procession at the Church of our B Lady of Guifts fell from the platforme which is before the sayd Church about 24. foot high vpon the stones they that saw him in the aire when he fell they that tooke him vp from the ground thought surely he had beene all crushed and bruised and hauing wrapped him quickly in a Sheepe skinne they found at the last that he had no harme at all and the next morning he was to the procession sound liuely to giue thankes to God and our B. Lady by whose intercession there was reason to thinke that he was preserued not only from death but also from any harme This happened in a publicke place and the chance was great and strange and yet marked but by a few for the Post of Auinion comming to Lions but some moneths after and seeing this in print denyed stoutly that any such thing had happened there and his denyall had preuailed against the truth if there had not beene some there that were eye-witnesses thereof A like accident hapned at Bourdeaux the yeare 1600. to the sonne of M. Antony Valet a renowned Physitian The like happ of Antony Valet of Bourdeaux this child being six or seauen yeares old fell out of a window foure and twenty foote high or more vpon a paued court without any hurt and how few are there in that towne that know that speciall fauour and protection of the holy Angell who as an instrument of the diuine prouidence preserued that little child committed to his custody from harme to make him a name of honour with a long life At the same towne of Auinion in the yeare 1592. by the great prouidence of God In Auinion a child found buried quicke was found by Hunters a little child about a yeare old buryed quicke in his clothes by the bankes of Durence perceauing him by the toes of his feet stricking vp whether he had put them out of himselfe or the Dogs wynding him had so discouered it and it seemed that he had been in that case aboue foure and twenty houres for they saw his eyes nose eares and mouth stopped with earth now waxen hard and dry a chance which did astonish the beholders who could no wayes conceaue how this little creature could liue so long not only without sustenance but also without breathing It was christened with condition because they doubted some saying it was not like to liue so long without Baptisme others ghossing that some vnnatural Mother or sorcerer hauing of negligence deferred tâ— baptize it was at last driuen by the Diuell to bury it in this sort that it might be depriued of life both of body and soule for a more cruell and bloudy offering to this Tyrant Mounsier Bartelesse an honorable and vertuous gentleman the chiefe Consull of Auinion that yeare caused him to be called Iohn Ioseph which second name is that he now beareth who I doubt not doth well remember the matter as also I thinke but few then tooke any great heed therof and fewer thinke of it at this present At Tolouse the yeare of our Lord 1595. the 19. of May an other elder then this At Tolouse a youth buried in the ruines of a fallen house 1595. was in a sort buried aliue and saued miraculously he was called Bernard Gentiald a youth of that town of 18. or 19. yeares old dwelling with a merchant called Syre Caluet who by good or euill chance being all alone in his masters house which was in the street of Exchange when it fell downe to the ground betwixt 9. and 10. of the clocke in the night was also taken in the fall and found an houre after on the ground in the midst of the timber and plaister full of dust and astonishment without any harme at all as my selfe did see him some dayes after in our Nouiciate How many be there at Tolouse that were ignorant of this singular grace of God shewed in the behalfe of this yong man to the end to binde him more to loue him hauing preserued his life euen in his graue as he did to Ionas and kept him from all harmâ— in so dangerous a ruine In the same month the yeare 1597. at Vitescall fiue leagues from Burdeaux certaine little rockes seated vpon the side of Garumna At Vitescal 1597. wherin were framed certaine smal houses which serued for tauernes falling downe oppressed 19. persons and there was found a little girle safe and whole betweene the legges of her father who was al crushed I think but few marked this wonder of God There be a thousand like that happen before the eyes of men which are not perceaued wherefore we must not meruaile if few did marke this transport specially at that tyme when Italy as I haue sayd was in tumult and on fire with seditions and ciuill warres of the Guelfes and Gibellines which lasted about 250. yeares Plâ—t l. 7. decâ—d 1. Trith iâ— Clâ—mâ— was the obiect whereunto most men attended and which Writers of histories tooke for the subiect of their bookes so that this small attending might be the first cause of their silence in this miracle There may be also another contrary to this and that is the famousnes and manifest knowledge thereof which often maketh Writers neglect or disdaine to write of that all the world knoweth euery one referring himselfe to his companion At what tyme our Sauiour preached the Piscina probatica was in vigour in Hierusalem and recommended through all Palestine and with good reason for that it wrought continuall miracles healing all sortes of diseases though neuer so desperate and incurable and yet Ioseph that diligent and famous Writer of the Iewes and their matters speaketh not one word thereof Ioan. 11. and if S. Iohn had not in his Ghospell made mention thereof we should haue knowne nothing of it nor yet of the miracle of Lazarus raysed from death written onely by him being notwithstanding the most famous miracle that our Sauiour wrought The same Ioseph was silent also of that prodigious massacre of Herod vpon the childreÌ„ about Bethlem which notwithstanding was a very markable history and a thing which Rome and all the world knew Macrob. l. 2. Saturn cap. 4. Dion in Caesa Aug Philo lib. 3 de Herod for Macrobius and Dion Heathens do touch it in their writings The Eclipse of the sun and that admirable darknes which happened at the passion of our Sauiour extended ouer all Palestine and was manifest in Syria Aegypt and in all the places of our Hemisphere yet neuer a Heathen wrote thereof but only Phlegon a franchised seruant of Adrian the Emperour a silence almost as strange as the worke was manifest And how many thinges haue vanished from before the eyes of men PhlegoÌ„ Orig in Mat tract 35. tom 5. S. Tho. 3. p. q 44. and remayne buried in the dust of â—unning ages which in the beginning were notorious and knowne to all the world Therefore we
was carried not long before Afterwardes going from Sclauonia to Palestine they found in Nazareth the same markes and tokens of the place which the Sclauonians had found foure yeares before And their report recorded in the writings of the Citty was kept in the publike Recordes for testimony vnto all posterity Of certaine strange and meruailous transportations CHAP. IX THOVGH this be a wonder the like wherof hath not beene often heard that a whole house should be transported and carried from one country to another as this holy house was which alone had the honour of such a priuiledge yet we read also of diuers transports of the same kind made either by prayer or by art industry of men euen of Paynimes otherwise Wherfore this should not seeme either impossible to the power of God nor beyond the fayth of men S. Gregory Thaumaturge as S. Gregory Nissene reporteth in his life by his prayer remoued a Rocke from one place to another Greg. Thaumat Greg. Niss in his life by this means plaÌ„ted the faith of Iesus Christ in the hart of the Idoll-Bishop before whome and for whome he wrought it Paulus Venetus telleth that a simple Christian of Armenia neere the towne of Taurisium caused also by his prayer a mountaine to moue in the sight of the Saracens Paul Ven. l. 1. cap. 18 whilest they mocked Christians for holding of a fayth that bosteth to remoue mountaines and threatned to kill him if either he did not deny his fayth or performe this miracle which they seeing performed many of them were conuerted to Iesus Christ In the yeare 1571. a great Hill in England somewhat neere the sea changed his place whether it were by some earthquake or by some secret supernatural power Pliny recounteth that in Brusse a towne of Maracko an orchard planted with Ohue-trees appertaining to Vectius Marcellus a Knight of Rome Plin lib. â— cap. â—3 and Procurator generall of Nero the Emperour was carried from one place to another Art also which is a branch help of Nature hath her miracles in the like kind Lib. 7. c. 9 hist Indic For we read in the History of the new world that those of Mexico haue by deuice of water-workes transported Gardens with their trees and fruits into faire countryes Archimedes boasted that he could remoue the earth out of his place Archimed Plutarch in Marcel if he had another place firme whereon to set his mathematicall instruments and there are found Enginers also of our tyme that could pull vp great Okes and other trees as one would pull vp a radish-roote make them leape in the aire with engines which many would thinke a miracle if they should see it and not see the cause this being an effect aboue the ordinary force of men though as strong as Roland or Milo and surely it is a great wonder of art If then we thinke these miracles of S. Gregory the formentioned to haue beene done as the credit of histories doth command vs to thinke they were if the Paynimes haue belieued that by the power of their Gods or by art such wonders could be wrought why should we make difficulty in beleeuing this transport who haue and belieue a God almighty author of Nature and of all the power of arte and to whome Iesus Christ hath sayd about these kind of workes that one graine of fayth should remoue mountaines Math. 17.20 Luc. 17. â— 1. Cor. 1â— cast them into the sea so also sayth S. Paul If then with fayth men may worke these transportations may we not beleeue with the fame that Angels by the will of God haue done this to whom he hath giuen naturall force and strength to doe this and such like workes For we know that the Angell carried the Prophet Abacuc from Iudea to Babylon and carried him backe froÌ„ Babylon to Iudea againe Dan. 1â— 35. more then twenty dayes iourney in a moment And we know by their naturall force they roule about the huge frames of the celestiall Bodys from East to West and from West to East with an admirable swiftnes and constancy now these six thousand yeares togeather without any paine or difficulty a worke without comparison more difficult then to carry a house once or twice from one country to another from Asia to Europe from Nazareth to Sclauonia and from thence to Italy although it be also an effect miraculous