so far fourth as I can perceyue I haue no hope of socour but through the grace of God that I can not deserue whych maye rayse euery one from deathe By hys bryghtnesse he geueth lyght to darkenesse And hys power examynynge my faulte doth breake all the vayle of ignoraunce and geueth me clere vnderstādynge not only that thys cometh of me but also what thynge abydeth in me Where I am and wherfor I do laboure Who he is whom I haue offended to whom I ded obeye so seldome Therfor it is cōuenyent that my pryde be suppressyd And humbly with wepynge harte I do confesse that I am moch lesse thā nothynge before my byrth myer after a dungehyll a body prompte to all euyll not wyllynge other stodye also subiect to care sorowe and payne A short lyfe and th ende vncertayne The whych vndre synne by Adam is solde and by the lawe iudged to be damnyd For I had neuer the power to obserue one only cōmaundemente of God I do fele the strength of synne in me therfor is my synne no whyt the lesse to be hydden And the more he is dyssembled outwardly so moche the more he encreasyth within the harte That whych God wyll I can not wyll and what he wolde not I ofte tymes desyre to perfourme Whych thynge doth constrayne me by importable sorowe to Wyshe th ende of thys myserable bodye through desyred death bycause of my werye ragynge life Who shall be he than that shall delyuer and recouer suche good for me Alas it can not be a mortall man for hys power and strength is not suche but it shall be the only good grace of the almyghty God whych is neuer slacke to preuent vs with hys mercye O what a master is that with our deseruynge any goodnesse of hym I serued hym slouthfully and without ceasynge offended hym euery daye yet is he not slacke in helpynge me He doth se the euyll that I haue what and how moche it is and that of my selfe I can do nothynge that good is but with hart and body so enclyned am I to the contrarye that I feale no strength in me onles it be for to do euyll He doth not tarry tyll I humbly praye hym or that seynge my helle dāpnacyon I do crye vpō hym For with hys sprete he maketh a waylynge in my harte greatter than I can declare whych asketh the gyfte wherof the vertu is vnknowen to my lytele power And thys the same vnknowne syghte doth brynge me a newe desyre shewynge the good that I haue lost by my synne gyuē me agayne through hys grace boūtye that whych hath ouercomē all synne O my lorde what grace and goodnesse is thys whych doth put out so manye synnes Now maye we se that thu art full of all godly loue to make me of a synner thy seruaūt chyelde Alas my God I ded not seke the but I fled rāne awaye frō the. And here beneth thu camyst to me whych am nothynge but a worme of the earthe all naked What do I saye worme I do hym wrōge that am so naughtye swarme so full of pryde deceyte malyce treason The promyse whych my fryndes made whā I was baptysed is such that I alwayes through faythe in thy passyō shuld fele the mortyfycacyō of my fleshe dwelle alwayes with the ī the crosse where thu wert fast nayled as I beleue and yelded death dead as I also shuld yelde all synne Thys haue I often tymes taken downe agayne vntyed and set at large I haue broken denyed and falsyfyed my promyse through pryde I haue lyft vp my wyll in suche a maner that through slouth my dewtye towardes the was forgoten And that moche more is as wele the profyte or value of thy promyse whych I had of the in the daye of my baptysme as also thy sauynge loue and promyses folowynge I haue all alyke neglected What shall I saye more Albeit that often tymes thu perceyuynge me wretched and vnhappye hast geuē me so many warnynges in fayth and in sacramētes admonyshynge me by preachynges and confortynge me by the recayuynge of thy worthye bodye and sacred bloude promysynge also to put me in the nombre of them that are now adourned with perfyght innocencye Yet haue I all these hygh benefyghtes throwne into forgetfullnesse Often tymes haue I with the broken couenaunte Aud partly for that my poore sowle was to moche fed with euyll breade or dāpnable doctryne of hypocrytes I despysed such socoure and ghostly physyck in Gods worde as wolde haue holpe me And if I had bene wyllynge to loke for it yet knewe I at that tyme no teachers cōuenyent For there is neyther man saynte nor Angell for whome the harte of a synner without thy sprete wyll change Alas good Iesus thu beholdynge my blyndenesse and that at my neade I coulde haue no socour of men dedyst open the waye of my saluacyon O how great is the goodnesse and how inestymable the swetnesse whych thu hast shewed therin Is there any father so naturall to the daughter or brother to the syster whych wolde euer haue done as he hath done For he came into the helle to socour my sowle where agaynst hys wyll she was intendynge to haue peryshed because she ded not loue Alas swete lorde thn hast loued her yea to the very outshedynge of thy most precyouse bloude O charyte feruent and incōparable Not slacke art thu in loue that so louest euery synner yea and also thyne enemyes not only in forgeuynge their offences but also in geuynge thy selfe for their saluacyon lybertie and delyueraunce to the death crosse trauayle payne and sufferaunce Whan I cast in mynde what shnlde be the occasyō of thy loue towardes me I can se nothynge els but a loue wonderfull whych moueth th◠to geue me that I can not deserue Than my God as farre fourth as I can se I ought to geue no thākes for my saluacyon but only vnto the to whome I owe the prayse ther of as to hym whych is my sauyour creatoure What a thynge is it that thu hast done so moche for me Thu art not only contented to haue forgyuen me my synnes but also hast gyuē vnto me the ryght fortunate gifte of grace For it shulde snffyse me I cōmynge out of suche a daunger to be lyke a straunger vsed But thu dost handle my sowle if I durst so saye it as a mother daughter syster and wyfe I lorde I am the trespaser whych am not worthy to come nere the dore of thy ryght hygh place to aske breade where thy dwellynge is O what grace is thys that so sodenly thu vouchesauyst to drawe my sowle in to suche hyghnesse that she felyth herselfe ruler of my bodye She poore ignoraunte and lame doth fynde her selfe wyth the ryche wyse and stronge because thu hast written in her harte the roote of thy sprete
