Him first to love that was so dearly bought,
And next our brethren to his image wrought.

Him first to love great right and reason is,
Who first to us our life and being gave,

And after, when we fared had amiss,

Us wretches from the second death did save; And cast the food of life which now we have, Even He himself in his dear sacrament,

To feed our hungry souls unto us lent.

Then next we love our brethren that were made
Of that self mould and that self Maker's hand

That we, and to the same again shall fade,

Where they shall have like heritage of land, However here on higher steps we stand. Which also were with self-same price redeemed That we, however of us light esteemed.

And were they not, yet sith that loving Lord
Commanded us to love them for his sake,

Even for his sake and for his sacred word,

Which is his last bequest He to us spake,

We should them love, and with their needs partake,

Knowing that whatsoe'er to them we give

We give to Him by whom we all do live.

Such mercy He by his most holy reed'

Unto us taught, and to approve it true,

Ensampled it by his most righteous deed,

Showing us mercy (miserable crew!)

That we the like should to the wretches shew,

And love our brethren, thereby to approve

How much Himself that loved us we love.

1 Counsel.

Then rouse thyself, O Earth! out of thy soil,
In which thou wallowest like to filthy swine,
And dost thy mind in dirty pleasures moil,

Unmindful of that dearest Lord of thine:
Lift up to Him thy heavy-clouded eyne,'
That thou in sovereign bounty mayst behold,
And read through love his mercies manifold.

Begin from first where He encradled was

In simple cratch, wrapped in a wad of hay

Between the wilful ox and humble ass;

And in what rags, and in how base array,
The glory of our heavenly riches lay,

When Him the silly shepherds came to see,
Whom greatest princes sought on lowest knee.

From thence read in the story of his life

His humble carriage, his unfaulty ways,
His cankered foes, his fights, his toil, his strife,
His pains, his poverty, his sharp assays,
Through which He passed his miserable days,
Offending none, and doing good to all,
Yet being maliced both of great and small.

And look, at last, how of most wretched wights
He taken was, betrayed, and false accused;

How with lies, scornful taunts, and fell despites
He was reviled, disgraced, and foul abused ;

How scourged, how crowned, how buffeted, how
bruised;

And lastly, how 'twixt robbers crucified,

With bitter wound through hands, through feet, and side!

Then let thy flinty heart, that feels no pain,

Empierced be with pitiful remorse;

And let thy bowels bleed in every vein

At sight of his most sacred heavenly corse,
So torn and mangled with malicious force;
And let thy soul, whose sins and sorrows wrought,
Melt into tears, and groan in grieved thought.

With sense thereof, while thy so softened spirit

Is inly touched and humbled with meek zeal,
Through meditation of his endless merit,

Lift up thy mind to th' Author of thy weal,
And to his sovereign mercy do appeal;
Learn Him to love that loved thee so dear,
And in thy breast his blessed image bear.

With all thy heart, with all thy soul and mind,
Thou must Him love, and his behests embrace;
All other loves with which the world doth blind
Weak fancies, and stir up affections base,
Thou must renounce and utterly displace,
And give thyself unto Him full and free,
That full and freely gave Himself to thee.

Then shalt thou feel thy spirit so possessed,

And ravished with devouring great desire
Of his dear self, that shall thy feeble breast
Inflame with love, and set thee all on fire
With burning zeal through every part entire,
That in no earthly thing thou shalt delight
But in his sweet and amiable sight.

Thenceforth all world's desire will in thee die,

And all earth's glory on which men do gaze Seem dust and dross in thy pure-sighted eye, Compared to that celestial beauty's blaze,

Whose glorious beams all fleshly sense doth daze

With admiration of their passing light,
Blinding the eyes and lumining the sprite.

Then shall thy ravished soul inspired be,

With heavenly thoughts, far above human skill; And thy bright radiant eyes shall plainly see

Th' idea of his pure glory present still
Before thy face, that all thy spirit shall fill
With sweet enragement of celestial love,
Kindled through sight of those fair things above.

FROM THE HYMN OF HEAVENLY BEAUTY.

BUT whoso may, thrice happy man him hold,
Of all on earth, whom God so much doth grace,

And lets his own beloved to behold;

For in the view of her celestial face

All joy, all bliss, all happiness have place: Not aught on earth can want unto the wight, Who of herself can win the wishful sight.

For she out of her secret treasury

Plenty of riches forth on him will pour, E'en heavenly riches, which there hidden lie, Within the closet of her chastest bower, Th' eternal portion of her precious dower, Which mighty God hath given to her free, And to all those which thereof worthy be.

None thereof worthy be but those whom she
Vouchsafeth to her presence to receive,

And letteth them her lovely face to see,

Whereof such wondrous pleasures they conceive,
And sweet contentment, that it doth bereave

Their soul of sense, through infinite delight,
And them transport from flesh into the sprite;

In which they see such admirable things,
As carries them into an ecstasy,
And hear such heavenly notes and carolings

Of God's high praise, that fills the brazen sky,
And feel such joy and pleasure inwardly,
That maketh them all worldly cares forget,
And only think on that before them set.

Nor from thenceforth doth any fleshly sense,

Or idle thought of earthly things, remain;
But all that erst seemed sweet seems now offence,
And all that pleased erst now seems to pain;
Their joy, their comfort, their desire, their gain,

Is fixed all on that which now they see;
All other sights but feigned shadows be.

And that fair lamp, which useth to inflame

The hearts of men with self-consuming fire,
Thenceforth seems foul and full of sinful blame;

And all that pomp to which proud men aspire
By name of honor, and so much desire,
Seems to them baseness, and all riches dross,
And all mirth sadness, and all lucre loss.

So full their eyes are of that glorious sight,
And senses fraught with such satiety,
That in naught else on earth they can delight,
But in th' respect of that felicity,

Which they have written in their inward eye,
On which they feed, and in their fattened mind,
All happy joy and full contentment find.

Ah, then, my hungry soul! which long hast fed
On idle fancies of thy foolish thought,
And, with false beauties' flattering bait misled,
Hast after vain deceitful shadows sought,

Which all are fled, and now have left thee naught

But late repentance, through thy follies' prief;"
Ah! cease to gaze on matter of thy grief,

1 Proof.