the Wise man to her and say Behold al yee nations of men and Know that none hath plac't their trust in this soueraine Lady been Cōfounded And could we but see rising from their sepulchers al those who haue been deuoted to her and could Demand of them where euer she had fayld ' them at their need or no Infallibly they would al with one accord say with S. Bernard cōuerting themselues towards her Let him be silent O Bl. Virgin who can say you wer euer wanting to them when they inuoked you in their necessityes We wil add another Example taken out of Scala caeli of a high miraculous straine exemplifying this priuiledge to the life and so conclude it A certaine Matron of excel-cellent endowments and much deuoted to the Queene of heauen sending her sonne to serue a certaine Prince in whose seruice his father had spent his life charg'd him before he went by al the tyes by which Heauen and nature had obliged him to her to be deuout vnto the B. Virgin in al his necessities to implore her ayde and neuer omit dayly at least to say vnto her honour an Aue Maria with that short prayer O B. Virgin bee propitious to me at the houre of death This he faithfully promised and being at Court inuiolably obserued though for the rest Youth easily falling into disorder and the Court being a place most slippery this yong Gentleman frequenting the societies of some deboished ones soone tooke the taint of their societies and became as deboish't as they and as there is no stay in wickednes when one is falling once at last he was so deepely plunged in it as the Prince when no admonition would serue the turne first banish't him his presence then his Court and last of al his territory Impatient for this disgrace and conuerting that was intended for his cure vnto his great maladie what did this desperat youth but associat himselfe with certaine theeues who harbouring in the woods infested al the Prouinces about and was soone chosen their Captain when hauing a more spatious feild to exercise his wickednes in he soone became so ingeniously fierce so wittily cruel as in fiercenes and cruelty he excelled them al sparing no humane creature and no sort of inhumanity But see Heauens instice which comes with the greater force vpon vs the greater turne it makes ear it comes at vs. He raigned some yeares thus in his wickednes til at last it was his fortune to be taken and deliuered vp bound hand and foot to the publick Magistrate by them to prison where the same day he was condemned to die of this hauing secret intelligence strait as if the maske of his wickednes were but then taken off he began to perceaue the vglines of it so as to detest it be wayle and curse his fortune and euen waxe desperat for the greefe and shame it had brought vpon himself and his family When behold while he was in this dispose of minde there entred dungeon a man of mightie stature and horrible aspect who addressing himselfe vnto him Offered if he would be ru'ld by him to free him thence and who are you sayd he almost freed by his promise from the feare of his apparance I am the diuel sayd he sent hither by my Prince to deliuer you obey but his commands at hearing this without any long delay the prisoner as it is ordinary with wicked men to preferr the safety of their bodyes before their soules answered What-so'ere you are you wil oblige me by so great a benefit to what soeuer you demand then first said the diuel you must renounce Iesus Christ his merits and al the principality he hath ouer you I doe sayd he and it suffices to haue found a Prince of your Maister so ready to pleasure me next you must renounce al the Sacraments communion with his Church and that too answered he Then to Mary his mother and al your hope of fauour and assistance from her at this he demurr'd and entring into himself call'd al his thoughts together in consult of what he had promised his Mother what he had performed til then when resolued at last he answered that he would neuer doe farr be it from me sayd he how neere soeuer my life be cōcern'd in it to offer such an affront to my deare Patronesse and so to iniure her who so hath obliged me No rather I offer her my self if she daine to accept it whether she would haue me liue or die to be wholy and absolutly at her dispose Confounded with this his resolution the diuel vanished when he touched vnto the quick with a repentance for his hainous offences against his Lord Sauiour at first began to weep sigh most bitterly then had his recourse to the ordinary refuge of sinners the Mother of God saying vnto her with a sobbing voice a thousand times interrupted by his greefe O most sacred Mother of mercy haue pitty on me miserable sinner and do not quite reiect me from before your sight I aske not of you deliuerāce from my bonds I beg not of you to saue my life for that cōsidering the heinousnes of my crimes were too much for me to aske and you to grant I only hūbly craue you would obtaine for me pardō of my sinns of your B. Sōn and assist me as I haue often petitioned you at the houre of my death in this sorrowful and deuout manner he past al night and the day was no sooner come but he sent for a Confessours and confest him of al his sinnes this done he was led forth to execution the poore soule vpon his way euer calling vpon the Blessed Virgin his Patronesse to assist him at that time of neede On the way it was his chance to passe by a litle Chappel where was erected a statue of our B. Lady which he beholding vehemently cried out sighing in most dolorous māner O thou hope of sinners help me the Image at this aduanc't a litle and in sight of al the people fauourably beckened vnto him with the head which he perceiuing besought the Magistrate he might be suffred to approach vnto it and kisse its feete in thankfulnes for so great a fauour which being graunted him behold iust as he bowed downe to kisse its feete the Image laid hold of him and held his arme so fast as al the force the Officers vsed could not take him thence the people beholding so great a miracle presently al cried out a pardon a pardon deliuered him whether the Magistrate would or no in presence of whom he made the ful relation of al his passed life praysing and glorifying God in his B. Mother for it whence returned into his Countrey he became so reformed a man as he became as remarkable afterwards for goodnes and vertue as he had been before for vice and wickednes From this History we may vnderstand that the Mother of God is neuer wanting to her seruants in their