and come hytherwarde my dylectable spouse Therfor shal I saye with louynge fayth thu arte myne and I am thyne Thu dost call me thy loue fayre spouse If it be so suche hast thu made me Alas doth it please the to gyue me suche names They are truly able to breake a mannys harte and cause it to burne through loue vnspeakeable whan he thynketh vpon the honoure that thu dost vnto hym whych is moche greatter than he hath deserued A mother a mother Alas but of what chylde is it Truly of suche a sonne that my harte doth breake for loue My God my sonne O Iesus what speache thys is mother daughter O happy kynrede O what swetnesse doth proceade out of that paternyte But what doughterly and reuerent feare ought I to haue towardes hym my father yea my creatour my protctour and sauer To be thy syster alas here is a great loue Now dost thu breake my harte iÌ„ the myddest to make rowme for the same so swete a brother So that no other name be writeÌ„ in the same but only my brother Iesus the sonne of God Non other man wyll I geue place to for all the scourgynge and beaâ—ynge that they caÌ„ do vnto me Reape my harte then my brother and frynde lete not thy enemy entre in to it O my father chylde brother and spouse with haÌ„des ioyned humbly vpon my knees I yelde the thankes and prayses that it pleaseth the to turne thy face towardes me conuertynge my harte and coueryng me with suche grace that thu dost se nomore my euyls synnes So we le hast thu hydden them that it semeth thu hast put theÌ„ in forgetfulnesse Yea also they seme to be forgoten of me whych haue coÌ„mytted them For fayth and loue causeth me to forget them puttynge wholly my trust in the alone Than my father in whom lyeth vnfayned loue wherof can I haue feare in my harte I confesse that I haue done all the euyll that one creature can do and that of my selfe I am nought Also that I haue offended the as the prodygall chylde ded folowynge the folysh trade of the fleshe wherewith I haue spente all my substauÌ„ce and the habundauÌ„ce of goodes whych I had receyued of the. For pouerte had wetheryd me awaye euen as heye and yelded my sprete dead for hunger sea kynge to eate the releafe of swyne But I Founde very lytle sauoureâ— in suche meates Than I seynge my lyfe to be so myserable I ded returne vnto the my father agayne sayenge Alas I haue synned in heauen and before the. I am not worthy I tell it before euerybodye to be called thy chylde But O bountyfull father do no worse to me than to one of thy howsholde seruauntes Alas what loue and Zele is thys for thu woldest not tarry my commynge and prayer but stretchynge out thy haÌ„d receyuedyst me whan I ded thynke that thu woldest not loke vpon me And in stede to haue ponnyshed thu dedyst assure me of my saluacyon Where is he theÌ„ that shall ponnysh me whan my father shall denye hym my synne There is no indge that can condeÌ„pne anye creature vnlesse God hymselfe wolde dampne hym I feare not the want of goodnesseâ— syth I haue my God for my father My enemye shall do me no harme for my father shall take all hys strength awaye If I owe anye thynge he shall paye it all for me If I haue deserued death he as a kynge shall pardoÌ„ me delyuer me froÌ„ pryson haÌ„gynge But here is the worst What maner of mother haue I bene For after that I by fayth had receyued the name of a true mother I became very rude vnto the by cause that after I had conceyued and brought the fourth I left reason And beynge subiect to my wyll not takynge heede vnto the I fell a slepe and gaue place to my great enemye The whych iÌ„ the nyght of ignoraunce I beynge a sleape ded steale the from me craftely and in thy place she ded put her chylde whych was dead So ded I lefâ— the whych is an harde sorowe and remorce for me Now haue I lost the by myne owe faulte my sonne bycause I toke no hede to kepe the. Sensualyte my neyghbour I beynge in my beastly sleape ded steale the from me gaue me an other chylde whych had no lyfe in hym named synne whom I wyll not haue for I do vtterly forsake hym She affirmed that he was myne owne but I knewe hym to be hers For as sone as I came to the lyght of grace whych thu haddest gyueÌ„ me thaÌ„ I knewe my glory to be changed whan I sawe the dead chylde not to be myne For the same whych was alyue whom she had taken awaye was myne owne Betwene Iesus synne is the chaunge so apparant But here is a straunge thynge Thys olde woman causeth me to kepe hym whych is dead whom she reporteth to be myne and so she wyll maynteyne O SalomoÌ„ a full true iudge thu hast hearde thys lamentable processe and ordayned to coÌ„tent the partyes that the chylde shulde be deuyded in two partes The false woman agreyth it shulde be so But I remembrynge hym to be myne owne sonne was rather contente to lese hym than to se hys bodye parted in two peces For true and pefyght loue is