of the whole courte of heauen And let all the sanctes from the beginning of the world which thorough thy grace haue bin enlightened and called yea and all the faithfull and Christian people which either be in the world or haue bin afore vs or shall liue hereafter let them I saie together celebrate and praise thy all sweete and glorious name which is aboue all names to be blessed Let them repeate againe and againe with greate ioie repeate all praises dulie and deseruedlie to be saide of thy name and that so manie times as there be either in the heauen stars or in the sea fishes or in the earth cornes or in the Bible letters And all this being doon yet must I saie theie haue not praised thy name sufficientlie the which I desire to commende euen to the vttermost of my strength and by all meanes to extoll vntill I attaine vnto those praises which now cannot be expressed by the voice of mortall men So that thou seest now my Soule the greatenes and the excellencie of God thy creator and redeemer his benefits the which no creature nor all creatures may recompense whome hee hath made vnto the praise and glorie of his eternall and blessed name who needeth no glorie but is alone all sufficient for himselfe hee that is what he is is his owne glorie The number of his benefits was so greate that I could not place them all before thine eies and therefore of a greate manie I choase three pretious giftes euen as the Wisemen did which were about to offer to the Lord wherein I thought good to comprehend the rest For euerie benefit of God if you marke well is either of nature or of grace or of superexcellencie and whatsoeuer else is maie fullie bee referred vnto one of these three kindes In the Creation you haue the benefit of nature in the Redemption the benefit of superexcellencie in our Iustification note the benefit of grace For all which and for euerie of them glorie be to thee ô sacred Trinitie one equall deitie both before all worldes nowe and for euermore Amen The ende of the fourth Booke A Table of the contents of euery Chapter conteined in this Booke ALonging of the Soule after God The incomprehensible maiestie of the Lord. An exhortation to the loue of God Chapter 1. Page 1 Of God his distinct iudgement at the ende of this world The cursed state of the vngodlie Chapter 2. Page 14 An humble confession of sinns with a Praier for grace to repent Chap. 3. Pag. 19 A lamentation of the Soule for her weakenesse and vnstaiednes in the race of virtue Chap. 4. Pag. 25 Of the shortnes and miserie of this present life A praier for grace to renounce the world and the vanities of the same Chap. 5. Pag. 30 An ardent desire of the Soule to be loosed from 〈◊〉 and from the trouâ—â—◠〈…〉 this world Chapter 6. 〈◊〉 37 A godlie desire for a good death Chap. 7. Pag. 44 A meditation of one dead vnto the world yet aliue in Christ. Chapter 8. Pag. 51 A desire of the Soule that no earthlie creature may carrie her awaie vnto vanitie Chap 9. Pag. 59. A comparison betweene earthlie and heauenlie ioies with a praier for grace to contemne this transitorie world Chap. 10. Pag 63 That all comfort and pleasures are in God A praier that all people maie glorifie the Lord. The blessed state of good men That we are to be readie against the comming of our Sauiour Christ. Chap. 11. Pag. 71 The desire of the Soule after God The properties of God by the sundrie titles ascribed vnto him None commeth vnto God vnlesse God draweth him Chap. 12. Pag 80 How and when the Soule and God are vnited together The miserie where God is not present Chap. 13. Page 92 A lamentation of the Soule for the want of grace Chapter 14. Page 101 Touching the fruite of freendship The benefits of Christ vpon man The true felicitie and ioie of the Soule The affinitie betweene Christ and the Soule of man Chapter 15. Page 107 The more wee loue Christ the more we maie Tentation and when Happines of the life to come How to beare affliction Chapter 16. Page 118 The maiestie and omnipotencie of God How and whie the Lord afflicteth his children Chapter 17. Page 133 The confidence of a true Christian. God iustifieth the vngodlie Giueth whatsoeuer good is to man Will haue no man to despeire but that all sinners should flie vnto his mercie Chap. 18. Pag. 147 The desire of a Christian Soule is neuer satisfied till God bee enioied No comfort anie whit comparable to the spirituall ioie Chapter 19. Page 156 A complaint of the Soule for the want of her blessed state What weeping pleaseth God Who trulie blessed A description of God Chap. 20. Page 162 The delaieng of the happie is patientlie to be borne The felicitie of the life to come with a praier for the same Chap. 21. Pag. 171 A godlie meditation concerning the accesse vnto the holie of holies euen Iesus Christ the king of angels godlie petitions for the forgiuenes of sins Chap. 22. Pag. 180 A godlie praier and commendation of our Sauior Christ. Chapter 23. Page 187 A Praier for comfort vnto Iesus Christ. Chap. 24. Pag. 194 That for God his benefits we are to thanke him Chap. 25. Pag. 202 FINIS ⧠AT LONDON Printed by Richarde Yardley and Peter Short dwelling at the nether ende of Bredstreete at the Signe of the Star 1592 a Psal 73 verse 28. b Psal. 73 28 c Luk. 18 19 d Math. 6 21 Coloss. 3 1. 2 e Phil. 4 7 f 1. Iohn 2 16 g Rom 8 35 36 c. 1. Cor 13 4 5 c. h Psa. 73 25 MAN SOVLE MAN i Psal. 26 8. SOVLE k Psal. 94 8 9 10 Psal 119 12 l Psal. 94 12 m Iam. 4 6 n Mat. 11. 25 o 1. Cor.