done for man. FOr loue to manward God came to man God came into ¶ The remembring of the woundes of our Lorde Iesu Christ WHen any foule thought assaulteth me I runne to the woundes of Christ When my fleshe presseth me downe I rise vp agayne by remembryng the woundes of my lord When the deuill layeth wayt for me I flée to the bowels of the mercy of my Lorde and he departeth away from me If the heate of lecherie prouoke my members it is quēched with callyng to mynde the woundes of our Lord the sonne of god In all aduersities I finde no remedie so effectuall as the woundes of Christ In them I sléepe without care and rest with out feare Christ hath died for vs Now is there nothing so bitter to the death which is not salued by the death of Christ All my whole hope is in the death of my lord His death is my desert my refuge my welfare lyfe and resurrection and the mercyfulnesse of the Lord is my merite I am not poore of merite so long as he the Lord of compassiōs faileth not As long as he is manifold in mercy so long am I also manifold of desertes The mightier that he is to saue the more am I without care ¶ That the remembraunce of Christes woundes is an effectual remedy against all aduersities EXcéedyng greatly haue I sinned and myne owne conscience findeth me giltie of many offences and yet doe I not dispayre bycause that whereas sinne hath abounded there hath grace ouerabounded He that despayreth of the forgiuenesse of his sinnes denyeth God to be mercyfull Great wrong doth he to God whiche distrusteth his mercy For as much as in him lieth he denyeth God to be louyng true and mightie which are the thinges wherein my whole hope consisteth that is to witte in the loue of his adoption in the truth of his promise and in the power of his redéemyng Now let my vnwise imagination murmur as much as it listeth and say Who art thou how great is the glory and by what desertes hopest thou to obteine it and I will aunswere boldly I know whom I haue credited that he of his excéedyng great loue hath adopted me to be his sonne that he is soothfast of promise that he is mighty in performance and that he may do what he listeth I can not be feared with the multitude of my sinnes if I bethinke me of the death of my Lorde bycause my sinnes are not able to ouermatch him His nayles and his speare crye vnto me that I am throughly reconcyled to Christ if I loue him Longiuus hath opened me Christes side with his speare and I am gone into it and there do I rest in safetie He that is afrayd let him loue for loue driueth feare out of doores There is no remedie so mightie and effectuall agaynst the heate of lecherie as the death of my redemer He stretcheth out his armes vpon the Crosse and he holdeth out his handes in a readinesse to imbrace sinners Betwéene the armes of my Sauiour mynde I to lyue and dye There shall I sing safely there will I exalte thée O Lorde bycause thou hast taken me vp and hast not giuen myne enemyes their pleasure ouer me Our Sauiour hath bowed down his head at his death to receiue the kisses of his beloued And so oftē do we kisse God as we be throughly touched with the loue of him The musing of the Soule vpon the loue of God. O My soule whiche art innobled with the Image of God redéemed with Christes bloud betrothed to him by fayth indued with the holy Ghost garnished with vertues and registred among the aungels Loue thou him that hath loued thée so much Serue him that hath serued thée Séeke him that séekes thée Loue him that loues thée which loued thée first and which is the cause of thy loue He is the desert he is the reward he is the frute he is the vse of it he is the ende of it Be carefull for hym that is carefull of thée he at leysure for him that is at leysure for thée be cleane with him that is cleane be holy with him that is holy Looke after what sorte thou shewest thy selfe towardes God after the same sort shall he shew him selfe towardes thée He is swéete méeke and mercyfull and therfore he requireth to haue them that be swéete méeke pleasaunt and mercyfull Loue thou him that hath plucked thée out of the puddle of miserie and out of the myre of filthines Chose him for thy frend aboue all frendes whiche alone will kéepe touche with thée when all thinges fayle thée In the day of thy buryall when all thy frendes shrinke frō thée he will not forsake thée but will defend thée from the roring Lyons that wayt for their pray and will leade thée through an vnknowen countrey and bryng thée to the stréetes of the heauenly Sion and there set thée amōg the Aungels before the face of his owne maiestie where thou shalt heare this Aungelicall ditie holie holie holie Lorde God of hostes There