beawtie of thy house and to the throne of thy glory there let it be fed at the dyning table of thy heauenly Citizens in the place of fulféedyng by the plentifull runnyng streames Thou that art our hope our welfare our redemption be also our ioy Thou that shalt be our reward be also our reioycing Let my soule séeke thée alwayes graunt that in séeking thée it may neuer faint ¶ Of the wretchednesse of that soule whiche loueth not ne séeketh not our Lord Iesus Christ WO is that wretched soule whiche loueth not Christ nor séeketh him it abydeth dry miserable He loseth his life time whiche loueth not thée O god He that cares not to liue for thée Lorde is nothing and goeth for nought He that refuseth to liue vnto thée is already dead He that is not wise to thée ward is but a foole Most mercifull Lord I yeld graunt betake my selfe vnto thée by whō I haue being life and wit. In thée do I put my whole confidēce trust and hope by whō I shal rise againe liue agayne inioy rest Thée do I couet loue worship with whom I shall dwel reigne be blessed The soule that séeketh not ne loueth not thée séeketh loueth the world serueth sinne is subiect to vyce neuer at rest neuer at ease Let my mind serue thee alwayes O most mercifull Let my way faring be alwayes to trauell vnto théeward let my hart burne in loue of thée My God let my soule rest in thée let it runne out of it selfe to behold thée let it sing thy prayses with ioyfulnes and let this be the cōfort of me in my banishment Let my minde flee vnder the shadow of thy winges from the ragyng heates of the thoughtes of this world Let my hart calme it selfe in thée I say let the great sea of my hart that swelleth with waues calme it selfe in thée O God whiche art riche of all good deinties thou most bountifull bestower of heauenly repast giue meate to me that am faint gather me vp that am scattered deliuer me that am in prison make me new agayne that am heawē in péeces Behold I stand at thy doore and knocke I beséeche thée by the bowels of thy mercy where through thou hast visited vs in rising from aloft bid the doore to be opened for me wretch which do knocke that my soule may haue frée passage to come in vnto thée and to rest in thée and to be refreshed by thée with thy heauenly bread For thou art the bread and fountaine of life thou art the light of euerlasting brightnesse thou art all thinges whereby the righteous liue which loue thée ¶ Of the longing of the soule O God the light of the hartes that sée thee and the life of the soules that loue thée and the strenghthener of the thoughtes that séeke thée graūt that I may sticke to the holie loue of thee Come I pray thée into my hart and make it drunken with the aboundance of thy pleasantnesse so as I may forget these temporall thinges It shameth and irketh me to abyde such thinges as this world doth All that I sée of these transitorie thinges is but a sorrow to me all that I heare of them is but a grief to me Helpe me O Lord my God put gladnesse into my hart come vnto me that I may sée thée But to narrow is the house of my soule for thée vntill thou come vnto me make more rowme in it Repaire it for it is decayed It hath many thinges that will mislike thyne eyes I know it and confesse it but who shall clense it or to whō shall I crye elles but vnto thée Lord clense me from my priuie sinnes beare with thy seruaūt for other folkes faultes Swéete Christ make me I beséech thee good Iesu make me to laye away the burden of fleshly desires and earthly lustes for loue and liking of thée Let my soule ouerrule my flesh let reason ouerrule my soule let thy grace ouerrule my reason and subdue thou me both inwardly and outwardly to thy will. Giue me the grace that my hart my toūg and my bones may prayse thée Inlarge my minde and lift vp the eyesight of my hart that euē with the swift conceyt of my spirite I may atteine to thée the euerlasting wisedome whiche abydest vppon all thinges I beséeche thée loose me from the fetters wherwith I am shackled that I may leaue all these thinges and hye me vnto thee sticke to thee onely and attend vpon thee onely ¶ Of the happines of the soule that is let loose from the prison of the body HAppy is the soule whiche being let loose frō the earthly prisō flyeth vp fréely into heauen and there beholdeth thée her most sweete Lord face to face is no more disquieted with any feare of death but reioyseth in the euerlastingnesse of incorruptible glory For it is safe and out of perill and hence forth feareth neither enemy nor death It possesseth thée her mercifull Lorde whom she hath long sought and euer loued And accōpanying her selfe with the quyres of Psalme singers it singeth continually the sugred songes of euerlasting mirth to the glorie of thee O king Christ O gracious Iesu For she is made dronken with the boūtifulnesse of thy house thou makest her to drinke of the streame of thy pleasures Happy is the felowship of the heauēly Citizens and glorious is the solemnitie of all them that returne frō the sorowful trauell of this our pilgrimage to the pleasauntnesse of beawtie to the beawtie of all brightnes and to the floure of all excellencie where thy Citizens behold thée continually O lord Nothyng that may trouble the minde is offered there to the eare What songes what instrumēts what Carolles what melodie soundeth there without end There sounde alwayes most pleasaunt tunes of Hymnes most swéete melodie of aungels most wonderfull dities of songes whiche are song to thy glorie by the heauenly inhabitantes No harshnesse no gallye bitternesse hath any rowme with in thy realme For there is neither a naughtie persō nor naughtines There is none aduersarie nor impugner neither is there any intycement of sinne There is no nedinesse no shame no brawling no misusage no excusing no feare no vnquietnesse no penaltie no doubtfulnes no violēce no discord but there is perfect peace ful of loue continuall reioysing praysing of God carelesse rest without end and euerlasting gladnesse in the holy Ghost O how lucky should I be if I might heare the most pleasaunt Carols of thy Citizēs and their sugred songes aduauncing the prayses of the souereine Trinitie with due honor But ouer happie should I be might I once atteine to sing a song my selfe I say to sing one of the swéete songes of Sion to our Lord Iesu Christ ¶ Of the ioyes of Paradise O Liuely life O euerlasting and aye blessed life where as is ioye without sorrow rest without trauel dignitie without feare riches
say inflame me wholly that I may be wholly in loue with thée For he loueth thee the lesse which loueth any thyng besides thée except he loue it for thy sake Let me loue thée O Lord bycause thou hast first loued me Where shall I haue wordes to vtter the signes of thy singular great loue towardes me considering thine innumerable benefites wherein thou hast brought me vp from the begynning namely euē from the benefite of the creation when at the first beginnyng thou madest me of nothyng after thine owne Image in honoring and aduauncing me among the creatures whiche thou madest and innoblyng me with the light of thy countenaunce whiche thou imprintedst vpon the lampe of my hart thereby disseueryng me as well from sensible as from senselesse creatures and abasing me but litle beneath the aungelles And yet was all this but a small matter in the sight of thy Godhead For without ceassing thou hast dayly nourished me with the singular and excéeding great store of thy benefites and thou hast as it were suckled strēgthned me thy litle tēder babe with the teates of thy comfort For to the intent that I should wholly serue thée thou hast appointed all thy creatures to serue me That God hath put all thinges vnder the seruice of man. THou hast put all thynges vnder mās féete