¶ Godly Meditations made in the form of prayers, by S. Augustine.   

¶ A prayer wherein through commemoration of Christ's passion, we desire pardon of our sins, and continuance in virtue & godliness.  
Behold (O pitiful father) thy most pitiful son, which suffered for me being so wicked. Behold (O most merciful king) who suffereth, and remember (as thou art loving and kind) for whom he suffered. Is not this (O my Lord) innocent, whom although he were thy son, thou didst deliver to redeem and ransom a servant? Is not this the author and beginner of life, which being led as a sheep to be killed, and being made obedient to thee, even unto death, was not afraid to take upon him the most cruel & sharp kind of death? Call to remembrance (O thou distributour of all health) that this is he whom (although thou didst beget him by thy power, yet notwithstanding) thou wouldst have to be made partaker of mine infirmity and weakness.  
Truly this same is thy Godhead which did take upon him my nature, which was hanged upon the gibbet of torment or cross, which in the flesh which he had taken upon him, did suffer sorrowful punishment. Turn the eyes of thy majesty (O lord my God) toward the work of thine unspeakable pity. Look upon thy dear son, whose whole body is stretched forth. Mark the harmless & pure hands, which do drop, & distill down innocent blood. And I beseech thee, be pacified & pardon the wicked deeds which my hands have committed. Consider his bore and naked side, being thrust thorough cruelly with a spear, and renew & wash me with thy holy fountain or well, which I believe did flow from thence. Mark the unspotted feet which have not stand in the way of sinners, but always have walked in thy law, how they are pierced thorough with sharp nails, and make perfect my steps in thy paths, and make me (of thy loving kindness) to hate all the ways of iniquity. Remove from me the way of iniquity, & make me of thy mercy) to choose the way of truth. I beseech thee (O king of holy men) by this holy one of all holy ones, and by this my redeemer: to make me run the way of thy commandments, that I may be united & knit unto him in spirit, which did not disdayve to be clad in my flesh. Dost thou not look upon and mark (O pitiful father) the head of thy most dearly beloved son, a young man, how it leaned upon his shoulder when he was past the most precious death? Behold (O my most gentle creator) the humanity, & gentleness of thy beloved son, & have compassion upon the febleves of me thy weak and feeble handy work. Behold (O most glorious parent) the torn and rend members of thy most kind and loving child, and remember gently what substance I am of. Behold the pains of God and man, and release and lose man (which is thy creature) out of misery and bondage of sin. Behold the punishment of him, that did redeem and pardon, the offence of them that be redeemed. This is he O Lord, whom thou didst strike for the sins of thy people, although he be thy well-beloved, in whom was found no guile, and yet nevertheless was he reckoned amongst them that were full of iniquity.   

¶ A prayer wherein man confesseth himself to be the cause of Christ's passion.  
WHat hast thou committed (O Lord) that thou shouldest be so judged? what hast thou offended that thou shouldest be so cruelly handled and ordered? what was thy fault? what was thine offence? what was the cause of thy death? what was the occasion of thy condemnation? I (Lord) I am the cause of thy sorrow, the fault is in me, that thou was killed for, I have deserved thy death, I committed the offences that were avenged upon thee. O marvelous kind of judgement, and unspeakable disposition or ordering of mysteries. The uninst man offendeth: and the righteous is punished. The guilty doth evil, and the innocent is beaten. The evil doth trespass, and the good is condemned. That which the evil man deserveth, the same doth the just suffer. That which the servant doth amiss, the master makes amends. That which man trespasseth, God suffereth it. O (thou which art the son of God) how low did thine humility descend? How greatly did thy charity even as it were wax hot & burn toward us. How far did thy pity proceed? whither did thy benignity and gentleness grow and extend? how far did thy love stretch? how far came thy compassion? for I did wrongfully, and thou wast punished. I committed the mischievous deeds, and they were avenged upon thee. I did the fault, & thou submittedst thyself to the torments. I was proud and thou wast humble & meek, I was swelled & puffed up, thou wast extenuated, and appaired. I was disobedient, nevertheless thou being obedient, barest the pains & punishments of disobedience. I obeyed and was as it were a servant to all excess and gluttony, and thou wast punished with scar●itie and lack of food. The tr●e did draw me violently unto unlawful concupiscence and desires, but perfect charity led thee unto punishment. I presumed being forbidden: but thou didst smart therefore, I took my pleasure with delicateness: thou wast vexed with the cross. I abound and have plenty of all pleasures, thou art all to torn with nails. I do cast the pleasant sweetness of the apple: & ehou the bitterness of Baull. Behold (oh king of glory) mine iniquity & ungodduys▪ and thy piety, and goodness is manifest. Be hold mine unrighteousness; & thy justice is plainly declared.  
What thing (O my king and my God) shall I tender unto thee, for all those things which thou hast bestowed upon me? for nothing can be found in that heart of man, that may worthily recompense such, rewards. Can man's wit excogitate or imagine any thing that is worthy to be compared unto thy divine mercy? Neither is it that office of a creature to go about to recompense fully & justly that aid & help of a Creator. There is truly O son of God in this thy marvelous dispensation, and apointmentes somewhat in which my frailness may help a little, if so be that my mind once pricked and stirred by thy visitation do punish the flesh, with the vices also and evil concupiscences thereof: and this thing if thou wilt grant, and give me grace to do, then shall it begin as it were to suffer & sustain sorrows & griefs, because that thou also didst vouchsafe to die for my sin. And so by the victory of the inward man, it shallbe armed (thou being a Captain) for the external and outward victory, forasmuch as (the spiritual persecution once overcome) it shall not be afraid, for thy sake to be obedient unto the material sword, and cross of this world. And so the slenderness of my state and condition (if it please thy goodness) shall be able according to the little power thereof, to answer unto the greatness, and excellency of my creator. And this is the heavenly medicine (O good Jesus) this is (as it were a preservative of thy love. This I beseech thee, by thine accustomed & ancient mercies, to pour into my wounds, (the soul and filthy matter of the venomous contagion, and infection once cast away, which may refresh, and restore me to my former purity & cleanness, that when I have tasted of the pleasant sweetness which is to abide in thee it may make me to despise, & utterly set naught by the enticements of this world, and to fear (for thy sake) none adversities thereof, & that I (remembering thine everlasting nobility and excellency) may always abhor, and disdain the troubles of this transitory world. Let nothing (I beseech thee) be delectable unto me, nor please me without thee. Let no precious, nor beautiful thing be acceptable unto me but thee: Let all things (I beseech thee) be counted as vile, and of no estimation unto me, without thee. That which is against thy nature, let it be irksome, and grievous also unto me, and that which pleaseth thee, let it be continually desired of me. Let it i●ke me to rejoice without thee, & let it delight me to be sad for thy sake. Let thy name be an heartening unto me, and the remembrance of thee, a consolation & comfort. Let my tears be made unto me as bread both day and night, searching thy instifications. Let the law of thy mouth be better unto me, than thousands of gold & silver. give me an ardent desire & love to obey thee, and an extreme hatred to resist thee. I require thee (O my hope) for all thy pity & goodness sake to have mercy upon my impiety and wickedness. Make open mine ears to thy commandments, and let not mine heart be inclined (I beseech thee by thy holy name) to any evil thing, to be minded as the ungodly or wicked men. I require thee also by the merucilous humility, that I be not moved with pride, nor yet with sinners.   

