I doe remember holy lorde that good woman Hanna which came to the tabernacle to pray and intreted thee to haue a sonn of whome the Scripture mentioneth that her countenance after teares and prayers was no more diuersly chaunged But I mindfull of so much vertue and so greate constancie am tormented with sorrow and confounded with shame because I beholde my selfe wretch so much abased For if a woman wept so and perseuered in weeping which desired to haue a sonne how much ought my soule to lament and continue in lamentation which seeketh and loueth GOD and loueth to come to him Howe ought such a soul to mourn and lament which seeketh God day and night which besides Christ will loue nothing Surely maruell it is if then the teares of that soule be not made bread for it day and night Looke backe therfore and haue mercy on me because the sorrowes of my heart bee multiplyed Graunt mee thy heauenly comfort and despise not my sinfull soule for which thou dyedst Grant me I beseech thée inwarde teares with al effect which may breake the bonds of my sins and for euer store my soule with heauenly reioysing Another SWeete Christ bountifull Iesu the maruellous deuotion of an other woman also commeth into my minde the which with holy loue sought the liuing in the Sepulcher the which the Disciples going away from the Sepulcher departed not the which sate downe there sad and sorrowfull and wept both long and much and rising with many teares againe and againe shee diligently searched the hollow places of the forsaken sepulchre if happily she might sée thee in any place whom with a feruent desire she looked for Then surely going into the Sepulchre shée had séene it once and againe but too much was not sufficient to her that loued For the vertue of a good worke is perseuerance or constant abyding therein And because before others she loued and in louing wept and in wéeping sought and in seeking perseuered therefore the rather shee first of all others deserued to finde thee to see thee and to speak to thée And not onely for these things but shee was the first tydings bearer to the Disciples of thy glorious resurrection thou instructing and meekely aduertising her saydest Go tel my brethren that they goe into Galilee there they shall see mee If therefore a woman so wept and perseuered in wéeping which sought the liuing amongst the dead which touched thée with the hands of faith how ought the soule to lament and abide in lamentation whâ—ch beleeueth in heart confesseth with mouth thee hiâ— redeemer now ruling in heauen and raigning euery where How therefore ought such a soule to mourne weepe which loueth thee with al heartinesse and coueteth to see thee with all desire Thou alone succour and onely hope of al that are in miserie who neuer is humblie intreated without hope of mercie Giue me this grace for thine owne sake and for thine holy name that how often I thinke of thee I speake of thee I write of thee I reade of thee I conferre of thee how often I remember thee I stand before thee I offer thanks prayers and sacrifice to thee that so often with rising teares in thy sight I may aboundantly méekely wéepe so that my teares bee instead of bread to me day night Verily thou king of glory and master of all vertues hast taught in thy word and example to mourne and wéepe saying Blessed bee they that mourne for they shall be comforted Another AH alas my Lord woe is my soule thou comforter of my soule thou departedst and saidest not so much as farewell Going thy wayes thou blessedst thine neither was I present Thy handes lifted vp thou waft receyued into heauen with a cloud neither did I see it The Angels promised thou wouldest come againe neither did I heare it What shall I say what shall I doe whether shall I goe where shall I séek him or when shal I find him Whom shal I aske who shall tell my deerly beloued that I languish in loue the delight of my heart ceaseth my laughing is turned into heauinesse my flesh and my heart fainteth O God of my heart and my portion thou God for euer My soule refuseth to bee comforted but of thée my delight for what haue I in heauen besides thée what would I vpon the earth I wish for thée I hope for thée I seeke thee my heart hath saide to thée I haue sought thy face I will seeke after thy face O lord turn not thy face away from me O most gracious louer of men the poore is left alone to thee thou art an ayder to the Orphan My onely defending aduocate haue mercie on mee desolate Orphan I am become fatherlesse my Soule is as it were a widow Regarde the teares of my lacke and widowhoode which I offer vnto thée vntill thou coÌ„mest again Ah now my Lord alas Appeare vnto me and I shall be comforted Let me beholde thy presence and I shall inioy my desire reueale thy glory and my ioy shall be full Remember this note SO often as wee doe well the Angells reioyce and the Diuells are sad So often as wee go out of the way from that which is