hardlie perceaued vnles wee receaue light from thee ô Lorde our hope that we may behold al things For he hideth subtile traps not in the workes of the flesh onlie which with no great ado may be descried nor in manifest vices only but in spiritual exercises besides vnder the colour of virtues he cloaketh vices and transformeth himselfe into an Angel of light These and many mo things doth that sonne of Belial euen Sathan himselfe enterprise against vs ô Lord our GOD And sometime like a Lion like a Dracon sometime openlie and secretlie inwardlie and outwardlie daie and night he lieth in waite to catch our soules But thou who dost saue those which trust in thee deliuer vs ô Lord that both he may haue sorow of vs and thou be glorified in vs ô Lorde our God Chap. 18. Againe of Gods manifold benefites ANd I the sonne of thy hādmaid who haue commended my selfe into thine hand in these my poore confessions wil praise thee my redeemer with mine whole heart and cal into mind al the good things which thou hast done for me al my life long euen fro my youth For I know right wel that ingratitude doth much displease thee as being the roote of al spiritual wickednes and a certaine winde drieng burning vp al goodnes and stopping the spring of thine heauenlie mercie toward man whereby dead workes now die not and liuing die out of hand are no more I then wil thanke thee ô Lord that I may not prooue vngrateful to thee my deliuerer for thou hast deliuered me How often would that Dracon haue deuoured mee but thou Lord didest plucke me out of his mouth How often haue I sinned and how often hath he bin readie to swalow me vp But thou ô Lord my God hast defended me When I did wickedlie against thee and when I brake thy commandementes then stood hee readie to plucke mee downe euen to hel but thou didest hold him backe I offended thee but thou didest defend me I feared not thee and yet thou didest keepe me I went from thee and yeelded to mine aduersarie but thou didest beate him backe that he durst not take me O Lord my God these benefites hast thou conferred vpon mee and I wretch neuer marked so much For thus thou hast saued me oftentimes from the iawes of Satan and taken me by force out of the Lions mouth and manie waies reduced me from hel although I wist not how For I descended euen to the gates of hel but that I might not go in thou didest hold me backe I drew verie nigh to deaths doore but so thou didest worke that they could not take me In like sort ô my Sauior thou hast deliuered mee from bodilie death when greeuous sicknes oppressed me when I haue bin in manie perils both on sea and land thou hast stood by me alwaie preseruing mee from fire and sword and from al danger sauing mee of thy great mercie Indeede Lord thou didest knowe that if death then had takē me my soule had straightwaie gone into hel and so had bene damned world without end But thy grace and thy mercy did preuent me ô Lord my God and saued both my bodie from death and my soule from damnation These and manie mo benefites thou hast bestowed vpon me but I was blind and knew not so much vntil thou inlightenedst me Now therefore ô light of my soule ô Lord my God my life through whome I liue the light of mine eies through which I see lo thou hast inlightened me so that I knowe thee for I liue through thee therefore I praise thee and giue thee thankes albeit I confesse my thankes are vile and bare and farre vnanswerable to thy benefites yet such as my frailtie can afford For thou alone art my God and my merciful creator louing our soules and hating nothing which thou hast made Lo I am of sinners which thou hast saued the chiefe that I might shew an example vnto others of thy most louing kindnes I wil acknowledge vnto thee thy great benefites for thou hast deliuered my soule from the lowest graue both once and twice and thrice and a hundred yea a thousande times I alwaies inclined downe to helwarde but thou alwaies didest bring me backe againe and iustlie thou mightest haue condemned mee a thousand times if thou wouldest But thou wouldest not for thou louest our soules and dissemblest the sinnes of men because they should amend ô Lord our God of much mercie in al thy waies Now therefore ô Lord my God I see and perceaue these things through thy light and my soule is astonished in consideration of thy great mercie poured vpon me especialie for deliuering my soule from the lowest graue and for bringing me againe to life I was wholie dead and thou hast wholie reuiued me againe Therefore let it be wholie thine that I liue and wholie I doe offer my selfe vnto thee al whole Let my whole spirit my whole hart my whole bodie my whole life liue to thee ô my sweete life For thou hast redeemed mee wholie that thou mightest possesse mee whole thou hast renued mee wholie that thou mightest haue me wholie againe Wherefore let me loue thee ô Lord my strength let mee loue thee mine vnspeakeable ioie Let my whole life hencefoorth liue not to my selfe but to thee my life I saie which had perished in my miserie had it not bin raised againe in thy mercie who art a pitiful God and a merciful of much kindnes toward thousands of them which loue thy name Hence is it ô Lord my God my sanctifier that in thy lawe thou hast commanded mee to loue thee with al mine hart with al my soule with al my mind with al my strength and with al the powers which I haue yea from the verie marow and pith of mine hart and that euerie houre and moment wherein I enioie the goodes of thy mercie For I should continualie perish if thou didest not guide me continualie I should continualie die didest thou not quicken me continualie and euerie moment thou dost bind mee vnto thee whilest euerie moment thou bestowest thy great benefites vpon me As therefore there is no houre nor minute in al my life wherein I enioie not thy blessing so ought there bee no moment wherein I should not haue thee before mine eies and loue thee with al the powers both of my bodie and mind Yet this am I not able to do without thou giue mee grace whose euerie good giuing and euery perfect gift is cōmeth downe from y e Father of lights with whome is no variablenes neither shadowing by turning For it is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but of thee which she west
grace it was of thy meere goodnes that I shoulde be partaker of that sweetnes Wherfore through that grace which mooued thee to create me of nothing ô Lord giue mee this grace I beseech thee that I may thanke thee for this thy goodnes Chap. 9. Of Gods Omnipotencie THine Almightie hande ô GOD which is one and the same alwaies hath created both the Angels in heauen and the litle wormes in earth no whit more glorious in them nor inferior in these For as none other hand could create an Angel so none other could make the vilest worme as none other could lay abrode the heauens so none other facion the smalest leafe of a tree as none other coulde make a bodie so none other make one heare white or black But onlie thine almightie hande to which al things are alike possible For it is no more possible for thee to create a worme than an Angel nor more impossible to spreade out the Heauen than a leafe It is no easier for thee to facion a smal heare than a bigge bodie nor harder to build the earth vpon the water than to lay the waters vppon the earth For thou God didest what thou wouldest in Heauen and in earth in the sea and in al the depthes and me among other things thou didst make euen as thou wouldest couldest and knewest best Thine hand ô Lorde coulde haue made mee a stone or a bird or a Serpent or some brute beast it knew as much but it would not for thy mercie sake Wherefore then am I not a stone or a tree or a