purgation for their faultes wherof they had not done pennance whilst they liued Aug. epist 99. ad Exod lib 10. in Genes cap. 33 all which soules the soule of our Sauiour did enlighten and deliuer out of paine and prison and put them in possession of the vision of God which was the Paradise he promised to the good theefe The third place was that of eternall prison which properly we call Hell Greg. moral c. 120. where were enclosed the damned soules with that great Diuell the rebellious Angell and his complices These soules were neither deliuered nor enlightened no more then the Diuels themselues Nâ—ss l. de resurr because they dyed in the disgrace of God without pennance and repentance of their sinnes and had no hope in God which the soule of our Sauiour did reproach to them shewing theÌ„ that 〈◊〉 was not long of God that they were not redeemed and saued but of their owne obstinate malice In this descent Lazarus beheld the burning loue and great power of our Sauiour his great loue so soone deliuering those imprisoned soules and making them so soone feele the fruit of his death his power in entring freely into the kingdome of death Psalm 87 there brauing his enemies death and the Princes of darknes frighted with this power neuer hauing seene the like in that region of dead men and in the kingdome of death The Resurrectio of our Sauiour Vpon the second point he obserued how the victorious soule of our Sauiour leading from hell the soules of his elected came to resume his body in the Sepulcher made it liuing and glorious which thing yet neuer happened to any deceased for all the soules departing out of theit bodies remained captiue below and neuer any were so farre remoued from those regions where death had raigned long in peace This was an exploite reserued for the sonne of God thereupon called The first Borne amongst the dead Col. 1.18 and therefore the Poets who feigned that Vlisses Hercules and other heroicall fellowes to haue gone and returned from Hell The vanity of profane Poets spake against the truth being therein both liers and sacrilegious attributing falsly to mortall men that which the Prophets and Sibilles haue written of the Sauiour of mortall men the true triumpher of hell by his death and death by his Resurrection Those that were miraculously raised agayne before him as Lazarus and the like were not victorious of death for they died againe but he issuing out of his tombe killed death with his victory and by his descent he had subiugated Hell for so had he foretold by the mouth of his Prophet O death Ose 1.13 14. I will be thy death O Hell I will by thy consumer Vpon the 3. point Lazarus noted that our Sauiour being risen againe shewed himselfe first to his most honourable Mother Our Sauiour first appeared to his mother after his Resurrection For it was iustice that she who had honoured him by her fayth followed him in his Crosse and did suffer with him in sufferings aboue all other Creatures should be the first in the ioy of his Resurrection O sweet Iesus quoth Lazarus what ioy didst thou bring to thy desolate mother shewing her vpon that fayre Sonday the glory and brightnes of thy body which she had seene the friday before so vnworthily hanled in the conflict of the Crosse What consolation feltst thou O glorious Virgin seeing thy well beloued returne victorious from Hell and his graue clothed with immortall glory and carying with him that noble spoile the soules of his Elect 1. Of the first Resurrection 2. A horrible Spectacle CHAP. XXI THIS was the Meditation of Lazarus Theodosius and Vincent ended at the same tyme and hauing heard Masse The Pilgrims departure and taken a small breakfast they bad Gratian farewell and with the blessing of Dom-Prior and a thousand thankes they began their iourny they sayd first their Itinerarium and after their beads in this manner Lazarus declared the mystery which they must meditate at euery Tenne after recited an Aue Maria. Theodosius followed with Vincent saying another Lazarus began againe and continued praying ouer the beads in turne as those that sing in the quire or recite their houres This being done they began to discourse of the spirituall resurrection of man to the which S. Paul exhorteth Christians after the similitude of the resurrection of our Sauiour The first Resurrection saying As our Sauiour is risen from the dead by the glory of his Father so let vs walk also in the newnes of life Where the Apostle meaneth that the glorious Resurrection of our Sauiour doth teach vs a spirituall resurrection Resurrection spirituall which is made by rising froÌ„ sin which is the death of our soule by lyuing working in the grace of God which is our true life and glory in this world Rom. 6.4 and this is that which S. Iohn calleth the first resurrection necessary to all those who will be partaker of the second Apoc. 2â— which shall be when at the great rising againe of mortall men and the generall iudgement the bodies of the iust shall rise out of their graues and vnited to their soule shall shine like the sunne and the bodies of the damned that made no reckoning of the first resurrection shall rise agayne to dye to death euerlasting Vincent demaunded of Lazarus what shall be the qualities of the bodies of the iust being risen againe Lazarus answered him that neither tongues of men or Angells were sufficient to expresse the glorious beauty and qualities which God shall bestow vpoÌ„ the bodies of the blessed yet the Christian Schoole doth teach vs in generall that these bodies shall be endewed with foure speciall and principall qualities of brightnes agility impassibility and subtility and that whatsoeuer is goodly or beautifull dispersed among all other naturall bodies as heauens starres stones plants birds beasts fishes should be assembled meete all in the body of man For as in the Creation God made in him an abridgment of all nature so shall he in their bodies risen againe make an abridgmeÌ„t of al the corporal beauties of the same nature Theodosius hearing this discourse of Lazarus Alas saith he sighing if men thought of this Resurrection what would they not doe to obtaine it And if they make so great account of goodly and braue apparell and of wearing ornaments which adorne the body and yet belong not vnto the body how should they esteem the glorious array of this future Resurrection which shall be infinitely more beautifull which shall be proper and affects to the body and shall last for all eternity These and such like were their discourses from morning vntill noone about which tyme they arriued at a little village and lay at the signe of the Sunne where after they had examined their conscience they made a light dinner and learned of their host that they
THE PILGRIME OF LORETO PERFORMING HIS VOW MADE TO THE GLORIOVS VIRGIN MARY MOTHER OF GOD. Conteyning diuers deuout Meditations vpon the Christian Cath. Doctrine By Fa. Lewis Richeome of the Society of IESVS Written in French translated into English by E.W. PRINTED At Paris Anno Dom. M.DC.XXIX TO THE MOST HIGH AND EXCELLENT PRINCESSE MARY BY GODS SINGVLAR PROVIDENCE QVEENE OF GREAT BRITAINE FRANCE AND IRELAND c. MADAME This Pilgrime being drawn with a great desire to present himselfe and his seruice to your Maiesty was driuen backe by a double feare the one of offending with his ouer-boldnes in presenting himselfe poore Pilgrime to so great a Princesse the other least the very name of Pilgrime might debar him of all accesse and Audience Yet at last he resumed his first resolution considering that he was to appeare before a Queene not so Great as Gracious as all that conuerse in your Royall Court do try and testify You are the daughter of that great and Gracious King who heertofore hath with gracious acceptaÌ„ce intertained this same Pilgrim in FraÌ„ce presented vnto him by that eloquent learned and Religious Frenchman F. Lewis Richeome Accept then MADAME in England what your renowned Father imbraced in France He desireth only to be graced and honoured with your Maiestyes Name and to shroud himselfe vnder the winges of your Princely protection and to be admitted your Maiesties poore beadesman For the bare Name of Pilgrime though it may chance to breed some iealousy at the first yet whosoeuer shall but search him and examine his instructions and directions find nothing but of deuotion meditation prayer and particulerly for your Maiesty he may hope rather to be admitted for his innocency and loyall Intention then excluded for the only name of Pilgrime which Name though now strange hath heertofore beene so vsuall and esteemed in our Court S. Helene and Country as Kinges and Queenes haue not only vndertaken it but gloried therein Canutus And so great sayth an ancient Authour 900. yeares since was the deuotion of Englishmen in that tyme Ceadwalla after all the Country was conuerted and christened that not only the Noble men and the meaner sort Clerickes and Layickes but the Kinges the Kinges children leauing their kingdomes and the wealth of the world Marcelliâ— in vita S. Switbâ—râ—â— haue out of their great deuotion chosen for a tyme to go Pilgrims for Christ on earth This Pilgrime was presented to your Maiestyes Father in France of purpose to offer his prayers for the then Daulphin now King the benefit and fruit whereof he hath found and felt in good successe of his affaires and for all the Royall house Realme of France wherein your Maiesty had a part he commeth now wholy and particulerly to do the like for both your Maiesties that God by the intercession of his Blessed Mother would blesse your Royall persons your people and kingdome with all earthly and heauenly benedictions And namely that hauing vnited you in the sacred bandes of holy Matrimony and lincked your hearts with so fast Loue and Affection as all your Subiects do ioy to see and heare that he would also blesse you with the happy fruit thereof and make his Maiesty a ioyfull Father and You a Mother of many goodly and Godly