good wee make the diuels glad and defraude the Angels of theâ—r ioy For there is ioy with them ouer one sinner which hartely repenteth Grace before Dinner ALmighty GOD whose prouidence reacheth to the vttermost ends of the world and to the depth of the Sea which nourishest all creatures with sustenance agreeable to their natures the fish the foule the foure-footed beast and the creeping worme we beseech thee that the meate drinke which is set before vs on this table at this present may be so moderately receiued that our bodies therby may be refreshed our senfes comforted through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen Grace after dinner BLessed God eternal thankes and praise bee ascribed vnto thee which hast opened thine hand at this time and made vs partakers of thy benefites and hast supplyed the necessity of our nature with these nourishing elements without the which our life caÌ„not be maintained We beseech thée to kindle in vs a continuall remembrance of thy bountifull goodnes towards vs that as thou neuer withdrawest thy fatherly care from vs so wee may neuer cease to offer vnto thee the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiuing through Iesus Christ our Lord and Sauiour Amen FINIS
sinne for it is saide by the holy Spirite that the soule which sinneth shall die but that Soule which hath done Iudgement and righteousnesse shall liue and not die In such sort is the soule immortall that it cannot die and in such sort mortall that steaÌ„not but die By mortality it is mortall by immortality it is immortall Wherefore to the wretched and accursed death is without death end without ende wearines without wearinesse because death euer liueth and the ende shall euer beginne and wearines shal not know to be weary death shall kill and yet not end life paine shall torment and shall not put away feare and horror the flame shall burne but not driue away darkenes for there shall bee in fire darkenesse in darkenesse horrible feare and in burning vnspeakeable torment Thus the reprobate cast into hell fire shall féele in their punishment sorrow paine and in the extremity of sorrow shall be strooken with feare and shal euer suffer and euer be afraid because euer tormented without ende they shall euer liue without hope of pardon and mercy which is a misery aboue all miseries for after so many thousand of yéeres in number as they haue had haires on their head how many soeuer they were if they should hope to end their paines then yet they should much the better endure them But because they haue no hope nor shall haue they shall faint in dispaire and shall not suffice their torments Of them it is written by Esay the Prophet Their worme shall not die and their fire shall neuer bee put out because neither they shall euer bee consumed The worme shall gnaw their conscience the fire shall burne their flesh and because they haue forsaken their Creator in heart and body they shall be punished both in heart and body when the soule shall be seperated from the blessed life euerlasting the body shall be subiect to euerlasting punishment There shall be feare and heauinesse of heart mourning and sorrow There shall bée the tormentors sitting the worme gnawing the fire consuming sinnes discouered the guilty punished and all this euerlastingly Who soeuer shall come to these torments shall neuer go out againe where they shall sée detestable monsters of diuels and the vgly shapes of them And they shall also sée in the torments of fire their mates and followers which against the commaundements of God they haue loued in vnlawful loue and lust and beholding their distruction it shall afflict them in the increasing of their damnation Such shall not sée God which is the most misery of all miseries for who can expresse what a paine it is not to sée the Creator and framer of al things the redéemer and sauiour of the faithfull the King of heauen and earth the Lord of all by whom we are wée liue and haue knowledge Therefore it behoueth vs on euery side that we circumspectly looke about vs euery where watch that wée commit no euill or doe not those things rightly that wee are commaunded to doe And in those things rightly done that we bee not proud in our thoughts therefore for many through their vertues that way haue fallen headlong into hell CHAP. XIIII Of the euill Angell IT is saide that Satan doth fill the minde of some not entring into them and their senses but intycing and inducing them by guile and iniquity doth by euery malicious meane bring lewde motions and alluring vices into their thoughts But the diuell doth not fill the soule by participation of nature or substance as some thinke as an inhabiter therein but by fraudulent deceite and malice filleth them whome it is saide he dwelleth in for it onely belongeth to the Trinitie to fill the nature and substance which it hath created CHAP. XV. That wee desire and seeke after good things