all Holy Saints O most Blessed Mother of God you know my miseries my infirmities and wounds my pouerty nakednes behould heer my groans and the languishing of my desire Your breasts are so filled with pitty that being but toucht with the knowledge of our wretchednes they instātly flow forth with the milke of mercy Behould me heere prostrate at your feet O Sanctuary of the Miserable hubly begging of you by those motherly breasts of yours by that inflamed loue you bare vnto your Blessed Sōne IESVS Christ by that burning Charity with which you haue accepted vs to be your seruāts your votaryes yea which is more your most vnworthy childre that you would be pleased to obteyne for me a fullremissiō of all my sinnes a true and harty detestatiō therof also worthy fruits of pennance and repentance in this life perfect mortification of all my senses and victory ouer all my passions and temptations Obteyne likewise for me O sacred Virgin a strong Fayth a firme Hope perfect Charity a full resignation of my selfe to the will of God Purity of intentiō and true Deuotiō towards Christ IESVS Crucified the B. Sacrament and your most Holy selfe Obteyne likwise for me I humbly beseech you Obedience towards my Superiors Affability Mildnes towards all profoūd Humility Fortitude and Patience in all aduersityes and lastly the gift of Perseuerance and a happy and holy End Grant vnto me O Blessed Aduocate at the houre of death your most glorious and delighfull presence and shield me then vnder your shaddow against the fearful threats of diuine Iustice So shall you alwayer be my most honoured Lady my most reuerenced Queene and my most beloued Mother So shall I with all the force and powers of my soule thus confirmed by your Grace and Fauour alwayes endeauour to set forth your worship honour and glory CHAP. VII The Imitation of the B. Virgin in the contemplation and meditation of heauenly things THe help for imitatiō of the B. Virgin which hitherto we haue set down in generall are now to be reduced to practise applyed to ech particular act vertue of hers Wherfore two things are briefly to be noted 1. How to frame vnto our selues a patterne of those actions principally in the which the B. Virgin was most conuersant 2. How to make a Catalogue of such principal Vertues which she chiefly exercised The first of her Actions was prayer and meditation of heauenly things For so in Med. vitae Christi c. 3. sayth S. Bonauenture following the opinion of S. Hierome who writeth that the Bles Virgin continued from morning vntill the ninth hower of the day in meditation of diuine matters Euen so in like manner as well in order as in esteeme with al care and affection must we make our meditation in the morning before all other things and that we may do it well we are to indeanour to imitat the Blessed Virgin in foure things 1. In diligent preparing our selues thereunto 2. In making prudēt choyce of the matter wheron we are to meditat 3. In exercising offeruent acts and affections 4. In recollecting diligently the fruite of our meditation In all which what cleere example the B. Virgin hath left vnto vs we shall heere briefly cōsider Of her preparation to Meditation OF our B. Ladyes preparing her selfe for Meditation Dion Carthusianus explicating these words of the Canticle I sleepe but my heart watcheth speaks of her in this manner The most holy Virgin could iustly say this of her selfe sayth he because she always led a most contemplatiue life marke heer the things required in contemplation being wholly free from all externall trouble and inordinate noyse from all superfluous care perturbation of mynd attended onely to God with a quiet and watchfull heart She was of an ardent laborious charity of a resplendant and aboundant wisdome and of a daily and continuall recollection In Cant. 5. To which may be added how much she was giuen to the reading of spirituall books wherein ordinarily she spent a great part of the day Marke now diligently this example see that you follow it as neer as may be Feed your soule euery morning of which you ought to haue more regard then of your body Srengthen it I say and cherish it with that Angelicall bread and most sweet Manna of contēplation that you may the sooner a riue vnto perfection prepare your selfe before hand thereunto as did the B. Virgin with purity of life internall repose of mynd frequent aspirations vnto God by a true desire of meditation and the reading of spirituall books Take also the Blessed Virgin for your Guide Patronesse in this so especiall a worke desire of her in most humble māner that she would obtayne for you diuine light feruent pious affections S. Eleazarus the Earle being demaunded of a Religious man what order method he obserued in his prayers what patrons he chose among all the Saints for his guide direction therin answered thus Truly I haue chosen the B. Virgin to be my Guide Patronesse when I set my self to prayer I put before my eyes first myne owne vnworthynes and so recomending my selfe vnto the Mother of Mercy I humbly beseech her to put that into my mouth and heart which may be most gratful to her and to her Blessed Sonne IESVS and withall I offer vp vnto her with as much feruour and deuotiō as I can the Angelicall Salutatiō which hauing once recited I neuer wāt matter to meditate on Sur. in cius vitac 5. Whereon the B. Virgin did meditate THE matter on which our B. Lady meditated was the law of God his holy Wll and pleasure also vpon those Prophecies which chiefly fortold the cōming of the Messias For as Origen sayth she had the knowledge of the Law and Prophets did daily meditate theron Homil. 6. in Luc. Next she pondered the benefits of God wherwith as Bernardinus Senensis sayth her mynd was continually exercised in the heat of Charity serm 51. c. 2. After the birth of Christ she meditated vpon the mysteries that did daily occurre before her eyes and conserued the memory therof in her heart by meditation as witnesseth S. Luke After the ascensiō of her B. sonne as Saint Hierome and others do wryte she did cōtemplate in her secret bosome his Life Doctrine his Crosse Death and Glory and to that end did oftētimes ascēd to the top of mount Caluary where our Lord was Crucifyed that she might fill that place with tears which was once stained with the bloud of her deare sonne flowing from the crosse to wash away our sinnes Frō thence would she go into the caue to worship the sepulcher of our Sauiour and adore the glory of her Sonne in his Resurrection She would also go to the Mount Oliuet and ther kisse the print of his holy feet ascending into heauen And when she went to Bethleem and visited that most
