where our forefathers did sit in darknes and hast returned from thence on the third day as a glorious conquerour resuming againe thy sacred bodie which for our sinnes had remained deade in the sepulcher and reuiuing it the third day accordinge to the scripture that thou mightest place it in glorie at the right hande of God the father For hauinge deliuered those from captiuitie whom the ancient foe and ennimie of mankind hath detained as prisoners in â—imbo Patrum thou the true sonne of God hast ascended aboue all the heauens with the substance of our flesh that is with a soule and humaine flesh taken of the glorious Virgin mounting aboue all the orders of Angells where thou sittest at the right hande of God the Father where there is the fountaine of life and that light vnto which noe creature can attaine where there is the peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding We adore thee Iesus Christ belieuing thee to be there confessinge God to be thy Father from whence we expect thee to come at the end of the worlde to iudge both the quicke and the deade and to render to all men whether good or euill a rewarde or punishment accordinge to theire actions donne in this life like as euery one shal be deemed worthy either of perpetuall peace or paine For all men that haue receiued a humaine soule shall arise at that day in the same fleshe which they had heere being by the voice of thy diuine power summoned to appeare to the end that euerie man his soule and body being reunited in one may according to his meritts receiue ether glorie or damnation Thou o Lord Iesus Christ art our life and our resurrection whom we expect as our Sauiour to come and saue vs who wilt reforme the bodie of our basenes making it conformable to the bodie of thy brightnes I haue knowen thee true God and one holy Spirit of the Father and the Sonne proceeding equallie from both of them consubstantiall and coeternall to the Father and the Sonne being our comforter and aduocate who in likenes of a doue hast descended vppon the same God our Lord Iesus Christ appearing likewise in tongues of fire vppon the Apostles Who alsoe by the guift of thy grace hast taught all the Saints and elect of God from the beginning openning in like manner the mouthes of the Prophetes to the end they might declare the wonderfull thinges of thy heauenly kingdome who together with the Father and the Sonne art adored and glorified of all the Saints of God Amongst whome I likewise the sonne of thy hande-maide doe with my whole hart glorify thy name because thou hast enlightned me For thou art the true light the light that telleth the truth the truth the fire of God and the maister and directour of our soules who by thy sacred vnction dost teache vs all truth Thou art the Spirit of truth without whose ayde it is impossible to please God because thou thy selfe art God of God light of light proceeding after an vnspeakable manner from the Father of lightes and from his sonne Iesus Christ our Lord with whom thou art glorified and dost raigne together with them superessentiallie being consubstantiall coequall and coeternal with them in the essence of one Trinitie I haue knowen thee one liuing and true God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost three indeede in personnes but one in essence whom I confesse adore and glorifie with my whole harte as the tâ—ue and onely God holy immortall inuisible immutable inaccessible vnsearcheable one light one sunne one breade one life one good one beginning and one end one creator of heauen and earthe by whom all thinges doe liue are preserued guided gouerned and reuiued in heauen in earthe and vnder the earth besides whom there is noe God either is heauen or earthe Thus o Lord God I haue knowen thee who knowest me thus I haue knowen thee I haue knowen thee o my light by thy faithe which thou hast inspired into me o Lord my God the light of â—â—ineeies the hope of the vniuersall worlde the ioy that maketh glad my young and tender yeares and the good that sustaineth my old age All my bones reioyce in thee o Lord saying O Lord who is like vnto thee Who is like vnto thee o Lord amongst the Gods For that the handes of men haue not made thee but contrariwise it is thou that hast made the handes of men The idolls of the Gentills are siluer and golde the workemanship of the handes of men but the maker of men is not such an one All the Gods of the Gentiles are diuells but our Lord hath made the heauens he therefore is the true God Let those Gods which haue not made heauen and earthe perishe and be cast forth of heauen and earthe and let heauen and earthe prayse that God which hath created heauen and earthe The acknowledging of our owne basenes CHAPT XXXIII WHo is like vnto thee o Lord euen amonge the Gods Who I say is like vnto thee Thou art greate in sanctiâ—ie terrible and worthy to be praised doing things that deserue to be admired Too too late haue I knowen thee o true light too too late haue I knowen thee