mercie and in louing O Sauior to whome none is to be compared thou art aboue all to be loued and to be worshipped O Sonne of God by whome wee are also the sonnes of God and of whome we are called Christians thou art of all good men to be serued most religiouslie and aboue all O freend of all freends King of heauen and earth Lord of angels conqueror of diuels drawe mee after thee least I fall and so rest vnder the heauie burden of sin Poure out thy grace send mee thy comfortable dewe from aboue that trulie I maie perceaue how thou art the procurer and the open fountance of all mercie L. I am in deede the spring of holie loue and of chaste and religious feare of godlie conference and of sweete consolation Therefore when you doo heare my name reioice with your whole hart and magnifie the goodnes of your God In honoring mee you honor the Father which is God as I am For I am Iesus the Sonne of God and this name shal I haue while the world endureth But what is Iesus euen the Sonne of the liuing God the Sauior of the world the King of heauen and earth the Lord of Angels the redeemer of the faithfull and the iudge of quick and dead And what is Iesus the hope of the godlie the comfort of the desolaâ—e the peace of the meeke the riches of the poore the glorie of the humble the strength of the weake the waie of such as wander the light of such as see not the staff of such as walke not the oile of such as feele not the staie of the oppressed the helpe of the troobled and the singular refuge of all good men Blesse the Sonne with the Father and so God will blesse you Giue honor also and glorie to the Father whensoeuer you praise mee His glorie is my ioie and my praise is his worship Place mee and the Father as a seale vpon thine hart and as a token vpon thine arme Therefore sit you or stand you or praie or reade or wright or worke you let my name Iesus and God be often reuerendlie in your mouth but continuallie in your harte S. O grante it maie be so good Iesus and let all people tribes and tonges serue thee and let all creatures bowe at thy presence Let heauen saie Raigne thou Iesus let the earth make answere yea for euer and euer let him raigne Yea let all Sanctes confesse thy glorious Name and all good people reioice before the Father and thee his lambe and our Lord Iesus Christ Amen CHAP. 25. That for God his benefits we are to thanke him BLessed be the glorious Name of the Lord for euermore O Lord my God let all my dooings all my reading all my wrighting my thoughtes words and vnderstanding tend vnto the aduancement of thine honor Yea let mee both begin my busines in thy Name and goe forward in thy feare and finish it with thy blessing That which thou hast giuen that receaue againe and from whence the streames doo flowe thether let them returne It neuer goeth better with mee neither dooth it realish better to my soule than when vnfeinedlie I doo ascribe all to thee whatsoeuer I haue either doon or thought as I should My desire is to render thankes which I then doo as I ought when for that I haue receaued and thou hast giuen I ascribe all praise to thee and nothing to my selfe For what can I a wicked and vnprofitable seruant render vnto thee my God Alas all that I can doo yea if I should doo all which thou commandest to be doon it is to none effect So that I am brought vnto nothing and rightlie humbled And in deede it is verie well that I am so brought downe that thou alone maist bee iustified and haue the praise of all and that vile dust maie at no time glorie in it selfe Howbeit I minde not to surcesse but will extoll thee both with hart and mouth For albe I discharge not my dutie therein as I ought yet ought I to speake of thy goodnes and not be silent O my God thou art my glorie my praise shall alwaies be of thee He that would but a little consider of thy glorie and knowe what it is to glorie in the Lord how would he despise all outward glorie He that would euen but a little taste of thy sweetnes how quicklie would he loath as most bitter the pleasure of this world He which would receaue euen but a small sparcle of loue into his breaste howe would hee burne in affection For full gladlie would hee contemne all thinges to haue thy freendship and would count it all sweete and easie to be borne whatsoeuer he should doo or suffer for thy loue sake Hee that would consider in his minde thy goodnes to man-ward how would he reioice and run after thee Hee would seeke nothing so charelie he would keepe nothing so warelie he would pursue nothing so egerlie as to serue thee For in louing he would feele no burden