persons canst not by any noÌ„ber be nombred and therefore not able by any measure to be measured or by any balances or weightes to be ballanced or weighed Neither doe we preteÌ„de or take vpon vs to declare the originall first beninning of this soueraigne goodnesâ— which thou art from whom by whom and in whom all thinges haue theire being onely in respect of the participation which we haue with the same we speake al the good therof which we can For thy diuine essence hath allwaies beene and is at this present voide of matter but not of forme to witt of forme not formed but the former of formes the which albeit thou dost putt as it were a seale to ech seuerall thinge yett doubtlesse thou dost make them different from thy selfe noe alteration of encrease or diminution hapninge vnto thee by the same For whatsoeuer is in the nature of creatures is thy creature O God one onely Trinitte and a three fold Vnitie whose omnipotencie doth possesse rule and fill all thinges which it hath created neuerthelesse we doe not say that thou dost fill all thinges as if they did containe thee seeing they are rather contained in thee neither doe we say that thou dost fill them all particularlie neither is it lawfull to thinke that euerie creature accordinge to the greatnes of his capacitie doth containe thee that is the greatest more and the least lesse sithence thou art in them all or they all in thee Whose omnipotencie comprehendeth all thinges whatsoeuer neither can any man finde meanes to escape thy power soe that he with whom thou art not appeased will not be able to gett away when thou art offended as it is written Neither from the East neither from the West neither from the desert mountaines because God is iudge And in an other place Whither shall I goe from thy spiritt and whither shall I flie from thy face Wherfore the immensitie of thy diuine greatnes is such as that we may perceiue that thou art within all thinges but not included without all thinges but not excluded Thou therfore art within all thinges to the end thou maiest containe them and thou art without all thinges that by the immensitie of thy enuironninge greatnesse thou mavest include them By this therefore that thou art within all thinges it a peaâ—eth that thou art theire creator and by this that thou are without all thinges it is manifest that thou art theire gouernour And least all thinges which thou hast created should be without thee thou art within them and to the end all thinges might be included in thee thou art without them not by any local greatnesse but by thy powerfull presence who art euâ—ry where present and al thinges are present to thee although these thinges aâ—e knowen to some â—ett not to all Wherfore the inseparable vnity of thy nature cannot admitt personnes thaâ— may be separate for aâ— thou art Trinity in vnity and vnity in Trinity soe likewise thou canst not admitt separation of personnes True it is that those personnes are sometimes named seuerallie and alone by thâ—mselues that by this thou mighst giue vs to vnderstand o diuine Trinitie that thou art inseparable in personnes that thou mightst declare that thou hast no name in anye of the three personnes which may not be referred vnto another according to the rule of Relation For as the Father is referred to the sonne and the sonne to the Father euen soe the holy Ghost is most tâ—uâ—ie referred to the Father and the Sonne Wherefore those names which doe either signifie thy substance or personne or power or essence or whatsoeuer is properly called God doe equallie agree to all three personnes as for example God great omnipotent eternall and all thinges els which are saied of thee our God There is not therefore any name of nature soe peculiare to thee alone o God the Father as that it cannot be applied either â—o the Sonne or the holy Ghost We say o Father that thou art naturallie God in like manner the Sonne is naturallie God and the holy Ghost is naturallie God and yett there are not three Gods but naturallie one only God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost Thou therefore o sacred Trinitie are God inseparable in personnes and oughtest spirituallie to be vnderstoode aâ—lthough thou hast some names which are separable or distinct in wordes because in names which signifie thy nature thou dost not by any meanes admitt the plurall noÌ„ber And indeede this is a plaine proofe that the personnes in the sacred Trinitie which is one