made by the word were exceeding good wherefore forsomuch as al thinges were made by the worde euil things were not made by it So it remaneth that whatsoeuer things were not made are not good for al things are good which were made Therefore the thinges not made are euil and so consequentlie nothing Because without the word nothing was made Euil then is nothing because it was not made But how is euil if it was not made Because euil is a priuation of that which good is thorough which good was made Then to be without the worde is euil which is to be as nothing For besides it is nothing But what is it to be separated from the worde If thou wouldest knowe that listen what is ment by the word The word of God saith I am the waie the truth and the life Therefore to be separated from the worde is to be without the waie without the truth without life and so nothing without him and so euil because it is without the worde by whome al things were made and they were excellentlie good Againe to be separated from the worde by which al thinges were made is nothing else but to vndo and of something to become nothing For without him it is nothing As often therfore as thou declinest from that which good is thou separatest thy selfe from the word For that is good And so thou art made nothing because thou art without y e word without the which was made nothing that was made Now then ô Lord my light thou hast inlightened mee that I may see thee I haue sene and knowen that as often as I am separated from thee so oft I become nothing Because I forgat goodnes which thou art and therefore am made euil Wo worth me wretch that I neuer marked how I became nothing when I forsooke thee But what needes this cōplaint If I was nothing I needed not to knowe We knowe that euil is nothing and that is not which is nothing and that which is not good is not because it is nothing If therefore I was nothing when I was without thee I was but as nothing euen like an Idol which is nothing hauing eares and heareth not a nose and smelleth not eies and seeth not a mouth and speaketh not handes and feeleth not feete and walketh not al the proportion of members and yet liueth not Chap. 6. How the soule offendeth through sinne SO then as long as I was without thee I was naught but verie nothing and therefore blinde I was deafe I was and without sense For I neither knew what good was nor shunned that euil was nor perceaued my wounds when I was hurt nor saw the darknes which I was in Because I was without thee the verie light which lightneth euerie man that commeth into the world Alack therefore they wounded me yet I sorowed not they haled me yet I perceaued not for that I was not because I was without life which is the worde by whome al thinges were made And therefore ô Lorde my light mine enimies did with me euen what they would they struck me they striped me they polluted me they corrupted me they wounded mee yea they killed me because I forsooke thee and so became nothing without thee Alacke ô Lorde my life by whom I was made my light wherby I am directed haue mercie vpon me ô defender of my life and raise mee vp againe ô Lord my God my hope my strength my rock and my comfort in the daie of my troble Consider mine aduersaries and deliuer me let them which hate me flie awaie from my presence and through thee let me liue in thee For they haue watched me seing me without thee haue despised me They parted among themselues the garments of virtue wherewithal thou hadst clothed me they made a waie through me they troade me vnder their feete they defiled thine holie temple with the dregs of wickednes they left me desolate pining awaie through sorow I folowed after blind and naked and shackled with the cordes of wickednes They dragged mee after them in their circuite frō vice to vice and from mire to mire and so went I ful weakely God knowes before the face of him that pursued me Bond I was yet liked I slauerie blinde and desired blindenes bound and did not abhor the shackles I thought soure sweet and sweet to be soure Miserable I was yet knewe I not so much because I was without the worde without which nothing was made through which al thinges are maintained without which al thinges are brought to nothing For as al thinges by it were made without it was made nothing so by it are al thinges maintained whatsoeuer is either in heauen or in the earth in the sea or in any deep place Neither can anie part sticke to other either in a stone or in any other thing created did not the word by which al things were made maintaine it Wherefore ô worde I wil cleaue to thee that thou maist saue me For when I forsooke thee I had perished hadst not thou which didst make mee renued me againe I sinned thou didst visit me I fel thou didst erect me I was ignorant thou didst teach me I was blind thou didst lighten me Chap. 7. Of Gods manifold benefites conferred vpon man O My God