and admirable for the rarenes Why the Writers of that tyme did not record in their History this meruailous transport of the Chappell of Loreto and of many strange thinges neglected and not perceeued CHAP. X. BVT heere will be demanded why this cause being so rare and admirable no Historiographer that writ in that tyme made any notable mention thereof The demand is reasonable and the silence may seeme strange Therfore to satisfy it I say first that this might happen because there were few famous writers of that tyme for amongst the Greekes the most renowned Nicephorus flourished about 1297. was Nicephorus Calixtus and amongst the Latines William de Nangu a Monke of S. Denis in France who perhaps were both ignorant of this matter for although in it selfe it were great yet the fame therof was not so soone spread in strange countryes or if they should heare of it so farre off they might not belieue it at the first or if they did beleeue it they durst not publish it in their writings strangers still referring themselues to those that were neerer and might haue better knowledge assurance of the matter The other learned men of that tyme as well Greekes as Latins as Nicolaus Cabasila Nic. Cab. Geor. Pac. Robert of Sorbone about 1296 George Pachimer Robert of Sorbone were occupyed in commenting the Scriptures and handling Theologicall questions rather then in writing of histories they therefore put this miracle first in writing that knew it first and whome it concerned most who were the Sclauonians and Recanatines and that the most authentically they could that is in their publike recordes and stories written for that printing was not yet deuised Secondly I answere that it might happen in this case Two causes of silence in great matters which we often see to happen in great and rare matters that they are not knowne either for that they are not marked obserued euen by those that are neerest being busy in other matters that touch them more neere or els are neglected and omitted by writers as being knowne manifest to al which I can proue by fresh examples of our owne tyme and wherof my selfe haue beene for the most part an eye witnesse also by the testimony of antiquity I was at Auinion the yeare of our Lord 1590. when a little child of the same towne aboute fiue or six yeares old A child fell from a place 24. foote high without harme 1590. named George Caluet the sonne of a worshipfull Aduocate going to see the schollers
What are her pompes honours and pleasures and their lasting in comparison of that glory which expecteth vs in eternity A Glory worthy of Kinges and Queenes and Princely soules who know how to prize it in equall ballance and to seeke it with high and constant courage A Glory which I and this Pilgrime and all good Pilgrimes besides do most hartily wish vnto both your Maiesties after that you shall haue left vs many fayre and sweet Princes such as should come of the Lilly and the Rose who may all represent the image of their Predecessours their vertues who may be all worthy to weare Crownes and to be with their Father Mother crowned in heauen hauing first raigned heere after them long and worthily on earth Amen Your Maties most loyall Subiect and Beadesman E. W. A TABLE OF THE CONTENTS and Argumentes of this Booke Chap. 1. PILGRIMAGES are agreable to God and commended in holy Scripture Pag. 1 Chap. 2 The Places most noble and famous in the world pag. 2 Chap. 3. Causes that make a place venerable Places meruaâ—lous in their beginning and of the admirable foundation of the house of Loreto pag. 3 Chap. 4. The house of our Lady called of Loreto is one of the three places most famous of the holy Land and of the causes why it was caried thence pag. 6 Chap. 5. How the house of our Lady was caried from Nazareth to Sclauonia and from thence to Italy and there also to diuers places pag. 8 Chap. 6. Why this Chamber of the B. Virgin hath beene so often remoued pag. 8. Chap. 7. How the Chappell of Loreto was knowne to be the ChaÌ„ber where the Virgin was borne and saluted by Gabriell and of the forme thereof pag. 9. Chap. 8. How the transport of the house of Loreto was verified by the Sclauonians and Recanatines pag. 11 Chap. 9. Of certaine meruailous transportes pag. 12 Chap. 10. Why diuers Historiographers of that time did not writ of that meruailous transport of the house of Loreto of many strange things not perceiued or neglected pag. 14 Chap. 11. Historiographers that haue written of Loreto Popes that haue adorned it pag. 18 Chap. 12. Dâ—uine proofes of the truth of this Chappell pag. 21 Cha. 13. Of the meruailous situation of the house of Loreto 22 Chap. 14. Places honourable by reason of their Antiquity That of Loreto most honourable in that respect pag. 24 Chap. 15. Places renowned by reason of diuine apparitions made therein and of those of the Chamber of Loreto pag. 26 Chap. 16. Places made famous by the habitation of holy men and Saints the house of Loreto most Noble in this respect pag. 29 Chap. 17. The house of Loreto admirable for diuerse diuine touchings pag. 31 Chap. 18. Places famous for some great and mysticall effects and Loreto more admirable then all pag. 32 Chap. 19. Loreto most renowned in miracles pag. 35 Chap. 20. How God doth miracles more in some places then in others pag 36 Chap. 21. Of the honour of vowes and offerings of Religion made at Loreto pag. 39 The Pâ—eparation and furniture of the Pilgrime Chap. 1. THE end and allegory of Christian Pilgrimages compasse of our mortall course signified by the number of Fourty pag. 43 Chap. 2. Of Praier Meditation and Contemplation pag. 47 Chap. 3. How Praier should be made and of the parts and vse thereof pag. 51 Chap. 4. Of Iaculatory praier pag. 53 Chap. 5. Of the Beades and the manner to say them pag. 53 Chap. 6. Of the Examen of Conscience pag. 56 Chap. 7. A generall distribution what the Pilgrime should do euery day and 1. Of the Credo pag. 58 Chap. 8. Of the Pater Aue and Confiteor pag. 59 Chap. 9. Of the signe of the Crosse pag. 61 Chap. 10. What the Pilgrime should do euery day pag. 62 The Pilgrime his setting forth first dayes Iourney Chap. 1. A Meditation of the condition of man who is to be Pilgrime in this life pag. 64 Chap. 2. A resemblance of the Pilgrimage of this life to Pilgrimages of deuotion The spirituall habits of a Pilgrime pag. 69 A Canticle of the Pilgrimage of this world pag. 71 Chap. 3. The meanes happily to performe the pilgrimage of this life is to suffer and fight vnder the banner of Iesus Christ and go alwaies forward in vertue pag. 72 Chap. 4. Euery Christian must suffer and beare his Crosse p. 76 Chap. 5. The true Christian must alwaies go forward in vertue pag. 78 Chap. 6. The commandements of God are the way of the Pilgrimage of this life pag. 79. Chap. 7. A Meditation vpon the 10. Cammandements of God in generall The 1. and 2. point Why the law was giuen with so great ceremony in 10. articles and two tables pag. 80 Chap. 8. The 3. and 4. point of the Meditation precedent The loue of God and of our neighbour is the end of the Law and the obseruation of the law proueth the same loue Motiues to the loue of God pag. 83 Chap. 9. A Canticle of the law of God the way of our life pa. 85 Chap. 10. A meditation vpon the 1. Commandment Thou shalt not haue no other Gods Thou shalt not make any grauen Idol pag. 87 Chap. 11. How the Iustice of God doth shine in this first CommaÌ„dement Praiers to auoid the Idols of false Christians pag. 90 Chap. 12. A Meditat. vpon the 2. Commandment Thou shalt take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine pag. 92 Chap. 13. Diuers Meditations and Prayers pag. 95 Chap. 14. A Meditat. vpon the 3. Commandment Remember to keep holy the Sabboth day pag. 96 Chap. 15. Of the Commandments of the Church and deuotion to the B. Virgin pag. 99 Chap. 16. The B. Trinity figured in the 3. Commandements of the first Table pag. 100 A Canticle vpon the three first Commandements a figure of the sacred Trinity pag. 101 Chap. 17. A thankesgiuing for the first weeke accoÌ„plished p. 102 Chap. 18. Of the loue of our Nighbour That one man is neighbour to another pag. 103 Chap. 19. A morning meditation vpon the fourth Commandement Honour thy father and thy Mother to the end thou maist liue long vpon earth pag. 104 Chap. 20. The workes of mercy spirituall and corporall p. 105 Chap. 21. A meditation of the fifth Commandement Thou shalt not kill pag. 107 A Canticle of the loue of God and our Neighbour 110 Chap. 22. Threates punishments against murtherers p. 111 Chap 23. A meditation of the 6. Commandement Thou shalt not commit adultery pag. 112 Chap. 24. How to keep chastity fly the vices of the flesh p. 115 Chap. 25. A mediâ—ation of the 7. Commandement Thou shalt not steale pag. 116 Chap. 26. Diuers considerations vpon couetousnes punished and liberalitâ— praâ—tised by the Saints pag. 119. Chap. 27. A meditation vpon the 8. Commandement Thou shalt not b are false witnesse against thy neighbour pag. 120 Chap. â—8 Of the nature and basenes of ly
of miraculous workes and at last performed the redemption of man therein sanctifying so many places as his holy humanity had touched and especially aboue all other The chaÌ„ber of Loreto the abridgemeÌ„t of all holy places that which we now speake of which iustly we may call a collection of all the holy places of the world and verily the Holy of holyes in the Temple of God as only and alone hauing beene sanctifyed by all those causes togeather which seuerally are wont to make other places holy and honourable as I will now shew more in particuler as it were setting a starre before the Pilgrimes eyes to guide him VVhat causes make a place venerable Places meruailous in their beginning and of the admirable foundation of the house of Loreto CHAP. III. THE titles that make a place venerable are these Titles that make a place honourable The meruailous beginning the Antiquity diuine Apparitions the habitation or touching of some Saints the mysteries the great effect and miracles the vowes and presents of Religion All which God hath ioyned togeather each one as it were stryuing which should be highest in this house to make it admirable to the honour of his mother before the eyes of mortall men Let vs consider each one a part The beginning of a place makes it venerable when it is accompanyed with some notable The beginning 3. Reg. 6.7 strange or wonderful thing So we read that the building of the Temple of Salomon was wonderfull specially in that there was not heard therein the sound of any hammer or saw nor the noise of any Iron instrument where notwithstanding there must needs be an infinit number of workmen and tooles this royall building of the Temple being the most accomplished and perfected in all varietie of the parts and