for these yong louers in the heat of their poursuite the easier to attaine to their desires dissemble their natural inclinations and appeare more mild and gentle then they are but those once attayn'd off goes the maske of their dissimulation and then you shal see how iealous they can be how harsh and crosse in their dispositions how iniurious to you in words and not seldone also in deeds But suppose them of a more temperat humour and more gently inclin'd what priuiledge enioy they by it If you shal giue me leaue I wil tel you what To beare a painful burthen in the wombe nine moneths together to waxe leane and pale with it to be subiect to a thousand languors and disguifts the while if you haue no Children Lord what discontents what repinning at it If you haue with what danger and how often in giuing their life do Mothers loose their owne what care and trouble in their education What feares least al their labours should be lost and death make his haruest of what they had sowne with paine then what disconforts do they bring their parents with their lewdnes and vntowardnes some liuing so as they wish they had neuerben borne others dying so as they wish-they had neuer lived so as both a liue and dead they seeme only borne for their Parents affliction At this Nereus crossing his armes and lifting vpp his eys like one in extasie concluded thus O happy then the state of virginity which exempts vs from al these miseries and vnites the soule that is honored with it to Alm. God O most riche and incomparable treasure whose possession exceeds al esteeme and repaires al losse and O Diuine loue and more then humane fortitude by which a weake woman can subdue the flesh with a generosity aboue the weaknes of her sexe wage warr with the world ouercome her appetites and vanquish the forces both of death and hel itself for which they shal one day enioy a Crowne with which none in heauen shal be honoured but they With these speeches of her deuout seruants but much more with those which heauen spoke to her inward hart the Lady was so moued as she presently consecrated her Virginity to God for whose loue vnto the palme of Virginity she after added that of Martyrdome Now we are to note there are three sorts of Chastitys in the Church by either of which the B. Virgins deuout seruants may become grateful vnto her The first is Matrimonial Chastity when man and wife loyally obserue their Coniugal faith to one another The second is Vidual Chastity when Widowes free from the obseruance of man liue afterwards in perpetual continency this excels in excellēcy the first degree as S. Paul saies speaking of widowes Yet they are more happy so sayes he If you wil Credit me The third is Virginal Chastity more excellent then both the other more perfect and more meritorious and this is when we cōserue our selues in our integrity of body mind dedicating our virginities to Alm. God which oh how grateful how acceptable it is to the B. Virgin who preferrs it before al other oblatiōs Seing then al these three sorts of Chastity are with proportion both good and laudable and with the B. Virgin of pretious esteeme let those that are deuoted to her be they maid widow or wife endeauour in their seueral degrees to present her with this grateful offering to which end they are to resolue to fight manfully for the Enemies that oppugne it are both many and powerful their Arts ful of al ambushes and their endeauours incessāt for the ouercoming of vs so as S. Augustine considering the difficulty of the fight and rarenes of the victory with good reason sayd Amongst al the warrs the Christians had that of Chastity was the most sharpe and pressed vs most where the Combat lasted alwayes and an entire victory was neuer gott attayned vnto and those that naturely ponder it find it true For but consider how few they are that fight it manfully indeed in compare with those who cowardly yeild vnto the Enemy and we may truely saye the diuel gaines by nothing more then this for how many of al ages and conditions of either sexe doth the Enemy precipitate into this vice who for the rest stood firme enough To which purpose S. Augustin hath a feareful saying Excepting Infants saies he this only sinne is the occasion that so few of the rest are saued Who at hearing of this is not astonished conceiues not a pitty of our miserable estate to see how headlong al runne vnto this vice And as for the seruants of the B. Virgin what excuse can they pretend for their excesses herein what wayes they to please her whilst they displease her heere Do they thinke that saying their beads frequently wil do it or their fastings on Saturdayes and the like Alas no they doe but deceiue themselues and the vsurpīg such an honourable title as to be her seruants whilst they are such Doth but more encrease their damnation whilst they abuse that name to the dishonour of Chastity by which ought to be cheefly honoured and while they put on the face of wearing her liuery but weare the badge of her Enemy in their harts Alas how many may we imagine now in hel who were once deuoted to the B. Virgin as wel as we till with a foolish presumption of their saluation they with a deafe eare past ouer her saving and diuine suggestions fel to which if wee desire to be saued indeed we must lend an attentiue eare banishing from our harts al motions of sensuality and entertaining al chast ones in their place or else we leese her fauour and it wil be wo with vs. But aboue al for conseruation of our Chastity it is necessary to flie al occasions and inducements to the contrary for this is such a kinde of victory as is best gained by flight and they that frequently expose themselues to daunger in it are ouercome at last Wherefore let none enter into an ouer-wening of thēselues or their forces for any former victory for they may easily leese in a moment what they haue been in an age a getting and slight occasion may rauish from them that which many difficult ones went to the obtaining of and let no humane or nice respect make them be wanting heer to the care they ought to haue of their chastity for many out of punctillios of honour haue stood so long vpon it till they haue falne and many by daungerous familiarities haue been deceiued Rather let them flie carefully the aspect and haunt of those whose companies may endanger them following the Counsel of our Sauiour in it If thy hand or feet scandalize the cut them off c. or if thine eye pluck it out which counsel some Saints haue followed so neer as S. Bridget in particular not only auoided in her self al occasions of sinning in this particular but to auoid it also in
remained deliuered from his tēptation and rendred infinit thanks to Alm. God for his so miraculous deliuery Let this suffice for a more ample confirmation of the soueraine Puritie of the Queene of heauen Let those then who desire with a due purity of hart to serue this glorious Virgin endeauour withal their forces to imitat her in her admirable purity and Innocencie of life that is to haue a hart vntainted and free from al contagion of sinne especially such as are mortal since as the Angelical Doctour teaches vs The farther that purity is remoued from sinne the purer stil it growes so shal wee haue part in the benediction Blessed are the pure of hart for they shal see God And to come yet neerer to particulars those are pure of hart whose consciences are free from mortal sinne those more pure are likewise free from venial but those most of al who accompany this freedome from sinne with the assidual practise of vertue and this according to S. Christsostom is to be pure of hart S. Hierome defines it to haue a conscience that can accuse vs of no sinne at al such an one as that of our B. Ladyes was who according to S. Bonauenture was so pure from sinne as it was reueal'd to a certaine person as her conscience vnderstood not what it meant O happy and a thousand times happy are such as those whose breast being pure inuested with these white robes of purity do serue in that liuery the soueraigne Queene of heauen for these are truly her seruants these truly her fauorits and such as in the next life she peculiary honours and aduances aboue the rest We reade of S. Lewis Archbishop of Tholouse who issue from the Royal bloud of France and was once a Frier-Minor how he in his life neuer committed mortal sinne this holy Saint dying at the age of 80 yeares a certaine