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
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
houres and places succurring and prouiding for our necessities yea ful carefulie doe they runne betweene vs and thee ô Lord. For they walke with vs in al our waies they go in and out with vs diligentlie considering how godlie and how honestlie we do walke in the middes of a naughtie and crooked generation how ernestlie we seeke the kingdom of God and the righteousnes thereof with what feare and trembling we do serue thee and how our harts reioice in thee ô Lord Those which labor they strēgthen those which rest they protect such as fight they encourage they crowne such as ouercome they reioice with such as reioice such I meane as reioice in thee and they suffer with such as suffer I saie with such as suffer for thy name sake Great is the care which they haue of vs Great is the affection of their loue toward vs And al this for y e honor of thine inestimable goodwil wherwith thou hast loued vs. For they loue those whome thou doest loue they keepe those whome thou dost keepe they forsake those whom thou doest forsake neither can they abide such as work iniquitie because thou also hatest al them that worke iniquitie and wilt destroie them that speake lies When we do wel the Angels reioice but the diuels are sad when wee doe il the diuels reioice but the Angels are sad For there is ioie among the Angels for a sinner y ◠conuerteth and ioie to the diuel for a iust man that forsaketh repentance Grant therefore ô father that they may alwaies reioice ouer vs that both thou alwaies maist be glorified in vs and we may be brought with them into thy folde that together wee may praise thy Name ô Creator both of men and Angels These things I confesse before thy Maiestie praising thee for them For great are these thy benefits which thou hast honored vs withal in giuing vs thy spirits to be messengers for our seruice For thou hadst giuen whatsoeuer is contained vnder y e coape of heauen yet thoughtest thou al that too little vnles withal thou addest those things which are aboue heauen For this benefit praise y e Lord al ye his Angels praise him al ye his workes yea let al thy Saints blesse thee O our glorie thou hast exceedinglie honored enriched and glorified vs with manifold benefites O Lord how excellent is thy Name in al the world For what is man y ◠thou art mindful of him and the sonne of man that thou visitest him For thou the ancient truth hast said My delite is with y e children of men Is not man rottennes and the sonne of man a worme Is not euerie man liuing meere vanitie yet thou thinkest it good to open thine eies vpon such and causest him to enter into iudgment with thee Chap. 28. Of Gods bottomles predestination and foreknowledge TEach me ô bottomles deepe ô wisedome which hast made al things weighed the mountaines in a weight and hanged the masse of the earth by three fingers in a balance Lift vp the masse of this bodie which I carrie about by thy three inuisible fingers vnto thy selfe that I may see and knowe how excellent thou art in al the world O most ancient light which didest shine before al light in the holie mountaines of thine old eternitie to which al things before they were made were naked open O light which canst abide no spots inasmuch as thou art without spot and most pure what delight canst thou take with man what cōmunion hath light with darkenes where is thy delight in man In what part of me hast thou prepared a meete sanctuarie for thy sacred Maiestie wherinto when thou goest thou maist delight thee to thy contentment For meete is it that thou shouldest haue a pure parlor who art the purifieng virtue who canst not be seene much lesse possessed but of the pure in hart But where is there so pure a temple in man that it may receaue thee which rulest the world who can bring a cleane thing out of filthines But thou alone who onlie art pure For who can be clensed by the vncleane For according to the law which thou gauest to our fathers in the mount out of the middes of fire and in the cloude couering the darksome water Whatsoeuer toucheth an vncleane thing shal be vncleane But al of vs are as the cloth of a menstruous woman we proceede out of a corrupt and filthie masse and beare in our foreheds the spot of our vncleanes the which we cannot hide especialie from thine eies who seest al things So then we cannot be cleane vnles thou make vs cleane who onlie art cleane And of vs the sonnes of men those onlie thou makest cleane in whome it hath pleased thee to make thine abode whome by the bottomles and secrete depth of the incomprehensible iudgements of thy wisedome which are alwaies iust