3. Her holy Natiuity 4. Her Presentation in the Tēple 5. The yeares of her Childhood and her vow of Virginity made in her tender age 6. Her betroathing to S. Joseph On Twesday they consider 1. The Annunciation of the Angell 2. The visitation of Saint Elizabeth 3. The Natiuity of Christ 4. The adoration of the Sheepheardes 5. The Circumcision 6. The Adoration of the three kinges On Wednesday they beare in mind 1. The Purification of the B. Virgin and Presentation of Christ in the Temple 2. Their flight into Aegypt and seauen yeares abode there 3. The remayning of Iesus in the Temple his finding there 4. His childhood life vntill thirty yeares of age 5. His departure from the company of his Mother his Baptisme and fasting 6. His preaching and miracles On Thursday they meditate 1. The solēne entrance of Christ into Ierusalem 2. His washing of the Apoles feet 3. The institution of the most B. Sacrament 4. His prayer in the Garden 5. His apprehending 6. That which he suffered in the house of Annas and Cayphas and S. Peters denyall of him On Friday they contemplate 1. Christ our Lord led vnto Pilate and Herod 2. His whipping at the pillar 3. His crowning with thornes 4. His shewing to the people and the wordes Ecce homo 5. His condemnation and carrying of his Crosse 6. His crucifying On Saturday they ponder 1. The words of Christ our Lord vttered vpon the Crosse and chiefly these Behold thy Mother and Behold thy Sonne 2. His death 3. The great griefe sorrow of our Bles Lady 4. The taking downe of Christs body from the Crosse 5. His Buryall 6. The desceding of his soule into Hell On Sunday they call to mynd 1. The Resurrection of Christ our Lord. 2. His Ascension 3. The sending downe of the holy Ghost 4. The rest of our B. Ladyes life vntill her death 5. Her triumphall Assumptiō 6. Her Coronation and the patronage of all men giuen vnto her This exercise of meditating the mysteries of Christ our Lord and of the B. Virgin in saying the Rosary hath beene had in great esteeme and was constantld practysed by Saint Charles Borromeus that famous Contemplant of our B. Lady in eius vita l. 8. c. 2. S. Bernardinus also of Sienna hath left testifyed that whatsoeuer Graces or Spirituall gifts at any tyme he obtayned came from the deuout remembrace of the Ioyes of our B. Lady in the honour of which he dayly recyted her Rosary Ineius vita But a singular testimony of this deuotion may be taken out of the Chronicles of S. Francis where it is recounted that a certayne Priest who had accustomed dayly to adorne an Image of our B. Lady with a garland of flowers entred into Saint Francis Order where when as he could not dayly offer his wonted garland vnto the B. Virgin he thought of retourning backe to the world againe But the Mother of God full of Mercy permitted not that her Client should long remaine in errour but compassed about with a heauenly light she appeared vnto him and with the beames of her benignity did she driue away the darke myst of his mynd commāding that he should not rashly cast from him so great a Iewell of Religious vocation which now he had vndertakē least otherwise himselfe also might perhaps afterwards come to be reiected of God and withall she instructed him how he should dayly offer to her another garlād more odoriferous and gratefull cōposed of the fixty three Aue Maries seauen Pater Nosters in memory of the seauen Ioyes which she tenderly and entirly felt 1. In the Conception of her Blessed Sonne 2. When she carryed him in her wombe and visited S. Elizabeth 3. In his birth 4. In the Adoration of the three Kings 5. In her finding him in the Temple 6. In his Resurrection 7. When she was assumpted into heauen So that euery ioy correspondeth to euery Decade and the seauenth to the three last Salutations This good Religious mā obeyed the admonition wholsome counsell of the B. Virgin and from thence forth began to recite dayly the Corone after that methode and manner A long tyme after notwithout a great miracle the B. Virgin appeared agayne vnto him being in daunger of his life no lesse powerfull benigne a Guardian then before she had beene a prudent and wise Mistresse towardes her seruant For on a tyme as he trauayled by Obedience with his cōpanion through a wood which was much haunted with theeues reciting the Rosary meditating vpon of the foresayd Mysteries the theeues espied him togeather with a most beautiful Virgin who at euery Angelicall Salutation gathered from his mouth as he spake a Rose and with a threed of gold fastened the same to a circle in manner of a Crowne When he had ended his beades and the B. Virgin departed forthwith the theeues came rushing with great violence vpon the Religious mā inquiring of him from whēce that Virgin came and whither she was gone He denyed to haue seene any as also his companion did the like at which the theeues were enraged and ready to kill them In the meane space they both with very great earnestnes inward feruour cryed vpon our B. Lady O Mother of God ayd and succour vs. And behold the B. Virgin presently appeared with a glorious company of Angels adornd with that same garland and first rebuking the theeues turned to the Angels and with a cheerfull countenance said Lo with what a beautifull Crowne thi◠Brother hath adorned me and foothwith vanished away Leauing the mynds of the beholders in great astonishment at this incredible motiue and aspect which so moued the theeues to the true vnderstanding of themselues