Saint Augustines confessions translated: and with some marginall notes illustrated. Wherein, diuers antiquities are explayned; and the marginall notes of a former Popish translation, answered. By William Watts, rector of St. Albanes, Woodstreete

CHAP. 10. Divine things are more cleere∣ly discovered unto him.

1. ANd being upon this ad∣monished to returne to my selfe, I entred even into mine owne inwards, thou being my Leader: and able I was to do it, for thou wert now become my helper. Into my selfe I went, and with the eye of my soule (such as it was) I discovered over the same eye of my soule, over my minde, the unchangeable light of the Lord. Not this, vulgar light, which all flesh may looke upon; nor yet another greater of the same kinde; as if this should much and much more cleerely, and with its greatnesse take up all the roome. This light was none of that, but another, yea cleane another from all these. Nor was it in that man∣ner above my soule, as Oyle is

upon water, nor yet as the hea∣ven is above the earth: but supe∣riour to my soule, because it made me; and I was inferiour to it, because I was made by it He that knowes what Truth is, knowes what that light is; and he that knowes it, knowes eter∣nity. Charity knowes it.

2. O eternall Truth! and true Charity! and deare eterni∣ty! Thou art my God, to thee doe I sigh night and day. Thee when I first saw, thou liftedst ine up, that I might see there was something which I might see; and that yet it was not I that did see. And thou diddest beat backe the infirmity of my owne sight, darting thy beames of light upon me most strongly, and I trembled both with love and horrour: and I perceived my selfe to be far off from thee, in the Region of utter Ʋnlike∣nesse, as if I heard this voice of thine from on high: I am the

food of strong men, grow apace, and thou shalt feed upon me; nor shalt thou convert me like com∣mon food, into thy substance, but thou shalt be changed into mee. And I learned thereupon, That thou with rebukes hast corre∣cted * 1.1 me for iniquity, thou ma∣dest my soule to consume away like a moath. And I said; Is Truth therefore nothing at all, seeing it is neither diffused by in∣finite spaces of places, nor by fi∣nite? But thou cryedst to mee from afarre off; Yea verily, I AM that I AM. This voice I * 1.2 heard, (as things are heard in the heart) nor was there any suspicion at all, why I should doubt of it: yea, I should soo∣ner doubt that I did not live, than that it was not the Truth, which is cleerely to be seene by * 1.3 those things which are made.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Psal. 39. 11
• * 1.2

  Exod. 3.
• * 1.3

  Rom. 1. 20.