workemanship and the most stately costly in the matter that euer was the nouelty of this wonder had beene incredible if the Scripture it selfe did not warrant vs 1. Pâ—â—al 29. and facilitate the credit thereof telling vs on one side how Dauid left the principall necessary stuffe Salomon caused it to be fetched from other places ready fashioned and framed for the worke on the other side aduertising vs by reason of this meruaile to meditate a mystery of a future Temple which Iesus Christ the true Salomon A mysticall meruaile and true Dauid both triumphing in his heauenly kingdome in aboundance of euerlasting peace shall build of his chosen liuely stones which he causeth to be hewed and polished in this world at the cost charges of his owne precious bloud and with great noyse and blowes of manifold persecution The Temple then was admirable in the beginning with such a wonder Admirable also was in the beginning that wall which Titus the Emperour caused to be made with many Bullwarkes about Hierusalem Ioseph lib. 5. de bello Iud. c. 31. when he besieged it compassing the citty round about with a wall of 39. furlongs which are about two ordinary leagues and building 13. Fortes or Bullwarks in diuers partes thereof hauing each 10. furlongs in compasse which is 250. paces and all this in the space of three dayes This was made to bind in the assieged that none might enter to succour them or come out either to seeke aide or to saue themselues This worke was wonderfull for being extraordinarily aduanced by the secret hand and help of God furnishing and prouiding the enemies of this ingratefull and peruerse people of force and industry thus to presse them and make to them a straight and dolefull prison the head Citty of their country and the place of their delight for euer heeretofore and namely 42. yeares before when they thrust their Sauiour out therof to crucify him And then was fullfilled the prophecy of the same Sauiour when weeping ouer the citty Luc. 19. he sayd Thyne enemies shall besiege thee round about and shall compasse and inclose thee on euery side Iosâ—ph lib. 5. de bello Iud. c. 31. Ioseph the Iew an eye-witnesse of this siege did note this wonder not knowing the cause nor the prophecy and sayth that as soone as Titus had resolued to make this wall the souldiers and Captaines were presently stirred with a certaine extraordinary heate in labouring euery man striuing who should be the best mason or workeman labour most willingly and diligently in his quarter And Titus first besieged them vpon this wall the third day after it was begun being thus encouraged to batter these obstinate mutiners who were greatly amazed to see themselues enclosed in such a wall almost in a moment The Ecclesiasticall history telleth vs Iap to 5. Sâ—â— to 6. that after S. Clement was cast into the Sea with an Anker about his necke there was found a little Chappell of marble meruailously built in the place where he was drowned the Sea by another like wonder retyring it selfe one mile within the channell to discouer this holy treasure hidden within it and to make a drye way to those that of deuotion went to honour it according vnto the common custome of ChristiaÌ„s These and such like places are made honourable by the wonders that happened in their beginning The chamber or house of Loreto hath beene honoured in this kinde aboue all the houses that euer were in the world not in respect of the first building which was finished by the common artizans of Nazareth nor for that it was beautified with a goodly Temple which Helena the mother of Constantine caused to be built hard-by S. Helen built a Temple in Nazareth but in that it hath beene transported by the Angells from one country to another and from one place to another in the same country consequently so often built with miracles neuer heard off before and much greater then if it had beene built by the Angells themselues that transported it For if the Angells had built it where it is or els where as it is it had beene wonderfull by reason of the workemen but not of the worke which might haue beene made by the industry of men as it was at the first but being transported from the first seate as we will shew after it is made admirable both by the workmen and the manner of the worke this transporting and transplanting exceeding all the power and industry of all the Enginiers and Builders in the world though they had the handes of a hundred Briareuses of a hundred Archimedeses Briareus with an hundred handes and therefore we may say that this Chappell is builded with such miracles as neuer any building was before that in this respect it was the most noble peece of worke that euer worldly eyes beheld The which the better to pierce and penetrate we must consider with the obiect of the circumstances How the house of our Lady called of Loreto is one of the three most famous places of the Holy Land and the causes why it was remoued
admirable in this kind for thereon God gaue within a cloud the Tables of his law with many admirable preparations of thunder lightning sound of Trumpet and other signes of maiesty and where Moyses twice remayned forty dayes and fourty nights without meat or drinke Exod. 24.18 44 28. all which thinges haue made this place venerable with an immortal memory There be a thousand places more sanctifyed with like visions of God and of his Angells The apparition of Loreto admirable but none was euer so noble in this respect as this heauenly House and Chamber For the embassage of the Annuntiation made therein was an apparition most noble and diuine in euery circumstance of the thing it selfe of the person that ordained it and of the person that did it and of the fashion and manner how it was done The Scripture sayth expresly that the Archangell was sent on the behalfe of God which is to shew the dignity of this mission as being appointed immediatly from God and of purpose for although all good Angels come vnto men by the ordinaÌ„ce of God yet the Scripture is not wont to expresse so much but leaueth it to vs to belieâ—e But heer it declareth it in expresse termes to signify some thing extraordinary euen as it telleth vs Gen. 1.26 that God wheÌ„ he would make man sayd Let vs make man to our similitude and likenes to teach vs say Deuines by these wordes of deliberation that it was a higher worthier worke then the creatioÌ„ of other things where God did not vse this ceremonious language although he made them all with wisedome and prudence By this expression then is signifyed the maiesty of this embassage and apparition as also by the person sent which was the Angel Gabriel one of the greatest in the court of heauen bearing the name of our Sauiour whom he announced Theoph. in 2. Luc. 〈◊〉 Proc. Episc in ho. assidente Nestorio Vide Saâ—mer l. 3. p. 25. for Gabriel signifyeth Man God as Doctors interprete it a name proper to Iesus Christ the only Man God called Archangell by the holy Fathers not as being of the first order of the first Hierarchy but a Prince among the Angels as are among vs the name of Archbishop Archdeacon Archduke and such like title of dignity and not of order So the Angell that shal giue the signe of the great and last day is called by S. Paul Archangell that is a Prince of Angells as also S. Iude calleth S. Michael Archangell in that sense that S. Paul 1. Thesâ— 4 6. S. Iud. ep Dan. 10.13 and the Prophets called him Prince of Angells It was also conuenient sayth S. Gregory that the Embassadour of so soueraigne a worke as is the saluation of men should be one of the highest and that he who should be sent to a Virgin in whome the Sonne of almighty God should be incarnate Greg. hom 43. should surpasse the excellency of all the Angells and be one of the principall Spirits and of the Seraphims themselues by speciall prerogatiue and to confront Lucifer and Satan who were Princes of the Seraphims and the first workers and messengers of the fal and ruine of mankind The manner of this apparition was rare and singular for we must not doubt but that he appeared with an outward maiesty meet for his person and message with an extraordinary light in the forme of a heauenly yong man his face shyning as S. Aug. ser 14. in natiuit c. 10. Augustine sayth his habit glittering with a maiesticall regard and admirable presence The salutation was also without example for though Angells heeretofore haue shewed themselues to Agar Gen. 21.16 Iud. 13.9 and to the mother of Sampson and diuers other women we read not for all that they saluted theÌ„ either much or little But the Angell not only saluted but most honourably saluted her which caused the B. Virgin who was as low in humility as she was high in other vertues to be troubled at so great and vnaccustomed prayses Some Deuines haue written Albert. magn in postil that there were two other Angells companions to Gabriel in this Embassage to announce in the figure of the Trinity the IncarnatioÌ„ of the Sonne of God which was a true work of the selfe same very Trinity though Gabriel only did speake Gen. 18. euen as the prediction of the birth of Isaac was giuen by three persons whereof but one did speake This apparition therefore wherewith this holy House was honoured The maiesty of the Embassage of the AnnuÌ„ciation of the Son of God was before all others full of maiesty for all the circumstances and particularityes are not found in any neither is there any in others which is not found in this The apparition made to Abraham was noble for that there was present the B. Trinity in the forme of three men heere the same Trinity was peculiarly present in each person the Father sending his Sonne the Sonne taking flesh in the wombe of the Virgin the Holy Ghost also ioyning in the heauenly worke of this Incarnation and besides this a principall Angell in maiesty an Embassadour of God almighty The vision of Iacob was but a shaddow in respect of this Gen. 18. as also was the burning Bush and that of Sinai Exod. 3. where God gaue his Law and let himselfe be seene only in smoke and lightning and heard only by a voice framed in the ayre and by the sound of Trumpet heere he gaue his Sonne the author of the law to make himselfe be seene in him to speake by his word and by him to giue the Law and saluation to mortall men and let his Angells appeare in the most beautiful forme that euer they were seen in worthily to announce the mystery of all mysteries This apparition therefore wherewith this Chamber was honoured was euery way diuine how many more thinke we haue there beene since Luc. 2.13 How often haue the Angels come to adore their Lord in his infancy in his tender youth as they did adore and sing vnto him at his Natiuity How often haue they come to serue him in this little Cabbinet Matth. 4.11 as they did in the desert And who can doubt but that they did continually assist his humanity in earth whose sacred diuinity they continually assist in Heauen And though the Scripture hath not expressed it in plaine words it hath signifyed it by silence thinking it needlesse and superfluous to specify that which euery Christian may iudge certaine and vndoubted this was then a house of continuall apparitions and heauenly vision and honourable in this respect aboue all other places of the world Places made famous by the habitation of holy men and Saints and that the house of Loreto is most honourable in this respect CHAP. XVI THE fourth quality that maketh a place honourable The 4. cause habitation of Saints is the dwelling and frequenting of great persons so