to the end that man alone should wholly be subiect vnto thée And to the end that mā should be wholly thine thou hast made man Lord of all thy workes For thou hast created all outward thynges for his body his body for his soule and his soule for thée that he might serue thée onely loue thée onely possessing thee to his comfort and all inferiour thynges for his seruauntes For what soeuer is conteined vnder the cope of heauen is inferiour vnto mās soule which was made to inherite the souerein goodnesse aboue and to become happy by possessyng it Whereunto if he sticke fast he shall surmount the néede of all the inferiour thynges which are chaungeable and in euerlastyng immortalitie quietly behold the souerein maiestie wherof he representeth the image Thē shall he enioy those excellent good thinges in the Lordes house in comparison wherof all the thynges that we sée are accounted as nothing Those be the thinges whiche no eye hath sene nor eare heard nor hart of man conceiued whiche God hath prepared for them that loue him And truly Lord these thinges wilt thou giue vnto my soule With these doost thou which louest mens soules dayly glad the harts of thy seruants But why wonder I at these things my Lord God Thou inhonorest thine owne image and thyne owne likenesse wherunto they were created For to the end our body though it be yet corruptible bace might sée thou hast giuē vs the light of the skye by the hand of thine vnwéeriable seruauntes the noone who accordyng to thy commaundement do continuall seruice day and night to thy children To the intent it might breath thou hast graunted vs the pure ayre To the intent it might heare thou hast giuen vs the diuersitie of soundes To the end it might smell thou hast giuen vs the swéetnesse of sentes To the end it might tast thou hast giuen vs the qualities of sauours To the end it might féele thou hast giuen vs the substaunces of all bodily things To helpe him in his necessities thou hast giuen him bearyng beastes To refresh him with all thou hast bestowed vpon him the foules of the ayre and the fishes of the sea the frutes of the earth For euery sore or disease of hys thou hast created medicine and salue out of the earth And for euery seuerall euill thou hast prepared a seuerall remedy to incounter it bycause thou art mercyfull and full of compassion and thou our potter knowest of what metal we be made and how that all of vs are as clay in thy hand That the greatnesse of the heauenly wisedome is coniectured by the consideration of the temporall benefites O Let thy great mercy be opened vnto me shine vpon me yet more with thy light I beseech thée that it may be the more opened vnto me For by these least thyngs we comprehend thy great thynges and by these visible thynges we cōprehend thyne inuisible thynges O holy Lord God our good maker For if thou send so great and so innumerable benefites vnto me for this base corruptible body of myne from the skye and the ayre from the land and the Sea from light and darknesse from heate and shadow from dew and rayne from winde and showres from foules and fishes frō beastes and trées by diuersitie of herbes thinges that grow vpon the earth and by the seruice of all thy creatures seruyng our turnes by course in their seasons to ease vs of our weerinesse Howe excellent I pray thée and how great and innumerable shal these good things be which thou hast prepared for them that loue thée in that heauenly realme where we shall sée thée face to face If thou do so much for vs in prison what wilt thou do in thy palace Great and innumerable are thy workes O Lord thou kyng of heauen For sith that all these thynges be excéedyng good and pleasant which thou hast deliuered to good men and bad men together in cōmon what maner of things shal those be which thou hast layd vp in store for good men onely If the giftes be so sundry and so innumerable which thou dealest now as well to thy foes as thy frendes How great and innumerable how swéete and delightfull shall those be which thou wilt deale onely to thy frendes If thou giue so great solace in this time of mournyng how great ioyes wilt thou giue in the day of weddyng If our prison conteyne so many delectable thinges how much more delectable thyngs conteineth our fathers house O God no eye without thée hath séene the thinges that thou hast prepared for them that loue thée For accordyng to the manifoldnesse of thy mighty workes so also is the great aboūdaunce of thy swéetnesse whiche thou kéepest in store for thē that loue thée For great art thou O Lord my God yea vnmeasurable art thou and there is no end of thy greatnesse nor number of thy wisedome nor measure of thy mercy neither is there end number or measure of thy bounteousnesse But lyke as thou thy selfe art greate so are thy rewardes great For thou thy selfe art both the price and the reward of all thy lawfull combaters That the sweetnesse of God taketh away all the present bitternesse of the world LOrd God which art the sanctifier of thy Saintes these are thy great benefites wherewith thou wilt reléeue the want of thy hungry children For thou art the hope of the hopelesse the comfort of the comfortlesse and the crown of hope bedecked with glory whiche is prepared for thē that get the vpper hand Thou art the euerlastyng suffisance whiche shal be giuen to the hungry Thou art the endlesse
flesh thirst after it let my whole selfe be desirous of it vntill such tyme as I may enter into the ioy of my Lorde there to continue for euer worlde without ende Amen All glorie honor prayse and thankes be giuen to God alone ¶ A TABLE OF the Prayers contained in S. Austens bookes intitled his selfe talke with God and his Manuell OF the vnspeakable sweetnes of God. Of the wretchednes frailtie of man. Of Gods wonderfull light Of the mortalitie of mans nature Of the fall of the soule into sinne Of Gods manifold benefites Of mans dignitie in tyme to come Of Gods omnipotencie Of the incomprehensible prayse of God. Of lifting a mans hope vnto God. Of the snares of concupiscence Of mans miserie and Gods benefites How God doth continually behold marke mens doynges and intentes Of mans imbecillitie without the grace of God. Of the deuill and his manifold temptatiōs That God is the light of the righteous Of Gods benefites Of the feruentnes of loue or charitie That God hath put all thynges vnder the seruice of man. By consideration of earthly benefites we coniecture the greatnes of the heauenly wisedome That the sweetnes of God taketh away all the present bitternes of this world That all our trust and longing of our hart ought to be to Godward That our welfare commeth of God. That mans will is vnable to doe good workes without the grace of God. Of Gods old benefites Of Gods deepe predestination and foreknowledge Of such as be righteous and afterward become wicked and contrariwise That the faithfull mans soule is the Sanctuary of God. That God cannot be found neither by the outward senses nor by the inward wits Of the acknowledgyng of a mans owne vilenesse A consideration of Gods maiestie Of the longing and thirsting of the soule after God. Of the glorie of the heauenly countrey A Prayer to the holy Trinitie The table of prayers in his Manuell OF Gods wonderfull beyng Of the vnspeakable knowledge of God. Of the longing of the soule that feeleth God. Of the wretchednesse of that soule whiche loueth not neither seeketh our Lord Iesus Christ Of the longing of the soule Of the happines of the soule that is let loose from the prison of the body Of the ioyes of paradise Of the kyngdome of heauen Of the comfort of the sorrowfull soule after the long mournyng therof Of ioye That the word is become flesh for our sake That the more a man museth vpon God the sweeter it is to him That tribulations for Christes sake are to be desired in this life Howe the kyngdome of heauen may be gotten What paradise is and what it hath What thyng God requireth lyke vnto him selfe in vs. Of the boldnesse of the soule that loueth God. What God hath done for man. The remembryng of the woundes of our Lord Iesus Christ That the remēbraūce of Christes woūdes is an effectuall remedy agaynst all aduersities The musing of the soule vpon the loue of God. What the knowledge of the truth is What the sendyng of the holy Ghost worketh in vs. Of the workyng of him that loueth God. Of the true rest of the hart Whatsoeuer withdraweth the mynde from God must in any wise be eschewed and abhorred That the seyng of God is lost through sinne and miserie found in stede of it Of Gods goodnes Of the delectable fruition of God. That the souerein good is to be sought Of the mutuall loue betweene the Saintes in heauen Of the full ioy of the eternall life ¶ The end of the Table AT LONDON Printed by Iohn Daye dwellyng ouer Aldersgate ¶ Cum gratia Priuilegio Regiae Maiestatis
