the second Person in Trinity maketh intercession chooseth his time when he knew he should mooue his Father most vnto compassion Let feare be a companion vnto thy loue in this place for as he beggeth pardon so can he begge reuenge and punish men as well as Angells 5. Our actions ought to be sutable to our words we are conuinced in our vnderstanding that the perfect imitation of our Sauiour is to forgiue our enemies if it be asked of vs whether we ought to doe it we acknowledge that we ought Let therfore our actions be conformable to our opinion by hartily and willingly for giuing our enemies imagining it to be as really it is an act of the greatest courage that may be true Fortitude consisting in the conquest of our selues 6. Lastly consider what great rewards are prepared for those that are perfect imitatours of Christ neither is this a point of high perfection or counsaile and not a commaundment for if we forgiue not our enemies we daily giue sentence against our selues desiring God to forgiue vs no otherwise then we our selues forgiue our enemies These six points apply to the six Decades of thy beads and so consequently do with the meditations following humbly beseeching the Mother of Grace to obtaine for thee those vertues which are treated of THE SECOND VVORD Amen dico tibi hodie mecum eris in Paradiso Amen I say vnto thee this day thou shalt be with me in Paradise CHAP. II. A meditation for Munday VVE gather out of the holy Scripture the Fathers who write vpon this place that of those two Theeues crucified with our Sauiour SS Amb. and Aug. vpon S. Luke lib. 3. de cons Euang. one only blasphemed him for this happy Theefe whose sorrow obtained so sudden a pardon rebuked his companion saying Neither doest thou feare God Luke 23. wheras thou art in the same damnation And we indeed iustly for we receaue worthy of our doings but this man hath done no euill And he sayd to Iesus Lord remember me when thou shalt come into thy Kingdome 1. First consider how gratefull vnto our Sauiour this act of Faith was being as it were of power to exact a ful pardon at his hands according to his promises acording to the example which he shewed in the Penitent Magdalen Lord saith this happy offender remember me Behold his singular faith in the middest of all those reproaches when our Sauiour seemed least able to help him he desireth him to remember him Imitate this faith and when humane helps appeare least then let thy recourse be most vnto this Sauiour who heareth vs soonest when we are in most distresse our prayers being then most full of confidence in him 2. No sooner had this Theefe vttered these beleeuing wordes but our B. Sauiour whose mercy was most tender being touched sayd vnto him Amen which is as much as Truly I say vnto thee this day thou shalt be with me in Paradise This act shal be sufficient to obtaine thy pardon Were thy sinnes as scarlet thy penance cooperating with my grace shall make them as white as snow Isaâ— 1. admiring this infinite mercy of thy Sauiour vpon the Crosse who was most glad of this poore sinners coÌ„uersion promising vnto him presently Paradise Behold how he attends thy conuersion in like maÌ„ner desirous to giue thee heauen if thou wouldest but only be sorrowfull for thine offences 3. Some good workes it is like thou hast done in thy life but probably this Theefe neuer did any as by his death the reâ—ard of his life appeareth Shall then one act of sorrow for his sinnes gaine him a Kingdome and thou neglecting thy conuersion after many vertuous acts dying vnrepentant for some particuler sinnes of thine loose the sight of Almighty God eternally and be tormented foreuer Differing amendment dangerous Commit not so great a madnesse but while time is giuen thee repent all shall not haue the grace to be called at the last houre for where one obtayneth it thousands are denyed it 4. Ponder the greatnes of the reward bestowed vpon this sinner for his true conuersion he is promised Paradise to wit the fruition of God Almighty and his blessed Vision the greatest and highest gift that can be bestowed vpon the best deseruing creature and from a world of calamities both of body and soule is this penitent Theefe deliuered The force of PeÌ„naÌ„ce and brought into a Paradise of pleasures O strange alteration wrought by the powerfull hand of penance Be thou as penitent in time and by Gods grace thy pennance shal be as potent 5. Christ differreth not this reward but saith This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise a diligent rewarder of a small seruice and in this is declared the difference betweene the rewardes which the world bestoweth vpon his seruants and those which are giuen by Christ vnto his the world promiseth delights but payeth misery Christ whathe promiseth performeth giuing a Paradise to wit himselfe the seruice of the world in rewarded with loÌ„g hopes which in the end proue vaine Christ saith This day thou shalt be with me art thou not led by a