more certaine than death yet woteth not man when he shal depart and then takes he a fal and leeseth his hope when in his owne iudgement he stoode ful sure For man cannot tel either when or where or how he shal die yet is it appointed that he shal die Now see Lord how great is mans wretchednes wherein I am yet feare not how much the miserie that I endure and yet neither am trobled therat nor dooe crie vnto thee But Lorde I wil crie vnto thee before I passe away if happilie I may abide in thee not passe awaie I wil tel then I wil tel my miserie yea I wil confesse my vilenes before thee and not be ashamed O my fortitude by whome I am vpholden helpe me assist me ô my strength by whom I am sustained Come light through which I se appere glorie through which I reioice and life wherein I shal liue manifest thy selfe ô Lord my God Chap. 3. Of Gods wonderful light O Light which Tobit sawe when though blinde he taught his sonne the waie of life O light which Izhak sawe inwardlie when though outwardlie blind he tolde his sonne what was to come O light I saie inuisible to which al y e depth of mans hart is visible O light which Iacob saw when according to thine inward instruction he foretolde what outwardlie should happen to his sonnes Beholde darknes is vpon the face of the deepe of my mind y ◠art light Lo a mistie dimnes is vpon the waters of mine hart but thou art the truth O word by whome al things were made without which nothing was made O worde which art before al things before which was nothing O word creating al things without which al things are nothīg O word gouerning al things without which al thinges are naught woorth O word which in the beginning didst saie Let there be light and there was light say likewise to me Let there be light and light shalbe made and I shal see light and discerne al that is not light For without thee I put darknes for light and light for darknes And so without thee there is present for truth error for wisdome foolishnes confusion ignorance for knowledge for sight blindnes by-pathes for the right waie for life death Chap. 4. The frailtie of mans nature BEholde my Lorde because there is no life there is death naie rather there is no death because death is nothing For thereby wee come vnto naught while we dread not to make our selues naught through sinne And y t deseruedlie ô Lord. For when we come to naught like the running water we are recompenced according to our works because without thee nothing was done and we by dooing nothing are made nothing For without thee by whome al things are made and without whome nothing was made ô Lord y ◠word ô God the word by whome al things were made without which was made nothing that was made we are nothing Wo is mee wretch so often blinded because thou art the light and I am not with thee Woe is mee wretch so often wounded because thou art saluation I am not with thee Wo is me wretch so often infatuated because thou art the truth and I am not with thee Wo is mee wretch so often wandering because thou art y e waie and I am not with thee Wo is me wretch so oftē dead because thou art life I am not with thee wo is me wretch so often brought to nothing because thou art the worde by which al things were made yet I am not with thee without whom nothing was made O Lord the word ô God the word who art the light by whome light was made who art the waie the truth and the life in whom there is neither darknes error vanitie nor death The light without which al is darknes the waie without which all is but by-pathes the truth without which al is but falshoode the life without which euery thing is death Speake the worde Lord let there be light that I may see the light and shun darknes see the waie shun by-paths see the truth and shun falshood see life and shun death Inlighten me ô Lord my light my glorie my saluation whome I wil feare my Lord whom I wil praise my God whō I wil worship my Father whome I wil honor my spouse for whom I wil keepe my selfe Inlighten ô light inlighten me poore soule sitting in darknes in the shadow of death direct my feete into the way of peace y ◠I may enter therby into the place of thy glorious tabernacle euē to the house of God with the voice of ioie thanksgiuing For true confession is the verie way whereby I may come vnto thee the way by which I may come out of by-pathes and go againe vnto thee the waie For thou art the true waie vnto life Chap. 5. VVhat is ment by becomming nothing I Wil confesse therfore ô Father LORD of Heauen and Earth vnto thee wil I cōfesse my wickednes that so I may attaine vnto thy mercie I became wretched and was broght vnto nothing yet knew I not so much for thou art the truth and I was not with thee Mine iniquities did wound me yet was I not trobled for thou art the life and I was not with thee They brought mee vnto nothing for thou art the word I was not with thee by whom al things were made without whome nothing was made And therefore being without thee I became nothing For it is nothing which bringeth vnto nothing By the worde al things were made whatsoeuer was made after what forme soeuer they were made And God saw al that he had made lo it was exceeding good Al things y t were made were made by the worde then whatsoeuer things were made by the worde are exceeding good Wherefore be they good Because al things were made by the word and without it was made nothing y t was made For nothing is good without the souereigne good But wheras good is not there is euil which indeede is nothing because euil is nought else but the want of good euen as blindnes is naught else but the want of sight Euil then is nothing because it was made without the word without which nothing was made And that is euil which is depriued of that good wherby al thinges that are were made But those things which be not are not made by him And therefore they are nothing Then whatsoeuer was not made are euil Because al things that were made were made by the worde And al which were
of mine hart and of my soule let me loue thee with al mine hart with al my soule with al my strength and with al my bowels Because thou didst loue me first And whence is it ô Creator of heauen and of earth and of the sea which needest no good thing of mine whence is it that thou hast loued me O wisedome which openest the mouth of the dumme ô worde by whome al thinges were made open my lips giue me a voice of thankesgiuing that I may vtter out al the benefits which thou Lord hast bestowed vpon mee euen from the beginning For lo I am because thou hast created mee And the cause whie thou didst create number me among thy creatures was thy predestination from euerlasting before thou madest anie thing frō the beginning before thou didst spread abrod the heauens when there were no depthes neither hadst thou made the earth nor setled the mountaines before the fountaines abounded with water Before al these things which by thy worde thou didst create thou in thy most certaine prouidence of truth didst foresee that I should be yea thy minde was to make me thy creature And whence then is it ô my Lord ô gratious and most hie God whence is it ô most merciful Father most mightie Creator alwaies louing What deserued I at thy hands what goodnes sawest thou in me that mooued thy most glorious maiestie to create me When I was not thou didest create me I was nothing and of nothing thou didst make me somewhat And what kind of somwhat Not a drop of water not fire not a birde nor a fishe nor a serpent nor a brutish beast nor a stone nor a stock nor of that kinde of thinges which haue onelie but beeing nor of that whose nature is onlie to be and to growe nor of that which haue onelie being growing and sense But aboue al these things it is thy wil that I should consist both of those thinges which haue but onelie being for I am and of those thinges which aswel growe as be for I am and growe and of those things also which haue being growing and sense for I am growe and perceiue And yet more than this thou hast made me a litle inferior to the Angels For I haue receaued reason at thine handes to knowe thee aswel as they A litle inferior I confesse For they haue an happie knowledge of thee euen as thou art but I knowe through hope they face to face but I dark-lie through a glasse they fullie but I in part Chap. 8. The happie state of man in the life to come BVt when y ◠which is perfect is come that in part shal be abolished when with open face wee shal see thy face Then what shal let vs to be as good euen as Angels seeing thou Lorde hast bedecked vs with y e crowne of hope which is adorned with glorie and honor and seeing thou hast exceedinglie aduanced vs as thy verie friendes Yea euerie waie as good then and equal to Angels For so saith thy truth They are equal vnto the Angels and are the sonnes of God What are they else but the sonnes of God if they be equal vnto Angels Indeed they shal be the sonnes of God because the sonne of man is made the sonne of God So that considering this thing I dare boldlie saie Man is not a litle inferior vnto Angels Man is not onelie equal vnto Angels but man is aboue Angels Beeause a man is God and God is a man but not an Angel And because the word which was in y e beginning God with God the word whereby God saide Let there be light and light was made the worde by which al things in the beginning were made became flesh and dwelt among vs and wee haue seene the glorie thereof I saie man is the most excellent creature of al other Behold my glorie in which I glorie at what time soeuer I doe glorie Lo my ioie wherein I reioice when I doe reioice ô Lord my God my life and the whole glorie of my soule Therefore ô Lord my God I confesse that creating mee a reasonable creature thou didst create me after a sort as good as Angels For by thy word I may be made perfect so that I may attaine vnto the verie state of Angels and haue the adoption of sonnes by thine onelie begotten sonne ô Lord thy wel-beloued sonne in whom thou art wel pleased by thine onelie and right heire of one substance with thee and coeternal euen Iesus Christ our onelie Lord our redeemer our inlightener our comforter our Aduocate with thee and the light of our eies who is our life and our Sauior and our onelie hope who hath loued vs more than himselfe by whome wee haue an assured trust laid vp in store with thee and free accesse vnto thee Because he gaue them power to be the sonnes of God to them I saie that beleeue in his Name I wil praise thy name ô Lord who by creating me after thine owne image and similitude hast made mee capable of so great glorie as in time to become the sonne of God This condition neither trees nor stones nor generalie those things which either mooue or encrease in the aire or in the sea or in the earth attaine vnto because he gaue them no power by thy word to become the sonnes of God for they haue no reason For in reason consisteth the power whereby wee knowe God And this power he hath giuen to men whome he hath made reasonable after his owne image and likenes I also ô Lord am a man thorough thy grace and by thy grace may be thy sonne which they cannot be Whence haue I it ô Lord the souereigne truth and true souereigntie euen the first borne of euerie creature whence haue I it that I may be y e sonne of God which they cannot be Thou art the same God for euer thou madest al things thou didst create both man and beasts and stones and al greene things vpon the face of the earth For no merits went before nor desertes Because onlie of thy goodnes thou createdst al thinges Al creatures were like in merits For none at al deserued ought How is it then that thy mercie doth more appeere in this thy reasonable creature than in al the rest which haue no reason Why am not I as al they be or else al they as I or I alone as they What merites had I what had I deserued that thou shouldest create me of power to become the sonne of God and denie the same to al thy other creatures Be it fro me ô Lorde that I shoulde thinke I had anie merits It was onlie thy