neuer contente with one halfe of that iâ— doth loue I had rather to wepe for my whole losse than to recouer but one halfe My mynde coulde not be satysfyed if I had recouered one halfe without lyfe Alas gyue her rather the chylde whych is alyue Better it is for me to dye than to se Iesus Christ dyuyded But O my lorde thu dedyst loke better to it than I. For thu seynge the anguysh that I ded suffer how I ded rather forsake my ryght than to beholde snche cruelnesse Thu saydest thys is the true mother and so caused them to gyue me my chylde agayne for whom my harte was so sorowfull O swete Iesus I founde the after to haue proued me if I ded loue the. Yea I whych had lost the yet dedyst thu returne vnto me Alas dost thu vouche saue to come agayne to her whych beynge lett with synne coulde not kepe the my swete chylde my sonne my helper my norysher of whome I am aâ—ryght humble creature Do not permytt that euer I do leaue the agayne for I do repent my selfe of the tyme passed Now come my sensualyte with synnes of all qualytees for thu hast no power to make me receyue the chylde whych is dead The same that I haue is stronge ynough for to defende me he shall not permyt that thu take hym awaye from me He is alredy more stronge than anye man is Therfor I maye sleape and take rest neare hym For all thynges wele consydered he shall kepe me moche better than I coulde hym Then as I thynke I maye take
and loued of the as thyne owne sowle Shall I tell the truthe Yea. I haue lefte the forgoten the ranne awaye from the. I ded leaue the forto go at my vayne pleasure I forsoke the and chose other Yea I refused the the welsprynge of all goodnesse and faythfull promyse I ded leaue the. But whyther went I Into a place where nothynge was but cursednesse I haue lefte the my trusty frynde and louer worthy to be loued aboue all other I haue put the asyde o welsprynge of all helthe somnesse by myne owne wretched wyll Yea I haue forsaken the full of bewtie goodnesse wysdom and power sought to withdrawe me from thy loue I haue accepted thy great enemyes that is the deuyll the worlde and the fleshe agaynst whoÌ„e thu faughtest so sore on the crosse to ouercome for my sake to set me at lyberte whych was by theÌ„ of loÌ„ge tyme a prysoner slaue And so bounde that no man coulde cause me to humble my felfe And as for the loue charyte that I shulde haue had towardes the they ded queÌ„che it so that the name of Iesus my husbaÌ„de whych before I had founde so swete was to me tedyouse hatefull So that often tymes I ded iest at it And if any man I hearynge a sermon had sayd vnto me the preacher sayth wele I wolde afferme it but the worde went awaye from me as a fether doth in the wynde I went neuer yet to the preachynge but for maner only All my dedes were playne hypocresye for my mynde was in other places I was anoyed whan I hearde speake of the for I was more wyllynge to go at my pleasure Now breuely to conclude All that thu dedyst forbyd me I fulfylled all that thu coÌ„mauÌ„dedyst me to do I ded eschewe And thys was the cause my God I ded not loue the. But yet lorde for all thys that I ded hate the and forsake the ranne awaye from the betrayed the shulde I geue thy place to an other Or hast thu suffered that I shulde be mocked eyther yet beateÌ„ or kylled Hast thu put me in darke pryson or bannyshed me for euer settynge nought by me Hast thu taken awaye thy gyftes agayne from me and precyouse iewels to ponnysh me for my vnfaythfull frutes Haue I lost my ioynter whych thu promysedyst me through my offeÌ„ce agaynst the Am I accused by the afore the eternall father for a naughty woman Yea hast thu forbyd me thy preseÌ„ce as I deserued that I shulde neuer apere in thy howse O most true husbaÌ„de pure perfyght frynde the most louynge yet amonge all good louers Alas thu hast done otherwyse For thu soughtest for me dylygenly whan I was goynge into the most depe place of helle where all the euyls are done Whan I was fardest from the both in harte and mynde clerlye out of the true waye Than dedyst thu louynglye call me backe saynge My dere doughter harken and se and bowe thy hearynge towardes me Forget that straunge nacyon to whom thu dedyst ronne awaye and also the house of thyne olde father where thu hast dwelled so longe Than shall the kynge full of all faythfulnesse desyre thy bewtie But whan thu sawest that thy swete gracyouse callynge ded not profyteme than be gannyst thu to crye lowder Come vnto me all yow whych are wearyly loaden with laboure for I am he that shall plenteously refreshe yow and feade yow with my breade of lyfe Alas vnto all these swete wordes wolde I not harken For I doubted whether it were thu or els a fabyllouse writynge that so sayde For I was so folyshe that without loue I ded reade thy worde I consydered not wele the comparyson of the vyneyearde whych brought fourth thornes bryers in stede of good frute that it sygnyfyed me whych had so done I knowe it wele ynough thâ—t whan thu dedyst call the baren wyfe saynge Returne Sulamyte All thys dedyst thu speake that I. shulde forsake my synne And of all these wordes ded I as though I had vnderstande neuer a whytt But whan I ded peruse Hieremy the prophete I confesse that I had in there adynge therof feare in my harte and bashefulnesse in my face I wyll tell it yea with teares in myne eyes and all for thy honoure and to suppresse my pryde Thu hast sayde by that holy prophete if a woman hath offended her husbande and is so left of hym for goynge a straye with other Namely if he therupoÌ„ refuseth her for euer is she not to be estemed