higher loue then the loue of rewards yet this very loue will teach thee to choose Christ rather then the world 6. This fortunate sinner maketh this glorious confession in the face of Christs enemies when all the Apostles fled hid themselues for feare yet as it is probable he was neuer acquainted with Christ before nor had euer heard him preach of the hundred-fold rewards promised to those that followed him Matt. 19. and yet he now cryeth our O Lord remember me when thou shalt come into thy Kingdome How soone he gaue his assent to that infused faith which was set before him The Apostles as they went towards Emaus were slow in belieuing yet this publike offender no sooner had our faith propouÌ„ded vnto him by Gods holy inspiration but he presently proclaimed that with his mouth what his hart had giuen consent vnto THE THIRD VVORD Ecce mater tua ecce filius tuus Behold thy mother Behold thy Sonne CHAP. III. BEFORE we enter into contemplation of these words let vs heare what the holy Euangelist speaketh A meditation for Tuesday Iohn 19. who will giue vs no small light And there stood beside the Crosse of Iesus his mother his mothers sister Mary of Cleophas and mary Magdalen When Iesus therfore had seene his mother the disciple standing whome he loued he sayd to his mother Woman behold thy Sonne After that he sayd to the disciple Beheld thy mother and from that houre the disciple tooke her to his owne 1. Consider that out of this third Word many fruitfull documents may be gathered as first the infinite desire that Christ had to suffer for vs and to offer vnto his heauenly Father a full and rigorons satisfaction for our offences for this cause was he willing to haue his deere
former â—ood vvoâ—kâ— vvhi h sinne had kâ—lled arise by pennance which is of that power that it reuiueth thy former good workes which were before killed by sinne 2. If thou looke into the causes why the body of our Sauiour should now appeare more glorious then either in his birth or in the rest of his life many will represent themselues vnto thee As for example he being now as it were no more of this world nor to conuerse with men he resumed vnto himselfe that robe which he had till his death voluntarily layd aside by this meanes he would triumph ouer death and hell But I would haue thee piously to imagine great part of the brightnes of this body to proceed from those precious wounds of his which now in heauen giue forth extraordinary light Adore those wounds and seeke occasion to suffer for God since sufferings are the seedes of glory 3. In this mystery we will also comprehend the aparitions of our Sauiour first to his B. Mother comforting her by his presence and committing to her care his beloued disciples and in them all good Christians Behold the ioy of the B. Virgin in beholding him whome she knew to be hers although since she saw him he seemed vnto her much aduanced in glory 4. Next he appeareth vnto the blessed Magdalen Luc. 4. out of whoÌ„e he had cast seauen diuels Marc. 16. Behold the care sweet Iesus hath of comforting that soule whome he hath once conuerted Contemplate the affectionate discourse of the B. Magdalen with him in habit of a Girdener hauing once knowne him she cryeth streight Lord that is Commander of my soule As soone as thou perceauest thy soule moued from God Almighty cry with out all delaye as this happy Penitent did Lord that is I most humbly thanke thee for thy blessed inspiration thou shalt command ouer my soule and it shall obey thee as Lord. 5. He ioyneth himselfe with two of his disciples in their way to Emmaus where hauing many discourses with them Luke 24. and arguing their incredulity vouchsafing also to suppe with them he presently vanished away Heare the Disciples say Nonne cor nostrum ardens erat in nobis Luke 24. dum loqueretur in via Was not our hart burning in vs whiles he spake in the way and opened vnto vs the Scriptures Whiles thou trauailest in this world vpon the way towards thy country and true inheritance seeke by thy life and coÌ„uersation to haue Iesus stil with thee thy hart cannot but burne with his loue 6. Lastly he maketh himselfe knowne to his disciples gathered togeather in Hierusalem saying vnto them Pax vobis ego sum Luke 24. Peace be with you it is I. Our B. Sauiour found them togeather yet he wisheth vnto them peace to let vs vnderstaÌ„d that the peace of the mind is that which he requireth in vs which he found waÌ„ting in his disciples who were yet wauering in belieuing the mistery of his Resurrection He telleth them It is He. If thou find in thy rebellious nature repugnance in hauing charity peace with thy neighbour heare B. Iesus telling thee It is I who inioyne thee to haue peace with all It is I who for thee c. And so run through the parts of Christs Passion and imagin him most louingly alleadging his sufferings and by them intreating thee to haue peace and to forgiue thine enemies His Ascension CHAP. XII THIS our potent Redeemer Christ Iesus