Oddparts Press

"Maker of all, the Lord,
And Ruler of the height,
Who, robing day in light, hast poured
Soft slumbers o'er the night,
That to our limbs the power
Of toil may be renew'd,
And hearts be rais'd that sink and cower,
And sorrows be subdu'd."

And then by little and little I recovered my former thoughts of Thy
handmaid, her holy conversation towards Thee, her holy tenderness
and observance towards us, whereof I was suddenly deprived: and I
was minded to weep in Thy sight, for her and for myself, in her behalf
and in my own. And I gave way to the tears which I before
restrained, to overflow as much as they desired; reposing my heart
upon them; and it found rest in them, for it was in Thy ears, not in
those of man, who would have scornfully interpreted my weeping. And
now, Lord, in writing I confess it unto Thee. Read it, who will, and
interpret it, how he will: and if he finds sin therein, that I wept my
mother for a small portion of an hour (the mother who for the time was
dead to mine eyes, who had for many years wept for me that I might
live in Thine eyes), let him not deride me; but rather, if he be one
of large charity, let him weep himself for my sins unto Thee, the
Father of all the brethren of Thy Christ.

But now, with a heart cured of that wound, wherein it might seem
blameworthy for an earthly feeling, I pour out unto Thee, our God,
in behalf of that Thy handmaid, a far different kind of tears, flowing
from a spirit shaken by the thoughts of the dangers of every soul that
dieth in Adam. And although she having been quickened in Christ,
even before her release from the flesh, had lived to the praise of Thy
name for her faith and conversation; yet dare I not say that from what
time Thou regeneratedst her by baptism, no word issued from her
mouth against Thy Commandment. Thy Son, the Truth, hath said,