beast Because thy goodnes hath so ordained Yet did not anie merites of mine preuent thee that thou shouldest appoint it so Chap. 10. The incomprehensible praise of God WHere shal I get ô my Lord where shal I get sufficient praises to extol thee For as thou madest me as it pleased thee without mine help so canst thou magnifie thy self as it pleaseth thee without me Before thee ô Lord thy praise is thy selfe Let al thy workes prayse thee according to thine excellent greatnes Thy praise ô LORD is incomprehensible It is neither in heart conceiued nor vttered by mouth nor perceiued by care For these things doe passe away but thy praise ô Lord endureth for euer The thought hath a beginning it hath an end the voice hath a sounde and the voice doth vanish the eare doth heare and hearing cesseth but thy praise ô Lord endureth for euer Who then can praise thee what man can shew forth thy praise Thy praise is not transitorie it endureth for euer He doth praise thee who beleceueth thee to be thine owne praise He doth praise thee who knoweth himselfe vnable to attaine vnto thy praise O perpetual praise neuer vanishing in thee is our praise in thee shal my soule reioice We praise thee not but thou praisest thy selfe by thy selfe and in thy selfe and our praise also is in thee Then haue wee true praise when we haue praise of thee when the light doth allow the light For thou the true praise giuest due commendation And as often as wee seeke praise of anie other besides thee so oftē do we leefe thy praise Because that is transitorie but thine is eternal If we go after transitorie wee forgo eternal and if we loue eternal we must loath y ◠praise that is transitorie O Lord my God praise eternal of whome al praise without whome there is no praise without thee I am vnable to praise thee let me haue thee and I wil praise thee For what am I Lord of my selfe that I should praise thee dust and ashes am I a dead and stincking dog am I a worme and verie rottennes am I. What am I to praise thee ô Lord God most mightie in whose hand is the breath of al mankind which inhabitest the eternitie Shal darkenes praise the light or death life Thou art light I am darkenes thou life and I am death Shal vanitie commend the truth Thou art the truth but I a man become like to vanitie Why then Lord shal I praise thee Shal my miserie praise thee shal stincke commende sweetenesse shal mans mortalitie who is heere to daie and gone to morrow praise thee Shal man who is verie rottennes or the sonne of man a verie worme praise thee O Lord shal he that is conceiued borne and brought vp in wickednes praise thee no my God Praise is not semelie in the mouth of a sinner O Lord my God let thine owne incomprehensible power thine owne vnlimitable wisedome thine owne vnspeakeable goodnes commēd thee Let thy more than excellent clemencie thy more than abundant mercie thine euerlasting virtue also and diuinitie praise thee Let thine almightie power with thy souereigne gentlenes and loue whereby thou hast created vs ô Lord God the verie life of my soule praise thee Chap. II. The hope of a Christian must be cast vpon God ANd I thy creature wil trust in the shadow of thy wings euen in thy mercie whereby thou didst create me Helpe thy creature whome of thy mercy thou hast created let me not perish through my sinne whome of thy goodnes thou hast facioned neither be confounded in my miserie whome of thy clemencie thou hast made For what profit is in creating mee if I go downe into mine owne corruption what hast thou ô God created the sonnes of men in vaine Thou hast created mee ô Lord gouerne that which thou hast created Despise not ô God y e workes of thine hands Of nothing thou didst create me and doubtles do not thou Lorde direct mee I shal come againe to nothing For as I was not sometime and thou didest make me of nothing so Lord if thou do not gouerne me I shal returne to nothing in my selfe Help me ô Lord my life lest I perish in my wickednes O Lord hadst not thou created me I had not bin at al but because thou hast created me I am And yet am I nothing if thou guide mee not For no grace neither goodnes of mine compelled thee to create me but euen thine owne most fauorable goodnes and mercie O Lord my God let that loue which compelled thee to make me compel thee also to gouerne me For to what end did thy loue compel thee to make me if I perish in my wickednes and am not guided by thy right hand Let that mercie of thine ô Lord my God compel thee to saue that which is created that compelled thee to create that which was not Let that loue winne thee to saue which wanne thee to create For it is no lesse now than it was for so much as thou art loue who art alwaies the same For thine hand is not
to be looked vpon or seene but is thought to bee a light exceeding both the reach of reason of vnderstanding and is more than can be attained vnto more than vnchangeable more than maie becommunicated with anie Such a light it is as neuer Angel nor man sawe neither can see This is thy heauen Lord thine hiding heauen thy passing secret heauen I meane thy light beyond al vnderstanding beyond al reason beyond being of which it is said The heauen of heauen is the Lordes The heauen of heauen in comparison whereof al other heauen is but earth forsomuch as it is passing maruel ouslie heaued vp aboue al heauen Yea such an heauen as that firie heauen compared therevnto is but as earth For this is the Lords heauen of heauen because none knowes it but the Lord alone Vnto this heauen no man ascendeth but he which hath descended from heauen For no man knoweth the Father but the Sonne and the Spirit of them both neither knoweth anie man the Sonne but the Father and the Spirit of them both O sacred Trinitie ô Trinitie eternal passing glorious passing vtterance passing finding out which no man can attaine vnto no man comprehend no man conceiue as being beyond al being and superessentialie passing al sense al reason al vnderstanding al knowledge al essence of supercelestial spirits the which nothing no not the verie Angels can either vtter or conceaue or venderstand or know thou perfectlie art knowne to thy selfe ô Trinitie How then do I knowe thee ô Lord God most hie aboue al earth and aboue al heauen whom neither Cherubins nor Seraphins perfectlie do know but with the wings of their contemplations they couer his face which sitteth vpon the hie and statelie throne saieng Holie holie holie Lord God of hosts the whole world is ful of thy glorie The Prophet was astonished and said Wo is me I know not what to saie because I am a man of polluted lips And my hart was astonished and said likewise Wo is me for speaking because I am a man of polluted lips Yet I said I knew thee Notwithstanding wo to them Lord who are tong-tied when they shoulde speake of thee For they which babble much are made mute without thee And I ô Lord my God will not be stil because thou hast made me and lightened me and found me So that I know thee because thou hast inlightened me But how do I knowe thee Doubtlesse I knowe thee in thy selfe I knowe thee not as thou art to thy selfe but as thou art to mee yet not without thee but in thy selfe For thou art the light which hast inlightened me For as y u art to thy selfe thou art knowne to thy selfe alone but as thou art to me according to thy grace thou art knowne to me But what art thou to me ô merciful God tel me thy miserable seruant for thy mercies sake tel me what thou art to me ward Saie vnto my soule I am thy saluation hide not thy face away fro me ô Lord least I die Suffer me to speake with thy mercie me I saie earth and ashes suffer me to speake with thy mercie For great is thy mercie toward me I wil speake