flesh thirst after it let my whole selfe be desirous of it vntill such tyme as I may enter into the ioy of my Lorde there to continue for euer worlde without ende Amen All glorie honor prayse and thankes be giuen to God alone ¶ A TABLE OF the Prayers contained in S. Austens bookes intitled his selfe talke with God and his Manuell OF the vnspeakable sweetnes of God. Of the wretchednes frailtie of man. Of Gods wonderfull light Of the mortalitie of mans nature Of the fall of the soule into sinne Of Gods manifold benefites Of mans dignitie in tyme to come Of Gods omnipotencie Of the incomprehensible prayse of God. Of lifting a mans hope vnto God. Of the snares of concupiscence Of mans miserie and Gods benefites How God doth continually behold marke mens doynges and intentes Of mans imbecillitie without the grace of God. Of the deuill and his manifold temptatiōs That God is the light of the righteous Of Gods benefites Of the feruentnes of loue or charitie That God hath put all thynges vnder the seruice of man. By consideration of earthly benefites we coniecture the greatnes of the heauenly wisedome That the sweetnes of God taketh away all the present bitternes of this world That all our trust and longing of our hart ought to be to Godward That our welfare commeth of God. That mans will is vnable to doe good workes without the grace of God. Of Gods old benefites Of Gods deepe predestination and foreknowledge Of such as be righteous and afterward become wicked and contrariwise That the faithfull mans soule is the Sanctuary of God. That God cannot be found neither by the outward senses nor by the inward wits Of the acknowledgyng of a mans owne vilenesse A consideration of Gods maiestie Of the longing and thirsting of the soule after God. Of the glorie of the heauenly countrey A Prayer to the holy Trinitie The table of prayers in his Manuell OF Gods wonderfull beyng Of the vnspeakable knowledge of God. Of the longing of the soule that feeleth God. Of the wretchednesse of that soule whiche loueth not neither seeketh our Lord Iesus Christ Of the longing of the soule Of the happines of the soule that is let loose from the prison of the body Of the ioyes of paradise Of the kyngdome of heauen Of the comfort of the sorrowfull soule after the long mournyng therof Of ioye That the word is become flesh for our sake That the more a man museth vpon God the sweeter it is to him That tribulations for Christes sake are to be desired in this life Howe the kyngdome of heauen may be gotten What paradise is and what it hath What thyng God requireth lyke vnto him selfe in vs. Of the boldnesse of the soule that loueth God. What God hath done for man. The remembryng of the woundes of our Lord Iesus Christ That the remēbraūce of Christes woūdes is an effectuall remedy agaynst all aduersities The musing of the soule vpon the loue of God. What the knowledge of the truth is What the sendyng of the holy Ghost worketh in vs. Of the workyng of him that loueth God. Of the true rest of the hart Whatsoeuer withdraweth the mynde from God must in any wise be eschewed and abhorred That the seyng of God is lost through sinne and miserie found in stede of it Of Gods goodnes Of the delectable fruition of God. That the souerein good is to be sought Of the mutuall loue betweene the Saintes in heauen Of the full ioy of the eternall life ¶ The end of the Table AT LONDON Printed by Iohn Daye dwellyng ouer Aldersgate ¶ Cum gratia Priuilegio Regiae Maiestatis
solace whiche giuest thy selfe to them onely that despise the solace of this world for thy eternall solace sake For they that haue their comfort here are vnworthy of thy comfort But such as are turmoyled here are cōforted at thy hand and such as be partakers of thy sufferaunces shall also be partakers of thy comfortes For no man can haue solace in both the worldes neither can a man ioy both here and in the world to come but he must be fayne to for go the one who soeuer will be owner of the other When I consider these thynges O Lorde my comforter my hart refuseth to haue solace in this world to the intēt it may be thought worthy of thy euerlasting solace For of good right ought he to forgo thée who soeuer hath chosen to solace hym selfe in any other thyng more then in thée And I beséech thée O souerein truth by thy selfe I beséech thée suffer me not to solace my selfe in any vayne solace But I aske of thée that all things may be bitter to me and that thou alone mayst séeme sweete to my soule for thou art the inestimable swéetnes wherby all bitter thynges are made sweete For thy swéetnesse made euen the stones of the brooke swéete vnto Stephē Thy swéetnesse made the gréedyron sweete to saint Laurence By reason of thy swéetnes the Apostles went away reioysing from the counsell of the Iewes for that they had bene counted worthy to suffer reproche for thy names sake Saint Andrew went quietly and ioyfully to the crosse bycause he hasted to thy swéetnes This thy swéetnes did so replenish the very chief of thyne Apostles that to come vnto it the one chose the galowes of the crosse and the other was not afrayd to lay down his head to haue it striken of To buy this withall Bartlemewe gaue his owne skinne Also that he might tast this Iohn drunke vp a cup of poyson vnfearefully Assoone as Peter had tasted hereof by and by forgettyng all inferiour thinges he cryed out like a drunkenman saying Lord it is good beyng here let vs make vs thrée tentes here and let vs dwel here and behold thée still for we want nothing els It suffiseth vs to looke vpon thée Lord I say it suffiseth vs if we may haue our fill of so great swéetnes For Peter had tasted but one drop of that swéetnes yet he lothed all other swéetnesse What thinkest thou he would haue sayd if he had tasted the great aboundance of that swéetnesse of thy Godhead which thou hast layd vp for them that feare thée This vnspeakeable swéetnesse was also tasted by that virgine of whom we read that she went to prison as ioyfull and triumphyng as if she had bene bidden to a feast Hereof also as I trow had he tasted whiche sayd Lord how great is the aboundance of thy swéetnesse whiche thou hast horded vp for them that feare thée And so had he which incouraged men saying Tast ye and sée ye how that the Lord is swéete For this is that blessednesse O Lord our God whiche we looke to receiue of thy gift for whiche we serue thée in continuall warfare and for which we be killed vnto thée all the day lōg that we may liue vnto thée in thy life That all our trust and all the longing of our hart ought to be to Godward LOrd which art the wayting of Israell the desire where after our hart doth dayly long make hast and forflow thou not Vp hye thée apace come that thou mayst lead vs out of this prison to giue prayse vnto thy name and to glory in thy light Open thine eares to the shréekes and teares of thy fatherlesse children which cry vnto thée saying Our father giue vs this day our dayly bread that we may walke in the strength thereof day and night vntill we come to thy holy hill of Oreb And I silie soule among the litle ones of thy household O God my father and my strength when shall I come and stand in thy presence that as I now do prayse thée for a tyme so I may from thence forth prayse thée for euer Happy shall I be if I be once admitted to the beholdyng of thy brightnesse Who will do so much for me as to get me leaue at thy hand to come to this point I knowe Lorde I know and cōfesse that I am vnworthy to enter vnder thy roofe but yet giue me leaue for thyne owne honours sake and confoūd not thy seruaunt which trusteth in thée For who shall enter into thy Sanctuarie to consider thy mightie power except thou open it vnto him And who shall open it if thou shet it For if thou pull downe there is none that can build vp and if thou shet vp a man there is none that can let him out If thou hold the waters at a stay all shal be dryed vp if thou let them go they shall ouerturne the earth If thou bring all thinges which thou hast made vnto nothyng who shall gaynesaye thée But euerlastyng is the goodnes of thy mercy wherby thou hast made all thyngs that thou liftest Thou O maker of the world hast created vs therfore rule vs thou hast created vs therfore despise vs not for we be thy worke And truly O Lord our God we silie wormes and clay are not able to enter into thine euerlastyngnes vnlesse thou which hast made all of nothyng do lead vs in That our welfare commeth of God. ANd I the worke of thy handes protest vnto thée in thy feare that my trust is not in myne owne bow nor that myne owne sword shall saue me but thy right hand and thyne arme and the light of thy countenance Otherwise I should despayre but that thou which hast created me art my hope bicause thou forsakest not thē that trust in thée For thou our Lord God art swéete and long sufferyng and orderest all things in mercy If we sinne we be none of thyne bycause we be out of thy bookes But we be all of vs as a leafe and all men liuyng are but vanitie and our life vpon earth is but a blast Be not angrie with vs if we thy fōdlynges fall for thou O Lord our God doost know what metall we be made of O God which art of inestimable power wilt thou shewe thy force agaynst a leafe that is tossed with the wynde or wilt thou folow vpō dry stubble Wilt thou O euerlastyng kyng of Israell wilt thou condemne a dogge wilt thou cōdemne a flea Lord we haue heard of thy mercyfulnesse how that thou makest not death nor delightest in the losse of them that dye For this cause Lord we pray thée suffer not the thing which thou madest not to haue dominion ouer the creature that thou madest For if thou be sorie for our damnation what letteth thée O Lord which art almighty that thou shouldest not alwayes reioyce in our saluation Thou canst saue me if thou list but I cannot saue