is the song of mirth the voyce of ioy and welfare the voyce of thankesgiuing prayse the voyce of magnifying God for euer There is the full measure of happinesse passing excellent glory superabundant ioy all good thynges O my soule sigh hartely desire earnestly that thou mayst come to that Citie aboue whereof so glorious thinges are spoken and wherein is the habitation of all that reioyse By loue thou mayst get vp thether Nothing is hard nothyng is impossible to him that loueth The soule that loueth goeth vp often to the heauenly Ierusalem and runneth familiarly from stréete to stréete visityng the Patriarkes and Prophetes salutyng the Apostles wondring at the hostes of Martyrs and Confessors and gazing at the companies of the Virgins Heauen and earth and all things that are in them call vppon me without ceassyng to loue my Lord God. ¶ What the knowledge of the truth is WHat is the knowledge of truth first to knowe thy selfe and to indeuor to be that which thou oughtest to be and to amende that whiche ought to be amended And secondly to know and to loue thy maker for that is the whole happines of man Sée then how vnspeakeable the graciousnes of Gods loue towardes vs is He hath created vs of nothing and giuen vs all that we haue But forasmuch as we haue loued the gift more then the giuer and the creature more then the creator we are falne into the deuilles snare and become hys bondslaues Neuerthelesse God beyng moued with compassion sent his sonne to redéeme vs slaues and his holy spirite to make vs his sonnes agayne He hath giuen his sonne to be the pryce of our raunsome the holie Ghost as an assuraunce of his loue and to be short he reserueth him selfe whole for vs to be the heritage of our adoption And so God accordyng to hys excéedyng gracious goodnesse and mercie hath for verie loue and good will to
¶ 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
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
of Christ so let vs consider the happy royalty of our Citie so farre forth as it is possile for vs to consider it Let vs say with the Prophet O how glorious thinges are spoken of thée thou Citie of God for thou art the dwellyng place of all them that reioyse the ioy of the whole earth is founded vpoÌ„ thée There is not in thée any age nor miserie of age There is not in thée any maymed person any lame man any crooke backe nor any mishapen body For all be groweÌ„ vp to perfect men after the full measure of the age of Christ What blesseder thyng can there be theÌ„ such a life where there is no feare of pouertie nor weakenesse of disease No man is harmed there no man is displeased there no man enuyeth there There is no burnyng of couetousnesse no desire of meate no ambitious sewing for honor and authoritie there is no dread of deuill no snares of féendes no feare of hell fire There is no death neither of body nor of soule but pleasaunt life assured of immortalitie TheÌ„ shall there be no miseries then shall there be no debates but all things shal be at agréement bycause all the Saints shall agrée in one Peace and mirth hold all thinges together all thinges are calme and quiet There is continuall light not such as is now here but so much the brighter as it is much happyer For as we read that Citie shall néede no Sâ—â—ne nor Moone bycause the Lord almightie shal shine in it and the lambe shal be the light of it Where the Saintes shal shine as the starres for euer without end and such as haue taught many in the way of righteousnesse shal be as the brightnesse of the skye Wherfore there shal be no night no darknesse no méeting of cloudes no painefulnesse of heate or cold but there shal be such a temperatnesse as neuer eye hath séene eare heard nor hart of any man conceiued sauing onely of them that are counted worthy to enioy the same whose names are written in the booke of life But yet it is farre aboue all these thinges to be in felowship with the companies of Aungels Archaungels and all the heauenly powers to behold the patriarkes and Prophetes to sée the Apostles and all the Saints yea and also to sée our owne parentes Glorious are these thinges but much more glorious is it to behold the present countenaunce of God to sée his infinite brightnesse A passing excellent glorie shal it be when we shall sée God in him selfe and when we shall both sée and haue him in our selues of whoÌ„ we shall neuer haue seene inough What thing God requireth like vnto him self in vs. GOd the father is Charitie God the sonne is louyngnesse and God the holy ghost is the loue of the father the sonne This loue this charitie and this louingnesse requireth some like thing in vs that is to wit charitie