WHosoeuer truely and vnfaynedly be waileth his sins and will feare to commit sinne and will rebuke himselfe in his smallest faults remembring how much hee hath offended in the greatest And although with how great vertue soeuer his minde may bee mighty and with how great constancie it may be in force yet childishly notwithstanding some fleshly toyes will outwardly bewray themselues And except with a certaine manly vehemency they be restrayned they draw the weake minde to all frailties and lightnesse wherin if by long custom it bee inured when it would rise it cannot being pressed downe by the weight of euill vse and custome Therefore as the Apostle sayth who soeuer standeth let him take héed he fall not and if he fall let him with an humble contrite heart very quickly rise againe let there be no deferring Let him bee the â—umâ—ler in his owne conscience the earnester and readier to repentance and the waryer not to offend againe for whosoeuer through the onely desire of heauenly blessednesse hateth these temporall things and loueth nothing of this world and séeketh onely his after euerlasting Country shall bee comforted and sustained with great peace and tranquility of minde How much the clearer doth man sée God when hee findeth himselfe with hâ—m alone For nothing is more present then God and nothing more secret Wée ought to desire therefore a seperation of the minde from the swarme of earthly delights and desires and then driuing out from the inward of the heart the commotions of vnlawfull imaginations thoughts wée should labour with diligence to our heauenly Country for the loue of eternall rest Let vs déepely consider what those companions of Angelles bée what that fellowshipp is of blessed soules What is the Maiestie of the vision of God and how God doth comfort his Saints with the sweete euerlastingnesse thereof For no man in this life can worthyly weygh in his mind how great that felicity is to see God face to face how much sweetnesse to heare that Angelicall melody how much gladnesse to enioy the company of al saints For euery one shall reioyce so much at the blessednesse of the other as at his own vnspeakeable ioy In that glory I bebeholde nothing more willingly I find nothing more delectable to contemplate then the affection of the inward loue wherewith euery one shall loue the other so much as himselfe God more then himselfe and God shall loue theÌ„ more then they shal loue them selues and that in perpetuall ioy There we shall see nothing strange wee shall loue nothing out of order wee shall heare nothing to offende out eares for all things there are agreeing al thinges delightfull all thinges quiet There is all felicity all pleasantnesse all gladnes al things goodly to beholde all beauty all swéetnesse Whatsoeuer is néedfull and whatsoeuer to delight is there as all riches and al daâ—nties all rest and all solace There is continuall tranquility pleasant sayrenesse eternall ioyfulnesse ioyfull and honourable praise and the full knowledge of al good things For what may be wanting there where God is which wanteth nothing How many so euer bee there are as Gods neither it néedeth
Our Father giue vs this day our dayly bread that with the strength thereof wee may walk day and night vntill wee come vnto thy holy mount Horeb And I a little one among the little ones of thy household O God the father and my strength when shall I come appear before thy face that who now acknowledgeth thee for a time I may heere after acknowledge thee for euer Blessed shal I bee if I be admitted to see thy brightnes Who may grant me this that thou licence mee to come to this I know O lord I know and confesse my selfe vnworthy to enter vnder the roofe of thy house but graunt it for thine honour and confound not thy seruant putting his trust in thee The vision of God is lost by reason of sin and miserie found O Lorde thou art my God my Lord and I haue neuer seene thee thou hast made mee and made mee new againe and hast bestowed all thy good things on mee and yet I haue not seene thee neither know thee Finally I am made to see thee and yet I haue not done that for which I am made O miserable condition of man when hee lost that for which he was made O that cursed and hard fall Alas what lost he what hath he foūd what departed and what remained He lost felicitie to which hee was made and found miserie to which he was not made That departed without which nothing is happy that remained which of it selfe is not but miserable Man did then eate the bread of Angels which now he hungreth for and now hee eateth the breade of sorrowe which then hee knew not O thou lord how long wilt thou forget for euer how long turnest thou thy face from vs when wilt thou looke backe and heare vs. When wilt thou lighten our eies and shew thy face vnto vs When wilt thou restore thyselfe vnto vs Regarde O lord heare and enlighten vs and shew thy selfe vnto vs that it may bee well