few that doo enioy them For straight is the gate and narow is the way whiche leadeth vnto life and few there be that find it Notwithstanding O heauenly father thou hast a litle flocke to whom it is thy pleasure to geue y e glorious kingdom of heauē Ther is a certaine number of sheep that heare thy voice whom no man is able to pluck out of thy hand whiche shal neuer perish to whō also thou shalt geue eternall life Make me therfore O lorde of that number whom thou frō euerlasting hast predestinate to bee saued whose names also are written in the book of life Pluck me out of the cōpany of y e stinkking gotes whiche shal stād on thy left hand be damned place me among those thy sheep whiche shal stand on thy right hand and be saued Graunt me this o mer cifull Father for thy deere sonnes sake Iesu Christ our Lorde So shal I enioying this singular benefite at thy hand being placed in thy glorious kingdom sing per petuall praises to thy godly maiestie whiche liuest and reignest with thy deerely beloued sonne and the holy ghost one true and euerlasting God c. ¶ A thanks geuing vnto God for all his benefites THy benefites toward me O moste louing Father are so great infinite whether I haue respect vntomy body or vnto my soule that I finde not in my self how to recompence any part of thine vnspeakable goodnes toward me But y u whiche needest none of my goods knowing our beggery yea ournothing requirest of vs for a recompēce of thy kindnes only y e sacrifice of praise and thanks geuing o lorde and mercifull father what wurthi thanks am I pore wretched sīner able to geue the Notw tstāding trusting on thy merci fauorable kīd nes I offer vnto thee in the name of Christe the sacrifice of praise euer thanking the moste hartely for all thy benefites whiche thou hast be stowed vpon me thine vnprofitable seruaūt from the beginning of my life vnto this presēt houre moste hūbly beseeching the to continew thy louing kindnes to ward me and to geue me grace to walke wurthy of this thy fatherly goodnes that whē thou shalt call me out of this carefull life I may enioy y t thy moste singulare last benefite whiche is euerlasting glori through Iesus Christe our Lord to whom with thee and the ho li ghost be al honour praise for euer and euer Amen ¶ A praier to be said at the houre of death O Lorde Iesu whiche art the only helth of all mē liuing the euerlasting life of thē which die in thy faith I wretched sinner geue and submit my self wholy vnto thy most blessed wil. And I being sure that the thing cā not perish whiche is cōmitted vnto thy merci O lord geue me grace that willingly I may leaue this fraill wicked fleshe in hope of the resurrection whiche in better wise shal restore it to me agaī I beseeche thee moste merciful lorde Iesus christ that thou wilt by thy grace make strōg my soule agaīst all temptacions And that thou wilt couer and defend me with the buckler of thy mercy against all y e assaults of the deuill I see knowledge y e there is in my self no help of saluation But al my confidence hope trust is in thy moste mercifull goodnes I haue no merits nor good wurks whiche I may alledge before thee Of my sinns euill wurks alas I see a great hepe but thorow thy mercy I trust to be in the number of them to whom thou wilt not impute their sinnes but take accept me for rightuos and iust to be y e enheritour of euerlasting life Thou mercifull Lorde wast borne for my sake y u didst suffer bothe hunger thirst for my sake thou didst preache teache thou didst pray and fast for my sake thou didst al good wurks deeds for my sake Thou sufferedst moost greuous paines and torments for my sake And finally thou gauest thy moste precious body to die thy bloud to be shed on the cros for my sake Now moste mercifull sauiour let all these things profit me whiche thou freely hast geuen me that hast geuē thy self for me Let thy bloud clense and washe away the spots and foulnes of my sinnes Let thy righte ousnes hide couer my vnrighteousnes Let the merites of thy passion bloud be satisfaction for my sinnes Geue me Lorde thy grace that my faith and saluation in thy bloud wauer not in me but euer be firm constant that the hope of thy mercy and life euerlasting neuer decay in me that charitie wax not colde in me finally that the weaknes of my fleshe bee not ouercome with fear of death Graunt me mercifull sauiour that whē death hath shut vp the eies of my body yet that the eyes of my soule may stil beholde and look vpon thee that when death hath takē away the vse of my tung spech yet that my hart