thy seruant shal neuer be satisfied Wherefore bestowe thy selfe vpon me ô my God bestowe thy selfe vpon me Lo I do loue thee and if too little I loue thee my desire is to loue yet more entirelie I loue thee I saie I long for thee I am much delighted to thinke vpon thee Behold while fro mine hart I do sigh and cal into my remembrance thine vnspeakeable kindnes y e burthen of my flesh y e lesse greeueth troublesome cogitations the lesse inuade y e waight of mortalitie miseries do not so loade me as they were wont al things are hush euerie thing is quiet Mine hart burneth my mind is iocund my memorie fresh mine vnderstanding cleere and al my spirit enflamed through the desire of thy sight perceaueth how it is rauished with the loue of things vnseene Let the same my spirit take the wings as the Eagles let it flee and not be wearie let it flee and neuer faint vntil it come vnto the place where thine honor dwelleth euen vnto the throne of grace there at the table where y e supernal Citizens do repast to be fed frō thine eies in green◠pasture by the stil waters Be thou our ioie our hope our saluation redēption Thou which hereafter wil◠be our reward be thou ou◠comfort Let my soule euermore sek◠thee and graunt that neue◠it may ceasse to seeke Amen Chap. 4. The miserable state of that soule which neither loueth our Lord and Sauior Christ nor seeketh after him WO to the wretched soule which neither seeketh nor loueth Christ such à soule abideth both drie miserable He looseth his life time that loueth not thee ô God And he that would liue but not to serue thee is doubtles nothing and so to be accounted He which refuseth to liue to thee is alredie dead and he that sauoreth not of heauenlie wisedome is à verie foole O most gratious God into thine hand I do commend render and yeeld my selfe through whome I both am liue and haue vnderstanding In thee I doe repose mine whole trust confidence and hope through whom I shal rise againe liue and rest Thee doe I long for thee doe I loue thee doe I worship with whome I shal euerlastinglie abide raigne and be blessed The soule which neither seeketh nor loueth thee is à friend of the world the slaue of sinne subiect to al maner wickednes neuer quiet at no time secure Therefore merciful Sauior as for my mind let it attend on thee my pilgrimage let it be toward thee and mine hart let it euen burne with the loue of thee Let my soule rest on thee my God let it I saie deepelie meditate of thee let it sing-out thy praises with ioie let this be al my comfort in this mine exile Let the shadowe of thy wings be à refuge for my soule from the parching heate of worldlie cogitations Let mine hart à verie great sea swelling with waues trust in thee Thou which aboundest with al good dainties and art a most liberal bestower of supernal satietie ô God giue thou food to the wearied gather the dispersed deliuer the captiued amend the parted Lo he standeth at the doore knocketh I therfore euen by the bowels of thy mercie wherby thou the daie spring from on high hath visited vs besech thee command the doore to be opened to him which knocketh that boldlie he may enter-in to thee and rest in thee and be refreshed of thee the heauenlie bread For thou art the bread and the wel of life thou art the light of euerlasting cleerenes to conclude thou art al things whereof the righteous do liue which loue thee Chap. 5. A verie Christian desire of the soule after God O God thou who art both the light of the harts that see thee and the life of the soules that loue thee and the strength of the minds that seeke thee giue me grace euermore to cleaue vnto thine holie loue O come I praie thee into mine hart and make me drunke with the riuer of thy pleasures It shameth and it irketh me at the very hart euen to suffer those things which are done in this wretched world The verie sight of worldlie vanities is à griefe vnto me and to heare of these transitorie things it doth troble me much Helpe me ô Lord my God and cause mine hart to reioice in thee come thou vnto me that I may behold thee I am penned in this house of my soule vntil thou come therinto and make it wider It is ruinous ô repaire the same Manie things I acknowledge and knowe are in it which may offend thine eies but alas who can make it cleane or vnto whom else beside thee should I crie for helpe Clense me ô Lord fro my secret faultes keepe thy seruant also from presumptuous sinnes Giue me grace ô sweet Christ ô good Iesu giue me grace I beseech thee for thy loue desire sake to laie-off the heauie burden of carnal desires and earthlie lust Let the soule ouer the flesh let reason ouer the soule let thy grace ouer reason beare swaie and make mee both in bodie and soule euermore to obey thy wil Grant that both mine hart and my tongue and al my strength may extol