whereby we be associated knitte vnto God as it were by some alyance of kinred Loue passing not for dignity looketh for no reuerence He that loueth coÌ„meth boldly of him selfe vnto God speaketh familiarly vnto him without any feare or without any stickyng His life is but losse which loueth not But he that loueth hath his eyes euermore to Godward whoÌ„ he loueth whoÌ„ he longeth for whoÌ„ he thinketh of in whoÌ„ he delighteth vpon whoÌ„ he féedeth in whom he battleth Such a one as is thus disposed doth so sing so read is so forecasting and circumspect in all his workes as though God were present before his eyes so is he present in déede He prayeth in such wise as if he were taken vp and presented before the face of Gods maiesty in his high throne where thousandes of thousandes do him seruice and ten hundred thousand are staÌ„dyng about him Looke what soule loue visiteth the same doth it awake out of sléepe It monisheth softeneth wouÌ„deth his hart It inlighteneth the darke places vnlocketh the shet places warmeth the cold places méekeneth the sturdie fumish impacient mynde chaceth away vyce bridleth fleshly affections amendeth maners reformeth reneweth the spirite and restreineth the light motions and actions of slipperie youth All these thinges doth loue when it is present And assoone as loue is gone away by and by the soule beginneth to droope like as a boylyng cawldron cooleth if a man drawe away the fire from vnder it ¶ Of the boldnesse of the soule that loueth God. LOue is a great thing where through the Soule preaceth boldly of it selfe vnto God and sticketh stedfastly vnto god The Soule that loueth God asketh questions of him familiarly and taketh couÌ„sell of him in all cases It can thinke vpon nothing els it can speake of nothing els it despiseth all other thinges and it lotheth all other thinges sauyng god What soeuer it myndeth what soeuer it speaketh it sauoureth of loue and it smelleth of loue so wholly hath the loue of God wonne it vnto him He that will haue knowledge of God let him loue him In vayne commeth he to reading studying preaching or praying which loueth not The loue of God bréedeth the loue of the soule maketh it intentife thereunto God loueth to the intent to be loued againe When he loueth he meaneth nothing els but to be loued for he knoweth that they whiche loue hym are blessed by theyr loue The soule that loueth God renounceth all her owne affections and giueth her selfe wholly to nothyng els but loue to the ende she may aunswere loue for loue And when she hath vtterly spent her selfe in loue how small a thyng is it in respect of that euerlastyng streame of the heauenly loue There is great oddes in the matche betwéene the loue and the louer betwéene the soule and God betwéene the maker and the creature And yet if the soule loue thée whole where the whole is there is no want Let not the soule be afrayde whiche loueth but let the soule be afrayde whiche loueth not The soule that loueth is caried with desirousnesse drawen with longing disclaymeth desertes shetteth the eyes of maiestie openeth the eyes of pleasure setteth her selfe in safetie and dealeth boldly with god Through loue the soule withdraweth and departeth aside from the bodily senses so as it féeleth not it selfe to the ende it may féele god And this is done at such tyme as the mynde beyng allured with the vnspeakable swéetenesse of God doth after a sorte steale awaye from it selfe or rather is rauished and slippeth away from it selfe to the intent to enioy God to her delight Nothing could be so pleasaunt if it were not so gezon Loue procureth familiaritie with God familiaritie procureth boldnesse boldnesse tast and tast continuall hungering The soule that is surprised with the loue of God can thinke of nothing els nor wish nothing els but with often sighes sayth Like as the Hert thirsteth after the water springes so thirsteth my soule after thée my God. ¶ What God hath
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