vnto my God albeit I am but dust and ashes Tel me thy humble seruant ô merciful God tel me thy miserable seruant for thy mercies sake tel me what art thou to me ward Thou also didst thunder from heauen with a mightie voice into the inner eare of mine hart thou brakedst my deafenes so that I heard thy voice thou didest inlighten my blindnes and I saw thy light and knew how y ◠thou art my God Therfore did I saie I knewe thee because I knewe that thou art my God I knewe thee to be the onelie verie God and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ The time was when I knew thee not But wo worth that time when I did not knowe thee wo worth that blindnes when I did not see thee wo worth that deafenes when I did not heare thee Then blind deafe ouglie as I was I rusht vpon those faire things which thou hast made Yet euen then thou wert with me but I was not with thee and those kept me far off from thee which shuld not haue ben without thee Thou hast inlightened me ô light of the world so that I haue seene thee and loued thee For no man doth loue thee but he sees thee And no man doth see thee but hee which loues thee It was late before I loued thee ô beautie so ancient and yet so fresh late was it before I loued thee But wo woorth that time when I loued thee not Chap. 32. The faith or beliefe of a true Christian most notablie described O My light I praise thee for inlightening me whereby I knowe thee But how do I knowe thee I knowe thee to be God alone a liuing God a true God my Creator I knowe thee to be the maker both of heauen and earth of al things visible and inuisible a verie God almightie immortal inuisible incompassable vnlimitable euerlasting to whome none can approch vnto nor comprehend nor find out who art vnchangable vnmeasurable infinite the beginning of al creatures be they visible or inuisible by whom al things were created through whom al the elements doe consist Whose maiestie as it neuer had beginning so it shal neuer haue end I knowe thee to be one God alone the true God namelie the eternal Father Sonne holie Ghost three persons indeede but one simple substance and vnparted nature The Father made of none the Sonne of the Father alone the holie Ghost of the Father and of the Sonne alwaies without either beginning or end A Trinitie yet but one onlie and verie God omnipotent the onlie beginning of al things maker of al creatures both visible and inuisible spiritual and temporal Which by thine almightie power at the beginning didest of nothing make together both creatures spiritual and corporal that is to saie angelical and worldlie and afterward the humane as a middle nature consisting of bodie and spirit I knowe and confesse thee God the Father to be vnbegotten thee God the Sonne to be begotten of the Father thee God the holie Ghost the comforter to be neither made nor begotten With my hart I beleeue vnto righteousnes and with my mouth I confesse vnto saluation this holie and single Trinitie in three coequal consubstantial and coeternal persons to be a Trinitie in Vnitie and an Vnitie in Trinitie I knowe thee Iesus Christ our Lord to be a true God the onelie begotten Sonne of God and the Creator Sauior and redeemer not of
more certaine than death yet woteth not man when he shal depart and then takes he a fal and leeseth his hope when in his owne iudgement he stoode ful sure For man cannot tel either when or where or how he shal die yet is it appointed that he shal die Now see Lord how great is mans wretchednes wherein I am yet feare not how much the miserie that I endure and yet neither am trobled therat nor dooe crie vnto thee But Lorde I wil crie vnto thee before I passe away if happilie I may abide in thee not passe awaie I wil tel then I wil tel my miserie yea I wil confesse my vilenes before thee and not be ashamed O my fortitude by whome I am vpholden helpe me assist me ô my strength by whom I am sustained Come light through which I se appere glorie through which I reioice and life wherein I shal liue manifest thy selfe ô Lord my God Chap. 3. Of Gods wonderful light O Light which Tobit sawe when though blinde he taught his sonne the waie of life O light which Izhak sawe inwardlie when though outwardlie blind he tolde his sonne what was to come O light I saie inuisible to which al y e depth of mans hart is visible O light which Iacob saw when according to thine inward instruction he foretolde what outwardlie should happen to his sonnes Beholde darknes is vpon the face of the deepe of my mind y ◠art light Lo a mistie dimnes is vpon the waters of mine hart but thou art the truth O word by whome al things were made without which nothing was made O worde which art before al things before which was nothing O word creating al things without which al things are nothīg O word gouerning al things without which al thinges are naught woorth O word which in the beginning didst saie Let there be light and there was light say likewise to me Let there be light and light shalbe made and I shal see light and discerne al that is not light For without thee I put darknes for light and light for darknes And so without thee there is present for truth error for wisdome foolishnes confusion ignorance for knowledge for sight blindnes by-pathes for the right waie for life death Chap. 4. The frailtie of mans nature BEholde my Lorde because there is no life there is death naie rather there is no death because death is nothing For thereby wee come vnto naught while we dread not to make our selues naught through sinne And y t deseruedlie ô Lord. For when we come to naught like the running water we are recompenced according to our works because without thee nothing was done and we by dooing nothing are made nothing For without thee by whome al things are made and without whome nothing was made ô Lord y ◠word ô God the word by whome al things were made without which was made nothing that was made we are nothing Wo is mee wretch so often blinded because thou art the light and I am not with thee Woe is mee wretch so often wounded because thou art saluation I am not with thee Wo is me wretch so often infatuated because thou art the truth and I am not with thee Wo is mee wretch so often wandering because thou art y e waie and I am not with thee Wo is me wretch so oftē dead because thou art life I am not with thee wo is me wretch so often brought to nothing because thou art the worde by which al things were made yet I am not with thee without whom nothing was made O Lord the word ô God the word who art the light by whome light was made who art the waie the truth and the life in whom there is neither darknes error vanitie nor death The light without which al is darknes the waie without which all is but by-pathes the truth without which al is but falshoode the life without which euery thing is death Speake the worde Lord let there be light that I may see the light and shun darknes see the waie shun by-paths see the truth and shun falshood see life and shun death Inlighten me ô Lord my light my glorie my saluation whome I wil feare my Lord whom I wil praise my God whō I wil worship my Father whome I wil honor my spouse for whom I wil keepe my selfe Inlighten ô light inlighten me poore soule sitting in darknes in the shadow of death direct my feete into the way of peace y ◠I may enter therby into the place of thy glorious tabernacle euē to the house of God with the voice of ioie thanksgiuing For true confession is the verie way whereby I may come vnto thee the way by which I may come out of by-pathes and go againe vnto thee the waie For thou art the true waie vnto life Chap. 5. VVhat is ment by becomming nothing I Wil confesse therfore ô Father LORD of