☞ Here doth man declare unto God the Father, that the Passion of his son, was for his reconciliation & atonement with God.  
Behold O almighty God, Father of my Lord, I beseech thee of thy benignity & gentleness to have mercy upon me, because of the most precious thing that I could found, the same have I offered devoutly unto thee, the thing of most estimation, that I could imagine, I have presented humbly unto thee: I have left nothing, but I have declared it to thy majesty. There is nothing remaining that I may add more because I have committed and betaken my whole hope unto thee. I have sent unto thee my advocatè and spokesman, even thy welbeloned son. I have sent thy glorious child to be a mediator betwixt me & thee. I have set (I say) an intercessor, by whom I trust to get pardon & forgenenesse of my sins. I have sent word unto word, that is, God unto God, according to that which S. John hath in the beginning of his gospel, where he calleth God the word, saying: In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, & God was the word. etc. which word (as I have said) was sent for my misdeeds. And I have rehearsed unto thee the passion of thy most holy son, which passion I believe was suffced for me. I believe, that the Godhead which was seat of thee did take upon him my humanity, and nature, in the which he thought not scorn to suffer buffertes, bonds, spittings, mocks, yea, he took upon him to suffer the cross, nails, and dart. I believe also, that his manhood being in this my nature, during his infancy was troubled with creeping and scrauling, and was wrapped in clotheses after the manner of other children, was vexed in his youth with labours, made lean with waking and fastings, wearied with journeying, afterward whipped, and all to torn and rend with divers kinds of punishments, reckoned amongst the dead, and when it was endued with the glory of resurrection, he carried it into the joys of heaven, and placed it upon the right-hand of thy majesty, (this I say) he is my manhood, way, and means of pacifying & appeasing thee, and thy way and means of having mercy upon me. mercifully look upon, hear thy son which thou didst beget, and the boude servant which he redeemed. Behold here a Creator, & do not despise a creature. Receive the shepherd welcomed with a gentle & loving countenance, and mercifully look upon the sheep which he hath brought home upon his own shoulders. This is that most faithful shepherd, which by many & divers labours, and travailcs over steep hills, and through headlong and deep valleys, did search for his own sheep that was strayed away, which also when he had found it faint, and almost dead through long wandering, got himself under it with great rejoicing, & making it fast unto him with a marvelous bond of charity, lifted it up out of the depth of confusion, & brought it home to the ninety and nine. Behold (O Lord) my king & God almighty, behold a good shepherd, which rendereth to thee, that which thou committedst to his charge. He took upon him thorough thine ordinance to save man, whom he hath delivered unto thee clean and pure from all spots through the washing in his blood. Lo, thy most dearly beloved Son hath reconciled unto thee thy handiwork, which was gone far out of the way. Lo, a gentle shepherd bringeth again to thy flock, him that that violent pirate, and robber had driven away. He hath brought unto thy sight the servant whom his own conscience had made to run away: that he which by himself had deserved punishment, by thy son being his solicitor, hath deserved forgiveness, unto whom also for his offences everlasting fire was due: nevertheless being a soldier under such a Captain, he doth hope to be brought home to his own country. I was able (O holy Father) by myself to offend thee, but I was not able of myself to pacify and appease thee. Thy well-beloved Son (O my God) was made my helper, by taking upon him mine humanity, to the intent he might cure mine infirmity, that whereof the first occasion of thy wrath did spring of the same, he might offer up to thee a sacrifice of praise, & that he might tender, & make me also well pleasing to thy goodness by that thing, in the which he sitting now on thy right hand, did always show and declare himself to be equal with my substance, and as it were fellow with the same. Lo, my hope, behold in whom is all my trust. If thou despise me (as it were right) formy iniquity: yet look upon me (at the lest wise) mercifully for the charity of thy beloved Sou. Beve heed to thy son whereby thou mayst have mercy upon thy bondservant. Look upon the sacrament of flesh, & pardon the offences of the flesh. How often soever thou dost remember the wounds of thy blessed son: so often I beseech thee let mine iniquities be hid. And because flesh hath stirred thee to anger: let flesh I beseech thee move thee to mercy, that like as flesh hath seduced, and led me to sin, so flesh may get and obtain for me remission. For certainly it is much, that mine iniquity hath deserved, but much more it is, that the goodness of my redeemer may even of right require. Mine unrighteousness is great, but his righteousness is bigger. For look how much God is superior unto man: even so much is my malice and evil inferior unto his goodness both in quality & quantity. For what have I sinned being a man, that the son of God being man hath not redeemed? what pride could be in me so exceeding high, but such humility as was in him, should bring it down? what power of death was there in me so great, but the punishment which the son of God suffered upon the cross, might deface it, and utter lie destroy it? Trueiy my God, if the sins of sinful man should be weighed in a just and equal balance, with the love & favour that was in our redeemer toward us: the East is not so far distant from the west, nor the in nermost part of the earth so much separated from the uppermost part of the heaven: as they should be unlike, so much less should mine iniquity be then is his goodness. Now (O mostnoble creator of light) now pardon mine offences for the unmeasurable travails, and pains that thy beloved son did sustain. Now (I beseech thee) let his goodness be set against my wickedness, his modesty and temperance, against mine ungracious frowardness: & his meekness, against my fierce cruelty. Let his humility recompense my pride: his patience, mine impatience: his gentleness, mine unkind churlishness: his obedience, my disobedience: his quietness, mine unquietness: his pleasant to wardness, my bitter frowardness: his sweet facility and gentleness, mine anger & fretting fumes: to conclude, let his charity, make amendss for my heinous & detestable cruelty.  
Amen.   

¶ A devout prayer to the Holy Ghost.  
NOw (O ahmighty, and holy Ghost) which art the love of the divine power, the holy participator & partner, with the almighty Father, & his most blessed son, the most merciful comforter of the sorrowful. I beseech thee to slide by thy mighty power into the inward parts of mine heart, that thou dwelling there, mayst make glad, and as it were lighten every dark corner of the neglect and forletten cottage, with the bright shining of thy light, and that in visiting the same, thou wouldst ornate and deck with the plenteousness of thy dew, the loathsome places thereof, which be corrupted with filthiness. Kindle the privy wounded parts of the inner man, with thy wholesome flames, and with piercing the inward parts of my foul entrails with the dart of thy love. Feed all the inner parts both of my mind and body, by the illuminating and lightening with the fire of thy holy and fervent love. give me to driuke of thy most pleasant river, to the intent I may have no lust to taste any worldly things which be mixed with poisor. give sentence with me (O Lord) and defend my cause against the ungodly nation. Teach me to do thy will because thou art my God. For I believe that in whom so ever thou dost devil: thou buildest an house in him for the father also, and the son. Blessed is that man that getteth such a guest, because that by thee, the father and the Son also will devil & abide with him. Come now (oh most loving comforter of my sorrowful soul) which art a protector in all necessities, and an help in troubles & adversities. Come O purger of sins, healer & curer of wounds. Come the strength of the frail and feeble, the reliever and raiser up of them that slide. Come the instructor & teacher of the humble and make, the destroyer & plucker down of the proud & stubborn. Come the good and kind Father of the fatherless, the gentle Judge of widows. Come thou which art a guide unto them that are tossed in the waves of this tempestions world, like as a bright and notable star is to them that sail on the sea, an haven unto them that are afraid of shipwreck. Come the worship and honour of all them that live, the only health of the dead. Come most holy Ghost, come, & have mercy on me, make me meet for thee, & mercifully grant unto me according to the multitude of thy great mercies that my baseness may please thy majesty, & my weakness, thy almighty power for Jesus Christ my saviours sake, which with the Father, and thine unity, liveth & reigneth world without end.  
Amen.   

¶ A prayer to the holy Trinity.  
WIth all my heart and mouth do I confess, praise, and bless thee, O God the father unbegotten, and thee O God the Son only begotten, also thee O holy ghost & comforter, to thee be glory in the world of worlds.  
Amen.   

¶ An acknowledging of almightis God in his Majesty.  
O Most high Trinity, one only power and undefiled majesty, our God, God almighty, I the abject, and hindmost of all thy servants confess and acknowledge thee, and being the lest member of the church, I worship thee with a due sacrifice of praise, as much as I am able, and according to that which thou hast vouchsafed to endue me withal. And for as much as I am destitute of outward gifts to offer unto thee: Those vows of praise which I have of the gift of thy mercy, behold willingly and gladly I offer them to thee, which be an unfeigned faith, and a pure conscience. I believe therefore with all my heart (O king of heaven, and Lord of the earth) and with my mouth do I confess thee the Father, the Son, and the holy ghost, to be three persons, and one in substance, the true and very God almighty, of one simple, incorporal, and invincible nature, incomprehensible, and of such a nature, as is not in a place, as other natures be & that thou hast nothing superior or above thyself, or lower, or any thing bigger than thyself. But in all manner of means perfect without all spot of deformity, and that thou art great without quantity, good without quality, everlasting without time, life without death, strong without infirmity or weakness, true without lying, present in every place without any situation, or being placed in any place, to be allevery where without place, fulfilling all things with out stretching forth thy hand: going every where without any contradiction or gainsaying, passing over all things with out moving: abiding within all things, without any kind of proportion: making all things having need of nothing: governing all things, without labour: giving all things their beginning, having no beginning thyself: making all things mutable and variable, thyself being without all kind of mutability: in greatness without measure: in power, almighty: in goodness, the chief & best: in wisdom, inestimable: in counsels, intents, and purposes, terrible, and fearful: in judgements, most upright and just: in cogitations & thoughts most secret: in words true: in works holy: in mercy's abundant & plentiful: toward offenders most patiented: toward the penitent, and those that be sorry for their sins, most gentle and loving: always the same everlasting, and continually continuing immortal, & incommutable, impossible to be changed or altered: whom neither the amplitude or largeness of places doth make bigger, nor the shortness, or littleness of places lesser, nor any places or corners can contem or pres together: neither doth thy will or intent vary, or altar: nor familiarity or acquaintance corrupt thee: nor sorrowful things, trouble or amaze thee: nor glad things make thee pleasant or frolic (as a man would say:) from thee can forgetfulness take norbing, nor mindfulness or remembrance give any thing: neither are things passed unto us, passed also unto thee: nor things which to us are come, come toward thee: for neither beginning doth give any beginning to thee, nor time any increase, nor yet chance giveth thee any end: but before all worlds, and in worlds, & by worlds, into everlasting, thou dost live, and thou hast continual praise, & perpetual glory, most high power, and singular honour, everlasting kingdom, and rule, and empery without end, thorough the infinite, and unweery, and immortal world of worlds.   