serious conuersion of their liues that they entred into religion became deuout seruants of the B. Virgin The same also that this religious mā now spoke of did accomplish was no lesse deuoutly performed by S. Thomas of Canterbury who was accustomed dayly to call to mynd the seauen ioyes wherwith our B. Lady was replenished lyuing vpon earth in the pious remembrance whereof he tooke great contentement and sweetnes Wherefore the Virgin Mother hauing a desire to transfer his deuotion to more sublyme ioyes appeared and spake vnto him in this manner Why O my beloued Thomas doest thou meditate only vpon those ioyes that I had on earth cal to mynd also those which I now enioy in heauen which are these 1. I reioyce that aboue all pure Creatures I am placed next in honour vnto the most Blessed Trinity 2. I reioyce for the garland of my vnspotted Virginity whereby I far excell all the orders of Angells Saints 3. I reioyce that euen as the Day is replenished with light from the Sun so the whole Heauēly Court more abundantly shyning by my beatitude is replenished with ioy 4. I reioyce that all the Cittizens of that Court do obey and reuerence me the Mother of their King 5. I recoice because
Jnuiolata take for your companion S. Joseph who was the Spouse of the Bles Virgin and Foster-father to our Sauiour On Friday imagine your selfe full of sores almost wounded vnto death going to your most mercifull Surgeon the Mother of our Redeemer who on this day with the effusion of his owne pretious blood made a salue for our sins Recite the Hymne Stabat Mater dolorosa and choose S. Francis your companion who hauing vndertaken in the house of the B. Virgin by her authority patronage that holy Institute of Pouerty abnegation of himselfe did by her assistance so constantly perseuere therein arryuing to the top of such perfection that he was as it were transformed into our Sauiour crucified bearing the markes of his most sacred woūdes in his body On Saturday imagin your selfe as a Sonne dearly beloued notwithstāding you haue often degenerated run astray going to honour your most louyng mother Say the Hymne Aue maris stella and let your companion be S. Iohn the Euangelist whome our Sauiour hanging on the Crosse gaue to our Blessed lady for her Sonne to whome also he gaue the Blessed Virgin for his Mother When you shall come to the Church or Chappel of our B. Lady HAuing made a low Reuerence to the Image of our B. Lady recyte on your knees the Letanies of Loreto and also three Aues after the first recyte this prayer O most Blessed Virgin I humbly beseech you since God the Father by his Omnipotency hath made you most powerfull that you will be pleased to be present with me in the houre of my death and to expell all the temptations and assaults of my mortall aduersaries After the second Aue say O Holy Mother of God since your sacred Sonne hath endewed you with such knowledg clarity that with your splēdour the brightnes of Heauen is augmented enlighten I humbly beseech you my soule in the houre of my death and confirme it with the true knowledge of Fayth that it be not darkened with any mist of errour or ignorance After the third Aue say O most sacred Queene of Heauen as the Holy Ghost hath infused all abundance of loue into you so you at my death distill into my soule the sweetnes of diuine loue by which all bitternes may be made most sweet all heauines ioyfull vnto me This māner of recyting the Aue did B. our Lady teach vnto Saint Maude promising that if shee dayly obserued it she would be present with her at the houre of her death In your returne from the Chappell REcyte the Magnificat Te Deum or some part of your Rosary in thankes giuing to our B. Lady for the gift of deuotion vsing almost the same considerations that you did in your going thither The Second manner of visiting the Churches or Chappels of our Lady As you goe FIrst implore the ayde assistāce of the same cōpanions which were designed for euery day in the precedent Paragraphe Secondly consider some iorney vndertaken by our B. Lady whilest she liued on earth thē adioyning your selfe vnto her for cōpanion endeauour to imitate her modesty deuotiō the like vertues expressed in that mystery which that you may the better performe craue the help of that sacred Queene by recyting the Letanies of Loreto Euery day choose these iourneyes according to the order prescribed On Munday thinke how the Blessed Virgin went to visite her cosen S. Elizabeth On Tewsday cōsider her iourney to Bethleem where she brought forth the Sauiour of the world On Wednesday thinke how she wēt to the Temple of Hierusalem eyther when she presented her litle Sonne IESVS to his Eternal Father or when being lost for the space of three dayes she found him againe with incredible ioy On Thursday suppose her going to Christ our Lord during those three last yeares which he bestowed in preaching the Ghospell On Fryday imagine how she followed our Sauiour carrying his Crosse to Mōte Caluary On Saturday ponder how after his Ascension she went to visite the holy places On Sunday behould her gloriously assumpted into Heauen In the Chappell YOu shal say your Beades after the manner prescribed in the fourth Bed and 2.3 and 4. Chapters In your Returne IMagine the Blessed Virgin returning from those places whither you accōpanied her going namely on munday returning from the house of S. Elizabeth on Tewsday from Bethlem into Hierusalem and from thence into Nazareth c. But on Sunday you are to haue a most pleasant and delectable tast of the most sweet loue and Motherly care with which she imbraceth her Seruants and Clientes In the meane tyme whilst you meditate these thinges in your mynd recyte these fiue Ant-hymns in the honour of the name Maria the Magnificat Aue Regina celorum Regina celi Inuiolata Aue Maris stella Many haue obtained great fauours benefits at the hands of our Blessed Lady by this kind of pilgrimage visiting not of curiosity but of zeale and feruent desire of her honour places eyther dedicated vnto her or els famous for some Image of hers Among