not is because it knowes thee not and it knoweth thee not because it perceaues thee not it perceaueth thee not because it comprehendeth not thy light which doth shine in darknes and the darknes cōprehendeth it not O light of y e minde ô lightsome truth ô true light which inlightnest euerie man y t commeth into this world indeede y t commeth into the world but not which loueth the worlde For whosoeuer is a friende of y e world is an enimie to God O driue awaie the darknes from the deepe of my minde that it may see thee by vnderstanding thee and know thee by comprehending thee and looue thee by knowing thee For whosoeuer knoweth thee doth looue thee hee forgets himselfe and loues thee more than himselfe yea he forsaketh himselfe and commeth vnto thee that in thee alone he may reioice Hence then is it ô Lord that I looue thee not as I ought to do euen because I knowe thee not so perfectlie as I shoulde and because I haue but little knowledge of thee I loue thee but little and for that I loue thee but little I do little reioice in thee But departing from thee the true and inward ioie vnto outwarde while I lacke thee I seeke fained comforts in these outward things And so wretch that I am that which with my whole hart and with al my mind I should haue surrendred vnto thee alone that haue I giuen to vanities and so through louing vanitie I am become vane Hence also it is that I reioice not in thee nor cleaue to thee ô Lord euen because I delight in outwarde thou in inward I in temporal thou in spiritual ioies I am in minde distracted in thought occupied in talke snarled about transitorie things and thou inhabitest the eternitie and art euerlastingnes it selfe Thou art in heauen I on earth thou louest thinges on hie I base things below thou heauenlie I terrestrial And howe then may these contraries agree together Chap. 2. Of the miserie and frailtie of man O Wretched mā that I am when shal◠my crookednes be made euen to thy straightnes Lorde thou louest solitarines and I companie thou silence I noise thou truth and I vanitie thou puritie and I folowe filthines And what more Lord Thou art perfectlie good I am euil thou art godly I am wicked thou art holie I am wretched thou art righteous I am sinful thou art the light I am blinde thou art the life I am dead thou the physicion I am sicke thou the ioie I am sorow thou the souereigne truth I nothing but vanitie as al men liuing be Alas therefore ô my Creator what shal I saie Listen ô my Creator I am thy creature and am now cast awaie I am thy creature and now doe I die I am thy creature and am now destroied Thy workmanship I am Thy hands haue made me and facioned me O Lord despise not the work of thine handes respect the woundes of thine owne hands I beseech thee Lo thou hast written me vpon the palme of thine hands ô Lord God reade that writing and saue me Behold I thy creature sigh after thee thou art my Creator oh make me new again Beholde I thy workmanship crie vnto thee thou art the life oh quicken me againe Behold I thy handie worke looke vpon thee thou art my maker oh repaire mee againe Spare me ô Lord for my daies are but vanitie What is man that he shoulde talke vnto GOD his maker Spare me ô God speaking vnto thee Be not angrie with thy seruant for presuming to talke with so mightie a Lord. Necessitie hath no law Griefe compels me to speake and the miserie which I endure enforceth me to crie out Sick I am I crie vnto the physicion blinde I am I hasten to the light I am dead and I sigh for life Thou art y e physicion thou art the light the life thou art ô Iesus of Nazareth Haue mercie vpon mec ô sonne of Dauid ô fountaine of mercie haue mercie vpon me and harken to the diseased which crieth for thine helpe O light passing by looke vpon the blinde stretch foorth thine hande vnto him that hee may come vnto thee and see the light in thy light O life liuing euerlastinglie cal againe the dead vnto life But what am I that speaketh vnto thee Wo is me Lord spare me ô Lord I alas I am euen an rotten carkas the meat of wormes a loathsome vessel euen matter for fire What am I that speaketh vnto thee Wo is me Lorde ô Lorde spare me a wretched man A man indeede borne of a woman of short continuance and ful of troble a man indeede made like to vanitie cōpared to the foolish beasts and now in verie deede like to them And what am I more a darke dungeon miserable earth the childe of wrath a vessel of dishonor begotten in vncleannes liuing in wretchednes dieng in distresse Out vpon me wretch what am I Alas what shal become of me that am a vessel of filthines a coffin of rottennes replenished with stinch loathsomnes blinde poore naked subiect to verie manie trobles ignorant both when I came into the world and when I shal depart miserable and mortal whose daies passe awaie like a shade whose life vanisheth like the moone light now growing like a flower on the tree and by and by withering florishing now fading by and by My life I saie is a fraile life a fleeting life a life that the more it lengtheneth the shorter it waxeth the more it encreaseth the nigher it draweth towardes death a life transitorie and deceitful replenished with the snares of death Now am I iocond anon sad now strong anon sicke now aliue anon dead now I seeme happie but am alwaies miserable now merie anon mourning And so are al things subiect vnto mutabilitie that nothing continueth at a staie one whole houre together Hence feare thence trembling hence hunger thence thirst thence cold hence heat hence faintnes thence sorowe springeth and after al these foloweth vntimelie death which sodainlie doth carrie miserable men awaie after a thousande waies This man it killeth with sicknes that mā it oppresseth with sorowe this man it famisheth with hunger that man with thirst it dispatcheth this man it choakes with waters that man it strangleth with an halter One man it consumeth by fire another it deuoureth by wilde beastes with sworde it slaieth another another it corrupteth with poison and with some terrible feare it dispatcheth some other miserable man And yet there is a great miserie beside al this and that is although nothing be
made by the word were exceeding good wherefore forsomuch as al thinges were made by the worde euil things were not made by it So it remaneth that whatsoeuer things were not made are not good for al things are good which were made Therefore the thinges not made are euil and so consequentlie nothing Because without the word nothing was made Euil then is nothing because it was not made But how is euil if it was not made Because euil is a priuation of that which good is thorough which good was made Then to be without the worde is euil which is to be as nothing For besides it is nothing But what is it to be separated from the worde If thou wouldest knowe that listen what is ment by the word The word of God saith I am the waie the truth and the life Therefore to be separated from the worde is to be without the waie without the truth without life and so nothing without him and so euil because it is without the worde by whome al things were made and they were excellentlie good Againe to be separated from the worde by which al thinges were made is nothing else but to vndo and of something to become nothing For without him it is nothing As often therfore as thou declinest from that which good is thou separatest thy selfe from the word For that is good And so thou art made nothing because thou art without y e word without the which was made nothing that was made Now then ô Lord my light thou hast inlightened mee that I may see thee I haue sene and knowen that as often as I am separated from thee so oft I become nothing Because I forgat goodnes which thou art and therefore am made euil Wo worth me wretch that I neuer marked how I became nothing when I forsooke thee But what needes this cōplaint If I was nothing I needed not to knowe We knowe that euil is nothing and that is not which is nothing and that which is not good is not because it is nothing If therefore I was nothing when I was without thee I was but as nothing euen like an Idol which is nothing hauing eares and heareth not a nose and smelleth not eies and seeth not a mouth and speaketh not handes and feeleth not feete and walketh not al the proportion of members and yet liueth not Chap. 6. How the soule offendeth through sinne SO then as long as I was without thee I was naught but verie nothing and therefore blinde I was deafe I was and without sense For I neither knew what good was nor shunned that euil was nor perceaued my wounds when I was hurt nor saw the darknes which I was in Because I was without thee the verie light which lightneth euerie man that commeth into the world Alack therefore they wounded me yet I sorowed not they haled me yet I perceaued not for that I was not because I was without life which is the worde by whome al thinges were made And therefore ô Lorde my light mine enimies did with me euen what they would they struck me they striped me they polluted me they corrupted me they wounded mee yea they killed me because I forsooke thee and so became nothing without thee Alacke ô Lorde my life by whom I was made my light wherby I am directed haue mercie vpon me ô defender of my life and raise mee vp againe ô Lord my God my hope my strength my rock and my comfort in the daie of my troble Consider mine aduersaries and deliuer me let them which hate me flie awaie from my presence and through thee let me liue in thee For they haue watched me seing me without thee haue despised me They parted among themselues the garments of virtue wherewithal thou hadst clothed me they made a waie through me they troade me vnder their feete they defiled thine holie temple with the dregs of wickednes they left me desolate pining awaie through sorow I folowed after blind and naked and shackled with the cordes of wickednes They dragged mee after them in their circuite frō vice to vice and from mire to mire and so went I ful weakely God knowes before the face of him that pursued me Bond I was yet liked I slauerie blinde and desired blindenes bound and did not abhor the shackles I thought soure sweet and sweet to be soure Miserable I was yet knewe I not so much because I was without the worde without which nothing was made through which al thinges are maintained without which al thinges are brought to nothing For as al thinges by it were made without it was made nothing so by it are al thinges maintained whatsoeuer is either in heauen or in the earth in the sea or in any deep place Neither can anie part sticke to other either in a stone or in any other thing created did not the word by which al things were made maintaine it Wherefore ô worde I wil cleaue to thee that thou maist saue me For when I forsooke thee I had perished hadst not thou which didst make mee renued me againe I sinned thou didst visit me I fel thou didst erect me I was ignorant thou didst teach me I was blind thou didst lighten me Chap. 7. Of Gods manifold benefites conferred vpon man O My God showe mee how much I wretch am bound to loue thee how much I am bounde to praise thee how much I am bounde to please thee Thunder ô Lord with a great and mightie voice from aboue into the inwarde care of mine hart Teach me and saue me so wil I praise thee for creating me when I was nothing for lightning mee when I was in darknes when I was dead for reuiuing me for cherishing me euen from my youth with al good things Thou dost nourish me vnprofitable worme stinking in wickednes euen with al thy most excellent benefites Open to me ô key of Dauid which dost open and no man shutteth against him to whom thou openest and doest shut and no man openeth to him against whome thou shuttest Open to mee the doore of thy countenance that I may enter and beholde and knowe and praise thee with al mine hart For great is thy mercie toward me and thou hast deliuered my soule frō the lowest graue O Lord our God how excellent is thy name in al y e world What is man that thou art mindful of him and the sonne of man that thou visitest him O Lord the hope of the godlie and the tower of their strength ô God the life of my soule by which I liue without which I die ô light of mine eies by which I see without which I am blinde ô the ioie