thy goodnes Enlarge mine vnderstanding and lift vp the eies of mine hart that my spirit with swift cogitation may attaine vnto thee the euerlasting wisedome abiding aboue al things Loase me I beseech thee from the fetters wherewithal I am fast bound that leauing al these worldlie things I may hasten vnto thee cleaue to thee alone and thinke onelie vpon thee Chap. 6. The happines of that soule which is deliuered out of the earthlie prison of the bodie O Happie is the soule which loased from y e earthlie prison soareth without let vnto heauen which face to face beholdeth thee the most gratious Lord which is touched with no feare of death at al but triumpheth with an incorruptible crowne of perpetual glorie O quiet and secure is such à soule and feareth now neither enimie nor death She enioieth thee her good Lord whome long she sought and alwaie loued Now ioined to the singing quires she soundeth-out without cessing vnto the praise of thy glorie ô Christ her King ô sweete Iesu most melodious Psalmes she singeth of aie lasting ioifulnes For she is satisfied with thy fatnes thou doest giue her drinke out of the riuer of thy pleasures Happie is the felowship of supernal Citizens and glorious is the solemnitie of such as returne vnto thee from the paineful toile of this pilgrimage vnto the wonderful beautie vnto the surpassing glorie vnto the excellencie of al comelines where continualie thy Citizens ô Lord behold thy face There nothing is heard to troble the minde What mirth what melodie what singing what Psalmes be there soong without ceassing There
Sauiour came into y e world and was crucified and put vnto death for our sakes that he might through his death destroie him that had the power of death that is the Diuel And seeing the grapes of his flesh were carried vnto y e wine-presse of the crosse and the pleasant wine of his diuinitie began to spout-foorth the holie Spirit was sent to make readie mens harts that new wine might be put into new vessels and to see first that they were cleane least otherwise they marred y t which should be powred-in and then that they were wel hooped that they leaked not I meane that they were clensed from the delight of wickednes and hooped to keepe-out the delight of vanitie For that which is good could not enter til that which il is were gone The delight in wickednes polluteth and the delight in vanitie sheddeth The delight in wickednes makes the vessel to stincke and the delight in vanitie maketh it ful of clefts Men delight in wickednes when they loue sinne and they delight in vanitie when they loue transitorie things Then cast awaie that which is euil that you may taste that which good is Powre-out bitternes that you may be replenished with sweetenes The holie Ghost is ioie and loue then cast out the spirit of the Diuel and the spirit of this world that you may be capable of the holie Ghost The spirit of the Diuel worketh the delight of iniquitie and the spirit of the world the delight of vanitie And these delightes are euil because the one is a sinne of it selfe and the other is an occasion of sinne But when these euil spirits are throwne-out the spirit of God wil come and enter into the tabernacle of the heart and worke à good delight there euen à good loue which shal expel the loue both of the world and of wickednes The loue of the world allureth and deceaueth the loue of sinne defileth and bringeth vnto destruction but the loue of God inlighteneth the mind clenseth the conscience reioiceth the heart and bringeth into the sight of God Chap. 27. The effects of true loue HE that loueth God vnfainedlie doth euermore thinke it long vntil he come vnto God vntil he leaue the world vntil he be free from the corruption of the flesh his heart and affection are set on things aboue that he may finde the true peace Whether he sitteth or walketh or resteth or whatsoeuer he doth his heart is with God He exhorteth al men to loue God he commendeth the loue of God to al men and both in hart in word and by his conuersation he sheweth both how sweete the loue of God is and how euil and sower the loue of the world He derideth the glorie and reproueth the care of this world and sheweth what a foolish thing it is to put anie confidence in transitorie things He wondereth at the blindnes of men that they can loue he wondereth also that euerie man wil not forsake these transitorie and fleeting things of this world He thinketh that what he sauoreth should seeme sweete to al men what he loueth should like euerie man and what he knoweth euerie man should vnderstand Much and oftentimes doth he mufe vpon God and is sweetelie refreshed through such heauenlie contemplation and the oftner he doth so the greater is his ioie For verie comfortable is it alwaie euen to thinke vpon that which to loue and to