vnapprochable and secret depth of the incōprehensible iudgemētes of thy wisedome alwayes rightful though vnespiable thou hast without any desert of theirs predestinated before the world called out of the world iustified in the world and wilt glorifie thē after the world But thou doest not this vnto all men wherat all the wise mē of the earth 〈◊〉 maruell and are abashed Yea and euen I O Lord when I bethinke me of it am afrayde and amazed at the depth of the riches of thy wisedome and knowledge wherunto I cannot reach and at the incomprehensible iudgements of thy Iustice for that of one selfe same péece of clay thou makest some vessels vnto euerlasting honor and othersome vnto euerlastyng shame Therfore whō thou hast chosen to thy selfe out of the multitude to be thy holy temple thē doost thou make cleane pouryng out cleane water vpon thē the names and number of whom thou knowest who onely tellest the nūber of the starres and callest thē all by their names Who also are written in the booke of lyfe who cannot in any wise perish and vnto whom all thinges worke to the best yea euen their sinnes For when they fall they be not broosed bycause thou puttest thy hād vnder them and kéepest all the bones of them so as not one of them is broken But most miserable is the death of sinners I meane of those sinners whom thou hast foreknowē vnto eternall death before thou madest heauen and earth accordyng to the great depth of thy secret howbeit alwayes rightfull iudgementes the number of whose names and of their lewd deseruinges is with thée which reckenest the nūber of the sand of the Sea and hast measured the bottom of the bottomles pit whom thou hast left vp to their owne vncleanesse and vnto whom all thinges worke to the worst and euen their prayer is turned into sinne so that if they should clymbe vp into the ayre and aduaunce their head aboue the cloudes yea and build their nest among the starres of the skye yet shall they bee destroyed in the ende as a dunghill Of such as first are righteous and afterward become wicked and contrariwyse GReat are these thy iudgementes O Lord God thou righteous mighty iudge which iudgest vprightly doost things that are déepe vnsearchable Which when I consider all my bones quake for of all men liuing vpō the earth there is none of vs sure to serue thee deuoutly purely in feare all the dayes of our lyfe nor to ioy in the with reuerence so as our seruice may bee without dread our ioy without trembling He that putteth on armour may not glory as he that putteth it of for before thee may no flesh glory but must quake tremble at thy presēce For we haue séene O Lord we haue heard of our fathers which thing I cānot thinke vpō without great dread nor speake of without great shudderyng that many haue heretofore clymbed after a sort vp to the skyes built their nest among the starres yet haue afterward falne downe euē into hell and their soules haue bene forehardened with euilles We haue sene starres fall from heauen by force of the stroke of the dragons tayle and them that lay in the dust of the earth wonderfully mounted vp at the present helpe of thy hand O lord We haue sene the liuyng dye and the dead rise from death them that walked among Gods children in the middes of firie stones wash away to nothyng like a péece of clay We haue séene darknesse quēch light light procede out of darknesse For publicanes harlots go before the natiue people into the kyngdome of heauen the childrē of the kingdome are cast out into vtter darknes And why commeth all this to passe but bycause they be mounted vp into that hill whereinto the first of their race went vp an Aungell and came downe a deuill Now thē looke whom thou hast predestinated them hast thou also called sanctified and clensed that they may bee a méete dwellyng place for thy maiestie with whō and in whō is thy holy cleane delight in whom thou hast pleasure makest their youth chéerefull dwelling with them in their remembraunce so as they be thy holy tēple which is a great dignitie and commendation of our manhode That the faythfull mās soule is Gods sanctuarie THe soule whiche thou hast created not of thyne owne substaunce but by thy word nor of the substaunce of any of the foure elementes but of nothing which truly is reasonable vnderstandyng spirituall euerlyuing and euer mouyng whiche thou hast sealed marked with the light of thy countenaūce and halowed by the power of thy washyng is so made capable of thy maiestie as it may be filled by thée onely and by none other And when it hath thée thē hath it the full lust there remaineth not any thyng els that it can desire outwardly But as long as it desireth any thyng outwardly it is manifest that it hath not thée inwardly for be thou once had there is not any thing more to be wished for For sith thou art the souereine good yea and all the good that may be there is no more for it to desire bycause he possesseth thée which art all the good Now if he desire not the whole good it resteth that he desireth somewhat which is not the whole good and therfore also not the souerein good so consequently not God but rather a creature But if he long after a creature he must néedes be euer hungry still bycause that although he atteine his desire of the creatures yet it abydeth vnsatisfied still in asmuch as there is nothyng that cā fill it but thou vnto whose image it is created And thou fillest them that desire nothyng but thée thou makest them worthy of thee holy blessed vndefiled and Gods frendes who count all thinges as dung that they may winne thée onely For this is the blessednes which thou hast bestowed vppon man this is the honor wherwith thou hast innobled him among all thy creatures and aboue them that thy name might be wonderfull ouer all the earth Beholde O most high souereine good and almighty Lorde my God I haue foūd the place where thou dwellest euen in the soule which thou hast created after thyne owne image and likenesse whiche séeketh and desireth none but thée alone and not in the soule that séeketh and desireth thée not That God cānot be founde neither by the outward senses nor by the inward wittes I Haue straied like a lost shepe séekyng thée outward whiche art inward And I haue taken much paine to séeke thée without me thou dwellest within me at leastwise if I haue a desire to thée I haue gone about the lanes and stréetes of the Citie of this world séekyng thée and haue not foūd thée bycause I did amisse to séeke that thing without whiche is as within I sent abroad all myne outward senses as messengers to séeke thée