Creature and without thee am already forlorne I am thy creature and am alreadie dead I am thy workemanship thy handes O Lord haue made me and fashioned me Lorde despise not the worke of thy handes I am by nature the child of wrath a wild oliue trée a vessell of dishonour the vessell of Sathan an enemie to thée O God a louer of my selfe a cage of vncleane birdes all that euer nought is Lord be mercyfull to my sinnes for they are many graft me into the true oliue make me a vessell to honor take from me selfe loue pride and cōtempt of others renue a right spirite within me that I may perfectly loue thée and worthely magnifie thy holy name for euer and euer Behold O Lord thou hast set me downe vpon thy hands Lord God read the writyng and saue me I that am the creature do grone vnto thée that art my creator O refresh me Behold I thy workemanship do cry vnto thée thou that art my life quickē me Behold I thy handiworke looke vp to thée thou that art my maker recomfort me Spare me O Lord for my dayes are nothing What is man which is but dust and ashes that he should talke vnto God his maker Beare with me for my talking to thée Pardon thy seruaunt for presuming to speake to so great a lord Necessitie hath no law Paine compelleth me to speake and the grief that I indure inforceth me to cry out I am sicke I call to the Phisician I am blind and I hye me to the light I haue gone astray and thirst to returne into the way I am dead and I labour for life Thou art the Phisiciā thou art the light the way and the life Iesus of Nazareth haue mercy vppon me O thou sonne of Dauid haue mercy vpō me O welspring of mercy harken to the diseased which crieth vnto thée Thou light which passest by tarie for the blind reach him thy hand that he may come to thée and let him sée light in thy light Thou liuing life raise vp the dead againe What am I that speaketh with thée woe is me Lord O Lord spare me I am but a rotten carcasse wormes meate a stinking coffin and foode for fire What am I that talketh with thée Wo is me Lord O Lord spare me I am an vnhappie mā euen a sory man borne of womā shortliued full fraught with many miseries euen a man that is like vnto vanitie matched with witlesse beastes and already become like vnto them Againe what am I a darke dungeon wretched earth a child of wrath a vessell méete for dishonor begottē with vnclennesse liuing in miserie and dying in distresse Out vpon me wretch what am I Alas what shall become of me I am a sacke of dūg a coffin of rottēnesse full of lothsomnesse and stinch blind poore naked subiect to exceding many necessities woting neither when I came into the world nor when I shall goe out mortall and miserable whose dayes passe away as a shadowe whose life glaunceth away as a shadow by Moonelight growing as a floure vpon a trée and fading out of hād againe now florishing and by and by withering againe My life I say is a fraile life a fléeting life such a life as the more it lengtheneth the shorter it is the further it goeth the néerer it draweth vnto death A deceitfull and shadowish life full of snares of death Now I am merie anone I am sorie Now I am lustie anone I am weake Now I am aliue and by and by I am dead I séeme happie for a while I am alwayes wretched One while I laugh another while I wéepe And all thinges are so subiect to vnstablenesse that nothing continueth at a stay one houres space Here withall commeth feare trembling hunger thirst heate cold faintnesse and grief In the necke of these foloweth importunat death which snatcheth vp wretched men vnwares a thousand wayes euery day He killeth one with diseases and dispatches another with sorrowes He starueth this man for hunger and pyneth that man with thirst He choketh some mē with water and strangleth other some with a halter He makes a hand of some men by fire and deuoureth othersome with the téeth of wild beastes He fleas this mā with the sword destroyes that man with poyson and causeth some other man to finish his miserable life with nothyng but some sodein feare And yet there is one great miserie aboue all these namely that whereas nothing is more certeine thē death yet doth not a man know when he shall dye Yea euen when he thinkes him selfe to haue best footing then is he shaken down his hope perisheth For a man knoweth not whē where or how he shall dye yet is he sure that he must néedes dye Sée Lord how great mans wretchednesse is wherein I am yet mistrust it not how howge the miserie is which I indure yet am not greued nor make any moue to thée Lord I will cry out vnto thée before I passe away if peraduenture I may abyde in thée and not passe away I will tell thée then I will tell thée my miserie I will not be ashamed to acknowledge my vylenesse before thée Helpe me my strength by whom I am vnderpropped succour me my power by whom I am vpheld come my light by whom I sée appeare my glorie through whom I reioyce shewe thy selfe O life wherein I may liue O my Lord God. ¶ Of Gods Wonderfull light O Light which Tobias saw when with his eyes shet he taught his sonne the way of life O light which Isaac saw inwardly when his outward eyes were dim yet he told his sonne what was to come O light inuisible which beholdest all the dūgeons of mans hart O light which Iob saw when he openly foreshewed his sonnes things to come accordyng as thou haddest taught him inwardly Behold how darknesse ouerwhelmeth the dungeon of my minde for thou art light Behold how mistie dimnesse lyeth vpō the waters of my hart for thou art truth O word by which all things were made without whiche nothing was made O word which art before all things before which was nothing O word which createst all thinges without which all thinges are nothyng O worde which rulest all thinges without which all things are nought worth O word which in the begynnyng didst say let light be made light was made say also vnto me let light be made that light may be in déede and I may sée the light know what soeuer is not light For without thée I take darknes for light light for darknesse so without thy light there is no truth Al is errour al is vanity there is no discretiō Al is cōfusiō all is ignoraūce there is no knowledge All is blindnesse and there is no sight all is straying there is no way All is death and there is no life ¶ Of the mortalitie of mans nature O Lord the
thou hast created me of nothing I besech thee O Lord to giue me the grace to be thankefull vnto thée ¶ Of Gods almightinesse THy almighty hand kéeping alwayes at one stay created the aungels in heauen the silie wormes vpon earth and yet was neither higher in the one nor lower in the other For like as none other hand could haue created an aungell so could none other hād haue created a worme Like as none other could haue created heauen so could none other haue created a leaf of a trée Like as none other could haue made a body so could none other make a heare white or blacke but onely thine almyghty hand whereunto all thinges are possible alike For it is not more possible with him to create a worme then an aungell nor more impossible to spread out the heauē than a leafe nor easier to fashion a heare then to fashion a body nor vneasier to stablish the earth vpon the water then the waters vppon the earth but all that he listed to do that hath he done According as he listed he hath made all thinges in heauen in earth and in the Sea and in all déepe places among all other things he hath also made me accordyng as hee listed could and knew how to do it Certesse Lord thy hand could haue made me some stone or some bird or some Serpent or some beast and it knew how to haue done it but it would not bycause of thy goodnes Why then am not I some stone some trée or some beast Bycause thy goodnesse hath so ordeined it and that thou shouldest so ordeine it there were no merites of myne goyng afore ¶ Of the incomprehensible prayse of God. HOw shall I doe Lorde whence shal I haue prayse to prayse thée withall for like as thou madest me without myne aduise as it liked thy selfe best so hast thou prayse without me as it liketh thée Thou thy selfe Lord art thine own prayse Thy workes prayse thée accordyng to thy manisolde greatnesse thy prayse O Lord is incomprehensible No hart can comprehend it no toung can measure it no eare can receiue it for these thinges passe awaye but thy prayse O Lord continueth for euer Thoughtes haue a begynning thoughtes haue an end voyces make a sound and forthwith passe away the eare heareth and the hearing ceaseth but thy prayse standeth fast for euer Who is he then that can prayse thée What man is able to vtter forth thy prayse Thy prayse is euerlasting and not transitorie That man prayseth thée whiche beleueth thée to be thyne owne prayse The man prayseth thée whiche acknowledgeth him selfe vnable to atteine to thy prayse O prayse perpetuall whiche neuer fadest in thée is our prayse in thée shall my soule be praysed It is not we that prayse thée but it is thou thy selfe that doest it both thy selfe and in thy selfe we also haue prayse in thée Thē haue we true prayse when we haue prayse of thée when light alloweth light for thou beyng the true prayse yeldest vs true prayse And looke how often we séeke for prayse at any other badies hand then thine so often do we forgo thy prayse bycause the other is shadowish but thine is euerlasting If we hunt after the transitorie prayse we lose the eternall prayse O prayse eternal O my Lord God of whom is all prayse without whō there is no prayse I am not able to prayse thée without thée Let me haue thée and I will prayse thee For what am I of my self Lord that I should prayse thée I am but dust and ashes I am but a dead and stinkyng dogge I am but wormes and rottēnesse I. What am I to praise thée O most mightie Lord God Howe can the breath of no better then fleshe prayse thee which dwellest in euerlastingnesse Can darknesse prayse light or death life Thou art light I darknesse thou life I death Can lying prayse truth Thou art truth and I am a mā no better thē vanitie it self How shall I then prayse thée O Lord Shall my wretchednesse prayse thée Shall stinch prayse swéete sentes Shall mans mortalitie which is here to day and gone to morow prayse thée Shall man whiche is but rottennesse or the sonne of man whiche is but wormes prayse thée O Lord Can hee prayse thée whiche is breed borne and brought vp in sinfulnesse Prayse is not séemely in the mouth of a sinner O Lord