with vs without whom it is so euill with vs. Recreate vs help vs I beseech thee O Lord My hart is become bitter in his desolation make it sweete with thy consolation Being hungrie I haue begun to seeke thee let me not liue vnfed of thee I come poore to the rich a wretch to the pitifull let me not go away emptie and despised O Lord I am bowed downe and crooked that I cannot see but downward reare me that I may look and indeuour my selfe vpward Mine iniquities are gone ouer my heade they haue couered mee and wrapped mee round about and lode mee like an heauy burden Vnwrap me and vnburden me least the pit shut her mouth vpon me Teach me to seeke thee and shew thy selfe to me séeking thee because I can not seeke thee except thou teach mee neither finde thee except thou shew thy selfe to me I may seeke thee in desiring after thee I may desire thee in seeking thée I may find thee in louing thee and I may loue thee in finding thee A reason intreating God to helpe HElpe mee O Lord my life least I should perish in my wickednesse If thou hadst not created mee O Lord. I had not béen but because thou hast created me now I am If thou gouernest mée not yet I am not for my merits my grace compelled thee not that thou shouldest create mee but thy most fauourable goodnesse and thy mercy That loue of thine O lord my loue of thine O Lord my God which compelled thee to creation I beseech thee now that the same may compell thee to gouerne it For what profiteth that thy loue hath compelled thée to create me if I should perish in my miserie and thy right hand should not gouerne me Let the same mercie O Lorde my God compell thee to saue that that is created which compelled thee to create what was not created Let the loue winne thee to saue which wonne thee to create because that loue is not lesse now then it was for thou thy selfe art the same loue who euer art all one Prayers and Meditations much mouing the hart to deuotion diuine loue BLessed bee the pure in heart for they shal see GOD. Blessed bee they which dwell in thy house O Lord they shal praise thee world without end I beseech thee therefore O Lord through all thy mercies by which wee are deliuered from euerlasting death make soft my hard and stonie heart my rockie and yron hart with thy pretious and rich annointing and make mee through the inward touch and griefe of heart for my sinnes to become a liuely Sacrifice before thee at all times Grant mee in thy sighte euer to haue a contrite and an humble heart with aboundance of Teares graunt mee for the loue of thée vtterly to bee dead to this world and through the greatnesse of thy feare and loue quite forgetfull of transitory things so farre forth that concerning worldly things I neither mourne nor reioyce for them neither that I may feare any thing temporall nor loue it neither that I bee corrupted with allurements nor broken with aduersities And because thy loue is as forceable as death I beseech thee that the very whote and sweet force of thy loue may draw vp my minde from all things which are vnder heauen that I may abide fast to the onely memorie of thy sweetnesse Lorde let thy most sweete sauour descend I beseech thee let it descende into my Heart that thy loue most sweete may enter in let the wonderfull and vnspeakeable fragrant sweetinesse of thy sauour come to mee which may reare vp euerlasting desires in me and may bring the veines of the springing water of my heart into eternall life and that at length I may see thee the God of Gods in Sion and that I may dwell in thy house O Lord world without end Amen Another SWeete Christ bountifull Iesu I beseech thée replenish alwaies my heart with thy vnquenchable loue with thy continuall remembrance insomuch that as a burning flame I may wholie burne in the sweetnesse of thy loue the loue the which many waters may neuer quench in me Make mee sweete Lorde to loue thee and for the desire of thée to put off the heauy burden of earthlie concupiscence which fighteth against and grieueth my miserable soule that running without let after thee in the sauour of thy sweete perfumes I may effectually bee satisfied and thou beeing my guide I may deserue to come to the sight of thy beauty Another SWeete Christ bountifull Iesu as I desire and as I humblie pray with all my mind and heart graunt me thy loue holy and chaste which may fill mee may dwell in me and altogither possesse mee And graunt to me an euident signe of thy loue a watering fountaine of teares continually flowing that also those my teares may witnes thy loue in mee that they may bewray and declare how much my soule loueth thee Whilest for the exceeding sweetenesse of thy loue it cannot reframe from teares