thou hast created me of nothing I besech thee O Lord to giue me the grace to be thankefull vnto thée ¶ Of Gods almightinesse THy almighty hand kéeping alwayes at one stay created the aungels in heauen the silie wormes vpon earth and yet was neither higher in the one nor lower in the other For like as none other hand could haue created an aungell so could none other hād haue created a worme Like as none other could haue created heauen so could none other haue created a leaf of a trée Like as none other could haue made a body so could none other make a heare white or blacke but onely thine almyghty hand whereunto all thinges are possible alike For it is not more possible with him to create a worme then an aungell nor more impossible to spread out the heauē than a leafe nor easier to fashion a heare then to fashion a body nor vneasier to stablish the earth vpon the water then the waters vppon the earth but all that he listed to do that hath he done According as he listed he hath made all thinges in heauen in earth and in the Sea and in all déepe places among all other things he hath also made me accordyng as hee listed could and knew how to do it Certesse Lord thy hand could haue made me some stone or some bird or some Serpent or some beast and it knew how to haue done it but it would not bycause of thy goodnes Why then am not I some stone some trée or some beast Bycause thy goodnesse hath so ordeined it and that thou shouldest so ordeine it there were no merites of myne goyng afore ¶ Of the incomprehensible prayse of God. HOw shall I doe Lorde whence shal I haue prayse to prayse thée withall for like as thou madest me without myne aduise as it liked thy selfe best so hast thou prayse without me as it liketh thée Thou thy selfe Lord art thine own prayse Thy workes prayse thée accordyng to thy manisolde greatnesse thy prayse O Lord is incomprehensible No hart can comprehend it no toung can measure it no eare can receiue it for these thinges passe awaye but thy prayse O Lord continueth for euer Thoughtes haue a begynning thoughtes haue an end voyces make a sound and forthwith passe away the eare heareth and the hearing ceaseth but thy prayse standeth fast for euer Who is he then that can prayse thée What man is able to vtter forth thy prayse Thy prayse is euerlasting and not transitorie That man prayseth thée whiche beleueth thée to be thyne owne prayse The man prayseth thée whiche acknowledgeth him selfe vnable to atteine to thy prayse O prayse perpetuall whiche neuer fadest in thée is our prayse in thée shall my soule be praysed It is not we that prayse thée but it is thou thy selfe that doest it both thy selfe and in thy selfe we also haue prayse in thée Thē haue we true prayse when we haue prayse of thée when light alloweth light for thou beyng the true prayse yeldest vs true prayse And looke how often we séeke for prayse at any other badies hand then thine so often do we forgo thy prayse bycause the other is shadowish but thine is euerlasting If we hunt after the transitorie prayse we lose the eternall prayse O prayse eternal O my Lord God of whom is all prayse without whō there is no prayse I am not able to prayse thée without thée Let me haue thée and I will prayse thee For what am I of my self Lord that I should prayse thée I am but dust and ashes I am but a dead and stinkyng dogge I am but wormes and rottēnesse I. What am I to praise thée O most mightie Lord God Howe can the breath of no better then fleshe prayse thee which dwellest in euerlastingnesse Can darknesse prayse light or death life Thou art light I darknesse thou life I death Can lying prayse truth Thou art truth and I am a mā no better thē vanitie it self How shall I then prayse thée O Lord Shall my wretchednesse prayse thée Shall stinch prayse swéete sentes Shall mans mortalitie which is here to day and gone to morow prayse thée Shall man whiche is but rottennesse or the sonne of man whiche is but wormes prayse thée O Lord Can hee prayse thée whiche is breed borne and brought vp in sinfulnesse Prayse is not séemely in the mouth of a sinner O Lord my God let thine own incomprehēsible power let thy vnbounded wisedome let thine vnspeakable goodnesse let thine ouer passing mercy let thy superabundant pitie and let thine euerlasting vertue and Godhead prayse thée Praysed be thou by thine owne almightie puissance and also by thy singular gracious goodnesse and louingnesse wherby thou hast created vs O Lord God the life of my soule ¶ Of liftyng a mās hope vp vnto God. ANd I thy creature wil put my trust vnder the shadow of thy winges and in thy goodnesse where thorough thou hast created me Helpe thy creature whō thy gracious goodnesse hath created Let not that perishe through my naughtinesse which thy goodnesse hath wrought Let not that perish through my wretchednesse whiche thy singular mercy hath made For what auayleth it me that thou hast created me if I shall sinke downe into myne owne corruption O God hast thou made all the sonnes of men in vayne Thou hast created me O Lorde rule thou the thing that thou hast created Despise not the worke of thine own handes O god Thou hast made me of nought O Lord if thou gouerne me not I shall returne to nought agayne For lyke as whē I was not thou madest me of nothing so if thou gouerne me not I shal yet againe be brought to nothing in my selfe Helpe