we see that all Palestine in generall is called the Holy Land because it was inhabited and haunted by Abraham Isaac Iacob and other holy Patriarches but principally because the Sauiour of the world being made man there conuersed with men and hath sanctifyed it by his pilgrimages therein after him the Apostles and other the chiefe and first ornaments lights of the primitiue Church In particuler we read of diuers places inhabited by Saints to haue beene in great honour reuerence Places holy by the habitation of Saints as among others was that Denne in the desert where S. Iohn Baptist dwelt froÌ„ his childhood vntill he came forth to preach pennance testify Iesus Christ Also Bethania the house of Mary Magdalen and Martha neere vnto Hierusalem Io. 11.18 where our Sauiour raysed their brother Lazarus from death at which place S. Hierome sayth was built a Church for christians All Aegypt and Syria Hier. de locu sacru was heeretofore full of places sanctifyed in this sort as there be also many such yet amongst Christians But if euer place were priuiledged in this respect it is this Chamber of the B. Virgin for it hath receaued and entertayned for guests and inhabitants the noblest persons of Heauen and earth Nicâ—ph l. 〈…〉 First the B. Virgin was there borne and brought vp vntill the third yeare of her age when she was presented in the Temple of Hierusalem where hauing remained eleauen yeares or therabout she returned to Nazareth remayned there almost vntill the death of our Sauiour Iesus Christ the holy of holyes dwelt there after his returne out of Aegypt about the seauenth yeare of his age 〈◊〉 9 5â— vntill the thirtenth yeare when he began to manifest himselfe to the world and not to haue as he sayd to those that desired to follow him any house of his owne wherein to rest his head I speake not of S. Ioachim S. Anne Luc. 9.58 S. Ioseph that dwelt there also neither of S. Zachary S. Elizabeth S. Iohn the Apostles and Disciples of our sauiour and all those worthy lights of the Law The Saints who dwelt in the house of the B. Virgin and the Ghospel both before the death of our Sauiour and after who were all often there It is inough of these two starres Iesus Christ I meane and his glorious Mother and especially of the one of them not only to exalt the dignity of this little house aboue the greatnes of all royall pallaces that euer were but also aboue the maiesty of Salomons Temple and aboue the sanctity of all the holy places held in veneration all the tyme of the Law of Nature and of Moyses inough to make this house to be truly called an heauenly Pallace or a terrestriall Heauen where God and his heauenly and angelicall Court doth dwell For who can doubt but that the sacred Trinity was there daily present after a speciall and singular manner the Father and the Holy Ghost with the Sonne when this Sonne the selfe same essence with them cloathed with our Nature dwelt there corporally visible and continually And there being God in his Maiesty The court of heauen could the Angells Archangells Principalityes Powers Vertues Dominations Thrones Cherubims and Seraphims faile to be there in state and magnificall array to admire serue adore this supreme Deity this diuine Humanity O little House 9. orders of Angels O royal Pallacâ— O diuine lodging O sacred Cabinet O paradise not earthly as that of Adam but heauenly seeing thou hast entertayned within thee the God of maiesty the felicity and happines and most bright and glorious light of heauen How the house of Loreto is admirable for diuers diuine touchings CHAP. XVII OF this habitation whereof I speake ensueth another cause which doth greatly aduance the honour of this place in a thoâ—sand manners For since our Sauiour The fifth cause of touching his holy Mother and diuers other Saints dwelt there how often in this their dwelling lid they sanctâ—fy it by their comming and going by their breathing and looking by their holy talke communication by the spirit and fire of their prayers and by so many workes of Religion of piety of mercy and other actions of vertue which they did during their residence there How often hath the holy Humanity sighing for our miseries Iesus Christ honoured this House sanctifyed with his breath the walles of that chamber How many tymes walking and working therein hath he hallowed it with his steppes of Obedience How often longing sighing after our RedeÌ„ption hath he honoured this house by there laying vp his sighes and desires How often hath the glorious Virgin his Mother made this place honourable by the offices and seruices of Charity of deuotion of piety of teares other signes and markes of sanctity Chaines sanctifyed And if by the only touch of the Apostles or Martyrs bodyes bandes and iron chaines haue become more noble then the Crownes Scepters of Kings and haue receaued power and vertue to expell wicked spirits to heale innumerable diseases and to raise the dead what glory and satisfaction shall we thinke that this little ChaÌ„ber hath receaued so often honoured with the conuersation of these most holy guests Which hath beene so familiarly visited and haunted by the presence of such noble bodyes Which hath beene so cleerly enlightned by the beams of these diuine stars And if the Crosse The Crosse which was the bed of our Sauiours last ill rest and torment if the launce which pierced his side if the sponge which reached him Vinegar to drinke if the thornes that crowned his head if the nailes that pierceâ— his handes feet if the other instruments of his paine and Passion if the Sepulcher that lodged his body if so many places as this body touched were made diuine by a short touch and as it were in passin g who will doubt but that ground of this holy house troden on by the feet of this Lord and Lady ayred witâ— their breath touched with their handes for so many yeare hath beene thereby singularly sanctifyed What place therforâ— in the earth what habitation in the whole world is more noble and honourable by this title then that of Loreto Places famous for some great or mysticall effects and that heerein Loreto is more admirable then them all CHAP. XVIII The sixth cause of mystery THE holy Scripture as also profane Histories do reporâ— vnto vs diuers places that are made memoraâ— by thâ— sixt cause that is by some high and secret worke by some action of rare vertue some sacrifice some battaile some victory some sacrament or some other thing verily diuine or sâ— accounted The old Testament recoÌ„mendeth vnto vs the mouÌ„taine Moria made noble by the obedience of Abraham Gen. 22.2 when hâ— layd his sonne Isaac vpon the Altar to sacrifice him The mouÌ„â— Thabor was made famous by the noble victory of
tempore Chyrs l. 2. de orando Deo Prayer is a conuersion of the hart of God sayth S. Augustine It is a demand of some good thing sayth S. Basil S. Iohn Damascene comprehending them both sayth Prayer is an eleuation of the spirit vnto God and a demand of things conuenient Prayer sayth S. Gregory Nâ—ssene is a contemplation or talke of the holy soule with God a contemplation of inuisible thinges a certaine fayth and beliefe of things we should desire it is an angelicall state vocation an increase of good and subuersion of euill It is the key of heauen sayth Augustine and the sinnewes of the soule This is sayth S. Chrysostome the instrument that should alwayes be in the Christians hand day and night in the towne and field in prosperity aduersity in peace and warre in health and sicknes and in all thinges It is good reason then to learne the manner of praying well It appeareth by the foresayd definitions that the essence and foundation of true prayer consisteth in the soule that which is made with the mouth and voice only deserueth not the name of prayer It is the language of a Parrot that speaketh it knoweth not what Prayer of the spirit speaketh properly to God and maketh himselfe to be vnderstood as an Angell though the lips stirre not and he cryeth aloud to God in profound silence Exod. 14.15 Moyses moued not his lippes when God sayd vnto him Why cryest thou It was the crye and voice of his prayer which he then made in the closet of his hart The prayer of the mouth is not good except it be caried with the wings of the spirit both togeather make a perfume that pierceth the heauens a sacrifice most acceptable to God and a pregnant request to obtaine whatsoeuer shall be demanded of his Maiesty The inward is the roote and fruit of deuotion the outward is the flowre and budd To doe it well he must learne to meditate well for meditarion and contemplation do illuminate the vnderstanding do heat the wil eleuate the soule to God and ioyneth it to his loue which is the very essence and vigour of prayer Fire is kindled in my meditatioÌ„ sayth Dauid that is to say My prayer shall be feruent if I meditate well To meditate Christian-like is to discourse in the vnderstanding of some diuine subiect of the creation of the world of the Natiuity of the Sonne of God of his death of his resurrection of the purity and humility of the B. Virgin Mary of some vertue or vice of death iudgement hell heauen and such like matters This discourse is made in noting the causes The discourse of Prayer and effects and deducing conclusions agreable to the honour of God and our good For example meditating of the creation of the world I obserue that God is the supreme cause of all thinges who hath made all of nothing by his only word that heauen and all the creatures with them are the workes of his power wisedome and bounty heereof I conclude Conclusion of our Prayer that he is almighty hauing brought forth such goodly effects of nothing all wise hauing so diuinely ordered them all good in hauing giuen them all to men againe I conclude that I am bound to feare him as my soueraigne Lord adore him as the supreme wisedome and loue him as the infinite bounty and to serue him with all my hart and with all my forces as my Creatour my King my Maker my Father and my all in all By this discourse my vnderstanding