showe mee how much I wretch am bound to loue thee how much I am bounde to praise thee how much I am bounde to please thee Thunder ô Lord with a great and mightie voice from aboue into the inwarde care of mine hart Teach me and saue me so wil I praise thee for creating me when I was nothing for lightning mee when I was in darknes when I was dead for reuiuing me for cherishing me euen from my youth with al good things Thou dost nourish me vnprofitable worme stinking in wickednes euen with al thy most excellent benefites Open to me ô key of Dauid which dost open and no man shutteth against him to whom thou openest and doest shut and no man openeth to him against whome thou shuttest Open to mee the doore of thy countenance that I may enter and beholde and knowe and praise thee with al mine hart For great is thy mercie toward me and thou hast deliuered my soule frō the lowest graue O Lord our God how excellent is thy name in al y e world What is man that thou art mindful of him and the sonne of man that thou visitest him O Lord the hope of the godlie and the tower of their strength ô God the life of my soule by which I liue without which I die ô light of mine eies by which I see without which I am blinde ô the ioie
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
more certaine than death yet woteth not man when he shal depart and then takes he a fal and leeseth his hope when in his owne iudgement he stoode ful sure For man cannot tel either when or where or how he shal die yet is it appointed that he shal die Now see Lord how great is mans wretchednes wherein I am yet feare not how much the miserie that I endure and yet neither am trobled therat nor dooe crie vnto thee But Lorde I wil crie vnto thee before I passe away if happilie I may abide in thee not passe awaie I wil tel then I wil tel my miserie yea I wil confesse my vilenes before thee and not be ashamed O my fortitude by whome I am vpholden helpe me assist me ô my strength by whom I am sustained Come light through which I se appere glorie through which I reioice and life wherein I shal liue manifest thy selfe ô Lord my God Chap. 3. Of Gods wonderful light O Light which Tobit sawe when though blinde he taught his sonne the waie of life O light which Izhak sawe inwardlie when though outwardlie blind he tolde his sonne what was to come O light I saie inuisible to which al y e depth of mans hart is visible O light which Iacob saw when according to thine inward instruction he foretolde what outwardlie should happen to his sonnes Beholde darknes is vpon the face of the deepe of my mind y ◠art light Lo a mistie dimnes is vpon the waters of mine hart but thou art the truth O word by whome al things were made without which nothing was made O worde which art before al things before which was nothing O word creating al things without which al things are nothīg O word gouerning al things without which al thinges are naught woorth O word which in the beginning didst saie Let there be light and there was light say likewise to me Let there be light and light shalbe made and I shal see light and discerne al that is not light For without thee I put darknes for light and light for darknes And so without thee there is present for truth error for wisdome foolishnes confusion ignorance for knowledge for sight blindnes by-pathes for the right waie for life death Chap. 4. The frailtie of mans nature BEholde my Lorde because there is no life there is death naie rather there is no death because death is nothing For thereby wee come vnto naught while we dread not to make our selues naught through sinne And y t deseruedlie ô Lord. For when we come to naught like the running water we are recompenced according to our works because without thee nothing was done and we by dooing nothing are made nothing For without thee by whome al things are made and without whome nothing was made ô Lord y ◠word ô God the word by whome al things were made without which was made nothing that was made we are nothing Wo is mee wretch so often blinded because thou art the light and I am not with thee Woe is mee wretch so often wounded because thou art saluation I am not with thee Wo is me wretch so often infatuated because thou art the truth and I am not with thee Wo is mee wretch so often wandering because thou art y e waie and I am not with thee Wo is me wretch so oftē dead because thou art life I am not with thee wo is me wretch so often brought to nothing because thou art the worde by which al things were made yet I am not with thee without whom nothing was made O Lord the word ô God the word who art the light by whome light was made who art the waie the truth and the life in whom there is neither darknes error vanitie nor death The light without which al is darknes the waie without which all is but by-pathes the truth without which al is but falshoode the life without which euery thing is