grace it was of thy meere goodnes that I shoulde be partaker of that sweetnes Wherfore through that grace which mooued thee to create me of nothing ô Lord giue mee this grace I beseech thee that I may thanke thee for this thy goodnes Chap. 9. Of Gods Omnipotencie THine Almightie hande ô GOD which is one and the same alwaies hath created both the Angels in heauen and the litle wormes in earth no whit more glorious in them nor inferior in these For as none other hand could create an Angel so none other could make the vilest worme as none other could lay abrode the heauens so none other facion the smalest leafe of a tree as none other coulde make a bodie so none other make one heare white or black But onlie thine almightie hande to which al things are alike possible For it is no more possible for thee to create a worme than an Angel nor more impossible to spreade out the Heauen than a leafe It is no easier for thee to facion a smal heare than a bigge bodie nor harder to build the earth vpon the water than to lay the waters vppon the earth For thou God didest what thou wouldest in Heauen and in earth in the sea and in al the depthes and me among other things thou didst make euen as thou wouldest couldest and knewest best Thine hand ô Lorde coulde haue made mee a stone or a bird or a Serpent or some brute beast it knew as much but it would not for thy mercie sake Wherefore then am I not a stone or a tree or a beast Because thy goodnes hath so ordained Yet did not anie merites of mine preuent thee that thou shouldest appoint it so Chap. 10. The incomprehensible praise of God WHere shal I get ô my Lord where shal I get sufficient praises to extol thee For as thou madest me as it pleased thee without mine help so canst thou magnifie thy self as it pleaseth thee without me Before thee ô Lord thy praise is thy selfe Let al thy workes prayse thee according to thine excellent greatnes Thy praise ô LORD is incomprehensible It is neither in heart conceiued nor vttered by mouth nor perceiued by care For these things doe passe away but thy praise ô Lord endureth for euer The thought hath a beginning it hath an end the voice hath a sounde and the voice doth vanish the eare doth heare and hearing cesseth but thy praise ô Lord endureth for euer Who then can praise thee what man can shew forth thy praise Thy praise is not transitorie it endureth for euer He doth praise thee who beleceueth thee to be thine owne praise He doth praise thee who knoweth himselfe vnable to attaine vnto thy praise O perpetual praise neuer vanishing in thee is our praise in thee shal my soule reioice We praise thee not but thou praisest thy selfe by thy selfe and in thy selfe and our praise also is in thee Then haue wee true praise when we haue praise of thee when the light doth allow the light For thou the true praise giuest due commendation And as often as wee seeke praise of anie other besides thee so oftē do we leefe thy praise Because that is transitorie but thine is eternal If we go after transitorie wee forgo eternal and if we loue eternal we must loath y ◠praise that is transitorie O Lord my God praise eternal of whome al praise without whome there is no praise without thee I am vnable to praise thee let me haue thee and I wil praise thee For what am I Lord of my selfe that I should praise thee dust and ashes am I a dead and stincking dog am I a worme and verie rottennes am I. What am I to praise thee ô Lord God most mightie in whose hand is the breath of al mankind which inhabitest the eternitie Shal darkenes praise the light or death life Thou art light I am darkenes thou life and I am death Shal vanitie commend the truth Thou art the truth but I a man become like to vanitie Why then Lord shal I praise thee Shal my miserie praise thee shal stincke commende sweetenesse shal mans mortalitie who is heere to daie and gone to morrow praise thee Shal man who is verie rottennes or the sonne of man a verie worme praise thee O Lord shal he that is conceiued borne and brought vp in wickednes praise thee no my God Praise is not semelie in the mouth of a sinner O Lord my God let thine owne incomprehensible power thine owne vnlimitable wisedome thine owne vnspeakeable goodnes commēd thee Let thy more than excellent clemencie thy more than abundant mercie thine euerlasting virtue also and diuinitie praise thee Let thine almightie power with thy souereigne gentlenes and loue whereby thou hast created vs ô Lord God the verie life of my soule praise thee Chap. II. The hope of a Christian must be cast vpon God ANd I thy creature wil trust in the shadow of thy wings euen in thy mercie whereby thou didst create me Helpe thy creature whome of thy mercy thou hast created let me not perish through my sinne whome of thy goodnes thou hast facioned neither be confounded in my miserie whome of thy clemencie thou hast made For what profit is in creating mee if I go downe into mine owne corruption what hast thou ô God created the sonnes of men in vaine Thou hast created mee ô Lord gouerne that which thou hast created Despise not ô God y e workes of thine hands Of nothing thou didst create me and doubtles do not thou Lorde direct mee I shal come againe to nothing For as I was not sometime and thou didest make me of nothing so Lord if thou do not gouerne me I shal returne to nothing in my selfe Help me ô Lord my life lest I perish in my wickednes O Lord hadst not thou created me I had not bin at al but because thou hast created me I am And yet am I nothing if thou guide mee not For no grace neither goodnes of mine compelled thee to create me but euen thine owne most fauorable goodnes and mercie O Lord my God let that loue which compelled thee to make me compel thee also to gouerne me For to what end did thy loue compel thee to make me if I perish in my wickednes and am not guided by thy right hand Let that mercie of thine ô Lord my God compel thee to saue that which is created that compelled thee to create that which was not Let that loue winne thee to saue which wanne thee to create For it is no lesse now than it was for so much as thou art loue who art alwaies the same For thine hand is not
mercie that we doe loue thee This Lord is thy gift whose euerie good gift is Thou commandest that wee shoulde loue thee grant which thou commandest and command what thou wilt Chap. 19. Of the feruencie of loue or charitie O Lord my God I doe loue thee and alwaies more and more I desire too loue thee For thou art in deede sweeter than anie honie more nutritiue than anie milke and brighter than y e cleerest light And therefore thou art deerer to mee than either gold or siluer or pretious stone For I despise whatsoeuer I did in the world in respect of thy sweetenes and the glorie of thine house which I haue loued O fire which alwaies burnest and neuer goest out ô loue which alwaies art inflamed and neuer coolest set me on fire Let me wholie be inflamed of thee that I may loue thee wholie For he loueth thee too little who loues anie thing beside thee except he loue it for thy sake O Lord let me loue thee because thou first didest loue me Where shal I get wordes to expresse the signes of thy singular great loue toward mee through thine infinite benefites wherewith from the beginning thou hast nourished me Namelie besides the benefite of creation when at the beginning thou madest me of nothing after thine own image in magnifieng and exalting me aboue al those creatures which thou hadest made and making me glorious with the light of thy countenance wherwithal thou hast sealed the vppermost seate of mine hart thereby disseuering mee both from insensible thinges and also from brute beastes which haue sense and abasing mee but little beneath Angels Yet was al this too little before the sight of thy Godhead For without cessing thou hast fed me with dailie and singular and most ample benefites yea as if I were thy deere and weake and tender child thou hast nourished refreshed me with the teates of thy comfort And that I might wholie serue thee thou hast put al things which thou hast made vnder my subiection Chap. 20. That God hath made al things to serue for mans vse THou hast made al things to serue man that man alone might serue thee altogither And that man might be wholie thine thou hast giuen him dominion ouer al thy workes For al outward things thou hast created for the bodie and the bodie for the soule and the soule for thy selfe that man might onelie serue thee and loue thee onlie enioieng both thee to his solace and inferior things for his seruice For nothing vnder the coape of heauen is for worthines comparable to the soule of man which was created for the chiefest good on high by enioieng whereof it might become blessed to which if it cleaue ouerpassing al earthlie things which are transitorie it cleerelie shal behold the face of that eternal immortalitie and the glorious maiestie of him whose image it doth represent Then shal it in the house of the Lord enioie those excellent good things in comparison whereof al outwarde thinges which we now see are as nothing For they are those things which eie hath not seene eare hath not heard neither came into mans har◠which God hath prepared for such as loue him O Lord such things wilt thou giue vnto y e soule of man And heereby Lord which louest the soules thou daie by daie doest reioice the soules of thy seruants But why maruel I at these things ô Lord my God For thou bringest vnto honor thine owne image and similitude according to which they were created For to our bodie though corruptible vile that it might see thou hast giuen the cleerenes of the skie by the hands of thine vntired seruants y e Sunne and Moone which continualie daie and night by thine apointment doe seruice to thy children that it might breath thou hast giuen the pure aër varietie of soundes that it might heare sweete odors that it might smel qualities of sauors that is might taste grosenes of al bodilie things that it might feele to serue his vse thou hast giuen him the beastes of the field and soules of the aër and fishes of the sea and fruite of the earth to refresh him Thou hast created medicines of the earth for al diseases and hast prepared for euerie seueral euil a seueral comfort For thou Lord art a pitiful God and a merciful thou our maker knowest whereof we are made and how we