hauing runne his race of perfection The secoÌ„d glorious Mystery and absolute example to all Christians his followers beginning to be our instructour from his very birth till his life was consumated vpon the Crosse and after his glorious Resurrection out of his infinite loue to his B. Mother and to his disciples staying yet vpoÌ„ earth forty dayes appearing vnto them in a most comfortable manner instructing them how to behaue themselues in his absence is now called by his Eternal Father to come vnto him and to ascend vnto his Throne of glory 1. In their sight he was eleuated Act. 1. Consider with thy selfe the desire the holy disciples had of longer enioying their glorified maister beleeuing in him now more firmely then euer yet euen in the wanting of this heauenly comfort they are most resigned expecting the comming of the holy Ghost 2. The hower of our Sauiour his Ascension being come behold the large blessing he bestowed vpon them and specially vpon his deerest Mother promising her a crowne of immortall glory for her Motherhood towards him and his disciples and so giuing thankes yet here vpon earth vnto his Eternall Father for establishing of his Church by his meanes and for the opening of heauen againe vnto mankind in their sight he is eleuated 3. And a cloud receaued him out of their sight Exod. 33. The eyes of mortall men cannot behold glory and liue which is as much to say this world is not a place of glory but of misery our eyes are opened made capable of glory by death Hence we may see that euen to the eyes of these blessed men glory is denyed and a cloud is interposed which as it did in them so let it in vs increase acts of diuine hope one day to see this King of glory face to face without any Eclyps Let our life be conformable to our hope or interposition of clouds Let thy life heere vpon earth be conformable to this hope of thine hauing for the ground of thy hope thy cooperation with Gods goodnes 4. Viri Galilaei quid statis aspicientes in caelum c. Yee men of Galiley why stand you looking into heauen Act. 1. Consider the extasy of this holy compamy following their deerest beloued Iesus as farre as their eyes could carry them and not being able to pursue him further they stand fixed in contemplation and with their affections looking into heauen But our Sauiour appointed Angels to comfort them and aske why they stood thus looking into heauen which was not only an awaking vnto them but an admonition that since they were not yet to follow him before they had also dyed for him as he had don before for them they should returne vnto Hierusalem and expect the promised Comforter 5. Hic Iesus sic vâ—niâ—t quemadmodum vidistis c. This Iesus say the Angels shall so come as you haue seene him going into heauen to wit in the like glory and maiesty And as now he asceÌ„deth in triumph carrying with him the trophies of his victories ouer the world and infernall powers so shall he come in the latter day to shew himselfe a Iudge of mankind Terrour vnto those vvho loue not Chr st his Crosse Then shall his glorious Crosse appeare vnto the which whosoeuer hath not bin conformable shall not be accounted off as his Adore thy Sauiour heere ascending through thy perfect imitation of his sufferings arme thy selfe against this his terrible comming who shal be as a
Manner 3. The Terriblenes Proceedeth from Proceedeth from The Generality The Seuerity The Peremptorines 4. Our vnwillingnes Proceedeth from 4. IgnoraÌ„ce of heauen Our bad life Feare of future estate 5. A happy death Proceedeth from 5. Memory of dea h. The hate of sinne The loue of God Of Iudgement CHAP. II. FOR the better performing of thy pious Considerations vpon this point imagine thou seest one newly departed this life and carryed before the dreadfull Tribunall of Almighty God there to be most strictly examined of all his words thoughts and actions done whiles he liued in this world according to that of the Apostle We must all be summoned before the tribunall seat of Christ 2. Cor. 5. euery man receaue either good or euill according as he hath behaued himselfe whiles he liued vpon earth But our blessed Sauiour himselfe more particulerly speaketh of this Iudgement in these words Matth. 12. I say vnto you that euery idle word that men shall speake they shall giue account therof in the day of Iudgement 1. Consider that if so strict an account shal be made of all-things at that day and that so smal a matter as an idle word shal not escape but shal be weighed in the ballance of iustice what shall become of the sinner who hath walked in the path of sinne so many yeares togeather and perhaps euen from his yeares of discretion hauing committed so many so vile and abhominable offences Oh how terrible will that day be vnto him when euen the iust shall tremble 2. All those offences of his shal be layd open to the whole world which must needs procure a wonderfull confusion when not only his actions which he did so cunningly conceale in