the rest S. Bernardine being a young man was accustomed to goe dayly to the gate of the Citty of Sienna called Camulia there before the Image of our Blessed Lady seuerently and humbly to bend his knes and to salute the Mother of God his beloued spouse and friend as he was wont to call her Afterwardes this fragrant flower being transplanted from amidst the brambles of the world into a pleasant garden of Religion so burned with heate of deuotion vnto the same Bles Lady which by diuers hūble obsequies he declared that one day the Blessed Virgin visibly represented her selfe vnto him as he was reciting her Beades and with a great affability thus spake vnto him O Bernardine my deuout seruant I haue bin much delighted with thy piety for reward of which I haue obtained of my sonne for thee the gift of preaching and working of miracles and assure thy selfe that at last with me thou shalt be made partaker in heauen of the eternall happines Pebl in Stell l. 2. p. 2. art 3. After which time S. Bernardine became most famous for the gift of preaching and working of miracles with diuers other rare gifts bestowed on him by the B. Virgin CHAP. VI. The sixth Exercise of Reuerence towards the B. Virgin is to honour all that doth any way belong vnto her WE ought not only to reuerence her Name her Image and places dedicated vnto her but also in particular all thinges which any way do appertaine vnto her as her Rosary her Office or Psalter or litle books in which are contained eyther prayers miracles praises due vnto her or the Acts and Vertues of her Blessed life and to be cōmended to all posterity Also any thing dedicated to her as oblations or Offerings or any Monument erected or set vp in her honour Lastly her Parents Kinsfolkes and all those that are particularly deuoted vnto her are
myne and the diuine Maiestyes highest Will is one and the selfe same and whatsoeuer shal be pleasing to me my Sonne will a slent thereunto with most ready and gracious fauour 6. I reioyce for the infinite grace wherwith I was enriched on earth and for that also a reward in Heauen is giuen by my Sonne to all those who serue me heere on earth 7. I reioyce that not only my glory shall neuer diminish but shall continually be increased without euer ceasing to the worlds end and so continue for all eternity When the B. Virgin had vouchsafed to lay al this open before the eyes of her beloued seruant she vanished away bidding him farewel And he by these diuine admonitiōs documents became much more feruent and deuout towardes so powerfull a Mother That is also worthy of memory which the same Author addeth thereby to styr vp an assured Confidence towards our B. Lady in the harts of men Neyther is it sayth the Author to be omitted that often tymes the Mother of God appeared to this her faythfull seruant and with so great bounty shewed her selfe familiar vnto him that as often as he had any great affaire to manage so oftē would the most pious Virgin offer vp the same to her Sonne Iesus vntill she obtayned his petition and finally brought vnto him the palme of a most glorious Martirdome which he cōstantly offered for the defēce of his church flocke in the yeare of Christ 1171. CHAP. V. Of the Office of our B. Lady IF your busines will permit you may dayly or at least vpon Sundayes Holy dayes say the Office of the B. Virgin and so doing you shall performe a thing most gratefull vnto her S. Charles Borromeus had the reuiewing thereof brought it to that forme which is now approued enriched with Indulgences by the Sea Apostolicke the which he himselfe was accustomed daily to say vpon knees In eius vita It is anciently recounted of the first Fathers of the holy Order of Carthusiās who in absence of S. Bruno suffering great pressures anxiety of mynd were very much comforted encouraged by S. Peter the Apostle who promised vnto them the B. Virgins ayde assistance if they would dayly recite her Office in her honour By which vision being filled with great ioy and gladnes they made choyce of our B. Lady for the Patronesse of their Order reciting daily her Office in her Honour forthwith by her assistance were freed from all trouble and griefe of mynd It is also a thing very famous which Cardinall Baronius doth recoūt to haue happened in the yeare 1159. as touching the Monastery of Gamugi in Italy the Religious where of when they had intermitted their pious custome of reciting the office of our Lady began to be so afflicted with calamities and incursions of the Band its and Outlawes that they were induced by Petrus Damianus a holy man great louer of the B. Virgin to resume agayne their accustomed manner of reciting her Office whereto when they had al agreed did fulfull the same they were by the Bles Virgins patronage deliuered from their troubles and clearly vnderstood how powerfull the same Virgin is ready to assist all that do implore her ayde And that you may recite the sayd Office with greater deuotion and benefit these few thinges you are carefully to practise First recollect your selfe a little before the saying of euery Houre as hath beene sayd touching the Rosary next in saying thereof being myndfull of the threefold attention there also explicated you must attēd vnto the distinct pronunciation of the words sense therof imbracing the same affections that the Psalmes Hymnes theselues containe And you may assigne to euery Houre some Mystery or other which was done about that tyme to contemplate on For example at the Martins and Laudes for which the night time is appointed by the Church you may cal to mynd the Natiuity of Christ or else his captiuity and apprehension which was most sharp vnto him all the whole night long both in the house of Annas and Cayphas At the Prime you may cōsider his conuenting and accusation before Pilate and Herod or his Resurrection Apparition to the B. Virgin his Mother At the third his Scourging and Crowning with thornes which perchance the B. Virgin herselfe beheld or else the sending downe of the Holy Ghost vpon the sayd B. Virgin and the Apostles At the sixt his carrying of his Crosse crucifying vpon Mōt Caluary At the ninth his words vttered vpon the Crosse and his death theron At Euensong his taking downe frō the Crosse And at Compline his buryall and the sorrowfull mourning of the B. Virgin CHAP. VI. Of the Psalter of our B. Lady Letanyes and Office of her Immaculate Conception THe Psalter of our Lady composed by S. Bonauenture a most deuout and singular louer of the Bles Virgin is all replenished with allurements of deuotion towards the same glorious Queene Neyther is there any other manner of saying the same then hath bene said touching the former office Thomas Cantipratensis recordeth how a yoūg maide of seauē yeares old earnestly demaunding of our Lady a booke of her Psalter obtayned it and withall the manner how to say the same lib. 1. Apum c. 23. p. 2. 