commend is so delightful to the minde Chap. 28. VVhat the true quietnes of the minde is DOubtles the heart is then at rest when through desire it is wholie fixed vpon the loue of God and desireth nothing else but with a certaine blessed sweetenes is much delighted in that which it hath and in delighting is made iocund And if anie time either by à vaine cogitation or through worldlie busines it be somewhat drawne awaie there-from it hasteneth to returne thether with al speede deeming it a banishment to be anie-where beside For as euerie moment man may either enioie or vse the goodnes of God so euerie moment is man to thinke vpon God And therefore his offence is not small who in praieng is carried suddenlie awaie from his sight as though he did neither heare nor beholde Which is then done when man followeth his euil and vnbrideled affections and wherevnto the sight of the minde is easilie carried preferreth some vile creature before God by musing thinking therevpon oftner than vpon God who dailie is to be thought-vpon as à creator to be worshipped as à redeemer to be expected as à sauiour and to be feared as à iudge Chap. 29. That whatsoeuer withdraweth the sight of the minde from God is altogether to be shunned and abhorred WHosoeuer thou art that louest y e world looke afore-hande whether thou must go The waie which thou takest is the worst waie and verie dangerous Wherefore ô man auoide by little little thy worldlie busines withdraw thy self awhile from troublesome cogitations Cast awaie heauie cares laie aside greeuous distractions of the mind finde some leisure to serue God and rest thy selfe somewhat in him Enter into the chamber of thy minde exclude al things saue God and what makes to the seeking of him and the dore being shut seeke him And with thine whole heart saie vnto God I seeke thy face ô Lord I seeke euen thy face Oh then ô Lord my God giue thou mine heart instructions both where how to seeke thee both where and how to finde thee O Lord if heere thou art not where shal I seke thee absent but if thou art euerie-where then why do I not see thee present But vndoubtedlie thou dwellest in the light that none can attaine vnto But how may I come vnto the light that cannot be attained Or who shal guide and conduct me thereinto that therein I may behold thee Furthermore by what tokens and with what face may I seeke thee O Lord my God I neuer sawe thee I knowe not thy countenance Then what shal he doe ô Lord most hie what shal this thy far exiled seruāt do what shal thy seruant doe who is in perplexitie through the loue of thee and cast-awaie far fro thy presence Lo he longeth greatlie to behold thee yet thy countenance is far from his sight He desireth to come vnto thee yet vnto thy dwelling no man can attaine He coueteth to find thee yet he wotteth not where He loueth to seeke thee yet he knoweth not thy face Chap. 30. How through sinne man both lost the sight of God and found wretchednes O Lord thou art my God my Lord yet did I neuer see thee thou hast both made me yea and made me againe and bestowed vpon me what good things soeuer I enioie yet hitherto haue I neither seene nor knowen thee To be short I
the Angels there shal sing praises without cessing vnto the Lord If al maner honest not vnhonest pleasure the Lord shal giue them drinke out of the riuer of his pleasures If wisedome the verie wisedome of God shal shew it selfe to them If faithful amitie they shal both loue GOD more than themselues and one another as themselues yea and God shal loue them more than they can themselues For they loue both him themselues and one another through him and he loueth both himselfe and them too through himselfe If concord al they shal be of one minde for they shal wil nothing but what God willeth himselfe If power they shal haue ful power ouer their owne wil as God hath of his For as God of himselfe can do what he wil so they can do what they wil through him Because as they list none otherwise than he listeth so he listeth as they list and what he wil must needes come to passe If honor and wealth God wil make his good and faithful seruants rulers ouer much yea they shal be called the sonnes of God yea and gods too and be the heires euen the heires of God and heires annexed with Christ To conclude if certaine securitie they shal be as sure that that felicitie shall not faile them as they are sure that neither they for their parts would willinglie forgo the same nor God for his part wil bereaue his friends thereof against their wils nor that anie thing is so mightie that it can separate God and them Now what and how great ioie is there where such and so great felicitie is Chap. 34. How the Sancts loue each other mutualie in Heauen O Hart of man ô poore hart ô hart ful of miseries yea ouerwhelmed with miseries how