this world but euen his very thoughts shal be made manifest to all of what valew will one satisfactory act of pennance done heere be The comfort of a meritorious action and how will his good Angell alleage it for him lamenting as it were that he hath no more to say for him On the other side behold the enemy of his soule laying before the most iust Iudge the multitude of his offences asking for iustice and comparing his many greiuous sinnes committed not oÌ„ly against a Creator but also a Redeemer with his owne one only sinne committed but against his Creatour 3. All things being layd open and made so cleare that he hath no place for any appeale with infinite feare and trembling he expecteth the definitiue sentence which Christ Iesus now being a seuere Iudge and no more a mild Redeemer is to passe vpon him Goe thou accursed into euerlasting fire Mat. 25. which was prepared for the Dâ—uell and his Angels for I was hungry thou gauest me not to eat I was thirsty thou gauest me not to drinke c. 4. Turne thine eye from this wofull sinner and for thy comfort behold a soule who hath bin a diligent seruant of Almighty God in this world and now ending the course of life is brought also before this iust Iudge to receaue according to her deserts To the confusion of the diuels triumph of this soule all the good worckes that euer she hath wrought shal be layd open to the whole world and those frailties also for which due pennance hath bin performed in this world shall nothing auaile the aduersary who alleadgeth them Behold the B. Virgin and Mother of God the Angell Guardian and all the rest of the Saintes vnto whome this soule hath bin deuoted recommending her vnto the iust Iudge to giue her a crowne according to her desert Heare the vpright Iudge giuing his sentence Mat. 25. Come thou blessed of my Fathâ—r possesse the Kingdome prepared for thee froÌ„ the beginning of the world for I was hungry and thou gauest me to eat I was thirsty and thou gauest me to drinke 5. What a strange alteration will the sinfull Creature behold himselfe in The d fference of men in this vvorld and in the next when he shall see him who was abiect in this world he who lodged meanely fed hardly was apparelled poorly and in all respects of this world was much his inferiour to be exalted so highly and to be tearmed blessed and himselfe so much debased to be cursed and condemned to eternall punishment On the other side what comfort will that other soule haue when he shall thus arriue into that hauen vnto which liuing in this world he aymed then how sweet will those sufferings seeme when euery action shall haue his crowne 6. Beholding with thy selfe these two soules and the differences of them with the diuers manner of the Iudges proceeding towards them and hauing seene the true and reall cause of the reward of the one and the punishment of the other resolue to lead thy life according as thou desirest to be dealt withall in this Iudgement If thou desirest happines Make a vvorthy choyce let thy life be sutable to thy desire since according to our actions euery one of vs shal be iudged according to that of our Sauiour himselfe speaking of the power of his Iudgment Meruaile not at this saith he because the houre commeth Ioh. 5. wherein all who are in the graues shall heare his voice and they who haue done good things shall come forth into the resurrection of life but they who haue done euill into the resurrection of Iudgement Of Heauen CHAP. III. BY heauen thou art to vnderstand nothing else but a place of complete Happines In vvhat consisteth happines and as blessednes or happines in this world consisteth in the exercise of Charity and other vertues so doth it consist in the next in the vision of Almighty God and although this happines in heauen be possessed diuersly by those most happy enioyers therof yet the difference proceedeth not by reasoÌ„ of the obiect or that which is seene which is Almighty God the selfe same vnto all but from the manifold wayes of seeing it It is true Psal 35. In lumine eius vidâ—bimus lumen In his light we shall see light but this light beateth not vpon all with the like splendour but moderateth it selfe according to the capacity of the glorified soule who seeth it That all the blessed receaue their happines by seeing and enioying the selfe same thing Matth. 20. the holy Fathers gather out of that peece of mony which the maister of the vineyard gaue vnto his work-men beginning from the last to the first where they who came last had the same giueÌ„ them which was giuen to the first which sheweth that the obiect is the same vnto all And that the same is differently possessed we are taught also by our Sauiour telling vs Iohn 14. That there are many mansions or dwelling places in the house of his Father 1. Consider as well as thou art able the happines of a soule in this place where at the first arriual finding nothing but ioyes and such as it neuer