is delighted in the meruailous workes of God my will is warmed in his loue and of them both my soule taketh a tongue to speake vnto him and maketh her prayer adoring his greatnes admyring his wisedome magnifying his bounty casting her selfe into the armes of his holy prouidence declaring her infirmityes offering her abilityes her vowes teares sighes and desires and al that she hath demanding what she hath not perfect humility fortitude patience charity and other vertues and finally drowning her selfe in praying to this supreme Deity as before she did in meditating Contemplation is a regard of the eyes of the soule fastened attentiuely vpon some obiect DefinitioÌ„ of Contemplation as if after hauing meditated of the creation she should set her eye of her vnderstanding fast and fixed vpon the greatnes of God vpon the beauty of the Heauens or hauing discoursed of the passioÌ„ of our Sauiour she behouldeth him present seeth him crucifyed and without any other discourse perseuereth constantly in this spectacle Then the soule doth contemplate vpon her meditation CoÌ„templation more theÌ„ Meditation so that contemplation is more then meditation and as it were the end thereof and it groweth and springeth vpon it many tymes as the braunch doth vpon the body of the tree or the flowre vpon the branch For the vnderstanding hauing attentiuely and with many reasons to and fro meditated the mystery and gathered diuers lights togeather doth frame vnto her self a cleere knowledge wherof without further discourse one way or other she enioyeth as I may say a vision which approcheth to the knowledge of Angells who vnderstand without discourse although it may so happen The knowledge of Angels that the deuout soule may enter into contemplatioÌ„ without any meditation going before according as the diuine wisedome shall affoard her inward obiects after the manner of visions as it did often to the Prophets and his most familiar friends and seruants or els where the party himselfe doth choose some one where he feeleth greatest gust and there stayeth without stirring It may happen also that meditation may follow contemplation as if one hauing attentiuely beheld an obiect doth thereof afterward ground some discourse as Moyses did Exod. 3.3 when hauing seene the visioÌ„ of the burning Bush he approched discoursing why it consumed not Heereof we learne the difference betwixt these two actions The difference between contemplation meditation for meditation is lesse cleere lesse sweet and more painefull then conteÌ„plation it is as the reading of a booke which must be done sentence after sentence but contemplation is like casting the eyes vpon a picture discerning all at once Meditation is like eating Contemplation like drinking a worke more sweet cooling and more delicate lesse labour and more pleasure then eating is For he that meditateth taketh an antecedent doth behould weigh and consider it as it were shewing the meate with some paine and afterward doth gather conclusioÌ„s one after another as it were swallowing downe of morsells and taketh his pleasure by peeces but he that contemplateth receaueth his obiect without paine swiftly and as it were altogeather as if he tooke a draught of some delicate wine such is Meditation and such is Contemplation All prayer therefore and all eleuation of the spirit for to carry it selfe with a strong and swift flight before the throne of the diuine Maiesty must be carryed by them or by the
these meditations he shal haue others which are set downe for euery day of his voyage which he shall do the same day at diuers tymes Being in the fields he shall take matter of praysing God as those thinges he beholdeth shall giue him occasioÌ„ beholding the Heauens he shall admire God in those immortall bodyes and lights seeing the mountaines the plaines the riuers the plantes the beasts and other creatures he shal giue thâ—nkes for all to God as made for the behoofe of man and of himselfe in particuler and shall inuite them to prayse the same Creatour to the imitation of those wise and stout Hebrews who song in the midst of the Furnace Benediâ—â—e omnia opera â—omini Domino O all yee workes of our Lord blesse yee our Lord c. In faire wether he shal thanke God for that particuler benefit of his way and iourney if it doth rayne hayle or storme he shall thanke him also for this crosse and aduersity and take it patiently to make his merit thereof and his spirit all profit Passing by the Cittyes and Townes he shall visit the Churches holy places the Hospitalls such like where he may get any profit or increase of deuotion Going out of his lodging he shall say Lord shew me thy wayes Psalm 24 teach me thy paths or some such verse and shall salute his Angell-keeper that he may accompany him in the way Luc. 10.5 and beginning to march he shall say his Itinerarium and ordinary prayer for pilgrimes and trauailers entring into his lodging by day or in the night to his bed he shall say The peace of God be heere and shall giue good example and edification to euery one in his talke gestures and all his cariage sitting at the table he shall say grace or heare some other better then himselfe say it and in tyme of relection if there be company he shall beginne some discourse of honest recreation fit for the tyme or shall heare others talke If he eat alone he shall feed his spirit also with good cogitations whilest he refresheth his body with corporall food Hauing sayd grace taken some rest he shall retire himselfe and hauing sayd his Litanyes or other prayers and made examen of his conscience and hauing thanked God for his benefits receaued that day demanding pardon and purposing amendement he shall craue the ayde of the glorious Virgin of his Angell-keeper other Saints and hauing ended his deuotions for that day he shall take his rest THE PILGRIME HIS SETTING FORTH And first dayes Iourney A meditation of the condition of man which is to be Pilgrime in this life CHAP. I. OVR Pilgrime hauing obserued all this ordered and settled his affaires specially if he be maister of a family discharged his iourney of all let and hinderance made prouision of what is necessary The first dayes iourney being confessed and communicated and well prepared and furnished both in soule and body and of whatsoeuer the circumstance of Christian and ciuill prudence may require he shall choose the day of his setting forth and shall take his iourney vnder the protection and safe conduct of Almighty God and of the glorious Vigin whome he goeth to visir of his good Angell The meditatioÌ„ of the morning of the 1. day The meditation and prayer of his first dayes iourny beside that which he shall take proper for the day as we sayd before shall be of the condition of mortall men which is to be pilgrimes and strangers vpon earth The prayer preparatiue shall demand of God that it would please him to direct his intentions and actions to the glory of his holy name as we taught before The first essay or preamble of the Meditation The first preaÌ„ble shall represeÌ„t first Adam chased and driuen out of earthly Paradise to liue heere on earth as a banished man he his wife all his posterity Secondly it shall represent vnto vs diuers holy men and Saints as leauing their homes and houses to walke to strange countryes Abraham going out of Chaldaa to dwell in the land of Canaan Iacob going out of Canaan to dwell in Syria and at last to dye in Aegypt a strange countrey the Apostles after the comming of the Holy Ghost leauing their country to walke pilgrims euery one according to his lot into an vnknowne world The second preamble shall demand of God a cleare light to see this verity and liuely and profitably to apprehend The 2. preaÌ„ble how al mortall men are pilgrimes in this world that we must seek for our countrey els where The first point of the Meditation shall be taken of the wordes of the Prophet Dauid and of the Apostle S. Paul Psal 38. I am a stranger with thee O Lord and a pilgrime as all my fore-fathers haue beene Also We are pilgrimes and strangers before thee Psal 29.15 as our Fathers haue beene Our dayes are like a shaddow vpon earth and passe without any stay S. Paul also We haue not heere a dwelling or permanent Citty but we seeke another which is to come Heb. 1. The second point shall consider the practise of the foresayd words verifyed in the examples of many holy men Saints who from the beginning of the world haue carryed themselues as true Pilgrimes in this life Gen. 4.4 Abel the first iust man in the house and family of God had neither house nor Inne vpon the earth attending only to prayer and keeping his flocke Gen. 4.17 Cain contrarywise the first of worldly reprobates built a citty as being a Cittizen and Inhabitant of this world Gen. 12. Abraham the Father of the faythfull dwelt as we haue sayd a stranger in the â—and of Chanaan in tents and moueable houses not buying one â—oote of Land all his life but a place of buriall for himselfe his children The whole people of God the posterity of the foresayd Abraham was pilgrime in Aegypt 400. yeares and 40. in the desert of Arabia Our Sauiour also was a true Pilgrime not thinking of any thing but of his iourney not possessing any thing yea lesse then Abraham for he borrowed his tombe and Sepulcher which Abraham bought His Apostles also were dispersed ouer the whole earth liuing as pilgrimes and trauailers not ayming at any thing but to gayne way towardes heauen and to draw other men thereunto by preaching of Christ Iesus 3. Why man is pilgrime in this life The third point shall containe the cause why man is pilgrime in this life seeing that the whole visible world is made for him and also why this pilgrimage is so painefull of griefes and sorrowes The cause of the first is the excellency of man consisting in his soule an immortal or heauenly essence bearing in it self the image and likenes of that soueraigne and supreme beauty by reason wherof there was due vnto him a perpetual habitation more proportionate to his dignity a more noble