death Speake the worde Lord let there be light that I may see the light and shun darknes see the waie shun by-paths see the truth and shun falshood see life and shun death Inlighten me ô Lord my light my glorie my saluation whome I wil feare my Lord whom I wil praise my God whō I wil worship my Father whome I wil honor my spouse for whom I wil keepe my selfe Inlighten ô light inlighten me poore soule sitting in darknes in the shadow of death direct my feete into the way of peace y ◠I may enter therby into the place of thy glorious tabernacle euē to the house of God with the voice of ioie thanksgiuing For true confession is the verie way whereby I may come vnto thee the way by which I may come out of by-pathes and go againe vnto thee the waie For thou art the true waie vnto life Chap. 5. VVhat is ment by becomming nothing I Wil confesse therfore ô Father LORD of Heauen and Earth vnto thee wil I cōfesse my wickednes that so I may attaine vnto thy mercie I became wretched and was broght vnto nothing yet knew I not so much for thou art the truth and I was not with thee Mine iniquities did wound me yet was I not trobled for thou art the life and I was not with thee They brought mee vnto nothing for thou art the word I was not with thee by whom al things were made without whome nothing was made And therefore being without thee I became nothing For it is nothing which bringeth vnto nothing By the worde al things were made whatsoeuer was made after what forme soeuer they were made And God saw al that he had made lo it was exceeding good Al things y t were made were made by the worde then whatsoeuer things were made by the worde are exceeding good Wherefore be they good Because al things were made by the word and without it was made nothing y t was made For nothing is good without the souereigne good But wheras good is not there is euil which indeede is nothing because euil is nought else but the want of good euen as blindnes is naught else but the want of sight Euil then is nothing because it was made without the word without which nothing was made And that is euil which is depriued of that good wherby al thinges that are were made But those things which be not are not made by him And therefore they are nothing Then whatsoeuer was not made are euil Because al things that were made were made by the worde And al which were
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
the Starres of Heauen and casting them to the earth which infecteth the waters of the earth with his poison that men drinking thereof may die he spreadeth sharp things vppon the mire and trusteth that he can draw vp Iorden into his mouth he is made without feare And who can saue vs from being deuoured of him who can plucke vs frō out his iawes but thou onelie ô Lord who hast broken the heads of that great Dracon O Lord helpe vs ô Lord spreade foorth thy wings vpon vs that vnder them we may flie from the face of this Dracon which pursueth vs and with thy shield saue vs from his hornes For his cōtinual care and onlie desire is to deuoure the soules whome thou hast created And therefore vnto thee we do crie ô Lord our God deliuer vs from our dailie aduersarie which whether we sleepe or wake or eate or drinke or whatsoeuer we doe lieth at vs night and daie by al meanes by al subtiltie and craft now openlie now couertlie aiming at vs with his poisoned arowes to destroie our soules And yet such is our extreme madnes ô Lord y t albeit we do continualie behold the Dracon before our eies with open mouth prepared to deuour vs yet naietheles we snort and sport in our securitie as though we were safe before him who desireth nothing but our destruction The enimie to murther vs watcheth alwaies and sleepeth not and we sleepe but watch not for our saluation Behold he hath laid infinite traps before our feete to take vs and al our waies he hath filled with snares to catch our soules And who can escape He hath laid snares in riches snares in pouertie snares in meate snares in drinke in pleasure snares in sleepe snares and snares in watching he hath laid snares in our words snares in our workes and snares in al our waies But ô Lord do thou deliuer vs from y e snares of the hunter and from the euil word that we may praise thee saieng Blessed be the Lord which hath not giuen vs a praie vnto their teeth Our soule is escaped euen as a bird out of the snare of the foulers the snare is broken and we are deliuered Chap. 17. That God is the light of the righteous ANd thou ô Lord my light inlighten mine eies that I may see light walk in thy light and neuer stumble vpon the snares of Satan For who can escape his manifold snares vnles he see them And who can see them except he be inlightned with thy light For that father of darkenes hath hid his snares in his owne darkenes that therein as manie as are in darkenes may be entangled Who are the children of this darkenes