though they be secret thou hast without anie merits of theirs predestinated before al world called out of the world iustified in the world and after the world thou wilt glorifie them Yet dost y ◠not this to al men which makes the wise of this world euen to wonder and to be astonished And I also Lord when I thinke hereof am vtterlie agast and amazed at the deepenes of the riches both of thy wisedome and knowledge How vnsearchable are y e iudgements of thy righteonsnes thy knowledge is aboue my reach For of the same claie thou hast made som vessels vnto honor some to euerlasting infamie Therefore whom out of manie thou hast taken into an holie temple for thy selfe those thou dost clense pouring vpon them cleane water whose names and number is knowen to thee which alone countest the number of the stars and callest them al by their names who also be written in the book of life who cannot perish to whom al things worke together for the best yea verie wickednes it selfe For when they fal they be not brused into peeces for thou puttest vnder thine hand thou wilt keepe al their bones so that not one of them shal be broken But a most vile death haue the wicked they I saie whome in the great deepe of thy secret iudgements which are alwaies righteous thou diddest foreknowe euen before thou didst make either the heauen or the earth should euerlastinglie be damned the number of whose names naughtie merits thou knowest who hast counted the number of the sand of the sea and sounded the verie bottome of the deepe whome thou hast giuen vp to their vncleannes to whom al things worke together for y e worst yea euen their praier is abomination so that albe they should ascend vp to
to be looked vpon or seene but is thought to bee a light exceeding both the reach of reason of vnderstanding and is more than can be attained vnto more than vnchangeable more than maie becommunicated with anie Such a light it is as neuer Angel nor man sawe neither can see This is thy heauen Lord thine hiding heauen thy passing secret heauen I meane thy light beyond al vnderstanding beyond al reason beyond being of which it is said The heauen of heauen is the Lordes The heauen of heauen in comparison whereof al other heauen is but earth forsomuch as it is passing maruel ouslie heaued vp aboue al heauen Yea such an heauen as that firie heauen compared therevnto is but as earth For this is the Lords heauen of heauen because none knowes it but the Lord alone Vnto this heauen no man ascendeth but he which hath descended from heauen For no man knoweth the Father but the Sonne and the Spirit of them both neither knoweth anie man the Sonne but the Father and the Spirit of them both O sacred Trinitie ô Trinitie eternal passing glorious passing vtterance passing finding out which no man can attaine vnto no man comprehend no man conceiue as being beyond al being and superessentialie passing al sense al reason al vnderstanding al knowledge al essence of supercelestial spirits the which nothing no not the verie Angels can either vtter or conceaue or venderstand or know thou perfectlie art knowne to thy selfe ô Trinitie How then do I knowe thee ô Lord God most hie aboue al earth and aboue al heauen whom neither Cherubins nor Seraphins perfectlie do know but with the wings of their contemplations they couer his face which sitteth vpon the hie and statelie throne saieng Holie holie holie Lord God of hosts the whole world is ful of thy glorie The Prophet was astonished and said Wo is me I know not what to saie because I am a man of polluted lips And my hart was astonished and said likewise Wo is me for speaking because I am a man of polluted lips Yet I said I knew thee Notwithstanding wo to them Lord who are tong-tied when they shoulde speake of thee For they which babble much are made mute without thee And I ô Lord my God will not be stil because thou hast made me and lightened me and found me So that I know thee because thou hast inlightened me But how do I knowe thee Doubtlesse I knowe thee in thy selfe I knowe thee not as thou art to thy selfe but as thou art to mee yet not without thee but in thy selfe For thou art the light which hast inlightened me For as y u art to thy selfe thou art knowne to thy selfe alone but as thou art to me according to thy grace thou art knowne to me But what art thou to me ô merciful God tel me thy miserable seruant for thy mercies sake tel me what thou art to me ward Saie vnto my soule I am thy saluation hide not thy face away fro me ô Lord least I die Suffer me to speake with thy mercie me I saie earth and ashes suffer me to speake with thy mercie For great is thy mercie toward me I wil speake vnto my God albeit I am but dust