may cry say vnto thee In manus tuas domine commendo spiritum meū that is to say O Lorde into thy hāds I geue and commit my soule Domine Iesu accipe spiritum meum Lorde Iesu receiue my soule vnto thee Amen ¶ Certain Godly Meditations made in the forme of prayers by S. Augustine whiche if thou wilt rede them quietly with a feruent spirit they will stir thee muche to deuocion ¶ A prayer wherin through cōmemoration of Christes passion we desire pardon of oure sinnes and continuaunce in vertue and godlines BEholde O pitiful father thy most pitifull sōne which suffred for me being so wicked Be hold o most merciful king who suffreth and remember as thou art louing and kinde for whom he suffred Is not this O my Lorde that innocent whom allthough he were thy sonne thou didst deliuer to redeme raunsō a seruant Is not this the author and beginner of life whiche being led as a sheep to bee killed beeing made obediēt to thee euen vnto death was not afraid to take vpō him the moste cruell and sharp kinde of death Cal to remembraunce O thou distributor of all helth that this is he whom althoughe thou diddest beget him by thy power yet not withstanding thou wouldest haue to bee made partaker of mine infirmitie and weaknes Truly this same is thy Godhed whiche did take vpō him my nature whiche was hanged vppō the gibbet of tourment or cros whiche in the fleshe whiche he had taken vpon him did suffer sorowful punishment Turn the eyes of thy maiestie O Lord my God toward the wurk of thine vnspekeable pitie Look vpō thy deere sonne whose whole body is stretched forth Mark y e harmles and pure hands whiche doo drop and distill down innocent bloud And I beseeche thee bee pacified and pardon the wicked dedes whiche my hands haue cōmitted Consider his bare naked side being thrust thorow cruelly with a spear and renue and wash me with
two edged sworde Thou O chosen dart most sharp sword whiche arte able by thy power to perce thorow the hard sheeld or buckler of mans hart fasten stick the shaft of thy loue in my hart that my soule may say vnto thee I am wounded with thy charitie so that forth of that same woūd of thy loue teares may flowe most plenteously bothe day and night Strike O Lord strike I beseech thee this most indurated and hardened mind of mine with the sharp dart of thy loue perce it deper deper into the inermost partes therof by thy mightie power so bring oute of my head abundaunce of water and out of mine eyes a very well of teares continually running thorow the great affect maruelous desire to see thy glory y tI may mourn day night without taking any comfort in this life vntill in thy heauenly wedding chambre I may se thee my welbeloued and beautifull spouse my god my Lord. And that there when I see thy glorious marueilous and beautifull face ful of all swetnes togither with them whiche thou haste chosen then I say I may wurship humbly thy maiesty there at the laste beeing replenished with heauenly and vnspeekable reioising of euerlasting gladnes I may euen cry out with them that loue thee saying Beholde that whiche I haue long desired now I haue obteined For I am ioyned in heauen vnto him whō when I was in earth I loued with all my strength with all my charitie I embrased him vnto whom with all my loue I did stick cleaue Him doo I praise blesse and wurship that liueth reigneth God worlde without ende Amen A prayer in time of tribulation HAue mercie on me o Lorde haue mercie on me a moste wretched sinner whiche doo cōmit wickedli and doo suffre ther fore worthely whiche doo sin cō tinualli suffre thy scourge ther fore daily If thou take my daily tribulacion as a recompence for the euils whiche I haue cōmitted then it is not somuch that I suffre For it is a great deale more greuous which I haue tres passed then y t whiche I doo suffer Thou art iust O Lord thy iudgemēt is according to right Yea all thy iudgmentes ar iust true and thou O lorde our god art iust and righteous for there is none iniquitie in thee Thou dost not vniustli nor yet cruelly scourge and punish sinners O all mighty and mercifull God whiche when we had no beyng at all didst mightily create and make vs. And when we were lost by oure owne faulte thou by thy pitie and goodnes marueilously didst recouer vs. I know and am very certayn sure that our life is not led by so den motions but it is disposed and gouerned of thee O Lorde our god Wherby I know thou takest care for all men and most chiefly for thy seruaunts whiche haue put theyr whole hope in thine oneli merci Therfore doo I beseche humbli