onely true God cannot be deuided because the name of euerie personne hath respect vnto another personne If I name the Father I shewe the Sonne if I mention the Sonne I make mention of the Father if I speake of the holy Ghost it is of necessitie to be vnderstoode that he is the holy Ghost of some other persons to witt of the Father and the sonne This trulie is the true faithe proceedinge from founde doctrine This is certainely the Catholique and certaine true beleefe which God by his grace hath taught me in the bosome of our holie mother the Churche A Prayer to the sacred Trinitie CHAPT XXXI MY faith therefore o Lord which for the attaining of my saluation thou hast giuen me doth call and crie for help vnto thee Because a faithfull soule doth liue by faith layinge holde on that now by hope which it shall here after haue in effect My chaste conscience o my God doth crie vnto thee as alsoe the sweete loue of my faith and beleife which thou hast brought to the knowledge of the true light the darkenes of ignorance being by thee putt to flight the which likewise thou hast withdrawen from thâ— worldeâ— fonde bitternes making iâ— pleasant and sweeâ—e vnto me by 〈◊〉 vpon me the chariâ—ie of thy sweâ—tnes Tâ—e cleare voice and vnfained affâ—ction of my faith and beleefe o blessed Triâ—â—tie doth crie for helpe vnto the◠〈◊〉 whiâ—h 〈◊〉 hath pleased thee to illuminate from time to time with the light of thy grace nourishâ—ng it euen from mine inâ—ancie causing 〈◊〉 to â—ncrease hast by the documents of our â—oly mother the church setled and confirmed the same in me To 〈◊〉 crie o happie blâ—ssed and one onely glorious Trinitie the Father the Sonnâ— and the holy Ghost God Lord comforter charitie grace communication â—he begeâ—ter hâ— begotten that begetteth again The true light proceeding from the true light the true enlightning The fountaine the floude the watering From one all thinges by one all thinges in one all thinges From whom by whom in whom all thinges The liuinge life the life proceedinge from the liuinge life the giuer of life to the liuing One from himselfe one from an other one from both Being from himselfe being from an other being from both The Father being true the Sonne being the truth the holy Ghost being likewise the truth Whâ—refore thâ— Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost is one onely
vpon him the nature and essence of man not of Angells and glorifying the same with the stole of his sacred resuriection and immortalitie he hath caried it aboue all the heauens aboue all the quiers of Angells aboue the Cherubins and Seraphins placing the same at the right hand of thy maiestie the Angels praise it the Dominations adore it and all the Vertues of heauen stand trembling in beholdinge him that is placed aboue theÌ„ God and man This verily is my whole hope and confidence Because in him to witt in our Lord Iesus Christ each one of vs hath a part each one of vs hath flesh and bloud Where therfore a part of me doth raigne there I trust to raigne my selfe where my flesh is glorified there I assure my selfe to be likewise in glory where my flesh hath rule and dominion there I suppose to rule my self Although I am a sinner yet I do not despaire to be partaker of this grace and fauour And albert my sinnes doe hinder me yet my substance doth require the same although my faultes doe exclude me yet the participation of the same nature doth not repell me For God is not soe cruell as that he can forgett man and not remember him whom he carieth about him and whom for my sake he seeketh to bring to saluation Verily our Lord God is very milde and mercifull and loueth his flesh members and bowells That flesh of ours loueth vs which is in Iesus Christ our most sweet gratious and louing Lord God in whom we haue already risen and ascended into heauen and doe already sitt in glorie with the celestiall spirits In him we haue the prerogatiue of our bloud for that we are his members and flesh and he likewise is our head by whom our whole bodie is composed according as it is written Bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh two shal be in one flesh And noe man at any time hateth his owne flesh but cherisheth and loueth it This is a great mysterie but I saieth the Apostle speake it of Christ and of his Church Of the two folde nature of Christ who pittieth vs and prayeth for vs. CHAPT XVI I Rendre thankes therefore to thine infinite mercy o my Lord God with my mouth