are but as claie in thine hand Chap. 21. That by the consideration of Gods temporal benefites wee may gather the greatnes of his heauenlie blessings O Lord reueale thy great mercie towarde mee shine vpon me yet more and more with thy light I beseech thee that more and more I may perceiue the same For thy great things by these smalest things and thine inuisible things by these visible creatures are seene ô God holie and good our Lord and maker For if thou prouidest both from heauen from the aër from the earth from the sea from light from darkenes from heate from shade from deaw from raine windes showres birdes fiishes beasts trees and from the diuersitie of herbes and fruite of the earth and from the seruice of al thy creatures which serue for mans vse in their due season to comfort him withal If I saie thou prouidest so ample and so infinite benefites for this vile and corruptible bodie ô Lord I beseech thee how excellent how innumerable shal those good things be which thou hast prepared for those which loue thee in that heauenlie countrie where wee shal see thee face to face If thou dost so for vs in prison what wilt thou doe in thy palace Great and without number doubtles be thy workes ô Lord King of Heauen For sith al these things are exceedinglie good delightful which thou impartest as wel on the euil as vpon the good what shal those hereafter bee which are laid vp onelie for the good If thy giftes are so infinite and diuers which in this world thou giuest to thine enimies as wel as to thy friends how great and how infinite how sweete and howe comfortable shal those blessings be which thou wilt impart onelie vpon thy friends If we haue so much delectation in this time of teares what ioie wilt thou bring vs on the daie of our mariage If our prison haue such pleasure how vnspeakeable shal the happines of our countrie be O God none eie without thee hath seene the things which thou hast prepared for them that loue thee for according to the great number of thy mightie workes thy goodnes is great which thou hast laid vp for them which feare thee For great art thou ô Lord my God and incomprehensible neither is there ende of thy
resist wilt thou shew thy strength against a leafe which is caried away with the winde and wilt thou folow after drie stuble wilt thou ô eternal king of Israël wilt thou condemne a dead dog wilt thou condemne a poore flea Lord we haue heard of thy mercy how thou hast not made death nor hast pleasure in the destruction of the liuing For which cause we beseech thee ô Lord suffer not that which thou hast not made to haue dominion ouer that creature which thou hast made For if thou art sorie for our damnation what doth let thee ô Lord which canst do al things that thou maist not alwaies reioice for our saluation If thou wilt thou canst saue me but I though I would cannot Great is the multitude of the miseries which I am in For to wil is present with mee but I find no meanes to performe that which is good Wil that good is I cannot vnles thou wilt neither can I do that I would except thine arme do strengthen me Againe sometime I would that I can should not thy wil be done in earth as it is in heauen Yet know I not either what I can or would vnles thy wisedome lighten mee And though I should haue wil somtime power with my knowledge yet were my wisedome vaine and vnperfect vnles I were assisted by thy true wisedome But al things are at thy pleasure neither can anie resist thy wil ô Lord God of al flesh which dost whatsoeuer thou wilt both in Heauen and in Earth in the Sea in al deepe places Wherefore let thy wil bee done of vs who cal vpon thy name least this noble workemanship of thine doe perish which thou hast created for thine owne glorie And what man liueth and shal not see death shal he deliuer his soule from the hand of the graue without thou deliuer him which art the liuelie waie of al life by whome al things doe liue Chap. 25. That mans wil is vnapt vnto al good workes without the grace of God FOr I confessed euen now how thou art the staie of my life ô Lord my God the strength of my saluation The time was when I trusted in mine owne strength which notwithstanding was no strength And so when I would haue runne where I thought I stood most sure there I tooke the greatest fal and came backward not forward And what I thought to atteine went the farther fro me Thus triest thou my strength by manie such things Now I know thou hast inlightned me for what I thought I could best doe I found I was least able for to do it of my self For I said this I wil do and that I wil bring to passe but in the end I could neither do the one nor the other Either I had wil and lacked power or had power lacked wil for I trusted to mine owne strength But now I confesse to thee ô Lord my God father of heauen and of earth that in his owne strength no man shal be strong because the vaine presumption of no flesh shal glorie in thy sight For it is not in man either to wil that he can do or to do that he would or to know what he would or can do But thou Lord it is which directest the steps of man of that man I say which confesseth that he is directed of thee not of himselfe Wherefore by the bowels of thy mercie we beseech thee saue Lord what thou hast created for if thou wilt thou canst saue vs and in thy wil resteth the strength of our saluation Chap. 26. The benefits which God hath done for vs of old O Lord remember thy mercie of old wherewithal thou hast preuented vs from the beginning by thy comfortable blessings For before I the sonne of thine handmaid was borne ô Lord mine hope euen fro my mothers breasts thou didest preuent mee preparing a way wherein I should walke and come vnto y e glory of thy house Thou knewest mee before thou didest shape me in the belie and before I came out of the wombe thou didest preordeine of me whatsoeuer pleased thee What and how much is written concerning mee in thy booke lieng in the secret place of thy consistorie I am vtterlie ignorant and therefore stand mightilie in feare but thou knowest For whatsoeuer I doe looke for by succession of daies times a thousand yeres hence in this transitorie world is alreadie accomplished in the sight of thine eternitie and that which shal be is alreadie done Now then forsomuch as I stand in this darke night ignorant of these thinges feare and trembling are come vpon me while I see manie dangers hang ouer mine head from al sides manie enimies to hunt after my soule an innumerable multitude of miseries to beset mee round about in this mortal life So that wert not thou present to assist me in these euils I shuld vtterlie despaire But I haue a great confidence in thee ô most gratious Prince my God and the consideration of the multitude of thy compassions doth comfort mine hart And the former signes of thy goodnes which before I was borne preuented me and at this time cheeflie doe shine vpon me doe assure mine hart of better and more perfect blessings to come which thou reseruest for such as loue thee so that I may reioice in thee ô Lord my GOD mine holie liuelie ioie wherby my youth is comforted Chap. 27. Of Angels appointed for the custodie of men FOr thou didest loue me entirelie ô my loue before I loued thee thou diddest create mee after thine owne image and aduance me aboue al thy creatures Which dignitie I shal then keepe when I knowe thee for whome thou hast made me Besides thou makest thy spirits messengers for my sake to whome thou hast giuen charge ouer me to keepe me in al my waies that I hurt not my foote against a stone For these are the watchmen ouer the wals of the citie new Ierusalem of the mountaines about the same which tend and keepe watch ouer thy flocke least he as a Lion make a praie of our soules while there is none to deliuer he I meane that old serpent our aduersarie the diuel who as a roaring Lion walketh about seeking whome he may deuour They are the citizens of the blessed citic Ierusalem on high aboue which is the mother of vs al sent foorth to minister for their sakes who shal be heires of saluation that they may deliuer such from their enimies and keepe them in al their waies For they loue their fellowe citizens by whome they looke to haue the breach of their destruction repared And therefore with great care and watchfulnes they doe stand about vs at al
to be looked vpon or seene but is thought to bee a light exceeding both the reach of reason of vnderstanding and is more than can be attained vnto more than vnchangeable more than maie becommunicated with anie Such a light it is as neuer Angel nor man sawe neither can see This is thy heauen Lord thine hiding heauen thy passing secret heauen I meane thy light beyond al vnderstanding beyond al reason beyond being of which it is said The heauen of heauen is the Lordes The heauen of heauen in comparison whereof al other heauen is but earth forsomuch as it is passing maruel ouslie heaued vp aboue al heauen Yea such an heauen as that firie heauen compared therevnto is but as earth For this is the Lords heauen of heauen because none knowes it but the Lord alone Vnto this heauen no man ascendeth but he which hath descended from heauen For no man knoweth the Father but the Sonne and the Spirit of them both neither knoweth anie man the Sonne but the Father and the Spirit of them both O sacred Trinitie ô Trinitie eternal passing glorious passing vtterance passing finding out which no man can attaine vnto no man comprehend no man conceiue as being beyond al being and superessentialie passing al sense al reason al vnderstanding al knowledge al essence of supercelestial spirits the which nothing no not the verie Angels can either vtter or conceaue or venderstand or know thou perfectlie art knowne to thy selfe ô Trinitie How then do I knowe thee ô Lord God most hie aboue al earth and aboue al heauen whom neither Cherubins nor Seraphins perfectlie do know but with the wings of their contemplations they couer his face which sitteth vpon the hie and statelie throne saieng Holie holie holie Lord God of hosts the whole world is ful of thy glorie The Prophet was astonished and said Wo is me I know not what to saie because I am a man of polluted lips And my hart was astonished and said likewise Wo is me for speaking because I am a man of polluted lips Yet I said I knew thee Notwithstanding wo to them Lord who are tong-tied when they shoulde speake of thee For they which babble much are made mute without thee And I ô Lord my God will not be stil because thou hast made me and lightened me and found me So that I know thee because thou hast inlightened me But how do I knowe thee Doubtlesse I knowe thee in thy selfe I knowe thee not as thou art to thy selfe but as thou art to mee yet not without thee but in thy selfe For thou art the light which hast inlightened me For as y u art to thy selfe thou art knowne to thy selfe alone but as thou art to me according to thy grace thou art knowne to me But what art thou to me ô merciful God tel me thy miserable seruant for thy mercies sake tel me what thou art to me ward Saie vnto my soule I am thy saluation hide not thy face away fro me ô Lord least I die Suffer me to speake with thy mercie me I saie earth and ashes suffer me to speake with thy mercie For great is thy mercie toward me I wil speake vnto my God albeit I am but dust and ashes Tel me thy humble seruant ô merciful God tel me thy miserable seruant for thy mercies sake tel me what art thou to me ward Thou also didst thunder from heauen with a mightie voice into the inner eare of mine hart thou