because loue would beare all burdens So then theie which complaine of the burden doo plainlie declare how theie haue litle true loue in them To serue of loue is of all others the greatest pleasure and comfort in labor True loue dooth neither respect commoditie nor feare damage but in all things seeketh that which may please thee Oah Christ how sweete is thy loue how well dooth it sound how sweetlie dooth it enter how stronglie dooth it binde Oah that it would fast binde mee to thy continuall seruice oah that it would wholie take me and wholie subdue me and wholie and altogether make me to be thine For then and not before am I free when I am taken of thy loue and vtterlie depriued from all that mine is O my Lord I am thy seruant yea thy seruant am I because thou hast redeemed mee I am thy seruant with a verie good will and am not ashamed to be properlie thine I wish not to be mine owne man againe and therefore Lord helpe mee that I maie be freed from that which naturallie is mine Oah blowe and kindle and inflame the fire of my zeale so shall mine hart boile and become pure cleare and pleasant for thy loue expelleth vice and consumeth sin Laie thou fast hold vpon the band of loue and I shall stand and continue in thy seruice Full well I wot no good can my seruice doo you Lord but all the benefit redoundeth to my selfe if I doo that which I knowe is acceptable in thy sight Would I did and hid not that I reuealed and concealed not thy workes Lord When shall I be able worthelie to consider the manifold benefits conferred vpon mee of God! Mercifullie hast thou delt with thy seruant ô Lord but alack I neuer thanked thee for the same as thou deseruedst And therefore am
of carnall affections And this my request is to obteine for without thy speciall grace wee shall neither leade a good life in this world nor liue eternalie in the life to come And whereas I now liue in the bodie it is no ioie to mee for better it were for mee to die than to liue because through this life I am debarred the farder from eternall life which cannot come vnlesse that death doo destroie the life present yea and death also it selfe bee destroied Hence it is that my desire is to heauen-ward and mine heart seeking eternall rest fetcheth deepe sighes and crieth It is now enough Lord take awaie my soule which thou hast redeemed with thy pretious blood Open to mee the gate of thy kingdome and let in a poore pilgrime returning vnto thee from exile Listen to mee Lord and loase me from the band of the bodie What should I longer doo heere I am good neither to my selfe nor to others Whie then doo I liue To my selfe I am burdensome to others troblesome What shall become of mee I wot not Lord whether thou hast foreseene anie better thing of me wherefore my longing should bee lingred I doo allow thine ordinance because it is good but in mee onlie I finde the euill whie it greeueth and troobleth mee to liue in the world For dailie I doo sinne I heape sinne vpon sinne and yet as I ought I repent not If therefore I were loased from this bodie of sinne and coopled to thee in heauen neither should I offend anie more nor thou bee offended but be praised continuallie Notwithstanding as yet thou bearest with mee and showest all patience I know my fault because through my sinnes I maie not enter into thy kingdome For none vncleane thing shall enter thereinto But when shall I be without sinne When shall I throughlie be cleansed that I maie not feare to bee prohibited but reioice rather to bee let in If I goe not forward more zealouslie nor bee more carefull than hetherto I haue bin I am affraide mine hope will be little enough But Lord thou which wilt that no man should perish but that all should bee saued grant mee more grace to the amendment of my life and to hope for celestiall blessings giue mee the spirit of inward fatnes Let not mine heart heere reioice after the flesh but in fearing let it expect for death Let no care or creature hold mee back but let thy desired presence drawe and comfort mee Blessed is the man which trusteth in thee ô Lord but more blessed is hee that is passed out of this wicked world for he shall no more either feele or feare anie trooble ⸪ CHAP. 7. 