Princes who may longe sway the Scepter of great Britaine after you may imitate in vertue and sanctity S. Edward and S. Lewis your Maiesties glorious predecessours and in wisedome and valour your Maiesties noble Father of famous memory Neither doe I see MADAME why this Pilgrime should feare to come to any Court or company seeing he coÌ„meth euery where but among his fellowes for though all be not Pilgrimes of Loreto neither is this booke only or principally to direct such yet whilest we liue in this world we are though as Kinges Queenes and Emperours all Pilgrimes as a great King sayd of himselfe Aduena peregrinus sum ego Psal 38. Who though they haue thousandes of Castles and Citties yet haue they not heere any one Ciuitatem permanentem which shall not be taken from them before they dye or they taken from it by death but futuram inquirimus hauing no mansion-house or byding place in this world we goe seeking one in Heauen where be multae mansiones Which this Pilgrimage vnder the shadow of his other Pilgrimage doth exactly teach vs to do exhorting vs with S. Peter 1. Pet. 2. as strangers and Pilgrimes to abstaine from carnall desires which fight against the soule and to seeke the spirituall and eternall the increase whereof will make your Maiesty greater before God and man For the honours and glory of this mortal life your Maiesty hath as much as your heart can reasonably desire You haue for your Ancestours great Emperours and Kings of Hungary and Bohemia for your Progenitors the great Dukes of Tuscany for your Father Great Henry of France and for your husband the King of Great Britaine all Great Being placed in the top of these honours there is no roome for more nor cause to desire any greater fortunes but only those which may and alwayes should increase in vs in this life and prouide matter for a Crowne of glory in the next These MADAME are holy vertues which adorne noble deuout soules as silke siluer gold pearles and precious stones doe the body these are the ornaments which haue aduanced meane women aboue Queenes Queenes aboue theÌ„selues as they did Hester who though she were exceeding beautifull yet her humility modesty charity wisedome other diuine qualities of her soule made her more admired in her life theÌ„ the beauty of her body or the Diademe of her head and after her death hath left her Name grauen in the memory of all following ages These goodly ornaments I say togeather with the corporall guifts which the hand of God hath liberally cast vpon You wonne the harts of those who knew you in France and were the titles wherby you were iudged to be a Princesse worthy of a Kingdome and a fit Consort for so great a King To conclude these are the treasures which only You shall carry with You departing this life to raigne for euer in the other with the Blessed The other guifts as beauty riches honour Iewelles the Crowne it selfe and all other earthly treasures the spoyle of tyme do passe from their being to their buriall as a shadow that vanisheth as a Post that gallopeth away as a Ship on the sea as a Bird in the ayre who leaue no path nor trace behind them as dust or a lock of woll hoysted with the wind as the froth and fome of the Sea broken with a storme as smoke dispersed in the ayre and as the memory of a guest which stayeth but one night Thus sayd Salomon out of his owne experience and we see as much euery day by ours Sap. 5. How vaine then O most Christian Queene is all this world
soueraigne Maiesty hast thou loued man so as to make thy selfe man to be his Neighbour so happily hast thou made such account of humility as not only to annihilate thy self in ioyning thy selfe in an insoluble bond to so small a creature infinitely distant from thy greatnes but so to subiect thy selfe therunto O B. Virgin I behold thee rauished at euery moment in this chamber of Nazareth when thou sawest this little infant this great God whome thou didst adore to obey honour and serue thee O my soule fixe thy sight vpon this beautiful obiect and kindle the coldenes of thy will by the lightenings of this great wonder and follow with fiery feet the example of such a Lord. It shall not be besides the purpose also to meditate vpon the markable punishments of such as haue beene vngratefull to their Progenitours And so the pilgrime shall passe the day till his retire The ninth Day A Meditation vpon the fifth Commandement Thou shalt not kill CHAP. XXI THE morning meditation shall be vpon the fifth Commandement The preparation ordinary The first preamble shall propose the words of the fifth Commandement THOV SHALT NOT KILL The second shall demand grace well to vnderstand it and effectually to obserue it The first point shall note that as life is the most precious present which man hath and holdeth of his Creatour Life is the goodliest guift of God so to loose it is one of the greatest grieues he can incurre therfore with good reason it is prohibited to assault the life of our Neighbour and heerein shineth the prouidence and iustice of our Creatour prouiding for the safety and security of the principall good of his creature in his family of this world By the same law is forbidden sayth S. Aug. a mans killing of himselfe Aug. l. 1. ciuil c. 20 26. Lib. de poenit c. 13 Lib. 1. con Gaud. c. 30. ep 61. S. Tho. 2. 2. qu. 64. art 5. so much the more detestable by how much a man is neerer neighbour to himselfe then to another and for that he destroyeth himselfe with a double death that is with the temporall death of his body and the euerlasting death of his soule And this sinne is in such sort against nature that there is no creature though neuer so cruell that dareth kill himselfe and therefore the law doth punish with extraordinary ignominy such furious folkes after their death as guilty of an extraordinary crime The second point shall marke that by this commandmēt is also forbidden to hurt strike or otherwise to endomage our Neighbour in body though we kill him not yea euen with our tongue to touch his good name by any iniury or to beare any hatred to him in our hart or desire reuenge and therefore our Sauiour a sage interpreter of his owne law to shew what meeknes is required in his children to obserue this law Matth. 5. sayth VVhosoeuer is angry with his brother shal be guilty of iudgement and who shall speake iniury to his brother shall be guilty of hell fire This is to rule draw the first motions of the soule to meekenes and to barre and banish a farre off the occasions of man-slaughter Matth. 6. to cut vp that vice by the root in another place he forbiddeth reuenge and after him his Apostle S. Paul Heb. 10. and in the prayer himselfe taught and gaue vs for a patterne and modell of all our prayers he put in this clause of pardoning our Neighbour for iniuryes receaued Pardon vs our offences as we pardon them that offend vs. Matth. 6.12 The third point shall be to meditate vpon those killings which are not forbidden as those which the Prince or Magistrate ordayneth according to the lawes against malefactours such as are committed in a lawfull warre or in iust defence of a mans life being vniustly assaulted not otherwise able to saue himselfe The speach shall prayse God in his iustice of this Commandement and his Sonne Iesus in the perfect practise therof and shall beg grace to be able to follow his sweetnes and clmency and shall say All thy lawes O Lord are iustice and mercy Th prayer thou hast giuen life to man a guift worthy of thy goodnes and a law for the safegard thereof thou hast made man sociable and to make him liue peaceably with his Neighbour thou hast prescribed a law of peace and tyest therewith as with a stronge cord his handes and will that he hurt not neyther in hart or deed his Neighbour Thou hast at last sent thy deere Sonne into the world made man among men remayning alwaies God with thee Prince of peace and our true peace who hath honoured this commandement with his rare doctrine Esay 9.4 Eph. 12.14 and by the exploites of his singular sweetnes no man could euer complaine that euer he did him any wrong his hart was full of loue louing all the world friendes and enemies his eye was full of mercy and compassion towards all his handes full of liberality and his doctrine agreable to his actions For he taught his Disciples not to hurt any in word or deed to pardon vnto seauenty tymes seauen that is To par◠vnto 70. tymes 7. as often as we shal be offended and neuer leaue pardoning and what he taught he practised vnto death in the greatest conflict of his tormēts and reproches praying his heauenly Father for his very enemyes that crucifyed him The Captaines of this world triūph of killing many enemies in the battel his great triumph hath beene to dye for his enemyes vpon the Crosse and to giue life euerlasting to those that would take it O my Creatour and Redeemer how rich art thou in mercy and clemency O my sweet Iesus powre it to me this spirit of thy sweetnesse and graunt me for thyne own loue that I may exactly keep what thou hast commanded that I may perfectly follow what thou hast taught by word and example and that pardoning all and profitting all I may obtaine thy mercy and at thy great day be partaker of thy glory with thy elect So hauing walked a little and finished his ordinary deuotions he may if he will sing for his spiritual solace the Canticle following A Canticle of the loue of God and our Neighbour O worldly wights who loue this world so deere And prize so high the presents of this life Riches sports pleasures glory and good cheere Alas how can these last where all is briefe You that affect which perish shall And where with eke your selues shall fall All heere below is brittle and doth fade Al 's vaine deceitfull false and variable Loue thy Creatour then who all thinges made And is ' boue all he made most amiable The louely obiect of our hart VVho only doth true blisse impart Loue thou his louely Clemency whose brest Did from eternall times thy soule imbrace Loue him at last who loued thee thus first And shew