my God let thine own incomprehēsible power let thy vnbounded wisedome let thine vnspeakable goodnesse let thine ouer passing mercy let thy superabundant pitie and let thine euerlasting vertue and Godhead prayse thée Praysed be thou by thine owne almightie puissance and also by thy singular gracious goodnesse and louingnesse wherby thou hast created vs O Lord God the life of my soule ¶ Of liftyng a mās hope vp vnto God. ANd I thy creature wil put my trust vnder the shadow of thy winges and in thy goodnesse where thorough thou hast created me Helpe thy creature whō thy gracious goodnesse hath created Let not that perishe through my naughtinesse which thy goodnesse hath wrought Let not that perish through my wretchednesse whiche thy singular mercy hath made For what auayleth it me that thou hast created me if I shall sinke downe into myne owne corruption O God hast thou made all the sonnes of men in vayne Thou hast created me O Lorde rule thou the thing that thou hast created Despise not the worke of thine own handes O god Thou hast made me of nought O Lord if thou gouerne me not I shall returne to nought agayne For lyke as whē I was not thou madest me of nothing so if thou gouerne me not I shal yet againe be brought to nothing in my selfe Helpe me O Lord my life least I perish in mine owne naughtynesse Lord if thou haddest not created me ▪ I should not haue bene at all but bycause thou hast created me I am Now if thou gouerne me not I am vndone For it was not mine owne merites or mine owne deseruings that made thée to create me but thine own most gracious goodnesse and mercifulnesse That louingnesse of thine O Lord my God whiche made thée to create me I besech thée let the same make thée to gouerne me For what booteth it that thy louingnesse caused thée to create me if I must perish in mine own wretchednesse and that thy right hand gouerne me not O Lord my God let this mercyfulnesse whiche caused thée to create the thing that was not created cause thée also to saue that whiche is created Let the louingnesse which wonne thée to create winne thée also to saue sith it is no lesse now than it was then for thou art the very loue it selfe and thou continuest alwayes one Lorde thy hand is not shortened that it should not be able to saue nor thyne eare deafed that it should not be able to heare but my sinnes haue put a partition betwene me and thée betwene
thée to dye and ouercamest death Thou diddest set me vp agayne by abasing thy selfe low I was vndone I was gone away in my sinnes I was sold to sinne theÌ„ camest thou for me to buy me out agayne and thou didst loue me so well that thou gauest thine own bloud for my raunsome Lord thou hast loued me more then thy selfe for thou didst finde in thy hart to dye for me Vpon this condition hast thou with so deare a price brought me backe from banishment rauÌ„somed me out of boÌ„dage rescued me from punishment called me by thyne owne name and sealed me with thy bloud that the remembraunce of thée should be euermore with me and that he should neuer departe from my hart who for my sake shunned not the crosse Thou hast anoynted me with the oyle wherewith thou thy selfe wart annoynted that I might be called a ChristiaÌ„ after thy name Christ Behold thou hast registred me vpoÌ„ thine handes to the end that the remeÌ„braunce of me might be alwayes present with thée yet notwithstandyng so as if the remembraunce of thée be alwayes preseÌ„t with me Thus theÌ„ haue thy grace mercy alwayes preuented me For thou hast ofteÌ„tymes deliuered me from many great perils O my deliuerer When I went astray thou broughtest me backe agayne wheÌ„ I was ignoraunt thou taughtest me wheÌ„ I sinned thou didst chastise me when I haue bene in heauinesse thou hast cheared me when I haue bene in dispayre thou hast recoÌ„forted me wheÌ„ I haue â—ene falne thou hast lifted me vp when I haue stode thou hast vphild me wheÌ„ I haue gone thou hast guided me when I haue come thou hast receiued me wheÌ„ I haue slept thou hast watched me and when I haue cryed vnto thée thou hast heard me ¶ That God doth continually behold and marke mens doynges intentes THese and many other good turnes hast thou done vnto me O Lord my God the lyfe of my soule and it were a pleasure to me to be alwayes talkyng of them alwayes thinkyng vppon them and alwayes giuyng thée thankes for them so as I might euer prayse thée for all thy good giftes and loue thée with all my hart and with all my soule and with all my minde and with all my streÌ„gth yea and with the very bowelles and intrayles of my hart and of all my sinewes O Lord my God the blessed swéetenesse of all that delight in thée But thine eyes haue sene myne imperfection Thine eyes I say are much clearer then the sunne vewyng throughly all the wayes of men and the bottome of the déepe and in all places alwayes beholdyng both the good and bad For in asmuch as thou ouerrulest all thynges fillyng euery thing and art wholly present at all times in all places hauyng regard of all thinges which thou hast created for thou hatest not any of the thinges that thou hast made thou takest such heede to my steppes and my pathes and kéepest such watch and ward ouer me day and night diligently markyng all my walkes lyke a continuall ouerséer as though thou hadst forgotten heauen and earth all the creatures in them and haddest regard of me alone without caryng for any of the rest For the vnchauÌ„geable light of thine eye sight increaseth not to thy selfe ward though thou looke but vpon one thing neither is it diminished though thou looke vppon sundry and innumerable thinges For like as thou coÌ„siderest the whole perfectly at once so thy whole sight beholdeth euery seuerall thynge perfectly at once and whole together be they neuer so diuers Neuerthelesse thou viewest all thinges as one and ech one thing as all thy selfe beyng whole together without diuision or chaunge or abatemeÌ„t Thou therfore being whole at all times beholdest me whole at once and alwayes without tyme as if thou haddest nothyng els to thinke vppon Yea and thou standest in such wyse my gard as if thou haddest forgotten all other thynges and wouldest taske thy selfe to me alone For thou euer shewest thy selfe present thou euer offerest thy selfe ready if thou finde me ready Whether soeuer I go thou forsakest me not except I forsake thée first Where soeuer I be thou departest not from me For thou art euery where so as whiche way soeuer I go I may finde thée by whom I may be that I perish not without thee sith I cannot be without thée I coÌ„fesse in déede that what soeuer I do and where soeuer I do it I do it before thée what soeuer I do thou séest it better then I that do it For what soeuer I am workyng thou art euer standyng at myne elbow a continuall beholder of all my thoughtes intentes delightes doinges Lord all my desire is euer before thée al my thoughts are before thée Lord thou knowest froÌ„ whence my spirite commeth where it resteth and whether it departeth for thou art the weyer of all spirites Thou knowest right well whether the roote that seÌ„deth forth faire leaues abroad be swéete or bitter yea thou searchest narrowly eueÌ„ the very pith of the rootes within as a iudge and by the discussing light of thy truth thou considerest numbrest vewest and perusest not onely the intent but also the very innermost pith of the roote of it that thou mayst render vnto euery man not onely accordyng to hys worke or intent but also euen accordyng to the very inward hidden pith of the roote of them out of which the intent of the worker procéedeth What soeuer I purpose when I worke what soeuer I thinke and wherein soeuer I delight thou séest it thyne eares heare it thyne eyes behold it and coÌ„sider it thou markest it thou takest heede of it thou notest it and thou writest it in thy booke be it good or euill that afterward thou mayst render for the good reward for the euill punishment at such tyme as thy bookes shal be opened and men shal be iudged accordyng to the thinges that be written in thy bookes And peraduenture this is it that thou mentest when thou saydest vnto vs I will consider the last of them which is ment when it is sayd of thée O Lord hee considereth the ende of all thinges For in all thinges that we do thou vndoutedly regardest more the end of the intent then the act of the deede Now when I consider this O Lord my God which art terrible and mightie I am abashed with feare of thine excéeding strength bycause it staÌ„deth vs greatly on hand to lyue iustly and vprightly for asmuch as we do all thinges in the presence of the iudge that séeth all thynges ¶ That man can do nothing of him selfe without Gods grace MOst puissant and mighty-workyng God the creator of the spirites of all flesh whose eyes are vppon all the wayes of Adams children from the day of their birth to the day of their departure to giue vnto euery of theÌ„ accordyng to his workes either good or euil shew me how I may confesse myne owne pouertie For I sayd I