dreames fantasticall Reuelations let all tounges all signes and what soeuer is able to passe be whist Yea let mine owne soule be still and let it ouerpasse it selfe not by thinking vpon it selfe but by thinking vpon thée my God bycause thou art in very deede my whole hope and trust For in thée O most swéete gracious and mercyfull God O Lorde Iesu Christ is both the portion the bloud and the flesh of euery one of vs Then looke where the portiō or peece of me reigneth there beléeue I my selfe to reigne also Looke where my bloud beareth rule there trust I to beare rule to Looke where my flesh is glorified there know I that I also am glorious and although I be a sinner yet distrust I not this communion of grace For although my sinnes forfend it yet doth my substaunce require it And although myne owne transgressiōs shet me out yet doth the communion of nature take me in ¶ That the word is become fleshe for our hopes sake FOr the Lorde is not so vnkynde as not to loue hys owne flesh his owne members his own bowels Truly I should despayre for my sinnes vyces faultes and negligences without number which I haue committed and dayly do cōmit without ceassing in hart word and déede by all meanes that mans frayltie cā offend in were it not that thy word O my God is become flesh dwelleth in vs But now I dare not despayre bicause that he beyng obedient vnto thée to the death euen to the death of the crosse hath taken away the handwriting of our sinnes and nayling the same to his crosse hath crucified both sinne death Now then I looke backe with a carelesse eye by meanes of him who sitteth at thy right hand seweth for vs I thinke lōg to come vnto thée vpon trust of him in whō we are already risen againe reuiued alredy moūted vp into heauen there do sit among the aūgels To thée be prayse to thée be glorie to thee be honor to thee be thankes Amen ¶ That the more a man museth vpon God the swéeter it is vnto him MOst merciful Lord which hast so loued saued vs so quickened exalted vs Most merciful Lord how swéete is the remembraūce of thée The more I thinke vppon thée the more swéete and amiable art thou vnto me and therfore am I greatly delighted with thy goodes With cleare eyesight of mynd with a most pure affectiō of godly loue accordyng to my small abilitie do I incessantly couet to sue for thy loue and to behold thy wonderfull beawtie in this place of my pilgrimage as long as I abyde in these brittle mēbers For I am woūded with the dart of thy loue I am sore inflamed with desire of thée I would fayne come vnto thée I long to sée thée I will therefore stand vpon my gard and with waking eyes will I sing in my hart yea I wil sing with my minde and with all my strength I will prayse thée my maker renewer I will pearce the skye with my mynde and be with thée in desire so as my body onely shal be held here in this present miserie but in thought in desirousnesse and in longyng I will alwayes be with thée for looke where thou myne incomparable desired and deare beloued treasure art there also is my hart But loe my most gracious and mercyfull Lord whereas I would consider the glory of thine vnmeasurable goodnesse louing kindnesse my hart is not sufficiēt to do it For thyne honor thy beawtie thy power thy glory thy royaltie thy maiesty and thy loue excéede all vnderstanding of mans mynde Like as the brightnesse of thy glorie is inestimable so also is the graciousnesse of thyne euerlastyng loue vnspeakable where through thou adoptest those to be thy sonnes knittest them vnto thée whom thou hast created of nothing ¶ That tribulatiōs for Christes sake are to be desired in this life O My soule if we should be fayne to suffer tormentes euery day if we should be fayne to indure euen hell fire for a long tyme that we might sée Christ in his glory and be in cōpany with his Saintes were it not méete we should abyde all the sorrow that could be that we might be made partakers of so great a benefite and of so great glory Let the deuils thē do their spight let them tempt while they tempt may let fastings forpyne the body let course apparell greue the flesh let labour pinch it let watching dry it vp let this man call vpon me let that man or that mā disquiet me let cold make me curle together let my conscience barke at me let heate scorche me let my head ake let my hart burne let my stomacke be wyndie let my face looke pale let me be wholly diseased let my life cōsume in sorrow let my yeares wast away in sighing sobbyng let rottennesse lodge within my bones let wormes crawle vnder me so I may rest in the day of trouble that we may go vp together to our people that wayt for vs For Lorde what glory shall the righteous haue How great shall the ioy of the Saintes be when euery face shall shyne as the sunne Whē the Lord hauyng sorted his people into degrées shall begin to muster them in the kingdome of his father render the promised rewardes to eche of them accordyng to hys workes and desertes giuyng to them for earthly things heauenly thinges for temporall thinges euerlasting thynges for small thinges great thynges Verely then shall happinesse be heaped vp full to the top when the Lord shall bryng hys Saintes to the sight of eternall glory make thē sit down together in heauen that God may be all in all How the kyngdome of heauen may be gotten O Happy pleasauntnesse O pleasaunt happynesse to sée the Saintes to be with the Saintes and to be a Saint to sée God and to haue God for euer euer Let vs thinke vpon this with diligent mynde let vs long after this with our whole hart that we may soone come vnto them If thou demaunde howe that may be brought to passe or by what deseruynges or by what helpes it may be compassed harken O man The kyngdome of heauen requireth none other price but thy selfe the full valew of it is thy selfe giue thy selfe for it thou shalt haue it Why troublest thou thy selfe about the price of it Christ hath giuen him selfe to purchase thée a kingdome to God the father So then giue thou thy selfe that thou mayst be his kingdome that sinne may not reigne in thy mortall body but that the spirite may reigne to the atteinement of life ¶ What Paradise is and what it hath O My soule let vs returne to the heauēly Citie wherin we be registred and made frée Citizens For like as we be felow Citizens of the Saintes and the household meynie of God like as we be the heyres of God and coheires
of Christ so let vs consider the happy royalty of our Citie so farre forth as it is possile for vs to consider it Let vs say with the Prophet O how glorious thinges are spoken of thée thou Citie of God for thou art the dwellyng place of all them that reioyse the ioy of the whole earth is founded vpoÌ„ thée There is not in thée any age nor miserie of age There is not in thée any maymed person any lame man any crooke backe nor any mishapen body For all be groweÌ„ vp to perfect men after the full measure of the age of Christ What blesseder thyng can there be theÌ„ such a life where there is no feare of pouertie nor weakenesse of disease No man is harmed there no man is displeased there no man enuyeth there There is no burnyng of couetousnesse no desire of meate no ambitious sewing for honor and authoritie there is no dread of deuill no snares of féendes no feare of hell fire There is no death neither of body nor of soule but pleasaunt life assured of immortalitie TheÌ„ shall there be no miseries then shall there be no debates but all things shal be at agréement bycause all the Saints shall agrée in one Peace and mirth hold all thinges together all thinges are calme and quiet There is continuall light not such as is now here but so much the brighter as it is much happyer For as we read that Citie shall néede no Sâ—â—ne nor Moone bycause the Lord almightie shal shine in it and the lambe shal be the light of it Where the Saintes shal shine as the starres for euer without end and such as