poluted and of no value The lawe doth consente to put her in the haÌ„des of iustyce or to dryue her awaye so neuer to se her or to take her agayne Thu hast made the sepracyon from my bedde sayth he vnto me placed foren louers in my roume commyttynge with them fornycacyon Yet for all thys thu maystreturne vnto me agayne For I wyll not alwayes be aÌ„grye agaynst the. Lyfte vp thyne eyes loke aboute the on euery syde ThaÌ„ shalte thu we le se iâ—to what place thy synne hath led the how thou lyest downe in the earthe O poore sowle loke where thy synne hath put the. Euen vpon the hygh wayes where thu dedyst wayte and tarrye for to begyle theÌ„ that came by euen as a these doth whych is hydden in the wyldernesse Therfor thu in fulfyllynge thy wicked pleasure hast with fornycacyon infected all the earthe whych was aboute the. Thyne eye thy fore heade and thy face haue loste all their honest good maner For they were suche as an harlot hath and yet thu haddest no shame of thy synne And the surplus that Hieremy sayth constrayneth me to knowe my wretched lyfe to wyshe with sorowfull syghes the houre the daye the moneth the tyme and the yeare that I ded leaue it yeldynge my selfe condempned and worthy to be for euer in the euerlastynge fyre The same feare whych doth not of me but of the procede and exâ—â—adeth many of thy other gyftes put me rather in hope than dyspayre as often as I ded remembre my synne For as sone as thu knewest my wyll bowynge vndre thy obedyence than puttynge in me a lyuely fayth thu dedyst vse great clemencye So that after I knewe the to be that lorde master and kynge whom I ought to haue feared Than fouÌ„de I my feare not quenched but mixed with loue beleuynge that thu wert so gracyouse gentyll and swete so pytiefull an husbande that I whych shulde rather haue hydde me than to haue shewed my selfe was not than in feare to go fourth and to loke for the. And in so sekynge I founde the. But what dedyst thu than Hast thu refused me Alas my God no but rather hast excused me Hast thu turned thy face from me No for thyne eye so swete ded penetrate my harte wouÌ„dynge it almost to the deathe and geuynge me
remorse of my synnes Thu hast not put me backe with thy haÌ„de but with both thy armes and with a swete and maÌ„ly harte thu dedyst mete with me by the waye and not ones reprouynge my faultes enbrasydest me I coulde not se in beholdynge thy couÌ„tenaunce that euer thu dedyst ones perceyue myne offence For thu hast done as moche for me as though I had beue good and honest For thu dedyst hyde my faulte from euery body in geuynge me agayne the parte of thy bedde and also in shewynge that the multitude of my synnes are so hyddeÌ„ ouercome by thy great vyctorye that thu wylte neuer remembre theÌ„ So that now thu seyst nothynge in me but the graces gyftes and vertues whych it hath pleased thy fre goodnesse to gyue mâ— O charyte most precyouse I do se wele that thy goodnesse doth consume my lewdenesse maketh me a newe godly and bewtyfull creature The euyll that was myne thu hast destroyed and made me so perfyght a creature that all the good whych a husbande can do vnto hys wyfe thu hast done it to me in geuynge me a faythfull Hope in thy promyses Now haue I through thy good grace recouered the place of thy wyfe O happye desyered place gracyouse bedde trone ryght honourable sâ—ate of peace rest from all warre hygh steppe of honoure separate from the earthe Soâ—st thu receyue thys vnworthy creature geuynge her the scepture and crowne of thy empyre and gloryouse realme who ded euer heare speake of suche a storye as to rayse vp one so hygh whych of her selfe was nothynge maketh of great value that of it selfe was naught Alas what is thys for I castynge myne eyes on hygh ded se thy goodnesse so vnknowne grace loue so incompreheÌ„syble that my syght is wonderfull Than am I constrayned to loke downe in so lokynge downewarde I do se what I am and what I was wyllynge to be Alas I do se in it the lewdenesse darkenesse and extreme depenesse of my euyll My deathe whych by haÌ„blenesse closeth myne eye The admyrable goodnesse of the the vnspeakcable euyll whych is in me Thy ryght hyghnes pure maiestie my ryght fragyle and mortall nature Thy gyftes goodes beatytude my malyce great vnkyndnesse O how good thu arte vnto me and how vnkynde am I to the Thys that thu wylte and thys that I pursue Whych thynges consydered causeth me to maruele how it pleasyth the to ioyne thy selfe to me seynge there is no comparyson betwene vs both Thu arte my God and I am thy worke thu my creator and I thy creature Now to speake breuely though I can not defyne what it is to be of the yet knowe I my selfe to be the least thynge that may be compared vnto the. O loue thu madyst thys agrementâ— whan thu dedyst ioyne lyfe aud deathe togyther But the vnyon hath made alyue deathe Lyfe dyenge and lyfe without ende haue made one deathe a lyfe Deathe hath geuen vnto lyfe a guyckenesse Through suche deathe I beynge dead receyued lyfe and by deathe I am ranyshed with hym whych is alyue I lyue in the and as for me of my selfe I am dead And as coÌ„cernynge the bodyly deathe it is nothynge els vnto me but a coÌ„mynge out of pryson Deathe is lyfe vnto me For through deathe I am alyue Thys mortall lyfe fylleth me full of care and sorowe and deathe yeldeth me content O what a goodly thynge it is to dye whych causeth my sowle to lyue In delyuerynge her froÌ„ thys mortall deathe it exeÌ„pteth her froÌ„ the deathe myserable matcheth her with a most myghty louer vnlesse she thus dyeth she laÌ„guyssheth alwayes Is not