require the that thou woldst not deale with me accordīg to my sinnes wherwith I haue deserued thine angre but according to thy great mercifulnes whiche exceadeth yeathe sinnes of the hole world Thou O Lorde which outward ly doost punish scourge graunt me in wardli a pacience that wil neuer faile so that thy praise ne uer depart away frō my mouth Haue merci on me o lorde haue mercy on me help me as thou thinkest best to be most necessary for my body and soule Thou knowest all thinges thou canst doo all thinges whiche liuest for euer and euer ¶ A very deuout prayer to the sonne O Lorde Iesu Christe sonne of the liuing God which being vpon the cros with thy handes spred abroade for the redemptiō of all mankinde didst drinke the most bitter cup of thy passion I beseche thee that thou woldest vouchsafe to geue me help this day euer Lo I a poore wretch cum vnto thee whiche art riche a sinner vnto thee that art mercifull Let me not retourn home contemned and dispised with no thing I begin a hungred let me not leaue of fasting I cum vnto thee as though I wer famished let me not go away vnfed Althoughe before I eate I sigh sorow yet after my sorow geue me somwhat to eate First of all good Iesu I acknowledg before thy maiestie mine vnrighteousnes towards thee Beholde O Lorde I was conceyued in sin borne in the same thou didst wash them of from me sanctified me but I afterward defiled my selfe with bigger and more greuous sinnes For I was born in sin of necessitie because I could be borne none otherwise But afterward I rolled my self willingly in sinnes Neuertheles thou O Lorde being mindful of thy pitie didst take me out of the house of my carnall father out of the tents of the vngodli and hast enspired me put me in mind to folow thee with the ge neration of them that seeke thy face of thē that walke in y e right pathe of them that abide continew emongst the lillies of chastitie of them that sit downe together w t the at supper of most scarcitie least exces But I an vnkinde person forgetting soo many great benefites after that I was entred into religion holines did cōmit many vnlawful things I did offend wunderfull vngraciously where I shuld of right haue amended min euill life and lest my sinnes I heaped sīns vpō sinnes these be the euils o Lorde wherwith I haue dishonored the haue spotted defiled my self whom thou didst creat after the similitude and lik nes of thine own self with pride vaine glory and other many euills wherwith mine vnlucky soule is vexed punished torne destroyed Beholde o lord mine vnrighteousnes is gon ouer my head and ar like a sore burden ouer heauy for me to beare And except thou whose propertie is euer to haue mercy to forgeue doo lay vnder me y e right hand of thy maiesty I shalbe cōstrained miserably to sink in to the deep and be drouned Geue heed o Lord god behold because thou art hooly Looke how mine enemie assaulteth me saying God hath forsaken him I will persecute him and catche him because there is no mā that will deliuer him But thou lord how long Turne again delyuer my soule saue me for thy mercies sake Haue mercy vpon thy sōne whō thou hast brought forth with no small sorow and paine be not so ententife vnto mine euilnes that thou forget thine owne goodnes what father is there but he will deliuer his sonne yea what fathers is there that will not correcte his sonne and chasten him but with the rod of pity Therefore O father and Lorde although I be a sinner yet can I not chuse but be thy son because thou hast made me and made me again when I was mard with sinne Repaire amend me now o Lord but first of all I being mended chastised with thy scourge
of mine hart haue I acknowledged thal mightifulnes of thy maiesty maiesty of thine almightifulnes But now like as with hart I beleue whiche is counted righteousnes vnto me so with mouth doo I confes before thee whiche is to my saluation after what sort and maner thou didst vouchsafe in the end of the world to succour and aid mankinde Thou in deed only O God the father art not red at any time or in any place to be sēt But of thy sonne the Apostle writeth When that y e time was fulfilled God sent his sonne In that he saith he sent he doth sufficiently declare that he being sent came into this world when as he being borne a very perfect man of blessed Mary a pure Uirgin did apeer and shew him self in y e flesh But what is that whiche he that is the cheef of the Euangelists dooth say He was in the world and the world was made my him Thither truely was he sent by his humanitie where