haue taught many in the way of righteousnesse shal be as the brightnesse of the skye Wherfore there shal be no night no darknesse no méeting of cloudes no painefulnesse of heate or cold but there shal be such a temperatnesse as neuer eye hath séene eare heard nor hart of any man conceiued sauing onely of them that are counted worthy to enioy the same whose names are written in the booke of life But yet it is farre aboue all these thinges to be in felowship with the companies of Aungels Archaungels and all the heauenly powers to behold the patriarkes and Prophetes to sée the Apostles and all the Saints yea and also to sée our owne parentes Glorious are these thinges but much more glorious is it to behold the present countenaunce of God to sée his infinite brightnesse A passing excellent glorie shal it be when we shall sée God in him selfe and when we shall both sée and haue him in our selues of whoÌ„ we shall neuer haue seene inough What thing God requireth like vnto him self in vs. GOd the father is Charitie God the sonne is louyngnesse and God the holy ghost is the loue of the father the sonne This loue this charitie and this louingnesse requireth some like thing in vs that is to wit charitie whereby we be associated knitte vnto God as it were by some alyance of kinred Loue passing not for dignity looketh for no reuerence He that loueth coÌ„meth boldly of him selfe vnto God speaketh familiarly vnto him without any feare or without any stickyng His life is but losse which loueth not But he that loueth hath his eyes euermore to Godward whoÌ„ he loueth whoÌ„ he longeth for whoÌ„ he thinketh of in whoÌ„ he delighteth vpon whoÌ„ he féedeth in whom he battleth Such a one as is thus disposed doth so sing so read is so forecasting and circumspect in all his workes as though God were present before his eyes so is he present in déede He prayeth in such wise as if he were taken vp and presented before the face of Gods maiesty in his high throne where thousandes of thousandes do him seruice and ten hundred thousand are staÌ„dyng about him Looke what soule loue visiteth the same doth it awake out of sléepe It monisheth softeneth wouÌ„deth his hart It inlighteneth the darke places vnlocketh the shet places warmeth the cold places méekeneth the sturdie fumish impacient mynde chaceth away vyce bridleth fleshly affections amendeth maners reformeth reneweth the spirite and restreineth the light motions and actions of slipperie youth All these thinges doth loue when it is present And assoone as loue is gone away by and by the soule beginneth to droope like as a boylyng cawldron cooleth if a man drawe away the fire from vnder it ¶ Of the boldnesse of the soule that loueth God. LOue is a great thing where through the Soule preaceth boldly of it selfe vnto God and sticketh stedfastly vnto god The Soule that loueth God asketh questions of him familiarly and taketh couÌ„sell of him in all cases It can thinke vpon nothing els it can speake of nothing els it despiseth all other thinges and it lotheth all other thinges sauyng god What soeuer it myndeth what soeuer it speaketh it sauoureth of loue and it smelleth of loue so wholly hath the loue of God wonne it vnto him He that will haue knowledge of God let him loue him In vayne commeth he to reading studying preaching or praying which loueth not The loue of God bréedeth the loue of the soule maketh it intentife thereunto God loueth to the intent to be loued againe When he loueth he meaneth nothing els but to be loued for he knoweth that they whiche loue hym are blessed by theyr loue The soule that loueth God renounceth all her owne affections and giueth her selfe wholly to nothyng els but loue to the ende she may aunswere loue for loue And when she hath vtterly spent her selfe in loue how small a thyng is it in respect of that euerlastyng streame of the heauenly loue There is great oddes in the matche betwéene the loue and the louer betwéene the soule and God betwéene the maker and the creature And yet if the soule loue thée whole where the whole is there is no want Let not the soule be afrayde whiche loueth but let the soule be afrayde whiche loueth not The soule that loueth is caried with desirousnesse drawen with longing disclaymeth desertes shetteth the eyes of maiestie openeth the eyes of pleasure setteth her selfe in safetie and dealeth boldly with god Through loue the soule withdraweth and departeth aside from the bodily senses so as it féeleth not it selfe to the ende it may féele god And this is done at such tyme as the mynde beyng allured with the vnspeakable swéetenesse of God doth after a sorte steale awaye from it selfe or rather is rauished and slippeth away from it selfe to the intent to enioy God to her delight Nothing could be so pleasaunt if it were not so gezon Loue procureth familiaritie with God familiaritie procureth boldnesse boldnesse tast and tast continuall hungering The soule that is surprised with the loue of God can thinke of nothing els nor wish nothing els but with often sighes sayth Like as the Hert thirsteth after the water springes so thirsteth my soule after thée my God. ¶ What God hath
done for man. FOr loue to manward God came to man God came into ¶ The remembring of the woundes of our Lorde Iesu Christ WHen any foule thought assaulteth me I runne to the woundes of Christ When my fleshe presseth me downe I rise vp agayne by remembryng the woundes of my lord When the deuill layeth wayt for me I flée to the bowels of the mercy of my Lorde and he departeth away from me If the heate of lecherie prouoke my members it is quēched with callyng to mynde the woundes of our Lord the sonne of god In all aduersities I finde no remedie so effectuall as the woundes of Christ In them I sléepe without care and rest with out feare Christ hath died for vs Now is there nothing so bitter to the death which is not salued by the death of Christ All my whole hope is in the death of my lord His death is my desert my refuge my welfare lyfe and resurrection and the mercyfulnesse of the Lord is my merite I am not poore of merite so long as he the Lord of compassiōs faileth not As long as he is manifold in mercy so long am I also manifold of desertes The mightier that he is to saue the more am I without care ¶ That the remembraunce of Christes woundes is an effectual remedy against all aduersities EXcéedyng greatly haue I sinned and myne owne conscience findeth me giltie of many offences and yet doe I not dispayre bycause that whereas sinne hath abounded there hath grace ouerabounded He that despayreth of the forgiuenesse of his sinnes denyeth God to be mercyfull Great wrong doth he to God whiche distrusteth his mercy For as much as in him lieth he denyeth God to be louyng true and mightie which are the thinges wherein my whole hope consisteth that is to witte in the loue of his adoption in the truth of his promise and in the power of his redéemyng Now let my vnwise imagination murmur as much as it listeth and say Who art thou how great is the glory and by what desertes hopest thou to obteine it and I will aunswere boldly I know whom I haue credited that he of his excéedyng great loue hath adopted me to be his sonne that he is soothfast of promise that he is mighty in performance and that he may do what he listeth I can not be feared with the multitude of my sinnes if I bethinke me of the death of my Lorde bycause my sinnes are not able to ouermatch him His nayles and his speare crye vnto me that I am throughly reconcyled to Christ if I loue him Longiuus hath opened me Christes side with his speare and I am gone into it and there do I rest in safetie He that is afrayd let him loue for loue driueth feare out of doores There is no remedie so mightie and effectuall agaynst