greatlie wouldest thou reioice if thou aboundedst with these good things Aske euen the most secret cogitations of thine hart if they could receaue the ioie of so excellent blisse But if another whome thou louest as thy selfe did enioie with thee the like felicitie doubtles thy ioie would be doubled because thou wouldest so much reioice at his felicitie as at thine owne Now if two or three or moe were so blessed of God thou wouldest be as glad for each of them as for thy selfe if thou didest loue them euen as thy selfe Then how great shal the ioie be in that perfect loue of the innumerable companie of blessed Angels and men where each shal loue another euen as himselfe for euerie man there shal reioice as much for the happie estate of each particular person as for his owne felicitie If therefore the hart of man shal hardlie receaue the ioie of his owne blisse how shal it comprehend such great ioies of so manie of his friends for vndoubtedlie euen as we loue à man so shal we be glad for his felicitie As in that blessed happines euerie man shal loue God soueraignelie aboue himselfe and al others with him so most singularlie shal each man be more glad of Gods felicitie than of his owne and of al others with him And if they shal so loue God with al their harts with al their minds and with al their soules that neither al their harts nor al their minds nor al their soules can be able to comprehend the excellencie of the loue assuredlie the Sancts with al their harts with al their minds and with al their soules shal so reioice as neither their hearts nor their minds nor their soules shal be able to comprehend the abundant streames of celestial ioie Chap. 35. Of the perfect ioie of eternal life O MY God and my Lord mine hope the ioie of mine heart resolue my soule whether this be the ioie whereof thou speakest by thy Sonne Aske and ye shal receaue that your ioie may be ful For I haue found à certaine ioie which is ful yea and more than ful For notwithstanding y e whole hart be ful the whole mind ful the whole soule ful yea whole man ful of this ioie yet shal there remaine ioie for al that which is incomprehensible So then that whole ioie shal not enter into the reioicers but al the reioicers shal enter into the ioie of their maister Speake Lord tel thy seruant secretlie in mine hart if this be the ioie whereinto thy seruants shal enter who shal enter into their maisters ioie But surelie that ioie wherewith thine elect shal reioice neither eie hath seene nor eare hath heard nor entred euer into the hart of man Then Lord I haue not yet conceaued in minde much lesse vttered by words how greatlie thine elect shal reioice Vndoubtedlie they shal so greatlie reioice as they shal loue they shal so entirelie loue as they shal know thee ô Lord. And how entirelie shal they loue thee surelie neither mans eie hath seene nor his eare hard nor came it euer into his heart in this world how perfectlie they shal both knowe thee loue thee in the world to come O my God I beseech thee grant that I may knowe thee loue thee and reioice in thee And although I cannot so thoroughlie do so in this life as I should yet giue me grace to profit from daie to daie vntil I come vnto perfection Let thy knowledge so growe vp within me heere y t it may be found ripe there and thy loue so encrease within me heere that it may be perfect there that my ioie may be great heere in hope and in deedeful there O iust God my humble sute is that I may haue the thing which thou promisest euen that my ioie may be ful In the meane space let my mind meditate therof my tong speake therof mine hart long for it my speech reason thereof my soule hunger for the same Let my flesh thirst therefore and al my substance desire it euen vntil I enter into the ioie of my maister there to abide for euer and euer Amen FINIS ¶ THE SVMME OF EVERIE CHAPTER CONTAINED IN THIS BOOKE ACCORding as the titles doe import with the iust number of the page where euerie particular chapter is to be found 1 OF the woonderful essence or being which God hath pag. 1. 2 Of God his vnspeakeable knowledge pag. 4. 3 The desire of that soule which hath à feeling of God pag. 7. 4 The miserable state of that soule which neither loueth our Lord Sauior Christ nor seketh after him pa. 11. 5 A verie Christian desire of the soule after God pag. 14. 6 The happines of that soule which is deliuered out of the earthlie prison of the bodie pag. 17. 7 The blessed ioie of the heauenlie Paradise pag. 20. 8 The glorious condition of the kingdome of Heauen pag. 22. 9 How GOD after much trouble doth comfort the pensiue soule pag. 25. 10 A praier for grace to loue God pag. 27. 11 A praier for grace both dulie to thanke God for our redemption worthilie to approch vnto