any thing of the Virgin See how much the holy man strayned himselfe who shut his eyes least hee should behold vanitie lest by chance vnawares hee should respect that which afterwards inwardly he might desire Afterward and after such sort that the prophet hath entreated of the cleannesse of the heart he beginneth to speake of the reward thereof How glorious and delectable a thing it would bee to see the face of the Lord so long wished for beautifull in fairenesse aboue the Sonnes of men Now not abiect and base not hauing a hope with which his mother cloathed him but arayed with a robe of immortality and Crowned with a diademe with which his father hath crowned him in the day of resurrection and glory the day which the Lord hath made Meditation thinketh that in that vision there shall bee that fulnes of which the prophet speaketh We shall be satisfied when thy glory shall appeare Doe you not percerue how much lie our hath flowed out of a little grape how great a fler is risen out of this sparke and how much this little text is extended in the same Meditation Blessed bee the cleane in heart for they shall see God But how much yet might bee extended or enlarged if any one should come that hath proued such things For I feele that the well is déepe and I in these things vnskilfull I haue scantly sound a vessel in which I might draw vp few things The soule inflamed with these lights sacrificed with these desires the Alablaster box of sweete oyntment broken beginneth to sauor not of tast but as it were of an odoriferous sent Of this the soule doth gather how swéet a thing it is to féele the experience whereof it hath knowne MeditatioÌ„ to be so pleasant But what shall the soule doe it burneth with desire to haue it but it doth not find in it selfe how it may haue it and in how much more it searcheth the more greatly it desireth whilst it setteth before it meditation it setteth before it also sorrow because it vnderstandeth not the sweetnes which Meditation sheweth to be in the cleanesse of heart For it commeth not of reading and meditating to vnderstand this sweetnesse except it bee giuen from aboue for to reade and meditate is as common to the euill as to the good And those Philosophers of the Gentiles by the leading of reason found out in what the châ—efe of true goodnesse consisted But because when they had known God they glorified him not as God but presuming on their â—wne power they sayde bee will magnifie our owne tongues our lipps 〈◊〉 our owne they deserued not to vnderstaÌ„d what they might see They vanished in their owne thoughts and their wisedome is devoured which humane study of discipline had bestowed vpon them not the spirit of wisedome which onely giueth true wisedome which is to say sauory knowledge which when it is in whomsoeuer that inestimable sauor gladdeth and comforteth And of that it is said wisedome doth not enter into a malicious soule For this is of God alone and as God had giuen the office of baptizing to many yet in baptisme he hath retayned to himselfe onely the power and authority of forgiunesse of sins Wher vpon John hath sayde of him distinctly this is hee which baptiseth in the holy Ghost And of him we may say this is he which giueth the tast or sauor of wisedome hee maketh knowledge sauory to the Soule For truely speech is giuen to many Wisedome to a fewe the which the LORD distributeth to whom hée will and how he will The office of Prayer BVt the Soule perceiuing of it selfe that it caÌ„not attaâ—ne to the desired swéetnesse of knowledge experience by how much the more it commeth to the secret heart by so much the more God is exalted it humbleth it selfe vnto prayer saying Lord which art not seene but of cleane hearts I haue searched in reading I haue sought in meâ—itating how true cleannesse of heart may be had that by that meanes I might know thee I did seeke thy face O Lord thy face O Lord did I séeke I haue long meditated in my heart and in my meditation the fier waxed not and my desire more to know thee whilst thou breakest to me the bread of holy scripture and in the breaâ—ing of bread in which then art more knowne And how much more I know thee I long the more to knowe thée not in the barke of the letter but in the séeâ—ng of practice and experience Neither do I humbly aske this O Lord for my merits but for thy mercy Because I confesse I am vnworthy and a sinner but yet the dogs doe eate of the crums that fall from their masters table Giue me O Lord an earnest of the inheritance to come at least one droppe of heauenly raine wherwith I may coole my thirst for I burne with great desire The office of Contemplation WIth these and such burning speeches the soule doth inflame her desire like as shee doth shew her affection With these incantations shee calleth vpon her bridegroome But the Lord whose eyes are vpon the righteous his eares open only vnto their prayers euen those their prayers he tarteth not for vntill they shall end their speech but interrupteth the middle course of their prayer and making speede offereth hâ—mselfe and compassed about with the dew of heauenly sweetnesse meeteth the longing soule and annointed with excellent