consider that he would be called Ours that we should not repine to offer vp our selues and all we haue to him to obtaine that sweet title to be called his Secondly inflame thy affection consider how happy thou art if thou mayest rightly say this word Our for then thou art his and he thine Thirdly in this word imbrace thy neighbour who by it is made thy brother fellow heire of Eternall felicity Then go to the second word Father not Lord nor Iudge nor Creatour nor King or the like but Father a name of loue lincking himselfe vnto vs as neere as may be to make vs loue him like dutifull children He is our Father for six causes 1. For making the substance of which we are composed 2. For casting the mould wherof we were forged 3. For fashioning the frame of our bodies 4. For creating and vniting our soules to our bodies 5. For bringing vs vp and giuing vs whatsoeuer we haue 6. Lastly and especially for adopting vs heyres to his eternall Kingdome giuing vs all the meanes possible to attaine therto guiding gouerning and conducting vs thither as it were by the hand Which six points apply to the six Decades If followeth Which art which may also be considered by six points and may be applied to the Beads as the former First how God is absolute in himselfe 2. How God is only of himselfe and independant of any other 3. And for himselfe not to any further end being his owne blessednes and end of all things 4. How all creatures whatsoeuer they be euen Angels men are of God for he made vs and not we our selues 5. All things are in God for In him we liue moue and are 6 Lastly to God all creatures belong as to their Cause Maker Redeemer Sanctifier Gouernour and last end for God made all things for himselfe In heauen to put vs in mind of our Country and inheritance to which we were borne for this place in which we liue commonly called the World is our exile and place of pilgrimage pennance and probation 2. Cor. 5. but heauen is our home Citty and country Now seeing that God is our Father let vs his children learne first fully to know the worthines of our vocation Rom. 8. and adoption who are by grace made the children of God Secondly to direct all the course of our life to the attayning of this supernaturall end Thirdly to moderate with reason all our passions and inclinations for if God be our Father we ought to loue and feare him with the feare and loue of children to trust in him stedfastly to rely on him only and so to gouerne all our motions like well nourtured children in the presence of our Father who alwayes is with vs and still beholdeth vs. Fourthly to conuerse with our heauenly Father from whome we cannot fly because he is euery where most dutifully and with all cordiall respect in humility charity patience obedience and all other vertuous comportments Fiftly not only to conforme our willes to his will but also quite to cast off our owne will and to put on his by taking all things aduersities as wel as prosperities as speciall fauours sent from him for our particuler good Sixtly seeing that this our Blessed Father hath his glorious Pallace in heauen let vs abhorre all euill conuersation of this world all excesse in apparell pleasures feeding of our senses and the like actions common to brute beasts and hauâ— our hopes affections in Heauen Ephes 2. whose Cittizens we are and of which we are made Coheires with Christ Hallowed be thy name Heere we pray for the increase of Gods honour and consequently for the increase of the number of the faithfull for by those only the honour of God is propagated Also for the augmenting of Gods grace in vs and extirpation of mortall sinne for without his grace we can no wayes cooperate to the honour of God for they must be pure vessels that serue to the increase of Gods honour and therfore was S Paul taken forth to preach the name of Christ to Nations because he was Vas elâ—ctionis a chosen vessell Thy Kingdome come In this we pray for our Childs part in the other world which is life euerlasting as also for the meanes to attaine vnto it which are infused vertues and supernaturall helpes as grace faith hope and charity and all other vertues especially the eight Beatitudes which are as it were so many steppes or ascents towards heauen Thy will be done Heere we resigne our selues entirely to the will of God for by wishing the performance of his will we submit our owne to his in which resignation those that haue experience of it do find the greatest comfort quietnes of mind that may be and within themselues such a peace as the world cannot giue To such a soule as wholy layeth her selfe in the haÌ„d of Almighty God what can come amisse Nothing without doubt for such a soule at the comming of any accident whatsoeuer saith not This such a one hath done mine enemy one that hath watched to doe me this ill turne and the like but contrarily saith This is sent me from the hand of God the guift of a Father to his child his will be done and blessed be his name for euer In earth as it is in heauen We pray here like those that are perfect let vs in all our actions shew our selues to be louers of perfection in imitation of our Father in wishing that Gods blessed will may be performed as exactly here in earth as in heauen we do wish also that there may be no greater repugnance in our obeying here