he allway is and alway hath bene by his diuinitie The whiche sending or embassage I beleeue withall my hart and confes with my mouth to be the consent and wurk of al the whole Trinitie Oh holy good father how didst thou loue vs How great fauour didst thou bear toward vs moste mercifull creator whiche haste not spared thine owne sonne but for vs wretched sinners hast deliuered him He was obedient vnto thee vntill death yea death vpon a cros taking y e obligation or hād writing of our sinnes whiche was his fleshe fastening it vnto the cros he crucified sin and kild death He a lone is amongst the dead free from death hauing power to put his soule for vs to take it again for vs. Therfore was he bothe a vanquisher and a sacrifice and therfore was he an ouercommer because he was a sacrifice for vs. He was bothe y e preest sacrifice vnto thee and therfore was he apreest because he was a sacrifice Not without a cause haue I great hope in him Forasmuche as thou wilt make whole all my diseases for his sake that sitteth on thy right hād and dothe continually make intercession for vs. For my diseases O Lorde are great and many oh they are many in number great For the Prince of this world as I very well knowe confes hath mani things in me But I beseche thee deliuer me through our redeemer whiche sitteth on thy righthand in whō y e said Prince of this world could finde none euill that was his of his owne committing By him doo thou iustify me whome his self did not sin nether was there any deceit or gile found in hys mouth By him whiche is oure head in whom there is not one spot of euill deliuer me whiche am one of his members though I be but a little membre and feble and weake Deliuer me I be sech thee from my sinnes offences faults ignoraunces Fulfill me with thy holy vertues make me to shine in good maners make me I besech the for thy holy names sake to cōtinue in holi wurks vntill thend accor ding to thy will and pleasure ¶ Of the trust whiche a soule ought to haue in our Lorde Iesu and in his Passion I Might dispaire verely because of my manifolde sinnes negli gences without nūber if it were not that thy wurd O God was made fleshe and dwelt amongst vs. But I can not now dispaire because that seeing when we were enemies we were reconciled by the death of thy sonne how muche more are we now reconciled saued by him For all the hope and the certitude sure nes of all my trust is in his precius blud whiche was shed for vs for our saluation In him doo I take hartening and trusting in him I haue a desire to come vnto the not hauing mine owne righteousnes but that whiche I haue through thy sōne our lorde Iesu Christe For the whiche O moste mercifull God and moste gentle louer of mankinde we geue thee thāks which through Iesus Christe thy sōne our lord when we were not didst mighte ly make vs and when we were lost through our sinnes moste merucilously didst deliuer recouer vs again To thy goodnes I say doo I geue thanks manifold praises doo I shew for the to the withall my hart minde whiche through the vnspeakable loue wherwith thou hast vouchesafed of thy meruelous goodnes to loue vs wretches vnwurthy to be loued didst sēd that same thine only begotten sōne from thy bosome vnto our cōmon weal to saue vs sinners whiche were at that time y e children of perdition and damnaciō I rendre vnto thee thāks for his holy incarnation and natiuitie and for his blessed mother vpon whom he did vouchesafe to take fleshe for vs and for our saluation to thintent that like as he is very God of God so he might be very man of man I geue thee thanks for his passion and cros for his death and resurrection for his ascention into heauen his seat of his maiestie on thy right hand For he the fortie day after his resurrection ascending aboue all the heauens his disciples seeing it and sitting on thy right hand did pour out his holy spirite abundantly according to his promis vppon them whom he had chosen to be his children I geue thee thāks for that moste sacred sheding foorth of his precious bloud wherwith we ar re deemed also for the moste holy and quickning sacrifice of his body and bloud whiche daily in thy churche we feed of drink of wherwith we are washed sanctified and are made partakers of the only high diuinitie I geue thee thanks for thy merueilous vnspekeable charitie loue wherwith thou didst loue vs vnwurthi persones and didst saue vs by thine only and be loued sōne for so thou didst loue y e world that thou gauest thine only begotten sonne to thintent that none which beleued in