and seeke all the possible meanes to attaine it And seeing that euery man is thereunto obliged by nature is not the Christian much more bound then other by reason of the law he professeth which is a law of perfection How can he worthily beare his name if he endeauour not to be a perfect Christian according to his name and degree The King a perfect Christian in his rule and roialty the Captaine a perfect Christian in his warres and managing of Armes the Magistrate in gouernment the Iudge in administration of iustice the Merchant Artificer Labourer in then trafike shop and trauaile as the Religious in his vocation Is heauen only for Religious If it be for all why doe not all seeke the way with Religious Heauen is not oÌ„ly for Religious euery one as we haue sayd according to his estate and degree This instruction will teach the Pilgrime to make dayly progresse in good life as he doth in his way and with so much the more courage as the merit and fruit of vertue is more precious and to be desired then the wynning of way in the world and this shall suffice for the afterdinner and euening of the second day The third Day The Commandements of God are the way of our pilgrimage of this life CHAP VI. IN the third day our Pilgrime being well forward on his way and iourney and hauing attentiuely meditated the conditions and qualityes of his mortall pilgrimage The way to heaueÌ„ is the coÌ„mandements of God Psal 118. â—2 he shal enter into meditation of the heauenly way by which he must come to the heauenly countrey as by the other he shall come to Loreto marching with the feet of his body he shall cause his soule also to walke with hers which are her affectioÌ„s This way is the keeping of the law coÌ„mandments of God wherof Dauid sayd I haue runne the way of thy commandements when thou hast enlarged my hart This way is Iesus Christ who comming into this world hath from point to point fullfilled the law giuen by himselfe he hath cleered bettered it with his doctrine and instructions and hath made it easie both to the eye and to the hand and in his owne pilgrimage hath traced the true path of saluation for which cause he is called Ioan. 14 1 The Way Verity Life This is the spirituall way which the pilgrime shall first consider a far off and in generall as if he were vpon some high mountaine like vnto Moyses when from the mountaines of Abarin Nebo in the land of Moab Deut. 32.9 he beheld the way and countrey of the land of Promise and after he shal run ouer all the commandements in particuler from the first to the last one by one A Meditation vpon the ten Commandements of God in generall The first and second pointe why the Law was giuen with so great Ceremonies in ten Articles and two Tables CHAP. VII THE Prayer preparatory as alwayes before The first preamble shall frame in the imagination the figure of the mountaine of Sina couered in the top with a thicke bright cloud rebounding with the noise of trumpets and thunder God appearing in soueraign Maiesty to Moyses to giue him his law and the Hebrewes incamped in the plaine by terrifyed and attending the issue of this new spectacle In the second Preamble he shall demaund grace of God whereby he may throughly vnderstand the beauty and importance of this law and the whole length and continuatioÌ„ of the way that leadeth vnto Heauen The first point shall recite the law with the clause going before it Preface of the Law where God speaketh thus vnto his people I am the Lord thy God who hath brought thee out of the land of Aegypt and the house of bondage And after giueth the same Law contayned in ten Articles 1. Thou shalt not haue strange Gods before me Exod. 20. 2. Thou shalt not take the name of thy Lord God in vaine for our Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine 3. Remember that thou keep holy the Sabboth day 4. Honour thy Father and Mother 5. Thou shalt not kill 6. Thou shalt not commit adultery 7. Thou shalt not steale 8. Thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy Neighbour 9. Thou shalt not couet thy Neighborus house 10. Thou shalt not couet thy Neighbours wife nor his seruant nor his mayde nor his Oxe nor his Asse nor any thing that is his In meditating the foresayd Preface he shall make this coÌ„clusion God when he would dictate his law putteth in the beginning what he is saying I am the Lord thy God as also the deliuerance of the Hebrewes he would haue vs therefore in the first place set before our eyes his greatnes and maiesty afterwardes the benefits he hath bestowed vpon vs to the end we may be stirred vp to the keeping of his commandements by that obligatioÌ„ we owe vnto him by the title of our Creatour and soueraigne Lord and our Benefactour our Conseruatour and rewarder meditating the rest he shal gather these or the like conclusions God published the law with great ceremonies with thunder and lightning Exod. 19.16 trumpets with cloudes and fire and smoke earth-quakes he will therefore that it be receaued of vs with great reuerence Psal 11â— feare and humility For the Feare of God is the beginning of wisedome He would haue it sinke deep into our soules seeing it was sent with fire voice and extraordinary noise and by whatsoeuer might most mooue our eyes and eares our two most noble senses and might most deeply print any thing in our harts He published it in the top of an high mountaine therfore would haue vs meditate thereof with a spirit eleuated and lifted vp from the earth this is the conclusioÌ„ which Dauid practised often and aduised others also to practise Psal 811.24 Psal 118.14 Psal 118.47 Psal 1.2 Thy testimonyes are my meditation Also Giue me vnderstanding I will meditate thy law I haue meditated vpon thy commandements which I haue loued Happy is the man that thinketh of thy law day night He gaue it to Moyses to communicate it vnto the people and make them to keep it he would haue them put it in execution and that as we ascend to meditate it so we should descend to execute it This is the signification of that heauenly Ladder which Iacob saw in his sleep vpon the which Angells did ascend and descend Gen. 28. for the children of God do mouÌ„t and ascend by the steppes and degrees of contemplation in the knowledge of the Law of God descend againe by the workes of the same law as it were by the same steps in the actiue life for the loue of God and profit of their Neighbour The nuÌ„ber of 10 a note of perfection He hath giuen it in ten Articles signifying by the number of perfection that it
from the history of the creation of the world where it is sayd That God created light before all thinges This light was the matter whereof God framed the Sunne the fourth day as S. Denu sayth which is a figure of the Conception of the B. Virgin Gen. 1.26 S. Denis c. 4. de diu nominibus the mysticall light whome God brought forth without corruption out of the barenesse of Ioachim and Anne as of nothing therof afterward to forme the humanity of Iesus Christ the Sunne of the world and to cause of her to be borne both God and Man S. Tho. 3. p. q. 60. c. 12. the fourth day that is in the Law of grace which is the fourth estate o◠day of the world the first day hauing beene vnder sinne the second vnder the law of Nature the third vnder the law of Moyses Procl ser de natiuit Deiparat The second figure shall be the earth whereof Adam was made which was free from malediction wherto it was after subiect for sinne As therefore the first earth the matter of the first Adam was in the beginning without any curse or malediction S. Bruno Carth. in Psal 101. so the second earth whereof the second Adam Iesus Christ was to be formed was without the malediction of that originall staine in her conception Pet. Dam. in serm de virg Ass Dominic tract de corpore Christi The third shal be Gedeons Fleece wherein the Pilgrime shall consider that as the Fleece is ingendred without corruption and feeleth no passion of the Body so the Blessed Virgin was in her generation without sinne or any stayne of concupiscence a prerogatiue giuen only to her aboue al other children of Adam ingendred by the ordinary course in respect that she was to be the mother of God by another prerogatiue vnheard of before Luc. 2.44 Ieremy and S. Iohn were indeed sanctifyed in the wombe of their Mother notwithstanding they were first infected Ierem 15. Hier. in 3. Isa they were healed but not exempted from that wound The B. Virgin by a more noble priuiledge was preserued both from the wound and from the scarre thereof The third point shall consider some prophecyes of the same Conception Psal 84. as out of Dauid Lord thou hast blessed thy earth that is the Sonne of God who should preserue from sinne the Virgin that was to be his Mother Ar. ibid. Isid ad Floren. Also The Highest hath sanctifyed his Tabernacle that is the Virgin who was to be the Tabernacle of God and therefore was by him prepared and sanctifyed from the beginning with a sanctificatiō most meet for such a Sonne Psalm 48. and such a Mother In the same sense sayth Salomon Sap. 9. Wisedome hath built her selfe a house It is then a most perfect house seeing Wisedome it selfe hath built it a house all beautifull in the foundation and euery part according to an other prophecy Cant. 4. Thou art all beautifull and there is no spot in thee In the fourth point he must consider that for diuers reasons Why her conception was sāctified The first reason The 2. this Conception was to be exempted from Originall sinne 1. For that it was no way decent that the Virgin which should conceaue the Sonne of God should be marked in her generation with that spot which maketh men children of the Diuell for thereby the Sonne had beene some way dishonoured 2. Seeing that sundry seruants of her Sonne were both before and after her sanctifyed in their mothers wombe as Hieremy and S. Iohn as we haue sayd it were reason that the generation of the Mother of the Holy of Holyes should be honoured with some more noble prerogatiue and that not ōly she should be cleansed from sinne as other Saints were but also preserued from all vncleanesse in her Mothers wombe as she was in all her life The third 3. For that in this prerogatiue do shine the power wisedome and goodnes of God for heere appeared the worke of an Almighty Power in hindring that the poison which infected all the children of Adam in their origen should not in any sort touch either flesh or soule of her who was chosen to beare the soueraigne Physician of mankind There appeared the glory of his infinite wisedome Wisedom in that he could separate vnto himselfe a Mother free from all sort of sin therin appeared the liberality of his soueraigne bounty not only in hauing so plentifully bestowed his graces vpon this glorious Virgin but also in hauing preserued her from all euill Bounty from the first instant of her being These shall be the 4. points of his morning meditation out of all which the Pilgrime shall gather cōclusions either to exalt the greatnes of the diuine Maiesty and to admire it in this his worke or to stirre vp himselfe to the reuerence of the Mother of God and to enkindle himselfe to deuotion in her holy seruice to the glory of the Creatour admirable in th◠framing of this his Creature Be thou therefore eternally praysed A Prayer to God O Creatour of all thinges and soueraigne Maker of the Mother of thy Sonne Thou didst appeare great admirable in creating the heauēs the throne of thy Maiesty and the earth thy footstoole yet dost thou appeare more wonderfull in this worke for thou madest in her an heauen and earth of which stuffe thy Sonne was to make and take the cloake of his holy humanity a heauen which out of her substance should giue the Sunne of the world an earth that should bring forth the Sauiour of the world a heauen and earth conceiued miraculously of the barren to conceaue afterward by a greater miracle him that made heauen and earth and all things of nothing O happy houre that gaue the beginning to this diuine generation and more happy that measured the progresse and most happy that saw it perfect and finished To the B. Virgin O noble Virgin O noble seed of our heauenly light O earth of our fruit O mother of our saluation who can worthily speake of the course of thy life seeing the very beginning thereof exceedeth the tongues and capacities of men and Angells The After-dinner of the three and twentith Day Of the purity of Christian actions in their intention CHAP. XIIII IN the afternoone the Pilgrime shal attend as the day before to pious works shall hear◠the sermon diuine Office shall read some good booke shall conferre with his Ghostly Father or other deuout persons shall say his beads giue almes or beg for himselfe or others sing some Hymne of the B. Virgin or heare the Salue Regina song or some other for the tyme. In the euening he shall make his meditation in the Church vpon some point of his morning meditatiō labouring throughly to know and prayse the greatnes and goodnes of of God in the excellent purity of this Conception shall vnderstand