plagues to the families of Men and hath marked them all with her infernall brood her malignity was so great and strong that there must be an eternity of punishments to chastice it the infection so deadly that the quickening and life-giuing bloud was necessary to cleanse it O mortall men whereof thinke you when you do the works of death Where is your memory not remembring what is passed Where is your prouideÌ„ce not regarding what is to come Where is your hart and wit yielding your loue to so monstrous and detestable an enemy O sweet Iesus made man for my sinnes crucifyed for my sinnes and raised againe for my iustice pardon me my sinnes which were too great to be pardoned were not thy mercy infinit and by the same mercy keep me from offending thee any more giue me tears to bewaile those I haue committed force to forbeare heerafter both which guifts are worthy of thee and both most necessary to me O Blessed Virgin yet againe To the B. Virgin now alwayes be my Aduocate it is the honour of thy sonne that I may obtaine my suite and the saluation of thy poore and deuoted Pilgrime The after-dinner and Euening of the seauenteenth dayes Iourney The effects of S nne and diuers paines CHAP. XXXIX THE rest of the day the Pilgrime shall imploy his houres to ruminate and repeat some particuler effects of sinne the better to know and detest it He shal see how it made the chief Angell so impudent and wicked The first exploit of the diuel that with the first vse of his language he durst accuse his Creatour of enuy and malice in that he had forbidden the tree of knowledge of good and euill to Adam and Eue that they might not be like Gods carrying vnder the colour of this blasphemous calumniation Gen. 3. that poisoned â—art wherewith he stroke to death this poore ill aduised woman and by her her husband Adam by him all mankind he shall cast his eyes vpon the enuy of Cain Gen. 7.21 which made him lift vp his hand to embrew the earth with his brothers bloud to the dissolution of all mortall men togeather buryed in the reuenging waues of the vniuersall Deluge to the pride of the Babylonians bâ—ilding against heaueÌ„ to their owne confusion the impurity of the fiue sinning Cittyes drowned in fire and brimstone the auarice of Giezi Gen. 11.4 Gen. 19.25 4. Peâ— 50. â—atth 26 Luc. 16.19 and of Iudas to the riot of the rich Glutton and other sinners and sinnes By the view whereof he shall conceaue an immortall hatred and shal firmely purpose to serue God withall his hart for the tyme to come without euer offending him neuer so little willingly and towards night hauing made some particuler prayer to the Blessed Virgin he shall thinke of his lodging The eighteenth day A meditation of Death the first effect of sinne CHAP. XL. To whoÌ„ the remeÌ„braÌ„ce of death is grieuous to whom profitable THERE is nothing more vnpleasant then the memory of death to them that doe not liue well nothing is more profitable to those that desire well to gouerne their actions for to liue and reigne alwayes and therefore the Pilgrime shall help himselfe with the meditation of death very fitly after that of sinne the father of death This meditation shal haue all his whole and entire partes The Prayer preparatory as alwayes before The first Preamble shall represent a man stretched on his bed in the agony of death The second shall demand grace to reape particuler profit of this exercise The first point shall set before myne eyes that decree and sentence of death giuen by the supreme Iudge on the person of our first Father Adam Gen. 3. Thou art dust and to dust thou shalt returne againe and executed on the body of him al that haue come of him except Enoch and Elias who notwithstanding shall dye also in their tyme. And therefore S. Paul sayth It is ordayned for all men once to dye Heb. 9.17 Of this meditation he shall marke that as there is nothing more sure and certaine then Death so also there is nothing more vncertaine then the houre and manner thereof and the estate wherein it shall find the soule Eccles 9. whether in grace or in sinne when it shall dislodge and remoue from her body By which circumstance he must stirre vp himselfe to watch and seeke all the meanes and wayes he can to put himselfe in good order and preparation for feare of being surprised and taken vnawares by reason of such vncertainty The second shall be to consider the accidents that do accompany this last conflict The conflict of death as well in soule as in body the remembrance of thinges passed the feare of that is to come the prickinges of griefs and desires the assaults of the Diuell the fayling of our senses and facultyes the coldnes of our members and the benumming of all partes of the body the dole and extreme anguish in the distresse of death all which thinges foreseene will teach vs what danger it is Math. 25. to deferre our preparation to the concurrence of so many calamityes miseryes and infirmityes and to go buy oyle for our lampes What followeth after death the soule saued oâ— damned when it will be tyme to enter into the bridegroomes chamber The third point shall meditate what followeth incontinently after death which is the iudgment of the soule either to saluation or damnation for she is eyther placed among the children of God be it by passing by if she need purgation oâ— presently if she be cleane to enter into heauen reigne there for euer or els carryed away in company of the Diuells to hell there to suffer eternall torments if she left the body seized with any mortall sinne The body in the meane tyme is put into the ground for food to wormes serpents his goods are parted to the liuing who will make merry therewith perhaps will laugh at him for hauing laboured so much for them The speach shall be to Iesus Christ in these wordes O my sweet Redeemer thou hast suffered death to deliuer me from death and hast ouercome death to make me conquerour thereof graunt me by this thy infinit charity and diuine victory the grace to vse and enioy the benefit which thy death hath brought to me and so well to prepare my selfe against this combat of death so valiantly to wrastle with it Psal 115. and so happily to ouercome it that my death may be of those the Prophet speaketh The death of his Saints is precious in the eyes of God and not of those of whome the same Prophet sayth Psal 33. The death of sinners is most miserable Thou saydst sometimes to thy Apostles and Disciples VVatch and stand ready for the Sonne of Man will come at an houre when you thinke not of him And againe Math. 24. 25. VValke
whole world shall be iudged when the iustice of the Iudge shall be made manifest to all the world when the iustice of the good shal be published by open iudgement in the full assembly of Angells and men and rewarded with a crowne of immortall glory There sayth one Saint shall be no complaint Aug. l. 20. ciuit c. 11. such as often in the presse of this world saying one to another why is this wicked man so happy in his wickednes VVhy is such a good man vnhappy and miserable in his vertue VVhy do Robbers prosper and poore Pilgrimes haue their throtes cut For then true felicity shall be reserued only for the good and extreme and true misery reserued only for the wicked This then is called the day of our Lord all other dayes are the dayes of men this which is the shutting vp of them all shall be our Lords day for therein he shall shew manifestly the treasures of his infinit mercy and iustice making for his glory the heauens and earth to leape all the most strong peeces of his power wisedome bounty O my soule tremble with feare The Prayer at the remembrance of this fearefull day for if Dauid Iob the Prophets if the pillars of vertue haue shaked how great ought thy feare to be poore sinnefull and feeble creature that thou art With what sense feeling shouldest thou meditate vpon the holding of this day the Iudgement of iudgements and the last of all What wilt thou then doe What Aduocate shalt thou haue Who dareth defend thee from this iust Iudge if he be offended with thee How shalt thou heare the irreuocable sentence when it shall be pronounced What shalt thou do if he condemne thee O sweet Iesus keep me from thy wrath to come if it please thee and giue me now a penitent hart that may deserue both now and then the voice of thy mercy Let me in this banishment suffer a thousand deathes but at that day let me liue with thee Afflict me whippe me cut me burne my soule my life my flesh my bones with al sorts of tribulation persecution trauaile and torments but may it please thee to pardon me then for euer O Lord. O Blessed Virgin my good Aduocate whome I often see represented in this Iudgement by the pious pictures of the holy houses in the Church of thy Sonne as suppliant for all mankind intreat I beseech O Virgin for al and for me who am of the number and the most needy and performe what the pictures represent They signify that thou art now Aduocate of mortall men to the end that at that day they may be out of paine and danger Aske now O B. Virgin for this is the tyme of asking and mercy and not then when there shall be no question but of iudging rewarding and punishing aske and in good tyme obtaine for me and for all those that seeke vnto thee obtaine for me O puissant Aduocate the grace throughly to bewaile my sinnes vertuously to correct my faultes wisely to order my senses and actions that at that day I may confidently behould the eye and countenance of that soueraigne Iudge set in his throne of Iustice ioyfully heare the sentence he pronounceth and happily be placed on the right hand in the number of his beloued The After-dinner and Euening of the nineteenth dayes Iourney The separation of the good from the wicked after Iudgement CHAP. XLIII AFTER dinner the Pilgrime shall imploy his deuotioÌ„ in meditating what followeth Iudgement setting before his eyes how the one sort take their flight vp to heauen with Iesus Christ and his Angells there to