brakedst my deafenes so that I heard thy voice thou didest inlighten my blindnes and I saw thy light and knew how y ◠thou art my God Therfore did I saie I knewe thee because I knewe that thou art my God I knewe thee to be the onelie verie God and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ The time was when I knew thee not But wo worth that time when I did not knowe thee wo worth that blindnes when I did not see thee wo worth that deafenes when I did not heare thee Then blind deafe ouglie as I was I rusht vpon those faire things which thou hast made Yet euen then thou wert with me but I was not with thee and those kept me far off from thee which shuld not haue ben without thee Thou hast inlightened me ô light of the world so that I haue seene thee and loued thee For no man doth loue thee but he sees thee And no man doth see thee but hee which loues thee It was late before I loued thee ô beautie so ancient and yet so fresh late was it before I loued thee But wo woorth that time when I loued thee not Chap. 32. The faith or beliefe of a true Christian most notablie described O My light I praise thee for inlightening me whereby I knowe thee But how do I knowe thee I knowe thee to be God alone a liuing God a true God my Creator I knowe thee to be the maker both of heauen and earth of al things visible and inuisible a verie God almightie immortal inuisible incompassable vnlimitable euerlasting to whome none can approch vnto nor comprehend nor find out who art vnchangable vnmeasurable infinite the beginning of al creatures be they visible or inuisible by whom al things were created through whom al the elements doe consist Whose maiestie as it neuer had beginning so it shal neuer haue end I knowe thee to be one God alone the true God namelie the eternal Father Sonne holie Ghost three persons indeede but one simple substance and vnparted nature The Father made of none the Sonne of the Father alone the holie Ghost of the Father and of the Sonne alwaies without either beginning or end A Trinitie yet but one onlie and verie God omnipotent the onlie beginning of al things maker of al creatures both visible and inuisible spiritual and temporal Which by thine almightie power at the beginning didest of nothing make together both creatures spiritual and corporal that is to saie angelical and worldlie and afterward the humane as a middle nature consisting of bodie and spirit I knowe and confesse thee God the Father to be vnbegotten thee God the Sonne to be begotten of the Father thee God the holie Ghost the comforter to be neither made nor begotten With my hart I beleeue vnto righteousnes and with my mouth I confesse vnto saluation this holie and single Trinitie in three coequal consubstantial and coeternal persons to be a Trinitie in Vnitie and an Vnitie in Trinitie I knowe thee Iesus Christ our Lord to be a true God the onelie begotten Sonne of God and the Creator Sauior and redeemer not of
mee onlie but also of al mankind whome I acknowledge to be begotten of the Father before al worlds God of God light of light verie God of verie God begotten not made being of one substance and coeternal with the Father and the holie Ghost by whom al things at the beginning were made Stedfastlie beleeuing trulie confessing that thou Iesus Christ the onlie begottē Sonne of God for our saluation by the consent of the whole Trinitie tookest flesh and wert conceiued by the holy Ghost of the virgin Marie and wert made verie man of a reasonable soule and humane flesh subsisting Thou forsomuch as in respect of thy Godhead being the onelie begotten Sonne of God thou couldest neither suffer nor die through thine exceeding loue wherewith thou hast loued vs thou the verie same Sonne of GOD for al that becamest subiect to sufferings mortalitie in respect of thy manhood ô onlie Sonne of God for the saluation of mankinde diddest suffer death vpon the wood of the crosse to saue vs from euerlasting death Thou the autor of light descendedst into hel and like a glorious conquerour rosest againe the third daie taking to thee againe thy sacred bodie which for our sinnes had lien in the sepulchre and quickening it according to the Scripture the third daie that thou mightest place the same at the right hand of the Father For thou the verie Sonne of God taking againe vnto thy selfe the substance of our flesh that is to saie the soule and humane bodie which thou tookest of the glorious virgin art ascended vp aboue al the heauens and mounted aboue the orders of Angels where thou sittest at the right hand of God the Father and whereas the fountaine of life is the light which none can attaine vnto the peace of God which passeth al vnderstanding There we doe worship thee there we do beleeue thee to be verie God and verie man confessing God to be thy Father and from thence we looke that thou wilt come a iudge in the end of the world to iudge both the quick and the dead and to render to al men good and bad according to their deedes which they haue don in this life either reward or punishment according as euery one is worthie rest or torment For al men euen as manie as haue receaued soules in their humane flesh which they had in this world shal rise at that daie through the sound of thy power that whole man may receaue either the glorie of heauen or the paine of hel according to their deserts Thou art our resurrection and the life it selfe whom we looke for euē y e Lord Iesus Christ our Sauior who shal change our vile bodie y t it may be facioned like vnto his glorious bodie I knowe thee the holie Spirit both of the Father and of the Sonne to be one God and a verie God proceeding alike from them both of one substance and coeternal with the Father and the Sonne our comforter and aduocate Which camest downe in the likenes of a doue vpon y e same God our Lord Iesus Christ and showedst thy selfe vpon thine Apostles in firie tongs Which also euen from the beginning hast instructed with the gift of thy grace al the saints and chosen of God and opened the mouthes of the Prophets that they might declare abrode the woonderful mysteries of the kingdome of God who also together with the Father the Sonne of al the Saints of God art worshipped and glorified Among whome I the sonne of thine handmaid do glorifie thy name because thou hast inlightened me For thou art the verie light the true light the fire of God the master of the spirits which by thine ointment teachest vs al truth the spirit of truth without which it is impossible to please God For thou thy selfe art God of God and light of light vnspeakablie proceeding from the Father of lights and from his Sonne our Lord Iesu Christ with whom thou raignest and art glorified most singularlie being of one substance coequal and coeternal with them in the essence of one and the same Trinitie I knowe thee Father Son and holie Ghost to be one a liuing and a verie God three I confesse in persons yet but one in essence whome I acknowledge worship and glorifie with mine whole hart being the true God the onelie God holie immortal inuisible vnchangeable whom no man can either attaine vnto or find out This God I acknowledge to be one light one sonne one bread one life one happines one beginning one end one creator both of heauen earth by whom al things do liue by whom al things subsist by whom al things are gouerned ruled and quickened both the things in heauen and the things in earth and things vnder the earth beside whom there is no God neither in heauen nor in earth Thus knowe I thee ô Lord God who knowest me thus knowe I thee Through thy faith which thou hast inspired to me I knowe thee ô my light the sight of mine eies ô Lord my God the hope of al the ends of the earth the ioie reioicing mine youth and the good susteining mine age For in thee ô Lord al my bones reioice saieng O Lord who is like to thee Among the gods who is like to thee Not that whome the hands of men haue made but thou who hast made the hands of men The idols of the nations are siluer gold euen the workes of mens handes so is not hee which made man Al the gods of the people are idols but the Lord made the heauens Let those gods which made not y e heauens the earth perish frō the earth from vnder these heauēs but let both heauen earth praise him which created both earth heauen Amen Chap. 33. A confession of mans wretchednes WHo is like vnto thee ô Lord among the gods who is like vnto thee so glorious in holines fearful in praises doing wonders Long was it ere I knew thee ô true light long was it ere I knew thee There was a great and darke cloude before my vane eies so that I coulde not beholde the sunne of righteousnes nor the light of the truth I a childe of darkenes was wrapped in darkenes I loued darknes because I knew not the light Blind I was and I loued blindnes after darknes I folowed through darknes Who brought mee thence where I a blinde wretch sate in darknes and in the shadowe of death Who tooke me by the hand to leade me out What was he which inlightened me I sought
him not yet sought he me out I called him not but he called me What was he Euen thou it was ô Lord my God pitiful and merciful euen thou Father of mercies and God of al comfort Euen thou it was my Lord GOD most holie whom I confesse with al mine hart praising thy Name I sought not thee yet thou soughtest me I called not vpon thee but thou calledst mee For thou hast called mee by thine owne Name With a mightie voice thou hast thundred from aboue into the inward eare of mine hart saieng Let there be light and light was made insomuch as y e great cloude vanished awaie and the darke mist which had couered mine eies melted whereby I sawe thy light and knewe thy voice and said Of a truth Lord thou art my God which brought me out of darknes and from the shadow of death and hast called me into thy woonderful light so that now I see thanks to thee mine inlightener therefore And I looked backe and saw the darknes wherein I had ben and the darke dungeon wherein I had lien wherat I trembled was afraide and vttered these words Wo wo worth the darkenes wherein I laie wo wo to that blindnes in which I could not see the light of heauen wo I saie wo to mine old ignorance when I knew not thee ô Lord. I thanke thee ô mine inlightener ô my Sauior I thanke thee for inlightening me wherby I knowe thee Late it was ere I knew thee ô ancient truth late it was ere I knewe thee ô eternal truth Thou wert in the light and I was in darknes I knewe thee not because I could not be inlightened but by thee and without thee there is no light Chap. 34. A consideration of Gods Maiestie O God most holie of inestimable maiestie God of gods Lord of lords who art most wonderful and canst neither bee conceaued in thought nor expressed by word of whome al the Angels in heauen do stand in feare whom al the dominations and thrones do adore at whose presence al powers doe shake whose might and wisdome is infinite which vpon nothing hast laid the foundation of the earth gathered the waters of the sea together in the aër as in a botle O Lord most mightie most holy most puissant God of al flesh at whose presence heauen and earth do flie and at whose becke al the elements do obeie let al thy creatures worship and praise thee And I the son of thine handmaid through thy faith doe bow the neck of mine hart vnder the feete of thy maiestie yeelding thee most humble thankes for vouchsafing of thy mercie to inlighten me ô true light ô holie light ô wonderful light which inlightenest not onelie euerie man that cometh into this world but also