3. The Letanies of our B. Lady you may recite with a twofold sense and affection First that by rehearsing so many Epithetes high Prayses you endeauour to declare the Excellency of the B. Virgin to be so great as that you cannot sufficiently explycate the same by one or more titles only nor yet euen by infinite Secondly that by repeating those Elogies or prayses as though they were different and most efficacious motiues you shal induce the B. Virgin to giue you a fauourable hearing But as these Letanies do stir vp great deuotion towards the B. Virgin so not without great profit cōmodity are they vsed by Christians aswell in things appertayning to the soule as the body Wherefore that godly custome amōgst many familyes euen of secular persons is greatly to be commended in calling togeather at night those of the houshold to heare the Letanyes daily read in honour of the B. Virgin Also the renowned piety of certaine persons towards our Bles Lady hath greatly appeared of late who haue erected a Confraternity among themselues that for obtayning a happy death by our Ladies intercession euery one for himselfe and for his Companiōs in this spirituall negotiation do euery day recite her Letanyes adding thereunto the Collect or Prayer of S. Ioseph her holy Spouse The little Office of her immaculate Conception is short very fit to mooue most sweet affections in the harts of those that dayly say it And truly how gratefull the recitall thereof is to our B. Lady she herselfe did sufficiently declare to Alphonsus Rodriquez Coadiutor of the Society of IESVS famous for miracles both aliue and dead to whom she appeared as
expounding the mysteries thereof vnto you as once she did to a certayne deuout Priest who being often tempted to doubt of the Reall Presence of the Body of our Lord in the Sacramēt of the Altar one Saturday as he was saying Masse perceaued the sacred Host to be suddainly vanished away whereat being much amazed whilest he looked about the Altar to find it he beheld our Blessed Lady standing neere him holding her little I ESVS in her armes who spake thus vnto him Behould him whō I brought forth of my chast wombe whom thou hast consecrated handled and eleuated I deliuer this my sonne vnto thee take him finish thy Masse The priest receaued the heauenly Infant laying him downe vpon the Corporall when he came to that place of the Masse where he was to deuide the holy Host the child sodainly vanished away and the Host remayned in place therof as before Wherupō the cloudes of his misbeliefe being wholy dispersed he euer after inioyed great peace and tranquility of mynd Pelbart in pomer B. Vigin lib. 12. p. vlt. § 1. Oh that you could in hearing of Masse but once heare the B. Virgin saying vnto you Behold this or that is now presented or signified Or that at the eleuation she would say Behould now my B. Sonne whome I bare in my most chast wombe heere offered vp in this vnbloudly sacrifice Or in tyme of Communion you did imagine her putting her most beloued sonne into your armes as she did once to old Simeon to the Sheephards to the three Kings and others CHAP. IX Of the Imitation of the B. Virgin in receauing the Blessed Sacrament THe most feruent Piety of the B. Virgin and her vnspeakable propensiō vnto things diuine together with the deuout custome of Christians in those primitiue times do manifestly proue that whiles she remayned on Earth after the Ascensiō of our Sauiour she did dayly receaue the Blessed Sacrament of the Aultar Whosoeuer therfor desyreth to imitae our B. Ladyes most holy Example in often frequenting the Holy Communion yet by the speciall direction of his Ghostly Father let him haue a speciall care of that due preparation purity humility charity and other Vertues which she dayly practised diligently obserued And first of all let it be your chiefest care to make that consideration very familiar vnto you especially the day before you are to communicate or els the same morning which F. Robert Southwell of the Society of Ieus famous for his constant suffering for the Catholique Cause in England did dayly vse with great gust of mynd and no lesse fruite of Spirit and which he hath left written with his owne hād in these words If sayth he the B. Virgin were to beare Christ agayne in her wōbe or receaue him in the holy Communion and knew the houre and moment in which he were to come with what preparatiō wold she dispose herselfe What continuall actes of loue do you thinke would she make How carefully wold she prepare the chamber of her heart to receaue him with how many tears with what sighs with what ardēt prayers would she expect that day and houre And when she knew the tyme to be at hād how humbly how deuoutly how reuerently would she prepare herselfe for the entertayning of him She would no doubt spēd that tyme wholy in the contemplation of God and consideration his infinite Goodnes Loue Mercy and Maiesty in such manner that euen enflamed with the fire of Charity she would now become more diuine then humane for getting all earthly things would euen be rauished amōgst the Celestiall Quires of Angels togeather with him whome she prepareth to receaue So wryteth Fa. Southwell concerning a more remote preparation But now in the tyme