conioined to God Loue maketh one spirit of two Loue maketh to wil and to nil one thing Loue maketh first to frame our manners afterward to consider things that are as though they were not and thirdlie with a pure sight of the hart to behold heauenlie and spiritual things Through loue first honest things are wel handled in the world secondlie honest things of the world are despised and last of al the secrets of God are seene and beholden Chap. 19. How God requireth some thing of vs like to himselfe GOD the Father is charitie God the Sonne is louingnes God y e holie Ghost is the loue of the Father and of the Sonne This charitie and this loue requireth à like thing in vs euen loue againe whereby we may be linked and ioined to God as it were by some alliance of kindred Loue is ignorant what dignitie meaneth knoweth no reuerence He that loueth approcheth boldlie vnto God and speaketh familiarlie to him without feare and stopping He that loueth not liueth not but he that loueth looketh euermore vpon God whome he loueth whome he desireth vpon whome he thinketh in whome he delighteth vpon whome he feedeth in whome he groweth A man so deuoute doth euermore so sing and so reade and so circumspectlie and warelie behaue himselfe in al his actions as if God were as in deede he is alwaie present before his eies He so praieth as if he were taken-vp and presented before the face of God in his maiestical throne whereas thousand thousands minister to him and ten thousand thousands stand before him The soule which he visiteth with loue awakeneth him that sleepeth it monisheth and mollifieth the soule and woundeth his hart It inlighteneth darke things it vnlocketh things shut-vp it inflameth colde things it mitigateth the froward angrie and impatient minde It chaseth awaie vices brideleth carnal affections amendeth maners reformeth and renueth the minde and restraineth the light motions and actions of slipperie youth Al these things loue worketh when it is present but when it is wanting the soule beginneth to droope euen as à boiling caudron doth when fire is taken from vnder the same Chap. 20. Of the boldnes of the soule that loueth God LOue doubtles is à great thing by it the soule of hir-selfe doth boldlie aproch vnto God and cleaueth constantlie vnto him The soule that loueth asketh questions of God familiarlie and consulteth with him in al matters She can thinke of nothing and speake of nothing beside God al other things she loatheth and contemneth Whatsoeuer she mindeth and whatsoeuer she speaketh it sauoreth of loue and smelleth of loue so wholie hath the loue of God won her vnto him He that would haue the knowledge of God let him loue In vaine doth he giue himselfe either to reade or to studie or to preach or to praie that loueth not The loue of God engendreth the loue of the soule and maketh her to harken vnto it selfe God loueth because he would be loued againe When he loueth he would be loued knowing that through loue they are blessed which loue him The louing soule renounceth al her owne affections and wholie giueth her selfe to loue that in rendering loue for loue she may answere the loue she hath found and when she hath loued what she can yet what is it vnto the euerlasting streame of that heauenlie fountaine For loue and the louer the soule and God the Creator and the creature meete not alike together yet if man with al his hart wholie doth loue thee ô GOD there lacketh nothing where al is Let not the soule then feare which loueth but let the soule shake and tremble that loueth not The louing soule is caried with desire and drawne with longing she dissembleth her deserts shutteth her eies from the maiestie of God openeth them to pleasure reposing her trust in thy saluation and confidentlie reioicing therein Through loue the soule withdraweth herselfe and departeth from the bodilie senses to the end that feeling God she may haue no feeling of her selfe Which falleth-out when the mind allured by an vnspeakeable sweetenes of God stealeth awaie from her selfe yea is rauished and slippeth-awaie the better to enioie God at her ful pleasure And this pleasure surpasseth al pleasure where it is of continuance Of loue springeth familiaritie of familiaritie boldnes of boldnes taste of tasting hunger The soule which the loue of God hath touched can thinke none other thing and desire nothing else but with often sighes saith As the Hart braieth for the riuers of water so panteth my soule after thee ô God Chap. 21. The singular loue of God to man ward THrough loue GOD himselfe came vnto men came into men was made man Through loue the inuisible God became like vnto his seruants Through loue he was wounded for our transgressions In those wounds of our Sauior sure and safe rest is for weaklings and sinners There I dwel without care his bowels of mercie are laid open to my sight through