1. A godlie desire for a good death O Lord thou art mine hope euen fro my youth In this hope I flie vnto thee vntill the last houre and time of my resolution shall come Oah that I were so well prepared that I might euen now die vnder the hope of grace Oah that I had ended this life with an happie departure and laide off the loade of this bodie how manie dangers and feares had I then escaped Happie is the man whome thou hast chosen and taken vp who is now gone out of this world vnto the father from banishment vnto a kingdome from the prison vnto the palace from darkenes vnto light from death vnto life vnto securitie from dangers from labor vnto rest and from all manner miseries vnto euerlasting felicitie Happie is the soule that now enioieth her reward triumphing in thee her Lord But alas that my contrie is so long kept fro mee How gratiouslie and mercifullie shouldest thou deale with mee if quicklie I were called awaie and bidden to come vnto thee that where thou art I might be also Oah that I had bin taken out of this world before euer I had knowen the filthines of the same and before I was affraide to offend euen in small things how happie then had I bin But now the longer heere I liue the more I wander from thee and doo sinne in too too manie things Wo is mee what haue I doone Alas I haue folowed the desires of the flesh and haue drawen vanitie to my selfe with roapes but godlines I haue abandoned abhorred innocencie and added sinne vnto sinne so that now to my griefe I finde that true which I haue sometime read Woe be to the wicked it shall be euill with him Too too late almost I haue returned vnto my God yea verie late it was eare I began to amend and then too but slowlie went I on I was not zealous enough in my proceeding I did not encrease in zeale but which is woorser I waxed cooler and cooler Hence it was that manie times I was verie loath to die because my guiltie conscience still tolde mee I had not liued as I should haue doone Notwithstanding in consideration of the dangerous temptations wherevnto I am subiect and that my sinnes might not encrease manie a time haue I wished for death and into these woordes haue I burst sayeng Oah that now God in mercie would take mee out of this world that I might sinne no more vpon earth Oh that God speedelie would vouchsafe to take mee awaie and make an ende of my labors in what an happie state should I then bee But Lord all things must bee euen as thou wilt If thou minde to doo that which I require it shall forth-with bee accomplished but if otherwise thy will bee doon I maie vtter out my desire and the miserie which I endure not as to him which is ignorant thereof but that thereby I may finde some comfort to my soule I knowe I am not yet readie as I ought to bee for my conscience is greatlie out of quiet And what maruell though I a sinner doo stand in feare seeing manie euen of the holie fathers were affraide because thou iudgest not as man dooth But how shall I prepare my selfe It were good for mee to prepare my selfe against that time which may come this daie before to morow for anie thing I knowe Therefore I will more firmelie alter my purpose I will bewaile all my negligences passed I will sacrifice my selfe to thee and wholie and henceforth commend my selfe vnto thy mercie ô Lord. O Lord my God all my works doo stand at thy mercie and without thy mercie I haue no merits And this is mine hope this is all my trust But how fareth it with a good and pure conscience What saith the chaste and deuoute soule Come saith she Lord Iesus ô come and tarie not vntie my sinnes loase my fetters bring me out of prison out of the lake of miserie and mirie claie I haue waited patientlie for thee ô Lord incline to mee and heare my crie Leaue mee not anie longer in this wicked world Let it content thee that hetherto I haue striuen that so long I haue bin
because hee is faithfull As we haue heard so we haue seene as wee haue beleeued so wee haue spoken and borne witnesse to the truth Once the Lord did speake and it was doon Hee saide My counsaile shall stand but yours shall come to naught ô yee sonnes of men Wo vnto them which imagine euill and afterward make a scoffe at the word of God! Wo vnto you which doo faigne a religion out of your owne braine and are exalted in your owne power Heare the word of the Lord yee which serue the Lord knowe yee that he hath a controuersie with the inhabitants of the earth To turne awaie your selues it is not good stand yee therefore and consider his waies Returne you and come vnto him so will he ioiefullie receaue you into fauor for the Lord is gratious and mercifull He keepeth not his anger as man dooth but pardoneth all sinnes yea and moreouer he restoreth the former grace with the later Onlie returne you with all your harts and dedicate your selues wholie and vnfeinedlie to his seruice Thus doo the sancts speake in mine eares That which musick is at a banquet and sweete smelling frankincense in a censar