¶ After what sort God the father vouchsafed to help mankind, & of the incarnation of the word which is Christ, and of the giving of thanks.  
HItherto (O almighty God, the beholder and searcher of mine heart) have I acknowledged the almightifulnes of thy majesty, and the majesty of thine almightifulnes. But now like as with heart I believe (which is counted righteousness unto me:) so with mouth do I coufes before thee (which is to my salvation,) after what sort, and manner thou didst vouchsafe in the end of the world, to secure & aid mankind. Thou indeed only (O God the father) art not ready at any time, or in any place to be sent. But of thy Son the Apostle writeth: when that the time was fulfilled, God sent his Son. In that he saith, he sent, he doth sufficiently declare, that he being sent, came into this world, when as he being borne a very, and perfect man of blessed Mary a pure virgin) did appear, and show himself in the flesh. But what is that, which he that is the chief of the evangelists doth say? He was in the world, and the world was made by him. Thither truly was he sent by his humanity, where he always is, and always hath been by his divinity. The which sending or embassage, I believe with all my heart, & confess with my mouth, to be the consent & work of all the whole Trinity. O holy and good Father, how didst thou love us? How great favour didst thou bear toward us, most merciful creator? which hast not spared thine own son, but for us wretched sinners hast delivered him. He was obedient unto thee until death, yea, death upon a cross, taking the obligation, or handwriting of our sins, which was his flesh, and fastening it unto the cross, he crucified sin, and led death. He alone, is amongst the dead fire from death, having power to lay down his soul for us, and to take it again for us. Therefore was he both a vanquisher, and a sacrifice, and therefore was he an overcomer, because he was a sacrifice for us. He was both the priest and sacrifice unto thee: and therefore was he a Priest, because he was a sacrifice. Notw tout a cause have I great hope in him, for as much as thou wilt make whole all my diseases, for his sake, that sitteth on thy right hand, and doth continually make intercession for us, for my diseases (O Lord) are great and many: o, they are many in number, and great: for the prince of this world (as I very well know, and confess) hath many things in me. But I beseech thee deliver me thorough our redeemer which sitteth on thy right hand, in whom the said prince of this world could find none evil, that was his, of his own committing. By him do thou justify me, whom his self did not sin, neither was there any deceit, or guile found in his mouth. By him which is our head, in whom there is not one spot of evil, deliver me which am one of his members, though I be but a little member, and feeble, and weak. Deliver me (I beseech thee) from my sins, offences, faults, and ignorances. Fulfil me with thy holy virtues, and make me to shine in good manners, make me (I beseech thee) for thy holy names sake, to continued in holy works until the end, according to thy will, and pleasure.   

¶ Of the trust which a soul aught to have in our Lord Jesus, and in his passion.  
I Might despair verily because of my manifold sins and negligences without number, if it were not that thy word O God was made flesh, and dwelled amongst us. But I can not now despair, because that seeing (when we were enemies) we were reconciled by the death of thy son: how much more are we (now reconciled) saved by him, for all the hope, and the certitude, & sureness of all my trust, is in his precious blood, which was shed for us, & for our salvation. In him do I take heartening, & trusting in him I have a desire to come unto the. not having mine own righteousness, but that which I have through thy son our Lord Jesus Christ: for the which (O most merciful God, and most gentle lover of mankind) we give thee thanks, which through Jesus Christ thy son, our Lord, when we were not, didst mightily make us, and when we were lost through our sins, most marvelously didst deliver, and recover us again. To thy goodness (I say) do I give thanks, and manifold praises do I show forth unto thee, with all my heart, & mind, which through the unspeakable love, wherewith thou hast vouchsafed of thy marwylous goodness to love us wretches, and unworthy to be loved) didst send that same thive only begotten son from thy bosom, unto our common weal, to save us sinners which were at that time, the children of perdition and damnation. I tender unto thee thanks for his holy incarnation and nativity, and for his blessed mother, upon whom he did vouchsafe to take flesh for us, and for our salvation: to the intent, that like as he is very God of God, so he might be very man of man. I give thee thanks for his passion and cross, for his death, and resurrection, for his ascension into heaven, and his seat of his majesty on thy right hand. For he the forty day after his resurrection, asceuding up above all the heavens (his disciples seeing it) & sitting on thy right hand, did pour out his holy spirit abundantly according to his promise upon them whom he had chosen to be his children. I give thee thanks for that most sacred shedding forth of his precious blood, wherewith we are redeemed, and also for the most holy and quickening sacrifice of his body, and blood, which daily in thy church we feed of, and drink of, wherewith we are washed, and sanctified, and are made partakers of the only high divinity. I give thee thanks for thy marvelous, and unspeakable charity and love, wherewith thou didst love us unworthy persons, & didst save us, by thine only and beloved Son: for so thou did●● love the world, that thou gavest thine only begotten son, to the intent that none which believed in him should perish, but have everlasting life. This thing truly is everlasting life, to know thee, & also Jesus Christ, whom thou sentest to be very God, by an upright faith, and works worthy for faith.   

Of the exceeding love of the everlasting Father toward mankind,  
O unmeasurable pity and fatherly love, o inestimable charity, that thou shouldest deliver thy son to suffer death, to the intent thou mightest redeem and ransom a servant: God was made man, to the intent that man, being lost might be plucked out of that power of devils. How gentle and kind a lover of man was thy son our God, who thought it not enough to humble himself to be made man, of the virgive Mary: but also took upon him the pains of the cross, in shedding his blood for us, and for our salvation. He came a pitiful God, he came for his pity, and goodnesses sake, he came to search, & to save that which was lost. He sought the stray sheep, he sought & found, and he being a good lord and truly a very good, and plentiful shepherd, brought him home upon his shoulders unto the folds of the flock. O charity, o pity, who heard any such things? who is not astonished to consider the bowels of so great mercy? who would not marued? who would not honour, and worship thee for thy great charity wherewith thou lovedst us? Thou didst sand thy son into the similitude of flesh, subject to sin, that we might condemn sin for sin, that we might be made thy righteousness in him. For he was the very lamb without sport, which took away the sins of the world, which destroyed our death, by dying himself. But what may we tender unto thee (our God) for so great benefits of thy mercy? what praises, or what thanks? verily if we should have that same knowledge and power, that blessed angels have, yet should we not be able to requi●● thy so great pity and goodness, with any thing of valour. Not if all our members were turned into tongues, to repay unto thee due praises: yet were not our flendernes sufficient. There is one thing that exceedeth all knowledge, even thine inestimable charity which thou didst show unto us unworthy persons, for thy goodness, & pities sake. Thy Son (our God) did take upon him to be the seed of Abraham, not of Angels, yea, & he was made like unto us in all things, sin only excepted. He therefore taking man's nature not Angels, and glorifying it with the stole of holy resurrection, and immortality, carried it above the heavens, and above all the melodious companies of angels, above Cherubin and Seraphin, placing it upon thy right hand. This human nature do Angels praise: all the powers of heaven do tremble to see a man to be God over them This truly is all my hope, all my trust. And this same humane nature is in Jesus Christ our Lord, who is the portion of every one of us, the flesh & blood. Therefore whereas my portion reigneth, there do I believe to reign: whereas my flesh is glorified, there do I believe to be glorified: where my blood ruleth, there do I perceive me to bear rule: although I be a sinner, ye● do● I not inistrust, nor despair of the communion and partaking of favour. Although my sins do hinder me, and in a manner forbidden me, nevertheless my substance requireth it. And albeit that mine offences do exclude me, yet the communion of our nature doth not expel me: for God is not so ungentle, as to forget man, and not to remember that thing which himself beareth, and that which for my sake he took upon him, and that which for my sake he requireth. But truly the Lord our God is lowly and meek and wonderful gentle, and loveth his flesh, his members, and his bowels. In the very same God our Lord Jesus Christ, who is most gentle, loving, and merciful; in whom we are risen from death, that is to say, from the state of pernition, and eternal damnation, and even now by him we asccude into the heavens, and now sit in the heavens (in him I say) our flesh loveth us. For we have in him, and by him a prerogative, & as it were a prefermence of our blood: for we are his members, and his flesh: and he is our head, of the which dependeth the whole body (as it is written) a bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh, & they shall be two in one flesh, and no man at any time hateth his own flesh, but rather cherisheth, and loveth it. This is a great mystery, I speak in Christ, and in the church (saith the Apostle.)   