haâ—â—e al the force I haue for all thy benefits by which thou hast vouchsafed soe wonderfullie to releiue vs wheÌ„ we were vndone and this by meanes of thy sonne our Sauious and Redeemer who hath died for our sinnes and hath risen againe for our iustification and liuing now for euer sitteth at thy right hand and maketh intercession for vs and together with thee taketh pitty of vs for that he is God of thee God the Father being coeternall and consubstantiall to thee in all thinges whence it proceedeth that he is able to saue vs for euermore Howe be it as he is a man in which respect he is inferior to thee all power is giuen him in heauen and in earth that at the name of Iesus euery knee should bow of thinges in heauen on earth and vnder the earth and that euery tongue should acknowledge and confesse o God and Father almightie that our Lord Iesus Christ is sittinge with thee in thy glorie It is he indeed whom thou hast appointed to be the iudge of the quick and dead for thou thy selfe iudgest noe man but hast left all iudgement vnto thy sonne in whose bosome are enclosed all the treasures of wisedome and learning He himselfe is witnes and iudge iudge and witnes from whom noe sinnful conscience shal be able to escape because all thinges are open and euident to his eies He truly that was iudged vniustly wil iudge the world with equitie and the people with indifferencie I therfore euerlastinglie blesse thy holie name o almightie and mercifull Lord and with my whole hart glorifie the same in respect of that vnspeakeable and wounderfull coniunction of the diuine and humaine nature in one person to the end that God should not be one and man an other but one and the same God and man man and God And albeit the diuine Worde by reason of the wonderfull loue he had to man hath vouchsafed to become flesh yet neither of the two natures haue beene transformed into an other substance neither hath a fourth person beene added to the mysterie of the Trinitie Because the substance of the Word of God and of man hath beene vnited but not mingled together to the end that that which had beene taken from vs might attaine vnto God and that which had neuer beene before might remaine the same with that which had beene for euer O mysterie worthy of admiration o exchange past explication o maruailous benignity of the diuine bountie for euer to be admired and for euer to be beloued We were altogether vnworthy to be termed seruants and behold we are made the sonnes of God the heires truly of God and coheires of Christ From whom happeneth this unto vs and who hath raised vs to soe great a dignity Now therfore I beseeche thee o God most mercifull Father by this thine inestimable pitty bounty and charitie that thou wilt make vs worthy of the great and ample promises of thy same sonne Iesus Christ our Lord. Make knowen vnto vs thy sonne and confirme this which thou hast wrought in vs AccoÌ„plish that which thou hast begun to the end we may be founde worthy to attiue to the full and perfect grace of thy endlesse mercy Make vs by vertue of the holy Ghost to understand and discerne and with due honoure alwaies to reuerence this great mysterie of thy mercy which hath beene made manifest in flesh hath beene iustified in spiritt hath appeared to the Angells hath beene preached to the Gentiles hath bene beleiued in the world and lastly hath bene assumpted in glory Of the great thanks giuing which man ought to render to God for the benefitt of his Redemption CHAPT XVI O How much are we bounde vnto thee o Lord our God being redeemed with soe great a guift being succoured by soe glorious a benefitt O how much oughtest thou of vs wretches to be feared loued blessed praysed honoured and glorified who hast in this manner loued saued sanctified and exalted vs Verily we owe unto thee all our ability all our life all our learning But who hath any thing that is not thine Thou therfor o Lord our God from whom all good thinges doe proceede for thine owne and for thy holy names sake bestowe vpon vs thy graces and benefitts that by them we may worthily serue thee and in veritie please thee and may daily render due prayses vnto thee for soe many and soe great graces and fauoures proceeding froÌ„ thy mercie We truly haue noe other meane wherby to serue and please thee but onely the guifts which we receiue from thy libâ—ralitiâ—â— for euery good and perfect guift is from aboue descending downe from the Father of lights with whom there is noe variation or shadow of change