Frier-Minor farr from the place of his death and ignorant of his infirmity had a vision iust at the instant of his departure of innumerable Angels bearing his soule to heauen and singing melodiously on the way So are they rewarded who serue God in purity and chastity of hart and for his chastity and purity we haue the attestation of al that conuersed with him that al his actions and wordes sauoured of nothing else And as vehemently is the B. Virgin displeased with the contrary vice as with this vertue she is pleas'd as witnesseth this following storie recounted by the learned Pelbart A yong Gentleman of a debaushed life exercising some deuotions in the honour of the B. Virgin she one day whilst he inuoked her aide being straied in a wildernes almost famished appeared vnto him accompanied with a glorious train of Virgins bearing in their hands al sorts of delicat meates but serued in so foule and lothsome dishes as although his hunger was most vrgent yet for very loathing he would not eate a bitt which the B. Virgin perceiuing aptly took occasion to reprehend him saying euen such are your deuotions you offer vp to me Good in themselues but coming from one so foule with sinne my heart serues me not to accept of them so she vanished and left him so strucken with this reprehension by the bitter slaine of his former life as for the time to come he wholy amended it Let those then who haue the honour to be stiled the seruants of the B. Virgin that their seruices may be the more acceptable to her endeauour to keepe vp to the highest point of this perfection of purity of hart that is to be so farr from the conscience of any mortal sinne as euen to decline venial as farr as it is possible from the which the farther they are the nigher they approche vnto perfection and the more they increase in grace and holines of life Happy is that soule then which growing dayly perfecter in this purity of hart shal finde a ready way to euery grace and perfection it shal be desirous to obtaine merit to haue Alm. God amply communicat them vnto vs whose property it is to be most bountious of his fauour to the pure to impart himselfe vnto them in a particular manner and enrich them with his diuine Consolations And this Hart of ours being a thing of such perfection each least defect in it appeares to be deformity it being as Bro. Giles was vsed to saye like a bright mirrour which the least breath would sett a blemishon For which reason the Wiseman so earnestly recomends vnto vs the Custody of it Looke Carefully to thy hart sayes he for thy life depends on it And so we see how litle a thing diminishes of its merit and purity an idle or ridiculous word a litle leuity in our actions a friuolous Curiosity a lesse modest regard immoderate laughter or such like which we account of as things light and indifferent Now the better to conserue this purity of hart we must be most careful of our Exteriour senses our eyes eares smell touching tasting c. least the Enemy preuaile himself by them against our selues To expresse the danger of which F. Iacopen of the holy Order of B. Francis hath an apt similitude There was sayes this holy man a Virgin of excellent beauty hauing for her dower a Iewel of inestimable price who had fiue brothers al poore and necessitous the one a Musician the other a Painter the third a Perfumer the fourth a Cooke and the fifth a setter of others chastityes to sake One day the Musician addrest himself vnto her and with an accent as charming as it was pittiful desired her of pitty in his extreme necessity if euer Charity sayd he were deare vnto you or if euer you knew what pitty meant declare it now in your assisting me giue me your Iewel to redeeme me from my wants it is a bould request I grant both in regard of the greatnes of its value and the smalnes of my deseruings but the greater honour wil be yours with soe vn-interessed a Charity to assist a brother in his necessity and the greater wil be my obligation and heer so paus'd a while as if his greefe had stopt the passage of his speech But she remaining Inexorable to his prayers answered him thus My deare brother I would do much for you but satisfie your demand I cannot for the same Charity which obliges me to benefit others first of al obliges me to benefit my selfe what a folly were it in me then by my enriching others to make my self for euer poore you know I haue nothing but it to maintaine my life and to depart with it were to expose my life te extreme necessity Wel answered the Musician then since you wil not giue it me at least sel it me and what wil you giue me for it I wil take my Lute sayd he and sing you two of the newest Ayres at Court at this she laughing ask't him when they were done what remaines for her to liue vpon no no sayd
and may need the wiping away of it As for Mortal sinne by the grace of Alm. God we may preserue our selues vntouched by it as many good Religious do euen to the vttermost period of their dayes but for venial it is impossible nor is there any of Adams descendants that at some time or other haue not falne into it The Apostles themselues although adorn'd with richest sanctity were not exempted from it only the B. Virgin hath had this singular priuiledge aboue the rest as the holy Church conceiues of her in her Office You are all faire O B. Mary and there is no spot in you Now our B. Sauiour for the cleansing vs from the staynes both of venial mortal sinne hath prouided vs of the remedie of the Sacrament of Confession And so S. Bernard sayes Ama Confessionem si affectas decorem Loue Confession as thou louest to be faire meaning that it is the imbellishment of a soule and so certainly there is nothing that more efficaciously purges the soule from vice then to frequent quent this holy Sacrament Al the Sacraments of the Church according as the Councel of Trent defines were instituted by our Sauiour Christ himselfe and had their first origin from his sacred side at what time both blood water came issuing forth and are so many rindets as it were by which his aboundant grace is deriued vnto vs. Let them therefore who frequent them make account especially this of Confession that they haue recourse by it to the ouer flowing fountaine of our Sauiours pretious bloud by vertue of which their soules are wash't and cleansed from the foulnes of their sinnes which the Apostle S. Iohn doth insinnuat where he sayes The bloud of our Sauiour Christ purges vs of our sinnes O how merciful and gratious hath God ben to vs the whilst how excessiue his loue to giue vs so pretious a remedy by which as often as we please we may be purged and cleansed from our sinnes and as often as we are dead in mortal sinne we may be reuiued and raysed to life againe passing from the death of sinne vnto the life of grace from vice to vertue from eternal paine vnto eternal blisse Of al deformities mortal sinne is that which renders a soule most deformed in so much as could we but see à soule in state therof we should euen die for horrour it would be a sight so feareful and hideous whereas no sooner it hath been cleansed by the sacrament of Penance but it produces againe a new beauty for mosity So S. Gregory the great sayes Could we but see a soule made to the resemblance of God euen in puris naturalibus we should admire it to adoration beleeue the Creatours beauty himselfe hardly superiour to it For which reason sayes the learned Tilleman God hath inclosed it in this corps of clay least it