vnto it then there is in heauen And in this we pray for that perfection which euery true Christian ought to aspire vnto and then how sweet and pleasant would the seruice of Almighty God be vnto euery one in being wholy conformed vnto his holy will as the Saints of heauen are This was that perfection which S. Paul arriued vnto when he burst forth into those words of perfect resignation Now I liue no more but Christ liueth in me Giue vs this day our daily bread By these words we aske all necessary food as well spirituall as corporall We say not Lend vs since we owe him so much already that we neuer shal be able to pay him any thing but still must increase our debt Neither say we Pay vs for God oweth vs nothing but we owe all what we haue vnto him and therfore beseeching his infinite goodnes to be bountifull towards vs still we intreat to giue it vs. This day signifieth the shortnes of our life our daily want our continuall failing Matth. 6. and perpetuall need of Gods prouidence towards vs. Daily bread putteth vs in mind of only necessaries and neither to demaund nor care for superfluities Forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs. So that if we will not forgiue any that hath offended
1. Consider the B. Virgin being now in her iourney to satisfy the proud law of Augustus Caesar being come to Bethleem there brought forth the Redeemer of the world Christ Iesus 2. Iesus thus preferring poore Bethleem before great Hierusalem for his birth place was borne in a stable all other houses refusing his B. Mother him because they were poore 3. Behold the wonderfull pouerty this Blessed Company was reduced vnto he who prouideth for all creatures in all abundance feeleth the misery and want of all thinges 4. See the B. Mother seeking all meanes possible to defend her happy infant from the iniuries of a most sharpe season being the depth of winter wrapping the Creatour of the world and maker of al things in a few simple clouts hauing no other company to assist her but her espouse S. Ioseph and an Oxe and an Asse 5. Holy Ioseph knowing al what had passed admireth at this goodnes of God and reflecteth vpon the vision made to the Patriarch Ioseph Gen. 37. Heb. 5.7 who in his dreame seemed to bâ—hold the sunne moone starres adoring him This vision our holy S. Ioseph with great humility applied to sweet Iesus the new borne Sauiour who was infinitely respected by his heauenly Father being heard for the reuerence that was borne vnto him adored by the B. Virgin his Mother and by Quiers of Angels 6. Endeauour to imitate this true pouerty profund humility of our B. Sauiour and his holy Mother by exercising at last some times acts of pouerty to wit the want of some comodity as also of humility Vertue is not â—oâ—ten but by practise by preferring others before thy selfe And certainly know that vnlesse thou practise thy selfe in these vertues thou shalt not obtaine them much lesse the reward due vnto them The Purification CHAP. IIII. SEEING this mistery hath bin treated of before in generall The fourth ioyfull mistery we will heer only speak therof so as it may informe the acts of our vnderstanding and will in imitation of this B. Virgin 1. First thou art to consider this Cerimony not to haue bin necessary the B. Virgin being most pure before in and after her happy deliuery Learne to do workes of supererogation which are of exceeding great value as in punishing in thy selfe little offences with punishment due vnto great And so in like manner in the exercise of vertues content not thy selfe with an ordinary victory ouer thy passion but lift thy selfe farre aboue it to the end it may be the further of from thee if it should at any time returne to assault thee Let vs saith S. Gregory debarre our selues of lawfull things that we may be the further off from vnlawfull 2. Since thou canst not offer with that charity which this B. Virgin did endeauour neuertheles to do it in the best manner thou canst Offer vp vnto God al that thou art offer vp daily all thy wordes thoughtes and actions 3. Offering vp before Almighty God these thy oblations endeauour to make them pure and let them be the first begotten to wit when thou risest that they may be patterns to those that should follow the whole day after 4. Holy Simeon receaued answere of the holy Ghost Luke 2. that he should not see death vntill he saw first the anoynted of our Lord the reason of this wonderfull priuiledge was because as it is recorded The vvay to see God he was Iust and Religious expecting the consolation of Israel 5. The cheife cause why this holy Company resorted thus vnto the Temple was Iesus do thou neuer mingle thine intentions nor debase them with other thoughts but enter into the Temple purely for Iesus there passing thy tyme so as thou mayest not offend the eyes of him that beholdeth the most inward passages of thy mind 6. Wish thy selfe present to see this mystery performed that thou mightest learne to offer the best thou hast with the B. Virgin how to imbrace sweet Iesus with Simeon and how to prayse Gods goodnes with all this holy troope The finding of Iesus in the Temple CHAP. V. ACCORDING to their yearly custome the B. Virgin and her Spouse S. Ioseph The fifth ioyfull Mistery Luke 2. leading betweene them their only Comfort and Consolation Iesus went