Heauen and Earth vnto thee wil I cōfesse my wickednes that so I may attaine vnto thy mercie I became wretched and was broght vnto nothing yet knew I not so much for thou art the truth and I was not with thee Mine iniquities did wound me yet was I not trobled for thou art the life and I was not with thee They brought mee vnto nothing for thou art the word I was not with thee by whom al things were made without whome nothing was made And therefore being without thee I became nothing For it is nothing which bringeth vnto nothing By the worde al things were made whatsoeuer was made after what forme soeuer they were made And God saw al that he had made lo it was exceeding good Al things y t were made were made by the worde then whatsoeuer things were made by the worde are exceeding good Wherefore be they good Because al things were made by the word and without it was made nothing y t was made For nothing is good without the souereigne good But wheras good is not there is euil which indeede is nothing because euil is nought else but the want of good euen as blindnes is naught else but the want of sight Euil then is nothing because it was made without the word without which nothing was made And that is euil which is depriued of that good wherby al thinges that are were made But those things which be not are not made by him And therefore they are nothing Then whatsoeuer was not made are euil Because al things that were made were made by the worde And al which were
made by the word were exceeding good wherefore forsomuch as al thinges were made by the worde euil things were not made by it So it remaneth that whatsoeuer things were not made are not good for al things are good which were made Therefore the thinges not made are euil and so consequentlie nothing Because without the word nothing was made Euil then is nothing because it was not made But how is euil if it was not made Because euil is a priuation of that which good is thorough which good was made Then to be without the worde is euil which is to be as nothing For besides it is nothing But what is it to be separated from the worde If thou wouldest knowe that listen what is ment by the word The word of God saith I am the waie the truth and the life Therefore to be separated from the worde is to be without the waie without the truth without life and so nothing without him and so euil because it is without the worde by whome al things were made and they were excellentlie good Againe to be separated from the worde by which al thinges were made is nothing else but to vndo and of something to become nothing For without him it is nothing As often therfore as thou declinest from that which good is thou separatest thy selfe from the word For that is good And so thou art made nothing because thou art without y e word without the which was made nothing that was made Now then ô Lord my light thou hast inlightened mee that I may see thee I haue sene and knowen that as often as I am separated from thee so oft I become nothing Because I forgat goodnes which thou art and therefore am made euil Wo worth me wretch that I neuer marked how I became nothing when I forsooke thee But what needes this cōplaint If I was nothing I needed not to knowe We knowe that euil is nothing and that is not which is nothing and that which is not good is not because it is nothing If therefore I was nothing when I was without thee I was but as nothing euen like an Idol which is nothing hauing eares and heareth not a nose and smelleth not eies and seeth not a mouth and speaketh not handes and feeleth not feete and walketh not al the proportion of members and yet liueth not Chap. 6. How the soule offendeth through sinne SO then as long as I was without thee I was naught but verie nothing and therefore blinde I was deafe I was and without sense For I neither knew what good was nor shunned that euil was nor perceaued my wounds when I was hurt nor saw the darknes which I was in Because I was without thee the verie light which lightneth euerie man that commeth into the world Alack therefore they wounded me yet I sorowed not they haled me yet I perceaued not for that I was not because I was without life which is the worde by whome al thinges were made And therefore ô Lorde my light mine enimies did with me euen what they would they struck me they striped me they polluted me they corrupted me they wounded mee yea they killed me because I forsooke thee and so became nothing without thee Alacke ô Lorde my life by whom I was made my light wherby I am directed haue mercie vpon me ô defender of my life and raise mee vp againe ô Lord my God my hope my strength my rock and my comfort in the daie of my troble Consider mine aduersaries and deliuer me let them which hate me flie awaie from my presence and through thee let me liue in thee For they haue watched me seing me without thee haue despised me They parted among themselues the garments of virtue wherewithal thou hadst clothed me they made a waie through me they troade me vnder their feete they defiled thine holie temple with the dregs of wickednes they left me desolate pining awaie through sorow I folowed after blind and naked and shackled with the cordes of wickednes They dragged mee after them in their circuite frō vice to vice and from mire to mire and so went I ful weakely God knowes before the face of him that pursued me Bond I was yet liked I slauerie blinde and desired blindenes bound and did not abhor the shackles I thought soure sweet and sweet to be soure Miserable I was yet knewe I not so much because I was without the worde without which nothing was made through which al thinges are maintained without which al thinges are brought to nothing For as al thinges by it were made without it was made nothing so by it are al thinges maintained whatsoeuer is either in heauen or in the earth in the sea or in any deep place Neither can anie part sticke to other either in a stone or in any other thing created did not the word by which al things were made maintaine it Wherefore ô worde I wil cleaue to thee that thou maist saue me For when I forsooke thee I had perished hadst not thou which didst make mee renued me againe I sinned thou didst visit me I fel thou didst erect me I was ignorant thou didst teach me I was blind thou didst lighten me Chap. 7. Of Gods manifold benefites conferred vpon man O My God showe mee how much I wretch am bound to loue thee how much I am bounde to praise thee how much I am bounde to please thee Thunder ô Lord with a great and mightie voice from aboue into the inwarde care of mine hart Teach me and saue me so wil I praise thee for creating me when I was nothing for lightning mee when I was in darknes when I was dead for reuiuing me for cherishing me euen from my youth with al good things Thou dost nourish me vnprofitable worme stinking in wickednes euen with al thy most excellent benefites Open to me ô key of Dauid which dost open and no man shutteth against him to whom thou openest and doest shut and no man openeth to him against whome thou shuttest Open to mee the doore of thy countenance that I may enter and beholde and knowe and praise thee with al mine hart For great is thy mercie toward me and thou hast deliuered my soule frō the lowest graue O Lord our God how excellent is thy name in al y e world What is man that thou art mindful of him and the sonne of man that thou visitest him O Lord the hope of the godlie and the tower of their strength ô God the life of my soule by which I liue without which I die ô light of mine eies by which I see without which I am blinde ô the ioie