him should perish but haue euerlasting life This thing truly is euerlasting life to knowe thee also Iesus Christe whom thou sent to be very God by an vpright faith and wurkes wurthy for faith ¶ Of thexceding loue of the euer lasting father toward mankind OH vnmesurable pitie and fatherly loue oh inestimable charitie that thou shouldest deliuer thy sonne to suffre death to thintent thou mightest redeem and raunsom a seruaunt God was made mā to the intent that man being lost might-be plucked out of the powre of deuels How gētle and kinde a louer of man was thy sōne our God who thought it not enough to humble him self to be made man of the very virgin Mary but also took vpon him the paines of the cros in sheding his bloud for vs and for our saluation He came a pitifull God he came for his pitie goodnesses sake he came to serche and to saue that which was lost He sought the straied sheep he sought and found and he being a good Lorde and truly a
minde vnto thee It pleaseth me to talke of thee to hear of thee to write of thee to confer meditate of thee to rede euery day of thy blessednes and glory and to muse often times in my minde of the things I haue red concerning thee that at the least by suche meanes I being vnder the sweet refreshing and comfor ting of thy liuely air may pas from the vexations ieoperdies labours traueils of this mortall life that will soon perish y tin passing I may lay my weary head in thy bosom to slepe or to rest a little for this cause doo I enter into the plesaūt medow of the holy scriptures in plow ing I pluck the goodliest green herbes of sentences and in reading I doo eat them and in frequenting I doo meditate and as it were cud them and in gathering them together at the last I lay them vp in my memory that by suche meanes when I haue tasted of thy sweetnes I may sumwhat les feel the bitternes of this moste wretched life O thou moste happy life oh kingdom whiche art blessed in deed whiche lackest death whiche art without ende no time doth successifly pas at any time to thee Wheras continual day without night knoweth no time wheras that capitain and conquerour is accōpanied with those queres of angels singing of himnes songs they sing vnto God with out ceassing the balet of Balets of Sion Oh moste noble head which art compassed about with a perpetuall crown oh that par dō and forgeuenes of my sinnes were graunted vnto me and thē immediatly this burden of my flesh laid awai that I might enter into thy ioyes to haue true rest and that I might get within the goodly beutifull walles of thy citie to receiue a crown of life at the hand of our Lord that I might be amongst those moste holy queres that I might stand with the moste blessed Spirites of the creator of glory that I might see presently the countenaunce of Christe that I might behold alwaies y e moste his vnspekeable light incōprehensible which cā not be cōteined as in a place And so I should not onli be out of al feare of death but also I might reioyse alwayes at the gifte of euerlastyng incorruption Amen ¶ Heare doo wee complain that we be not moued nor pricked in our contem plation and prayer like as the angels be which tremble at the sight of God PArdon me O Lorde pardon me mercifully forgeue me haue mercyvpō me spare mine ignoraunce and my great vnper fectnes doo not reproue me as a rash felow because I dare be so bolde which am but thy seruaūt but would to God I were ether a good seruaunt or none vnprofitable nor euill seruaunte And therfore am I an euill man because I prayse blesse wurship thee which art our God almighty terrible and very much to be feared I wurship thee I saye without contricion of hart and without a well of teares For if so be that the angels when they wurship and praise thee doo trē ble being fulfilled with marueilous gladnes I whiche am a sin ner whiles I stande before thee saying praises and offeringe sacrifice why am I not afraid in my harte why am I not pale in my countenaunce why doo not my lippes quake and tremble why is not all my body afraide and why doo I not mourne and bewaile before thee after suche ▪ a sorte that teares might springe out of mine eyes I wolde fayne but I am not able because I can not doo that whiche I desire to doo This maketh me truly wōderfully to maruell that I am no more moued when I see with the eyes of my faith thee which art so fearfull But who can doo any thing without the helpe of thy Grace Except thou make our stony hartes to relent we of oure selfs ar not able to mollifie them but all our healthe dependeth