the eies of the Angels in heauen Lo I see now thanks to thee Lo I see the light of heauen the lightsome beames of thy countenance do now shine vpon the eies of my mind and comfort al my bones Oh that it were fullie made perfect within me O Father of light increase it increase I praie thee that light which shineth vpon me inlarge it yea do thou inlarge the same I beseech thee What is this I feele what fire is this which warmeth mine hart what light is it which spreadeth out such glorious beames vpon my mind O fire which alwaie burnest and art neuer quenched set me on fire O light which alwaie shinest and art neuer dimmed inlighten me Would to God I were inflamed by thee O sacred fire how sweetelie dost thou burne how secretlie dost thou shine how desirous be they stil to burne whom thou inflamest Wo to them whom thou dost not inflame And wo to them whom thou dost not inlighten ô true light lightening the whole world with thy light Wo to the blind eies that behold not thee the Sunne which giuest light both to heauen and earth wo to the dazeling eies which cannot see thee wo to the eies which turne aside and will not see the veritie and wo to those eies which wil not turne aside from regarding vanitie For the eies that are vsed to the darknes cannot looke directlie vpon the beames of the most glorious truth neither can they iudge of the light whose dwelling is in darknes For they see nothing but darknes they loue and allow of darkenes and going from darkenes to darkenes they know not where they fal Miserable are they which forgo they wot not what but more miserable are they which know what they loose which fal with open eies go downe quick into the pit of hel O most happie light whome none see but they which haue pure eies blessed are the pure of hart for they shal see God O purging vertue purge me heale the sight of mine eies that with a sounde sight I may behold thee whom none but such as haue pure eies can behold I beseech thee ô light vnapprochable take awaie by thy glorious beames y e scales which a long time haue dimmed the sight of mine eies that stedfastly I may behold thee and see light in thy light Thanks to thee ô my light lo I see now O Lord I beseech thee enlarge thou my sight open mine eies that I may see the woonders of thy lawe who art terrible out of thy holie places Lo thankes to thee my light I see now yet through a glasse darkelie But when shal I see thee face to face When comes that daie of gladnes and ioie wherein I shall enter into the place of thy woonderful tabernacle euen to the glorie of God that I may see thee face to face and be satisfied in desire Chap. 35. The longing and thirst of the soule after God AS the Hart braieth for the riuers of water so panteth my soule after thee ô God My soule thirsteth after thee God the wel of life when shal I come and appeere before thy presence O fountaine of life ô veine of liuing waters when shal I come vnto that water of thy sweetenes out of a desert wild and watrie land that I may see thy power and thy glorie and quench my thirst through the waters of thy mercie I thirst Lord thou art the wel of life ô fil me I thirst Lord I thirst euen for thee the liuing God Oh when shal I come appeere before thy presence Thinkest thou that I shal see that day I say that day of gladnes and ioie that day which the Lord hath made for vs to reioice and be glad therein O that is a glorious and goodlie day lasting euer neuer at an end wherein I shal heare the voice of ioie and thankesgiuing when I shal heare it said Enter into thy maisters ioie Enter into that
not thou didest redeeme me when I was forlorne I had bin destroied I had died but thou camest downe vnto the dead thou tookedst mortalitie vpon thee Thou a King camest downe vnto thy seruant and to redeeme thy seruant thou didest giue thy selfe and that I might liue thou didest die and ouercome death When thou didest humble thy selfe thou didest exalt me I was lost I folowed after wickednes I was a bondslaue to Sathan but thou wart sold for me to redeeme mee and so thou louedst me that thou gauest thy bloud a raunsome for me O Lord thou hast loued me more than thy selfe because for my sake thou wouldest needes die On such wise and with so deere a price thou hast brought me home from banishment redeemed me from bondage withdrawne me from punishmēt caled me by thy name and sealed me with thy bloud that I should euermore haue thee in remembrance and neuer forget him who for my sake shunned not the crosse Thou hast annointed mee with that oile wherewith thou wast ointed that of thee Christ I might be called a Christian Lo thou hast written mee vpon thine hands so to haue me in remembrance if so be cōtinualie I haue thee in mind And thus alwaie thy fauor and thy mercie haue preuēted me For out of much and great perils thou hast deliuered me oftentimes ô my sauiour When I haue wandred thou hast reclamed me when I haue bin ignorant thou hast instructed me thou hast corrected me when I haue sinned when I despaired thou hast comforted me when I fel thou hast raised me thou hast vphelde me when I haue stood when I haue traueled thou hast guided me when I haue come home thou hast receiued mee thou hast watched mee when I haue slept and when I haue cried thou hast heard me Chap. 14. That the eies of the Lord are continualie vpon the doings and cogitations of men FOr these and manie mo good turnes hast thou done me ô Lord my God the verie life of my soule And doubtles it should be a pleasure to mee not onlie to talke think alwaies of them but also euermore to thanke thee to praise thee to loue thee for al thy good things and that with al mine heart and with al my soule and with al my mind with al my strēgth yea from the verie pith and intrals of mine hart and of al my iointes ô Lord my God the blessed sweetenes of al which delight in thee But thine eies haue seene mine imperfection thine eies I saie are much brighter than y e Sunne beholding al y e waies of men and the ground of the deepe and in euerie place at al times looke both vpon the euil and the good For sithence thou rulest al things fillest al things art alwaies wholie euerie where yea sithence thou hast a care of al things that thou hast created for thou hatest nothing which thou hast made thou dost so behold my waies my steps and so watch and ward night and daie for my safetie looking so narowly vnto al my paths like a continual watchman as though thou hadest forgot thine other creatures of heauen and earth and hadest cast al thy care vpon me alone hauing no care at al of the rest For the light of thine vnchangeable sight neither encreaseth doe thou see but one nor diminisheth if thou behold infinite diuers things For euen as at one time thou considerest the whole perfectlie togither so doth thy whole countenance behold at one time al particulars although diuers and that perfectlie togither wholie Yet seest thou al things as one thing one thing as al things for thy selfe art whole canst neither be diuided changed nor diminished And therefore thou being whole in al time and without time dost behold me wholie togither and alwaies euen as though thou haddest naught else to consider of Yea so thou standest vpon my garde as though thou wouldest forget al other things and bend wholie to me alone For alwaies thou shewest thy selfe present and offerest thy selfe readie at al times vnto me if thou find me readie to receiue thee O my Lord go I where I wil thou wilt neuer forsake me vnles I forsake thee first Wheresoeuer I become thou leauest me not For thou art euerie where So that to what place soeuer I go I may find thee by whom I may be that I perish not without thee because without thee I cānot be And therefore I confesse indeede that whatsoeuer I do wheresoeuer I doe it I do it in thy presence and that whatsoeuer it be which I doe thou seest it better than I which do it For when I do aught at anie time thou art present at al times as a continual beholder of al my thoughts intentions delectations and doings O Lord my sighing is not hid from thee and my verie thought is open to thy sight Thou knowest Lord whence the spirit commeth where it is and whether it goeth For thou art the trier of al spirits Also thou best knowest inwardlie whether the roote of that tree which hath faire leaues be sweete or sower yea thou narowly dost search the verie pith of the rootes and by the moste euident truth of thy light thou gatherest numbrest considerest and sealest not the intent onlie but the verie pith also of the roote thereof that so thou may estrender vnto euerie man not onlie according to his woorkes but also according to the inner and secret pith of the roote from which proceedeth the intent of the worker What I purpose when I worke what I thinke and wherein I delight thou beholdest thine eares do heare it thine eies see it and consider it thou sealest markest notest and wrightest the same into thy booke be it good or euil that afterward when the bookes shalbe opened and the dead iudged according to the things written in those bookes thou maist render for wel doing rewards and punishment for wickednes Happilie this is it which thou didest saie by these words I will see what their end shal be and which is spoken of thee on this wise He trieth the perfection of al things For thou doubtles in al that we doe regardest the end of the intent more than that which is done And when I diligentlie consider these things ô Lord my God terrible and mightie I am vtterly agast both through feare and shame forsomuch as wee haue great neede to liue wel and vprightlie because we do al things in the presence of that Iudge who seeth al things Chap. 15. That man of himselfe can do nothing without the assistance of God O Lord most mightie and puissant God of the spirits of al flesh whose eies are vpon y