¶ Of the double nature of Christ, which hath mercy upon us▪ and maketh intercession for us.  
WHerefore with my lips and heart, and with all the might that I may, I tender thanks unto thine infinite mercy (O Lord our God) for all thy mercy, wherewith marvelously thou hast vouchsafed to help, and secure us that were lost by the same thy son our saviour and recoverer, which died for our sins, and rose again for our justification and living, without end sitteth on thy right hand, and entreateth for us, & together with the taketh pity & mercy upon us, because he is God thorough thee (O father) ever lasting, and of one substance with thee in all things: whereby always he may save us, but forasmuch as he is man, in which thing he is less, & inferior unto thee, all power both in heaven, & in earth, was given unto him, that in the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, both of celestial, and earthly creatures, and also of infernal, that all tongues may confess that our Lord Jesus Christ is in thy glory (O Father almighty.) He verily was constituted of thee, and ordained to be a judge of the quick, and dead, for thou truly judgest no man, but hast given all thy judgement to thy Son, in whose breast all treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hid. He truly is both a witness, and a Judge, a Judge, and a witness, whom no sinful conscience can fly or avoid: for all things be they never so secret, are open, & even naked, and uncovered unto him. He verily which was unrighteously judged himself, shall judge the whole world in equity, and the people in righteousness, and according to justice. Therefore do I bless thy name everlasting, and glorify the same with all my heart (O almighty and merciful Lord) for that unspeakable and marvelous conjunction of Godhead, & manhood together in the unity of a person, and not after this sort, that the one should be God, and the other man: but one & the same was both God and man, man and God. Nevertheless, although by thy marvelous will, the word was made flesh yet neither of both the natures was changed into other's substance. In the mystery of the Trinity, there is not a fourth person added: for the substance of the word of God, and of man, was united, and knit together, but not confused and mixed, that that thing which was taken of us, should be turned into God, and that which never had been before that time, that his flesh & manhood, should be the same that had been ever without any beginning, that is, his Godhead. O marvelous mystery. O unspeakable fellowship. O marvelous meekness of thy heavenvly mercifulness, which is ever worthy marveling, and ever to be loved we were but vile servants, and behold, we are made the sons of God: yea, and heirs of God together with Christ. From whence came this goodness? & who brought us unto this state? But I require thee (O most merciful father) by thine inestimable pity, goodness, and charity, to make us worthy of these many and great promises of the same, thy son our Lord Jesus Christ. Sand forth thy strength (O God) & establish the thing, that thou hast wrought in us. Make perfect that, which thou hast begun, that we may be able to come unto the fullness & perfectness of thy pity. Make us through the holy ghost, to understand, and through thy Son to deserve, & with due honour always to worship this great mystery of thy pitic, which is manifest in our flesh: justified in the spirit: did appear unto Angels: was preached unto nations: was believed to be in the world, was taken up into heaven.  
Amen.   

¶ Of the thanks which man aught to give unto God for the benefit of his redemption.  
Look how much (O Lord our God) we are in debt unto thee, even for so great a price were we redeemed, with such a great gift were we saved, and with so great a benefit helped. How much aught we wretehes to love, dread, bless, praise honour, and glorify thee which hast so loved us, after such fashion saved us, after such a sort sanctified us, to set us on high. To thee truly do we own and are bound, as much as we are able, even our life, and all our study and endeavour. But who hath any thing that is not thine? But do thou (O Lord our God) from whom all goodness proceedeth, even for thy holy names sake, give us of thy goodness, that we may serve thee of thine own goods, and gifts, and that we may please thee in truth, and repay unto thee daily due praises for so great benefits of thy mercy. For by none other means run we serve thee, but by thine own gifts, that thou hast lent us, while we be in this world. For every good gift, and every perfect gift is from above, & cometh down from the father of light, with whom there is none alteration, or variableness, neither yet is he changed unto darkness. O Lord our God, and a pitiful God. a good God, and almighty God, an unspeakable God, and incomprensible, of such a nature, that can not be contained as in a place. O God which art the beginner of all things, and the father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which didst sand the same thy beloved son our Lord, forth of thy bosom, to our common profit, to take upon him our life to the intent he might give us his life, and that he might be perfect, and very God of thee his father and very perfect man of his mother, a whole, and a perfect God, & a whole and perfect man, and yet but only Christ, both everlasting, and enduring but for a space, both immortal and mortal, both a creator and a creature, strong and weak, an overcomer, and one overcomed, a nurse, and one that was nursed himself, a shepherd, and a sheep, dead for a time, and living with the everlasting, promising to them that loved him, the freedom of life: who said to his disciples, what thing soever ye ask the Father in my name, he will give it unto you. For that high priests sake, which was also a Bishop indeed, & a good shepherd, that offered himself in a sacrifice to thee, putting his life in jeopardy for his flock: for his sake (I say) I beseech thee, which sitteth on thy right hand, & maketh intercession for us, being our redeemer, and our advocate, that thou wouldst grant unto me, that together with thy Son, and the holy Ghost, I may in all things bless, & glorify thee, with much contrition of heart, and a fountain of tears, with much reverence and fear: For the gift of them that be all of one substance, is all one. But because a body that is corrupted doth aggravate, & burden the soul: stir up, and awake (I beseech thee) my sluggishness with thy pricks and provokinges, and make me boldly to persever, & continued in thy commanndements and laws day and night. Grant me that my heart may wax warm within me, and that many meditation, & prayer I may be fervent. And for as much as thy only son said: Not man can come to me, except my Father that sent me, shall draw him: & again, No man cometh to the Father but by me. I ●●quire, and humbly beseech thee, draw me always unto him, that he at the length may bring me to thee: thither (I mean) whereas he is sitting on thy right hand, whereas is everlasting life, & continual blessedness, whereas is perfect love, without all kind of fear: whereas is one day everlasting and one spirit of all men: whereas is most sure security & safety, sure quietness, and quiet plesantness, pleasant felicity and happiness, happy eternity, continual, and eternal seeing, & praising of thee without end, whereas thou with him, and he with thee, in the communion and unity of the holy Ghost everlastingly, & continually livest and reignest throughout all worlds of worlds.  
Amen.   

¶ A devout prayer unto Christ  
O Christ & God which art my hope, and the true and gentle lover of mankind, the light, the way, the life, the health, the honour, and worship of them that be thine, I beseech thee call to thy remembrance all things that thou willingly didst suffer for them, both bands cross, wounds, death, and sepulchre: which after three days, death being overcomed, didst rise, wast seen of thy disciples, reforming their hearts, and establishing them that were almost declining from thee: the forty day after didst ascend up to heaven, which livest everlastinly now, and reignest throughout worlds. Thou art my God both loving & true, my father, and my God, both holy and pitiful, my mighty king, my good shepherd, mine only master, my best helper, one whom I am most bound to love, my living bread, mine everlasting priest, my guide unto my coutry, my true light, my holy sweetness, my right, and strait way, mine excellent wisdom, my sure and unfeigned simplicity, my peaceable concord, my safe garrison, my good portion, mine ever lasting health, my great mercy, my strongest patience, mine unspotted sacrifice, my holy redemption, my sure and steadfast hope, my perfect charity, my very and true resurrection, mine everlasting life, my joy, & most blessed vision, and continual without end: I humbly beseech thee, I desire and pray thee, that I may walk by thee, that I may come to thee, that I may rest in thee, which art the way, the truth, and the life, without the which no man can come unto the Father. Thee do I desire and covet (O good Lord) which art the brightness of thy Father's glory, which sittest above the angel called Cherubin, and dost behold the low and deep places, which art the true light, the light that lighteneth all things, the light that never falleth, nor goeth out, which the angels have desire to behold. Lo, my heart is before thee in thy sight, put away the darkness from it, that it may fully be replenished with the clearness of thy love. give unto me Lord thyself, behold I do love thee, and if that be but a thing of small valour, make me to love thee more strongly, and earnestly. I can not measure to know how much I lack of thy love, neither can I tell, how much should be sufficient for me, that my life may fulfil, his course in thy love, and not turn back until it be hid in the secrets of thy countenance. Nevertheless, this I know, that it were evil with me, if it were not for thee (O Lord) & that not only with the outward things that belong unto me: but also with the inward things. For all my riches (God except) is but mere poverty: but thou only art a treasure and a parcel of riches, that canst neither be changed into better nor worse. Thou art he to whom it is not one thing to live, and an other thing to live happily, because thou are thy blessedues, thy happiness and thou art all one. But I which am thy creature to whom it is not one thing to live, & an other thing to live blessedly & happily: all, both in that I live, and in that I live happily, I aught not to attribute nor refer it, to be received of any body, but of thy favour: & therefore have we need of thee, but not thou of us, because if were not at all, yet shouldest thou lack nothing of thy goodness. Therefore (O Lord) it is necessary for us to stick and clean unto thee, that by thy continual help we may be able to live holily, virtuously, and as we aught to live: for with the weight of our frailness, we are drawn even downward, but by thy gift we are stirred & carried upward: we fervently desire to ascend, we make certain ascensions in our hearts lifting them upward, & sing the song of stars, with the fire of thy love (I say) are we kindled, & moved to go with thee. Whether go we now upward, unto the peace of Jerusalem? because I was glad, and did rejoice in those things which were spoken unto me: we will go into the house of our Lord, there hath he placed us: we will have good thin-that we may will or desire nothing else, but to tarry, and remain there for ever. But for as much as whilst we be clad with this body, were do (as it were go astray, and are strangers unto thee: we have not here an abiding place for ever, but we seek for one that is to come. Our abiding place is in heaven: therefore thy favour and grace being my guide, I enter into the chamber of my heart, and sing unto thee songs of love my king & my God, mourning with marvelous sighings in this place of my peregrination, whereas thy justices are made my songs, and when. I remember Jeru salem, I extend & strerch forth toward it the senses of my heart: Jerusalem, I say, which is my country, Jerusalem, which is my mother, and toward thee which art a king over her, her light, her father, her defender, her patron, her governor, her keeper, her chaste and strong delight, her only and whole pleasure, & all her goodness come of thee, because thou art the chief good, and the true good, and I will never turn back, until thou bring me home from this pilgrimage (in which I am deformedly scattered abroad) unto the peace of my dearly beloved mother, whereas be the first fruits of my spirit; and until thou (O God) which art my mercy, fashion me, and confirm me for ever.   