into to his mouth and which is made of such a moold as he feareth no man And who shal saue vs from his chappes Who shall plucke vs out of his mouth sauing thou O Lorde who hast broken the heades of the great dragō Helpe vs lord Spread out thy winges ouer vs O Lord that we may flée vnder them from the face of this dragon that pursueth vs fence thou vs from his hornes with thy shield For his continuall indeuour and onely desire is to deuour the soules which thou hast created And therfore we cry vnto thée my God deliuer vs frō our dayly aduersarie who whether we sléepe or wake whether we eate or drinke or whether we be doyng of any thyng els preaseth vpon vs by all kynde of meanes assaulting vs day and night with traynes and policies and shootyng hys venemous arrowes at vs sometyme openly and sometime priuily to flea our soules And yet are we most lewdly ouerséene O Lord in that whereas we sée the dragon continually in a readynes to deuour vs with open mouth we neuerthelesse do sléepe and ryot in our own slothfulnesse as though we were out of his daunger who desireth nothyng els but to destroy vs Our enemy to the intent to kill vs watcheth continually neuer sléepeth and yet will not we wake from sléepe to saue our selues Behold he hath pitched infinite snares before our féete and filled all our wayes with sūdry trappes to catch our soules And who can escape them He hath layd snares for vs in our riches he hath layd snares in our pouertie he hath layd snares in our meate in our drinke in our pleasures in our sléepe and in our wakyng he hath set snares for vs in our wordes and in our workes and in all our lyfe But Lord deliuer vs thou from the net of the foulers and from hard wordes that we may giue prayse to thée saying Blessed bee the Lord who hath not giuen vs vp to be torne with their téeth our soule is deliuered as a sparow out of the net of a fouler the net is broken and we be escaped ¶ That God is the light of the righteous ANd thou O Lord my light inlighten mine eyes that I may sée the light walke in thy light and not stumble into hys snares For who can escape these so many snares except he may sée them And who can sée them except he be inlightened with thy light For the father of darknesse hath hidden hys snares in hys owne darknesse to catch all such in them as be in his darknesse whiche are the children of this darknesse and sée not thy light wherin who so walketh shal not be afrayd For he that walketh in the day stumbleth not but he that walketh in the night stumbleth bycause there is no light in him Thou art light O Lorde thou art the light of the children of light thou art the day whiche hath none euentyde wherin thy children walke without stumblyng and where out of who so walketh is in darknesse bycause he hath not thée the light of the world Lo we sée dayly that the further of that any man wandreth frō thée so much the more is he wrapped in the darknesse of sinne and the more he is in darknesse so much the lesse doth he sée the snares in his way and therfore so much the lesse knoweth them by reason wherof he is oftentymes caught and falleth into them and which more horrible is hee knoweth not that he is falne into them Now he that knoweth not his owne fall careth so much the lesse to ryse agayne in as much as he wéeneth that he is stil vpon his féete But thou O Lord my God the light of the mynde inlighten nowe myne eyes that I may both sée and know so as I fall not in the sight of myne aduersaries For our enemy laboreth to roote vs vp but we besech thée make him to be melted before our face as waxe melteth agaynst the fire For truly Lorde he is the first théefe and the last and he tooke counsell to robbe thée of thy glorie But when he was puft vp aduaunced he did burst a sunder and fell vppon his face and thou threwest him down from thy holy hill and frō the middest of the firie stones in the middest wherof he walked And now O Lord God my lyfe he ceaseth not to pursue thy children and for hate of thée O mighty king he couets to destroye this thy creature which thyne almightie goodnesse hath created after thyne owne image to inherite thy glory which hee hath lost through his owne pride But beate thou him down O our strength before he deuour vs thy lambes and inlightē thou vs that we may espye the snares which he hath layd for vs and escape vnto thée O ioy of Israell All these things doest thou right well know O Lord who art acquainted with his stubburnnesse and exceding stiffe necke neither say I this to informe thée of it for thou séest all thinges there is not a thought hid frō thée But I make complaint of myne enemy at the feete of thy maiestie O eternall kyng to the end that thou shouldest both damne hym and also saue vs thy children whose strēgth thou art For why Lord this is a turnecoate and a writhyng enemy and hardly shall a man finde out the crinkes of hys wayes or discerne the lookes of his countenaunce except thou inlighten hym For he is now here now there now a lambe now a Wolfe and séemes sometyme darknes sometyme light offeryng sundry tēptations vpon euery maner of qualitie place tyme accordyng to the sundry chaunges of thynges for to deceiue the sad he makes him selfe sad and to beguile them that be merie he him selfe also pretēdeth mirth to disappoint the spiritual sort he turneth himselfe into an angell of light to pull down the strong he appeareth as a lambe and to deuour the méeke ones he sheweth him selfe a Wolfe And accordyng to the likenesse of hys sundry temptations he hath all these thinges to worke with all that is to wit to scare some with feare of the night some with the arrow that flyeth by day some with the pestilence that walketh in the darke some with breaking in and other some with the noone spright And who is of abilitie to know all these thinges or who hath discerned his wyles who shall discouer the shape of hys rayment or who will take accoūt of the téeth in his head Behold hee hideth his arrowes in his quiuer and shrowdeth hys snares vnder the couert of lyght And this is the harder to espye if we get not light at thée O Lord our hope that we may sée all thinges For he hideth daungerous snares not onely in the workes of the flesh whiche are easly knowen nor onely in vices but also euen in the spirituall exercises eggyng men to vyce vnder the colour of vertue and transformyng hym selfe into an aungell of light These and many
other thynges doth the sonne of Beliall euen Sathā him selfe practise agaynst vs O Lord our god He lyeth in wayt to ketch our soules one while as a Lyon and an other while as a draggō openly and priuely within and without day and night But deliuer vs thou O Lord which sauest them that trust in thée that he may be gréeued at vs thou mayst be praysed in vs O Lord our God. Of Gods benefites I The sonne of thy handmayd who haue cōmended my selfe into thy hand by these my poore complaintes will prayse thée my deliuerer with all my hart and cal to my minde all the good that thou hast done me frō my youth vp For I know that vnthankfulnesse doth greatly displease thée which is the roote of all spirituall euill and a wynde that blasteth and burneth vp all good damming vp the foūtaine of thy godly mercy for euer Through it the workes that be dead already reuiue not and the workes that be alyue do dye out of hand and recouer not agayne But I will giue thākes to thée O Lord least I be vnthankfull to thée my deliuerer for thy deliueryng of me How often had that dragon swalowed me vp long ago but that thou O Lord hast plucked me out of his mouth How often haue I sinned and he stode ready to snatch me vp but that thou didst defēd me O Lord my God When I delt wickedly when I brake thy commaundements he stode wayting to cary me away to hell but thou withstodest him I offended thée and thou didst defēd me I feared thée not yet thou didst kéepe me I started away frō thée and yelded my selfe to myne enemy and yet thou didst fray him away that he should not take me These good turnes hast thou done for me O Lord my God I wretch wist it not For so hast thou oftentymes deliuered me out of the deuils chappes plucked me out of the Lyons mouth and many and sundry wayes brought me backe agayne from hell though I wist it not For I haue gone downe to the very gates of hell but thou hast held me frō goyng in I drew neare to deathes doore but thou hast not suffered it to take me in Also thou hast oftentymes preserued me from bodily death O my Sauiour when I haue bene attached with sore sicknesses And when I haue bene in many daungers by Sea and by land thou hast alwayes stode by me deliueryng me from fire and from sword and from all perill and mercyfully preseruyng me Truly Lord thou knowest that if death had dispatched me at that time hell had receiued my soule and I had bene dāned for euer But thy mercy thy grace preuented me rescuyng me from bodily death and also from the death of my soule O my Lord god These and many other good turnes hast thou done for me I was blind and wist it not vntill thou inlightenedst me Now therfore O light of my soule my Lord God my life whereby I liue the sight of mine eyes wherby I sée behold thou hast inlightned me and I perceiue how I liue through thée And I yeld thée thankes though litle worth and slender and farre vnder thy benefites howbeit yet such as my frayltie hath to giue For thou onely art my God and my gracious maker whiche louest our soules and hatest none of the thyngs that thou hast made Behold I am the chief among the sinners whom thou hast saued that I may be an example vnto others of thy most mercyfull louyng kyndnesse I will acknowledge thy great benefites vnto thée for thou hast plucked me out of the bottom of hell once twyse and thrice and a hundred tymes a thousand tymes Yea I alwayes made towardes hell and thou didst alwayes bring me backe againe whē thou mightest iustly haue damned me if thou hadst would But thou wouldest not O Lord my God bycause thou louest mens soules and bearest with mens sinnes that they might repent all thy wayes be full of mercy Now therfore O Lord my God I sée these thynges and discerne them by thy light my hart is astonished at thy great mercy towardes me in that thou hast deliuered my soule from the bottome of hell and brought me backe agayne to lyfe For I was starke dead and thou hast made me throughly aliue again Therfore am I altogether beholden to thee for my life and whole as I am I yeld my selfe wholly vnto thée Let my whole spirite my whole hart my whole body and my whole life liue vnto thée my swéete lyfe for thou hast deliuered me whole that thou mightest possesse me whole thou hast made me whole new agayne that thou mightest haue me whole againe And therfore let me loue thee O Lord my strength let me loue thée O my vnspeakable ioy and let me liue hence forth not to my selfe but vnto thée All my whole life which was perished in myne owne wretchednesse is reuiued agayne in thy mercy for thou art a pitifull and mercyfull God ▪ and many are thy compassions toward thousandes in them that loue thy name And therfore O Lord my God thou my sanctifier hast commaūded me in thy law that I should loue thée with all my hart with all my might yea euē frō the bottom of my hart at all houres tymes wherin I inioy the benefites of thy mercy For I should perish for euer but that thou rulest me euer I should euer dye but that thou euer quickenest me yea euery moment thou byndest me vnto thée in as much as euery momēt thou bestowest thy great benefites vppon me Therefore lyke as there is no houre or instāt of time in all my life that I haue not the vse of thy benefites so ought there to be no moment wherin I should not haue thée in remembraunce before myne eyes and loue thée to thée vttermost of my power But this am I not able to do except thou make me able of whō cōmeth euery good gift euery excellent gift for thou art the father of light in whō there is no chaūge nor intercourse of darknes for to loue thée cōmeth not of our own will or of our own running but of thy mercy Lord it is thy gift whose all good things are Thou commaūdest vs to loue thée giue vs that which thou cōmaundest commaunde what thou wilt Of the feruentnesse of loue or Charitie I Am in loue with thée my God I couet to be alwayes in loue with thée more more For in déede thou art swéeter thē all honye more nourishyng then all milke and brighter then all light And therfore I set more by thée then by all the gold siluer and precious stones in the world For I mislyke all that euer I haue to do within this world in respect of thy swéetnesse and in respect of the beawtie of thy house which I haue loued O fire which euer burnest neuer goest out O loue which euer glowest neuer coolest inflame me I