vpon thy great mercye O wretche that I am how is my soule made without any feeling or perseueraunce that it is not afrayde with ouer muche feare whiles it standeth before God sīgeth to him his owne praises Alas how is my hart so hardned that myn eyes doo not gush out great fluddes of teares without ceassing when I whiche am but a seruaunte or bondman doo cō mon and talke in my Lorde and masters presēce Yea a mā with God a creature with a creatour I that am made of the slime of the earthe doo speake with him that made al things of nothing Put me before thee ▪ O Lorde and what so euer I perceyue of my self in the secrets of my hart I doo not keep it close from thy brotherly eares Thou art riche in mercy liberall in rewards geue mè of thy goods that with them I may serue the. For with nothīg els cā we serue or please thee but with thin owne giftes whiche thou hast vouchsaued to bestow vpon vs. Fasten I beseche thee thy feare in myfleshe Let my hart reioice and be glad to feare thy name Would God my sinfull soule feared thee so muche as that holy man the whiche saide I alwayes feared God as though it were greate swellīg fluddes should come and tumble vpon me O God the geuer of all good thinges geue me emongst thy praises a well of teares with the purenes of hart and reioising of mind that I loving thee perfetly and wurthily praising thee may feel taste and sauour in the palace of myhart how swet and pleasaūt thou art O Lorde as it is written Doo ye tast and see how sweet delectable the Lorde is Blessed is the man that putteth his trustin him Blessed is y t people whiche knoweth glad and ioifull praising Blessed is the man whose stregth is in thee in whose hart ar thy wayes which going thorow the vale of misery vse it for a well Blessed ar the cleane in hart because they shall see God Blessed are thay that dwell in the house of the Lorde they shal praise thee worlde without end ¶ A veri deuoute prayer for the geuing of thankes O Lorde Christe which art the wurd of the father whiche came into this world to saue sin ners I beseche thee by the most louing bowels of thy mercy to amend repaire my lyfe make better my dedes take thou thorderyng of my maners take from me that whiche noyeth and hurteth me and displeaseth the and geue me that which thou knowest will please thee proffit me Who can make clean y t which is cōceiued of an vncleane sead but thou alone Thou art the god almighty of infinite pietie which dost iustifie and make righteous euen those that were wicked mē and raisest again to life thē that were dead in sin thou chaungest sinners and they are no sinners Take away therfore from me what so euer is in me that pleaseth not thee for thine eyes doo see muche vnperfectnes in me Lay thy hand I besech the of thy pitie on me
ioifully and say I will lay me doune and rest in peace Let my memory sleep O my God I beseeche thee from all euils make it to hate iniquitie to loue righteousnes For what cā be better or more delectable then in the middest of the darknes of this life and emongst the manifold and bitter miseries of the same to desire feruentli hea uenly swetenes to couet euerlasting blessednes a mans mind to be holde euer there where as he may be moste sure to haue infallible and true ioyes O Lorde whiche for thy louing kindnes art moste wurthy to be desired and coueted of al thinges when shall I see thee When shall I appeare before thy face when shall I be satisfied of thy glory when wilt thou bring me forthe of this darke prison that I may confesse thy name so that afterward I be no more pricked whē shall I passe goo to that marueilous and beautifull house of thine wheras the voice of gladnes and reioising doth sound in the tabernacles of iust men Blessed are they that dwell in thy house O Lorde they shall praise thee euer worlde without ende Blessed ar they yea blessed in dede whom thou hast chosen and taken into that heauenly in heritaunce Behold O Lord thy sainctes florish before thee like vnto lilies for they are replenished with the plēteousnes of thy house and thou doost geue them to drink of the flowing riuer of thy pleasure because thou art y e well of life and in thy light and brightnes they doo see light soo greatly that they them selues whiche are a light whiche was made bright by the o god which doost geue them light doo shine like vnto the sonne in thy sight O how marueilous how faire beautifull how acceptable are thy mancions dwelling places of thy house O Lord of powers My sinfull soule doth couit to en tre into them O Lorde I