me O Lord my life least I perish in mine owne naughtynesse Lord if thou haddest not created me ▪ I should not haue bene at all but bycause thou hast created me I am Now if thou gouerne me not I am vndone For it was not mine owne merites or mine owne deseruings that made thée to create me but thine own most gracious goodnesse and mercifulnesse That louingnesse of thine O Lord my God whiche made thée to create me I besech thée let the same make thée to gouerne me For what booteth it that thy louingnesse caused thée to create me if I must perish in mine own wretchednesse and that thy right hand gouerne me not O Lord my God let this mercyfulnesse whiche caused thée to create the thing that was not created cause thée also to saue that whiche is created Let the louingnesse which wonne thée to create winne thée also to saue sith it is no lesse now than it was then for thou art the very loue it selfe and thou continuest alwayes one Lorde thy hand is not shortened that it should not be able to saue nor thyne eare deafed that it should not be able to heare but my sinnes haue put a partition betwene me and thée betwene
sonne but the father neither knoweth any mā the father but the sonne Thyne onely Trinitie whiche surmounteth all knowledge is knowen fully to none but to thy selfe alone What is it then that I vayne man haue sayd that I know thée for who knowes thée els sauyng thy selfe For thou onely O God in thy most holy and heauenly worde art termed almightie passing prayse worthy passing glorious passing exalted passing high and passing substantiall bycause thou art discerned to be aboue all thynges that can be imagined to be whether they be to be conceiued in vnderstandyng or to be perceiued by the senses aboue all names that are named not onely in this world but also in the world to come beyond all that is or can be deuised to be For truly aboue the reach of all reason vnderstādyng and being doost thou by thy substantiall and secret Godhead dwel vnapprochably and vnsearchably in thy selfe whereas is light vnapprochable brightnes vnsearchable incomprehēsible vnspeakable wherūto no brightnesse may come neare bycause it is certeinly vnable to be beheld vnable to be seene aboue reason aboue vnderstandyng aboue acces aboue all chaūge aboue all partnershyp whiche neuer any wight neither man nor aungell hath throughly sene nor can sée This is thy heauen O Lord this is thy heauen so faire ingrauen the light so passing priuie so passing vnderstāding so passing reason so passing all that is wherof it is sayd the heauen of heauens is the Lordes The heauen of heauens in comparison wherof all other heauēs are but earth bycause it is passing wonderfully heaued vp aboue all heauens In comparison wherof euen the very firie heauen it selfe is but earth for this is the heauen of heauens that is reserued to the Lorde bycause it is knowen to none but to the lord Vnto this heauen came neuer none but he that came downe from heauen for no mā knowes the father sauing the sonne and the spirite of them both Neither doth any mā know the sonne sauyng the father the spirite that procéedeth from them both The Trinitie is fully knowē to none but onely to thy selfe O holy Trinitie O passyng wonderfull Trinitie surmountyng all vtterance beyond all searchyng aboue all approchyng ouer incōprehensible ouer vnconceiuable farre aboue all thinges that be far passing all vnderstāding all reasō all reach and all beyng of the mindes that are aboue heauen which it is not possible either to vtter or to conceiue or to vnderstand or to discerne no not euen to the aungels that behold it How then come I by the knowledge of thee which art highest aboue all the earth aboue all heauens whō neither the Cherubins nor the Seraphins do know perfectly but are fayne to shadow their faces with their wynges when they looke vppon him that sittes vpon the high and stately throne crying saying Holy holy holy Lord God of hostes the whole earth is full of thy glorie The prophet was abashed sayd Alas I am toungtyde for I am a man of vncleane lippes My hart was afrayd and sayd wo is me that I held not my toung bycause I am a man of vncleane lippes But I sayd I knew thée Neuerthelesse Lord wo be to them that are toūgtyde when they should speake of thée for there be many that be to full of toung without thée And therfore O Lord my God I will not hold my peace for thou hast made me and inlightened me wherby I haue found my selfe knowen thée bycause thou shynest vppon me But in what wise haue I knowen thée I knew thée in thy selfe I haue knowen thée not as thou art to thy selfe ward but as thou art to me ward and yet not without thy selfe but in thy self