*BEholde, according to thy desire, I am come into my gardē, O my sister, my spouse; I haue receiued those fruites of thine obedience which thou offerest vnto mee, with much ioy: and pleasure. I haue ac∣cepted not onely of thy good workes, but thy indeauours & purposes of holinesse: both which are as pleasant to mee, as the honie and the honie combe. I haue allovved of the cheerefulnesse of thy ser∣uice, and the wholesomnesse Page  47 of thy doctrine. And ye, O my friends, whether blessed An∣gells, or faithfull men, partake with mee in this ioie arising from the faithfulnesse of my Church: cheere vp and fill your selues, O my beloued, with the same spirituall dain∣ties vvherevvith I am refre∣shed.

WHen the world had cast mee into a secure sleep,* or slumber rather (for my hart was not vtterly bereaued of a true faith, in my Sauiour) e∣uen in this darkenesse of my minde, it pleased my graci∣ous Redeemer not to neglect Page  48 mee; hee came to mee, and knocked oft, and called im∣portunately at the doore of my heart, by his word and chastisements, and said; O∣pen the doore of thy Soule, O my sister, my deare, chaste, comely, vnspotted Church: let me come in, & lodge & dwell with thee, in my graces; shut out the world, and receiue me with a more liuely act, and renouation of thy faith. For loe, I haue long waited paci∣ently for this effect of thy loue, and haue indured all the iniuries both of the night, and weather of thy prouoca∣tions, that I might at last inioy thee.

Page  49I answered him again,* plea∣ding excuses for my delay; Alas Lord, I haue now, since I left my forward profession of thee, auoyded a great num∣ber of cares and sorrowes: must I take them vp againe to follow thee? I haue liued cleane from the soile of these euils: and shall I now thrust my selfe into daunger of them?

When my Sauiour heard this vnkind answere of delay:* hee let his hand fall from the key-hole, which he had thus before without successe labo∣red about; & withdrew himself from soliciting mee any more: whereupon my hart & bowels Page  50 yearned within mee for him, and for the remorse of my so long foreslowing his admit∣tance vnto me.

*And now I rouzed vp my drousy hart (what I could) that I might in some cheerefull manner desire to receiue so gratious a Sauior: which when I but indeauoured, I found that hee had left behind him such a plentifull blessing (as the monument of his late presence) vpon the first mo∣tions of my heart, as that with the very touch of them I was both exceedingly refre∣shed, and mooued to further indignation at my selfe for de∣laying him.

Page  51I opened to my beloued Sa∣uiour:* but my Sauiour had now (in my feeling) withdra∣wen himselfe, & hid his coun∣tenance from me, holding me short of those gracious offers, and meanes which I had refu∣sed; and now I was almost past my selfe with despaire, to re∣member that sweete inuitati∣on of his, which I neglected: I sought him therefore in my thoughts, in the outward vse of his ordinances, and of my earnest praiers; but he would not as yet be found of me, or let mee finde that I was heard of him.

Those which should haue regarded me,* and by their vi∣gilancy Page  52 haue secured me from danger, proued mine aduer∣saries: instead of comforting mee, they fell vpon mee, and wounded mee with their false doctrines, drawing me on in∣to further errours, spoyling mee of that puritie and sin∣ceritie of profession, vvhere∣with as with some rich & mo∣dest vaile I was formerly ador∣ned, and couered.

*I aduise you solemnely, O all ye that wish well to me (for I care not who knowes the ve∣hemencie of my passion) if you shall finde my Sauiours presence in your selues before me, praie for the recouerie of his loue to mee; and bemone Page  53 my estate to him, tel him how I languish with the impatient desire of his loue, & presence to be restored vnto me.

O thou which art the most happie, most gracious,* & most glorious of all creatures, the chosen of the liuing God; what is thy welbeloued whom thou seekest, aboue al other the sons of men? what such eminency is there in him aboue all saints and angells: that thou art both so far gone in affectiō to him; and doest so vehemently ad∣iure vs to speake vnto him for thee?*

My welbeloued (if you know not) is of perfect beautie; in vvhose face is an exact mix∣ture Page  54 of the colours of the pu∣rest & healthfullest complex∣ion of holinesse: for, he hath not receiued the spirit by mea¦sure; and in him the god-head dwells bodily; he is infinitely fairer, then all the sonnes of men; & for goodliness of per∣son may beare the standard of comelinesse and grace amōgst tenne thousand.

*The deitie which dwelleth in him, is most pure and glori∣ous: and that fulnesse of grace which is communicated to his humane nature is wondrously beautifull, and so sets it forth, as the black curled lockes doe a fresh and welfauoured coun∣tenance.

Page  55His iudgement of al things,* and his respect to his Church (which are as his eyes) are full of loue, and full of pittie, shi∣ning like vnto doues washed in water, yea in milke, so as there is no spot, or blemish to bee found in them: and they are withall so fully placed; as is both most comely and most expedient for the perfect sight of the estate, and necessities of his seruants.

The manifestation of him∣selfe to vs in his word,* is sweet to our spirituall feeling, as an heape of spice, or those flow∣ers that are vsed to make the best perfuming oyntmēts are to the other senses: his hea∣uenly Page  56 instructions and promi∣ses of his Gospel are vnspeak∣ably comfortable, and plenti∣ous, in the grace that is wroght by them.

*His actions, and his instru∣ments (which are his hands) are set forth with much port & maiestie, as some precious stone beautifies the ring wher¦in▪ it is set: the secret coun∣sells of his breast, and the my∣steries of his wil are most pure and holy, and full of excellent glory.

*All his proceedings are firm and stable; and withall, as pil∣lars of marble set in sockets of tryed golde; so as they are neither subiect to vvauering, Page  57 nor to anie danger of infirmi∣tie and corruption: the shewe and carriage of his whole per∣son whereby he makes himself knowen to his chosen, is ex∣ceeding goodly, & vpright like to the streight and lofty Ce∣dars of Lebanon.

His mouth out of which,* proceedeth innumerable bles∣sings & cōfortable promises, is to my soule euen sweetnesse it selfe; yea (what speak I of a∣nie one part?) as you haue heard in these particulars, hee is as sweets: there is nothing but comfort in him; and there is no comfort but in him; and this (if ye would know) is my welbeloued; of so incompa∣rable Page  56 〈1 page duplicate〉 Page  57 〈1 page duplicate〉 Page  58 glory and worthinesse, that ye may easily discern him from all others.

*SInce thy Welbeloued is so glorious, and amiable (O thou which art for thy beauty worthie to bee the Spouse of such an husband) tell vs (for thou onely knowest it; and to seek Christ without the church we knowe is vain) tel vs where this Sauiour of thine is to bee sought; that we (rauished also with the report of his beautie) may ioin with thee in the same holy studie of seeking after him.