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1. GReat is this power of Memory; a thing, O my God, to bee amazed at, a very profound and infinite multiplicity: and this thing is the minde, and this thing am I. What am I therefore, O my God? What kinde of nature am I? A life various and full
of changes, yea vehemently in∣sariable. Behold, in those in∣numerable fields, and dennes, and caues of my memory, in∣numerably full of innumerable kinds of things, brought in, first, eyther by the Images, as * 1.1 all bodies are: secondly, or by the presence of the things * 1.2 themselues, as the Arts are: thirdly, or by certaine notions * 1.3 or impressions, as the Affecti∣ons of the mind are, which e∣uen then when the mind doth not suffer, yet does the me∣mory retayne; for that what∣soeuer is in the mind, is also in the memory. Thorow all these doe I runne and tumble; my∣ning into them on this side, and on that side, so sarre as euer I am able, but can finde no bottome. So great is the force of memory, so great is the force of this life of man, euen whilest hee is mor∣tall. * 1.4
2. What am I now to doe, O thou my true life, my God? I will passe euen beyond this faculty of mine which is cal∣led memory: yea, I will passe beyond it, that I may ap∣proach vnto thee, O sweete light. What sayest thou to me now? See, I am now moun∣ting vp by the steps of my soule, towards ••hee who dwellest aboue mee. Yea I will passe beyond this faculty of mine which is called me∣mory, desirous to touch thee, so farre as thou mayest bee touched; and to cleaue fast vnto thee, where thou art to be layd hold vpon. For euen the beasts and birds haue me∣mory; else could they neuer find their dennes and nests a∣gaine; nor those many other things which they are vsed vnto: nor indeede could they euer enure themselues vnto any thing, but by their me∣mory.
I will passe beyond my memory therfore, that I may arriue at him who hath sepa∣rated me from the foure-foo∣ted beasts and the fowles of the ayre, making mee wiser then they: yea I will soare be∣yond mine owne memory. But where shall I finde thee, O thou truely good, and thou secure sweetnesse? But where shall I bee able to finde thee?