the heate of lecherie as the death of my redemer He stretcheth out his armes vpon the Crosse and he holdeth out his handes in a readinesse to imbrace sinners Betwéene the armes of my Sauiour mynde I to lyue and dye There shall I sing safely there will I exalte thée O Lorde bycause thou hast taken me vp and hast not giuen myne enemyes their pleasure ouer me Our Sauiour hath bowed down his head at his death to receiue the kisses of his beloued And so oftē do we kisse God as we be throughly touched with the loue of him The musing of the Soule vpon the loue of God. O My soule whiche art innobled with the Image of God redéemed with Christes bloud betrothed to him by fayth indued with the holy Ghost garnished with vertues and registred among the aungels Loue thou him that hath loued thée so much Serue him that hath serued thée Séeke him that séekes thée Loue him that loues thée which loued thée first and which is the cause of thy loue He is the desert he is the reward he is the frute he is the vse of it he is the ende of it Be carefull for hym that is carefull of thée he at leysure for him that is at leysure for thée be cleane with him that is cleane be holy with him that is holy Looke after what sorte thou shewest thy selfe towardes God after the same sort shall he shew him selfe towardes thée He is swéete méeke and mercyfull and therfore he requireth to haue them that be swéete méeke pleasaunt and mercyfull Loue thou him that hath plucked thée out of the puddle of miserie and out of the myre of filthines Chose him for thy frend aboue all frendes whiche alone will kéepe touche with thée when all thinges fayle thée In the day of thy buryall when all thy frendes shrinke frō thée he will not forsake thée but will defend thée from the roring Lyons that wayt for their pray and will leade thée through an vnknowen countrey and bryng thée to the stréetes of the heauenly Sion and there set thée amōg the Aungels before the face of his owne maiestie where thou shalt heare this Aungelicall ditie holie holie holie Lorde God of hostes There is the song of mirth the voyce of ioy and welfare the voyce of thankesgiuing prayse the voyce of magnifying God for euer There is the full measure of happinesse passing excellent glory superabundant ioy all good thynges O my soule sigh hartely desire earnestly that thou mayst come to that Citie aboue whereof so glorious thinges are spoken and wherein is the habitation of all that reioyse By loue thou mayst get vp thether Nothing is hard nothyng is impossible to him that loueth The soule that loueth goeth vp often to the heauenly Ierusalem and runneth familiarly from stréete to stréete visityng the Patriarkes and Prophetes salutyng the Apostles wondring at the hostes of Martyrs and Confessors and gazing at the companies of the Virgins Heauen and earth and all things that are in them call vppon me without ceassyng to loue my Lord God. ¶ What the knowledge of the truth is WHat is the knowledge of truth first to knowe thy selfe and to indeuor to be that which thou oughtest to be and to amende that whiche ought to be amended And secondly to know and to loue thy maker for that is the whole happines of man Sée then how vnspeakeable the graciousnes of Gods loue towardes vs is He hath created vs of nothing and giuen vs all that we haue But forasmuch as we haue loued the gift more then the giuer and the creature more then the creator we are falne into the deuilles snare and become hys bondslaues Neuerthelesse God beyng moued with compassion sent his sonne to redéeme vs slaues and his holy spirite to make vs his sonnes agayne He hath giuen his sonne to be the pryce of our raunsome the holie Ghost as an assuraunce of his loue and to be short he reserueth him selfe whole for vs to be the heritage of our adoption And so God accordyng to hys excéedyng gracious goodnesse and mercie hath for verie loue and good will to
manward bestowed not onely hys benefites but also him selfe vpon him to recouer him agayne not so much to him selfe as to him To the intent that men might be borne of God God was first borne of them Who is so hard harted that he will not be softened by the loue of God preuenting man with so hartie good wil that he vouchsaued to become man for mans sake who can finde in his hart to hate a man whose nature and lykenesse he séeth in the manhode of GOD Doubtlesse he that hateth a man hateth God and so loseth all his labour For God became man for mans sake that he might be a redeemer as well as a creator and that man might be raunsomed with his owne goodes and that one man might loue an other the more hartely God appeared in the shape of man to the end that both body and soule might be made blessed by renewyng the eye of the mynde in his Godhead and the eye of the bodie in hys manhoode so that whether man went in or out he might finde foode in him layde vp in store by hym in hys humane nature ¶ What the sending of the holie Ghost worketh in vs. FOr our Sauiour was borne for vs and crucified and put to death for vs to destroye our death by hys owne death And bycause the grape of hys fleshe was caryed to the wynepresse of the Crosse and there beyng pressed yelded forth the swéete wyne of his Godhead The holy ghost was sent to make ready the vessels of mens harts that the new wyne might be put into newe vessels first to season their harts for marryng of the wyne that should be put into them and afterward to hoope them well for leakyng when the wyne was poured into them that is to wit to clense them from delightyng in sinne and to bynde them from delightyng in vanitie For that which is good could not come in till that whiche is ill was first rid out The delighting in wickednesse defileth and the delighting in vanitie sheadeth out The delighting in wickednesse maketh the vessell foule and the delighting in vanitie maketh it full of cranies To delight in wickednesse is to loue sinne and to delight in vanitie is to be in loue with transitorie thinges Therfore cast out the thyng that is euill that thou mayest receiue the thyng that is good Poure out sowrenesse that thou mayest be filled with swéetenesse Cast out the spirite of the deuill and the spirite of this worlde that thou mayst take in the spirite of god The spirite of the deuil worketh delight in wickednesse and the spirite of the world worketh delight in vanitie And these delightes are euill for the one is a fault of it selfe and the other is the occasion of faultes When the euill spirites be cast out then will the spirite of God come and enter into the tabernacle of thy hart and worke good delightes and good loue wherby the loue of the worlde and the loue of sinne is driuen away The loue of the worlde intyceth men to deceyue them and the loue of sinne defileth and leadeth to death But the loue of God inlighteneth the mynde clenseth the conscience gladdeth the hart and sheweth a man God. ¶ Of the workyng of him that loueth God. HE in whoÌ„ the loue of God dwelleth is alwayes deuising when he shall come vnto God when he shall leaue the world and when he shall scape the corruption of his fleshe And to the intent he may finde true peace he hath his hart and desire alwayes lifted vp aboue When he sitteth when he goeth when he resteth or what soeuer he do his hart is euermore with god He exhorteth all men to the loue of God he commendeth the loue of God vnto all meÌ„ and in hart word and worke he sheweth vnto all men both how swéete the loue of God is and also how euil and bitter the loue of this world is He laugheth at the glorie of this world findeth fault with the care of it shewyng how fond a folye it is to put a mans trust in thinges that be transitorie He marueleth at the blindnes of the men that loue such thinges And he wondereth that