the spirituall leprosy dead in sinne buried in her filth abhominable before thyne eyes a marke for thy fury a prey to death and eternall confusion O my Redeemer immortall thankes be to thy infinite mercy for this great benefit since thy mercy hath no boundes add also O sweet Iesu to this benefit the firmnesse of a holy perseuerance whereby I may alwayes preserue the Temple of my soule body pure neat from all filth ordure of sinne Conserue O Lord the house thou camest to purify 2. Mach. 14.36 Psal 50.5 by the light heat of thy holy Spirit cleanse it beautify it alwayes more and more and more and more wash me from my sinnes purge me of my sinnes giue me grace that as I haue hitherto serued the Flesh the World and the Diuell the most cruell enemies of my good and saluation so I may with all my force loue honour and serue thee for heerafter O my life my Creatour and Sauiour descended into earth and made man to seeke me poore strayed sheep and make me participant of thy deity ascended also vp to the Crosse there to shed thy precious bloud to wash and cleanse me there to dye to giue me life Graunt O Prince of mercy that for all thy benefits I may affoard thee an humble an entire seruice vnto my last gaspe to liue after this mortall soiourning eternally with thee and to glorify thee in heauen where thou liuest and reigning with the Father in the vnity of the holy Ghost for euer and euer Amen This shal be the shutting of the 21. day and third weeke finishing the first period of his pilgrimage the which representeth as we haue sayd the life of those which beginne the way of vertue the way of Purgation by vertues purgatiue In the morning the Pilgrime shal begin his second part which representeth the estate of those that are gone forward and aduanced in the way of perfection and light THE PILGRIMES ABODE AT LORETO The two and twentith day and the first of his abode A Meditation vpon the holy Eucharist CAHP. I. FOR the meditation of the first dayes iourney of this second Part of his Pilgrimage the Pilgrime shall fitly take the subiect of the Eucharist for he cannot better begin to honour this holy place then with so holy an action nor more refresh solace the trauaile of his pilgrimage then by this refectiō nor better open the doore of his soule to the light of the Holy Ghost then by the receauing of such a Sacrament and this should be the first meale and the last banquet of euery true Pilgrime he shal make his Meditation early in the morning at the holy house with these partes The prayer preparatory accustomed shal demand grace to direct all his actions to the glory of God and saluation of his soule In the first preamble he shall set before his eyes the history of the two Pilgrimes Luc. 14. Aug. epist 50. ad Paulin. who first of all other Christians receaued at our Sauiours handes after his resurrection in the village called Emaus The second shall demand a speciall light well to penetrate the maiesty and profit of this mystery The first Point Of three figures of the Holy Sacrament CHAP. II. THE first point of the meditation shall containe three old Figures Gen. 14.18 among diuers others of this B. Sacrament The first is the Sacrifice of Melchisedech sometyme King of Salem and high Priest who entertayning Abraham as he returned victorious from the battaile offered to God Bread and VVine in thankes-giuing for the victory blessed him and refreshed him and his companie Our Sauiour the true Melchisedech in figure of the Sacrifice of the Body and Bloud of Iesus Christ the Christian Eucharist which the same Iesus Christ the true Melchisedech the true King of peace and high Bishop did institute and ordaine when in his last supper he did communicate his Apostles giuing them his Body to eat vnder the figure of Bread and his Bloud to drinke vnder the figure of Wine after the order and forme of the Sacrifice of Melchisedech and making them his Vicars and Deputies commanded them and their Successours in their person to do the same Luc. 22 1◠and to continue this Sacrifice and Supper in his name remembrance which hath heene alwayes performed hitherto and shall be alwayes heereafter vnto the worldes end For as Iesus Christ is Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech and not of Aaron whose Priesthood togeather with the sacrifices were ended and fullfilled on the Crosse so his Sacrifice according to this order of Melchisedech shall be perpetual and euerlasting in yielding of thankes to God and in the feeding and refection of Christians the spirituall children of Abraham Psal 109. fighting in the Church heere militant on earth and shall one day triumph altogeather in heauen returning cōquerours from the combat The second Figure is the sacrifice of the Paschall Lambe which was ordayned the night before the deliuerance of the Hebrewes Exod. 12. from the captiuity of Aegypt and continued in remembrance of this great benefit vntill that our Sauiour the true Lambe did institute our