of that Masse wherat you are to receaue you must dispose your selfe in another manner by styrring vp in your selfe actes of Fayth Humility Confusion and Sorrow for your sinnes with these or the like short Aspirations O how feruēt how intent were those actes of Fayth which the B Virgin stirred vp in her self when she was to communicate They were euen as great as that which she exercised in belieuing the Angell Gabriell announcing the so admirable and incomprehensible Natiuity and Conception of the Sonne of God! Or as that wherewith she belieued and adored him as true God most wise most Powerfull most Holy of an infinite Maiesty Perfection and Glory euen when she saw him hanging naked on the Crosse exposed to iniuries and scornes of men and last of all dying an infamous death With this light of Fayth how profundly did she enter into herselfe and how lowly did she humble herselfe before the diuine Maiesty she I say who being elected the Mother of God yet reputed and called herselfe his Handmayd and who among the Apostles and disciples when they were gathered togeather expecting the cōming of the Holy Ghost had placed herselfe in the lowest ranke among them Do you striue to imitate as neer as you can this humility fayth of the B. Virgin and falling downe before the most B. Sacrament acknow ledge your owne vnworthinesse confessing your sins detesting them from the bottome of your hart begging earnestly of the most pure Virgin who prepared a most decent place to receaue our Sauiour comming into the world that she would offer you vp vnto her Bl. sonne cleansed and purged from all sinne and render you gracious in his sight You must also exercise acts of Hope and Confidence in the mercy of God and stir vp in your selfe an carnest desire of receauing Christ in the same manner in imitation of the B. Virgin Who can imagine how she did erect her selfe vp towards God that so she might be made a most worthy habitation to receaue his B. sonne hauing first tasted of the diuine Mercy perceaued her selfe to be inuited vnto this most holy Sacrament and disposed therto by celestiall guifts and vertues Or who can once conceyue her earnest and fixed desire of receauing Christ which was with out doubt no lesse then that with which more earnestly then any of the Patriarkes she expected his comming into the world Or that wherewith she sought him with so great solicitude the three dayes he was lost in the Temple Or els that wherewith for the 3. dayes after his death like the mourning Turtle she sighed after his Resurrection Imitate the most B. Virgin in exercising the like acts of Hope Confidence and Desire of receauing so bountiful a guest by whom so many benefits do accrew vnto thee Desire of her that she would intreat thou maist be drawne after him by the odour of those celestiall perfumes of his and that he would adorne thy soule with all decent ornaments of vertue S. Gertrude doth recount of her selfe how that she was admonished by the B. Virgin to repeat three tymes ouer the 116. Psalme Laudate Dominum omnes gentes in her honour as often as she did communicate therby to prepare herselfe more
daunger of her owne life The Sonne hunge vpoÌ„ the Crosse and the Mother of fred herselfe vnto the persecutors wherby she became more then a Martyr and is therfore commonly called the Queen of Martyrs l. de insâ—t virg But how many how solide arguments of patieÌ„ce did the B. Virgin suggest vnto S. Lidwyne a most deuout seruant of hers whilst she lay grieuously sicke for many yeares may easily appeare in that she often sent vnto her an Angell to recreate and coÌ„fort her with his presence in the midst of her dolours afflictions This Angell would often carry S. Lidwyne to an Image of the B. Virgin to salute the same often also to a most pleasant GardeÌ„ of flowers and into a most sweet and temperate ayre where she suffered neyther heate nor cold Somtimes also would he carry her to see the paynes in Purgatory that she might learne to set light by what she suffered heere on earth At other times would he rayse her vp to behold the Blessed Soules in heauen froÌ„ whence she receaued such aboundant pleasure delight that she was euen rauished with the sight therof And the Blessed Saintes did call vnto her animate her in these words Suffer constantly Lidwyne that which yet remayneth for thee to suffer for we all haue passed through fyer and water before we came to inioy this rest happines as you see Jn eius vita Do you likwise imagine that you heare the B. Virgin animating you with like wordes to suffer couragiously whensoeuer occasion is offered To this may be added the example of Hermanus surnamed CoÌ„tractus or the Cripple borne of a noble Family in Sueueland so called for that all his members were from his youth shrunke vp contracted This man led a Religious life famous for learning in the holy Order of S. Benedict about the yeare of Christ 1060. And praying once vnto the Bles Virgin most earnestly to graunt him the vse of all his lymmes she appeared vnto him and gaue him his choyce of thes two things eyther to remayne as he was haue the guift of al humayne diuine science learning or els to be made whole altogether ignorant vnlearned But he considering well the matter chose to remaine a cripple as he was Tritem de viris illustr lib. 2. c. 84. No doubt but the Blessed Virgin persuaded this singular exaÌ„ple of patience vnto Hermanus to giue vs to vnderstand that whosoeuer will please the Blessed Virgin according to her example must patiently imbrace all troubles and afflictions But to returne vnto our story From that time forwards Hermanus did so excell in all kind of Learing both in the Latin Greeke Arabicke touÌ„ge as he was inferior to none of his age And among many other things he set forth the Ant-hymne of Salue Regina vsually sunge by theÌ„ Church in her Office and often celebrated by Angelicall musicke and many miracles Of the Obedience of the B. Virgin LAstly Obedience the Daughter of Humility was most excellent rare in the B. Virgin the which Gerson doth coÌ„firme