¶ A prayer declaring with how great miseries this 〈◊〉 is replenished.  
I Am wondered weary (O Lord) of this life; & of this careful, & painful pilgrimage. This life is a wretched life, a life that will sonefade away, an uncertain life, a painful life, an unclean life, a life that worthily may be called the masters of all evils, the queen of pride, full of miseries and errors, which is not worthy to be called a life, but rather a death, in the which every hour, we die by divers defects, & failinges of nature by mutabilities, alterations & divers kinds of deaths How can we therefore call this that we live in this world, a life which is puf fed up, and swollen often with humours, made lean and feeble with for rows, dried with angers, and hot hasty furies of the mind, the air filleth it full of diseases, meats do infect it, fasting doth extenuate, and make it lean, pastimes make it to dissolute and reckless, pensiveness doth shorten and lessen it, security and too much case maketh it dull and nothing lusty, riches setteth it a float, & puffeth it up into pride, poverty dismayeth and discourageth it, youth extolleth it, age lameth it, infirmity breaketh it, for row oppresseth it. And immediately after these evils, as though it were by succession, cometh death & maketh an end of all the joys of this miserable life, after such a sort, that a man would not think (when he leaveth this life) to have lived at all. This living death, and dying life, although it be sprinkled & mixed with these, & other sorrows and miseries, yet (o good Lord) how many men do it catch, & entangle with her enticing snares? and how ma nigh doth she deceive with her deceitful, & false promises? and all for that she of herself is so false and bitter that her blind lovers can not be kept long secret, nor close unknown, yet doth she daily cause an infinite number of fools to drink of the golden cup, which she beareth in her hand: yea, and maketh them utterly drunken with the love of her. Happy are they, but very few of them is there that refuse her acquaintance and familiarity, or that despise to use her joys, or that neglect her friendship, and fellowship, lest when their deceiver perisheth, that they should perish also.   

¶ Of the blessedness of that life, which God hath prepared for them that love him.  
BUt thou heavenly life thou art she whom God hath ordained, and prepared for them that love him, thou art the heavenly life, the blessed life, the sure life, the quiet life, the fair life, the clean life the chaste life, the holy life, the life that knowest no death, knowest no sadness or pensiveness, a life without spot, without do lour, without vexation, without corruption, without trouble, without variety or mutability, a life most full of pleasure, and dignity, whereas is none adversary, to strive against a man, no enticements of sins, whereas is perfect love, without all manner of fear, whereas is day continually, & one spirit of all men: whereas God is seen face to face, and the mind is fed with this meat of life without end. I have a very good mind and desire to mark and give heed to thy clearness, with thy goods the desire and appetite of my heart is delighted. Look how much I am able to consider with myself in musing, and thinking of thy commodities: even so much am I ravished, & rapt with thy love, with the ardent desire of thee, & the sweet and comfortable remembrance of thee, am I wonderfully delighted. I have a pleasure therefore surely, to lift up the eyes of my heart unto thee, to erect the state of my mind, and conform or fashion the affects of my mind unto thee. It pleaseth me to talk of thee, to hear of thee, to writ of thee, to confer and meditate of thee, to read every day of thy blessedness and glory, and to muse oftentimes in my mind of that things I have read concerning thee, that at the lest by such means I being under the sweet refreshing & comforting of thy lively air, may pass from the vexations, jeopardies, labours, and travels of this mortal life that will soon perish, and that in passing I may lay my weary head in thy bosom to sleep, or to rest a little. For this cause do I enter into the pleasant meadow of the holy scriptures, and in ploughing. I pluck the goodliest green herbs of sentences, and in reading I do eat them, and in frequenting I do meditate, and as it were, cut them, & in gathering them together, at the last I last them up in my memory, that by such means when I have tasted of thy sweetness, I may somewhat less feel the bitterness of this most wretched life. O thou most happy life, o kingdom which art blessed in deed, which lackest death, which art without end, no time doth successively pass at any time to thee, whereas continual day without night knoweth no time, whereas that captain & conqueror is accompanied with those quires of Angels, singing of hymns, & songs, they sing unto God without ceasing, the ballet of ballets of Zion. O most noble head which art compassed about with a perpetual crown, o that pardon, and forgiveness of my sins were granted unto me, & then immediately this burden of my flesh laid away, that I might enter into thy joy, to have true rest, & that I might get with in the goodly and beautiful walls of thy city to receive a crown of life at the hand of our lord, that I might be amongst those most holy quires, that I might stand with the most blessed spirits of the creator of glory, that I might see presently the countenance of Christ, that I might behold always that most high & unspeakable light, incomprehensible, which can not be contained as in a place. And so I should not only be out of all fear of death: but also I might rejoice always at the gift of the everlasting incorruption.  
Amen.   

¶ Here do we complain that we be not moved, nor pricked in our contemplation & prayer, like as the Angels be, which tremble at the sight of God.  
PArdon me O Lord, pardon me, mercifully forgive me, and have mercy upon me, spare mine ignorance and my great unperfectness, do not reprove me as a rash fellow, because I dare be be so bold which am but thy servant, but would to God I were either a good servant, or none un profitable, nor evil servant. And therefore am I an evil man, because I praise, bless, & worship thee, which art our God almighty, terrible, & very much to be feared. I worship thee, I say, with out contrition of heart, and without a well of tears. For if so be that the Angels when they worship, and praise thee, do tremble, being fulfilled with marvelous gladness: I which am a sinner, whilst I stand before thee, saying praises, & offering sacrifice, why am I not afraid in my heart? why am I not pale in my countenance? why do not my lips quake and tremble? why is not all my body afraid? & why do I not mourn and bewail before thee after such a sort, that tears might spring out of mine eyes? I would feign, but I am not able, because I can not do that which I desire to do. This maketh me truly wonderfully to marvel that I am no more moved when I see with the eyes of my faith, thee which art so fearful. But who can do any thing without the help of thy grace, except thou make our stony hearts to relent, we of ourselves are not able to mollify them, but all our health dependeth upon thy great mercy. O wretch that I am, how is my soul made without any feeling or perseverance? that it is not afraid with overmuch fear, whilst it standeth before God, and singeth to him his own praises? Alas how is my heart so hardened, that mine eyes do not gush out great floods of tears without ceasing when I which am but a servant or bondman do common and talk in my Lord, and masters presence? Yea, a man with God, a creature with a creator. I that am made of the shine of the earth do speak with him that made all things of nothing? Put me before thee (O Lord) & whatsoever I perceive of myself in the secrets of my heart, I do not keep it close from thy brotherly ears. Thou art rich in mercy, & liberal in rewards, give me of thy goods that with them I may serve thee. For with nothing else can we serve or please thee, but with thine own gifts which thou hast vouchsafed to bestow upon us. Fasten I beseech thee thy fear in my flesh: let my heart rejoice, & be glad to fear thy name. Would God my sinful soul feared thee so much, as that holy man which said: I always feared God, as though it were great swelling floods should come and tumble upon me. O God the giver of all good things give me amongst thy praises a well of tears with the pureness of heart, and reioyeing of mind, that I loving thee perfectly and worthily praising thee, may feel, taste, and savour, in the palace of my heart, how sweet, and pleasant thou art O lord, as it is written: Do ye taste and see how sweet, & delectable the Lord is. Blessed is the man that putteth his trust in him. Blessed is that people which knoweth glad and joyful praising. Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee, in whose heart are thy ways, which going through the vale of misery, use it for a well. Blessed are the clean in heart, because they shall see God. Blessed are they that dwell in the house of the Lord, they shall praise thee, world without end.   

