dreames fantasticall Reuelations let all tounges all signes and what soeuer is able to passe be whist Yea let mine owne soule be still and let it ouerpasse it selfe not by thinking vpon it selfe but by thinking vpon thée my God bycause thou art in very deede my whole hope and trust For in thée O most swéete gracious and mercyfull God O Lorde Iesu Christ is both the portion the bloud and the flesh of euery one of vs Then looke where the portiō or peece of me reigneth there beléeue I my selfe to reigne also Looke where my bloud beareth rule there trust I to beare rule to Looke where my flesh is glorified there know I that I also am glorious and although I be a sinner yet distrust I not this communion of grace For although my sinnes forfend it yet doth my substaunce require it And although myne owne transgressiōs shet me out yet doth the communion of nature take me in ¶ That the word is become fleshe for our hopes sake FOr the Lorde is not so vnkynde as not to loue hys owne flesh his owne members his own bowels Truly I should despayre for my sinnes vyces faultes and negligences without number which I haue committed and dayly do cōmit without ceassing in hart word and déede by all meanes that mans frayltie cā offend in were it not that thy word O my God is become flesh dwelleth in vs But now I dare not despayre bicause that he beyng obedient vnto thée to the death euen to the death of the crosse hath taken away the handwriting of our sinnes and nayling the same to his crosse hath crucified both sinne death Now then I looke backe with a carelesse eye by meanes of him who sitteth at thy right hand seweth for vs I thinke lōg to come vnto thée vpon trust of him in whō we are already risen againe reuiued alredy moūted vp into heauen there do sit among the aūgels To thée be prayse to thée be glorie to thee be honor to thee be thankes Amen ¶ That the more a man museth vpon God the swéeter it is vnto him MOst merciful Lord which hast so loued saued vs so quickened exalted vs Most merciful Lord how swéete is the remembraūce of thée The more I thinke vppon thée the more swéete and amiable art thou vnto me and therfore am I greatly delighted with thy goodes With cleare eyesight of mynd with a most pure affectiō of godly loue accordyng to my small abilitie do I incessantly couet to sue for thy loue and to behold thy wonderfull beawtie in this place of my pilgrimage as long as I abyde in these brittle mēbers For I am woūded with the dart of thy loue I am sore inflamed with desire of thée I would fayne come vnto thée I long to sée thée I will therefore stand vpon my gard and with waking eyes will I sing in my hart yea I wil sing with my minde and with all my strength I will prayse thée my maker renewer I will pearce the skye with my mynde and be with thée in desire so as my body onely shal be held here in this present miserie but in thought in desirousnesse and in longyng I will alwayes be with thée for looke where thou myne incomparable desired and deare beloued treasure art there also is my hart But loe my most gracious and mercyfull Lord whereas I would consider the glory of thine vnmeasurable goodnesse louing kindnesse my hart is not sufficiēt to do it For thyne honor thy beawtie thy power thy glory thy royaltie thy maiesty and thy loue excéede all vnderstanding of mans mynde Like as the brightnesse of thy glorie is inestimable so also is the graciousnesse of thyne euerlastyng loue vnspeakable where through thou adoptest those to be thy sonnes knittest them vnto thée whom thou hast created of nothing ¶ That tribulatiōs for Christes sake are to be desired in this life O My soule if we should be fayne to suffer tormentes euery day if we should be fayne to indure euen hell fire for a long tyme that we might sée Christ in his glory and be in cōpany with his Saintes were it not méete we should abyde all the sorrow that could be that we might be made partakers of so great a benefite and of so great glory Let the deuils thē do their spight let them tempt while they tempt may let fastings forpyne the body let course apparell greue the flesh let labour pinch it let watching dry it vp let this man call vpon me let that man or that mā disquiet me let cold make me curle together let my conscience barke at me let heate scorche me let my head ake let my hart burne let my stomacke be wyndie let my face looke pale let me be wholly diseased let my life cōsume in sorrow let my yeares wast away in sighing sobbyng let rottennesse lodge within my bones let wormes crawle vnder me so I may rest in the day of trouble that we may go vp together to our people that wayt for vs For Lorde what glory shall the righteous haue How great shall the ioy of the Saintes be when euery face shall shyne as the sunne Whē the Lord hauyng sorted his people into degrées shall begin to muster them in the kingdome of his father render the promised rewardes to eche of them accordyng to hys workes and desertes giuyng to them for earthly things heauenly thinges for temporall thinges euerlasting thynges for small thinges great thynges Verely then shall happinesse be heaped vp full to the top when the Lord shall bryng hys Saintes to the sight of eternall glory make thē sit down together in heauen that God may be all in all How the kyngdome of heauen may be gotten O Happy pleasauntnesse O pleasaunt happynesse to sée the Saintes to be with the Saintes and to be a Saint to sée God and to haue God for euer euer Let vs thinke vpon this with diligent mynde let vs long after this with our whole hart that we may soone come vnto them If thou demaunde howe that may be brought to passe or by what deseruynges or by what helpes it may be compassed harken O man The kyngdome of heauen requireth none other price but thy selfe the full valew of it is thy selfe giue thy selfe for it thou shalt haue it Why troublest thou thy selfe about the price of it Christ hath giuen him selfe to purchase thée a kingdome to God the father So then giue thou thy selfe that thou mayst be his kingdome that sinne may not reigne in thy mortall body but that the spirite may reigne to the atteinement of life ¶ What Paradise is and what it hath O My soule let vs returne to the heauēly Citie wherin we be registred and made frée Citizens For like as we be felow Citizens of the Saintes and the household meynie of God like as we be the heyres of God and coheires