wheÌ„ he sayth That she standing by the Crosse exercised a most highe Act of Obedience in offering her Sonne vnto God and in conforming her will in his most bitter death vnto the will of God She was most obedient vnto all but especially vnto her Parents as saith S. Metchtild of whom she was so obseruant that she neuer offended them in any the least thing The Vertue of her imitation in this so excellent maÌ„ner she commended vnto S. Catharine daughter to S. Brigit who liuing at Rome with her Mother did so greatly desire to returne to her Country of Sueuia againe that her Mother could by no means perswade her froÌ„ the same WherupoÌ„ the B. Virgin appearing did sharply reprehend her saying Shall I help or fauour thee in any thing when thou neyther obeyest God nor me nor thy Mother nor thy Confessor After this admonition S. Catherine began to desist was euer after of a most ready and prompt obedience Sur. in eius vita The great propension readines of Fa. Peter Canisius of the Society of IESVS late Apostle of Germany to honour the B. Virgin is well knowne vnto all and himselfe hath declared in the end of his fifth Booke writteÌ„ of her prayses The which our B. Lady did as greatly abundantly reward by bestowing on him the Vertue of Obedience to his Superiours with such true feeling and impression of hart as he was ready to vndergo any Office or ministery of the Society though neuer so meane or humble without respect or care of himselfe but reposing all his comfort confidence in God and his B. Mother These be his owne words I desire you earnestly O most glorious Queene whome none do call vpon without pious fruite that you would fauourably accept this poore testimony of my deuotion towards you I confesse I am not Ephrem that I would dare to say with him Make me worthy to praise you o holy Virgin Neither am I Damascen that I should make new hymnes vnto your honour Nor am I Hildephonsus that I should be honoured with a peculiar reward for vndertaking your defence But I shall thinke my selfe fully and highly rewarded if you would be pleased to enrole me not in the number of your friends or children but of your seruants and vassals Thus he of his deuotion towards the B. Virgin Heare now what a true feeling of Obedience she therefore in recompence bestowed vpon him For he thus answered S. Jgnatius commending Obedience vnto all those of his Society to him in particuler I do simply professe that it will be most gratefull vnto me whatsoeuer office or ministery shal be inioyned me by holy ObedieÌ„ce be it of Cooke Gardener Porter or any other office in which I am ignorant wholy to learne And froÌ„ this day forwards I do make a holy vow setting aside all respect whatsoeuer that I will haue no care heerafter either of the disposall of my selfe for Mission or habitation or any other commodity whatsoeuer but remit all vnto the Care and disposition of our Reuerend Father Generall to whome I offer vp faithfully commend in Christ Iesus our Lord the gouernement both of my body soule my vnderstaÌ„ding my wil and all that I haue OrlaÌ„d hist. l. 8. n. 4. Do you by these examples implore the ayde of the B. Virgin that you may be obedient in so excellent a degree imagining you heare her often say vnto you as she did to those seruants of the wedding feast in Cana of Galiley Whatsoeuer he shall say vnto you that do CHAP. XVII The Imitation of the B. Virgin in Charity towards our Neighbours SAint Bonauenture speaking of the Almes which the B. Virgin was wont to bestow vpon the poore when she was yet a Child sayth She refreshed her body with the foode she receaued from the hand of her Angell gaue all that was allowed
her by the Priests of the Temple vnto the poore medit c. 13. Saint Ignatius also sayth she was very pittifull towards the poore and afflicted being always ready to help theyr necessityes in Canis l. 1. c. 13. From heÌ„ce may we imagine that she distributed all the offerings of the three Kings vnto the poore as also assisted towards the poore wedding in Cana of Galiley And how pleasing the giuing of Almes is vnto the B. Virgin may appeare out the life of S. Lydwyne before mentioned who by order of the B. Virgin was once conducted by an Angel into Paradise where she saw as it were an army of Saints in the midest of whom was the B. Virgin herselfe sitting at a Table richly couered with silke feeding vpon the Almes which S. Lidwyne had giuen vnto the poore in Earthen vessels but now set forth in dishes of gold and christall with admirable ioy and content Vpon whome herselfe also did seeme ioifully to wayte administer all things fitting After this vision she alwayes increased her liberality and almes vnto the poore Jn eius vita What should I say of the zeale of soules wherewith the B. Virgin did so burne whilst she liued on Earth She became all vnto all that she might gayne all perfectly knowing the end of the Law consumatioÌ„ therof to be only charity Wherfore as witnesseth S. Brigit she was the Mistresse of the Apostles Example of Martyrs Doctresse of Confessours Mirrour of Virgins Comfortresse of Widdowes wholsome admonshier of the marryed perfect strengthner of al in the Catholike faith by whose words works examples studies and honest labours many Iewes Ethnicks haue byn conuerted to the faith of Christ Neyther doth she now since her assumption into heauen cease continually to seeke the saluation of soules by all meanes possible She it is who seÌ„t ayde vnto S. Bernard S. Dominicke and S. Francis and to those of their Orders labouring in the world for the conuersion of soules She it is who hath led forth Ignatius Xauerius Barzeus and others into the lists field to fight the combats of Christ Iesus Whosoeuer therfore thou art that labourest in the conuersioÌ„ of soules remember that thou offer vp seriously commend thy functioÌ„ vnto this Glorious Virgin giue her thanks for all the fruite which thou already hast or shalt reap eyther by thy owne or by others labour in the Vineyard of our Lord. CHAP. XVIII The Imitation of the B. Virgin in the Loue of God WHatsoeuer