admiring his vnchaÌ„gablenes inuite the Saints and all Pilgrimes of the militant Church to prayse God in saying Glory be to God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost for their vnchangeablenes as they were in the beginning and now and euer shal be vnchangeable world without end Amen Heere say ten Aues one Pater demaunding perseuerance in Grace Charity Purity of life and all other vertues Before the fifth Decade looke into incompreheÌ„sible Goodnes of God Good who is goodnes it selfe all other Creatures good by participation of his Goodnes Furthermore God is not only Goodnes it selfe and maker of all things good but also he worketh with his creatures all those workes which are good for without him we can do nothing Ioan. 15. and in this respect we are called when we do well Cooperatours Ioan. 3. and as S. Paul saith Coadiutours with God 1. Cor. 3. who saith of himselfe Phil. 4. I can do all things in him who comforteth me but most plainly of all the Prophet Isay teacheth vs this truth saying Thou O Lord Isa 26. our God hast wrought in vs all our works Consider also this ineffable goodnes of God which hindereth infinite euills which the wicked spirittes and their complices euill men would do if Gods goodnes did not hinder them Againe those euill works which men do bring to passe by Gods permission by this goodnes of God in the end turne to the good of his faithfull seruants as witnesseth his Apostle Al things tend Rom. 8. and cooperate to the good of them that loue God Lastly this goodnes of God neyther is neither can be cause of euill but only of good for of goodnes what can proceed but good Oseâ— 13. Hence the Prophet sayth Thy saluation O Israel is of me but thy perdition is from thy selfe And so being rauished in the loue of this inestimable goodnes implore the assistance of all the Saints and with them giue glory to the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost for their inestimable goodnes as they were in the beginning are now and euer shall be world without end Amen Then say ten Aues and one Pater Noster in extolling this goodnes humbly beseeching to be wholly inamoured of it Before the sixt Decade open thine Vnderstanding Merciful and looke as well as thou mayest into Gods mercy which in all respects is infinite First most firmely beleeue that as humane misery which is the proper obiect of Gods mercy The obiect of Gods mercy surmounteth in greatnes all other morall accidents casual vnto man for misery accompanieth al men their soules bodies and whatsoeuer for it is their companion into the world it continually attendeth them till their dying day yea from some it neuer parteth for all Eternity so in regard of vs and our necessities the mercy of God surpasseth all other diuine attributes Eccl 18. 〈◊〉 140. or powers as the prophet fitly to this purpose sayth The mercy of our Lord is aboue all his workes Secondly in particuler consider the mercy of God the Father towards vnfortunate mankind who hauing but one only begotteÌ„ Sonne Ioan. 3. condemned him to a most cruell death to restore vs to life againe Thirdly so vnmeasurable is the mercy of God the Sonne that he tooke vpon him our mortality Rom. 8. suffered for our sakes most shamefull reproaches and death it selfe to free vs captiues to Sathan and to make vs who were vassalls to sinne heires of his Kingdome Fourthly God the holy Ghost is so naturally indued with mercy that he in proper person continually sanctifieth guideth and gouerneth the vniuersall Church of God in vnity of truth Ioan. 14. euen vntill the worlds end Fifthly all the three diuine Persons ioyntly and equally are as mercifull to euery man in particuler as they are towards all the world in generall and therfore most truly said S. Augustine In Confess God loueth euery one man as much as he loueth the whole world the reason is because God loueth euery man infinitely and can loue all men togeather but infinitly Sixtly so ready and attendant is Gods mercy for euery man all the time of this transitory life Ezech. 18 that at what houre soeuer any sinner will accept of it repentant for his sinnes returning vnto God by amendment of his life God is most ready to receaue him to his mercy to indew him with his grace and to bring him to the crowne of glory Let no sinner therfore despaire of Gods mercy though he be at the last gaspe yea and ouerwhelmed with a world of sinnes for greater is Gods mercy then mans sinnes or misery because Gods mercy is infinite Lastly consider his goodnes in being readier to pardon men al their offences then men can be desiâ—ons to be pardoned as appeareth in Christ towards the good theefe And heere admiring Gods infinite mercy and crauing the assistance of the celestiall spirits in exalting Gods prayses say Glory be to the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost for their vnspeakable Mercy as it was in the beginning is now and euer shal be world without end Amen And then saying ten Aues and one Pater instantly desire to be alwayes