¶ A very devout prayer for the giving of thanks.  
O Lord Christ, which art the word of the Father, which came into this world to save sinners. I beseech thee by the most loving bowels of thy mercy, to amend and repair my life, make better my deeds, take thou the ordering of my manners, take from me that which noyeth, & hurteth me, and displeaseth thee: and give me that which thou knowest will please thee, and profit me. who can make clean that which is conceived of an unclean seed, but thou alone? Thou art the God almighty, of infinite piety, which dost justify, & make righteous even those that were wicked men, and raisest again to life them that were dead in sin, thou chaingest sinners, and they are no sinners. Take away therefore from me whatsoever is in me that pleaseth not thee: for thine eyes do see much unperfectness in me. Lay thy hand I beseech thee of thy pity on me, and whatsoever offendeth the eyes of thy pity, remove it from me. In thy sight is both my health & my disease: the one I beseech thee to preserve, tother to cure: do thou heal me O Lord, and I shall be healed: do thou make me safe, and I shall be saved: Thou I mean which dost make whole them that be diseased, & dost preserve them that be cured, which only with a beck dost restore and repair things that be decayed, and fallen into ruin. For if thou wilt vouchsafe to sow any good seed in the field of my heart, of necessity thou must pluck up first with the hand of thy pity, the thorns of vices which be in it. Put in my heart I beseech thee, so great plenty of delectation in thee, that I may desire no earthly or carnal thing, nor yet think upon them, but that I may love thee alone: that I may have thee only in my heart, and in my mouth. Writ with thy finger in my breast, the delectable remembrance of thy sweet name, so that it may be blotted out with no forgetfulness. Writ thy will in the tables of mine heart, and also thy justifications, that I may always & in every place have thee (oh Lord) before mine eyes in my sight. Inflame my mind with that fire, which thou didst sand into the earth, and willedst it to be kindled, that I might offer unto thee daily with tears, a sacrifice of a troubled spirit, & a repentant heart. O sweet Christ, O good Jesus, even according unto my desire, and even as I heartily require thee with my whole mind, give me thy holy & chaste love, which may replenish and keep me, and also fully possensse me. give me an evident sign and token of thy love, & a flowing well of tears, which will continually run, that those tears (may somewhat testify thy love) in me, that they may show forth, that they may declare how much my soul loveth thee, whilst for that great delectation it hath in the sweetness of thy love, it may not refrain from tears. I call to my remembrance sometimes (good Lord) that virtuous woman Anne which came to the tabernacle to pray that thou wouldst sand her a son: of whom the scripture maketh menthat her countenance after her tears and prayers) was not again changed or altered. But when I think upon so great virtue, constant, & steadfastness: I am vexed with sorrow, and confounded with shame, because I a wretch do perceive myself to be fallen overmuch from thee. For if a woman did weep after such a sort, and continued so in weeping, which did search for nothing else but a son: how aught my soul to mourn and to persist and abide in weeping, that seeketh and loveth God, and hath a desire to come unto him? how aught such a soul to mourn & weep which seeketh God day & night, which will love nothing but Christ? My tears now truly should be made unto me, meat day and night. Look upon me therefore, O Lord, and take pity on me because the dolours and sorrows of my heart are many in number. give me thy heavenly consolation and do not despise nor cast away a sinful soul, for the which thou didst die. give me inward tears, I beseech thee from the bottom of mine heart, which may wash away the spots of my sins. Replenish my soul always with heavenly delectation and heavenly mirth, that I may obtain some little portion or part in thy kingdom, although not amongst the perfect men, whose steps I can not follow, yet at the lest wise amongst the inferior sort. The marvelous devotion of another woman cometh now unto my mind, which with a virtuous love did seek thee lying in the sepulchre, which when thy disciples went away, & departed from thee, did remain with thee herself, which sat there sad and sorrowfully weeping, long and very much, and when she did arise, she searched with a diligent eye, and with many tears the corners of the sepulchre, which was left empty, if she might espy thee out in any place, whom she with a fervent desire sought: yea, and moreover she went again, and again to the sepulchre, but that was not enough unto her, neither did it satisfy her desire: for the grace of a good work is to persever and continued in the same: and because she did love more than other and that in loving she wept, and in weeping she searched, and in searching she continued, therefore was it thy pleasure that she should first find thee, see thee, and talk with thee, before all other: and not only this, but also she was a ●●dinges bearer of thy glorious resurrection unto thy disciples, when thou didst command her, and bid her, go, and tell my brethren that they go unto Galilee, there they shall see me. etc. seeing therefore that a woman did weep, after such a sort, and continued in weeping, which did seek him that was alive among the dead: which touched thee with the hand other faith: how aught a soul to mourn, and to continued in mourning, which believeth in thee, & with his mouth doth acknowledge thee to be his redeemer, that sittest now in heaven, and reignest every where? how much therefore aught such a soul to mourn & weep, which loveth thee with all his heart, and with his whole desire doth covet to see thee? O only refuge, the only hope of wretches, unto whom no man needeth at any time to pray without hope of mercy, grant unto me this grace for thy sake, and for thy holy names sake, that as oft as I think upon thee, as often as I speak of thee, writ of thee, read of thee confer of thee: as often as ever I remember thee, stand before thee, offer up praises, prayers, and sacrifice unto thee, so often I may weep abundantly with tears in thy sight, so that my tears may be to me in stead of bread, day and night. Thou truly king of glory, & master of all virtue, hast taught us with thy word and with thine ensample to mourn and weep, whereas thou sayest: Blessed be they that mourn, for they shall be comforted. Thou didst weep for thy friend that was dead, and didst let tears fall down plenteously for the city which should perish. I beseech thee (O good Jesus) by those most precious tears, and by all thy inercies and pities, wherewith thou didst vouchsafe marvelously to help and secure us that were lost: give me the grace to weep, and to be earnestly repentant for my sins, which grace my soul desireth, & coveteth very much, and except it come of thy gift, I can not have it, but by the holy ghost, which doth mollify the hard hearts of sinners, and provoketh them to weeping. give me the grace of tears, like as thou gavest to our forefathers, whose examples we aught to follow, that I may bewail myself in all my life, like as they did bewail themselves day & night: give me the dew of thy grace from above, and also a dew of tears beneath, that my tears may be unto me in stead of bread day and night, & that I may be made in thy sight (O Lord my God) by the fire of thy provocation, a far and acceptable sacrifice. Make me to be mortified and killed upon the altar of mine heart, and that I may be received of thee as a fat and a sweet smelling sacrifice. give unto me (O good Lord) a plentiful flowing and clear well of tears, in that which I may wash continually this foul and spotted sacrifice: for although I have offered up myself wholly unto thee, by the help of thy grace. Yet nevertheless, in many things I offend thee daily, because of my great fragility & weakness. give me therefore the grace of tears (O blessed God) & most especially through the great sweetness of thy love, & the remembrance of thy great mercies, prepare this table for thy servant in thy sight, and give me power that as often as I list, I may be satisfied of it. Grant unto me for thy goodness and pity, that this thy cup replenished & filled full, may satisfy my thirst, that my spirit may covet thee, and that my mind may burn in thy love, forgetting all vanity & misery. Hear (my God) hear, thou that art the stirrer up & quickener of my dull cares hear what I desire and ask: and give me grace to ask that which thou hearest. O pitiful Lord which art wont to be easily entreated, be not hard to be entreated of me, because of my sins, but for thy goodness receive the prayers of thy servant, and grant me the effect of my petition and desire.   