for thou art the light that hath inlightened me For no man knowes thee as thou art in thy selfe but as thou art to me ward by thy grace thou art knowen euē vnto me But what art thou to me ward mercyfull Lord tell me thy silie seruaunt for thy mercyes sake tell me what thou art to me warde Say vnto my soule I am thy welfare hyde not thy face from me least I dye Giue me leaue to speake before thy mercy suffer me that am but earth and dust to speake before thy mercy for great is thy mercy towardes me For I that am but dust and ashes will speake to my god Tell me thy sillie seruaūt tell me thy rufull creature tell me for thy mercyes sake what thou art to me ward Thou hast thundered from aboue with a great noyse into the inward eare of my hart and hast broken my deafnes and I haue heard thy voyce and thou hast inlightened my blindnesse and I haue sene thy light and haue knowē that thou art my god And therfore haue I sayd I knew thée bycause I knew that thou art my god Yea I know thée to be the onely true God and thy sonne Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent The tyme hath bene that I haue not knowē thée Wo worth that tyme that I knew thée not wo worth that blindnesse when I saw thée not wo worth that deafnesse when I heard thée not Blind deafe as I was I rā ilfauoredly through the goodly thinges that thou madest And thou wart with me and yet was not I with thée For the thinges held me farre from thée whiche should not haue bene at all if they were not in thée Thou hast inlightened me O light of the world and I haue sene thée and loued thée For no man knoweth thée but he that sées thée and no man sées thée but he that loues thée It was late ere I loued thée thou beawtie so old so fresh it was late ere I loued thée wo worth the tyme that I loued thée not Of the acknowledging of a mās owne vylenes LOrd who is like vnto thée yea euen among the Gods who is like vnto thée which art of excéeding great holines dreadfull prayse worthy and a worker of wonders Long it was ere I knew thée the true light long it was ere I knew thée There was a great darke cloud before my fond eyes so as I could not sée the sonne of righteousnesse the light of truth I like a child of darknesse was wrapped in darknesse and bycause I knew not the light I was in loue with myne owne darknesse For asmuch as I was blind I was in loue with my blindnesse and by darknesse walked into further darknesse still But who brought me out of it when I like a blind wretch sate in darknesse and the shadow of death who tooke me by the hand to leade me out of it Who is he that inlightened me For I sought not him but he sought me I called not him but he called me And who is he It is euen thou my Lord God mercyfull and pitifull the father of compassion and God of all cōfort It is euen thou my holy Lord God whom I acknowledge with my whole hart yeldyng thankes vnto thy
thy glory And to know thy face is to know the power of the father the wisedome of the sonne the mercifulnes of the holy ghost the one vndeuidable being of the thrée persons in one souereine Godhead For the beholding of the face of the liuing God is the souerein good the ioy of the aūgels of all holy mē the reward of endlesse life the glory of all soules the euerlastyng gladnes the crown of honor the obteinemēt of happines the wealthfull rest the beawtiful peace the inward outward ioyfulnesse the paradise of god Here is the heauēly Ierusalē the happy life the fulnesse of blessednes the ioy of euerlastingnesse the peace of God which passeth all vnderstādyng This is the ful blessednes the whole glorification of mā namely to sée God face to face to sée him that made heauen and earth to sée him that made him that saued him that glorified him He shal sée him by knowing him be in loue with hym by liking him prayse him by possessing hym For he shal be the heritage of his people of his people the Saints of his people whō he hath raunsomed He shal be their possession of happinesse he shal be the reward recompēce of their lōgyng I wil be thine excéedyng great reward sayth he For great thinges beséeme great personages Verely my Lord God thou art excéedyng great aboue all Gods excéedyng great also is thy reward But thou thy self art ouer great thou thy selfe art an ouer great reward thou thy selfe art both he that crowneth also the crowne thou thy selfe art both the promiser and the promise thou art the recompēcer the recompēce thou art the rewarder and the reward of euerlastyng happines Thou thē art both the crowner the crowne O my God the diademe of my hope which is garnished with glorie a gladdyng light a renewyng light a glorious ornamēt my chief hope the desire