beholding it-self should be in danger of that Luciferian pride which was so many Angels perdition And for this cause those ancient Fathers of the Aegyptian deserts in eleuating their mindes to their soules high 〈◊〉 and taking the true altitude of their creatiōs were as it were alienated from themselues In so much as we reade of S. Antony as often as he was called on to pay the debt of nature either in food or sleep or any such corporal necessity he euen blush't for shame that so noble a substance as the soule should be interessed in such base reckonings Now if a reasonable soule be of it-selfe so beautiful what great addition must it needs receiue from the Sacrament of Penance which restoring it to its natiue luster add to it besides that of God Almighties supernatural grace Certainly there is no eloquence in the world can speak it sufficiently no liuing imagination can conceiue the hundreth part of its excellence The Sunne sayes S. Chrisostome with his cleare rayes doth not so illuminat the world as the Grace of Alm. God can do a soule Which that of S. Catharine of Sienna wel declares who hearing a Preacher once discoursing of the excellēcy thereof and how exceedingly it beautifyed a soule conceiued an ardent desire to behold a soule in Grace and aduantaged with al the beauties thereof Ful of this desire she was no sooner departed from the sermon but she hard a voice from heauen saying vnto her Catherine presently thou shalt see the fruite of thy desire and retiring her into her Oratory she there besought God for the performance of his promise and sodainly beheld a person of incredible Maiesty al Circled about with light and shining with clear splendours at the sight of which she was so rapt in admiration and reuerence as she presently prostrated her selfe before its feete with intention to adore it had it not with these words prohibited her Catherine for beare for I am not God as thou imaginest and who then answered the Saint I am sayd it the soule of a certaine Murtherer you prayed for not long since in seeng me ledd to execution who being new cleansed in the fire of Purgatory and going al purified to heauen after I shal haue left you satisfied of your desire by the commandement of Alm. God And after this time the holy Saint had a particular in fight by Alm. God bestowed vpon her of the natures of each soule and she was wont to affirme vnto her Glostly Father that if he sawe but the beauty of a soule she was assured he would spend 1000. 1000. liues for the sauing of one The grace of this holy Sacrament of Penance hath a wondrous vertue not only to purifie the soule confessant from the staines of finne but also to beautify it with good inclinations and from a slaue of sinne and vnapt for good to render it free expedite which we wil declare by an example out of Caesarius There was a learned Diuine say's he exemplar in al vertue called Thomas who approching to his end saw in a corner of his chamber the diuel appearing in a fearful shape to whom he with an vndanted couragc thus spake What art thou there cruel beast sayd he tel me I coniure the what amongst Christians is the thing which afflicts the most but he forbearing to answer him the holy man iterating his admiration in the name of God charged him to speake when at last the diuel thus answered him Know sayd he there is nothing in the Church of God afflicts vs more then the frequenting the Sacrament of Confession seeing when a man is in mortal sinne he is as it were bound hand and foote wholy disabled from doing any good and when he repayres to Confession those bonds are broken and he is restored to liberty againe and so certainly sinnes are nothing else but so many chaines which tye vs as it were vnto the gates of hel and so the Priest in the act of Absolution sayes I absolue thee from thy sinnes and a mighty power the Confessours hath or rather a mighty loue our Sauiour
middest of this foule weather and fowler wayes why answered the father againe it seemes to me I spye a house some quarter of a league hence where perhaps we may be lodged for God Alm s sake I know it wel said the father but it wil be ill coming thither for vs the Maister of it being a wicked man no freind to God nor to his seruants and such an enemie to himself as for these 30. yeares as the report goes he hath neuer been at Confession howsoeuer sayd the Father let vs goe for there is no remedy now and God is neuer wanting to his seruants at such necessitous times as this So they sett on towards the house where being arriued and asking a lodging for God Alm s sake the Mistres of the place moued with compassion to see them in such pitious plight tould them her husband was forth a hunting and for her selfe she was desirous to accommodat them with al her hart but if her husband came to haue notice of it either of them should incurr his greeuous displeasure by it she for receiuing them and they for being receiued but come what would she durst not deny them for God Alm s sake and had rather then fal into his displeasure incurr her husbands by it a thousand times so shee entertained them in a more remote part of the house with the greatest secrecie and charitie she could In the meane time her husband returning from the chace finding al things prepared against his cōming home sate downe to supper where he was plentiously serued whilst the goodnes of his appetite equaled the goodnes of the prouision his wife considering the wants of the poore Religious men in comparison of the plenty which was there could not but expresse some sorrow for it in her countenance which her husband obseruing asked her wherefore she was so sad and she a while excusing her selfe at last he more more importuning her she plainly tould him vpon his promise he would not be offended with it how she had entertayned those poore Religious men in their extreame necessity for God Alm s sake preferring by it the feare of God before the feare of him and how whilst they by the fire side were plentiously feasting it those poore soules pinched with hunger cold were ready to starue to death the cōpassion of whose incommodities with reflexion on their commodities the while made her so sad and sorrowful in her minde and hauing this discouered with teares in her eyes her husband was so moued thereat as he presently arose from the table and commanding they should be fetcht into the roome he himself went out to meete them and welcomed them with such signes of affection as for his owne mother he could not haue expressed more this moued the wonder of al that were present there but much more that which followeth when he seeing their garments hang al frozen stiffe about them and their feete and leggs chapt through the extremity of cold was so moued thereat as he presently seating them by the fire caused a bath of hott water to be brought and he himselfe washed their feete then after he had a while refreshed them there he comanded a chamber next his owne to be prepared for them whither hauing conducted them he addressing himselfe vnto the father sayd My good father resolue me I beseech you in curtesy whether one who hath liued al his life a greeuous sinner and yet hath neuer Confest him his sinns may possibly be saued There is no doubt Sir answered the Religious man but whosoeuer with requisite penance for his sinns satisfies the iustice of Alm. God may arriue at last to his saluation for so God hath sayd At what time soeuer a sinner shal repent