nightes and men that liued in those dayes liued in darknes altogeather or at most in that small weake light of the Moon and starres of the law of Nature and Moyses Be thou therefore O day of such a Natiuity blessed aboue all the dayes of the world and be thou O chamber honoured aboue all the Princely palaces of the earth for hauing receaued into thy bosome this rysing starre O people of Sion reioyce yee in the birth of this Virgin whome your mysteryes haue so much celebrated your Prelats so much foretould your Fathers so desired as the best and most noble flower of the race of your Kinges of your Synagogue Reioyce also O yee Gentils behould the morning that endeth the night of your ignorance and bringeth you the light of heauen a Virgin that shal beare you a Redeemer a Queene that shall giue you a King that shall make you all Kinges Reioyce thou also O my soule that thy eyes doe see the place where this morning this Virgin this starre was first seene and pray her there with a deuout hart that with the aboundance of her graces she wold obtayne of this great God whome she gaue vnto the world light to vnderstand his holy lawes loue to imbrace them force to performe them as long as thou shalt walke Pilgrime vpon the earth that thou mayst prayse him eternally in heauen Hauing made his prayer he shall heare Masse and communicate with his accustomed preparation and employ all the morning in like exercises The After-dinner and euening of the foure twentith Day Of the B. Virgins Auncestours and of the vanity of worldly greatnes CHAP. XVI IN the Afternoone hauing taken some honest recreation in reading some good booke or talking with his Ghostly Father or some other of good conuersation he shall heare Euensong and the diuine Office and shall haue his meditation ready against night The B. Virgin her Auncestours which shall be of the same matter of the first gathering some new instructions and points as of the nobility of the B. Virgin hauing for her Auncestours the holy Patriarches Abraham Isaac Iacob so many Kinges Princes and Lords as are recited and named in the Ghospel of the day The vanity of worldly greatnes Of the vanity of worldly greatnes and the solidity of vertue and eternall goods setting before his eyes on the one side the long list of those Princes and that notwithstanding the house of Dauid was brought to the condition of a poore Artificer the Scepter thereof being vsurped by Herod a straÌ„ger and forrenner How god raysed the house of Dauid Considering on the other side how God would rayse this royal house of Dauid not by ordinary wayes by aboundance of honours and worldly treasures but by giuing a Virgin that should surpasse the nobility of all the Kings of the earth and who should bring forth a Sonne that should restore the Kingdome The spiritual kingdome of Dauid established by Iesus Christ and seat of his Father Dauid by a way worthy of an Almighty King changing earth to heauen tyme to eternity writing his heauenly lawes in the harts of mâ—n and making them to be published ouer all the world establishing with the price of his owne precious bloud an heauenly and euerlasting kingdome therin to crowne for Kings all his friends and seruants and to heape on them glory and euerlasting riches Of these and like considerations he shall take occasion to prayse our Lord so wise as to find such wayes to repaire the ruines of mankind so liberall to communicate his goods and graces to his creatures and namely to this sacred Virgin to make her Mother of his Sonne and his Sonne Redeemer of the world And hauing made his speach and conclusion of his deuotion he shall draw towardes his lodging shall finish the rest of his Iourney saying our Ladyes Litanies or other prayers to take his repose and rise the more fresh fit for his morning exercise The fiue and twentith Day A meditation of the Presentation of the B. Virgin in the Temple CHAP. XVII THIS day The B.V. presented to the Temple the Pilgrime hauing sayd his accustomed prayers at his lodging shall goe to the holy House there to performe his principall Meditation which shall be of the presentation of the holy Virgin when her father Ioachim and Anne her Mother Niceph. l. 1. cap. 7. Niss ser de human Christi S. Euod epist. ad Antioch did bring her to the Temple of Hierusalem at three yeares of age there to offer and consecrate her to God The prayer preparatory as before The first preamble shall represent S. Ioachim and S. Anne as standing at the gate of the Temple to offer their little creature this Virgin to the high Priest to be admitted receaued among the virgins consecrated to Almighty God The second preamble shall demand grace duely to vnderstand this mystery The first point shall be to consider Our Bl. Ladyes childhood wonderfull euery way that as the Conception of the B. Virgin was a worke beyond the ordinary course and law by a singular grace wherby she was so conceiued of barren and old parents and by a speciall priuiledge aboue all the children of Adam preserued from all sinne and vncleanes being all pure and heauenly as also her Natiuity was diuine correspondent to her Conception so her childhood exceeded the common course of others and was endowed with all the blessings that might make that age admirable And if the holy Scripture sayth nothing thereof The son of Cresus Zoroastes Hercules S. Ambrose Plato it is because it may necessarily be presumed Some children haue beene meruailous for speaking a little after their birth others for laughing when they were borne others for hauing killed serpents S. Ambrose was honoured with a prodigious swarme of Bees that set themselues on his mouth who will not then belieue that the infancy of our B. Lady was honoured with all spirituall and rare graces and that this part of her life was agreeable proportionate to the two preceding The vertus of this virgin infant and ensuing parts thereof which were all admirable therfore heere the contemplatiue soule must represent her a little creature as a wonder of creatures a child prudent sage aduised modest deuout hauing nothing childish but body and yeares and hauing a great soule in a small body and finally a Virgin bearing in her childhood all the qualityes conditions that should make the fouÌ„dation of vertue for the most noble wise couragious and most vertuous Lady of the world And in such discourses he shall prayse the greatnes of the workeman for hauing made such a creature and shall stirre vp his loue and deuotion to the seruice of him and of this Virgin for the loue of him Why she was presented The first cause The second point shall containe two causes among many other of this oblation wherof the neerest
The gentleman that was sent to sâ—â—y theÌ„ found them by the Castle in the high way he had much a do to persuade them for Lazarus made difficulties and excuses as well least he should be knowne as also not to loose their liberty for their deuotions But the gentlemaÌ„ told them that he had commaundement to stay them by force Theodosius Vincent both were of opinion to stay and so they went to the Castle and were brought to the Abbot the Marquesse his brother This was a man of great learning and of very good life They kissed his hands and after were led to the chappell where they prayed a while The Marquesse followed softly with his sonne and the greatest part of the gentlemen leauing some behind who had put their Terriers into the ground to bolte a foxe He came about supper tyme and forgot not to aske for his Pilgrims It was told him that they were praying in the Chappell thither he weÌ„t hauing said a Pater noster he sayd vnto them very courteously you are wellcome my friends you shall if it please you sup with vs in the coÌ„pany of these yong GentlemeÌ„ you shal be our guests this night this house hath alwayes one chamber to spare for Pilgrimes The Pilgrimes thanked him with low reuerence and Lazarus thanking him for all sayd Sir we haue not deserued so honourable entertaynment Good Pilgrims replied the Marquesse deserue more then this but you will haue patience with vs and saying this he perceiued and marked in their countenance certaine shewes of generosity and nobility and in the speach of Lazarus a graue liberty sweetnes and began in his hart greatly to esteeme him as also did all the company and especially the Baron So he commauÌ„ded them to be coÌ„ducted to their chamber which was prepared for them The supper When they began to couer the table and that all the Gentles were come togeather the Pilgrimes were brought in the Marquesse made them wash their hands with him and the Abbot his brother and his nephew Himselfe fat at the bordes end Monsieur S. Leo on his right hand and by him Lazarus and his companions and on the left hand his Nephew a gentleman of a good nature but somewhat taynted with ill doctrine after him sate the Vicount and the Baron and the rest in their ranâ—â— about thirty persons Neere vnto Vincent by good fortune â—at the Tutor of the Marquesse his Nephew who was of the pretented religion calling himselfe Monsieur le Cime his proper name being Moses he aspired to the function of a Minister a man proud of hart and bold of speach would be esteemed wise and learned in euery company and was not a litle discontent to see