oyntments refresheth the wearied soule comforteth the hungrie fatneth the poore maketh it forget earthly things quickneth it vnmindfull of it selfe in strengthening it meruailously And as in certaine carnall and fleshely pleasures carnal concuâ—iscence doth so much ouercome that it loseth all the vse of reason So of good right worthyly in this supernal Contemplation carnall fleshly motions are quite consumed and swallowed vp from the soule so that the flesh may contrary or gain say the soul in nothing man become altogether spirituall Signes of the holy Ghost comming to man O LORD how dost thou appeare when thou wilt doe these things and what signe of thy comming Whether are déepe sighes and teares witnesses and messengers of this comfort and gladnesse If it bee so this is a new meaning and an vnusuall signe For what agreement is there of comfort to sighes of gladnesse to teares but yet if these are to bee called teares and not rather the ouerflowing aboundance of the inward dew powred vpon and a signe of an inward washing and an outward clensing Like as in baptisme of Children by the outward washing is signified and figured the inward washing of the soule so here the inward clensing goeth before the outward washing O happy teares by which the inward spotts are purged and by which the burning flames of sinnes are quenched Blessed are you that so mourne for you shal reioyce O soule acknowledge thy Bridegroome with teares imbrace thy long wished for Now bee drunken with the flowing streame of pleasure sucke milke and hony from
part of the heart that out of them wee may diligently consider our state or order of life and study and indeuor to doe their workes whose déeds and writings we couet to reade often Bubow shall wee conceiue these things in minde or how may wee take héede least in meditating on some of them falsly and vainely wee should passe the bounds set downe of the holy Fathers except first we shall be instructed by reading or by hearing for bearing after a certain manner belongeth to reading Whereupon wee were wont to say not only to haue read those books which we read to our selus and others but also those which we haue heard of our Masters Also what profiteth it a man when he may perceiu what may bee done by meditations except he getteth helpe by prayer and Gods grace to obtaine to them Euery good gift and euery perfect gift is from aboue comming from the Father of Lights without whom we can doe nothing It required prayer of the Samaritane woman when he said if thou knewest the gift of God and who it is that sayeth to thée giue me drinke thou wouldest haue asked of him and hée would haue giuen thee water of life The woman hearing this as if she had beene instructed by reading meditating in her heart to bee good and profitable for her to haue this water Therefore inflamed with desire of hauing it turned her selfe to prayer saying Sir giue me of that water that I may not thirst neither come hither to draw Note the hearing of the word of God and the meditation vpon it incited or stirred her vp to prayer For how might she bee carefull and earnest to aske except first meditatioÌ„ had moued her Or what had meditation going before profited her except prayer following did shew what she had requested to attaine to Therefore to the end that meditation bee profitable it behoueth that deuout prayer should follow the effect of which is as it were the swéetnesse of Contemplation Here are declared all these degrees so to bee conioyned that they are inseperable OVt of these we may gather the reading without meditation is barren Meditation without reading is erroneous Prayer without Meditation is nothing earnest Meditation without prayer vnprofitable Prayer with deuoutnesse and obtainer of Contemplation The obtaining of Contemplation without Prayer is very rare or miraculous For God of whose power there is no number or ende and whose mercy is aboue all his workes readeth vp Sonnes to Abraham out of fiue stones whilest or as yet hard and vnwilling hee bringeth them together to assent that they may be willing And so as prodigall as it is a coÌ„mon saying he draweth the Oxe by the horne wheÌ„ not called he putteth in himselfe Which thing and if when wee reade to happen to some men as to Paule and some others yet notwithstanding wee ought not as in a manner of tempting God to take vpon vs diuine things but to doe that which belongeth vnto vs that is to read and to meditate in the law of God To pray to him that he wold helpe our infirmities and consider our imperfections Which hee teacheth vs to doe saying aske and yee shall receiue séeke and yee shall finde knocke and it shall be opened vnto you For now the Kingdome of heauen suffereth violence and the violent taketh it by violence Sée if the properties of the foure degrees aforesaid in their agreeable distinctions can bring to passe how they may agrée together and what euery one of them may