him of his sinnes he should liue If it be so replied the Gentleman for Gods sake oblige me so much as to heare my Confession the good father exceeding weary and opprest with sleepe considering it a worke of much time to heare the Confession of such a one as he encouraging him in his good desires desired him to deferr it til morning when he might at better leisure examine his Conscience and consider more maturely of what he was to do but who can assure me answered the Gentleman to liue til the morning but for that as it pleaseth God and so he retired him to his rest meane while the Religious man moued with an extraordinary solicitud of this his new Converts saluation was no sooner at priuacy in his chamber but casting himself vpon his knees he besought Alm. God to dispose al that concerned him for his greater good and thereupon be tooke himself to his bed where in the profoundnes of his sleepe he beheld in vision the Angels and diuels at great debat about the soule of this Gentleman newlly deceased the one challenging it to be theirs the other denying it the diuels alleadging for their side the many and greeuous crimes he had cōmitted in his life the Angels for theirs some slight and few good workes which he had done but with soe litle successe as the Iudge was euen vpon the point of giuing iudgement for his condemnation when his Angel Guardian interposed and sayd I beseech your diuine Maiestie remember what I had almost forgot the charitable entertaiment he gaue to those Religious men but yester-night and I trust it wil more then incite you to pardon him at this the Iudge demurring at last in consideration of this one act of his he gaue sentence for his saluation and so his accusers departed frustrat of their intents Heer the vision vanished and the Religious man starting out of his sleepe called to his Companion saying My brother my brother the Gentleman of this house is dead and which is more is saued and heere he related to him the whole progresse of his vision Hereupon they both rose and calling to them of the house aduertised them of what had happened telling them for certaine that the Maister of the place was dead at this al were wonderfully amazed and his wife the most afflicted woman in the world not so much for his temporal death as his eternal which withgood cause she feared til the Religious assured her that he was saued and that by the same meanes he came to the knowledge of his death by the same he vnderstood of his eternal life So a great part of her sorrow being taken away the rest she bestowed vpon his Obsequies al that either knew his life or death admiring in it the wonderful meroies of Alm. God From this Example let sinners take Instruction to be alwayes charitable to the poore though their sinnes be neuer so many yet neuer to despaire of the sweet goodnes of Alm. God but cheifly let them learne from hence to correspond to the Inspirations of Alm. God and preuayle themselues of the occasions offered them by fauourable heauen for their conuersions eternal good for so did this Gentleman both in wil
intreating the Religious by the Inspirement of Alm. God in conceiuing a firme purpose for the Confessing of his sinnes which nothing but death could hinder the performance of The Continuation of the Fourth Condition which is the frequentation of the Sacrament of the Eucharist AS the seruants of the B. Virgin then to preserue their harts and mindes in purity ought often to Confesse so likewise to increase it in their soules the more to illustrate their mindes vnite their harts more neare to Alm. God ought they to frequent the Sacrament of the Eucharist where God is gloriously ful of al sweetnes imparting of himself no otherwise then he doth vnto the B. soules in heauen And who can imagine the hundreth part of the greatnesses maruailes and superabundant aduantages which accrew to those who receiue this ineffable Sacrament much lesse expresse it in their discourse and wordes for the other Sacramēts conferr grace 't is true to those who worthily participat of them but this is the fountaine of grace from whence it springs which consequently in more plentious manner is communicated heare the others come from God but in this is God himselfe the Authour of al grace and of al the Sacraments and the source of al our good others are meanes to bring vs vnto God but this is the End and brings God vnto vs al the sanctity of the rest only helping to dispose to the sanctity of this With good reason then S. Dionysius the Areopagite stiles it the perfectiue and conseruatiue Sacrament seeing it is the perfection and consummation of al the rest Amongst al the motiues that should incite vs to the frequentation of this B. Sacrament none me thinks should be more efficacious then our B. Ladyes so often frequenting it by which with a zeale incredible she dayly as it were en-wombed her B. Sonne againe according to the great Albert S. Antonine Sotus and the learned Suarez nor can any without strange temerity call it in question who but considers her as she was indeed the light and paterne of those primitiue Times in which the B. Sacrament was so frequented as Saint Luke writes of them They perseuered in the Temple in prayers and the Communion of breaking bread And as for the Apostles ' its certaine they al were Preists and Bishops ordained and established by Iesus Christ and Consequently according to their functions consecrated and receiued the Body of our Lord I haue receiued of our Lord that which I haue giuen you sayes the great Apostle S. Paul of himselfe And S. Andrew answered resolutly to the Proconsul exhorting him to Idolatry I sacrifice dayly to the God omntpotent who is the only true God not the smoke of incense nor the flesh and bloud of beasts but the immaculat Lamb of whose flesh and bloud al the faithful do eate and drink that which was immolated yet remayning entire and aliue S. Albert a deuout seruant of the B. Virgin descends more to particulars and sayes that S. Iohn was her ordinary Preist from whose hands she communicated and receiued the Sacrament that she continued this deuotion al her life and at her death procured to haue ministred vnto her But who can imagine the excessiuenes of her deuotion in receiuing it Since if some Saints were so deuout when they came vnto it as they rauished the beholders in an admiration can we doubt but she surpassed them in it who surpassed them by such infinite degrees in the liuely apprehension and vnderstanding of the thing S. Catherin of Sienna when she would expresse to her Confessarius the ardent desire she had to communicat of this Sacrament would only say she hungred and he vnderstood her meaning strait and hauing receiued it according to her desire she would remaine some fiue or sixe houres afterwards in extasie Our S. Francis did so burne nay euer dye with the desire thereof as those who beheld him in the Act of Communicating were astonished at his feruour in it and none could behould him without hauing the fire of deuotion enkindled in thēselues the while he seemed so inebriated with it and transported with the ioy and so great was his reuerence of it as only it was that which made him abstaine from Preist-hood when once beseeching Alm. God by ardent prayer to declare vnto him what his pleasure was in that particular an Angel appeared vnto him with a violl in his hand ful of pure and christallin liquor saying vnto him Behold Francis those who duely administer the