vp to Hierusalem there to adore Here marke another act of supererogation especially in Bl Iesus whose humanity had alwayes conioyned with it his Diuinity 2. Behold the voluntary pouerty of these happy Pilgrimes suffering many wantes discommodities in the way to teach vs somâ—ymes to leaue our ease and to put our selues for Gods sake into som wants that we may the better humble our selues and in a more liuely manner imitate these mouing examples 3. The solemnity ended the parents of Iesus retourned homward and hauing trauailed one dayes iourny froÌ„ Hierusalem towards Nazareth Luke 2. at night in their Inne they missed the child and seeking him amongest their kinsfâ—lkes and acquaintance they found him not Note that they did not passe many dayes without reflection vpon the losse of Iesus do not thou deferre thy conuersion nor refuse to returne by pennance into the fauour of God euen vpon the very first day of thy transgression 4. At night in their Inne theâ— missed the child although the vanities of the world haue possessed thee the whole day yet at night at least find him againe whome thou hast strayed from At night examine thy conscience looke into that Inne of thy soule that hath entertayned all those passengers and if thou find Iesus to be absent impute it vnto thine owne great offences that haue caused him to leaue thee 5. Seeke vvhere Iesus is to be found And seeking him among their kinsfolkes and acquaintance they found him not Since thou seest he is not to be found amongest carnall acquaintance and kinred why doest thou yet spend thy time in vaine since thou knowest where thou seekest thou shalt not find him and if thou findest not him thou loosest with thy selfe all 6. Lastly since the world affordeth thee him not go into the Temple a place pure segregated from worldly thoughts The force of good Motions there thou shalt find him teaching thee and disputing with the doctours with thy peruerse wil that thinks it knoweth much but it shall find it selfe confounded by a child for euery good motion be it neuer so yong is sufficient to confound put to silence the most obstinate will that may be Of the fiue sorrowfull mysteries The praying in the garden CHAP. VI. VVE must not looke in this Garden for delightes oâ— pastimes The first sorrovvfull Mâ—stery such as the world affoardeth No fountaines heere are to be seene but such as sweat bloud No Statuaes heere are placed vnlesse thou wilt behold Iesus kneeling immoueable and in an agony No banquets heere prepared only an Angell appeareth with a cuppe of dolours therfore let none enter into this Garden but with a firme purpose and desire
the second Person in Trinity maketh intercession chooseth his time when he knew he should mooue his Father most vnto compassion Let feare be a companion vnto thy loue in this place for as he beggeth pardon so can he begge reuenge and punish men as well as Angells 5. Our actions ought to be sutable to our words we are conuinced in our vnderstanding that the perfect imitation of our Sauiour is to forgiue our enemies if it be asked of vs whether we ought to doe it we acknowledge that we ought Let therfore our actions be conformable to our opinion by hartily and willingly for giuing our enemies imagining it to be as really it is an act of the greatest courage that may be true Fortitude consisting in the conquest of our selues 6. Lastly consider what great rewards are prepared for those that are perfect imitatours of Christ neither is this a point of high perfection or counsaile and not a commaundment for if we forgiue not our enemies we daily giue sentence against our selues desiring God to forgiue vs no otherwise then we our selues forgiue our enemies These six points apply to the six Decades of thy beads and so consequently do with the meditations following humbly beseeching the Mother of Grace to obtaine for thee those vertues which are treated of THE SECOND VVORD Amen dico tibi hodie mecum eris in Paradiso Amen I say vnto thee this day thou shalt be with me in Paradise CHAP. II. A meditation for Munday VVE gather out of the holy Scripture the Fathers who write vpon this place that of those two Theeues crucified with our Sauiour SS Amb. and Aug. vpon S. Luke lib. 3. de cons Euang. one only blasphemed him for this happy Theefe whose sorrow obtained so sudden a pardon rebuked his companion saying Neither doest thou feare God Luke 23. wheras thou art in the same damnation And we indeed iustly for we receaue worthy of our doings but this man hath done no euill And he sayd to Iesus Lord remember me when thou shalt come into thy Kingdome 1. First consider how gratefull vnto our Sauiour this act of Faith was being as it were of power to exact a ful pardon at his hands according to his promises acording to the example which he shewed in the Penitent Magdalen Lord saith this happy offender remember me Behold his singular faith in the middest of all those reproaches when our Sauiour seemed least able to help him he desireth him to remember him Imitate this faith and when humane helps appeare least then let thy recourse be most vnto this Sauiour who heareth vs soonest when we are in most distresse our prayers being then most full of confidence in him 2. No sooner had this Theefe vttered these beleeuing wordes but our B. Sauiour