the Starres of Heauen and casting them to the earth which infecteth the waters of the earth with his poison that men drinking thereof may die he spreadeth sharp things vppon the mire and trusteth that he can draw vp Iorden into his mouth he is made without feare And who can saue vs from being deuoured of him who can plucke vs frō out his iawes but thou onelie ô Lord who hast broken the heads of that great Dracon O Lord helpe vs ô Lord spreade foorth thy wings vpon vs that vnder them we may flie from the face of this Dracon which pursueth vs and with thy shield saue vs from his hornes For his cōtinual care and onlie desire is to deuoure the soules whome thou hast created And therefore vnto thee we do crie ô Lord our God deliuer vs from our dailie aduersarie which whether we sleepe or wake or eate or drinke or whatsoeuer we doe lieth at vs night and daie by al meanes by al subtiltie and craft now openlie now couertlie aiming at vs with his poisoned arowes to destroie our soules And yet such is our extreme madnes ô Lord y t albeit we do continualie behold the Dracon before our eies with open mouth prepared to deuour vs yet naietheles we snort and sport in our securitie as though we were safe before him who desireth nothing but our destruction The enimie to murther vs watcheth alwaies and sleepeth not and we sleepe but watch not for our saluation Behold he hath laid infinite traps before our feete to take vs and al our waies he hath filled with snares to catch our soules And who can escape He hath laid snares in riches snares in pouertie snares in meate snares in drinke in pleasure snares in sleepe snares and snares in watching he hath laid snares in our words snares in our workes and snares in al our waies But ô Lord do thou deliuer vs from y e snares of the hunter and from the euil word that we may praise thee saieng Blessed be the Lord which hath not giuen vs a praie vnto their teeth Our soule is escaped euen as a bird out of the snare of the foulers the snare is broken and we are deliuered Chap. 17. That God is the light of the righteous ANd thou ô Lord my light inlighten mine eies that I may see light walk in thy light and neuer stumble vpon the snares of Satan For who can escape his manifold snares vnles he see them And who can see them except he be inlightned with thy light For that father of darkenes hath hid his snares in his owne darkenes that therein as manie as are in darkenes may be entangled Who are the children of this darkenes Such as see not thy light in which who so walketh shal not feare For he that walketh in the daie stumbleth not But if a man walke in the night he stumbleth because there is no light in him O Lord thou art the light thou art the light of the sonnes of light y u art the day which lasteth euer in which thy sonnes doe walke and stumble not without which who so walke are in darkenes because they haue not the light of y e world Loe wee dailie see that the farther one is estranged from thee the true light the more he wrappeth himselfe in the darkenes of sinne and the more he lieth in darkenes the lesse he seeth the snares laid in his waie and so the lesse hee knoweth them and therefore is the oftener caried awaie and caught in them and yet which is more horrible than al this he woteth not that he hath taken a fal Now he that knoweth not his ownefal hath so much the lesse care to rise againe as he hath a greater opinion that he doth stand But ô Lord my God the verie light of the mind open thou mine eies at this time that I may see and knowe least I fal in the presence of mine aduersaries For our aduersarie laboreth to destroie vs but Lord we beseech thee as waxe melteth before the fire so let him perish at our presence For Lord he is the chiefe and principal theefe which tooke counsaile how to steale awaie thy glorie but swolen vp with pride and puffed vp he brake in sunder at the last and fel vppon his own face whom thou flangedst headlong from thine holie mountaine and from the multitude of thy firie stones in the middes wherof he walked Now ô Lord and God of my life since which time that he fel he hath neuer ceassed to pursue thy children And for spite of thee ô King most mightie he would destroie this thy creature whom thine almightie goodnes hath made after thine own image that he may inherit thy glorie which he hath lost through his owne pride But ô our mightie God bruse him into peeces before he deuoure vs thy silie lambes and lighten our eies that we may behold such traps as he hath prepared and escape from him vnto thee ô comfort of Israel And al these things ô Lord thou knowest muche better than I thou knowest his quareling and his stiffe neck Neither do I speake this to enforme thee who seest al things and beholdest y e most priuie thought but to vtter out my complaint against mine enimie before the feete of thy maiestie who art the eternal Iudge that thou maist both condemne him and saue vs thy children For thou art our strength For whie Lord he is a craftie subtile enimie the creekes of his waie cannot easilie bee descried neither can the fashion of his countenance bee knowne of man vnlesse thou inlighten For he is now heere now there now a Lambe now a Wolfe now darkenes by and by light and according to the sundrie change of things he offereth diuers tentations to euerie qualitie place and time For to deceaue the sad hee makes himselfe sad to beguile such as are merie he sets on a merie countenance to entrap those which are spiritual hee turnes himselfe into an Angel of light to vanquishe the strong he appeareth as a lamb to deuour the meeke he shewes himselfe a Wolfe And al these things are to be wrought after the similitude of diuers tentations that he may terrifie some by the feare of the night some by the arow fleeing in the day some by the pestilence walking in the darke by rushing on some and some by the plague at noone daie Now who is meete that he may know these things who can perceaue his wiles or discouer the face of his garment or know y e compas of his teeth Behold he hath hid his darts in his quiuer and shrowded his snares vnder y e show of light And this is the more
houres and places succurring and prouiding for our necessities yea ful carefulie doe they runne betweene vs and thee ô Lord. For they walke with vs in al our waies they go in and out with vs diligentlie considering how godlie and how honestlie we do walke in the middes of a naughtie and crooked generation how ernestlie we seeke the kingdom of God and the righteousnes thereof with what feare and trembling we do serue thee and how our harts reioice in thee ô Lord Those which labor they strēgthen those which rest they protect such as fight they encourage they crowne such as ouercome they reioice with such as reioice such I meane as reioice in thee and they suffer with such as suffer I saie with such as suffer for thy name sake Great is the care which they haue of vs Great is the affection of their loue toward vs And al this for y e honor of thine inestimable goodwil wherwith thou hast loued vs. For they loue those whome thou doest loue they keepe those whome thou dost keepe they forsake those whom thou doest forsake neither can they abide such as work iniquitie because thou also hatest al them that worke iniquitie and wilt destroie them that speake lies When we do wel the Angels reioice but the diuels are sad when wee doe il the diuels reioice but the Angels are sad For there is ioie among the Angels for a sinner y ◠conuerteth and ioie to the diuel for a iust man that forsaketh repentance Grant therefore ô father that they may alwaies reioice ouer vs that both thou alwaies maist be glorified in vs and we may be brought with them into thy folde that together wee may praise thy Name ô Creator both of men and Angels These things I confesse before thy Maiestie praising thee for them For great are these thy benefits which thou hast honored vs withal in giuing vs thy spirits to be messengers for our seruice For thou hadst giuen whatsoeuer is contained vnder y e coape of heauen yet thoughtest thou al that too little vnles withal thou addest those things which are aboue heauen For this benefit praise y e Lord al ye his Angels praise him al ye his workes yea let al thy Saints blesse thee O our glorie thou hast exceedinglie honored enriched and glorified vs with manifold benefites O Lord how excellent is thy Name in al the world For what is man y ◠thou art mindful of him and the sonne of man that thou visitest him For thou the ancient truth hast said My delite is with y e children of men Is not man rottennes and the sonne of man a worme Is not euerie man liuing meere vanitie yet thou thinkest it good to open thine eies vpon such and causest him to enter into iudgment with thee Chap. 28. Of Gods bottomles predestination and foreknowledge TEach me ô bottomles deepe ô wisedome which hast made al things weighed the mountaines in a weight and hanged the masse of the earth by three fingers in a balance Lift vp the masse of this bodie which I carrie about by thy three inuisible fingers vnto thy selfe that I may see and knowe how excellent thou art in al the world O most ancient light which didest shine before al light in the holie mountaines of thine old eternitie to which al things before they were made were naked open O light which canst abide no spots inasmuch as thou art without spot and most pure what delight canst thou take with man what cōmunion hath light with darkenes where is thy delight in man In what part of me hast thou prepared a meete sanctuarie for thy sacred Maiestie wherinto when thou goest thou maist delight thee to thy contentment For meete is it that thou shouldest haue a pure parlor who art the purifieng virtue who canst not be seene much lesse possessed but of the pure in hart But where is there so pure a temple in man that it may receaue thee which rulest the world who can bring a cleane thing out of filthines But thou alone who onlie art pure For who can be clensed by the vncleane For according to the law which thou gauest to our fathers in the mount out of the middes of fire and in the cloude couering the darksome water Whatsoeuer toucheth an vncleane thing shal be vncleane But al of vs are as the cloth of a menstruous woman we proceede out of a corrupt and filthie masse and beare in our foreheds the spot of our vncleanes the which we cannot hide especialie from thine eies who seest al things So then we cannot be cleane vnles thou make vs cleane who onlie art cleane And of vs the sonnes of men those onlie thou makest cleane in whome it hath pleased thee to make thine abode whome by the bottomles and secrete depth of the incomprehensible iudgements of thy wisedome which are alwaies iust though they be secret thou hast without anie merits of theirs predestinated before al world called out of the world iustified in the world and after the world thou wilt glorifie them Yet dost y ◠not this to al men which makes the wise of this world euen to wonder and to be astonished And I also Lord when I thinke hereof am vtterlie agast and amazed at the deepenes of the riches both of thy wisedome and knowledge How vnsearchable are y e iudgements of thy righteonsnes thy knowledge is aboue my reach For of the same claie thou hast made som vessels vnto honor some to euerlasting infamie Therefore whom out of manie thou hast taken into an holie temple for thy selfe those thou dost clense pouring vpon them cleane water whose names and number is knowen to thee which alone countest the number of the stars and callest them al by their names who also be written in the book of life who cannot perish to whom al things worke together for the best yea verie wickednes it selfe For when they fal they be not brused into peeces for thou puttest vnder thine hand thou wilt keepe al their bones so that not one of them shal be broken But a most vile death haue the wicked they I saie whome in the great deepe of thy secret iudgements which are alwaies righteous thou diddest foreknowe euen before thou didst make either the heauen or the earth should euerlastinglie be damned the number of whose names naughtie merits thou knowest who hast counted the number of the sand of the sea and sounded the verie bottome of the deepe whome thou hast giuen vp to their vncleannes to whom al things worke together for y e worst yea euen their praier is abomination so that albe they should ascend vp to