partaker of Gods mercy Thus for a tast haue I giuen thee an exaÌ„ple how to meditate vpon God Almighty and the three Diuine Persons in Trinity in saying thy Beades Of the Pater Noster CHAP. VIII THE holy Scripture commandeth vs to hope By the Pater Noster hopers signified Ioan. 16. it being the anker of our saluation To this end Christ saith Haue hope for I haue ouercome Wherupon the Apostle saith Hope neuer confoundeth The reason is because hope is a heauenly Vertue infused by God into our soules wherby with a certaine confidence we expect at Gods hands life euerlasting Things to be prayed for are of two sortes either good or bad For the former wee pray they may be giuen vs from the later we pray we may be deliuered Diuers are the good things we stand in need of both for soule and body some spirituall others temporall and all of them help vs to the attayning vnto our finall complete happinesse Infinite are the euills as well ghostly as bodily which greatly encomber vs in this our pilgrimage from which euils we earnestly pray to be deliuered and all these both good and bad in generall Matth. 6. were by our Sauiour briefely compacted togeather in our Pater noster which containeth in it all the things that are to be hoped for as also all those things that we desire to be deliuered from In saying the Pater noster first let thy mind be fixed vpon Almighty God who is the person vnto whome thou offerest thy prayer Secondly penetrate the sense and meaning of euery word beginning for example with the first word Our This word sheweth that God is a Father vnto vs all and as to all so is he to euery one First
those that passe through these miseries constantly and let not the fond and false pleasures of this life represent themselues vnto thee vnlesse thou also set before thee the eternity of paynes due to those that neglecting their saluation follow these short delights in blindnes Let Now commit nothing that it shal be ashamed to auouch before Euer but let both these proue and examine the action of ech other that so we may Now seruing this great Virgin faithfully enioy her in happines for Euer OF THE SIX FEASTS OF OVR B. LADY HAVING breifly explicated the Pater Aue and Creed we will descend vnto the feasts of our B. Lady applying them to our Beads making triall whether we can make vse of what hath bin hitherto said And beginning with her pure Conception we will runne through her six feasts ending with her Assumption since most of these festiuities were meanes vnto our Redemption which ought to stirre vp in vs the more affection and deuotion to contemplate vpon them The Conception of our B. Lady CHAP. I. CONSIDER that ordinarily the Conception of man is in sinne The first feast Psal â—0 according to that of the Royall Prophet Et in iniquitatibus concepit me mater mea in sinne my mother conceaued me This sinne in children is tearmed Originall sinne as well because it is deriued vnto vs from our first Parents The effects of originall sinne as because it possesseth euery one at his first being or comming into this world This sinne infecteth the whole man body and soule shutteth Heauen gates against him making him slaue vnto Sathan The penalties of Originall sinne are diuers Bodily deformation all kind of sicknes and death it selfe dimnesse of Vnderstanding weaknes of our Will pronesse to sinne and damnation if we dye in it without the remedy of Baptisme Our B. Lady by singular priuiledge was preserued from this Originall sinne and consequently preuented with grace in her Mothers wombe and at the first instant of her Conception was indued with all vertues as Originall Iustice and the like She was by the same priuiledge adorned with all naturall perfections of body as health beauty strength and the like graces Lastly she was not subiect to any actuall sinne not so much as veniall preseruing still entier â—er Originall Iustice much lesse was she subiect to damnation â—onder euery one of these six points according to thy deuotion applying them to the seuerall parts of thy Beads The Natiuity CHAP. II. FIRST consider her no lesse wonderfull natiuity The secoÌ„d feast for as she was conceiued without sinne so was she borne of her aged mother S. Anne as wee may piously presume without all paine How ioyfull to Angels was her birth because she was to beare the King of Angels and to be their Queene Glorious to vs men was her Natiuity because she was to be the Aduocate of Gods Church and potent Mediatrix betweene her Sonne and mankind Gladsome was her Natiuity to the B. Trinity because she was from al eternity predestinated the Espouse of God the Father Mother to God the Sonne and Tabernacle to the holy Ghost Terrible to the infernall powers was this Natiuity of hers because she was to bruse the SerpeÌ„ts head Gen. 3. Lastly comfortable to all sinners of the Catholike Church was this Natiuity because she is borne a mother of mercy Queene of heauen and Refuge of sinners to whome all haue free accesse