◠waies of the sonnes of men from the time of their birth euen til the daie of their burial that thou maist render vnto eueric man according to his workes either good or euil Shew to me that I maie confesse my wretchednes to thee For I said that I was rich and had neede of nothing knew not how that I was wretched and miserable and poore and blind and naked I supposed my selfe should be somewhat when in deede I was nothing I professed my selfe wise and I became a foole I thought I was prudent and I was deceiued For now I see it is thy gift without whome we can do nothing Because if thou Lord keepe not the Citie in vaine doth he watch that keepes the same Thus hast thou taught me that I might know my selfe For thou hast forsaken me and tried me not for thy owne sake that thou mightest know me but for my sake that I might know thee For as I said I thought Lord I should haue bin somewhat of my selfe I thought I had had sufficiencie of my selfe and perceaued not how it is thou Lord which rulest me vntil thou wentest 〈◊〉 fro me for a space I tooke a fal Then did I see and perceaue how it was thou which ruled me and how I fel of my self and rose againe through thy grace O light thou hast opened mine eies and raised me vp lightned me Now therefore I see that mans life vpon earth is but a tentation and that no flesh can glorie in thy sight nor be iustified For al goodnes be it little or much is thy gift and we haue nothing of our selues but euil Whereof then maie al flesh glorie of wickednes but that is no glorie but miserie May it glorie of anie good then and of anothers goodnes O Lord goodnes is thine and thine is the glorie For he who seeks of thy goodnes his owne and not thy glorie 〈◊〉 a verie theefe and robber like the diuel himselfe who would haue robbed thee of thy glorie For whosoeuer would haue praise of that good thing which is thine and seeketh not therein thy glorie but his owne yea although he get praise of men for thy gift yet is he dispraised of thee Because of thy gift he sought his glorie not thine And he who is praised of men and dispraised of thee neither can be defended by men when thou shalt iudge nor be deliuered when thou shalt condemne But ô Lord who hast formed me from the wombe of my mother suffer me not to fal into that reproch and neuer let it be cast in my teeth that I wold haue stolen awaie thy glorie Al glorie be ascribed vnto thee from whome al goodnes doth proceede but vnto vs open shame and miserie to whom al euil doth belong vnles thou take mercie For thou shewest mercie ô Lord thou shewest mercie ouer al and hatest nothing which thou hast made thou giuest vs of thy good things and makest vs rich ô Lod God with thy most excelēt benefits For thou louest the poore makest them rich euen with thine owne riches O Lord behold now we are thy poore children and thy little slocke open to vs thy gates that the poore may eate and be satisfied so they which seeke thee wil praise thee For I know Lord and confesse through thine instruction that they alone shal be enriched who know themselues to be poore and acknowledge their pouertie before thee For such as thinke themselnes rich when they are poore shal be barred from the participation of thy riches Wherefore ô Lord my God vnto thee do I confesse my pouertie that al the glorie may be thine inasmuch as the good which I haue done is thine I confesse ô Lord as thou hast taught me I am nothing else but altogither vanitie a shadow of death a darke dungeon and a barren and emptie ground bringing foorth nothing without thou blesse me and bearing no fruite but confusion sinne and damnation If I had any goodnes I receiued it of thee if I haue anie at this time it is thine or I haue it from thee When I stood I stood through thee but when I fel I fel through my selfe and alwaies I had stuck in the mire if thou haddest not plucked me out I had alwaies bin blind if y u haddest not lightned me When I fel I had not risen againe vnles thou haddest reached foorth thine hand Yea and when thou haddest erected me I had falen by and by if thou hadest not held me vp And oftentimes I had perished haddest thou not gouerned me Thus euermore Lord euermore thy grace mercie hath preuented me deliuering me from al euil sauing me from those past raising mee from these present and arming me against miseries to come in like sort cutting awaie y e snares of sinne before me and remouing al occasions and causes of offence For vnlesse thou haddest done so I had committed al the sinnes of the world For I am persuaded ô Lord there hath no sinne bin committed afore time by man but another may do the same if his Creator leaue him by whome he was made a man But that I did not so thou hast brought it to passe that I absteined thou diddest commaund and that I beleeued it was of thy grace poured vpon me For thou Lord diddest guide me both for me and thy selfe and thou hast giuen me grace and vnderstanding to absteine both from adulterie and other wickednes Chap. 16. Of the Diuel and of his manifold tentations THERE wanted a temptor but thou wert the cause y t he was absent there wanted place and time and that they should bee lacking thou didest worke There wanted neither temptor nor place nor time but thou heldest me backe that I should not consent The temptor came foule and ouglie as he is but thou didst comfort me that I might despise him The temptor came armed and strong but thou didest both encourage me and bridle him that he could not ouercome The temptor came like an Angel of light but that he might not deceaue me thou didest take him vp that I might know him thou didest open mine eies For he is that great and red Dracon the old Serpent called the Diuel and Satan hauing seauen heads and ten hornes whom thou hast created to plaie in this great and wide sea wherein are things creeping innumerable both smal beastes and great that is diuers kinds of Diuels which doe nothing neither daie nor night but range vp downe seeking whome they may deuoure if thou preserue not For he is that old Dracon which sprang vp in the paradise of pleasure drawing with his taile the third part of
mercie that we doe loue thee This Lord is thy gift whose euerie good gift is Thou commandest that wee shoulde loue thee grant which thou commandest and command what thou wilt Chap. 19. Of the feruencie of loue or charitie O Lord my God I doe loue thee and alwaies more and more I desire too loue thee For thou art in deede sweeter than anie honie more nutritiue than anie milke and brighter than y e cleerest light And therefore thou art deerer to mee than either gold or siluer or pretious stone For I despise whatsoeuer I did in the world in respect of thy sweetenes and the glorie of thine house which I haue loued O fire which alwaies burnest and neuer goest out ô loue which alwaies art inflamed and neuer coolest set me on fire Let me wholie be inflamed of thee that I may loue thee wholie For he loueth thee too little who loues anie thing beside thee except he loue it for thy sake O Lord let me loue thee because thou first didest loue me Where shal I get wordes to expresse the signes of thy singular great loue toward mee through thine infinite benefites wherewith from the beginning thou hast nourished me Namelie besides the benefite of creation when at the beginning thou madest me of nothing after thine own image in magnifieng and exalting me aboue al those creatures which thou hadest made and making me glorious with the light of thy countenance wherwithal thou hast sealed the vppermost seate of mine hart thereby disseuering mee both from insensible thinges and also from brute beastes which haue sense and abasing mee but little beneath Angels Yet was al this too little before the sight of thy Godhead For without cessing thou hast fed