O can that soul that loues her God – Scholarly Edition

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O can that soule that loues her God¹This poem is a fragment from “Of Suffering and Bearing the Crosse,” lines 1-104.
          For very shame complaine
To any other then himselfe
          Of what she doth sustaine!
No way to her was euer found,
          Nor euer shall there be,
But taking vp thy Crosse my Lord,²“Then Jesus said to his disciples: If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me” (Matthew 16:24, Douay-Rheims Bible).
          Thereby to follow thee.
This is the Way, the Truth, the Life,³“Jesus saith to him: I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No man cometh to the Father, but by me” (John 14:6, Douay-Rheims Bible).
          Which leadeth unto heauen,
None is secure, but only this,
          Though seeming nere so euen.
Those that do walke this happy path,
          IESVS doth company;
But those who go another way,
          Will erre most miserably.
And in this way do not think much,
          That thou dost much endure;
No, though it be from holy men;
          For God doth this procure,
That thou maist seeke himselfe alone,
          And putt thy trust in him,
And not in any creatures liuing,
          How good so ere they seeme.
For suffring by the meanes of th’ill
          Will little thee aduance;
But to be sensur’d by the good,
          Goes neere to thee perchance.
Alas we shew but little loue,
          If we must choose which way,
Our Lord must try our Loue to him,
          And not in all obey.
We must submitt our selves to him,
          And be of cheerefull hart;
For he expecteth much of them
          Who be of Maries part.⁴Within the convent, the “better part” references the contemplative life of the cloister as opposed to the active life of the world associated with Mary’s sister, Martha: “Now it came to pass as they went, that he entered into a certain town: and a certain woman named Martha, received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sitting also at the Lord’s feet, heard his word. But Martha was busy about much serving. Who stood and said: Lord, hast thou no care that my sister hath left me alone to serve? speak to her therefore, that she help me. And the Lord answering, said to her: Martha, Martha, thou art careful, and art troubled about many things: But one thing is necessary. Mary hath chosen the best part, which shall not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:38-42, Douay-Rheims Bible).
For she must beare a censure hard
          From all without exception;
But thou, O Lord, wilt her excuse,
          Who art her soules election.
If she will patiently sustaine,
          And be to thee attent,
Thou favourably willt iudge of her,
          Who know’st her harts intent.
For all but thou, as well she sees,
          May erre concerning her;
They only iudge as they conceiue,
          But thou canst neuer erre.
Complaine not therefor, louing soule,
          If thou willt be of those,
Who loue their God more then themselus
          And Maries part haue chose.
If all thou dost be taken ill
          By those of high perfection;
And further if thou be accus’d
          To be of some great faction,
Our Lord will answere all for thee,
          If thou willt hold thy peace,
And from contentions, and complaints
          Willt patiently surcease,
Leauing all, care vnto thy God,
          And only him intend;
Yet what is ill, reforme in thee,
          And this will all amend.
As farre as he doth thinke it good,
          Who is most iust, and wise,
He will thee by afflictions purge,
          From what displease his eyes.
Willt thou of all that loue thy God,
          From suffring be exempt?
O no, but blisse, as others do
          thy God, and liue content!
Amidst the various accidents,
          That do to thee befall,
Commit thy selfe, and all to God
          Who seekes our good in all.
Thyselfe art blind, and cannot iudge
          What is the best for thee;
But he doth pearce into all things,
          How hidd so ere they be.
My hart shall only this desire,
          That thou my Lord dispose,
Euen as thou pleasest in all things,
          Till these myne eys thou close
By death, which I so much desire,
          Because it will procure
Me to enioy my God, my all.
          Where I shall be secure
That none from me can take my Lord;
          But for eternity,
I shall enioy my only good,
          And to him euer be
Vnited by a knott of Loue,
          Which nothing shall vntiy,
But will remayne, as permanent
          As his Diuinity.
O happy houre, when willt thou come,
          And set my Spirit free,
That I may loue and prayse my God
          For perpetuity,
Contemplating his glorious face
          With all that him adore,
Singing with them his sweetest prayse,
          For euer, and euer more!