the Pilgrims set so neere him at the table and be so honoured of the Marquesse he also vnwillingly beheld ouer against him a Doctour of physike a good Catholike and a good Philosopher and skillfull in his owne science who did not forbeare him in any thing The Almoner sayd grace and euery man fell to his meate Many discourses were of hunting of the Hart of the Bore of the Fox of the Partridge of the nature of dogge haukes Lazarus did speake litle but marked all without being amazed or astonished and perceiued the qualities and cariage of all the guests and especially of the Tutor who had giuen many girds to no purpose and of animosity against pilgrimages alwayes numbling somewhat when they spake of any thing concerning the Catholike fayth or the honour of the B. Virgin At the second course there were serued in some partridges and as others talked amongst themselues so he tooke occasion by this messe to aske Vincent why they serued partridges in without their heads Vincent perceiued well inough that he mocked him and had his answere ready but he thought it better to hold his peace not answere a word Then sayth the Tutor this Pilgrime is attentiue to his businesse The Phisician and they by were offended with his fashion He moued the like question also to Theodosius who perceiuing him answered that Loreto was the deuoutest place in Christendome The Doctor and others perceiuing this answere of correction began to laugh The Tutor felt himselfe touched and prepared himselfe to be quittance The Marquesse perceiued that they laughed at him sayd what is the matter Monsieur le Cime Syr quoth he the gentlemen among cups do easily take occasion to laugh I demaunded of these good Pilgrims who going about the couÌ„try know all things why partridges are serued in without their heads the one answereth me with silence and the other from the cocke to the asse a poake full of plummes that Loreto is the deuoutest place of the world and this Syr is all the matter they laugh at me for how know you quoth the Marquesse that they laugh at you Sir quoth he if they were all reasonable creatures they had no cause indeede to laugh at me but rather at the answers that were giuen me but thus are men made now an dayes Monsieur S. Leo taking the word Syr Cime sayth he to laugh should not breed anger among friends and choler is ill fitting and dangerous at the table you would not be sorry as it seemeth that they should laugh at these good Pilgrims if they had answered ill and perhaps it may be thought they laugh at their good and pertinent answere and how Syr sayth the Tutour by silence or from the cocke to the asse It may be that I can shew you how quoth the Abbot but vpon condition that you promise not to be cholerike Syr quoth the Tutour I shall take all in good part that shall come from such as you are all the company was attentiue to heare what the Abbot would say The first Pilgrime sayth he answered nothing to your questioÌ„ which in my opinion was because he thoght it vnprofitable to which kind of questions silence is the best answere The second answered you that Loreto was the deuoutest place in the world Vnprofitable questioâ— best answered with silence This answere did signify vnto you that you should not make a question of the kitchin or of hunting to a Pilgrime but aske of him some point of piety fit for his calling according to which he answered you and this is an answere of good prudence much praysed in another subiect in the person of that ancient King and renowned Captayne Pyrrhus who being demaunded whether Python or Cefesius were the better player on the flute he answered agreably to his profession that in his opinion Hipparcon was the better Captaine At this exposition euery one looked vpon Monsieur le Cime laughing at him and the Doctour told him softly Sir this is neither sileÌ„ce nor from the cocke to the Asse you may now be content you haue the full reckoning The Pilgrimes made semblance of nothing The Tutour if he â—d durst would haue shewed in words that he was in
he saw a Citty oâ— forme foure square great wonderfull spacious compassed with walles of squared Amâ—thystes of India and christall checker wise and pointed diamond wise fastened with gold enamelled with azure The Towres were of the same matter and fashion sauing that their batlements were made of Emeralds Iacinths The houses of the Citty were all great palaces built of Diamonds Saphires Topazes other precious stones of admirable lustre and variety cut most artificially for couerings or roofes they had the seeling of heauen-flaming varying in colours like the rainebow MeÌ„ entred in by twelue gates three towards the east and three towards the west as many towards the North and towards the south euery one made of a whole entire precious stone figured and wrought with art surpassing the stuffe The market place and streetes were paued with bricke of fine gold in the same place was seene a fountaine of liuely water which made a torreÌ„t of pleasure running through the streets and trees alwayes greene loaden with the fruite of life and with floures which cast a most sweet odour all ouer the Citty The Cittizens men and women were diuinely beautifull their bodies subtile shyning like the sunne all went and flew nymbly like to Eagles cloathed like the Kings children some in scarlet some in crimson damaske others in white satine some in beaten gold and others in other stuffe and these habits being wrought and garnished with embrodery and passe main lace of gold poudered with all sorts of exquisite and choice pearle and precious stones were couered with a garmeÌ„t of a glittering color thin swimming after them as a mantle of Cypres through the which the beauty of their ornaments appeared more admirable Their heads were crowned with Tissues of gold set with great orientall pearles Rubies Diamonds and Emeraldes and on their forhead hung a glittering Crosse made of diuers great Diamonds of wonderfull brightnes They caryed a palme of immortality in their hands and euery one had â—is pallace and liued all vnder one King and at his owne table in great aboundance of all good things without feare of any euill with a peace vnion and contentement vnspeakeable and there was heard without ceasing sundry consorts of musike of voyces instruments vpon the Towres which made all the Citty sound with an incredible melody As the Baron was plunged in the rauishment of this vision he awaked about midnight and perceiued well that it was God that shewed him the image of this Citty and of these Cittizens He resolued from thenceforth to be a Pilgrime vpon earth and to serue God with all his hart one day to be receiued in the number of these Cittizens a few dayes after he tooke his Fathers blessing became Religious In the same houre when Theodosius and Vincent had slept Lazarus dreamed that being neer his Fathers house his brother Pauline met him saying all amazed O my brother Aâ—me Dieu are you aliue Lazarus also more amazed imbraced him and said O my deare brother Pauline are you yet in the world I kept your funerals at Loreto and with the shadow of this ioy he awaked perceiued it was but a dreame slept againe Three houres after they a rose and kneeled to their prayers making their Meditation euery man by himselfe as they were wont Niceph li. 15. c. 14. ex lanen Episc Ieros Glâ—a alijs Niceph. li. 2. cap. 23. lib. 15. ca. 14. Lazarus meditated first of the piety and deuotion of the Apostles to our B. Lady perseuering three whole dayes to visite her sepulcher and to honour it with hymnes and canticles togeather with the consorts of Angels who in the same time afforded an admirable harmony of their heauenly melody to the honour of the same Virgin Secondly he considered how S. Thomas comming by the Prouidence of God the third day and desirous to honour the body of the B. Virgin whome he could not serue at her decease as his companions did was cause that they opened the sepulcher to giue him contentment and to behold that sacred treasure layd vp in it and that not fynding it there they acknowledged the glorious Asssiption of the B. Virgin caryed to heauen both body and soule and priuiledged after her death with a prerogatiue of a glorious resurrection before the great and generall day as she was priuiledged with a thousand graces all the course of her life And thereupon came into his memory the prophecy of King Dauid foretelling in these wordes the Resurrection of the Sonne of the mother Psal 133. Arise O Lord into thy rest thou and the Arke of thy Sanctification The wordes also of the Sonne speaking vnto his mother Cant. 4. as vnto his well beloued Spouse Arise my friend my doue and come the winter is now passed the raine is ended and gone make hast my loue without staying for the last general resurrection of men Come betimes from the shadow of the graue and come to the light of heauen for winter is passed with you the showrs of your teares are dried vp he made her make haste not letting her lye three litle and short daies in her Sepulcher So it was meete that that sacred body which had brought forth life should not be swallowed by death and giuen for a prey and foode to wormes nor the matter of incorruption turne to ashes and that she who had by priuiledge beene exempted from originall sin Gen. 3. and the common malediction of women in their childbirth should also be exempted from the paine and malediction incurred by the same which was to be by death turned into dust and ashes Heere Lazarus considered attentiuely the glory of this resurrection which doubtlesse was worthy of the Sonne mother of God and such as the Angels might well admire but not expresse and therefore seeing her ascend they sayd who is she that coming from the desert ascendeth loaden with delights Cant. â— and leauing vpon her well beloued They admired and demaunded and could not otherwise expresse the beauty of this creature And if these celestiall spirits so well seene in all great things do shew by their wondering that they neuer saw the like in heauen what can men say or conceiue of the glory of this Assumption Of the Meditation of this glory particular of the B. The ioy glory of Paradise Virgin Lazarus tooke occasion to thinke of the ioyes of Paradise â—he coÌ„sidered first the essence of that ioy which consisteth in the vision of God a perfect ioy and alone sufficient to satisfy and fill the hart of man which cannot be filled but with the possession of an infinite good and if the knowledge of creatures of the heauens of the starres of other creatures though imperfect and full of obscurity can rauish with ioy the spirits of mortall men in the darknes of this base low world what ioy may redouÌ„d to the blessed soules aboue
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