euen that is the word of God in a pure hart And thy sancts Lord filled with thy spirit haue thus sounded forth the memorie of thine abundant sweetenes and haue lest their words vnto vs to be sounded abroade But my speech often-time is stopped so that it hath no passage to ascend But if that fire come from aboue then shal my toong be hot and if it once be enflamed I shall forth-with be consumed I shall not be able to stand in the presence thereof for as the winde driueth awaie chaffe so shall sorow be expelled from the hart And as the rust by the fire so shal my sinnes be consumed The fire of God which consumeth all things shall sweep the floore of mans hart Descende and get vp tuch me a little and I shall flee Things passed shall be as though theie had neuer been and that to come shall not be accompted of for all sinnes shall vtterlie be forgotten Old things shall passe awaie new shall come abundantlie holie desires shall encrease and rise vp on all sides wheresoeuer the good spirit shall blowe Feare shall depart loue shall possesse the harts of all all affliction shall cesse for this alteration is by the hand of God Therefore that which I saie is not to mine owne but to his praise The pensiue hath comfort the hungrie bread the thirstie drinke The sick is healed the wauering assisted the weake strengthened the wearie quieted the hopelesse comforted the complainer pittied To the blinde sight to the wandering a readie waie to the knocker the gate is opened He which doubted is now resolued hee which staggered is nowe strengthened hee that diligentlie enquired is now entertained ioiefullie by mother charitie The freend commeth more ioiefullie to meete than is the soule desirous to speake with him L. Lo now am I present saith he saie on what new thing hath fallen out What haue you forgotten what you are to suffer and to doo for my sake B. Yet this staied mee not being desirous to go forward with him So straight-waie I mounted aloft and forgat all mine affliction Hee would not by and by discomfort the partie so longing to abide with him but with gentle words he said that in due time it should bee performed L. Thy desire is good and request vnto mee dooth like mee well notwithstanding it maie not presentlie be graunted Go thy waie and get home to thine owne house and declare to thine acquâ—intâ—nce what the Lord hath doon for thee Saie vnto them Prepare your harts euerie one of you and laie downe the heauie burden of sinne and bee yee warie and strong to resist the snares of Satan Watch and praie least yee fall into tentation I will come shortlie looke that I finde you readie Lo I haue warned you aforehand CHAP. 12. 1. The desire of the soule after God 2. The properties of God by the sondrie titles ascribed vnto him 3. None commeth vnto God vnlesse God draweth him SAie vnto my soule I am thy saluation O of what excellencie art thou my soule what wonderfull virtue is hidden in thee that thou canst neuer bee at rest vntill thou haue attained perfect happines and found the last end which thou so desirest which once being knowen and found out the care is gone Oah happines aboue all happines ô end without end when shall I both without measure and euerlastinglie enioie thee I finde manie good things in this world But theie continue not neither doo theie satisfie my desire But one thing is necessarie This one thing is that I seeke this oâ—e thing I desire For one thing are all things and of one thing are all things If I â—et this thing I shall be coâ—â—ent but if I enioie it not I shall continuallie be tossed because manie things cannot satisfie mee What is this one thing I am not able to saie what it is sure I am I desire that than which nothing either is or maâ—e be imagined either better or greater For this is not one thing among manie things but one thing aboue all things And it is my God to whome if I stick I shall doo well To him I saie to him I 〈◊〉 when I saie Saie vnto my soule I am thy saluation O my soule my longing soule what more desirest thou Is it not better for thâ—e to cleaâ—e vnto one thing than vnto manie things Of one thing are manie things but one thing is not of manie things Cesse to seeke manie things ioine thee to one stick vnto one for in one thing all things consist Let others enquire after manifold and diuers outward things but doo thou seeke one inward good thing and it is sufficient Lo this man seeketh a farme that man traueleth about his marchandise another heapeth vp much gold and siluer another hunteth after pleasures and preferment another visiteth his freends and kinred another