enemy to assault There shall not be rest at some tymes vnrest at other tymes but there shal be souerein rest assured safety vnimpeached quietnes quiet mirth ioyfull happinesse happy euerlastingnes euerlasting blessednes and blessed Trinitie and vnitie of Trinitie and Godhead of vnitie and blessed beholding of the same Godhead which is the ioy of thy Lord god O ioy ouer ioyful O ioy surmoūting all ioyes without whiche there is no ioy when shall I enter into thée that I may sée my God whiche dwelleth in thée I shal go thether and behold this great sight What is it that holdes me backe Wo is me that my soiornyng is prolonged Wo is me how long shall it be sayd vnto me wayt and wayt agayne And now to what purpose is my wayting My Lord God do we not wayt for the Sauiour our Lord Iesus Christ to repaire our base bodies vnto the likenes of his glorious body We wayt for the Lord whē he should come from the bridhouse to fetch vs into his wedding Come Lord and tary not Come Lord Iesus Christ come visite vs in peace Come leade vs prisoners out of prison that we may reioyse before thée with a perfect hart Come our Sauiour Come thou that art longed for of all natiōs shew thy countenaunce vnto vs and we shal be safe Come my light and my redéemer take my soule out of prison that it may giue prayse vnto thy holy name How long shall I be tossed in the waues of my mortalitie crying vnto thee Lord and thou hearest me not Lord heare me how I cry vnto thée out of this howge sea and bring me to the hauen of endlesse blesse Happy are they O God which are conueyed out of this Sea and haue obteined to arriue at thée the safest harborough of all hauons O happie are they in déede whiche are escaped already from sea to shore from banishmēt home into their owne countrey and from prison into a palace enioying their wished rest Blessed are they that already haue gayned the garlād of endlesse glory which they sought for here by many tribulations and ioy in happy mirth for euer O blessed are they in déede O trebble and foure tymes blessed are they whiche being already quite rid of all miseries haue obteined to come to the kingdome of beawtifulnesse and are assured of their vnapparable glorie O euerlastyng kyngdome O kingdome of all worldes wherin is the light that neuer faileth and the peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding wherein the soules of holy folke doe rest where euerlastyng ioye is vpon their heades where they obteine mirth and gladnesse and from whence all sorrow and sighing is fled O Lorde how glorious a kingdome is it wherein all holy folkes reigne with thée clothed with light as with a garmēt hauing crownes of precious stones vpon their heades O kingdome of euerlasting blisfulnesse where thou O Lorde the hope of the Saintes and the garland of their glory art séene of thē face to face gladding them on all sides with thy peace whiche passeth all vnderstanding There is ioy endlesse mirth sorrowlesse health grieflesse way without labour light without darknes life without death all good without any euill where youth neuer waxeth old where life neuer weareth out where beawtie neuer decayeth where loue neuer cooleth where health neuer appayreth where mirth neuer abateth where is neuer felt any payne where is neuer heard any groning where is neuer séene any sadnes where ioy is euer where is no euill to be feared bycause the souerein goodnesse is had there in possession which is to behold alwayes the face of the Lord God of hostes Happie therefore are those that already haue escaped the shypwracke of this present life obteined the grace to come to so great ioyes We are yet still in the waues of the Sea longing for thée the hauen of our Sea. O countrey of ours O quyet countrey we ken thée a farre of we hayle thée from this Sea we sigh vnto thée out of this vale of miserie and labour with teares if we may by any meanes atteine vnto thee O Christ God of God the hope of mankind our refuge and strength whose brightnesse inlighteneth our eyes a farre of as the beames of the Sea starre doth in the mistie darknes of the stormie sea to guide vs vnto thée our hauen Lord gouerne our shyp with thy right hand by the helme of thy crosse that we perishe not in the waues that the tempest of the water drowne vs not and that the déepe swalow vs not vp but with the hooke of thy crosse plucke vs backe out of this vast Sea vnto thée our onely cōfort whom we sée wayting for vs a farre of as the morning starre and as the day sunne of rightuousnesse in maner with wéeping eyes vpon the shore of the heauenly countrey Behold we whom thou hast raunsomed do cry vnto thee yea euen we as yet thy banished mē whom thou hast redemed with thy precious bloud do cry vnto thée Here vs O God our sauiour the hope of all the endes of the earth of all thē that be in the sea a far of We be cōuersant in a troublesome Sea thou standing vpon the shore lookest at our perils saue vs for thy names sake Lord graūt vs so to kéepe our course betwene Scilla Charibdis and to hold so with thée that we may escape the daunger of both come safe to land without lesse of ship or fraught Of the glorie of the heauenly countrey THerefore when we shal be come vnto thée the foūtaine of wisedome vnto thée the vnfaylable light vnto thée the vnappallable brightnes so as we shal behold thée not any more in a riddle or through a glasse but face to face Then shall we haue our fill of all good things For there shal be nothing without vs to be desired but onely thou O Lord the souerein goodnes who shalt be the reward of the blessed the crowne of their glorie euerlasting ioy vpō their heades quietyng them both inwardly outwardly with thy peace which passeth al vnderstāding There we shall see thee loue thée prayse thee By thy light we shall sée thy brightnesse for in thée is the welspring of life thy brightnes shall giue vs light And what maner of light A light vnmeasurable a light bodilesse a light vncorruptible a light incōprehensible a light vnfaylable a light vnquenchable a soothfast light a diuine light whiche inlightneth the eyes of the aūgels which cheareth vp the youth of the saints which is the light of lightes welspring of life which is euē thou O Lord my god For thou art the light in whose light we shall sée light that is to wit thy selfe in thy selfe in the brightnes of thine own coūtenaūce whē we shall sée thée face to face And what is it els to see thée face to face thē as the Apostle sayth to know thée as I am knowē to know thy truth
beawtie of thy house and to the throne of thy glory there let it be fed at the dyning table of thy heauenly Citizens in the place of fulféedyng by the plentifull runnyng streames Thou that art our hope our welfare our redemption be also our ioy Thou that shalt be our reward be also our reioycing Let my soule séeke thée alwayes graunt that in séeking thée it may neuer faint ¶ Of the wretchednesse of that soule whiche loueth not ne séeketh not our Lord Iesus Christ WO is that wretched soule whiche loueth not Christ nor séeketh him it abydeth dry miserable He loseth his life time whiche loueth not thée O god He that cares not to liue for thée Lorde is nothing and goeth for nought He that refuseth to liue vnto thée is already dead He that is not wise to thée ward is but a foole Most mercifull Lord I yeld graunt betake my selfe vnto thée by whō I haue being life and wit. In thée do I put my whole confidēce trust and hope by whō I shal rise againe liue agayne inioy rest Thée do I couet loue worship with whom I shall dwel reigne be blessed The soule that séeketh not ne loueth not thée séeketh loueth the world serueth sinne is subiect to vyce neuer at rest neuer at ease Let my mind serue thee alwayes O most mercifull Let my way faring be alwayes to trauell vnto théeward let my hart burne in loue of thée My God let my soule rest in thée let it runne out of it selfe to behold thée let it sing thy prayses with ioyfulnes and let this be the cōfort of me in my banishment Let my minde flee vnder the shadow of thy winges from the ragyng heates of the thoughtes of this world Let my hart calme it selfe in thée I say let the great sea of my hart that swelleth with waues calme