hath bin hitherto said of the Excellency of the B. Virgins Sanctity is to be ascribed vnto her Loue of God wherof she was full and by which she was led vnto all the rest at the first Motion thereof Of this so great flame of her loue Sophronius thus writeth The loue of Christ saith he did beget the desire of his Mother the desire so increased enkindled within her being still repayred and augmented with fresh fewell that I belieue as at al times she surpassed all others so at sometymes she euen exceeded herselfe For who caÌ„ euer imagine with what vnquenchable flames of pious loue she burned who was so full of grace infused by the holy Ghost that there was nothing in her to violate her affection but a continual ardour rauishment of loue sermone de Assumpt Whosoeuer thou art that seekest after this most faire and odoriferous flower of Diuine Loue whoseouer thou art that with S. Augustin or S. Bonauenture desirest to haue the inermost bowells of thy soule pierced through with the most sweet and healthfull wound of the diuine loue or with S. Francis to haue thy mynd wholy absorpt and consumed in the fornace of the loue of God that thou mightst eueÌ„ dye for him who for thy loue was pleased to giue vp his life vpon the Crosse approach neere vnto the B. Virgin first contemplate her vertues and perfections froÌ„ which after thou shalt haue admired them as incomprehensible and innumerable thou mayst passe to the consideration of the fountaine of al these guifts graces to wit God himself in coÌ„parison of whom all the excellencyes perfections of the Bl. Virgin all her beauty sanctity yea and the whole masse of all her graces heaped togeather will seeme but as a droppe deriued from that Ocean of Goodnes Loue which is in him Who with this consideratioÌ„ doth not burne wholly consume with the Loue of God Who now will not cry out with S. Augustin Oh what is it that I loue louing my God! This contemplation you must accompany with feruent praiers vnto the B. Virgin that she wil imprint in your heart the inuiolable affection of this Charity O how readily how easily will she heare your petition comming from a heart sincere and pure To which end she gaue once vnto a certaine Virgin who had long desired that high fauour of her her litle Blessed soÌ„ne into her armes of whome Iesus demaunding whether she loued him or no She answered him yea euen more then her owne body He asked her how much more she sayd more then her heart He asked her agayne how much more theÌ„ her heart Wherunto the Virgin answered Let my heart answere for it selfe for I haue no more to say at which words it presently burst asuÌ„der with the vehemency of Loue wherin were written these words in golden letters I loue thee more then my selfe since thou hast created redeemed and espoused me Spec. exemp d. 9. ex 74 O sweet Eclypse of a louing soule O liuely Loue of God which by taking away this mortal doth lead vs vnto an immortal life O profitable Loue seruice of the Bl. Virg. which doth beget in our soules the Loue honour of Almighty God by so happy and blessed a death For so shall the louers of the B. Virgin dye who ready to depart out of this life drawing towards their last end laÌ„guishing more with the loue of God then the force of sicknes shal aspyre vnto the celestiall kingdome desire to be dissolued and be with Christ and turning vnto the B. Virgin shall in most humble manner implore her ayde assistance saying O B. Mary help me and protect me from myne enemyes and receaue me now in the houre of my death There needs no more to be said for one only sigh one only teare of such as are truly deuoted vnto the B. Virgin in their necessity affliction doth beyond all imagination so stir vp her motherly pitty coÌ„miseratioÌ„ that she preseÌ„tly is ready to assist them saying I am heere ready to help you be confident A worldly Mother may neglect her owne child a dying she may be absent or not care for his last imbracement but I cannot be vnmindful of you neyther will I euer forsake you And this is certayne For whilst they be prepared with their Viaticum for their last iourny armed with the shield of Extreme Vnction this most louing Mother sits by theÌ„ comforts them strengthens them and euen warmes theÌ„ in her owne most sacred bosome intreating her Blessed sonne to be propitious vnto them and imbrace theÌ„ and so ioyneth their harts vnto the hart of Iesus while the Angels sing and triuÌ„ph themselues intone that heauenly Canticle of Loue and Iubilation with old Simeon Let thy seruant now O Lord depart in peace according to thy word c. and in the middst of these celestiall ioyes do they securely giue vp their soules into the hands of God the B. Virgin to be crowned for all Eternity And as the Patriarch Noe did passe out of his Arke to wit out of the prison captiuity of his bodyly mansion so soone as the Doue did bring him an Oliue-branch so the B. Virgin bringing that sacred Oliue-branch her deare Sonne Iesus for their coÌ„fort consolation to this their last passage they send forth their soules with all alacrity ioy and Iubilation O death how bitter art thou to one in loue with the deceyt of the world O death how sweet art thou to one in loue with B. Mary the Mother of Mercy O death how fearfull and terrible art thou to one a dying agaynst whome Hell it selfe doth fight O death how secure and quiet art thou to one a dying whome the B. Virgin doth defend What horrour what desperation shal we then conceaue from the remembrance of our sinnes and chieflâ—y of our neglect of not honouring God and his Blessed Mother What ioy on the other side what hope shall we haue when we find that we haue serued her all our life Oh how terrible will it seeme to be when we come to dye among so many enemyes Oh how happy how secure to dye in the armes of the B. Virgin Wherein without doubt all shall dye that liue truly deuoted to her And this Flower to conclude of eternall SaluatioÌ„ doth this Garden of the B. Virgin offer vnto vs not to be gathered heere in this life but afterward in the Kingdome of Heauen FINIS