and ashes Tel me thy humble seruant ô merciful God tel me thy miserable seruant for thy mercies sake tel me what art thou to me ward Thou also didst thunder from heauen with a mightie voice into the inner eare of mine hart thou brakedst my deafenes so that I heard thy voice thou didest inlighten my blindnes and I saw thy light and knew how y ◠thou art my God Therfore did I saie I knewe thee because I knewe that thou art my God I knewe thee to be the onelie verie God and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ The time was when I knew thee not But wo worth that time when I did not knowe thee wo worth that blindnes when I did not see thee wo worth that deafenes when I did not heare thee Then blind deafe ouglie as I was I rusht vpon those faire things which thou hast made Yet euen then thou wert with me but I was not with thee and those kept me far off from thee which shuld not haue ben without thee Thou hast inlightened me ô light of the world so that I haue seene thee and loued thee For no man doth loue thee but he sees thee And no man doth see thee but hee which loues thee It was late before I loued thee ô beautie so ancient and yet so fresh late was it before I loued thee But wo woorth that time when I loued thee not Chap. 32. The faith or beliefe of a true Christian most notablie described O My light I praise thee for inlightening me whereby I knowe thee But how do I knowe thee I knowe thee to be God alone a liuing God a true God my Creator I knowe thee to be the maker both of heauen and earth of al things visible and inuisible a verie God almightie immortal inuisible incompassable vnlimitable euerlasting to whome none can approch vnto nor comprehend nor find out who art vnchangable vnmeasurable infinite the beginning of al creatures be they visible or inuisible by whom al things were created through whom al the elements doe consist Whose maiestie as it neuer had beginning so it shal neuer haue end I knowe thee to be one God alone the true God namelie the eternal Father Sonne holie Ghost three persons indeede but one simple substance and vnparted nature The Father made of none the Sonne of the Father alone the holie Ghost of the Father and of the Sonne alwaies without either beginning or end A Trinitie yet but one onlie and verie God omnipotent the onlie beginning of al things maker of al creatures both visible and inuisible spiritual and temporal Which by thine almightie power at the beginning didest of nothing make together both creatures spiritual and corporal that is to saie angelical and worldlie and afterward the humane as a middle nature consisting of bodie and spirit I knowe and confesse thee God the Father to be vnbegotten thee God the Sonne to be begotten of the Father thee God the holie Ghost the comforter to be neither made nor begotten With my hart I beleeue vnto righteousnes and with my mouth I confesse vnto saluation this holie and single Trinitie in three coequal consubstantial and coeternal persons to be a Trinitie in Vnitie and an Vnitie in Trinitie I knowe thee Iesus Christ our Lord to be a true God the onelie begotten Sonne of God and the Creator Sauior and redeemer not of
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
certaine sent surpassing al sent which the nose cannot discerne a certaine sweetenes excelling al sweetenes which no taste can judge of and a certaine embracement aboue al embracement which no feeling can reach vnto For this light shineth where no place is to containe it This voice soundeth where no aër is to carie it this sent giues a sent where no wind is to waste it this sauor sauoreth where no taste is to eate it and this embracing is felt where it is not sundered This is my God and there shal none other be compared vnto him This doe I seeke when I seeke my God This do I loue when I loue my God Too late haue I loued thee ô beutie so old and yet so fresh too late haue I loued thee Thou wert within and I was without where I sought thee and I deformed as I am rushed vpon these goodlie things which thou hast made Thou wert with me but I was from thee Those things kept me aloofe frō thee which could not be but in thee I went al about seeking thee and forsaking my selfe for al things I asked the earth if it were my God and it answered No and al things in the earth confessed the same I asked the sea the deepes and al things creeping in them but they answered We are not thy God seeke him aboue vs. I asked the puffing aër and the whole aër with al the dwellers in the same made me this answere Anaximenes is deceaued for I am not thy God I asked the heauen the sunne the moone and the stars and they said Neither be wee thy God Then said I vnto al those