Such as see not thy light in which who so walketh shal not feare For he that walketh in the daie stumbleth not But if a man walke in the night he stumbleth because there is no light in him O Lord thou art the light thou art the light of the sonnes of light y u art the day which lasteth euer in which thy sonnes doe walke and stumble not without which who so walke are in darkenes because they haue not the light of y e world Loe wee dailie see that the farther one is estranged from thee the true light the more he wrappeth himselfe in the darkenes of sinne and the more he lieth in darkenes the lesse he seeth the snares laid in his waie and so the lesse hee knoweth them and therefore is the oftener caried awaie and caught in them and yet which is more horrible than al this he woteth not that he hath taken a fal Now he that knoweth not his ownefal hath so much the lesse care to rise againe as he hath a greater opinion that he doth stand But ô Lord my God the verie light of the mind open thou mine eies at this time that I may see and knowe least I fal in the presence of mine aduersaries For our aduersarie laboreth to destroie vs but Lord we beseech thee as waxe melteth before the fire so let him perish at our presence For Lord he is the chiefe and principal theefe which tooke counsaile how to steale awaie thy glorie but swolen vp with pride and puffed vp he brake in sunder at the last and fel vppon his own face whom thou flangedst headlong from thine holie mountaine and from the multitude of thy firie stones in the middes wherof he walked Now ô Lord and God of my life since which time that he fel he hath neuer ceassed to pursue thy children And for spite of thee ô King most mightie he would destroie this thy creature whom thine almightie goodnes hath made after thine own image that he may inherit thy glorie which he hath lost through his owne pride But ô our mightie God bruse him into peeces before he deuoure vs thy silie lambes and lighten our eies that we may behold such traps as he hath prepared and escape from him vnto thee ô comfort of Israel And al these things ô Lord thou knowest muche better than I thou knowest his quareling and his stiffe neck Neither do I speake this to enforme thee who seest al things and beholdest y e most priuie thought but to vtter out my complaint against mine enimie before the feete of thy maiestie who art the eternal Iudge that thou maist both condemne him and saue vs thy children For thou art our strength For whie Lord he is a craftie subtile enimie the creekes of his waie cannot easilie bee descried neither can the fashion of his countenance bee knowne of man vnlesse thou inlighten For he is now heere now there now a Lambe now a Wolfe now darkenes by and by light and according to the sundrie change of things he offereth diuers tentations to euerie qualitie place and time For to deceaue the sad hee makes himselfe sad to beguile such as are merie he sets on a merie countenance to entrap those which are spiritual hee turnes himselfe into an Angel of light to vanquishe the strong he appeareth as a lamb to deuour the meeke he shewes himselfe a Wolfe And al these things are to be wrought after the similitude of diuers tentations that he may terrifie some by the feare of the night some by the arow fleeing in the day some by the pestilence walking in the darke by rushing on some and some by the plague at noone daie Now who is meete that he may know these things who can perceaue his wiles or discouer the face of his garment or know y e compas of his teeth Behold he hath hid his darts in his quiuer and shrowded his snares vnder y e show of light And this is the more
greatnes nor number of thy wisedome nor measure of thy benignitie neither is there end nor number nor measure of thy blessings For as thou art great thy selfe so is thy liberalitie great because thou art the reward and the blessing which they shal haue that fight as they ought to doe Chap. 22. That godlie ioy taketh awaie al present bitternes of the world O Lord God sanctifier of al thy Saints these ar thy great benefits wherwithal thou hast supplied the want of thine hungrie children For thou art the hope of the hopeles the ioie of the comfortles the glorious crowne of hope prepared for such as ouercome Thou art the euerlasting fulnes which shal be giuen to the hungrie Thou art the endlesse comfort which rewardest them that contemne the comfort of this world for thy perpetual comfort For they who in this world receiue comfort find no comfort in the world to come But such as are tormented here be there comforted And suth as suffer with thee doe raigne with thee For no man can haue pleasure in both worlds neither can a man reioice heere and heereafter too but of necessitie he must forgo the one which would haue the other When I consider these things ô Lord my comforter my soule refuseth comfort in this life that it may be