me with dailie and singular and most ample benefites yea as if I were thy deere and weake and tender child thou hast nourished refreshed me with the teates of thy comfort And that I might wholie serue thee thou hast put al things which thou hast made vnder my subiection Chap. 20. That God hath made al things to serue for mans vse THou hast made al things to serue man that man alone might serue thee altogither And that man might be wholie thine thou hast giuen him dominion ouer al thy workes For al outward things thou hast created for the bodie and the bodie for the soule and the soule for thy selfe that man might onelie serue thee and loue thee onlie enioieng both thee to his solace and inferior things for his seruice For nothing vnder the coape of heauen is for worthines comparable to the soule of man which was created for the chiefest good on high by enioieng whereof it might become blessed to which if it cleaue ouerpassing al earthlie things which are transitorie it cleerelie shal behold the face of that eternal immortalitie and the glorious maiestie of him whose image it doth represent Then shal it in the house of the Lord enioie those excellent good things in comparison whereof al outwarde thinges which we now see are as nothing For they are those things which eie hath not seene eare hath not heard neither came into mans har◠which God hath prepared for such as loue him O Lord such things wilt thou giue vnto y e soule of man And heereby Lord which louest the soules thou daie by daie doest reioice the soules of thy seruants But why maruel I at these things ô Lord my God For thou bringest vnto honor thine owne image and similitude according to which they were created For to our bodie though corruptible vile that it might see thou hast giuen the cleerenes of the skie by the hands of thine vntired seruants y e Sunne and Moone which continualie daie and night by thine apointment doe seruice to thy children that it might breath thou hast giuen the pure aër varietie of soundes that it might heare sweete odors that it might smel qualities of sauors that is might taste grosenes of al bodilie things that it might feele to serue his vse thou hast giuen him the beastes of the field and soules of the aër and fishes of the sea and fruite of the earth to refresh him Thou hast created medicines of the earth for al diseases and hast prepared for euerie seueral euil a seueral comfort For thou Lord art a pitiful God and a merciful thou our maker knowest whereof we are made and how we are but as claie in thine hand Chap. 21. That by the consideration of Gods temporal benefites wee may gather the greatnes of his heauenlie blessings O Lord reueale thy great mercie towarde mee shine vpon me yet more and more with thy light I beseech thee that more and more I may perceiue the same For thy great things by these smalest things and thine inuisible things by these visible creatures are seene ô God holie and good our Lord and maker For if thou prouidest both from heauen from the aër from the earth from the sea from light from darkenes from heate from shade from deaw from raine windes showres birdes fiishes beasts trees and from the diuersitie of herbes and fruite of the earth and from the seruice of al thy creatures which serue for mans vse in their due season to comfort him withal If I saie thou prouidest so ample and so infinite benefites for this vile and corruptible bodie ô Lord I beseech thee how excellent how innumerable shal those good things be which thou hast prepared for those which loue thee in that heauenlie countrie where wee shal see thee face to face If thou dost so for vs in prison what wilt thou doe in thy palace Great and without number doubtles be thy workes ô Lord King of Heauen For sith al these things are exceedinglie good delightful which thou impartest as wel on the euil as vpon the good what shal those hereafter bee which are laid vp onelie for the good If thy giftes are so infinite and diuers which in this world thou giuest to thine enimies as wel as to thy friends how great and how infinite how sweete and howe comfortable shal those blessings be which thou wilt impart onelie vpon thy friends If we haue so much delectation in this time of teares what ioie wilt thou bring vs on the daie of our mariage If our prison haue such pleasure how vnspeakeable shal the happines of our countrie be O God none eie without thee hath seene the things which thou hast prepared for them that loue thee for according to the great number of thy mightie workes thy goodnes is great which thou hast laid vp for them which feare thee For great art thou ô Lord my God and incomprehensible neither is there ende of thy
greatnes nor number of thy wisedome nor measure of thy benignitie neither is there end nor number nor measure of thy blessings For as thou art great thy selfe so is thy liberalitie great because thou art the reward and the blessing which they shal haue that fight as they ought to doe Chap. 22. That godlie ioy taketh awaie al present bitternes of the world O Lord God sanctifier of al thy Saints these ar thy great benefits wherwithal thou hast supplied the want of thine hungrie children For thou art the hope of the hopeles the ioie of the comfortles the glorious crowne of hope prepared for such as ouercome Thou art the euerlasting fulnes which shal be giuen to the hungrie Thou art the endlesse comfort which rewardest them that contemne the comfort of this world for thy perpetual comfort For they who in this world receiue comfort find no comfort in the world to come But such as are tormented here be there comforted And suth as suffer with thee doe raigne with thee For no man can haue pleasure in both worlds neither can a man reioice heere and heereafter too but of necessitie he must forgo the one which would haue the other When I consider these things ô Lord my comforter my soule refuseth comfort in this life that it may be meete for thine endles comfort For reason it is that hee should forgo thee whosoeuer chooseth the comfort of anie before thee Wherefore ô soueraigne truth I beseech thee suffer me not to delight in anie vaine pleasure But my request is that al other things may waxe bitter to mee and thou alone seeme sweete to my soule because thou art the vnspeabable sweetnes by whom al sowre things are made sweete For thy sweetenes made the verie stones of the riuer sweete to Stephen Thy sweetenes made the burning greediron sweete vnto Laurence Through thy sweetenes the Apostles departed from the Counsel reioicing that they were counted worthie to suffer rebuke for thy Name Andrew went quietlie and ioifulie to the crosse because he hastened vnto thy sweetnes The princes of thine Apostles were so filled with this sweetenes that for desire thereof one choase the galowes for his death and the other cheerfulie offered his head to bee strooke off with a sword For to buie the same Bartholomow gaue his own skin And to taste this in like sort Iohn without shrinking backe souped off a cup of poison As soone as Peter had tasted heereof by and by forgetting al earthlie things he brake out as if hee had bin dronke into these words Maister it is good for vs to be heere if thou wilt let vs make heere three tabernacles heere let vs abide stil and enioie thy contemplation for wee lacke nothing now It sufficeth vs Lord that we see thee It sufficeth vs to be satisfied with so vnspeakeable sweetnes He had tasted but one drop of sweetenes and lothed forthwith al other sweetenes What thinke yee he would haue said had he tasted that great sweetnes of thy Godhead which thou hast laid vp for such as feare thee That virgin also whome we reade went as ioiefulie vnto prison