it selfe in thée O God whiche art riche of all good deinties thou most bountifull bestower of heauenly repast giue meate to me that am faint gather me vp that am scattered deliuer me that am in prison make me new agayne that am heawē in péeces Behold I stand at thy doore and knocke I beséeche thée by the bowels of thy mercy where through thou hast visited vs in rising from aloft bid the doore to be opened for me wretch which do knocke that my soule may haue frée passage to come in vnto thée and to rest in thée and to be refreshed by thée with thy heauenly bread For thou art the bread and fountaine of life thou art the light of euerlasting brightnesse thou art all thinges whereby the righteous liue which loue thée ¶ Of the longing of the soule O God the light of the hartes that sée thee and the life of the soules that loue thée and the strenghthener of the thoughtes that séeke thée graūt that I may sticke to the holie loue of thee Come I pray thée into my hart and make it drunken with the aboundance of thy pleasantnesse so as I may forget these temporall thinges It shameth and irketh me to abyde such thinges as this world doth All that I sée of these transitorie thinges is but a sorrow to me all that I heare of them is but a grief to me Helpe me O Lord my God put gladnesse into my hart come vnto me that I may sée thée But to narrow is the house of my soule for thée vntill thou come vnto me make more rowme in it Repaire it for it is decayed It hath many thinges that will mislike thyne eyes I know it and confesse it but who shall clense it or to whō shall I crye elles but vnto thée Lord clense me from my priuie sinnes beare with thy seruaūt for other folkes faultes Swéete Christ make me I beséech thee good Iesu make me to laye away the burden of fleshly desires and earthly lustes for loue and liking of thée Let my soule ouerrule my flesh let reason ouerrule my soule let thy grace ouerrule my reason and subdue thou me both inwardly and outwardly to thy will. Giue me the grace that my hart my toūg and my bones may prayse thée Inlarge my minde and lift vp the eyesight of my hart that euē with the swift conceyt of my spirite I may atteine to thée the euerlasting wisedome whiche abydest vppon all thinges I beséeche thée loose me from the fetters wherwith I am shackled that I may leaue all these thinges and hye me vnto thee sticke to thee onely and attend vpon thee onely ¶ Of the happines of the soule that is let loose from the prison of the body HAppy is the soule whiche being let loose frō the earthly prisō flyeth vp fréely into heauen and there beholdeth thée her most sweete Lord face to face is no more disquieted with any feare of death but reioyseth in the euerlastingnesse of incorruptible glory For it is safe and out of perill and hence forth feareth neither enemy nor death It possesseth thée her mercifull Lorde whom she hath long sought and euer loued And accōpanying her selfe with the quyres of Psalme singers it singeth continually the sugred songes of euerlasting mirth to the glorie of thee O king Christ O gracious Iesu For she is made dronken with the boūtifulnesse of thy house thou makest her to drinke of the streame of thy pleasures Happy is the felowship of the heauēly Citizens and glorious is the solemnitie of all them that returne frō the sorowful trauell of this our pilgrimage to the pleasauntnesse of beawtie to the beawtie of all brightnes and to the floure of all excellencie where thy Citizens behold thée continually O lord Nothyng that may trouble the minde is offered there to the eare What songes what instrumēts what Carolles what melodie soundeth there without end There sounde alwayes most pleasaunt tunes of Hymnes most swéete melodie of aungels most wonderfull dities of songes whiche are song to thy glorie by the heauenly inhabitantes No harshnesse no gallye bitternesse hath any rowme with in thy realme For there is neither a naughtie persō nor naughtines There is none aduersarie nor impugner neither is there any intycement of sinne There is no nedinesse no shame no brawling no misusage no excusing no feare no vnquietnesse no penaltie no doubtfulnes no violēce no discord but there is perfect peace ful of loue continuall reioysing praysing of God carelesse rest without end and euerlasting gladnesse in the holy Ghost O how lucky should I be if I might heare the most pleasaunt Carols of thy Citizēs and their sugred songes aduauncing the prayses of the souereine Trinitie with due honor But ouer happie should I be might I once atteine to sing a song my selfe I say to sing one of the swéete songes of Sion to our Lord Iesu Christ ¶ Of the ioyes of Paradise O Liuely life O euerlasting and aye blessed life where as is ioye without sorrow rest without trauel dignitie without feare riches
manward bestowed not onely hys benefites but also him selfe vpon him to recouer him agayne not so much to him selfe as to him To the intent that men might be borne of God God was first borne of them Who is so hard harted that he will not be softened by the loue of God preuenting man with so hartie good wil that he vouchsaued to become man for mans sake who can finde in his hart to hate a man whose nature and lykenesse he séeth in the manhode of GOD Doubtlesse he that hateth a man hateth God and so loseth all his labour For God became man for mans sake that he might be a redeemer as well as a creator and that man might be raunsomed with his owne goodes and that one man might loue an other the more hartely God appeared in the shape of man to the end that both body and soule might be made blessed by renewyng the eye of the mynde in his Godhead and the eye of the bodie in hys manhoode so that whether man went in or out he might finde foode in him layde vp in store by hym in hys humane nature ¶ What the sending of the holie Ghost worketh in vs. FOr our Sauiour was borne for vs and crucified and put to death for vs to destroye our death by hys owne death And bycause the grape of hys fleshe was caryed to the wynepresse of the Crosse and there beyng pressed yelded forth the swéete wyne of his Godhead The holy ghost was sent to make ready the vessels of mens harts that the new wyne might be put into newe vessels first to season their harts for marryng of the wyne that should be put into them and afterward to hoope them well for leakyng when the wyne was poured into them that is to wit to clense them from delightyng in sinne and to bynde them from delightyng in vanitie For that which is good could not come in till that whiche is ill was first rid out The delighting in wickednesse defileth and the delighting in vanitie sheadeth out The delighting in wickednesse maketh the vessell foule and the delighting in vanitie maketh it full of cranies To delight in wickednesse is to loue sinne and to delight in vanitie is to be in loue with transitorie thinges Therfore cast out the thyng that is euill that thou mayest receiue the thyng that is good Poure out sowrenesse that thou mayest be filled with swéetenesse Cast out the spirite of the deuill and the spirite of this worlde that thou mayst take in the spirite of god The spirite of the deuil worketh delight in wickednesse and the spirite of the world worketh delight in vanitie And these delightes are euill for the one is