Eucharist of his precious Body and Bloud in the euening before his Passion and our Redēption and shall continue as a memoriall thereof vntill he come againe not to be iudged and condemned to death as he was at his first comming but to iudge the world by the weights of their workes to kill death for euer after and to deliuer his children from all euill The third Figure is the Manna Exod. 15.16 giuen from heauen to the Hebrewes whilest they were Pilgrimes in the wildernesse walking towardes the land of promise euen so the Eucharist the true bread of heauen and the true drinke is giuen in the Church of God for the solace and sustenance of our soules in the desert of this world and for our prouision and food vntill we be brought to the land of the liuing in heauen The second point Of the Maiesty of our Sauiour in this Blessed Sacrament CHAP. III. THE second point shall be to meditate in this Sacrament first the power of our Sauiour Power conuerting by his almighty word the Bread into his body and the Wine into his bloud Second y the goodnes of the same Sauiour who hauing giuen himselfe a price and ransome for our Redemption Goodnes hath also vouchsafed to giue himselfe for food and to vnite himselfe with his creature soule to soule body to body in the straitest manner that can be imagined Thirdly the diuine wisedome Wisedome seasoning and tempering this precious food in so familiar and easy a fashion vnder the forme and taste of bread and Wine of the one side facilitating our senses to the taking of his flesh and bloud without horrour and on the other side instructing our fayth to vnderstand and acknowledge the vnion of faithfull Christians made heerby one
Bread one Body one Bloud one Flesh in Iesus Christ to the likenes of materiall Bread which is composed of diners graines and wine made of many grapes as our Doctours doe expound The third point Of the effects of this Holy Sacrament CHAP. IV. The effects of B. Sacrament S. Tho. 3. quest 79. THE third shall be to consider the effects of this diuine mystery which are many The 1. wherof is to Quicken and giue the grace of God the life of the soule as our Sauiour sayth He that eateth me shall liue by me The second to Nourish and increase the same grace euen as corporall meate maintaineth life Ioan. 6. and maketh the body to growe The third to Enlighten the spirit as appeareth by the first Communion which our Sauiour after his resurrection gaue vnto his two Disciples at Emaus by the which their eyes were opened they knew their Maister presently Luc. 24. Aug. epist. 59. ad Paulin. whome before they knew not they belieued that he was risen againe whome they thought had beene still in his graue The fourth to Vnite the soule with God and with our Neighbour and to dissolue all emnity and discord so teacheth our Sauiour He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud Ioan. 6. Act. 4.31 remaineth in me and I in him An effect which did manifestly appeare in the first Christians who receaued euery day of whome it is sayd that they were one hart one soule The fifth to Enkindle deuotion and Charity towardes God and men euen as bread and wine doth increase the vitall spirits and heate the body The sixth to Extinguish quench the concupiscence of flesh and to preserue from sinne as a remedy against the flesh of our first Father Adam by the which men were defyled and made prone to sinne The seauenth to Fortify and strengthen vs against all the stormes and tribulatiōs of this mortall life Dauid prophesying of this effect sayd Thou hast prouided a table for me Psal 22.5 against those that trouble me So we read that the Prophet Elias persecuted by Queene Iezabel and constrained to fly through the desert 3. Reg. 19 sustained the trauaile of fourty dayes and fourty nights with the refection of that bread which the Angell had brought him which was a figure of this our Angelicall bread the flesh of our Sauiour The eight to Contente fill and reioyce the soule which of it selfe cannot be satisfyed or filled or find any firme or solid repose in things of the earth although she had them all alone euen so Christians in the beginning of the Church made no reckoning of riches but reioyced in possessing nothing and in suffering some thing for the name of Iesus The last to Bring to euerlasting glory for this deified Flesh holily and deuoutly receaued breedeth in the soule an insatiable desire of her heauenly Cōtrey and transporteth and carryeth the hart and affection to heauen and giueth to the body a seed of the glorious resurrection which is signifyed by the wordes of our Sauiour Ioan. 6.54 He that eateth my Flesh and drinketh my Bloud hath life euerlasting and I will rayse him againe at the last day After these considerations the Pilgrime shall admire the greatnes of this guift and benefit and in his admiration shall say this prayer following A speach to God and thankesgiuing CHAP. V. O My soueraigne Lord and sweet Redeemer I behould in