as to a banquet had tasted this thine vnspeakeable sweetnes This also as I iudge he had tasted who said How great is thy goodnes which thou hast laid vp for them that feare thee and who admonished saieng Taste yee and see how gratious the Lord is For this is the happines ô Lord our God which wee trust thou wilt giue vs for which cōtinualie we fight vnder thy baner for which we are killed al the daie long that to thee we may liue in thy life Chap. 23. That al our trust and al the desire of our carke should be cast vpon God O Thou Lord y e hope of Israël the verie thing in hart I dailie do desire make haste and tarie not Arise hasten and come awaie that thou maiest bring vs out of this prison to praise thy name to reioice in thy light Listen ô Lord to the crie of the teares of thy poore orphanes that crie vnto theee ô our father giue vs this daie our dailie bread in the strength whereof wee may walke night and daie and minister the same vntil wee shal approch vnto thine holie mountaine And I the smalest among y e little ones of thy familie whē shal I come and appere before thy presence ô God my father and my strength that I who praise thee now for a time may heereafter praise thee eternalie O blessed should I be were I once admitted to behold thy brightnes who can shew me such fauor that thou maist permit me to come therevnto I know Lord I know and acknowledge that I am vnworthie to enter vnder thy roofe yet for the honor of thy name destroie not thy seruant which putteth his trust in thee And who shal enter into thy sanctuarie to consider thy power vnles thou open vnto him And who can open if thou shut against him for if thou destroy no man can build againe And if thou shut man vp none can loase him out If thou with-hold y e waters al things wil drie vp and if thou send them foorth they wil destroie the earth If thou bring to nothing al which thou hast made who dare control thee for the same Moreouer the goodnes of thy mercie whereby thou didest al whatsoeuer thou wouldest is euerlasting O maker of the world thou hast made vs therefore gouerne vs we beseech thee Thou hast created vs then despise vs not because we are the worke of thine hands For doubtles ô Lord our God we silie wormes clay are vnable to enter into the house of thine eternitie vnles thou who of nothing hast created al things do guide vs in Chap. 24. That our saluation commeth from God ANd I the worke of thine hands protest vnto thee in thy feare that I wil not trust in my bowe and that not my sword but thy right hand and thine arme and the light of thy countenance shal saue mee Without which I should despaire But thou who hast made me art mine hope for thou forsakest not them which trust in thee For thou our Lord God art gratious long suffering and gouernest al things by mercie For although we sinne yet are we thine if we sinne not we are thine for we are in thy compt For wee al the sort of vs are but a leafe and al men liuing are but vanitie And our life vpon earth is but a blast Be not angrie with vs thine Orphanes though wee fal for thou knowest whereof wee be made ô Lord our God O God whose power none can
resist wilt thou shew thy strength against a leafe which is caried away with the winde and wilt thou folow after drie stuble wilt thou ô eternal king of Israël wilt thou condemne a dead dog wilt thou condemne a poore flea Lord we haue heard of thy mercy how thou hast not made death nor hast pleasure in the destruction of the liuing For which cause we beseech thee ô Lord suffer not that which thou hast not made to haue dominion ouer that creature which thou hast made For if thou art sorie for our damnation what doth let thee ô Lord which canst do al things that thou maist not alwaies reioice for our saluation If thou wilt thou canst saue me but I though I would cannot Great is the multitude of the miseries which I am in For to wil is present with mee but I find no meanes to performe that which is good Wil that good is I cannot vnles thou wilt neither can I do that I would except thine arme do strengthen me Againe sometime I would that I can should not thy wil be done in earth as it is in heauen Yet know I not either what I can or would vnles thy wisedome lighten mee And though I should haue wil somtime power with my knowledge yet were my wisedome vaine and vnperfect vnles I were assisted by thy true wisedome But al things are at thy pleasure neither can anie resist thy wil ô Lord God of al flesh which dost whatsoeuer thou wilt both in Heauen and in Earth in the Sea in al deepe places Wherefore let thy wil bee done of vs who cal vpon thy name least this noble workemanship of thine doe perish which thou hast created for thine owne glorie And what man liueth and shal not see death shal he deliuer his soule from the hand of the graue without thou deliuer him which art the liuelie waie of al life by whome al things doe liue Chap. 25. That mans wil is vnapt vnto al good workes without the grace of God FOr I confessed euen now how thou art the staie of my life ô Lord my God the strength of my saluation The time was when I trusted in mine owne strength which notwithstanding was no strength And so when I would haue runne where I thought I stood most sure there I tooke the greatest fal and came backward not forward And what I thought to atteine went the farther fro me Thus triest thou my strength by manie such things Now I know thou hast inlightned me for what I thought I could best doe I found I was least able for to do it of my self For I said this I wil do and that I wil bring to passe but in the end I could neither do the one nor the other Either I had wil and lacked power or had power lacked wil for I trusted to mine owne strength But now I confesse to thee ô Lord my God father of heauen and of earth that in his owne strength no man shal be strong because the vaine presumption of no flesh shal glorie in thy sight For it is not in man either to wil that he can do or to do that he would or to know what he would or can do But thou Lord it is which directest the steps of man of that man I say which confesseth that he is directed of thee not of himselfe Wherefore by the bowels of thy mercie we beseech thee saue Lord what thou hast created for if thou wilt thou canst saue vs and in thy wil resteth the strength of our saluation Chap. 26. The benefits which God hath done for vs of old O Lord remember thy mercie of old wherewithal thou hast preuented vs from the beginning by thy comfortable blessings For before I the sonne of thine handmaid was borne ô Lord mine hope euen fro my mothers breasts thou didest preuent mee preparing a way wherein I should walke and come vnto y e glory of thy house Thou knewest mee before thou didest shape me in the belie and before I came out of the wombe thou didest preordeine of me whatsoeuer pleased thee What and how much is written concerning mee in thy booke lieng in the secret place of thy consistorie I am vtterlie ignorant and therefore stand mightilie in feare but thou knowest For whatsoeuer I doe looke for by succession of daies times a thousand yeres hence in this transitorie world is alreadie accomplished in the sight of thine eternitie and that which shal be is alreadie done Now then forsomuch as I stand in this darke night ignorant of these thinges feare and trembling are come vpon me while I see manie dangers hang ouer mine head from al sides manie enimies to hunt after my soule an innumerable multitude of miseries to beset mee round about in this mortal life So that wert not thou present to assist me in these euils I shuld vtterlie despaire But I haue a great confidence in thee ô most gratious Prince my God and the consideration of the