¶ In this prayer man's mind is very much and plenteously stirred and moved, if it be said in quietness.  
O Lord Jesus, O gentle and loving Jesus, O good Jesus which didst vouchsafe to die for our sins, and didst ryseagayne for our justification, I beseech thee by thy glorious resurrection, to raise me up out of the sepulchre of vices and all my sins, and give me daily part in thy first resurrection, to the intent I may receive some part in the latter resurrection. O most mighty king which didst ascend into heaven, with the triumph of thy glory, and sittest on the right hand of thy father, draw me upward towards thee, that I may run after thee in the sweet savour of thine anointmentes. Let me run and not faint when thou drawest me & leadest me running: draw the mouth of the soul that thirsteth after thee, unto the high floods and streams of thine eternal abundance and society, ye draw me wholly unto thyself, which art the living well, to the intent I may according to my capacity, drink of that whereupon I do live. O my God, my life thou didst say with thy holy, and blessed mouth. If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. O well of life, grant unto my thirsty soul always to drink of thee, that according to thy holy & true promise, waters of life may flow out of my belly. O well of life replenish and fill my mind full of the river of thy pleasure. Make my heart to be drunken, as it were in thy love, that after the manner of them that be drunken with wine, which forget all things save that cup, so I may forget all vain & earthly things, and continually have nothing else in my cemembraunce, but thee only, according as it is written: I remembered God, and was delighted. give me the holy ghost, whom those waters did signify, which thou didst promise' to give to them that thirsted after thee. Grant (I beseech thee) that I may assay to go with my whole desire, & all my study toward that place, unto the which we believe thou didst ascend the forty day after thy resurrection, that in this present misery, I may be only in body: but in thought & desire always with thee, that my heart may be there, whereas thou art which art my treasure worthy to be coveted, & much to be loved, wherewith no treasure is worthy to be compared. In this great flood of this life, whereas we are tossed with storms on every side, there is no stead fast standing, or place high enough above that waters, not not for the foot of a dove to rest upon, in this (I say) there is no safe or quiet peace, no where any sure rest, every where battle and strife, every where enemies and fightings without doors and fear at home within doors. And forasmuch as the one part of us is heavenly, & the other earthly: our body which is corrupted, doth laden and is burdenous unto the soul: therefore my mind which is my fellow, and friend, being weighed with wandering forth of the way, is sick, & lieth all to torn, and rend, of those things which it hath passed by. It hungereth & thirsteth greatly after vanities, & I have nothing to set afore it, because I am poor and a beggar. Thou (O Lord my God) art rich in all good things, and the most plenteous giver of the daiuties of heavenly society, give meat unto the weighed: not such as it lusteth after, but such as is conveient for it. Gather together the dispersed, renew and refresh the corn, lo, he standeth at the door and knocketh. I beseech thee by the bowels of thy mercy, wherewith thou being the dayspring from an high hast visited us, open the hand of thy pity to a wretch that knocketh, & vouchsafe mercifully to bid him enter into thee, and that he may rest with thee, & be refreshed of thee, which art the living and heavenvly bread, wherewith when he is once fed, and that his strength is come to him again: he may ascend unto more high things. And being lifted up out of this vale of misery & tears, with the wings of his godly desire, he may fly unto the heavenvly kingdom. Let my spirit (O Lord I beseech thee) take wings as an Eagle, and fly without fainting, let it fly, and come to the beutifulnes of thy house, & to the place where thy glory dwelleth, where as upon the meat tables of thy supernal citizens, it may be fed of thy secrets, in the place of thy pasture, by the most pleutifull rivers sides. Let my heart rest in thee my God, my heart I say, which is as though it were a great sea swelling with waves. Thou which didst rebuke the winds and the sea, and there was made strait way a great calm: come & walk upon the floods of mine heart, that all things which belong unto me, may be made calm and clear, that I may embrace thee which art mine only God, and that I may behold the which art the sweet light of mine eyes, without any blind darkness of troublesome cogitations & thoughts. Let my mind fly (O Lord) under the shadow of thy wings from heat, that it being concred with the temperateness of thy pleasant coolness, may sing joyfully, and say: I will lay me down, and rest in peace. Let my memory sleep (O my God I beseech thee) from all evils, make it to hate iniquity, and to love righteousness. For what can be better or more delectable, then in the midst of the darkness of this life and amongst the manifold and bitter miseries of the same, to desire fervently heavenly sweetness? to co vet everlasting blessedness? a man's mind to behold ever there, whereas he may be most sure to have infallible, and true joys. O Lord which for thy loving kindness art most worthy to be desired & coveted of all things, when shall I see thee? when shall I appear before thy face? when shall I be satisfied of thy glory? when wilt thou bring me forth of this dark prison, that I may confess thy name, so that afterward I be no more pricked? when shall I pass and go to that marvelous & beautiful house of thine, whereas the voice of gladness and rejoicing doth sound in the tabernacles of just men. Blessed are they that devil in thy house (O Lord) they shall praise thee ever, world without end. Blessed are they, yea, blessed in deed, whom thou hast chosen, & taken into that heavenly inheritance. Behold (O Lord) thy saints flourish before thee, like unto lilies, for they are replenished with the plenteousness of thy house and thou dost give them to drink of the flowing river of thy pleasure, because thou art the well of life, and in thy light and brightness they do see light, so greatly that they themselves which are a light, which was made bright by thee O God, which dost give them light, do shine like unto the sun in thy sight. O how marvelous, how fair and beautiful, how acceptable are thy mansions and dwelling places of thy house, O Lord of powers. My sinful soul doth covet to enter into them. O Lord I have loved the comeliness of thy house, & the place where thy glory dwelleth, I asked one petition of thee, (Lord,) and the same will I require, that I may devil in the house of the Lord all the days of my life. Like as the heart coveteth to go unto the water brooks, even so doth my soul desire to come unto thee. O God when shall I come and appear before that face of my Lord? when shall I see God, after whom my soul longeth very sore? when shall I see him in the land of the living? For in this land of the dead, he cannot be seen with mortal eyes: what shall I do wretch that I am, which am fettered with the heavy gives of mortality? what shall I do? Whilst we continued in this body we go astray from the Lord: we have here no abiding place for ever, but we labour for one that is to come. Our free city is in heaven. Woe is me, me think I devil amongst the barbarous nations and infidels: & not amongst the faithful Israelites, I led my life in the tents of Cedar. My soul hath dwelled too long with them that hare peace and quietness. Who will give me wings as a dove, that I may fly, and rest me. There is no thing that I desire or delight so much in, as is to be in my Lord's company: it is good for me to clean unto God. O grant me (O Lord,) whilst I am in this frail members, to stick unto thee, as it is written: He that cleaveth unto the Lord, is all one spirit with him. give me therefore I beseech thee, the wings of contemplation, wherewith when I am appare led, I may fly upward. And forasmuch as every unlucky and infortunate thing lieth beneath: do thou O Lord hold up my mind, jest it fall headlong into the lowest bottoms of the dark valley: & jest the shadow of the earth should come between, & separate it from thee, that art the bright son of righteousness: and jest it once hid with the clouds of darkness should not have liberty, but be letted to look for heavenly things which be above. Therefore I do assay to go upward unto the joys of quietness and peace, and unto the delectable and pleasant state of light. O hold my heart with thy hand, because it cannot be drawn unto high things without thee. Thither do I make haste, whereas most chief and principal peace reigneth, and continual quiemes shineth forth. Hold and govern my spirit, and take it according to thy will, that thou being a guide unto it, it may ascend into the region & country of plentifulness, whereas thou feedest Israel everlastingly, with the food of truth, to the intent that there at the lest wise with my swift cogitation and thought, I may come nigh thy wisdom, which remaineth above all things overpasseth all things, & governeth all things. But alas there be many things, which when my soul would fly unto thee, do cry out upon it. Command them all (O Lord) to hold their peace and speak not unto me: as for my soul itself, let it gene never a word to answer: let it pass by all things: let it clune above all things that be created, and come unto thee, and that it may fasten the eyes of faith upon thee which art the only creator of all things: let it covet unto thee, & be bend towards thee: let it think upon thee by meditation and contemplation: let it lay thee before his eyes for itself: let it role and toss thee in his heart: thee (I say) which art the true & chief goodness, & the joy that will remain ever without ending. There is surely many contemplations, in the which man's soul is marvelously ●●● of thee, but in none of them my soul is so much delighted, nor yet hath so good rest in, as in thee: And when as it thinketh upon thee, and hath thee only in contemplation: O how much is thy sweetness, O Lord? how marvelously dost thou inspire the hearts of them that love thee? how delectable is thy love? the fruition whereof they have that love nothing but thee: they seek for nothing else: they covet to think of nothing else. Happy are they whose only hope thou art, which have no trust but in thee only, & all their whole work is prayer. Blessed is he that sitteth solitarily alone, & holdeth his peace, & standeth upon his ward that he is set to keep continually day and night, that yet while he is in this frail body, he may be able to taste somewhat thy pleasantness. I require thee by those thy wounds which bring health unto us, which wounds thou suffered'st upon the cross, for our health, out of the which thy precious blood wherewith thou redeemedst us, did distill and drop down: wound this my sinful soul, for the which also thou didst vouchsafe to die. Wound it (I say) with the fiery & mighty dart of thy great charity: for the word of God is lively and effectuous, and more piercing, and sharp, than any two edged sword. Thou O chosen dart & most sharp sword, which art able by thy power to pierce through the hard shield or buckler of man's heart, fasten and stick the shaft of thy love in my heart, that my soul may say unto thee. I am wounded with thy charity, so that forth of that same wound of thy love, tears may flow most plenteously both day & night. Strike (oh Lord) strike I befech thee, this most indurated and hardened mind of mine, with the sharp dart of thy love, and pierce it deeper and deeper, into the innermost parts thereof, by thy mighty power, and so bring out of my head, abundance of water, and out of mine eyes, a very well of tears, continually running thorough the great affect & marvelous desire to see thy glory, that I may mourn day and night, without taking any comfort in this life, until (in thy heavenly wedding chamber) I may see thee my weldeloved & beautiful spouse, my God and my Lord. And that there when I see thy glorious, marvelous, and beautiful face, full of all sweetness, together with them which thou hast chosen: then I say, I may worship humbly thy majesty, and there at the last being replenished with heavenly and unspeakable rejoicing of everlasting gladness, I may even cry out with them that love thee (saying). Behold that which I have long desired, now I have obtained. For I am joined in heaven unto him, whom, when I was in earth, I loved with all my strength: with all my charity I embraced him unto whom with all my love I did stick & cleave. Him do I praise, bless, & worship, that liveth and reigneth GOD world without end.  
Amen.   