thaÌ„ the sowle blameles whych wolde fayne dye for to haue suche lyfe Yes trulye she ought to call deathe her wel beloued frynde O swete deathe plesaunt sorowe myghty keye delyuerynge from all wyckednesse Those whych trusted in the o lorde and in thy deathe were mortyfyed because they ded trust in the and in thy passyon For with a swete slepe thu dedyst put them oute of that deathe whych causeth manye to lamente O how happye is the same slepe vnto hym whych whan he awaketh doth fynde through thy deathe the lyfe euerlastynge For the deathe is no other thynge to a christen man but a lyberte or delyueraunce from hys mortall bande And the deathe whych is fearfull to the wycked is plesaunt and acceptable to them that are good Than is deathe through thy deathe destroyed Therfor my God if I were ryghtly taught I shulde call the deathe lyfe and thys lyfe deathe ende of laboure and begynnynge of euerlastynge ioye For I knowe that the loÌ„ge lyfe doth lett me from thy syght O deathe come and breake the same obstacle of lyfe Or els loue do a myracle now syth that I can not yet se my spouse Transfourme me with hym both bodye sowle and than shall I the better tarry for the cummynge of deathe Lete me dye that I maye lyue with hym For there is noÌ„ that can helpe me onles it be thu only O my sauer through faythe I am planted and ioyned with the. O what vnyon is thys syth that through faythe I am sure of the. And I maye call the father brother sonne and husbande O what giftes thu dost gyue by the goodenesse of those names O my father what paternyte O my brother what fraternyte O my chylde what dylectyon O my spouse what coniunctyon is thys Father full of humylyte Brother hauynge our symylytude SoÌ„ne engendered through faythe loue Husbande louynge and releuynge in allextrâ—myte But whom doist thu loue Alas is is she whom thu hast with drawen from the snare wherin through malyce she was bounde and put her in place name and offyce of a doughter syster mother and wyfe O my sauer the same is a great sauoure of swetnesse ryght plesauÌ„t and dylectable whan a man after the hearynge of thy worde shall call the without feare hys father brother chylde spouse I in hearynge that worde do perceyue my selfe to be called there thy mother syster doughter spouse Alas the sowle whych doth fynde suche swetnesse maye consume and burne for loue Is there any loue onles it be thys bnt it hath some euyll condycyon Is there anye pleasure to be herto estemed Is there any honoure buâ— maye be accompted shame to thys compared Yea is there any profyte equall to thys More ouer to conclude it breuely Is there any thynge that I coulde more ernestly loue Alas no. For he that vnfaynedly loueth God reputeth all these thynges worldly of lesse value than the dâ—Ì„ge hylle Pleasure profyte honoure of thys worlde are all but vayne tryfles vnto hym whych hath founde God Suche loue is so profytable honourable abundaunt that I dare saye she only suffyseth the harte of a godly man and yeldeth hym so content that he neuer desyreth or
wolde haue other For who so euer hath God as we ought to haue hym accounteth all other thynges superfluouse or vayne Now thanked by the lorde through faythe haue I goteÌ„ the same loue wherfor I ought to be satysfyed and content Now haue I the my father for defence of my longe youth from wanton folyshnesse Now haue I the my brother for to socoure my sorowes wherin I fynde non ende Now haue I the my fonne for my feble age as an only staye Now haue I the a true faythfull husbande for the satisfyenge of my whole harte Now syth that I haue the I do forsake all them that are in the worlde Syth I holde the thu shalte escape me nomore Seynge that I se the I wyllloke vpon non other thynge that myght kepe me backe from the beholdynge of thy dyuynyte Seynge that I do heare the I wyll heare nothynge that letteth me froÌ„ the fruycyoÌ„ of thy voyce Syth that I maye frely talke with the I wyll coÌ„men with non other Seynge it pleaseth the to put me so nere the I wyll rather dye than to touche any other Seynge that I serue the I wyll serue non other master Seynge that thu hast ioyned thy hartâ— with myne if he depart from thyne lete hym be ponnyshed for euer For the departynge from thy loue is harder than is any dampnacyon I do not feare the payne of ten thousande helles so moche as I do feare the ones losynge of the. Alas my God my father and creator do not fuffer that the enemy inuentor of all synne haâ—e suche power that he make me to lese thy presence For who so euer hath ones felte the losse of thy loue he shall saye that he wolde rather be bounde for euer in helle than to feale the payne that one shall haue by the losse of the same thy loue one momente of tyme. O my sauer do not permytt that euer I departe from the. But if it please the put me in suche a place that my sowle through wantonnesse of synne be neuer separated from thy loue In thys worlde I can not haue perfyghtly thys my desyre Whych thynge consydered maketh me feruently with all my harte to desyre the departynge from thys bodye of synne not fearynge the deathe nor yet any of her instrumentes For what feare ought I to haue of my God whych through loue offered hymselfe and suffered deathe not of dett or dewtye bur because he wolde for my only sake vndo the power that mortall deathe had Nowis Iesus dead in whom we are all dead and through hys deathe he causeth euery man to lyue agayne I meane those whych through faythe are partakers of hys Passyon For euen as the deathe before the great mystery of the crosse was harde to euery bodye and