is merie with his acquaintance another rideth vnto cities and castles another doth long to see diuers contries of the world another desireth wisedome another preferment another principalitie another a kingdome and thus one wisheth one thing another man another thing euen aswell among the spirituall sort as among the secular But fewe doo seeke one thing and other things purelie and simplie for one thing And therefore theie neither doo finde anie sure peace nor yet sauor the inward grace of the spirit For so manie as are the seruants of Christ doo couet not temporall not earthlie things as though they were then iolie and glorious felows if theie abunded therewith What then wilt thou saie that the things which theie seeke for doo touch thee ô deuout soule in truth thou canst not For my part I detest all these things for my good
thing is but one thing I loue but one thing I require but one thing and this one thing is better to mee than all other things either in heauen or earth If thou hast founde such a good thing my counsell is that you hold and keepe it for whoâ—e sake you haue contemned all things For hauing that it shall not grieue you to want other things naie you will iudge it reason for the getting thereof that you doo both giue and suffer all things Now therefore ô my soule seeke thou after so singular and superexcellent a good thing So long as you liue in the flesh you are of necessitie to seeke because that cannot too carefullie be sought for which can at no time sufficientlie be comprehended But then shall you cesse seeking when the houre of enioieng is once come For then shal he be all in all euen he which alone is all sufficient for all and euerie man And although there too hee must be sought where he is continuallie sound yet is hee not there sought with labor as in this world but with surpassing pleasure and loue What he is in this life to the godlie it maie be declared by his manifold titles and such as haue experience of his goodnes knowe verie well how it maie be showen Notwithstanding consider what the names of God are as I haue learned them in the schoole of experience I will recite a few but the grace of his spirit maie put you in minde of manie mo beside Lo hee is a spouse to such as loue but to such as still serue him in feare a dreadfull Lord Hee is a father to good children but to the obstinatelie wicked a seueare iudge To the sick he is a physition and to the whole wholesome foode To the ignorant a teacher and to the obedient an euerlasting Sauiour Hee is the waie for beginners the truth for proceeders the life for the absolute performers of his holie will Hee is the hope of repenters and a surpassing comforter of the righteous Hee is a crowne for the humble and a punishment for the proude In darkenes hee is a light and in the night a lanterne Hee giueth medicine to the diseased soules and much wine of comfort to the sorowfull With such as stand to the battell hee standeth with such as proceede in their iornie he walketh with such as feruentlie make haste hee runneth with such as mount in diuine contemplation he flieth Doo you praie hee is present with you Doo you reade hee is talking with you Doo you meditate hee is still with you One and the same God worketh in all these things showing himselfe to euerie one euen as hee thinketh good in his words there is no fault and his works are past finding out For great and vnsearchable are his iudgements and no man is tâ— saie vnto him whie doost thou soâ— or whie doost thou chuse this maâ— rather than that man It is follie for a man to reason aâ—gainst the almightie and all the will of Adams children is vane anâ— to no purpose How like you these things and how dooth God sauor vnto you S. Hee seemeth sweete vnto mee neither am I offended at his works Hee is righteous and who can rebuke him of ill dealing Hee that so dooth dooth set himselfe against God and shal be reprooued of his irreprehensible light M. But what thou hast heard what is it in his presence scarse vndoubtedlie so much as a sparcle without that which is hidden within Aske you what that is I must saie I knowe it not it is altogether aboue my capacitie euen as a certaine cloude far off whose beginning and ende are vnknowen And therefore meditate rather and thinke more often vpon the base humanitie of Iesus and doo not mount vp too high least of his glorious maiestie you be confounded But forsomuch as burning loue dooth now and then forget all reuerence and feare you are in that respect the more to be borne withall if sometime being extreemelie set on fire with the loue