his wounds Whatsoeuer I lack of my selfe that I doe boldlie take out of the bowels of my Lord For his mercies abound and there want none holes for them to issue out by Through the holes of the bodie I behold the secrets of the hart I see the great mysterie of godlines and the bowels of the mercie of our God whereby the daie spring from an high hath visited vs are open to mine eies The wounds of Iesu Christ are ful of mercie ful of clemencie ful of sweetnes and loue They boared his hands and his feete and pierced his side with à speare By these holes I may taste how gratious the Lord is for doubtles the Lord is good and merciful and of great kindnes to a which cal vpon him in truth to al yea which cal vpon him but especialie to such as loue him Great redemption is giuen vs through the wounds of our Sauior Christ great goodnes much grace and al virtues perfectlie Chap. 22. The refuge of à Christian in the time of tentation WHen I am tempted with anie filthie cogitation I runne forthwith vnto the wounds of Christ when my flesh subdueth me I rise-againe through the recordation of my Lord his wounds when the diuel laieth snares to entrap me I doe flie vnto the tender mercie of my Lord and he leaueth me If burning lust doe inflame me it is quenched through the calling of the wounds of our Lord the Sonne of God into mind In al extremities I can find none so good à remedie as the wounds of Christ In them I sleepe securelie and rest without feare Christ hath died for vs Nothing is so bitter vnto the death but may by the death of my Lord be holpen His death is my merit my refuge saluation life and resurrection The Lords mercie is my merit I can not lacke merits so long as the Lord of
and chast and pure that being throughlie replenished with the sweetenes of thy loue and altogether purged from the grosse vapors of earthlie cogitations by the fire of diuine charitie I may loue thee most sweet and most louelie Lord with al mine hart with al my soule with al my strength and with al my mind and that with much sorrowe of hart and plentiful teares of the eies with much feare and trembling hauing thee in such wise both in mine hart and in my mouth that no strange loues may find roome within me Chap. 11. A praier for grace both dulie to thanke God for our redemption and worthilie to approch vnto the holie Table O Christ my Sauior who art of al the fairest through the shedding of thy pretious blood wherewithal we be redeemed I humblie beseech thee giue me grace vnfainedlie to repent hartilie to bewaile my sins especialie at such times when I offer praiers vnto thee when I sing-foorth thy praises when I cal into mind the mysterie of our redemption à manifest argument of thy mercie to man ward when I am at the holie Table though vnworthie to approch therevnto desiring to participate of that wonderful and heauenlie and reuerend Sacrament which thou ô Lord my God the vnspotted Priest didst institute and command to be receaued in remembrance of thy loue to wit of thy death and passion for our saluation and for the strengthening of our dailie weakenes Let my mind at such mysteries bee confirmed with the sweetenes of thy spiritual presence let it behold thee with the eies of faith and reioice in thy sight O sweete Christ ô good Iesu who art both the fire burning alwaies and the loue inflamed euermore the euerlasting and neuer wasting light and the bread of life feeding vs and yet neuer diminished and eaten-of dailie and yet continualie abiding whole Shine thou vpon me and set me on fire inlighten and sanctifie me purge thy vessel from the dregs of malice fil me of thy grace and keepe me ful that I may eate the meate of thy flesh vnto the saluation of my soule that feeding vpon thee I may liue of thee and through thee I may attaine vnto thee and rest in thee Amen Chap. 12. A zealous praier for grace to meditate deepelie vpon the goodnes of God O Sweet loue louelie sweetnes let my stomach digest thee and with the nectar of thy loue be al my bowels filled let mine hart vtter-forth good matter O my God who art charitie it selfe the delectable honie the snowie milke and the foode of y e strong make me to growe-vp in thee that thou with à sound palate maiest be tasted of mee Thou art my life whereby I doe liue the hope wherevnto I trust and the glorie which I desire to attaine Guide thou mine hart rule thou my mind direct mine vnderstāding erect my loue cheere vp my soule and quench thou the thirst of my spirit which longeth after thee with thine heauenlie riuers Let the tumultuous cogitations of the flesh hold their peace I beseech thee let earthlie and worldlie phantasies be stil let al dreames and vaine reuelations let euerie tong euery signe and what else soeuer doth vanish-awaie be silent Yea let mine owne soule also be dumme too and