to whome God the Sonne will deny nothing and whose clemency is such as she taketh vpon her to obtaine all sinners humble petitions Apply these points as the former to the six Decades The Presentation CHAP. III. FIRST our B. Lady being chosen out of the whole world to be mother of God The 3. Feast was by degrees disposed to this office for being only three yeares old she was by diuine inspiration presented and offered vp to God in the Temple In the sacred Temple being come to riper years first amongst all the Iewes she made a vow of perpetuall Virginity In the Cloyster of this TeÌ„ple she serued God in all Iustice and Sanctity of body and soule giuing an example to all those that abandon the world to leaue with the world themselues also for without perfection invertue she knew no inclosure to be strong inough against the world teaching the best surest inclosure to be that of our affections Fourthly in that retyred place she continually exercised all vertues and good workes sutable to her calling There she mortified that Virginall body of hers imitating in the spirit of Prophesy her Blessed Sonne S. Amb. lib de Virgin who although he could not be subiect vnto any rebellion against the law of reason yet did by fasting and praying giue example to all that followed him that the way vnto the Kingdome which he promiseth is ful of mortifications and crosses Being thus trayned vp in all kind of vertue hence she was exalted to be the mother of God A vertuous life in this world is a disposition to attaine vnto happines in the next The Visitation CHAP. IIII. FIRST our B. Lady being declared The fourth feast by the message of the Angell to be the mother of God tooke a tedious iourney on foot passing the mountaines towards her cosin Elizabeth to visit her Withall patience spirituall ioy she performeth this iourny and that with great speed for S. Ambrose vpon this place saith Deuotion done with speed yeldes most abundant fruit because there is discouered the feruour of Charity Entring into her cosin Elizabethes house she saluteth her courteously whose salutation caused ioy both to S. Elizabeth to her sonne S. Iohn yet in her wombe Our B. Ladies vertues being deseruedly praised by S. Elizabeth she beareth her selfe notwithstanding most humbly and modestly She referreth al honour vnto God singing her sacred Canticle Magnificat anima mea dominum my soule doth magnify our Lord. In which many mysteries are contayned and documents for our instruction how to referre all our actions to the honour and glory of God Lastly our B. Lady hauing serued with al care and respect her aged cosin for the space of three monethes retourneth to poore Nazareth with her Spouse S. Ioseph expecting the time of her meruailous deliuery The Purification CHAP. V. FIRST our B. Lady remayning a Virgin The fifth Feâ—st and yet now made a mother by bringing forth the light of the world out of her humility obserued the legall number of dayes for her retirement and keeping all the other accustomed rites went vp to Hierusalem there to make her great offer of Thankes-giuing for the high dignity bestowed vpon her Quia fecit ei magna qui potens est Luke 1 because he that is mighty hath done great things vnto her For great benefittes great thankes must be giuen And according to her pouerty purity she offered a paire of Turtle Doues the best gift she could make instructing vs to offer vp to God
and thou wilt not sinne for euer OF THE FOVRE last Things Of Death CHAP. I. OMITTING the diuers explications which deuout meÌ„ haue made of Death let vs only consider that there is a good and a bad death the one an entrance into ioyes the other into torments Of those who dye a happy death we haue this Beatification out of holy Scripture Apoc. 14. Beati mortui qui in Domino moriuntur Blessed are the dead who dye in our Lord where I would haue thee note that they are tearmed Blessed who are dead and afterwards dye Blessed are the dead who dye not the liuing whence we may conclude that it is a Blessednes to begin betimes to dy to this world and not to be found liuing when death shall come Of the other death the Royall Prophet telleth vs what it is Psal 33. Mors peccatorum pessima the death of sinners is the worst and the reason is because sinners take vpon them to liue to much in this life and neglecting the memory of death thinke there shal be no end of enioying their pleasures To this effect the same Prophet saith Vidi impium superexaltatum et eleuatum super cedros Libani Psal 36. et transiui et ecce non erat c. I haue seene saith he the impious man highly exalted and aduanced as the Cedars of Libanus and I passed by behold he was not and I sought him and his place was not found and indeed happy it were for the sinner if after this life he had no place or being since both his place being shal be so miserable 1. Consider mans nature to be such that it cannot possibly auoyd death it remayning as a punishment for that sinne which we all consented