meete for thine endles comfort For reason it is that hee should forgo thee whosoeuer chooseth the comfort of anie before thee Wherefore ô soueraigne truth I beseech thee suffer me not to delight in anie vaine pleasure But my request is that al other things may waxe bitter to mee and thou alone seeme sweete to my soule because thou art the vnspeabable sweetnes by whom al sowre things are made sweete For thy sweetenes made the verie stones of the riuer sweete to Stephen Thy sweetenes made the burning greediron sweete vnto Laurence Through thy sweetenes the Apostles departed from the Counsel reioicing that they were counted worthie to suffer rebuke for thy Name Andrew went quietlie and ioifulie to the crosse because he hastened vnto thy sweetnes The princes of thine Apostles were so filled with this sweetenes that for desire thereof one choase the galowes for his death and the other cheerfulie offered his head to bee strooke off with a sword For to buie the same Bartholomow gaue his own skin And to taste this in like sort Iohn without shrinking backe souped off a cup of poison As soone as Peter had tasted heereof by and by forgetting al earthlie things he brake out as if hee had bin dronke into these words Maister it is good for vs to be heere if thou wilt let vs make heere three tabernacles heere let vs abide stil and enioie thy contemplation for wee lacke nothing now It sufficeth vs Lord that we see thee It sufficeth vs to be satisfied with so vnspeakeable sweetnes He had tasted but one drop of sweetenes and lothed forthwith al other sweetenes What thinke yee he would haue said had he tasted that great sweetnes of thy Godhead which thou hast laid vp for such as feare thee That virgin also whome we reade went as ioiefulie vnto prison as to a banquet had tasted this thine vnspeakeable sweetnes This also as I iudge he had tasted who said How great is thy goodnes which thou hast laid vp for them that feare thee and who admonished saieng Taste yee and see how gratious the Lord is For this is the happines ô Lord our God which wee trust thou wilt giue vs for which cōtinualie we fight vnder thy baner for which we are killed al the daie long that to thee we may liue in thy life Chap. 23. That al our trust and al the desire of our carke should be cast vpon God O Thou Lord y e hope of Israël the verie thing in hart I dailie do desire make haste and tarie not Arise hasten and come awaie that thou maiest bring vs out of this prison to praise thy name to reioice in thy light Listen ô Lord to the crie of the teares of thy poore orphanes that crie vnto theee ô our father giue vs this daie our dailie bread in the strength whereof wee may walke night and daie and minister the same vntil wee shal approch vnto thine holie mountaine And I the smalest among y e little ones of thy familie whē shal I come and appere before thy presence ô God my father and my strength that I who praise thee now for a time may heereafter praise thee eternalie O blessed should I be were I once admitted to behold thy brightnes who can shew me such fauor that thou maist permit me to come therevnto I know Lord I know and acknowledge that I am vnworthie to enter vnder thy roofe yet for the honor of thy name destroie not thy seruant which putteth his trust in thee And who shal enter into thy sanctuarie to consider thy power vnles thou open vnto him And who can open if thou shut against him for if thou destroy no man can build againe And if thou shut man vp none can loase him out If thou with-hold y e waters al things wil drie vp and if thou send them foorth they wil destroie the earth If thou bring to nothing al which thou hast made who dare control thee for the same Moreouer the goodnes of thy mercie whereby thou didest al whatsoeuer thou wouldest is euerlasting O maker of the world thou hast made vs therefore gouerne vs we beseech thee Thou hast created vs then despise vs not because we are the worke of thine hands For doubtles ô Lord our God we silie wormes clay are vnable to enter into the house of thine eternitie vnles thou who of nothing hast created al things do guide vs in Chap. 24. That our saluation commeth from God ANd I the worke of thine hands protest vnto thee in thy feare that I wil not trust in my bowe and that not my sword but thy right hand and thine arme and the light of thy countenance shal saue mee Without which I should despaire But thou who hast made me art mine hope for thou forsakest not them which trust in thee For thou our Lord God art gratious long suffering and gouernest al things by mercie For although we sinne yet are we thine if we sinne not we are thine for we are in thy compt For wee al the sort of vs are but a leafe and al men liuing are but vanitie And our life vpon earth is but a blast Be not angrie with vs thine Orphanes though wee fal for thou knowest whereof wee be made ô Lord our God O God whose power none can