reigne with him happy and blessed for euer The other full of misery and anguish broken-harted desperate shall be swallowed downe body and soule to the Center of the earth with the Diuells whome they serued and hauing gone foreward a while in this thought he shall also in the euening make some prayer to our Lord and to the B. Virgin his glorious Mother to the same end with that before dinner and shall looke about to lodge himselfe in some place proper for a poore wearied Pilgrime to repose The twentith Day A Meditation of Hell CHAP. XLIV THE Pilgrime hauing purposed to cleanse his soule in this his Pilgrimage and in good earnest to sweare emnity for euer against sinne the better to moue himselfe to peÌ„nance and to conceaue contâ—ition requisite for such an effect he shall help himselfe with the meditation of Hell the second death and reward of sinne as he helped himselfe hitherto with the meditation of the first death and iudgement This is a thundring peece Eccl. 7.40 to beat at the eares and soule of a sleepy sinner and with a wholsome alarum to awake him and make him take armes and looke to himselfe Good men are also holpeÌ„ therby for though they follow vertue rather for loue then for feare and serue God for himselfe which is the seruice of true children it profiteth them notwithstanding to meditate as well the punishmeÌ„t as the reward drawing from theÌ„ce matter to prayse God in his iustice and mercy and to stirre vp themselues to serue him well The Meditation shall haue his partes The prayer preparatory accustomed The first Preamble shall represent an obscure and darke bottomlesse dungeon in the Center of the earth ful of horrour and stench of fire brimstone and smoke and soules inclosed in their bodyes plunged in these flames The second shall demand particuler grace well to meditate of Hell for euer to auoyd it Hell most intollerable The first point shall consider that as there is nothing in this life more horrible then death nothing so dreadfull as Iudgement that followeth after so nothing is more intollerable then Hell and the punishments therof Matth. 8.33.22.24 There sayth the Scripture is weeping gnashing of teeth there is the worme gnawing of the soule and neuer dying and killing alway without killing Marc. 9.44 There is the fire that neuer quencheth there is the darke Countrey couered with the cloud of death There is the shaddow of death where no order but perpetuall horrour inhabiteth Iob. 10.25 Apoc. 21.14 There the portion of the damned is in a lake burning with fire and brimstone which is the second death where the wicked shall be tormented world without end The second point shall represent the diuers sortes of paines ordayned according to the diuersity of sins Diuers paines for diuers crimes for notwithstanding the horrour and disorder of this gulfe the order of Gods iustâ—â—e neuerthelesse shall be kept as the Apostle signifyeth when he sayth that he heard a voice from heauen condemning the Lecher to paynes saying Apec 18.7 Giue him torments in that measure that he hath had glory and delight in this life Therfore there the Proud shall be oppressed with an extreme confusion and shame The Couetous suffer an vnspeakable hunger and thirst The Adulterers buryed in fire and
Christ who cōming then in spirit into the Temple when the B. Virgin and S. Ioseph brought him hauing confessed and adored him tooke him in his armes and song a Canticle of thankesgiuing which the Church hath vsed euer since for the conclusion of the diuine Office sayd Nunc dimittis c. Now thou dimissest thy seruant O Lord according to thy word in peace For my eyes haue seene thy saluation which thou hast prepared before the face of all people A light to the reuelation of the Gentills and the glory of thy people Israell And as the B. Virgin and Ioseph meruailed at these thinges that were sayd Simeon did congratulate them and call them happy and spake to Mary the Mother of the child saying Behould he shall be put for the ruine and the resurrection of many and for a signe which shall be contradicted and the sword of sorrow shall pierce thy hart that the cogitations of many may be made manifest In which history the pious soule shall contemplate the notable faith charity deuotion and ioy of this noble old Man expressed by his wordes and gestures he confessed and adored by his confession the Annointed of God though a little child in the eyes of men He foretold the redemption at hand of mankind which he should bring to passe he straitly imbraced this precious pledge of our saluation he did exalt and magnify him Our Sauiour the ruine of the obstinate and prophecyed of him and of his Mother he foretold that he was set for the fall of many obstinate for their malice such as were Herod the Scribes and Pharisies such like who running against him as against a hard stone should ruine both their soule and body and as since them haue done many Tyrants and persecutours of the same Sauiour his Church all in the end buryed in the ditch themselues diged and strucken to eternall death by the Iustice of him whome they persecuted He foretould also the resurrection of many The resurrectiō of the good who belieuing in him should liue holily and should be raysed from sinne to be made afterwards happy and glorious and by this meanes haue the cogitations of many beene knowne the hate or the loue which the Iewes and Paynimes did beare to our Sauiour he foretould that he should be a signe or marke of contradiction Our Sauiour a signe or marke of contradiction and as a butt for the vnbelieuing to shoot the arrowes of their tongues against this marke but most plainely and cruelly in his Passion when he was not only the marke of the calumniations and blasphemies of the wicked but also of the cruelty of those butchers striking all partes places of his body And this was the sword that pierced the soule of the Blessed Virgin beholder of his cruell Passion The like contradiction hath alwayes followed the mēbers of the same Sauiour his Church by the Iewes and Paynims neither was there euer Religion planted or maintayned with more contrarieties and opposition of all sortes of people then the Christian for as it is the perfectest of al other The height of the Christiā fayth enemy to the flesh the world and the diuell so hath it found most resistance in the corruption of mankynd which were very great very generall Behold the Christiā perfection it eleuateth the vnderstanding of man to the beliefe of things altogether repugnant to fleshly humours It preacheth the Crosse contempt of wisedome of the world as also of her honours and riches and by many Maximes to the world so many Paradoxes striketh iust vpon the face of her pride maketh warre to defiance with the pleasures of the body honoureth Virginity a chiefe enemy to sensuality imbraceth fastings watchings disciplines and such like austerities that hāper the body otherwise then it well liketh promiseth in this life nothing but persecution This world being corrupted could not digest this doctrine nor the flesh vnderstād it but had it in horrour and abhomination Sathan bestirred himselfe and entred into a rage and kyndled fire to those fond and foolish soules and put them in a fury therefore the more maligne the malady was the stronger the medicine so much more obstinate hath beene the contradiction and the sicke so much the more incensed against his Physitian Psal 117.13 as his frensy was fierce and burning But if the Sauiour hath beene persecuted and so contradicted he hath not for all that beene ouercome he hath beene thrust at Why God permitted these persecutiōs but not throwne downe to the ground and God hath permitted these persecutions to shew therein that his Sonne was God omnipotent and too strong for the strength and gates of hell and to draw from them his owne glory and the good of his elect The Pilgrime hauing meditated all this The zeale of Saint Anne shall turne the eyes of his Spirit vpon that which is sayd That at the same houre the most holy and deuout widow Anne did praise our Sauiour in the Temple and spake of him to all the faithfull Iewes whome she found there so was our Sauiour magnified in his Temple by the testimony of two persons diuerse in sex venerable in age singular in sanctity Heere the Pilgrime hauing found in his meditation the sense of this ceremony shall learne the truth in the shadow shal acknowledge the misery and corruption of man from the first instant of his Conception infected with original sinne he shall learne to humble himselfe and to make small account of the nobility of his birth which he seeth to be so base and abiect in the beginning he shal offer what he hath good to God the giuer of all good he shall imitate holy Simeon imbracing in his armes with like loue and purity the litle child Iesus either when he receaueth the B. Sacrament of the Altar couered vnder the visible forme as a child swadled in his litle cloathes or when he doth meditate ioyne himselfe to him by loue He shall praise him with holy Anna the Prophetesse and shall preach him to euery one by good speaches and examples of good workes and finally he shall offer him vnto God his Father as the B. Virgin did for our saluation and shall offer himselfe for his honour and seruice Hauing ended his meditation and heard Masse he shall receaue the blessed Body of our Sauiour the Viaticum of his Returne as it was of all the rest of his Pilgrimage and shll say to God the prayer following The Pilgrimes prayer at his departure from Loreto CHAP. XLI MY Lord and most merciful Father myne eyes behold thy bounty and myne owne misery more cleerly then euer heeretofore by the light it hath pleased thee to giue me It remayneth to finish my vowes and desires and to conclude my most humble prayers and requests at the end of my aboad heere If thy clemency doth willingly harken to the groanes of poore sinners to heare
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