a fault of it selfe and the other is the occasion of faultes When the euill spirites be cast out then will the spirite of God come and enter into the tabernacle of thy hart and worke good delightes and good loue wherby the loue of the worlde and the loue of sinne is driuen away The loue of the worlde intyceth men to deceyue them and the loue of sinne defileth and leadeth to death But the loue of God inlighteneth the mynde clenseth the conscience gladdeth the hart and sheweth a man God. ¶ Of the workyng of him that loueth God. HE in whoÌ„ the loue of God dwelleth is alwayes deuising when he shall come vnto God when he shall leaue the world and when he shall scape the corruption of his fleshe And to the intent he may finde true peace he hath his hart and desire alwayes lifted vp aboue When he sitteth when he goeth when he resteth or what soeuer he do his hart is euermore with god He exhorteth all men to the loue of God he commendeth the loue of God vnto all meÌ„ and in hart word and worke he sheweth vnto all men both how swéete the loue of God is and also how euil and bitter the loue of this world is He laugheth at the glorie of this world findeth fault with the care of it shewyng how fond a folye it is to put a mans trust in thinges that be transitorie He marueleth at the blindnes of the men that loue such thinges And he wondereth that all men forsake not all these transitorie and flightfull thinges He thinketh that all men shoulde déeme the thinges swéete wherein he him selfe findeth so good tast that all men should loue that whiche he loueth and that all men should be priuie to that which he knoweth OfteÌ„times doth he behold God and is swéetely refreshed at the contemplation of him so much the more happely as he doth it more ofteÌ„ly For swéete alwayes is that thing to be thought vpon whiche is alwayes swéete to be loued and praysed ¶ Of the true rest of the hart IN déede the true rest of the hart is wheÌ„ the hart is wholly settled in desire vpon the loue of God coueteth nothing els but hath a certeine happy delight in the thing that he holdes him to ioyeth in the same delight And if it be neuer so little withdrawen from him by any vayne thought or businesse of other matters he hyeth him as fast as he caÌ„ to returne to him agayne with all spéede accountyng it but a banishment to abyde any where els then there For like as there is no moment wherin man doth not inioye or vse the gracious goodnesse of God so ought there to be no moment wherein he should not haue him present in remembraunce And therfore no small fault doth that man commit who when he talketh with God in prayer is sodenly pluckt awaye from his presence as it were from the eyes of one that neither saw him nor heard him And that is done when he foloweth his owne naughtie and vnruly thoughtes and preferreth before God some creature that is for his own profite or pleasure whereunto the contemplation of his mynd is easly drawen away by bethinkyng reuoluyng or mynding the same oftener thâ—n God whom he must continually remember as his creator honor as his redéemer attend vppon as his Sauiour and feare as hys iudge ¶ What soeuer withdraweth the sight of the mind from God must in any wise be eschewed and abhorred WHo soeuer thou art that louest the world looke before thée whither thou goest The way that thou walkest is an euil way and full of sorrow Therefore O man leaue of thyne owne businesses for a while and with draw thy selfe from thy trouble some thoughtes Cast away thy burdensome cares lay aside thy paynefull turmoyles bestowe some tyme vpon God and rest thy selfe a while in him Get thée into the chamber of thy mynde shet out all thinges sauyng God and such thinges as further the findyng of hym and séeke hym with thy doore fast shet to thée Let thy whole hart saye vnto God I séeke thy countenaunce it is thy countenaunce that I séeke O Lorde Now then my Lord God go to teache thou my hart where and how it may séeke thée and where and how it may
¶ CERTAINE select Prayers gathered out of S. Augustines Meditations which he calleth his selfe talke with God. AT LONDON Printed by Iohn Daye dwellyng ouer Aldersgate 1574. ¶ Cum gratia Priuilegio Regiae Maiestatis ¶ Of the vnspeakeable swéetnesse of God. O Lorde which art the searcher of the hart and tryer of the raynes indue me with the knowledge of thée O my comforter and mirth of my mynde shewe the lyght of thy countenaunce vpoÌ„ me and be mercifull to me Appeare vnto me O my soueraigne delight my swéete solace my Lord God my lyfe and the whole glory of my soule Let me imbrace thée thou heauenly brydegrome Let me possesse thée O endlesse blisse let me lodge thée in the bottome of my hart thou art the blessed lyfe and the soueraigne swéetenesse of my soule Graft in me the true loue of thée O my God my helper the tower of my strength my castle deliuerer in all my troubles Open the entries of myne eares thou worde which enterest swifter than any two edged sworde that I may heare thy voyce Thunder downe from aboue O Lord with a lowde and mightie voyce Let the Sea rore and the fulnesse thereof let the earth be moued and all that is in it Lighten myne eye O incomprehensible light that I sléepe not in death flashe out thy lyghteninges and turne them aside that they may not looke vaynely O sauour of lyfe make my taste sound that it may sauour trye and discerne how great the aboundance of thy swéetnesse is which thou hast layd vp for them that put their trust in thée Geue mée a mynde that may euer thinke vppon thée a hart that may loue thée a soule that may honour thée an vnderstandyng that may féele thée and a reason that may alwayes sticke fast to thée my soueraigne delight O lyfe to whom all thinges lyue O lyfe which art my lyfe and without whom I am dead O lyfe wherby I am raysed to lyfe and without which I am forlorne O lyfe whâ—â—by I reioyce and wherwithout I am sorrowfull O lyuely sweete and louely life alwayes worthy to be had in mynde where art thou I pray thée where shall I finde thée that I may geue ouer in my selfe and stay vppon thée Be thou neare me in my minde be neare in my hart be neare me in my mouth be neare me in mine eares be neare me to my helpe for I pine away for loue of thée I die for want of thée As the hart desireth the water brookes so longeth my soule after the O god The sent of thée refresheth me the remembrance of thée healeth me but yet shall I neuer be suffised till thy glorye appeare which is the lyfe of my soule My soule fainteth with longing after thée and with thinking vppon thée when shall I come and shew my selfe in thy presence O my ioy I had rather be a doorekeeper in the house of my God then to dwell in the tentes of vngodlynesse for one day in thy courtes is better then a thousand els where O Lord hide not away thy face from me in the néedefull time of trouble but bow downe thine eare to me and heare me make hast to deliuer me make no long tarying O my god But wherefore hidest thou thy face away perchaunce thou wilt say maÌ„ cannot sée me and liue Behold O Lord I can finde in my hart to dye that I may sée thée let me sée thée that I may dye here I desire not to liue I had leuer dye I would fayne be let loose that I might be with Christ I couet to dye that I might sée Christ I refuse to liue heare