B. Sacrament ought to be as cleane in hart and as free from blemish in their soules as this liquour is from al foulnes impurity With which apparition he was so confirmed in his humility as they could neuer induce him to any further Orders then he had And S. Clare of the same time with him had no lesse deuotion to this Sacrament as it appeares in that shee neuer approched vnto it but with her eyes drowned in teares whilest her hart was burning in deuotion But what wonder that men goe to it with so profound submission and reuerence when euen the Angels diuels adore and reuerence it The B. Brother Stephen as it is recorded in the Chronicles of our Order celebrating Masse one day with great guift and deuotion the Acolothite who assisted him falling a sleep hauing been ouer-watched the night before Two deuout women being present at Masse beheld at the time of Eleuation two Angels in most beautious shapes with torches in their hands performing the Office the while of him that slept and when the Eleuation was done after their most profound reuerences they disappeared This to their great admiration these deuout women obserued But what wonder if the Angels honour and reuerence their eternal King when euen the Diuels themselues euen do it as is manifest in they storye following In Germany there was a certaine Virgin possessed by the Diuel who before this lamentable accident was of rare vertue and singular piety It happened once as she was issuing forth of the Church with diuers others a Preist passed by bearing the B. Sacrament to the sicke when al the people fell on their knees reuerently adoring it except a certaine Iew who was there amongst the rest which this Virgin spying she approached vnto him and striking him sayd thou wicked miscreant why dost thou not adore the Creatour and Lord of al The Iew replyed moued with the indignity of the thing we are obliged to the acknowledgement but of one God a lone and why then would you haue me reuerēce this of which there are as many as there are Hosts consecrated in the world the possessed person hearing this tooke a Siue and holding it before his eies bidd him regard the Sunne and then ask't him how many Suns he sawe whe ther as many as there were beames that came through the siue or only one from whence al those beames were deriued thinke me not so simple sayd the Iew as not to
know there is but one only Sunne more simple thou art then answered she againe to beleeue that we haue more Gods then one though so many Hosts as thou seest euery where deriue themselues from his diuinity and at this the Iew confounded left the place The B. Virgin not only adored this B. Sacrament on earth but now in heauen actually Continues her Adoration which we may confirme by a storye taken out of Vincentius his Mirrour Historial the. 17. booke confirmed by diuers other Authors of worthy credit There was sayes he a Curat of euil life addicted to his pleasures and one who studied more to flay and kil his flock then to feed them It happened in his parish at the same tyme there-fel sicke a riche Gentleman of prime quality and a poore widow of a vertuous life the Vicar choosing rather to visit the Gētleman as one from whom there was some what to be hoped for left the widow without help abandoned and after he had dispatch't with him slightly hearing his Confession and administring the other Sacramēts yet he remained lingering there so long impertiēntly flattering the Gentleman with hope of life though he euen saw death in his Countenance only in hope of some temporal benefitt vntil the widow mindful of her eternal good sent for him being almost in her last Agonie but he sticking fast there in hope of gaine could not be drawne from thence which his Vicar perceiuing moued with compassion alasse Sir sayd he suffer not this poore woman to dye thus destitute of help but at least send me thither if you wil not goe your selfe Goe if you wil sayd he for my part I wil not leaue this Gentleman where there is hope of some what to be gott to visit a begger where there is nothing but misery hereupon the Vicar went with the B. Sacrament for her Viaticum to visit this infirme creature poor indeed of worldly riches but riche in heauenly without which al is pouerty and he was no soener arriued at the doore where the poore soule lay only vpon a litle straw but he beheld the glorious Queene of heauen accompanied with innumerable troopes of Angels and Virgins assisted at her happy departure at the sight of which the Vicar suspēded in his thoughts a while whether he should enter or no at last reflecting from his owne vnworthines on the dignity of him who was in the Sacrament which he brought with him he confidently entred in when the B. Virgin and al her Glorious trayne with humble reuerence adored it and presently vanished away When the good Vicar in extreme consolation approched to the Couch where the poore widow lay and hauing heard her Confession and communicated her the happy soule presently loosened from its mortal bones tooke flight immediatly to heauen In the meane while things succeeded cleane cōtrary at the riche mans house whither the Vicar was no sooner returned but he beheld the Gentlemans bed al incircled in with ougly black spirits with horrible noyse skreekings and roarings affrighting of his soule whilest he cried out in horrible dismay helpe helpe my freinds these wicked spirits are haling me and with their gripes they euen presse me to the hart alasse I am a lost and miserable man and at last whilst the Curat and the rest were labouring in vaine to comfort him his aking soule weary of those momentary and painful gripes issuing out of its body was receiued by those Feinds and carried where was nothing but eternal torments Imagine but what impressions the whilest the concurrancy of these two Visions made in the heart of the good Vicar and how deuoutly afterwards he reuerenced the B. Sacrament hauing seene with what deuotion the B. Virgin did it and al her heauenly traine At least the professed seruants of this B. Virgin ought to make their profitt of this Example and learne from thence to reuerence the B. Sacrament and also to haue the often receiuing of it in highe esteeme not withstanding the friuolous opinions of some who hold it an irreuerence the often frequenting of it not considering that it is stiled our dayly bread that S. Luke and S. Denis the Areopagite affirmes it to haue been the Custome of the Primitiue Christiās to receiue it dayly with incredible Consolation For their better instruction let them heare Saint Ambrose exhorting to the frequent receiuing it The seruants of Alm. God sayes he receiue this bread dayly since dayly thou hast need of it for thy Comfort refreshment and purging thee from thy sinnes And the Angelical Doctour S. Thomas sayes That whosoeuer experienceth an increase of grace and deuotion by their often receiuing it both may and ought to frequent it still and that although it be Commendable sometimes for humility to abstaine from it Yet it is more Commendable out of loue to receiue it often As witnesseth that example of S. Bonauenture who in his yonger yeares at his first entrance into the Order of the Frier-Minors out of the profoundnes of his humility would oftentimes forbeare to cōmunicate vntil hearing Masse one day it pleased Alm. God to send him a particle of the Blessed Host by the hands of Angels to communicate withal by this singular fauour both rewarding his humility