of the hartes of all saintes their deare beloued The seing of thée thē is the whole hyre the whole reward and the whole ioy that we looke for For it is life euerlastyng yea I say it is thy wisedome Life euerlasting is to know thée the onely true God Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent Therfore when we shall sée thée the onely God the true God the liuyng God almightie single inuisible vnboundable vncōprehēsible thine onely begottē sonne God of thine own substaūce euerlastyng as well as thou euē our Lord Iesus Christ whō for our welfare thou hast sent into the world in the power of the holy Ghost thrée in persons one in beyng the onely holy God besides whom there is no God thē shal we hold that which we now séeke namely euerlasting life endlesse glorie which thou hast prepared for them that loue thée whiche thou hast layd vp in store for thē that feare thée and which thou wilt giue to them that séeke thée euen to them that séeke thy face for euer And thou O Lord my God which diddest shape me in my mothers wōbe who hath giuen me vp into thy hād suffer me not any more to be plucked out of one into many but gather me out of these outward thinges into my selfe frō my selfe vnto thée that my hart may alwayes say vnto thée my face hath sought thée out Lord I will séeke after thy face euē after the face of the Lord of all power wherein standeth the whole glorie of the blessed sorte for euer whiche to behold is the endlesse life euerlastyng glorie of the Saintes Let my hart reioyse therfore that it may reuerēce thy name Let the harts of them that séeke God reioyse but much more the hartes of them that finde god For if there be ioy in séekyng what maner of ioy shall there be in findyng Therefore I will alwayes séeke thy face earnestly incessantly if at any tyme the doore and gate of rightuousnesse may be opened vnto me that I may enter into the ioy of my lord This is the Lordes gate the rightuous shall enter in thereat ¶ A prayer to the holie Trinitie THou thrée coequall and coeternal persons one God the very father Sonne holy ghost who dwellest alone in euerlastingnesse and in vnapproachable light which hast foūded the earth by thy mighty power rulest the whole world by thy wisedome Holie holie holie Lord God of hostes dreadfull strong rightuous mercyfull maruelous prayse worthie to be beloued One God thrée persons one being power wisedome goodnes one vnseperable Trinitie I crye vnto thée open me the gates of rightuousnes whē I am come in I will prayse thée O lord Behold I poore begger knocke at thy doore O souerein housholder Commaund the gates to be opened at my knockyng accordyng as thou hast sayd knocke ye it shal be opened For truly O most mercyfull father the desires of my groning hart and the cryes of my wéepyng eyes doe knocke at thy doore All my desire is before thée and my gronyng is not hyd frō thée Lord turne not thy face any more away frō me neither flyng thou away frō thy seruaunt in a sume O father of mercies heare the houling out of thy ward reach hym thy singular good helpyng hād that it may drawe me out of the déepe waters out of the lake of miserie and out of the myre of filthynes that I perishe not thy pitifull eyes seyng it the bowels of thy mercy beholdyng it but that I may wade out vnto thée my Lord God so as I may see the riches of thy kyngdome alwayes behold thy face sing prayse to thy holy name O Lord which workest wonders whiche chearest my hart with remembryng thée which inlightenest my youth despise not myne olde age but make my bones to reioyse my hore heares to waxe fresh againe as the Eagle ¶ FINIS SAINT AVstens Manuell or litle Booke of the Contemplation of Christe or of Gods worde whereby the remembraunce of the heauenly desires which is falne a sleepe may be quickned vp agayne AT LONDON Printed by Iohn Daye dwellyng ouer Aldersgate 1574. ¶ Cum gratia Priuilegio Regiae Maiestatis The Preface FOr asmuch as we be set in the middes of snares we easly become cold in desire of heauenly thynges And therfore we haue neede of continuall defence that when we be shronke awaye we may be wakened to runne backe agayne to our true God the souereine goodnesse In consideration wherof not through rash presumption but for the great loue that I beare to my God I haue vndertaken this worke to his glorie to the intent I might alwayes haue with me a short and handsome abridgement of the chosen sayinges of the holie fathers concernyng my God by the fire of the readyng whereof the loue of him might be kindled in me as oft as it is waxed cold in me Assiste me now I beseech thee my Lord God whom I seeke whom I
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