so I may liue with Christ O Lord Iesus receiue my spirite My life receiue my soule My ioy draw my hart vnto thée My swéete foode let me féede vpon thée My head direct thou me Thou light of myne eyes inlighten me My melodie delight thou me My swéete sent refresh thou me Thou word of God quickeÌ„ thou me My prayse glad thou the soule of thy seruaunt Thou euerlastyng light shine thou vpon it that it may perceiue thée know thée and loue thée For the cause O Lord why it loueth thée not is for that it knoweth thée not the cause why it knoweth thée not is for that it perceiueth thée not the cause why it perceiueth thée not is for that it comprehendeth not thy light for thy light shineth in darknesse and the darknesse coÌ„prehendeth it not O light of the minde O lightsome truth O true brightnesse which inlightenest euery maÌ„ that commeth into the world I say which commeth into the worlde but not which is in loue with the world for he that loueth the world the thinges of the world the loue of God is not in him Driue away the darknesse from the vpperside of the déepe of my mynde that it may sée thée by vnderstandyng know thée by perceiuyng loue thée by knowyng thée For who soeuer knoweth thée must néedes loue thée Yea he forgetteth him selfe and loueth thée more then him selfe he forsaketh him selfe and coÌ„meth to thée that he may ioy in thée The cause then wherfore I am not so farre in loue with thée as I ought to be is by reason that I do not throughly know thée and bycause I haue but small knowledge of thée I haue also but small loue to thée and bycause I beare but small loue to thée therfore haue I but little ioy in thée By meanes of outward ioyes I raunge froÌ„ thée the true inward ioy and séeke counterfet comfortes in these outward thinges And so like a wretch as I am looke what loue I ought to haue yelded vnto thée alone with my whole hart that haue I set vpon vanities therfore am become vayne by louing vanitie Hereupon also O Lord it is come to passe that I delight not in thée nor sticke not to thee for my mynde is busied about outward thinges thine about inward thinges my thought is occupied in carnall thinges thine in spirituall thinges my talke is intaÌ„gled about traÌ„sitorie things but thou dwellest in euerlastingnesse art the euerlastingnesse it selfe thou in heauen and I in earth thou louest high thinges I low thinges thou heauenly thinges I earthly thinges And how then can these contraries agrée together ¶ Of the wretchednesse and frailtie of man. WRetch that I am when shall my crookednesse be made euen to thy straightnes Lord thou louest solitarinesse and I delight in company thou stilnesse and I noyse thou truth I leasing thou louest clennesse I filthines And what more O Lord Thou art throughly good and I wholly euill thou holie I prophane thou happie I miserable thou righteous I vniust thou lightfull I blind thou liuing I dead thou the salue I the sore thou the ioy I the sorow thou the souerein truth I nothing but vanitie as all men liuing be Alas therfore my maker what shall I say Heare me O my Creator I am thy
other thynges doth the sonne of Beliall euen Sathā him selfe practise agaynst vs O Lord our god He lyeth in wayt to ketch our soules one while as a Lyon and an other while as a draggō openly and priuely within and without day and night But deliuer vs thou O Lord which sauest them that trust in thée that he may be gréeued at vs thou mayst be praysed in vs O Lord our God. Of Gods benefites I The sonne of thy handmayd who haue cōmended my selfe into thy hand by these my poore complaintes will prayse thée my deliuerer with all my hart and cal to my minde all the good that thou hast done me frō my youth vp For I know that vnthankfulnesse doth greatly displease thée which is the roote of all spirituall euill and a wynde that blasteth and burneth vp all good damming vp the foūtaine of thy godly mercy for euer Through it the workes that be dead already reuiue not and the workes that be alyue do dye out of hand and recouer not agayne But I will giue thākes to thée O Lord least I be vnthankfull to thée my deliuerer for thy deliueryng of me How often had that dragon swalowed me vp long ago but that thou O Lord hast plucked me out of his mouth How often haue I sinned and he stode ready to snatch me vp but that thou didst defēd me O Lord my God When I delt wickedly when I brake thy commaundements he stode wayting to cary me away to hell but thou withstodest him I offended thée and thou didst defēd me I feared thée not yet thou didst kéepe me I started away frō thée and yelded my selfe to myne enemy and yet thou didst fray him away that he should not take me These good turnes hast thou done for me O Lord my God I wretch wist it not For so hast thou oftentymes deliuered me out of the deuils chappes plucked me out of the Lyons mouth and many and sundry wayes brought me backe agayne from hell though I wist it not For I haue gone downe to the very gates of hell but thou hast held me frō goyng in I drew neare to deathes doore but thou hast not suffered it to take me in Also thou hast oftentymes preserued me from bodily death O my Sauiour when I haue bene attached with sore sicknesses And when I haue bene in many daungers by Sea and by land thou hast alwayes stode by me deliueryng me from fire and from sword and from all perill and mercyfully preseruyng me Truly Lord thou knowest that if death had dispatched me at that time hell had receiued my soule and I had bene dāned for euer But thy mercy thy grace preuented me rescuyng me from bodily death and also from the death of my soule O my Lord god These and many other good turnes hast thou done for me I was blind and wist it not vntill thou inlightenedst me Now therfore O light of my soule my Lord God my life whereby I liue the sight of mine eyes wherby I sée behold thou hast inlightned me and I perceiue how I liue through thée And I yeld thée thankes though litle worth and slender and farre vnder thy benefites howbeit yet such as my frayltie hath to giue For thou onely art my God and my gracious maker whiche louest our soules and hatest none of the thyngs that thou hast made Behold I am the chief among the sinners whom thou hast saued that I may be an example vnto others of thy most mercyfull louyng kyndnesse I will acknowledge thy great benefites vnto thée for thou hast plucked me out of the bottom of hell once twyse and thrice and a hundred tymes a thousand tymes Yea I alwayes made towardes hell and thou didst alwayes bring me backe againe whē thou mightest iustly haue damned me if thou hadst would But thou wouldest not O Lord my God bycause thou louest mens soules and bearest with mens sinnes that they might repent all thy wayes be full of mercy Now therfore O Lord my God I sée these thynges and discerne them by thy light my hart is astonished at thy great mercy towardes me in that thou hast deliuered my soule from the bottome of hell and brought me backe agayne to lyfe For I was starke dead and thou hast made me throughly aliue again Therfore am I altogether beholden to thee for my life and whole as I am I yeld my selfe wholly vnto thée Let my whole spirite my whole hart my whole body and my whole life liue vnto thée my swéete lyfe for thou hast deliuered me whole that thou mightest