And the cause was for that there was a great and darke cloude before mine eies that delighted in vanitie which hindred me from beholding the sunne of iustice and the light of all veritie I was wrapt in darknes being the child of darknes because I knewe not the light I was blindâ— and loued blindnes and walked through one darknes into an other Who hath deliuered me from thence where I remained as a blinde man sitting in darknes and in the shadowe of death Who hath taken me by the hande and lead me forthe of the same Who is he that hath thus enlightned me I sought him not and he sought me I called him not and he called me But who is he Thou art he o Lord my God being most mercifull and pittifull yea the Father of mercies and God of all comforte Thou o Lord my God most holy art he that hast donne the same whom I confesse with my whole harte rendring thanks to thy holy name I did not seeke thee thou hast sought me I did not call vpon thee thou hast called me yea thou hast called me by thine owne name Thou hast thundered from heauen with a greate voice into the internall eare of my harte saying Let light be made and light was made whereupon that greate and darke cloude which had couered mine eies departed and was dissolued whereby I haue seene thy light and knowen thy voice And I saied Trulieo Lord thou art my God who hast deliuered me out of darknes and from the shadowe of deathe calling me into thy admirable light soe that now I see Thanks be to thee o Lord who hast enlightned me And I looked backe and beheld the darknes wherein I had liued and the deepe darke dongeon wherein I had remained
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
whereof a iust man may vaunt or which can bringe him to glorie vnlesse thou preuent him afore hande being of him selfe vniust with thy mercy and pittie I therfore o my Saujour belieue what I haue hearde that it is thy goodnes that doth drawe me to repentance thy hony-sweete lipps haue toulde it me Noeman can come to me vnlesse my Father who hath sent me drawe him Seeinge therefore it hath pleased thee to instruct me and by instruction hast vouchsafed mercifully to enforme me I beseech thee with all the forces of my harte and minde o almightie father togeather with thy most beloued sonne I beseeche thee likewise o most sweete sonne together with the most gratious hohe Ghost vouchsafe to draw me that I may runne after thee by vertue of the sweete smel of thy preâ—ious ointmeÌ„ts The helpe of God the father is desired by the merits of God the sonne CHAPT V. VNto thee I crie o my God vnto thee I call for that thou art nighe to all those that crie and call vpon thee in the truth Thou art the truth reach me I beseech thee for thy mercies sake teache me o sacred truthe to call vpon thee in the truthe and for that I knowe not how this ought to be donne I humbly desire thee o blessed truth that thou wilt vouchsafe to teache me because wisedome without thee is meere ignorance but the knowledge of thee is an absolute science Instruct me o diuine wisedome teache me thy lawe because I assure my selfe that man shal be happie whome thou shalt vouchsafe to instruct and â—each in thy law I desire to implore thy assistance which I beseeche thee let be donne in the truth What is it to implore the assistance of the truthe in the truthe sauinge onely the assistance of the father in the sonne Thy worde therfore o holy Father is the truthe the truthe being likewise the beginninge of thy wordes For this is the beginninge of thy wordes that in the beginninge was the Worde In that beginning I adore thee whoe art the best beginninge In that worde of truthe I craue thy ayde o most absolute truthe In which worde of truthe may it please thee whoe art the selfe same truthe to direct and instruct me in the truthe for what is more sweete then to call vppon the father in the name of his onely begotten sonne to moue the father to mercie by remembrance of his childe to appease the kings sury by naminge his dearest progenie By these meanes are fellons deliuered out of prison thus they that lie fettered are freed from theire irons thus they that are condemned obtaine not onely to be quit and absolued but likewise with unexpected fauoures to he rewarded to wit by making knowen to the Princes thus incensed the loue of theire childe soe muche beloued in this manner likewise doe seruants escape the punishment of theire maisters when they haue offended whilst the sweetnes of theire children doth make intercession for them that they may be pardonned After the same manner I beseeche thee o father omnipotent by the loue of thy omnipotent sonne deliuer my soule out of prison to the end it may more freely confesse thy name I beseeche thee by thy coeternall and onely sonne deliuer me from the irons and fetters of sinne and by the intercession of thy most deare childe sittinge at thy right hande vouchsafe to restore me to life beinge by him appeased albeit my meritts doe adiudge me to be condemned Certainely