whose mercy was most tender being touched sayd vnto him Amen which is as much as Truly I say vnto thee this day thou shalt be with me in Paradise This act shal be sufficient to obtaine thy pardon Were thy sinnes as scarlet thy penance cooperating with my grace shall make them as white as snow Isaâ— 1. admiring this infinite mercy of thy Sauiour vpon the Crosse who was most glad of this poore sinners coÌ„uersion promising vnto him presently Paradise Behold how he attends thy conuersion in like maÌ„ner desirous to giue thee heauen if thou wouldest but only be sorrowfull for thine offences 3. Some good workes it is like thou hast done in thy life but probably this Theefe neuer did any as by his death the reâ—ard of his life appeareth Shall then one act of sorrow for his sinnes gaine him a Kingdome and thou neglecting thy conuersion after many vertuous acts dying vnrepentant for some particuler sinnes of thine loose the sight of Almighty God eternally and be tormented foreuer Differing amendment dangerous Commit not so great a madnesse but while time is giuen thee repent all shall not haue the grace to be called at the last houre for where one obtayneth it thousands are denyed it 4. Ponder the greatnes of the reward bestowed vpon this sinner for his true conuersion he is promised Paradise to wit the fruition of God Almighty and his blessed Vision the greatest and highest gift that can be bestowed vpon the best deseruing creature and from a world of calamities both of body and soule is this penitent Theefe deliuered The force of PeÌ„naÌ„ce and brought into a Paradise of pleasures O strange alteration wrought by the powerfull hand of penance Be thou as penitent in time and by Gods grace thy pennance shal be as potent 5. Christ differreth not this reward but saith This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise a diligent rewarder of a small seruice and in this is declared the difference betweene the rewardes which the world bestoweth vpon his seruants and those which are giuen by Christ vnto his the world promiseth delights but payeth misery Christ whathe promiseth performeth giuing a Paradise to wit himselfe the seruice of the world in rewarded with loÌ„g hopes which in the end proue vaine Christ saith This day thou shalt be with me art thou not led by a higher loue then the loue of rewards yet this very loue will teach thee to choose Christ rather then the world 6. This fortunate sinner maketh this glorious confession in the face of Christs enemies when all the Apostles fled hid themselues for feare yet as it is probable he was neuer acquainted with Christ before nor had euer heard him preach of the hundred-fold rewards promised to those that followed him Matt. 19. and yet he now cryeth our O Lord remember me when thou shalt come into thy Kingdome How soone he gaue his assent to that infused faith which was set before him The Apostles as they went towards Emaus were slow in belieuing yet this publike offender no sooner had our faith propouÌ„ded vnto him by Gods holy inspiration but he presently proclaimed that with his mouth what his hart had giuen consent vnto THE THIRD VVORD Ecce mater tua ecce filius tuus Behold thy mother Behold thy Sonne CHAP. III. BEFORE we enter into contemplation of these words let vs heare what the holy Euangelist speaketh A meditation for Tuesday Iohn 19. who will giue vs no small light And there stood beside the Crosse of Iesus his mother his mothers sister Mary of Cleophas and mary Magdalen When Iesus therfore had seene his mother the disciple standing whome he loued he sayd to his mother Woman behold thy Sonne After that he sayd to the disciple Beheld thy mother and from that houre the disciple tooke her to his owne 1. Consider that out of this third Word many fruitfull documents may be gathered as first the infinite desire that Christ had to suffer for vs and to offer vnto his heauenly Father a full and rigorons satisfaction for our offences for this cause was he willing to haue his deere
mother and the disciple whome he loued beholders of his affliction to the end his torment might be increased by their presence adding to his passion a greater griefe of compassion 2. Our deere Redeemer Christ Iesus powred forth foure fountaines of his most precious bloud he would haue his Mother his beloued disciple present that they might also powre forth foure fountaines of teares he rereceauing as great greife at the effusion of their compassionate teares as at the losse of his owne deerest bloud Heate thy deere Sauiour speake being now nailed vpon the Crosse Psal 17. Luke 2. Bellar. de 7. verbis The paines of death haue compassed me about but the sword of sorrow foretold by Simeon that should pierce my most innocent mothers soule doth afflict me as much as any torment I feele vpō this Crosse O bitter death doest thou thus separate not only the soule from the body but even the mother and such a mother from her some and from such a Sonne For this respect loue would not permit me to say Mother but Woman behold thy sonne 3. Looke vpon the three womē who stood neere vnto the Crosse of our Lord. VVhat the three Maries signifie Mary Magdalē beareth the person of Penitents that is of Beginners Mary of Cleophas of Proficients or of those that profit in the way of spirit and Mary Mother