possesse me whole thou hast made me whole new agayne that thou mightest haue me whole againe And therfore let me loue thee O Lord my strength let me loue thée O my vnspeakable ioy and let me liue hence forth not to my selfe but vnto thée All my whole life which was perished in myne owne wretchednesse is reuiued agayne in thy mercy for thou art a pitifull and mercyfull God ▪ and many are thy compassions toward thousandes in them that loue thy name And therfore O Lord my God thou my sanctifier hast commaūded me in thy law that I should loue thée with all my hart with all my might yea euē frō the bottom of my hart at all houres tymes wherin I inioy the benefites of thy mercy For I should perish for euer but that thou rulest me euer I should euer dye but that thou euer quickenest me yea euery moment thou byndest me vnto thée in as much as euery momēt thou bestowest thy great benefites vppon me Therefore lyke as there is no houre or instāt of time in all my life that I haue not the vse of thy benefites so ought there to be no moment wherin I should not haue thée in remembraunce before myne eyes and loue thée to thée vttermost of my power But this am I not able to do except thou make me able of whō cōmeth euery good gift euery excellent gift for thou art the father of light in whō there is no chaūge nor intercourse of darknes for to loue thée cōmeth not of our own will or of our own running but of thy mercy Lord it is thy gift whose all good things are Thou commaūdest vs to loue thée giue vs that which thou cōmaundest commaunde what thou wilt Of the feruentnesse of loue or Charitie I Am in loue with thée my God I couet to be alwayes in loue with thée more more For in déede thou art swéeter thē all honye more nourishyng then all milke and brighter then all light And therfore I set more by thée then by all the gold siluer and precious stones in the world For I mislyke all that euer I haue to do within this world in respect of thy swéetnesse and in respect of the beawtie of thy house which I haue loued O fire which euer burnest neuer goest out O loue which euer glowest neuer coolest inflame me I
loue whom I prayse and worship both with mynde and mouth and with all the power that I am able My mynde beyng vowed vnto thee and inflamed with loue of thée sighyng for want of thee gapyng after thee and longyng onely to see thee hath no pleasure in any thyng but to speake of thee to heare of thee to write of thee to conferre of thee and to bethinke it selfe oftentymes of thy glorie so as the remembraunce of thee may be some refreshyng to me among the stormes of this worlde Thee therefore do I call vpon most earnestly vnto theee do I crye with a loude noyse euen from the bottome of my hart And when I call vpon thee verely I call vpon thee in my selfe for I should not be at all except thou wart in me and except I were in thee thou wouldest not be in me Thou art in me bycause thou abydest in my mynde thereby doe I know thee and therin doe I finde thee When I remember thee I am also delighted in thee and by thee of whom by whom and in whom all thynges be ¶ Of Gods Wonderfull being THou Lord fillest heauen earth bearyng vp all thinges without being burthened filling all thyngs without being inclosed alwayes doing and yet alwayes at rest alwayes gathering but not for any néede alwayes séeking and yet thou missest nothing louing yet not doting being ielous and yet still in quyet It repenteth thée and yet thou art not gréeued thou art angrie and yet not out of patience Thou chaungest thy workes but thou chaungest not thy purpose Thou receiuest that which thou hast sought out and yet thou haddest neuer lost it Thou art neuer néedy yet thou delightest to gaine Thou art neuer couetous yet thou demaūdest vsurie Thou lashest out where thou owest not or rather there is alwayes cōming into thée that thou mayst owe. But who hath aught that is not thine Thou payest dets yet art in no mans dets Thou forgiuest dets yet forgoest nothing Thou art euery where euery where thou art whole perceiued thou mayst be séene thou cāst not be Thou art no where absēt and yet art thou far of from the thoughtes of the wicked nay looke where thou art far of there art thou not away for where thou art absent by grace there art thou presēt by vēgeance So art thou present in all places and yet canst scarsly be found Thou standest still when we folow thée and yet we cannot ouertake thée Thou holdest all thinges fillest all thinges inuironest all things surmoūtest all things and susteinest all things Thou teachest the hartes of the faithfull without noyse of wordes thou art not disseuered by places nor altered by times nor subiect vnto to and fro Thou dwellest in vnapprochable light whiche neuer man saw nor can sée Abyding quietly in thy selfe thou goest euerywhere about the whole for thou canst not be cut or deuided bycause thou art but one in very déede art not made out into partes or péeces but being whole thou mainteinest the whole thou fillest the whole thou inlightenest the whole and thou possessest the whole ¶ Of the vnspeakable knowledge of God. ALthough the whole world were full of bookes yet could not thyne vnspeakable knowledge be vttered For in asmuch as thou art vnspeakable thou cāst in no wise be put in writing or comprehended Thou art the fountaine of godly light and the sunne of euerlasting brightnesse Thou art great without quantifie and therfore vnmeasurable Thou art good without qualitie therfore very good souereinly good and no man is good but thou alone Whose will is a worke for thou cāst do what thou listest Thou hast created all thinges of nothing and by thine onely will hast thou made them Thou possessest all thy creatures without any want of them thou gouernest them without payne thou rulest them without wéerines there is nothing that may trouble the order of thy gouernemēt from the highest thinges to the lowest Thou art in all places without place confeynyng all thinges without inclosure and being present euery where without setting or remouing Thou art not the author of any euill for thou canst do none euill Wheras thou canst do all thinges thou hast not done any thing wherof it can forthinke thée It is of thy goodnesse that we be made of thy iustice that we be punished and of thy mercy that we be deliuered Whose almightinesse gouerneth ruleth filleth all thinges which it hath made Yet meane I not by thy filling of all things that they conteine thée but rather that thou conteinest them Neither fillest thou all things by parcel meale neither is it in any wise to be thought that ech thing receiueth thée accordyng to the proportion of it owne bignesse that is to wit the greatest things more and the smallest thinges lesse but rather that thou thy selfe art whole in all things and all things in thée whose almightinesse incloseth all thinges and no man cā finde any shift to scape frō thy power For he that hath not thy fauour shal neuer escape thy displeasure ¶ Of the longing of the soule that féeleth God. THerfore O most mercyfull God I call vpō thée for my soule whiche thou preparest to receiue thée through the desire which thou breathest into it Enter into it I beséech thée make it fit for thée that thou mayst possesse that whiche thou hast both made and renewed that I may haue