I knowe noe other mediatour whome I may sende vnto thee but him onely whoe is the sacrifice offered for the reconciliation of our sinnes whoe sitteth at thy right hande makinge intercession for vs. Loe this is my aduocate with thee o God the father Loe this is that high Priest whoe needeth not to be purged with an others bloude for that he shineth beinge sprinkled with his owne Loe this is that sacred hoste soe pleasinge and ful of perfection offered and accepted so aâ—sauoure of sweetnes Loe this is that lambe without blemish who before those that sheared him heaâ—d his peace for that beinge buffeted spit vpon and reuiled he did not soe muche as open his mouth Thus he that was free from sinne tooke vpon him the burden of our sinnes and by his owne woundes cured out soares Heere man doth represent to God the Father the passion of his sonne CHAPT VI BEholde o pittifull father thy most pittifull sonne suffring such pittifull thinges for me See o most mercifull kinge whoe it is that suffereth Is not this o my Lord thy most innocent sonne whom thou dâ—dstgiue therby to deliuer thy seruant Is not this he o author of life whoe was led as a sheepe to the slaughter and being made obedient vnto thee even unto deathe feared not to vndergo that kinde of deathe which of all others is most cruell and painefull May it please thee who art the only dispenser and disposer of our safety and saluation to remember that this is he whome albe â—it thou hast begotten by thine owne vertue and diuinitie thou wouldest have notwithstandinge to be pertaker of mine infumitie This verily is thy diuiniâ—e whoe tooke vppon it my humaniâ—ie ascended the tree of the crosse and in the fleshe which it had assumed sustained greate torments O my Lord God vouch safe to ast the eies of thy maiestie vppon the worke of thine unspeakeable mercie Beholde thy sweete sonne stretched forth at lenght on the crosse Looke vppon his innocent handes gushing for the streames of innocent bloude and being pacified remit the misdeedes which my handeâ— haue committed Consider his naked side pierced throughe with a cruell lance and cleanse me in that sacred fontaine which I do belieue to haue flowed from thence See his vndefiled feete whoe neuer stoode in the way of sinners but alwaies walked in thy lawe fastned with longe and boysterous nayles and gratiously make perfect my paces in thy paths makinge me to hate and abhor all the waies of iniquitie Remoue from me the way of iniquitte and mercifullie make me to chose the way of veritie I beseeche thee o kinge of Sainctes by thy faincte of Sainctes by this my redeemer make me to runne the way of thy commaÌ„dements that I may be vnited to him in spirit who disdained not to be cloathed with my fleshe Dost thou not marke o merciful father the heade of this thy younge and dearest sonne being bowed downe on his snowe-white shoulder resolued into a deathe of vnestimable value Looke vppon the humanitie of thy beloued child most meeke creator and take compassion of the weakenes of thy weake creature His naked breast groweth white his bloudie side loketh redde his out-stretched bowells become drie his comely eies growe dimme his kingly countenance waxeth pale his longe armes growe colde and stiffe his thighes in whitenes like vnto Alablaster hange downe the water of his blessed bloude doth bathe his pierced feete Beholde o glorious father the mangled members of thy most gratious
which made me with feare and trembling to crie out saying Woe is me woe is me in respect of the darknes in which I haue remained woe is me in respect of my former blindnes in which I could not see the light of heauen Woe is me woe is me in respect of my former ignorance when I did not knowe thee o Lord. Thanks therfore be to thee o my enlightner and deliuerer for that thou hast enlightned me and I haue knowen thee Too too late haue I knowen thee o ancient veritie too too late haue I knowen thee o eternall truth Thou remainedâ—s t in light and I in darknes and I knewe thee not because I coulde not be enlightned without thee for that there is noe light besides thee A consideration of Gods diuine Maiestie CHAPT XXXIV O God the holy of holies the God of Gods and Lord of Lords of inestimable Maiestie whose wonderfull greatnes cannot be vttered or imagined before whom the Angelicall Powers doe shake for feate whom all the Dominations and Thrones doe adore in whose presence all the Vertues doe tremble whose power and wisedome is infinite who hast layed the foundation of the worlde vpon nothing and gathered together the sea in the aire as it were in a bottle O most mighty most holy and most powerfull God the God of the Spirits of soules of all mortal creatures from whose sight heauen and earthe doe flie away for feare to whom all the elements doe obey at a becke lett all thy creatures adore and glorifie thee Amongst whom I vnworthy wretch the sonne of thy hand maide doe bowe downe the necke of my harte vnder the feete of thy supreame Maiestie being