say inflame me wholly that I may be wholly in loue with thée For he loueth thee the lesse which loueth any thyng besides thée except he loue it for thy sake Let me loue thée O Lord bycause thou hast first loued me Where shall I haue wordes to vtter the signes of thy singular great loue towardes me considering thine innumerable benefites wherein thou hast brought me vp from the begynning namely euē from the benefite of the creation when at the first beginnyng thou madest me of nothyng after thine owne Image in honoring and aduauncing me among the creatures whiche thou madest and innoblyng me with the light of thy countenaunce whiche thou imprintedst vpon the lampe of my hart thereby disseueryng me as well from sensible as from senselesse creatures and abasing me but litle beneath the aungelles And yet was all this but a small matter in the sight of thy Godhead For without ceassing thou hast dayly nourished me with the singular and excéeding great store of thy benefites and thou hast as it were suckled strēgthned me thy litle tēder babe with the teates of thy comfort For to the intent that I should wholly serue thée thou hast appointed all thy creatures to serue me That God hath put all thinges vnder the seruice of man. THou hast put all thynges vnder mās féete to the end that man alone should wholly be subiect vnto thée And to the end that mā should be wholly thine thou hast made man Lord of all thy workes For thou hast created all outward thynges for his body his body for his soule and his soule for thée that he might serue thée onely loue thée onely possessing thee to his comfort and all inferiour thynges for his seruauntes For what soeuer is conteined vnder the cope of heauen is inferiour vnto mās soule which was made to inherite the souerein goodnesse aboue and to become happy by possessyng it Whereunto if he sticke fast he shall surmount the néede of all the inferiour thynges which are chaungeable and in euerlastyng immortalitie quietly behold the souerein maiestie wherof he representeth the image Thē shall he enioy those excellent good thinges in the Lordes house in comparison wherof all the thynges that we sée are accounted as nothing Those be the thinges whiche no eye hath sene nor eare heard nor hart of man conceiued whiche God hath prepared for them that loue him And truly Lord these thinges wilt thou giue vnto my soule With these doost thou which louest mens soules dayly glad the harts of thy seruants But why wonder I at these things my Lord God Thou inhonorest thine owne image and thyne owne likenesse wherunto they were created For to the end our body though it be yet corruptible bace might sée thou hast giuē vs the light of the skye by the hand of thine vnwéeriable seruauntes the noone who accordyng to thy commaundement do continuall seruice day and night to thy children To the intent it might breath thou hast graunted vs the pure ayre To the intent it might heare thou hast giuen vs the diuersitie of soundes To the end it might smell thou hast giuen vs the swéetnesse of sentes To the end it might tast thou hast giuen vs the qualities of sauours To the end it might féele thou hast giuen vs the substaunces of all bodily things To helpe him in his necessities thou hast giuen him bearyng beastes To refresh him with all thou hast bestowed vpon him the foules of the ayre and the fishes of the sea the frutes of the earth For euery sore or disease of hys thou hast created medicine and salue out of the earth And for euery seuerall euill thou hast prepared a seuerall remedy to incounter it bycause thou art mercyfull and full of compassion and thou our potter knowest of what metal we be made and how that all of vs are as clay in thy hand That the greatnesse of the heauenly wisedome is coniectured by the consideration of the temporall benefites O Let thy great mercy be opened vnto me shine vpon me yet more with thy light I beseech thée that it may be the more opened vnto me For by these least thyngs we comprehend thy great thynges and by these visible thynges we cōprehend thyne inuisible thynges O holy Lord God our good maker For if thou send so great and so innumerable benefites vnto me for this base corruptible body of myne from the skye and the ayre from the land and the Sea from light and darknesse from heate and shadow from dew and rayne from winde and showres from foules and fishes frō beastes and trées by diuersitie of herbes thinges that grow vpon the earth and by the seruice of all thy creatures seruyng our turnes by course in their seasons to ease vs of our weerinesse Howe excellent I pray thée and how great and innumerable shal these good things be which thou hast prepared for them that loue thée in that heauenly realme where we shall sée thée face to face If thou do so much for vs in prison what wilt thou do in thy palace Great and innumerable are thy workes O Lord thou kyng of heauen For sith that all these thynges be excéedyng good and pleasant which thou hast deliuered to good men and bad men together in cōmon what maner of things shal those be which thou hast layd vp in store for good men onely If the giftes be so sundry and so innumerable which thou dealest now as well to thy foes as thy frendes How great and innumerable how swéete and delightfull shall those be which thou wilt deale onely to thy frendes If thou giue so great solace in this time of mournyng how great ioyes wilt thou giue in the day of weddyng If our prison conteyne so many delectable thinges how much more delectable thyngs conteineth our fathers house O God no eye without thée hath séene the thinges that thou hast prepared for them that loue thée For accordyng to the manifoldnesse of thy mighty workes so also is the great aboūdaunce of thy swéetnesse whiche thou kéepest in store for thē that loue thée For great art thou O Lord my God yea vnmeasurable art thou and there is no end of thy greatnesse nor number of thy wisedome nor measure of thy mercy neither is there end number or measure of thy bounteousnesse But lyke as thou thy selfe art greate so are thy rewardes great For thou thy selfe art both the price and the reward of all thy lawfull combaters That the sweetnesse of God taketh away all the present bitternesse of the world LOrd God which art the sanctifier of thy Saintes these are thy great benefites wherewith thou wilt reléeue the want of thy hungry children For thou art the hope of the hopelesse the comfort of the comfortlesse and the crown of hope bedecked with glory whiche is prepared for thē that get the vpper hand Thou art the euerlastyng suffisance whiche shal be giuen to the hungry Thou art the endlesse
my selfe would I neuer so fayne Great is the multitude of my miseries within me For why to will is present with me but I finde not how to bring to passe To will the thyng that is good I am not able except thou will it neither cā I do that I would do except thy power do strengthen me Agayne that which I cā do of tymes I haue no will to do vnlesse thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen And though I both wil and can yet wote I not how to do vnlesse thy wisedome inlighten me Yea and although sometymes I haue knowledge ioyned both with will and with abilitie yet doth my wisedome passe away imperfect emptie vnlesse I be helped by thy true wisedome All thinges are in thy will and there is none that can resiste thy will O Lorde of all thinges which hast the souereintie ouer all flesh and doost what thou listest in heauen in earth in the Sea and in all déepe places Therfore let thy wil be done in vs vpon whē thy name is called so as this noble handiworke of thine perish not whiche thou hast created to shine own honor And what man is he if he were borne of a womā that liueth and shall not sée death or can deliuer his owne soule from the hand of hell except thou onely which art the liuely way of all life wherby all things liue do rescue him ¶ That mās will is vnable to doe good workes without the grace of God. I Haue euen now confessed vnto thée that thou art the stay of my lyfe O Lord my God the strēgth of my welfare The time hath bene that I haue trusted in myne owne strength which notwithstandyng was no strength And so whē I wold haue runne where I thought my selfe to stād fastest there did I most fall and was rather cast behynde then set foreward and the thyng that I thought to catch was further and further of frō me So tryest thou my strēgth by many like things Now know I that thou hast inlightened me For looke what I thought my selfe best able to do that was I euer least able to do of my selfe For I sayd I will do this and I will go through with that but whē it