all thy diuine workes and especially in the Sacramēt of thy Blessed Body that thy power is infinite that thy wisedome is a depth thy bounty a sea without bottome or bounds thou hast made all this visible world of nothing for the vse of man thou hast allied thy selfe to the house of Adam The liberality of our Sauiour and taking thereof a mortall body and matching and marrying it with thy diuinity wast made man to make man God thou hast giuen this body on the Crosse a ransome for our redemption not content with so great a liberality hast also left it in this mystical Table of thy Church for the nourishing of our soules and the resurrection of our bodyes tying thy selfe with this second band of loue and charity neuer heard of with all euery one of thy members What shall I wonder at in this mystery and guift Thy almightines His power Who hast so wonderfully changed this common and mortall bread into thy glorious and immortall Body by the same authority and power wherwith it made the whole world of nothing but with greater meruaile and miracle for this Body is more worth then a thousand worlds Shall I admire thy wonderfull wisedome His wisedome which in the heauēly Table of this thy body dost teach vs Faith Hope and Charity Humility Obedience Prudence Chastity Fortitude Piety Meeknes and all other goodly Christian vertues And whereas other bodyes could not nourish ours but for a tyme this Body duly receaued doth feed and fat the soule with spirituall riches His boūty and powreth into our flesh the seed of immortality Shall I admire thy infinit bounty in making vs this present of thy Body a present that surpasseth the price of al things created a present of thyne owne selfe of infinit valew for with the same Body thou gauest vs thy soule and deity which are inseparable companions and therefore in this holy Table we haue a liuely figure and pledge of the future felicity which shall be to liue in heauen of thy selfe and to enioye the immortall food of thy selfe what shall I then say of this banquet O my Redeemer but only that I am oppressed and ouerwhelmed in the consideratiō of thy infinite power wisedome and goodnes O deere depth O sweet Sauiour what wilt thou worke in them who haue this grace to receaue thee holily Do me sweet Iesus this fauour thus to eate and receaue thee and to see my selfe alwayes drowned in the depth of thy infinite charity How to Heare Masse CHAP. VI. HAVING finished his prayer he shall heare the diuine Office and goe to Confession if he need and shall heare Masse to receaue afterward which to do profitably it is good to know the manner that euery Christian must keep to heare it well Purity deuotion to heare Masse First he must haue his soule not only pure as much as may be from sinne but also prepared with a speciall deuotion for sinne is a generall barre to all blessinges and therefore whosoeuer will fruitfully assist the diuine mysteryes get good by hearing or dealing with them he must be cleansed from sinne by Confession and if he want meanes therto by holy contrition and sorrow for his faults with purpose to confesse at his next commodity as we haue sayd elswhere Attentiō to help deuotiō Secondly he must be attentiue to euery part thereof to enkindle deuotion Our Pilgrime as also any man els that loueth piety shall consider three thinges which he must haue learned in
the Cathechizme schoole Masse the chiefe actioÌ„ in the Church The 1. that Masse is the most noble and high Action that is or euer was done in the Church of God for it is the sacrifice of Christians a sacrifice of all sacrifices the verity and vnity of all the old ones in the law of Nature and of Moyses Old sacrifices gaue no grace which were but figures and shadowes heereof In those were only the bodyes of bruit beastes other offeringes of small vertue or valew as which could not forgiue sinne in this is offered an vnbloudy sacrifice after the order of Melchisedech that very body which was offered on the Crosse in a bloudy sacrifice after the order of Aaron Chrys â— c. 6â— ad po â—ntiâ—◠〈◊〉 13 in Mat the body not of the creature but of the Creatour the Body of God of inestimable valew the Body whereby the soueraigne Iustice was fully satisfyed the whole world redeemed and wherwith the soules of the faithfull are nourished and their bodyes quickened and in which the world shall be iudged that Body which maketh an offering most highly acceptable to God and most profitable to his Church because it is the body of his Sonne by the which he hath beene most highly honoured as also because it was offered by the same Sonne himselfe whose vicar only the Priest is as in Baptisme and the other Sacraments wherein our Sauiour as the first cause worketh baptizeth confirmeth absolueth by the meanes of the Priest as by an instrument and this being the body of God there is also his soule and deity and all the Court of heauen to honour the body of their King The second thing which the Pilgrime