all men forsake not all these transitorie and flightfull thinges He thinketh that all men shoulde déeme the thinges swéete wherein he him selfe findeth so good tast that all men should loue that whiche he loueth and that all men should be priuie to that which he knoweth OfteÌ„times doth he behold God and is swéetely refreshed at the contemplation of him so much the more happely as he doth it more ofteÌ„ly For swéete alwayes is that thing to be thought vpon whiche is alwayes swéete to be loued and praysed ¶ Of the true rest of the hart IN déede the true rest of the hart is wheÌ„ the hart is wholly settled in desire vpon the loue of God coueteth nothing els but hath a certeine happy delight in the thing that he holdes him to ioyeth in the same delight And if it be neuer so little withdrawen from him by any vayne thought or businesse of other matters he hyeth him as fast as he caÌ„ to returne to him agayne with all spéede accountyng it but a banishment to abyde any where els then there For like as there is no moment wherin man doth not inioye or vse the gracious goodnesse of God so ought there to be no moment wherein he should not haue him present in remembraunce And therfore no small fault doth that man commit who when he talketh with God in prayer is sodenly pluckt awaye from his presence as it were from the eyes of one that neither saw him nor heard him And that is done when he foloweth his owne naughtie and vnruly thoughtes and preferreth before God some creature that is for his own profite or pleasure whereunto the contemplation of his mynd is easly drawen away by bethinkyng reuoluyng or mynding the same oftener thâ—n God whom he must continually remember as his creator honor as his redéemer attend vppon as his Sauiour and feare as hys iudge ¶ What soeuer withdraweth the sight of the mind from God must in any wise be eschewed and abhorred WHo soeuer thou art that louest the world looke before thée whither thou goest The way that thou walkest is an euil way and full of sorrow Therefore O man leaue of thyne owne businesses for a while and with draw thy selfe from thy trouble some thoughtes Cast away thy burdensome cares lay aside thy paynefull turmoyles bestowe some tyme vpon God and rest thy selfe a while in him Get thée into the chamber of thy mynde shet out all thinges sauyng God and such thinges as further the findyng of hym and séeke hym with thy doore fast shet to thée Let thy whole hart saye vnto God I séeke thy countenaunce it is thy countenaunce that I séeke O Lorde Now then my Lord God go to teache thou my hart where and how it may séeke thée and where and how it may
finde thée Lorde if thou be not here where shall I séeke thée when thou art gone Or if thou be euery where why sée I not thée here Certesse thou dwellest in vnapprochable light And how shall I come at thée then or who shall leade me and bryng me in thether that I may sée thée there Agayne what markes or what shape shall I séeke thée by I neuer saw thée my Lord God I neuer knew thy face What shall this farre banished creature of thyne doe most hygh Lorde what shall he doe what shall thy seruaunt doe whiche is carefull for loue of thée and is reiected far from thy presence Beholde he panteth to sée thée and thy countenaunce is farre from him He longeth to come neare thée and thy dwellyng place is vnapprochable He would fayne finde thée he knoweth not thy place He is desirous to séeke thée and knoweth not thy countenaunce ¶ That the seyng of God is lost through sinne miserie founde in stede of it LOrd thou art my God and my souereine and yet I neuer sawe thée Thou hast made me and made me newe agayne and bestowed all thy goodes vpon me and yet hetherto I haue neither knowen thée nor séene thée To be short I was made to sée thée and I haue not yet done the thyng that I was made for O wretched state of man that he must forgo the thyng for whiche he was made O hard and cursed case as it was Alas what hath he lost and what hath he founde what is forgone and what remaineth He hath lost blessednesse to whiche he was made and founde miserie to whiche he was not made The thyng is gone without whiche nothyng is luckie and the thyng remayneth whiche of it selfe is all together vnluckie Man did then eate aungels bread whiche thyng he now hungreth for and now he eateth the bread of sorrow whiche he was not then acquaynted with O Lord how long wilt thou forget vs for euer how long wilt thou turne awaye thy face from vs when wilt thou looke backe and heare vs when wilt thou inlighten our eyes and shew vs thy face when wilt thou restore thy selfe vnto vs Looke backe Lord and heare vs and inlighten vs and shewe thy selfe vnto vs and restore thy selfe vnto vs that it may go well with vs whiche are so ill bestad without thée I haue a bitternesse at my hart bycause thou hast forsaken it Lorde I beséeche thée swéeten it agayne with thy comfort I haue begon to séeke thée with a hungrie appetite let me not be sent away from thée without repast I am come with a sharpe stomacke let me not go away fastyng I come poore to thee that art rich I come wretched to thée that art pitifull let me not goe away emptie and despised Lorde I am bowed downe and I can not looke but downeward Rayse me that I may looke vpward Myne iniquities are gone ouer my head they haue ouerwhelmed me and they ouerlode me as a heauie burthen Wynde me out and vnlode me that the pit shut not his mouth vpon me Teache me to séeke thée and shewe thy selfe to me at my séekyng For I cannot séeke thee except thou teache me nor finde thée except thou shewe thy selfe vnto me Let me séeke thée by longyng after thée and let me long after thée by séekyng thée Let me finde thée by louyng thée and let me loue thée by findyng thée Of Gods goodnes I Confesse Lord I thanke thée for it that thou hast created me after thyne owne image to the end I should be myndefull of thee thinke vpon thée and loue thée But that image is so defaced by the corruption of sinne that it cannot do the thing for whiche it was created except thou renew and reforme it agayne I beséech thée O Lorde whiche geuest the vnderstandyng of fayth graunt that I may redily vnderstād how great thou art For thou art as we beleue and this is it that we beleue namely we beleue that thou art some one thyng then the whiche there can nothyng be thought to be either greater or better What art thou then O Lord God Euen that one thing then the whiche nothyng can be imagined to be greater or better that is to say the souereine goodnesse whiche hath his beyng of it selfe alone and hath made all other thynges of nothyng Thou therfore art righteous soothfast blessed and whatsoeuer thing els it is better to be then not to be But howe doest thou spare the wicked seyng thou art wholly and without comparison rightuous Is it bycause thy goodnesse is incomprehensible This thing lyeth hid in the vnapprochable light which thou dwellest in Verely the headspryng from whēce the streame of thy mercy floweth lyeth hid in the most déepe and secret gulfe of thy goodnesse For although thou be wholly excéedyngly rightuous yet art thou also gentle to the euill bycause thou art wholly and excéedyng good for thou shouldest be the lesse good if thou shouldest beare with no euill For better is he that is good both to good and bad then he that is good but to the good onely And better is he that is good to the euill both by sparyng them and also by punishyng them thē he that is good to them but in punishing them onely The cause therfore why thou art mercifull is for that thou art wholly and excéedyng good ¶ Of the delectable fruition of God. O Vnmeasurable goodnesse whiche passest all vnderstādyng of hart let that mercy of thine come vpō me whiche procéedeth frō so passing