effect or accomplish in vs. Blessed is the man whose mind is at leasure from other businesses hee alwayes desireth to be exercised in these foure degrées who althings that he hath being solde buyeth that fielde in which lyeth hid the treasure long wished for Marke yee and consider how swéete the Lord is Who that is exercised in the first degrée héedful circumspect in the 2. deuout in the 3. in the 4. lifted vp aboue himselfe he doth asceÌ„d by these which he hath disposed set in order in his heart froÌ„ vertue to vertue vntill hee may sée the Lord of Lords in Sion Blessed is he to whom it is graÌ„ted to remaine in this highest degrée euen a small time for he may truely say behold I féel the grace and fauor of God behold I contemplate with Peter and Iohn behold with Iacob I am often times delighted with the imbracings of Rachel But let this man beware least after this Contemplation in which hee was lifted vp to heauen hee fall downe by any disordinate occasion into the bottomlesse pitt nor after that visiting ended he bee turned into lasciuious déeds of the world and inticements of the flesh When in truth the weake sight of mans minde cannot long indure the brightnesse of the true light let it descend easily orderly to some one of the thrée degrées by which it had ascended and by course turne now in one now in another it may stay as in consideration of the place and time then is it by so much the nearer to God by how much it is the further from the first steppe or degrée But alas â—he fraile and miserable condition of man beholde wee apparantly sée by the leading of reason and the testimonies of scriptures the perfection of good life to bee contained in these foure degrées And in these spiritual good things mans exercise ought to bee imployed But whois he and we wil praise him To wil is present with many but with a few to performe and would to God wee were of that few Foure Causes which draw vs from these foure degrees BUT there are Foure causes which draw vs often times froÌ„ these foure degrées that is to wit vnauoidable necessity Commodity of honest businesse Humane infirmity and worldly vanity The first excusable the second tolerable the third miserable the fourth culpable For those whom such cause withdraweth from a holy purpose had béene yet better not to know the glory of God then known afterwards to goe backe What excuse shall we haue for sin for iustly can the Lord say what should I haue done for thee and haue not done it Thou wast not and I haue created thée thou hast sinned and madest thy selfe the seruant of the Diuell and I haue redéemed thée thou diddst runne a race of the world with the wicked and I haue chosen thée When I gaue thee grace in my sight would make an abiding with thée thou despisedst me and not onely hast cast behinde thée my wordes but my selfe and hast walked after thine owne concupiscenses But O good God gentle and méeke a swéete friend a wise councellor a strong hâ—lper how vain how rash is he that renounceth thée that putteth back so milde and quiet a guest from his owne heart O vnhappy and dangerous change to put away his Creator and to receiue hurtfull cogitations Yea that secret seate of the holy Ghost the secret of the heart which a litle time before bent and
applyed it selfe to heauenly ioyes so suddenly to bee suppressed with vncleane thoughts and sinnes The stepps of the Bridegroome are but yet fresh in it and now adulterous desires are let in It euill beséemeth and t is a filthy thing the eares which euen now heard the wordes which are not lawfull for man to speake and so soone to bee inclined to heare fables and slanders the eyes which euen now were baptised with holy and deuoute teares so suddenly to be turned to beholde vanities the tongue which euen now swéetly song the wedding song which had reconciled the Bride her bridegroom with eloquent perswasions and now lead her into the tauerne again to bee turned into vaine spéeches to scoffing and scurrillity to forge deceits and to report euill Lord be it far from vs. But if it happen we slide into such falts through humaine infirmity we should not then dispaire but let vs runne backe agine to that milde and mercifull Phisition who taketh the simple out of the dust and lifteth the poore out of the myre and which will not the death of a sinner he will againe cure vs. Let vs pray God therefore that those impediments which wtdraw vs from his Contemplation that for the present he will mitigate them in vs and hereafter vtterly take them from vs. Who bring vs by those foresayd degrées from vertue to vertue vntill wee sée the God of Gods in Sion Where the Elect shall not receiue the swéetnesse of Divine Contemplation droppe after droppe but incessantly replenished with the riuer of pleasure shall haue that ioy which no man shall take from them and peace not subiect to any alteration peace into it selfe Amen THE SINNERS GLASSE CHAP. I. How God gaue