ouer-passe it selfe not by thinking on it selfe but vpon thee my God because thou art in deed al mine hope and confidence For in thee our most gratious and kind merciful Lord and God Iesus Christ ech of vs hath à portiō both of blood flesh Therefore where à peece of my selfe doth raigne there I beleeue I doe raigne where my blood hath dominion there I trust I haue dominion where my flesh is glorified there I knowe I am glorious And although I am yet à sinner yet I doubt no whit of this participation of grace although my sinnes do hinder me yet my substance doth require it and although mine owne offences doe exclude me yet the communion of nature doth not repel me Chap. 13. A thankes-giuing vnto God for the incarnation of his deere Sonne to saue man FOr the Lord is not so vnkinde that he can hate his owne flesh his owne members his owne bowels Surelie I might vtterlie despaire in respect of mine outragious offences and infinite sins which I both haue committed and dailie doe commit both in hart word and deede and by al meanes whereby the frailtie of man may transgresse had not thy word ô my God bin made flesh and dwelled among vs. But now I dare not despaire because he hauing showen him selfe obedient to thee vnto the death euen the death of the crosse hath taken awaie the hand-writing of our sinnes and fastening it vpon the crosse hath crucified both sinne and death In him therefore who sitteth at thy right hand and maketh request also for vs I take hart againe Through mine hope in whom we are quickened and raised and sit together in the heauenlie places I desire to come vnto thee To thee bee praise to thee glorie to thee honor to thee thanks Amen Chap. 14. The more God is thought-vpon the more louelie he seemeth O Most gratious Lord who hast so loued and saued vs so quickened and glorified vs ô most gratious Lord how sweet is thy remembrance The more I thinke on thee the sweeter thou seemest and the more amiable in mine eies Therefore thy good things do much delight me and vncessantlie doe I couet with a pure sight of the hart and with the sweet affection of godlie loue as far-foorth as I am able in the place of my pilgrimage and so long as I carie these fraile members about me to desire and to thinke-vpon thy woonderful loue and beautie For I am wounded with the dart of thy loue I do burne exceedinglie with desire of thee I couet long to be with thee to behold thee is al my desire And therefore I wil stand-vpon my gard and with watchful eies I wil sing with the spirit and I wil sing with the vnderstanding also and with al my strength too I wil praise thee my maker renewer I wil perce the heauens with mine hart and in desire I wil be with thee so as my bodie onlie shal be in this miserable world but in thought and in mind and in desire I wil be where thou art and where thou my rich and incomparable and much desired treasure art there shal mine hart be also But lo ô most gratious and merciful God mine hart is not able to consider the glorie of thine infinite goodnes and mercie For thine honor thy beautie thy strength thy glorie magnificence maiestie and loue exceede al sense of mans vnderstanding euen as the curtesie of thine eternal loue wherby thou giuest to such the adoption of sonnes and ioinest them to
thy selfe whom thou hast created is inestimable Chap. 15. How the trobles in this world are nothing answerable to the ioies in heauen O My soule were wee euerie daie to endure torments and to suffer the paines of hel à long space if we would behold Christ in his glorie and be ioined to his saints were it not meete that we suffered al kind of aduersitie to attaine vnto the participation of such felicitie and of so great glorie Let the diuels then lie in wait and prepare their tentations let fastings breake the bodie let hard apparel bring-downe the flesh let labors grieue watchings drie-vp let this man crie out vpon me let him or them disquiet me let cold benum the conscience murmur heate parch me Let mine head ake my breast burne my stomach swel my countenance become pale let euerie part of me be weakened Let my life waste in heauines and my yeeres with mourning Let rottennes enter-into my bones and let me tremble in my selfe so I may rest in the day of troble and ascend-vp vnto the saints of God For how singular shal the glorie of the righteous be how great the ioie of al the sancts when each of their faces shal shine as the Sunne when the Lord shal begin to sort his people into sundrie degrees in the kingdome of his Father and according to each mans deserts and works as he hath promised render his rewards euen celestial for earthlie eternal for transitorie and great things for verie trifles Doubtles there shal be store of happines when the Lord shal bring his sancts to the contemplation of his fathers