shall consider is the admirable manner whereby this Body is made present vpon the Altar and there remayneth present How the body of Christ is present in the Masse for it is not by any naturall or common cause but as we haue sayd by the almighty word of our Sauiour who made the world of nothing the which word doth transubstantiate the Bread Wine into his Body and Bloud that is make the substance of his Body succeed the substance of Bread which departeth there remaineth notwithstanding the colour tast and other accidents of Bread and Wine vnder the which as vnder a veile the Body and Bloud of our Sauiour are present as long as these accidents remaine in their being which are so many wonders aboue nature as there be sortes of thinges therein The profit which the well disposed soule receaueth of the Masse and so many testimonies of the infinit power wisedome and goodnes of God the worker of such high effects The third is the fruit we may reape by the good disposition wherewith we heare Masse and the danger in hearing it negligently our Pilgrime therefore shall come prouided and instructed in the meditation of these three sayd thinges and thereby shall take occasion to conceaue a profound respect and a great admiration with a like affection towardes this diuine and most admirable mystery Besides this generall preparatioÌ„ he shall endeauour also to be attentiue to all the parts of the Masse and to draw particuler profit from each of them following with his eares eyes mouth and hart all the actions of the Priest sacrificing and therefore hauing answeared him to the prayers and the Confession which he maketh at his entrance vnto the Altar he shall accompany him through all the Actions of the Sacrifice which are foure How the Christian should behaue himselfe in euery part of the Masse CHAP. VII IN the first part of the Masse which is from the beginning to the Offertory Foure parts of the Masse he shall heare the Introite or Entry of the masse the Epistle the Ghospell the Creed the Offertory and specially the prayers and if he vnderstand no latin it shall suffice that he know in generall that the Priest readeth Scripture that he prayeth to God and prepareth himselfe to the sacrifice which knowledge is sufficient to giue life and quickening to his deuotion and so for his part shall prepare himselfe saying his owne prayers to God The Masse an abridgemeÌ„t of al old Sacrifices and of all actes of deuotio and specially he shall haue regard to the ceremonies of the Priest which are naturall marks and signes speaking in a language common and intelligible to all the world both learned and ignorant and distilling into the soule the Maiesty of this diuine action by all the meanes wayes that a mystery can be carryed to the hart of the beholders For as the Eucharist is an abridgement of all the old Sacrifices so is the Masse of all the ceremonies which man doth naturally vse to confesse Chrys in Psalm 9. Aug. ciuit l 17. c. 20. Leoho 8. de passio Domini Psal 121. â— reuerence and adore the supreme deity and which holy men haue vsed as holy Scripture do teach vs. Therein the Priest employeth the noblest parts and gestures of his body with all the facultyes of his soule his vnderstanding will and memory He hearkeneth what he readeth and what God sayth to him in his Scriptures he lifteth his eyes to heauen in token that there he acknowledgeth God to reigne whome he imploreth he casteth them downe in signe of humility he lifteth vp and ioyneth his handes Luc. 18.13 Psal 13â— Phil. â— stretcheth abroad his armes boweth his knees turnes him from the East vnto the West from the West vnto the East from the South vnto the North from the North vnto the South he kisseth the Altar with his mouth he prayseth God with his tongue he speaketh high he speaketh low he keepeth silence he serueth the smelling with Incense he takes giues the refection of the sacrifice Finally he imployeth togeather with his soule all the senses and religious offices of his body to the homage of this mysterious and diuine seruice and affoardeth as many meanes to excite the hart vnto deuotion The Pilgrime then shall note the whole and shall draw profit from the whole conforming himselfe to the mouinges and exteriour ceremonies and performing interiourly according to his power togeather with the Priest that which they signify In the second part The 2. part of the Masse which is from the Offertory to the Consecration where the Priest offers to God the Bread and Wine to consecrate and pronounceth with a low voice sundry godly prayers asking the diuine assistance He shal offer with him the bread and the wine offered by him and shall offer vp himselfe namely when the Priest turneth him exhorting the assistants to pray to God to the end â—e â—â—ceaue this sacrifice in a gratefull odour saying Orate fratres Pray Breâ—hren c. at which warning he shall say the prayer which he sayeth who serueth in the name of all the people in these wordes Our Lord receaue this sacrifice at thy handes to the prayse and glory of his name