and encouraging him to more frequent receiuing it And heere we wil cease all further Discourse of these Conditions requisit in the seruants of the Blessed Virgin and treate of the due reuerence which wee owe to her and first we wil declare the Excellence thereof Heere endeth the first Part. The second Part. Of the Excellency of those Reuerences We are to exhibit in honour of the Queene of Heauen CHAPITRE I. AMONGST al the most noble and excellent seruices appertaining to the diuine honour that Adoration which the Diuines cal Latria and which is only appropriat to God in regard of the infinities of his Maiesty holdes the first ranke and place This adoration according to S. Iohn Damascene consists in an interiour Act by which the Creature testifies his submission vnto his Creatour by some exteriour signe either of vncouering the head bowing the knee inclining the body or the like With this supreme sort of Adoration the three Kings adored the Infant Iesus in his Mothers armes And entring the house sayes S. Mathew they found the Infant with Mary his mother falling on the ground they adored him words which excellētly wel declare the greatnes of this adoration by which the Kings and Monarks of the earth humbly bow the head and knee vnto the King and Monarke of the heauens Now to speake of the adoration proper to the B. Virgin the next degree to that of God himselfe the Diuines distinguish it by the name of Hyperdulia from the rest by which al creatures both in heauen and earth count it as honour to adore the sacred Queene of heauen According to the opinion of some Diuines God had no sooner created the Angels but he let them vnderstand how his B. Sonne
the hand of your holy Angel to your sublime Altar in the fight of your diuine Maiestie c. And as they are assistant to vs during our liues so at our deaths are they much more powerfully defending vs from al the assaults of the Infernal Enemy as testifies B. Aloysius Gonzaga of the Societie of Iesus in that his deuout meditation of our Angel Guardian where hee sayes that our Angel Custos at the time of our death is most diligent in assisting vs against the Enemy preseruing vs cheifly from those two sinnes which are most incident to men in that article of time Infidelity and despaire to the end that making heer a happy end they may repaire with them to heauen vnto their euerlasting habitation And in prosecuting his discourse he sayes that as soone as the soule once is free from the captiuity of the body its Angel presently conducts it to the Tribunal of Alm. God animating and encouraging it on the way to put its cheifest confidence in the merits of the sacred bloud of our Sauiour Christ and if it chance the better to be purified from its sinnes to be adiudged vnto the purging flames he visits it often there comforts it brings it the suffrage and succour of those prayers and merits which are offred for it in the other world and encourages in middest of its suffrances with the hope it can not be long in suffering and in fine when the time is expired he conducts it out and al bright and purified leades it vnto heauen and in the twinkling of an eye presents it vnto Alm God to receaue from him the Crowne of eternal beatitud prepared from al eternitie for those who heer sighe after it in this vale of teares O happy and a thousand tymes happy is that soule which hauing been faithful to its Creator and pliant to his hand to be ledd whither soeuer his least motion carried it in following his good Angel for guide leauing the world ful of the vertue of his example arriues at last vnto that Kingdome of eternal felicity where with God and his Saints it shal for euer raigne But now touching the practise of this particular deuotion to our Angel Guardian first being assured that we are committed to his Regencie and that so noble and excellent a creature as al the eloquence of the world rather diminishes then add to its cōmendations vouchsafes to keep vs perpetuall company and defends vs from al euil with his careful watchings his comfortable aduise we are on our parts to endeauour a requital First by comporting our selues with al deuotion and due respect vnto his presence and next honouring him with al competent honour Let vs then consider if we stood perpetually in the sight of some earthly Prince or Monarke how careful we should be so to compose our outward behauiour as might render vs most grateful in his sight with how much more care and diligence ought we in the presence of our Angel Guardian to comport our selues Heare what S. Bernard sayes in explication of these words For he hath giuen his Angels charge ouer thee to guard thee in al thy wayes c. O mortal man sayes he what reuerence what deuotion and confidence art thou to conceiue in thy breast from these comfortable words of the Royal Prophet reuerence in standing in presence of thy Angel deuotion for his loue of thee confidence for his care Be therefore vigilant neuer to exceed the bonds of thy respect while these holy spirits are alwayes in thy sight by the appointment of Alm. God himselfe attending them thy preseruation in al thy wayes and wheresoeuer thou art either in priuat or publique be alwayes careful neuer to commit that indecency before him which before me thou wouldest not doe Thus S. Bernard in his deuout and pious manner Secondly we are to honour them with these reuerences we haue formerly treated of which may be best performed when into priuat we haue retir'd our selues especially before we retire our selues to rest with a profound inclination we are to say Angele Dei qni Custos es mei c. beseeching him to keep vs in our sleepe from the assalts of the Enemy that euer watches to harme and mischiefe vs so when we awake we are to commend our selues vnto them that day following whatsoeuer busines we are to vndertake that it may sort a wished conclusion and we should do wel often to commend vnto them in some vocal manner a deuout conception of our hart in our occurrant necessityes beseeching them to assist vs in the mannage of this or that particular affaire This deuout custome had one Alexander Luzaqua an Italian Gentleman of a most holy and vertuous life that as often as he saluted any man he mentally intended that reuerence vnto his Angel Guardian whom he saluted and an excellent consideration it was to thinke a celestial spirit more worthy the salutation then an earthly worme Let vs imitate this deuotion and in saluting any say thus in our minds I offer this reuerence to the Angel Guardian that attends vpon him or he whom I salute And most happy it wil be for vs if we do so for by this meanes we shal indeare our selues in the loue and care of those B. spirits who can do more for our real aduancement and good then al the world besides Jn What manner We are to proceed in the exercise of these Adorations Worthily to honour the Mother of Alm. God CHAP. XIII VVE being composed of two parts the superiour inferiour of body and soule by the singular prouidence and goodnes of Alm. God that we might honour him with both both heer and in the world to come a great part of our corporal honour Consists in these fore sayd Adorations which not only the Saints haue practised but euen our B. Sauiour himself we oftē reade how he bowed of whom his knees vnto his eternal father and prostrated on the ground as namely the night preceding his Passion when according to the Euangelist S. Luke He kneeled and fel prostrated on his face And. SS Matthew Marke he prostrated on the ground by which words we may gather how our Sauiour reuerenced his eternal Father in spiritu veritate in spirit and verity with each part both of body and soule Let the deuout Christian then desirous to render honour to the B. Virgin accompany his interiour deuotion of the soule with the exterior of the body first when thou art retired in secret for so when thou wouldst Pray enter into thy chamber sayes the holy Scripture thou art to begin with this Consideration how excellent she is whom thou art to reuerence and the excellency of the reuerence thou exhibit'st to her which the whole Court of heauen take for highest honour to be imployed in And touching the exllency of her thou art to consider her large portion of glorie aboue al the other Saints and represent her to the eies of thy