came to the point I could doe none of them both When I had a will to doe it I wanted ablenesse and when I was able I wanted will bycause I trusted to myne own strength But now I acknowledge vnto thee O Lord my God the father of heauen and earth that it is not in mans power to strengthē him selfe least the foolish presumptuousnesse of any flesh should boast it selfe before thée For man is not able to be willing to do that he can nor to can the thyng that he is willing to do or to know the thing that he both would and could do but rather thou art he that guidest mens steppes I say the steppes of them whiche acknowledge thē selues to be guided not by them selues but by thée We beséech thée therfore O Lord by the bowels of thy mercy that thou wilt saue that which thou hast created for if thou wilt thou cāst saue vs and in thy will resteth the power of our saluation ¶ Of Gods olde benefites LOrd remember thyne olde mercyfulnesse wherby thou hast preuented vs with thy swéet blessinges euen from the begynning For before that I the sonne of thy hādmayd was borne thou O Lord my hope while I hāged yet vppon my mothers brestes didst preuent me making my way for me wherein to walke that I might come to the glory of thy house Before thou didst shape me in my mothers wōbe thou knewest me and before I was borne thou didst foreordeine of me what soeuer pleased thée How and what things are written of me in the secret booke of thy Consistorie truly I know not and therefore I am sore afrayde But thou knowest it for what soeuer I looke for by succession of dayes and tymes a thousand yeare hence in this mortall world that is already done in the sight of thy euerlastingnesse and the thing that is to come is already in doyng Now then for asmuch as I stand in this night of darknesse and know not these thinges feare and trembling are come vpon me bycause I sée that many daungers preace vpon me on all sides and many enemyes hunt after me and I am beset round about with an innumerable multitude of miseries in this life And if thy helpe were not presēt with me in these so great miseries I should despaire But I haue a great hope of thée O most méeke prince my God and the considering of the multitude of thy compassions chéereth my hart The former signes of thy mercy whiche preuented me before I was borne and haue now specially shyned out vpon me do assure my hope of the better and perfecter rewardes of thy goodnesse whiche thou reseruest for thy frendes that I may reioyse in thée O Lorde my God with the holy and liuely ioye wherewith thou alwayes chéerest vp my youth Of Gods predestination and foreknowledge TEache me O bottomlesse déepe O wisedome the creator whiche hast counterpeysed the moūtaines hils by weight and hāged the masse of the earth by thrée fingers in the balance hale vp the lumpe of this grossenesse whiche I beare about me vnto thée by thy thrée vnsene fingers that I may sée and know how wonderful thou art ouer all the earth O most auncient light which shonest before all light in the hill of thy tymelesse eternitie vnto whom all thinges lay bare and open before they were made O light whiche hatest all spottinesse in asmuch as thou art most cleane and spottelesse what delight canst thou haue in man What agréemēt is there betwen light and darknesse For what is there in man that may delight thée Where canst thou make thée a méete sanctuarie for thy maiestie that thou mayst enter into it and take thy delight and pleasure in the same A cleane parlour becommeth thée O clensing vertue whiche canst not be sene and much lesse possessed but of cleane hartes But where is there in man so cleane a temple as may receiue thée the ruler of the world Who can make that cleane which is conceiued of vncleane séede Truly none but thou who onely art cleane For who cā be made cleane by that which is vncleane For accordyng to the law which thou gauest to our fathers vpō the mountaine burning with fire and in the cloud that couered the darksome water what soeuer an vncleane persō toucheth becōmeth vncleane But all of vs are as a defileth cloth comming of a corrupt and vncleane masse and we beare in our foreheades the spottes of our vncleannesse which we be not able to hide specially from thée who séest all thinges Wherfore we cannot be cleane except thou make vs cleane who onely art cleane And of vs sonnes of men thou makest those cleane whom it pleaseth thée to dwell in whō by the
and I foūd thée not bycause I sought thee amisse For I sée O my light my God which hast inlightened me I sée I did amisse to séeke thee by thē for thou art within me yet they wist not where thou camest in For myne eyes say if he haue not some colour he came not in by vs Mine eares say if he made no noyse he came not in by vs My nose sayth if he had no sent he came not in by me My tast sayth if he had no sauour he came not in by me And my feelyng sayth if he be not bodily aske not me of any such matter But none of these thinges are in thée my god For it is neither shape of body nor tēporall beawtie nor shéernesse of light nor colour nor the melodie of sweete songes and pleasaunt soundyng tunes nor the sentes of floures perfumes oyntmētes or spyces nor honny or manna delightfull to the tast nor any of the thinges that men loue to touch and imbrace nor any maner of thyng subiect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 senses whiche I séeke when I séeke my god Fye of it that I should take for my God any of these thynges whiche are comprehended euen of the senses of brute beastes Truly when I séeke my God I séeke a certeine light aboue all lightes whiche no eye can comprehend a certeine voyce aboue all voyces which no eare cā conceiue a certeine sent aboue all sentes which no nose can atteine to a certeine swéetnesse aboue all swéetnesse whiche no mouth can tast of and a certein imbracing aboue all imbracing which no bodily féelyng cā take hold of This lyght shyneth where no place is to hold it this voyce soūdeth where no ayre is to carie it this sent yeldeth 〈◊〉 where no blast is to shed it this sauour yeldeth sauourines where as is no féedyng this imbracing is felt where no armes are pluckt a sūder It is euē my God and there shall none other be made account of in comparison of him This is it that I séeke when I séeke my god This is it that I loue whē I loue my god To late haue I loued thée O beawtie so old and so fresh to late haue I loued thée Thou wart within and I without and there I sought thée I ilfauoredly rushed agaynst these goodly thinges whiche thou hast made Thou wart with me and yet I was not with thee These thynges held me farre from thée which could not be without thee For I went all aboutes séekyng thee and forsakyng my selfe for all thinges I asked the earth if it were my God and it told me no and all thinges in it did verifie the same I asked the Sea and the great deepes and all the créepyng thinges in them and they aunswered we be not thy God séeke him aboue vs I asked the wyndie aire and the whole ayre with all the dwellers therin sayd vnto me Anaximenes is deceiued for I am not thy god I asked the skye the Sunne the Moone and the Starres neither are we thy God sayd they Then sayd I to all the thinges that stād about me at the doores of my flesh Tell me what you knowe of my God tell me somewhat of him and they cryed all with a loude voyce it is he that hath made vs Agayne I spake to the masse of the whole world saying Tell me if thou bee my God or no And it aunswered with a mightie voyce I am not he but I am by him he whom thou séekest in me euen he made me aboue me must thou séeke for him that made me and ruleth me The askyng of the creatures is the déepe consideryng of them and their aunsweryng is theyr auouchement concerning God for all thynges cry out it is God that hath made vs And as the Apostle sayd Gods inuisible things are vnderstode by his visible thinges which are beheld from the creatiō of the world Then came I agayne to my selfe entered into my selfe and sayd to my selfe What art thou and I aunswered a man reasonable mortall And I begā to boult out what that should be and I sayd from whence is this maner of wight O Lord my God from whence is it but of thée Thou madest me and not I my selfe Who art thou Thou art he by whom I liue thou art he by whō all thinges liue Who art thou Thou art the Lord my true and onely God almightie euerlasting incomprehensible infinite who liuest euermore nothyng dyeth in thée For thou art immortall dwelling in euer lastingnesse wonderfull to the eyes of the aungels vnutterable vnsearchable and vnable to be named The liuyng true God terrible strong beginnynglesse and endlesse the beginnyng and end of all thinges which art before the foūdations of the world and before the originals of all ages Thou art my God and the Lord of all thy creatures with thée stand the causes of all stable thinges with thée do the originals of all chaungeable thynges abyde vnchaungeable and with thée do the groundes of all reasonable vnreasonable and temporall things continue euerlastingly My God tell me thy humble seruaunt mercifull Lord tell me wretch tell me for thy mercyes sake I beseech thée from whence is this maner of wight but from thée Is any man such a workemaister as to make him selfe Is beyng and life fetched from any where els then from thée Art not thou the souerein beyng from whence commeth all being for what soeuer is it is of thee and without thée is nothyng Art not thou the fountaine of lyfe from whence all life floweth for what soeuer liueth it liueth by thee without thée doth nothyng lyue Then is it thou O Lord whiche hast made all thinges Shall I demaunde who hath made me Thou Lorde hast made me for without thee is nothyng made Thou art my maker and I thy worke I thanke thee my Lord God by whom I liue by whom all thynges lyue for thou hast made me I thanke thée my creator for thy hādes haue made me and fashioned me I thanke thée my light bycause thou hast inlightened me and I haue found both thée and my selfe Assoone as I found my selfe straightwayes I knewe my selfe Assoone as I foūd thée straightwayes I knew thée and assoone as I knew thée forthwith thou didst inlightē me I thanke thée my light for that thou hast inlightened me What sayd I that I knewe thée Art not thou God incomprehensible and infinite the kyng of kynges and Lord of Lordes who onely hast immortalitie and dwellest in vnapprochable light whiche neuer man saw no nor can sée Art not thou the hidden God of vnsearchable maiestie the alonly peruser and wonderful vewer of thy selfe Who then can know that whiche he neuer saw For thou hast sayd in thy truth man shall not sée me liue Thy prophet also hath sayd by thy truth neuer any man saw god Who then hath knowen that which he neuer saw Also thy truth hath sayd no mā knoweth the