haue present the holy Apostles thy seruants wast receiued body soule into the heauenly habitations of the celestiall spirits as Queene of the Angels mother of their Lord maister The Prayer I Humbly beseech thee be my Aduocate in all tymes and places and deliuer me from sodaine and vnprouided death and when I shall passe out of this world defend me from all the temptations of the diuell that my soule may haue free accesse to the ioyes of my God and Sauiour Of the Coronation The Oblation Glori ∣ ous 5 O Most high glorious Lady Empresse of the whole world I humbly offer vnto thee 10. Aues one Pater noster to the glorious mistery of thy Coronation which was the accomplishment of all thy ioyes and the crowne of all thy deserts when thou wert exalted aboue the Angelicall spirits and to the blessed Trinity the Father Son and holy Ghost thou wert crowned and appointed Queene Lady of all and the defendresse and aduocate of all that inuocate thee The Prayer WE reioyce O B. Lady at thy exaltation and glory and beseech thee that froÌ„ the high throne where thou art placed thou wouldest remember thy poore children which wander heere in this vale of teares and that thou wouldest obtaine for vs plentifull gifts and graces that we may deserue with thee and all the holy Saints to enioy the B. Trinity Amen THE CORONE OF B. LADY THe manner of saying the Corone of our B. Lady consisting of 63. Aues six Pater noster in remeÌ„brance of the 60. yeares of her life euery Pater noster with the 10. Aues are to be sayd and offered in the honour and remembrance of 10. yeares of her life and of what 〈◊〉 did or suffered in that time with a prayer eyther before or after crauing those graces and vertues which most did shine in the actions of those yeares The Oblation of the 1. O Most innocent and immaculate Virgin I humbly offer vnto thee 10. Aues one Pater noster in honour of the first 10. yeares of thy life and all thou didst therein in honour of thy immaculate Conception miraculous Natiuity of a barren wombe of thy blessed infaÌ„cy and Presentation into the Temple and all thy vertuous exercises and deuotions there whereby thou wert disposed and prepared to be a meete mother for the sonne of God The Prayer PRay for me I beseech thee that I may offer my best first times to the seruice of God and by exercise of vertue and eschewing occasions of sinne I may dispose my soule to receiue Gods grace in this life and his glory in the next The Oblation of the 2. O Most happy and chosen Virgin I humbly offer vp 10. Aues and a Pater noster in remembrance of the high vertues which dayly increased in thee first vowing chastity and espousing thy selfe to chast Ioseph receiuing with ioy humility and resignation the ioyfull newes of the Incarnation of the Sonne of God in thy virginall wombe bearing thy Creatour swadling and resting him in the manger seeing him glorifyed by the Angells visited by the shepheards adored by the Kings circumcised presented and redeemed in the Temple at thy Purification didst nurse him and giue him sucke and stedst with him into AEgypt and there in a strange Idolatrous Country didst worke for his maintenance and thine The Prayer I Beseech thee obtaine for me part of these ioyes which in this tyme thou didst receiue and the imitation of thy chastity and speciall loue of pouerty which thou and thy sonne so greatly did imbrace The Oblation of the 3. O Most B and patient Virgin I humbly offer vnto thee 10. Aues a Pater noster in remeÌ„brance of thy poore pilgrimage entertaynement in AEgypt and in thy returne from thence the feares thou hadst at returning thy sorrow in loosing and ioy in fynding thy Son in Hierusalem and in honour of all that sweetnes and ioy thou receiuedst in the conuersation company of thy heauenly guest child The Prayer PRay for me I beseech thee that in all my pilgrimage of this life I may haue thine and thy sonnes company neuer long want the comfort of his gracious presence doctrine and Sacraments The Oblation of the 4. O Most happy gracious Virgin I huÌ„bly offer vp to thee 10. Aues and a Pater noster in remembrance of all that ioy and pleasure â—ou hadst in the presence of thy sweet Iesus eating drinking talking and wo king with him that giueth meate drinke speach and strength to all creatures The Prayer PRay for me I beseech thee that in all my life and actions I may be so conioyned with Iesus so communicate with him that whether I eate or drinke or whatsoeuer I do I may do it in his presence and to his onely glory and praise The Oblation of the 5. O Most ioyfull dolorous Lady I humbly offer vnto thee 10. Aues and a Pater noster in remembrance of those pangs and 〈◊〉 which after all the ioyes thou receiuedst by departing of thy Sonne from thee of thy cares and feares thou hadst of him and the excessiue griefe thou tookest when he was betrayed taken bound led captiue beaten spit vpon mocked whipped crowned with thornes blindefolded buffeted condemned crucifyed blasphemed pierced taken downe and buried in remeÌ„brance also of thy great ioyes in his Resurrection Apparition Ascension sending of the holy Ghost The Prayer PRay for me I beseech thee that among the comforts discomforts of this life I may remaine firme and constant at the foote of the Crosse with thee and thy blessed company that at last I may be partaker of the ioyes and glory of his resurrection and Ascension and of the comfort of his holy spirit The Oblation of the 6. O Most perfect patient and blessed Lady I humbly offer vnto theâ— 10. Aues and a Pater noster in remembrance of thy most holy life heere on earth after the Ascension of thy Sonne of the longing thoâ— hadst to be with him and loathing of this life of the light comfoâ—â— and example thou gauest to the Apostles and all Christians of thâ— zeale for the glory of thy Sonne of thy deuotion to his B. Body and often visitation of the holy places of his life Passion Resurrection The Prayer PRay for me I beseech thee that being heere on earth I may haue like longing to be with thy Sonne and loathing of this life with deuotion to all his remembrances and Sacraments The Oblation of the 7. O Most happy and glorious Virgin I humbly offer vnto thee 3. Aues and a Pater noster in honour of the last three yeareâ— of thy life of the ioyfull expectation of thy depositioÌ„ with most perfect workes and more feruent desires in remembrance of thy great ioy at the calling of thy Sonne and spouse of thy visitation of Angels and their heauenly melody the presence of the Apostles praysing and lauding him and finally in remembrance honour of thy most happy passage ioyfull Assumption and glorious Coronation The Prayer PRay for me I beseech thee that I may so liue as I may expect a ioyfull end and a comfortable passage that I may not want the rites and ceremonies of thy holy Church nor the comfort and company of thy seruants but may be protected by my good Angels my soule by them caryed where thou doost sit in glory and behold the face of the most blessed Trinity the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost Amen FINIS
inordinate desire of excellency whether it reigne within the soule only or be manifested or discouered by wordes or workes outwardly This is the King of sinnes altogeather abhominable before God Aug. ep 5â— Greg. 3. Mora. 31. and the Capitall enemy of all vertue thence as from a pestilent root do all vices spring and take life and especially these Disobedience Boasting Hypocrisy Contention Pertinacy Discord and Curiosity Couetice is a disordinate appetit of hauing an insatiable thirst making continually more drye the more it drinketh Basil hom in diuites 117. from thence come Treason Fraudes Deceit periury Disquietnes violence inhumanity and hardnes of hart Lechery is a disordinate appetite of pleasures of the body she bringeth forth blindnesse of spirit inconsideration Isido l. 2. de bono 39. inconstancy precipitation in affaires seâ—fe loue hatred of God greedines of this life feare â—nâ— horror of death and iudgment and despaire of life euerlasting Basil hom 11. de liuore Cir de zelo liuore Enuy is a sadnes or griefe at the good of others and hate of their prosperity or good successe either of their Superiours because they cannot equall them or of their inferiours in that they would not haue them equalls her daughters are Hatred Murmuring Detraction wicked Ioy of the euill wicked Grieft at the good of another Gluttony is an inordinate desire of eating and drinking her children are Foolish mirth lesting Prating Scurrility Stupidity of senses Greg. mor. 31. and Vnderstanding Anger is a disordinate desire of reuenge of whome do rise Debates Swellings Contumelies Clamours Indignation Bern. ser de Asc Blasphemy Slouth is a languour of spirit remisse and flow to doe well Greg. 3. part curae past 10. and a heauines and sadnes in spirituall thinges of her groweth Malice Rancour Pusillanimity Despaire a loathing of necessary commandements Euagations The Pilgrime hauing this afternoone cast his eyes atteÌ„tiuely vpon these bodyes and branches vpon these Captaines and their companies and recommending himselfe in the euening with some particuler prayer to God the B. Virgin his good Angell that he may be alwayes assisted by their ayde against these enemies he shall looke for lodging and rest The seauenteenth Day Of the first sinne which was of the Angells and of the second which was of Adam and of their effects and of the sinnes of euery one in particuler which maketh the third sort CHAP. XXXVIII WELL to penetrate and discouer the deformity of sinne and to conceaue a duâ— hatred thereof the Pilgrime shall bestow one day in the meditation of the effects of sin therein cleerely to see it selfe for as by the fruit the tree is knowne and the workeman by his worke so is the malice of sinne manifest by the euills thereof The sin of the Angells The first point shall bâ— to bring into his mind and memory the sinne of the first Angel and his Confederates in that faction who hauing beene created to the Image of