aboūdance Let that flowe into me whiche floweth out of thée Spare me of thy mercyfulnesse and punishe me not by thy Iustice Awake now my soule and lift vp thy whole vnderstandyng and consider to the vttermost of thy power how great and of what sorte that goodnesse is whiche is god For if euery seuerall good thyng be delectable cast in thy mynde aduisedly howe delectable that good thyng is whiche conteyneth the pleasauntnesse of all good thynges not in such sorte as we finde it in thynges created but as farre differyng as there is oddes betwéene the creature and the maker For if the life that is created be good how good is the lyfe that created it If the welfare that is created be pleasaunt how pleasant is the welfare that made all welfare If the wisedome that consisteth in conceiuyng or knowynge of thynges knowen be amiable how amiable is the wisedome that made all thynges of nothyng finally if there be many and great pleasures in thinges that be delectable what and how great pleasure is there in him which made those delectable thinges O what shall he haue or what is it that he shall not haue which inioyeth this good thyng Certesse he shall haue what soeuer he will and he shall not haue any thyng that he would not haue For there shall he haue all good thynges both of body and soule such as neuer eye of mā hath séene nor eare heard nor
hart imagined The souereine good is to be sought WHy raungest thou then through so many thynges O silie maÌ„ séekyng the goodes of thy soule and of thy body Loue the one good thyng wherein are all good things and it is inough Be desirous of the single good thyng which is all goodnesse it sufficeth For what is it that thou louest O my fleshe what desirest thou O my soule whatsoeuer thou louest it is there whatsoeuer thou desirest it is there If thou haue a mynde to beawtie there the rightuous shine as the sunne If thou like of swiftnes streÌ„gth or libertie of body where against nothyng may resiste there they shal be lyke the aungels of god For the body is sowen a naturall body but it shall rise a spirituall body that is to witte spirituall in power but not in substaunce If thou desire a long or healthy life there shal be healthfull euerlastyngnesse and euerlastyng healthfulnesse For the rightuous shall liue for euer and the welfare of the rightuous coÌ„meth of the lord If suffisance They shal be suffised when the glorie of the Lord appeares If dronkennesse They shal be made druÌ„ken with the foyzon of Gods house If melodie There the angels shall sing vnto God without end If any maner of pleasure so it be not vncleane The Lorde will let them drinke their fill of the streame of his pleasures If wisedome The very wisedome of God shall shewe him selfe to them If frendshyp They shall loue God more theÌ„ them selues and one an other as themselues and God shall loue them more then they loue them selues For they loue him them selues and one an other by him and he loueth him selfe and them by him selfe If concord They shall all of them delight but in one thyng for there shal be but one will among them and that shal be the will of God their souereine If power They shal be maisters of their wils like as God is of his For like as God can do what he listeth by him selfe so shall they be able to doe what they list by him For like as they wil not list any other thing then he listeth so will he list whatsoeuer they list and so consequently whatsoeuer he listeth must néedes come to passe If honor riches God will make his good and faithfull â—eruauÌ„tes rulers of much goodes yea they shal be the children of God and Gods and they shal be the heyres of God and coheyres with Christ Or if thou desire assured safetie they shal be as sure that that good state shall neuer fayle them as they are sure that they would neuer forgoe it by their owne willes and that God their louer will not take it away from hys louers agaynst theyr willes and that there is not any thing mightier then God to separate God and theÌ„ a sunder Now then what and how great ioy is there whereas is such so great goodnesse ¶ Of the mutuall loue betwéene the Saintes in heauens O Hart of man O poore hart O hart vnacquainted with miserie and wretchednesse or rather ouerwhelmed with miseries how glad wouldest thou be if thou haddest aboundance of all these thinges Aske thy furthest coÌ„passe of thyne inward conceyt if it were able to receiue the ioy of this so great happinesse Certeinely if any other man whom thou louedst as thy selfe should haue the same happie state thy ioye would be double bycause thou wouldest be as glad for him as for thy selfe But if two or thrée or a noÌ„ber mo should haue the same thyng thou wouldst be as glad for euery one of them as for thy selfe if thou didst loue theÌ„ as thy selfe What ioy then shall there be in that perfect loue of the innumerable blessed aungels and men when none shall loue any other lesse then him selfe for euery of them shal be as glad for others as for him selfe Now if the hart of man be scarce able to conceiue the ioye of any one so great a benefite how shall it be capable of so many and so great ioyes And doubtlesse seyng that accordyng as euery man loueth another so much doth he reioyse of his welldoing therfore like as in that blessed happinesse euery man shal without coÌ„parison loue God more then him selfe all others set all together so also shal he without estimation reioyse more of Gods happie state then of his owne of all other folkes with him Moreouer if they loue God with all their hart with all their mynde and with all their soule and yet all their hart all their mynde and all their soule suffice not to loue hym as he is worthy Out of all doubt they shall also reioyse with all theyr hart with all their mynde and with all their soule and yet their whole hart their whole mynde and their whole soule shall not suffice to reioyse to the full ¶ Of the full ioy of the eternall lyfe MY God and my Lord my hope and hartes ioy tell my soule whether this be the ioy whereof thou sayest vnto vs by thy sonne Aske and ye shall receiue that your ioy may be full for I haue founde a certeine ioy that is full and more then full For when the hart is full the mynde full the soule full and the whole maÌ„ full of that ioy yet shall there remaine an ouerplus of ioy with out measure All that ioy then shall not enter whole into the inioyers of it but the inioyers shal enter whole into the ioy of their lord Lord tell thy seruaunt tell me inwardly in my hart whether this be the ioye whereinto those seruauÌ„tes of thyne shall enter whiche must enter into the ioy of their maister Truly the ioye that thyne elect shall inioy was neuer séene of mans eye nor heard of mans eare nor conceiued of maÌ„s hart Therefore Lord I haue not yet sayd or imagined howe much thy chosen shall reioyce Vndoubtedly they shall so much reioyce as they dee loue thée and they shall so much loue thée as they know thee And how much shall they loue thée Verely no eye hath séene eare heard nor hart coÌ„ceiued in his life how much they shall know thée and loue thée in that life I beséeche thée my God let me know thée loue thee that I may haue ioy of thée And although I cannot do it to the full in this life yet let me profite from day to day vntill it may come to the full Let the knowledge of thee grow in me here that it may become full there Let the loue of thée increase in me here that it may be full there so as my ioy may be great in hope here and full in deede there O soothfast God I pray thée let me receiue the thyng that thou promisest that my ioye may be full In the meane tyme let my mynde be thinkyng vpon it let my toung be talkyng of it let my hart long for it let my mouth be speakyng of it let my soule hunger after it let my