there was no maÌ„ but was feared therwith consyderynge the copulacyon of the bodye the sowle their order loue and agrement so were their sorowes extreme in the departynge of the one from the other But sens it hath pleased the swete laâ—â—ded offer hymselfe vpon the crosse hys great loue hath kyndeled a fyre within the harte so vehement that euery true beleuer estemeth the passage of deathe but a playe or pastyme and so prouoketh other constauntly in hys truthe to dye And eueÌ„ as the feare of deathe ded retarde vs so ought loue to gyue vs a desyre to dye For if true loue be vnfaynedly within the harte of a man he can fele non other thynge because that loue is so stronge of it selfe that she kepith all the roume and putteth out all other desyres not sufferynge any thynge there but God only For whersoeuer true and perfyght loue is we do neyther remeÌ„bre feare nor yet sorowe If our owne pryde for to attayne honoure maketh vs to seke deathe so manye straunge wayes As if for to haue a folysh pleasure a man putteth hym felfe in ieopardye of lyfe If a merchauÌ„te to obtayne ryches doth daunger hymselfe sometyme for the value of a shyllynge If the first coÌ„ceyuynge of robery or murther crueltie or deceyte doth so blynde a man that he doubteth nothynge the daunger of deathe neyther yet mysfortune whan he seketh to aueÌ„ge hymselfe or doth any other â—uyll If the fury of sykenesse or the rankenesse of Melâ—ncholy causeth a creature fearcely to wyshe for deathe oft tymes to drowne haÌ„ge or kylle theÌ„selues For suche euyls are somtymes so great that they cause their payned pacyentes to chose deathe for lyberte If it so be than that these paynes full of euyll and imperfectyons causeth them not to feare the hasarde of deathe but rather to thynke that deathe tarryeth to longe Alas what ought true and laudable loue to do What ought the loue of the eternall creatour to wyshe Shulde she sturre a harte suche wyse that he beynge transported with suche affectyon shulde fele non other thynge in hym Alas yea For deathe is a plesaunt thynge to the sowle whych is in loue with God and estemeth the passage easye through the whych she commyth out of pryson For the harde waye wherthrough she commeth can not wearye her for to enbrace her husbande O my sauer how good is the same deathe through whom we shall haue the ende of all sorowes By whom I shall enioye thy syght without impedyment and be transfourmed into the lykenesse of thy maieste O deathe through thy dede I trust to haue suche honour as vpon my knees with cryenge and wepynge I do dayly desyre Therfor come quyckely aâ—d make an ende of my sorowes O happy doughters ryght holy sowles ioyned to the cytie hierusalem open your eyes and with pytye loke vpon my desolacyon I beseche yow that in my name ye do shewe vnto my best beloue my God frynde kynge how at euerye houre of the daye I do languysh for hys loue O swete deathe through suche loue come vnto me and with loue brynge me vnto my lorde God O deathe where is thy stynge and darte Alas they are bannyshed from myne eyes for rygour is changed into swetnesse seynge that my frynde ded suffre deathe vpon the crosse for my sake Hys deathe doth so incourage my harte that thu wert wonders gentyll to me if I myght folowe hym O deathe I beseche the come to put the frynde with hys loue Now syth that deathe is so plesaunt a lyfe that she pleasith me more than feareth me than ought I to feare nothynge but the ryght iudgement of God All my synnes with hys iust balauÌ„ce shall be wayed shewed opeÌ„ly Thys that I haue done also my thought and worde shall be better knowne than if they were written in a rolle And we maye not thynke that charyte wolde offeÌ„de iustyce truthe For whoso euer doth lyue vnfaythfully shall be ponnyshed in euerlastynge payne God is iust and hys iudgemeÌ„t is ryghteouse All that he doth is perfyght in all thynges Alas
what am I consyderynge my ryghtousnesse I wretched and poore creature I knowe that all the workes of iust meÌ„ are so full of imperfectyon that afore God they are more fylthye than myer or any other vylenesse What wyll it be than coÌ„cernynge the synnes whych I do coÌ„myt wherof I feale the burden importable I can saye nothynge els but that I haue wonne by them dampnacyon Is thys the ende Shall dyspayre than be the conforte of my greate ignorauÌ„ce Alas my God no. For the inuysyble faythe causeth me to beleue that all thynges whych are impossyble to men are possyble vnto the. So that thu do conuerte my worke whych is nothynge into some good worke of thyne in me whych is specyally faythe Than my lorde who shall condempne me what iudge wyll daÌ„pne me syth that he whych is geuen me for a iudge is my spouse my father and refuge Alas what father Suche as doth neuer condempne hys chyâ—lde but alwayes doth excuse and defende hym Than I perceyue to haue non other accuser but Iesus Christ whych is my redemer whose deathe hath restored vs our lost inherytaunce For he made hym selfe our man of lawe shewynge hys so worthye merytes afore God wherwith my great debte is so habundauntly recoÌ„penced that in iudgement it is accompted for nothynge O redemer here is a great loue We fynde but fewe suche meÌ„ of lawe Swete Iesus Christ it is vnto the that I am a detter yet dost thu both praye and speake for me And moreouer whan thu dost se that I am poore with the abuÌ„dauÌ„ce of thy goodes thu dost paye my debte O incomprehensyble see of all goodnesse O my father dost thu vouchesaue to be my iudge not wyllynge the deathe of a synner O Iesus Christ true fysher and sauer of the