glorie and make them to sit together in heauenlie places that God may be al in al Chap. 16. Of the kingdome of heauen and how it may be attained O Happie ioifulnes ioiful happines to see the Sancts to be with the Sancts to be à Sanct to beholde God and to enioie God from euerlasting to euerlasting Heerevpon let vs earnestlie muse these things let vs hartelie desire the sooner to come vnto their happie state Askest thou how this may be done or by what merits or meanes Listen ô man This matter consisteth in the power of the worker for the kingdome of God suffereth violence The kingdome of Heauen ô man asketh none other price but thy selfe it is worth so much as thou art thy selfe Giue thy selfe and thou shalt haue that What art thou troubled about the price Christ hath giuen himselfe that he might purchase thee à kingdome to God euen the Father So giue thou thy selfe that thou maist be his kingdome and let not sinne raigne in thy mortal bodie but the spirit to the attainement of life Chap. 17. VVhat Paradise is and the ioies thereof NOw my soule returne we vnto the celestiall Citie wherein wee be written and of which we be members For as Citizens with y e Saints and of the houshold of God and as the heires of God and heires annexed with Christ let vs cal into minde as we are able y e happie state of our Citie Saie we therefore with the Prophet Glorious things are spoken of thee ô Citie of God they which dwel in thee are like such as sing It is faire in situation euen the ioie of the whole earth There is neither age nor the miserie of age in thee in thee there is no maimed nor lame nor crooked nor deformed person for al do meete together vnto à perfect man and vnto the measure of the age of the fulnes of Christ Then what happier thing can there be than this life where neither pouertie is to be feared nor sicknes to weaken where no hurt is done and no man wil either be angrie or enuious Where there is no burning concupiscence no desire of meate no suing for honor and preferment Where we shal be out of al feare of the Diuel of his traps and of damnation Where neither bodie nor soule shal die and à ioiful and immortal life is Where no euils at al nor discord shalbe but al things wel al things at quiet because the harts of al the Sancts shal wish and wil one thing Where peace and mirth do possesse al al things are as they should be and at à good staie Where continual light shal be not such à light as we now enioie but so much cleerer as it is more blessed For that Citie as we reade hath no neede of the Sunne neither of the Moone to shine in it for the glorie of God shal inâ—ighten it and the Lambe is the light of it Where the Sancts shal shine as the Starres for euer euer and they that turne manie vnto righteousnes as the brightnes of the firmament So that no night shal be there no darkenes there no gathering together of cloudes there no complaining there either of parching heate or of nipping colde But such à temperature of al things there shal be as eie hath not seene neither eare hath heard nor at anie time hath come into the hart of anie man they onlie excepted who are founde worthie to enioie that happines whose names be written in the booke of life Notwithstanding à greater happines than al this is to be ioined to the quires of Angels and of Archangels and of al the celestial powers to behold the Patriarches and the Prophets to see the Apostles of Christ and al the Saints and our parents also This is à great glorie but the greatest of al is to beholde God himselfe face to face to see the incomprehensible light The superexcellent glorie shal be when we see God in himselfe and when we shal both see and enioie him in our selues too of which sight there shal be none ende Chap. 18. That we can not please God but through loue THE soule being goodlie through the image of God and glorious thorough his likenes hath in it of God whereby it may be warned alwaies either to stand with him or to returne vnto him if she be moued with hir affections or defections rather And hath not onlie whence to take hart againe through hope of pardon and mercie but also whence boldlie to aspire vnto the marriage of the word and to enter into the couenant of felowship with God and to beare the pleasant yoke of amitie with the king of Angels Al this worketh loue if the soule shew hir selfe like to God in wil as she is to him by nature louing as she is beloued For of al the motions senses and affections of the minde loue onlie it is whereby man may though not fullie satisfie the loue of God yet answere in à sort his good wil. When loue once commeth it draweth vnto it and captiueth al other affections Loue sufficeth of it selfe pleaseth of it selfe and for it selfe Loue is the merit the reward the cause the fruit the vse For by loue we are