vnto in our first parent therfore that thou mayst the better coÌ„sider this death imagine thy selfe who must once dye to lye vpon thy death bed lamented by thy freinds despaired of by Phisitians and expecting hourly to giue vp thy last breath 2. Then thou wilt easily perceaue thy folly in spending so much time which was giuen thee to serue God in the seruice of the world in following thine owne vnlawfull appetites and reiecting Gods holy inspirations Then thou wilt make many purposes of satisfying for thy sinnes Make vse of time of liuing a more exemplar life of abandoning euill company of resisting foule sinnes and the like but alas thy time is short thou hast many purposes but where is the time to performe them in After this life there is no time of satisfaction or of merit Assure thy selfe that these discourses thy soule will haue at that terrible hower therefore vse time which is now so mercifully giuen thee De imitat Christ lib 2. Cap. 25. and do now what thou wouldest then haue wished to haue done 3. This is the hower of indifferency in which thy eyes being opened thou shalt see things as they are not painted and falsly set forth by thy preiudicate affection Here what thou esteemedst in thy life time beautifull will seeme foule what then was most pleasant thou wilt not now endure to behold Since by the consideration of death we grow so iudicious to esteeme euery thing as it deserueth would to God we did alwayes carry about with vs the memory therof how sincerely should we then serue God and performe the end for which we were sent into this world how innocently should we liue how charitably one to another how diligeÌ„t in performing many good works and how strong in resisting sinne 4. Contemplate with thy selfe being in this agony thy life being more and more despayred off that saying of the Prophet Et qui iuxta me erant de longe steterunt Psal 37. and they who were neere me stood a farre of from me euen thy very freinds will leaue thee shewing their greatest affection by shedding a few vnprofitable or faygned teares for thee and being thus left of all consider what the friendship of this world is which is ended by death if it last so long make thy freindship therfore with the Saints and Angels who will neuer leaue thee but chiefly make freindship with good Works gather as many togeather as thou canst whilest thou art in perfect health for they are those who are to be thy chiefest friends who will not feare to appeare with thee before that seuere Iudge alleadging strong arguments for thee will bring thee to eternall happines 5. It is a matter of great moment to imprint in thy soule the consideration for what place we were created If we perswade our selues we were made for this world we are much deceaued for placing thy selfe as thou diddest before in the point of death thou shalt see thou wert created for an other world which is to last for euer It is but the body the meaner part of thee that dieth now thy soule is immortall The different coÌ„dition of the souâ—e and the body and must either ioy or lament eternally If it depart from the body into blysse it is because it ruled the body and made that sensuall part obey vnto reason but if thy soule departing from thy body be condemned to eternall paines it is because thy soule behaued it selfe like a slaue obeying her seruant and permitting that to comaund which was created to obey 6. If the placing of thy selfe neere vnto death hath made thee more capable to vnderstand the danger of thine estate seriously thinke with thy selfe and without any art of perswasion that thou mayst be neerer thy death then thou imaginest from which thou art no moment free There is no actioÌ„ no place no time in which death hath not surprized men Think seriously vpoÌ„ these things for it may be these are the last good purposes that euer thou shalt make and the last good worke that euer thou shalt do so thinke of al thinges whatsoeuer thou doest Let vs think euery action to be our lost it may be this shal be the last Prayer that euer thou shalt make do it therfore deuoutly In taking thy refectioÌ„ thinke this may be the last time that euer thou shalt haue need to feed that carkasse of thine do it therfore with sobriety In conuersing with men thinke this may be the last tim that euer thou shalt discourse let it be therfore of some vertuous subiect and so deale with all thy actions thinking they shal be thy last and by this meanes thou shalt make them to be thy best After thou hast contemplated vpon these six points and applyed thy six Decade vnto them earnestly beseeching the Mother of Grace to increase in thee the memory of Death and to assist thee in that agony I would haue thee peruse this ensuyng table which will more fully informe thee of the nature of death and make the same more familiar vnto thee OF DEATH 1. The Necessity Proceedeth from 1. Reuelation Naturall reason Experience 2. The Vncertainty Proceedeth from 2. The Time The Place The