thée as a seale vpō my hart O most pitifull Lord I beséech thée forsake not him that calleth vpon thee for ere I could call vppon thée thou diddest both cal me and séeke me to the intent that I thy seruaunt should séeke thée by séeking thée finde thée when I had found thée loue thée Lord I haue sought thée found thée and I desire also to loue thée Increase my desirousnesse graunt the thyng I craue for if thou shouldest giue me all that euer thou madest it would not suffice thy seruaūt except thou giue him thy selfe to Giue me thy selfe therfore O my God restore thy selfe vnto me Behold I am in loue with thée and if that be to litle let me be yet more in loue I am bound with the loue of thée I burne in desire of thée I am delighted with the swéete remembraunce of thée Behold when my mynde styeth vpward vnto thée busieth it selfe with thinking vpon thyne vnspeakable louing kindnesse the fardell of my fleshe is the lesse burdensome vnto me the turmoyling of my thoughtes ceasseth the weight of my mortalitie miseries maketh me not dull as they are wōt to do all thinges are still and all things are calme My hart gloweth my minde reioyceth my memorie is fresh mine vnderstanding is cleare and my whole spirite being kindled with desire to sée thee findeth it selfe rauished with the loue of things inuisible Let my spirite take the winges of an Eagle flye without ceassing Let it flye euen till it come to the
without losse health fulnesse without impayring aboundance without want lyfe without death continuance with out corruption blessednesse with out abatement all good things in perfect loue beawtie and beholding face to face full knowledge of all thinges and in all thinges where Gods souereine goodnesse is séene his inlightening light is glorified of the Saints where the present maiesty of God is beheld and the mindes of the beholders satisfied therewithall as with the foode of life The more they sée it the more they desire to sée it yet desire they it without disquietnesse and haue their fill of it without wéerinesse There the daysunne of righteousnesse cheareth all meÌ„ with the wonderous sight of his beawtie and so in lighteneth all the Citizens of the heauenly soyle that they them selues yeld light euen the light that God hath behighted them light more lightsome then all the brightnes of our daysunne theÌ„ the clearenesse of all the starres For they cleaue to the immortal Godhead and thereby are made immortall and incorruptible theÌ„ selues according to this promise of our Lord and Sauiour Father as for those whoÌ„ thou hast giuen me I wil haue them to be where I am that they may sée my glory and that they may be all one as thou father art in me and I in thée and that they also may be one in vs. ¶ Of the kingdome of heauen O Realme of heaueÌ„ O most happy Realme O Realme without death O kingdome without end where is no succession of time by ages where the day lasting continually without night woteth not what time meaneth where the souldier that getteth the vpper haÌ„d is rewarded with vnspeakable gifts for his labour and hath an euerlasting garland set vpon his noble head Would God that Christ of his heauenly pitie hauing released the burthen of my sinnes would commaunde me the basest of his seruaunts to lay aside the fardell of this flesh that I might passe into the endlesse ioyes of his Citie to repose my selfe so as I might keepe coÌ„panie with the holy sort aboue stand before the glorious maiestie of my creator with the blessed spirites behold the present countenaunce of God be touched with no feare of death reioyse in suretie of the incorruptiblenesse of the euerlastyng immortalitie and being linked to him that knoweth all thinges forgoe all blindnes of ignoraunce nothing esteeming all earthly things and not vouchsauyng to looke vppon this vale of teares or to remeÌ„ber it any more whereas our lyfe is a painfull life a corruptible life a lyfe full of all bitternesse a lyfe that is mistresse of mischief and haÌ„dmayd of hell whom humors make to swell whom paynes abate whom heate parcheth whoÌ„ ayres make diseased whom meates puffe vp whom fastings forepyne whom mirth maketh nyce whoÌ„ heauines consumeth whom thought pincheth whom ease dwelleth whoÌ„ riches pranke vp whoÌ„ pouertie pulleth down whoÌ„ youth setteth aloft whoÌ„ age makes to stoope whom sicknesse defaceth whom sorow thrusteth downe whom the deuill layeth wayt for whom the world flattereth whom the flesh delighteth where the soule is blinded where the whole man is put out of order After all which so many and so great mischieues succeedeth cruel death and in such wise maketh an end of all vayne ioyes that wheÌ„ they be once past they may be thought to haue neuer bene In what wise God coÌ„forteth the sorrowfull soule after the loÌ„g mornyng therof BVt what prayses or what thankesgiuinges are we able to render vnto thée O Lorde our God who ceassest not to coÌ„fort vs with the wonderfull visitation of thy grace among the great miseries of our mortalitie Behold while I feare the end of my lyfe whyle I consider my sinnes while I stand in feare of thy Iustice while I thinke vpon the horror of death while I shudder at the punishement of hell whyle I knowe not with what straitnes thou doost boult out and wey my workes while I am vtterly ignoraunt with what end I shall close them vp and while I bethinke me of these and many other thynges to my selfe in my hart thou O Lord God of thine accustomed pitie art ready at haÌ„d to comfort me wretch replenished with many griefes and in the middes of these monynges sore complaints and déepe sighes of my hart thou takest vp my sad and sorrowfull minde to the toppes of the high mountaines eueÌ„ to the beddes of sweete spyces putting me in a place of pasture by the riuers of swéete waters where thou preparest a table diuersly furnished against I come to refresh my appalled sprights and to cheare vp my heauy hart through which deinties I beyng at length refreshed do forget my manifold miseries beyng lifted vp aboue the heigth of the earth do take my rest in thée which art the true peace ¶ Of the sweetnesse of the loue of God. I Loue thee my God I loue thee and more more would I fayne loue thée My Lord God thou rest of all the childreÌ„ of meÌ„ graunt me to long for thee to loue thée as much as I would and as much as I should Thou art vnmeasurable and must be loued without measure specially of vs whom thou hast so loued whom thou hast so saued and for whom thou hast made so great so goodly thinges O loue whiche burnest euer and art neuer quenched O swéete Christ O gracious Iesu O my God which art loue it selfe set me wholly on fire with thy fire with the loue of thée with thy swéetnesse with desirousnesse of thée with likyng of thée with ioying and reioysing in thée with thy pitifulnesse pleasantnesse and with the pleasure and delight of thée which is holy and good chaste and cleane that being throughly full of the swéetnesse of thy loue wholly besmoked with the flame of affection towardes thée I may loue thée my Lord God most swéete and most beawtifull with all my hart with all my soule with all my streÌ„gth with all my power with much sorrow of hart sheading of teares with much reuerence and trembling hauing thée in my hart in my mouth before mine eyes alwayes in all places so as there may be no rowme in me for any counterfet or vncleane loue ¶ Of ioy O Swéete loue O louyng swéetnes let my belly eate thée and let my bowels be filled with the pleasaunt wyne of thy loue let my minde vtter forth good wordes O charity my God swéete honny snowye milke the foode of Aungelles make me to growe in thée that I may eate thée with a sauorie tast Thou art my life whereby I liue the hope that I sticke vnto the glory that I desire Hold thou my hart rule my mynde guide myne vnderstandyng cheare vp my loue lift thou vp my Soule drawe the mouth of my spirite whiche thirsteth after thée vp to the water streames that are aboue I beséech thée let the troubleoâ—â—nesse of the flesh cease Let the fancies of landes waters aire and skye hold their peace Let