taught soe to doe by the faithe which thou hast giueÌ„ me rendring thanks vnto thee for that thou hast vouchsafed by thy mercy to enlighten me O light most true sacred and delightfull most worthy of praise and most admirable which enlightneth euery man comming into this worlde yet the eies of the Angells themselues Beholde now I see for which I thanke thee Beholde now I see thee light of heauen a heauenly bright beame proceeding from the face of thy brightnes doth shine vpoÌ„ the eies of my minde which maketh all my bones to reioyce O that this light were perfect in me encrease it in me o author of light I beseech thee Encrease I say I beseech thee that light that shineth in me Let it be augmented I beseeche thee let it be augmented by thee What is this that I feele What fire is this that maketh hoâ—te my harte What light is this that enlightneth my harte O fire which dost alwaies burne and arâ— neuer extinguished enflamme me O light which dost alwaiâ—s shine and art neuer darkned enlighten me O that I were made hoâ—te by thee O sacred fire how sweetlie dost thou heate how secretlie dost thou shine how desiredlie dost thou burne Woe be to those that are not made hoate by thee woe be to those that are not enlightned by thee O true light enlightning al the world whose brightnes doth replenishe all the worlde Woe be to those blind eies which doe not see thee who art the sunne that giuest light both to heauen and earth Woe be to those dimme eies which cannot see thee Woe be to those eies that are turned away from seeing veritie Woe be to those eies that are not turned away from seeing vanitie Verily those eies that are accustomed to darknes cannot beholde the bright beames of thy supreame righteousnes neither doe they knowe what to thinke of the light whose dwelling is in darknes They see loue and approoue the darknes soe that walking from one darknes into an other they stumble and tumble they knowe not whither Doubtles they are wretched that knowe not what they loose but they are more wretched that knowe what they loose who fall with theire eies open and descend aliue into perdition O light most blessed who canst not be sene of those eies that are neuer soe little defiled Blessed are the cleane in harte for they shall see God Cleanse me o cleansing vertue cure mine eies to the end that with sounde and cleare eies I may be able to beholde thee whom sore and sickly eies cannot possibly see Remoue from mine eies I beseech thee o inaccessible beauty the scales of my former blindnes by the beames of thy brightnes that I may be able stedfastly to beholde thee and in thy light may see light Beholde o my light now I see for which I thanke thee Let this my light o Lord I beseech thee be encreased by thee Open mine eies that I may see the wonderfull thinges of thy lawe who art wonderfull in thy Saints I giue thee thanks o my light for that I now see albeit obscurely as it were in a mirrour or looking glasse but when shall I see thee apparantlie face to face O when will that day of ioy and mirthe arriue in which I shall enter into the place of thy tabernacle soe much to be admired euen into the house of God to the end I may see him face to face that seethe me that soe my desire may be accomplished Of the desire and thirst of the soule after God CHAPT XXXV LIke as the harte or stagge desireth the fountaines of water when he is poursued euen soe my soule longeth after thee o God My soule hath thirsted after thee my God the liuing fountaine when shall I come and appeare before thy face O fountaine of life o veine of liuing waters when shall I come to the waters of thy sweetnes from this deserte craggie and dry countrie that I may see thy vertue and glory quenche my thirst with the waters of thy mercy I thirst o Lord thou that art the fountaine of life giue me to drinke I thirst o Lord I thirst after thee the liuing God O when shall I come good Lord and appeare before thy face And shall I then at length indeed see that day that day I say of ioy and gladnes that day which our Lord himselfe hath made that we might reioyce and be glad in it O famous and faire day hauing neither euening nor Sunsetting in which I shall heare the voyce of praise mirthe and thanks-giuinge in which I shall heare saied Enter into the ioy of thy Lord. Enter into the euerlasting ioy into the house of thy Lord God where there are greate and vnsearchable and wonderfull thinges which cannot be numbred Enter into that ioy which is free from heauines which containeth euerlasting gladâ—â—â— where all goodnes doth abounde and no â—euill can be found Where ther shal be whatsoeuer thou louest and nothing that thou loathest There is that vitall life which is sweete and louely which likewise shall endure euerlastingly Where there shal be noe foe to impugne vs not allurement to entice vs but soueraigne and certaine assurednes assured quietnes and quiet ioyfullnes ioyfull happines happie euerlastingnes euerlasting blessendes where there is the blessed