sowle frynde aboue all fryndes Fo thu beynge my man of lawe dedyst excuse and speake for me where thu couldest iustly haue accused me I feare nomore to be vndone by any man for the lawe is satisfyed by the for all My swete spouse hath made the payment so habundaunt that the lawe can aske nothynge of me but is payed of hym For as I beleue he hath taken all my synnes vpoÌ„ hym and hath geueÌ„ me in place of themâ— hys owne goodes in habundaunce O my sauer presentynge thy verâ—ues thu dost content the lawe Whan she wyll reproche me of my synnes thu dost shewe heâ— how willyngly in thyne owue fleshe thu hast taken the dyscharge of theÌ„ through the coniunctyon of our marryage Also vpon the crosse through thy passyon thu hast made satisfactyon for it Moreouer thy only charyte hath geueÌ„ me thys that thu hast for me deserued Therfor seynge thy meryte to be myne the lawe can aske nothynge of me Than wyll I feare nomore the iudgement but with desyre rather than parforce I do tarry for the tyme that I shall se my iudge and heare a iust iudgemente of hym Yet I knowe that thy iudgemeÌ„te 〈◊〉 so iust that there is no faulte therin that my infydelyte is worthye to suffer the cruelnesse of helle For if I do only consydre my deseruynge I can se nothynge in it that can keape me from the fyre of helle True it is that the torment of helle was neuer prepared but for the deuyll and not for reasonable men Neuerthelesse if any man haue set in hys mynde to be lyke to the deuyll than ought he as the deuyll to be payed with a lyke rewarde But if a man through coÌ„templacyon of the sowle do holde of the hys Angell of couÌ„sell vertue goodnesse perfectyoÌ„ he is sure to obtayne heauen whych is a place of thy deseruynge for hym Than shall â—he vycyouse be ponnyshed with the same to whom they ioyned themselues For sith that they folowed Sathan they must holde suche place as is for hym and hys angels prepared Now I consyderynge the dyuersyte of both the sortes am lytle conforted in spreâ—t by thys For I can not denye but I am more lyke the deuyll than the Angell of lyght wherfor I feare and tremble For the lyfe of the Angell is so pure mynâ— so vnpure that I am nothynge lyke vnto hym thys do I confesse But to the other I am so lyke in my doynges and so accustomed in hys wayes that of hys payne tormente I ought to be partaker For the cruell synne whych hath bounde me in helle is so great and hys force so stronge that it leteth nothynge to come from it neyther feareth it the coÌ„trary assaulte of any man But he whych is in thys kynde stronge knoweth not how hys strength goth awaye whan a stronger than he coÌ„myth Synne is stronge whych bryngeth vs to helle And I coulde neuer yet se that anye man by meryte or payne takynge coulde euer yet vanquyshe that helle saue only he whych ded the great assaulte throngh hys vnspeakable charyte whan he humbled hym selfe to the crosse Wherby he hath ouercomen hys enemye broken helle and hys power so that it hath no farther strength to keape anye sowle prysoner that hath put her trust in God Than be leuynge in the great strength that he hath I do not set by helle and synne No not so moche as a strawe So that synne can neuer haue holde of me vnlesse it be for to shewe how my God is mercyfull stronge myghtie a pusauÌ„t vanquysher of all the euyls whych were within my harte If my synne forgyueÌ„ is the glorye of my most louynge sauer I ought also to beleue that my glorye is encreased therwith seynge that I am planted or engrafted in hym Hys honoure only doth honoure all hys and hys ryches doth replenysh euery one of hys with hys goodes Than deathe helle and synne are ouercome by hymâ— O glottonouse helle where is thy defence Thu cruell vyllayne synne where is thy tyrannouse power O deathe where is thy stynge vyctorye whych are so moche spoken of In steade of deathe thu deathe geuyst vs lyfe and so dost thu contrary to thy wyll Also thu synne which coueryst to drawe yche creature to daÌ„pnacyon thu geuest vs a ladder to reache therby that goodly cytie Hierusalem Yet woldest thu of thy cursed nature that our eternall maker shulde lose hys creature But through hys loue aud grace the sorye remeÌ„braunce of thy vncomelynesse doth cause her by repentaunce to come agayne and submyt her selfe vnto God more than euer she dyd Hys inestâ—mable goodnesse causeth the to lose the whole labour whych thu takest all the weke Therfor helle hath not had all the nomber that he did pretende to haue bicause that the solacyouse shaddowe power of hys passyon is suche a myghtye protectyon to the sowle that she therby nedeth neyther to doubte deathe synne nor helle Is there anye thynge can pull me backe if God be wyllynge through hys gyfte of faythe to drawe me to hym