of me a poore distressed orphant I am as a poore fatherlesse childe and my soule is as a woman bereaued of her husbande Vouchsafe gratiouslie to behold the teares of my distressed orphancie and widowhoode which I offer vnto thee vntill thou returne o my God May it please thee therfore may it please thee o Lord to manifest thy selfe to me and I shall be comforted Graunt that I may see thee and I shall obtaine what I desire Make manifest thy glorie and my ioy wil be accomplished My soule hath thirsted after thee soe hath likewise my fleshe exceedingly My soule hath thirsted after God the liuinge fountaine when shall I come and be presented before the face of my Lord When wilt thou come o my comforter for whome I will wishe and earnestly waite for O that I might once behold my delight which I doe soe muche desire O howe truly shall I be satisfied when thy glorie shall appeare which I doe greatlie hunger to beholde When shall I become drunke through the plentie of thy heauenlie habitation for which I sighe soe often When wilt thou make me to drinke of the riuer of thy pleasure which I soe greâ—tely thirst and desire In the interim o Lord let my teares be my continual foode vntill it be saied vnto me Beholde thy God vntill it be saied vnto my soule Beholde thy bridegroome In the interim feede me with my sobbs and weepinges nourishe me with my sorrowes and lamentations Peraduenture my redeemer will come and visit me because he is full of mercie yea he will not be long in comminge because he is full of pittie To him be glorie during all eternitie Amen The end of the Meditations of S. Augustin A TABLE OF THE Meditations of S. Augustin Bishop of Hyppon A Prayer vnto almighty God for the amendment of our life and manners Chapt. I. Mans acknowledging his miserie his commendation likewise of Gods mercie Chapt. II. Mans complainte who for his disobedience is not hearde of God Chapt. III. The dreade of the iudge comming to iudgment Chapt. IV. The healpe of God the Father is desired by the mentts of God the soÌ„ne Chapt. V. Hâ—ere man doth represent to God the Father the passion of his sonne Chapt. VI. Heere man doth acknowledge himselfe to haue beene the cause of Christs passion Chapt. VII Heere man for his reconciliation doth propose to God the Father the passion of his sonne Chapt. VIII A Prayer to desire the assistance of the holie Ghost Chapt. IX A Prayer for one seruing God and thinking humblie of himselfe Chapt X. A Prayer to the holie Trinitie Chapt. XI The acknowledging of God almighty and of his Maiestie Chapt. XII After what manner it pleased God the Father to succoure mankinde of the incarnation of the diuine Worde and thanks for the same Chapt. XIII Of the confidence which a Christian soule ought to haue in lesus Christ and in his Passion Chapt. XIV Of the surpassing greate charitie of the eternall Father towardes mankinde Chapt. XV. Of the two-folde nature of Christ who pittieth vs and prayeth for vs Chapt. XVI Of the greate thanks giuing which maÌ„ ought to render to God for the benefit of his redemption Chapt. XVII A deuoute Prayer to our Sauiour Iesus Christ Chapt. XVIII The distinction and difference betwene that wisedome which is Gods house and that which is diuine Chapt. XIX Heere man desireth that this house of God will likewise prâ—y for him Chap. XX. Of the manifolde miseries with which mans life is replenished Chapt. XXI Of the happines of that life which God hath prepared for those that loue him Chapt. XXII Of the happines of a holie soule departing out of this worlde Chapt. XXIII A Prayer to the Saincts to succoure vs in our necessities Chapt. XXIV The soules desire to attaine to the heauenlie Cittie Hierusalem Chapt. XXV A hymne of the glorie of Paradice composed by the blessed S. Peter Damian Cardinall of Ostia monke of the holy order of S. Benneâ— taken out of the sayings of S. Augustine Chapt XXVI The continuall prayse of the soule through the contemplation of God Chapt XXVII What it is after a certaine manner to see and comprehend God and what opinion we ought to haue of him Chapt. XXVIII A Prayer shewing the manifold properties and attributes of God Chapt. XXIX Of the vnitie and pluralitie of personnes in God Chapt XXX A Prayer to the sacred Trinitie Chapt. XXXI That God is the true and soueraigne life Chapt. XXXII The prayses of Angells and men Chapt. XXXIII Heere man doth lament for that when he thinketh