God in estate of grace and endowed with many excellent guifts of nature rebelling afterward against their Lord and Maker of such noble spirits as they were were made Diuels thrown headlong from heauen to hell there for their rebellion to suffer the torments of euer-burning flames Whereupon the Pilgrime vsing the light of his vnderstanding How to discourse of the sin of Angells to enlighten and moue his will and to stirre it vp to a detestation of sinne in generall and to shame and confusion for his owne in particuler shall thus discourse If these diuine spirits and the most goodly and glorious creatures that were in heauen for one onely sinne were so turned and transformed from an extreme beauty to a monstrous foulnes and deformity how abhominable are those who commit many Who doe nothing els Who are plunged in their vices as Swine in their durt 2. Pet. 25 And with what filthines haue I deformed my owne soule by so many as I haue committed And if God spared not these noble CittizeÌ„s of heauen and seruants of his owne houshould but hath cast them as the Apostle sayth with chaines of darknes into the dungeon of hell reserued for that great day and generall iudgement what entertaynement may I expect at the handes of this soueraigne Iudge if I amend not my life The 2. point shal be appropriated to the consideration of the sinne of Adam which is the second sinne in regard of the person which is man differing in nature from the Angells The sine of Adam heere the Memory shal represent to the Vnderstanding the dolefull fall of our first Fathers and their honourable estate chaÌ„ged into a miserable exile banishment how Adam hauing beene formed of durt and quickned with a soule bearing the Image and likenes of God and Eue brought forth to the likenes of man of one of the sides and ribs of Adam suffering theÌ„selues to be persuaded by their capitall enemy did eat of the forbidden fruit and sodainly lost the grace and fauour of their Creatour the life of the soule and all that they had good besides the guifts of the Holy Ghost Iustice Charity their right to heauen and the immortality of their body Our Pilgrime then shall behould them as present driuen out of Paradise cloathed in beastes skins and from the place of pleasures and delights cast into a countrey of death and malediction Gen. 3.2 in which they performed a long seuere pennance that is 900. yeares and more and finally he shall consider the great corruption that hath come from this root hauing like a generall plague infected all mankind and thrust thousand-thousandes of persons to euerlasting death out of which consideration he shall draw light to discouer the poison of sinne to hate and detest it Euery ones proper sins The third point shall be to meditate in himselfe his owne faultes which is the third sort of sinne in regard of the person Heere our Pilgrime calling to remembrance his owne enormityes shall consider that many thousands are in hell that perhaps had committed but one of those sinnes that he hath done himselfe he shall thinke that many are coÌ„demned to the same hell of euerlasting death for sinnes lesse and fewer then his are whereby he shall learne how great the goodnes of God is toward him hauing thus patiently expected him to pennance and how great is the malice malignity of sinne hauing moued and incited the infinite bounty so farre as to ordaine paines vnspeakable for the grieuousnes of them and eternall for the lasting to punish it withall With which consideration being heat and warmed he shall speake in his speach thus to our Sauiour The speach O souueraigne Lord and Redeemer of my soule how great is the peruersity of this monster whose foulenes thy light hath discouered to me in her effects It made a reuolt in heauen among thy domesticalls making them rebell against thee It hath brought confusion and
pride so in the sinne of Couetise and the rest Of the fiue senses he shall remember if he hath abused his eyes by any curious or lasciuious lookes his tongue by speaking detraction Of the 5. senses or his eares by hearing it and other vaine thinges and so of the other senses If he be a Church-man besides that which is common to all Christians he shall consider in particuler how he hath carried himself in his estate if he hath assisted at diuine seruice if he hath sayd his Canonicall houres if he hath learned what is required to his charge to heare confessiōs say Masse preach If he be Religious Religious he shall call his consicience to account about his Vowes and rules if he haue beene a proprietary against the vow of Pouerty if he hath committed any thing against Chastity or hath beene disobedient If he be a Prince Prince whether he hath maintained the honour of God if he haue kept iustice if he hath gouerned like a Father Gentleman or grieued his people A Gentlemā if he hath done wrong to his neighbours or abused them If he be a Magistrate Counseller President Iudge if he haue diligently examined the right of euery one Magistra◠Iudge and iustly rendred euery one his owne if he hath taken bribes or iudged against his conscience If he be a Consull Consul or chiefe Magistrate of the Citty if he hath beene willingly or negligently wanting to the publike good An Aduocate Aduocat if he hath vndertaken the defence of vniust causes or if he hath faithfully defended the right A Proctor Proctour if he hath dealt truely with his Clients if he hath not vsed craft and cunning in prolonging suites and hindering the course of Iustice Capitaine Captaine if he hath kept caused to be kept the military and martial laws if he hath faithfully serued his Prince if he hath beene cowardly or stricken any wrongfully A Souldiar if he spoiled poore men Souldier if he hath beene true and faithfull if he hath beaten or killed any man in villany out of warre If he be a Superiour or Prelate Superior whether he hath commanded iustly and prudently if he haue beene arrogant or impious in his charge A Regent or Maister if he haue diligently and faythfully taught his scholless Scholler giuing them in word and workes example of vertue A Scholler if he hath lost his tyme or kept the lawes and order of the Schoole Physitiā A Phisitain if he hath beene diligent and faythfull in attending his Patient if by his fault any haue dyed Apothecary or fallen into any inconuenience of body An Apothecary if he hath made his Medicines of sound entire Drugs not sophisticated if he hath faithfully followed the Physitians bill Surgeon A Surgeon if he hath beene negligent in attending his hurt and sicke patient if he hath prolonged the wound to get more money Merchant and fill his purse A Merchant if he hath sold to deare or vsed false weights or measures Printers or Booke-binders Printer Booke-binder if they haue printed or sould pernicious hereticall wanton or diflamatory libells Artificer if he hath done his work fraudulētly if he hath filched wrought vpon the holy dayes Artificer and thus of other estates Women and Maides shall also particulerly examine themselues about the vanity of their apparell their too much speaking or speaking euill of their too much care of their corps of impatience choler couetise of the goods of this world and of other vices more familiar to their sexe The Penitent shall discourse ouer all and shall note wherin he hath failed and shal make as it were a table of his sinnes and kinds in his memory or in paper to confesse them This examen being thus made he shal say the prayer following immediatly before he goeth to Confession A Prayer to say before Confession CHAP. LI. Mercy ready for the Penitent ALMIGHTY God who desirest the conuersion and life of a sinner and not his death and perdition and hast promised the grace of thy benediction and mercy whensoeuer and how often soeuer repenting and confessing he shall cry thee mercy with an humble and contrite hart giue me if it please thee a firme voice tongue to confesse the sinnes I remember and say wholsomly before thy secret Tribunall with the Prophet I haue sinned and done ill before thee alone Psal 50.5 Take frō me all feare and vicious shame that I may freely simply purely and entirely discouer all the faults woundes griefes of my wounded soule to him whome thou hast giuen me for Lieutenant of thy iustice for the iudgement and remission of my sinnes And if I haue dared with a damnable boldnes to incense thee with thousandes of sinnes that I may dare also now with an humble confidence to confesse them to aske and receaue pardon in the name of thy Sonne Iesus Christ who liueth and reigneth with thee in the vnity of the holy Ghost for euer and euer The order we must keep in Confession CHAP. LII THIS prayer being sayd and his sinnes noted he shall present himselfe at the place and houre appointed to the Priest and hauing asked and receaued his blessing shall say his Confiteor vnto mea culpae and shall beginne to confesse his sinnes according to the order of his examen and memorial runing ouer his whole conscience faythfully purely simply humbly and without affected ceremonies of wordes or gestures without accusing any other to excuse or diminish his owne fault without telling what he hath not done but accusing himselfe alone and only of his sinnes with the greatest sense and feeling of deuotion and compunction that he can and after he hath told all in his memory he shall make an end of his Confiteor and desire his Ghostly Father to aske him and to bring into his remembrance what he might haue forgotten and this done he shall receaue of him pennance absolution and shall prepare himselfe all the rest of the day and some part of the night to communicate the next morning and going from the place of Confession shall for thankes-giuing say this prayer following A prayer to say after Confession CHAP. LIII O sweet Iesu the true Physitian healer of my diseases the true life and peace of my soule the true solace of my hart I humbly thanke thee for all the benefites I haue receaued of thee since my first being and namely for this last wherby thou hast giuen me meanes to cast my selfe at thy feet to aske thee mercy reconcile my selfe vnto thy Maiesty iustly offended with my faults and to reuiue in me the ioy and riches of thy good fauour and friendship Alas O my souueraigne Sauiour what had become of my poore soule if thy iustice had according to my demerit drawne her out of this body and life in so miserable a plight all couered and infected with
