at the bell-ringing: and if no bell be there,
let the cock be thy bell: if there be neither cock nor bell, let GOD'S
love wake thee, for that most pleases GOD. And zeal, rooted in love,
wakens before both cock and bell, and has washed her face with sweet
love-tears; and her soul within has joy in GOD with devotion, and
liking, and bidding Him good-morning, and with other heavenly gladness
which GOD sends to His lovers. Blessed are they above others whom GOD
wakens, for they have many joys while others sleep, for they find that
gladness before them, rise they never so soon; for GOD Himself thus
says: "he that early wakens to ME, he shall find ME to speak with him,
and shall rejoice himself in ME, and have ME at his will." Be then a
waker, and rise quickly, and thank heartily thy Lord GOD, for the rest
thou hast had, and for the care of angels. Since a knight has great
liking to be called to come and speak with the king, when he knows it is
for his great profit: with greater reason, ought GOD'S knight, that is
every Christian man, to be ready at the calling of his Lord, Who calls
him for his great profit, and for nothing else. Soberly, rise thou with
a good cheer, and think that thou hearest GOD call thee with these
words: "Arise My love, My fair one, and come and shew Me thy face: I
yearn that the voice of thy prayer may ring in Mine ears." Think in thy
rising, how that night many men perished in life, and some in soul, and
some in body and soul: some burned, some drowned, some suddenly dead
without repentance or shrift, and their souls drawn by fiends to hell;
some fallen into deadly sin, as lust, gluttony, theft, envy,
manslaughter, and other several sins. And from all these perils, thy
good GOD hath delivered thee, of His goodness not of thy desert. What
hast thou done to GOD that He should care for thee so, and suffer so
many others to be lost? and peradventure thou hast done worse than they
have done. If thou lookest well at what GOD has done for thee though
thou hast not served Him, thou mayst find that GOD is as busy to do thee
profit as if He had naught else to do, and as if He had forgotten this
whole world, and thought only on thee. When thou hast this thought,
lift up thine heart to GOD and say:--"I thank Thee, dear-worthy Lord,
with all my heart, Who hast thus cared this night for me, a so unworthy
wretch, and hast suffered me that with life and health I thus abide this
day. I thank Thee, Lord, for this great