gratiously regarding vs and taking notice of each particular action pointing vs out to the Angels about her thus such one doth and thus such a one therefore haue a particular care of them to defend them from their enemies and when their soules are free from their mortal prisons be careful to conduct them higher vnto me Which is cōfirmed from this ensuing example recounted by F. Razzi a Dominican in his Hortulus of a certaine Shepheards daughter axceedingly deuoted to the Queen of Heauen in so much as seing her picture in an old ruinous Chappel one day while she was tending her fathers sheepe and much greeuing to see it so neglected she sayd O B. Virgin were it in my power this your Image should be in greater veneration but what it wants in exteriour ornament I desire my interiour deuotion may supply which desire of hers was so grateful to the Queene of Heauen as minding to reward her for it and her innocent life with an euerlasting crowne of glory she sent her first a sicknes the fore-runner of her death and iust as that was ready to approach vnto her Two deuout Religious men the one in vision the other in prayer had eyther of them this reuelation Concerning her they first saw a Procession of Virgins richly habited al shining with glorious light which passing by them another troupe followed them more riche and glorious then the former al clothed in white and lastly a third whose garmētsbeing red in ornament and beauty farr surpassed and out-shined al those that went before in the closing of this last trayne a Queene of incomparable Maiesty appeared infinitly exceeding al that can be imagined of venerable and amiable at the feete of whom those Religious men prostrating themselues desirous of her to be informed who she was she thus answered them I am the Mother of God and al those troupes you see marching before are those who haue conseru'd their virginities al their life time the first troupe not fully resolued of their course of life haue yet died Virgins and receiued the reward thereof the second is of those who haue consecrated their virginities by vow vnto their heauenly Spouse and the last who to the Crowne of virginity haue added the glorious palme of Martyrdome al which are now attending me to a hamlet heere to receiue the departing soule of a poore sheapardesse whom for her deuotion to me in mine Image I meane to place amongst these heauenly Quires and reward her with the glory of an euerlasting Crowne This Reuelation it hapened these two Religious men cōmunicated each to the other when inquiring who this poore Shepardesse should be at last they were directed to a litle cotage where lay this poore yong Girle vpon a padd of straw euen ready to breathe her last When seeing these Religious men entring in Good Fathers sayd she in reward of your charity I would to God I could shew you what a glorious Company is heer awayting to beare my soule to rest hauing sayd this she rendred vp her soule into their hands who willingly receaued it By which example we may see how acceptable to the B. Virgin are our reuerencing her deuoutly in her Images Now to the end the frequent aspect of her Images may excite vs frequently to hononr her I would counsel euery deuout Catholicke to adorne their chambers with some Image of hers or procure rather to haue some portable one which they are neuer to depart withal In imitation of S. Heduing a Dutchesse of Polonia who to honour the glorious Mother of God more frequently would neuer be without her Image in her hand the two first fingers thumbe of whose right hand at the opening of her Tomb some fiue and twenty yeares after her decease were found whole incorrupt al the rest of her body being wasted vnto to bone holding betwixt them an Image of the B. Virgin so fast as neither when she dyed nor then could they take it thence So when in any place her sacred Image occurs vnto our sight we are deuoutly to honour it in vncouering the head bowing the knee c. According as the ancient Chrestiās were accustomed the like reuerence we are to do when we heare her name pronoūced a deuotion so punctually obserued by the ancient Christians Saints as S. Gerard Bishop of Pannonia commanded it through al his Diocese And that which we sayd of reuerencing her name inuites me likewise to say a word or two of the reuerence we owe to that of our Sauiour Christ First for the name of the holy Trinity how venerable it is in the holy Church witnesseth that verse in the conclusion of euery Psalme Gloria Patri c. Glory to the Father c. in pronouncing of which al rise vp and do reuerence not only the Quires on earth but also in heauen it-selfe as is manifest by that wondrous example recounted by Petrus Damianus There was a deuout man sayes he who one night while they were singing Matins rauished in extasy beheld the B. Virgin accompanied with an infinity of Angels Virgins entring the Church and leading the Procession vp the high Altar he saw thē al kneele down and whilest each Gloria Patri c. was singing they al fell prostrat on their face who demanding the reason of his extraordinary reuerence it was answered him that as often as thatverse was sung on earth they in heauen were particularly touched with the reuerence exhibited vnto the holy Trinity and reioyced that their ordinary exercise in heauen of adoring the Al Blessed Trinity was in such vogue on earth And how seuerely any irreuerence vnto this sacred verse is punished by Alm. God we haue a cleare Example in the secōd part of the Fr. Minors Chronicles of a Religious man who for not inclining while this verse was pronounc't out of a negligent custome he had gott was after death punished in this manner she was punished placed on a most highe and narrow pillar inuironed about with sea where a hundred tymes a day and as oft by night he was condemned to most profound inclination vntil he had satisfied for his neglect of them in the other world Which punishment being expired he reuealed vnto one of his fellow Religious that at euery inclination he felt such a horrible feare as if at the instant he had ben falling into hel As for the B. name of Iesus there needs no other testimony nor incitement to honour it then those words of holy Scripture where it is sayd That at the name of Iesus al knees should bow both in heauen Earth and the Infernal deepes below So likewise do we reuerēce those words of S. Iohns Gospel Et Verbum Caro factum est and the worde was made flesh and that other particle of the Nicen Creed Et incarnatus est c. by which we are reduced to memory of the sweet goodnes of Alm. God and his infinit loue which caused him for our sakes to