people more worthy of punishment then prayse and those who trauaile with honesty indeed and ciuility but whose chiefe intention is to see diuers countreyes cittyes peoples and to feed their curiosity with the sight and knowledge of many thinges as they are not of the worst so neither deserue they the prayse of a true Christian pilgrime no more then their end doth But they are such pilgrimes as Vlisses Aeneas Plato or such like trauellers that raÌ„ ouer the world to enrich store themselues with humane knowledge and prudence and to frame and fashion their life after the skill and manner of wise men of this world The Christian aymeth at a higher marke and directeth his steppes to a more rich conquest The prâ—pall enâ— of a christian â—grime for although he doth not refuse nor omit to learne all the good that others learne trauayling in diuers countreyes as modesty humility patience temperaÌ„ce and other gaine of morall vertues whereby he may adorne his life with ciuill carriage fashions yet his principal marke is to make himselfe wise by christian wisedome to Godward to enrich himselfe with piety and charity to liue christianly that is to say perfectly before him according to euery mans state and condition and finally by trauelling vpon earth to gaine heauen Our pilgrime therefore shall not only haue in horrour the fashions of the first debauched wanderers but also shall beware of being curious about vaine and vnprofitable thinges and only seeke and search after such thinges as may help him happily to attaine vnto this end The forme and partes of Christian pilgrimages In the third place he must learne the formes and tymes of his pilgrimages which I diuide vnto him in three partes his going his arriuall or stay there and his retourne and these in fourty dayes iourney shewing what he should doe in euery one of them The three partes are the three estates of Christians the three wayes are the three kindes of Christians vertues Three sorts and estates of wayes vertues The first signifyeth the estate of beginners the way and vertues of purgation The second the estate of the Proficients and the way and vertues of illumination And the third the estate of the perfect and the way of vnion and exeÌ„plar vertues which by likenes loue hold vs alwayes straitely conioyned with God The nuÌ„ber of 40 the figure of our mortal abode heere The fourty dayes iourney signify the mortall abode or time of men in the pilgrimage of this life as our Doctours doe obserue and for such signification hath this number beene often vsed applyed in the Scrtpture The Hebrewes passing towardes the land of promise trauailed as I sayd before fourty yeares in the desert Moyses was twice fourty dayes in the top of the mountaine Sina to receaue the Law which should guide and direct vs in this life Elias fasted fourty dayes as also our Sauiour shewing vs the painefull and penitentiall course of this life And this mystery is well founded sayth S. Augustine for that this number is composed of foure and ten Aug. l. 2. de consen Euan. c. 4. wherof the first containeth the second and both togeather bring forth fourty for the parts numbers that are found in foure that is 1. 2. 3. 4. make ten and ten tymes 4. or 4. tymes ten make 40. so that foure is the matter and substance of ten and ten is the perfection of foure and both togeather the generation of fourty and euery where foure doth rule and is predominant 4. Elements To the proportion then of this number it seemeth that the production and continuance of thinges in this mortall life is framed and disposed for the Elements wherof all thinges heere below are compounded and produced 4. Times of the yeare are foure the ayre the fire the water and the earth The tymes that rule and gouerne these productions are foure the Spring Summer Autumne 4. Humours 4. Ages Winter In men there are foure humours Blood Choler Flegme Melancholy also there be foure ages Infancy Youth Manhood and Old age and foure bringeth alwayes ten a perfect number that is to say it maketh the thing perfect and accomplished according to the owne nature foure Elements make a Body as a Stone a Tree a Bird foure Seasons make a Yeare and the 10. with the 4. make 40. that is to say the thing being perfect taketh his race and runneth vnto the but and end of his 40. making his whole continuance the tree his man his and so of the rest The generation of mâ—n perfected in 40. dayes The same nuÌ„bers doe reigne in the generation of man in particuler for he is perfected in his mothers wombe in foure tymes ten dayes that is fourty if it be a man child in twice fourty if it be a femall and therefore it is that Philo the Iew doth call it the number of life Our pilgrimage therefore shall be of fourty dayes whereof shall be allowed for going 21. 