Godly meditations made in the forme of prayers by S. Augustine

¶ After what sort God the father vouchsafed to helpe mankinde, & of the incarnation of the word which is Christ, and of the geuing of thanks.

HItherto (O almigh∣ty God, the beholder

and sercher of mine hart) haue I acknowledged the almightifulnes of thy maiestie, and the maiestie of thine almightifulnes. But now like as w^t hart I beleue (which is coun∣ted righteousnes vnto me:) so with mouth do I coufes before thee (which is to my saluation,) after what sorte, and manner thou diddest vouchsafe in the ende of the worlde, to succour & ayd mankinde. Thou indeede onely (O

God the father) art not redy at any time, or in a∣ny place to be sente. But of thy Sonne the Apo∣stle writeth: when that the time was fulfilled, God sent his Sonne. In that he sayth, he sent, hee doth sufficiently declare, that he being sente, came into this world, when as he being borne a very, and perfect man of bles∣sed Mary a pure virgin) did appeare, and shew himselfe in the flesh. But

what is that, which he that is the chiefe of the e∣uangelistes doth say? He was in the worlde, and the worlde was made by him. Thether truly was he sent by his humanitie, where he alway is, and alway hath bene by his diuinitie. The which sen¦ding or embassage, I be∣leeue with all my hart, & confesse with my mouth, to be the consent & worke of al the whole Trinitie. Oh holy and good Fa∣ther,

how didst thou loue vs? How great fauour didst thou beare toward vs, most mercifull crea∣tor? which hast not spa∣red thine owne sonne, but for vs wretched sin∣ners hast deliuered him. He was obediente vnto thee vntill death, yea, death vpon a crosse, ta∣king the obligation, or handwriting of our sins, which was his flesh, and fastning it vnto the cros, he crucified sinne, and

led death. He alone, is a∣mongst the dead fre from death, hauing power to lay downe his soule for vs, and to take it againe for vs. Therfore was he both a vanquisher, and a sacrifice, and therefore was he an ouercommer, because he was a sacrifice for vs. He was both the priest and sacrifice vnto thee: and therefore was he a Priest, because hee was a sacrifice. Notw^t∣out a cause haue I great

hope in him, for asmuch as thou wilt make whole all my diseases, for his sake, that sitteth on thy right hand, and doth con∣tinually make intercessi∣on for vs, for my diseases (O Lord) are great and many: oh, they are many in number, and great: for the prince of this worlde (as I very well knowe, and confesse) hath many thinges in me. But I be∣sech thee deliuer me tho∣row our redemer which

sitteth on thy right hand, in whome the said prince of this world could finde none euill, that was his, of his owne commiting. By him do thou iustifie me, whome his selfe did not sinne, neyther was there any deceit, or guile found in his mouth. By him which is our head, in whome there is not one spot of euill, deliuer me which am one of his mē∣bers, though I be but a litle member, and feeble,

and weake. Deliuer me (I beseech thee) from my sinnes, offences, faultes, and ignorances. Fulfill mee with thy holy ver∣tues, and make me to shine in good manners, make me (I beseech thee) for thy holy names sake, to continue in holy wor∣kes vntill the ende, ac∣cording to thy will, and pleasure.