A supplement to The Morning-exercise at Cripple-Gate, or, Several more cases of conscience practically…

¹O my God, it is thy self I love above all things; 'tis for thy self, in thee my desires are terminated; and therefore what wilt thou give me? if thou wilt not give me thy self, thou wilt give me nothing. If I find thee not, I find nothing; thou dost not at all reward me, but vehemently torment me: heretofore when I sought thee finally, for thy self, I hoped that I should quickly find thee, and keep thee, and with this sweet hope I comforted my self in all my labours; but now if thou deny me thy self, what wilt thou give me? shall I be for ever disappointed of so great a hope? shall I always languish in my love? shall I mourn in my languishment? shall I grieve in my mourning? shall I weep and wail in my grief? shall I always be empty? shall I always disconsolately sorrow? incessantly complain, and be endlessly tormented? O my most good, most powerful, most merciful, and most loving God, thou dost not use so unfriendly and like an enemy to despise, refuse, wound and torment those that love thee with all their heart, soul, and strength; that hope for full happiness in thee. Thou art the God of truth, the beginning and end of those that love thee, thou dost at last give thy self to those that love thee, to be their perfect and complete happiness. Therefore O my most good God, grant that I may in this present life love thee for thy self above all things, seek thee in all things, and in the life to come find thee, and hold thee to eternity.

¹O my God, it is thy self I love above all things; 'tis for thy self, in thee my desires are terminated; and therefore what wilt thou give me? if thou wilt not give me thy self, thou wilt give me nothing. If I find thee not, I find nothing; thou dost not at all reward me, but vehemently torment me: heretofore when I sought thee finally, for thy self, I hop'd that I should quickly find thee, and keep thee, and with this sweet hope I comforted my self in all my labours; but now if thou deny me thy self, what wilt thou give me? shall I be for ever disappointed of so great a hope? shall I always languish in my love? shall I mourn in my languishment? shall I grieve in my mourning? shall I weep and wail in my grief? shall I alwayes be empty? shall I alwayes disconsolately sorrow? incessantly complain, and be endlesly tormented? O my most good, most powerful, most merciful, and most loving God, thou dost not use so unfriendly and like an enemy to despise, refuse, wound and torment those that love thee with all their heart, soul, and strength; that hope for full happiness in thee. Thou art the God of truth, the beginning and end of those that love thee, thou dost at last give thy self to those that love thee, to be their perfect and compleat happiness. Therefore O my most good God, grant that I may in this present life love thee for thy self above all things, seek thee in all things, and in the life to come find thee, and hold thee to eternity.