without losse health fulnesse without impayring aboundance without want lyfe without death continuance with out corruption blessednesse with out abatement all good things in perfect loue beawtie and beholding face to face full knowledge of all thinges and in all thinges where Gods souereine goodnesse is séene his inlightening light is glorified of the Saints where the present maiesty of God is beheld and the mindes of the beholders satisfied therewithall as with the foode of life The more they sée it the more they desire to sée it yet desire they it without disquietnesse and haue their fill of it without wéerinesse There the daysunne of righteousnesse cheareth all meÌ„ with the wonderous sight of his beawtie and so in lighteneth all the Citizens of the heauenly soyle that they them selues yeld light euen the light that God hath behighted them light more lightsome then all the brightnes of our daysunne theÌ„ the clearenesse of all the starres For they cleaue to the immortal Godhead and thereby are made immortall and incorruptible theÌ„ selues according to this promise of our Lord and Sauiour Father as for those whoÌ„ thou hast giuen me I wil haue them to be where I am that they may sée my glory and that they may be all one as thou father art in me and I in thée and that they also may be one in vs. ¶ Of the kingdome of heauen O Realme of heaueÌ„ O most happy Realme O Realme without death O kingdome without end where is no succession of time by ages where the day lasting continually without night woteth not what time meaneth where the souldier that getteth the vpper haÌ„d is rewarded with vnspeakable gifts for his labour and hath an euerlasting garland set vpon his noble head Would God that Christ of his heauenly pitie hauing released the burthen of my sinnes would commaunde me the basest of his seruaunts to lay aside the fardell of this flesh that I might passe into the endlesse ioyes of his Citie to repose my selfe so as I might keepe coÌ„panie with the holy sort aboue stand before the glorious maiestie of my creator with the blessed spirites behold the present countenaunce of God be touched with no feare of death reioyse in suretie of the incorruptiblenesse of the euerlastyng immortalitie and being linked to him that knoweth all thinges forgoe all blindnes of ignoraunce nothing esteeming all earthly things and not vouchsauyng to looke vppon this vale of teares or to remeÌ„ber it any more whereas our lyfe is a painfull life a corruptible life a lyfe full of all bitternesse a lyfe that is mistresse of mischief and haÌ„dmayd of hell whom humors make to swell whom paynes abate whom heate parcheth whoÌ„ ayres make diseased whom meates puffe vp whom fastings forepyne whom mirth maketh nyce whoÌ„ heauines consumeth whom thought pincheth whom ease dwelleth whoÌ„ riches pranke vp whoÌ„ pouertie pulleth down whoÌ„ youth setteth aloft whoÌ„ age makes to stoope whom sicknesse defaceth whom sorow thrusteth downe whom the deuill layeth wayt for whom the world flattereth whom the flesh delighteth where the soule is blinded where the whole man is put out of order After all which so many and so great mischieues succeedeth cruel death and in such wise maketh an end of all vayne ioyes that wheÌ„ they be once past they may be thought to haue neuer bene In what wise God coÌ„forteth the sorrowfull soule after the loÌ„g mornyng therof BVt what prayses or what thankesgiuinges are we able to render vnto thée O Lorde our God who ceassest not to coÌ„fort vs with the wonderfull visitation of thy grace among the great miseries of our mortalitie Behold while I feare the end of my lyfe whyle I consider my sinnes while I stand in feare of thy Iustice while I thinke vpon the horror of death while I shudder at the punishement of hell whyle I knowe not with what straitnes thou doost boult out and wey my workes while I am vtterly ignoraunt with what end I shall close them vp and while I bethinke me of these and many other thynges to my selfe in my hart thou O Lord God of thine accustomed pitie art ready at haÌ„d to comfort me wretch replenished with many griefes and in the middes of these monynges sore complaints and déepe sighes of my hart thou takest vp my sad and sorrowfull minde to the toppes of the high mountaines eueÌ„ to the beddes of sweete spyces putting me in a place of pasture by the riuers of swéete waters where thou preparest a table diuersly furnished against I come to refresh my appalled sprights and to cheare vp my heauy hart through which deinties I beyng at length refreshed do forget my manifold miseries beyng lifted vp aboue the heigth of the earth do take my rest in thée which art the true peace ¶ Of the sweetnesse of the loue of God. I Loue thee my God I loue thee and more more would I fayne loue thée My Lord God thou rest of all the childreÌ„ of meÌ„ graunt me to long for thee to loue thée as much as I would and as much as I should Thou art vnmeasurable and must be loued without measure specially of vs whom thou hast so loued whom thou hast so saued and for whom thou hast made so great so goodly thinges O loue whiche burnest euer and art neuer quenched O swéete Christ O gracious Iesu O my God which art loue it selfe set me wholly on fire with thy fire with the loue of thée with thy swéetnesse with desirousnesse of thée with likyng of thée with ioying and reioysing in thée with thy pitifulnesse pleasantnesse and with the pleasure and delight of thée which is holy and good chaste and cleane that being throughly full of the swéetnesse of thy loue wholly besmoked with the flame of affection towardes thée I may loue thée my Lord God most swéete and most beawtifull with all my hart with all my soule with all my streÌ„gth with all my power with much sorrow of hart sheading of teares with much reuerence and trembling hauing thée in my hart in my mouth before mine eyes alwayes in all places so as there may be no rowme in me for any counterfet or vncleane loue ¶ Of ioy O Swéete loue O louyng swéetnes let my belly eate thée and let my bowels be filled with the pleasaunt wyne of thy loue let my minde vtter forth good wordes O charity my God swéete honny snowye milke the foode of Aungelles make me to growe in thée that I may eate thée with a sauorie tast Thou art my life whereby I liue the hope that I sticke vnto the glory that I desire Hold thou my hart rule my mynde guide myne vnderstandyng cheare vp my loue lift thou vp my Soule drawe the mouth of my spirite whiche thirsteth after thée vp to the water streames that are aboue I beséech thée let the troubleoâ—â—nesse of the flesh cease Let the fancies of landes waters aire and skye hold their peace Let
dreames fantasticall Reuelations let all tounges all signes and what soeuer is able to passe be whist Yea let mine owne soule be still and let it ouerpasse it selfe not by thinking vpon it selfe but by thinking vpon thée my God bycause thou art in very deede my whole hope and trust For in thée O most swéete gracious and mercyfull God O Lorde Iesu Christ is both the portion the bloud and the flesh of euery one of vs Then looke where the portiō or peece of me reigneth there beléeue I my selfe to reigne also Looke where my bloud beareth rule there trust I to beare rule to Looke where my flesh is glorified there know I that I also am glorious and although I be a sinner yet distrust I not this communion of grace For although my sinnes forfend it yet doth my substaunce require it And although myne owne transgressiōs shet me out yet doth the communion of nature take me in ¶ That the word is become fleshe for our hopes sake FOr the Lorde is not so vnkynde as not to loue hys owne flesh his owne members his own bowels Truly I should despayre for my sinnes vyces faultes and negligences without number which I haue committed and dayly do cōmit without ceassing in hart word and déede by all meanes that mans frayltie cā offend in were it not that thy word O my God is become flesh dwelleth in vs But now I dare not despayre bicause that he beyng obedient vnto thée to the death euen to the death of the crosse hath taken away the handwriting of our sinnes and nayling the same to his crosse hath crucified both sinne death Now then I looke backe with a carelesse eye by meanes of him who sitteth at thy right hand seweth for vs I thinke lōg to come vnto thée vpon trust of him in whō we are already risen againe reuiued alredy moūted vp into heauen there do sit among the aūgels To thée be prayse to thée be glorie to thee be honor to thee be thankes Amen ¶ That the more a man museth vpon God the swéeter it is vnto him MOst merciful Lord which hast so loued saued vs so quickened exalted vs Most merciful Lord how swéete is the remembraūce of thée The more I thinke vppon thée the more swéete and amiable art thou vnto me and therfore am I greatly delighted with thy goodes With cleare eyesight of mynd with a most pure affectiō of godly loue accordyng to my small abilitie do I incessantly couet to sue for thy loue and to behold thy wonderfull beawtie in this place of my pilgrimage as long as I abyde in these brittle mēbers For I am woūded with the dart of thy loue I am sore inflamed with desire of thée I would fayne come vnto thée I long to sée thée I will therefore stand vpon my gard and with waking eyes will I sing in my hart yea I wil sing with my minde and with all my strength I will prayse thée my maker renewer I will pearce the skye with my