the soule to Man IN the beginning God on the sixt day gaue to man and woman reasonable soules such as continually hee breatheth into euery one in their creation My Father sayth Christ worketh euen till now and I also worke The flesh is begotten of the flesh But one soule begets not an other Touching all other liuing creatures it is saide in the first of Genesis Let the waters bring forth c. And let the earth bring forth liuing creatures c. But neither the water nor earth bringeth forth the Soule for God inspireth that into man And man hath not originall sinne by reason of the soule but by the flesh from whence the soule is made guilty of the first fault or original sinne which the flesh draweth or powreth into the soule with which flesh the soule is vnited in person although differing in nature for the acts déedes of the body are of one sort and the actions of the soule of another And yet notwithstanding the vices of the body may charge the soule Because the Soule was giuen to that ende that it should correct the vnlawfull motions of the flesh whether they happen by negligence or ignorance which cannot be excused Like as when the scholler or seruant by the negligence of the teacher or master doth offend the teacher or master cannot bée without blame So no lesse can the soule bée blameles when it ought to gouerne and cause the flesh to obey CHAP. II. A distinction between the spirit and the soule THe Soule and the spirit although they bee two wordes and names it is not to be vnderstoode that they are of seuerall essence or being in a man but are clearely one essence and substance as selfe one of pure nature for in these two words as there is not vnderstood a double substance yet in them there is a difference to be noted by a double force of the same essence or being in a man As thus the spirit is taken as the higher and the soule is taken as the lower or inferior part The soule in that it is a liuely and an euerlasting thing and maintaining life in the body is reckoned as it were the lower part But the spirit in that it is spirituall flyeth vp to the highest and is serued from the Soule that it might be vnited to God because as it is written that cleauing to God is one spirit with him Happy is that diuision of the spirit from the soule and maruailous which beeing lifted vp vnto the Lord is transformed into his Image And thus at that present instant lifting vp of the Spirit the soule which is the inferior part is most quietly in peace and great tranquilitie And the spirit which is the higher and purer part is exalted into excellent glory and reioycing My soule saith the virgine doth magnifie the Lord and my spirit reioyceth in God my Sauiour Men may perceiue being touched by the word of God either in their sorrow and contrition being cast downe by the power of the same word or comforted therby how the soule and spirit are deuided For as the very truth saith the word of God is quicke and of great force more piercing then the two edged sword euen reaching out to the diuision of the soule and the Spirit So that no diuision amongst men is so much to bée marueiled at as when that which is essentially one and indiuideable should be parted in it selfe Now before that this soule and spirit doe leaue our bodies we must consider and vnderstand an other spirit a leaged by the Apostle which is the grace of the holy spirit the which the Apostle doth pray that it may remaine in vs sound and whole because that spirit doth flie from that which is fained and remoueth it selfe from the thoughts which be wtout vnderstanding Therefore with continuall Meditation wee should exercise our selues and consider our miseries and wants our labours and sorrowes For we entred into this life with mourning and liue in it with trauell and must againe put it of with paine and feare Therefore wée ought to thinke how short our life is how fraile a life it is how certaine it is that wee shall die and how vncertaine the howre of death is Let vs cōsider with how many bitter griefes life is mixed if any thing bée swéet and ioyfull in the way of this life fanning on vs how deceitfull it is and to bée suspected how vnconstant and transitory it is whatsoeuer the loue of this world bringeth forth whatsoeuer shew or temporall brauery it promiseth On the other side let vs consider the pleasant beauty and swéetenes of our heauenly coūtry Let vs take heede and well weigh from whence wee are fallen and where we lie what we haue lost and what we find that on both parts wee may vnderstand how much wee ought to mourne and lament in this exile and banishment And then hereupon it is that Salomon saith he that setteth before him knowledge setteth before him sorrow Because by how much the more a man knoweth his euils by so much the more hee hath cause and ought to sigh and grone CHAP. III. How man is made to the Image of his creator THe reasonable soule belonging to vnderstanding is made