〈◊〉 de vita Mosis The 21. dayes of the pilgrims going is a marke of pennance which is thrice 7. the number which signifyeth pennance and purgation according to the signification of the first part which we haue sayd doth expresse vnto vs the estate of them that are penitents beginners and walking in the vertues and way purgatiue Nine are allowed for his arriuall and stay there which signifyeth the estate of illumination as the number is a signe of light consecrated to the 9. Orders of Angells the intellectuall light Ten are allotted for his returne which is a note of a perfect life and the number of perfection and because in euery one of these iournyes the principall and most frequent exercise of the pilgrime is to pray meditate and contemplate to the end to be vnited and conioyned to God and to find him fauourable also to make examen of his conscience to amend his vices and imperfections and to goe forward in Christian purity as he doth in his way and iourney it is necessary before all thinges that he learne how to performe these thinges duly before he set forward in this way Of Prayer Meditation and Contemplation CHAP. II. THE principall most familiar and necessary instrumeÌ„t of a Christian and of him that goeth in pilgrimage for deuotion is prayer for that is it that holdeth vs vnited with God and draweth from him force and necessary prouision to discharge our voyage and therfore it is altogeather necessary to vnderstand it well and to know how to vse and handle it with dexterity which he shall doe by the proper definition thereof as it were by a toole or instrument which discouereth the nature of the thing and by declaration of the parts conditions and vse thereof Aug. l. 2. de sermon Dom. in monte c. 7. Basil hom in Mart. Iulit Damas l. 4. de side orthodoxa cap. 24. Greg. Nâ—s lib. de ora Aug. serm 226. de
circumcised vndergo the law which himselfe had giuen making his first entry into the world and beginning the reparation therof by obedience as by the same obedience he went out of the world dying vpon the Crosse in counterpoise of the first man who as soone as he came into the world became disobedient and lost the world This is the benefit wherewith our Sauiour signed the first day of the yeare giuing to the world for a new yeares guift Herodian lib. 2. not a peece of gold or siluer or fruites as the world doth figs dates hony laurell and such other presents of the earth or of the sea but his precious bloud which he shed in this Circumcision for our only good and not for any necessity or bond he had of the law which himselfe had made and might therein dispense as the soueraigne Iudge or any profit he might get thereby The humility of the Sonne of God Phil. 2. The second point shall be to note in this action how our Sauiour goeth forward stil shewing more more humility for in his Incarnation he humbled himselfe in becoÌ„ming man and taking the forme of a seruant in his natiuity he humbled himselfe beneath man placing himselfe among the least and the poorest in his Circumcision he humbled himselfe more then all this making himselfe to be enroled among sinners vsing the remedy of sinners he who was not only without sinne but the couÌ„terpoison of sinne come with his innocency and vertue to destroy it so did he alwayes more descend in humility the more his works did ascend and shew themselues before God and his Church so necessary did he iudge it to authorize and credit this vertue and to batter pride which had ouerthrowne both Men and Angells How farre from this spirit are they who knowing themselues to be sinners will not be so esteemed and are ashamed to vse the remedy that should heale them They are ashamed to confesse and do pennaÌ„ce are not ashamed of the foule filth of sinne Who would not willingly endure any thing to deface their faults seeing our Sauiour began to shed his bloud for them within 8. dayes after he was borne The 3. point shal be to meditate the glorious name of Iesus this day giuen to the Sonne of God which signifieth Sauiour and is taken of the end effect of his charity Of the name of Iesus for he came into the world to saue it and in effect did saue it if it had would As therefore heeretofore great Personages haue often gotten their names by their notable actions Great meÌ„ surnamed by their actions and were called by them as Ioseph the Patriarch Sauiour of the world because by his prouideÌ„ce he had preueÌ„ted the famine in Aegypt the Roman Captaines and Embassadours were called Africani Parthici Germanici by reason of the victory they had wone in Africa Gen. 4â— Parthia and Germany In like sort but by better title without comparison the Sonne of God is called Iesus that is Sauiour because he came to saue man and this was the reason which the Angell gaue to Ioseph Math. 1.28 fortelling him that the Son which Mary should beare should be called IESVS because he should saue his people And S. Peter sayth Act. 4.12 There is no other name vnder heauen whereby to be saued This is the name so song by the Prophets Isay