of Iesus you doo consider not onlie how hee cried in the manger and how hee hanged vpon the crosse but also how hee raigneth nowe in heauen all gloriouslie and ruleth all things vnder heauen most wonderfullie S. O most louelie Iesu gladlie doo I folow thee in earth but more gladlie would I folow thee vnto heauen Where my treasure is there would mine hart be also Oah thou art my treasure thou which art at the right hand of the father art deerer to mee than anie creature For my sake thou wast incarnate for my sake thou wast eleuate Thou diddest leaue thy selfe an example vpon earth thou keepest thy selfe for a reward in the heauens Vpon thee therefore mine eies are fixed and after thee doo my feete trace To thee mine hart saith my face seeketh thee ô Lord I will continualie seeke thy face O Lord how long wilt thou hide the sight of thy glorie Whie hiâ— est thou thy face and takest mee for thine enemie Thou knowest right well my mind wil be distracted hether and thâ—ther and be diuerslie beate vntill it be fast ioined to thee her freende in the heauens For the force of loue knoweth not how to be quiet but vnceâ—santlie maketh enquirie of her louer sendeth forth messengers and dobleth praiers neither doth it so giue ouer because loue will altogether possesse that which it desireth Therefore drawe mee that I maie begin zelouslie to run after thee I had neede to be drawen and with great force to be drawen For vnlesse thou drawe none wil come none will folow because euerie one is naturallie inclined to himselfe-ward But if thou once drawe lo then I doo hasten then I run then I waxe hot But if thou doo not drawe I doo neither run nor seeke yea scarse haue I anie desire at all to folowe If thou reach out thine hand I doo run so much the more swiftlie as thou forceablie doost drawe This is the voice of my louer drawing And when I am â—ift vp from the earth I will drawe all men vnto mee O sweete Iesu drawe mee after thee and then not I onlie but all shal run after thee by the sauor of thine ointments First therefore drawe mee after thee then let others folow seeing an example of good life But that we maie not waxe proude it is good that we marke this withall howe that wee began to run not through our owne strength but by the sauor of thine ointments This is the heauenlie drawing without which no man can go forward no not so much as begin as likewise thou didest saie No man can come vnto mee except my father drawe him So that whome the father draweth he foloweth thee and forsaketh himselfe He seemed to be well drawen that said Master I will folow thee
I punished and pinched at the verie harte euen because I am vnable to answere thy benefits so great and so manifold Oah that I could euen but once worthelie and thoroughlie thanke thee for all these things But what maie proceede from him in whome nothing is An emptie vessell can minister no drinke What then shall I doo Something I must giue For it is not lawfull to come before God with an emptie hand Because the Lord abhorreth the vngratefull man Oah that I could finde something in this world to giue you that might be acceptable in your sight Oah my Lord whome in hart I loue what would you that I should giue you As for anie good thing of mine you neede it not And whie then exact you a gift at mine hands For riches none is comparable to you and yet require you some-what of mee L. That which I demaunde is euen your selfe wholie For so it is expedient if you would purchase my fauour I will giue grace to you and you shall showe grace to mee and so loue shall be continued betweene vs. Giue mee your selfe and you haue giuen euen all S. O good Iesus the fountane of all goodnes the fountane of life the fountane of grace the fountane of sweetenes the verie fountane of aie lasting wisdome powre vpon mee euen at this instant I beseech thee the gift of thy celestiall grace and teach mee to be gratefull and to giue my selfe before all thinges wholie vnto you for this is the deerest thing that I can render This I doo knowe and acknowledge Therefore receaue mee lo I am wholie thine and all that mine is is thine Onlie one thing there is which I cannot giue and that is my sin which is mine indeede properlie and therefore not to be imputed vnto thee Sinne mine is and all defaultes within me are to be ascribed to me onlie but glorie and for all thy benefits thankes be vnto thee But nowe in calling thy benefits into minde of manie I gather onlie a fewe and those which doo most of all moue mee and appeere in my mind For neither wil the time suffer to recite neither can my thoughtes