haue loued the comlynes of thy house and the place where thy glory dwelleth I asked one peticion of the Lorde and the same will I require that I may dwell in the house of the Lorde all the dayes of my life Like as the hart coueteth to goo vnto y e water brooks euen so dooth my soule desire to come vnto thee O God When shall I come and appeare before the face of my Lord When shal I see God after whom my soule longeth very sore whē shal I see him in the land of y e liuing For in this land of the dead he can not be seen w e mortal eies what shal I doo wretch y t I am which am fettred w t the heaui giues of mortalitie What shall I doo whiles we cōtinue in this body we go astray frō y e lordé we haue here no abidīg place for euer but we labour for one y t is to come Our free citie is in heauē Wo is me me think I dwel emongst y e barbarous nations infidels not emongst the faithfull Israelites I led my life in y e tentes of Cedar My soule hath dwelt too long with them that hate peace and quietnes Who will geue me wings as a doue that I may flye rest me There is nothing that I desire or delite so muche in as to be in my Lords cōpany it is good for me to cleaue vnto God Oh graunt me O lorde whiles I am in this fratle membres to stick vnto thee as it is written he that cleaueth vnto the Lorde is all one spirit with him Geue me therfore I beseche thee the winges of contempla cion wherwith when I am appareled I may flye vpward and for asmuche as euery vnlucky infortunate thing lyeth beneth doo thou O Lorde holde vp my minde lest it fall headlong into the lowest botomes of the dark valley and lest the shadow of the earth shulde come betwene and seperate it from thee that art the bright sonne of rightwisnes lest it once hid with the cloudes of darknes should not haue libertie but be letted to looke for heauēli thinges which be aboue Therfore I doo assay to goo vpward vnto the ioyes of quietnes and peace and vnto the delectable and pleasaunt state of light O hold my hart with thy hand because it can not be draw en vnto high things withoute thee Thither doo I make haste where as moste cheef and principall peace reigneth and continu all quietnes shineth forth Hold and gouern my spirit and take it according to thy will that thou beīg a guide vnto it it mai ascend into the region and contrey of plentifulnes whereas thou feedest Israell euerlastingly with the food of truthe to thintent that there at the least wise with my swift cogitacion thought I may com nie thy wis dom which remaineth aboue al things ouer passeth all thinges and gouerneth all thinges But alas there be many thīgs which when my soule would fly vnto thee doo cry oute vppō it Commaund thē all O lorde to holde their peace speak not vnto me As for my soule it self let it geue neuer a wurd to answer Let it pas by all thinges Let it clime aboue al thinges that be created and come vnto thee and that it may fasten the eyes of faith vppon thee which art the only creator of all things Let it couit vnto thee and be bent towards thee Let it think vppon thee by meditacion and contemplacion Let it lay thee before his eyes for it self let it rolle and tos thee in his hart thee I say whiche art the true and cheef goodnes and the ioy that will remayne euer without ending Ther is surely mani cōtēplacions in the which mans soule is marueylously fed of thee But in none of them is my soule so much delited nor yet ha the so good rest in as in thee and when as it thinketh vpon thee and hathe thee onely in cōtemplatiō Oh how much is thy swetnes O Lorde how meruei lousli dost thou enspire the harts of them that loue thee How delectable is thy loue the fruicion wherof they haue that loue nothing but thee they seek for no thing els they couet to think of nothing els Happy are they whose only hope thou art which haue no trust but in thee only all their whole wurk is prayer Blessed is he that sitteth solitarili alone and holdeth his peace standeth vpon his warde that he is set to kepe continualli day and night that yet whiles he is in this fratle body he may be able to taste somewhat thy pleasaūtnes I require thee by those thy woundes whiche bringe health vnto vs whiche wounds thou suffredst vppon the crosse for our health out of the which thy precious bloud wherewith thou redemed vs did distill and drop downe wounde this my sinfull soule for the whiche also thou didst vouchesafe to dye Wounde it I say with the firy and mighty darte of thy greate charitie For the wurde of God is liuely and effectuous more pearcing sharp then any