mynde and be with thée in desire so as my body onely shal be held here in this present miserie but in thought in desirousnesse and in longyng I will alwayes be with thée for looke where thou myne incomparable desired and deare beloued treasure art there also is my hart But loe my most gracious and mercyfull Lord whereas I would consider the glory of thine vnmeasurable goodnesse louing kindnesse my hart is not sufficiēt to do it For thyne honor thy beawtie thy power thy glory thy royaltie thy maiesty and thy loue excéede all vnderstanding of mans mynde Like as the brightnesse of thy glorie is inestimable so also is the graciousnesse of thyne euerlastyng loue vnspeakable where through thou adoptest those to be thy sonnes knittest them vnto thée whom thou hast created of nothing ¶ That tribulatiōs for Christes sake are to be desired in this life O My soule if we should be fayne to suffer tormentes euery day if we should be fayne to indure euen hell fire for a long tyme that we might sée Christ in his glory and be in cōpany with his Saintes were it not méete we should abyde all the sorrow that could be that we might be made partakers of so great a benefite and of so great glory Let the deuils thē do their spight let them tempt while they tempt may let fastings forpyne the body let course apparell greue the flesh let labour pinch it let watching dry it vp let this man call vpon me let that man or that mā disquiet me let cold make me curle together let my conscience barke at me let heate scorche me let my head ake let my hart burne let my stomacke be wyndie let my face looke pale let me be wholly diseased let my life cōsume in sorrow let my yeares wast away in sighing sobbyng let rottennesse lodge within my bones let wormes crawle vnder me so I may rest in the day of trouble that we may go vp together to our people that wayt for vs For Lorde what glory shall the righteous haue How great shall the ioy of the Saintes be when euery face shall shyne as the sunne Whē the Lord hauyng sorted his people into degrées shall begin to muster them in the kingdome of his father render the promised rewardes to eche of them accordyng to hys workes and desertes giuyng to them for earthly things heauenly thinges for temporall thinges euerlasting thynges for small thinges great thynges Verely then shall happinesse be heaped vp full to the top when the Lord shall bryng hys Saintes to the sight of eternall glory make thē sit down together in heauen that God may be all in all How the kyngdome of heauen may be gotten O Happy pleasauntnesse O pleasaunt happynesse to sée the Saintes to be with the Saintes and to be a Saint to sée God and to haue God for euer euer Let vs thinke vpon this with diligent mynde let vs long after this with our whole hart that we may soone come vnto them If thou demaunde howe that may be brought to passe or by what deseruynges or by what helpes it may be compassed harken O man The kyngdome of heauen requireth none other price but thy selfe the full valew of it is thy selfe giue thy selfe for it thou shalt haue it Why troublest thou thy selfe about the price of it Christ hath giuen him selfe to purchase thée a kingdome to God the father So then giue thou thy selfe that thou mayst be his kingdome that sinne may not reigne in thy mortall body but that the spirite may reigne to the atteinement of life ¶ What Paradise is and what it hath O My soule let vs returne to the heauēly Citie wherin we be registred and made frée Citizens For like as we be felow Citizens of the Saintes and the household meynie of God like as we be the heyres of God and coheires
done for man. FOr loue to manward God came to man God came into ¶ The remembring of the woundes of our Lorde Iesu Christ WHen any foule thought assaulteth me I runne to the woundes of Christ When my fleshe presseth me downe I rise vp agayne by remembryng the woundes of my lord When the deuill layeth wayt for me I flée to the bowels of the mercy of my Lorde and he departeth away from me If the heate of lecherie prouoke my members it is quēched with callyng to mynde the woundes of our Lord the sonne of god In all aduersities I finde no remedie so effectuall as the woundes of Christ In them I sléepe without care and rest with out feare Christ hath died for vs Now is there nothing so bitter to the death which is not salued by the death of Christ All my whole hope is in the death of my lord His death is my desert my refuge my welfare lyfe and resurrection and the mercyfulnesse of the Lord is my merite I am not poore of merite so long as he the Lord of compassiōs faileth not As long as he is manifold in mercy so long am I also manifold of desertes The mightier that he is to saue the more am I without care ¶ That the remembraunce of Christes woundes is an effectual remedy against all aduersities EXcéedyng greatly haue I sinned and myne owne conscience findeth me giltie of many offences and yet doe I not dispayre bycause that whereas sinne hath abounded there hath grace ouerabounded He that despayreth of the forgiuenesse of his sinnes denyeth God to be mercyfull Great wrong doth he to God whiche distrusteth his mercy For as much as in him lieth he denyeth God to be louyng true and mightie which are the thinges wherein my whole hope consisteth that is to witte in the loue of his adoption in the truth of his promise and in the power of his redéemyng Now let my vnwise imagination murmur as much as it listeth and say Who art thou how great is the glory and by what desertes hopest thou to obteine it and I will aunswere boldly I know whom I haue credited that he of his excéedyng great loue hath adopted me to be his sonne that he is soothfast of promise that he is mighty in performance and that he may do what he listeth I can not be feared with the multitude of my sinnes if I bethinke me of the death of my Lorde bycause my sinnes are not able to ouermatch him His nayles and his speare crye vnto me that I am throughly reconcyled to Christ if I loue him Longiuus hath opened me Christes side with his speare and I am gone into it and there do I rest in safetie He that is afrayd let him loue for loue driueth feare out of doores There is no remedie so mightie and effectuall agaynst the heate of lecherie as the death of my redemer He stretcheth out his armes vpon the Crosse and he holdeth out his handes in a readinesse to imbrace sinners Betwéene the armes of my Sauiour mynde I to lyue and dye There shall I sing safely there will I exalte thée O Lorde bycause thou hast taken me vp and hast not giuen myne enemyes their pleasure ouer me Our Sauiour hath bowed down his head at his death to receiue the kisses of his beloued And so oftē do we kisse God as we be throughly touched with the loue of him The musing of the Soule vpon the loue of God. O My soule whiche art innobled with the Image of God redéemed with Christes bloud betrothed to him by fayth indued with the holy Ghost garnished with vertues and registred among the aungels Loue thou him that hath loued thée so much Serue him that hath serued thée Séeke him that séekes thée Loue him that loues thée which loued thée first and which is the cause of thy loue He is the desert he is the reward he is the frute he is the vse of it he is the ende of it Be carefull for hym that is carefull of thée he at leysure for him that is at leysure for thée be cleane with him that is cleane be holy with him that is holy Looke after what sorte thou shewest thy selfe towardes God after the same sort shall he shew him selfe towardes thée He is swéete méeke and mercyfull and therfore he requireth to haue them that be swéete méeke pleasaunt and mercyfull Loue thou him that hath plucked thée out of the puddle of miserie and out of the myre of filthines Chose him for thy frend aboue all frendes whiche alone will kéepe touche with thée when all thinges fayle thée In the day of thy buryall when all thy frendes shrinke frō thée he will not forsake thée but will defend thée from the roring Lyons that wayt for their pray and will leade thée through an vnknowen countrey and bryng thée to the stréetes of the heauenly Sion and there set thée amōg the Aungels before the face of his owne maiestie where thou shalt heare this Aungelicall ditie holie holie holie Lorde God of hostes There is the song of mirth the voyce of ioy and welfare the voyce of thankesgiuing prayse the voyce of magnifying God for euer There is the full measure of happinesse passing excellent glory superabundant ioy all good thynges O my soule sigh hartely desire earnestly that thou mayst come to that Citie aboue whereof so glorious thinges are spoken and wherein is the habitation of all that reioyse By loue thou mayst get vp thether Nothing is hard nothyng is impossible to him that loueth The soule that loueth goeth vp often to the heauenly Ierusalem and runneth familiarly from stréete to stréete visityng the Patriarkes and Prophetes salutyng the Apostles wondring at the hostes of Martyrs and Confessors and gazing at the companies of the Virgins Heauen and earth and all things that are in them call vppon me without ceassyng to loue my Lord God. ¶ What the knowledge of the truth is WHat is the knowledge of truth first to knowe thy selfe and to indeuor to be that which thou oughtest to be and to amende that whiche ought to be amended And secondly to know and to loue thy maker for that is the whole happines of man Sée then how vnspeakeable the graciousnes of Gods loue towardes vs is He hath created vs of nothing and giuen vs all that we haue But forasmuch as we haue loued the gift more then the giuer and the creature more then the creator we are falne into the deuilles snare and become hys bondslaues Neuerthelesse God beyng moued with compassion sent his sonne to redéeme vs slaues and his holy spirite to make vs his sonnes agayne He hath giuen his sonne to be the pryce of our raunsome the holie Ghost as an assuraunce of his loue and to be short he reserueth him selfe whole for vs to be the heritage of our adoption And so God accordyng to hys excéedyng gracious goodnesse and mercie hath for verie loue and good will to