the verie heauens lift their head aboue the cloudes and make their nest among the stars yet shal they be cast awaie in the ende like doong Chap. 29. Of such as once were godlie and afterward proued wicked and contrariwise GReat are these thy iudgments ô Lord God ô iudge righteous and strong which iudgest right and dost things that are vnsearchable and deepe the which when I consider al my bones do shake For there is not a man vpon earth sure that wee can serue thee godlie purelie in feare and reioice before thee in trembling al the daies of our life that there shoulde be neither seruice without feare nor ioie without trembling and that he which hath girded his harnesse may not boast himselfe as he that hath laid it off neither in deede that anie flesh should reioice in thy presence but shake and tremble before thee inasmuch as no man knoweth whether he be worthie loue or hatred al things being kept vncertaine til the time to come For Lord we haue not onlie heard our fathers tell but haue seene also with our eies which thing I cannot vtter without trembling nor confesse without feare how manie hertofore haue climed in manner vp vnto heauen and made their nest among the stars which afterward fel downe headlong euen to hel and were hardened in wickednes Wee haue seene the stars fal from heauen through the violent stroke of y e Dracons taile And we haue seene some lieng in the dust of the earth who sodenly by thine helping hand ô Lord haue woonderfulie ascended We haue seene the liuing dieng and the dead rising from death we also haue seene them which walked among the sons of God in the mids of stones of fire euen as claie to haue vanished to nothing We haue seene light become darknes and darknes come out of light because publicans and harlots doe go before the inhabiters into the kingdome of God and the children of the kingdome are cast into vtter darknes And how commeth al this to passe but euen because they moūted vp vnto that hil wherinto the first ascended an Angel and came downe a diuel But Lord whome thou hast predestinate them thou hast called and sanctified clensed that they may be a meete dwelling place for thy maiestie with whom and in whome thy holie and pure delight is in whom thou takest pleasure and reioicest their youth dwelling with them in their remēbrance that they may be thine holie temple which doubtles is no smal commendation of our humanitie Chap. 30. That the soule of a faithful man is the sanctuarie of God FOr the soule which thou hast created not of thy selfe but by thy word not of the matter of anie element but of nothing the which is reasonable of vnderstanding spiritual liuing alwaies and euer mouing which thou hast sealed with the light of thy countenance and halowed by the virtue of thy baptisme is made so capable of thy glorie that thou alone and nothing else can satisfie the same And when it hath thee it hath her harts desire neither is there anie outwarde thing beside which it would wish But while it desireth anie outward thing it is a manifest argument that thou art not within For if thou be had it can wish for no more For inasmuch as thou art the soueraigne yea al that good is it hath nothing which it may wish for more but enioieth thee who art al that good is Now if it couet not after al that good is it resteth that it must couet after some thing which is not al that good is and so consequentlie not the soueraigne good and so not God but rather a creature And as long as it desireth a creature it is alwaies hungrie For although it haue what it can desire of creatures yet remaineth it emptie For there is nothing which can fulfil it but thou alone after whose image it was created And those thou fillest which desire nothing beside thee and makest them meete for thee holie blessed vndefiled and the friends of God which do iudge al things but as doong that they may win thee alone For this is the blessing which thou hast bestowed vpon man this is the honor wherewith thou hast exalted him among al yea and aboue al creatures that thy name may be woonderful throughout al the world Behold ô Lord my God who art most hie most righteous almightie now haue I found the place where thou inhabitest it is euen the soule which thou hast created after thine owne image and similitude which doth seeke and long after thee alone not the soule which neither seeketh nor desireth thee Chap. 31. That God neither by the outward nor inward senses can be found out I Haue gone astraie like a lost sheepe seeking thee without who art within And much haue I labored to find thee without me and thou dwellest within mee at leastwise if I had a lust to thee I went about by the lanes and by the streets of the citie of this world seeking thee but I found thee not Because I sought thee not rightlie without who art within I sent abroad my messengers namelie al mine outward senses to seeke thee yet did I not finde thee because I sought amisse For now do I see ô my light ô God which hast inlightened me I see now that I did not wel in seeking thee by them For thou art within yet could they not tel me where thou camest in For mine eies do tel me If he had no color he entered not by vs Mine eares do tel me If he made no noise he passed not by vs My nose telleth me If he had no sent hee came not by me My tasting saith if he had no sauor he entered not by me likewise my feeling doth saie If he had no bodie aske not mee the question Therefore ô my God these things are not in thee For it is neither the fairenes of bodie nor the beutie of time nor the brightnes of light nor y e freshnes of color nor the melodie of musicke nor anie thing else which is pleasant to the eare it is neither y e fragancie of floures nor the smel of ointments or spices nor the sweetenes of honie or manna delightful to the taste neither is it those things which are louelic to be touched or embraced nor finalie anie thing subiect to these senses which I seeke when I seeke my God Be it far fro my thought that I should thinke these things to be my God which are comprehended of the senses euen of brutish creatures And yet when I seeke my God I seeke for al that a certaine light excelling al light which the eie cannot comprehend a certaine sound excelling al sound which the eare can not conceaue a
A light vnmeasureable a light without bodie incorruptible incomprehensible a light which faileth not a light vnquenchable vnapprochable vncreate a true light an heauenlie light which lighteneth the eies of Angels which cōforteth y e strength of the righteous which is the light of lights and the fountaine of life which is none other things but euen thou ô Lord my God For thou art the light in which light we shal see light that is thy selfe in thy selfe in y e brightnes of thy countenance when we shal see thee face to face What is it to see thee face to face but euen as the Apostle saith To knowe euen as I am knowen to knowe thy truth and thy glorie To know thy face is to know the power of the Father y e wisedome of the Sonne the mercie of the holie Ghost and the single and simple essence of the glorious Trinitie For to see the face of the liuing God is the cheefest happines the ioie of Angels and of al Saints the reward of eternal life the glorie of the spirits euerlasting ioie y e crowne of glorie the garland of felicitie rich tranquilitie the goodlie peace inward outward delectation the paradise of God celestial Ierusalem the blessed life perfect happines the ioie of perpetuitie y e peace of God which passeth al vnderstanding This is ful happines indeede and al the glorie of man euen to see the face of his God to see him that made heauen and earth to see him that hath made man that hath saued man that hath glorified man Man shal see God in knowing him like him in louing him and praise him in possessing him For he shal be y e heritage of his people of his holie people of the people whom he hath redeemed He shal be the possession of their felicitie he shal be the reward and recompence of their hope I wil be saith he thine exceeding great reward For great things beseeme a great person In good sooth ô Lorde my God thou art much greater than al Gods and thy reward is exceeding great Neither art thou great and thy reward little but as thou art great so is thy reward great For thou art not one thing and thy reward another But thou thy selfe art exceeding great thou thy selfe art an exceeding greatreward Thou thy selfe art both the crowne and the crowner the promise and the promiser the gift and the giuer the rewarder and the reward of euerlasting blisse Thou art then the crowner the crowne ô my God and the diademe of mine honor adorned with glorie the brightnes comforting the light renuing the glorie adorning my great hope the desire and thing desired from the hart of al Saints Thy sight therefore is al the recompence al the reward al the ioie which we looke for For this is eternal life this I saie is thy wisedome This is eternal life that we knowe thee to be the onlie true God and whome thou haste sent Iesus Christ So that whē we shal see thee the onelie true God liuing almightie simple inuisible who can neither be conteined nor comprehended and thine onlie begotten Sonne of one substance with thee and coeternal euen Iesus Christ our Lord whom thou didest send into the world for our saluation in the power of the holie spirit three in persons and but one in substance an holie and God alone beside whome there is no God then we shal haue what now we seke namelie eternal life euerlasting glorie which thou hast prepared for them which loue thee and laid vp for them that feare thee and wilt giue to them which seeke thee Isaie which continualie do seeke thy face And thou ô Lord my God which didest take me out of my mothers bowels which recōmended me into thine hand suffer me not anie more I beseech thee to bee distracted so on euerie side but bring mee from outward things vnto my selfe and fro my selfe vnto thee that mine hart maie alwaie saie vnto thee My face hath sought thee out Lord I wil seeke thy face the face of the Lord of hosts wherein al the euerlasting glorie of the saints consisteth The sight whereof is eternal life and the euerlasting glorie of the saints Wherefore let mine hart reioice that it maie feare thy Name Let the hart of such as seeke the Lord reioice but much more the hart of such as find him For if there be ioie in seeking how great shal bee the ioie in finding Wherefore I wil alwaie earnestlie seeke thy face yea vncessantlie wil I seeke the same if happilie the gate and doore of righteousnes maie bee opened vnto me that I maie enter into my maisters ioie This is the gate of the Lord the righteous shal enter through the same Chap. 37. A praier vnto the holie Trinitie O BLESSED Trinitie three coëqual and coëternal persons one verrie God Father Sonne and the holie Ghost which alone inhabitest the eternitie and the light that no man can attaine vnto who hast made the earth by thy power and rulest the world by thy wisedome Holie holie holie Lord God of hostes dreadful and mightie and righteous and merciful and wonderful who art to be praised and to beloued One God three persons one essence power wisedome goodnes and one vndiuided Trinitie Open to me which cal vnto thee the gate of righteousnes and when I am come in I wil praise the Lord. Lo most honorable housholder I a poore begger knocke at thy doore cōmand the doore to be opened to me which knocke who hast said Knock it shal be opened For doubtles y e grones of my paned bowels the crie of the teares of mine eies knock at thy gate ô most merciful Father O Lord my whole desire is before thee and my sighing is not hid from thee O Lord hide thy face no longer fro me neither cast thy seruant away in displeasure Most merciful Father heare the complaint of thy sonne and reach him thine helping hande that it may bring me out of the horrible pit out of the lake of miserie and from the miry clay that I perish not in the sight of thy pitiful eies and in the presence of thy bowels of mercie but may escape vnto thee my Lord God that I may see the riches of thy kingdome and euermore behold thy face and sing praises to thine holy name O Lord which dost woonderous thinges comfortest mine hart through the remembrance of thee and inlightenest mine youth cast mee not off in the time of mine age but reioice al my bones and renue my strength like the