comprehend them all Because for number theie are infinite for greatnes incomprehensible and inestimable for goodnes For bought theie cannot bee because theie are freelie giuen And therefore onlie thankes be required for them otherwise all shall be taken awaie as from that vngratefull one First therefore and afore all things I thanke thee ô Lord my God creator of all things for making mee a man after thine image and similitude and for placing mee ouer the workes of thine hands This is the great and first benefit bestowed vpon mee and that of thy meere goodnes For I made not my selfe but thine handes did fashion mee theie brought me into this world through my parents whome thy will was should serue thee herein And lo I am better than other creatures exalted aboue the beastes of the fielde and birdes of the aër in that I am facioned after thine image endued with eternall wisedome and naturallie participate of the light vncreate and of the vnchangeable truth Wherefore for my beeing liuing and vnderstanding I giue thee euerlasting praise wishing and desiring herewithall that all creatures both in heauen and earth maie euerlastinglie commend thy glorious and most excellent name I blesse thee ô Father Lord of heauen and earth who of nothing through thy onlie begotten Sonne Iesus Christ in the holie Ghost hast created all things Yea al things thou hast made not of necessirie compelled but of pure and special loue moued therunto therby to showe thy power vnto the sons of men and by thine inuisible and coëternall wisedome with thee thou hast most perfectlie disposed this visible world Let all thy creatures subiect in all things to thee and ordeined for the vse of man blesse thee For at thy commandement both raine falleth from heauen and fructe springeth from the earth The sunne shineth brightlie in the daie time the starres giue light by course in the night The fountanes spring the riuers flowe and fishes of diuers kindes doo swim The birdes not onlie flie but sing also and the goates the coltes and hartes doo spring vpon the mountaines The sheep and other cattell dop ioie in good pasture and diuers other liuing creatures doo run about the groaues The ground waxeth greene the fieldes prosper and trees of the wood doo yeeld both bowes and fructe O Lord which onlie doost woonderous things euen all these are thy woorkes Another benefit which thou hast bestowed vpon mee is the mysterie of incarnation the worke of my redemption the price of our saluation euen the fructe of thy passion and death O greate worke of mercie Oah worke of moste excellent loue moste abiect humilitie of moste rare patience No man could merit nor Angel procure this thing The Prophets haue wondered at it the Apostles haue seene taught it the faithfull haue embraced it and the elect especiallie doo loue and call it into minde The due consideration of this benefit stirreth vp good desires inflameth the harte nurisheth deuotion inlighteneth the minde purgeth the affection draweth on to heauen-ward with-draweth from the world driueth vnto God and vniteth the soule with Christ. This benefit far excelleth the aboue mentioned yet there is one which gaue each and hath bestowed both of them vpon vs euen our Lord Iesus Christ. For what the better had I bin for my life if I had not bin redeemed with the pretious blood of my Sauior Christ Therefore the grace and mercie of God grewe vpon me and plenteous redemption was made for the corrupted nature of man without the aide of God his maker could neuer haue bin repared O Father of mercies and God of all comfort thou to redeeme thy damned seruant hast giuen thine onlie Sonne to the death O wonderfull I kindnes of thine to vs ward vnto which neither the wit of man nor the vnderstanding of Angels can attaine But alone sweete Christe who art the beginning and the ende of our saluation and alone couldst helpe the miserable and damned thou alone art priuie to the same For thou didest vouchsafe to appeere vnto the world in the likenes of a most vile seruant and for mortall wormes euen of meere pittie receauedst with a willing minde the iudgement of a cruell death O good Iesus thou which art the fountaine of mercie the light of aie lasting glorie the pure glasse without spot of God his maiestie kindle mine harte with the meditation of this vnspeakeable benefit bestowed vpon mee and vpon all mankinde But this as was the former is generall sufficient to saue all but not effectual in all by reason of the incredulitie and malice of manie howbeit it saueth and is profitable to all the elect for whose sake all things