finde thée Lorde if thou be not here where shall I séeke thée when thou art gone Or if thou be euery where why sée I not thée here Certesse thou dwellest in vnapprochable light And how shall I come at thée then or who shall leade me and bryng me in thether that I may sée thée there Agayne what markes or what shape shall I séeke thée by I neuer saw thée my Lord God I neuer knew thy face What shall this farre banished creature of thyne doe most hygh Lorde what shall he doe what shall thy seruaunt doe whiche is carefull for loue of thée and is reiected far from thy presence Beholde he panteth to sée thée and thy countenaunce is farre from him He longeth to come neare thée and thy dwellyng place is vnapprochable He would fayne finde thée he knoweth not thy place He is desirous to séeke thée and knoweth not thy countenaunce ¶ That the seyng of God is lost through sinne miserie founde in stede of it LOrd thou art my God and my souereine and yet I neuer sawe thée Thou hast made me and made me newe agayne and bestowed all thy goodes vpon me and yet hetherto I haue neither knowen thée nor séene thée To be short I was made to sée thée and I haue not yet done the thyng that I was made for O wretched state of man that he must forgo the thyng for whiche he was made O hard and cursed case as it was Alas what hath he lost and what hath he founde what is forgone and what remaineth He hath lost blessednesse to whiche he was made and founde miserie to whiche he was not made The thyng is gone without whiche nothyng is luckie and the thyng remayneth whiche of it selfe is all together vnluckie Man did then eate aungels bread whiche thyng he now hungreth for and now he eateth the bread of sorrow whiche he was not then acquaynted with O Lord how long wilt thou forget vs for euer how long wilt thou turne awaye thy face from vs when wilt thou looke backe and heare vs when wilt thou inlighten our eyes and shew vs thy face when wilt thou restore thy selfe vnto vs Looke backe Lord and heare vs and inlighten vs and shewe thy selfe vnto vs and restore thy selfe vnto vs that it may go well with vs whiche are so ill bestad without thée I haue a bitternesse at my hart bycause thou hast forsaken it Lorde I beséeche thée swéeten it agayne with thy comfort I haue begon to séeke thée with a hungrie appetite let me not be sent away from thée without repast I am come with a sharpe stomacke let me not go away fastyng I come poore to thee that art rich I come wretched to thée that art pitifull let me not goe away emptie and despised Lorde I am bowed downe and I can not looke but downeward Rayse me that I may looke vpward Myne iniquities are gone ouer my head they haue ouerwhelmed me and they ouerlode me as a heauie burthen Wynde me out and vnlode me that the pit shut not his mouth vpon me Teache me to séeke thée and shewe thy selfe to me at my séekyng For I cannot séeke thee except thou teache me nor finde thée except thou shewe thy selfe vnto me Let me séeke thée by longyng after thée and let me long after thée by séekyng thée Let me finde thée by louyng thée and let me loue thée by findyng thée Of Gods goodnes I Confesse Lord I thanke thée for it that thou hast created me after thyne owne image to the end I should be myndefull of thee thinke vpon thée and loue thée But that image is so defaced by the corruption of sinne that it cannot do the thing for whiche it was created except thou renew and reforme it agayne I beséech thée O Lorde whiche geuest the vnderstandyng of fayth graunt that I may redily vnderstād how great thou art For thou art as we beleue and this is it that we beleue namely we beleue that thou art some one thyng then the whiche there can nothyng be thought to be either greater or better What art thou then O Lord God Euen that one thing then the whiche nothyng can be imagined to be greater or better that is to say the souereine goodnesse whiche hath his beyng of it selfe alone and hath made all other thynges of nothyng Thou therfore art righteous soothfast blessed and whatsoeuer thing els it is better to be then not to be But howe doest thou spare the wicked seyng thou art wholly and without comparison rightuous Is it bycause thy goodnesse is incomprehensible This thing lyeth hid in the vnapprochable light which thou dwellest in Verely the headspryng from whēce the streame of thy mercy floweth lyeth hid in the most déepe and secret gulfe of thy goodnesse For although thou be wholly excéedyngly rightuous yet art thou also gentle to the euill bycause thou art wholly and excéedyng good for thou shouldest be the lesse good if thou shouldest beare with no euill For better is he that is good both to good and bad then he that is good but to the good onely And better is he that is good to the euill both by sparyng them and also by punishyng them thē he that is good to them but in punishing them onely The cause therfore why thou art mercifull is for that thou art wholly and excéedyng good ¶ Of the delectable fruition of God. O Vnmeasurable goodnesse whiche passest all vnderstādyng of hart let that mercy of thine come vpō me whiche procéedeth frō so passing aboūdance Let that flowe into me whiche floweth out of thée Spare me of thy mercyfulnesse and punishe me not by thy Iustice Awake now my soule and lift vp thy whole vnderstandyng and consider to the vttermost of thy power how great and of what sorte that goodnesse is whiche is god For if euery seuerall good thyng be delectable cast in thy mynde aduisedly howe delectable that good thyng is whiche conteyneth the pleasauntnesse of all good thynges not in such sorte as we finde it in thynges created but as farre differyng as there is oddes betwéene the creature and the maker For if the life that is created be good how good is the lyfe that created it If the welfare that is created be pleasaunt how pleasant is the welfare that made all welfare If the wisedome that consisteth in conceiuyng or knowynge of thynges knowen be amiable how amiable is the wisedome that made all thynges of nothyng finally if there be many and great pleasures in thinges that be delectable what and how great pleasure is there in him which made those delectable thinges O what shall he haue or what is it that he shall not haue which inioyeth this good thyng Certesse he shall haue what soeuer he will and he shall not haue any thyng that he would not haue For there shall he haue all good thynges both of body and soule such as neuer eye of mā hath séene nor eare heard nor