the spirituall leprosy dead in sinne buried in her filth abhominable before thyne eyes a marke for thy fury a prey to death and eternall confusion O my Redeemer immortall thankes be to thy infinite mercy for this great benefit since thy mercy hath no boundes add also O sweet Iesu to this benefit the firmnesse of a holy perseuerance whereby I may alwayes preserue the Temple of my soule body pure neat from all filth ordure of sinne Conserue O Lord the house thou camest to purify 2. Mach. 14.36 Psal 50.5 by the light heat of thy holy Spirit cleanse it beautify it alwayes more and more and more and more wash me from my sinnes purge me of my sinnes giue me grace that as I haue hitherto serued the Flesh the World and the Diuell the most cruell enemies of my good and saluation so I may with all my force loue honour and serue thee for heerafter O my life my Creatour and Sauiour descended into earth and made man to seeke me poore strayed sheep and make me participant of thy deity ascended also vp to the Crosse there to shed thy precious bloud to wash and cleanse me there to dye to giue me life Graunt O Prince of mercy that for all thy benefits I may affoard thee an humble an entire seruice vnto my last gaspe to liue after this mortall soiourning eternally with thee and to glorify thee in heauen where thou liuest and reigning with the Father in the vnity of the holy Ghost for euer and euer Amen This shal be the shutting of the 21. day and third weeke finishing the first period of his pilgrimage the which representeth as we haue sayd the life of those which beginne the way of vertue the way of Purgation by vertues purgatiue In the morning the Pilgrime shal begin his second part which representeth the estate of those that are gone forward and aduanced in the way of perfection and light THE PILGRIMES ABODE AT LORETO The two and twentith day and the first of his abode A Meditation vpon the holy Eucharist CAHP. I. FOR the meditation of the first dayes iourney of this second Part of his Pilgrimage the Pilgrime shall fitly take the subiect of the Eucharist for he cannot better begin to honour this holy place then with so holy an action nor more refresh solace the trauaile of his pilgrimage then by this refectiō nor better open the doore of his soule to the light of the Holy Ghost then by the receauing of such a Sacrament and this should be the first meale and the last banquet of euery true Pilgrime he shal make his Meditation early in the morning at the holy house with these partes The prayer preparatory accustomed shal demand grace to direct all his actions to the glory of God and saluation of his soule In the first preamble he shall set before his eyes the history of the two Pilgrimes Luc. 14. Aug. epist 50. ad Paulin. who first of all other Christians receaued at our Sauiours handes after his resurrection in the village called Emaus The second shall demand a speciall light well to penetrate the maiesty and profit of this mystery The first Point Of three figures of the Holy Sacrament CHAP. II. THE first point of the meditation shall containe three old Figures Gen. 14.18 among diuers others of this B. Sacrament The first is the Sacrifice of Melchisedech sometyme King of Salem and high Priest who entertayning Abraham as he returned victorious from the battaile offered to God Bread and VVine in thankes-giuing for the victory blessed him and refreshed him and his companie Our Sauiour the true Melchisedech in figure of the Sacrifice of the Body and Bloud of Iesus Christ the Christian Eucharist which the same Iesus Christ the true Melchisedech the true King of peace and high Bishop did institute and ordaine when in his last supper he did communicate his Apostles giuing them his Body to eat vnder the figure of Bread and his Bloud to drinke vnder the figure of Wine after the order and forme of the Sacrifice of Melchisedech and making them his Vicars and Deputies commanded them and their Successours in their person to do the same Luc. 22 1◠and to continue this Sacrifice and Supper in his name remembrance which hath heene alwayes performed hitherto and shall be alwayes heereafter vnto the worldes end For as Iesus Christ is Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech and not of Aaron whose Priesthood togeather with the sacrifices were ended and fullfilled on the Crosse so his Sacrifice according to this order of Melchisedech shall be perpetual and euerlasting in yielding of thankes to God and in the feeding and refection of Christians the spirituall children of Abraham Psal 109. fighting in the Church heere militant on earth and shall one day triumph altogeather in heauen returning cōquerours from the combat The second Figure is the sacrifice of the Paschall Lambe which was ordayned the night before the deliuerance of the Hebrewes Exod. 12. from the captiuity of Aegypt and continued in remembrance of this great benefit vntill that our Sauiour the true Lambe did institute our Eucharist of his precious Body and Bloud in the euening before his Passion and our Redēption and shall continue as a memoriall thereof vntill he come againe not to be iudged and condemned to death as he was at his first comming but to iudge the world by the weights of their workes to kill death for euer after and to deliuer his children from all euill The third Figure is the Manna Exod. 15.16 giuen from heauen to the Hebrewes whilest they were Pilgrimes in the wildernesse walking towardes the land of promise euen so the Eucharist the true bread of heauen and the true drinke is giuen in the Church of God for the solace and sustenance of our soules in the desert of this world and for our prouision and food vntill we be brought to the land of the liuing in heauen The second point Of the Maiesty of our Sauiour in this Blessed Sacrament CHAP. III. THE second point shall be to meditate in this Sacrament first the power of our Sauiour Power conuerting by his almighty word the Bread into his body and the Wine into his bloud Second y the goodnes of the same Sauiour who hauing giuen himselfe a price and ransome for our Redemption Goodnes hath also vouchsafed to giue himselfe for food and to vnite himselfe with his creature soule to soule body to body in the straitest manner that can be imagined Thirdly the diuine wisedome Wisedome seasoning and tempering this precious food in so familiar and easy a fashion vnder the forme and taste of bread and Wine of the one side facilitating our senses to the taking of his flesh and bloud without horrour and on the other side instructing our fayth to vnderstand and acknowledge the vnion of faithfull Christians made heerby one
againe yet with his good will that weareth it in paying as much as it cost him The host very ioyful to vnderstaÌ„d of the deliuery of Theodosius Care you not saith he neither for your habit nor for your staffe I haue a better then yours which I present vnto you Not so saith Theodosius thanking him I like my owne better then any other but if this good pilgrime will be content with this habit you offer me I pray you giue it him in exchange for myne and in recompeÌ„ce of yours take if it please you this which I haue on my backe which was a doublet of Chamoâ—s new guarded with siluer lace and a russet beauer-hat lyned with greene taffaty with a cypresse band of the same colour the hose suteable to the doublet The host was ashamed of this offer for the change was much more worth then his gift but he was constrayned to accept it and brought withall for the Pilgrime a coate a hat and a staffe who found his change also much for his aduantage and made no difficulty in restoring his to Theodosius who went vp to a chamber with Lazarus Vincent there putting of his new suit he gaue it to his host and put on his owne which the Pilgrime had restored so euery man was pleased and contented Well sayd Theodosius now I am in my old estate againe let vs say Te Deum in thanks-giuing for all benefits receaued It is a good motion quoth Lazarus Vincent and so they said it adioyning thereunto a Salue Regina Hasting ended their prayer Lazarus desired Theodosius to recount his fortune since they first lost him Theodosius recouÌ„teth his fortune It is reason answered he that seeing you haue suffered in your soule some part of my troubles that you should haue some recreation to heare it related The relation of stormes and dangers passed is pleasant to those that haue escaped and are in safety Well harken then how the dayes of my absence were employed You remember that after we dined at Miette I went to the Couent of Dominican Friers to speake with Frier Antony my ContrymaÌ„ whome you saw in the morning alone with me by reason of my indisposition as I returned to find you at our lodging to depart the Pilgrime of Bosome whome we saw the day before meeting me by the way sayd Syr whither go you your coÌ„panions are already gone out of the towne at S. Iohns Gate I could not belieue that you were gone without me vntill that comming to the Inne my hostesse told me that you were gone and as she thought would returne no more So I came to S. Iohns gate to enquire if any Pilgrimes had passed that way The watch told me that a little before there passed three or fowre towards the brooke of Lâ—sier I verily thought you were of that company and thinking you were before me I hastened my pace to ouertake you vntill I came vnto the brooke which was much risen by reason of rayne fallen the night before I saw a farre off certaine Pilgrimes at the banke side for to passe wherof I was