multitude of thy compassions doth comfort mine hart And the former signes of thy goodnes which before I was borne preuented me and at this time cheeflie doe shine vpon me doe assure mine hart of better and more perfect blessings to come which thou reseruest for such as loue thee so that I may reioice in thee ô Lord my GOD mine holie liuelie ioie wherby my youth is comforted Chap. 27. Of Angels appointed for the custodie of men FOr thou didest loue me entirelie ô my loue before I loued thee thou diddest create mee after thine owne image and aduance me aboue al thy creatures Which dignitie I shal then keepe when I knowe thee for whome thou hast made me Besides thou makest thy spirits messengers for my sake to whome thou hast giuen charge ouer me to keepe me in al my waies that I hurt not my foote against a stone For these are the watchmen ouer the wals of the citie new Ierusalem of the mountaines about the same which tend and keepe watch ouer thy flocke least he as a Lion make a praie of our soules while there is none to deliuer he I meane that old serpent our aduersarie the diuel who as a roaring Lion walketh about seeking whome he may deuour They are the citizens of the blessed citic Ierusalem on high aboue which is the mother of vs al sent foorth to minister for their sakes who shal be heires of saluation that they may deliuer such from their enimies and keepe them in al their waies For they loue their fellowe citizens by whome they looke to haue the breach of their destruction repared And therefore with great care and watchfulnes they doe stand about vs at al
him not yet sought he me out I called him not but he called me What was he Euen thou it was ô Lord my God pitiful and merciful euen thou Father of mercies and God of al comfort Euen thou it was my Lord GOD most holie whom I confesse with al mine hart praising thy Name I sought not thee yet thou soughtest me I called not vpon thee but thou calledst mee For thou hast called mee by thine owne Name With a mightie voice thou hast thundred from aboue into the inward eare of mine hart saieng Let there be light and light was made insomuch as y e great cloude vanished awaie and the darke mist which had couered mine eies melted whereby I sawe thy light and knewe thy voice and said Of a truth Lord thou art my God which brought me out of darknes and from the shadow of death and hast called me into thy woonderful light so that now I see thanks to thee mine inlightener therefore And I looked backe and saw the darknes wherein I had ben and the darke dungeon wherein I had lien wherat I trembled was afraide and vttered these words Wo wo worth the darkenes wherein I laie wo wo to that blindnes in which I could not see the light of heauen wo I saie wo to mine old ignorance when I knew not thee ô Lord. I thanke thee ô mine inlightener ô my Sauior I thanke thee for inlightening me wherby I knowe thee Late it was ere I knew thee ô ancient truth late it was ere I knewe thee ô eternal truth Thou wert in the light and I was in darknes I knewe thee not because I could not be inlightened but by thee and without thee there is no light Chap. 34. A consideration of Gods Maiestie O God most holie of inestimable maiestie God of gods Lord of lords who art most wonderful and canst neither bee conceaued in thought nor expressed by word of whome al the Angels in heauen do stand in feare whom al the dominations and thrones do adore at whose presence al powers doe shake whose might and wisdome is infinite which vpon nothing hast laid the foundation of the earth gathered the waters of the sea together in the aër as in a botle O Lord most mightie most holy most puissant God of al flesh at whose presence heauen and earth do flie and at whose becke al the elements do obeie let al thy creatures worship and praise thee And I the son of thine handmaid through thy faith doe bow the neck of mine hart vnder the feete of thy maiestie yeelding thee most humble thankes for vouchsafing of thy mercie to inlighten me ô true light ô holie light ô wonderful light which inlightenest not onelie euerie man that cometh into this world but also the eies of the Angels in heauen Lo I see now thanks to thee Lo I see the light of heauen the lightsome beames of thy countenance do now shine vpon the eies of my mind and comfort al my bones Oh that it were fullie made perfect within me O Father of light increase it increase I praie thee that light which shineth vpon me inlarge it yea do thou inlarge the same I beseech thee What is this I feele what fire is this which warmeth mine hart what light is it which spreadeth out such glorious beames vpon my mind O fire which alwaie burnest and art neuer quenched set me on fire O light which alwaie shinest and art neuer dimmed inlighten me Would to God I were inflamed by thee O sacred fire how sweetelie dost thou burne how secretlie dost thou shine how desirous be they stil to burne whom thou inflamest Wo to them whom thou dost not inflame And wo to them whom thou dost not inlighten ô true light lightening the whole world with thy light Wo to the blind eies that behold not thee the Sunne which giuest light both to heauen and earth wo to the dazeling eies which cannot see thee wo to the eies which turne aside and will not see the veritie and wo to those eies which wil not turne aside from regarding vanitie For the eies that are vsed to the darknes cannot looke directlie vpon the beames of the most glorious truth neither can they iudge of the light whose dwelling is in darknes For they see nothing but darknes they loue and allow of darkenes and going from darkenes to darkenes they know not where they fal Miserable are they which forgo they wot not what but more miserable are they which know what they loose which fal with open eies go downe quick into the pit of hel O most happie light whome none see but they which haue pure eies blessed are the pure of hart for they shal see God O purging vertue purge me heale the sight of mine eies that with a sounde sight I may behold thee whom none but such as haue pure eies can behold I beseech thee ô light vnapprochable take awaie by thy glorious beames y e scales which a long time haue dimmed the sight of mine eies that stedfastly I may behold thee and see light in thy light Thanks to thee ô my light lo I see now O Lord I beseech thee enlarge thou my sight open mine eies that I may see the woonders of thy lawe who art terrible out of thy holie places Lo thankes to thee my light I see now yet through a glasse darkelie But when shal I see thee face to face When comes that daie of gladnes and ioie wherein I shall enter into the place of thy woonderful tabernacle euen to the glorie of God that I may see thee face to face and be satisfied in desire Chap. 35. The longing and thirst of the soule after God AS the Hart braieth for the riuers of water so panteth my soule after thee ô God My soule thirsteth after thee God the wel of life when shal I come and appeere before thy presence O fountaine of life ô veine of liuing waters when shal I come vnto that water of thy sweetenes out of a desert wild and watrie land that I may see thy power and thy glorie and quench my thirst through the waters of thy mercie I thirst Lord thou art the wel of life ô fil me I thirst Lord I thirst euen for thee the liuing God Oh when shal I come appeere before thy presence Thinkest thou that I shal see that day I say that day of gladnes and ioie that day which the Lord hath made for vs to reioice and be glad therein O that is a glorious and goodlie day lasting euer neuer at an end wherein I shal heare the voice of ioie and thankesgiuing when I shal heare it said Enter into thy maisters ioie Enter into that