of God he is not moued to compunction seing the verie Angells tremble and quake when they beholde him Chapt. XXXIV A Prayer greately mouing the harte to deuotion and to the loue of God Chapt. XXXV A most deuoute prayer demaunding grace of God to prayse him as we ought Chapt XXXVI A Prayer greately stirring vp the minde to compunction if it be saied in silence with attention Chapt. XXXVII A Prayer to be saied in time of tribulation Chapt. XXXVIII A verie deuoute prayer to God the sonne Chapt XXXIX A profitable Prayer Chapt. XL. A deuoute Prayer in memorie of Christs passion Chapt. XLI FINIS THE BOOKE OF S. AVGVSTIN BISHOPP OF HYPPON Commonlye called his Soliloquies that is the secret discourses and conferences of his soule with God AT S. OMERS For IOHN HEIGHAM Anno 1624. THE BOOKE OF S. AVGVSTIN BISHOPP OF HYPPON Commonlye called his Soliloquies that is the secret discourses and conferences of his soule with God Of the vnspeakeable sweetnes of God CHAPT I. O Lord the strength of my soule graunt me grace I beseech thee that like as thou knowest me I may knowe thee O my comforter manifest thy selfe vnto me O light of mine eies graunt that I may see thee Come o ioy of my spirit Let me see thee o delight of my harte O life of my soule giue me grace to loue thee O Lord my God my cheife delight and sweetest solace vouchsafe to appeare vnto me for thou art my life and all the glorie of my soule O desire of my harte lett me finde thee O loue of my soule let me touche thee O heauenly bridegroome my cheife delight both without and within me let me embrace thee Let me possesse thee o euerlasting blisse lett me possesse thee in the middst of my hatte blessed life and soueraigne sweetnes of my soule Let me loue thee o Lord my fortitude my force my refuge and my deliuerer Let me loue thee o my God my helper my stronge fortresse and my swâ—ete hope in all time of distresse Let me embrace thee the onely true good let me â—nioy thee the onely best thinge Open mine eares by vertue of thy worde more peircing theÌ„ a two edged sworde to the end I may heare thy voyce Let the greatnes of thy voyce be hearde as a thunder from aboue Let the sea roare and the fulnes thereof let the earth be moued and all thinges
flowe as water out of my fleshe to the end I may finde rest in the day of aduersitie and ascende to those celestiall souldiers that haue obtained the victorie O how greate wil be the glorie and ioy of the iust and Saincts in heauen sithence the face of eache one of them shall shine as bright as the sunne at such time as our Lord shall beginne to number his chosen people in the kingdome of his Father eache one distinctly in his order and shall render to euerie one the rewardes which he promised according as by theyr actions in this life they haue deserued for â—arthly thinges giuing theÌ„ celestiall for transitory eternall for small and little most ample and immeasurable There shal be without all doubt store of happinesse and felicitie when our Lord shall leade his Saincts to the sight of his Fathers glorie making the to sit on seates celestiall to the end that God may be all in all By what meanes the kingdome of heauen may be purchased and gotten CHAPT XVI O Happie ioy and ioyfull happines to see the Saincts to be with the Saincts and to be a Sainct to see and enioy God worlde without end and longer to if longer coulde be imagined Let vs carefullie consider these thinges and feruently desire them to the end we may speedilie be ioyned to the company of the Saincts in heauen If thou demaunde how this may be donne by what merits or succoure hearken and thou shalt heare This thinge lieth in the power of the doer because the kingdome of heauen suffereth violence The kingdome of heauen o man asketh noe other price but thy selfe it is asmuch worthe as thou art Giue thy selfe therfore and thou shalt haue it Whie art thou troubled and discontent at the price Christ gaue himselfe that he might purchase thee as a kingdome vnto God the Father Giue thou thy selfe in the same manner to the end thou mightst be his kingdome and let not sinne raigne in this thy bodie which is subiect to corruption but rather let the spirit gouerne for the attaining of life euerlastinge What heauen is and what happines is contained therein CHAPT XVII LEt vs returne o my soule to the heauenlie cittie in which we are written and enrolled as cittizens of the same Let vs as cittizens of the sainctes and Gods house-holde