I meane suche faythe as we must nedes haue to obtayne the hygh graces from aboue also suche faythe as through charyte doth ioyne the humble seruaunt to hys maker I beynge ioyned vnto hym ought to haue no feare of trauayle payne nor sorowe For who so euer doth wyllyngly suffer anye maner of deathe or sorowe for the truthe as ded Christ he doth feale in suche torment great consolacyon for hys sowle knowynge that as for my selfe I am weake and with God I am ryghâ— stronge Through hys confort I maye do all thynges For hys loue is so coÌ„stauÌ„t permaneÌ„t that it varyeth not for anye worldly thynge Who can thâ—Ì„ withdrawe me from hys grace Surely the great heyth of heauen nor the deapenesse of helle nor the breadeth of the whole earthe neyther deathe nor synne whych doth warie euery daye agaynst me can separate me one mynute from the great loue charyte that my heauenly father through Iesus Christ hath vnto me Hys goodnesse is suche that he loueth me whych haue not at all tymes loued hym And if I now loue hym than shall I feale hys loue to increase in me But bycause that my loue is not worthy to loue hym I desyre hys loue to be myne the whych I feale suche as though it were myne owne Hys desyre is to loue and through hys loue he causith my harte to be inflamyd with loue And through suche loue he fyndeth hym selfe so welbeloued that hys owne dede yeldeth hym wele content not my loue or strengthe Contentynge hys selfe hys loue doth increase more in me than I can of hym desyre O true louer fountayne or welsprynge of all charyte and only purse of the heaueÌ„ly treasure Ought I to thynke or dare I saye what thu art Maye I write it or can anye mortall man comprehende thys goodnesse loue And if thu preÌ„te in anye maÌ„nys harte caÌ„ he expresse it No surely For the capacyte of no man can comprehende the vnmesurable goodnesses whych are in the for naturall reasoÌ„ doth shewe vs how there is no coÌ„paryson betwyne an eternall a mortall thynge But whan through loue the mortall is ioyned with the eternall the mortall thynge is so fulfylled with the eternall that it can not fynde the ende therof For it hath in it more good therby than it can contayne or holde Therfor doth a man thynke whych hath the loue of God that he hath all the goodes in the worlde therwith Euen as we se the suÌ„ne with one only sparcle of hys lyght doth blynde the eye and yet doth she witholde her great lyghte But aske the eye what he hath seane and he wyll saye that he hath beholden the whole bryghtnesse of the sunne But that is a great lye For he beynge dymmed with a lytle sparcle coulde not se the whole cleartye therof And neuertheles he is so contente that it semith vnto hym as though he had so moche lyght as the sunne contayneth Yet if he had more than the seyde sparcle he were not able to suffer it Euen so the sowle whych through faythe doth fele one sparcle of the loâ—e of God doth fynde therwith the heate so great and maruelouse so swete and delycyouse that it is impossyble to her to declare what thynge the same loue is For a lytle threof that she hath felte doth yelde her mynde satisfyed desyerynge of more wherof she hath ynough So doth she lyue languyshynge syghynge The harte doth felewele that he hath receyued to moche but he hath coÌ„ceyued suche desyre in thys to moche that he alwayes desyerith to receyue the thynge whych he can not haue neyther is he worthye to receyue it He knoweth the good that he hath alredy to be vnspeakeable and yet wolde he haue more of that wherof he can not skylle Truly he can not fele or thynke the good whych is in hym Then lyeth it not in my power to tell what thynge the loue of God is sith that I haue no knowlege of the feruentnesse therof He that thynketh to haue all thys loue withyn hys harte can not truly declare what thynge it is Happye is he wych hath suche abundauÌ„ce of thys loue that he maye saye My God I haue ynough of it He whych hath thys loue within hym dare noâ— moche boaste therof least in moche speakynge he lose it vnles it be to edyfye hys neybour vnto saluacyon The impossybylyte than of the declaracyon of thys loue shall make me to holde my peaceâ— For thâ—re is no Saynte so perfyght if he wyll speake of the loue of the hygh God of hys goodnesse swetnesse graces and of all thynges els whych pertayneth to hym but lokynge a lowe shall fynde hymselfe vnworthye and so stoppe hys mouthe I than a worme of the earthe lesse than nothynge ought to cease and not to speake of the incomparable hyghnesse of thys loue Yet were it to moch vnkyndenesse to be noted in me if I had writen nothynge hauynge that done vnto me whych wolde satisfye a moche better wytte than myne is For he that wolde hyde the goodnesse of God so good a mastre shulde commytt a synne worthye to be ponnyshed with the euerlastynge payne Therfor come O happye Paule whych hast â—asted so moche of the same swete honye beynge blynded for the space of thre dayes rapte vp vnto the thirde haueÌ„ Now I besech the satisfye my ignorauÌ„ce faulte tel me what in suche vysyon thu hast seane HarkeÌ„ thaÌ„ what he sayth O the vnspeakeable hyghnesse of the abuÌ„daunt ryches or treasure both of the wysdome knowledge of God How incompreheÌ„syble are hys iudgemeÌ„tes how vnsearchable hys wayes vnto our weake wittes O holye Paule thy wordes causeth vs moche to maruayle that thu hauynge knowledge of so heaueÌ„ly secretes woldest speake no further in them At the least yet tell vs what thynge we maye hope to haue one daye through suche godly loue Geue eare and ponder the wordes that he sayth Neyther hath the eye seane nor yet the eare hearde neyther yet hath it euer entred into the harte of anye man what God hath prepared for them that loue hym Aud wolde he spâ—ake it no farther No truly Yet all thys that he sayeth here is for non other purpose but to prouoke vs ernestly to loue He wylleth vs also therin to esteme that he neyther can declare nor yet name it so to geue forth our hartes to pacyeÌ„ce hope of that thynge whych neuer maÌ„ yet coulde se neyther yet dyscerne what though many through loue for it hath dyed O excellent gyfte of faythe wherof so moche good coÌ„myth that it can sith man to possede the thynge whych he can nâ—t coÌ„prehende Faythe ioyned with the truthe bryngeth fourth hope wherby perfyght charyte is engeÌ„deredâ— And charyte is God as thu knowist If we haue charyte thaÌ„ we haue also God therwith Than is God in