sayth Isa 30.17 Behould the Name of our Lord commeth from farre He commeth at the beginning of the world for it was written in the booke of God from all eternity Also my people shall know my name in that day for my selfe that doe speake will be present that is to say when I shall be made man Exo i. 6.1 Prou. â—0 S. Tho. 1 q 13. a. 1. I shall take a name that my people shall know for that which I beare from all eternity which is the essentiall name of my Deity is a name hidden to men and Angells and cannot be knowne but to God It is a name ineffable This name IESVS shall be vnderstood of men for I wil make it knowne by good effects I will make manifest sayth another Prophet my holy name in the midest of my people And Isay Zaâ—h 39. He shall haue a new Name giuen him by the mouth of our Lord. He could not haue a fitter God-father Isa 62.2 for it to impose a name according vnto his nature be the worke and office of wise men who could better name the Son of God then the mouâ—h of God which is Wisedome it selfe To impose names iâ— the worke of a wise maÌ„ Plato in Crat. This name comprehendeth all the goodly names that are noted in the bookes of the Prophets Emanuel Counseller of God Prince of peace A strong God an admirable Name and other like are contayned within the compasse of this for Iesus is al this and much more O sweet and admirable name a name more beautifull then the morning or day more sweet then milke or hony more strong then armies wider then the whole world higher then heauen deeper then hell more noble then the crowne of Kings more rich then gold a Name full of Maiesty the glory of the heauens the terrour of the Diuels A speach to the name of Iesus the hope health of mankind By Thee death is life without thee pleasure is death with thee ignominy is nobility without thee nobility is ignominy with thee infirmity is strong without thee strength is weake and infirme by thee nothing is made all thinges and without thee all thinges doe vanish to nothing Be thou therefore alwayes with vs O admirable Name be thou graued in euerlasting letters in our spirit in our hart in our memory in tyme of peace in tyme of warre by night by day in ioy and sadnes in Towne and field be thou our direction and saluation in our Pilgrimage and our glory in our country To Iesus Sweet Iesus heire of this Name be vnto vs Iesus giue vs the grace to circumcise and cut off the superfluities of our flesh of our desires of our thoughts and actions of our harts eyes eares and of all our senses that after this spirituall and Christian Circumcision signifyed by that carnall of the Iewes we may be partaker of the wholsome effect of the same of the immortall glory of this Name To the B. Virgin And thou most benigne Mother who this day seest thy deere child Innocency it selfe enrolled in the catalogue of sinners for sinners and giuing his precious bloud as a pledge of his infinite charity and of our saluation who pierced with sorrow in thy soule didst shed virginall teares in compassion of him obtaine for vs by the merit of thy griefe and compassion the fruit of this guift the good fortune of this name that our bodyes may be circumcised and purged from all impurity that our soules may be cleane our thoughts and desires well
of the cleare vision and contemplation of their Creatour the cause of all beauties that are in heauen or earth and infinitly more beautifull then all other beauty put together Of the body He meditated in the second place of the glory which the bodies of the â—ust shall haue after the ResurrectioÌ„ which can not otherwise be declared but as the Apostle declareth the whole felicity That the eye hath not seene nor the eare heard nor the hart of man comprehended â— Cor. 2. what God hath prepared for those that loue h m he could say no more then in saying as he did that it is impossible to conceiue that felicty The scripture sayth that the iust shall shine like the sunne and compareth them to eagles Matt. 15. signifying the beauty agility of their body Our Sauiour to whose similitude we shall rise agayne came out of the graue that he rose out subtile impassible such in similitude shall our bodies be in such qualities shining Phil. 3.20 transpareÌ„t agile subtile penetrant and immortall heere withall euery particular part of the body shall haue a supernaturall beauty as now it hath a naturall with this difference that then all the body being transparent like christall all parts shall be visible in it as well the inward as the outward the bones the muscles the sinewes the veines the arteries the lungs the liuer the hart all shall be cleansed and cleared from all imperfectioÌ„ indewed with their proper beauty in propoâ—tion clearenes and colour This of Saphire that of Emeraldes one of Carbuncles another of Diamonds and aboue all shall be most adm rable those which haue beene employed in some speciall and peculiar seruice of the diuine Maiesty So the skinne of S. Bartholomew stead off