seruants yea as Gods heires and coheires of Christ consider the felicitie of this our famous cittie to the vttermost of our possibilitie Let vs crie out with the Prophet O how glorious things are saied of thee o Cittie of God in thee is the dwellinge of all those that are trulie glad Because thou art built as a place to meete and make merrie for suche as God of his infinitie mercie dotâ—â— vouchsafe to take vnto himselfe out of this vale of miserie In thee there is noe old age nor miserie ensuing of the same in thee there is noe one lame or mamed crumpe shouldered or deformed seing all concurre into a perfect man into the measure of the age of the fulnes of Christ What can be imagined more happie then this life where there is noe feare of pouertie nor feeblenes of infirmitie where noe man is wronged noe man is displeased noe maÌ„ doth enuie at an others good Where there is noe greedines of gaine noe appetite of eating or drinking where there is noe inordinate desire of honoure or ambition noe dreade of diuel or of diuellishe temptation noe horroure of hell or of hellishe damnation Where there is noe deathe either of bodie or soule but a delightfull life endles and immortall Noe euill affections or dissentioÌ„s shal be founde there but all thinges shall accorde and agree together because all the Saincts of that heauenly region shal be of one minde and affection Where there is nothing but peace and gladnes repose and quietnes Where there is perpetual brightnes not that which now is but by soe much more bright by how much more blessed because that cittie euen as it is written shall neede neither sunne nor moone but God almighty shall enlighten the same and the lampe thereof is the lambe Where the Saincts shall shine as the starrs for all eternitie and those that teache many shall in brightnes resemble the clearenes of the skie Wherfore in that place there shal be noe night noe darknes noe concourse of cloudes noe austeritie of colde or heate but that temperature of all thinges which neither eie hath seene nor eare hath hearde neither hath it entred into the harte of any man sauing of those who are founde worthy to enioy the same whose names are written in the booke of life But a greater content then this will be to be ioyned in felowship with the quires of Angells and Archangells and of all the heauenlie vertues to beholde the Patriarches and Prophets to see the Apostles and all the other Saincts and amoÌ„ge the rest our parents kinsfolke and acquaintance These thinges without doubte are very glorious but yet it is more glorious to beholde the face of God there present and the brightnes proceeding from the same which is infinitely greate Finally to see God in himselfe to see him enioy him in our selues wil be a prerogatiue of glory surpassing all the rest in excelleÌ„cy because we shall see him euerlastingly How man can make noe other requitall vnto God for the benefits receiued from him but onely by louinge him CHAP. XVIII THe soule of man being famous and renowned by being created according to the image and likenes of God hath in it selfe meanes from God by which it is alwaies admonished either to remaine with him or to returne vnto him if at any time by sinnefull affections or defects it be sperated from him Neither hath it meanes onely by which it may be able to desire and hope for mercie and pardon when it hath offended but likewise by which it may presume to aspire to the mariage of the diuine Worde yea to enter into a league of friendship with God almighty and with the kinge of Angells to drawe the sweete yoke of charity Loue causeth all this if by the will the soule make it selfe like vnto God to whoÌ„ by nature it is alreadie likened that is by louing him like as it beloued For it is loue aloue of all the motions senses and affections of the soule in which a creature may be answearable and make requitall to his creator althoughe in a farre inferior degree and measure Where loue doth arriue it carrieth away with it all the other affections and as a conqueroure maketh them captiue Loue is sufficient of it selfe it is pleasing of it selfe and for it selfe It is the merit the rewarde the cause the fruite and the helpe of it selfe for by loue we are vnited to God Loue causeth two spirits to become one making the same will and the same nill in both of them Loue teacheth vs first of all how to behaue our selues secondly to esteeme of all thinges present as if they were