☞ A prayer in time of tribulation.  
Have mercy on me (oh lord) have mercy on me a most wretched sinner, which do commit wickedly, and do suffer therefore worthily, which do sin continually, and suffer thy scourge therefore daily. If thou take my daily tribulation as a recompense for the evils which I have committed: them it is not so much that I suffer. For it is a great deal more grievous which I have trespassed, then that which I do suffer. Thou art just, O Lord, and thy judgement is according to right. Yea, all thy judgements are just and true, and thou (O Lord our God) art just & righteous: for there is no iniquity in thee. Thou dost not unjustly, nor yet cruelly scourge and punish sinners. O almighty and merciful God, which when we had no being at all, didst mightily created & make us. And when we were lost by our own fault, thou by thy pity & goodness marvelously did dost recover us. I know and am very certain and sure that our life is not led by sudden motions, but it is disposed and governed of thee O Lord our God. Whereby I know thou takest care for all men, & most chiefly for thy servants which have put their whole hope in thine only mercy: Therefore do I beseech and humbly require thee, that thou wouldst not deal with me according to my sins, wherewith I have deserved thine anger, but according to thy great mercifulness, which exceedeth the sins of the whole world. Thou O Lord, which outwardly dost punish & scourge, grant me inwardly a patience, that will never fail, so that thy praise never depart away from my mouth. Have mercy on me (O Lord,) have mercy on me, and help me, as thou thinkest best to be most necessary for my body and soul. Thou knowest all things, thou caused do all things, which livest for ever and ever.   

¶ A very devout prayer to the Son.  
O Lord Jesus Christ son of the living God, which being upon the cross, with thy hands spread abroad, for the redemption of all mankind didst drink the most bitter cup of thy passion: I beseech thee that thou wouldst vouchsafe, to give me help this day and ever. Lo, I a poor wretch come unto thee which art rich: a sinner, unto thee that art merciful. Let me not return home contemned and despised with nothing. I begin an hungered Let me not leave of fasting: I come unto thee as though I were famished, let me not go away unfed. Although before I eat, I sigh and sorrow: yet after my sorrow geue me somewhat to eat. First of all good Jesus, I acknowledge before thy majesty mine unrighteousness toward thee. Behold (O Lord) I was conceived in sin, and borne in the same: & thou didst wash them of from me, and sanctified me: but I afterward defiled myself with bigger and more grievous sins. For I was born in sin of necessity, because I could be borne none otherwise: but afterward I rolled myself willingly in sins. Nevertheless thou (O Lord) being mindful of thy pity, didst take me out of the house of my carnal father, and out of the tents of the ungodly, and hast inspired me & put me in mind, to follow thee, with the generation of them that seek thy face, of them that walk in the right path of them that abide and continued amongst the lilies of chastity, and of them that sit down together with thee at supper of most scarcity, and less excess. But I an unkind person, forgetting so many great benefits, after that I was entered into religion and holiness, did commit many unlawful things. I did offend wonderful ungraciously: and where I should of right have amended mine evil life, & left my sins: I heaped sins upon sins, and these be the evils (O Lord) wherewith I have dishonoured thee, and have spotted and defiled myself (whom thou didst created after the similitude & likeness of thine own self) with pride, vainglory, and other many evils, wherewith mine unlucky soul is vexed, punished, torn, and destroyed. Behold (O Lord) mine unrighteousness is gone over my head, and are like a sore burden, over heavy for me to bear. And except thou whose property is ever to have mercy and to forgive, do lay under me the right hand of thy majesty: I shall be constrained miserably to sink into the deep, and be drowned.  
give heed O Lord God and behold, because thou art holy, look how mine enemy assaulteth me saying, God hath forsaken him, I will persecute him and catch him, because there is no man that will deliver him. But thou Lord how long? Turn again & deliver my soul, save me for thy mercy's sake. Have mercy upon thy son, whom thou hast brought forth with no small sorrow and pain: and be not so ententife unto mine evilness, that thou forget thine own goodness: what father is there but he will deliver his son? yea, and what father is there that will not correct his son and chasten him? but with the rod of pity. Therefore, O father and Lord, although I be a sinner, yet can I not choose but be thy son, because thou hast made me, and made me again when I was marred with sin. Repair and amend me now (O Lord) but first of all, I being mended & chastised with thy scourge, deliver me to thy son. Can a mother forget the child she bore of her womb: and surely, although she sometimes be sorrowful, yet thou (O father) hast promised not to forget us. Behold I cry, and thou dost not hear me, I am vexed with sorrow, and thou comfortest me not. What shall I say? or what shall I do, most wretched caitiff that I am? I being desolate of so great comfort, and cast out from the sight of thine eyes. Woe be unto me, from how great goodness into how great a mischief am I fallen? whether purposed I to go, and whether am I come? where am I? and where am I not? whom did I study to attain unto? and what evils have I obtained? I sought for good things, and behold I have found trouble and care. Behold now I am in the state of death, & Jesus is not with me. And surely it were better for me to have nothing at all, yea not being at all, them to be without Jesus. It is better not to live, than to live without life. And thou O Lord Jesus, where be thine old mercies? wilt thou be angry towards me for ever? Be pacified I beseech thee, and have mercy upon me, & turn not thy face away from me, which to the intent thou mightest redeem me, didst not turn away thy face from them that rebuked thee, and spitted upon thee. I confess and acknowledge that I have sinned, and my conscience deserveth damnation, and the penance that I am able to do, is not sufficient to make amends for mine iniquities. But sure and certain I am that thy mercy exceedeth all offences that a man can do. O do not (I beseech thee most pitiful Lord) writ my heinous sins against me, that thou shouldest enter into judgement with thy servant. But according to the multitude of thy mercies, cross & blot out mine iniquities. woe be unto me wretch that I am, when the day of judgement cometh, & the books of consciences shall be laid wide open, when it shallbe said of me: Lo, look upon this fellow, and his works: what shall I do then, O Lord my God, when the heavens shall reveal & show forth mine iniquity, and the earth shall arise up & testify mine iniquity, against me? Behold I shall be able to give never one word to answer, but to stand in thy presence trembling, quaking, utterly confounded and holding down my head for shame. Alas wretch that I am, what shall I say? I cry unto thee O Lord my God. Why am I consumed & fretted with holding my peace? But if I should speak, my grief would not cease: And if I hold my peace, I shall be most bitterly vexed within me Mourn O my soul, and lament as a widow for her first husband that she had in her young age. howl wretch, and cry out with weeping, because thy spouse Christ hath forsaken thee. O God almighty, let not thine anger fall upon me: because that if thou lay so much to my charge, as is due for my sins, it is so much that I can not receive it. Surely my power is not able for to suffer or bear it. Have mercy upon me, lest I despair: but in despairing I will take heart to me, and be somewhat comforted. For although I have committed so much that thou mayst condemn me worthily: yet thou hast not lost that wherewith thou wast wont to save sinners, neither dost thou rejoice at the destruction and loss of them that die: yea, to the intent the dead men might line, thou thyself didst die, and thy death did kill the death of sins. And if they were revived again, & did live by thy death: I beseech thee, let not me die, now that thou linest. Send down thy hand and power from high, and deliver me out of the hands of mine enemies, that they rejoice not over me, and say: let us devour him. who ever (O good Jesus) needed to mistrust of thy mercy? which when we were thine enemies, didst redems us with thy blood, and reconciled us unto God. Behold, I being hid under the shadow of thy mercy, do come unto the throne of thine glory, requiring, and I do run crying, and knocking, until thou take pity upon me. For if thou didst call us to pardon and forgiveness. before we laboured for pardon, how soon shall we obtain forgiveness, when we ask it? Do not remember (O most bountiful Jesus) thy justice toward a sinner? but think upon thy liberality and gentleness toward thy creature. Do not remember thine anger toward the guilty, but remember thy pity & mercy toward a wretch. Forget me in that I proudly did provoke and move thee to wrath, and look upon a wretch that calleth upon thee. For what is Jesus but a saviour? Therefore good Jesus, for thine own sake, arise, and help me, and say unto my soul: I am thy health, & thy safeguard. I presume much and am very bold of thy goodness (O Lord,) because thou dost teach us to ask, to seek, and to knock: wherefore, I being admonished by thy word, do ask, seek, and knock. And thou (O Lord) that commandest us to ask, make me able to receive: thou that givest counsel to seek, grant that I may find: thou that teachest us to knock, open to me when I knock, and confirm me which am unstable and wanering: restore me that am lost: raise me up that am dead: and vouch safe to direct and govern in thy favour all my senses, my thoughts, and doings, that from henceforth I may serve thee, I may live toward thee, and that I may commit myself unto thee. I know (O my Lord) that through this that thou hast made me, I own and am in debt unto thee, even mine own self: and because thou hast redeemed me, and waste made man for my sake: for this (I say) I own unto thee more than myself. Lo, I have no more: neither can I give that which I have unto thee, without thee. But do thou take me, and draw me unto thee, that I may be thine in following and loving thee: like as I am thine in condition & creation: which livest and reignest world without end.  
Amen.  
FINIS.   

IMPRINTED at London by john day, dwelling over Aldersgate beneath S. Martyne.   

Cum privilegio Regiae Maiestatis per decennium. (†)