of God and yet a Virgin signifieth those who are perfect vnto whome we may ioyne pure S. Iohn who was also a Virgin Christ recommendeth his deere mother to the pure custody of a Virgin preferring therby the state of virginity S. Iohn being the disciple whome he loued yet are all others who are signified by the two other Maryes admitted to the priuiledge of standing neere the Crosse of which we may make a vertue if we will since all estates of life whatsoeuer abound with Crosses 4. Learne by this word the office of a Parent towards his child Parents ought to loue their children yet so that the loue of their children do not hinder the loue of God this did the B. Virgin exactly obserue for she stood neere vnto the Crosse vpon which her sonne hung bleeding with greife and constancy equal Her greife The B. Virgin most resigned shewed her to be a mother and her constancy made manifest her resignation vnto God Almighty Could she do otherwise then grieue for this Sonne of hers knowing what a Sonne he was And could she be otherwise then resigned being the mother of God and full of grace 5. Reflect vpon the happines of S. Iohn to haue this singuler priuiledge graunted him by his beloued mayster dying vpon the crosse who bequeathed vnto him his deerest mother Who would not haue byn desirous to haue liued with her in whome the second person in Trinity dwelt corporally Who would not haue piously enuied the Apostle in this great blessing yet since Christ Iesus hath made vs his coheires brethren ler vs with humble confidence begge that recommending vs vnto this his mother he will say Behold thy children that we may be also coheires of her loue 6. Lastly that we may be the better prepared to heare this word of comfort spoken by our Sauiour to his mother Behold thy children let vs stirre vp in our selues an ardent deuotion towards this B. Virgin whome we desire to make our mother imitating her virginall purity or at least purity in our state of life and let vs animate our selues the rather to deuote our selues wholy to this B. Virgin it being one of the surest signes we can gather in this life of our future saluation THE FOVRTH VVORD Deus meus Deus meus vt quid dereliquisti me My God my God why hast thou forsaken me CHAP. IIII. IN the three former wordes which our Sauiour pronunced vpon the Crosse A meditation for vvendesday we haue described him newly crucifyed now we come to the midle of the day in which for the horrour Nature had to behold her maker thus abused darknes was spread ouer the face of the whole earth the sunne by a miraculous Eclypse denying his wonted light darcknes being so deep as at midday the starres were the greatest lights that appeared 1. The first word spoken in this darcknes was My God my God Philogon lib. 2. why hast thou forsaken me Consider that our Sauiour by these words would shew vs the greatnes of the torments he suffered Hitherto we might haue thought he had had a body impassible or not feeling what was done vnto him his patience in all his whole passion being so admirable permitting them to whippe him crowne him with thornes naile him to the Crosse and neuer so much as to giue one sigh or the least signe of dislike of what was done vnto him now with a lowd voice he giueth forth these words that we might see what he suffered for vs and that he was sensible of the least thorne that had wounded him And as he desired we should see what he suffered so was his desire that we should see it with fruite considering for whose sake he brought himselfe most voluntarily into these straites Isa 53. since he was offered because himselfe would 2. That we might the better attend vnto him and consider what he did suffer for vs he tooke this opportunity to speake vnto vs in this great darknes when all distractions were taken from vs and when we might be wholy attent vnto him Publike meetings are not the places where the inspirations of God Almighty are heard but put thy selfe into the darknesse of retyrement there thou shalt heare thy Sauiour speaking vnto thee and insteed of hearing My God my God why hast thou forsaken me thou shalt heare him say My creature my creature why hast thou forsaken me 3. Let vs heere reflect vpon these three houres from six vnto nine in which our Sauiour was silent horrour had inuaded the whole world by reason of the vnwonted darkenesse and our Lord hung stil vpon his painful Crosse in his whole life which was nothing but a course of greife he neuer suffered more afflictions and yet neuer suffered them more willingly for now by the wearinesse and hanging downe of his body his woundes were more and more enlarged with them his greife by the absence of the sunne and sharpnes of theaire was increased and with all his naked and torne body more tormented and yet all there afflictions seemed easy vnto him in respect of the infinite desire he had to redeeme vs. Let vs reioyce if at any time we haue occasion giuen vs to suffer for him who suffered these intollerable paines for vs. 4. Why hast thou forsaken me These words proceeded from an ardent desire of suffering since he would haue no part of him free froth enduring somewhat for vs. This voice therfore may be truly sayd to be of the tongue which being sorrowfull that it had yet endured nothing for vs cryed out My God why hast thou