which stand about the doores of my flesh Tel me I praie you what thinke yee of my God tel me somewhat of him and they al answered with a loude voice He hath made vs Then said I to the masse of the whole world Tel me art thou my God or no And it answerd with a mightie voice I am not but through him I am whome thou seekest in me Hee hath made mee seeke him aboue me by whom I am now ruled and was once created The asking of the creatures is the deepe consideratiō of them their answere is the testimonic which they yeeld of God For al things crie God hath made vs For as the Apostle saith the inuisible things of God are sene by the creation of the worlde being considered in his works Then I returned vnto my selfe and went into my selfe and said thus to my selfe what art thou I answered my selfe and said A man reasonable and mortal Then began I to discusse what that should be said Whence is this kind of creature ô Lord my God whence but of thee Thou hast made me and not I my selfe What art thou Thou I meane by whom I liue naie thou by whom al things do liue what art thou Verilie thou Lord my God art the true and onlie God almightie euerlasting incomprehensible and infinite liuing alwaies and dieng in no part of thee thou inhabitest the eternitie and art wonderful in the sight of Angels thou canst not be vttered nor found out nor named thou art a liuing God a true God a terrible strong God knowing neither beginning nor end the beginning and the end of al things who art before the world and from euerlasting to euerlasting Thou art my God and the Lord of al which thou hast created with thee are the causes of al stable things with thee do the originals of al changeable things abide vnchangeable and with thee doe the groundes of reasonable vnreasonable and temporal thinges continue for euer O my God tel me thine humble seruant ô merciful God tel thy seruant euen by thy great mercies I beseech thee tel me whence is this kind of creature if not of thee Shal anie man be his owne maker Haue anie either being or life but from thee Art not thou the principal being from whom al being doth proceede For whatsoeuer is it is of thee because without thee there is nothing Art not thou the welspring of life from which floweth al life For whatsoeuer liueth doth liue through thee because without thee nothing doth liue Therefore ô Lord thou hast made al things What shal I aske who hath made mee Thou Lord hast made me without whom nothing was made Thou art my maker I thy workmanship Thankes be to thee ô Lord my God through whom I liue and through whom al things do liue because thou hast made al. Thankes be to thee ô my maker for thine hands haue made me and facioned me Thanks be to thee ô my light because thou hast inlightned me wherby I haue found both thee and my selfe Where I founde my selfe there I knewe my selfe where I founde thee there I knew thee and where I knewe thee there thou didst inlighten me Thankes be to thee ô my light for inlightening me But what is it that I saide I knewe thee Art not thou a God incomprehensible vnmeasurable the King of kings and Lord of lordes who alone hast immortalitie and dwellest in the light that none can attaine vnto whom neuer man saw neither can see Art not thou an hidden God whose glorie is past finding out art not thou best knowne and a wonderful beholder of thy selfe Who then knowes that which he neuer sawe For thou hast said in thy truth No man shal see mee and liue Thy Prophet hath said through thy truth No man hath sene God at anie time Who then knowes that which hee neuer sawe And thy truth it selfe hath said No man knoweth the Sonne but the Father neither knoweth anie man the Father but the Sonne Thy Trinitie alone which is aboue al knowledge is perfectlie knowne onelie to it selfe Then what is it that I a man like to vanitie haue said I know thee For who knowes thee but thy selfe alone For thou God alone in thy most holie and heauenlie word art said to be almightie passing praise worthie passing glorious passing honourable passing hie beyond al being For thou art found superessentialie and beyond al knowledge to be aboue the nature of anie thing which maie be imagined be it intellectual or sensible and aboue euerie name that is named not in this world onelie but also in that which is to come Inasmuch as through the superessential and secret power of thy Godhead howe no reason vnderstanding nor being can conceiue thou dwellest so as no man can either search thee out or haue accesse vnto thee and that in thy selfe where as light is that none can attaine vnto and brightnes which no creature can either find out comprehend or vtter wherevnto no light can attaine Because it is no light