for the faith shall shine with a particular beauty the armes and feete of S. Peter crucifyed the head of S. Paul cut of the tongues of true preachers the hands of Almoners the armes of the true souldiours of Iesus-Christ the eyes of chastity the hayres of virginity nothing shall be without recompence without excellency without particular glory Lazarus was plunged in this meditation and sayd O my soule if thou beest rauished meditating these beauties how great shall thy ioy be in enioying them O Lazarus what doost thou to deserue them What giuest thou to buy them What sufferest thou to gaine this honour And with what pace walkest thou to get the goale of this glory O soules redeemed with the precious bloud of Iesus thinke vpon these honours O Christian Dames who so highly esteeme the beauty of the body that not hauing it you would gladly purchase it with great summes of gold and siluer hauing it do hold it so deere tender it so carefully by art by gold by apparell by chaynes carkenets and iewels your beauty is nothing it is foule and ill fauoured in respect of this and if it were any thing you know well it shall finally perish eyther by some misfortune or by touch of sicknes or by age or surely by death Where is the beauty of AbsaloÌ„ of Lucrece of so many men women admired in the world Loue then the beauty of this Resurrection which shall be proper for euer vnto your bodies and to obtaine it loue now the beauty of your soules O my soule be thou amorous and in loue with this beauty O glorious Virgin O faithfull aduocate aduaÌ„ced this faire and ioyfull day aboue all the thrones of the heauenly and happy spirits the wonder of all goodly creatures on earth whilst thou wert aliue the wonder of all the creatures in heauen for euer the honour of the triumphant Church the refuge of the militant the comfort of the afflicted the guide of wanderers helpe vs with thy graces and credit with him by whome thou wert this day carryed vp into heauen with the company of all the heauenly hostes Procure o most B. Virgin that we obtaine grace holily to liue vpon earth to the imitation of thy selfe and happily to dye to thy example and one day to enioy eternally the riches of the triumphant Resurrection in the Kingdome of thy Sonne Iesus 1. An exhortation to a sick person in agony of death 2. The affliction of Lazarus 3. His arriuall at his Fathers house 4. His farewell to his Father and to the world CHAP. XXV THVS Lazarus ended his prayer Theodosius and Vincent ended then also and had felt great inward ioy therein The steward came early to their chamber hauing made ready their breakfast but they would eate nothing saying it was to soone They desired him humbly to salute in their behalfe Monsieur the Marquesse the Abbot the Vicount the Baron his children and to assure them that they would pray to God for their prosperity The steward had closely put into Lazarus bagge ten Crownes wrapped in a paper with these words of the Marquesse owne writing Pray to God for the Marques which Lazarus found at night in his fathers house He imbraced the Steward with many thankes after they had sayd their Pilgrims prayers they went out of the Castle and hauing beene a while silent they began to talke Lazarus praised much the prudence and liberality of the Marques and of his brother the sincere and harty loue of his children full of humility and courtesy the true markes of true nobility as contrariwise pride and disdaine is a true token of a base and rude mynd he commended also greatly the modesty diligence of all the officers and seruants and tooke this for a sure signe of the Marquesse his vertue for commonly like maister like men and the subiects doe for the most part frame themselues after the fashions of their Lord. Theodosius sayd that he noted at supper a meruailous contentment of all in the answere that was made to Syre Cime and that he did neuer better perceiue the leuity obstinacy of heresy then in that man who sought nothing but to talke and shew himselfe though he shewed himselfe alwayes void of good learning Pride the Father of heresy Whereupon Lazarus sayd Pride is the Father of heresy and vanity is her Mistresse and therefore you may not meruaile to see an Heretike both proud and vayne togeather Wherefore then quoth Vincent doth not the Marquesse his nephew shew himselfe like his maister Because sayth Lazarus he is not so much an Heretike as bred and brought vp in heresy neuer hauing beene Catholike knowing nothing but what they haue giuen him to vnderstand without contradictioÌ„ it is well to be hoped that as he is of a noble tractable nature and of a goodly spirit that as soone as he shall haue free liberty to conferre with some learned man or cast his eyes vpon some learned booke he will discouer the deceits of these impostures which his maister hath commended vnto him for rules and maximes of his Religion will imbrace the truth of the Catholike fayth Surely sayd Vincent I longed much