very glad thinking I had found you but I was all amazed when approching to them I saw not you I perceaue now saith Lazarus the cause why we parted for when we had tarried a good while for you we went to the Couent to take you with vs from thence we passed by a street where that Pilgrime saw vs thought that we went from thence out of the towne and told you after as himselfe thought And when not fynding you at the Friars we returned to our lodging our hostesse told vs that you were gone out at S. Peters Gate which also was our best way We hastened to ouertake you as you did to ouertake vs and the faster we marched the further off we were the one from the other Minimus in principio error manimuâ— in â—â—â— Aug. euen as they that misse their way at a little turne at the beginning which increaseth at euery step and becometh so great as the way â—s long But to your riuer side againe Theodosius continuing his narratioÌ„ said As the Pilgrims sought which way they might passe I was in doubt whether I should returne or no iudging that you had not taken that way behold a troupe of horsemen crying to the Pilgrimes with their swordes in their handes and set vpon vs without doing vs any harme but taking vs prisoners and bidding vs to follow them and hauing brought vs to a deepe place of the brooke they made vs passe ouer vpon hurdels in some danger of drowning as I verily thinke some of the coÌ„pany were We found on the other side the whole troope with certaine poore merchants whome they lead prisoners also they parted them and sent them with the other Pilgrimes I know not which way to me they gaue a reasonable good horse and brought me into a meruailous thicke wood in the midst whereof they had for their retraite an old ruinous Castle which they had fortified with hand I was put in a chamber alone I recommended my selfe to God to the glorious Virgin as hartily as I could in that necessity Two houres after a boy brought me somewhat for my supper shewed me an ill fauoured bedsteed with a straw bed on it neere vnto the wardrobe to rest if I would I heard a great noyse in the hall where they supped and in diuers places of the Castle where they played at cardes and dyce crying and blaspheming continuing this stirre vntill midnight when they must go sleepe a little two men stood Centinels in two of the garâ—ets which looked towardes that way which we came some other watched also for their guard In the morning the Captaine called me and asked me who I was and whence I came and whence the other Pilgrimes were that were with me at the brooke I answered that I was a French man and came from Loreto hauing accoÌ„plished my Pilgrimage which I had promised to the mother of God and as for the other Pilgrimes I knew them not hauing met them there by chance He heard me courteously inough and caused me tâ— be caried backe to my chamber without saying any more where I remayned alwayes after the same sort some came in the day to visit me to marke my countenance as he told me of whome I shall tell you anone and they meruailed much that I made no greater shew of discontentment some interpreting it to be constancy other some alteratioÌ„ of my mind thinking that perhaps I could be content to change my long Pilgrimes staffe for a short sword and my buckeram cassocke for a coat of maile and to be one of their company Now all their occupatioÌ„ was to go hunt not beastes but men alwayes bringing in some new prisoners They rested neither night nor day as well their body as their mynd was in a continuall disquietnes and me thought I was in hell amongst Diuels being
among such a company of theeues sauing for the comfort I had to suffer some thing for Iesus Christ who endured death for me betwixt theeues and to consider on the one side the grace God had done me in giuing me the feare loue of his lawes and on the other side the misery of those poore rogues who suffered so much euill at the last to endure the heape of all euils Alas said I within my selfe if thou didst endure but as much for heauen as these do for hell if thou wert as constant to employ thy selfe in good works to passe whole nights in prayer to saue thy selfe and others as these do whole dayes in workes of iniquity and vndertake a thousand paines in discomodities of body and soule to destroy other men themselues O Lord of the whole world I render thee immortall thankes for all benefits bestowed on me of thy infinite bounty and beseech thee by the same bounty to enlarge my hart and to make it more capable of thy heauenly loue to increase the strength of my soule that I may suffer more and with a better courage for the glory of thy name Open the eyes of these poore blynd soules giuing them to see the indignity of their condition and the miserable estat of their soule or els take from them all meanes to do any more harme In these and the like discourses did I passe day and night and learned to make purpose of liuing better of the disdaine I conceaued in the ill life of this people as it happeneth oftentimes that by the contemplation of the foulnes of vice men betake themselues more earnestly to the loue of vertue Now there was amoÌ„gst them a certaine yong man called Tristram about 25. years of age born of a good house neighbour to France valiant and expert in armes The conuersion of Tristram and in that respect much esteemed by their Captaine who seemed to haue some particular compassion of my captiuity and came often to visit me asking if I had need of any thing that was in his power he came one day among others and sayd to me in secret Friend Theodosius for now euery body knew my name for that I haue holden you for a man of honour and conscience euer since I first knew you I desire to declare one thing vnto you which is very important but you must sweare secrecy Syr TristraÌ„ sayd I theÌ„ if the secret be against God or iustice I pray you tell it me not no saith he the thing that I meane to tell you is iust and the intention good and therefore I wil tel it you Then I promised him on faith of a Christian Pilgrime that I would keepe his secret he said this is the matter They heere haue resolued either to make you follow our manner of life or els to kill you for ransome they looke for none of you All that haue come to see you haue beene so many spies to sound you and see if there were any hope to persuade you wherein they make diuerse and different reportes to our Captaine and therefore looke to your selfe thus much I know because I was at the counsell and deliberation when it was taken When I heard this sectet I doubted whether himselfe also came to sound me and to feele my resolution neither was I deceaued though he did it with a good intention and meaning and therefore I answered him roundly that I was ready rather to dye theÌ„ make shipwracke of my conscience yea or of my reputation and honour in imbracing a vocation proper not for Christians but for Tartars or Ethiopians who beleeue neither hel nor heauen and I should make a dolefull reuolution of my Pilgrimage to become of a Pilgrime of Loreto a robber thiefe This answer pleased him much though I did not make it therefore but only to declare vnto him my mynd in respect of God and as a man of honour and an honest man as he esteemed me Continuing his discourse he tolde me Friend Theodosius I would know this of you I greatly commend your courage and am not deceaued in the opinion I haue of your vertue But this is not all I tell you further that I am determined with what hazard soeuer to leaue this Labyrinth into which I was drawne fiue yeares since by the â—â—and of some and myne owne folly neitheir can I endure to stay any longer in such a dungeon the very image of hell This is the principall point which I desire you to keep secret and to assist me with your prayers that I may put this proiect in execution and deliuer my selfe from these chaines though for regard of your selfe I aduise you to dissemble a while make no difficulty in leauing your habit and taking another when they shall offer it you for therwith they wil beginne and in the meane time seeke occasion to saue your selfe when it shall be offered which in my opinion will be shortly I shall waâ—te from one houre to another with good deuotion to put in execut on my own designes of leauing this lewd execrable life Here also I thoght he dissembled as it were by digression to persuade me to make me by little little to passe by the midst from one extreme to another so I sayd vnto him A strong resolutioÌ„ Syr TristraÌ„ I haue told you my resolution there is neither death nor torments that shall make me swarue froÌ„ honesty nor to do any thing contrary to the law of God the faith of an honest man for my apparrell it is in their poer to take it away and giue me other such as they please so it be without my fault it is all one to me to be in my shirt or to be clad in sackcloth or silke our Sauiour was spoiled of his cloathes and clad in derision in a royall robe For the rest Syr TristraÌ„ if you speake in good earnest your resolutioÌ„ is worthy of a noble courage and you shall haue the honour thereof towards God and man and doubt you not but he who hath opened your eyes to discerne the danger you liue in will also giue you meanes and direction to performe your desire I shall not faile to help you with my poore prayers if they can preuaile any thing with God in any sort wherein my industry may be employed He seeing me speake so frankly and hartily imbraced me and sayd Syr Theodosius I reade in your wordes the sincerity and the magnanimity of your courage and count my selfe happy in the midst of all my misfortunes to haue beene acquainted with you for not onely you haue confirmed me in my designement but also haue giuen me a certaine hope happily to put it in execution by the help of God and of the B. Virgin vnder whose protection you walke her pilgrime and began to weepe then I doubted no more of his vnfaynednes but firmely belieued that he spake from his hart I